Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“Sure.”
“Great! I’ll be right back.”
She heads into the kitchen, while Buck and Leif continue their conversation.
“Obviously Aspen didn’t want to go to Hawaii or anywhere else in the South Pacific,” Buck is saying, “so we decided on Florida. Miami Beach.”
“Did Reid set you up at a resort?”
Buck smiles. “He did. Good thing, too, because we were able to change our reservations when we needed to.”
I feel the gazes upon me, like lasers from their eyes boring holes into my flesh.
“You might as well say it,” I say.
Leif turns to me. “Say what?”
“That it’s my fault. It’s my fault that Aspen and Buck aren’t on their honeymoon right now.”
Buck wrinkles his forehead. “No one’s saying that. Weren’t you listening to our conversation?”
“You didn’t say it in words.”
“Listen,” Leif says. “I can tell you this about Buck. If he has something to say to you, he will never mince words.”
“And you?” I raise my eyebrows.
“I won’t be mincing words with you either, Kelly. That I can promise you.”
“No one is blaming you for Aspen and me missing our honeymoon,” Buck says. “We were just talking about the honeymoon. About where we decided to go and why.”
“You think I don’t know what subtext is?”
“Oh my God.” Leif shakes his head. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me what the subtext is?” His jaw is clenched.
Buck rises then. “I think I’m going to help Aspen.” He disappears into the kitchen.
“I suppose he couldn’t wait to get the hell away from us,” I say.
“Buck and I have been friends for years,” Leif says. “I’m pretty sure he couldn’t wait to get away from you.”
His words cut through me.
I’ve hardened myself so much over the years, ever since I was a child, and very few things actually hurt me.
What Leif just said did. So much so that I feel myself wincing.
“We’re here to help you,” Leif continues. “I don’t know how many times I have to say it.”
“You’re being paid very handsomely to help me.”
“So what? I’m a Navy SEAL. So is Buck. We don’t do anything half-assed, whether we’re paid to or not. So we are here to help you, and God damn it, I’m going to help you.” He shakes his head. “Even if it fucking kills me in the process.”
“I never asked for your help.”
“No, you didn’t. But Reid asked me to help. I owe Reid a lot, so I will do as he asks.”
“Because he’s paying a lot of money.”
He raises his hands in the air. “What do you want me to say, Kelly? That I’m happy to take his money? Newsflash, I am. The Wolfe family pays Buck and me very well for what we do for them, and we earn every penny of it. Especially in this case,” he mumbles.
“I heard that.”
“Good. Then you won’t worry about having to interpret the subtext.” He rolls his eyes. “There’s no fucking subtext, Kelly. I say what I mean.”
I open my mouth to speak, but Aspen and Buck return, she holding a tray filled with four dessert bowls full of berries topped with whipped cream.
“Dessert is served,” she says, a bit tentatively.
Leif smiles—a gorgeous smile—as if nothing just happened between us. “I am so looking forward to it, Aspen.”
13
LEIF
We get a short reprieve after dessert when Kelly excuses herself to use the bathroom.
“My God, Phoenix.” Buck shakes his head. “I don’t envy you.”
“She’s a piranha,” I agree. “So is it wrong that I think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in a long time?”
“Kelly is a beautiful woman,” Aspen says. “Every woman on the island was. Beautiful and strong.” She grimaces. “Worthy prey.”
“Reid’s not paying you enough,” Buck says.
“You’re telling me. Subtext.” I rub my forehead, trying to ease the tension. “She’ll find out soon enough that I’m not a subtext kind of guy.”
Buck laughs then. “No, you’re certainly not.”
“You know,” Aspen says, “it’s funny. None of us really knew each other on the island. We were too busy trying to deal with our own lives. We couldn’t get involved in each other’s. Kelly was a little different in that respect.”
“Right. You say she got jealous.”
“Yeah, and I’ll never understand why. I was one of the more popular women on the island. Big strong men wanted to take down the athlete.”
Buck takes his wife’s hand. “You okay, baby?”
“Yeah. I can talk about it now. You and I have been through a lot of therapy, and I’m finally in charge of my anger. I was totally out for revenge, right Buck?”
Buck pats Aspen’s hand. “She was. But she’s settled down now.”
“Maybe you should talk to Kelly, Aspen.” I say. “She sure as hell has an anger problem.”
“But I don’t get the feeling that hers is bent on vengeance,” Aspen says. “It’s something else with Kelly. Something I can’t put my finger on.”