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“Don’t worry, boss. Fly decision. I thought I should take care of some loose ends in person since I’m already halfway across the Pacific—nothing to worry about with the new deal. It’ll probably be squared away by the time you’re home and we’ll shoot the shit at that little pub on Bainbridge. Fucking shit, the fish and chips there, man—” Troy throws his head back, making a pleasurable noise that’s so grossly inappropriate I almost laugh.
Cole’s face is tight and his forehead creases.
“Yeah, okay. It was good seeing you again, Troy. I’ll catch you in Seattle—and let me know ASAP if my dolphin-obsessed daughter is more than you can handle.”
“Will do.” Laughing, Troy nods and heads inside.
Finally.
He seems harmless enough, but the guy makes me cringe like nobody’s business.
“Where were we?” Cole asks, wrapping his arms around my waist before he kisses me deeply. “You were pure witchfire in there, sweetheart. Now it’s my turn.”
I smile, but stiffen.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I force a smile. “Just...aren’t you a little afraid someone will see us?”
He gives me an annoyed look and steps back slowly, putting ample space between us.
“Fair enough.” That hangdog look on his face makes me feel worse.
I’m so stupid. Why did I have to say anything?
I want him—I want to help him celebrate—but I want to make sure he really wants me.
Eliza.
Not some stand-in for a ghost.
“I’m sad that we’re leaving soon,” I whisper.
“Yeah. Paradise gets awfully addicting, but there’s no point in us lingering now that the deal is done. The whole crew wants to go home to their families.” He scans the balcony. “Did you see Destiny before she ran off with Troy?”
I smile. “Yep. She was pretty excited for the boat, but she promised to take her phone.”
My skin ices over despite the tropical heat.
I don’t say a word about Destiny crying. I can’t guess how he’d take it, even if part of me wants to find out.
“We’re alone then,” he says, raking me with a look that glows.
God.
I know I’ll regret this because it’s just getting harder to stay away from this man.
Heartbreak, here I come, but I might as well make the most of the time I have left, right? At least it can’t play out worse than Derek.
“Didn’t you say there’s a place on the farm only you know about?” I ask, remembering how he mentioned it the other night after we were spent and exhausted.
“There are a few places only I know,” he says cryptically.
“Show me one,” I whisper, grabbing his hand.
If I’m on a collision course, then I’ll spend what time I have left in heaven and deal with the fallout later.
The house is crawling with people as we head inside, so he keeps a safe space between us until we’re outside again.
His arm slides around my waist and he leads me to a small service area where the staff keep their golf carts. We climb inside the cozy little vehicle.
“Are we going to the cliffs?” I ask.
“Not today. You’ll see.” His sunlit smile melts me all over again.
He drives carefully down a narrow road through vibrant, low-hanging vines. When the house looks like something made for a doll in the distance, he parks next to some leafy brush and helps me out.
There’s a break in the overgrowth a little ways in. A hammock hangs between two tall coconut trees.
“Oh, wow. I never would’ve guessed that was here,” I say.
His eyes twinkle like blue sapphires. “That’s the point.”
He flops onto the hammock first, but keeps one foot firmly on the ground.
“Get your sweet ass over here,” he orders.
“What if I flip us over?” I say with a smile.
“You won’t. I’ll keep us steady, Eliza.”
Eliza. The way he says my name when he looks at me leaves no doubt that it’s me he’s seeing and devouring with that gaze.
He reaches out and I take his hand.
“Lay down slowly.” He gently pulls me closer.
Cautiously, I lift one leg on the very edge of the hammock and it gives.
“You’re sure this is big enough for two?”
“Positive. I’m not going to let you fall. Here, lean back.”
Slowly, I recline, but Cole’s big body takes up most of the hammock. The only way to lie back is to do it snugly against him.
He lets go of my hand, sliding his arm securely around me. “I’m going to raise my foot now. We’ll rock, but we won’t fall.”
We sway back and forth as he does exactly that.
Once I’m sure I’m not about to hit the ground butt first, there’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be.
We’re teleported into a warm, cozy dream.
My lips wander to his shoulder, wishing his silk button-down shirt wasn’t between us.
“The flight home is going to be hell,” he says, kissing my forehead and then my lips.
“Why?” I ask.
“I’ll be with you for six goddamned hours and won’t be able to do anything about it,” he growls.
