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Rowan:10
It was almost 2 AM as I slid into bed, but my mind was still buzzing with the bits of conversation from tonight. I grabbed my tablet and searchedRowan Carter, and the number of articles that popped up made my head spin.
I already knew the basics about him, but the volume of media over the past two years was staggering. They ranged from interviews in high profile business magazines to entertainment channels and raunchy gossip websites. His life was tagged for everyone to read about. A ton of the personal stuff was edited for sales but still.No wonder he comes down to stay on his yacht. I’d hide out too if that were me.
One theme kept repeating as I scrolled through article after article:Will Rowan Carter and Jojo Egeley reunite?The headlines included a picture of Rowan and a pretty man with auburn hair standing side by side at a polo match just outside of London.
Johan Egeley, heir to the Egeley Software fortune and host of the popular reality TV series “Hitched OR Ditched”, and Rowan Carter, in happier times. Johan – or Jojo as he is known to his friends - and Carter had a long-standing intimate relationship until two months ago. Sources close to Egeley claim that Carter fractured the relationship because of another man. Read more details here…
I finished the rest of the article, but I was uneasy. There was so much speculation and rumor. I tried to imagine how Rowan must’ve felt seeing his relationship laid bare. Then I thought about my ex and how painful that was, and that was without public scrutiny. I was so angry on his behalf that my pulse pounded like a drumbeat in my skull. What had Dylan said earlier? Trust had been violated.
I closed out of the site and shoved my tablet aside. But I couldn’t get Rowan out of my head. I wanted my reaction to him to make sense so I could file it away and forget about it. Maybe I was missing my friends? That had to be it. Rowan was unhappy for whatever reason, and I was homesick. The two of us made a lonely-hearts club of sorts.
Then I remembered the way Rowan looked at me as we stood on the deck. I wasn’t one for romanticizing, but even I couldn’t deny the hypnotic effect of his big blue eyes. Like the iridescent sea below us, they’d beckoned me to dive right in. I had to remind myself that whatever spell the night had provoked, it was just that – a temporary turn, a circumstantial blip that would resolve in the light of day. This surge of desire, like waves churning before a hurricane, would calm soon enough. I just had to get past the eye of the storm.
SEVEN
ROWAN
This was a terrible idea. Frightfully bad.
Dylan was ecstatic to leave the yacht and spend the day with Andrew, but I was second-guessing my decision. Should I have sent that text? It was undoubtedly stupid and yet I didn’t want to refuse Andrew’s kind offer, so here I was at ten in the morning, waiting on the tender for them to join me. A day with my best friend and my… new friend? Assistant slash friend?Dear God, what have I done?I paced back and forth on the deck.
“Stop scowling and relax,” Dylan said to me as he stepped onto the tender.
“I’m not scowling, I’m thinking.”
“About?”
“This is most definitely a bad idea. Andrew meant well, but perhaps we’re intruding. And I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to befriend him. I should stay and work.”
Dylan pushed his straw cowboy hat back and placed his hands on his hips.
“He wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t want us to join him, so chill,” Dylan replied as he looked up at me. “You’re popping blood pressure pills like candy, so it’s time to take a day off. Work can wait. And there’s nothing wrong with hanging out with a new friend.”
“He’s my assistant, not my friend.”
“Alright then, he’s my friend, and you’re allowed to tag along with us.”
“Cute.” I shook my head at Dylan and stepped into the tender to join him.
“Andrew’s a laid-back guy, and today’s going to be great. Your other guests are occupied, praise the lord Jesus. Plus, I’m here to chaperone. I won’t let anything naughty happen, so don’t worry.” Dylan winked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Funny. Maybe you could try stand-up comedy instead of acting.”
“Maybe you could try letting go of that stick in your ass,” Dylan countered.
“Dylan’s right. There are much better things you can stick up your ass.” Andrew’s sudden, sarcastic retort startled me and caused me to pitch forward in the rocking tender. A strong hand gripped my arm, saving me from face-planting on the sole of the boat. Andrew to the rescue again. I ignored Dylan’s cackle and Andrew’s warm touch as I stood up and smoothed out my shirt.
Andrew was right, there were lots of things I could stick up my ass, and his cock was first on my wish list. Yes, that was one of the wishes I’d made last night… I tried to picture the last time I had sex, with a business acquaintance named Leo Dunbar, but that had been six months ago and barely registered in my memory.
I pointed between my friends… oops, best friend and assistant. “You two should go on tour with your comedy routine: Dumb and Dumber.”
“Hey now, that’s unfair.” Dylan chuckled as he turned to Andrew. “I was thinking Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.”
“Cool, as long as I get to be Tina,” Andrew replied.
Dylan smirked. “I’m happy to be Amy.”
