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“What about Leah?” I blurt, letting my irritation get the best of me. “There’s so much speculation about her but no one knows the truth.”
Marcus slowly moves to sit, keeping steady eyes on mine.
I wish I could take the question back, but it’s just there. Breathing between us like it’s come to life, taking up enough space to make me uncomfortable, and the irony of Alice’s suggestion to seduce him for information isn’t lost on me.
“I’ll answer that question after you’ve answered mine,” he says coolly.
My phone buzzes from the pocket of our backpack. At first, I ignore the two consecutive vibrations, but when I hear a third, I reach for the bag with a huff.
Alice ‘The World’s Best Editor’
Publisher’s breathing down my neck.
They want something soon.
Sinclair?
“What is it?” Marcus asks, surely noting I’m burning red.
After I’ve wrapped myself in the towel, I step over Jango to search for my discarded clothes, and all at once, I feel like an idiot for ever agreeing to this.
“Heather.”
“It’s nothing,” I say, but damn him.
Why does he have to sound so concerned? Why does he have to be sodifferent?
My head swims dizzily as I recall Alice’s messages and the story that still isn’t written, but also justnotthere.
Marcus isn’t a player or a bad-boy, and he isn’t rude, hateful, or demeaning. From what I’ve gathered, his family isn’t even all that bad, and if I’m really searching for the facts here, then this is the scoop—Marcus Matthews is the complete opposite of everything I once thought was true, and I’ve been hopelessly charmed by him.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” I force the words from my throat, breaking a sweat.
If I cut this off, here and now, I can still come up with a decent enough article to satisfy my boss, leave the island, and forget any of this ever happened.
“Doing what? Enjoying each other’s company?”
He’s standing now, still naked, save for the rolled towel around his waist.
“You know exactly what I mean, Marcus.” Once I find my clothes, I click at Sparrow, who rises onto wobbly knees before standing. “Let’s get back before Penelope gets suspicious.”
“Actually, I don’t.” There’s an edge in his voice that wasn’t there before. “And let her get suspicious. I don’t care, and neither should you.”
I blink in disbelief. What does he mean he doesn’t care?
His shoulders flex with his clenching fists. “What’s gotten into you? I’m just making conversation.”
“Well, I didn’t agree toconversation.”
“So I’m just supposed to fuck you and walk away, then? Is that what we agreed to?”
“I said casual, Marcus, as in, a good orgasm for both of us here and there.” My hand visibly shakes when I point at the quilt we were laying on. “Not this.”
Stepping around Sparrow, I sling my clothes across her back before getting dressed.
I only manage to pull on my swim bottoms before he’s rounding her hindquarters. “Knock it off.”
My hand freezes beneath his when I reach for my top.
