Page 15 of As You Crave It

“Must I?”

“No, tell us all the intimate details there are,” Lila told him. “You started it, Quin. Now you have to finish the story.”

“Fine.” Quin told them about meeting Celia at the club, sitting with her on the beach, walking her home, spending the night.

“It’s just a one-night thing?” Gemma asked.

“Yes. We agreed that it was probably best. Sex just made it so awkward. It was almost impossible to have a normal conversation. She told me that I broke her heart and she wouldn’t let me do it to her again.”

“She regretted it,” Reid said simply.

“She said she didn’t. But I don’t know. When I walked in on her in the kitchen this morning, she didn’t look very happy.”

“Do you regret it?”

Quin stayed quiet. He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t regret his night with Celia. But if she was left with regret, that didn’t sit well with him.

“Want to change the topic?” Reid asked when Quin was silent for an uncomfortably long minute.

He relaxed. “Yes, please.”

“You ready for your trip with Seacoast Prestige?”

And just like that, he felt the tension rise again. Not only was he not looking forward to being in Jared Foster’s company, but professionally, this was also his chance to prove to Reid that he could make the right decisions for the business. “I am as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“I figured you would have been stoked to spend a few days on a mega-yacht in St. Martin.”

He shook his head. “It’s not the boat that’s the problem, it’s the owner. Foster is an asshole.”

Reid nodded. “He definitely has a reputation as hard to deal with. I wouldn’t have followed the lead on this one, but you did a good job of courting him. If we can make this deal, it’ll be huge.”

In the past few months, they’d reached massive mainstream success. But it was important to Reid and the company that they maintain their position as the premier luxury rum brand in the country, as well. Stocking Rexford Rum on Seacoast Prestige’s yachts, jets and in their villas would more than do that.

“And we will,” Quin assured him. “It’s already in the bag. Just got to get him to sign off on it.”

“Maybe a yacht trip to St. Martin will be good for you. Give you some space and clarity.”

Quin sighed, and his thoughts immediately went back to Celia. He might be headed to the Caribbean, but all he wanted was to see Celia again. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.” Maybe a little space was exactly what he needed.

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