Page 31 of 7 Nights of Sin

Chapter 11

Caro

There was something so supremely annoying about being in Hawaii, a beautiful place I'd always wanted to visit someday, and having to work my ass off because of an idiot like Kevin.

The beach the house was on had that luscious white sand, and the water was crystal clear and sparkling. And even though it was cold back in New York, the weather was moderate enough that I didn't need more than a light jacket just to be on the safe side.

It was gorgeous, and if I wasn't working, I'd have liked nothing more than to curl up in a beach chair with a book and listen to the sound of the waves.

But no. I didn't get to do that because this wasn't a vacation for me. I was working. I was going to media outlets and calling sponsors and doing whatever I could to make sure Kevin's little stunt didn't ruin the progress I'd already made.

And it was working, for the most part. I put a spin on it, siting that he was entitled to blow off a little steam. I brought up his career record and how hard he worked and how he was rewarded for it by having his ex-wife come after his character in a way that would stress anyone out.

I painted a sympathetic picture and sent the statement to anyone who was asking for it, spending most of that first day at a coffee shop in town, using their internet and stepping outside to make phone calls.

By the time the sun was setting, I was worn out. I was still jet lagged from the flight, but publicity didn't wait, and if I wanted to make any kind of an impact on things, I had to strike while things were still hot.

It was a start, anyway. There was still more work to be done, more people calling for interviews, and various Christian groups denouncing Kevin as a pervert and a sinner.

There was only so much I could do about that.

I dragged myself back to the beach house in the car I'd rented for the occasion and sat there for a second, just letting the day wash over me.

I worked a lot. Anyone who knew me knew that. I loved my job, honestly. Sometimes the clients could be obnoxious (case in point), but it was interesting work, and I was good at it.

But that didn't mean I didn't get tired sometimes. Sometimes I wanted a break, but that didn't seem to be in the cards for me any time soon.

After a bit I pulled myself out of the car and headed up towards the house, frowning when I saw smoke coming from the back.

All I needed was for Kevin to be involved in a fire or something to well and truly ruin everything.

I dropped my things off in the room I'd chosen for myself and then went to find the source of the smoke.

It was Kevin, because of course it was, but he was manning a grill at the back of the house, flipping what looked like thick cut steaks with a pair of tongs.

He was shirtless for some reason, even though there was a chill in the air as the sun got ready to set, and there was a beer in his other hand.

I bristled immediately, but then remembered we were alone, and he wasn't being disorderly, so I let out a breath.

"Do you still like your steaks practically still mooing?" he asked, not even turning around to look at me, but somehow knowing I was there.

I jumped a bit and then scowled. "Just because you like to gnaw on shoe leather doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the way I eat steaks."

"Medium is not shoe leather," he said, laughing. "Did you eat yet?"

I actually had to think about it. There had been coffee and muffins at the coffee shop I'd set up at for the day, and a plate of quiche for lunch, but that was about it.

"You don't have to feed me," I insisted, even though the smell wafting from the grill was amazing and it made my stomach growl.

"I know I don't," he replied. "But it's the least I can do. You had to come all the way out here, and you're working for me, so the least I can do is try and show you a good time while you're here, right? Take some of the stress off?"

"You are the stress," I muttered back, but I was hungry enough that I wasn't going to turn the food down.

He just laughed. "Fair enough. Streak, baked potatoes, and asparagus sound good?"

My stomach growled again, loud enough that he could hear it, and I supposed that answered that question.

"Great," he said, turning his head to grin at me. "We're about ten minutes out if you want to get changed and washed up."

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