Page 30 of The Companion Love Trap

Companion Rule #3—in case of feelings, retreat, retreat, retreat. Companions are above all professional.

Yeah, I didn’t believe that one either.

“You okay, Firecracker?” Jace asked, a twinkle in his eyes. Kieran peered between us like he was trying to solve an equation he didn’t know.

“Yep. But you know, I’m beat. Traveling just wears you out, so I think I’ll just relax and stay in my room for the rest of the night. I’ll meet you both for breakfast in the morning.”

I grabbed my keycard from Kieran’s hand and my luggage, zipping off toward the elevator before Jace could talk me into a three-way.

Yeah, “talk.”

I might need to look up what the definition of that one meant because I would’ve been a willing participant. But, if I gave in this soon, I’d be doomed for the rest of the trip.

Hah. Gave in this soon. So there will be a soon. Still doomed.

Once the door latched behind me in my room, I fell back against it, my heart slowing slightly now that I was alone.

“Cold shower it is tonight,” I mumbled, flopping back onto the bed. After some room service and another perusal through the binder, I crawled into bed, determined not to fall in love with my two bosses.

Companion Rule #4—thou shall not lie to thy selves.

ten

CRUZ

I checked my phone again like a preteen waiting for an Insta-like, only to shove it back into my shorts when there weren’t any new messages. While I’d been prepared for Everly to leave my messages on ‘read,’ it didn’t mean I liked it. I hadn’t seen her in almost a week, and her ignoring my texts made my inner possessive stalker come out.

“Because you needed a reason,” my inner voice scoffed.

Buns nudged me with her nose, reminding me why I’d come out here, and it wasn’t to stare wistfully off into space as I thought about Everly.

“Sorry, Buns. Come on.”

Then I continued down the path as my corgi’s butt trotted in front of me, going over the details of their flight, trying to calm my anxiety. I knew it was a risk showing up on this cruise, but it felt worth it. I’d whittled my way into her life over the past year, obtaining bits and pieces of her like an addict starved for his next hit. Everything I learned about Everly, from her past to her crazy jobs, made me love her even more. And now I believed we’d arrived at that point where she’d either let me drag her over the line and be mine forever, or she’d keep running.

I’d much prefer it if she stayed put for once.

Not that I wouldn’t keep chasing her if she ran because I would. But there was only so long you could do that before a girl resorted to a restraining order, and I didn’t have the time or energy to fight one at the moment.

As I returned to the hotel, I caught sight of a golden-legged beauty in a green dress with brown hair flying out behind her as she strolled through the lobby like her ass was on fire. Everly didn’t see me, too focused on heading toward the elevators, her giant sun hat covering her face. Immediately I looked to where she’d been, finding Jace and Kieran standing stock still, their gazes fixed on her.

When the elevator door shut and sealed her away, I approached the duo, despite my agreement with Jace to stay away for a day. But I needed to know if something had happened and, at the very least, how she was. I was a self-proclaimed Everly junkie, and I needed more.

“Things already rocky in paradise?” I asked, drawing both of their attention to me.

Jace gave me a cocky smirk, his hazel eyes trailing over me as he took in every inch. When he spotted Buns, he instantly dropped to pet her, stopping midway before he touched her.

“Can I, Gato?” he asked, looking up at me from his lower position and giving my cock all kinds of ideas—like how to fuck that word out of his mouth.

I wasn’t a tomcat, so he better be using it to mean hottie. Pfft.

I swallowed and shifted my stance as he loved on Buns. Of course Buns would like him. He was a dog in human form. I glanced back at Kieran, afraid if I kept watching Jace, I’d get myself arrested in the hotel lobby for indecent exposure when I inevitably shoved my cock down his throat.

“Well?” I asked when neither of them said anything. Kieran’s brow creased as he tried to work out how he knew me.

“You’re the guy from Howlers. Jace, why is the owner of Howlers in our hotel?”

His gaze dropped to his friend, who Buns was licking. Jace sighed at Kieran’s question, giving my corgi one last scratch behind the ear before he stood.

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