Page 85 of Sinners Retreat

“That’s the one.” I nip her ear, and she rewards me with a soft moan.

Her palm brushes over my hard length, then squeezes. I have an almost Pavlovian response to her presence, and it takes every ounce of my willpower to keep myself from climbing on top ofher and ravaging her right here. Actually, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.

I’m a millisecond from lowering my zipper when footsteps clomp up the stairs and Ice Pick appears on the deck. Ever the oblivious one, he tromps over to us and sits beside Kindra, nearly close enough to touch. I can almost hear the steam rising off my cock as it deflates.

“You guys didn’t stick around very long. You missed all the fun.” He reaches over and eases Kindra’s hair away from her face. As he tucks the strands behind her ear, she recoils from his touch.

“Give her a little space,” I say.

Ice Pick chuckles, then stands and stretches. “Sorry. I forgot you already sank yourhooksinto her.”

I grit my teeth when I’m overcome by the urge to stand up and ram my fist into his smug face. He has the audacity to touch what belongs to me, then threaten me? How quickly he forgets who I am.

Standing to my full height, I ball my fists at my sides and step into him. The shining crown of his bald head barely clears my clavicle. As I pull my glasses from my face and hand them to Kindra, Ice Pick seems to remember his place in the pecking order. He holds out his palms and gives me his most placating smile.

“I was just joking around,” he says. His wheedling voice grates on my nerves, and I crack my neck to release the tension building there. “C’mon, Ezra. No harm meant, pal. I was just having a little fun, but I’ll lay off. Scouts honor.”

I clap a hand on his shoulder and lean into his face, speaking so that only he can hear me. “If you so much as look at her for too long after this, I’ll sink my hooks intoyou. Are we clear?”

His thick earlobes wobble on the sides of his head as he nods. “Crystal.”

I smile. “Good. Now let’s raise that anchor, shall we?”

“Sorry, Kindra,” he says as he shuffles past her, and I’m pleased when he keeps his gaze trained on the teak beneath his feet.

“What was all that about?” She holds my glasses toward me, and I pluck them from her fingertips before situating them on the bridge of my nose.

“Just protecting what’s mine,” I say. “Unless you have a problem with a possessive partner, in which case, we may not be such a good fit after all. I hate sharing.”

She motions to her voluptuous figure and laughs. “So you want the party-size bag of chips, but you want them all to yourself?”

“I’m a very hungry man.”

“Say less.” She parts her thighs, giving me a glimpse of heaven. “The buffet is always open.”

My god, I want her so badly that it physically hurts.

I rush to the front of the boat. The sooner we haul anchor, the sooner we can finish dinner and move on to dessert.

Chapter Thirty

Kindra

As I head back to my villa, I’m walking on air. It’s incredibly stupid to throw caution to the wind, but I’ve tossed all concern into a hurricane and wished it well. The walls are down, and it’s official.

I’m falling in love with Ezra Carter.

And what isn’t to love? He’s handsome, intelligent, and witty. He looks at me the way every woman deserves to be looked at, and I feel like I’m enough when I’m with him. Most of all, he makes me happy.

Now I’m about to get dolled up for a fancy dinner date with Mr. Perfect. My current self kicks my past self for bringing such a limited selection of formal wear, but how was I to know I’d meet the love of my life on this trip? When we first set out, I was so determined to keep my head down and my heart protected. I treated everyone so cruelly, especially Cat.

Cat!

I need to check in with her and make sure Bennett didn’t kill her with an accidental overdose. I skirt past my villa and makea beeline for Cat’s place. It’s late afternoon, so I can only hope she’s had enough time to sleep off the drugs. She loves dressing up, so she’ll want to attend the dinner.

Pale orange curtains flap in the window, but I see no lights inside Cat’s villa. At least Bennett had the wherewithal to ensure she had a breeze. I rap on the door, then peer through the window when she doesn’t answer. I don’t see her in the living room. Not wanting to wake her if she’s still sleeping, I ease open the door.

A blanket lies across the couch, as if someone had been beneath it only moments ago. The bedroom door stands open, giving me a clear view of the empty bed.

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