Page 54 of From Wink to Kink

Finally, after what feels like hours, they leave. As soon as the door closes behind them, I bolt from my chair, the forgotten book tumbling to the floor.

I burst out of the library, gasping for air. The beautiful morning is now tainted, and the resort's lush beauty mocks me.

Panic muddles my thinking. What am I going to do? Confront Chuck? Pretend I never heard anything? Pack my bags and leave for real this time?

As I stand there, torn between fight and flight, a small voice in the back of my mind speaks up. This isn't you, Ruby. Since when do you let other people's words shake you like this? You're stronger than that.

And Chuck... well, I might not know him as well as I thought, but I know enough. He's not perfect, but he's not cruel. He wouldn't do this. Would he?

I take a deep breath to center myself. Okay. I need a plan. I need to talk to Chuck, to give him a chance to explain. And if it turns out those women were telling the truth... well, then I'll deal with that.

But first, I need to get back to our bungalow. I need to see Chuck, to look into his eyes and remind myself of what I felt last night. Because that was real. It had to be.

As I make my way back, my mind races with possibilities. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding. Maybe Chuck shut down their advances and they're just bitter. Maybe...

I reach our door, my hand hovering over the knob. Whatever happens next, I know one thing for sure—this vacation just got more complicated.

26

RUBY

I pushopen the door to the bungalow I’m sharing with Chuck, only to find the room is empty.

Chuck's gone.

For a moment, I stand there, unsure what to do. Then my growling stomach makes the decision for me. Breakfast. I'll get some food, clear my head, and then figure out how to talk to Chuck.

I make my way to the dining room, the smell of coffee and freshly baked pastries filling the air. As I round the corner, I spot a familiar head of tousled hair, half in a man-bun, half down. Chuck.

Relief floods me for a split second before I register the scene before me. Chuck’s at a table, but he's not alone. Far from it. He's surrounded by a group of women, all leaning in close, laughing at something he's said. Pretty sure two of them are from the library.

My relief curdles into something ugly and painful.

So it was true.

I watch, rooted to the spot, as one of the women – the one who had so graphically described her plans for Chuck – leans in closer, her hand on his arm. He doesn't pull away. He's smiling, that charming grin I thought was just for me.

Humiliation washes over me in a hot wave. How could I have been so stupid? Of course none of this means anything to him. I was just a convenient warm body, someone to pass the time with until a better offer came along.

Before anyone can spot me, I turn on my heel and flee. I need to get out of here. Now.

I make a beeline for the front desk, blinking back tears. A cheerful clerk greets me with a bright smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Brooks! How can I help you today?"

"I need to leave," I say, my voice shaky. "As soon as possible. Are there any shuttles to the airport today?"

Her smile falters slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is everything okay?"

No, everything is not okay. But I'm not about to pour my heart out total to a stranger. I force a smile. "I just... I need to go home."

She taps away at her computer, looking for options, and a thought occurs to me. In all the chaos and... distractions... of the past few days, I never actually found out what this retreat is called.

"Um, Miss?" I say, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "This might sound strange, but... what exactly is this week’s retreat? Like, what's its... name?"

She opens her mouth to answer, but before she can, a deep, accented voice cuts in.

"Ah, the eternal question, my dear. What is the focus of life itself, if not the pursuit of pleasure and connection?"

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