Page 23 of Tropical Inferno

“We’re already naked, and no. Time to get up. Come on, princess, this is how athletes do it.”

She arched her brow. “How would you know?”

He shrugged. “I have a trainer, I work out a lot.”

“Fine.” She padded out of his room and into hers, turning on lights as she searched for her clothes. She was tired but in a good way, her body still humming from last night’s activities.

After getting dressed and washing up, she found Garrett in the kitchen making eggs.

“When did we get food?” she asked, moving up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I sent the concierge a message and they took care of it.”

“I wish you’d told me—I was hoping for some yogurt.”

He leaned back to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’ll have some delivered today. Any particular brand and flavor?”

She told him what she liked as she moved away to get plates out of the cabinets. “This place is amazing—it has everything.”

He nodded. “Yeah. A bit more room than the two of us need, certainly more than if I was by myself, but it was literally the only opening they had.”

“Must be nice to have friends in high places,” she laughed.

“Yeah, it is, but it’s also nice to have the money to afford it. I’m not staying here for free.” A touch of bitterness crept into his voice and Maddie paused, cocking her head.

“What does that mean? I know that gripe wasn’t directed at me, because you made the arrangements to stay here on your own… What are you upset about? Is whatever it is that’s going on at work related to money?”

He sighed, shaking his head as he put eggs on each plate. “The problem is the future. If I continue to do what I’m doing, the money is phenomenal, but right now I’m unhappy. If I stop, I’ll be a lot happier, but I’ll be broke. Well, okay, not broke, but I wouldn’t be able to vacation in places like this. I’d probably sell my house in L.A., move somewhere more affordable, and come up with a whole new plan for my future.”

“Are you an actor?” She squinted up at him. “No… I’d know this face. Your eyes, the way you smile… I’d remember.”

“Definitely not an actor.” He handed her a plate. “Eat. We have to get going before the beach gets busy and it gets too hot.”

“It’s not even seven,” she muttered. “Who gets up on vacation to go to the beach at seven in the morning?”

“Eat.”

She dug in, grateful he’d made coffee and put a cup in front of her. She wasn’t a picky eater, but black coffee in the morning was a must. The silence gave her time to ponder what he’d just said. Whatever he did now was lucrative, but he wasn’t happy. Her gut told her he wanted to be a mechanic but that it probably didn’t pay very well. She didn’t care about that. If they lived in a little house somewhere and they both worked, they could have a nice life. She wouldn’t work once they had kids but—she froze. He couldn’t hear her thoughts, obviously, but that wasn’t the point. What on earth was she doing, fantasizing about them having a life together?

He’d made it clear that wasn’t going to happen but after last night, it kind of ticked her off. Who was he to decide what she could and couldn’t live with? No matter what Garrett had done, Jamie would help; she knew he would. He cared about money less than anyone she knew. Yes, he had a family now, and another baby on the way, but he was part-owner of a nightclub and his husband still played professional hockey. They wouldn’t bat an eyelash to help her and Garrett fix whatever was going on with him.

“Can my brother help you?” she blurted out.

“What?” Garrett’s fork paused en route to his mouth. “What are you talking about?”

“Can Jamie help you get out of whatever mess you’re in? Whether it’s with his celebrity as an athlete or money or…”

“Jesus, Maddie.” He put down his fork and stalked out of the room.

She watched him go with a mixture of hurt and frustration. Why was he so stubborn? With a snort of annoyance, she followed him. “Don’t walk away from me like that! I was trying to help. You could just say no.”

He was standing at the sliding glass doors, staring out at the ocean. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he growled. “Your brother can’t help me. He wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know him.”

“It wouldn’t matter.”

“Why are you so determined to do this alone? Weren’t you the one who told me it was silly not to ask my brother for help with the bike? Why can’t people who care about you help?”

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