Page 18 of Escape to the Sun

5

Ash openedone eyelid and waited for Sherri to continue her train of thought. It had been almost a week since he’d brought Heather to Casa del Sol and he knew he was running out of excuses for why he was still hanging around. He’d spent the days picking up guests, shuttling them to nearby beaches and running various errands for Sherri, but mostly he’d been watching Heather, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be alone with her.

There hadn’t been one.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here,” Sherri called to Ash, who lounged in one of the hammocks on the side deck. He was in the shade for the moment, but he could feel the hot sun starting to creep over his toes. It wouldn’t take long before he’d need to move. Either that or turn a somewhat undesirable and very painful shade of red.

It was unusual for him to spend so long at Casa del Sol but they both knew why he was there. Ash was just surprised it had taken Sherri so long to bring it up.

“Am I in the way?”

“Not currently.” He opened his eyes to see her standing over him. “But that’s probably because right now you’re hanging out here instead of harassing my newest manager.”

Ash sat up as best he could in the hammock. “I don’t harass Heather.”

He didn’t. Or at least he didn’t think he did. Although he did try to talk to her whenever he had the chance. Not that there were many chances. It was frustrating.

No.

It was a challenge. Because although the attraction between them was still very much there, something had shifted from that first day when she’d rode in his boat, her head tilted back to the sea air, taking it all in. He could have sworn they had a connection. And when they’d kissed…hell. They absolutely had a connection. There was no way he’d imagined any of that.

But why then did it seem like she was avoiding him?

“Don’t you agree, Ash?”

He blinked hard and in an effort to at least look like he’d been paying attention to whatever Sherri’d been saying, he nodded.

“I’m glad you see it my way.”

She slapped her hands together and turned to walk away, leaving Ash with the distinct feeling that he’d just agreed to something he wasn’t going to be pleased about.

“Wait.” He struggled to push out of the hammock, ending up in an awkward twisted mess as he stumbled to the floor. “Sherri. What did I just agree to?”

He caught up with her across the room. Her smile told him he was in trouble.

“You’re going to open up my treehouse today.”

“Your treehouse?” Ash was vaguely aware of Sherri’s treehouse, which was much less of a treehouse and more of a real house situated about a thousand stairs up into the jungle. He knew the house existed. He’d even been in it once to retrieve some extra pots and pans, but to his knowledge, Sherri hadn’t actually used the house in years. She spent her time mostly in grande casa so she could be close to her guests. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard of Sherri up in her treehouse. “Why?”

“Because it’s my house.”

“Right…” Ash followed her into the kitchen and let out a sigh of relief when he didn’t see Camila.

“Don’t worry.” Sherri rolled her eyes. “She moved on.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sherri put one hand on her slight hip and shot him a look that made it more than clear that she wasn’t buying his innocent act. “Luis has been lusting after Camila for months, but for whatever reason, the poor girl thought she had a chance with you. I can’t imagine why.” She rolled her eyes again and shook her head, but Ash could see the humor in her face. “Anyway, the girl came to her senses finally and it would seem that she’s over you.”

“That didn’t take long.” He couldn’t help but be a little offended. Maybe he was easy to get over? It was ridiculous, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe he should ask Camila what—

“Get over yourself.” Sherri smacked him in the arm. “You didn’t want the poor girl anyway. You should have cut her loose ages ago.” She shook her head and opened cupboards, pulling various jars off the shelves and placing them in a box.

“I didn’t have her on the hook.” He didn’t need to explain or defend himself, but Ash couldn’t help it. It wasn’t his fault if Camila had felt something more for him than he was willing to give. Was it?

“You did have her on the hook.” Sherri paused in her gathering, but only for a moment. “That’s the entire problem. You don’t even know you’re doing it.”

“Doing what?”

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