Page 33 of Pleasure Island

12

Mila

“I hope it’s not screwing up any big weekend plans, you coming out here with me,” I said, watching Liam as he stared out the window of the small, private plane my grandmother had allowed me to use.

Millie had invited me out to the island for the weekend, and I was never one to turn down a chance to spend time on Pleasure Island.

Liam glanced at me. That faint smile came and went, and he shook his head. “It’s no concern.”

He’d had two days off earlier in the week. I guess Steadman Security liked to change things up. I’d been worried I might be stuck with one of his counterparts from the security firm, but Liam was apparently assigned to take care of me during the weekend.

After being informed of my plans to travel to see my grandmother, he’d contacted the firm.

Shortly after, I was told he’d accompany me. I couldn’t even say I minded.

Liam’s quiet presence was one I’d gotten used to, and it was almost disconcerting to bump into one of the others who handled the job when he was off. He was still almost stand-offish, but part of me wondered if that wasn’t some sort of shyness. Not that heactedshy or anything, but he definitely held himself apart in a way that, frankly, was starting to fascinate me.

If I was honest with myself, I’d admit that I’d been trying to charm him.

He seemed immune.

Thatdefinitely fascinated me. I wasn’t used to anybody being immune to me when I set my mind to it.

It was that determination to crack his façade that drove me to say, “Do you know what Pleasure Island is?”

He glanced at me, a brow going up. “Wasn’t that someplace mentioned in that old cartoon,Pinocchio?”

His dryly delivered comment tugged a laugh from me. “I think there was a Pleasure Island mentioned in it, yes. But I’m talking about our destination. That’s where we’re going…Pleasure Island.”

“Okay.”

Unable to keep my mischievous side from showing, I winked at him and asked, “Want to know why it’s called that?”

That infamous reserve of his popped up, and he went back to staring out the window, looking down at the water beneath us. “Unless it’s relevant to my job, I don’t need to know, do I?”

“How do you know if it’s relevant without knowing?” I asked innocently.

His gaze slid back my way. “I think you just want to tell me. Why don’t you get it over with?”

“You’re on to me, Liam,” I said, pointing at him and shaking my head in mock dismay. “But…fine. Really, there’stwoparts to Pleasure Island. There’s the island itself, which is now called Pleasure Island.” I leaned in a little, lowering my voice. “Then there’s the resort – also called Pleasure Island. It’s an adults-only resort.”

He blinked.

“You know…clothing optional, swingers welcome…that sort of thing.”

“Okay.” He went back to staring out the window.

That was the only reaction I’d get out of him?

Huffing a little, I settled back in my seat.

I’d get through to him. Sooner or later. I was dead set on it.

* * *

Liam was almostimpossible to ruffle.

I’d decided he probablywasa little shy and breaking through that reserve of his was like trying to crack a wall of ice with a butter knife. All in all, a pretty hard task.

---