Page 71 of The Seascape Between Us

Living in my father’s house no longer felt like we were living in my father’s house. We were making it our own. We’d repainted the bedroom, and replaced his heavy wood furniture with pieces of our own—cleaner lines and less ornate—and I planned to renovate the attic and turn it into a workspace.

We weren’t sure what we were going to do with my loft in Portland. Daniel knew how much I loved the space, what it meant to me, and he said I should keep it. After all, I had to make trips into Portland for work. If meetings ran late, I could always stay the night there and come back to The Square in the morning, like I had the night before.

But I didn’t like sleeping without Daniel. The loft felt empty and too quiet when I was there alone. It didn’t feel like home anymore. Wherever Daniel was felt like home.

Maybe once we finished renovating the house, I’d sell the loft, but for now, I’d hold onto it in case we needed to escape all theprojectsat the house.

Once inside the hotel, I could hear a low din drifting from the restaurant, the clink of dishes, the soft hum of voices. Since the hotel’s Grand Re-opening two weeks ago, the place had beenpacked, and Daniel had been nearly run off his feet, but in the best way possible.

I crossed the lobby and leaned on the frame of the opening between the restaurant and the lobby. Crowded with diners, the curved windows with their view to the sea back in place, it was hard to believe that just two months ago the space looked like a bomb went off.

I spotted Daniel moving between the tables, checking to make sure everyone had what they needed, and backed up the servers when they needed help.

He really was the most beautiful man I knew. His snug blue golf shirt with the hotel’s emblem on his chest showed off his well-muscled body, and even his pants clung to that perfect ass. I could have watched him all day, but he glanced over, and his eyes locked with mine. He smiled and started toward me.

My chest seemed to squeeze and expand at the same time, and I wanted to grab him to me and kiss the ever-loving shit out of him, then drag him home and show him just how badly I’d missed him.

As he drew closer, his eyes darkened like he could read my thoughts. I shifted in my pants which started to feel a little too snug in the crotch.

Once he reached me, he pressed a quick kiss to my lips. I desperately wanted to drag him closer and deepen the kiss, but not here, with an audience of guests.

“Can you take a break? I have a surprise,” I said.

His brows lifted. “What kind of surprise?”

“If I told you…”

He grinned and caught Alistair’s attention as he carried a tray of drinks to a crowded table behind Daniel. “I need to step out for a minute. I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”

Alistair’s gaze flicked from me to him, and he smirked. “Whatever you need.”

“You know he thinks I’m leaving them so we can fuck in my office,” Daniel said, as we crossed the lobby.

I shrugged. “I know Finn. They’ve done worse.”

Still, once the door closed behind us, I grabbed him against me and kissed him hard, showing him how badly I’d missed him. His tongue licked into my mouth, and I groaned.

“I missed you,” I murmured against his lips.

“Me too. One night iswaytoo long.”

“Agreed.” And I kissed him again, losing myself in his taste and the feel of his hard body pressed to mine.

When we finally came up for air, Daniel leaned back against the edge of his desk. “So, what’s the surprise?”

I grinned and reached into my jacket’s inside pocket, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to him.

He frowned. “What is this?”

“Look inside and see.”

Still frowning, he opened the envelope and pulled out a check. His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

“What is this?” he asked again.

“It’s from the insurance company for the storm.”

“This much?” He blinked, still looking stunned.

---