Page 117 of Release Me

Afist pounds on my bedroom door. “Come on. Get out of bed! It’s almost noon!”

I groan into my pillow. “Fuck off.” It’s my first day off since I arrived in Mermaid Beach. All I want to do is sleep.

“You decent?”

“No.”

“Alone?” My door creaks open.

“Seriously, Con, leave me the fuck?—”

“Just how we like you,” a female voice purrs.

I lift my head to find Rachel and Katie standing in the doorway, gawking at my bare ass.

“Hey,” I croak, fumbling for my sheet to cover my lower half. “What are you two doing here?”

Rachel hops onto my bed first, draping herself over me to deliver a sloppy kiss on my cheek. “Connor invited us here for a few days. Didn’t he tell you?”

“No, he didn’t mention it.”

“Of course I did!” Connor lies.

Katie drops onto the bed on my other side, and suddenly I’m sandwiched between the two flirtatious blonds. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not.”

“Good.” She leans in to give me a hug.

I guess this means my day of doing nothing is over. I roll onto my back, holding my sheet in place to cover my morning wood. Considering the kinds of things we’ve done together, it’s almost laughable. But we’ve been platonic since well before Abbi’s wedding and I’d like to keep it that way. I search for energy as I say, “Give me five and I’ll meet you guys downstairs.”

The girls are giddy as they skip out.

“There are five bedrooms in this place. Take your pick,” I holler after them. Except for this one. I make a mental note to lock my door tonight.

“Not the one on the first floor,” Connor warns. “Ryan and Kyle are staying there. My sis doesn’t want to hear me bone.”

“Wait. Ryan’s here too?”

Connor throws out his hands. “Do you not listen to a word I say?”

“Honestly,no, but you didn’t tell me this.” I’d remember him mentioning Ryan.

He shrugs. “Well, now you know. They’re on their way from the airport. Get dressed. We’ve gotbigplans.”

I groan as he leaves, and then fumble for my phone to check messages.

Tasha

Carrie and the girls are in!

“So?How do you like Mermaid Beach?” Ryan asks from the front passenger seat of their rental car. They showed up twenty minutes ago, announced they have an afternoon organized and to put on our bathing suits, and we all loaded into this three-row SUV. I was just happy to not have to drive.

“Good so far, but I haven’t done much besides work.”

“I guess not. That’s a big promotion, Mr. Director.” She turns in her seat to face Connor and me, her hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. “I still can’t believe you guys moved here. You’re always doing crazy stuff. I mean, first Alaska, now this.”

“Yeah, it was not expected.” And still a highly questionable decision on Henry’s part. “How’s life back in Miami? Building still good?” Ryan and Kyle moved in together right before Connor and I got back from Alaska. Though Ryan says it wasn’t the case, I can’t help but wonder if my returning had a lot to do with the move—she told Kyle we had hooked up a few times. Regardless, they seem to be going strong. She texts me every now and then, and it’s only with good things.

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