Page 47 of Dirty Rocker

I made my way to the marble bathroom. Last night, we’d placed an order for breakfast to be served on the front veranda, and I wanted to be ready to receive it.

“Baby, where are you?” I heard Pierce call out.

“Right here, honey. Won’t be a minute.” I wrapped a sarong around myself and returned to the bedroom. “You gotta stop stressing,” I told him. “We’re safe on this island.” I sat next to him on the mattress and smoothed his brow.

He reached for my hand. “My brain tells me there’s no way Ramos could know where I’ve gone. But my instincts keep telling me otherwise…”

“You should listen to your brain.” I squeezed his fingers.

“I’ll try.” A smile flickered at the edge of his mouth. “I don’t wanna spoil your vacation by being a party pooper.”

I brushed a kiss to his stubbled cheek. “This is your vacation and I want you to chill and have fun.”

He pulled me into his arms, and I buried my face in his chest. His morning wood pressed into my belly. Only six weeks ago I’d freak out whenever I’d felt his hardness. Now I’d give anything for him to be completely inside me. I needed it, but he needed it too. I only hoped it would happen soon…

“Sir? Madam?” A voice came from outside. “I’ve brought your breakfast.”

Pierce muttered under his breath, “Great timing…”

“Yeah,” I snickered. “But we have time. We’re on vacation, remember?”After we’d enjoyed the succulent tropical fruit that we’d ordered…papaya, mango, and pineapple, had munched on delicious pastries, and had sipped our coffee at leisure, Pierce suggested a swim. We found masks, snorkels, and flippers in a cupboard, before changing into our suits. The day had turned hot already, and we kept our sandals on until we’d arrived at the edge of the lagoon…the sand was scorching. We wriggled our toes into the flippers, then waded into the tepid sea. There was no sign of the other members of our group. “It’s like we have the island to ourselves,” I enthused.

Pierce took my hand, and, once the water reached his waist—which was boob height for me—he let go and pulled his mask down over his face. “Stick close to me, babe,” he said before biting down on his mouthpiece. He dove, and, anticipation rushing through me, I put on my own mask and snorkel to follow him.

Brightly colored fish immediately surrounded us. They seemed to have no fear and we swam among them as they flowed like rivers over the meadows of beautiful coral below. I could have stayed out here for ages, but, without warning, a silver-gray shape appeared in my periphery. I stared at its broad, round snout and large eyes. My heart nearly pounded out of my chest. Oh. My. God. A shark!!!

I jerked my head up to the surface, ready to scream for help, but Pierce grabbed hold of me. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Only a reef shark. They don’t attack humans.”

“I’ve seen all the Jaws movies. I don’t trust it. Let’s go back to the beach, please.” My words came out in a rush as I tried to catch my breath.

Pierce took my hand again, and we kicked like fury in the direction of the shore. There were people there, and, as we got closer, we could see that they were Axel and Phoenix.

I felt a tad silly explaining why we’d headed back so fast, but Phoenix said she didn’t blame me…she’d have done the same.

“The guys are going parasailing,” Axel said, running a hand through his tousled hair. “They wanted to know if you’d like to join them.”

Being towed behind a boat attached to a parachute wasn’t my idea of fun, and I said so. But Pierce was up for it, and I was glad of that.

We toed on our sandals and ambled toward the lodge, a central gathering place filled with supersized cream-colored sofas and an octagonal dining room with a massive round table…around which we’d all sat for dinner last night.

Jake was waiting for us on the pathway. He took Pierce to meet up with the others on the wooden pier, while Phoenix and I lounged under a ceiling fan, listening to Axel noodle on his guitar, bodyguard Mike on duty at the far end of the room.

Axel stretched his long legs in front of him, picked up a notebook from the coffee table, and glanced at it.

“Are you working on something for the next album?” I asked.

He nodded, and I so wanted to tell him about the song Pierce had written. It had broken my heart and mended it at the same time. I pressed my lips together. Pierce’s music deserved to be out in the world…

I leaned toward Axel. “You should ask Pierce if he’s been writing.”

Axel stared at me, his dark brown eyes appearing to evaluate what I’d just said. “He’s been writing?”

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