Page 28 of The All-Inclusive

“Allow me to speak freely about what happened while we were apart. Those early months during BUD/S training and then during our other breaks?—”

“Speak freely,” I snap, waving a hand so he’ll get on with it. “Isn’t that better than not speaking at all?”

Trent’s jaw clenches. “I’m not sure you’ll say that in a few minutes.”

The bottom drops out of my stomach. Whatever he’s going to tell me, it’s bigger than I’ve been assuming.

“Just say it.” When he doesn’t respond, I give him the grace of my guess. “You slept with someone else.”

He nods and my throat pinches tight.

Closing his eyes, he speaks in a voice that sounds haunted. “Not just one someone else, Sara. I had sex with—well, more people than I can count. Dozens. Way more than that. I just—” He opens his eyes and my heart stops. “There are things I’ve done that make stories you’ve shared about Eve and Camille sound like Sunday School lessons.”

I stare at the man who taught me to roller-skate. At the boy who sweetly delivered my first kiss. The brave Navy SEAL who gets sniffly each year watchingIt’s a Wonderful Life.

The man who built me a marshmallow house.

“I see.” My hands start to shake, so I squeeze them together between my knees. I always suspected he’d sown some wild oats in our time apart. I even encouraged him to do it.

But what he’s describing sounds way beyond that. “How many—”No.That’s not what I most want to know. “What did you?—”

“Sara.” His eyes cloud with pity as he looks at me. “I love you so much, so I’ll just say it clearly. I’m insanely attracted to you, and I respect the hell out of you, but I’m simply not wired for the happily-ever-after you need.”

“Okay.” I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. “Give me an example.”

Trent blinks. “Of what?”

“Your kinks.”

I see the hesitation in his eyes. The desperation as he searches for something to tell me that won’t break my heart.

“Rough sex.” He says it so softly I almost don’t hear him. “Reallyrough.”

What?

“You heard me,” he says, clenching his jaw as he speaks a bit louder. “Spanking and handcuffs and ropes and fucking hand necklaces.”

My jaw hinges open. I clamp it shut quickly, but not before Trent sees.

“That’s right, you’re shocked.” He glances away, probably wondering if the guards Ashton Holyfield posted outside are hearing this.

“It’s not just that.” There’s steel in his voice as his confessions keep coming. “When I walked in on that jarhead going down on you, do you want to know the first thing I thought?”

I can’t find my voice. I can’t find my place in this conversation. “What?”

“I thought, ‘I want to stand here and watch this. I want to stare like a fucking pervert as the sweet, perfect love of my life comes all over this stranger’s face.’ Not only that, but I wanted to watch him whip out his cock and shove it inside you. Or maybe I’d makehimwatch.” He leans across the table, a gleam in his eye I’ve never seen before.

I don’t lean back.

I’m shocked and I’m reeling, but I don’t move away.

A growl rumbles out of him as Trent keeps going. “That’s right,” he says, his golden eyes flashing. “Maybe I’d like to have three or four men hold you down, touching those pure, flawless tits while I take you hard and rough on a table. Would you like that, Sara? Would you?”

I can’t find the words to respond, which is fine since he’s notquite done. “You don’t deserve to be used like that, butmy God—I can’t even look at you without wanting to fuck you so hard you scream out my name.”

My mouth goes dry as Trent keeps talking.

“I swear to God I never cheated. I never fucked anyone when we weren’t on a break. But Jesus, Sara, the things I’ve done. The things I’ve wanted to do toyou.” He drags his big hands through his hair, making it stand up in spikes. “It’s so goddamn wrong because you’re the one pure, perfect thing in my life. The best fucking thing that ever happened to me, and I can’t stop thinking about shoving my cock down your throat until you choke and beg me to stop. And Iwouldstop, I’m not a fucking animal and I’d never, ever hurt you.Ever. But what kind of man eventhinksthat?”

---