Page 47 of Trust and Obey

I half expected Kendall to flare up in anger. Instead, he let out a long shuddering sigh.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Deacon. The last few days have been great,” he said. “More than great. And… I’m feeling more than I meant to… for a fling. I guess, I was just embarrassed. I usually don’t allow myself to get attached to guys so quickly.”

My heart seemed to grow a few sizes and also drop at the same time. “I felt the same,” I said roughly. “I told you that you’re my first male lover, but I never expected things to become so… intense.” I reached out and took his hand in my own. “But I don’t understand why you want to run away from this. We have so little time left. Can’t we enjoy our last few days together?”

Kendall looked at me and I was surprised to see that his eyes were wet as if he were on the verge of tears. “I know I’ve been a class A jerk, and I’m sorry. I was scared. If we only have a few more days, I’m glad to spend it with you.”

The words are right, but there was still something off in his tone. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. “I’m glad to hear that, but… are you sure there’s nothing else?”

He blinked several times as if forcing the tears away.

“No.”

Yes, there is, I thought. There was definitely something that Kendall wasn’t telling me. But at the same time… did it matter?

Things had become unexpectedly intense between us, but at the end of the day, we were just a fling. Elle had been rude, but right; I wasn’t entitled to all of Kendall’s secrets. I would have to be content with whatever he gave me during our time together.

He leaned into me, and it was the easiest thing in the world to kiss him. It was soft, and sweet, and when we parted, the look of sorrow had eased from Kendall’s face.

“No more running?” I asked.

“No more running,” he agreed, visibly relaxing.

I let out a sigh of relief, glad to spend the next few days with him, physically enjoying each other. “Then can I ask another question?”

He tensed as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. But his words were light. “I think you just did.”

I rolled my eyes. “Can you tell me why Elle and Sam, at the bartending station, think I’m a pervert?”

Kendall stared at me for the slow count of three. “Why in the world would you think that?”

“I got some weird vibes from them, and I’m pretty sure that Sam was trying to hide you from me. And then Elle told me off—she basically said that you didn’t ‘belong’ to me.”

It had been pretty embarrassing at the time but kind of funny now. A little as if I had gotten the shovel talk from Kendall’s found family.

“She didn’t…” At my nod, Kendall groaned and ducked his head to hide his face against my chest. “Oh my God, she did. That woman has way too much mama bear in her.”

“So, you didn’t say anything to them…?”

“No!” He broke into low chuckles. “I think it was what I didn’t say that was the problem. I don’t often ask to switch jobs with her, and I’ve been trying to keep our relationship on the downlow. I’m pretty sure she got the wrong idea.”

“And Sam?”

Now it was Kendall’s turn to roll his eyes. “He likes to play dumb, but he sees everything around here. That’s why he volunteered to do the bartending shift today. He probably noticed I was stressed and jumped to the wrong conclusion. That jerk,” he said, without feeling.

Now it was my turn to chuckle.

“It’s not funny!” Kendall said, despite the fact that he was now smiling, too.

“Wow, only a few days here and I’ve gotten quite the reputation. Should I be worried they’re going to run me off the island?”

“I am so sorry…”

In reply, I pulled him into my lap. He let out a little sound of surprise, but then looped his arms around my neck. We kissed again, tongues tangling. It was so good I didn’t want to think about our time ending.

When Kendall finally drew back, he smiled down at me. “I’ll fix it. Even if I have to tell them a little of the truth.”

“Isn’t that a bit risky?”

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