Page 70 of Trust and Obey

The next morning, I woke up sore. It was from all the effort of helping to manage the boat in the middle of the storm, I assumed. Not from sex.

At least, probably not from sex.

I had no complaints, though. Kendall was still in bed right next to me.

I lay there for a few minutes, just watching him sleep. My gaze drifted over him, admiring the long length of his back, the strength of his limbs, the swell of his ass. Damn, I loved that ass. Only two more days in my original reservation to go, and I didn’t want to leave the island.

No, I had to be honest with myself: I didn’t want to leave Kendall.

The storm had blown the last of itself out overnight. Through half-open curtains, the beach glittered under the morning sunlight like diamonds, and big fat drips of rain still fell from the palm trees. However, the sky was marvelously blue and clean in a way it got only after a storm.

It was a beautiful day and there was a beautiful man lying next to me. I wasn’t going to waste another second of it.

Carefully rolling back the covers, I got out of bed. I had done my best to be quiet, but Kendall sighed and rolled over, blinking sleepily at me.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice like gravel.

I smiled down at him. “Good morning. I’m about to make some coffee. You want some?”

He grinned at me through a long, luxurious stretch. “I always knew you were my favorite.”

Chuckling, I hunted around for some pants and a T-shirt that wasn’t too dirty. Then I went off to go brew some good old elixir of life.

I heard Kendall shuffling around in my room, finding his own clothes.

I liked this simple domesticity. This couldn’t simply end in two days, I decided. Would it be so bad to extend my reservation? After all, Lauren had invited herself into my retreat. It seemed like I was owed at least half a week just for putting up with her.

Money wasn’t an object, and the business would be fine if I monitored it for a few hours here and there remotely. After the near disaster yesterday, I was certain I could put in a word with Andy the manager and see what could be arranged.

That was the moment when a persistent pounding sounded on the door. It was so loud that the hanging artwork shivered.

My heart sank, followed by a flash of anger. I knew exactly who that had to be. “Oh, you have to be kidding me…”

“Deacon!” Lauren yelled from the other side. “Open this door right now! I need to speak to you!”

Kendall stuck his head out from the bedroom, looking rumpled but at least dressed.

“Is she for real?” he asked.

“Unfortunately,” I muttered under my breath and walked across the room. I jerked open the door, determined that one way or another this nonsense was ending now. “Lauren, for God’s sake. What will it take for you—”

I stopped. Lauren wore a look of pure triumph plastered across her face. It made her look stunning… and dangerous.

She pushed past me. “Took you long enough. Where is your boy toy—oh, there he is. How convenient.”

“Lauren, for fuck’s sake,” I snapped. “Have some respect. He helped save your life yesterday.”

“And here I am returning the favor—I am saving you from the biggest embarrassment of your life.” She turned to Kendall. “I suppose that means you haven’t told him?”

I shot an exasperated glance at Kendall, and then stopped at the look on his face.

All the blood had drained from his face. He stared at Lauren, silent and wide-eyed.

“I thought I recognized you,” Lauren continued. “I never forget a face, do I, Deacon?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked. Whatever it was, Kendall seemed to know. It had him terrified. I turned to him. “Kendall?”

He just turned his wide, frightened gaze on me, but remained silent. He shook his head, unwilling or unable to speak.

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