Page 139 of Claimed (The Courtside King Duology 2)

SUNSET ON A BEACH IN HAWAII

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“More to drink, sir?”

Breck glanced up at the waiter addressing him, then down at the iced tea that he’d been nursing for the last half hour. “Ah, no. I’m good for now. Thanks.”

The server moved on and checked next with Tad, sitting with Scott off to Breck’s left. For the umpteenth time, Breck slid his gaze over their table’s elaborate spread. The resort had organized a dinner at sunset on the beach for its plethora of guests. Hurricane candles and Hawaiian leis adorned the banquet tables. Brightly colored linen napkins, each uniquely folded, dressed every plate.

Some twenty feet away, a celebratory bonfire blazed and crackled. To Breck’s right, grills wafted smoke, cooking lobsters and crabs. A merry band played upbeat tunes as Hawaiian dancers shook their hips.

In the distance, waves lapped leisurely at the beach, the last of the seagulls cawing their goodbyes from the sky above.

Down the way, a couple walked along the shore, the evening’s surf washing forward and back again over their sun-kissed feet. Breck’s gaze fixed on them, suddenly rapt by the sight, the way their bodies were slowly morphing into silhouettes. Their forms growing darker, their details less visible the lower the sun sank toward the horizon.

Hand in hand, the couple drew to a stop, their attention focusing on the sand at their feet. The girl squatted down and picked up what Breck presumed was a shell. Her partner pointed to another within reaching distance. She retrieved it, then stood back up with her new souvenirs. Both inspected them, then shared a smile and leaned in for a kiss.

Breck sighed, his mind drifting wistfully to Kai. Although in fairness, it’d only been two days since he’d seen him last. Thursday morning, when he’d stopped by on the way to the airport. And just like every day prior, he’d tried to talk Kai into coming along. But for all his arduous efforts, that stubborn mule wouldn’t budge. Just kept insisting that he’d be ‘intruding’ and that it ‘wouldn’t be right.’

Grr. Ridiculous, obstinate man.

Averting his gaze from the couple on the beach, Breck scowled. Because, damn it, it’d only been two days and already he was missing Kai’s frustrating ass so bad. All but sick to his stomach with the need to hold him. Kiss him. Breathe him in.

He rubbed his brow and chuckled darkly. “Who’s the ridiculous one now? I’m losing my goddamn fucking mind over that man.”

Never once in his entire life had he ever pined like this before.

A chunk of pineapple came soaring across the table and ricocheted off his chest. “Earth to Breck! Or should I call you Debbie Downer.”

He shot Jay a look. “You didnotjust peg me with a piece offruit.”

“My bad,” Jay laughed. “Next time I’ll throw some lobster.”

“Oh, leave him alone,” Marcie chastised as she sat on his lap, a big red flower tucked behind her ear. “Can’t you see? He’s just missing his man.”

Jay scoffed and waved that away with a big oleBah!“He’ll be back home with ‘Mr. Hottie McYummy Pants’ in less than a week.”

Marcie laughed, along with the rest of their posse, clearly remembering that night at the bar when Kai had bought them all shots. Their waitress, who delivered said libations, had been openly smitten with Kai and had coined him as such. Both Ned and Jay loved to apply said nickname as often as humanly possible.

Breck fought a smile and shook his head, long since used to Jay’s flippancy. So easy to spout those kinds of things with Marciesitting on his lap. There’d be no silent jonesing for Jay this trip. Zero moments of longing for the keeper of his heart. Hell, he’d spent the last two days virtually attached to Marcie’s hip, doggedly teaching her to surf from sun up to sun down. Their bronzed skin bore testament to that, bleached-blond streaks already glinting in Jay’s mane of ringlet curls.

“Pfft. Don’t listen to that numbnut,” Ned drawled, sitting next to said love birds and across from Breck. “Jay’d be drowning in his tears right now if Marcie hadn’t come on this trip.”

Jay stiffened indignantly. “Oh,please. I would not.”

Marcie lanced him with a ‘look.’

He quickly straightened. “I mean— No, yeah, totallydrowning.” He wound her in his arms and nuzzled her cheek. “Like, in anoceanof tears.”

Marcie rolled her eyes, but then descended on his lips.

Ned shook his head, lips quirking, and muttered, “In-fucking-tolerable. The both of you.”

Breck grinned, appreciating Ned’s version of support. Out of all of them, he had the clearest idea of just how badly Breck had fallen for Kai. Breck’s confession to him before his reconciliation with Kai had been heartfelt and vulnerable.

His conversation with Jay and Tad, however, had been entirely different. He’d just kind of briefed them.This is how it was, and this is how it is.

Just as he’d suspected, Jay’s jaw had hit the floor like a ton of bricks.“Two out of four in our pack likedick?How’s that even, I dunno, like, mathematically possible?”

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