Page 65 of Seduced By You

I shaved while Lee dried her hair in the bedroom. It gave me a few moments to absorb my change in fortune. I’d never thought I’d hear Lee utter those words. She often told me she loved me, and I did the same to her, but while mine always carried a hidden message of beingin love, hers never had.

Until this morning.

Despite her assurances, I couldn’t shake the fear that she was telling me what she thought I wanted to hear. No. Lee wouldn’t do that to me. Honesty and integrity were woven into her, like the rings on a tree. If she said she was in love with me, then she was. I guessed sometimes things happened that woke us up to the truth of what had stared us in the face all along.

If I’d known all it’d take was a passionate kiss by a roaring fire, I’d have dragged her to a bonfire on the beach long ago. The surfer set was always having bonfires and drinking and toasting smores.

“Kadon, phone.” Lee passed my cell through the bathroom door.

I took it from her, frowning. Julian, my Dubai manager, was calling me. What did he want? As one of my most proficient managers, he rarely called, even in emergencies. There wasn’t much Julian couldn’t handle. And I was due a visit there next week, too.

“Julian. Everything all right?”

“Actually, no. Sorry to call you this early.” His breath hitched. Was he crying?

“It’s not a problem. What’s wrong?”

“My mother died.”

Ah, hell.

“I’m so sorry, Julian. What can I do?”

“That’s why I’m ringing. Lucas is on vacation for two weeks. I can ask him to come back early, but—”

“Don’t do that. He’s entitled to his vacation. I’ll fly over today.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Go be with your family. The club will survive for a day without you. I’ll organize my flight and take care of things until you’re able to return. No rush.”

“Thanks, Kadon. I appreciate it.”

“I really am sorry, Julian. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

“I will.”

He hung up. I exited the bathroom, half my face covered in shaving foam.

“What’s wrong?” Lee asked.

My expression must’ve given me away. I twisted my lips to the side. “How do you feel about spending a few weeks in Dubai?”

Chapter21

Leesa

Pretty does NOT mean stupid.

Brilliant sunshine reflectedoff the crystal-clear blue waters surrounding Dubai, twinkling like a million diamonds cast adrift. Thefasten seat beltsign illuminated above my head. I clipped the belt into its housing, the smile I’d had in place since we’d boarded making my cheeks ache. Audrey texting to tell me Dash was having a whale of a time and had commandeered her favorite chair, too, had kicked off my good mood. And returning to one of my most treasured vacation spots had kept it high.

“I love Dubai. It’s been a while since I came here, though. I bet it’s changed a lot.”

Kadon brushed his hair off his forehead. I swore it’d grown at least an inch this weekend alone. Good thing, too. He could stop bitching about it now. Besides, I much preferred the longer, surfer-dude style to the cropped cut his mother had coerced him into having for his brother’s wedding.

“It’s one of those places that seems to change every month. At one time, Dubai had something like seventy-five percent of the world’s cranes to satisfy the amount of construction work going on.”

I arched a brow. “Look at you, Mister Know-It-All.”

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