Chapter 22
Adriana
By the next morning, my curiosity was close to bubbling over.
I desperately wanted to know what Nolan and Landon were up to.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any time to keep prodding at them for answers.
There was an upcoming chartered yacht trip that day with several VIPs, including Reggie and Bryant.
Nolan and Landon were also coming along, which meant that this trip was one I needed to keep perfectly balanced. I remembered the night in the gallery and the intoxicating fun that I had then.
I knew I wouldn’t be entirely able to resist, but I needed to be mindful of when Bryant was around. He didn’t know about the others, and I didn’t think I wanted him to. Especially since Nolan and Landon had only just started getting used to the idea of sharing me.
It was a whirlwind of chaos behind the scenes to get all of the VIPs on board as well as all of the food, drinks, and staff. I found myself running this way and that way right up until I boarded, too. Even then, I needed to do several checks and see to it that everyone was smiling and excited.
Finally, I was able to relax somewhat when we left the port, with the sun and the sea breeze dancing through the air.
I stood close to the railing, watching the ocean swell around us, taking a quick breath before everyone was due for lunch.
I was excited for that, given that Nolan had something planned that made me put in a lot of effort and several long phone calls to get into place.
Cameras were set up around the yacht’s swim platform, where a glass counter had been created above the water line to serve as a table. The VIPs were gathered around this counter curiously, waiting for Nolan to make his appearance.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” He announced loudly as assistants carried equipment over to the table. “Welcome to today’s deep-dive into sustainable gourmet!”
All the attention was on him, and he drank it in willingly.
His performance made it seem like he was auditioning for his own cooking series, and I had to admit that I was impressed.
I knew his plan was to serve fresh invasive sea urchins and prawns, and to flash-fry kelp with the help of some kind of glass pot.
That way, the guests could watch the process.
It was fascinating, but it was also a moment that I could use to escape below deck to the bathroom. I snuck away from the scene and went downstairs, taking a deep breath and allowing my shoulders to relax as I walked.
In the bathroom, I kicked my heels off while I sat back on the toilet and closed my eyes. It wasn’t a long break, but I needed it.
After about three minutes, I finished up and washed my hands thoroughly. I thought about how crazy it was that I could just use the bathroom on a yacht like it was nothing. It was something I needed to tell Sierra about; she was the only one who could understand the insanity of the experience.
I walked back down the carpeted hallway, getting my head back in the game, when I noticed Bryant in front of me, leaning against the wall.
“There you are,” he said with a smirk, straightening up and approaching me. “I was wondering what you were up to. Not a fan of urchins, hmm?”
“Just needed a little break,” I answered, glancing over his shoulder at the stairs.
Bryant laughed. “Don’t worry, they’re all mesmerized by Nolan’s talents. Pretty sure that video’s going viral.”
I smiled and took a step forward, knowing that Bryant hadn’t come looking for me just to chat. “I see. Well, Mr. Thatcher, what is it that I can do for you?”
“Just Bryant,” he answered, wrapping one arm around my lower back.
He pulled me close and our lips collided in a passionate kiss.
I didn’t hesitate to reciprocate, even knowing that Landon could come down here at any moment.
I gripped at his shirt and pushed my body tightly against him, falling into the addiction easily.
I could taste the ocean on his lips, and feel the heat of his skin through our clothes. Immediately, I was craving more than this kiss, but I knew that wouldn’t be possible. It was already risky enough.
Bryant was the first to pull away, and I was left breathless when I took a step back and brushed my hair and clothes back into place.
“Well,” I said. “That was nice.”
With a laugh, Bryant crossed his arms, and I noticed that he had a curious expression on his face. “I agree with you there, but I have something that I want to ask you.”
I felt my heart drop to my feet. From his tone, I wasn’t going to like his question. But I kept my expression light and open, and simply nodded. “Sure. How may I help you, Mr.—Bryant?”
“What’s going on between you, Landon, and Nolan?” he asked with one eyebrow raised, and the question hit me like a ton of bricks. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing, I’ll know you’re lying. I’ve seen the way they look at you, the way they talk to you. Tell me the truth.”
My mind went blank as I listened to him speak, and I was left speechless.
I had no idea what to say to him. He wouldn’t believe me if I offered him a half-baked lie or tried to convince him that there really was nothing between me and the others.
But I couldn’t exactly tell him the full truth, either.
I wasn’t sure how he’d react, and whether he’d go out there to confront them.
If that happened, I’d lose them all.
“I—”
“Adriana.” Landon had appeared at the top of the stairs, and my heart began to race. I wondered if he’d heard what Bryant had said, or if Bryant was planning to talk to him right then and there.
But, to my surprise, Landon seemed none the wiser. “Our guests need your attention. Please return to the upper deck.”
“Of course,” I said with a nod, grateful that everything wasn’t going to explode yet. “Excuse me, Mr. Thatcher.”
Bryant watched me suspiciously as I walked past, but he didn’t say anything. I was glad that I could breathe, that I was safe for now. Still, the interaction reminded me that I was walking a tightrope that I could fall from at any moment.
I checked my tablet for what was next on the agenda. They were still deeply entertained by Nolan’s curated late-lunch experience, and we were about halfway to our actual destination. Reggie waved me over as soon as he saw me, and I walked to where he sat.
“Listen,” he said in a low whisper. “I have a little of a seasickness issue brewing here, but this food is too good to ignore. Anything down in the medical kit that can help?”
“I’m sure I can find something,” I answered with a smile, before looking around the table. Nobody else was even paying attention to me, so I was sure they didn’t need me there.
I did need to get the staff ready for clean-up and transition to the next experience, but I could do that while rummaging around for medication.
It also gave me an excuse to avoid Bryant, who was sauntering back toward the table with his eyes pinned to me.
I knew that he wasn’t going to leave things there.
I wouldn’t be able to avoid answering him forever, but I could win some time to think.
On my way to the staff area, I double-checked the timing on my tablet. We were on track. I could spend some of my mental energy figuring out what to say to Bryant while still keeping Landon and Nolan in the dark about him.
“Clearing time in ten for the first course,” I said into the staff room, where most people were tensely waiting for orders and a few veterans were relaxing.
Afterward, I made my way to the first-aid kit, and searched through it. As I did so, I half-expected Bryant or Landon to appear behind me again with another set of questions.
I can tell him that there is some chemistry, but we’ve all agreed to stay professional, I thought as I grabbed the remedy for Reggie. No. He won’t believe that.
I wished that I could text Sierra and ask for her advice, but I knew what she’d say. That she told me so, I should’ve broken things off after the first time, that I would simply have to come and work with her in the frame business.
She would probably be right on all counts, too. Maybe it was time to accept that I was driving myself over a cliff with my own desires.
I could tell Bryant that Nolan and Landon were none of his business, but that might end my entire career right there and then. I might never work in a hotel again. So that was not the smartest route to go down.
There has to be something I can say, I thought as I once again ascended the stairs. Think.
“Oh, you’ve got to be magic,” Reggie said when I handed the medication to him. “This is the good stuff, right?”
“The best,” I smiled, hiding the tension in my soul expertly. “Can I do anything else for you?”
“I’m all good,” Reggie answered as he reached out to pat my arm, before downing the medication with a glass of champagne rather than the bottle of spring water that was right in front of him.
“I’d like something non-alcoholic,” the VIP beside him said. Martha Merrington: a woman with an odd name and an incredibly deep wallet. Rumors were that her family was highly connected with the geopolitical elite. I didn’t question that. It didn’t matter much; the job was the same.
“Of course,” I nodded, mentally checking my tablet for her preferences. “Rosemary kombucha?”
She smiled at me. “You’re good at your job.”
“I try.”
I spent the next hour hovering around the table and attending to every request that was sent my way.
I could feel Bryant’s eyes on me, but I pretended not to notice.
Simultaneously, I ran options through my mind of what I could tell him.
As soon as he saw me going off on my own again, he’d definitely ask his questions again.
Even if he had to wait until we were back at the hotel.
I sent an assistant to call the staff to clear the second course as well as dessert. Bryant probably knew what I was trying to do. I could see it in his expression, which was getting more curious by the minute.
Eventually, however, his attention was drawn away from me by Reggie, who pulled him into a conversation on deep sea fishing.
Soon enough, most of the VIPs were embroiled in the talks, arguing about rods and the best places to fish. I didn’t think that any of them—aside from Reggie, maybe—had ever actually been fishing without some extravagant measures to make it more convenient.
Still, it was none of my business, and it was keeping Bryant busy.
Then it was time for the yacht to slow down. We’d reached the last point before turning back; the sunset spot.
“You want to come watch it with me?” Landon asked from beside me, and I followed him to the other side of the upper deck. The view wasn’t as perfect as the guests’, but it was far more private and away from prying eyes.
I pushed Bryant to the back of my mind as I stood with Landon, watching the sun dip below the horizon and paint streaks of orange, pink, and purple across the sky.
“Incredible,” I said, my eyes widening as I watched the clouds moving through the colors. “I can’t believe I’m really standing here.”
“Sometimes I do tend to take these views for granted,” Landon replied. “But you’ve helped me to notice them again.”
I blushed, glad that the incoming dusk was hiding it from him. “We shouldn’t be talking like that. People might be able to hear us.”
Landon glanced at me curiously, as if he was going to ask who I was talking about. I hoped that he’d ascribe it to the staff who were still creating more rumors about me and him, and Nolan and me.
“Then maybe we should go somewhere no one will hear,” he suggested with a quick wink before leaning in to whisper in my ear. “I have a private cabin downstairs. Why don’t you meet me there?”
Without allowing me a second to answer, Landon walked away, leaving me to decide whether I would give in to my desires or hold back.
I already knew the answer to that.
It felt as if a thread was tugging at me, pulling me toward Landon, reaching for that overwhelming pleasure. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to try and fight it. I was already sitting on a time bomb, and I would regret it if I didn’t take this one last chance.
What if things exploded, and I never got to be with Landon again?
With a sigh, I ran a hand through my hair, and waited a few minutes just to be sure no one would see me following him.
Then, I made my way back around to where the staff stairs were, so that Bryant wouldn’t see me disappear and come after me. I snuck down, pausing every so often to see if there was anyone around.
I managed to make it to Landon’s cabin without getting caught, and opened the door.
When I walked inside, I froze in my tracks.
Landon was standing in the middle of the cabin with Nolan.