48. Sloane #3
Ronan pinches the bridge of his nose. “You know where I’ve been. Chained to my fucking desk, trying to figure shit out before Wolf fires my ass for incompetence.”
“As if. Red would never let him.”
Who is Red? Besides someone who has control over his billionaire boss.
His wife.
Of course. It has to be. She has striking long red hair.
“You’re close with Henry Wolf’s wife?” I blurt, interrupting their little domestic spat.
“You could say that.” Connor snorts, throwing a thumb Ronan’s way. “This one was her bridesmaid.”
“Man of honor,” Ronan corrects dryly.
“You were in her wedding party.” It all makes sense now. He’s not friends with Henry Wolf. He’s friends—good friends, clearly—with Abbi Wolf.
Ronan peers at me curiously while Connor slaps Solo cups in a row on the counter like a petulant child mid tantrum. “We’re all having one.” He cracks the bottle of tequila. “Even you, Cap.”
My head shake is firm. “Sorry, I’d lose my charter license, and I can’t afford that. I’m already down one boat as it is. ”
“You haven’t found anyone to replace AJ yet?” Ronan asks, his tone suddenly somber.
“Nope. A few prospects, but no good ones.”
“Wait a minute.” Connor’s eyebrows arch. “ AJ AJ?”
Ronan’s nod is almost imperceptible.
Connor’s attention swings to me. “He worked here ?”
“He was one of my captains until he quit on me. Why? How do you know him?”
“I’m his supervisor at Wolf. You know, because of that extra responsibility I didn’t ask for?” A sharp glare is thrown Ronan’s way. “He’s about to know the toilets and dumpster real well.” Connor rests his elbows on the counter and levels Ronan with a steady look. “And how do you know him again?”
“I told you. I don’t … directly.”
Connor studies his friend for a lengthy moment. “Chained to your desk the whole time, huh?” There’s accusation in his tone.
Ronan’s lips twitch, and I sense an entire conversation hidden within that brief exchange.
“Motherfucker,” Connor mutters, pouring a round of shots. He picks up a lemon. “What do you say to me doing a shot off you, Cap?”
“I say …” I falter, not expecting such a direct request. “It’s a little early in the day.” And it’s been a decade since I’ve let strangers lick me in the name of tequila.
“Yeah? What about Ronan? Would you let him?” His blue eyes are playful, knowing.
I’d let him do that and more , I silently admit, as I feel my cheeks burn. And I think Connor has somehow figured that out too, which means Ronan never told him about us. Should I be insulted or pleased? “Still much too early.”
“Later, then.” Connor winks and, collecting five Solo cups, drops his brawny body into the water with a gasp. He cuts through the shallows toward the group with powerful thighs.
“Is he always like that?” I watch with a mixture of repulsion and wonder as Connor dips down to draw a line with his tongue across Katie’s cleavage before downing his tequila. The rest of the group cheers as they do their round.
“Only while he’s conscious.” Ronan rubs his face with his palms.
Without his sunglasses on, I can see the dark circles under his eyes. A twinge of sympathy stirs for him. “Sounds like you’ve been really busy.” Still … too busy to text me? I don’t buy it.
“It’s my first day off since I got to Mermaid Beach. I wasn’t expecting house guests and a party. I was planning on sleeping.” He pauses. “And coming to see you.”
“Sure, you were.” I pretend to survey the surrounding scene.
“Look, I’m in a weird place in my life, and I?—”
“You comin’ in, Casanova?” Connor hollers as he cuts through the water toward the beige thong-clad beauty.
Ronan groans. “If it means you’ll leave me alone for five minutes.” Whatever he was about to tell me is lost with the interruption.
“He really can’t handle being away from you.”
“I could probably count the days we’ve been apart since I met him two years ago.”
“Wow. Not gonna lie, that’s kind of weird. Do you two do anything separately?” The question is thrown out casually, without thought, but the moment the words are out of my mouth, an answer flutters into my mind.
There is one thing they don’t do together.
By the smirk on Ronan’s face, I’d guess he’s thinking the same.
“I better get this over with.” Ronan stands, empties his pockets, tossing his wallet and phone on the counter.
My stomach clenches as a text pops up on his screen from someone named Tasha, but I’m quickly distracted from my jealousy as Ronan peels off his shirt.
He’s as perfect as he was in my kitchen, and I can’t help getting caught on the V-cut of his pelvis as I remember what he looked like—and felt like—pressed up against me, thrusting into me.
A desperate, traitorous ache stirs deep within my belly. Yes, I’m angry with Ronan for going radio silent, I’ll admit, but my body doesn’t seem to care.
“I didn’t tell Connor about us.” Ronan answers my unspoken question from earlier, yanking my eyes upward to find him watching me.
“You mean, you don’t share everything with him?” They seem awfully close.
A sly smile curves his lips before he schools his expression. “It would appear not. Anyway, I didn’t tell him, but he’s figured it out and he’s gonna be exceptionally annoying for the rest of the day. I’m sorry in advance.”
“Can’t wait.”
“Feel free to tell him to fuck off. I’ll write a good review if you do.”
“You weren’t going to, anyway?” I quip.
“For you ? I’ve already written it in my head. I doubt you want me sharing it online.”
“And why is that?” We’re quickly sliding back into that dangerous flirtatious zone again, the one that led to me peeling off my clothes like they were infested with bugs.
He was ready to join his friends a second ago, and yet he edges around the platform to step through the swing gate, into my space. “Might get flagged for indecency.” He reaches up to turn his baseball cap around.
My pulse races through my veins. I didn’t think he could get any sexier, but he has a thin layer of stubble across his jaw, and that, coupled with the hat, is ejecting all common sense from my brain. Again . “What would it say?” I taunt, backing up into the nautical ship wheel to make room.
“That it was a quick ride but a wet one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wish I’d lived up to expectations, though.” His voice turns so low and gravelly.
I clear my throat. “You were fine.” More than fine. He may not have made me come that day, but he has every night since, as I’ve replayed those stolen moments in my head with the help of my hand.
The responding chuckle is dark, bitter. “I’m never just fine . But with you, I wasn’t …” A muscle in his square jaw ticks. “I don’t know what I was. Not myself.” He grasps the hem of my floral shirt between his thumb and index finger, holding it open. “I like this.”
“Yeah?” I’m suddenly very thankful that I wore it today.
Sharp green eyes flash to mine. “I’d like it better off .”
He may as well have peeled off my clothes with his words because I suddenly feel naked, my skin acutely aware of his. I struggle to play it cool as my breasts grow heavy, my nipples tightening with anticipation. “Not included in the cruise rate.”
“We can renegotiate later.” His focus swings to Tiki Two , anchored twenty feet away. “Is that your golden boy over there?”
I follow his gaze, relieved for the reprieve from innuendo so I can catch a breath. “The one and only.” Jeremy is chatting up a cute girl with French braids in her lengthy strawberry-blond hair. Thankfully he’s not paying attention to us.
“Has he admitted to taking the job at Wolf yet?”
“Not a word to me.”
“Chickenshit.”
“But at least we can both avoid an uncomfortable conversation.” The last thing I’d ever want to do is make Jeremy feel bad. “How’s he doing over there?”
“Still in training.”
French Braids tips her head back and belts out a laugh that seems far too big for her petite body. “I’m sure he’ll do well.” And, as much as I want to, I can’t begrudge him for succeeding. At least I’ve got him for the summer .
“The real test will be next weekend when we open to the public.”
“ Next weekend?” I groan. “Already?” I’ve been so busy juggling things and worrying, I’ve lost track of entire days.
Ronan chuckles. “There’ll be a lot of activity this week ahead of it. Media and stuff. It’s a real circus.” A pause. “Your favorite guy’s coming in tomorrow.”
There’s only one person he could be talking about. “I’ll be sure to make a welcome sign for him. I’m kidding,” I quickly add when Ronan’s expression falls. “A deal’s a deal.” Ronan did me a huge favor before he—literally—fucked me.
“It is.” Rough hands slip under my shirt to seize my hips, spinning me around.
My breath catches on a sharp inhale, and no doubt Ronan hears it. “What are you doing?”
“I also made a deal with Henry and Belinda.” He steps in closer to me until his body brushes against my backside. “Actually, no, that’s not accurate. It wasn’t a deal. More like a demand. They told me to stay away from you.”
“Me?” My voice is breathless as hot palms smooth over my skin, rubbing back and forth. I’ve never met either of them, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why Henry Wolf and the hotel manager might insist on that. “Why? Do you have a reputation for not staying away?”
“Some may say that. Belinda promised me she’d fire my ass if I laid a finger on you.” He confesses this as he lays many fingers on me, toying with the strings that keep my bottoms from tumbling to the floor.
It dawns on me. “Is that why I haven’t heard from you?” Because he broke Henry Wolf’s strict rules about fucking the crazy rooster commune lady?
“Partly, yes.”
I bite my bottom lip, struggling against the urge to ask what other parts there might be to that answer—he did say he’s in a “ weird place,” whatever that means. “And what happens if he finds out?”
Ronan steps closer until his erection is pressed against the small of my back. “I’ll likely lose my job.”