Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to.”
Though it doesn’t change the reality that Cody can still ruin my reputation, that Ronan did that for me is … something. “Thanks.”
His gaze roams my face, settling on my lips. “You’re welcome.”
Any second now, I’m going to forget everything else except how good that mouth feels on mine. Needing a distraction, I crank the faucet and wait for the water stream to turn warm before stepping under the rain showerhead.
“You use this a lot?” Ronan leans against the support post, pinning the bunched curtain with his shoulder. His pose suggests he has no plans on leaving.
“Probably more than the shower inside.” Everyone staying here does. There’s ample privacy. Normally I would peel my suit off, but doing so in front of Ronan is an invitation for a repeat performance of our last two encounters, and now is not the day for that.
I will admit, though, I like having his attention, and it is certainly rapt, his green eyes heated as he watches me. But what’s more, I’m happy he’s here, despite everything.
I reach for my loofah. “So, Henry Wolf arrived today, right? How’s that going?”
“It’s … going.”
“That good, huh?” A big part of me is curious about the billionaire CEO. Is he truly as indomitable as the newspapers and magazines make him out to be? Ronan doesn’t seem to like him much. Based on what Connor was saying on the cruise yesterday, it sounds like Ronan may have earned his plum job because of Henry Wolf’s wife. What is the dynamic there? How did he end up being such close friends with her?
And how does Henry Wolf feel about that friendship?
I have so many questions.
Ronan’s throat bobs with a hard swallow. I may be out of sorts, but he seems on edge today too. That casual, detached swagger is missing. And that expression he wears now, he looks almost pained.
“Seems like you had a tough day too.”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” he answers gruffly.
Warm water sluices over my head as I turn away from him, afraid he’ll somehow read the secret on my face. Believe me, your day could get a whole lot worse with just two words out of my mouth. I close my eyes and let the salt water rinse off. I’ll have to have a proper shower later, when I don’t have an audience.
Keys jingle behind me.
I turn back around in time to see Ronan emptying his pockets onto a nearby shelf. “What are you doing?”
He kicks off his shoes and socks.
My heart pounds as his intentions become clear. “I’m not really in the right headspace for …” My words drift as Ronan steps into the shower stall, still dressed in his work clothes.
“Why does everything have to be about sex with you, Sea Witch?” Grabbing the nearby bottle of shampoo, he squirts a dollop on his palm, seemingly unfazed as the water soaks into his clothes. “Why can’t we just talk?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Because …” My voice falters as his strong fingers seize either side of my head. “We don’t seem to know how to do that.”
“We haven’t tried.”
“Fair enough.” I study the hard lines of his jaw as he works the shampoo into a lather, a heady mixture of coconut and pineapple combined with his masculine cologne. “Is that what this is? You, trying to talk to me?” Because his overwhelming presence in this tiny space has my half-naked, traitorous body forgetting all my current troubles and eager to find new ones with my back pressed up against the wall.
“I’m trying,” he whispers, his touch sending a wave of shivers through me. “I’m not sure what you’re angling for.”
“You wish.” The way his fingers massage my scalp is both soothing and teasing, and a moan escapes me unbidden.
The corner of his mouth kicks up. “See? I’m just a guy trying to have a conversation, and then you go and make sounds like that.”
God, his voice is so grating and deep. This is all so overwhelming that, for a moment, I’m afraid I’ll lose my balance. My hands find their way to his waist, resting gently against his sculpted body. I barely know this man, but I’m positive that he’s all wrong for me. Positive! Still, I could fall for him so easily, and that is a dangerous reality I’m struggling to come to terms with.
“I can tell you what I’m not angling for, and that’s a fuckboy.”
His fingers stall a moment on my scalp before continuing. “Neither am I.”
“You’re not looking for a fuckboy?” I quip, unable to help myself.
He chuckles. “You know what I mean.”
“But do you understand what I mean?” That came out patronizing. “I’m not sure we’re looking for the same thing.” I want a man I can sit next to on the beach and watch the sunset at night. Every night. From what Ryan alluded to, Ronan is looking for willing orgy participants.