2. Callum

My boss hadn't been wrong about Zackary Briggs.

The tall drink of cool water tempted my sex and love-starved body to guzzle him down at first sight. An initial glimpse of him sitting alone at our table before we'd made eye contact had heated my blood. The scent of bergamot and lime filled my nose, causing my mouth to water. And the way he looked at me…

I was in trouble.

His hazel eyes hinted at a wealth of hard-earned wisdom and promised a mystery that wouldn't be easily unraveled. But it was the blatant lust in his steady gaze that suggested hiring him hadn't been the best choice.

Regardless of who he was, how off-limits he was to me, I wanted him with a burning hunger inside I thought only one man would ever be able to fulfill. Fire licked over my skin when Zack and I had touched. Shivers raced down my spine at his palm's tender press against my lower back.

And when his fingertips brushed over mine while he handed me a glass of wine, a shock blasted through my chest that caused my heart to race.

"Thank you for choosing me," he said, pleasure coating his every word.

I hoped bringing him here hadn't overstepped in some way. All for selfish reasons, of course, but a sense of having been ensnared in an unescapable trap twisted my insides and made me question what I'd done.

Fighting off the need to rub damp palms down my slacks, I sipped my wine, searching for something to say even though I'd planned how the evening would go from beginning to end. I'd never been good with conversation. I tended to keep to myself and immerse myself in work as the world went on without me.

Invisible.

Such a perfect word to describe how I felt most days, and while I didn't trust my instincts, I had to do this for my own peace of mind.

I'd suffered for long enough.

"Tell me about yourself," I said rather than explain to him I didn't really have a choice in who I hired when I'd gone onto Elite's website with a mission.

Zack's grin remained even though a question hinted in his eyes.

"I suppose that's not a request you often hear from clients," I rushed to say, not wanting to raise any red flags before I got a feel for the man. "But this is something…new for me, and I'm not really sure how to proceed."

Not one lie in my words, but my reason for bringing Zack to a remote island wasn't exactly honest.

He settled back in his seat, seemingly completely at ease, his eyes flitting over my face as though seeking out my truth.

I fought the need to shift, deciding on another sip of my wine to occupy myself.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

I hadn't heard the waiter approach. Tearing my focus off Zack, I glanced up at the young man who brought handmade tortilla chips and a few different salsas. One appeared to be the usual tomato-based, another perhaps mango, the third more along the lines of guacamole.

"Are you ready to order?"

I glanced over at my supposed date.

"Would you allow me the honor of choosing for you?" he asked quietly.

Why did his question light up my insides and make me want to weep?

I'd been in charge for so long, looked to for answers in every facet of life for years, that bubbles of excitement exploded in my core. Yet another part of the dark-haired man that caused my insides to purr. He was the type who would care for my exhausted soul.

The sudden urge to change what I'd done, my reasons for bringing Zack to the gorgeous, remote location, hit me hard. I'd made a mistake, but there was nothing left to do but go forward and watch how things played out.

Consequences were a bitch. Always had been, and this time would prove no different, I feared.

"Please," I murmured, taking comfort in the momentary respite from his undivided attention. A part of me selfishly yearned for hours—days—of having his focus on me when I knew damn well I couldn't.

Taking advantage of the situation would be the ultimate betrayal to the man I loved, my only grounds for booking this vacation.

Zack rattled off our orders, something about grilled shrimp with coconut rice and a salmon dish in a leek and saffron cream sauce. Regardless of how delicious the meals sounded, my mouth watered for a taste of the man speaking rather than actual food.

But I needed to get my libido under control. After I'd laid eyes on Zack, nothing about the five days ahead promised me anything but sure heartbreak.

That plan I'd impulsively made was about to backfire in more ways than one. I was doomed—and I couldn't hate the man sitting across from me even though I had thought for sure I did. Would. Well, wanted to.

I jumped into conversation before Zack could lead me astray.

"So back to my question," I said the second the waiter left us alone, sure whatever Zack shared with me would only make my desire for him harder to ignore.

He hesitated before answering, his gaze once more inquisitive. "I get the feeling you aren't looking for a canned response in order to fill the silence."

"You would be correct."

Zack cocked his head to the side and sipped his wine before replying.

Turning from his focus, I helped myself to the chips and salsa—mango, I identified as the sweet tang hit my tongue. Perhaps my churning stomach wouldn't mind an addition to the roiling bile.

"I don't usually offer personal information with clients," Zack stated quietly, also reaching for the chips.

We both crunched in silence, eyeing each other with appreciation and a hint of wariness.

"Why are you asking?" he finally questioned when I didn't speak.

"Because I would like to learn a little more about you before we…become involved."

"Is this your first time hiring an escort, Callum?"

A shiver once more licked at my spine as my name whispered off his lips. "Yes."

"There's nothing to be nervous about?—"

I barely withheld my snort. If only he knew.

"—and I promise EEMM is professional. Nothing we say or do will leave this island unless you choose to speak of it."

Being at my wit's end, anxiety having ridden my body since I'd made the decision for a vacation, lended toward a stirring of impatience in my mind.

"If that's the case, then what does it matter if I wish to know more about the man I hired for the next five days?" I shot back with more snip to my tone than I'd planned on.

A slow smirk curled one corner of Zack's lips, and he lifted his wine in a mock toast. "You're going to keep me on my toes, aren't you?"

I'd rather have you on your knees.

My eyelids fluttered closed. I was not supposed to feel this way, damnit.

"Callum."

I chose to meet Zack's gaze when I would rather have ignored his inquiry.

He leaned onto the table with both elbows, the intensity of his stare making it impossible for me to hide.

"You're obviously uncomfortable with your decision to bring me here, so if you'd rather return to your room alone for the evening, I won't be offended. I would love to try again tomorrow, or we could just pack up and return home if you prefer. I'm sure I could talk to my manager about getting you some sort of refund."

I licked over my lower lip, feeling as though I drowned when I supposedly had my shit together. I'd been the safe haven, the rock, for so long, that I suddenly floundered at finding myself on shaky ground all because I was desperate for my best friend's love.

"No," I managed, knowing I wouldn't be able to keep my next words from sounding like a desperate plea. "I—need this. Please."

"Then I'll give it to you." A softer smile curved Zack's lips and lightened his gaze as he once more settled back in his chair. "To answer your question, I spend a lot of my spare time in the gym."

Zack's shoulders and prominent pecs bulging against the cotton of his shirt already suggested that truth about him. Add in his clear skin, groomed scruff, and styled hair, and there was no question the man cared about his health and appearance. But nothing about his character thus far, unfortunately, suggested cockiness or an untamed ego that would have been a complete turnoff to me.

"What else?" I asked, my desire for information troubling to my already anxious mind.

"I enjoy reading about places I hope to visit someday," he continued without hesitation. "Italy. Switzerland. Cyprus. Thailand and Japan—I want to see the world. And lucky me," he said with a wink, "I finally got a stamp on my passport that has been sitting unopened atop my bureau for the past seven years."

He crunched on a chip loaded with guacamole, and I allowed my hungry gaze to trail over his strong jawline and the muscle bunching there as he chewed.

"What's your passion?" I asked, focusing on his mouth.

He licked lingering salt from his lower lip as I'd done moments earlier.

The sensual move shot lust through my groin, and I barely managed to contain my groan.

I expected another slow grin, a knowing look, but Zack shifted his gaze from me as though seeking out the live band playing quietly in the warm night off to my left.

"I volunteer at a homeless shelter down the road from my condo."

A slew of questions rose to my mind, but I blocked them out as a shadow passed over Zack's face. Anger, perhaps? Or a sad…fondness, maybe? I opened my mouth to tell him that I too volunteered, but he blinked and straightened, a less genuine smile on his lips.

Our waiter had returned with dinner.

Zack wore a mask, I realized, something he'd allowed to lower slightly with me. The sting of guilt intensified as whispers of happiness swirled in my chest.

The young man took his time refilling our wine glasses, then quietly slipped away when we assured him we didn't need anything further.

A few minutes passed in quietness as we ate, but my mind was far from silent. Regret and desire battled in my brain, keeping me on edge.

"Do you like shrimp?" Zack asked.

"Yes, but you made the right choice for me with the salmon."

"Trade a bite?"

My thoughts quieting at Zack's easygoing nature, I agreed.

He went first, offering me a forkful of the coconut rice and a piece of shrimp.

I should have felt awkward leaning over the table with my mouth open but strangely didn't.

He stared as I chewed, hunger for more than food in his heated gaze. "Delicious, isn't it?"

"Mmm." I hummed and prepared a bite of my dinner for him.

His parted lips held me transfixed. My mouth dried as his tongue flicked over the bottom of my fork before he closed his lips around the salmon.

He smirked.

Face heating, I returned my focus to my plate.

"So, what about you?" Zack asked, and I shook my head.

"This vacation isn't about me."

"The fuck it's not." He huffed a light laugh while I took another bite.

The salmon melted on my tongue like butter.

"My sole reason for living these next couple of days is to make you smile, Callum. Fulfilling your fantasies and just overall creating a vacation you never want to end. So tell me—what do you hope for? How do you see our time here in paradise playing out? Do you simply require a companion to keep loneliness from interfering with your rest, or are you in need of some tender loving care? Because I have to be honest." Zack slid his gaze over my face, my shoulders and chest, stalling out at the table that hindered his perusal from slipping toward the bulge growing in my slacks. "I want nothing more than to give you pleasure however you desire."

Jesus.

Since when did tingles race over my skin from a mere stranger's words? My body had only ever reacted to one man in such a way, and Zack having done as much within minutes of meeting him confused me.

Unsure what to say or do, I returned my attention to my half-empty plate. "I-I'd rather not say just now."

"Fair enough." Zack didn't sound put out or upset.

We finished our meals in silence that once more made me uneasy.

"Dance with me?"

I jerked my focus up while wiping my lips on the linen napkin.

The firelight glinting off his hazel eyes hinted of lust that incited the same inside me. "Let me hold you in my arms close enough that you'll realize I won't bite unless you ask me to. And even then, I'll be sure the graze of my teeth only makes you groan with need for more."

Swallowing hard, I nodded without meaning to.

Zack stood and offered his hand.

I stared at his palm that appeared strong yet soft. Imagining his fingers on my skin roused my desire to an even greater height, and even though my instincts screamed for me to deny him, I found myself reaching for Zack.