Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ezra

I 've made a real dog's dinner out of this. My need to be honest with her quarrels with my need to protect what we have. Now would be a good opportunity to lay out the facts. We're on a boat, so it's not like she can run away. She'd have to face this head on, as would I.

But I can't do it. The truth will shatter her, and who will pick up the pieces? I would gladly paste her together again, no matter how long it might take. Even if her sharp edges leave deep wounds, I'll bear the pain if it means she can be whole again. If only she'd let me.

Knowing she would never, I'm forced to keep this going.

"I meant nothing by it, pet," I say. "I just want you to understand my sincerity. That's all."

Her shoulders relax, and she lets out a soft sigh as she places her hands on my chest. "So this isn't just a fling for you?"

I shake my head, unable to form the words to explain what this is.

"We aren't so different, you and I," I say. "We've both been running from attachments for so long that we're terribly awkward at this."

"I can think of one area where we aren't terribly awkward." She climbs over me and straddles my lap. "How long do we have before the others return to the ship?"

I run my hands up and down her sides. "Not long enough for all the things I want to do to you."

"What about when we get to shore? Maybe we can set up our own activity back at the villas?" She grinds herself against my lap, and the friction sends a pleasurable jolt up my spine.

"As tempting as that is, we can't miss tonight's dinner. It's mandatory attendance, per the great director."

She groans and tips her head back, giving me a view of her perfect neck. I remember how she looked tied up, and maybe Jim's wrath would be worth it if it means I can see that again.

"We could always show up fashionably late," I say.

With a shake of her head, she slides off my lap. "No, I completely forgot about tonight's fancy dinner. I'll need time to get ready, and depending on Cat's mental state after your brother drugged her, she might need help as well."

"Dinner won't last all night," I say as I put my arm around her shoulder and pull her closer. "But I might."

"Ezra Carter!" She smacks my chest. "My room or yours?"

"Mine." I lean toward her ear and lower my voice. "And I want you to bring your toy."

"The Priest-Exorciser Five Thousand?"

"That's the one." I nip her ear, and she rewards me with a soft moan.

Her palm brushes over my hard length, then squeezes. I have an almost Pavlovian response to her presence, and it takes every ounce of my willpower to keep myself from climbing on top of her and ravaging her right here. Actually, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea.

I'm a millisecond from lowering my zipper when footsteps clomp up the stairs and Ice Pick appears on the deck. Ever the oblivious one, he tromps over to us and sits beside Kindra, nearly close enough to touch. I can almost hear the steam rising off my cock as it deflates.

"You guys didn't stick around very long. You missed all the fun." He reaches over and eases Kindra's hair away from her face. As he tucks the strands behind her ear, she recoils from his touch.

"Give her a little space," I say.

Ice Pick chuckles, then stands and stretches. "Sorry. I forgot you already sank your hooks into her."

I grit my teeth when I'm overcome by the urge to stand up and ram my fist into his smug face. He has the audacity to touch what belongs to me, then threaten me? How quickly he forgets who I am.

Standing to my full height, I ball my fists at my sides and step into him. The shining crown of his bald head barely clears my clavicle. As I pull my glasses from my face and hand them to Kindra, Ice Pick seems to remember his place in the pecking order. He holds out his palms and gives me his most placating smile.

"I was just joking around," he says. His wheedling voice grates on my nerves, and I crack my neck to release the tension building there. "C'mon, Ezra. No harm meant, pal. I was just having a little fun, but I'll lay off. Scouts honor."

I clap a hand on his shoulder and lean into his face, speaking so that only he can hear me. "If you so much as look at her for too long after this, I'll sink my hooks into you . Are we clear?"

His thick earlobes wobble on the sides of his head as he nods. "Crystal."

I smile. "Good. Now let's raise that anchor, shall we?"

"Sorry, Kindra," he says as he shuffles past her, and I'm pleased when he keeps his gaze trained on the teak beneath his feet.

"What was all that about?" She holds my glasses toward me, and I pluck them from her fingertips before situating them on the bridge of my nose.

"Just protecting what's mine," I say. "Unless you have a problem with a possessive partner, in which case, we may not be such a good fit after all. I hate sharing."

She motions to her voluptuous figure and laughs. "So you want the party-size bag of chips, but you want them all to yourself?"

"I'm a very hungry man."

"Say less." She parts her thighs, giving me a glimpse of heaven. "The buffet is always open."

My god, I want her so badly that it physically hurts.

I rush to the front of the boat. The sooner we haul anchor, the sooner we can finish dinner and move on to dessert.