Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“You are making something of yours, too, kitten. Don’t say it like yours doesn’t matter.”
“He’s an artist.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “He’s good. I think he’ll get accepted into the Cartagena Advanced School of Fine Arts. He deserves it. He deserves more than what he’s ever had.”
He took her hand that lay on the counter and squeezed gently.
“My mom left us when Matt was only a year old. We don’t have the same fathers. As you probably gathered from what I told you about my name, my mother doesn’t even know who they are.” She looked back at him. “It was really hard, Sean. I’m just trying to give Matt what he deserves.”
“Who gives you what you deserve, kitten?”
She pulled her wrist from his grasp, took the drink that stood in front of her, and dumped it on the sand. “I do.”
“Juan’s gone fishing. Come to the hut. Let me give you what you need.”
She stared into his deep-blue eyes. They held a promise of comfort and care. Even if she’d already made the decision not to involve Sean further, the human being in her craved the safety of his arms. Just one more time. For one afternoon, she didn’t want to be strong. Just for a few hours, she didn’t want to be a caretaker, a big sister, a breadwinner, a problem solver. Collared and out of options. If she pretended, she could even feel loved.
Sean held out his hand. “Come, kitten.”
She glanced around. “What about your shift? What about Leona?”
“Screw my shift. Leona cares as little about her tightly wound schedule as they do.” He motioned with his head at the people dozing in the sun and sipping champagne in the ocean.
It was true. After the first few days filled with activities run by the strict second hand of the clock and Leona as uncompromising headmistress, and especially after Jeanne’s murder, everyone now seemed content to be left to their own devices. Fewer people joined the organized activities. Leona had thrown in the towel. She was only going through the motions.
Why not? Everything seemed to be falling to pieces, anyway. When Juan and Matt returned, she’d find a way to keep Matt safe. Until then, she had precious few hours.
After a beat, she placed her palm in Sean’s hand. His strong fingers folded around hers. Coming around the bar, he pulled her toward the path that led around the back of the kitchen where they wouldn’t run into any guests. Walking quietly hand in hand, they followed the rocky shore until the staff quarters came into view.
There was hesitation in Asia’s stance, but Sean knew her heart wanted this when they stopped on the veranda of the hut they had once shared. This wasn’t about sex. This was about wanting to comfort her. He wanted to soothe her for all the shit he’d caused in her life and for all the suffering she didn’t deserve. Too much rested on her frail shoulders.
He turned her to face him. The wind messed up her curls. He threaded his fingers through the strands. So soft. Sparks of brown swam in the light green pools of her eyes. It set her face alight like a firework display. Her bottom lip was plump and inviting like a ripe strawberry. Her kiss would explode like raspberry popping candy in his mouth. Did she have any idea how desirable she was?
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “You’re not an object to me,” he whispered in her hair. “You’re a beautiful, strong, talented, and good woman.”
She gave a sad kind of laugh and said with muffled words against his chest, “That’s maybe the second time you haven’t called me a cat.”
“Ah, lass, you have no idea how much I love cats.” He hooked one arm under her knees and the other around her back. Lifting her to his chest, he added, “Especially kittens.”
He carried her to his bed and laid her down on her side so she could watch the ocean from the open door. He got down behind her and draped his arm around her waist, wanting to do nothing but hold her. Fix her. Fix things he couldn’t.
Her voice sounded far-off when she spoke. “What am I going to do? I don’t want anything to happen to Matt.”
He lifted himself on his elbow and rested his head in his hand. “Give him a day or two for the excitement to wear off.” He stroked her arm. “He’s a clever guy. He’ll figure Juan out for himself.”
She turned on her back. “I don’t want him hanging around that bastard. He’ll use Matt against me if he has to.”
He placed his hand over her heart. It thumped softly against his palm, like the pecking of a chick about to crack out of its egg. “Give your brother some credit. He knows the difference between right and wrong. You raised him, after all.”