Finally on the Island!

Book 2: Playing with Fire

We finally reached the island the next afternoon. Everyone disembarked from the boat and we made our way to the hotel I’d booked for us all.

After three days on the boat, I was ready for a change of scenery. I’d booked us a luxurious penthouse suite, just a short walk from the dock. Conner and Noah were sharing the suite with us, which had three bedrooms. The rest of our group was in other suites on the same floor. I hoped we wouldn’t need to be close, not with Luca out of the picture.

I approached the front desk and gave my name to the receptionist. “Zane Santone, checking in.”

She looked me up and down, a flirtatious smile on her face. “Yes, sir, I have your reservation. Three rooms on the top floor, including the penthouse. How many keys will you need?”

“Nine, please. Four for the penthouse, three for one suite, and two for the last room.” I watched as she prepared the keys and placed them in their holders.

As she handed them over, her hand lingered on mine. “If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.”

I couldn’t help but snort.

“Do you think I might be too much for you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not interested in anything you’re offering. I’d suggest you keep your comments and your hands to yourself.” I grabbed the keys and walked away.

Noah looked from me to her, confused. “What was that about?”

“She was laying it on a bit thick,” I explained, wrapping an arm around my girl.

He laughed and we all headed for the elevator.

As we ascended, Conner turned to me. “Boss, what are the rules while we’re here?”

“You don’t have any, as far as I’m concerned. We’re on vacation. Do what you want. I think we can handle ourselves, but if you want to stick around, feel free. We’ve had a rough journey here, so I think everyone deserves some downtime.”

Everyone nodded in agreement as the elevator doors opened. We all went our separate ways to our respective rooms.

Conner made a beeline for the master bedroom before I could say anything. I let go of Shay and chased after him, his laughter echoing through the suite.

I tackled him just as he reached the door, both of us laughing as we skidded to a halt on a plush carpet. He put his hands up in surrender as I flipped him over.

“Hey, man, I was just messing around. I know this is your room. Just trying to lighten the mood.”

I heard a throat clear behind me and looked over my shoulder. “Sorry, babe, he was just leaving.”

“Boys, do I need to put you in time out?” Shay asked, smirking as she walked past us to put her bag on the bed.

Noah appeared in the doorway, laughing at the sight of me sitting on top of Conner. “Damn, Boss, I didn’t know you swung that way. I have a friend who’d be interested.”

I got off Conner and chased after Noah, but he made it to his room and slammed the door in my face, locking it. I pounded on the door as he laughed on the other side.

“Zane!” Shay’s voice cut through the laughter. “Leave them alone!”

“But did you hear what he called me?” I protested, heading back to our room. “He said I was gay, which I am ~not~!”

Shay came over and wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me softly. “I know that, baby. We’re just trying to get you to relax. Some guys never grow up.”

“We heard that, Sunshine,” Conner called from the doorway. “Should I close the door now?”

“No, we need to get ready for dinner. If you need a shower, take one. We leave in an hour.”

She looked at me with those eyes that always made me lose my train of thought. “I could use one. Are you joining me?” She nibbled on my neck.

I groaned. “Conner, close the door. I’ll be out in a bit. I need to talk to you before we leave.”

Once I heard the door click shut, I scooped Shay up and carried her to the bathroom. We shed our clothes along the way.

After a shower and some incredible sex, I got dressed and went out to the living area, closing the bedroom door behind me.

The guys were on the couch, engrossed in some action movie.

“Are we joining you for dinner?” Noah asked, his voice low.

I looked at them, seeing the hopeful look in their eyes. “If you ruin this for me tonight, I swear to God, I’ll make your lives hell. I’m already a nervous wreck. If either of you steps out of line, you’ll be eating my fist. Got it?”

They both grinned and nodded. Just then, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Forest and Max.

Max looked me up and down, a smile on his face. “Going somewhere nice?”

“Yes, we have reservations at a restaurant in about twenty minutes.”

Forest gave me a friendly slap on the shoulder. “Mind if a few of us tag along?”

I pulled out my phone, dialing the restaurant to bump our reservation from four to six. They said it was no problem.

Then, my breathtaking girl stepped out of the bedroom, looking as sexy as ever. She was wearing a peach-colored dress that hugged her curves just right, with a daring slit that ran up the side, stopping just above her knee. A sparkly starfish pin was nestled right under her left breast.

Damn. We’d just made love, and all I wanted to do was cancel dinner and spend the rest of the night with her in bed.

She sauntered over to me, placing a hand on my chest. “Ready to head out, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, we’ve got a few others joining us, if that’s okay with you.”

She glanced around the room, then flashed me a smile. “I’m fine with it, babe. As long as they behave themselves and you don’t have to play the bad guy.”

She let out a giggle, but I shot a stern look at the guys. They all nodded in understanding, and we made our way out the door, heading to the dinner that was about to flip our lives upside down.