My thumb passed over the callous on my trigger finger. “I’m pretty sure you say that so I’ll pull out my dick and prove otherwise.”
She shrugged and stared off into the Sound. “So there’s ferryboats, stalking, and breaking into apartments. What else does a commando do?”
“Whatever it takes,” I said.
A sharp laugh slipped from her lips. “Right, me too.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ve got the global war on terror. You’ve got the war on lazy pussy-men. By comparison, I have it easy.”
She sighed, and her shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Do you ever wish you could take a break from your life? Like…run away, even for a minute?” She glanced at me, and if it were possible, her eyes were the greenest I’d ever seen them, even through the dark layer of her sunglasses.
“I think that’s what we’re doing right now.”
She frowned. “Is that why we’re doing this?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe we both need a break from life, and…and that’s all this is.”
“Just a break? From life?”
“Yeah,” I said, and as we stared at each other, we knew it was a lie, just like all the others that’d brought us to this point.
*
Kaisall’s place wason the north end of Ditch Plains, the legendary Montauk surfing destination known for its rocky-bottom shore. The house sat on a narrow slice of beachfront property, with a dense cluster of trees and bushes hiding it from the main road. The interior was simple and comfortable, and the screened-in porch with its wide lounge chairs and sea breezes was the closest thing to heaven New York could offer.
The only reason I knew any of this was because I’d been here before. We could have been in any city, any house. It didn’t matter where we were because all I could see was Shannon. I had her half-naked, on the floor, and riding my cock before the front door clicked shut. From the sound of the waves crashing on the beach below, it was an ideal surfing day, but the ocean wasn’t going anywhere. The clock was running on this weekend, and the real world was waiting for both of us on the other side.
Day passed into night while we indulged in each other, and if it weren’t for my growling stomach, we would have stayed in bed straight through to morning.
The walk into the heart of town was short, and filled with Shannon’s commentary on area property values. She stopped in front of a real estate office with glossy fliers advertising local homes for sale in the front window, her head cocked to the side and her lips pursed as she read. I didn’t see a single listing for less than seven figures.
“Huh,” she murmured, frowning.
“None of these up to par?”
She shook her head and stepped away from the window. “Not my style.”
I stared after her, captivated by the flex of her lean calves as she walked. It was strange seeing her without the neck-breaking heels. They seemed like her trademark, right along with her vibrant hair and infinite freckles, and the dark purple flip flops belonged to a side of her only I knew.
She darted into a gifts and home goods shop, the door chimes clanging in her wake, and I followed. A display of silver bowls in the shape of starfish and sand dollars drew her in.
“Hang onto this,” she instructed, handing over a large dish.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, and I didn’t miss Shannon’s smirk.
The woman could hold her own, and it was hot as hell. Giving orders and expecting obedience was natural to her, much like it was natural to me. It made this battle of wills even sweeter because I earned her surrender every goddamn time.
“Can you get that one?” Shannon pointed to a long tray on the top shelf. It was a good arm’s-length beyond her reach.
“Yes, ma’am,” I repeated, passing her the tray. “You going to start calling me your errand boy now?”
“No,” she said, “that’s what I have Tom for.”
“Tom? How many brothers do you have? Which one is Tom?”
Shannon knelt to the bottom shelf and selected three sets of miniature knives, each adorned with a silver lobster handle. “Tom’s my assistant. Or…he’s more like a chief of staff who also gets coffee and anything else I ever need.”
Maybe I was a dickhead with an overactive sense of possession, but I didn’t like this jack-of-all-trades already.
