“But how?”
“I’ve stayed at the island many times whenever I’ve been in need of some serious rest and relaxation. Richard lets me book it out whenever I need it. All I’d need to do is call him and see if it’s available.”
He contemplates the offer, and I’m wondering if it’s too much too soon. The last thing I want is for him to feel uncomfortable or like he’s been pressured into something.
“If you don’t want to, that’s totally cool, too. We can do something here, just the two of us.”
“I … I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you’re prepared to do this for me.”
“I’m not doing it for you, Dylan. I’m doing it forus. All I want is for you to be happy, and if I can make you happy by taking you away with me to a remote island in the middle of the Caribbean, then so be it.”
He lowers his head and smiles but doesn’t say anything.
“So, is that a yes?” I ask.
“Yes, it’s a yes. One hundred timesyes,” he screams. He wraps his arms around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. “But wait, I don’t understand how that’s a compromise.”
“Damn, I was hoping you wouldn’t catch onto that.” I chuckle. “How about when we get to the island, providing it’s available of course, I let you take me to anywhere they serve food. There are no restaurants on the actual island per se. All the dining is customized to the guests’ preferences and served at the many various locations on the island. So, while it may be an all- expenses-paid trip, and you’re not physically paying for anything, I want you to treat it as if youweretaking me on a date.”
“I’m not sure that’s entirely the same thing?” he says.
“Well, maybe not. But it’s a start. So how about it?”
“It’s a date,” he says with a smile.
“Perfect. Now you stay here while I go get breakfast ready. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
“You don’t have to make me breakfast.”
“I know. But I want to.” I lean forward and press another kiss to his lips, then jump off the bed and quickly change before heading downstairs to the kitchen.
Breakfast was thankfully uneventful. Dylan and I enjoyed a pleasant meal, and while I knew his brain was still processing a lot of information, I didn’t want to push my luck and ask him any questions after we’d just made all that progress. He insisted I take him home after we finished so he could get cleaned up and change into some new clothes. I’ve had some time to reflect on our conversation, and I totally appreciate Dylan’s feelings, and it’s obvious that he thinks things may be moving too quickly, without telling me directly. And in all honesty, had this been any other random hook-up, we probably would have spent the entire morning fucking and sucking with no strings attached, and I’d normally be happy with that. But things are different with Dylan. I had never felt more alive than I did yesterday when we were making love. Okay, so it was definitely more than just making love, but my point is, I’m more positive now than I was two days ago, that Dylan is the man I want to share the rest of my life with.
I always thought I would never be the one to settle down, and when Dean married Elvis, that only convinced me evenmore that maybe I was just destined to be single. I’ve never told my hook-ups that I’m a billionaire and the owner of a firm because they’d try and stay attached to me for as long as they could just for the simple fact that I had money. All I want is for me and Dylan to be happy, and if that means making sacrifices, then so be it.
After showering, I change into a pair of sweatpants and a tee, then check my phone for any calls or messages from Dylan—nothing.
God, look at me, I’m like a sex-crazed teenager, hunting his prey and waiting for him to come home so I can pounce on him. And while that, along with the vision of Dylan naked beside me again paints a delicious image in my head, I have to take things slow. Even if it’s going to drive me fucking crazy and possibly kill me. Whenever I hear a noise, I would shoot a nervous glance around the house thinking it was Dylan walking in, and my heart would thump loudly in my chest. I walk over to the bar and unscrew the lid of the brandy before grabbing a glass and resting it on the counter. As I’m about to pour my drink, I pause.
No, I need to stay sober in case Dylan decides to come over.
One drink is usually enough to calm my nerves, but as history shows, I’ve been known to never stop at justonedrink. And we all know what happens when I get drunk. I put away the glass and liquor, then sit down on the couch and switch on the television. Flicking through the channels, I can’t decide on what to watch, so toss the remote beside me on the couch in frustration.
“This is nuts. Just fucking call the guy, Liam.”
I reach for the phone in my pocket and slide it out and just as I unlock the screen, a message comes through from Richard confirming the resort is available from tomorrow.
Thank you.
I hit send and then slump back into the couch and stare helplessly at my interior walls, like I’ve never seen them before. Deciding that going for a run would be a much better option than moping around the house thinking about Dylan, I spring to my feet and quickly swap my sweatpants for shorts, then put on my sneakers. I grab my earphones and place them in my ears, connecting them to my phone and I select my training playlist.
Once outside, I start my run, slow at first and then I gradually pick up the pace. I love running, especially when I’m stressed or need to clear my head, it’s very relaxing and therapeutic. And right now, I need to do a lot of de-stressing, especially where Dylan is concerned. I hit the beach. There’s a lot of people out today enjoying the beautiful mild weather. I run along the sand enjoying the light breeze as it brushes against my face, watching people swim in the water or sit on their towels on the sand, then there’s the couple who have their tongues down each other’s throats and playing touchy feely with one another, clearly not a care in the world that they’re in a public place with children around.
When I’m done with my run, I take a moment to catch my breath before sitting down on the sand. I remove my sneakers and the earphones from my ears and place them down on the sand beside me. I then lean backward, placing my elbows on the soft sand, anchoring my body up as I stare out at the ocean then close my eyes and enjoy the sound of peace and tranquility.
Dylan
I open my eyes and stare up at my pale, white ceiling, then do a quick check of the time.
