Emma
And, just like that, our perfect little fantasy bubble has burst.
I hurry behind Harrison as he stalks across the deck and around the corner, my wet feet slapping on the smooth wooden planks. My heart pounds and my stomach churns as I scramble to think of how to spin what is an impossibly bad situation. When he reaches the far side of the villa, he turns, crosses his arms, and gives me a stern look from under his eyebrows like he used to do when I was twelve and he was sixteen and I was in major trouble.
“You probably should have called ahead,” I say, going for a pre-emptive strike.
“Oh, isthatwhat went wrong here?” he asks, his head snapping back. “I didn’t call ahead to make sure I wouldn’t interrupt the naked chef serving up a little breakfast spread?”
“Calm down, Harrison. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big—?!” he starts, then shuts his mouth and glares, zeroing in on my neck that might as well just have a sign attached to it that says ‘Pierce was here.’ “Jesus. Is that a hickey? You know what? Donotanswer that.”
I close my robe a little tighter, feeling thoroughly exposed. I can’t see my own face, but I’m pretty sure I look guilty as sin.
“How long has this—” He gestures repeatedly to me and in the direction of the pool. “—been going on?”
“About three weeks,” I answer in a voice so quiet I can barely hear it.
Apparently, he heard it, because he says, “Three—!” He stops and shakes his head, then takes a deep breath. “All right, I’m going to try to stay calm until I have all the facts. Have you two talked about a future together over the past twenty-one days or has it just been…thatin the pool back there?”
“The second one,” I mumble. “But technically that was the first time in the pool, so…”
Holding up one hand, he says, “I don’t need that level of detail. I’m just trying to determine whether I need to go kick his ass or not.”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “For God’s sake, Harrison, I’m a grown woman and it’s not 1802. If I want to have a bit of a fling, it’s hardly going to scandalize the entire island.”
“So, this is okay to you? Some meaningless fling with a guy who’s just going to up and leave in a couple of days?”
“Well, it’s better than nothing!” I snap. “It’s not like I’m going to find Prince Charming while my brother has me sequestered like a nun out here in the middle of nowhere.”
Leaning down, Harrison lowers his voice. “Are you actually trying to blamemefor this?”
“No, of course not. It’s just not exactly easy to be out here alone all the time.”
“Well, you haven’t exactly been lonely since your first week here, have you?” Harrison waves the thought away with both hands, then says, “You know what? It doesn’t matter. You’re done here. Pack up your stuff because you’re coming back with me to the resort where I can keep an eye on you.”
“No, I’m not,” I say, folding my arms across my chest. “Pierce needs me.”
“Excuse me? Did you just say no?” Harrison asks, his nostrils flaring. “I don’t think you understand.I’mthe boss, not you. And I’m also your big brother. Mr. Can’t Keep It in His Pants is lucky I’m not giving him the ass-kicking of a lifetime right now.”
“I’d like to see you try.Icould kick your ass.” Okay, that bit is not at all true. Harrison is ridiculously tough, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Now, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m an adult, which means my love life is my own business! Besides, he’sdesperateand I’m the only one who can help him,” I say firmly. “There's no way I'm going to abandon him in his hour of need.”
“Are you really this naïve? You fell for the lonely, desperate writer routine?” Harrison shakes his head at me.
I jut my chin out defiantly. “That’snota thing.” It’s not, right?
“Sure it is. The old, ‘I need you, you’re the only one who can save me’ bit. Trust me, it’s a thing. He’s just using you.”
“You don’t know him. He’s not like that.”
“And you think you do? What the hell do you think is going to happen here, Emma?” Harrison says, lifting his arms out to his sides, then letting them drop. “He’s going to fall in love with you and move to Santa Valentina where he’ll write books and you can cook for him for the rest of your life?”
Yes, yes, I do think that.“No, of course I don’t think that,” I spit out. “I know exactly what’s going on here and I’m fine with it.”
“You’re fine with being used and thrown away.”
“MaybeI’musinghim. Did you ever consider that?” I ask, raising my voice.
