Her milky skin glistens with lotion, the smell and sight driving me feral. She’s soft, warm... tempting. Too fucking distracting. I imagine my lips on her collarbones, kissing their way lower to between her breasts, then lower again to nuzzle her belly until I’d make camp between her thighs.
I’ve not stopped imagining that since she walked into my bedroom last night in nothing but that towel.
“Why are you sitting here?”
She looks up from her phone, sets the empty champagne flute aside, and presses a finger to her lips. “You should grab a shower,” she all but shouts, pulling weird faces at me as she walks backward. “We don’t have much time before dinner.”
“Yeah... alright.” My eyebrows knot in the middle. She’s so fucking bizarre sometimes. “You’re done in here?”
The water starts, and Addie sprints back to me, rising on her toes. Her warm, minty breath fans my cheek, and my hands ball into fists, to stop me grabbing her waist and molding her into me.
“I think there’s a camera in the room,” she breathes. “I don’t know if it’s got a microphone.”
“Addie, we’ve been over this. The earth is round, there are no aliens, we landed on the moon, and your mom wouldn’t—”
“You don’t know that!” she cuts me off, her whisper escalating to a fierce hiss. “There’s a wireless phone charging outlet on a shelf in the living room, very conveniently placed with a vantage point of the whole room, and there’s this tiny diode in the base!”
I laugh. What else can I do?
“That diode glows green when your phone’s charged.”
“What if itisa camera?” she insists.
“Your mother didn’t even know I was coming. Why would she plant cameras in your room if she thought you’d be alone?”
Her expression flickers as my argument lands, and she falls back onto her feet. “Right...” she mutters. “You’re right. I’m panicking for nothing.” She takes a deep, centering breath, lifting her gaze to mine. Suddenly realizing how close we are, she tightens her robe, stumbling away. “I’ll change the access code to your birthday just in case.”
“August—”
“I remember!” She waves me off, storming out of the bathroom with a spring in her step. “Your clothes are unpacked. The crew took some things to be pressed. Leave the laundry in the hamper, and they’ll take care of it daily.”
And I thought I had it good with my maid...
Twenty minutes later, I exit the bathroom, showered, and dressed in another Monaco GP outfit, my hair already styled.
I stop two steps into the bedroom, spotting Addie across the room, threading large hoops through her ears. She’s in a wide-leg white body suit that hugs the slim curve of her waist and accentuates her boobs. Her dark hair fans down her back in beach waves, contrasting the light outfit. Barely any makeup, lips stained in deep pink, eyes popping thanks to mascara.
“Have I told you you’re beautiful?” I ask.
“I don’t think you have.” She beams, but her cheeks pink up a touch, adding a million hotness points to her look.
“You’re beautiful, Addie.”
She offers me a sheepish smile, mouthing “thank you” as she finishes with her earrings, tosses her hair over one shoulder, and comes closer, plucking my phone from the bed.
“It’s been pinging constantly for ten minutes.”
“Probably my brothers.”
I unlock the phone, and sure enough, there are forty-seven unread messages among three chats. I openThe Holy Trinityfirst.
Cody: Onboard yet? How’s the yacht? Send us some pics.
Conor: Nico’s asking why we’re looking after the business. Someone called him to report that I showed up at The Olive Tree this morning. What story are we selling?
Both messages were sent less than ten minutes ago. I switch to theSausage Festchat, typing out a quick text before they launch a full-scale investigation into my sudden disappearance.
Nico already asked if anyone knows where the fuck I am. I meant to tell them about the trip when I woke up, but it quickly slipped my mind as soon as I saw Addie.
