“Physically.Emotional trauma isn’t visible,” I say before I can filter the words.
“Trust me, he’s not the first man I met who thought he could behave that way.”
“Who were the others?Did they hurt you?”These are questions I don’t have the right to ask but ask them anyway.Because I’ll find those bastards.I’ll teach them a lesson, too.
She looks away from my gaze.
The atmosphere turns heavy and I change the subject.“I’ll order room service so you can eat or if you prefer, I can cook something.The kitchen is fully stocked.”I gesture toward the suite’s kitchen.
“I’d rather just grab a snack and head to the other resort,” she says.
“Whatever you prefer.”I understand she doesn’t want to be here after what happened.I gather a handful of gourmet snacks from the guest gift basket and offer them to her.
She takes them, then gestures toward the bedroom.“Can someone return the rest of the clothes, or do I need to handle that?You had so many brought up it was hard to choose one.”
“They’re all yours.”
She shakes her head.“There are probably two dozen outfits.There is no way that travel perks cover that many clothes.”
“They’re yours.Take them.”
“No,” she says calmly tearing open a packet of cookies.
I’m not used to being told no when I’m trying to give a gift.The women I’ve known gladly accepted whatever I offered.“You’ll need a dress for the VIP party.”
“Fine.I can take a dress.One.”She bites down on a cookie, her gaze locked on mine.“The sizes are an exact fit.You must be good at guessing body type.”
There’s only one body I’m interested in.Hers.I look at her lips.
Her eyes flare.It’s quick and barely detectable, but I know interest when I see it.Salem brushes crumbs off her lips.“I’ll take a juice with me,” she says.
“A juice,” I agree, still focused on her lips.
“Orange juice raises blood sugar quickly.”She pops the rest of the cookie in her mouth, then sucks a crumb from the tip of her finger.
I quickly turn away to get a bottle of juice for her, then I keep myself occupied until it’s time to go.
“We’ll take a yacht to the next resort,” I inform her as we head down to the lobby.I’m thankful there are people around.I’m finding it difficult to be alone with her.
That thankfulness dies swiftly once we’re on board the yacht.Except for the chef and his assistant and the captain, the rest of the crew is gone.
“Where is everyone?”I ask as we board.
“Your grandmother sent the crew to your brother Theo’s yacht,” the captain explains.
I don’t know why she’d do that, but then again, my grandmother often makes moves no one understands until all the pieces fall into place.
“Is this the company’s or your personal yacht?”Salem asks.
“It’s mine.One of them.”I don’t know how many I own offhand, because that’s not important to me.But I know that if I were Salem’s husband, I’d memorize the freckles on her creamy skin.I’d know every curve by heart.
Those are what I’d find important.If I had the right.Which I don’t have.
I walk to the railing and grip it hard enough to make my palms ache.
Salem joins me.“Beautiful homes, designer clothes, fancy yachts,” she says.“All the finer things in life.”She turns the power of those eyes on me.“On the surface, it’s like you have everything.”
“On the surface?”
