We had flown in late after the wedding, arriving with just enough energy left to fall into bed with each other and crashing…hard. “I know, but it’s been so long since we’ve had time together, just the two of us. And now, without the wedding looming over us, I’m looking forward to just being together.”
“We can be together in bed, too,” he says, just as the server appears with plates of food, her cheeks already blooming pink. My own face heats up when I realize she overheard us. Declan waits for her to leave then asks, “Why does it feel different now?” He reaches out, taking my hand in his.
“What, being married?” I seriously consider the question with furrowed brows, realizing that although we’ve been together a year, there’s a new layer to our relationship now. “The permanency, maybe?” I say, glancing down at my rings, my hand still trapped in his. “Before we could just walk away, but now…” I lift a shoulder. “We still could, but now there’s paperwork.”
“I do hate paperwork,” he says with a quirk of his eyebrow. There’s an intense expression on his face as his thumb brushes over my wedding rings, before he pulls back and picks up his cutlery, digging into his breakfast.
The conversation slips into something less intense as we eat. Afterwards, I get up and head for the bathroom, and by the time I come back, our table has been cleared, and Declan is staring down at his phone, his eyes narrowed.
I retake my seat, and he immediately looks up, setting his phone down and giving me a smile. “Everything okay?” I ask.
He tips his chin. “It’s just Carter,” he tells me, naming his COO and best friend. He flicks another quick look at his phone, his brows twitching down. But when he focuses back on me, his expression is clear, leaving me wondering if I imagined it. “He just wanted to keep me updated on an issue the company is having, but he can handle it.”
“Alright,” I say easily. “The tour doesn’t start for another three hours. Should we go for a swim first?”
He grins, eyes heating. “A chance to get you in a bikini? How could I ever say no?”
The rest of the day passes by quickly, in a haze of wine, sunshine and water. By the time we head back to the resort, our skin is gritty with saltwater and I’m exhausted from the exertion of the day, the heat, and the wine we consumed.
We’d made reservations at the same restaurant from that morning, but Declan watches as I get changed into a flirty sundress, his eyes concerned.
“You sure you don’t want to just order room service?” he asks, coming over and tracing a finger down my cheek. “You look tired.”
I consider the offer seriously before shaking my head. “No. I think if we stay here, I’ll fall asleep and then there’s no way I’ll sleep later.”
“Okay,” he agrees easily, pulling me into a hug. We stand still for a second, soaking each other in. It doesn't take long before his hands are coasting over my body, making me shiver as they slide down to cup the globes of my ass. He squeezes, his chest rumbling with a groan, even as I giggle, pushing him away.
“I was just giving you a taste of what you’ll be missing,” he tells me with a smirk. “Sure you don’t want to change your mind?”
“You can keep your tastes to yourself,” I say haughtily, and he laughs, following me as I slide some strappy sandals onto my feet and head out of the suite.
I’m relieved we decided to stick close to the resort for dinner, because even the walk to the restaurant has my feet aching after being on them all day. Once we arrive, the hostess leads us to a table outside. The sun has long since disappeared, but the air is still hot and humid against my skin, forcing me to lift the heavy fall of my hair off my neck as we sit down. Our view of the ocean is unimpeded, the bright moon shining brightly over the rippling surface, giving it an ethereal feel, and I let out a heavy exhale.
“This place,” I murmur quietly, turning to thank the hostess as she slides a menu on the table in front of me. Declan makes a small noise of agreement, already looking at his menu. I smile as I pick mine up, knowing I want something light after sampling food at each winery we visited today.
After choosing a chicken salad, a server comes over to take our order and we sit back in a comfortable silence, right until Declan’s phone vibrates where he’s placed it on the table. He glances at it, but doesn’t move to pick it up, turning his attention back to the view. After a while it stops, and I flick a look at him, noticing a muscle jumping in his jaw.
I frown, but before I can ask, the phone starts up again, an incessant buzz that has his features tightening by the second.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
As if my question is permission, he throws an apologetic glance at me and picks it up. His thumbs move rapidly over the screen before he sits back. But only a second later, and he’s furiously tapping something else out, his expression growing tight.
I wait patiently, but several minutes later, he’s still staring down at the phone, his scowl growing by the second. “Dec,” I say. “You promised.”
“Hm?” he murmurs distractedly, eyes still down.
“Declan.” At the firmness of my tone, he finally looks at me, expression falling at whatever he sees on my face. “No business, remember? You promised me.” I give him a tight smile. “Honeymoon, remember? Just us.”
He stares at me for a moment, phone clenched tightly in his hand, but then he exhales, shaking his shoulders out. “I’m sorry.” He lets out an aggrieved sigh. “Carter?—”
“Do you trust him?” I ask unwaveringly.
He blinks. “Of course.”
I stare at him, firm and uncompromising. “Then he can handle it for two weeks, right? It’s what he’s paid to do, after all.”
There’s a beat, his eyes shuttering, and then his expression softens as he tucks the phone away into his pocket. “You’re right, baby. No more business.”
