Page 106 of Scandalous Lover

“He told me that if I rock the boat, I’m going to get wet.”

She raises her eyebrows, pausing midchew to gape at me. “And?”

I shrug, eyes on my plate as I load my fork once more. “And he reminded me that I’m waterproof.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Naomi

We stop in front of Dom’s house just long enough for me to decide there isn’t anything in there worth going up the stairs for, and then Sam drives us back to his place.

I brace myself for the feeling of homecoming, but I’m still not prepared for how hard it hits me. I don’t fall out of the golf cart, but only because I’m holding on.

“Why don’t you snuggle up on the couch? I’m just going to check in with The Sands and I’ll join you.”

“For a nap?” I tease, but Sam nods.

I laugh in spite of myself. “I expected you to say no.”

He pretends to look offended as he snatches his phone from the counter. “Come on. Sleeping in, pancakes, nap. I may be a workaholic, but I know how to have a day off.”

“Is this how you spend all your days off?” It’s supposed to be another bit of light teasing, but I can hear the edge in my voice.

Sam crosses the living room to where I’m standing, holdinghis ringing cell in one hand. He presses a light kiss to my forehead. “I never had a day off before I met you.”

A voice sounds through his small phone speaker as someone answers at the resort. He winks at me and then strolls away, bringing the phone to his ear and greeting the person on the other end.

I flop straight back onto the couch, lips vibrating with a forced exhale.

What the fuck!

This is all so perfect and sweet and incredible.

But is there really a future here?

I don’t even know how to ask. All I know is that I’m completely lost in it. When Sam bails, which is the most likely outcome, I’m going to be wrecked.

Unless I bail first.

I bite my lip and consider my options.

I’ve been ignoring messages from my PR company for the last two days. They think it’s time for me to try posting again. To offer up some new little tidbit from my life to test the waters.

I’m petrified to do it. And I have no idea how to feel about that. Posting is what I’ve always done. It’s my happy place. I’ve said in a joking, not so joking, manner that if I don’t post it, it didn’t happen. And I really, truly believed that.

But my life is different now. In the short span of my time here on Faraday, I’m living a different truth. Because I haven’t posted a thing, and yet my life feels more real than it ever has before.

“Resort’s still standing. We’re free for the rest of the day.” He tosses his phone into a basket on the counter and flops down beside me. “Theoretically.”

I smile, understanding perfectly. He’s always on call.

“You okay?” he asks, forehead crinkling as he watches me.

Damn. I thought I was doing a good job of masking my worries, but I guess not. This hound dog can sniff out my mood, even when I try to distract him by pulling my top a bit lower.

“Yeah, I’m just really ready for this nap, I guess.”

And ready to have a few moments to myself to freak the hell out without someone watching.

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