Page 24 of Scandalous Lover

I turn to him, interest peaked. I forgot that there was information I wanted that could be gained from Loose Lips Avery. “What’s it all about? Dom didn’t really say much.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know the full story, but from what Fran told me, she runs some kind of lifestyle Instagram blog, and she did something that pissed off a lot of people. Now she has to take a break from posting because an angry mob jumps on her in the comments section every time. I guess she’s getting a lot of threatening emails which is why she wanted to head out of the city.”

I try to display an appropriate amount of shock and concern while inside, my brain is screaming. The idea of Naomi in danger has sent all my protective instincts into attack mode.

“Wow. That sounds scary,” I manage.

“Yeah. The internet is a terrifying place, man. It’s why I mostly stay away and let them talk about me how they will. Every time I’ve tried to get involved or jump in to offer the real story about something, it always goes sideways. I’ve learned that it’s best to just use this thing,” he pulls his brand new, top of the line iPhone from his pocket and wiggles it next to his face, “as a camera and an iPod. Oh, and a clock.” Glancing down at the screen, his eyebrows raise. “Speaking of which, they should be pulling in now.”

We hop out of the cart and walk down to the dock just as the water taxi is tying up. We stand amongst a group of people waiting for the same boat, everyone craning their necks to spot their person walking down the dock.

I don’t even need to search for mine. The second she steps off the boat, my eyes are drawn straight to her.

She’s wearing black linen shorts and a pink tank, her signature pink lips smiling at the worker helping her step onto the dock. Her long auburn curls flow freely down her back, captured by the breeze off the ocean. The curves of her body look amazing in her summer outfit, showing off just enough skin to test my self-control.

I lick my lips, remembering how she tasted. How her body felt in my hands.

Fucking hell.

None of that.

I’m going to be professional and casual. Cool and collected.

Self-preservation mode on.

“Look who it is. Little Nay-Nay.” Avery pushes to the front of the crowd to meet her as she steps off the dock into the sand. He snatches the bag from her hand before dragging her into a big brother hug. She pulls away laughing.

“How long has it been? A decade? More?” he asks.

“I was here for the opening, so yeah. About that.”

I watch them turn toward the luggage cart where Naomi points out her two large, pink suitcases. Avery tips the guy who gets them down and starts carrying them across the sand, looking pointedly for me.

I snap into action, stepping around the people I was doing a poor job of hiding behind, and walk forward to meet them.

Desire churns in my veins, even as apprehension takes my breath away. I don’t know what I’m going to say, I only pray it’s not completely stupid.

“Hey, Naomi.”

She turns to me with a big knowing smile before shaking her head and looking at her feet for a brief moment before meeting my gaze once more.

She gets it. I can see it in her emerald eyes. She’s going to spare me the guillotine.

“Hey, Sammy. Been a while.”

At first glance, she looks more or less the same as I remember her from the city. As I continue to search her gaze, however, I can see that something has changed. There’s a dullness where before I saw her spark. There’s hesitation instead of confidence.

Avery laughs and cracks me on the back. “Yeah, Sammy. Why don’t you help a guy out and grab one of these bags.”

I tear my eyes away from her and take the handle of the enormous rolling suitcase from Avery. It’s heavier than I expect, but I try not to let my surprise show. This is more than a simple vacation if she brought all this with her.

Naomi trails behind us, calling out answers to Avery’s casual questions.

Her flight was fine.

The boat ride was a little bumpy, but she had a good seat.

She’s excited to be on Faraday.

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