Page 78 of Scandalous Lover

“How can that possibly be true?”

I shrug, officially regretting saying anything and needing this moment to end before I end up in tears. “Show me the rest of the property?” My voice betrays me, and I watch Samconsider, taking a deep breath in and then out, his eyes searching mine the whole time.

Finally, he reaches out to touch the only part of me close enough, the heel of one foot. His fingers are like electricity, heating me with sparks straight to my core. “Come on, then.”

I follow him down the ladder and out the side door, where he leads me across the short, rock lined path to the second largest of the three blue buildings. I glance up and smile at the tin roof, tacked together in neat, straight lines, but obviously recycled or reclaimed metal sheeting. He passes through the white wooden door and holds it open for me. I meet his eyes, and finding that same loving look still there, I quickly glance down at my sandals.

I don’t know what to do with this. These looks are sending me signals that our situation can’t support. Does he want me or want me to stay a secret? How can it be both? Secret love? Is that a thing?

I shake it off and walk past him into the mid-sized roundish room.

And stop dead in my tracks.

From the outside, this looks like any other small, octagonal building. But inside…

It’s not quite finished, as Sam said, but I can see the vision. He whitewashed the walls and hung sheer white curtains on all eight of the tall, narrow windows. The floors are sanded and polished mahogany, something I recognize after being told about the natural mahogany forests on the nearby islands and shown how it was used for much of the flooring at The Sands. I wonder if these pieces were left over from that. They come together across the room in small chunks, fitted expertly end to end. The slight variations in color give the room a rustic, woodsy feel. I bet if the curtains were all pulled aside, laying in here would feel a lot like being in a tropical forest.

In the center of the room is an almost finished bedframe, mahogany as well, with four sturdy posts and ladder-like head and footboards. I glance up at the vaulted, circular ceiling and see a skylight at the very top, the brilliant blue sky smiling down at me from above.

“That thing used to leak like crazy, but I got it sealed.”

Sam’s voice drags me out of my stupor, and I glance over at him.

“It’ll be amazing to weather the big rain showers in here. Once it’s all done, of course.”

“It’s fantastic. You did all of this?”

He looks down, and I can tell he’s about to go humble on me. “The building was already standing, but…” He smiles as I roll my eyes at him. “Yeah. I’ve been working hard to get this room to match the vision I had when I first saw it. And I’m very nearly there.”

“It looks perfect to me. You just need to drag that mattress out of the loft, and we could sleep here.” I stop short as I realize what I just said. When I dare to look back up at Sam, he’s grinning at me. I can feel myself blush, something I’ve never done so much in my life before meeting this man.

“Come on, I’ll show you the kitchen and then put you to work.”

He’s out the door before I can process that.

And protest.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sam

Having her here is just as perfect as I imagined it would be, even if it’s not exactly the cozy nesting I’ve been fantasizing about. It’s something. After our shared admissions in her hotel room yesterday, I’m glad she seems willing to take this slow.

Or, as slow as we can take it when we’ve already shared almost every part of ourselves.

Knowing that she wants me as much as I want her, and that she understands why this is so difficult for me, has proven to be both comforting and terrifying. I’ve openly acknowledged the reasons why this is crazy and could never work but we do nothing to distance ourselves from it.

Talk about a shared fate.

I only hope it’s not the disaster I’ve been imagining every second that I’m not imagining her lush, naked body in my bed.

“I’m a pretty good cook, if that’s the kind of work you had in mind.”

Naomi comes up behind me in the main house, walking straight up to my back until her cheek presses against myshoulder blade. I smile and reach back to catch one of her hands, bringing her around to the front.

And I almost kiss her right then and there, but something holds me back. Maybe it’s knowing that if I start kissing her now, I’ll never stop.

And this tour is far from over.

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