Page 77 of The Best Wrong Move

I smile at Dom. He rocks back on his heels and pushes his lips together, staring down at the deck. Rex narrows his eyes at me, but I turn to Dom.

“You ready?” I ask him. “I know I am.”

“I’m so ready.” Dom smiles coolly at Rex. He wraps an arm around my shoulder, leading me away, and shuts the sliding door behind us.

From the look on Dom’s face, it occurs to me that he got exactly what he said all guys want at the very beginning. If this was a duel between Rex and him for my affection, Dom has clearly won.

When we get in the car, he turns to me after starting the engine. “You can stay at my place from now on. Or, if you’re not ready for that, I’m putting you in one of my hotels. There’s no reason for you to be back at this rental with him anymore.”

I let this new information sink in. “You own hotels too?” Despite Abby’s pleas, I never read more about him on the internet, knowing everything I needed to know would come out naturally, like this. But it doesn’t slow the shock I feel knowing this guy also owns the hotel chains on the island too.

“I just didn’t think you’d want to be stuck in a hotel room for weeks at a time. But if you’re more comfortable with that, instead of staying with me, then I’m happy to—”

I lean over and smother his lips with mine, stopping any more words from coming out.

“I don’t mind going back and forth, keeping things at the townhouse, but I’m at your place practically every night anyway, at least until Quinton and Selma get here for their vacation. I’ll go back to the rental when they arrive. I don’t care if it’s only a night or two before I fly back to New York by that point. I can handle myself with Rex. I’m just sick of looking up to see him staring at me through that window every time he’s around.”

“I should just kick him out of that place right now. Fucking asshole.”

Dom looks genuinely pissed for the first time since that drunk guy at Cliff’s tried taking a video of me, like he can’t stand to think of me around Rex for one more second.

“You really don’t need to worry about me with Rex.” I hold his hand tighter. “Trust me. Even before you came into the picture, I was so done with him.”

He studies my face. “Just let me kick him out so you’re rid of him for good.”

I imagine Rex getting kicked to the curb, trying to find a last-minute flight back to New York, where he doesn’t even have an apartment to go back to, as far as I know.

I purse my lips. “It’s fine.”

He laughs, finally giving in. “Fine. I get it. Let’s just have a good time tonight celebrating my goddaughter.”

I point to the almost-life-size pink unicorn stuffy in the backseat. “Is that what you’re giving Hazel?” I already know the answer. “I can’t wait to watch her face — and Isla’s — when you walk into the party with that thing.”

“That and a matching pony ride down the beach for the birthday girl. I asked the stable company to dress their cutest pony up to match the stuffed unicorn, with a fake pink horn and everything. Isla and Benny are going to die when they see it. There will be a photographer there to capture it for them.” He breaks into a grin.

“I never pegged you for such a softy.” I squeeze his hand. Then I kiss him with everything I have left in me. And I’m thrilled to not have to go back to that rental, next to my ex, alone — at least for a while.

Chapter 51

By the time we get back to Dom’s house from Hazel’s party, I feel breathless, like a tiger about to pounce on its prey. Watching him treat Hazel like a little princess tonight was the sweetest thing I might have ever seen, and it’s made me absolutely ravenous for him.

“Show me the pool,” I demand. It’s a gorgeously warm night and I don’t want to be stuck inside. As my weeks here have gone on, I’m becoming more and more aware of how little time I have left before I’m back in the concrete jungle that is New York City. I want to spend every moment I can outside. And with Dom.

He looks bewildered. “The pool?”

“Please,” I demand, pulling him out the back door.

He hits a switch when we get outside — the collection of firepits throughout the garden erupt into balls of flame, one by one, until their shadows dance across each wall. The effect is stunning, tossing silhouettes of swaying palms against every vertical surface.

“I love this place so much.” I breathe out, briefly imagining us making love on the outdoor daybed sprawled across the deck, overlooking the ocean below. “I don’t know how Quinton isn’t here more often.”

He pulls me along the path toward the pool. I haven’t actually seen it yet. Too busy writing and admiring the view each time I’ve been here to find it among the collection of hedges and towering trees. But tonight I want to take another swim, like we did that first night I was here.

If we can control ourselves long enough to get that far.

As we skip along, I think back to that night we went skinny-dipping in the dark ocean together. My pulse picks up and travels down my body, resting firmly between my thighs. I squeeze Dom’s hand tighter, not letting him let me go.

The estate is enormous, so it takes us a few minutes of walking through huge red hibiscus blooms and little white plumeria trees, which litter the ground with cream-colored flowers the size of my palm. The air is thick with the scent of tropical blossoms — an intoxicating mix of delicate flower petals, still damp from the misty rain we got earlier today.

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