Page 51 of Unmoored

Eden laughs again, the sound even richer this time. “Working, too. The water’s so calm. My easel is barely moving. And I woke upfilledwith inspiration I just had to channel… one way or another…”

“Oh yeah?” I grunt, unable to resist his breathy seduction. “Filled with it, huh?”

Fucking fuck, he’s making me want to be late.

“Mmm. It was just pointing the way, if you know what I mean. I rolled straight out of bed and headed for the easel. I didn’t even bother getting dressed.”

Fuuuck.

I swallow hard, almost tongue-tied. I can just see Eden standing in front of his easel in that dark living area, palette in one hand and brush in the other… totally naked and sporting a hard-on.

Even though I can’t see the strait from my dock, I can’t help but look that way.

“Really? Are you… is that what you’re… right now?” I barely manage to ask, the words clumsy and thick on my tongue. And something else in my pants is a whole lot thicker.

“Aren’t you passing my way soon?” Eden giggles. “The curtains are open. You never know what you’ll see through the window.”

Looks like I’ll find out how slowly the barge can move—it’s the opposite problem to my usual.

“Fuck.” I growl softly under my breath. I just can’t help imagining pinning him right up against the wall of the boat. “God, Eden. I’ve never wanted to skip the milk run before.”

“It’s a shame,” Eden breathes out. “But if you have to do the boring old milk run, I guess I can take a shower… all by myself…”

I fumble for the waterproof log book that I use to keep track of my schedule. One glance at it tells me all I need to know: it’s a slow morning, thank god. So I have a better idea.

“Don’t go anywhere,” I growl, shoving it into my pocket again. “I’ll come as soon as I can. And I’ll take care of breakfast.”

“Really?” Eden breathes out. “I’d love that.” Then his voice turns sultry again. “As long as you’ve planned dessert, too.”

“Oh, I have. You’vemorethan earned it.”

There’s a quiet squeak on the other end of the line, followed by uncharacteristic silence. Good. He’s tongue-tied—just the way I want him.

“See you very soon, Eden,” I tell him.

“B-Bye…!” he squeaks, just before I hang up.

Fuck. I’m going to do this milk run so fast that I might end up delivering jars of freshly-churned butter… but after waking up so lonely for Eden, I just can’t wait to get my hands on him again.

Just wait until he finds out what I’ve got planned.

I want to show him how good this can be, how goodwecan be—and I think he’s finally ready to let me take the wheel.

ChapterNineteen

MURPH

I can barely waitone more minute to climb onto that rickety old houseboat in the harbour… and the gorgeous man on it. But first, I’m being a gentleman—and a good boyfriend candidate.

I’m leaning against Sunrise Island’s bar while Doug cooks two breakfasts to go. Berty is holding up both ends of the conversation as usual, ignoring his ringing phone in favour of telling me all about the new ferry.

There are so many perks to being the walking—but not talking—definition ofstrong and silent. All I have to do is grunt now and then, which sure beats getting interrogated about why I asked foran extra breakfast to go.

“You wanna get that, Murph?”

Wait. It’s my phone ringing, not his.

“Shit. Yeah, I probably do,” I mumble, stepping outside as Berty laughs and waves me off.

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