Soreness can be either good or bad. The bad kind happens when you kill yourself working out after spending months lazing around on the couch. The good kind, though… that comes after a night with someone between your thighs that knows how to hit every single one of your best pleasure spots.
That ache I’m feeling today makes me grin like a smitten bitch whose crush finally kissed her. Or, you know, fucked her until they both passed out.
It’s basically the same thing.
Ronin’s heavy arm is slung across my waist, and my back is pressed up against his hard chest. That’s not the only thing that’s hard, and I arch my back so my ass presses against his delicious morning wood. When he groans but doesn’t wake up, I stifle my laugh.
It’s not like I can blame the guy, and after everything that happened yesterday, I’m surprised I’m not still dead to the world, too. Apparently, I hadn’t lied last night when I convinced him orgasms were the best medicine because, outside of the soreness I wouldn’t mind more of, I feel great.
My stomach growls, and I lift his arm, freezing to see if he wakes up, but he doesn’t even budge. I slide out of bed fast, like ripping off a Band-Aid, and then hold my breath while I wait to see if he moves. Disappointment and relief war inside me when he doesn’t. If he had opened his eyes, I’d have had to jump back into bed with him.
It wouldn’t even be a want at this point, but most definitely a need.
Shit, I could feel a bolt of lust hit me right between the thighs. You’d think I’d be worn out after so many rounds last night I lost count, but then you’d be wrong. Ronin is like the best food I’ve ever eaten, and no matter how full I get, I never want to stop. I could eat it every meal, every day for forever and never have enough, never get sick of it.
I’m standing over him, watching him sleep like a total creep, but I can’t seem to stop. The exhaustion and worry he usually wears are gone, and he looks younger and more relaxed than I’ve possibly ever seen him.
I could really get used to seeing him like this.
Liquid sliding down my thigh reminds me why I got up in the first place, so I clench my legs together and waddle off toward the bathroom. One of my most favorite things is long, hot showers, so I take my time scrubbing every inch of my body and tilting my head back to let the warm water cascade down through my hair.
When I can’t ignore my hunger anymore, I wrap myself in a towel and tiptoe back into the bedroom. Ro’s sitting up in bed, looking insanely tempting with his hair sticking up all over the place and the shadow of stubble lining his jaw. His gaze darkens as he drinks me in standing here in only my towel, but I’m starving.
I groan. ‘It’s not fair for you to look like that right after you wake up.’ His chuckle is low and seductive. Tingles race down my spine, and liquid heat pools in my core, but my damn stomach is relentless this morning, so I ignore it all with a loud, defeated sigh. It only makes Ronin chuckle again, rinse, and repeat.
‘You could always climb back in here with me.’
‘No, I can’t, and before you can make some joke about having something I can eat for breakfast, it’s not going to happen. I need real, actual food, like bacon. Right now, I think I’d give up sex for an entire week for a breakfast burrito.’ My mouth waters at the thought, and I’m focused on feeding the black hole inside of me.
Ronin’s off the bed in a second, yanking me against his sculpted chest. I let my fingers trail down the ridges of his abs before his hand tangles in my hair and tilts my head back. ‘That’s not funny. I can’t keep my hands off you for an entire week.’
I arch my eyebrow. ‘Better get me a breakfast burrito, then,’ I say, patting his solid pec. The insecure chick that lives inside me is preening like a goddamn peacock this morning at Ronin’s attention. Part of me wondered if he’d shy away after last night. It would fit with everything he’s said and done up to this point if he backed off or got scared and ran away.
If he does, I guess he’ll learn that I’m not about to let him go now that I know how good we are together. This girl needs explosive orgasms in her life. Besides, going after what I want is one of my favorite things. Let’s just say my stalker isn’t the only one who occasionally enjoys a good chase.
What? It’s not like the guy is the only one allowed to be the pursuer.
‘Get dressed,’ he says, slapping me on the ass, and just for that, I drop my towel and step away right as he’s reaching for me. His fingertips just brush my skin, and his growl follows me over to my dresser. I tug the drawer out, about to pull out some of my skimpiest barely-there panties to tease him with, but my hand meets nothing but air.
Frowning, I lean over and look inside, ignoring the tortured groan from behind me. ‘Damn it,’ I mutter, and the sexual tension in the air evaporates immediately. Ro’s by my side before I can blink, dragging me back and away from my dresser and pushing his way in front of me.
‘What? What’s wrong?’ He’s on alert, and I love that about him.
‘All my underwear are gone. I’m going to venture a guess that our friendly neighborhood stalker has been in here again, and this time he stole my panties for his perverted Montana collection.’ The saddest thing about all of this is I’m not even surprised. ‘Guess I’m going commando until I can go buy more.’
Ronin whips around, and his gaze darkens on my still-naked form as his rich brown eyes rake across my skin. ‘You’re going to kill me,’ he mutters, gripping the dresser behind him to keep from moving toward me.
I give him a knowing grin, never breaking eye contact until I step into my closet. My gaze drifts along the colorful fabric pieces hanging neatly along both sides. I debate whether or not I should grab something comfortable. After yesterday, I could use a day of being comfy, but then I see a shift dress that’ll be just as cozy but a whole lot more fun. It hits at mid-thigh, and I’ll have to be careful getting in and out of any cars we may ride in to avoid any Britney Spears moments.
I’m sure the reality of being drugged yesterday, and then the feeling of violation that comes from knowing this perv can get in and out of my apartment basically anytime he wants, regardless of whether or not I have a security detail, will hit me. I’m guessing it’ll happen sometime around the middle of breakfast, but for now, I’m riding an insane endorphin high from countless orgasms and the idea that Ronin might well and truly stick around for a while.
After I pull the dress over my head, my hand goes to my stomach, and I can’t help but wonder what might happen next. I’ve spent so long planning every little detail of my life that with everything going off the rails, it feels sort of perfect that I’m taking this step forward in the midst of total chaos.
There’s something to be said for unpredictability—it really keeps life interesting.
After the talk the other day with my brother, the pressure to get pregnant right away has lessened. Yet, when Ronin looked me in the eyes and threw caution to the wind, at that moment, there was nothing I wanted more than to have his baby.
Is that nuts? Not gonna lie, it feels a little nuts.
‘Are you okay in there?’ Ronin calls from the bedroom, and I shake myself out, bending down to grab some flats, slipping my feet inside. Today is not a heels kind of day.
He hovers over me when I walk back into the room, looking me over like he expects my stalker to have been hiding in my closet and done something nefarious to me while I was in there trying to get dressed. Warmth spreads from my head to my toes under his concern.
I don’t think I’ve ever had someone worry about me or watch over me the way Ronin does. While the situation that brought him here like this sucks, who wouldn’t want a seriously scorching hot bodyguard following them around all day, every day?
It’s like I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life.
‘I’m fine; nothing happened.’ I wave him off and brush by him, completely aware of how electricity zings under my skin every place that I touch him.
Ronin pulls on a pair of black joggers, and my bottom lip pushes out in a pout. He notices the look on my face and smirks. ‘Is that lip sticking out because these pants are black and not grey?’
I gasp in mock horror, my hand flying to my chest and my eyes widening until they’re comically big—or at least that’s how I picture they look. ‘How do you know about that?’
He rolls his eyes and bends down, swiping his black t-shirt off the ground. ‘Anyone with the internet and the ability to read knows grey sweatpants are women’s ultimate weakness.’
My eyes narrow on him. ‘So, you’re wearing black to, what? Turn me off?’
Ronin looks down at himself but not before I catch his confused expression. ‘Do I look bad or something?’
I bite my lip to keep from laughing. ‘If I have to go panty-less, you have to wear grey joggers. I don’t make the rules.’
He straightens and looks me over with a heady mix of lust and amusement. His eyes linger on the hem of my dress, where it skims the tops of my thighs. It probably would’ve been smart to pick something longer, but I think we’ve established that smart is the last thing I am when it comes to Ronin.
‘You literally just made that rule.’
‘And?’ I fold my arms and tap my foot.
Ronin huffs but doesn’t say anything, instead stripping off his black joggers and digging around in his bag for what I’m assuming will be grey ones. I can’t help but check out his ass in the tight black boxer briefs he’s got on as he bends over.
Let me tell you, it’s one hell of a view.
Despite everything that happened yesterday, it’s been such a breath of fresh air spending this time with Ronin. Playing around, relaxing, enjoying each other. The smile drops off my face, and tears prick my eyes. I guess I never realized how much all of this is affecting me until this moment. I’m good with pressure—always have been. In a high-stakes situation, I never crumble. I’m the one leading the way, directing the people who can’t handle the hard shit on what to do.
Sometimes I get burnt out, and the stress becomes too much. I need relief, a break, a second to catch my breath and recharge.
With taking a break in mind, I grab my phone and open my schedule. There’s nothing all that pressing that I can’t have my assistant handle for me or reschedule, so I send him an email to clear the next four days.
Ronin’s on the edge of the bed, tying his shoes and watching me out of the corner of his eye. He’s not being obvious, but I can sense it. It’s like a sixth sense I’ve developed for when his eyes are locked on me. Even if he’s across the room, his stare is weighty and hot, and it never fails to make my thighs clench together and my mouth go dry.
It’s a serious problem in situations like this where I’ve got a micro dress on with nothing underneath it, but I’ll power through. Maybe if I’m lucky, he’ll lick my thighs clean.
Fuck, now I’m really making a mess.
My hand trembles as I type out a text to Penelope.
Montana: Girl, I need a getaway. Can you clear your schedule for the weekend?
Penelope: …
Montana: I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.
Penelope: You know what? I’ll do it. I need a break before I launch myself out the boardroom window.
Penelope: Where are we going?
I bite my lip, considering. I’m going to need something beachy and tropical with plenty of sun and cabana boys I can play with to make Ronin jealous. Frozen cocktails are a plus. Oh… well, mocktails, I guess? Either way, something sweet and frozen is definitely on the menu.
A grin turns the corner of my lips up, and Ronin narrows his eyes from where he’s still sitting on the bed. ‘What are you planning? You have that wicked grin that only means trouble.’
‘You’ll see,’ I say, looking back at my phone to type out the message.
Montana: Bali?
Penelope: …
Penelope: Give me two hours to have the flight prepped. How many are you bringing?
I look up and bite my lip, considering. Ronin is definitely coming—hopefully in more ways than one—and Indy will throw a fit if I leave him behind. They’ll probably want to leave someone here to watch the apartment, so that’ll more than likely be Asher.
Montana: Three.
Penelope: Meet at the hanger?
Montana: You got it. Thx, Pen.
‘You gonna explain to me what you’re up to?’ Ronin asks, standing up and leaning against the bed frame while he looks down at me. ‘Or am I going to have to torture it out of you?’ His eyes glint dangerously, and heat erupts across my entire body. His dirty words make every nerve ending come alive.
Of course, I pretend like it hasn’t to see if I can get a rise out of him. ‘Any other day, I’d take you up on option two, big guy, but unfortunately, we don’t have time for that. Pack a bag, grab Indy, and we’re hitting up the drive-thru burrito place on the way to the airport.’
He straightens and cocks an eyebrow. ‘Airport?’
‘Yup. Hope you guys brought your passports.’ I pass right by him, being extra careful not to touch, as I rush into my closet and pull down a suitcase. I’ve got six bikinis already thrown in by the time Ronin steps inside.
‘You realize it’s a security risk for us not to know where we’re going or scout ahead to clear the hotel, the drivers, the pilots-‘
‘Or is it? If my stalker has some way of listening in right now, wouldn’t it be better to not announce out loud where we’re going?’ I counter, grabbing a couple of coverups and throwing them in the bag. Frowning, I consider the fact I don’t have any underwear and not enough time to go buy any.
Ronin opens his mouth and then closes it again. ‘You’re right. You can tell us on the way.’
‘What was that?’ I stopped my packing to bat my eyelashes obnoxiously at him. ‘Did you say I’m right?’
He sighs like I’ve already exhausted him even though he just woke up. ‘You heard what I said.’
Deciding my fun is over, I turned back to toss some sandals in the bag before zipping it up. ‘Why don’t you go tell Indy to pack a bag while I finish in here? I want to have a burrito in my hand in the next fifteen minutes.’
Ronin steps aside to let me pass, and I maneuver into the bathroom with my bag so I can pack everything I’ll need in here. I don’t want to stress, so whatever I miss, I’ll pick up at whatever resort Penelope arranges.
Perks of having a billionaire for a friend.
A dark shadow hangs over me as we drive to get breakfast. It’s been twenty-five minutes rather than the fifteen I demanded, and I’m not happy about it. I also have no qualms about letting the two guys in here with me know it.
I climb through the front seats and yank the cord out of Indy’s phone, sticking it in mine instead. Scrolling through my playlists, I find my favorite upbeat pop playlist for when I’m working out or in a shitty mood and let the Spice Girls fill the cabin.
Ronin and Indy wear matching scowls, though I think when I saw Ronin flinch, Indy actually bobbed his head a couple of times to the beat. The smile that spread across my face is pure wickedness. He’s totally a closet Spice Girls fan.
I’m apparently not the only one who notices. ‘Dude, are you dancing?’ Ronin yells over the music with disbelief and maybe some disgust in his tone, and Indy goes still.
‘No. Fuck off,’ Indy snaps.
I do everything I can to bite back my laugh. Sometimes being cranky pays off, and suddenly I’m not feeling so shitty anymore. My mood lifts even more when we pull into the drive-thru. All thoughts of hunger-induced homicide are long forgotten as I’m sipping a chai tea latte and munching on a bacon, egg, and hashbrown burrito with homemade salsa.
Seriously, is there anything better?
By the time we pull into the private airfield, I feel like a whole new person. A turned-on new person thanks to Ronin’s wandering hands on the drive over, but my point still stands. He smirks knowingly as I slide out of the backseat and board the plane.
Indy and Ronin check-in with the pilots, the flight crew, and search every inch of the plane. Penelope lifts her eyes off her phone and rolls them, and I can’t help but laugh. They’re overprotective, but I’d rather that than have my stalker succeed in any of his attempts.
Once everyone is satisfied, the plane taxis down the runway, and we’re airborne. I’ve got about twenty-five ideas as to how I’d like to pass the absurdly long flight to Indonesia, all of them revolving around Ronin’s cock, but he passes out shortly after takeoff, and I’m left to entertain myself.
Even though we’re on a private plane, the flight takes forever. On the plus side, though, we all get caught up on sleep we don’t normally manage to get considering we’re always on alert. Penelope even manages a nap, disengaging from her phone for a couple of much-needed hours of rest.
Indy mostly keeps to himself, which is weird. He’s the one who’s always loud and making jokes, but I don’t miss the way his gaze darts in Penelope’s direction every so often. There’s a distinct possibility he may be crushing. Then again, I’m bored as hell, and creating drama is basically my only entertainment right now.
Before we land, Ronin wakes up, and I swear he slept almost the entire twenty-hour flight to the other side of the world. I scowl at him, and he grins sleepily down at me while we get ready to disembark.
‘What’s that look for, Spitfire?’
‘We could’ve joined the mile-high club at least ten times, and you napped,’ I hiss as he chuckles. ‘I hope you got plenty of rest because the next three days, your dick belongs to me, and I plan on putting it to use.’
His fingers wrap around my arm, and he pulls me to a stop while Indy and Pen step outside the door. He lowers his head so his nose runs along mine, and our lips are nearly touching. ‘I thought you already knew my dick belonged to you.’
His voice is low, nearly a purr, and it does things to me. Destroying my non-existent panty sort of things. I shiver, and his lips tilt in a smirk.
‘Well… as long as you understand.’
Ronin leans forward and kisses me hard—so hard that my toes curl in my flats, and a moan slips up my throat that I have no hope of containing. We tear away from each other, and I rest my palm on his firm chest, right over his racing heart to steady myself.
‘How far is the resort?’ he growls, and I laugh because he’s finally feeling some of the impatience I’ve been dealing with the past day. Well, I may be perpetually horny around him, but I do still have some self-control.
Okay, it’s not so much self-control as it’s my need to play with my food before I eat it.
Or… my man’s dick before I let him fuck me?
Eh, I’ll blame my lack of creativity on the jet lag and call it good.
‘Not far, but I promised Penelope we’d spend the afternoon at the pool. If you wanted to get laid so bad, you probably shouldn’t have slept the entire flight.’ I patted his chest before reluctantly picking my hand up and turning to get off this fucking plane.
‘Hey, you didn’t have to pick fucking Indonesia. Then again, how could you possibly know I hate flying and have to take anxiety meds to deal with it?’ he grumbles.
I spin back toward him, feeling like an asshole. My fingers creep up to his face and slide along his jaw so I can tilt his head down. He leans into my touch, and my heart leaps. ‘I’m really sorry, Ro. I should’ve known. Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘Because by the time I knew where we were going, we were already on the plane,’ he deadpans.
I squirm, feeling like a raging bitch and the worst girlfriend ever. ‘Yeah. That was shitty of me. Next time, I promise I’ll talk it over with you first.’
He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against his chest, burying his face in my hair and inhaling. I probably smell like gross airplane air, but at least it’s a private plane, so hopefully, it’s not too bad.
‘Okay, they’re waiting on us, big guy. Let’s go check out what all the Bali hype is about.’ I wiggle out of his grip and grab his hand, tugging him along behind me.
When we climb in the car, I look around for the first time and am struck by the beauty of this place. Before we spend the next three days pool and beachside, I need to do something a little wild, a little reckless, and a whole hell of a lot of fun. I pluck my phone out of my purse and shut airplane mode off. It takes me only a few seconds to find what I’m looking for. ‘Who’s up for an adventure before we hit the resort?’
The three of them blink at me and then Indy’s lips curve into a devilish grin, and Ronin leans closer, slipping his palm between my thighs to rest against my leg in a possessive hold. The man has no problems walking into a literal firefight with nothing but an oversized knife but put him on an airplane, and he freaks.
I wonder what he’ll think of what I have planned.
Flashing my phone at the driver, I show him where we want to go, and the drive is way too short. It’s gorgeous, and I could look at the lush greenery, rocky cliffsides, and mesmerizing shoreline all day long.
Penelope bites her lip, looking nervous. Her hands tremble where she grips her phone in her lap like it’s her lifeline. ‘What are we doing?’
‘You’ll see. I promise you’ll like it.’
Indy moves closer and slings his arm over her shoulders. ‘You can hold my hand if you want, Duchess.’
Penelope’s cheeks flush, and her eyes narrow into slits. ‘My name’s Penelope, not Duchess. If you’re going to give me a ridiculous nickname, Princess is more fitting to my status.’
‘Whatever you say, Duchess. But the offer still stands.’
I watch the back and forth between the two of them with unbridled glee. I’m starting to think I’m addicted to other people’s drama. I’ve had enough of that bullshit in my own life to last forever, so I’m due some serious entertainment from the universe.
Their back and forth is interrupted by the car rolling to a stop. I clap my hands together and then crawl over Ro to get out of the car. We’re in the middle of nowhere near the ocean, and there’s a tiny shack dead ahead. I rush off toward it, hearing Ronin’s curse behind me. Hopefully, he can lighten up during this mini-vacation because there’s no way my stalker is here with us.
‘I am not jumping off a cliff,’ Penelope states when she walks inside and sees what we’re doing spelled out in big, bold letters. Abyss Ziplines.
‘Technically, you’re not jumping off the cliff. You’re sliding across the gap on a cable. You’re harnessed in. It’s totally safe.’
‘You can strap yourself to me, Duchess. I promise I won’t bite.’ Indy doesn’t miss an opportunity to flirt with my friend, and I wonder if he’s like this with all pretty girls or just Pen. I haven’t really had a chance to see him in action, but now that I think about it, he seems like the playboy type. Taking this seriously isn’t really his jam, so I can only imagine the shattered hearts and torn panties he leaves in his wake.
By the time I’ve paid for the four of us, and we’re all geared up, all that’s left is to take one of those boring safety classes about how to clip yourself onto the cable and how to use your gloved hand to slow down and stop at the end of the line.
Once that’s done, we follow our guide up a rickety-ass set of makeshift stairs to the top of a cliff. I suck in a breath as I take in the view. Rock formations are dotting the beach below, each one nearly as tall as the cliffside we stand on now, only descending in height little by little like stairs. There are cables and platforms between them all like a course.
Ronin’s voice in my ear and hands wrapping around my waist bring me back to reality. ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this. You’re unbelievable, you know that?’
I grin and turn my head so I can look up at him. ‘I know.’
He laughs and kisses the top of my head before letting me go so I can step up to the platform. ‘Now,’ I call out to my friends as the guide hooks my harness onto the cable. ‘Last one to the bottom buys the drinks!’
And with my challenge issued, I step back and take a leap of faith.
