Page 42 of Fragile Hearts

“Never had any complaints,” he says, winking at me. “Hopefully you’re not the first.”

This conversation has my center throbbing, and after what I felt pressed against my ass, I’m pretty sure Daisy is right. My thighs squeeze together in this desperate and needy way, wondering if my body will be able to take him.

And I can’t wait to find out.

“Think maybe we should eat dinner?” Owen now asks, and this guy is a master at avoiding what I really want. It’s going to be me who initiates it, and fuck me, I want it right now.

“Maybe you want dessert first?” I ask, wetting my lips, and I can’t even believe I’m doing what Daisy told me to and what was going down in my dirty dream. “Something sweet and wet…”

I let out a hard breath, swallowing hard, my body no longer my own. It belongs to Owen Sinclair, and I want him to fucking take me.

“Fuck, Sloane, that offer,” he says, dragging a hand through his hair, but he shakes his head. “Not tonight. I want everything to be perfect, and here in this kitchen with a pot of pasta boiling, it’s not.”

“Owen, you suck,” I wail, my head falling back, my body angry at me and telling me to go find that stupid sucky ducky again.

“I’m hoping that later, I find out how you suck,” he tells me, swatting me hard on the ass as he walks by.

Taking the pot from the stove, he drains it, and I let out another hard breath, giving in to helping him finish up dinner.

Plating our food, I carry it out to the deck and sit down at the little bistro table. Mochi’s following behind Owen as he brings a bottle of wine.

“Everything okay with your dad?” I ask when we’re both seated, trying to change the subject since all my body wants to think about is Owen naked.

He’s probably right that we need to take things slow. The last relationship I was in was when I was seventeen, and I don’t even think it counts. He was a dick who knew I was easy.

After that, it’s all just been random hook-ups to scratch an itch. Owen is none of those things, and I want him to know that. He’s perfect and wonderful, and I want to be able to give myself to him fully.

“Yeah, all good. So you know how they’re opening Orchid Bay Lux on Lanai?”

I nod, swirling my fork around on the plate with a pile of pasta. “I’ve heard it’s going to be like nothing else they’ve built.”

“Next weekend is its soft opening. My parents do this thing where they invite the media and family and friends, some influencers and things like that, and do a soft opening. Like people come and stay there, and my parents get an idea of how it’s running and what needs to change.”

“That’s really cool.”

“Yeah, and I want you to go with me,” Owen now says, and I nearly drop my fork.

“What?”

“I want you to come with me and stay the weekend. Like I said, my family goes.” He’s looking at me, his eyes dark with sincerity as he waits for me to respond.

“Like go to Lanai? I have to work.” It comes out quickly because I’ve never been asked to do something like this. I haven’t left the island, well, ever.

Owen laughs. “You don’t have to work. My mom gave you the weekend off because she wants you to come too.”

“Owen,” I croon, completely overwhelmed with gratitude.

“Just say yes, Sloane.”

“Okay, yes,” she whispers.

I grin, my heart pounding in my chest as I give her a quick nod. “Awesome, I’ll get everything organized for us. You have class on Friday?”

Sloane shakes her head as she says, “No.”

“Cool, don’t make any plans then,” I reply, giving her a wink.

“Are you sure your parents are okay with me coming along?” she questions, and I can see the nervousness written all over her face.