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She flashes me a smile. “I would love for you to lick it all off.” She bites her lower lip, “but let me shower, and you can check your messages. I’ll be back.”
I reach for my phone and see a whole heap of emails. I’m not going to look at them now. This has been heaven, a much needed break. It’s been bliss. Sheer paradise. It’s everything I could ever have hoped for and more, and I don't want to go back home or into the office. I want to stay here forever.
***
I wake up slowly, disoriented, my mind struggling to grasp what day it is or why I feel so damn content. The bed is empty beside me, and for a second, I’m seized in panic.
Then I remember Cari and last night. What she did for me. The memory hits me like a tidal wave. The way she cared for me, her soft mouth, her lips, her gentle touch. I had plans for more, but we must have fallen asleep, and she never returned to my bed. Or she did, and I was asleep by then so she left me.
My phone rings. It’s a sharp, rude awakening that jolts me back to reality.
“What are you doing?” Dex’s voice booms the second I answer.
“Sleeping,” I growl, my voice rough.
“You’ve been suspiciously quiet. What’s going on?”
He’s on my back again? Nosy bastard. He means well, but this—whatever Cari and I have started—is too new, too precious for his meddling. The last thing I need is Dex poking around. But now I’m beginning to wonder if something’s brewing back in the office.
“Like I told you, I’ve been busy. Spending time with Brooke,” I say, and it’s not a lie. I’ve spent the last few days reevaluating my life, realizing that the people I love are what matters. Not just chasing deals for the next empty high.
Dex snorts. “Read your damn emails. You can’t be that busy.” He pauses. “You met someone, didn’t you?”
I ignore him and pull up my inbox, scrolling through a flood of emails. One subject line stands out like a flashing neon sign. My blood boils as I skim the threads—an angry exchange between my father and the legal team.
“What the hell is this?” I snap, already knowing the answer.
“It’s a problem.” Dex replies. “A big one. The acquisition deal with Pinewood is about to fall apart.”
I sit up and take notice. This is a high-profile deal we can’t afford to lose. Knight Enterprises is attempting to acquire Pinewood, a company based in Florida, because it’s a strategic fit for our portfolio. They represent a major opportunity for growth—they own beachfront luxury developments perfect for our high-end brand. “Why’s Zach not dealing with it?” Real estate, luxury goods, and hotels are his domain.
“Because it’s an acquisition—and that’s your forte,” Dex reminds me.
So it is. Sometimes it feels like I deal with way more than my brothers do. They all have their compact little niches, and sometimes we overlap, but anything related to legal or financial, or mergers and acquisitions is my problem. No wonder I’m always so damn busy.
“This acquisition could turn into a liability because a whistleblower’s made allegations of financial mismanagement, and the SEC’s flagged their books,” Dex continues.
“Fuck.”
“Are you serious about her?”
My lips purse together. This brother of mine is psychic. It’s unnerving how he can glean so much across the wires. But I’m not telling him anything about me and Cari, not before I talk to her.
“I’ll take care of it,” I snap, ignoring his question. This isn’t something I can take care of over the phone. It’s something that requires my presence in Florida for a few days.
“It’s something you championed,” Dex reminds me. I did. Zach brought it to my attention, and when I looked into it further I thought it could be a great asset to the company. If it falls apart, it will reflect badly on me. “Father’s been trying to reach you, but you’ve been hiding.”
“I’ve been handling things here, while spending time with Brooke—”
“But it’s a working vacation,” Dex interrupts. “You need to fix this before it blows up.”
I grind my teeth, the pieces clicking together. Our rivals are circling, ready to pounce if this deal falls apart. The SEC needs answers, and it’s clear this isn’t something I can handle remotely.
“I’ll take care of it.” I cut Dex off before he can pry further. I fire off a reply to my father’s email.I’ll fly out today.
Throwing on shorts and a T-shirt, I head to Brooke’s room to find that Cari is there. She’s brushing Brooke’s hair, her movements soft and loving. I lean against the door jamb, silently observing. Cari loves my little girl as if she were her own, and Brooke? Brooke has always adored Cari. I get goosebumps when I look at these two together.
The world around me can go to shit, but as long as I have Brooke and Cari in my orbit, things will be fine. They are my North Star and my safe haven.