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“Absolutely,” I agree, and it makes me smile. He can say whatever he wants about himself and his past, but he’s an amazing dad. He hasn’t had the easiest of lives despite being a movie star now. Honestly, I’m in awe of him. Where he sees weakness, I see strength.

“Here we are.” Pedro practically bows as he waves us into the master bedroom that has a dark wood, four-poster king bed, a dresser, a mirror, two nightstands, and a massive en suite with a double vanity, a walk-in shower, and a humongous soaking tub that legit might as well have my name spray-painted on it in glittery gold.

“Thank you so much,” I tell them, glancing around as they set our suitcases in here. “This is amazing.”

I noted we passed three other closed doors up here, and I’m hoping at least two of them are bedrooms because otherwise, this shit could get awkward fast.

“Yes. Thank you.” Loomis shakes both their hands. “I think we’ve got it from here.”

“We’ll be back tomorrow to return the boat,” he tells me in Spanish, and I nod. I assumed they’d have to take it to get back to the mainland.

Quietly they excuse themselves, and then it’s just us, staring at each other, my heart thrumming so loudly I can hear it in my ears. Loomis turns to me, and I turn to him, and our eyes lock. And suddenly that silence between us is thumping louder than my heart, even with the baby in his arms. It’s like that moment on the boat stuck with us and carried itself up here, making my breasts feel heavy and my skin prickle with sweat and awareness.

“I should go check the other bedrooms,” he says thickly.

“Yes,” I agree, my voice barely above a whisper. Another long beat where we stare at each other and then both simultaneously look toward the bed.

“Right then.” He swallows audibly, his throat rolling.

Thankfully, Fen starts to squirm and snaps the tension that has been mounting between us. “I know, lad, but I can’t set you down. Those stairs need a fortress blocking them. Come. Let’s go find your room.”

They had mentioned that a portable crib was set up for Fen somewhere, but when we open the door beside my bedroom, we discover the main bathroom. The next room has a queen-sized bed in it, and thank God, right? I mean, could you imagine if there wasn’t another bed here?

“Brilliant. I won’t lie. I was worried there for a moment.”

“Yep. No sharing a bed for us.”

“Were you planning to seduce me with your fake girlfriend charm?”

“Only if you were lucky,” I shoot back.

We lock eyes again, and something in his gaze makes me need to bite my lip and squeeze my fists. I clear my throat and turn back to the room only to spin around because looking at that bed right now isn’t helping anything for me. My nipples are trying to slice their way through my bra and shirt just to get him to notice them.

The next room is the smallest of the three and has the portable crib set up along with a twin bed shoved against the wall. No sharing beds or bathrooms. Phew. Crisis averted.

“This will be great,” I exclaim. “A bit cozy, but better than being cooped up in Boston.”

“It’s perfect,” he agrees, but his voice is rough, and he’s not looking at me anymore. “I’m going to see what they have here for supper.” With that, he takes Fen and flies back downstairs. I don’t chase after him. I need a bit of a breather after the day we had and the things we talked about.

I head into my room and glance around before I unlock the balcony doors and step outside, taking in the Gulf of Mexico and the pink and gold sky now that the sun has just set.

Loomis was right. It’s perfect. Even if it already feels too small for the two of us.

13

Ican’t get out of those bedrooms fast enough. All I could picture was splaying Keegan out on that bed, tying her wrists and ankles to those four posts, and devouring every inch of her naked body. The desire was so strong I nearly forgot I had a baby in my arms. I nearly forgot that everything about this woman is off-limits to me. I could smell her hair and her skin, the humidity amplifying both, and the soft curves of her cleavage were messing with my head.

I hit the bottom step and blow out a breath.

“You’re going to have to keep me in line, mate. Because if she were any other woman and this were any other situation?” I shake my head. “Just do me a favor and smack some sense into me when I need it.”

He makes an impatient noise as he squirms, scissoring his little legs back and forth. I kiss his head and set him down in the kitchen away from the stairs. There’s nothing here that I can safely block the stairs with, so I grab a dining room chair and place it on the bottom two steps upside down.

Small places don’t bother me. They’re actually comforting, and I’ve never lived or stayed anywhere much bigger than thishouse. But I lived there alone. Now I’m living here with Keegan, who will be a room over from me. I’m trying to remind myself why this was such a brilliant idea, but she’s the only person I’ve ever had to hold myself back from.

I’ve never not gone after something I wanted.

“First time for everything, right, Fen?”