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Cock-a-doodle-doo!screeches through the air like a whistle, immediately followed by another and then another. I bolt upright. My head whips all around, my eyes flicker from one thing to the next, and in my dazed and disoriented state, it takes my brain a few minutes to realize where I am. Only I’m still at a loss.

Another rooster crows into the predawn sky, and what the absolute fuck? We’re on an island, not a farm.

I throw back my sheets, unlock the french doors, tear them open wide, and stumble onto the balcony. It’s dark as fuck out here since we’re facing west, and I have to squint to see the ground a story below.

Movement on my right startles me, and I scream on instinct.

“Shh, love. It’s okay. It’s just me.”

“Loomis.” I sigh, my hand covering my pounding heart. “Warn a girl before you sneak up on her in the dark.”

“I wasn’t exactly planning to be out here sneaking up on unsuspecting women at five in the morning now, was I?”

Touché. He crosses the open balcony until he’s beside me, and I try not to notice how he’s only wearing boxer briefs andnothing else. Thank God it’s dark out here and I can’t see, you know, everything he’s got going on.

“Was that a bloody rooster?”

“I think so.” I lean over the metal railing to scan the ground as best I can. “I can’t see much—ah!” I scream again and half jump onto Loomis, who is gracious enough to catch me, and point. “Look! That better be a rooster and not a giant bug or a vicious beast, or I swear, I’m going to pack up and leave this island now.”

Loomis is laughing, practically howling at my expense. “A vicious beast?”

I nudge him with my elbow. “Shut up. You know what I mean.”

“Honestly, no, but you’re adorable when you’re throwing a wobbly over a bird.”

I bite into my lip and turn to meet his gray eyes, which are nearly charcoal black, only to realize I’m still half in his arms and slide myself away. I tug down my tank top that rode up and admit, “I’m afraid of birds.”

“You’re taking the piss, right?”

“I never understood that term, but no. I’m not… taking the piss.” I scrunch my nose. “I don’t like birds of any kind.”

“There’s a joke I could make about your fear of cocks, but I’m too tired at the moment.”

“I appreciate that. I don’t have any witty responses in me. It’s too early, and my heart is beating too much adrenaline through me.”

“Agreed.” He pauses, tilts his head, and says, “Well, it seems we have roosters because there’s another one.” He points to the dark figure milling around by the tall grass. “Or maybe that’s a chicken, and we’ll have fresh eggs.”

“We’re on an island. How can we have livestock?”

“Didn’t you see the pictures and signs all over town when we drove through? I think roosters are their thing down here.”

“I hadn’t noticed that, no. Does this mean we’re going to get this kind of wake-up call every morning?”

He grimaces. “I bloody hope not. Luckily it didn’t wake Fen. When that lad is asleep, a nuclear silo could be under attack around the corner from us and he wouldn’t stir.”

I sag, falling silent as the sky begins to brighten, painting a silhouette on the island. It’s bigger than I initially thought, and I’m a bit anxious to explore it. With a weapon on my person, of course.

“It’s beautiful,” he whispers to himself, almost wistfully. He rests his forearms on the railing, and I mirror his position, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I was nervous about how this morning with him would go after last night’s shower incident. Because yes, I heard him. I hadn’t meant to. I was genuinely going downstairs to get some water when I could have sworn I heard him groan my name.

For a moment, I was worried. I thought he was in pain, but then I heard him murmurfuckamongst other things, and that groan was followed by a moan that was most definitely not pain-derived.

I was frozen. Rooted to the spot as I listened as he came in the shower… to thoughts of me. He had teased that he might have a fantasy or two since he’s a man and that’s how it goes, but I hadn’t expected him to be serious. Or to follow through on it. Literally.

Truthfully, I didn’t think he saw me as anything more than a friend. Like a Tinsley to him. I didn’t think he was even attracted to me because he’s never hinted at it. Not once. I’ve caught occasional looks and glances, especially since yesterday, but that’s been it.

And I wish I could say I was immune to him and that what he did last night didn’t affect me. But I’d be lying.

Him standing there in nothing but his towel with his tattoos on display along with his muscular arms, shoulders—my total weakness—chest, and abs all dripping water was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten wet simply from looking at someone, but I wasn’t just wet, I was soaked, and he wasn’t the only person to get off to inappropriate fantasies last night.