Page 37 of A Mutually Beneficial Proposal

I consider going back to the room to order room service when I’m stopped in my tracks. Ella is sitting on the beach. I don’t know how I see her or how I know it’s her, but I just do. Her back is to me, and her brunette hair is blowing in the slight breeze brought to shore by the ocean.

Without thinking, I cross the empty road and approach Ella. She doesn’t seem to hear my incoming footsteps, and when I place my hand on her shoulder, I immediately regret the action.

Ella’s arm lifts, and her fist connects with my balls and dick. I land on my knees, groaning and damn near tears while sharp pains shoot from my groin through the rest of my body.

“Oh my gosh, Owen! I’m so sorry.” Ella’s hands are rubbing over my back while I’m hunched over in the fetal position on the sand and turned away from her. “I didn’t know who you were. You scared the hell out of me,” she adds when I don’t immediately say anything.

“So your first thought was to cripple me?” I finally groan.

She snorts. “In my defense, you touched me without saying anything. How was I supposed to know you weren’t a creeper?”

“I’m beginning to think you don’t like my dick as much as I thought,” I say between winces.

“I’ve got all the dick love for this little guy,” she replies, and I can hear the smile on her face.

I cough and groan some more before I roll over to face her. “Little guy, huh? Your words aren’t helping me feel better, Ella.”

Her face is bright red, but her eyes are alight with amusement. “Who said I’m trying to make you feel better?”

“Touché. Now help me stand so I can make sure my legs still work. Clearly, I no longer have a need to use my dick this week if that’s how you’re going to treat him.”

Ella wraps her arms under mine and helps me up while she’s still chuckling from my pain. Her closeness is enough of a distraction to my cock that he’s already reacting to merely having her hands on me.

“I thought maybe you left,” I say when I’m on both feet again.

Her face darkens, and any humor we’ve been sharing is gone. “We should talk.”

Three words no one ever wants to hear.