Page 67 of Baby Take Me Home

THREE MONTHS LATER

TJ

I tookAshlee’s hand and led her out of the Wilders’ company jet, into the bright Hawaiian sun, and down the air stairs to the tarmac.

“Beautiful,” I said, meaning Ashlee in her bright- blue and green-flowered sundress as much as the gorgeous island.

“Paradise,” Chase said as he and Mai descended.

Cynthia and Derek followed them.

“Remind me why we don’t live here,” Cynthia said as they reached the tarmac.

Derek kissed her. “Because you hate to miss out on snow in the wintertime.”

“That’s right,” she agreed. “But after the shitty, rainy November in the northeast this year, it’s great to visit.”

The last occupants, Samantha and Evan, descended the stairs. Samantha held up a tube she held in her hand. “Did everyone get sunscreen? You need to keep it on at all times.”

“Is this where you got your sunscreen fetish?” Ashlee whispered.

I grinned at her, then spoke to Samantha. “You’re off the clock now, Doc.”

She arched an eyebrow at me. “You know who’s not off the clock, TJ? Skin cancer.” She handed me the tube of SPF 35 sports cream.

“She’s not wrong,” Ashlee said.

“Wait, are you two in on this together?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll rub it all over you later,” Ashlee promised, and suddenly greasy sunscreen didn’t sound so bad.

Our driver, who was a HEAT operative, helped us load our luggage into the rear of a large black SUV, and we all climbed into the vehicle.

On the scenic drive along winding roads lined with lush green vines hanging low with huge, colorful flowers, we discussed the rest of our party, who should already be waiting at the resort.

“I’m looking forward to finding out how Martin likes being the boss,” I said.

“I can’t wait to meet Alder’s partners,” Cynthia said. “I heard all seven of them will be there.”

“Have you met any of them before?” Ashlee asked.

“I’ve met two, and I think TJ met two others,” she answered.

I nodded. “I think it’s damn near impossible for all of them to be in the same place at the same time, so they should be a happy group this week.”

“How do you think Jensen and Sparks are doing?” Mai asked.

Derek shook his head. “We can only hope they’re still together and she has exhibited enough influence over him to make him stop bartending.”

“Amen,” everyone in the van, including our driver, said in unison.

Fifteen minutes later, we unloaded, gathered our room keys, and followed bellhops, managing our luggage, to our rooms. When we were alone, the king-sized bed with the sweeping view called to me to crawl into it and pull Ash on top of me.

Ashlee, seeming to read my mind, tugged on my hand. “Come on, let’s get out of this room before you get any ideas that keep us here for the next hour.”

“Only an hour?” I raised my eyebrows. “You must think I’m slipping.” I settled for a slow, deep kiss.

When we ended the kiss, she whispered in my ear, “Promise me that tonight you’re going to fuck me in that window with the curtains open and the lights on.”