Page 21 of Hunted (Desert Island Duet #2)

Chapter fourteen

Darla

“ T his is it,” Reece says as we pull up to a large modern home. But with the beautiful wood accents and surrounding trees, it reminds me more of a treehouse. Like my hut on steroids.

“This is where we’re staying?” I ask in awe. “Who else lives here?”

He chuckles, parking the van and spinning to face me. “It’s just us, Darla.”

“Sweet baby houses!” My wide eyes turn back to the beautiful home as the others start to climb out. Bower undoes my seatbelt, as I’m still staring, then gently lifts me out and carries me to the front door, Reece and Kingsley leading the way.

The car ride here had been a little stressful. Luckily, Madagascar was not a busy place, but it makes me nervous to think about being in a car on the busy streets of San Francisco again.

Reece unlocks the door by pressing a series of buttons on the handle, then pushes it wide open. He steps to the side as Kingsley walks in next, moving to the other side, giving me a full view of our home for the next two weeks .

I expect to see walls and a closed off space, but I inhale sharply when my direct line of sight is, “The ocean!” I exclaim in surprise.

Bower keeps walking us towards the back of the home, which is almost entirely made up of floor-to-ceiling windows, giving us an unobstructed view of the vast blue water.

Reece moves ahead of us, sliding open what I had thought was just another window, but turns out to be a large patio door.

Bower steps out onto a large wooden deck with a clear material used as railings, so you can see everything.

The deck stretches along the entire back of the house and has a variety of chairs and tables. It looks like we can even eat out here.

Beyond the deck is a thick line of trees, looking very similar to my jungle.

There’s a wide cleared path that moves through them from the house to the beach.

As the sound of the waves crashing against the shore reaches my ears, I close my eyes and inhale deeply, letting the sound and smell of the ocean relax me.

“Do you like it?” Bower asks nervously. I open my eyes and see the other three standing close, watching me with varying degrees of worry on their faces.

Wanting to ease their minds, I give them a huge smile. “It’s perfect.”

They seem to release a collective breath before Reece and Kingsley head back inside.

Weston comes to stand right in front of us, running a finger down my cheek before he hooks his fingers behind my neck, his thumb lightly stroking my pulse.

I swallow heavily, feeling the electric tension his touch always brings.

“Here—I was holding onto this for you.” Weston pulls my necklace out of his pocket and holds it out as if to put it on me, his eyebrow raising in question.

I nod, and he clips it around my neck. I’m relieved to see it again.

When I noticed I wasn’t wearing it at the hospital, I was afraid it got lost in all the commotion and was too afraid to ask about it.

When it’s in place, he moves his hand back to my cheek as he asks, “You sure you’re okay?” His eyes bounce between mine.

I lick my lips and nod. “This place, it reminds me of ho—” I cut myself off, knowing I shouldn’t be thinking of that place as my home anymore. “Of the island.”

“And that’s a good thing?” he asks, his eyes narrowing further.

“Yeah,” I say with a nod as I smile up at him. “I know that’s probably hard to understand, but it’s all I’ve known for so long.”

“It makes perfect sense,” Bower says. “That’s why Reece chose this place, he thought it’d be a perfect bridge from the island to civilization.”

“I feel like going from this to the big city is still going to be challenging,” I admit to them.

“Don’t forget, baby. You’ll have us there every step of the way,” Weston says, his thumb still running up and down my neck, making my skin prickle with awareness.

“Just make sure you tell us if there's something you need. Okay, Tink?” I nod at Bower and Weston drops his hand, gesturing for us to follow him back into the house, where I find the other two are talking quietly in the kitchen.

“Why don’t you get Darla comfortable on the couch? Arnold will be here soon with some groceries, and he’ll make us dinner.”

As Bower carries me towards the couch I ask, “Why is Arnold cooking for us?”

Bower sets me down lengthways across the couch, where I can lay with a pillow under my head and see the kitchen. This part of the house is open concept, letting you see the kitchen, living room, dining area and the back deck.

When nobody answers my question, I glance around, noticing everyone is avoiding looking at me.

“Do you guys not know how to cook or something?” I ask in confusion.

Bower huffs out a laugh. “Umm, kinda, yeah. We have a cook at our house. We can make lunch or snacks, but a full meal, no way.”

I turn my head to Weston, asking him the same thing. “Weston? What about you?”

Planting his hands on his hips, he finally lifts his eyes to meet mine. “I can cook.”

“I thought you’d be able to.”

“But you wouldn’t want to eat it.”

I frown, not understanding what he’s trying to say.

He lets out a heavy breath, running his hand through his short hair. “I’m not very good. I mostly just cook mediocre steak with some form of potato. It’s frozen food or take out the rest of the time.”

I glance around at the rest of their guilty faces as I laugh. “Well, it’s not like my culinary skills will be much help here. I’ve had no seasoning, sides, or kitchen for all my cooking.”

“I guess it’s a good thing we’ve got Mrs. G, then,” Bower says, plopping down in the armchair across from me.

“Mrs. G?” I ask, my hopeful eyes turning to Reece.

He smiles warmly at me and nods. “Yeah, we hired her when you two went missing.”

“Sweet baby chef!” I exclaim, covering my mouth in excitement. “I didn’t think there’d be anybody else left that I'd know. ”

“Did you have any friends? Other than that cranky guy, of course,” Bower asks, gesturing to Reece.

“No,” I reply, shaking my head. “It was always just the two of us. We were home schooled together, although we were getting ready to attend prep school the following year. I guess that’s where he met you two?”

They nod, and I wonder what would have happened if I went to school with them. Would we have become friends? Or was it Reece's grumpy attitude that attracted them in the first place?

“How would you like a shower?” Weston’s question has my head whipping to him in excitement.

“Really?!”

He nods, moving towards me. “It’ll give Arnold time to get here and cook.” He easily scoops me up, like I weigh nothing, and I place my arm around his neck as he starts to carry me towards the hall.

Suddenly he stops. Dipping his head, he whispers, “It’ll be easier with two of us. Is it okay if I get Bower to come, too?”

I stare up at him and lick my lips, thinking about being in a shower with both of them.

“That’s assuming you’re okay with me there…”

“Yes, you two can help me,” I tell him, feeling my core start to tingle with excitement.

Of course, I know I was shot only a couple days ago and there’s no way these guys are going to let me get frisky in the shower with them, but my libido didn’t seem to get that memo.

“Bower, we’ll need your help,” he calls, without turning, then walks down the hall, past a few open doors that reveal bedrooms, before stepping into a large one with a huge bed .

“A real bed,” I whisper. But before I can really appreciate it, Weston carries me through another door and into a large bathroom. He gently sets me on the counter beside the sink before moving in front of me.

He pushes between my legs, his large hands gripping my thighs, right above my knees, as his eyes trail up my body. I don’t know what he sees when he looks at me. I’m dressed in large dark blue scrub pants and a bright pink shirt that says: Limited edition - treat with care .

I have to admit the t-shirts they were all wearing when I woke up in the hospital, were cute as hell. I kinda wish they were still wearing them, but it seems they found real clothes now.

“Baby, are you comfortable getting fully naked in front of us? I just think it will be easier and more enjoyable for your first shower if there aren't any clothes in the way.”

I nod my head asking, “Will you be naked, too?”

He grins down at me, his hands pushing up a little higher. “No, Darla. We’ll keep our boxers on. For safety.”

“Right… for safety,” I repeat, licking my lips as he reaches down and pulls off my t-shirt, leaving my top half naked.

Instinctively, I cross my arms over my chest to cover up, but his grin just gets bigger.

“Oh my, have I walked in on a game of strip Zee?” Bower asks, as his eyes move up and down my torso.

I shake my head. “You have to strip, too.”

A sly grin coats his face. “Your wish is my command.” He instantly pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it into the bedroom behind him. Weston follows his movement, then they both remove their pants.

I stare unabashedly at both of their large, muscular bodies. They are the biggest of my guys, although they are all equally hot in their own ways. Weston is the tallest, and his chest is slightly wider, but they are both extremely attractive.

The boxers they’re wearing are new and shorter than their last ones, and as I stare at them in fascination. I notice their cocks twitching and I gasp, my eyes jumping up to theirs in embarrassment for staring.

“Your turn, Tink.” Together they help lift me up just enough to pull down my pants.

Luckily, they don’t stop to stare as Bower moves into the shower and turns it on.

“Ah!” He squeals like a little girl, making me laugh. “Fuck that’s cold!”

“I’m going to carry you in there, but it’s best if you stand while we clean you. One of us will hold you while the other scrubs, alright?”

I nod my head, just as Bower says, “Okay, it’s hot now.”

Weston lifts me up again and steps inside, setting me down extremely slowly on my feet, like he’s afraid my legs will give out.