Page 25 of I Could Be Yours (The Toronto Terror #6)

“All of the rooms have been updated except for one. It’s private, though. Nice and quiet,” he explains.

“I’ll take the private room,” I offer before Essie can beat me to it. Hopefully we’ll need the seclusion this week.

Harold smiles. “Wonderful.”

We’re provided with beaded wristbands to open our doors before we’re herded out to the front of the building.

We load into golf carts and make the short trip down the boardwalk to the sister resort.

Which is stunning. The hotel Tristan and Rix picked for their wedding was already one of the nicest, but this is a step above.

Rix and Tristan are dropped off at the honeymoon suite first. Rix can’t stop smiling as she waves at us and calls, “Text when you’re settled in your room, Ess!”

“I’ll give you a couple of hours!” Essie shouts back.

Tristan gives her the thumbs-up and pulls Rix toward the room as we continue down the path, dropping off couples and singles along the way.

Every room is luxurious, with a walkout pool and huge private sunbeds.

Essie and I are last to be dropped off. Like everyone else, Essie’s room has a walkout pool and a sunbed.

“You’re just around the corner.” The guy points to a narrow walkway that disappears around the side of the building, then buzzes off in his golf cart.

Essie’s bags are already waiting in front of her door. She gives me an appraising look. “I’m going to freshen up.”

“Yeah, me too.”

She drags a finger down my chest and pushes up on her toes, whispering, “If you want to fuck, you know where to find me.” She winks and spins around, disappearing into her room.

Would I like a quick shower followed by a long, slow fuck? Absolutely. But I can’t give in to temptation. Not yet. I need to play it cool—and take the edge off because I’ve been fighting an erection since security back in Canada .

I follow the path to the private room. It’s a little run-down, the paint peeling around the door and the foliage close by in need of pruning.

But I’m sure it’ll be great inside. I let myself in and realize I’m wrong about that.

Harold wasn’t kidding. This room is about twenty years out of date, even with the fresh linens.

Whatever. I’ll mostly just sleep in here.

Unless I sleep in Essie’s room with her .

In Vegas she went back to her own room after round two.

I roll my luggage into the room.

Here, we could spend the night together. It’s been so long since I’ve slept next to another person and woken up with someone draped across me. Temporary or not, I think I’d like that. Even if it’s just for a few days. What if it could be more, though ?

I push that thought away. I’m no good at relationships, and Essie doesn’t want that with me. But we can fuck. And have fun. It’s a vacation. A break from reality. A week of Essie. Fun, thoughtful, creative, clever Essie.

I take a quick shower—but only because the hot water runs out after two minutes—finish myself off in the bathroom sink and change into my swim trunks. I consider texting Essie, but again, I want to play it cool. I grab my sunscreen and head for the private pool.

The girls are already there. And I almost die when I spot Essie, her long, dark hair piled on top of her head in a messy knot, sunglasses covering her dark brown eyes. She’s wearing a pale pink bikini that contrasts with her summer-kissed skin. A thong bikini. Her entire, perfect ass is on display.

She holds up a bottle of spray suntan lotion. “Can I get help with my back?” she calls out.

“I got you!” Flip heads in her direction, but I cut him off by shoving him into the pool.

“I can help,” Rix offers.

Flip launches himself out of the pool like a fucking dolphin and pulls me in. I go under with him, spluttering as I break the surface.

“Cool off, honey bear. I won’t step on your toes.” He pats my shoulder and flops back into the water, splashing Dred, Lexi, and Shilpa, who are gathered together on one huge, shaded sunbed.

Dred lowers her book and points at her eyes and then at me.

Tristan wades across to me. “How’s your room?”

“Great. How’s yours?” It’s a lie, but he doesn’t need to worry about me. And it will be fine, especially if I don’t have to sleep there.

“It’s literally Bea’s dream. I’ll have to thank Connor. He must have pulled some serious strings.”

“He’s an all-right guy, isn’t he?”

Flip doesn’t have much to say about him, and when he does, it’s usually with disdain. But he can’t be all bad if he managed to fix the hotel situation for us.

“Yeah, he really is. He can be a hard nut to crack, though.” Tristan tips his head toward Rix and Essie. “You and Ess seem to be getting along okay these days.”

“She’s super organized, and smart, and a good friend to Rix.” I shut up and stop digging my own hole.

“She is.” He nods his agreement and claps me on the shoulder. “We couldn’t have pulled any of this off without the two of you.”

“Essie handled most of it. I basically just followed her lead,” I reply.

We look across the deck to where Essie and Rix pose for selfies, laughing and smiling.

For a moment I wonder what it would be like to be in my brother’s shoes.

His relationship with Rix hasn’t always been easy. But he believes in what they have. He’ll do anything for her. Am I capable of loving someone the way he loves Rix? Is someone capable of loving me? Or am I too broken to fix?