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Chapter Fourteen

LAIKEN

May

Lie steps in front of my glass doors and raises his hand to knock. His hand hovers when he sees me standing against the counter, waiting for him. He smirks.

I nod, giving him permission to enter. Lie slides the door open and steps inside, closing it behind him. “You know you can just come in, right?”

“What if you have company?” he asks. “I don’t want to walk on anything I’d rather not see.”

I roll my eyes. “Uh-huh. Ready?”

Lie nods. “Take me to work, chaperone.”

We walk through my house to the front door.

In reality, he’d been ready to be on his own at work for quite a while.

Even before our conversation the other night, I hadn’t intended to schedule him for a shift without me.

I’d lose my mind at home thinking about all those thirsty men trying to get into his pants.

No one is getting into his pants but me.

“Did you see the newsletter?” Lie asks as we walk toward the ferry. “Poor Taylor is being persecuted.”

“Poor Taylor.” I pfft. “He brought it on himself. He’s a micromanager of the worst kind. No thanks.”

“You started a whole movement. Old man Winter is going to take over the next meeting.”

Winter Calloway is the current oldest generation of the Calloway family. It was his parents who built Kala. He’s a good man. I love when he stops in at the bar and shoots the shit with us. He’s been seen taking shots with patrons and dancing all dirty on the dance floor.

He’s almost seventy. The man is a living legend.

“Good. But also not good. He shouldn’t have to do that.”

“Meh,” Lie says. “Taylor’s grown too arrogant and nitpicky.”

We lock our phones in a single bio-scan phone locker and head for the docks, scanning our bracelets as we step on. We find our normal position on the top deck.

“I kind of feel bad. I don’t think he’s a bad person or that he means to be a pain in the ass. I think he wants Kala to be perfect. Every tiny, minute, insignificant detail. He just takes it too far.”

“Then it’s time for a reality check. It’s not all about Kala as an island chain.

It needs to be at least equally about the people who live here.

Spending so much damn energy on how tall our grass is or what kinds of bushes we’re allowed in our front yards and trying to convince everyone that the color of our front doors should be the same is not necessary for making Kala a desirable place to live nor is it taking the residents needs and wants into consideration. ”

Lie has a lot of passion inside him. He just doesn’t realize it. I bet he’d be really good at becoming the new Taylor, though I’m not sure if he’s ready for that level of being needed and responsibility.

The ferry stops at Etsumi. Lie pushes off the railing, but I grab his arm and keep him beside me. He waits without question, glancing around at the people getting off. It isn’t until the bridge is pulled up and we’re still on the ferry that he looks at me with a frown.

“Are we covering at another bar?”

“Nope.”

“Then where are we going?”

“Stop asking so many questions, Lie.”

He rolls his eyes but settles into my side. His shoulder presses lightly against mine. Closer than necessary, but not so close that it would raise questions. We wait through the Makara stop, and I finally lead him to the bridge when we approach Anapos.

I know he’s curious as we walk through the belly of the resort. If it were dark out, I’d take his hand. But in the daylight, when we’re more likely to be spotted by someone with a penchant for gossip, it’s best not to give anyone a reason to talk.

There are only a very specific number of places on all six islands where you can dock—whether that be the public docks of the ferries that connect the islands like a subway would connect locations in a city.

While it’s not obvious, there’s security everywhere.

People dressed like tourists so as not to take away from the aesthetic.

Our shores are protected. We’re a truly safe place.

I’ve even heard rumors that Kala has its own small army that remains stationed on boats around the distant perimeter of the islands, keeping any unwanted, uninvited company from our shores.

Like most islands, there are old fort ruins on the island. Kala hasn’t seen war, but a couple hundred years ago, it was a stop between the eastern Asian continents and the Americas. At one point, it was a pivotal location for armies.

I’m sure it still would be if a world war were to break out. I’m not convinced there are enough defenses to keep the private island chain from being taken over.

However, that’s not something to think about.

I won’t go so far as to say that there’s peace in the world.

Someone always wants more territory or needs to exterminate one religious sect because theirs is best. But right now, there’s relative peace.

At least between the continents that have the Pacific Ocean separating them.

On the northeastern end of the island, you can rent water toys, like jet skis, pontoon boats, party floats, and so many other things. There are bright red buoys all over the place, denoting where guests are allowed to take such rented toys.

I lead Lie here and check in with my bracelet. We’re handed life vests and waved back. I think if we weren’t residents, the protocol is to either bring your rented item to you or escort you to it.

Perks to being a resident, I suppose.

“What did you do? Did you at least cover our shifts?”

“I didn’t actually schedule us today,” I say.

“I looked at the schedule.”

“You look at it once and then don’t look at it again. I changed it as soon as you looked at it.”

“Weasel.”

I laugh, enjoying the way he tries to hide his smile.

“Then what are we doing?”

I lead him to the paddleboards and wave my hand at them. “I rented two, but we can totally pretend you’re six again and I’ll paddle you around.”

Lie rolls his eyes, but I know he remembers the times I’m thinking about.

I think I’d be hard-pressed to find a memory where Lie wasn’t a part of it in some way since the day he came into this world.

I love that we have that history. Even if it might be a little…

wrong to be toying with the line between acceptable and unacceptable as we are.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever been on one by myself,” Lie confides. “I’m willing to try, but I’m also reserving my right to change my mind and want to be chauffeured around on the water.”

“Deal.”

Paddleboards are big, awkward, and a little heavy. Thicker than surfboards and longer, they’re meant to be a cross between a surfboard and a kayak.

We find a section of the beach where it’s just the two of us, and I lie mine down, placing the paddle beside it. “Let’s see how promising you are.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Lie snorts. “I’m not at all athletically inclined.”

“You don’t need to be.”

“I can already tell that I need arm muscles and balance. I’m very obviously lacking one and I’m not convinced I have the other.”

Chuckling, I wade into the water with Lie. Holding it still, I help him on. “Just sit for now. Get used to using your core to keep steady against the rhythm of the water.” I wrap the safety cord around his ankle, securing the Velcro band so he can’t become separated from the board.

“What’s the next progression? I think I need to mentally prepare.”

Has he always been this sarcastic? “On your knees.”

His dark eyes meet mine, and heat burns between us. “I can totally get on my knees for you,” he says. “I’m rather good on my knees, if I do say so myself.”

“You are,” I agree, though technically, I haven’t had him on his knees. He was sitting in an office chair when he sucked my dick in the break room.

I wrap my hand around his leg in the water so he can’t float away from me in the current, but give him the opportunity to keep himself upright at the same time.

“I feel a little foolish having never taken advantage of all the amenities that Kala offers,” Lie says.

“We used to much more when you were younger,” I agree. “I’m not even sure why we stopped. Life got busy, I guess.”

“All that partying,” he says, smirking.

“You were such a wild child.”

He laughs. Lie was probably one of the least troublesome children ever. I think that had a lot to do with his relationship with Nason. It helped that his bestie wasn’t overly interested in partying or getting into trouble, either.

“Want to try your knees or hang out like this for a while?”

“Like this. Go get your board and float with me.”

I squeeze his calf and leave him in the water while I retrieve my paddleboard from the beach. He does well enough to maintain his balance in the calm waters, protected from the bigger swells of the ocean by the gentle curve of the island.

It’s not long before we’re enjoying the gentle rock of the waves. I keep us close, but not so close that we’re going to run into each other.

“Cash starts a new job today,” Lie says.

“Yeah?”

He nods. “He’s so damn excited. I’ve never seen him so excited. He’s a deckhand for one of the boat tours.”

“He’s always loved the water, hasn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Lie agrees. “I think he’d live on the water if he could.”

“That’s an idea. Houseboats. That’s how we expand the housing until the new island is built,” Lie says, grinning.

“I imagine that’s been suggested.”

“There should be some, at least. No? It feels like a missed opportunity. Not just for residents, but for guests to stay on the water.”

“There are the bungalows with glass floors off Makara,” I say.

“Yes, but they don’t rock with the water. Not the same thing.”

“Hm. Maybe you need to suggest it at the next meeting. They’re open to the residents.”

“I think they should build more than one additional residential island,” Lie says. “One might fix the housing problems we have now, but if they’re also expanding the resort, that means more jobs. More jobs mean more people needing housing. We’re going to cap out again quickly.”

“Share those concerns when you offer a suggestion.”

He smirks. “Hold my board. I want to try my knees.”

Using my paddle, I get closer and grab the edge of his board. Lie is incredibly unsteady as he tries to climb on. The board rocks violently when he leans too heavily on one side. I grab his arm, keeping him from toppling over the side, sending him into a fit of laughter.

His laughter never ceases to make me smile. Ever. I love the way his face lights up. How his eyes shine. The sound travels through me, reaching every nerve ending.

He eventually manages to get on his knees, leaning back on his haunches, but his entire spine is stiff. “How am I supposed to paddle like this?” he complains. “If I move, I’m going to end up in the water.”

“You need to remain fluid. Move with the water. Right now, you’re fighting it.”

Lie glares at me. “Let me see you on your knees, Laiken.”

He’s entirely unimpressed when I manage to get on my knees without issue. No moment of almost ending up in the water. And I’m blessedly finding balance comes easily still. Even after years since being on one. Like riding a bike.

Not that I’ve been on a bike since I was a kid.

“You look good on your knees, old man,” Lie says, smirking.

“Careful. If a bird sneezes on you, you’re going in.”

“Seriously,” he says, glaring up at the sky as if a bird is getting close to do just that.

I remain close, encouraging him as he tries to use his paddle. Lie doesn’t move far, but he doesn’t end up in the water.

Right until he tries to look back at me. Then he goes over in a spectacular display of flailing limbs. I try not to laugh, but his feet are up in the air for one spectacular moment, and it’s a little funny.

Lie looks up at me from the water, pouting and glaring at the same time.

“Get your sexy little ass up here,” I tell him, adjusting my position on my board so I can pull him up without following him into the water. I get him up and then shift further back so our weight is more evenly distributed.

With a grip on the top of his life vest, I bring his face to mine and kiss him. “You’re sexy all wet, Lie,” I murmur.

“There are ways to get wet without going headfirst into the ocean,” he points out. “A shower, for example.”

I grin, bite his lip, enjoying the way his breath stutters as it spreads over my face. “Just hang on to your security rope,” I tell him. “Let me show you the sights, sweet young thing.”

Lie rolls his eyes. “Fucker,” he mutters.

He ends up on his back with his legs draped over mine, eyes closed behind his sunglasses as I slowly move us through the channels designated for manual water sports. His board trails behind us, the current occasionally tugging it and jerking him so he almost rolls off the side.

We talk about nothing. About everything. I watch him as he relaxes. Completely trusting me to keep him out of the water.

As we float around, I muse how I made today far more complicated than I needed to. Nason wouldn’t have given it a second thought if I said I was going to go paddleboarding and see if Lie wanted to join me. I’ve spent many days with Lie while Nason works.

For some reason, I felt the need to keep this excursion a secret. Which means if we’re found out, there’s unnecessary explaining to do. It immediately looks suspicious because I chose not to say something to Nason.

But I want to keep this to ourselves. Something that’s between us. Only ours. It’s not me and my best friend’s son right now. This is me and Lie. A man I’m completely mesmerized by.

I’m not sure when he became so enchanting, when I became so enthralled, but I knew today needed to be ours. Sneaking was necessary. Not for a reason I understand, but something I feel in my chest.

Something is building between us. Good or bad, it’s too late to stop it.