Page 28 of Troubled Skies (Blue Skies #3)

fourteen

Adrian

The first thing Adrian noticed when he opened his eyes was that the ship wasn’t moving.

Not only was there no roll and shudder from the Mediterranean’s waves, the engines were silent, which must mean they were docked.

In Malta. The second thing he noticed was that his pillow smelled like Ren.

Comforted by the thought, he turned his face to burrow deeper into the scent and pulled the thick comforter tighter around himself.

He was beginning to doze off when his brain caught up.

Adrenaline flooded through his body, and he opened his eyes to sunlight shining through floor-to-ceiling windows that opened onto the ship’s bow.

Two thoughts collided at nearly the same time.

One, he was naked, which wasn’t a surprise since his sleep shirt and shorts had been in his checked bag and he’d spent the previous two nights sleeping raw, but it was a big deal because thought number two was that he was in Ren’s cabin.

And Ren was watching him from across the room.

“Fuck,” Adrian muttered as not only his face but his entire body turned hot with embarrassment.

The last thing he remembered was the yacht beginning to pitch and roll from the storm that had kicked up around midnight.

If that hadn’t been distressing enough, the entire ship shuddered and groaned every time the stabilizers were activated by the motion.

His anxiety had gotten bad enough that he’d taken a pill to help him sleep. How could I be so stupid?

“Pous—” Adrian glared at Ren who cut off his term of endearment mid-word, but thankfully, he didn’t move from his seat across the room. “Adrian. You are awake.”

Adrian didn’t respond, too caught up in the self-flagellating monologue playing in his head.

Then a horrifying thought hit him, bursting from his mouth before he could stop it.

“Did we fuck?” The smile with which Ren graced him did nothing to quell his inner turmoil.

“Oh, fuck, we did, didn’t we? God dammit!

” If he weren’t buck naked, Adrian would have run from the room and locked himself in his own cabin.

He settled for burying his face in the pillow.

“Adrian?” Ren touched his shoulder, but Adrian only pulled the pillow over his head. “Adrian. Listen to me. We did not do anything last night except sleep. You in my bed, and me on the rather uncomfortable couch.”

“No?” Adrian peeked out from under the pillow to find Ren leaning over the bed but not on it.

“Non. You came into my room a little after midnight, but it was clear you were sleepwalking, so I tucked you into my bed and slept over there. You see?” Ren pointed to the couch.

Finally brave enough to lift his head, Adrian followed Ren’s direction to see the pillows and blankets heaped on top of the cushions.

“I have your word on that?”

“Absolument. On my honneur. I would have left myself except I did not want you to wander outside while you were sleeping and possibly tumble overboard. The sea was quite rough last night, was it not?” Ren studied Adrian’s face. “Is this why you took one of your pills?”

Adrian nodded. “How did you know I’d taken something?”

“It was not difficult now that I knew what to look for. I was surprised when you came into my room, oui, but knew at once you were sleepwalking, and that I should not let you go back to your cabin.”

For a long moment, he and Ren stared at each other as if daring the other to make a move.

Adrian was touched by Ren’s concern, but he finally sighed and shoved himself up to sitting.

“I should get back to my cabin. Could you…?” He made a shooing motion with his hand.

“Or turn your back so I can get out of bed.”

“I have seen you naked,” Ren said with a small smile that wilted as Adrian continued to give him a stone-faced stare. “I will get you a robe.”

Standing, Ren left Adrian’s field of vision, and Adrian felt as if he could breathe again. At least he could until Ren returned and stood just out of reach clutching the fluffy, white robe to his chest.

“Have breakfast with me, Adrian.”

“Is that a command, Your Highness?” Adrian couldn’t keep the snark from his voice and felt a thrill of pleasure when Ren winced.

“Non. It is a request.”

“Why?”

“Because you are not the only one who had difficulty sleeping last night, and I would like to know you are all right.” In response to Adrian’s narrowed eyes, Ren waved his hand. “And because I missed you.”

Adrian took a deep breath. Part of him wanted to say yes, but he was still wary of both himself and of Ren. “I don’t trust you,” Adrian said, and then threw Ren a bit of truth because Adrian’s reluctance wasn’t all about him. “But it’s more that I don’t trust myself.”

“Je sais. I know. You have been hurt, and I am sorry I am yet another name on your list of assholes. But, Adrian, that was not my intention.”

“And yet, here we are.”

Another silence expanded between them as they stared at each other without moving. This impasse was finally broken when Ren placed the robe on the edge of the mattress and retreated into the bathroom.

The sound of the lock clicking into place startled Adrian into action. He got out of bed and slipped into the robe, but he couldn’t get himself to leave and continued to stare at the closed bathroom door.

The day before had been a long and lonely one with nothing but his phone to keep him company.

He’d missed Ren and had had to talk himself out of tracking Ren down so many times.

And yet, Adrian couldn’t deny the pull he felt toward Ren, the desire to be with him.

Even as he argued with himself about it being a very bad idea, several things occurred to him.

Yes, Ren had kept an important piece of information from him, and yes, Ren had essentially kidnapped him, but now that the sense of shock and betrayal had faded, he recognized it hadn’t all been Ren’s fault.

And Ren had been unfailingly kind and caring—Adrian glanced at the blankets and pillows on the couch—going above and beyond to be attentive to Adrian’s needs.

From the moment they’d met, Ren had made Adrian feel safe, and it had been a long time since someone had done that for him, a long time since he’d felt so cherished.

Above all, though, Adrian liked Ren. He liked the way Ren looked at him, and the way Ren treated him, and if he were being honest, he liked who he was when they were together.

This version of himself had dropped his guard and found a way to laugh and have fun with another man.

He’d stopped second-guessing himself and just enjoyed each moment as it came.

Without Ren, Adrian wasn’t sure he would be able to find that part of himself again.

As he heard the lock on the bathroom door release and Ren emerged, Adrian squared his shoulders and raised his chin. “All right,” he said. “I’ll have breakfast with you.”

“That makes me very happy, Adrian.”

It was clear to Adrian that Ren was keeping his emotions tamped down. No matter how hard he tried, though, Ren couldn’t keep the joy from his voice.

“I will call Rachel and have her send up a meal for two.” Ren crossed to the phone and lifted the receiver. “What would you like? Café, absolument, but what else do you desire? Pastries? Fruit? An omelette or crêpe? Perhaps French toast?”

Adrian nearly laughed at Ren saying “French” with an American accent, but when he realized this was going to be their goodbye, the sound died in his throat. “Whatever Rachel wants to make us,” he said, then turned away. “I’ll go get dressed.”

Behind him, he heard Ren replace the receiver. “Where are you going?” Ren asked. “You have an entire closet of clothing right here.”

Without turning around, Adrian answered him, “Those aren’t my clothes.”

“But, of course, they are.” Ren was now in front of him, but Adrian kept his focus locked on the door. “I bought them for you. Don’t be silly.”

Adrian finally looked at Ren. His expression was so hopeful, so eager, Adrian couldn’t deny him.

Even if he was going to leave all that clothing behind when he left, it wouldn’t hurt to make Ren happy.

He turned around and headed to the closet where he selected a pair of linen pants and a light gauze top, changing while he half-listened to Ren call down to the galley and ask for breakfast for two to be served in the forward cabin.

When Ren gave an exasperated huff, Adrian smiled knowing he was speaking with Rachel.

“Non, ma chérie, he is not staying,” Ren said as Adrian returned to the suite. As soon as Ren caught sight of Adrian, he switched to French, but Adrian was sure he was still the topic of conversation.

“She cares about you,” Adrian said after Ren hung up, hearing in his own words an echo of what Rachel had said to him the previous day about Ren’s feelings for him and how rare that was. Perhaps you should think about why you want to push him away.

“I adore her,” Ren said. “There is nothing I would not do for someone I care about.”

Without looking at Adrian, Ren disappeared into the closet leaving Adrian to ponder if there was more to what Ren had just said.

Before Ren emerged, Sylvie arrived with coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a pair of yogurt parfaits, then offered a choice of lemon ricotta pancakes or eggs royale, departing after they placed their order.

Ren suggested they eat outside, and Adrian agreed.

The day was dazzling, and Adrian found himself in disbelief that he was sitting on a yacht in Malta with an actual prince.

But then he reminded himself, he shouldn’t be here at all.

He should be in Ibiza, staying in a reasonably priced hotel, checking out guys by the pool, and trying not to worry about what he was going to do once his adventure was over and he was faced with the reality of having spent his entire life savings on an impulse born of anger, pain, and panic.