“Not perving,” Nadine said with a sniff. “Admiring the man’s assets.”

  “I like the way you think.”

  “Things have improved I see.”

  “Why fight it? If having the Kings here will make my father feel better and show him once and for all that he’s overreacting, then so be it.”

  “So things between you and Mr. Guard-My-Body are getting along?”

  “Funny.” Colton shook his head in amusement. “Yes, we’re getting along. He’s doing his job. I was being childish and let my emotions get the better of me. It wasn’t right for me to take it out on him.”

  Nadine let out a mock gasp, her hand going to her chest. “You? Being a diva? I don’t believe it.”

  Colton narrowed his eyes. “Remind me why I keep you around again?”

  “Because I’m the best executive assistant you will ever have, and because I’m your friend, so I know better than to put up with your bullshit.”

  “That would also explain all the meddling.”

  A napkin wacked him in the face, and he fell back in his chair with a cackle. He loved getting a rise out of her. “How’s Joshua doing?” he asked, picking up a slice of toast.

  “I love that kid. He’s a whizz and such a sweetheart. You found us another gem.”

  “I had a feeling about him. I’m glad he’s doing well.” He sipped his latte as Nadine removed her tablet from her bag.

  “Okay, you said you wanted to go over your schedule.”

  Colton nodded. “I want to cancel and postpone anything that’s not critical.”

  Nadine blinked at him. “Seriously?”

  “Until this mess is over.”

  “Why?”

  Colton tried not to squirm under her piercing hazel eyes. “I’m supposed to be on vacation, remember?”

  Nadine scoffed. “You haven’t taken a vacation since your last trip to Disney World. You were twelve. Try again.”

  “Fine. I’m supposed to be on vacation, and I don’t want to make the Kings’ job harder than it has to be.”

  “The Kings or one particular King?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief that Colton chose to ignore.

  He shrugged casually. “The sooner they figure this mess out, the sooner I get my life back.”

  “Right.”

  Colton arched an eyebrow at her. “Is there something you’d like to say?”

  “Nope.” She tapped away at her tablet with her perfectly manicured nails. “So, what are we keeping?”

  “My father’s retirement party, obviously, and the Sapphire Sands Charity Masquerade. Send my regrets to the hosts of the other three engagements, and cancel travel arrangements. We’ll keep anything that’s at least three months out until we see where things are.”

  “What about the party you promised Laz to celebrate his invite to next year’s Fashion Week in Paris? It’s tomorrow night, and the venders are scheduled to start coming in from noon onward.”

  Colton let out a groan. “Shit, I forgot about that. I love Laz, but his friends drive me fucking crazy. My house is going to be overrun by a hoard of slutty models.”

  “Are you saying all models are slutty?” She narrowed her eyes at him, as if he’d forgotten her short modeling career. Nadine’s mother had groomed her since childhood in the hopes of making her the next modeling sensation. Too bad she hadn’t asked Nadine what she wanted. Whenever anyone asked her why she left that world, Nadine shrugged and said she enjoyed eating too much. In truth, it had been her mother’s dream, not hers. Now she was a stunningly beautiful woman who could walk into any boardroom and hold her own against any corporate suit. Anyone who thought she was just a pretty face or pair of boobs would be annihilated. That’s why he paid her ridiculous amounts of money. The woman had no fear.

  “No, I don’t think all models are sluts,” he said, giving her a pointed look. “Only Laz’s friends. Or should I say Bryan’s friends.”

  “Gio’s had no luck either, huh?” Nadine asked, her hazel eyes filled with sympathy and concern, a concern she shared with Colton and Laz’s older brother, Gio, who was a good friend and Colton’s old college roommate.

  “How can Laz not see what a horrible influence Bryan is? He’s managed to alienate all the good people Laz had around him before they met. Bryan’s nasty, catty attitude drove Laz’s friends away, and he can’t see it because Bryan’s convinced him that what they have is love. If that’s not bad enough, wherever Bryan goes, he’s followed by his little entourage of vapid, squawking ostriches.”

  Nadine gasped. “Colton, that’s mean. What have those poor ostriches ever done to you?”

  “You’re right,” Colton said, shaking his head remorsefully. “What was I thinking? I’m sorry.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Laz is such a happy-go-lucky guy, always so sweet and cheerful. I worry about him surrounded by all that toxicity, though the drugs are what we’re worried about most. Laz swears Bryan doesn’t touch the stuff, but there were rumors about a party Bryan was at last year in Milan that got out of control. Laz wasn’t there, thank God, but it also meant Bryan could deny everything.”

  “Is that the party where a model was found dead in the pool?”

  Colton nodded somberly. “Overdose. Laz was supposed to have gone with Bryan, but I was able to get him a press pass for Guns N’ Roses when they were in Miami. Laz had a huge fight with Bryan over it, but he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to meet his dad’s favorite band. It meant too much to him. Gio wants me to have a talk with Laz, but what am I supposed to say to him that his brother hasn’t?”

  Nadine let out a heavy sigh. “Laz always tries to see the good in people, which is great, but that also leaves him open to getting taken advantage of. Maybe he’ll listen this time. The kid’s looked up to you since he was in high school. If he’s going to listen to anyone, it’ll be you.”

  Colton wasn’t so sure, but he’d give it a try, for Gio and for Laz. The two had been through so much already, he couldn’t do nothing. At least once a month he tried to have lunch with Laz if he was in the country and not being dragged around the world by his selfish boyfriend.

  “The party’s still on, then?” Nadine asked to confirm.

  “Yes.”

  “And your lunch meeting with Helen?”

  “Give her my sincerest apologies, but we’ll have to reschedule.”

  Nadine nodded as she made notes. They talked some more, gossiped, and he hugged her tight at the front door, promising to keep her informed. Then he headed outside, greeting members of the Kings’ security team. They greeted him in return before notifying Ace of his movements. Originally it had annoyed the hell out of him, but now, having Ace know his whereabouts didn’t bother him. Knowing Ace was on the other end of that radio made Colton feel… comforted.

  Outside, he took the stairs down to the pool area and changed into swim trunks inside the cabana. He grabbed a beach bag, stuffed a couple of towels inside, a bottle of sunscreen, and a bottle of water before he slipped into some flip-flops. He took the huge beach umbrella leaning against the outside of the cabana and headed for the private walkway that led down to the beach. Ace was on his way up. His smile when he caught sight of Colton was breathtaking, and Colton wasn’t sure whether it was the bright sun and fierce heat making his skin flush or the sight of Ace heading toward him wearing nothing but wet swim shorts and a dazzling smile.

  “Hey,” Colton said, his voice breaking. My God, could he be any more awkward?

  “Hey,” Ace replied, his crooked smile making Colton melt. He leaned against the railing. “What time are you planning to head out for your lunch meeting?”

  “I’ve apparently come down with one of those twenty-four-hour bugs.” He coughed weakly into his hand, making Ace chuckle.

  “Man, that sucks. What’s the doc prescribe?”

  “A lazy day on the beach, drinking sangria and playing with the neighbor’s dog.”

  “I think maybe I need to switch doctors.” Ace motioned to the house. “I should go get dressed.”

  “Why?”

  Ace’s lips twitched like he wanted to laugh. “I shouldn’t get dressed?”

  “I mean, if you’re going to be out here with me, why are you going to change? You’ll get sand in your boots. Also, I know you’re a professional, but an all-black uniform in Florida weather? Really?”

  Ace did chuckle then. “Actually, black is the best color to wear in the sun. Yes, it absorbs the sun, but it also absorbs your body’s energy instead of reflecting it out.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” Colton said with a wink. He motioned to the beach behind Ace. “I’m going to go for a swim.”

  “Lead the way.”

  It was still early in the morning on a weekday, so few people were out, mostly a jogger here and there. With it being a residential area rather than a tourist one, the only beachgoers tended to be people who lived in the area. Colton picked a spot near the water but not too close, and Ace reached for the umbrella.

  “Here, let me. You sort out your towel.

  “Thanks.” Colton beamed up at him and removed the huge beach towel from the bag as Ace opened the umbrella and speared it into the sand in one swift move. He angled it back, and Colton thanked him again before handing him one end of the towel. The barely-there breeze wouldn’t be enough to move it, but he always kept four of the sandbag weights in his beach tote just in case. All set up, he dropped down onto the towel and started lathering himself up with sunscreen. He’d be back inside before the noon sun came up, but he knew better than to be out here without sunscreen. Even on a stormy, cloudy day, the sun still managed to burn.

  “Need help?” Ace asked, and Colton would have loved to be able to see the man’s beautiful gold-green eyes, but the mirrored aviators prevented it.

  “That would be great. Thank you.”

  Ace took the bottle from him, and the sand shifted behind Colton when Ace dropped to his knees behind him. He heard the cap open, and he closed his eyes when his mind conjured up images of a different type of bottle being opened. Ace’s hands on his back didn’t help, and Colton struggled to think unsexy thoughts. He was not going to get a hard-on while Ace put sunscreen on him. That was easier said than done with Ace’s big strong hands gliding across his skin, massaging his shoulders, and making him feel so damned good. Colton hung his head forward, and a groan slipped out.

  “You’re tense,” Ace said, pressing his fingers into the muscles between Colton’s neck and shoulders. Colton hissed at the sudden pain. “Sorry, it’ll feel better after. I promise.”

  Colton nodded. “I trust you.”

  Ace’s hands stopped moving for a heartbeat before he resumed undoing the tension knots in Colton’s muscles. What caused the sudden halt? Colton recalled Ace’s words regarding Colton’s trust meaning more to him than he could know. Had someone betrayed Ace’s trust or failed to trust him? It seemed very important to Ace, and Colton couldn’t imagine betraying him. Another jolt of pain went through him, and he jerked, throwing his arm back on instinct, and clutching Ace’s thigh.

  “Sorry. Almost done,” Ace said, his voice low and husky.

  “It’s okay.” Colton’s words weren’t more than a whisper, and he silently cursed himself. The man was trying to help him out, and Colton was having seriously dirty thoughts about him. Ace had made it clear that whatever was happening between them couldn’t happen. Colton needed to respect the man’s wishes.

  Ace’s hands slid from his shoulders to his neck, and Colton leaned his head back, gazing up at Ace, who dropped his chin to look down at him. His thumbs caressed Colton’s jaw, sending the most delicious shiver through him, and Colton dug his fingers into Ace’s thigh, his pulse speeding up.

  “Ace….”

  Ace cleared his throat, his hands slipping from Colton. “There you go. All done.”

  “Thanks.” Colton smiled, doing his best not to let his disappointment show. If he wasn’t careful, he could end up doing something foolish, like losing his heart. He turned his attention to the water. “I went over my schedule with Nadine. We canceled and rescheduled any engagements that weren’t a priority. Unfortunately that means tomorrow’s pool party is still on.”

  “Unfortunately?” Ace took a seat beside him on the towel, legs bent and arms resting on his knees. “You don’t sound too happy about it. Can’t you cancel?”

  Colton shook his head. “I’d promised a good friend I would help him celebrate his invite to Fashion Week in Paris next year. Laz is a very talented fashion photographer whose career is finally taking off. I went to college with his older brother, Gio, and Laz was always around. He’s a good kid. It’s his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s friends I’m not a fan of.” Colton shared his concerns with Ace.

  “I’ll make sure the team keeps an eye on them,” Ace said, his frown deep. “Thing is, if your friend Laz is crazy about this guy, he’s not going to want to hear anything said against him. He needs to see for himself. Have you and Bryan spent time around each other?”

  “We’ve been to some of the same parties. The only reason he tolerates me is because I know a good number of important people in his industry. He might come off like an airhead, but believe me, that’s a very clever disguise. The man is dangerous. He’s sly and calculating.”

  “Okay. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. And thank you for rearranging your schedule. I know how inconvenient that is, and I appreciate it.”

  “It makes sense. Besides, I’m supposed to be on vacation, right?” Colton winked at him. “King’s already vetted the guests, but that doesn’t mean someone won’t cause trouble. Nadine informed each guest about the added security, and how if anyone shows up not on the list, they’re not getting in. Bryan’s going to be extra pissy.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “He has a habit of turning his plus ones into open invitations, and I’m not having that in my home. It’s enough I made an exception for him and his entourage. We’ve also made it known that anyone who dares to bring drugs into my home will be dealt with.”

  Ace nodded. “We’ll take care of it. Discreetly of course.”

  “Thank you.”

  “So, is there going to be anyone at the party that’s not a model?”

  “The rest are members of the fashion industry in some way or another. A few designers, PR people, fashion magazine editors, a few more photographers, though no one has permission to take pictures. It’s part of the agreement they made when they RSVP’d. No photos, no video.”

  “Not your first rodeo, huh?”

  “Oh God, no. I’ve been working the party circuit since I was a kid. My grandmother would throw the most ridiculously elaborate parties and invite everyone who was anyone. My mom’s parties were trendier, but no less pretentious. It was all about status and gossip. What was everyone wearing, who had lunch on whose yacht, who was sleeping with their pool boy, because yes, my life resembled an episode of The Young and the Restless.”

  Ace laughed, and Colton smiled at the sound.

  “Made for fascinating people watching. The parties my parents threw in the eighties are still my favorite. The shoulder pads alone. I’m talking impressive wingspan here. You should have seen them trying to work the room. I still remember one party where my mother turned suddenly to talk to a friend and almost took out a waiter.”

  Ace threw his head back and laughed, and Colton couldn’t help but join in. He put a hand to Ace’s shoulder.

  “No, really. You know in those old movies when you get the one guy carrying a really long ladder, and he swings around, and the ladder ends up whacking someone and knocking them on their ass? That’s what it was like, but with more sequin.”

  “Stop,” Ace laughed, removing his sunglasses to wipe the tears from his eyes. “I can’t breathe.”

  They both laughed like a couple of schoolboys before a bark caught their attention and Ginger came bounding over, kicking up sand when she skidded to a halt beside them, her tail wagging furiously as she launched herself at Ace, licking him all over. Colton had never been so envious in his life. What he wouldn’t give to lick Ace all over.

  Ace jumped to his feet, and took off with Ginger barking excitedly as she ran circles around him. Damn, but the man was stunning. His tanned skin glistened from the lotion he was wearing and the sun beating down on him. He didn’t seem to notice, but Colton imagined Ace had most likely faced far worse conditions. Deciding he wasn’t going to let Colton miss out on the fun, Ace waved him over, and Colton got to his feet. He jogged over, laughing when Ginger ran around him. After working up a sweat playing with Ginger, Colton was ready for a swim. He tossed his sunglasses in the sand, and cast Ace a wicked grin.

  “Last one in gets to tell Lucky what happened to his Gucci sandal.” Namely Ginger had turned the expensive footwear into an overpriced chew toy.

  “Oh hell no.”

  Colton laughed as he bolted toward the water. He’d been about to dive in when Ace grabbed him around the waist and hauled him off his feet. Determined not to go down without taking Ace with him, he wrapped himself around Ace, and threw his weight into it, bringing them both crashing into the warm water. Colton popped up and wiped the water from his face. He laughed when Ace slowly rose from the water, his expression deadpan. For some reason, that had Colton laughing his ass off.

  “You think that’s funny?”

  Colton nodded. “I do, actually. Especially the way your hair is sticking up,” Colton said, putting an index finger to each side of his head. “Looks like you have two little horns.”

  Ace ran his hands through his hair, his chest and arm muscles flexing with the move, leaving Colton with a slack jaw. The amount of sex appeal was obscene, and Colton quickly closed his mouth, narrowing his eyes when Ace’s grin turned smug. He headed for Colton, his movements sleek and powerful as he cut through the water.

  “What are you doing?” Colton asked, slowly moving away. “Ace?”

  Ace’s lips curled into a wicked grin, and he dove under the water. Colton stilled, waiting for Ace to pop, but he didn’t. Jesus, the guy could hold his breath for a long time. It was like he’d vanished. Until something grabbed Colton’s legs. He released a barrage of curses as he was lifted, his arms flailing in an attempt not to lose his balance as Ace came up under him, and Colton ended up on Ace’s shoulders.