“I’m getting something out of it too,” he said.

  They spent the rest of the day walking around and doing tourist things. She was enjoying herself more than she had in so long.

  When they were out to dinner that night, she asked, “Is it hard for you to eat at other restaurants?”

  He laughed at her. “No. Or not really. I do my research. Trust me, there are places out there that don’t have good food. Average food that most have no issues eating or paying for, but not me. I want something decent or I’ll cook it myself.”

  “So you’ve been here before?” she asked of the restaurant they were in. There was a lot of seafood and fish on the menu. Thankfully, she liked that and knew it’d be fresh.

  “I have,” he said. “I know someone that works here too.”

  “I’m not surprised,” she said. “Do they know you’re here?”

  “No,” he said. “I don’t do that. No reason to. If Anne comes out and sees me, fine.”

  “Anne?” she asked. She didn’t want to be jealous, but there was part of her that worried she might be sounding that way.

  He laughed at her. “We went to culinary school together. She’s gotten a lot of awards. Many of us have. We don’t keep in touch like you think. Nothing to worry about. It’s not like we dated.”

  “Sorry,” she said. “I just always heard that there is heat in the kitchen more than the food. I mean, here we are too.”

  He laughed at her. “Not the same thing, but I get it. I’ve had relationships with coworkers before, but once I became the boss I stopped that. Too many lines can be blurred or crossed.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I know. I’ve seen it before.”

  “You have?” he asked. “At your old job?”

  “There and other places. Coworkers date and then they breakup and there is drama. One of my past jobs a boss started to date an employee and they got separated into other departments and they were both annoyed over it even though they knew the policy.”

  “No reason to get annoyed if they knew that going in,” he said.

  “I thought that too,” she said. “And my last job. I told you how I worked with Eddie’s cousin. Things just got tense thereafter. So, though I wasn’t in a relationship with a coworker, I had that tie...”

  “It’s behind you,” he said.

  “It is,” she said, smiling at him.

  An hour later their bill came out and so did a woman in a black chef’s coat. “Duke. I was out here making the rounds and I’d notice those golden locks anywhere.”

  Duke turned his head. “Anne,” he said, standing up. The woman hugged Duke, but Hadley wasn’t bothered. You could tell they were friends and that Anne either had a great appreciation for food or was eating for two. “How is Carlos doing?”

  “He’s happy as can be. Feeding me well.” Anne patted her belly. “Me and the baby.”

  “Congrats,” Duke said. “Number two for you, huh?”

  “It is. Didn’t lose the weight from the last one and don’t think I will from this. But hey, they say chefs are heavy because they eat their own food. Though no one can say that about you.”

  “As we know, it’s why I work out,” he said, laughing. “This is Hadley. Hadley, Anne Ramos. She and her husband, Carlos, met in college and haven’t left each other's side since.”

  “Well,” Anne said. “We leave it to work. No way we could work together.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” she said. Anne moved away a few minutes later to talk to other patrons. “She seems nice.”

  “Very nice. Carlos staked a claim on the first day and we let him. Anne is a sweetheart but not my type.”

  “What is your type?” she asked.

  “Right now, you.”

  She supposed you couldn’t get a better answer than that.

  Duke paid for their meal and she got annoyed. She knew she didn’t have nearly the money he did. “Why won’t you let me pay for anything?”

  “Because I’m old fashioned that way,” he said and they walked to his SUV.

  Hadley knew she shouldn’t argue over it. There were times in her life when she would have loved someone to do that for her. Those nice things and put her first.

  Eddie never did. They split everything while they dated and she was fine with that. Other men she’d dated did the same thing early on and then later they just took turns but never kept score.

  If she was keeping score she’d be down big time with Duke.

  They arrived at their hotel a few minutes later. “It was nice you could get a place so fast. Though I suppose midweek there are openings.”

  “There are,” he said. “But in this case, my father and a cousin own this hotel.”

  “What?” she asked. Duke had told her that his father had all sorts of investments on and off the island, but she didn’t ask details and didn’t care that much.

  “It’s not as big or as posh as many on the island. But this one my father has owned for about fifteen years with Stephen Bond.”

  “Stephen Bond, of The Retreat?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Stephen’s grandson, Skyler Stone, bought his grandfather’s share about six years ago. I think. Not sure. I don’t keep track. Skyler owns some B&Bs on the island, some rental homes, et cetera. I think he might have shares in other hotels off the island. Again, that’s his business.”

  She could only imagine but didn’t make a comment other than, “I can’t believe he had to buy it off his grandfather. I mean I know that side of the family is one of the wealthiest.”

  Duke laughed. “I’m sure it wasn’t for a lot. You know The Retreat could only go to a male Bond member. With that last name. Kind of stupid, but Stephen had two daughters. Melanie Stone, Skyler and Grace’s mother, and Melissa French, who is Roark and Emma’s mother. Their brother is Charlie and he has The Retreat with Hunter now.”

  “The sisters didn’t care?” she asked.

  “It’s an old family thing, but my guess is Melissa and Melanie got bought out of The Retreat, and there are plenty of other family businesses.”

  “Hence Skyler getting this hotel?”

  He smirked again. “I don’t know that he got it. And remember it’s only half. My father has the other half.”

  Which meant that Duke and Kelsey would probably get this too. Sometimes she forgot the wealth Duke came from.

  “Oh,” she said.

  “Put it from your mind. I don’t care about anything other than my restaurants. Don’t let it get to you.”

  “Some women would be thrilled,” she said.

  “But not you. You’re too independent and proud. I get it.”

  He was laughing and she smiled back. At least he understood that about her.

  They checked into their room. It was nice and modern and clean. The type of hotel she’d book if she was going on a vacation and it didn’t feel as daunting.

  But as he said, she wanted to put it from her mind so she went right over to him once he put his bag on the floor with hers.

  She reached up on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck. “Do you know what I want to do?”

  “What?” he asked, his mouth lowering to hers.

  “Get you naked and have my way with you.”

  “That sounds about like what I want to do too,” he said.

  She tugged his T-shirt out of his shorts and pulled it over his head, his hair falling back down. He’d left it down today and she’d been surprised, but it didn’t seem to bother him as hers did in the wind. Maybe because his was heavier and didn’t blow around as much.

  Once his shirt was off, she was running her hands up and down his chest, her mouth going there too and placing light kisses, trailing down to the button on his shorts.

  She undid the button and yanked everything down at once, got on her knees and wrapped her hands around his cock.

  The last time they were together she didn’t get to do much more than lie there and take what he’d given her. Not that she complained at all, but this time she wanted to give something back.

  Her hand was stroking up and down, her mouth going to the tip and licking some of the dew pebbling there.

  “You taste so good,” she said.

  He let out a groan when she covered him completely and started to suck and then bob her head up and down. Her hand was going in the same direction, his groans getting louder.

  “You’re going to have to stop soon,” he said.

  “No. I’m going to give it to you twice like you did me. Once you’re worn out from this, I’m going to work you up again, climb on top and have my way with you. Hopefully I can orgasm that way too.”

  He let out a moan. “You will,” he said. “I’ll make sure of it.”

  She hoped so. Mostly she got there during oral and that was it. Or she had to help herself, maybe use the toy she had that no one ever knew about.

  She was no longer going to think it was her that had something wrong, but the men she was with.

  Like the big strong guy in front of her that was close to coming. She knew. She could tell.

  Her hand was moving faster and when he started to come she jumped back quickly. She wanted to try swallowing it but didn’t think it was going to gag her like that and she was coughing at the same time she was jerking him off to the end.

  His hand came down on hers. “You can stop now.”

  “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d react that way.”

  “It’s fine. Not everyone can do it,” he said.

  She blocked those words. She knew he’d been with other women like she’d been with other men, but she didn’t want to think of him in this position either.

  She went to get a towel to clean up the floor. Guess she should have thought of that more.

  He took it out of her hand and did it. “You need to undress and catch up. You said you were going to give me a second one.”

  “Oh yeah,” she said, pulling her shirt off and then her bra, followed by her shorts and panties wiggling to the ground.

  He was on the bed, on his back, and she climbed up and over him. Her mouth went to his chest again, placing a ton of kisses everywhere, even licking some.

  He had one hell of a body on him for someone who made his living around food.

  It didn’t take long before he was hard as a rock and telling her to get a condom. That worked for her because she was feeling the heat and liquid between her legs.

  She covered him quickly, got on top and dropped down fast, letting out a moan like he had earlier.

  “You are so big and feel so good inside of me.”

  “Move up and down,” he said. “Find what feels good to you. I’ll get you there again, I promise.”

  “I want you to be there too,” she said.

  He laughed at her. “No worries there.”

  She started to ride him. It felt wonderful, but it wasn’t giving her the feeling like she’d get close to coming either. He’d told her to find a position that worked so she leaned forward on her hands, got him at another angle and then moved forward and back. That was much better.

  “How does that feel?” she asked him.

  He let out a snort and she wondered if that was him trying not to laugh. “Everything you are doing feels great to me.”

  She kept going and felt bad that maybe she was being selfish here. “Tell me what you want.”

  He lifted her head with his hand. “I want you to come. I need you to do what feels good so that I know for the next time. You tell me,” he said.

  She looked into his eyes and believed what he was saying.

  “I’m not sure what I need, but this feels good. Sex always does, it’s just getting to the end.”

  He pulled her closer so that her mouth was a whisper away from his. “Lie down on top of me and move. Grind while you do. You might need that.”

  She’d tried that before and other men didn’t like it so she’d been afraid to again, but Duke was telling her to do it so she did.

  And the minute she started, it was exactly what she needed. “Oh God,” she said.

  “That’s it,” he said. “Geez, you are squeezing me so tight.”

  “Too tight?” she wasn’t aware she was doing it and wasn’t sure how to stop.

  “No,” he said and put his fist through her hair and started to kiss her.

  Everything else was wiped out of her mind as his body took over and the next thing she knew she was coming and grinding and Duke was pushing up again and again and it was more intense than when it started.

  But it didn’t seem to want to end until her body was so tired out she all but collapsed on him, her head on his shoulder.

  “Wow,” she said. “Thank you for that.”

  “No,” he said. “Thank you. Sex is a two-way street. What feels good to you, feels it to me. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

  It’s like he always knew the right thing to say.

  The right things to make her feel confident and like a woman.

  Not like he was sucking up or trying to be someone he wasn’t, but because it was who he was.

  Was it being from the Bond family and the lore of the island or just silly thoughts from a woman that had never been happier in her life and was waiting for everything to come crashing down on her?

  22

  Into Her Past

  The next morning, Duke woke up first and then showered while Hadley was still passed out in bed.

  There was part of him that wished he could go back into her past and find all the people that made her feel like shit in her life.

  That she was so afraid at times to speak up for something as simple as pleasure in the bedroom.

  When he got out of the shower, Hadley was sitting on the bed with two cups of coffee having been made. “Here,” she said. “It’s not great but don’t complain to your father either.”

  He took the cup. “It’s fine. Not many places put a mini Keurig in each room. It’s just there are only powdered creamer and sugar.”

  “I know,” she said. “I’m not too fussy. And you drink it black so you don’t care.”

  He took a sip. “I like to grind my own beans.”

  “Oh,” she said. “You don’t do that at the pub.”

  “Not at Southside,” he said. “Not many are drinking coffee in a pub. I do at Duke’s.”

  Lots of people had a cup of coffee after a heavy meal and he wanted to make sure he gave them something good.

  At home he ground the beans too, but if he was in a hurry the K-cups were good enough. It’s not like he drank a ton of coffee a day, rather sticking to water when he could.

  The kitchen was a hot place to work and you could get dehydrated in there easily. Aside from cleanliness, the health of his staff was important too.

  Many might think his bark was bad, but he cared and wanted what was best for everyone. He’d take the bullet himself before he’d have his staff doing it so that meant that they had to be cared for as well as he cared for himself.

  “I’ll have to come to Duke’s one night for a meal. Maybe I’ll treat my parents.”

  He winked at her. He was going to say to let him know and it’d be on the house, but he’d seen how annoyed she’d gotten over him paying for their dinner last night.

  Besides, if she went with her parents, there was no way Stan would let her pay. And he wouldn’t let Stan pay. He’d figure it out when it came about. As long as she told him in advance.

  “I’m sure they’d appreciate it. And I’d make you something special.”

  “You don’t know what I like to be considered special,” she said, winking at him. He liked this playful side of her that she didn’t show often. “And I should get in the shower so we can catch the ferry.”

  “I think I’ve got a good idea of what you like,” he said to her. At least he thought he did.

  She walked away after picking up her bag and he got dressed and put his stuff away. There would be breakfast served downstairs by now and they could get something on their way out fast.

  She got out of the bathroom quicker than he thought. “I like a woman that doesn’t take forever to get ready.”

  She laughed. “I don’t wear much makeup and didn’t think to pack it anyway. I was going to go home from your place before work.”

  “You still will,” he said. “Why don’t we go check out and get something to eat? We have time to eat in the dining area or get a to-go thing for the ferry.”

  “I’m happy with a muffin. I’m getting too spoiled by your food that I don’t want something in a buffet-type setting.”

  He looked at her when she said it and saw the twinkle in her eyes. Then she laughed. “Very cute.”

  “You are spoiling me. My mother fed me some steak and potato salad the other night they had left over. Normally I can’t get enough of her potato salad, but it wasn’t as good as the one at the pub that I had the other day. Is that your recipe?”

  “It is,” he said. “Nothing fancy with it. I kept a lot of the menu the same, but I make things differently too.”

  “Which is probably why food is selling so well there too.”

  “A name goes a long way,” he said. “But the food can sell itself.”

  “And it is. With a little help from my advertising and marketing strategy.”

  He was happy to hear her taking credit for that. “That’s right. Teamwork gets it done.”

  She smiled at him once more, walked around the hotel suite to make sure she had everything, then went to get a muffin and a better cup of coffee for the road.

  They were at the docks ten minutes before the ferry would be taking off.

  “What time are you going to be at Southside?” she asked.

  “Close to eleven,” he said. “Maybe earlier since there is a cute baker there this morning.”

  “I’m a server not a baker,” she said.

  There she went again, not giving herself credit. “That’s not true. You are a lot of things and should be proud of it.”

  “I’m getting there. I don’t think too many people see me as a baker though.”

  “I think you’re wrong. That is how you are getting as many cake orders as you are.”