“I just thought maybe if you weren’t in a good mood I could see if there was something I could do to help.”

  “I can handle myself,” he said. “But I find it sweet that you cared.”

  “You know I do,” she said. “And I should leave before anyone sees me.”

  He let out a sigh. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Bye,” she said and slipped out without so much as a touch of his hand.

  When had he become so desperate for the attention and affection of the woman he was falling in love with?

  33

  More Than Caring

  It’d been four months since Hadley had moved to Amore Island and been working for Duke. Three months or so since they’d been dating.

  There were less than two more months left before the sale would go through with her parents.

  No one had talked about it since. She had no clue how much the sale would even be for and she didn’t care. It wasn’t her business.

  All she cared about was that she still had a job that she loved.

  She even made a cake to bring today for the party at Penelope’s.

  It was probably silly, but Duke told everyone she was coming and she’d been told there was some excitement to meet her. That Duke was the next one in line for the island hookup and no one expected that.

  She didn’t know what that meant and he explained it briefly. That it seemed like at every party or wedding someone was on the hot seat bringing a significant other.

  It made her think that there was more than caring going on on both sides.

  She knew for sure on her side, she was in love. It was just getting those words out.

  “Are you ready?” Duke asked her. “I can carry your cake.”

  “I’ve got it,” she said.

  “I’m here, let me do it.”

  He not only pulled it out of his fridge earlier, but he let her bake it at his house.

  She wasn’t sure what decorations to put on it and decided that a fall design would be nice. She hadn’t made one of those cakes yet and knew it’d be fun and she could snap a bunch of pictures.

  To stick with the fall theme, she did a vanilla cake with layers of five-spice crumble for texture and a white chocolate buttercream. There was a thin layer of white marshmallow fondant on top and then she decorated in leaves and trees using frosting and more fondant. She was pleased with the results.

  “If you’re going to carry that, then I’ll get the pie.”

  “I can’t believe you made a pie last night too,” he said.

  “You said Penelope liked chocolate and that Griffin had a sweet tooth. Not everyone likes vanilla. I should offer something of each, right?”

  “You didn’t need to do anything. Penelope was having most of it catered from their hotel and Griffin is just grilling steaks.”

  And this was supposed to be a simple backyard party, she thought. Not in her lifetime and she was hoping that she didn’t feel too out of place around everyone here in this group.

  Duke had filled her in more on the people and who was who, but it hadn’t helped any.

  She just hoped they were all down to earth like his family was.

  They drove closer to the north end of the island and pulled up to a massive house that looked to be very old on the outside.

  “This place is huge. And just kind of in a neighborhood too.”

  “Not everyone is on the water,” he said. “I’m not.”

  “I know. But this house looks old too.”

  “It is. Penelope bought it and had some work done. Griffin used to live at the casino before he knocked Penelope up.”

  She laughed over the way he’d said that. Like it was a joke in the family that the baby came before the marriage, but she’d been told that was very much Penelope anyway.

  They parked in the road and walked down a long driveway and to the backyard. She noticed Duke’s parents and sister and a few more people and would find out their names soon enough.

  “Hi, everyone,” Duke said. “This is Hadley Breaton. I’m sure you all know about her and how we met.”

  She felt her face flush. She was shocked he’d do it that way.

  “I filled everyone in already,” Kelsey said. “But most knew. What did you bring? I heard you were bringing dessert.”

  “I made a vanilla cake with five-spice crumble layers and white chocolate buttercream and then a dark chocolate and peanut butter mousse pie.”

  “I’ll have to hide that pie or Griffin will eat it now.” A brunette walked forward. “I’m Penelope.”

  “I’m Griffin. My wife thinks she’s being funny. But she’s not very funny.”

  “Says you. And I’m Jennie. I’m Griffin’s sister.”

  “You don’t think Penelope is funny either,” Griffin said. “Don’t try to stick up for her now.”

  “The Zales all stick together,” Jennie said. “And Penelope is a Zale now. My boyfriend, Alex Bond, is coming here now.”

  “With my daughter, Zandra, in his hands.”

  Her head was swiveling around trying to keep up. The toddler in Alex’s arms could have easily passed as his daughter. But Penelope and Alex had the same dark hair and features.

  “Don’t be cute,” Alex said. He passed Zandra to her mother and then shook Hadley’s hand and took the pie out of it fast. “But Griffin will eat it and I like chocolate and peanut butter so it’s going with me.”

  Hadley smiled and looked at Duke. “Let’s go in and meet the rest of who is here.”

  They got in the house and she was introduced to Emily and Crew Ackley. Emily looked very uncomfortable on the couch. “When are you due?” she asked.

  “These two little ones are due any time now. Hopefully not much longer because my body hurts.”

  “I told Emily I would watch the babies anytime she wanted. I’m Alana Nadar. Emily and Duke’s cousin.”

  She shook hands. Alana seemed quiet almost. Her light brown hair was straight and pulled back in a ponytail. Hadley hadn’t been sure how to dress and was glad everyone had jeans on.

  Well, Emily had a dress on and she was sure it might be the only comfortable thing for her at the moment.

  She met Emily and Penelope’s parents who were in the kitchen and then went back outside on the deck.

  “Did you start without me?” she heard.

  Hadley turned and wondered who this was walking on the deck. He was almost too polished to be with this group, but she knew it had to be a Bond by his coloring. The woman with him looked to be pregnant too.

  “Griffin would never start without his bestie,” Alex said.

  “Ass,” the man said. “And you must be Duke’s new lady. My wife wanted to come and talk babies with Penelope and Emily. I’m Eli and this is Bella. The little nugget in her belly is going to be Adrienne.”

  Okay, now she was really out of place. Eli was from one of the billionaire sides and here she was trying to pay off credit card debt so that she could someday get a loan without having too high of an interest rate.

  “That wasn’t horrible, was it?” Duke asked her several hours later when they were back at his house.

  “No,” she said. “I was nervous though.”

  “I know you were,” he said. “There was no reason to be.”

  “Easy for you to say. You grew up with all those people.”

  “Not really,” he said. “Most of them here today grew up in Boston. Or spent more time there than here. Alex and I went to school here.”

  “It’s funny that some of them ended up here then if they grew up off the island.”

  “Things are different now than when we were kids. Eli’s brother, Egan, has the charter service and it’s much easier to get on the chopper back and forth. There are more jobs and opportunities here. The island is growing.”

  “But the school still isn’t big, right? Like when you wanted to play sports?”

  “That is an issue. But there are some sports now and the ferry brings the kids to Cape Cod. There are schools there that are in the same division. They are making it work more than it could have when I was a kid.”

  “I remember thinking that it was a great place to visit but not a place I’d like to live.”

  “What do you think of it now?” he asked.

  “I think it’s an awesome place to have a life. If you can afford it,” she said.

  “There is that problem,” he said.

  Even though Duke was paying her well, more than she made at her other job, she knew it’d be tight if she tried to live on her own.

  Her debt was slowly getting manageable. She might be close to only paying back eleven thousand dollars right now. Her goal was to try to do it within six months as long as she stayed with her parents. The holidays could cause it to be tight, but it wouldn’t be much longer.

  Then she could breathe much easier.

  “So you think my family isn’t all that intimidating now that you met them?” he asked.

  “I met your parents already and Kelsey. Your sister is funny. Alana is quiet. Penelope likes to be the center of attention and she and Griffin are funny together. He’s almost two different people. Maybe three. He’s funny and sarcastic with his wife and sister, but then super sweet and kind with his daughter.”

  “And sweet and kind with his sister and wife too,” he said.

  “I think it goes without saying the Bond men cherish the women in their lives. But then even the way the Bond men are with each other is funny too.”

  The wit between Eli and Griffin, then Alex added in. Duke wasn’t immune to their busting either.

  She took it all in stride because it was just so much fun to be part of this group.

  Then the praise she got for her desserts and the pie that was all but licked clean on most plates was enough to have her floating high above the sky on some clouds.

  “Yes, the Bond men do cherish the women they love,” he said, moving close to her. He pulled her into his arms and held her. “You know that, right?”

  “I saw it today,” she said.

  He let out a sigh. “I mean you know I love you, don’t you?”

  There was that racing heart of hers. It was pounding so loudly in her chest that she wondered if he could hear it.

  “I didn’t know it until you just said it.”

  “Then I’m sorry I didn’t say it before. I’ve been trying to show it.”

  “I guess I’m to blame too because I should have said it before now, but I was afraid to.”

  “I don’t want you to be afraid of anything when it comes to me,” he said.

  “I’m trying not to be anymore. Which is why I’m going to ask you to take me to your room.”

  “Never be afraid to say that,” he said. He leaned down and picked her up.

  “Whoa. What’s this about?”

  “Cherishing,” he said. “I think I need to show you some more actions so you get the full effect.”

  No one had ever cherished her before. Had put her first.

  His mouth went to hers and started to kiss her slowly. Tenderly. Sweetly.

  There was no way she had the breath to say a word and there wasn’t much to say either.

  Thoughts went out of her head when he laid her on his bed and slowly undressed her until she was lying naked.

  His mouth went to her breasts, one by one, kissing the puckered nipples, then sucking on one until she was squirming around.

  “That feels so good,” she said.

  “I want you to feel good. I want to be the one to do it to you.”

  “You are the only person who has been able to do it so far,” she said. “No one has touched me the way you have.”

  “Every man wants to hear that,” he said. “Every man wants to be that to a woman.”

  Not in her world, but she’d never say that.

  Maybe it just took this long for her to finally find it.

  Or was it the lore and legend of this island? Fate? Love at first sight?

  He slid down her body kissing and licking so agonizingly slow that she wanted to grab his head and push him to where she needed him the most.

  But he knew what he was doing and he’d get there and did.

  He spread her wide and started to kiss and suck on her there as he did her breasts.

  “You taste so good,” he said.

  “It can’t be nearly as good as it feels. Duke. I’m on the pill.”

  He stopped what he was doing and looked up. “You are?”

  “Yes. I’ve been on it for years. I just always had it as a form of backup. But I want to know what it feels like without that other layer of protection. Only if you want to. I’m clean. I swear.”

  She’d never gone without a condom before. Maybe it was because she thought if she accidentally got pregnant she’d be a bigger disappointment to her parents than she’d felt at times.

  “I definitely want to do it,” he said. “And I’ve always protected myself too.”

  She wondered what that meant that they were both going to be the first for each other. She wouldn’t say that because there was part of her that couldn’t even focus on anything now as Duke got off the bed and started to undress himself.

  When he climbed back on, he gathered her in his arms, nudged her legs apart and sank right in.

  Normally he worked her up more before he did this, but she was going to just go with it and know he knew exactly what he was doing.

  Her hips lifted up to meet and retreat with his. The feeling of skin to skin was just another feeling she hadn’t been expecting.

  “Why does this feel so good?”

  “It does,” he said, his mouth going to hers. His hands found her fingers and threaded theirs together, pushing them over her head.

  She felt slightly trapped and it was a powerful aphrodisiac rather than a sign of weakness.

  Her hips started to lift up faster and higher against his. In the past she’d have to grind against him to get to the end, but now she didn’t feel the need to.

  More than anything, she just wanted him deeper than he was.

  Her legs went up and around his hips and the noises they were making with their sweaty bodies would give notice to anyone as to what was happening in this room by sound alone.

  “I’m so close,” she said. “Just keep it up.”

  He groaned and she wasn’t sure if it was in pain or pleasure and felt guilty that she didn’t think to ask. But she couldn’t because she needed to get from where she was to where she needed to go, and to do that, she had to focus on those sensations.

  Duke didn’t seem to mind though when she noticed his breathing getting labored along with hers.

  “Please tell me you’re there.”

  “Talk dirty to me,” she blurted out.

  He didn’t even flinch but said, “I’m going to fuck you so hard that you’re going to taste the come when I finish.”

  “Oh God,” she said, everything tightening inside of her.

  “When I’m done I’m going to flip you over and fuck you from behind again. We are going to fuck so much tonight that you might not be able to walk tomorrow without wincing and thinking of what we are doing right now.”

  Hadley wasn’t sure what it was about the words being said, but she started to come and scream at the same time and Duke was pounding into her so hard that she thought if he did do that all night, she wouldn’t be able to walk at all.

  But when he collapsed down on her a minute later, she didn’t care about anything other than the man she loved on top of her making her finally feel like a confident woman.

  34

  An Absurd Statement

  “Now it’s all making sense.”

  Hadley turned when Beth came into the back. She was working on the schedule for the next two weeks. Duke looked over the schedule for the cooks and made tweaks, but for the most part she was doing it all now and trying to take a load off his shoulders.

  Nice strong shoulders she was coming to love.

  “What makes sense?” she asked.

  It felt odd to her to be sitting in Duke’s office even though not that long ago it was her parents’ office. More her father’s, as her mother liked being up front.

  “How you got this job,” Beth said.

  She didn’t like being trapped in the room when being verbally attacked and she knew this was coming. She stood up to move out. She didn’t like sitting down either, as if someone was looming over her even having a normal conversation if that person came into her personal space.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” she said. She wanted to play dumb, but something told her she knew where this was going. It was too much to hope her relationship with Duke would stay quiet.

  “You’re fucking the boss.”

  Well, she didn’t expect it to be that bluntly thrown in her face. “What I do in my free time and with whom is no concern of yours,” she said with her voice as steady as she could make it.

  Between the party at Penelope’s and then the few times she’d been waiting for Duke while he got done working for the night, someone was bound to put it together.

  But since they said they loved each other, she shouldn’t let this bother her.

  It’s just...it was so hard to break old habits. It always bothered her when people said mean things or talked about her.

  Even felt negatively toward her too.

  Like the employee in front of her, that flirted with her boyfriend and was nasty and catty to many.

  “Of course it’s not,” Beth said. “But as I said, it makes sense how someone who has no restaurant experience can walk in here and just end up with a management position.”

  “I wouldn’t say I just had it handed to me,” she argued. “I’ve worked my butt off. I’ve been doing every job but a line cook or chef here since I came to the island.”

  “Because Duke felt bad for you. That your parents couldn’t handle the place and then you came here with nothing. Everyone is talking about it. It’s like you ran home with your tail between your legs, but no one can figure out why.”

  She felt her eyes start to fill up with tears. Everything this woman was saying was what she’d felt for years. For months even.