Kingdom Fall

“I didn’t think you wanted to hear anything I had to say. Now that you mention it, it would probably be a good time to remove the rings,” he said, letting go of my hand.

What came next I might have missed if I hadn’t been grumbling curses about the gorgeous man while trying to decide if I should risk removing the rings and having them fly out of my slippery hands because of the heat to be lost in the ocean forever. Instead, with my head dipped, I saw Striker reach in his pocket for something at the same time the man who’d been heading in our direction crossed our path. His hand opened with a glint of metal that appeared to be keys. I couldn’t swear to it, but my guess was Striker now had the keys and the other man probably had money of some sort.

Striker picked up speed, leaving me unable to ask him, so I spun the solitary diamond toward my palm. That made it appear I was wearing stackable rings instead of a bridal set. Striker was already on the big boat when I stepped on.

“Nice,” a frat boy said, giving me a thumbs-up.

Weirdly, I felt old and overdressed as college students swarmed around with red plastic cups in their hands. Not so long ago, I might have been one of them.

“Heading for party island?” the same boy asked. “One-way trip.”

I looked in Striker’s direction, but he was talking to a group of guys doing some sort of male hand slapping and had his back to me.

“Looks that way,” I said, giving the boy a tentative smile. I waited for him to ask if I was someone’s mom, even though he was no more than four years younger than me—if that.

“That’s good. Maybe we can hang out later.”

I nodded noncommittedly.

“The keg’s in the front of the boat, and other than that, no rules.” He sounded proud of himself.

I felt utterly self-conscious. I shouldn’t have because as I moved forward, I was waylaid by two girls.

“Oh my God, that cover-up is so cute!” one said.

The other chimed in, “Tell me you bought it here on the island so I can get one myself. Of course, after we get back. And that hat, I love it.”

I nodded. They introduced themselves and took me, so to speak, under their wings.

I might have relaxed if one of them hadn’t said, “Oh my God, that guy is so hot. I didn’t see him earlier, did you? I wonder what school he goes to.”

There was no need for me to guess who they were talking about. When I looked up, I met a pair of amazing blue eyes that matched the color of the ocean here. A liquid blue I’d gotten lost in multiple times.

“And he’s looking at you,” the other said.

No, he was smirking, damn him. That lopsided grin would get any woman wet.SevenConnorBecause my blonde looked like a fish out of water, at least until she spotted me, I intervened. I’d only left her for a second to make sure this was the right boat. Plans had been made and we’d be screwed if we didn’t end up on the island.

“Ladies,” I said.

The two women who’d already taken Lizzy as one of their own had protective arms slung over her shoulders. “We were just telling…”

“Lisa,” Lizzy said.

“Yes, Lisa that we have a place you can store your bags. They won’t be messed with. Ours are up there too.”

“Lead the way,” I said.

Lizzy and I followed them upstairs to the second level and through an exterior door on the right side of the boat. It was a small room, more like a utility room.

“No one comes in here,” the girl on Lizzy’s left said.

“Can I have a word with Liz—a?” I caught myself in time, and the women didn’t seem to notice my almost mistake.

“Sure,” the other girl said and winked at Lizzy.

Lizzy gave them a smile as they left, but I recognized it for what it was. She wasn’t happy about being alone with me.

When the door closed, she said, “Are you going to tell me our destination?”

“Party island.” I grinned because I knew it would piss her off.

She grabbed the hem of the top she wore and whipped it over her head.

“Caving so quickly?” I asked.

“Get over yourself. I’m changing into this.” She reached in a bag and took out a T-shirt. After biting off the tag, she pulled the shirt down over her head. “Better. Now I don’t look like a MILF.”

Mother I’d like to fuck she was not. I did want to fuck her though.

“Trust me, no guy on this boat thought you were a MILF.”

“What would you know? You were too busy getting eye-fucked by every woman on the boat,” she grumbled while rummaging in her bag. She yanked out a circle thing she used to pull her hair back into a tail. “Better?”