Stanton Box Set

I laugh out loud and run into the bathroom. “You will have to catch me first,” I squeal.

“One-way ticket,” he growls as he runs into the bathroom and tackles me so that I fall onto the huge mat on the floor.

“You’re going to pound town.”

The flicker of the flames shadows my face as I stare into the fire. It’s 10 pm and we are sitting outside on the lounges surrounding the fire pit. Joshua showed me around this afternoon. This place is beyond heavenly. We went to the beach for a swim and his chef has just cooked us an amazing dinner. The others have headed off out on the town for a night of partying. I could think of nothing worse. How times change, I smile to myself. I am seated on one end of the long bench seat with my feet up on the ottoman and Joshua has his head on my lap and is fast asleep. He’s exhausted. He didn’t sleep last night because of the break-in at my apartment. I run my fingers continually over the top of his head and down his arm as I sit deep in thought watching the flames flicker. Who broke into my apartment? And what was the significance of my vibrator? I know I should believe that it’s Coby Allender, but I don’t. I think that was just a stupid coincidence that he mentioned it. It has something to do with Joshua, but what? My mind goes back to when it was taken—when was that? I rub my forehead as I think. It was when he came back to Australia and we were breaking up, not long after the hit on him. What was that hit about anyway? Was it an attempted hit or just a scare tactic? Somebody is trying to scare us. You don’t steal a vibrator in a robbery and then return it unless you are specifically trying to scare the shit out of someone. It worked. I had the first nightmare I have had in weeks last night. I run my hands over the top of Joshua’s head as he sleeps on my lap. He’s different here. The security has been dismissed. Max is staying in the last house on the block with the other guards and he has chosen not to go out tonight, although Joshua wouldn’t have cared if he had wanted to. It’s weird having all this privacy. My mind goes to Margaret and the horrible secret I am keeping. What a nightmare that situation is. Now that I know how Joshua has felt about me all along I am riddled with guilt. He doesn’t deserve to be deceived by the two people he cares about the most. I’m as bad as Margaret and I make myself sick. I’ve made the decision to tell him as soon as we get back to LA. It’s going to be hard but I have to do it because this guilt is eating me alive.

Joshua stirs, slowly wakes and sleepily smiles up at me. The honesty in his eyes cuts through me like a knife.

“Time for bed?” I smile softly.

He nods as he slowly stands. “Bedtime presh,” he murmurs huskily as he grabs my hand and leads me to our bedroom. “I will be asleep before I hit the pillow,” he sighs.

“Same,” I murmur, but my mind is far from a restful sleep. I’m preoccupied with betrayal and paternity and vibrator-stealing thieves and wondering if the man I love more than life itself will ever forgive me for keeping this secret and deceiving him.

It’s our second morning in Kamala, the boys are in the gym at the end house and the girls and I are making breakfast. Actually, let me rephrase that. I am making Spanish omelette while the lazy girls watch. Abbie is lying on the kitchen bench and Didge is sitting on a stool at the island bench. Apparently they went to a karaoke bar last night and embarrassed themselves. What a surprise.

“I saw you on the dance floor, Bridget. Don’t try and deny it.” Abbie raises her eyebrows in question.

I look up from the frying pan. “Saw what?” I ask.

“Ben and Bridget had a moment.”

“Did not!” Bridget snaps.

I frown as I continue to flip the omelette. “Do you like him Didge? You can tell me you know, I don’t care.”

Bridget bites her bottom lip as she thinks and shrugs her shoulders. “Not really,” she mutters under her breath.

“Oh please.” Abbie rolls her eyes. “You are so into him.”

“He’s just a nice guy that’s all. I like spending time with him but it’s not romantically charged.”

“Oh my fuck, did you just say it’s not romantically charged?” Abbie frowns in horror.

I smile broadly and Bridget shakes her head as she smirks.

“It’s sexually charged imbecile, not romantically charged.” Abbie scoffs. “If you are waiting for an attraction to be romantically charged you are going to be waiting for a lifetime. Shit doesn’t happen like that.”

“Does too.” Bridget widens her eyes at Abbie to accentuate her point.

I nod as I agree. “It does Abbie. With nice guys it happens.” I start to lay out the cutlery and hand the bottle of juice to Bridget who starts to fill the glasses on the table.

“Blah, blah, blah, nice guys are boring. I want a bad boy to bend me over and I want sexually charged. Bang the romance shit you two go on about,” Abbie replies.

“Nice guys bend you over,” I mutter.

“Really?” Joshua coos from his spot at the doorway. I throw him a smirk. How long has he been standing there listening?

“You are a nice guy and yes I am bent over regularly.” My eyes hold his and he smiles sexily. He walks around behind me and kisses my temple as he wraps his arms around me.

“Stop it. You’re all sweaty.” I swish him away.

“You like sweat,” he whispers darkly

“Eww, yuk, stop it,” Bridget frowns. “You two are gross,” she adds.

Joshua picks up an apple and takes a bite. “My house.” His eyes dare her to reply.