LAUREN

Due diligence, integration planning, executive… All terms that have been thrown around for weeks since Antonio and I returned from Italy. At some point, my eyes started to glaze over after the mention of the words for the dozenth time in an afternoon.

I type a new company email while listening to Josh and three other top executives at Interstellar rattle on about the SEC approval status and how we can’t move forward until they’ve given their go-ahead. In my message, I reassure the employees the merger is moving forward as planned and soon they’ll be working for the largest aerospace company in the world, helping us propel humankind further into space than we’ve dared to travel before.

My email starts to sound like something straight out of Star Trek with its futuristic and tech talk that could rival any Trekkie’s vocabulary at the yearly Comic-Con. If nothing else, it’s keeping me busy as they hash out the details for a meeting tomorrow with the team from Cozza.

I resist closing the email with a line from Toy Story, a movie I’ve now memorized thanks to Amalia, Antonio’s niece, playing it repeatedly during our last trip to Lake Como. Amalia insisted I sit with her, watching the silly cartoon as she acted out the scenes in front of the large-screen television with me as a captive audience. I hate to admit it, but I loved every minute of the movie and Amalia’s reenactment.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Antonio says before knocking at the door I’d left open, praying someone would interrupt us. “I’m going to steal your boss away from you for a bit.”

I cover the computer and mouth, “Thank you.”

“No, problem, sir.” Josh rises from his chair, flipping his black leather notebook closed. “We were finished anyway.”

They file out of the office and dip their head to Antonio. Somehow, they seem more afraid of him than me even though I’m their boss and will continue to be once we merge.

“Ready for dinner?” Antonio asks, striding into my office in the most beautiful gray suit with white pinstripes.

I lick my lips, wanting a taste of him more than any meal. I turn off the computer after I hit send on the email I typed to waste some time and keep up company morale. “Where are we going tonight?”

He grins as he sits down on the edge of my desk and gazes at my shirt. “It’s a surprise.”

I glance down, realizing I hadn’t closed all the buttons on my blouse after our “lunch meeting” earlier today. My cheeks heat at the thought that half the men I was in contact with today probably now know the color of my bra.

“Shit.” I fumble with the button, trying to get it closed when Antonio covers my hand with his.

“Don’t,” he says, leaning forward and taking another peek. “There’s no need to button up now. Not where we’re going.”

I rise to my feet and stand between his legs. “Why, Mr. Forte, are you taking me out for a night of fun?” I blink flirtatiously with a salacious grin.

“Can you handle the excitement?” He brushes the hair that has fallen free from my bun away from my eyes. “You look tired.”

“Smooth. That’s a way of saying I look horrible.”

He shakes his head and grazes my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “No, but I think we need to get away for the weekend and unplug.”

That’s always his answer to everything. He escapes the city at every turn, whisking me away to the furthest reaches of the planet in a quest to show me all the places I’d deprived myself of visiting because of work.

I close my eyes and move into his touch, narrowly avoiding a yawn. “I’d like to stay closer to home this weekend.”

“How about the island? It’s a quick flight.”

The pull of the waves, sand, and sun, plus knowing that Antonio will be wearing very little clothing, make the decision impossibly easy. “That sounds perfect.”

“We’ll leave after dinner and make it to the island before midnight.”

“But it’s Thursday.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “One day, I’ll get you to take a day off without planning it weeks in advance.”

“When the companies are merged and there’s no chance of a problem rocking the boat, I’ll run away with you anytime.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He knows I can’t take a day off. Every time we go away, I promise we’ll have more days like that without such a long time in between, but I always back out when he begs me to run away. Soon, the merger will be complete, and I can breathe a little easier knowing that everything is in place for the new company to run like a well-oiled machine.

That day will come. But for now, we have the island.

ANTONIO

I’d surprised Lauren and had Tara waiting at her favorite Mexican restaurant just down the street from her penthouse. Lauren says that my family is loud, but Tara gives them a run for their money.

“I kicked his ass out of my car,” Tara says loudly and places her margarita on the table in front of her. The green liquid sloshes over the top and lands on the table below, creating a puddle. “I literally kicked his ass.” She lifts her leg, plunging it forward, and almost knocks over the waiter standing nearby with the stiletto high heel of her black boot.

Lauren gasps and covers her mouth. “You did not?”

“I don’t have time to play games.” Tara pulls the salted-rim glass in front of her, causing more liquid to spill out. At this rate, half of it will end up on the table instead of in her mouth.

“Right on, sister.” Lauren lifts her glass without spilling an ounce, holding her liquor way better than Tara, which surprises me.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent enough time around Tara to fall in love with her just as much as Lauren is. Not in a sexual way, of course. Instead, she reminds me of Flavia and Violetta contained in one single body. Lord help any man who’s able to snag her as a mate. They’ll have their hands full for eternity.

“I hope my boot left a mark on his ass cheek.” Tara stops talking long enough to take a sip, and I use the opportunity to do something I don’t often do, be gracious and selfless.

“Tara, how would you like to come to the island with us for the weekend?”

In an almost robotic motion, Lauren turns to me with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Tara’s face matches Lauren’s because I’m sure they’ve had more than one girl talk about my asshole tendencies and the way I’ve been monopolizing Lauren’s time.

Tara’s glass lands a little harder on the table this time, more liquid spilling over the side. “You’d do that?” She slams her hands down next to her glass and turns her head sideways, putting her ear closer to hear me better. “You shittin’ me, Forte?”

“Sweetheart, are you sick?” Lauren places the palm of her hand on my forehead as her eyebrows draw together and she moves closer.

I pull her hand away and laugh. “I figured we could have some fun in the sun, and you two deserve a little time together too. I’m sorry I’ve kept her from you so often. I know how important you are to each other.”

“Well, fuck.” Tara snatches her phone off the table, which had somehow missed the waterfall of tequila falling nearby, and she stabs at the screen a few times.

“Tara has to work this weekend. You know those are her busy days.”

Tara glances up, giving Lauren the evil eye. “Shut your whore mouth. I’m not missing a free trip to the Bahamas. My job can kiss my ass just like that fool I kicked out of my car. Forte, I accept your invitation, but I require a hot pool boy for me.”

“Sorry, Tara. There’s only going to be the three of us on the island.”

She pouts for a second but quickly rebounds. “Unlimited bar and food?”

“That I can do.”

She almost hurls herself across the tiny bar table in my direction. “You’re the best boyfriend Lauren’s ever had.”

“It’s not hard to top the last,” I say with a laugh.

“I’ll have my bags packed and meet you at the office at five?”

“I’ll have a car pick you up to bring you to us at the airport.”

She taps her chin and tries to remain calm, but I can see she’s about to burst at the seams. “How many checked bags do I get?”

“It’s a private plane, silly. There’s no limit.”

I can see it now. Tara’s going to pack like she’s going on a worldwide tour and won’t return for at least six months.

Lauren must be thinking the same thing because she says, “Just remember, it’s an island. We’re not going out. I barely wear anything at all when I’m there.”

“What about you, big boy?”

I glance at Lauren, letting her field that one. The last trip we took, I barely kept my clothes on because there’s something so freeing about nudity on a private island. If someone came by on a kayak or their yacht, it wasn’t my problem if they saw more than they bargained for.

“We both wear swimsuits, Tara, but not much else. Just bring your suit and sunscreen. It can all fit in that giant purse of yours.”

Tara flings her black-and-white striped purse that’s as big as most carry-on luggage into her lap. “But my makeup.”

Lauren rolls her eyes and gives in. “Fine, bring whatever you want.”

“Smart,” I mutter because I’ve learned just to give in when it comes to the whims of women. Not many of them could travel with only a swimsuit and nothing else.

“Ugh. I have to go,” Tara says, glancing down at her phone as the screen lights up.

“It better not be him,” Lauren warns her.

“Who?”

“The ass guy.”

Tara groans. “It’s not. It’s work. They want me to cover the late shift and close down the bar since I have a family emergency this weekend. I should’ve waited until tomorrow to call off this weekend.”

“You can sleep on the plane tomorrow. It has a private bedroom.” Lauren smiles and grabs my hand. “Antonio travels in style.”

“I’m sure he does, and I’m sure it’s come in handy more than once.”

I laugh uncomfortably and squeeze Lauren’s hand. Sure, a few women have been in that bed with me, but not since the day Lauren smashed into my world and turned everything on its head.

Tara kisses us goodbye and runs out of the restaurant to hail a cab.

“Can she work like that?”

“She works at a bar. She’ll be fine. And she only had two drinks.”

“Let’s call it one since most of the last glass is on the table.”

Lauren laughs and wraps her arms around my neck. “I don’t know what got into you, but thank you.” She rubs her nose against mine and stares into my eyes.

“You could use a little fun with your friend. We’ll have plenty of time for the two of us.”

“Shit.” Lauren rests her head against my forehead and sighs. “Where is she going to sleep?”

“She can use the guesthouse so she doesn’t have to see or hear us.”

“Thank God. I would’ve hated to call her and tell her we changed our mind.”

“We could’ve kept our hands off each other for the weekend if we had to, Lauren.”

I’m lying, of course. Since we’ve known each other, keeping our hands to ourselves hasn’t been our strong suit.

She lifts her head and fans her face with her hand. “You may be able to, but you’ve never seen yourself when the water cascades down your body, pooling in the ridges of your muscles.”

“You’ve never seen the way the light bounces off the water droplets on the swell of your breasts, so we’re even.”

“Let’s go to my place,” she says.

I’ve started staying at Lauren’s place more often than going back to the hotel where we met, even though it’s just down the street. It’s become harder to spend time away from each other too. Our days are filled with business, but I always have her nights.