by Shel Stone
“Okay,” she said. She sensed he was telling her this because he worried she might not be cool with it. “If we’ve got to live like hermits on a desert island, I’m in.”
His tongue running lightly along his teeth, he considered her. Was that the answer he’d expected? No, she was in, whatever came. The nice apartment and fancy cars meant shit to her, and if it had to go, she wouldn’t even blink.
“Come here,” he said softly and she did, being lifted against him again as he kissed her. “I’ve fucking missed you.”
Nook smiled within the kiss, but got distracted as it deepened. This was it now, him and her and they were going to do this together. Oh, and she’d missed him too—like crazy.
“Where’s that bedroom I saw?” he asked. “It looked like somewhere I wanted to spend time with you.”
“There,” she said, barely breaking the kiss and he carried her there.
Epilogue
THE BREEZE WAS WARM and soothing as they sat on the rooftop bar overlooking the beach. The sun was going down. They had some spectacular sunsets here too, where the shadows stretched across the sand.
This bar was their early evening go to place before going out to dinner, frequented by a surprisingly eclectic group of people, including a British lord, a New York socialite, a transgender social media star and a drunk former celebrity chef.
Each month that went by, they met more people of the weird and wonderful social group that made up the Rio expat community. These were people who simply didn’t fit into their own and sought a new hangout on the other side of the world.
Palmer grabbed his beer and took a sip. Nook was sitting in the rattan chair next to him with her feet tucked underneath her. Amusement was shining through her eyes as she spoke to a Hungarian guy who liked to wear shoes embroidered with his initials. A strangely self-obsessed guy, but essentially harmless. A lesser cousin of some European royal family. Palmer couldn’t really bother listening to him harp on about himself. Nook was more forgiving.
This time of night was nice. People came out at night here. They ate dinner after nine and hung out into the early hours. There was enough to choose from, restaurant-wise, and he was happy to explore.
This weekend they were driving south and he really had no idea what they’d find. So far, they hadn’t ventured too far from their apartment as there was too much to explore inside it to venture too far out. But they had started coming here in the evenings and were getting to know the local crowd. Some were a bit standoffish, but neither of them cared. They weren’t here to impress. These people were just scenery, a way to spend an evening. In fact, Palmer could do without them, but Nook liked getting into people’s stories, learning about what had brought them all here.
The potential fallout from things back in Miami hadn’t eventuated, at least not as far as he could hear through the grapevine. Conners’ uncle took his death as justified, and the Del Dia boys didn’t seem to want to venture into Brazil to come after him. It wouldn’t make them forget, but they seemed to be safe here.
Even the DEA wasn’t all that interested in a retired kingpin, and the Brazilians were too hard to deal with to work through official channels. So here they were, getting to know their new home. There was enough squirreled away in the Caymans to keep them like this for however long they wanted.
Nook had decided they should both learn Portuguese and had hired in a tutor to come help, but it incensed her that it came more naturally to him than it did to her. There was a competitive streak in her, and learning languages wasn’t one she was going to win at.
During his time here, she had softened, mellowed. There was still that tough girl underneath, but she was happy. He made her happy, and that was something that he marveled at every day. It was hard to imagine how he’d lived without her, without reaching out for her every morning and having her there—soft and warm.
Maybe he needed to stop thinking about it. They were in public.
Reaching out, he stroked down her arm and her fingers entwined in his. Okay, they were a bit sappy, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world.
He sighed as he sat back in his chair. He had never really believed that he could have end up like this. It was better than he deserved. He knew that. His life had been like the football games he’d played when he was a kid, with him picking up the ball and running until someone got him. That was what he’d expected, for someone to get him in the end. It being Nook, and this being their lives, was far beyond what he’d believed possible. Death or prison was what he should have been dealt. This felt a little like he’d cheated the gods, but maybe he’d stepped out of their sight too. He could only hope.
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Other Books by Shel Stone
Marbella Nights –Marbella series book 1– Getting a job on a yacht in Marbella hadn’t exactly been Adelaide Simon’s plan, but it was worth giving up her back-packing travels for a cushy job in the sun. The owner is decent, although his girlfriend is a complete bitch. This weekend’s trip out on the Mediterranean, Quentin Cartright is onboard as a guest—a guy you’d have to live under a rock to not have heard about. Gorgeous, rich and a member of the exclusive set of rich kids who live around here. Rumour has it he’s nothing but trouble.
A Thin Line –D’Arth series book 1– Bella Burrows knows that the corporate environment is difficult to navigate at the best of times. It is especially difficult when the important account lead hates the very sight of her. Damon D'Arth is a corporate warrior who knows his way around the politics in the world for major infrastructure. Jane needs to stand up for herself and her mentor's interests.
This job is the key to Bella's future and she's been given a great opportunity, but now she needs to prove that her promotion was justified. She just isn't sure she can survive in this high pressure environment with hidden dangers and equal exhilaration. Her mentor's support is the only thing that is keeping D'Arth from ripping her to pieces.
Coast – Getting a job at the local Coast Burger outlet wasn’t exactly the height of social success, but I, Pepper Minnow, was unfortunately not in the position to just hang out all summer waiting for college to start. The uniform looked like death, the customers were awful, and they even smelled worse than the burger grease at times. And then there were the co-workers, a complicated story. Riley, in particular, was just an asshole. He wasn’t ugly, but I could definitely talk myself into seeing him that way.
