Page 65 of Rough Fantasy

“Your mother does understand basic biology, right?”

He looked down at her and wanted to tell her what he really wanted. He wanted them all together, and he wanted to have babies with her. He had never had that feeling about any other woman, but knowing Maura, and knowing Rory, they would both freak if he told them.

“You two should get out on the water. It’s fantastic,” Rory said as he walked up the beach.

“In a bit. I need some rest because I have these very insatiable lovers and they won’t leave me alone,” Maura said.

He laughed. He bent down, kissed Maura and leaned over to kiss Zeke. Before Zeke could say anything, Rory was on his way out to the water.

“He doesn’t care what other people think and neither should you,” Maura said.

He nodded as he watched Rory run back out into the water.

“Zeke?”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“You know I love you, right?”

He smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

And for now, that was enough.

twenty-eight

The next day, Maura walked down the hall to their new offices trying not to be bummed. She had thought the guys would come with her, but apparently they weren’t interested in seeing the new offices. Rory she understood, but she thought Zeke would have been interested.

“We’re still getting everything settled, but you’ll be able to get an idea of the layout,” Conner said as he punched in the security code for the door.

Maura stepped in and smiled. The carpets had been laid and she could still smell the paint.

“Wow, this is nice.”

It was sleek and elegant, but she didn’t expect any less than that from Conner. He’d always had an innate sense of style that sometimes irritated her.

“Yeah, I like it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to come through, but we got the bid with the contractors, and the rent isn’t that bad—for Honolulu.”

She smiled. “Let me guess, Evan Chambers had something to do with it?”

Conner smiled. “Yeah. He said something about a family discount.”

She was really happy for Conner. A man who had been a workaholic for years, he was finally starting to take life more slowly thanks to Jillian. Just a few months ago, he had ended up in the hospital and had been ordered to rest. She sent him to Hawaii and to Jillian.

“So, you still like living here?”

He nodded. “I would have never thought I would.”

“Why would you say that?” she asked walking toward the ceiling to floor windows. She could see the Honolulu Harbor from where she was standing. The sunlight sparkled on the water below. Traffic buzzed by.

“It’s hot here all the time.”

She laughed. “Conner, you used to live in Miami.”

“That’s different. Here nothing ever really changes. Okay on our side of the island we get a bit more of the winter storm season, but that’s it.”

“But, you love it.”

He said nothing and she looked over her shoulder at him. He was studying her as he often did when she was a teenager. Their difference in age had never been a problem. He had treated her with kindness most teenage brothers wouldn’t have for their egghead little sister. But, when he got that look on his face, he was trying to figure something out. Usually what she was up to—and that would not be a good thing right now. She was still trying to sort her feelings out for the guys. She didn’t need Conner sticking his big nose in and mucking things up.