Thunk.
If Addie was trying to land a really great guy, it would still be hard to step aside, but Derek wouldn’t hesitate. He had nothing to offer a woman long-term but a nomad’s life on the sea or a lonely life in port, waiting for him to come home. There were undoubtedly some women out there who’d embrace that life, but Addie had spelled out quite clearly that she wasn’t one of them. Nor was she the type to enjoy the here and now and to hell with later.
He laid the ax across the stump he’d been using as a chopping pedestal, enjoying the faint breath of breeze across his bare torso. Hot day. At this rate he might make it back into the ocean for more ball-shrinking fun.
“Hey, Derek.” Incredibly the object of his ax-wielding fury strolled into the clearing and lifted his fist for a bump. Derek hated fist bumps. “Puttin’ in some good sweat there, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Kevin put his hands on his hips and slouched into a casual pose, apparently settling in to watch. He was wearing plaid shorts. Derek hated plaid shorts. With a yellow polo shirt. Derek hated yellow.
“Nice day.” Kevin yawned wide and long, without covering his mouth.
“Rough night?” Derek couldn’t help himself, even knowing he should shut the hell up.
“Man, yeah. Crazy night.” Kevin laughed, scratching his head enthusiastically. “Amazing night.”
Derek picked up the ax, sweat turning cold, stomach sinking. Addie had gone from his bed to Kevin’s.
No, he couldn’t believe she’d do that. Did that make him perceptive or in denial?
“That girl is a gymnast.” He put his hands to his lower back and bent side to side. “Wore me out.”
That girl? Derek’s grip tightened on the handle. Did he forget her name already? With the amount Kevin had to drink last night, Derek wouldn’t be surprised. Though until he heard that Kevin had for sure been with Addie, he wasn’t going to believe it. Not totally. She was an intelligent, passionate, exciting woman, and Kevin...wore plaid shorts. “Congratulations.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He yawned again. “Have you seen Addie around this morning?”
Derek blinked. Something about the way Kevin emphasized her name—as if he’d been talking about someone else before—gave him some hope. “Not lately.”
“Thought I’d see if she wanted to go on a walk with me this morning.”
“Yeah?” He hauled up the blade for his next swing, trying to look as casual as possible. “When did you last see her?”
Thunk.
“In the middle of the night.” Kevin smirked. “Guess she paid you a visit by mistake first.”
Derek held Kevin’s gaze. Very bad idea to taunt a man holding an ax. “She spent some time in my room, yeah.” Not sure she thought it was entirely a mistake.
Kevin’s turn to look uncomfortable. “Well, I haven’t seen her this morning.”
Damn it. Still no definite answer. She might not have spent the whole night with him.
Sarah sprang into the clearing holding a towel around herself, cheeks rosy, body glistening. She stopped short when she saw the two men, then her eyes lit up and she pursed her lips as if about to whistle. “Well, gentlemen, hello.”
“Are you naked under there?” Kevin’s eyes were practically shooting out of their sockets.
Derek snorted. Didn’t the guy ever listen to himself? “I think what he meant was, ‘Hi, Sarah, great to see you.’”
“That’s what I thought.” Sarah spared Derek a glance then turned to Kevin. “Addie and I were sunbathing in the altogether.”
“Where?” Both men spoke at once then glared at each other.
“Ha!” Sarah snapped her fingers at each of them. “Like I’d tell you?”
“Okay.” Kevin turned to Derek, all pretend business. “We’ll split up. You take that way, I’ll take this way, we’ll search the island.”
Hilarious, Kevin.
“Yoo-hoo!” Carrie bounced into the clearing, beaming. The woman made Sarah look low-energy and depressive. She sent Kevin a slow, sexy wink that made Derek straighten up and take notice. “There you are.”
“I’m here.” Kevin laughed nervously, looking from Sarah to Derek and back.