Shifting Perspectives

Nicolau leaned closer and fixed an intense gaze on Kyle once more. “And you do what for her in return.”

Kyle sighed. “Nothing I wasn’t willing to do with her back in England. We’re good friends. She wanted me to join her on her vacation. I can’t afford this, but she can and insisted. There’s no expectation for compensation. We just enjoy each other’s company.”

The man was nodding with a distracted expression, so Kyle tried to change the topic. “How long will you be here?”

“Tonight is our last night. I must return to Spain tomorrow,” Nicolau admitted. “I was lucky to get these few days off.”

“Oh! That’s too bad. I would have liked to introduce you to Louise. She’s traveled throughout Europe and likely has some stories she could share with you and your wife,” Kyle said with a sigh.

“I would very much like to introduce you to Èlia. Tonight. Now,” Nicolau insisted, and Kyle stared at him.

“It’s late, and from what I saw tonight at the restaurant, I don’t think she’d be interested in meeting visitors,” Kyle suggested.

“That is where you are wrong! She would be very delighted to meet you! Please! I can sweeten the deal with an exquisite bottle of scotch we have and cannot take with us back to Spain,” Nicolau pleaded with a slight grin.

Kyle paused. He was intrigued to meet Èlia after speaking with Nicolau, who seemed like a really nice guy, aside from being just too damn handsome. Besides, the offer of good scotch was tempting. “It’s better than this stuff?” he said, gesturing to his empty tumbler.

Nicolau grinned widely as he saw he was getting his way. “Much better!”

Kyle sighed as he looked at the time. “Okay, but if I was right, and she’s not up to visitors, we’ll say our goodbyes and go our separate ways. I really can’t stay for long, as it is late, and plans were made for tomorrow.”

“Sure! Great! Let’s go!” Nicolau said happily.

He led Kyle down the hill and over to a villa, steps from the beach. While it was dark, Kyle could imagine how awesome this villa would be as well. While it had no pool, right there was the freaking ocean!

They stopped a short distance from the door, and Nicolau looked at Kyle. “Just let me go inside and see if she’s presentable.”

“Oh! Right. I’ll be here,” Kyle said with a nod.

Nicolau grinned at him and quickly rushed inside.

Kyle couldn’t get over the difference a smile made on the tall man’s face. When they passed on the beach and during supper, Nicolau had an aloof, unapproachable expression that made him look cold yet still gorgeous. Much like those male models in the cologne ads.

He considered what he saw of Èlia and realized she seemed very much the same way. Kyle hoped she matched Nicolau’s friendliness when comfortable enough to smile.

He wondered if being so intensely beautiful required defensive measures, like the expressions he saw on their faces on the beach.

Kyle looked around and realized he’d been standing on the villa’s entry path for some time. He worried that he may have been right. Maybe Èlia wasn’t in the mood.

The door suddenly opened, and Nicolau was gesturing for Kyle to join him quickly.

He stepped forward and entered the beautifully decorated beach home. It was styled very much like Louise’s hillside villa, minus the integrated patio and pool.

Then Kyle’s attention was trapped by the second occupant. Èlia was standing at the entrance to the bedroom, and Kyle’s brain took a brief holiday as she smiled at him.

In a bikini top with a wrap around her waist, she’d been stunningly dressed when they met on the beach.

In her villa, wearing barely there lingerie under the sheerest of gossamer robes, the woman simply took Kyle’s breath away.

When she smiled, the transformation was mind-altering. It took years off her perceived age and obliterated her air of being unapproachable.

“Good evening, I’m Kyle MacDenny. I hope we aren’t disturbing you too late,” Kyle offered.

“No, I hadn’t gone to bed yet. Won’t you have a seat, Kyle? I’m Èlia,” she said, gesturing to the sofa.

He smiled and glanced at Nicolau, who nodded, so he crossed the room to sit on the sofa. Èlia surprised him by sitting next to him, with her feet tucked under her and her knees pointed toward him, almost touching his. He had to turn slightly to face her. As he did, Nicolau took the chair facing the couch, making it difficult to see them simultaneously.

Kyle was feeling a little awkward when Nicolau jumped back up to his feet. “I’m a poor host. I promised you some scotch, didn’t I.”

Kyle grinned at him. “You mentioned it.”

While the man walked off to the next room, Èlia caught his attention by touching his arm. “Nico told me you are living a minimalist lifestyle. Can you explain this to me?”

He nodded and told her exactly what he’d said to her husband.

“You gave it all away? You kept nothing?” she said in surprise.

“I kept the clothes I regularly wear, my notebook PC, my cellphone, and one item I couldn’t part with. The motorcycle my father and I restored. That’s the only thing I ever received from him, and we had a good time working on it.”

“Ah! What kind of motorcycle is it?” Nicolau asked as he handed Kyle a tumbler with a generous amount of scotch in it. Kyle eyed the tumbler with caution. He’d have to be careful not to finish it.

“It’s a 1988 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic.” He pulled out his cell and opened his gallery app to show them the photo.

“It’s pretty,” Èlia said.

Nicolau laughed. “Pretty? Motorcycles aren’t pretty! They’re tough and masculine!” He looked at the bike again. “It’s badass!”

Kyle chuckled. “Thanks. I think it’s all that… and pretty too.”

Èlia stuck her tongue out at her husband, who snorted.

“Where is your motorcycle now?” she asked.

“It’s in a storage locker in Montreal. Canadian winters aren’t meant for motorcycles. I’ll take it back out in the spring,” he said.

Èlia was watching him closely, and he wasn’t sure why, so he distracted himself with a sip of the scotch. He smiled in appreciation. “Oh yes, that’s much better than the stuff they have at the bar. Thank you!”

Nicolau nodded with a smug look on his face.

“I understand you’re leaving tomorrow. I would have loved to have introduced you to Louise. She’s the friend I met in England who invited me to join her here,” Kyle sighed as he took another sip.

“This was the woman you were having dinner with tonight?” Èlia asked, and Kyle nodded.

“Where is she now?” she asked.

Kyle smiled self-consciously. “She’s sleeping off the wine she had at dinner.” He glanced at the scotch and sipped again. It was really smooth and sent warmth through his chest. He was feeling it, so he needed to slow down.

“I think she might be sleeping off something else,” Nicolau commented with a smile.

Kyle looked at him cautiously, and the man raised his hands. “After dinner, I was going for a walk to clear my head,” he said, casting his eyes to his wife. “While I walked, I couldn’t help but hear the distinct cries of a woman in the throes of passion. I believe I saw you exiting from the villa the sounds came from,” he said with a knowing smile.

“Note to self; close the bedroom sliding doors before engaging in such activities,” Kyle groaned.

Èlia seemed very intrigued. “What would those activities be?” She leaned a little closer, and her gown slipped open a little.

Kyle did his best to refrain from staring at the woman’s soft and inviting cleavage. He glanced at his hosts briefly. “A gentleman never tells.” He took another sip to calm his nerves and swallowed a little too much. It felt so good on its way to his stomach. “I think I’d better stop enjoying this scotch. It’s a little too delicious.”

“There you go, denying yourself the best of things again!” Nicolau lamented, but grinned as he did.

Kyle shared his grin. “But I don’t deny myself the most important things in life. My friends! They are wonderful and share their lives with me as I share mine with them.” He thought of his friends back in Santa Barbara, and a pang went through his chest as he thought of them. “I can’t wait to see them again.”

Èlia moved even closer and was soon leaning against his side gently. “Kyle, what does it take to be a friend like the kind you make cry in ecstasy?”

Warning bells were going off in Kyle’s brain, but he was experiencing some disorientation from the scotch. He looked at Nicolau, who was watching Kyle, but didn’t look like he would interfere. Kyle was confused.

“I’m not sure what’s happening here. It’s a little outside of my experience,” Kyle said cautiously.

Nicolau leaned back in his chair, which seemed to add so much space between his chair and the sofa. “What’s happening is my Èlia would like to experience this ecstasy for herself, but not from me.” He said it calmly, but there was an edge to it.

Kyle’s mouth worked, but he wasn’t saying anything. Èlia was incredibly lovely and her body, which she was now beginning to display as she pushed the gown from her shoulders, was exceptional, but she was a stranger!

He wasn’t so drunk that he failed to recognize he was in the situation Louise mentioned she’d been in years ago. Speaking of her, would she be upset at him?

He had to be honest with himself and acknowledge that Louise wasn’t as emotionally attached to him as Helen and Skye were. She really seemed to think of him in terms of a sex buddy. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t be hurt or annoyed at him for seeking sex on the side, even though he wasn’t seeking it at all.

“I’ve never done this with a married woman–” He froze as Fiona’s, then Gloria’s, and finally Monique’s face flashed into his mind. “Wait, that’s not true, but the husband wasn’t aware or present. Extramarital affairs have been problematic, in my experience. This isn’t a good idea.” Nicolau’s expression relaxed slightly.

Èlia’s long graceful fingers began undoing the buttons on Kyle’s shirt as she moved closer still, her face only inches from his. “Tonight was supposed to be a very special encounter, much like this, but someone failed to make the proper arrangements. Now there’s a much better opportunity before me, and I don’t want to waste it.”

Her lips brushed past Kyle’s, and his body automatically reacted by returning her caress. After a brief, sharp inhalation, she tried to get the upper hand again by dipping her tongue into his mouth. His tongue responded by sliding sensually across hers, drawing it deeper. She moaned softly as tremors went through her body. She pulled back from the kiss to stare into his eyes in surprise. She touched her lips with her fingertips, then she was pushing his shirt from his shoulders.

Kyle was trying to think with his big head, not the little one, which honestly was screaming at him to shut up and go with it. He looked at Nicolau in concern and saw the man was watching his wife with a pained expression. Kyle caught Èlia’s hands in his, and she looked into his eyes.

“I won’t be the reason a marriage falls apart,” Kyle insisted.

Èlia looked at her husband. “How many have you fucked?” Nicolau’s face turned away in shame. “How many!” she snapped.

“I don’t recall! Many!” he snapped in return, but there was no heat in his words.

“For forgiveness, what did you agree to?” she prompted him.

Nicolau sighed. “This.”

Lovely, dark eyes fastened on Kyle’s as Èlia focused on him. “One night, tonight, with someone I chose. But he failed me once more. Please, Kyle. Don’t make me beg to earn a measure of balance in my marriage.”

Kyle felt the foundation of his argument swept away by her words. He released her hands, and her smile flashed excitedly across her face. She reached for his pants, but he once more caught her hands. She looked at him in frustration, but he eased her back on the sofa, and her smile returned twice as bright. He brought his lips back to hers and kissed her until she was gasping and clinging to his body.

While this was happening, Kyle used one of his hands to undo the button and zipper on his pants. The relief on his trapped cock was immediate and welcome.

Kyle remained intimately aware that Nicolau was not only aware of their activities but had a front-row seat. He had to make a conscious effort to not look in the man’s direction, but with the beauty before him, Kyle was easily distracted from his presence.

He moved his lips to Èlia’s long neck, and the woman writhed under his body. His kisses moved downward, and her breathing quickened. He recognized the pretty gem between the cups of her bra as the clasp, so while brushing the upper surfaces of her breasts with his lips, he quickly released it.

The weight of her breasts popped the bra open to expose their perfection and her firm brown nipples. He kissed around them as she grabbed his head and pulled him to one of the stiff buds. She cried out when he gently sucked on it and stroked it with the tip of his tongue. So, she had sensitive nipples. Good to know.

Kyle spared a glance at Nicolau as he was entering into dangerous territory. These were very sexual activities, and if the man was going to lose his cool, it would be now. The man remained in his chair, frozen.

His kisses moved down across Èlia’s firm and flat stomach muscles, which fluttered and twitched under Kyle’s lips as her hips undulated in anticipation.

He could tell she was past the point where he should continue his teasing kisses, so he moved directly to giving her some relief. She was exquisitely smooth and bare of all hair between her legs. Her lower lips were flushed with excitement and very responsive to his kisses. He introduced one, then two fingers inside to stroke the roof of her inner channel while his other hand tugged and squeezed her nipples.

Kyle spent as much time and effort as she needed as he discovered what she liked and what she truly craved, then gave it to her until her cries carried across the beach to the ocean beyond.

When she finally pushed at his head to let her come down from her bliss, Kyle pulled back to rest on his heels and looked at Nicolau, whose expression was deeply conflicted. The man’s erection was showing against his pants, but he didn’t seem happy.

Kyle remained quiet as he looked at Èlia and watched her begin to focus on him again.

“That… was exquisite, Kyle. The best–”

“Now you’re being needlessly cruel! I never boasted about the interludes I had!” Nicolau snapped.

Èlia’s eyes slid over to look at her husband. “No, you didn’t, but you were more intent on keeping your casual fucking a secret from me. So many times that you lost track, I believe you just said.”

Nicolau’s argument fell flat, and there was silence once more.

Èlia lifted one of her long, sleek legs and stroked her toes up and down the bulge in Kyle’s pants. He sucked in a breath as that felt very good.

She hooked a toe over the waistband of his underwear and tugged it down. Kyle’s cock bounced out, free at last, and Èlia smiled happily.

“He’s not as large as I am!” Nicolau argued.

Èlia smiled wickedly. “The difference is not as much as you think, and if he uses it as unselfishly as he did his tongue, the pleasure will be so much greater.” She continued to tug at his pants with her feet, so Kyle pushed them off and dropped them to the floor.

“You’re calling me a selfish lover?” Nicolau gasped.

Èlia held his eyes. “That you’ve fucked so many people doesn’t mean you are generous,” she insisted. “Now, Kyle and I are not finished. We will be in the bedroom. You are not welcome in there until we are done.” She tried to sit up, but her muscled were still trembling.

Kyle helped her up, and she smiled gratefully at him. Then she took his hand and led him into the next room, and closed the door. Moments later, they heard the thump of the front door closing.

Looking back at the door uncomfortably, Kyle wondered what the man was going to do.

Gentle fingers on his chin turned his face back to face Èlia. She smiled at him. “Make love to me, Kyle. Make me feel special. Please.”

The woman’s beauty and her plea were a double-barrelled boost to his ego, and while he acknowledged that, it didn’t stop him from pulling her to his body and kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around him and moaned with need.

In a moment of clarity, he pulled back. “We need a condom.”

She shook her head. “We’re good. It’s safe.” Then her mouth was back on his.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down on the soft mattress. She lifted her arms to welcome him over her body and gasped in delight as they touched skin to skin. She felt his heat pressing between their bodies, rubbing against her clit, and she gasped once more. Her hands went to his ass, and she pulled at him to get his cock inside her.

Kyle rolled his hips to apply pressure to her clit, and Èlia cried out with each spike of pleasure. “Now, Kyle! Please!”

Adjusting the angle of his hips, he pressed the head of his cock against her lips and pushed himself inside slowly.

“Oh! Oh, yes! So good!” she cried.

Her heels hooked in below his ass, and she pulled at him to speed up his thrusts, but he maintained a smooth, easy stroke that was driving her mad. When he suddenly increased the pace, she cried for joy as the slaps against her clit went faster, pushing her pleasure higher.

“Yes! Kyle! Fuck me! Oh, fuck! I’m almost–”

Kyle’s hips went into overdrive, his body spanking hers repeatedly as she screamed her joy.

He’d reached his limit and had to come, but her legs were squeezing his ass so tight he had no choice but to come deep inside her. She said she was safe, so he didn’t hold back.

She felt that heat surging into her and clung tighter to him.

He could feel her entire body tugging at him, milking his cock for everything it had.

It seemed to go on forever, but eventually, Kyle’s erection waned, and he slowly pulled free from her and gently settled on his side to gaze down on her while resting his head on his propped-up hand.

Èlia licked her lips as her eyes slowly stopped rolling. “That was unexpectedly fast!”

Kyle chuckled. “My apologies for the brevity of the experience. Are you not satisfied?”

She smiled wickedly. “I’ll let you know when I am.”

It seemed Kyle’s visit wasn’t over yet.

-=-

It was very late when Kyle rushed back up the hill toward Louise’s villa.

When Èlia finally admitted she could no longer move her legs, she kissed Kyle sweetly and thanked him for a night she would never forget. It had been pretty dazzling for him as well.

He’d left the dozing woman on the bed and went back out to the living room to put on his clothes, but he couldn’t find his key to Louise’s villa. It wasn’t in his pocket. He looked under the furniture and in the sofa cushions, but with no luck.

Then he got a bad feeling.

When he reached the villa door, he saw it was partially open, so he walked inside. Nicolau was sitting on the couch with his head back, snoring.

Kyle slipped by to rush into the bedroom. The top sheets were a tangled mess at the bottom of the bed, and Louise was sleeping on her stomach, her legs spread wide. Controlling the impulse to rush back out into the living room and erase the man’s handsome facial features, Kyle dipped down to speak to the woman.

“Louise?”

She snorted softly, and her eyes opened blearily.

“Are you okay? Did Nicolau hurt you?” he asked in a controlled voice.

“Hmmm? What? Oh, uh, no,” she said sleepily.

Kyle glanced down at her spread legs. “But he came into your room and had sex with you?”

Her eyes were blinking as she stared up at him. “He said you sent him to me while you had sex with his wife.”

“That’s not true, but did he force himself on you?”

“I would never rape a woman!”

Kyle turned his head to see Nicolau standing in the doorway, glaring at him indignantly.

Louise touched Kyle’s arm. “No, he didn’t. I thought you wanted to experience swinging,” Louise said, struggling to close her legs and turn to face them. “Ooo, I am a little sore.”

Kyle faced Nicolau once more with a scowl. “You may not have raped her, but you lied to get into her bed. Then you hurt her. That’s really creepy, Nico.” He intentionally used Èlia’s nickname for him to push that point home. On top of everything he’d done to her, his wife would find these actions unforgivable. The man growled and spun to leave.

“Leave the villa key!” Kyle called out. He heard it hit the floor before the door closed with a thump.

Kyle quickly went to the front door and locked it. He picked up the key and placed it on the coffee table before rushing back to Louise, who was struggling to stand.

“Bathroom,” she pleaded, and Kyle scooped her up in his arms to carry her there.

“Mmmm! Now, this is excellent service!” she purred as he set her down before the toilet. He smiled and left the room to give her privacy. He carried her back to bed when she was done, then ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Washing his cock and balls, he realized both ached. Èlia’s need was a little extreme tonight, and it felt like she’d drained him dry.

He dried off and slipped under the covers next to Louise. He could tell she was awake by the light glinting from her open eyes. “I’m sorry about tonight. I had no intentions of having sex with anyone but you–”

She snorted. “Then I got drunk and fell asleep.”

He shrugged. “Maybe four glasses of wine are too much of a good thing?” She nodded with a smile.

He sighed. “I just went to the bar for a drink, then I met Nicolau, and he brought me to see his wife. Do you recall that argument they had at dinner? The person they were supposed to meet tonight was someone she chose to have sex with to get revenge against her husband’s fucking around. He was supposed to arrange for the man to be there, but he chickened out. So, she chose me.”

“Then he comes to me to cheat on her while she’s enjoying you. I got the short end of that stick,” Louise sighed.

Kyle felt bad. “He did say his stick was bigger than mine.”

Louise burst into laughter. “Ah, Kyle. You’re a sweet man.” She patted his chest as she smiled. “Yes, he was a little bigger, but it was like that’s all he had, and he didn’t try to help me enjoy it.”

Kyle pulled Louise to his chest, and he felt the woman sigh contentedly.

Louise’s reaction, or lack of one, to him having sex with someone else tonight clarified her position on Kyle’s presence with her on this vacation. He was her fuck buddy, and that’s all.

While that relieved his conscience, it was also just a little disappointing.

Chapter 15

Kyle woke early and slipped from the bed to dress in his swim trunks and t-shirt. He decided to go for a walk on the beach before breakfast and their shopping trip.

When he got to the sand, he went through his stretches. When he felt loose, he began his exercise routine that he’d been neglecting recently. Afterward, he felt the familiar burn in his muscles and chastised himself for not sticking to his daily schedule.

He walked down to the water’s edge and took off his shoes, tying them to his shorts again. He tried jogging along the edge of the water, but his muscles protested, so he decided he’d better listen to his body before he hurt something.

He slowed to a walk and breathed in deeply as he enjoyed the feeling of the sand between his toes as he walked along the empty bay. The illusion of his isolation was destroyed when he saw a woman climb out of the water a short distance ahead. She wrapped a towel around herself, but he was too far away to make out much detail except her one-piece swimsuit, currently hidden under a big blue towel, was brightly colored, and her skin was a deep brown. Her hair was in braids.

She gathered her belongings and began walking in his direction.

As she passed him, she ignored his friendly hello. Kyle’s smile dimmed as he wondered if he’d frightened her away. It sucked that women had to deal with that. It sucked that anyone had to feel insecure when they were alone in a strange place, but women seemed to be targeted far more often. Kyle imagined what the world would be like if people’s intentions lit up the air around them like a glow, a color-coded alert system, AKA The Asshole Flag.

He could get behind a system like that.

Turning around, he returned to the resort and walked past the main reception building when Bernard called out to him. Kyle moved to speak to the man.

“Good morning, Bernard! How are you this fine morning?” Kyle said with a grin.

“Good morning, Kyle. I am very well. I take it you are enjoying yourself?”

Kyle nodded. “Yes, it’s been awesome, so far.”

The gentleman handed Kyle a sealed envelope with his name written on it, a small wrapped box, and a bag containing a partially empty bottle of scotch. “A departing guest left this with us for you.”

Kyle looked at it in surprise. “Oh! Thanks!”

Bernard nodded and moved off to begin his day.

Carrying the items back to the villa, Kyle went inside and saw that Louise was still asleep. He pulled the scotch from the bag and placed it on the coffee table, then he went out onto the patio and stretched out on a recliner. He opened the envelope and found a handwritten note.

“Dear Kyle,

First, I would like to apologize for dragging you into the drama that has enveloped our lives. Nico told me he mentioned to you we’ve been under a great deal of stress in our marriage and this time away was to address two issues. You were only made aware of one.

As we said last night, Nico has been repeatedly unfaithful to me throughout our marriage. We have spoken to marriage counselors, but Nico will not deny himself anything. I believe you spoke with him about this as well. In this regard, you are his polar opposite. You’re aware of what is truly important while he is trapped by his compulsions to have more.

When Nico returned to our room last night, he was furious, but confessed to being with your friend, Louise. While you were helping me address the imbalance in my marriage, he was adding to his debt. I’m terribly sorry for his actions. He’s a spoiled, petulant child compared to you.

The second issue our getaway was to address last night was Nico’s inability to fulfill a promise he made to me on our wedding day. After many unsuccessful attempts and a visit to a specialist, it came to light that Nico cannot provide me with the child I so desperately need to feel like a complete woman. This also explains how he’s never produced a bastard child, even with his countless encounters.

The man Nico was to arrange to join us on our last night on the island would have been with me as you were to help me produce a child. Last night, I was at my optimum fertility, but nature controls the dice of chance. That said, our efforts last night were not only glorious on their own, but I sincerely believe they improved my chances for successful fertilization.”

Kyle froze. Shit.

He reread the previous paragraphs to ensure he completely understood what she said, but there was no mistake.

Èlia used him as a sperm donor.

She’d told him they didn’t need a condom, and that she was safe. He believed her, but he’d wanted to believe.

He hadn’t wanted to stop. That was on him.

His eyes returned to the letter.

“I’m sorry for being so selfish and not telling you about the true purpose behind our lovemaking last night, but I couldn’t afford to take the chance that you would refuse. It was exceptionally difficult to get Nico to agree to this plan, and even when he did, he sabotaged it by ensuring the man did not arrive.

He told me he was convinced you would refuse me once I asked. He said this was based on something you said to him in the bar. I’ll be forever grateful he was wrong.

For his wicked behavior last night with your friend, I told him he must try to live up to your philosophy and give up one of his favorite worldly goods, which he believes makes him happy. He must learn to understand, as you do, that it is people who are to be valued, not things.

Please accept this gift as a symbol of our time together, with my heartfelt gratitude.

Should I be blessed with a baby from our night of bliss, please know it will be loved every day of its life. I have a large and loving family eager to welcome a new soul into it.

Nico is currently sulking like a child. He is not the child I’d hoped our marriage would produce.

I have said some very sensitive things in this letter that would cause my marriage irreparable damage and would deeply hurt my family. I put my faith in you to keep these secrets, as I believe you are a man of integrity and love.

With fondest regards, Èlia.”

Numb, Kyle folded the letter carefully and stuffed it back into its envelope. His mind was spinning, so he took some deep breaths until he felt his mental equilibrium return.

He unwrapped the box and opened it, dumping the weighty contents out onto his palm.

It was Nicolau’s Rolex watch. Kyle stared at it in shock. He looked at the face and admired the deep blue to black coloring. It said Deepsea Sea-Dweller there as well. Kyle didn’t know how expensive it was, but it certainly cost more than the old Timex he left in the Montreal storage locker.

He looked back at the letter. Èlia was right. There was some extremely personal stuff written there. He knew he’d keep her secrets but keeping the letter didn’t feel safe. He knew he could use the letter as evidence if he ever needed to claim the child was his, but he didn’t feel right about that either.

Cursing again, he walked into the kitchen to find some matches. When he saw a pack with some candles, he carried the letter back onto the patio and found a spot out of the breeze. He lit the paper and watched it burn. Once the flames consumed the page and envelope, Kyle crushed the ashes to eliminate any chance of reading the message.

He scooped some pool water to splash the smudged patio stones clean, and the evidence was gone.

Kyle picked up the watch and stretched out on the lounge chair to let his mind replay his time with Èlia last night. He’d admit that it was one of his more memorable evenings, as his partner was breathtakingly lovely and appreciative of the pleasure they shared. Now, of course, he could see the true reason for her joy. She believed she was making a baby with him.

That thought made him pause. He’d been with a good number of women since he broke up with Gwen, but there hadn’t been anyone he wanted to start a family with. He imagined himself mowing the lawn in front of a pretty little cottage surrounded by a white picket fence. Kids ran over to a swing set as he turned his head to look at his beautiful wife.

He jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“Oh! I’m sorry for frightening you, Kyle,” Louise said with a smile on her face. “I’ve been calling you, but you had this faraway expression on your face. Where were you?”

“The future.”

She smiled. “Oh? Not a where, but a when. What did you see there?”

He grinned self-consciously. “It’s not important. Ready to start the day?”

“Yes!” she said with a grin, then she spotted the watch. “Oh my! That’s a lovely watch!”

He looked at his hand and showed her the face.

“Oh my god! That’s the Rolex Nicolau was wearing last night,” she remarked.

“Yes, Èlia and Nicolau left it for me at the reception desk when they left this morning,” Kyle said, trying not to hint at his true feelings about it.

Louise’s eyes widened. “They left you a watch worth over fifteen thousand dollars as a going away gift? You must have made one hell of an impression on them!”

Kyle looked at her and shrugged. “That much, huh?”

Louise looked at Kyle closely.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Kyle?” she asked in concern.

He forced a smile onto his face. “Sorry, just got lost in some deep thoughts. I’ll be fine. Let’s get moving.”

Kyle climbed off the lounge chair and gave Louise a hug, which brought a smile to her face. They headed inside to take a shower, and Kyle made her feel very good with only his hands as he was still aching a little from the previous night.

They got dressed, then headed down to the restaurant for breakfast. Then they arranged a lift into town.

Kyle had to work on keeping Louise’s spending under control. When they were finally done and finished their lunch in her favorite restaurant, they headed back to the resort with their parcels.

He had three new stylish overshirts, three wicking t-shirts, two pairs of shorts, two pairs of light pants for dinners in the restaurants, loafers to go with the slacks, water slippers, and some sturdy sandals for hiking and beach walks.

After they got back to the villa, Louise grinned at Kyle. “Do you remember your promise?”

He frowned as he tried to recall what she was talking about.

“For our walk on the beach today?” she hinted.

He closed his eyes as it came to him. “Ah… yes. The dental floss swimsuit.”

Louise giggled. “Oh, Kyle. It isn’t that bad!” she said with a grin. “And you look amazing in them!”

He sighed as he gave her a frank stare. “It’s how I’m perceived by those who see me strutting around in almost nothing. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not ashamed of my body as I work hard to stay fit, but I’m not one to brag about it. That swimsuit is all about the bragging rights.”

Louise pouted, and he immediately threw his hands up. “I’ll do it. Just know I’m only doing it for you.”

He walked into the bedroom and changed into the swimsuit, and grabbed his overshirt. The new water slippers would work for a beach walk, so he collected them.

When Louise came out, she tilted her head as she looked at his outfit. “Perhaps a rolled-up towel over your shoulders instead of the shirt?”

Kyle sighed and slipped the shirt off.

They walked out onto the patio. “I got some new suntan lotion. It goes on faster.”

He looked at her, and she gestured for him to stand with his arms stretched out. She moved behind him and began spraying him down. It went on like a mist.

“Okay, rub it into your arms,” she said as she moved on to his back, downwards, and got his legs as well. Then she rubbed her hands all over his back and his ass which the suit barely covered. She knelt and spread it down the back of his legs.

He spread the lotion over his arms and found its scent very pleasing. His hands had the excess from his arms, so he worked that into his face, neck, shoulders, and the top of his chest.

Louise moved to his front and sprayed more on his chest, then moved to the front of his legs.

He frowned as he was feeling kind of slick. He rubbed the lotion in and glanced down to see his body looked like he’d been oiled down for a bodybuilding tournament. Louise was on her knees, rubbing her hands all over the fronts of his legs, and her hands were getting pretty close to areas she should not be.

“Hey! What did I say about not giving me erections while I’m wearing this!” Kyle complained.

She giggled and stood up with his help. She took some steps back and gazed at him with hungry eyes.

“Stay there one second!” she squeaked excitedly as she rushed inside. She returned with her cell phone. “I promised I’d send a photo to Francis and Helen.”

Kyle signed. Of course she did.

She got him to pose this way and that, snapping pics to her delight.

“Okay, enough. Let’s go,” he finally insisted.

He grabbed a towel and slipped his sandals on. Louise joined him as she rubbed some of the old lotion on her skin. Kyle gaped at her. “Why aren’t you using the new spray-on stuff?”

She smiled. “I don’t want to be all shiny.”

Kyle’s mouth worked as she giggled and ushered him out.

They walked down to the beach, and Kyle did his best to ignore the few guests who stared at him as he walked by. The staff were better trained and more polite than the guests. He glanced at Louise’s face, and she was enjoying the walk so far.

Kyle decided he’d have to have a talk with her when they got back. He wasn’t enjoying these recent activities in his role as a sex buddy. He also needed to know when he should plan to leave. She hadn’t told him how long she expected him to stay.

More significantly, he needed to determine what he was going to do with his life

They reached the beach and turned left. Kyle pointed out which villa Nicolau and Èlia had been in.

They followed the shore and relaxed as they walked.

Kyle decided that there was no time like the present to discuss ending his role as sexy boy toy.

He opened his mouth to speak just as he caught sight of two heads bobbing in the waves ahead. They seemed to be moving toward the shore. He decided to remain silent until after they passed.

As the couple climbed from the water, Kyle saw the colorful one-piece swimsuit again. The man she was with was very fair-skinned, perhaps a little red from a burn as well, and had a stocky body. Kyle realized there was a large age difference between him and the woman. They were drying themselves off as Kyle and Louise approached.

Kyle looked away as he was concerned Louise might compare this couple to them and become uncomfortable. Instead, he kept Louise in the corner of his eye as he watched the waves lap at the sand.

As they got to within six feet, Louise suddenly stopped and stared at the man. “S-Stephen?” she gasped quietly, then sucked in a breath.

Kyle glanced at Louise’s shocked expression, then over at the man whose face was also frozen with surprise. Kyle spared a moment to look at his younger companion and saw the dark beauty was watching them both with a frown.

“Stephen Dartmoor?” Louise said, a little louder.

“Louise Dunsfield?” the man asked as he nodded.

She grinned. “Oh my god, Stephen! It’s Cantington now. How long has it been?”

He smiled. “Over thirty years, Loo-Loo.”

Louise burst into joyful laughter. “I haven’t heard that pet name since I was a young girl!” She giggled, then noticed Kyle watching her with a smile.

“Oh! I’m sorry. Kyle, this is a dear friend I grew up with in London, Stephen Dartmoor. Stephen, this is my friend from Canada, Kyle MacDenny.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Stephen,” Kyle stepped forward and shook the man’s hand. Stephen looked at his hand after Kyle released it. “Uh, my apologies.” He glanced at Helen. “My new sunscreen is a little oily.”

Louise bit her lip to keep from giggling. She couldn’t keep her eyes off the man.

He was probably the same age or close to Louise, and the woman at his side was perhaps Kyle’s age.

Stephen gestured for the woman to get closer. “This is my daughter, Liandri.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kyle said, and she nodded to him as she looked at Louise, who greeted her as well.

“Are you staying at the resort too?” Louise asked as she pointed back to the hillside resort.

Stephen nodded. “Just arrived last night. Flew in on a connecting flight from Cape Town, South Africa. That’s where I live. I moved there thirty years ago.”

Louise gave him a sad look. “You just disappeared from our lives.”

He sighed. “Yes, it was a rough time for my family. My parents had to leave England, and we all went with them.” He shook his head as if to shake loose from the memories. “I met this lovely one’s mother, Aziza, married her, and we had twenty-two blissful years before cancer took her from me.” He looked at Louise. “Cantington?”

“Yes, shortly after you moved away, Aubry asked me to marry him. I’m widowed now as well. Going on fifteen years. I have one son, Byron, who’s twenty-three.”

They were smiling at each other, and Kyle could tell they wanted to keep talking about their shared history. He glanced at Liandri and saw she was looking at him suspiciously.

“Perhaps we could share a table at dinner so you two could catch up?” Kyle suggested.

“Yes! We must!” Louise insisted happily.

Stephen looked at his daughter, who was giving him the look. Kyle imagined she wasn’t keen on being trapped across a table, forced to converse with him. “I promise to not look like a greased naked ape,” he said with a smile.

Liandri snorted in surprise, and Kyle guessed he’d hit the nail on the head.

“We will gladly join you for dinner,” Stephen said with a stern look at his daughter.

“Excellent! Seven?” Louise gushed.

Stephen nodded as he held Louise’s eyes with his. Kyle could see there must be a lot of history between them. They seemed to be frozen until Liandri took Stephen’s arm and gently pulled him toward the resort.

Kyle touched Louise’s arm, and she returned to the moment. The look of wonder in her eyes was priceless, and he smiled at her. “So, I take it he was someone significant in your life?” he asked gently.

She snorted gently and nodded in a dazed way. “He was the man I was going to marry before Aubry proposed.”

Kyle’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “He proposed first?”

She blushed and shook her head. “No, he was just the man I wanted to marry. I was quite taken with him and was working up the courage to ask him to be my boyfriend when he disappeared.” She sighed. “Aubry was pursuing me at the time, and I was so devastated by Stephen’s departure I gave in and accepted his proposal.” She looked back towards Stephen’s retreating back. “How things would have been different if he’d stayed.”

Kyle nodded as he imagined Louise marrying her first love.

They continued walking for a bit, but Kyle turned them around when he saw how distracted Louise was. They returned to the resort, and she immediately began preparing herself for dinner.

Kyle took a quick shower to wash that horrible lotion off and dressed in one of his new casual-chic outfits. Fifteen minutes later, he was ready with only two hours to wait for the dinner hour. He smiled to himself as he heard Louise singing as she made her own preparations.

As he had time, he pulled out his PC and did some research on the latest stock he’d purchased. He was very pleased by its performance already. He’d known the team behind the company was a solid bet, and he was being proven right… so far.

His other investments were solidly dependable and were delivering their returns as expected. His income this month was up a little, but that fluctuation was normal.

Next, as a little future-planning exercise, he turned his attention to reviewing real estate. He assumed, at some point, he’d decide to put down roots once more. He knew he’d eventually want to return to Canada and likely somewhere on the west coast as that was where he’d grown up. Prices there were nuts, but he wasn’t looking for something extravagant. It could even be an empty lot of property he’d build on later.

It took some time, but he found some possibilities.

He leaned back on the couch and listened to Louise singing as she did whatever she was doing to get ready. She sounded truly happy.

This brought back the conversation he needed to have with her. Perhaps it was more timely than they both knew. He didn’t know if Louise intended to rekindle a relationship that was nipped in the bud thirty years ago. But if that was her plan, it was even more critical that Kyle make himself scarce. He’d caught the curious looks from Stephen, and he didn’t want to be the reason Louise’s plans failed.

He put his PC away and stood to walk over to the door to the bedroom. He could hear her humming a tune, so he knocked.

“Yes? Come in, Kyle.”

He opened the door and stepped inside. She was standing before the mirror, wearing only lingerie but very sexy lingerie.

“Wow,” Kyle said with a hungry look, and Louise giggled happily.

“Thank you,” she purred.

“This might be a good time to make plans for my departure.”

Louise’s head quickly turned to face him. “What? Why?” she gasped.

Kyle smiled at her, tilted his head in question, and waited.

She eventually came around. “I-I don’t know if anything is going to happen with Stephen–”

“But you want it to.”

Louise paused as she contemplated it. “Yes… I really would.”

“Then there is the reason I can’t be here. The man isn’t blind, and he’s certainly going to figure out I’m not sleeping on your couch. That’s one hell of a hurdle for a new, or especially a rekindled, relationship to surpass.”

“But… you just got here!” she cried.

Kyle grinned and shrugged. “It happens. I’m seriously grateful for the experience so far. Mahé is beautiful, and I’m glad I got to walk on its beaches and swim in the ocean. Spending time with you has been great too, even if you went a little overboard on the boy toy treatment this afternoon.”

Her expression dropped. “Oh, did I? I thought you enjoyed–”

He smiled and shook his head. “No. I enjoy seeing you happy, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy being displayed like that. I believe I made that clear.”

She looked suitably contrite. “I-I guess I got a little carried away. You were such a good sport about it.”

He nodded. “That’s on me. I tend to let people get away with more than I’m comfortable with because it makes them happy. That’s probably how it started with Gwen, my ex.” He sighed. “I have to learn to be more selfish in that regard to spare my dignity.”

Now Louise was looking very guilty. He raised his palms. “Let’s not be concerned with that. The first plan is to determine how to resolve the issue of the cockblocker in your villa!” he gestured towards himself with his thumb.

“Cockblock–” Louise blurted, then burst into laughter.

He grinned at her. “It’s true! If Stephen has any ideas about rekindling the passion between you, the last thing he’ll want is Captain Cancuck standing in his way.” Kyle slipped into a hands-on-hips superhero pose, and Louise laughed harder.

“Stop!” she finally gasped, and Kyle relaxed his pose and grinned at her.

When she finally caught her breath, she looked at him fondly. “All right, I see what you’re saying, but there isn’t any time to do anything about it tonight. There are no empty rooms in the resort, and I was told they are very busy.”

Kyle nodded. “Then we plan for tomorrow. Maybe it’s time for me to go home. I can do some research on flights.”

Louise looked sad, and Kyle pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay.”

“I feel like I’ve used and abused you terribly!” she moaned.

Kyle’s mind flashed to his discovery this morning when he read Èlia’s letter. That was what being used felt like, but he couldn’t share that with Louise.

“It’s okay.”

“What do we tell Stephen?” she asked quietly.

Kyle leaned back and looked into her eyes. “The truth. I’m your friend, and we had some fun together, but I’m going home.”

Something about that last part put a lump in Kyle’s throat.

She must have heard the momentary break in his voice. “Where is that?”

He sucked in a surprised breath and forced a smile on his face. “I don’t know… yet. I suppose I’ll go back to Montreal to wait out the winter. My motorcycle is there… and there’s someone there I have to apologize to, as well.”

Louise gave him another hug, then he turned and went back out to the living room to start up his PC once more. He had flights back to Canada to research.

-=-

Kyle fussed with the watch on his wrist. Louise insisted he wear it to dinner as it completed his outfit. At first, he’d been tempted to give it to her, but what Èlia said about it being a symbol of their time together stuck with him.

It was symbolic, but for him, it reminded him of the potential of his unborn child and a promise. He wasn’t about to interfere with the child’s happiness. He felt in his heart that Èlia would love their child profoundly, and her promise of her family’s loving support eased some of his concerns.

It was Nicolau’s role that was questionable. Would he be able to mature emotionally in time to be a good father?

The watch reminded Kyle of his obligation to ensure Nico held up his end of the bargain.

They met Stephen and Liandri at their table in the restaurant, and the young woman’s eye immediately locked on Kyle’s wrist. He wondered if the ostentatious display of wealth would work for or against him in her eyes. She seemed to be predisposed towards distrusting him and, honestly, he probably would too, based on surface appearances to date.

“Good evening, Louise! You look lovely!” Stephen said with a delighted smile as he looked into her eyes.

Louise was glowing. “Good evening, Liandri. Stephen, your silver tongue is as powerful as I remember.” The man chuckled.

He looked at Kyle. “Good evening, Kyle.”

“Good evening, Stephen. Liandri,” Kyle replied politely with a smile.

They took seats with the old friends facing each other across the table and Kyle facing Liandri. She went on the offensive immediately.

“Kyle, what exactly is your relation to Louise?” Liandri asked boldly.

He smiled at her and lifted a hand slightly to stop Stephen from scolding his daughter. He had no issues responding.

“We’re friends. We met at her brother’s home near London for Christmas dinner. I was in England visiting some friends I met while cycling in France. Louise and I traveled together to Paris, where I checked in on another cycling companion. Louise then invited me to join her here to enjoy the weather.”

“Is this what you do? Travel and stay with friends?” Liandri’s emphasis on the last word clarified her position.

“Liandri! What’s got into you?” Stephen exclaimed.

“Father, he’s a gigolo!” she snapped back.

Kyle was a little surprised by her passion, but he was ready for the accusation.

“He is NOT!” Louise exclaimed, perhaps a little louder than necessary. Heads turned.

Kyle noticed some of those eyes were aimed at him, some with hostility in them, while others showed interest. He sighed. “Could we perhaps maintain a civilized tone and volume for this discussion?”

Louise looked embarrassed and angry, and Stephen was casting angry looks at his daughter and uncomfortable ones at Kyle.

“Contrary to appearances, I’m not a gigolo. I earn my living from my investments. I’m an excellent investment manager. I just no longer do it professionally. I only manage my own now.” He held up his hand to stop Liandri’s next outburst so he could continue. “That said, coming here is well beyond the income I’m making, so I normally wouldn’t. Louise asked me to join her on her vacation–”

She jumped in. “When I booked this vacation, I knew I’d be alone at the resort, and I wasn’t looking forward to that. I met Kyle, as he said, at my brother’s, and we enjoyed a day in Paris before I came here. I didn’t want to be alone, and he had no fixed plans after New Year. I wanted to enjoy his company, so I insisted on paying for him to join me. As he said, a place like this isn’t in his budget, but I have more money than I’ll ever need. Aubry was a poor husband and father, but he ensured his family was taken care of financially. I haven’t given Kyle any money, nor had he asked for any.”

Liandri still looked unconvinced. “What about that watch? That seems like a very expensive gift!”

Louise smiled. “I didn’t give it to him.”

The younger woman fixed a suspicious eye on Kyle.

“A lovely couple was staying at the resort and checked out this morning. This watch belonged to the husband. He and his wife were having… issues with their marriage. We heard them arguing at dinner last night.” Louise nodded, and Kyle continued. “I came back to the bar last night after Louise fell asleep as I wasn’t sleepy. I met the man, and we got to talking. We went to speak to his wife about their issues. This morning I was on my way back from a walk on the beach when the front desk people gave me a small package. Inside was the watch with a thank you. I didn’t ask for it, and I certainly didn’t expect it. It was a rather extravagant gift.” He wasn’t about to share the true meaning of the watch with them. This was close enough and the truth.

“I’d never take money from my friends. That’s just wrong. Besides, I don’t need it. I have enough income to live a comfortable minimalist lifestyle. That’s what I set out to do when I returned from that cycling trip in France.”

“This is not a minimalist lifestyle!” Liandri snapped as she waved her arms around to indicate the restaurant.

Unfortunately, her flailing left arm caught a passing waitress across the stomach, knocking the wind from her.

Kyle’s hand shot out and caught the woman’s tray, so it didn’t follow her down. He grunted under the awkward load and braced it with his other hand as he slid his chair back. He set the fully loaded tray down on the next table, which was fortunately empty.

When he turned back, he saw Liandri on her knees next to the waitress, apologizing to her. Her father was on his feet, speaking to someone who might have been the manager. Liandri helped the injured woman to her feet, and the manager collected her to help her out.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Stephen said sharply, and Liandri was struggling not to cry.

The manager returned to pick up the tray and carried it to the table it was meant for. He flashed a smile at Kyle.

“It was an accident. Liandri was overexcited,” Kyle said to Stephen. Before anyone could say anything, he locked eyes with the contrite woman. “I’m aware this is an extravagant lifestyle. That’s why I wouldn’t have come here on my own. I’m pretty sure we already covered that.” He held up his hands as she looked upset. “I don’t know what I’ve done to upset you. I try to be as friendly and polite as possible as I don’t want to be anyone’s enemy. That’s not who I am. If you’re set on being angry with me, I don’t know what else I can do or say to assure you I’m not a bad person.”

“You aren’t having sex with her?” Liandri asked quietly.

Stephen looked like he was going to flip his lid.

“What two consenting adults do in the privacy of their villa is none of your business. Louise and I are good friends, and we’re also both adults. What we’re not is client and sex worker. Are you finished insulting me out of ignorance?” Kyle insisted firmly but quietly.

Kyle’s stomach cramped, and he suddenly lost his appetite. He looked at Louise. “I think I’ll skip dinner tonight. I have to do more web searches for a cheap flight home, then I’ll just crash on the sofa. See you in the morning.”

He stood and walked away before anyone could stop him.

He was almost at his door when he heard someone running along the path behind him. He turned and watched cautiously as the figure slowed to a walk, then stopped. It was Liandri, and she didn’t look happy.

She stood facing him with a troubled expression.

“You need to say something? Or can I just go?” Kyle said wearily.

“My father wants me to apologize,” she said.

He snorted. “If you don’t, save your breath.”

“It is not easy to believe you! I’ve seen it too often. I know men who do what you do, and I’ve heard the things they say. Terrible things about the women they’ve been with. I’ve seen the women they’ve destroyed with their lies and cruelty,” she insisted.

Kyle sighed quietly. “I’m sorry you’ve been exposed to creeps like that. Your mistake is accusing me of being like them. Men who do what I do? How do you know what I do? You don’t know me, but you lump me in with these other men. I’m done trying to convince you I’m not like them.” He turned to leave.

“How can you be with someone so old and not be like them?” she asserted.

Kyle frowned in frustration. Why was she so insistent?

“Louise is a beautiful woman. She is kind, strong, and intelligent. She loves her son and survived what sounds like a terrible marriage, yet came out the other side without the bitterness that might have caused. That’s remarkable! She makes me laugh, and we share some core values, which makes it easy to be friends with her. She’s a great person! All these things make her someone I want to be with. We’re not going to be a couple. That’s not in our future, but for a time, we shared our lives, our time, and we enjoyed being with each other.”

He smiled fondly as he recalled a moment. “I really enjoy making her smile. I got the impression that she didn’t smile enough in her life. Seeing that expression on her face when she met your dad on the beach told me she had a chance for happiness in her future. That made me very happy.” He looked into Liandri’s eyes again. “That’s what I get out of our relationship. It’s what I’m looking for in my life. Joy.”

She was frowning at him again. “No one I know says these things.”

“As I said, you don’t know me. Don’t assume you do, based only on what you see. Good night.”

With that, Kyle let himself into the villa and closed the door on the woman standing on the pathway.

He had to find a way home.

Chapter 16

A soft hand gently stroked Kyle’s forehead, and his eyes tried to open. Light punished him for that effort. He felt a spike of pain in his head.

Right. He’d enjoyed a little too much scotch the night before. On an empty stomach. Dumb.

He put his hand over his eyes and tried opening them once more and had some success. Louise was standing next to the couch with some dry toast on a plate.

Kyle’s stomach didn’t flip or protest, so he wasn’t as hungover as he might have been. Just a little light sensitivity and a mild headache.

His body didn’t hurt from sleeping on the sofa, so that was a plus. It was a great sofa.

“Good morning, Louise,” Kyle sighed.

“It’s almost noon.”

“What?” he yelped, then regretted it.

“You were asleep when I got back to the room very late last night, and I could smell the alcohol on you,” she said with mild disapproval.

“In my defense, it was superb scotch,” Kyle returned.

“Luckily, you didn’t finish the bottle then,” she said with a smirk.

Kyle sat up and checked on his notebook’s charge. It was full again. He’d taken it down to empty before he remembered to get his AC cable out and plug it in.

“Did you have any success with the flights?”

“Unfortunately, no. I couldn’t find any last-minute flights to Canada,” he sighed.

“Good.”

Kyle looked at Louise uneasily. “It didn’t go well after I left last night? I didn’t mess things up with you and Stephen, did I?” he said in a rush.

She sat next to him on the sofa as she smiled and patted his shoulder. “It went very well between Stephen and me after you left. He was a little surprised by the idea that we’d been together sexually, but your admission that you were going home set him at ease, and the two of us had the best dinner. We talked for hours! It was wonderful!”

Kyle looked at her in confusion. “If Stephen was comforted by the idea that I’m leaving, why did you say good about me not being able to find a flight?”

“He felt bad about how Liandri treated you and sent her off to apologize to you. She didn’t come back to join us for dinner.” She glanced around. “I don’t see a second scotch tumbler, so I assume she didn’t come to apologize to you,” Louise said.

“She caught up to me outside the villa last night, but she couldn’t bring herself to apologize. Instead, she tried to explain why she couldn’t accept my words.” Kyle shrugged. “I tried, but there are limits to even my patience.” He looked closer at Louise. “You still didn’t explain why it’s good I couldn’t find a flight.”

Louise made a sad face. “I feel absolutely wretched about sending you on your way so soon after you arrived. It’s not fair. I talked to Stephen about it last night and told him about your Cock-blocking Captain Cancuck comment. We had a great laugh about that. Then he said he wouldn’t mind seeing our relationship move in the bedroom’s direction. The sly devil had a spark in his eyes when he said that!” she said and chuckled.

Kyle smiled as he saw the thrill on her face. She reached over and took his hand in hers.

“You really earned the man’s respect and gratitude. I don’t think he would mind if you remained here as a platonic friend?” she said hopefully.

Kyle held her eyes for a bit, then nodded. “I suppose that takes some of the pressure off the hunt for an immediate flight, but I still think it would be best if you two could just concentrate on each other without the distraction of Liandri and me. She’s obviously not comfortable in my presence, so that makes it awkward for everyone. I’m going to keep looking for a flight, but I think I might have to stick around for at least a few more days to a week before a seat becomes available.” When she frowned again, he shook his head and took her hand. “That is plenty of time to enjoy this lovely island.”

“Fine,” she sighed.

“But I’m not wearing the dental floss swimsuit again.”

-=-

After lunch in the room, which was breakfast for Kyle, Louise announced the plan for the day. Kyle was being volunteered to go for a hike through the jungle to a scenic look-out point. Accompanying him would be Liandri.

“Is she going to push me off a ledge?” Kyle asked, dubious of this plan.

“This is a peace offering. She spoke with Stephen, and he said she felt bad. We thought this might be the best scenario for both of you to do something together,” Louise explained.

Kyle was still unsure of the wisdom of this plan, but he was interested in a hike. “Okay. I’m game.”

“Good, because you have fifteen minutes to meet Liandri in the lobby,” Louise said with a smile.

With a glare at her giggling, Kyle rushed off to take a lightning-fast shower and got dressed.

He hustled out the door and got to the lobby just as the driver arrived. Kyle wore a t-shirt, shorts, and his rugged sandals. Not what he thought he should wear for a trek through the jungle, but it was what he had.

Liandri was as unprepared as he was. Her short sundress and sneakers seemed even less suited for jungle trekking, but Kyle wasn’t sure how difficult the hike would be, so he tried to keep a positive attitude.

“Good day, Liandri,” Kyle said politely.

She looked at him cautiously. “Good day.”

The car arrived, they got into the back seat of the small vehicle, and off they went.

Once more, the drive wasn’t long, but the road up to the trailhead twisted and turned frequently, shifting the passengers from side to side, causing them to bump. Kyle apologized for bumping her at first, then just gave up as the rocky journey continued.

When they reached the trailhead, the driver handed them some small backpacks, said he’d be back in two hours to return them to the resort, then drove away.

Kyle unzipped his pack and looked inside to see two bottles of water and a packaged granola bar. In an outer pocket, he found a small first-aid kit. He nodded and looked up to see Liandri doing the same inspection.

“We seem set to go,” Kyle said.

She looked toward where the trail entered the vegetation. “Yes. Let’s go.”

With that, she set off, and Kyle followed. Once more, he wondered at the wisdom of this forced pairing.

Once they were in the greenery, Kyle forgot about the tension between them and just soaked in the sights, sounds, and smells. The trail was uphill, and sometimes it got quite steep. At first, Liandri refused his offer of help, but eventually, she took his hand for him to pull her up the short climbs where her sneakers had less purchase.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. He just nodded with a smile and moved up the path.

They took occasional breaks to catch their breath and gaze at the lush vegetation. Kyle didn’t try to start a conversation during those, as he’d already offered the olive branch of peace the night before. If she had something to say, he’d listen.

On their fifth rest break, she sighed. “Father did not prepare me for this hike. He said it would be a walk in the woods. It is not.”

They were both coated in sweat, and Kyle took one of his bottles out of the pack. “You should drink as we’re losing a lot of water in this heat. I agree. It’s no walk in the woods for sure.”

She smiled and got one of her bottles. They drank, then the bottles went back into the bags so they could carry on.

They walked through what looked like a tube of foliage and burst out onto a solid rock field that looked like a series of wide domes.

“I think we made it,” Liandri said as she gazed around in wonder.

The breeze on the open rock was wonderful. Now that they were no longer sheltered by the trees, the wind rushed past their sweaty skin and cooled them delightfully.

They moved out onto the rock and discovered they could walk to the edge and see for miles. The island was spread out before them. Kyle pulled out his cell and took some pictures for Louise to see.

“Could-could you take a picture of me with mine?”

Kyle looked at Liandri and nodded as he accepted her cell. He took some steps back to get her fully in the image with the jungle below, the coastline, and the ocean beyond. “Smile!” he called out, and she did. He took several pictures then handed the cell back.

“Could I take a selfie of us for Louise and Stephen? You know they’re going to ask if we talked at all,” he said with a grin to take the sting out of his words.

She smiled and nodded, so he held the phone out from his body and stood close to her. He adjusted the angle to get more of the background in the shot then took the pictures.

“Can you take another with my phone?” she asked. “Your arms are much longer than mine.”

He accepted her phone with a grin. “Sometimes, it comes in handy to have monkey arms.” The first picture caught her mid-laugh, and it was a great shot. He got two more before handing her the camera back.

She was chuckling when she reviewed the pictures. “Yes, I think these will set my father’s mind at ease.”

Kyle nodded, and they stood at the edge, enjoying the view and the breeze.

“We’d better head back if we want to meet the taxi,” she sighed.

“Drink!” Kyle suggested, then finished his first bottle.

She followed his example, then they walked back to the trail and began their descent.

Climbing down proved to be more difficult for Liandri as her runners had no tread and no traction. Twice she almost fell, and Kyle caught her the second time.

The trail leveled out for a bit, and Liandri relaxed on the next descent. This caused her to be less cautious, and once more, her foot slipped out from under her. She slid down the rock they were traversing and slammed into Kyle’s back, launching him forward. She grabbed a root and stopped, but Kyle was in freefall in the open air. The drop was only ten feet, but the landing was all jagged rocks. He grabbed a nearby vine and jerked to a stop as it went taut.

This swung him outwards over an even larger drop, but he returned to the rock face, where he grabbed a handhold and scrambled sideways to get back onto the trail. His heart was beating like a hummingbird’s, so he took a moment to let the panic ease. Then he looked up at Liandri and saw her terrified expression.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded stiffly, then he noticed he had a lovely view up her sundress. He turned his head. “Are you okay to finish climbing down this section? I think it’s pretty easy from here.”

“Y-yes.”

Kyle spared a glance up and saw she was turning to face the hillside where she could get a better grip.

He climbed down the final three feet and stood on solid ground again. He checked and saw his left hand had been slightly scraped when he grabbed the vine, but otherwise, he was okay.

As Liandri climbed down, Kyle saw she’d scraped the back of her thigh, and one side was bleeding.

He pulled the first aid kit from the pack, and she stared at him when she turned to face him at the bottom.

“You scraped your thighs, and you’re bleeding. I’d better clean the scrapes and put a bandage on,” he told her, and she scowled suspiciously.

“Oh, please. Get over yourself. This is first aid!” he growled, and her scowl slipped away to become guilt.

He knelt behind her. “Pull the dress up so I can see the scrapes.” She did as asked and winced when she saw the damage.

“Not too bad. Only the right side is bleeding and not much.” He used the water and some gauze to clean both wounds, then added some disinfectant ointment before taping some gauze over each wound. He washed his palm while he had the supplies out.

“You’ll survive, in my medical opinion,” he teased.

He packed away the kit, drank the rest of the water while she drank some of hers. Then they set off to get to the trailhead.

The driver leaned back against his taxi, looking at his watch as they stepped out of the jungle onto the roadway. He saw Liandri limping slightly, and his smile dropped away.

“Do you need a doctor?” he asked nervously.

“No, Dr. Kyle took care of the medical emergency,” Liandri admitted wearily.

Kyle handed the man his pack and Liandri’s as she pulled the partially full water bottle from hers. They climbed back into the taxi as the driver rushed to get in.

He was in a hurry as the drive down the winding road was even bumpier. Kyle finally put his arm around Liandri’s shoulder and pulled her against him to stop the constant slamming into each other. This worked immediately, and she smiled in relief as he braced them with his other arm, reading the curves in advance and leaning them into it. His cycling background was proving useful here. Kyle pulled his arm from Liandri’s shoulder and eased back to his side when they were down on the much less curvy coastal highway. His scraped hand was angry-looking from his death grip on the car.

Back at the resort, they left the taxi and waved as it drove away.

“Thanks for the adventure,” Kyle said to Liandri, and she looked at him cautiously until she saw his smile.

“Thank you for saving me from falling and for bandaging my scrapes,” she said sincerely.

“I’ll see you at dinner?” he asked.

She smiled at him. “Yes, see you then.” They went their separate ways, and Kyle let himself into the villa. He undid his sandals, which had really come through for him. Then he heard voices from the patio, so he walked out there to smile at Louise and Stephen, who were enjoying the lounge chairs.

“Hello, Kyle! Or should I say Captain Cancuck!” Stephen chuckled.

Kyle grinned at the man and shook his head. “I’m hanging up my superhero cape, so Kyle is fine. It went well.”

“What happened to your hand?” Louise yelped.

Kyle looked at the red skin and shrugged. “Just a scrape. The conditions in the jungle were a little wet, which made the trail slippery. Liandri has some scrapes too, but we survived.”

He pulled out his cell and showed them the pictures. They smiled in relief when he showed them the selfie with Liandri with him.

“Oh! Before I forget! Reginald is trying to reach you. He called me on my cell about an hour ago, and you can use it to call him back.” She flipped to the call history on her cell and pressed the number to call it back.

Kyle held it to his ear as he walked to the edge of the patio before the pool. The view really was incredible.

After a few weird clicks and warbles, a man’s voice came on. “Louise?” Kyle smiled as he recognized the man’s voice.

“Hi Reginald, it’s Kyle. I heard you were trying to contact me?”

“Ah, Kyle! Good to hear your voice,” the gentleman said, and Kyle smiled warmly. “I had a rather odd phone call from a legal office in Vancouver, Canada. They said they’ve been trying to reach you for months, but as you moved from your residence, they had no means to find you.”

Kyle’s immediate gut reaction was it had something to do with Gwen. He felt an icy wave rush through his body.

Reginal continued. “It was the video of you fighting Dennis and his goons that gave them a clue. A junior intern at the law firm brought the video to their attention, and they traced it back to the BBC, then to me. They contacted me to say they have a time-sensitive letter to be delivered to you from your father.”

Kyle was physically rocked by that news. “M-my father?”

“A man named Oliver Hendricks told me the letter was to be delivered to you well before the tenth of January of this year, but they’ve been searching for you for a long time,” Reginald stated.

“Did you tell them I’m on the other side of the world?” Kyle asked stiffly, his nerves buzzing.

“I didn’t disclose your location as I wasn’t aware of your wishes. I notified them I could reach you. They gave me a number for you to call,” the man said.

“Hang on a second,” Kyle asked. “He pulled out his cell and opened a new contact record. “Okay, go ahead.”

Reginald read out the digits and confirmed them. “You’ll call them?” he asked Kyle.

Taking a deep breath, Kyle closed his eyes. “I can’t imagine what this letter contains. We didn’t speak during his last brief visit before he rushed back to his lover, so I don’t know why he would have left me a letter.” His anger flared. “What could he possibly have to say that I’d want to hear now?”

“Kyle. Don’t let your current anger force you into a decision that robs you of the peace of mind of knowing. Good or bad, you’ll know. Don’t leave yourself such regrets,” Reginald said calmly and gently.

Kyle took more deep breaths. “I have so many regrets when it comes to my dad.”

“Don’t let this be another one.”

Kyle listened to what Reginald was saying and felt the words sinking in, past the fire in his mind, until he could think straight. “Right. You’re right. I’ll call them tonight and find out what it says. Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome, Kyle. Please let me know how it turns out. You know, my Francis has grown quite fond of you and worries about you out there in the world on your own.”

Kyle felt another knot in his chest as Reginald’s sincere words rocked his already shaky emotional stability. “Sir, please. I’m trying not to cry in front of your sister and her new boyfriend.”

Reginald made a little gasp sound like he was getting emotional too. Then his voice firmed up quickly. “New boyfriend? Who is she seeing now?” he blustered.

“She introduced him as Stephen Dartmoor,” Kyle said, wiping the unshed tears from his eyes while he enjoyed the protective brother’s outburst. Louise stepped up to his elbow to see if he was okay.

“STEPHEN DARTMOOR?” Reginald gasped, and Louise heard him. She snatched her phone from Kyle to hold it to her ear.

“This is Louise! Settle gown, Reggie! Yes, I bumped into Stephen on the beach! He’s staying at the same resort.” She wandered off to deal with her brother as Kyle mouthed a sorry for spilling a secret. Louise waved him away with a smile as she listened.

Kyle moved to Stephen. “Sorry if I said anything wrong just then,” Kyle said to the older man, who was also smiling.

Stephen just shook his head. “I grew up as the next-door neighbor to Reggie and Louise. I always had an eye for Louise, but her brother played guard dog to keep me at a distance from her. Not out of anything more than over protectiveness. As youths, we got into trouble like all kids do, which somehow made me unworthy of her in his eyes. Had I only known then that she fancied me, too. It’s terrible to live with regrets.”

Kyle heard that and felt it pulling at him. “I’m going to go get cleaned up.”

He passed Louise as she gave her brother a scolding for blocking Stephen’s advances when they were neighbors.

He gathered some clothes for dinner, soaked in the hot shower to relax, dried off and dressed, then walked back out into the living room where Louise and Stephen were sitting together on the sofa, waiting for him. He eyed the two cautiously. They already seemed like a team–no! They looked like parents.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Reginald explained to me about the call he had for you, about the letter from your father. I recall you telling me about your troubled relationship with him,” Louise began.

Kyle nodded as his anger flared again. “And suddenly, there’s a letter out of the blue from the man who’s been dead for years. With a deadline on it for some unknown reason. What the fuck?” He felt his breathing speeding up, so he forced himself to take deep breaths.

“You’ll call the lawyer?” Louise asked.

Kyle rolled his neck to release the tension. “Yes.”

“Good lad,” Stephen said.

Kyle couldn’t completely stifle his sudden snort of amusement. Kyle quickly pulled his cell out and took a picture of them. He pulled the image into his editing software and added a line of text to the bottom. Saving it, he sent it to Louise. Her cell made a musical bing sound almost immediately with the incoming email. She glanced at her phone and saw the message from him. She opened it as Stephen leaned over to see as well.

There was the image of the two of them sitting side-by-side with a caption:

That look parents get when they hear you’re actually taking their advice.

Louise burst into giggles, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the picture as she realized they really did look like parents. Tears came to her eyes, and she leaped to her feet to pull Kyle into a hug. Then she turned to hug Stephen, who was standing now as well. The man smiled at Kyle over her shoulder and mouthed thank you. Kyle nodded.

“I’m going to see if I can find any new availability on flights.”

Louise squeaked in protest, but Kyle held up a finger to stop her. “This is something I need to do. You two need to get dressed for dinner, and I’m ready. Don’t make Liandri wait.”

She pouted, and he shook his head with a smile as he collected his computer. He found a chair to get comfortable in while he waited.

-=-

Dinner had gone much better tonight, as Liandri didn’t launch any attacks on Kyle’s character, and Louise and Stephen were in rare form. The stories of their childhood mischief were hilarious, though Liandri wasn’t too impressed as she’d been punished for the same pranks her father had pulled and gotten away with.

Kyle tried to immerse himself in the laughter and conversation, but the call he had to make was in the back of his mind.

Finally, Louise took his hand and looked him in the eye. “Go on, Kyle. It’s time. We’ll be in the bar for a couple of hours, so you’ll have privacy for the call.”

He thanked them for a lovely evening and headed back to the villa. He brushed his teeth and changed into his sleep shorts before admitting he was just delaying the inevitable.

Carrying his cell phone out onto the patio, he sat on the end of a lounge chair and looked at the number in the contact record. A Vancouver number. A law firm in Vancouver. This call was going to be expensive as the roaming charges on his cell were terrible. He should have picked up a Sim card at the airport for a local company, but he hadn’t known how long he’d be here.

He was procrastinating again.

He took a deep breath, dialed the number, and lifted the phone to his ear.

It made a series of clicks and rang three times before it was answered.

“Gasken, Kepler, and Hendricks. How may I direct your call?”

“O-Oliver Hendricks, please.”

“And your name?” the pleasant woman’s voice asked.

“I’m Kyle. Kyle MacDenny.”

“Oh! It’s you! They’ve been searching for you for so long. Let me put you through to Mr. Hendricks. One minute.”

Kyle nodded, then felt stupid as she couldn’t see that.

He got to hear the first bars of a song that sounded vaguely familiar then there was a click. “Mr. MacDenny?” It was an older man’s voice now.

“Kyle. Call me Kyle,” he said.

“You’ve been a difficult man to track down. You no longer live in the apartment in Vancouver,” the lawyer said.

“No, I gave it up in the summer of last year, and I’ve been visiting friends ever since,” Kyle admitted.

“I see. Well, your father made arrangements with us, years ago, I might add, to deliver a letter to you roughly around the same time you moved out.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time we missed each other,” Kyle confessed abruptly. He immediately felt bad about taking it out on the lawyer. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

“It’s quite all right. In my line of business, I often come across troubled relationships between all forms of family members,” Oliver said. “The letter has a deadline, which is why it had a delivery date months in advance to give you time to fulfill a task described within. I cannot give you any details as the physical letter is sealed and the digital version is encrypted. We don’t know the contents. Might you be able to come to our office to receive the letter?” the lawyer asked.

“That’s going to be a problem, as I’m currently in the Seychelles, and I’m having trouble getting a flight home,” Kyle explained.

“Oh my! You are far from home!” Oliver exclaimed.

“Yes, uh, roughly fifteen thousand kilometers,” Kyle estimated.

“Then we go with route two, sending you the digital file. Before we do, I will have to ask you to answer some questions he left for us to verify your identity. All right?”

“Okay. Go ahead,” Kyle replied.

“First question: what is your father’s full name?”

“Full name? Duncan MacDenny.”

“Middle name?” Oliver prompted.

“Uh, oh, mom said his middle name meant wolf in some old language. She told me once… so long ago… Lionel, no… Lyall. Duncan Lyall MacDenny.”

“Thank you. Next question: what is your mother’s full name.”

“Sara Eileen MacDenny. Her maiden name was Gibson. She was an only child. I know far more about her than my dad,” Kyle sighed. He was starting to feel sad.

“Thank you. Just a few more.” The lawyer asked him about tools in his workshop that he let Kyle use and which birthdays he’d been present for. Kyle was surprised that his father was even aware of the numbers to make them security questions.

Finally, the lawyer was satisfied. “I’ll need your email address to send you the file. It isn’t large, but as I said, it is encrypted.”

Kyle gave the man his address and listened while he sent the file. Kyle switched over to his email app, and there was the file. He went back to the call. “Okay, I have it. What’s the password for the encryption?”

“All I have is a clue. It reads, Brand name of the last thing I gave you. I hope that’s meaningful to you. If not, we’ll need to make arrangements for an expedited courier to deliver the physical letter,” the lawyer suggested.

“No, I know what he meant,” Kyle admitted.

“Excellent! Well, if you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call. Thank you for contacting us, and I’m terribly sorry for the delay,” Oliver said sincerely.

“Mr. Hendricks, the fault was mine for not leaving a forwarding address. Thank you for your help with this.”

“Good luck, Kyle. Goodbye.”

Kyle hung up and switched over to the email app, and looked at the attachment. Hendricks was right. It wasn’t very large, but his father wasn’t a man of many words. Taking a deep breath, he clicked on the attachment.

A prompt appeared, asking for the password. He typed Harley Davidson, and it failed.

He stared blankly at the screen. Oh shit.

Then he tried HarleyDavidson, and that failed too. Double shit!

Finally, he typed harleydavidson, and the document opened.

Fuck! He should have left a better fucking clue, like all lower case and no spaces!

Kyle was staring at a scan of a handwritten letter his father created for him years ago. He looked at the date at the top and realized it was from about a month before he died based on when the lawyers contacted his mom to say he was dead.

He couldn’t bring himself to read it yet, so he shut it down and walked into the living room to pour himself a scotch, but not too much this time.

Tumbler in hand, he sat in the chair and opened his notebook. He loaded his mail app and opened the attachment on the larger screen. He wasn’t really that familiar with his dad’s handwriting, so that didn’t send any flares of recognition through him.

He took another sip of his scotch then began reading.

“Kyle,

When you read this, I’ll have been dead for seven years. You’re probably asking yourself why I’m sending you a letter now, or maybe why I’m sending you a letter at all. You may hate me, and I understand if you do. Perhaps you should hate me for what you believe I did to you and your mother. It’s easier.”

Easier? Kyle glared at the blunt words on the screen. Nothing had been easy about living with his father!

Kyle took some breaths and rolled his tight neck muscles. Then he continued reading.

“I made arrangements for the airline to send a monthly payment to Aiko Okamoto. She’s who I traveled back to Japan to make these preparations for. Her father is dead, and I’m dying. I’ve also arranged for her to be taken care of until shortly after you receive this letter.”

Kyle stared at the words and tried to make sense of them. The woman’s family was dead, and his dad dropped everything, including his own family, to take care of her? And why does she need someone to take care of her? She had an affair with his father–Kyle’s mind reeled. Did he get her pregnant? Did Kyle have a half-brother or sister?

“Now, for my request. I know you may hate me, but I’m asking you, as the good man I know Sara raised you to be, to travel to Japan and meet with Aiko. She needs your help.”

“WHAT?” Kyle yelled in shock, and he barely stopped himself from throwing the notebook across the room in outrage.

When he finally calmed down, he went back to the letter to see if there were any more incredibly stupid requests.

“It’s critical you do this as soon as possible after you receive this letter, as it will become significantly more difficult for her after January tenth next year.

Sincerely, Duncan.”

What followed were instructions on how to locate Aiko’s home north of Osaka.

Kyle dropped back against the seat cushion of the chair and tried to get his head around the idea that his estranged and now dead father wanted him to drop everything and rush to the side of the man’s lover to spare her from… difficulties.

“Fuck that noise.”

Kyle snapped closed his PC and slammed back the last of his scotch. He was going to bed.

Another day closer to this nebulous and dire due date, and he couldn’t care less.

Chapter 17

“You’re leaving? Again?”

“Where to this time?”

“Will you be coming back?”

“Did you ever love me?”

“Do you even know how to love?”

“You’re a cold-hearted bastard.”

“RAAAAAAAHHH!”

Kyle cried out as he jolted upright, waking himself from the nightmare. He gulped for air and rubbed his scalp with both hands to get the voices out. The room was dimly lit by the moon and a few power LEDs. His mind went back to the dream.

It was his mother’s voice, once more echoing in his mind.

But this time, the last words were spoken by his dad.

A light went on in the bedroom, casting a beam of warm light into the living room.

“Kyle, are you all right?” Louise asked as she walked out of the bedroom with a sheer beach wrap around her shoulders.

“Was that Kyle?” Stephen asked groggily as he followed her out into the living room in only his boxers.

“S’okay… I’m fine,” Kyle mumbled as he rubbed his face.

Louise sat gently on the edge of the sofa and ran her fingers through Kyle’s hair. “People don’t roar in their sleep if they’re fine. What happened?”

Kyle pulled his hands from his face and blinked at the woman before him. “It was just a nightmare. It’s over.”

She looked into his eyes, her compassion plain to see. He looked away and saw how dark it still was outside. “We should all get back to sleep,” he suggested. “Sorry about the noise.” He glanced at Stephen and saw he was also giving Kyle a concerned look. That hit him harder than he expected, so he closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

A soft hand rested on his cheek, and he leaned into it slightly, then pulled away. “It’s okay. We’ll talk in the morning. I need to rest, and you should too.”

Stephen nodded and headed back into the bedroom.

Kyle shared a little smile with Louise, and the woman stood. She stroked her fingers through his hair once more as she walked by.

When the light went out in the bedroom, Kyle eased himself back onto the pillows and closed his eyes.

Typically, when Kyle dreamed of his mother, her presence lingered in this mind, and he could feel out how she’d react to his actions, or in this case, inaction.

He knew his mom had been horribly hurt by his dad, so it came as a shock to him that what he felt now… was her disappointment.

His eyes opened as he felt that lingering emotion slowly fade away.

Was he as much of an asshole as his father had been to his mother?

Was he just like him?

Sleep did not return to Kyle for some time.

-=-

Louise ordered breakfast for four brought to the room in the morning, and Stephen ensured Liandri joined them. Kyle was last to wake, shower, and dress, so he was also the last to join them at the table on the patio overlooking the pool.

Liandri could see the sleep bruises under his eyes and glanced at her father, who faintly shook his head.

They ate the meal and discussed what they might do for the day. The consensus was relaxing on the beach, but Kyle seemed to fidget at the idea.

Finally, Louise could wait no longer. “Kyle, could you tell us how the call went last night. What brought you to state that gave you that nightmare?”

Liandri looked at Kyle in surprise.

Kyle sighed, sank back in his chair, and looked at Louise as she gazed back in concern. Then he nodded.

“I spoke to the lawyer. My father sent them a letter seven years ago with instructions to deliver it to me last summer. I moved before they could contact me. They sent it to me in an email last night. My father’s lover will experience some difficulties if I don’t go to Osaka, Japan to… help her in some way. Apparently, I should have gone to Japan last summer to help her, as whatever it is I need to do will take time, and there’s a deadline of January tenth.”

“Oh my!” Louise gasped.

“That’s so soon!” Stephen exclaimed.

Liandri was silent as she watched Kyle struggle with something. Finally, she spoke. “You don’t want to help her.”

Kyle twitched. Then he looked at her. “Why should I? She’s the reason my dad left my mom.”

Liandri looked at Kyle skeptically. “Are you sure?”

He frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked sharply.

“Do you know all the details? How old were you when it happened? Did your mother confide in you? Did your father?”

Kyle’s anger flared. “I was sixteen, and no one told me shit! He was just gone!”

“Maybe you should speak with this woman then, as she’s the only other person involved who knows. Or are you the kind of man who disregards what women say?” Liandri argued.

Kyle’s mouth worked in outrage.

“Once you have all the information, then you can determine if she is worthy of helping,” Liandri finished.

Kyle swallowed hard as his stomach rebelled. He nodded stiffly, stood and walked to the front door to slip on his shoes, then left the villa.

-=-

Louise looked at the troubled expression on Liandri’s face. “I thought you two had mended your differences.”

“You were pretty harsh, Li,” Stephen suggested.

Her head dropped. “I know. I’m sorry. He’s just so… He confuses me, and I react badly.”

Louise smiled as she clued in. She quickly hid her smile, but Stephen saw it, and lights went on for him as well.

“I’m not saying you were wrong about what you said, just in how you said it. I–” She glanced at the smile on Stephen’s face. “We agree he should go to Japan to meet the woman, and we also think it might be a good idea if you apologized to Kyle. Let him know we agree with you, but it could have been said more gently.”

Liandri looked up and glanced toward the door. “I don’t know where he went.”

Louise smiled and touched her hand. “I think he’ll be on the beach. He put on his water slippers.”

The young woman nodded and left the villa as well.

Louise smiled fondly at Stephen. “This feels… right.”

His smile was warm and loving. “The rightest thing I’ve felt in a long time.”

-=-

Liandri made her way down to the sand and walked toward the shore until she could see the strip of sand leading away in both directions. She spotted Kyle a short distance away to her left, standing at the edge where the waves flowed back and forth.

She walked toward him, but he seemed oblivious to her approach. She couldn’t help but admire how fit his body looked as the wind was blowing his shirt tight against his chest. His face was handsome as well, and this is where her brain rebelled. He looked too much like the men she worked with. The men who preyed on lonely women for sex, money, gifts, and prestige. She knew, now, that he wasn’t like them, which somehow made it worse. It was easier to despise all these handsome devils than to have hope… again.

She knew he didn’t deserve to be treated like them, so she had to rise above her anger.

He must have sensed her as he turned and watched her approach with a stiffness in his body. Preparing for another attack.

“I’m sorry,” she gushed out and immediately felt stupid.

His expression was of surprise, but she saw his posture relax. He nodded to her.

“Louise and father agree with me, but I could have said it in a kinder way,” she quickly expressed.

He sighed. “Yes. I know you’re right. I have to go. It’s what my mom would have wanted as well.”

“She sounds like a remarkable woman,” Liandri said, and Kyle turned away as he nodded. She stepped closer and saw tears rolling down Kyle’s cheek.

“I miss her so much at times like these. I relied on her moral compass so much,” Kyle sighed, his voice hinting at the depth of his loss.

Liandri had never witnessed a man crying like this before. Certainly, her father cried when her mother died, but that was when it happened, not years later. She moved to stand before him, and he didn’t hide his tears or get angry with her for seeing them. He was simply dealing with his grief quietly.

She surprised herself when she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight.

Slowly, his arms went around her, and she sighed when he held her against his chest.

She tucked her face into his neck, and he rested his chin on her head.

After a time, his body stopped trembling, and he cleared the lump in his throat. “I want to honor her memory by handling this properly, but how do I do that when she was so intimately involved and profoundly affected?”

Liandri thought about that for a moment, and it was beyond her experience as well. Then the question came to her. “How would she have acted if she’d been the one to be asked to help the other woman?”

Kyle snorted as if surprised and amused by the very idea. Liandri leaned back to look up at his face, and he saw she was serious. His eyebrows rose then he frowned as he thought about it.

Liandri watched his expression clear slowly. “She’d be pissed, but she’d go speak with her.”

“I think your mother gave you her moral compass after all,” Liandri said softly.

Liandri felt Kyle’s arm tighten once more, and his body’s trembling returned.

After a time, he was still once more. He cleared his voice. “Thank you. She would have loved your no-nonsense approach.”

It was Liandri’s turn to get a lump in her throat. “Thanks.”

She stepped back from his lovely body with a moment of regret. Then she put some space between them.

“I need to go back to the villa to see how quickly I can get to Osaka,” he said.

She nodded and stepped up to his side as they walked back. When they entered the villa, they heard Stephen laughing loudly as he talked to someone on his cell. The man said thanks and hung up. He nodded to Louise with a grin, and she clapped her hands as they cheered.

She spun to face Kyle and Liandri. “He did it!”

Kyle smiled. “What did he do?”

“Stephen works as a Global Distribution Manager for all kinds of goods. He has contacts all over the world. He can get you to Osaka!” Louise said.

“Tokyo, actually. You’ll have to catch a train or a commercial flight to Osaka from there,” the older man admitted. “It’s not going to be as comfortable or direct a flight as the one which got you here, but it will get you there in a day and a half, roughly. But you’ll have to be ready to go tonight.”

Kyle’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Wow! I’ll take what I can get! I don’t need First Class.”

Stephen chuckled. “Keep that attitude front and center, and you’ll be fine!”

Kyle wondered what that meant.

Chapter 18

His first clue should have been that Stephen was a goods distributor.

There was no First-Class section on cargo planes. Kyle was allowed to join the crew as he was made a bonded courier, hand-delivering a hastily prepared package to Stephen’s representative in Tokyo. How Stephen turned all that around in mere hours was a mystery and a miracle.

After shaking the man’s hand in the airport, hugging and kissing Louise goodbye, and getting a stunningly passionate kiss from Liandri, Kyle stumbled through the security clearance to board his first flight. He was off to Mumbai, India. This flight had him in the air for a little over nine hours, and he was grateful to get his feet on solid ground.

Unfortunately, his feet had to run across the busy airport to get to his next flight to Singapore.

Once more, he went through the security checkpoint and boarded the cargo plane. This crew was not too pleased to be carrying human cargo, even though he had the proper paperwork. They mostly ignored him once they were in the air, for another nine and a half hours.

He almost missed his connecting flight to Manila because of some overzealous security personnel in Singapore, but they got hold of Stephen, and he straightened out their issues and got Kyle to the flight just before they sealed the doors.

That plane was the loudest of the bunch so far, but he only had a little under fours hours to endure, so he recalled his words to Stephen and treated the flight like First Class.

When he reached Manila, he had another sprint to jump onto his last flight. With only thirty minutes to make the four-hour flight, nothing could go wrong, and once more, the Gods of Chance looked favorably upon him.

At five-thirty in the morning, he stumbled out into the terminal in Tokyo to see a short round man holding a sign with his name on it. He approached the man, rubbing at his bleary eyes.

“Kyle-san?”

“Oh, uh, yes. Daniel-san?” Kyle returned, and the man nodded with a wide smile.

Kyle opened the small carryall, which had the package he was delivering. “I’ll need you to sign for this.”

Daniel chuckled and signed the slip, which went into Kyle’s pocket. His courier duties were officially completed. The man looked curiously at the box. It was pretty light, so he cut the tape and opened it. He tugged out a rolled-up black cloth. With a sharp bark of laughter, he shook out the t-shirt, which had the pirate skull and crossbones on it. The skull was drinking from a bottle, and the text around the graphic said Time Flies When You’re Having Rum, Seychelles.

Kyle hand-delivered a t-shirt?

“Come, we must drive fast to get you to Tokyo station to catch your train to Osaka,” Daniel explained as he rushed off to the car park. Kyle got into the compact car and gripped the door handle as Daniel did everything but put it up on two wheels to get him to the train station.

Kyle was expecting to be dumped on the sidewalk outside, but Daniel parked and led Kyle to a ticket kiosk and showed him how to buy the ticket. Then he pointed Kyle in the train’s direction.

“Thank you so much, Daniel-san!” Kyle said with a quick bow as he had to run. The man’s face was showing a wide smile as he saw his charge rush away.