CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Penelope's POV

The ride from the airstrip to the resort was nothing short of breathtaking. The Maldivian sun kissed the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with hues of pink and gold. The air smelled of salt and something sweet, like ripe coconuts.

But my mind wasn't on the view.

It was on Julien. And on what I wasn't telling him.

He kept one hand on the wheel, the other tracing idle patterns on the back of my hand. Every touch was casual, effortless—yet it sent sparks through my skin.

I watched his veined hands on mine and swallowed.

His touch felt good.

He finally broke the silence. "So, what did you do while I was away?"

I forced a small, amused scoff, staring out at the endless blue ocean beside us. "Watched movies. Went shopping."

He hummed, as if considering my words. "That's it?"

I turned to him, feigning an easy smile. "What else was I supposed to do? Cry into your pillow?"

His grip on my hand tightened briefly, his gaze flicking toward me. "Did you?"

I rolled my eyes, nudging his arm playfully. "Don't flatter yourself, Laurent."

He let out a low chuckle, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to my knuckles. "I missed you."

I swallowed, my stomach flipping. "I missed you too," I admitted, the words coming easier than I expected. "Thought about you a lot."

He smirked. "Really? What exactly were you thinking about?"

His tone had that familiar, teasing edge, the one that made my pulse quicken.

I glanced at him, tilting my head. "If I tell you, I might ruin my challenge."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Challenge?"

We had had a chat the previous night where I had mentioned that I'd be giving him a challenge during this trip to Maldives.

I nodded, biting back a smirk. "Mmm. But you'd have to finish it by tonight."

His fingers tightened slightly around mine. Then, in a low, thick British accent that sent a shiver down my spine, he murmured, "Oh dear, I'm loving this."

I shouldn't have encouraged him. I knew that.

But the way his gaze darkened, the way his smirk deepened—it made me reckless.

Still, I needed to keep my focus.

Julien exhaled, stretching his fingers over the wheel. "Mr. Paeton adjusted our meeting. I'll have to head to his resort right after we check in."

I forced myself to nod. "Right."

Then, as if reading my hesitation, he added, "But his urgent trip to Hong Kong means we're wrapping it up tonight instead of two days from now." He turned to me, his smirk returning. "Meaning, I get even more time with you."

My stomach twisted.

I nodded again, keeping my expression neutral. "Lucky me."

His gaze flickered over me, his smile tilting. "You don't sound convinced."

I shrugged. "Maybe I just don't want to be a distraction."

He leaned closer, his voice low, amused. "Oh, baby, you're the only thing distracting me."

His words sent heat rushing through me, but I forced myself to focus on the road ahead.

Minutes later, the island came into view.

And I gawked.

The largest island in the Maldives stretched before us, fringed with lush palm trees and a coastline so pristine it looked unreal. The water shimmered like glass, shifting between crystal blue and deep turquoise.

"Holy—" I started, but the words died on my lips.

Julien glanced at me, smirking. "Impressed?"

"Absolutely not," I muttered, trying to play it cool.

He chuckled, squeezing my thigh lightly before driving past the minuscule resorts dotting the coastline.

Then, we pulled up to his resort.

And I lost all pretense.

The building loomed over the others, a striking mix of modern architecture and tropical elegance. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, wooden decks sprawling over the water, a rooftop infinity pool that looked like it bled into the ocean itself.

"Tell me this isn't yours," I said, staring at it in disbelief.

He smirked, stepping out of the car before walking around to open my door. "It's the largest on this island."

I shook my head, still reeling. "Why do you own something this big?"

He leaned down slightly, his smirk deepening. "I have condos all over the Maldives." His tone was casual, as if he were mentioning something as simple as owning a few pairs of shoes. "About forty-five of them."

I blinked at him.

Then, narrowing my eyes, I scoffed. "Why are you bragging?"

His smirk turned wicked. "I don't know. I was hoping that would impress you and have you fuck me harder than ever tonight."

He wiped his thumb over the side of his lips, his hungry gaze sizing me up and down.

I swallowed as we stood before the enormous condo.

I sputtered, my cheeks heating. "Are you—"

Before I could finish, a man jogged toward us.

"Mr. Laurent," the man said breathlessly. "Apologies for the wait."

Julien nodded, taking the key the man handed him. "All good." Then, without hesitation, he gestured to me. "This is my gorgeous wife, Madison."

My stomach clenched.

The man's face brightened. "Ah! Welcome, Mrs. Laurent. You're even more stunning in person."

I forced a polite smile. "Thank you."

The man nodded before turning to Julien. "Enjoy your stay, sir." Then, with a final dip of his head, he walked away.

Julien glanced at his Rolex. "Fifteen minutes."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"That's how long we have before I need to meet Paeton." He gave me a pointed look. "So let's settle in fast."

Before I could respond, he took my hand, leading me toward the entrance.

The heavy wooden doors swung open effortlessly.

And my breath hitched.

The interior was just as extravagant as I had expected—if not more. Vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden beams, glass walls that opened up to an expansive deck over the ocean, a sunken living area with plush white sofas. The entire space oozed luxury.

Julien let out a pleased hum, tossing the key onto a marble countertop. Then, he turned to me, his gaze sharp.

"You're quiet again."

I exhaled, shaking my head. "It's just—this place is insane."

He smirked. "You love it."

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't say that."

His smirk deepened. "No, but you're looking at it like you do."

I crossed my arms, giving him a pointed look. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your meeting?"

He tilted his head, his smirk unwavering. "Eager to get rid of me already?"

I huffed. "Eager to take a shower without you watching, yes."

He laughed, stepping closer until I felt the warmth of his body against mine. "Pity." His voice dipped lower, teasing. "I was looking forward to round two of our challenge."

My breath hitched.

Before I could retort, he leaned in, his lips grazing my ear. "Don't miss me too much, baby."

He suddenly grabbed my waist, guiding me to a corner with it, "Come, let me show you the bedroom."

His rough hand on my waist sent a shiver down my spine.

He slides his hand up and down it, rubbing it casually on my thigh.

When he leads us into the bedroom, I'm too focused on the feel of his hand on my waist and how they quickly left my side to take in the enormous bedroom with the floor-to-ceiling window highlighting the ocean.

I move away from him to the other end of the bedroom. 

I don't know why both of us are quiet. But, it thickened the tension.

In a low tone, I asked, "When are you coming back?"

"What? You can't wait to fuck me?"

"Yes." I replied shamelessly.