The waitress returned with their drinks, and Galen uttered a perfunctory thanks. Blondie and his wingman were starting to get on his nerves now, lavishing Lacey and Cat with compliments. The next song had begun, so he had to inch closer to hear them.

“You are so beautiful, I swear. If I had a girl like you, I could die a happy man.” This aimed at Lacey from Gym Rat.

She smiled politely, but then turned and caught Galen’s eye. Was that a plea in her eyes or was it wishful thinking on his part? At the very least, she didn’t want any PDA in front of Cat, or at least that’s what it had seemed like back at the villa. But when Gym Rat closed a meaty paw on her shoulder, nothing short of a zombie apocalypse would have stopped him. Galen picked up the beer he’d ordered her and approached, slipping a possessive arm around her trim waist. “Hey, squirt. Nice job out there.”

Lacey turned a grateful smile his way and accepted the bottle. “Thanks.”

Gym Rat gave him the hard eye, and for a second Galen wondered if he was going to press his luck, but he backed off. “Hey buddy, how’s it going?” he asked, releasing Lacey’s shoulder.

“Pretty good, thanks.”

Galen had obviously shat on their party plans because after an awkward minute of mostly silence, the Boston guys dispersed, making their way to the pool table.

“Thanks,” Lacey said, the relief evident on her face. “I never quite know what to do in those situations.”

“Well, don’t expect me to thank you for cock-blocking me,” Cat grumbled. “You come over here to pee on your girlfriend like some sort of lone wolf and you scared my prospect away with your macho display.”

“I’m not his girlfriend,” Lacey mumbled.

As if he needed the reminder. “She looked uncomfortable.” He shrugged as if to say he’d do it for anybody.

“Whatever. Did you at least get me a drink?”

He jerked his chin toward the table where her mojito sat, and she grabbed it. “These things are too delicious, which could be a serious problem.”

They paused to clap for the group of ladies who’d done a Sinatra song. When the applause died down, the MC bent toward the mic again. “Welcome back to the stage, Lacey, going solo this time!”

She turned a stricken gaze to Cat. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, but I did. Come on, I came all the way here to be with you. The least you can do is sing my song.”

Lacey groaned. “Stop with the guilt. It’s not like you followed me to Siberia. We’re in paradise, and you’re getting a weeklong vacation. That doesn’t mean you get to boss me for the next seven days.”

“Who are you kidding? I boss you three hundred sixty-five days a year, and you love it. Now get your cute little ass up there and sing my song.”

She sent a nervous glance at Galen and he tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. “You’ll be great.”

She took a long swallow of her beer, setting it down only when the MC started playfully chanting her name, which the crowd took up with glee.

“She’s actually a fantastic singer,” Cat said as they watched Lacey climb the stage stairs again. “I always have to go up with her at first to lube her up a little, but wait till you hear what she can do.”

The strains of a familiar song by Heart made him smile. She, Becca, and Cat had put on a show for him and the rest of the family when they were in second grade. They’d danced and lip-synced to this song with spoons for microphones. Even then, Becca and Lacey had swayed in the background, chirping up during the chorus while Cat hogged the attention, strutting her stuff. He’d acted put upon and annoyed, as was required at that age, but they’d been pretty adorable.

Grown-up Lacey opened her mouth, and as a sweet, husky tone rang from her throat, the smile slid from his face. It was like a full-on body shot. A solid blow to the solar plexus that had him short of breath. She didn’t just sing, she left it all out there, feeling every line…every word of it. When she sang about wanting and waiting, it was so real, it gave him chills. And when she claimed she never really cared until she met him, it felt like every word was for him. He managed to tear his gaze away for a second only to realize that every other guy in the place felt the same way he did.

Captivated.

During the guitar solo, Cat turned to grin at him. “And this, dear brother, is why we come to karaoke. It’s the one place where she really lets it all out, you know?”

He nodded, still dazed.

His sister’s face turned serious, and she closed a gentle hand over his forearm. “That look on her face when she sings? It’s the same expression she gets when she talks about you. When we were getting ready to come here she was telling me about the boxing lessons, your almost-orgy, and all the fun stuff you’ve been doing. And she was…glowing.” Cat’s green gaze locked onto his with the intensity of a laser beam, and her grip tightened. “Do not fuck with her. She’s fragile right now. I love you, but I will cut your heart out. Understand what I’m saying, bro?”

He nodded and tugged his arm from his sister’s claw before she did some damage. “I hear you loud and clear.”

He wondered if she’d given Lacey the same speech. Probably. But at the end of the day, it was Lacey and him who needed to figure out what, if anything, came next. His instinct was to push. He knew he wanted more time with her. He wasn’t ready to let go yet. And if Cat’s intuition was right, neither was Lacey. But she’d literally been a bride only a week ago. After what she’d been through, fragile was putting it mildly. Confused, scared, shocked, betrayed. She was a writhing mass of emotion when they’d first gotten to Puerto Rico. Just because she seemed okay now didn’t mean there weren’t deeper issues at play. Even if she did feel like this could be more than a fling, could her feelings even be trusted?

Rebound.

He’d tried to keep it at bay, but the term reared its ugly head and burrowed its way further into his mind, digging its hooks deep. If he were on the outside looking in, he’d call it from a mile away. He’d say, “Don’t get attached, man. You’re the rebound guy.” It didn’t feel that way with Lacey, though. It felt real and right. Then again, what rebound guy ever knew he was the rebound guy until it was over and he was left standing there with his dick in his hand and a sleepy, confused smile on his face?

Fuck, he so didn’t want that to be him.

The last note rang out and the audience went crazy, chanting her name and howling their approval. She picked her way through the crowd, stopping every few steps to give high fives to her new fans and politely shake her head—probably offers of drinks, though one appeared to be a proposal. She caught him staring and blushed, sending a beaming smile his way that warmed him clear through.

And just like that, it was decided. He might be the rebound guy right now, but there was no way he was going out like that. It was time to do what he did best.

Fight for what he wanted.

Chapter Ten

Lacey stared at the bedroom door, silently willing it to open. They’d gotten home from the karaoke bar a couple hours before, and Galen had been conspicuously absent since. He’d claimed he was “going out for a while,” but she and Cat had watched almost all of Good Will Hunting and he still hadn’t come back. Cat’s head had started bobbing and she struggled to keep her eyes open, so Lacey had sent her to bed. She’d waited a few more minutes but finally followed suit, promising herself that she wouldn’t wait up for him. The villa’s front door had squealed open a little while later, but that was twenty minutes ago, and he still hadn’t come into the bedroom.

She flicked off the light, forcing herself to stay in bed and not get up to grill him about where he’d gone. He was a big boy, and if he wanted to stay out all night, who was she to say anything?

No one. She had no claim on him at all.

She covered her face with the pillow and tried not to cry. He’d probably decided to sleep on the couch now that Cat was here. Whatever they’d had was over. She’d never get to kiss him again, or run her hands down the thick muscles in his back, or smell—

The sound of the doorknob turning sent her heart into overdrive. “Cat?” she called breathlessly. Please don’t be Cat, please don’t be Cat.

She tossed the pillow aside and squinted, straining to see the doorway in the darkness. It opened on a whisper, and a hulking silhouette filled the space. Not Cat.

“Did I wake you?” His voice was soft and gentle.

“No.” She struggled to keep her tone even, not wanting to sound like a demanding harpy, despite the questions crowding her brain. Where did you go? What did you do? And most pathetic, Do you still want me? She bit her cheek to keep from crying.

“Sorry I took so long. I had to pick up a few things, and they were a little harder to locate than I had originally planned. The, ah, language barrier proved to be a problem. I was going to call Cat, but I left my phone in my other pants.”

She didn’t trust herself to speak without a telling crack, so she slid over to make room for him on the bed and hoped it would be answer enough.

“Nope. I need you to get up and come with me.” He crossed the room and held out his hand.

“It’s almost midnight,” she said in halfhearted protest but gave him her hand. There was no question she would go. She just needed a second to recover from dizzy relief over his return.

“So it is. Are you going to turn into a pumpkin?”

She shook her head.

“Well then what are you waiting for? I promise to make it worth your while.” The slow drawl was brimming with sensual promise. She shivered.

“Are we leaving the villa? Wh-what should I wear?”

“Whatever you have on is fine. We’re not going far.”

Her curiosity was piqued but nerves made her hesitate. If she didn’t know where they were going or what they were doing, how could she mentally prepare? What if she might need something and she didn’t bring it because he hadn’t given her a chance to make a quick list? What if—

“Stop thinking, squirt. Feel for once.” He bent low and scooped her into his arms. “Do you want to come…with me?” he whispered, his warm breath caressing her cheek.

His body was warm from the balmy night air, and she snuggled in closer. “Yes.” And it doesn’t matter where, she realized with a start. She would go anywhere if it meant another night in his arms.

Some of the tension seemed to drain out of him, and he dropped a kiss onto her forehead. “I’m so glad.” He carried her through the villa to the French doors leading to the pool. “Can you get that?”

She pushed down the lever, and he toed the door open. When he stepped out to the tiny pool area, she gasped. The small round swimming pool was surrounded by dozens of flickering candles, and a bottle of wine sat in an ice-filled bucket next to the steps. A snowy white comforter littered with deep red pillows lay on the patio stones.

The whole time she’d been stewing over his absence, he’d been planning this romantic tryst. She blinked back hot tears.

“I know our pool isn’t nearly as grand as Cyrus and Nikki’s, but you seemed to really enjoy the water. I was thinking we could finish what we started at their house that night right here.”

“Plus, you were afraid Cat would hear us in the other room.” She met his gaze and offered a teasing grin.

“She wouldn’t hear me. You’re the screamer.”

She started to protest when something next to the wine bucket caught her eye. “What’s that?”

He set her down and picked up the small wrapped box. “It’s a surprise for a little later.” The gleam in his eye set her heart thumping, and she resisted the urge to snatch it from him and look inside. “I know that look, control freak, but you’re going to have to wait.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and the tender expression on his face took the sting out of his words.