Crossed Keys

Epilogue - Strike

Six Months Later...Phuket

Morning came too soon. And while I knew the morning would be beautiful, I stayed in bed with Dash in my arms. His messy hair tickled my nose, but I love him with longer hair. Since he'd been in the Chiang Mai with me for a few months, his hair had grown out, the root of it healthier than the ends. He hadn't spent most of his days in the sun, and that was doing wonderful things to his hair and skin.

But I knew in a few weeks, he'd be heading back to his island and back to the water he loved so much. He'd stepped in as my right-hand man at the restaurant, learning the ropes and doing very well. He'd been funny and outgoing and kind—and my staff adored him.

A couple of times Code showed up to the restaurant and sat outside. I watched him, ensuring he knew that I knew he was there. I wasn't sure how many ways Dash and I were supposed to tell him I didn't want him anymore.

The last month or so, he hadn't showed up. Maybe he finally got the message.

He didn't want me or what I had to offer. He thought he'd found a better man and moved on. Dash healed me from Code—he healed my heart and it only made sense it now belonged to him. I loved Dash with every part of me—I loved him in an especially different way than I did with Code, and I didn't even try explaining it.

The first night there, I took him dancing. There was something about holding him in my arms as our bodies swayed across the dancefloor.

He'd been shy at first until I rested a hand against the back of his head and gently pushed his face into my neck. Then it had been as if we were the only two people on the face of the planet.

"I love you." I whispered to him that night. "I love you so damn much."

Dash had framed my cheeks and kissed me until I lost control, took him back to the car and made love to him in the backseat in the darkened parking lot.

He did that to me—and I thought after this many months, that yearning would have gone away.

But no—I still craved him desperately.

I drifted off to sleep again until Dash kissed me awake.

When I tried pulling him into the bed, he took my wrists and set them back on the bed.

"Get showered." Dash told me.

"I don't want to." I pouted. "I want you to take off those shorts and get on for a ride."

"P'Strike!" He giggled. "Don't be naughty."

I sighed dramatically. "But you like it when I'm naughty."

"Yes, but when we don't have an appointment." He pouted at me. "I'm trying to be good."

"I don't want you to be good."

"Strike..."

I sighed dramatically. "Okay, we'll just cuddle and skip breakfast."

"This was your idea. Remember?" Dash reminded me while tossing his pillow at me. "Come on, get up."

Groaning, I caught the pillow and stuck it on the other side of the bed.

We stared at each other and for a second, I thought he'd come back to bed.

Instead, he shook his head.

I flopped around on the bed like a child.

Dash only laughed, leaned in to kiss me then escaped into the bathroom.

It was my birthday and I wanted to go away with Dash and my friends. Dash and I snuck off to Phuket a couple of days before the others arrived. They landed in Chiang Mai and Bright brought them up with him.