"Darling, you are not the easiest man to get along with. In less than a week she has been wed and relocated. She has no friends and no family here to support her. It can be a lot mentally."
Rome thought his mother was being absurd, so he reassured her by saying, "Bunny is fine. She now has wealth and status. That is all she has ever wanted."
"Are you sure?" His mother asked the question catching him off guard.
He had never asked her, but her agreeing to this arrangement gave him the answer he needed. "Everything will be fine, mother. I promise." He leaned forward and placed an endearing kiss on his mother's forehead. "Please do me a favor," he requested.
"What is that, my darling?" She replied.
"Get Baxter the hell out of here." His mother seemed shocked at his request.
"Rome! He is your childhood friend, and our family is very close. Why on Earth would I do that? Baxter has done nothing wrong. He is also stuck on this island with us until his boat is repaired."
At that admission, Rome rolled his eyes, walked away, and headed to the last door on the right. It was a sunroom that he had turned into a makeshift office. He closed the door behind him. What was Baxter up to? He would find out soon enough.
BUNNY
Bunny awoke to the calming sounds of the sea. She sat up and searched for a clock. There was none. She rubbed her eyes while she yawned loudly. Seconds later, there was a knock on her door. It opened and there was her new husband. Rome looked quite different today. He appeared more casual in his beach attire. He also looked more attractive. Bunny couldn't believe she thought that, especially after the way he had been treating her.
"Good afternoon, wife." He greeted her.
She was confused by his words. "Afternoon? What time is it?" She asked him as she watched him cross the threshold and place a breakfast tray on the nightstand table beside her.
He sat down on the bed directly beside her. "It is 1:30 p.m."
Bunny's eyes bulged in surprise. "You let me sleep that late!"
To Rome, she sounded perturbed.
"Yes. My mother is under the impression you needed the rest. By your reaction, I can tell she was wrong."
"No, no. It's just that I haven't slept in in a very long time. Please, thank your mother for me." She reassured him, trying not to sound ungrateful.
"You can thank her yourself once you eat and get dressed. I have some business meetings. I don't know how long I will be. My mother has decided to give you a tour of the island instead of me."
Bunny looked at the tray of food that sat before her. The tray was filled with passionfruit, mango, and strawberries. There was also half of a slice of white toast on a smaller plate. She reached for the plate when Rome smacked her hand like she was a small child. She immediately pulled it back and looked up at him. What was the matter with him? She wondered.
"Not without permission." He chided her. Bunny was unsure of what he was talking about. She hadn't needed permission from him before.
"Ask!" He commanded.
Bunny was unsure about his request but did as he said, "May I please eat breakfast?" She asked.
He smiled at her response and answered her. "Yes, you may."
He picked up a piece of passion fruit and brought it to his lips. He took a generous bite of it. Only a small chunk of the fruit remained.
He held it between his teeth and pulled her close to him. Her eyes couldn't help but look at his lips. The sweet fruit was placed in between his straight, white teeth. She knew what he wanted her to do. She had mixed emotions about him currently. Was he really a bully or just a man accustomed to getting the things he wanted when he wanted them?
She didn't have time to answer her own question. He pulled her even closer to him. She reached up with her mouth and tried to retrieve the fruit. It almost worked. She was able to get the fruit from his lips but unable to escape his lips from claiming her own in a breathtaking kiss.
Bunny always seemed so surprised by how much passion she could feel radiating through Rome's muscular frame. It was irresistible, and she was helpless to it now. His kiss made her forget her thoughts and who he was, and how mean he was to her. Her body reacted strongly to him. She felt alive.
It was becoming hazy for her. She felt herself clinging to his wide, muscular shoulders as if she would fall. The kiss quickened, and before she knew it, she was flat on her back with him in between her legs. He hadn't stopped kissing her. His lips found no bounds as he showered her face with kisses. Then her neck. Then her breasts.
He had already worked one of her breasts out of her bra. Bunny was wet with anticipation. His hot mouth suckled her pert breast. A soft moan escaped her lips. The incredible urge of wanting him inside of her. She had no time to be disgusted with herself. His touch felt so good. It felt so right.
His hands moved down to her waist and rested on her underwear. He hooked both sides with his fingers and began ripping them off Bunny. Bunny let out a shocked gasp, as she lay there helpless against the passion he was about to release upon her. She wanted it. She wanted all of it.
She hated admitting that fact to herself, let alone anyone else. She didn't have to, she told herself. She could always stand behind the guise that he forced her into this marriage, and she had no choice but to cooperate. It wasn't her fault if she happened to enjoy it. Rome kissed her once more. This time his tongue found her own.
RING! RING! It was a phone. The sound snapped them both back to reality. Rome ground out a curse word, obviously annoyed at the interruption, "Dammit !"
"Behave while I am gone. Do you understand?"
She nodded her head 'Yes.' There was no use arguing with him. She already knew how stubborn he could be.
He stood up soon after and exited the room.
Bunny was once more left alone and confused by his actions. He always somehow made her feel like she was insignificant. She didn't see any harm in finishing her breakfast. It was the least he could do, she thought. She walked over and sat down at the small table placed in front of the sliding glass door and partook in her morning meal.
It was delicious. Fresh Watermelon, Papaya, Cantaloupe, and strawberries. The fruit flavors danced on her tastebuds. It was a pick-me-up for sure. The morning view was lovely as well. The various jungle plants that sat on the patio, created the perfect frame for the tropical ocean view.
After she was done enjoying her meal, she decided to take a shower. She let the water run for a few seconds while she surveyed herself in the bathroom mirror. She found a towel for herself and placed it atop the toilet seat. She took her off undergarments and got in.
She let out a high-pitched shriek when she felt the ice-cold water hit her skin. The cold sensation woke her and her senses up immediately. It had been so chilled that it had made her jump back from the frigid water. It took her only a few seconds to realize there was no hot water. Bunny quickly bathed.
She got out of the tub and wrapped the towel around her thin body. Once she was out of the bathroom she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was her new husband, she rushed to
open it. She was shocked to be standing face to face with Baxter. Bunny was confused. What was he doing here? She wondered.
She watched as his eyes slowly drank her in, and suddenly, she felt self-conscious about wearing only the towel.
It felt like he took forever to talk. In reality it was only a few seconds. "Bunny, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Mrs. Langston told me you both were injured last night in the storm." She saw his gaze go from her eyes to her injury. "That looks pretty bad." He looked concerned for her now. She thought it rich.
Bunny was not touched. He reached out with his right hand to touch the bandage on her forehead. With delicate ease, she avoided his touch. She wondered if Rome was okay with Baxter being on their honeymoon.
"Mrs. Langston thought it would be a good idea if we all hung out on the beach and had some family-style fun since Rome is busy working." He informed her. Baxter was also openly staring at her now. Bunny really wanted to shut the door in his face, but knew she couldn't.