The sound of my alarm breaks the silence. If I wasn’t used to waking up early for work, the 5 a.m. schedule here would have sucked big time. I’m quick with getting ready given my limited choices of safari-appropriate clothing.
By the time I make it to our living room, I expect Declan to be annoyed that I’m ten minutes late. Except Declan isn’t here. I spin around in a circle before making my way through our private villa. His room is located on the opposite side of the place, giving him an equally beautiful view of our pool outside.
A muffled noise comes through the bottom of his bedroom door. I turn the knob and push his door open, finding Declan bent over a desk, looking fresh as a daisy in a three-piece suit. I try my best to ignore the way his ass sticks out, but my eyes linger on his form-fitting pants because I’m not blind.
Although the little jolt in my heart concerns me enough to avert my gaze back to his face.
I frown at his attire. “You can’t go out like that. The lions will eat you alive.”
He ignores me as he scribbles something down on a notepad.
I check the time on my phone. “We’re supposed to meet with the ranger in five minu—”
“Sorry, Mr. Kane, what was that?” a woman’s voice cuts me off.
He glares at me as he holds a finger to his mouth.
“Just my assistant checking in on me. Carry on, Ms. Tanaka.”
Tanaka. Of course Declan would answer a call from Mr. Yakura’s assistant. She and her VIP boss are one of the few people who have direct access to Declan’s personal line.
Ms. Tanaka spouts something off in Japanese and Declan responds without missing a beat. Watching him shift between languages always impresses me. Whether it is Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, or Japanese, the way the words roll easily off Declan’s tongue is something to be admired.
I’ve tried to pick up on a few words here and there while listening in on his conversations, but I never had a knack for any kind of words—let alone foreign ones.
While Declan speaks to Ms. Tanaka, I enter his closet and start unloading his luggage. I make quick work of the job since I was the one who packed everything anyway. The suit was a surprise, and I’m somewhat peeved Declan thought to pack it in the first place. We were supposed to be on the same page about all this, including no work.
Because really, what is the point of going through this entire sham of a honeymoon if he is going to work the entire time. That doesn’t scream happily in love.
Ms. Tanaka finally ends the call, and I exit his closet with a safari-approved outfit. “Here. Change into this.”
“We’re not going.”
I blink at him. “I’m sorry, what?”
His eyes shift from my face to my trembling arm holding onto his clothes with an iron grip. “Mr. Yakura wants to meet in a few hours to discuss the latest proposal.”
“You’re joking.”
“No. The man is impossible. I’m close to abandoning the land and sending the scouts out to find me a new location.”
“But—”
He doesn’t let me finish. “I refuse to give up when I’m this close to securing the deal, especially after I promised the board I would follow through on delivering Dreamland Tokyo.” He paces the width of his room.
His large body makes me feel as if the walls are closing in around me.
I shake my head. “I don’t think I’m understanding you.”
“He finally gave me some concrete feedback about my proposal and would like to meet to discuss it further—”
“I’m not talking about the proposal!” I throw his clothes on the bed, wishing I could chuck them at his face instead.
Declan’s brows pull together. “You’re upset.”
“No, Declan. I’m disappointed.”
“You of all people should understand how important this is to me.”
I throw my arms in the air. “That’s exactly my problem. I understand your needs even at the expense of my own.”
I instantly want to take back the words, if only to erase the scary expression on Declan’s face.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve spent three years of my life making sure you’re taken care of, even if it meant sacrificing my happiness to do so,” I blurt out.
So much for keeping yourself in check.
His lips flatten, turning the pink color white from the pressure of his grimace.
Abort mission. “Never mind—”
“Is that how you really feel?” he cuts me off.
It takes all my willpower to not break eye contact. “Yes.”