13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
C hance
The restaurant I chose to have lunch with Maddie has an ocean view and more importantly, is far from the Island’s business district, meaning it won’t be crowded.
I’m right.
The lunch crowd is sparse. We claim a table by the window where Maddie can watch the waves slap the beach before pulling back.
Her gaze is fixed on it, a small smile playing on her lips.
It’s the perfect opportunity to watch her.
Her hand is braced under her chin, her hair floating around her as the cool salty air blows around us.
She sees something that makes her frown and purses her lips. That small pout is enough to make my heart skip a little faster and my throat closes up.
I don’t understand my reaction to her. And now’s not the time to try to.
This morning, I wasn’t doing much thinking when I went down on her and then asked her to have lunch with me.
Maddie’s not just anyone I can forget. So I definitely shouldn’t be looking for more opportunities for us to be alone together.
I imagined it would be one and done with her, finishing what we started in the garden. But now it’s getting to be more and I’m not sure how to deal with it.
She turns, a bright smile on her lips. “This is so lovely.” She waves around us. “Seems cultural in a way.”
She’s referring to decor. Wooden beams make up the roof and the walls. Rustic tables and chairs cover the sitting area and green palms hang overhead. Combined with the sound and smell of the sea, it gave a feel of the outdoors but with comfort.
“How often do you come here?”
The last time I did was two years ago. “Not often.”
“Huh.” She looks everywhere but at me. “Because it’s not your kind of place?”
Do I have a kind of place? That’d be my office. It’s quiet and I can do the most work there. But I’m certain that’s not what she’s asking.
“No, because I’ve had no reason to until now.”
Her lip quirks and her gaze falls to the smooth table.
Is she shy?
Before I can ask about that, she picks up the menu and starts discussing options. Glad there’s something to do aside from staring at her and getting lost in my head, we go over what we’d like.
A waiter comes over and takes our orders. A seafood pasta for her, and a pork soup and potato salad for me.
We’re served a coconut cocktail while we wait.
“It’s weird how the beach is so quiet.” She gazes out the window as a couple walks past. “The public beaches we have back home are stuffed full of people. I’d rather stay home in the summer.”
I frown. I’ve never been one to idle away time on the beach but there were fun days when I was young. My brothers and I had fun swimming, surfing, and playing on the sand. “That’s sad.”
She shrugs. “It’s not bad. We made the most of it. I had my family with me and we had fun.”
“And your family is?”
“My mom and dad and me.”
“You’re an only child?”
“Uh-huh.” She sips from her glass.
“Did you ever miss not having more siblings?”
She rolls her eyes up thoughtfully. “No, not really. I’ve been friends with Nat since we were teenagers. It’s like I’ve always had a sister.”
A smile pulls at my lips. “I’ve never had a sister. Well, there’s Lucy but she’s…”
“One of the boys?”
“Yeah.”
Maddie smiles. “I saw her almost floor Baxter.”
“And she would have if there wasn’t dinner before us.”
Her smile grows. “I don’t know what it means to have a brother, either.”
“My brothers can—” be yours? I bite my tongue. Where did that thought come from? “—can be buttheads. You’re not missing out.”
“Especially Baxter, right?”
I recognize the teasing twinkle in her eyes. But I hate that she finds anything to do with Baxter funny at all.
“He’s a punk.”
She throws her head back with a laugh. “You’re very big brother-ish.”
“And how’s that?” I raise an eyebrow.
“You boss them around a lot, don’t you?”
“I don’t.”
“Oh, yeah, you do.” She leans in, her smile conspiratorial. “You can tell me, I won’t judge.”
My lip twitches. “I’m not like that. We’re all grownups, we mind our business.”
“Except Baxter?”
I frown. “Why are you bringing him up?”
“Because you take on this look anytime I do.” She pinches her forehead together and presses her lips into a thin line.
I turn away so she doesn’t see my smile. “I’ve never done that.”
“I can start a video and when I say Baxter— Wait, look, you just did it!” She laughs.
I shake my head and drain my glass. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You did. Look, I’ll show you.” She starts to take out her phone but the waiter shows up just then, bringing our lunches. “Saved by the meal.”
“You had nothing.”
“Oh?” Her brow goes up, her eyes challenging. “You know what? I’m going to do it when you least expect it.”
“Surprise me.”
She has a game face on. “I will.”
The waiter leaves and she grins at the wide plate before her.
“Smells delicious.”
“It does.” I pick up my fork. “Dig in?”
She already forks her meal into her mouth. Her eyes are wide at me. “I didn’t know I had to wait.”
I chuckle. “You don’t have to. Go on.”
With a happy groan, she continues eating.
I usually don’t have lunch, preferring to close myself in my office and do more work. So it’s awkward pretending I want to eat. The food is delicious, but I don’t have much of an appetite for it.
The only thing I seem to have an appetite for is watching and listening to Maddie.
She’s a ball of energy, talking about the flavors in the dish, the places she’s been, and what she’s had there.
“By far the Island has the tastiest dishes I’ve had. And those cute little cakes at the Resort. Nice!”
I don’t interrupt. Her animated features keep me spellbound. Only when she drops her fork do I glance at my watch.
It’s already five minutes past the time I planned to stay.
“Hey, aren’t you eating?” Maddie points to my half-full plate.
“I am. Lunch isn’t my thing.”
“Oh.” Maddie bites her lower lip. “Then why did you ask us to have lunch if you weren’t hungry?”
“It’s still part of the plan to make you less stressed since I’m a good boss.”
Her face reddens and she looks away. She’s probably replaying earlier today when she writhed on my desk, rubbing her sweet pussy all over my face.
I’m suddenly craving that over pork.
“Do you want dessert?”
Her eyes flash at me, the redness in her cheeks spreading down to her chest.
“A real dessert,” I clarify.
“Oh, yes.” She laughs. “I thought you meant the other kind.” She facepalms, her shoulders trembling with laughter. “Don’t know why my mind went there.”
“Would you say yes to that kind of dessert, though?”
“No,” she says, but there’s a slight shake in her voice. “We’re not doing that, remember?”
I grin. “Of course.”
Her eyes narrow but she lets it go.
The waiter clears our plates and brings her a coconut cake and pineapple iced tea.
Maddie makes quick work of it. Too quick.
“Do you want anything else?” I ask.
“What?” She smiles. “No. I’m stuffed.” She taps her belly.
“Sure?” If she’s no longer eating, there’s no reason for us to keep staying here. And that means we have to get back to work and I won’t get to hear her laughter or her jokes or look into her eyes for minutes uninterrupted.
“Yes,” she stresses. “Plus, this is the longest lunch ever. I have work to get back to.”
“And what if I say you don’t have to work today?”
“I’ll tell you that I’ll still need to complete it tonight or worse, tomorrow.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Can we go now?”
I refuse to think that’s because she’s bored of me. Like me, Maddie’s work ethic is top-notch. So much so she challenges me to do better.
She probably just wants to get back to that and I’m not going to deny her.
After I settle the bill, we head out. We’re at the entrance when I spot Baxter coming in.
Fuck .
I place my hand on Maddie’s lower back, set to steer her away, but Baxter spots us.
“Miss Lowe and my favorite brother.” His grin grows wide as he stops before us and holds out his arms.
She glances at me and smiles right before she tucks herself in them for a brief second.
I know she’s proving that Baxter’s presence annoys me. But what she doesn’t know is that it’s because he wants her. And I won’t let him have her.
“Baxter.” I ignore the bro hug he tries to initiate. “What are you doing here?”
“Coming in from tennis practice.” He waves his hand to his running shoes paired with jersey shorts and a shirt that molds to his biceps. “And what are you two up to?”
“Having lunch. With my girlfriend.”
“Huh.” He looks between us, then asks Maddie, “How was lunch?”
“Delicious. You’re going to enjoy it.”
“Oh, I know. I come here a lot.” He looks at me like ‘you don’t, why now?’
I won’t dignify that look with a response. I wouldn’t have brought Maddie if I knew there was a likelihood that we would run into each other.
“Wait, so after tennis and lunch you’ll return to the office?” Maddie asks.
He laughs. “No. I don’t roll the way Chance does. The world is my oyster.” He splays his hands.
“Shut your sweaty pits.” To Maddie, I say, “He takes possible investors on fun little dates and convinces them to invest with us.”
“Oh.” She nods.
“Yep.” Baxter winks. “And because I’m not petty I won’t take offense to Chance belittling my very serious, very important job.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean that.” She turns to me, her face solemn.
“He did,” Baxter says.
“I did,” I concur.
Before she can delve more into our weird dynamic, an older couple comes up to stand next to Baxter.
“Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, this is my brother, CEO Chance Easton, and his assistant, Maddie Lowe.”
Maddie and I exchange handshakes with the Kellys.
“She’s my girlfriend, too,” I add.
Mrs. Kelly smiles. “You two look wonderful, dear.”
“And we’ll need to sit with you soon, Mr. Easton,” Mr. Kelly says.
“Chance, please.”
He nods. “Right now, we’re hungry.”
“Aye,” his wife agrees. “We’ve worked up an appetite playing tennis.”
“They are excellent players.” Baxter smiles. “I couldn’t keep up.”
The couple smiles proudly before drifting away.
If only they knew Baxter probably held back to keep them happy.
“What about you, Maddie? Do you play?”
Why is he talking to her? “She—”
“Yes,” she says.
“—does?” I look down at her.
“You didn’t know that?” Baxter smirks. “What a boyfriend.”
“I didn’t tell him,” Maddie says.
Wait, is she defending me? My chest fills up with a feeling I can’t name.
“We should play sometime,” Baxter says, snapping me back to the moment. “Maybe Friday?”
“We’re busy on Friday,” I cut in before he can force Maddie to commit.
“We are?”
“With work.”
“I’m talking evening.” Baxter’s smile is smug.
“We are busy then too.”
“Oh, come on,” he drawls.
“Really? I didn’t know that.” Maddie frowns at me.
“I didn’t tell you. But we’re—” Think. Think . “We’re going on a date.” I keep my gaze firmly on Baxter.
“Oh,” is all Maddie says.
Baxter’s eyes narrow. “Is that so?”
“It is. So she can’t go playing tennis with you.”
His smile is broad. “Too bad, then. Enjoy your date.” He nods toward the Kellys. “I’ll rejoin my tennis buddies.”
I watch him saunter off, knowing I have to explain to Maddie about this sudden date. But glad nonetheless that Baxter doesn’t get to spend any time with her.