16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
M addie
“Hello?” I say into the phone balanced between my ear and shoulder.
I took the call before I saw the caller ID. Doesn’t matter though. It won’t be long. I’ve got work to catch up on. Anyone calling at nine a.m. on a Monday would understand.
“Meet me in the parking lot.”
I sit up. “Chance?”
“Yes. Don’t tell me you don’t have my number saved.”
“I do.”
“Good. Be out in five minutes.”
I’m about to explain what I’m working on when the call ends. Blowing out a breath, I roll my eyes.
Why the parking lot? Can’t we meet in his office? But he’s the boss and I can’t have too many questions.
Since no one’s in the conference room, I leave my laptop and files with Julia on my way down. Hopefully, this won’t take long and I can come back to wrap up my tasks.
Strangely, there are no meetings for today. They’ve all been canceled, Julia said when I asked earlier. She had no clue why or who did that.
I thought I’d have the whole morning to do in-office work, but nope.
I step out through the doors and walk across the concrete floor to the parking lot. I spot Chance’s car and head over there.
He’s leaning against the side, his face glued to his phone. His tall frame is wrapped up nicely in a casual light brown suit with dark brown shoes to match.
My insides swim with need, as it always does when I set eyes on him.
I almost agree with Nat’s rant last night when I called to tell her about the intruder.
“You slept down the hall from him and didn’t even get a cuddle? Are you crazy?”
“Nat, I was frightened.”
“All the more reason why you should have asked him to stay with you and—”
“We’re not sleeping together, remember?”
“You should have. How romantic would it have been?”
Then I had to explain why we couldn’t be romantic.
Now, though, I’m considering it. He was nothing but sweet when he took me from the villa to his home. Then he drove me back after assuring me everything was safe and stayed until I promised I’d be fine.
I’m only worried because I’m not imagining just sex. I’m imagining the stuff that comes after, the things that only lovers do. Like cuddles, cozying up on a couch together to watch a movie, and having regular dates.
“I’m here,” I say a little too loudly to announce my presence and shut down those thoughts swirling through my head.
He looks up and his eyes soften.
They always seem to do that when they fall on me. Does that mean… nope, no!
“Get in.”
I pause. What?
“Into the car,” he says after a beat.
One moment I’m swooning and the next he’s ordering me about. So bossy.
I round the car and get in. He enters after me and starts the car.
“What’s happening?” I frown. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Um, what?
His phone starts to ring. Without looking at it, Chance presses the off button, then tosses it in the back.
What is going on? I don’t ask, though. I’m certain he’ll give another non-answer.
Maybe we’re attending a meeting that just came up. But he didn’t ask me to bring my laptop. How will I take notes? Or make references?
I eye his profile and he’s a picture of control, as always. Nothing slips by him. If he wanted me to bring my laptop, he’d have stated it.
I sit back and try to relax, but I’m not very successful. We don’t go to another company building or a hall, instead, we’re driving out of the business district.
I hold my tongue, curiosity winning over confusion.
Chance turns off the main highway into a narrower street. The road is winding and the air is cooler, more salty. Around us, the dense trees thin, giving way to palm trees.
It doesn’t take long to hear the churning of the ocean. I glance at Chance, my brows furrowed. Maybe he forgot the way to where we’re supposed to go.
But he drives confidently and pulls up at the beach, then the car stops.
I look at him until he turns to me. His brow goes up in a silent question.
“What are we doing here?”
“What do you mean? We’re here to have fun at the beach. You looked like you wanted to come the other day.”
My jaw drops. “You remember that?”
“Don’t make it a thing.” He looks away and exits the car.
I follow suit, still gaping. I spare the ocean a wide-eyed look before turning to the man looking off into the distance.
“Chance, this is sweet.” It’s hard to walk with my shoes in the sand but I manage to reach him.
He looks down at me, a line between his brows as if he disapproves that I called his gesture sweet.
“But I’m not dressed for the beach.” I point to my gown and shoes. “And neither are you.”
He takes off his jacket and shoes and tosses them in the car. “You can just take off the shoes.”
“And ruin my dress?”
His gaze slides over me. “I’ll get you another.”
“Chance, you don’t—”
I’m whisked off my feet before I can finish that thought.
He throws me over his shoulder. His hand clamps down on my legs and my hands and torso hang down his back.
A scream tears from my throat. “What are you doing?”
He takes off my shoes and then we’re moving.
“Chance!” I slap his back. “Put me down.”
His chest rumbles with laughter but he doesn’t stop.
I only understand his plan when I hear the waves very close.
“No, don’t you dare.” I grab the fabric of his shirt tight. “Don’t throw me down. Don’t—”
He throws me.
I’m screaming my throat raw and holding him so firmly that we go down together. The water instantly swallows us and then recedes.
It’s refreshing, but I’m mad. I face him, fury battering my chest. “What did you do that for?”
He’s laughing, eyes squinted up to the sun. He’s soaked from his head to his bare toes. He swipes away the hair plastered to his forehead and looks at me with bright eyes.
“You have to admit. That was a little funny.”
“It’s not!” I hop to my feet. “Look at my dress.”
His eyes darken. “Suits you.”
I look down to see that it’s molded to my frame. My cheeks turn hot. “It’s stained and sandy.”
“A swim will make it clean.” He stands and starts to come my way.
I know his intent and I yelp, racing in the opposite direction. “No!”
His hands wrap around my waist and we’re one with waves again. This time, I come up laughing. Fuck his crazy tactics, but the diving is fun.
“Okay, okay. I’m clean now.” I rise and back away.
“Are you?” He stands.
“Mm-hmm.” I nod, glancing behind him at the waves rushing toward us.
Once they’re close, I push against his chest. His eyes widen before he falls into the water.
I laugh, clapping my hands. “I got you!”
Chance has a playful frown on his face once he comes up again. “You think you did something there, huh?”
“Oh, I know I did.” I take a step back as he takes one forward.
“Really?” He draws nearer.
“Yeah.” I do a silly dance. “You went down like a freaking log. Should have seen you. What a—”
He rushes toward me. I swerve away just before he grabs me and his hand grazes my side.
I don’t stop running, knowing he won’t stop until he gets revenge. A look over my shoulder proves true. Chance is closing the gap.
I should be running for my life but I slow down, entranced by his features. He has a smile on his face, his eyes bright. He’s soaking wet and looking very unlike himself. But the way he looks right now melts my heart.
He catches up to me and lifts me high. My heart is in my throat. I’d probably be flung as far as the middle of the ocean.
I close my eyes and hold my breath, bracing myself, but then I’m coming down gently.
I blink open and meet Chance’s eyes as he places me down. His eyes, warm and blue as the ocean, take me in. Then he combs back my hair with his fingers.
“Why didn’t you?” I ask quietly, my heartbeat stuttering in my chest.
“Because…” He cups my face gently. “A surprise is best!”
One moment I’m standing and the next I’m in the water.
“Like a log!” I hear Chance’s triumphant shout.
I swim out, gasping for a breath. I don’t care what happens, he’s going down again. He’s already running off when I come up.
“I’m going to get you,” I swear.
He wears a smug grin. “You can try.”
And I do. It’s hard but I bring him down once more and the next we go down together.
As we swim, I peel off my clothes and then I’m in only my bra and panties. They’re not as fancy as a bikini, but Chance doesn’t mind. Neither do I when he’s down to his briefs.
He’s all hard planes and tan skin. I want to lick him.
He catches my gaze drifting to his bulge and he tuts. “My eyes are up here, Maddie.”
“I wasn’t looking at you!” I protest.
“Yeah, right.” He ignores my next string of words and takes my hand. “Let’s walk.”
I’m effectively shut up as Chance’s firm hand closes around mine. Our skins brush as we walk and the sun is warm on my back.
He stops at the car and reaches in, taking out a tube of sunscreen.
I eye him as he squirts it on my back and begins to rub. “You thought of this and not swimsuits?”
He doesn’t reply.
I return the favor and try not to linger too long on his skin, even though I’m tempted.
Then we take a long walk under the warm sun. We get coconut drinks and meat kebabs and sit beneath an umbrella and have a pleasant meal.
Afterward, we head back. We pass by only a few people, which is a change from the noisy beaches I’m used to.
I’m beat by the time we gather up our things to head home.
“I’m so sandy.” I pause at the passenger door.
Chance’s car interior is too clean to mess up.
“Should I come and show you how to get into the car?” The threat in his voice is obvious.
But over the hood of the car, I see the sparkle in his eyes. He’d enjoy getting his hands on me.
“Nah, I’m good.” I grin and hop in.
On our way, I start to feel itchy and can’t sit still.
Chance glances over at me but says nothing.
We turn into the driveway of his home and I sit up.
“I’m not going back to the villa?”
“You need a bath,” he says. “The Resort is farther.”
I mutter a thank you and follow him in. I’m heading to the spare room I stayed in the last time I was here but he steers me to his bedroom.
“Better products,” he says.
He’s right. The bodywash and shampoo work like magic on my body. I step out of the shower feeling fresh. I grab a towel and dry off before heading back to Chance’s room.
It’s sparsely decorated like his office and there’s not much to dig through.
I’m all dried up when I realize I don’t have anything to wear since my clothes were ruined. Shrugging, I head to his closet and find a soft tee.
It falls to my thighs and smells like him, but it’s better than a wet towel.
I hope he doesn’t mind.
I’m heading back out when a sizzling sound followed by a delicious aroma fills the air. I bound to the kitchen faster.
I halt by the door.
Chance showered too from the look of things. His back is still damp with beads of water and his hair is combed clean.
It’s one thing seeing him at the beach in briefs. And it’s entirely another standing in an enclosed space with him a few feet away. A towel is strapped around his waist showing off the outline of his glutes and strong thighs making me hungry for something that’s not food.
He turns and his eyes fall on me. They grow dark immediately as they sweep over my frame. I feel naked despite the shirt.
“I didn’t have anything to wear so I borrowed your...” I pull at it, unable to speak.
He meets my eyes and I see that’s not a problem at all. In fact, he seems to like it a lot.
Well, me too.
I move first, but he’s faster.
The distance between us closes and he claims my mouth with a kiss.