Chapter 14
KIERNAN
B ad enough I wanted to reach out and hold Charlie’s hand.
Now I was lying on a lounger at the beach club, watching him strip down to that tiny speedo he favored. The one he’d been wearing last night.
No, wait, this was another one.
It was blue and was it my imagination or was it even smaller?
And when he turned around, I had a flashback to our trip to Thailand. Only, it wasn’t Jared wearing a thong, it was Charlie.
It didn’t shock me. Half the men in our group were wearing them, hell, half the people on the beach.
But none of them were as beautiful as my Charlie. And I had the insane urge to get up and tell him to put his t-shirt back on. Or a towel. Anything to cover that stunning arse from everyone else’s eyes.
Several men and women turned their heads to stare at him as he made his way down the beach with Max and Dylan. When they reached the water’s edge, he looked over his shoulder and I caught his smile.
Then I looked down again and noticed his arse was reddened and covered in bruises. From my hands.
Oops.
Rowan and Andrew were deep in conversation and weren’t paying any attention.
But Alex glanced over and then did a double take. So too did Jared. And Aiden.
All three of them turned their heads at the same time and looked right at me.
I tried to maintain my stern bodyguard demeanor, but I couldn’t stop the fiery flush that dappled over my neck and face.
Damn my freckled skin.
“Kiernan.”
My name never sounded so dangerous as it did coming from Alex at that moment. He stood up and walked over, yanking off his sunglasses and staring down at me with his arms crossed.
“Boss.”
“Are you and Charlie involved?”
I stood up and winced as my feet hit the white-hot sand. “Well, I?—”
Alex raised one eyebrow. “Because if you’re distracted, we have a problem. Even if Charlie isn’t your detail, he’s part of this group. And when we’re out in public, like now, he requires your protection.”
“I don’t think Kiernan has a problem with that,” Aiden commented. “Exhibit A, the handprints on Charlie’s arse.”
“Not now, Aiden,” Alex returned and raised one eyebrow at me. “Kiernan?”
“I was off duty last night. And I’ve got this, boss. I’m fine.”
Alex sat down on the empty lounger beside me and gave a sigh.
“Look, I’m no stranger to this kind of thing myself, given that I was Jared’s bodyguard for years.
But when Aiden and Jared and I finally did cross that line, I had you take over as primary because I knew my concentration wasn’t what it should be.
All this to say, I need you to be honest.”
“Charlie and I are brand new. I don’t even know if he wants anyone to know.”
“Well, then he might want to stop eye-fucking you every chance he gets.”
“Boss!”
Alex shrugged, his pale blue eyes locked on me. “Hey, I noticed you two last night when we were all dancing. If you’re trying to hide whatever is going on between you, you’ve done a shite job.”
I shook my head. “I can separate work and personal. My concentration is fine.”
So I got startled when I saw Charlie walking down the beach in that tiny scrap he calls a bathing suit. I could distance myself. I had control.
“Well, I trust you, so I’ll take you at your word. But if anything changes, you tell me right away.”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Alex stood up and walked away.
I let out a huge sigh of relief and sat back on the lounger.
“Who’s up for a game of volleyball?” Andrew asked.
Fuck yes, that’s exactly what I needed. “I’m in.”
“Great! Me and Ro versus you and… any volunteers?”
Jared shook his head. “I’m going to sit this one out.”
Alex sat down on the lounger beside Jared and took his hand. “Me too.”
Aiden stood up. “I’m always up for a game that includes hot, sweaty men playing with balls.”
I chuckled and shook my head at Aiden’s comment.
The four of us walked down to the nearby nets. One was already occupied by a group of twenty-somethings.
“Care to make a wager?” Aiden asked Rowan.
“Sure. Loser buys dinner tonight.”
“You’re on. Come on, Kiernan, let’s kick some arse.”
I grabbed a ball and looked around, noticing that Charlie, Max, and Dylan were now walking out of the water and headed in our direction.
“You serve first,” Andrew offered, and I nodded.
I got in position and made contact with the ball, launching it over the net. Andrew quickly dove and hit it back to our side.
“Got it!” Aiden shouted and volleyed it back.
Two sets later, Aiden and I were up by five points.
But in the heat of the midday sun, I was burning up. I whipped off my tank top and threw it to the sidelines. One of the club’s staff came around and offered us bottles of water, which we gratefully accepted.
I was almost finished drinking my water when I noticed Charlie standing nearby, watching us.
“Your fan club is here,” Aiden whispered to me as he turned and waved at Charlie.
I waved but didn’t offer Charlie a smile. I was listening to my boss’s directive, and remained in work mode, determined to stay that way.
Okay, so work was a game of volleyball with my detail but still…
I was preparing to serve again when I spotted a man in my peripheral vision approaching Charlie. He wasn’t wearing a club uniform, so he was likely a guest. A handsome man with long, dark hair and a blinding smile. Charlie recognized him right away, so I didn’t have a concern.
Until the guy said something, and Charlie laughed in return.
Jealousy burned in my gut, but I ignored it.
Rowan called time out and walked over to give the mystery man a hug.
A friend, I guess.
I glanced back at Alex and motioned for him to walk over and join us.
Not sixty seconds later, Alex was talking to Rowan and the stranger on the sidelines. Rowan returned to play with us, and Alex and whoever that was, followed him.
“Let’s finish this.” Aiden clapped his hand. “You ready?”
I nodded.
A short while later, Aiden and I won the game and Andrew was left to console his husband.
“Re-match?” Rowan asked with a grin.
“Lunch first,” Aiden replied.
Charlie was waiting with towels and handed them out to each of us.
“Thanks,” I nodded and wiped my face and chest.
“My pleasure.”
I did my best to avoid looking at his face.
“Who was that guy talking to you?” I asked, trying to stay calm. I licked my lips, dry with salt and sand, and took another sip of water.
My interest in Charlie’s answer was completely personal as my possessive instincts slid into overdrive.
Charlie stilled. “David Marsden. He’s one of the owners of the beach club. Nice guy. He’s friends with Ro.”
“Good-looking bloke,” I bit out as we walked along the sand to our private cabana.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Charlie lowered his voice. “All I see is you.”
Oh God, I loved hearing Charlie talk about me that way but now was not the time for me to get turned on.
“All I see is you, too. And my handprints on your arse.”
“What?” Charlie looked around to his back.
“Didn’t you notice while you were putting that sexy bathing suit on?”
“I didn’t have time to study myself in the mirror this morning.” He paused. “You think it’s sexy?”
I rolled my eyes. “Everything about you is sexy. That’s not the point. Everyone knows.”
“About us?”
I nodded.
“Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m glad. Now I don’t have to pretend indifference. I’m a shit actor.”
“Me too. But Alex reminded me that you’re part of our group and while we’re in public, I’m in work mode. That means no flirting or touching, or you know, eye contact.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Charlie gave me a dirty smile. The one that had those irresistible dimples popping out. I was about to take a step towards him and caught myself.
“None of that, either.”
My tone was full-on grump, but I grinned without thinking and then looked around to see if anyone was watching us.
“Come on, guys! Lunch is ready!” Dylan yelled out.
Everyone gathered under the shade of the private cabana. A table was set up in the corner of the space and displayed a variety of salads and grilled seafood.
Alex re-appeared and walked over to talk to Rowan and then wandered over to me and Charlie. “The owner of the club has invited our group to his place for dinner. He’s got a beach house down the road.”
“Jana booked a restaurant, but I can reach out and cancel,” Charlie offered.
Alex nodded. “Thanks, Charlie.”
“Maybe we should check his place out first?” I suggested.
“Rowan’s been there before so it’s all good.”
We sat on our loungers and enjoyed lunch and then most of our group took an afternoon siesta in the shade.
Then we headed down to the ocean for a swim in the turquoise waters of the bay. The water was warm and calm, gorgeous. It was surreal to think it was December 21st. Christmas was almost here but it felt like summer. And I had no complaints.
Next thing I knew it was after six and we were making our way over to David Marsden’s beachfront house.
We took the same winding path near the marina and found ourselves at a gated estate. The man of the hour walked out to greet us.
“Just in time, come on in, guys.”
He sounded like Charlie, American. Not sure which part, though.
The gate swung open, and he greeted us each in turn.
He startled when I shook his hand. Probably because I nearly crushed his fingers in my grip. Then I noticed him making a beeline for Charlie again.
Swallowing down my jealousy, I chatted with Max as we walked down the gravel driveway. A sprawling mansion in white stucco greeted us. Walking around the house, we wandered to a backyard that had a lovely pool, a surrounding patio, and a private stretch of beach.
The table had been set up for the ten of us, with David at one end.
He’d seated Charlie to his left and Rowan to his right.
I didn’t think that was done by accident, but I ignored my irritation and lingered at the other end of the table, taking a seat beside Jared. Aiden and Alex were across from us.
“Are you okay?” Jared whispered to me.
“Of course.”
I was okay. But I wasn’t rich like this David bloke. Or as handsome. Or funny apparently, as Rowan and Charlie began to laugh at something he said.
The devil of self-doubt reared up and I took a sip of water to cool myself down.
“Don’t worry,” Jared patted my hand. “Like you and Alex, I study people for a living. Charlie only has eyes for you.”
I looked down the table but when Charlie’s eyes met mine, I glanced away.
I didn’t want him to see how needy I was. After last night, I felt vulnerable in a way I rarely did. Then I remembered that he liked things casual. Would he and this David guy hook up? I mean, Charlie and I hadn’t discussed being exclusive.
A plate of lobster was placed in front of me.
Oh, God, I had it bad.
I didn’t want to eat a single bite.