Chapter 13
Gage fought the desire to hold Carly’s hand as he walked her to the bungalow. Fought it, because he didn’t want to draw any attention to their relationship.
At least two things were at play in his mind.
One Carly knew about, and one she didn’t.
That first consideration was Carly’s job.
Heck, Christian had already caught them kissing right on the beach; it was obvious they needed to be more careful.
Still, even at the recollection of that first kiss, warmth stirred in Gage’s belly.
And the many kisses that had followed. Including the ones they’d shared at his place just moments ago during the storm.
He glanced over at Carly as he considered the second reason.
She walked alongside him, the sunlight glistening over her skin as she lifted her chin to the breeze.
A voice boomed in his brain. Dad won’t approve of her.
He won’t approve of the relationship. He’ll freak out if news gets out that we’re together.
Turned out there was a part of him that still wanted to have the best of both worlds. A part that still hoped he could hold onto that key to his father’s heart.
But there was a new layer to this scenario, wasn’t there?
Another reason to keep things on the down-low for now.
Having Carly open up to him as she had, it made Gage realize just how delicate the situation was.
She wouldn’t want people digging into her past to discover who this mystery girl was, accusing her of having a wild and reckless streak.
The thought caused his chest to tighten and ache anew.
It will be worth it, he reminded himself.
Gage loved Carly, and eventually he wouldn’t care if the whole world knew it.
But for now, it was better to keep their relationship under wraps.
If not for her job, then for protection from the paparazzi.
After all, Gage was leaving in just a few weeks.
He wouldn’t be there to protect her while he was on the set.
He’d do his best to keep things under wraps until then.
The thought offered the comfort he sought. Especially since it took the focus off his relationship with his dad.
“Well,” Carly said, pulling him from his musings. “See you in a while.”
Gage blinked, eyed the bungalow before him as Carly hopped up the porch stairs. He’d been quiet during their walk. So had she, but she didn’t look bothered. In fact, Carly seemed to have an extra skip in her step. She tipped her head to one side and gave him a playful wave.
Gage glanced down at his feet, just inches away from the steps that would lead him to her kiss. “You’re punishing me now, aren’t you?” he accused.
“No,” she said. “I’m just…keeping our affections out of sight, remember?
Gage watched as she twisted the knob to her door and pushed it open. At once he sprinted to the top of the steps and followed her right into the house.
He put his hands on her hips, spun her to face him, and mused he could love her forever. He planted a kiss to her pretty little pout. “See you in a few hours.”
“Sounds good,” Carly said.
Gage made his way toward the main resort, his mind shifting to the evening ahead of them.
Carly had a staff meeting to attend that afternoon, but just after that, she’d join him back at his place for polish dogs.
That’s right. He was going to make his one good meal for her.
The one she’d dared scoff at. Hopefully she’d like it.
As he waited for the valet service to retrieve his rental car, a black Lexus with tinted windows, a new sense of paranoia crept in. It really would be a bad time for the media to catch wind of things.
He made his way to the market, a plan settling into his mind.
Gage would keep the relationship quiet until he was done filming.
That way, Carly wouldn’t have to fight off the media while he was gone.
Once he finished shooting the film, he’d settle into an apartment in California and quietly pick up where he and Carly left off.
They’d get spotted here or there along the way, and by the time the movie came out, their relationship would be old news.
Of course, he’d also catch less slack from his father that way too, or at least delay the wrath.
Gage thanked the clerk at the downtown market and made his way toward the bakery. Maybe he and Carly could even get married before then, save any hassle in regard to the media.
Whoa, Gage. Slow down.
He was getting carried away again. Not that he could help it. Gage had always figured that when he found the right one, he’d know it. It was the very reason he hadn’t told a woman he loved her until now. It had never felt right.
But with Carly…he sighed, slid the sunglasses back onto his face as he stepped out of the bakery with the fresh buns in hand, and flinched as a crowd of camera carriers rushed toward him.
“Mr. Craven, can you tell us about your surf instructor?”
“Is it true that you’re preparing for a role as a professional surfer?”
“By making out with her on the beach?” one added under his breath.
Gage scowled over the popping lenses, unable to detect who was asking which question. He took a few steps down the sidewalk, barely pausing to gain his bearings, and picked up speed once he spotted his car parked across the street.
The small crowd walked when he walked, like a set of dominos moving in a ripple. Great. So much for keeping things under the radar.
Gage had experienced his fair share of the paparazzi over the years, but mainly when he hit downtown’s hotspots, places where an a-list spotting was commonplace.
He hadn’t expected to run into it here. And he definitely couldn’t lead them to The Royal Palm where they’d discover exactly who the mystery surfer could be.
“Can you at least tell us her name?” one lady asked as he pulled open the door to his rental car.
“No.”
“Why not?” came the female voice again. “You plan to hide her for the rest of your time here?”
“Yeah,” another blurted.
Gage narrowed a gaze at the woman who’d asked the question. “You can count on it,” he said, and then climbed in behind the wheel.
With his jaw tight, lips in a hard line, Gage roared the engine to life. He gave it a few hard revs to warn the onlookers, inched away from the curb, then tore onto the open road once he was clear.
He glanced at his rearview to see the small crowd disperse. Some rushed to waiting vehicles nearby. Others continued to snap shots as he drove away. And what was this? Looked as if the utility van was already gaining on him.
He cursed under his breath. It might take a while to lose them, but he’d do it easily enough by getting onto the freeway and picking up speed. And who cared if he got pulled over? Maybe he’d ask the cop to shift their focus to the people stalking him instead.
It was promising that they’d only caught him once he left the resort.
It told Gage that either they didn’t know which resort he was staying at, or that they didn’t dare breach The Royal Palm’s strict protection policy where clients were concerned.
But someone there had seen them. They’d been spotted kissing on the beach.
Christian would never leak info to the media, but perhaps that group of rich surf punks had done it—not that it mattered much now.
When the thought came in that his father would catch wind of it too, and soon, Gage could hardly get himself to worry over it. Carly was at the top of his list, and it felt good to acknowledge that with such an assurance.
Gage gripped the wheel as thoughts of Carly went through his head. It seemed he might have asked her for a commitment in the knick of time; he only hoped that now, the unwanted attention wouldn’t scare Carly away.