Silver Lining, page 3
A grin came to my lips as I scanned the resort’s pool area. I was not alone. That was for sure. The chairs were filling quickly with people, those like me wanting to enjoy the sun and surf and possibly a few too many drinks with tiny umbrellas. “Thank you, Kelsey.”
“Will you dine in one of the restaurants tonight?”
My bathing-suit-clad breasts pushed forward as I inhaled. “I haven’t decided.”
It was her turn to smile. “It looks good on you.”
I peered down at my bathing suit. Keeping myself in shape was something I enjoyed. Parading in front of strangers in a two-piece bathing suit, not so much. The fact they were strangers and no one knew my name made it easier. “The suit?”
“No, I mean, yes. What I meant was seeing you relax. It’s a rarity. You deserve it.”
“Then why do I feel like a kid skipping school?”
Kelsey tilted her head toward the mostly melted daiquiri at my side. “Maybe you need another.”
“Maybe.”
“See, you’re doing it. Going with the flow. Not being planned and regimented.”
She was right. My usual life was planned daily to the minute. From waking to laying my head down at night, every moment was accounted for.
“Are you saying I’m boring—usually?” I asked with a grin.
“No. Usually, you’re a force to be reckoned with and that’s admirable. It’s just nice to see you letting your guard down. It’s good for you to not think about things for a while. Adam and I have your back.”
“Thank you, Kelsey.”
As she walked away, I waved down a young man in a resort shirt and shorts and ordered a fresh daiquiri. Time slipped away as I laid the chair back and closed my eyes. The sounds around me faded as the rum circulated through my veins and my mind drifted.
Gasping, I woke with a start. Shaking my head, I looked around, wondering what had startled me. Everything was as it had been. Adam was still sitting at a small table. When our eyes met, his opened wide. I shook my head, letting him know I was all right.
I was all right.
If I said it enough, maybe I’d believe it as well.
Whatever woke me wasn’t real. It was a dream. The details were out of reach as they’d been since the break-in…
I took a deep breath
More chairs were filled than before my nap. Needing to stretch my legs, I sat up, slipped my feet into my sandals, and walked to the closest bar. With one empty stool, I leaned in between two people to place an order.
The man on my right turned my way.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been checking him out as I approached. His wide shoulders, muscular arms, and trim waist did more than catch my attention. I was instantly intrigued with his tattoos. However, it was as he turned that I had to stop myself from verbally reacting. He was incredibly handsome with turquoise eyes similar to the color of the ocean’s water, and longer dark hair tethered into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck. His chin and cheeks were covered with the right amount of stubble.
“Hi,” he said in a deep timbre with a sexy grin.
Thank goodness I was wearing my sunglasses. Hopefully, they hid my ogling. “Hi.”
“May I help you?” the bartender asked. She was a cute blond in short shorts and a tank top.
“Yes, I wondered if I could see a menu.” By my overreaction to this man, it was clear that the two daiquiris I’d consumed meant that I was in need of food.
The bartender nodded toward the stool. “You can have a seat.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mr. Handsome said.
Warmth filled my cheeks.
When was the last time I blushed?
That wasn’t me.
Yes, food. I needed food.
Looking back to the bartender, I replied, “No. I already have a chair over there.” I pointed. “Could someone bring it out to me?”
“Yes, of course.”
As I turned to walk away, Mr. Handsome spoke, “I don’t bite.”
I spun back toward him.
His grin grew. “Unless it’s something you like.”
It was difficult to gauge someone’s age when they were wearing orange swim trunks and no shirt. Nevertheless, I was pretty certain that I was the older of the two. With maturity came wisdom and experience. “Oh, I prefer to be the aggressor, not the prey.”
He turned my direction on the stool, giving me a full-on view of his tight abs. “Sounds like a challenge.”
“No, simply a statement.” I nodded with a smile. “Enjoy the sun.”
With each step away, my pulse thumped in my ears. I felt his stare on me—or maybe I wanted it to be true. When I reached my chair, I turned back to the bar and grinned. His stunning gaze was still on me as I sat. Lifting his drink in the air, he mouthed “cheers.”
With my empty glass, I returned the gesture.
“Your menu, señora.”
Chapter Five
Chandler / CJ
The treadmill faced the window, giving me a panoramic view as the sun rose slowly, creeping up from the horizon. There had been only one other person in the resort gym when I entered. Gauging by the music and voices that I’d heard from my balcony going on into the early morning hours, many of the guests were now still blissfully asleep.
As the pitch of the treadmill climbed, I concentrated on my footing.
Right. Left. Right.
Pumping my arms, I neared the crest of the imaginary hill.
Higher and higher.
My shins tightened as I pushed harder and faster.
This I could do. I could push myself, punish myself to the brink.
It would ultimately give me a small bit of satisfaction.
Yesterday was a bust.
Whether for relaxing or moving on, being closer to the equator didn’t accomplish either.
After a few hours at the pool bar, I retired to my suite, ordered room service, and sat alone on the balcony with my dinner and a bottle of Blanton’s.
Maybe I had forgotten what it was like to have fun.
Back in the gym, sweat dripped from my brow and from my pulled-back hair. The stench of day-old whiskey emanated from my perspiration. There was a likely possibility that I’d had more than my share last night.
The only thought that pulled me away from my wallowing about Architech was that of the woman at the pool bar yesterday afternoon. Damn, her seductive smile infiltrated my thoughts. As if she were truly present, as the night progressed, her image became clearer—her dark auburn hair shone under the star-filled sky. The way her bathing suit covered enough of her sexy curves to make me wonder what was beneath was imprinted in my mind. I heard her breathy tone, “Oh, I prefer to be the aggressor, not the prey.”
During the afternoon, one hundred times or more, I contemplated going over to her lounge chair and speaking to her.
Once she was fully seated, my view was only of her toned legs, bronzing in the sunshine. By the time I had my courage up, or maybe my alcohol level, she was gone.
What the fuck was I going to do, wow her with my big cash-out?
It was hard to wow someone with something you regretted.
The treadmill to my far left now had a jogger.
As the sky lightened, I turned to my left.
The woman was probably my age. There was no way those tits were real.
Her lips turned upward when she caught me looking her way.
With a bit of a grin, I turned away, becoming engrossed in the dawn of the morning sky before me. With her light-colored hair and bouncing boobs, she could be exactly what Colton meant for me to find. The thing was, I didn’t want to find a woman like that. The only thing she lacked was a neon sign saying she was ready and willing for a vacation tryst.
Wasn’t that what Colton meant?
As the gym filled with more people, I began to think about taking my run out onto the beach. It was as I started my cooldown that the treadmill between bouncy-boob lady and me came to life. The slender fingers pushed the buttons like a professional. My breath caught as I turned.
Her big hat was gone, but in a second, I knew she was the woman from the bar.
Wiping my forehead and neck with the towel, I smiled her direction.
“It’s you,” she said.
Without her sunglasses, I could see the soft shade of brown in her eyes. Her hair was curled in ringlets. She was wearing a sports bra and stretch shorts, enough to cover her, but little enough to show the tone of her body. Toned with the perfect amount of softness.
A grin spread across my lips. “The predator, right?”
Her gaze glistened. “When necessary.”
“You know, the thing about predators, or you said aggressor yesterday…there is always a greater predator. The bear is king in the west, but take that same bear to the safari and” —I shake my head— “he’s up against tigers and lions.”
She began walking briskly before turning my way. “You do realize the lioness is the hunter.”
“My name is CJ.” I offered her my hand.
“I don’t recall asking.”
Taking my hand back, I smirked at her spirit. The lioness was playing with her next meal.
“Touché. You didn’t ask. I offered.”
She continued to look straight ahead, but I could see her uplifted cheeks and grin in the reflection of the glass.
I went on, “I offered because you are the lioness. I prefer to stay on the good side of predators such as yourself.”
“And you, CJ, are you a predator or prey?”
“Lately, I’d say predator.” I took a breath. “Though to be honest, I’m not too thrilled about it.”
Just as her walking began to speed up, she turned to me with a smile. “Lena.”
As my cooldown slowed, a quick look behind me let me know there were people waiting for my machine. Another wipe of my face and neck. “Lena, would you like to join me for breakfast by the infinity pool?”
Her eyes opened wide before she grinned. “CJ, I think it’s better if I say no.”
Ignoring the people behind us, I nodded. “I respect that. I disagree, but I respect it.” I looked at my watch. It was only 6:15 a.m. “I’ll be waiting at eight thirty, table for two, coffee and mimosas. The menu is filled with delicacies for carnivores and vegetarians alike.” In actuality, I had no clue what was on the menu.
I shot her my best smile. “After all, even lionesses need to eat.”
“Do you know who I am?” she asked.
“You’re Lena. The woman from the bar who I’ve been thinking about since yesterday.”
Pink filled her cheeks as her shoulders squared. “I’m not that simple.”
Bowing at the waist, I nodded. “Good. I’m supposed to spend this week relaxing, and to be honest, it’s boring as hell. I could really use some complication.”
Her pert breasts pushed forward as she inhaled. Finally, she nodded. “Eight thirty. I’ll ask the hostess for—"
“C.J.” I grinned. “I’ll be waiting for you, Lena.”
With one last look back at her tight round ass in the stretchy shorts, I walked away. It wasn’t until I got back up to my suite that I allowed myself to think about what I’d just done.
This was crazy. I should have spoken to the woman with the boobs, not that Lena didn’t have boobs… It was that the other woman didn’t attract me. Lena—oh hell yes.
Last night on the balcony and really, ever since I saw her yesterday, I’d been thinking about her. Now I knew her name. I’d seen her smile and heard her voice. The fantasies I’d concocted while under the influence of whiskey were sparking to life in my thoughts, small connections setting off explosions that had my entire body on edge.
In the bedroom, I kicked off my tennis shoes and socks, stripped away my sweaty t-shirt and shorts. Before dropping my boxers, I checked to be sure there wasn’t anyone else in the suite. With the coast clear, my boxers joined the mix on the floor in need of laundering.
“You do realize the lioness is the hunter.”
The memory of that response, combined with my not-so-PG fantasies, was recirculating my blood flow. With each step toward the bathroom, I grew harder.
The lights in the bathroom illuminated the glass and shiny fixtures. I caught a glimpse of myself in the large mirrors. Sweat glistened from my skin as pre-come shone at the end of my erection.
For the first time since I signed my name on the hundred dotted lines, I felt alive.
I imagined Lena completing her workout, her skin shimmering with perspiration as she ran the treadmill’s course. That workout morphed from the resort gym to the two of us—alone.
My fingers surrounded my cock that for the first time in forever was also alive. Veins showed upon the surface as they gorged with blood, and my balls tightened.
“Fuck,” I growled as I moved my hand up and down.
Before the temperature of the shower could warm, I stepped under the cool spray, closing the glass door behind me. With one hand on the tile, I leaned forward. My breathing caught as I tightened my grip.
Behind my closed lids, I pictured the legs soaking up the sun now wrapped around me. My cock buried deep inside her as her walls contracted around me. Faster my hand moved as I held my breath. Her soft brown eyes were staring deep into my gaze as our bodies pounded and slapped against the other.
Shit, the end was close.
Explosions ignited behind my closed eyes as come painted the tile of the shower wall. String after string. Laying my head back, I let out a roar. The deep sound echoed against the glass and tile. Tilting my forehead toward the wall, I grinned. “You may be a lioness, Lena, but then I’m the lion. You hunt—for me.”
The shower, having grown incrementally hotter, reddened my skin. With my face now toward the stream, I turned down the temperature of the water and let the cooler spray refresh and invigorate me.
Just maybe this wouldn’t be a boring week.
Chapter Six
Lena
“You agreed?” Kelsey asked with a grin.
I shrugged, knowing that the heat in my cheeks gave me away. “It’s only breakfast.”
Kelsey smiled. “I’ll run a background check. What’s his name?”
“He said CJ, but I don’t want a background check.”
“Ms. Montgomery, I don’t recommend—”
“We spoke yesterday at the pool,” I said, interrupting her, “and I purposely chose the treadmill beside him.”
Kelsey and I were alone in the elevator, the one taking us up to our suites on the top floor. Today’s workout wasn’t unusual. The two of us regularly spent our mornings in the gym. When in Missoula, that gym was in my home. When away, we continued the practice. I understood Kelsey’s job was to protect me, but I also believed she enjoyed the physical exertion. With my normal routines, my security spent a great deal of time standing and overseeing. The time in the gym was our break from the usual employer-employee relationship. Her use of my surname meant she was in business mode.
“He’s not a stalker,” I continued, and after a deep breath clarified, “My fish/candy stalker.” Not wanting to think about that, I added, “It could be said I was stalking him.”
Kelsey’s smile broadened only to fade. “A background check would be wise nonetheless.”
“No,” I replied definitively. “It’s only breakfast, and I don’t know his last name.”
“That isn’t a problem. He’s staying here. Adam can access the reservations.”
I contemplated Adam searching the resort’s reservation list. “If CJ brings a dead fish to breakfast, fine. Otherwise, for now, I’d like to pretend to be a normal woman who learns about a man from that man, not from my security team.”
“Normal,” Kelsey scoffed.
“Remember,” I replied as the elevator came to a stop, “you’re the one who told me to relax.”
We stepped from the elevator into the empty hallway. At this time of morning everything was still relatively quiet. Yet CJ was up and working out.
Kelsey spoke low as we passed closed doors. “I’d still feel better if we did a quick check.”
“I’ll decide after breakfast.”
Together, we walked to the door of my suite. As I unlocked the door, Kelsey waited. After the door was opened, she nodded and walked past me, entering the suite. The increase in my pulse as I waited in silence thumped in my ears. I’d blame the onset of nervousness on the mental reminder of the dead fish. It wasn’t until Kelsey returned and announced that everything was clear that I finally released my breath.
“Thank you.”
“Breakfast by the infinity pool at eight thirty,” she confirmed, recalling what I’d told her of CJ’s invitation.
“Yes.”
“Adam will escort you.”
I turned, meeting Kelsey’s stare, and straightened my five feet, six inches to its full height. “He will watch from afar.” I wasn’t asking.
The idea of being escorted by Adam to a breakfast with CJ didn’t sit well with my ambition of being a normal woman. I imagined the conversation.
Who is that?
My bodyguard.
Who are you? Why do you have a bodyguard?
Yep, not happening.
“Remember what happened—”
I didn’t let Kelsey finish. “My mind is made up. I believe you and Adam work for me.”
“Yes, we do. It’s our job to keep you safe.” Kelsey took a deep breath. “Please keep your watch on.”
“Of course.”
My watch was a tracker. It wasn’t some amazing spy technology. It was simply an Apple watch, the same as half the population wore. I thought about her comment a few minutes later as I unfastened the band and laid it on the vanity.
Once I’d rid myself of my damp workout clothes and drank a bottle of water, I stepped under the spray of the shower, washed away the perspiration from my workout, and began to think about what was to come.
Why did I agree to breakfast?
It was out of character.
There was something about CJ that made me want to be out of character.
