Page 14 of Hot Kisses

Before I can call out, the door swings open and my superhero of a man appears holding a room service tray. I takein his bare chest and low slung jeans and my mouth waters, but not for the aroma wafting from the tray.

“Breakfast in bed?” he asks. “Or would you rather come out on the balcony?”

“Bed, if you’re joining me,” I say.

He plops down next to me and we dig into the feast. I’ve been living off of breakfast tacos and protein bars, so the fresh fruit salad, crispy bacon, and western omelet in front of me almost brings tears to my eyes.

As I stuff my face, he’s mostly on his phone, a grumpy frown on his face. I try to distract him by snuggling up close, and he gives me a long satisfying kiss, then goes right back to tapping away.

I huff out a breath and he looks at me with a tilted smile. “You know it’s a Wednesday, right? I was supposed to be back in New York by now.”

“What’s stopping you?” I ask, crossing my arms.

He uncrosses them, leaning close. “Don’t be naughty,” he warns.

My whole body heats up. “What if I want to be?”

His hand slides into my hair and pulls my face close, kissing me again until I’m gasping. I reach for his chest, sliding my palms against his smooth muscles, but he grabs my hand.

“I’m going to come back in here in an hour,” he says, scowling at his phone. “Let me tie up some loose ends and then…”

“You’ll tie me up?” I finish hopefully.

His eyes widen and he swallows hard, looking me up and down with real regret. “Just one hour. Stay put.”

I flop back onto the pillows in triumph. I can wait an hour. “No longer,” I warn.

“I’ll do my best, but believe me, this is important.”

As he strides out, I hear him sit down at the desk in the next room and snap open his laptop. The sound of him tapping at the keys is a soothing backdrop to my daydreams. Am I falling for Brian? The man who owns most of the coastline and up until yesterday was about to encroach on my precious beach?

The more I think about what he told me about the new restaurants and the theater reopening, the more I start to come around to his side. The corner store where I buy my ice every day has just expanded their t-shirt section, and even the ice cream stand is out there every day now instead of just weekends. Once everything with Grandpa’s will is taken care of and the house is rebuilt, I can finally get a proper storefront to do massages and all these new residents might end up being massage clients.

The only thing that makes these bright dreams go dark is Brian going back to New York. Will he come to visit or is this just going to be a perfect memory soon? Smiling smugly to myself, I decide I’ll just have to make him come back for visits until he sees this is the only place he wants to live. Because I am definitely falling for him.

Hell, I’ve already well and truly fallen. And hard.

It has to be an hour by now, right? I get up and sneak to the doorway, and Brian is no longer on his computer, but out on the balcony, talking on his phone. The sliding door is half open and I get a little closer. If it seems really important, I’ll be patient. If not, I intend to make my presence known with a sexy little dance or something. It’s embarrassing but he makes me want to be bold.

“I know we have the construction crew scheduled for next month, but this needs to happen faster than that,” he’s saying. “I don’t care what the cost is, get it started before this week is over.”

I wait, trying to decide if it’s dance time, when I hear him say something else that makes me duck behind the curtain, in full eavesdropping mode.

“The deal is done. I finalized it last night.”

Did he get out of bed after I fell asleep? Why does that make my stomach flip over with dread? He’s a high powered billionaire. Maybe it was a time zone thing. Except, no.

“That’s correct, Oliver Morton’s no longer the owner of Whitecross Beach. Get this done. I want a crew out there no later than Friday morning.”

I don’t notice the tears streaming down my face until I find my top from yesterday and pull it over my head. The waistband of my shorts is still damp but I don’t care. I don’t have anything else since I came here straight from the beach. Now, because of Brian’s lies I don’t have that anymore, either.

My heart is pounding and I can’t catch my breath as I return to the living area. Brian is back at the desk and he looks up with a smile that instantly falls when he sees my face.

“What is it?” he asks.

The concern seems so real my breath hitches and I pause. Until I remember I have two days until a bulldozer starts tearing up my home.

“How could you lie so easily?” I choke out, scrubbing away fresh tears. He has the audacity to stand and come to me but I jump toward the door, ripping it open. “How could you promise me time and then buy my beach anyway?”

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