“She definitely likes you,” Demi said, watching the steward leave. “Did you guys exchange numbers while Captain Teo was holding me hostage in the command center?”
“No.” Chase took her hand in his and slowly drew his fingers against her skin. “I have my eye on someone else. She’s a feisty, tell-it-like-it-is beauty from North Philly and I’m attracted to her mind, body and soul.”
“Good one, especially the part about you being attracted to my mind. Very smooth.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. Demi tried to slow her heavy breathing, but the longer he stared at her the faster her pulse raced. Move south! she urged, wishing he could read her mind. Her nipples strained against her bra and lust coursed through her veins, making her feel desperate. South is where all the action is! So move your hands south!
“Can I kiss you?”
Her heart leaped inside her chest and a smile curled her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Cupping her face in his hands, Chase kissed her passionately, with such fire and desire that she sank against his chest. Seconds morphed into minutes, but instead of being mollified by his kiss, Demi needed more. Her desire grew to dangerous heights, threatened to consume her. Their tongues teased and tickled, sending bolts of electricity through her body.
The breeze swept over her sweat-drenched skin, but it didn’t cool her down. Caught in the moment, Demi climbed onto his lap and draped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Eager to please, she trailed her tongue along his earlobe, his jawline and over his lips. His groans proved he liked her bold, take-charge attitude. She wanted to rip his clothes off, but she remembered they were on a private yacht not inside her hotel suite and curbed her desires.
“Finally,” she teased, snuggling against him. “I thought you’d never kiss me.”
Chase raised his hands in the air. “Don’t blame me for being a gentleman. My dad is old school and he taught me to be patient with the opposite sex.”
“That’s nonsense. Women have desires and urges and needs, just like men.”
“Is that right? And, what do you need right now?”
Demi caressed his face and nibbled the corners of his lips. “You now.”
He crushed his lips to her mouth, sending her pulse into overdrive. His ferocious kiss gave her dirty thoughts. The thick, bulging erection inside his shorts was stabbing her inner thigh, making her even hornier.
Demi wanted to end her nine-month sexual drought, but she didn’t want to do something she’d regret in the morning, and having sex with Chase on the yacht was a bad idea. Not just because it was their first date, but because she had a sneaking suspicion Captain Teo was spying on them with the cameras in the command center, and Demi didn’t want the silver-haired Spaniard to see her naked.
“That has to be a Guinness World Record for the longest kiss,” she whispered against his mouth, her voice a breathless pant. “Let’s do it again.”
“With pleasure.”
His lips were warm, soft against hers, and addictive. He ravished her mouth, praised her curves and beauty. Her confidence had taken a hit when her ex dumped her, but making out with Chase bolstered it completely. The hunky app developer was the perfect candidate for a one-night stand. Hooked from the first kiss, her body responded eagerly to his touch and she liked feeling his hands palming and squeezing her ass. She wanted to put her breasts inside his mouth, could almost feel his tongue against her nipples, but resisted the needs of her flesh. Despite all her bravado on social media about sex, she’d never had a one-night stand and had balked when Warner had suggested having a threesome to “spice things up in the bedroom.” That should have been a red flag, she thought, inwardly scolding herself for not dumping him sooner.
Her thoughts scattered and goose bumps rippled across her skin. Demi moaned, couldn’t stop. The kiss intensified. She’d gotten pretty hot and heavy with guys before, but never like this; his kiss took her breath away, made her light-headed and weak, and if she’d been standing, she would have fainted at his feet. Cheers and whistles pierced the air. Opening her eyes, Demi saw people zoom by on Jet Skis, waving and shouting in foreign languages. Sailboats floated by, and Demi tensed. Having sex with Chase on the yacht sounded exciting in theory, but she didn’t want drunken strangers watching them, or worse, recording them with their cell phones. Her body was throbbing with need but she took a deep breath and steeled herself against his touch. Deciding she didn’t want an audience, Demi slid off of his lap and adjusted her jumpsuit.
“Wait. What’s wrong?” he asked, touching her forearm. “I thought we were having fun.”
“I am...we are, but I can’t do this. It’s too risky.”
His eyes searched her face. “Talk to me, Demi. I don’t understand.”
“Someone could record us having sex and post it online for kicks,” she explained. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my ass all over the internet.”
“You’re right. I never thought about that.”
“Of course you didn’t.” Smirking, Demi lowered her gaze from his face to his lap and cocked an eyebrow. “You were thinking with your other head.”
“It’s all good. We’ll go to my suite,” Chase said, pressing soft kisses against her neck.
“As if! Earlier, you mentioned that you’re sharing a suite with Jonas, and if we go there he’ll probably ask to join in. I don’t do threesomes.”
His entire body shook when he laughed and Demi knew she’d hit the nail on the head. Jonas had the words “bad boy” written on his forehead in neon flashing lights and Demi knew she had to be careful around him. She’d dated guys like Jonas before and regretted it every time. Even though they were both high-energy types who loved to socialize and party, Demi would rather hang out with Chase. His chivalrous, gentlemanly ways appealed to her. Hearing his voice, she abandoned her thoughts and met his gaze.
“What do you propose?” Chase asked with a broad smile. “Where do we go from here?”
“My suite, of course.” Leaning forward, Demi pressed her mouth against the curve of his ear and whispered, “Next stop, paradise.”
Chapter 6
The lanky valet with the floppy, brown hair opened the passenger door of the Ferrari, offering his hand to Demi and speaking to her in French. Marching around the hood of the car, Chase, overheard the valet say, “Slide me your number,” and furrowed his brow. His first thought was to push the valet away from her, but since he didn’t want Demi to think he was a hothead, he governed his temper. From the moment they’d left the hotel that morning, men had been flirting with her. The island was crawling with billionaires, professional athletes, celebrities and dignitaries, and Chase couldn’t turn around without someone slipping Demi their business card. He didn’t blame them; she was an energetic spirit, and people were helplessly drawn to her—including him.
“Thanks, kid.” Chase pressed a tip into his palm and steered him toward the Ferrari.
“M-m-my pleasure,” he stammered, adjusting his crooked bow tie.
Facing her, Chase entwined his fingers with Demi’s and winked. “Ready for a nightcap?”
“I was born ready. Suite 1208 here we come!”
The lobby was bright, filled with attractive guests and boisterous conversation. Gold fixtures hung on the walls, glass sculptures beautified the tables, the marble floors gleamed and sparkled, and designer furniture gave the space a chic vibe. Demi snapped photographs with her iPhone, and Chase wore a wry smile. He’d never seen one person take so many pictures, and teased her about being a paparazzo. “I wonder if they make a patch for what you have,” he joked.
“I can’t help it. I’m star-struck, so I have to capture every moment with my cell.” Demi gestured to the beach deck with a nod of her head. “Look! Yeezy’s here with his kids!”
Chase glanced around the outdoor lounge. Glowing with soft lights, the space was a tr
anquil escape crawling with A-list stars. An Emmy winner downed cocktails at the full-service bar, a renowned movie director flirted with a buxom waitress and a Japanese boy band posed for pictures with some female fans.
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat in the lounge or order room service? It doesn’t matter to me...” Chase lost his voice. Spotting a familiar face, he trailed off. His heart raced, threatened to explode inside his chest. What the hell? That can’t be her. Juliet’s in New York, not socializing in the lounge with the cast of Marriage Bootcamp.
Convinced he was seeing things, he wanted to rub his eyes until the image disappeared, but he didn’t want Demi to think he was losing it and ditch him in the lobby. Not when they were minutes away from making love. His temperature rose. Just the thought of her naked, supple body against his caused his pulse to pound.
His gaze drifted back to the lounge, lingered on the slender woman in the black, halter-neck swimsuit, sarong and heeled sandals. Sweat drenched his skin, making his palms wet, and questions crowded his mind. What was Juliet doing in Ibiza? Was she vacationing with her family? Had his mom told her about his guys-only birthday trip to the party capital of the world?
Chase scowled. Of course she had. Contrary to what Estelle thought, he was thriving now that he was single and he had no intention of reuniting with his college sweetheart. He could do whatever he wanted and he planned to enjoy his newfound freedom with Demi—all night long.
Exhaling, he unclenched his hands. Chase told himself to relax, and escorted Demi through the lobby, hoping for a miracle. Maybe Juliet was on a date. Maybe she was over him. Maybe she hadn’t seen him. No such luck. Furiously waving her bejeweled hands, Juliet rushed through the lounge and threw her arms around his neck.
“There’s my man,” she gushed, puckering her thin lips. “Baby, I’ve missed you.”
Chase stepped back, forcing her to release her hold. “Juliet, knock it off.”
“You have a girlfriend?” Demi glared at him in disgust. “You said you were single.”
“I am. Juliet’s my ex, and we’re not getting back together.”
“Yes, we are. We always do. We’re a perfect match. I’m your girlfriend and I love you.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” he corrected, speaking through clenched teeth. He couldn’t believe Juliet was hijacking his date, and that she had the nerve to lie about their relationship.
“We’ve done this song and dance for years, and we both know it’s just a matter of time before I’m back in your arms and your bed.”
Chase swallowed hard. He didn’t want Demi to think he was a liar, so he vehemently denied her claim. “Not this time. I’ve moved on and you should, too.”
“Nonsense. We’re magic together and no one will ever take my place,” Juliet continued, flipping her bone-straight, black hair over her shoulders. “That’s what you said last night when I went down on you in the private elevator. Remember that, boo?”
Bullshit! You’ve never given me oral sex in an elevator or anywhere else for that matter! Chase started to speak, but Demi punched his shoulder and he lost his train of thought.
Juliet wore a triumphant smile and ice spread through his veins. He wanted to curse her out, but he remembered he was a Crawford, not a street thug, and bit his tongue. It wasn’t in his nature to embarrass people or to hurt their feelings, but he had to set the record straight before things got worse. “You’re lying. That never happened. After I left the club, I returned to the hotel and went to bed alone,” he said, stressing the word.
“No,” she cooed. “I serviced you in the elevator and you loved every minute of it.”
The story was pure fiction and her lies infuriated him. “That never happened.”
“Jerk,” Demi grumbled, stepping past him. “I hope you get jock itch!”
Chase tried to go after her, but Juliet slid in front of him, blocking his way. Watching Demi storm off, he realized he’d blown his chance with her and was pissed his ex would screw him over. He should have seen it coming. She’d graduated from Columbia University with honors then obtained her masters and doctorate degrees in psychology. Juliet outwitted her friends and family members on a daily basis and there was nothing they could do about it.
“This all could have been avoided if you’d proposed on my birthday like you were supposed to,” Juliet pointed out. “Now our relationship is in shambles, my parents hate you and I’m seriously considering dating other people.”
Chase eagerly nodded his head. “I think that’s a great idea. Please do!”
“All isn’t lost. You can still propose. And, once you do, I’m sure my parents will give you their blessing.” Her eyes smiled. “We’ll look at engagement rings tomorrow after breakfast.”
“Do you hear yourself? I’m not a puppet, Juliet. Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Someone has to! You’re out of control and it has to stop.” Juliet stomped her foot, as if she was trying to kill a roach, then propped her hands on her hips. “We’ve been together for six long years and I won’t let you disrespect me by hooking up with other women.”
Chase read the situation, saw the murderous expression on her heart-shaped face, and decided to end the conversation before she lost it. For all of her poise and sophistication, she had an ugly temper, and Chase shuddered to think what would happen if she caused a scene in the hotel lobby. His parents would blame him—Mr. and Mrs. Wilmington, too—and he didn’t want to create dissention between the two close-knit families. “I’m out of here.”
“No, you’re not,” she said, clutching his arm with a viselike grip. “We’re still talking.”
“Juliet, stop, you’re embarrassing yourself.”
“I’ve changed. Why don’t you believe me?”
“Because I’ve heard this a million times before. The last time you said you changed you showed up at my office unannounced, insisted I take you to the Four Seasons for lunch and threw a tantrum when I refused.”
“That was then and this is now. Baby, I’m a new woman.”
Chase wanted to remind Juliet of all the messed-up things she’d done during their relationship, but he stopped himself. His ex brought out the worst in him, made him angry and bitter, and the last thing Chase wanted to do was to hurt her. They’d been friends once and he still cared about her—he just didn’t want to date her.
“Our relationship is worth fighting for and that’s what I’m going to do. Fight.” Tightening her hold, she shook her head so hard, her hair whipped across her face. “We love each other, our families love each other, and they’ll be devastated if we break up.”
“We already did. Three months ago to be exact. And it was for the best.” Getting through to her was more stressful than teaching his two-year-old nephew how to tie his shoelaces, and Chase was quickly losing patience with her. What do I have to do to get her off my back? Why won’t she listen to me? Did her mom put her up to this? Did mine?
Hearing a commotion, Chase noticed a group of Mexican tourists, dressed in outfits bearing their national flag, partying in the reception area, and he wished Juliet would join in the fun.
Batting her eyelashes, Juliet wore an innocent smile, but Chase wasn’t swayed by her girl-next-door demeanor. Wasn’t fooled by her act. He knew her intimately, had for years, and suspected the only reason she’d come to Ibiza was to ruin his birthday trip.
“I flew over six thousand miles to see you and I’m not going anywhere until we resolve our issues.”
I’m out of here! Anxious to leave, Chase marched through the lobby, searching for the nearest escape route. Juliet stomped behind him, shouting his name. It was moments like this, when she was being stubborn and difficult, that he couldn’t believe they’d dated for six years.
In the beginning they’d bonded over their love of world history, humanitarian projects and horseback riding. But as time passed, Juliet became controlling a
nd he’d fallen out of love with her. When she’d demanded he propose on her birthday, he’d broken up with her, even though his parents had begged him not to.
His father, Dr. Vernon M. Crawford was the first African-American Associate Professor and Chief of Neurosurgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the only thing his father enjoyed more than practicing medicine was his decades-old friendship with the Wilmingtons. One Christmas, after too many glasses of champagne, the wealthy power couples had hatched a plan to have their youngest son and daughter tie the knot. But Chase wasn’t going to marry a woman he didn’t love. Not for anyone.
“You can hook up with as many thots as you want, but your family will never accept anyone but me. It doesn’t matter who you date, I’ll always be Estelle’s daughter-in-law.”
Chase cursed under his breath. He’d never heard such crap and blamed his mom for his ex-girlfriend’s behavior. Estelle had filled Juliet’s head with outrageous ideas, and when he returned home next week, he was going to set his mother straight. He loved her but he was sick of Estelle meddling in his life.
Chase spotted his brothers and cousins through the sliding-glass doors, at the taxi stand, and wondered where they were going. He vaguely remembered them making plans that morning at breakfast, and figured they were going to the club.
Chase frowned. Did they know Juliet was coming to town? Were they in on the surprise, too? He wouldn’t put it past them. Everyone in his family was Team Juliet—except Jonas—but his brother was obviously too busy chasing Instagram models to give him a heads-up.
The elevator chimed and the doors slid open, but Chase didn’t move. He didn’t want Juliet to know where his suite was and decided to check his email while he waited for her to leave. He took his iPhone out of his pocket and slid his finger across the screen to activate his password. It rang and his mother’s work number filled the screen. How fitting. She’d revealed his whereabouts to Juliet, knowing full well he’d be pissed, and now had the nerve to call him. His mom was a talented, jewelry designer who owned a high-end boutique in the Hamptons that catered to celebrities, socialites and heiresses. It wasn’t a store, it was a cultural institution, and thanks to record profits last year, she was opening locations in Washington, Miami and Los Angeles. She was in demand; her custom creations were so popular she had clients all over the world. Juliet and her mom, Daphne, were regulars at the boutique, often visiting his mom after hours. I bet that’s their favorite time to plot and scheme, Chase thought, ignoring the call.
Southern Seduction ; Pleasure in His Arms Page 22