by Mia Carson
“It’s going to be great for the district,” Grace told Chase Senior, beaming at Chase beside her. “He really has vision when he wants to.”
His hand tightened on hers at the slight. “Yes, well, that’s all from you, babe.”
She seemed taken aback by his words, and when he kissed her sweetly, her whole body shifted to touch his. If they hadn’t been surrounded by people, he would’ve brought her into his lap and kissed her until she begged him to take her to bed. There was something else under that kiss, though, that made him frown when he broke it off. She glanced at him curiously, and he knew he wasn’t the only one to feel it.
During that kiss, he almost believed they had been together for a year and that the ring on her finger was placed there by him, not as an act, but in a reality of them being together. Thoughts crept into his mind, and Chase played with the coin, unwilling to look away from the woman who captivated him so thoroughly. Her acting was damn good if it could make him believe she was really his.
“When is the wedding?” Margot asked.
“Wedding?” Chase asked, eliciting a laugh and a smack on the arm from his mother.
“Yes, wedding. I’m assuming you don’t want to be engaged forever. I doubt she does,” Margot said, pointing at Grace. “The way she plays with her ring says she’s waited long enough, son.”
Grace’s hands quickly pull apart, and she tucked them into her lap. “Oh no, really, there’s no rush,” she said nervously. “Whenever we finally pick a date, though, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“I would hope so. If my only child elopes, he’ll never hear the end of it from her,” Chase Senior muttered, nudging his son’s arm.
“Are you living together?” Margot asked.
Chase and Grace answered at the same time, except they said the opposite and Chase bit his cheek. “What he means,” Grace said, her hand grabbing his, “is that it’s not official, but I stay at his place so much we might as well be.”
“Good, it’s always good to live together first,” his dad agreed. “Told you they were.”
Margot pursed her lips at her husband. “I wasn’t doubting you, dear, I was simply curious.”
“You could tell we lived together?” Chase asked, unable to hide his surprise.
“You’re crazy about each other, and the way you two move so effortlessly together, it’s easy enough to tell you understand each other’s rhythms,” Margot told him with a wave of her hand. “Honestly, son, you know what you two look like together. I’m not even sure we were that adorable when we were so young in our love.”
Grace squeezed Chase’s hand so hard he felt it crack. “Love?”
Margot smiled gently. “Of course, dear, I saw it the moment you two walked on board. It’s not a bad thing to show such strong feelings.”
“Right, course not,” she said, laughing to cover her surprise, and Chase hoped she recovered her outburst as his mind reeled. “Chase is a bit self-conscious about it.”
“He shouldn’t be, not with a woman like you,” Margot said with a wink. “Really, Chase, she’s a wonderful girl. I wish you would get married sooner rather than later. I’m not getting any younger, and one of these days, I’d like to see mini-Chases running around.”
Grace did pop his hand that time, though she laughed and Chase joined her. “Really, Mom? Grandkids?”
“Your mother’s been talking about it for weeks,” his dad whispered, his face scrunched. “Must be a hormonal thing.”
Margot pinched his arm. “No, it’s a getting older thing.”
Chase couldn’t believe how quickly the conversation shifted and wanted desperately to get it away from the topic of weddings and kids, for God’s sake. “Dad, weren’t you going to show me that new bottle of scotch you got?”
“Right you are, son! Come along, we must go do manly things now. Fredrick! Scotch?”
Chase’s Uncle Fredrick whistled, and the two men trotted off for the lower decks. Without thinking, he kissed Grace before he, too, followed his dad, and only when he was on the lower level of the yacht in the bar area did he realize what he had done.
“You know, son, a wedding would be just the ticket for the holidays,” his dad said as he pulled out a freshly polished bottle of scotch. “We could have it at the manor. Your mother would be thrilled.”
“As would your dad,” Fredrick chimed in. “Don’t let him fool you. Your old man is turning into a sap in his old age.”
“Is that right?” he quipped, hoping it would cover the other emotions running through him.
“Don’t tell anyone,” his dad warned. “But… Well, we would like to see you happy. With Grace, you’re smiling more than we’ve seen in a long time.”
“She’s been a good influence on me,” he admitted.
Was it true? Since seeing Grace in that play, his days were filled with more thoughts of her and less worry about his company or the new business ventures he was undertaking. Even the stress over the theater district renovations took a backseat, and all he wanted was to be near Grace.
“Just think it over,” his dad urged as he poured three glasses of scotch. “I’m sure Grace would be excited to know you’ve finally decided on a date.”
“I bet she would be. Cheers,” he stated happily and clinked his glass against his dad and uncle’s before taking a long gulp. A wedding… with Grace. Chase took another large gulp and tried to figure out what the hell was happening on this yacht.
5
The official celebration for Chase’s parents started soon, and Grace hadn’t seen her fake fiancé since he disappeared earlier. She was in their cabin, getting ready for the night and mulling over the day. The lines between her act and reality blurred so much she had no idea where one started and the other stopped anymore.
One day. She spent one day with this blasted man, and he had turned her world upside-down.
“It’s his flirting, that’s all it is,” she muttered angrily, trying to zip up the red dress she’d bought for the evening. “Lay down some rules for tonight. Make it clear to him that this is just a job! Damn it, come on.” She turned in an angry circle, flailing with the zipper, when the cabin door opened and Chase walked in.
He raised a perfectly arched brow at her, and his lips twitched in a smirk. “Are you arguing with your dress?”
Fighting embarrassment, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “None of your business.”
“It is, because you’re my fiancée,” he stated.
“Fake. I’m your fake fiancée,” she snapped. “Remember that when you’re kissing me in front of everyone.”
“I think you need to remind yourself of that, too,” he argued as he kicked off his shoes and grabbed his suit from the closet. “I’m not the only one being clingy up there, and by the way, you almost broke my hand.”
Grace chewed her lip but refused to apologize. “Your mother mentioned weddings and kids. It was a gut reaction.”
Chase stalked closer, towering over her petite frame until she craned her neck to continue glaring at him. “Yeah? Would it be so awful to be married to me? I think deep down, you’d enjoy it. Maybe you even dreamed about it last night, and that’s how you wound up in my arms.”
“You smug bastard,” she spat, turning away from him to attempt to zip her dress.
She struggled with it, cursing under her breath, when two warm hands closed around hers, pulled them away gently, and her nerves seared with the closeness of his body. Slowly, he fiddled with the zipper and moved it up, dragging the dress closed against her back, but his hands didn’t disappear once the dress was zipped. They lingered along her shoulders, caressing her skin so that her nipples hardened and a sudden need shot up from the wetness between her legs.
Grace’s eyes slid closed, and without meaning to, she leaned back into his touch. A whispered curse escaped his lips, but he didn’t move away. Instead, his hands slid lower, and he placed a soft kiss where they had been. Her soul cried out for more, and she s
ighed when his lips moved to kiss her again, as if reading her mind, and traveled up to her neck. He pushed aside her curls, nuzzling the crook of her shoulder. Why had he even bothered to zip up her dress? All she wanted now was for him to undo it and watch his face as she revealed herself to him.
You really want to do that? Get this attached when he’s only going to leave you?
Grace stiffened, and her eyes shot open. “Chase,” she whispered and stepped gently away from his body. His gaze was filled with a longing that hit her deep in her gut when she turned to face him, but she held up her hands to keep him back. “Ground rules. We need ground rules for tonight.”
“Like what?” he asked, and she hated how husky the words sounded.
“Like not kissing or touching unless absolutely necessary,” she insisted. “Before this goes too far and we regret it.”
His face closed off instantly, and he grabbed his suit, moving quickly to the bathroom. Before he closed the door, he glanced over his shoulder and whispered, “A night with you is something I would never regret. Hearing you cry out my name? I long to hear that, Graceland.”
The promise behind those words hit her hard, and she clutched a hand to her chest to steady herself. All sense of knowing what was real and what wasn’t disappeared with his words, and Grace knew tonight was going to be a lot harder to get through than she first thought. But it was their last one together. Just one more, and tomorrow, they’d head home and she’d be able to pay off half her mom’s debt.
And she’d never see Chase again. She shoved her feet into her red heels and told herself it was for the best if they didn’t fall into the lust filling them both. It was too dangerous, and she had enough of that in her life without adding a smug, arrogant man into the mix.
She waited impatiently for Chase to get ready, and when they left the cabin, her hand nestled in the crook of his arm. Neither spoke, though they played their part of the happy couple well enough. For the sake of those around them, Grace ceased glaring at him and beamed at Chase’s parents as they came out onto the main deck to celebrate. It was a beautiful sight, all lit up with fairy lights, and the small three-piece band played songs for the happy couple to dance to.
The night wore on, and Grace meandered through the crowd, laughing with several of Chase’s cousins and family friends. She didn’t absorb much of what was said, but the distraction and distance from the man watching her from across the deck was welcome. The wine helped too, and she’d had three glasses before she even realized it. She sat down at a nearby table to eat something to counteract the alcohol.
With the music swirling around her, a range of songs from the seventies and beyond, Grace relaxed and swayed with it. The night was magical, and though she wasn’t a permanent fixture in these people’s lives, she was happy to be a part of it for tonight.
“Enjoying yourself?” Chase asked as he sat down beside her at the table.
Grace was having a good time and wasn’t going to let him annoy her out of it. Besides, they were still acting like a couple. She nodded, her gaze drifting to the couples dancing on the deck. The music changed and a slow song played, echoing over the water.
“Care to dance with me?”
The word ‘no’ was on her lips, but when she turned to say it, his intense green gaze captured hers and the word was lost. She chewed her lip, knowing it would look suspicious if they didn’t dance together at least once.
“Why not?” she murmured and took the hand he offered her.
Chase swung her around and brought her in close, keeping his hand closed around hers as his other spread against her lower back. Grace rested hers on his shoulder and let the music guide them languidly across the deck. She worried about stepping on his feet, this being the first time she’d ever danced with a man. He guided her effortlessly as the music played.
“That dress is breathtaking on you, by the way,” he told her.
She wanted to see his face, but her cheek rested against his chest as they danced, her body melding against his, fitting perfectly. “Thanks. I’ve always liked red.”
“Funny, so do I.”
He spun her out, and she twirled before he drew her in against his chest. His chin rested on the top of her head, and Grace let her eyes close, wanting to sink into the security he surrounded her with, the sensation of being cared for by someone else. Maybe even being loved. The fantasy that it could really be love caused a small frown, but it lingered until it grew into an actual desire. This was more than lust, but she didn’t dare say anything. He’d think she was crazy—or maybe just after his money.
One day was not enough to fall in love with someone, anyway, but she buried her face against his body and breathed him in. The scent of rainwater and teak-wood filled her nose, and for reasons she couldn’t even begin to fathom, Grace knew she was home.
Chase’s hand slipped from hers, and his arms enclosed her. The move was so natural, she let it happen, never wanting the music to stop, never wanting to face the reality of life back on land.
But the song eventually ended, and their steps slowed to a stop. Grace tried to step away from him, but Chase bent lower. On instinct, she raised up on her toes to meet his mouth. The kiss was slow and sensual, curling her hands into his jacket in a desperate hunger to be closer. His tongue brushed against her lips, and she parted them, letting him delve into her mouth. She was lost in his touch, forgetting where they were as his scent and ragged breathing surrounded her and filled her completely.
When they came up for air, Grace glanced around, expecting everyone to be watching, but the music played and his family danced and celebrated as if she and Chase hadn’t just shared the most mind-blowing kiss ever.
“Want to go for a walk?” he asked breathily.
“Yeah… Yeah, a walk would be good,” she replied and let him take her hand, leading her from the dance floor and down to the main level, which was deserted.
The night was chilly away from the crowd of people, and she shivered against his side. “Here,” he said and shrugged out of his suit jacket. The heat from his body fell over her as he draped it across her shoulders.
“Thanks,” she muttered. They took a few more steps before coming to a stop at the railing. She leaned out, squinting into the night. The mainland was out there somewhere, and with it, all her problems she didn’t want to face.
There was one problem she needed to solve soon, and he stood so close. Chase stepped up beside her, and her hand reached for his. He held it tightly as if it was the most natural thing in the world to hold hands with his fake fiancée.
“What are we doing?” she asked quietly, the words shaky.
“About what?”
“You know what,” she replied. “About this.” Her hand shifted in his, but when she tried to remove it, he didn’t let her. “Chase?”
“I don’t know,” he said on a breath. “Did you enjoy the kiss?”
She wanted to ask which time, but the point was moot. She enjoyed every time those lips of his made contact with her skin, sending trails of throbbing need from her nipples to her most sensitive parts never touched by a man. The idea of Chase being that man made her squirm against his side.
“Grace, did you?” he repeated the question.
“What would you do if I said yes?”
“I’d kiss you again,” he growled with want, and she shivered.
Wetting her lips, she glanced up at him and whispered, “Yes.”
Without hesitating, Chase dragged her gently away from the railing, and with his lustful green gaze locked on hers, he backed her up against the nearest wall. Grace’s chest heaved, and his eyes darted down to the cleavage there, exposed and crying out for him. Her breasts grew heavy and her nipples tightened painfully, and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
Resting one hand on either side of her head, Chase bent lower and caught her lips with his. The kiss was slow at first, barely a caress, but it turned into something more and she sighed against him. This kiss was real. Chase
was really kissing her, and when his tongue danced alongside hers, wanting everything she had to offer, Grace knew then all the other kisses had been real, too. Whatever swirled between them, they were no longer acting. Her hands snaked up his chest to grasp his shirt while his moved to cup her cheeks lovingly, holding her so he could kiss her deeper, more passionately, until her mind was foggy with arousal.
“Was this the sort of mischief you had in mind?” she gasped when they parted to gulp in air.
“No,” he whispered, sucking her earlobe until she gasped, her whole body leaning into his. “I have something even better in mind if you’ll have me, Graceland.”
God, did she want him. Even his use of her full name didn’t annoy her. Coming from his mouth, it sounded different—stronger and more full of life than she’d been in a long time. His lips kissed a trail down her neck before he nipped gently at her collar bone, and then his tongue laved at the mounds of her breasts. If they didn’t move soon, she wondered who would find them doing what.
“Chase… cabin,” she managed to whisper before she groaned as his hands cupped her chest.
“Right, there’s a bed there,” he mused.
“A bed would be nice,” she agreed. His mouth suddenly left her body, and she frowned at the loss. He took her hand and tugged her behind him through the yacht and towards their private cabin. Vaguely, she wondered when she should mention she was a virgin, then decided she’d tell him once her mind cleared enough to function at a higher level.
Her knees shaking and mind racing with anticipation, Grace followed close, and when it took too long for him to open the door, she bounced on her toes, pressing her body against his side as he threw her a heated look over his shoulder.
The door clicked open and they fell into the room, Chase’s arms wrapping around her instantly, molding her to his body as his lips captured hers. His jacket fell to the floor and she was enveloped by the warmth of the man himself. Just as she had all day, Grace marveled at how naturally her body reacted to being held by his, craving his touch like she’d never craved anything before. At the same time, she was lost in awe at how enamored she was by such a simple thing as him holding her and kissing her slowly.