by Lexy Timms
Ash was sitting at their table, his hands tousling with the brochures. She watched him scan them, taking in the information she had to provide. She pushed off the doorway and made her way to her seat, sliding into what had been his seat before he surprised her with his submission.
His tongue.
His want for her.
The mere thought forced her to suppress a shiver working its way along her body.
“Are you hungry?” Ash asked.
“What time is it?”
Ash pointed out the window, fully engrossed in one of the pamphlets regarding virgin properties he could purchase and build on himself.
Kallie’s eyes turned to gaze out the window and what she saw was breathtaking. The sun was rising high above the clouds, painting a sunrise across the sky she’d never seen before. She pressed her hand against the window. Took in the sheer beauty of it all before a plate was set in front of her. Toasted bagels with cream cheese, exotic fruits, crispy bacon, and a mimosa to top everything off.
“Good morning,” Ash said.
But Kallie was speechless.
She didn’t want to ruin the beauty of what she was watching.
Breakfast was silent, but quick. Because about an hour later, they began their descent into Bali. Kallie buckled herself up as the stewardess made quick work of cleaning her place while Ash stuffed the brochures away in the pockets of his suit coat. The plane landed and they both disembarked with their luggage, and the second the Bali air hit Kallie’s face she gasped. It smelled different. Felt different. The air of Indonesia made her feel wild and free. Her heart thundered against her chest. Her hands began to shake.
She wasn’t supposed to enjoy this trip as much as she was.
Kallie stepped into a rental car Ash had waiting for them and they headed to the luxury resort. They dropped their things off in their respective rooms, but she quirked an eyebrow when she saw that Ash was her neighbor. They were in separate luxury suites, but their rooms were connected by a door in the main living room.
She shook her head and giggled.
Ash always had a way of wiggling around things she requested.
The only thing was, she didn’t know if she hated it or not.
Her first order of business was a tour around the island. She went down to the front office of the hotel and set up a private tour, then had the front desk call Ash’s room so he could come down. He emerged in a linen shirt and his board shorts, which ripped Kallie back into another time.
It felt like the island again.
And she hated how much she loved it.
“A private tour?” he asked.
“That’s our first order of business. Today, we’re going to find your local watering hole, a local surf shop you can give your business to, and your favorite market.”
“What about my home?” he asked.
“That’ll depend on whether you want to buy a house, a bungalow, or property to build on. I saw you reading the pamphlet on properties, so once you have some places nailed down that you want to go see, we’ll take a separate tour just for those.”
“You’re very good at this.”
“It’s my career. I hope so,” Kallie said with a smile.
She gazed into his eyes a second too long and felt her heart stop.
“Well, let’s get going then,” she said. “Your new happy life awaits.”
Chapter 17
Ash
The past few days spent on the island with Kallie had been fantastic for Ash. He loved watching her light up with all of the things she found that she knew would suit him perfectly. Over the past four days, Kallie had managed to help him find two new surf shops he liked, a lively marketplace he could see himself frequenting regularly, a fish market to find fresh seafood, and a bar with a table in the corner that overlooked the ocean. Bali kept getting more and more perfect, but he knew it wouldn’t be anything without Kallie by his side.
Which was why Kallie getting so excited about everything gave him hope.
She was lively and full of humor. The two of them laughed and rode around the island, and she even let him treat her to food. He found his new favorite taco place that way, and immediately it had become his and Kallie’s “spot.” They had dined there four times already. Kallie was putting her mark on his new home and she didn’t even know it.
Which made it all the more pertinent that he convince Kallie to stay with him.
Ash enjoyed every second of the time he’d spent with his beautiful companion. Though it ached him that they were in separate rooms. When they parted ways for the night, all he could do was think about her. Think about her body lying alone in that bed and how only one door that connected their living spaces separated them. It was torture, restraining himself. But he knew he had to walk the line Kallie was most comfortable with if he would ever convince her to stay with him.
To stay in Bali and not return to the States.
“Okay,” Kallie said. “Today, we find you a home.”
“I see the taskmaster’s back,” Ash said with a grin.
“We’ve checked off everything on our list except that one. So that’s what we tackle today.”
“Do I sense another trip to that taco hut?” he asked.
“Oh, that’s a given. I’m eating there at least two more times before I leave.”
Ash’s stomach dropped at her statement and he jumped into emergency mode. He had to find a way to make her want to stay. If there was any time to turn on his charm, today was the day.
And hopefully, it reaped him good results.
“Once we can find you a place to purchase—or land to build on—then we can officially begin setting up your new life,” Kallie said.
“Then we should get a move on,” Ash said.
“The first place is his massive house I’ve found. It sits on the beach and is surrounded by a beautiful landscape that’s mostly untouched by the tourists. It’ll cost a very pretty penny to purchase it, but I think you’ll like it once you see it.”
“Then lead the way,” he said.
The two of them hopped into a cab and rode all the way out to the coastline. Ash looked at all of the rice paddies as they passed by and took in the beautiful sky that towered over the water. This was the place for him. He knew it now more than ever. And riding alongside Kallie with her thigh pressed against his only solidified his want to have her at his side. He didn’t want to go another second without Kallie’s touch. Or her warmth. Or her voice.
Or her love, if he could somehow garner it.
“Look. There it is,” she said.
Ash’s eyes peered out the windshield and he was stunned by what he saw.
Rising up from the water was a massive stone cliff, and sitting just off to the side of it was a beautiful house. The wraparound porch had a pier jutting off the corner that stretched all the way out into the middle of the ocean. It faced the horizon, positioned perfectly so the owner could sit on the porch and take in the sunset every night. The private beach had soft, silken sand, and the waves that lapped at the shoreline glistened with the rays of the sun.
But all of that didn’t hold a candle to the inside of the place.
Steam saunas in all the en suite bathrooms. A massive living room area that looked out toward the back of the house. Constantly shaded by the rocks the house sat in between, and it boasted of a hot tub. The house had a theater room and five separate bedrooms, all of which had their own bathroom. There was a half bath on the main floor and a finished attic for storage, which could also be turned into another room. There was a library, a built-in wet bar, a stunning kitchen with top-of-the-line products, and an unfinished area that looked to be tailor-made for an indoor pool.
It was massive and beautiful, and Ash could see himself living happily there with Kallie. He could see the two of them filling it with children and living out their days on the sand and surf. He could see the lofted portion of the house being fitting for Kallie’s office if she wanted to keep her business,
but he could also see it as a playroom for the kids if she wanted to give it up.
This was the perfect place for them.
All he had to do now was convince Kallie they were meant to be together forever.
“It’s perfect,” Ash said. “I’ll take it.”
“Wait, what?” Kallie asked.
“Mr. Worthington, are you sure? We have four other properties to see today,” the realtor said.
“Nope. This one’s it. It’s got everything I could ever want, with views that are spectacular. What’s the asking price?”
“Ash, let’s take a second and talk about this,” Kallie said.
“Do you want to talk about this?” Ash asked.
“There are other wonderful properties. This is about you and your new life. Not about knee-jerk decisions.”
“Kallie, you know me very well. It’s one of the reasons why I hired you for this position. This house, it’s perfect for me.”
Perfect for us, Ash thought.
“I just don’t want you rushing into anything prematurely,” Kallie said.
“I know,” Ash said. “You’re always looking out for me, and I appreciate that. I always will, Pretty Kallie.”
Ash watched her suck in a sharp breath of air before he turned to the realtor.
“What’s the asking price?”
“Fifteen million, sir,” the realtor said.
“Tell them my offer is twenty,” Ash said.
“What?” Kallie asked.
“Sir, are you sure?” the realtor asked.
“I’m very sure. Tell them my offer is twenty million if they take care of the closing costs and all of the legal documentation and notarizing,” Ash said.
He walked back to the car and left the realtor to do his thing. Ash knew that house was his. Five million above asking price was something no one would ever turn down. But when Kallie slipped into the cab next to him, he knew he couldn’t keep his feelings contained any longer. Now that he’d found a house and now that she had directly imprinted herself into Bali, he wanted to tell Kallie all about his plans to have her at his side.
And dinner was the perfect moment to do that.
“We should go celebrate,” Ash said.
“Isn’t that for after they accept your insane offer?” Kallie asked.
“We can go see the other properties, if you like. Maybe I’ll buy another one.”
“No thanks. If you’re satisfied with that house, then I’m not going to stop you.”
“You don’t seem happy.”
“I’m just not sure what we’re going to do with the rest of our day. I’ll have to call the other realtors and cancel with them,” she said.
“Well, why don’t we go back and rest?” Ash asked. “I’ll take you out to a nice dinner to celebrate, and that’ll give us yet another chance to try a different restaurant on the island.”
He watched Kallie turn the idea over in her head before she nodded.
“Rest and dinner sounds nice. Okay. But pick a restaurant we haven’t done yet. We might as well keep exploring your new home so you can become more acquainted.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
Ash got back to his hotel room and booked them a table at the nicest restaurant Bali had to offer. It had a terrace that hung over rice paddies and had a beautiful view of the moonlit sky at night. It was the perfect place to fill Kallie in on his plans. It would be romantic and breathtaking, and he knew the atmosphere would smooth over any anger Kallie might experience in the beginning of the conversation.
After all, he was under no illusions that this would be an easy one to have.
The second Kallie stepped out of her room, he was robbed of his breath. She was dressed in a dark-green dress that hugged every curve and fell seductively off her shoulders. Her hair tumbled down her back and the jewelry she had on glittered in the dimly lit foyer that encompassed both of their hotel suite doors. Her heels clicked softly along the floor as her hips swayed.
Ash’s heart slammed against his chest so hard he thought it would fall out at his feet.
“Do you usually wear such beautiful dresses to business dinners?” Ash asked.
“Something tells me this entire dinner won’t quite be business,” Kallie said.
He stole a glance over at her and saw a grin playing upon her lips. Did she know? Was she okay with it? If she knew this wasn’t strictly professional, then why did she agree to come out with him? Was she finally letting her guard down?
Ash’s chest surged with hope as a smile crossed his lips.
“Well you look gorgeous,” he said.
“And you look very dashing in that suit.”
Kallie gasped the second he led her onto the terrace. The moon couldn't have been more perfect. Full and large. Fully rounded out and bathing the private terrace in a pale-blue glow. Kallie couldn't stop staring at it. Couldn't stop gawking at the beauty that hung so low in the sky. Ash looked down into her face and watched as her dazzling eyes danced across the sky.
This was it.
This was the moment where he would ask her to be his forever.
“Kallie?”
“Yes, Ash?”
“There’s something I’d like to ask you,” he said.
“What is it?”
Ash felt Kallie’s heat intensify as she turned toward him. He couldn't take his eyes off her. The way her skin glowed. The way the moon reflected in her bright-green eyes. The way the shadows playing underneath her lower lip made them look fuller than he ever imagined them to be. He reached his hand up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, studying her reaction. Kallie furrowed her brow, but she didn’t move away.
If anything, he could’ve sworn he saw her stop herself from moving into his touch.
“Pretty Kallie,” he said. “You’ve helped me so much on this trip.”
“That’s my job,” she said with a grin.
“But this trip ... it’s been so much more than that.”
He watched her cock her head as he slipped his hand into his pocket. He’d picked it up in a jewelry shop they had passed on their second day. The ring had called to him. It was dainty. Small. The white gold band was fragile and the small diamond that sat on top of it sparkled in the Bali moonlight. It was simple and made a statement, just like Kallie. And if the idea of an engagement didn’t go over well with her, then he’d phrase it as a promise ring. A promise that he will always love her and always cherish her and always protect her, no matter what.
Then, he could buy her a much better engagement ring along down the road.
“What do you mean, Ash?” Kallie asked.
“What I’m trying to say is—”
“Ashly Worthington?”
He felt his stomach roll with nausea as Kallie’s eyes widened. How the fuck was this woman in Bali? How the absolute fucking hell was this decrepit, sorry excuse for a woman in fucking Indonesia!?
“What in the world are you doing here?”
He watched Kallie’s expression fade. He felt the moment being ripped from him. The romantic moonlight on the terrace became yet another nuisance as his mind began to swirl. This was a private fucking terrace. How the hell was someone like her on the damn thing?
How the hell did Sasha fucking Benson find him?
And Ash felt like throwing up when Kallie took a step away from him.
Chapter 18
Kallie
Kallie’s mind came to a grinding halt. She had no idea what Ash was up to tonight, but her stomach dropped the second she saw Sasha walk out onto the terrace. She came right up to Ash and all of his words fell to the back of her mind. She had no idea what he was saying. She couldn’t move her lips to warn him of who was behind him. All she could do was stand there and stare as her grating voice pierced through their moment.
A moment Kallie was giving into the more she stood there with him in the light of the moon.
“What are you doing here?”
Kallie
watched the shock roll over Ash’s face. What the hell was this woman doing here? Was this what Ash was doing? Hiring her to get help feathering a love nest for him and Sasha? She felt sicker than she’d ever felt in her life. She could’ve sworn this trip was going better than she thought. That she and Ash were finally growing closer and learning more about each other. She’d just convinced herself that things could be okay between them. That something might be able to blossom between her and Ash. She’d adored her time in Bali with him. The taco hut and the surf shops and walking the marketplaces.
In another life, she could see herself in a place like that.
Possibly even living with him in it.
Sasha stepped up beside Ash before she gave Kallie a nasty look. She stepped directly in front of her and craned her neck to look up at the man. Kallie shook her head and took a step back. She wanted to leave. To get out of there and get back to the hotel. But she was done with this bitch trolloping all over her time with Ash.
It was time she grew a damn backbone.
“I’ve been trying to call you since my birthday,” Sasha said. “Did you not have a good time?”
“No, I didn’t,” Ash said.
“Oh, come on. You know kissing me threw you back to all of those wonderful memories of us.”
“No, it didn’t,” he said.
“Well, thanks to you I had a fabulous time on my birthday. You never cease to put a smile on my face, Ashly Worthington.”
“I’m sure,” Ash said curtly.
“Excuse me?” Kallie asked.
She tapped Sasha on the shoulder and watched the woman shrug her off. So Kallie gripped her arm and ripped her around.
“What in the—? Ash, can’t you do something about this woman?” Sasha asked.
“What do you want?” Kallie asked.
“With all due respect to whatever it is the two of you have here, but I’m talking with Ashly. You can wait your turn.”
“If anything, you’re the one that barged in on us. And you’re not welcome,” Kallie said.
“Excuse me? Where do you come off talking to me like that, gold digger?”
“Ash and I are in the middle of a private dinner. And I’m sure once we alert someone downstairs to the fact that you’re up here when you shouldn't be, they’ll have no problems escorting you off the premises.”