Take Me To The Beach

by K. L. Grayson, Karina Halle, A. L. Jackson, Marni Mann, Monica Murphy, Devney Perry, Kristen Proby, Rachel Van Dyken

  “I had to do my research on the family, right? I wanted to know everything I could about them, so I had my assistant do a little Googling and she sent me an email full of links on each family member.”

  “Wait, you mean Kelsey?” I get a little excited just thinking about her. My new friend. When I get back from Paris, we all need to get together and include Kelsey this time. I like her a lot.

  Alex is frowning. I’m sure I confused him. “How do you know Kelsey?”

  I explain how I saw her at his office, and then that evening I found her at the bar in the restaurant, sad because she got stood up by some douche. How I invited her to join us for dinner, and she fit in so easily with my group of friends.

  “So now you’re friends with my assistant?” He sounds amused, thank goodness. I mean, it’s kind of weird that I want to hang out with my fake boyfriend’s assistant, but I’m sure stranger things have happened, right?

  “I totally am. I have a feeling we’ll end up being close friends too. She’s my kind of people.” I hesitate before I ask, “You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

  “Of course not. You can be friends with whoever you want.” The easy way he says it tells me he’s being truthful. I don’t want any of this to become awkward.

  Though if I’m being completely truthful with myself, this entire situation has tremendous potential to get awkward.

  “You’ll be fine tomorrow with Manon,” Alex tells me after we both remain quiet for a few minutes. “If she asks you an uncomfortable question, deflect.”

  “Deflect how? Give me an example.” I need practice dealing with terrible people—well, specifically Manon. I work in customer service, so I’ve seen my fair share of rude assholes, but there’s something downright elitist about Manon’s attitude, especially toward me. And that’s intimidating.

  “Here, pretend I’m her, and I’m going to ask you a very personal question,” he explains.

  Ooh, role playing. I’m down. “Okay, Manon. Give it to me.”

  He smiles, and I wiggle in my seat, adjusting myself so I’m fully facing him. The center console has bottled waters waiting for us, plus a bunch of candy, so I can’t push it back into the seat.

  Clearing his throat, Alex asks, “So tell me, Caroline.” His falsetto voice with a French accent is way too good, and I have to stifle my giggles. “I want to hear all about your sex life with Alex. Give me the dirty details.”

  “Oh come on.” I slug his arm, marveling at the solid muscle my fist just made contact with. I need to see him with his shirt off and soon. “She won’t want to hear about that.”

  “She might.” He laughs. “I wouldn’t put it past her.”

  “You said that just want to watch me scramble.”

  “Kind of,” he admits teasingly and I slug him again. He grabs my wrist, holding me captive, his thumb rubbing the inside of my wrist before he releases me. “Okay. Let’s do another one.” He clears his throat once more, and brings back the fake accent. “I’m sure you’re soooo excited about your upcoming nuptials. What are your wedding plans?”

  So easy. “It will be outdoors since we’re getting married in the fall, when our weather is at its absolute best. The ceremony will be on the grounds of Wilder Pebble Beach overlooking the ocean, and the reception will be held in one of the ballrooms inside the hotel.” I lean back in my seat, smirking like a smug bitch.

  “Nice.” He nods his approval. “And the honeymoon?”

  “Hawaii,” I say without hesitation. “Alex loves to vacation there. It’s one of his favorite places to visit.”

  “Your answer isn’t wrong,” he tells me, almost grudgingly. “You should’ve also said I love seeing you in a bikini.”

  “You’ve never seen me in a bikini,” I chastise and the sly smile on his face steals my breath.

  “But I’d like to.”

  Ah, God. He says things like that, looks at me in a certain way, and I want to melt. This is supposed to be a pretend relationship.

  So why is it feeling so real?

  “Doesn’t everyone love Hawaii?” I ask weakly, desperate to change the subject. I’ve never been there, but I could love it.

  I’m sure I could.

  “True. You’ve been there? Which island is your favorite?”

  “I’ve never been,” I admit and his face falls a little. Like he realized that he’s been everywhere and I haven’t. He’s lived his life and seen and done so many things for someone being so young, and honestly? I haven’t done shit.

  But I want to. Hopefully. Someday.

  Unable to resist, and wishing I could change the subject yet again, I reach for the center console between us and grab one of the candies, the white wrapper covered with tiny red strawberries. My favorite flavor. “I’m going to indulge since we didn’t have dessert,” I tell him as I unwrap the candy and pop it into my mouth.

  It’s sweet and a little chewy, reminding me of a Starburst, and I suck on the candy for a while, trying to make it last.

  “Hungry so soon after dinner?” Alex asks after checking his phone yet again.

  Yes I am, a little bit. For some reason, French food isn’t filling me up. It tastes amazing. We’ve only been here a short time, and I haven’t had a bad meal. Yet for some reason, I’m always ready to snack on something else within an hour of eating. If a macaron store were open right now, I’d be demanding the driver to pull over so I can grab a few.

  “Kind of. Just craving something sweet,” I tell him, curling the wrapper into a ball before I drop it into the center console with the rest of the candy. I probably shouldn’t leave it there, but not like there’s a garbage can in the back of the car.

  “Something sweet, hmm? I am too.” Before I can say anything in response, Alex is touching my face, his fingers gentle, his mouth suddenly hovering above mine for a split second. Enough time for me to think, this is it. Another kiss from Alex Wilder.

  Will it be as good as the first time?

  My eyes close right as he makes contact. His mouth is soft and warm and damp. The kiss achingly simple, just a press of lips on lips, a shared breath, a soft sigh that comes from me. His hand curves so he’s cradling the side of my head as he kisses me again. And again. Sweet, questioning kisses that are asking me so many things at once.

  Are you okay with this?

  Do you want more?

  Do you want me?

  And of course, I’m answering him with kisses.

  I’m definitely okay with this.

  I want as much as you’ll give me.

  Is this all fake?

  The stupid center console is in the way so I can’t really get close to him, and I break away from the kiss in pure frustration, not willing to take it to the next level if I can’t get closer to him.

  Plus, I don’t need to lose my head over this. Over him. Kissing him in the back seat of a car when no one is watching wasn’t part of the plan. No matter how badly I enjoyed it, I need to be smart. Practical.

  And that means no more kissing Alex unless we’re in front of other people.

  Speaking of Alex…

  He’s smiling, looking very pleased with himself. “You taste like strawberries.”

  My cheeks are warm for the thousandth time. “It was the candy.”

  “I know. It’s why I kissed you. Well, there are lots of reasons why I kissed you. That was just one of them,” he admits.

  I want him to give me a list of all the reasons why he wants to kiss me. And I want him to actually write those reasons down on a piece of paper so I can linger over the list.

  What does he want from this? What does he want from me? I’m not sure. Truthfully, I don’t know what I want from him either. We’re having fun. Our conversations are flowing easily. Do we have the potential for an actual real relationship?

  That’s dangerous territory you’re venturing into.

  Yeah. No potential.

  Nope.

  “I need to text my father about my conversation with Alai
n,” he says, his voice low as he opens his phone, his focus zeroed in on the screen. The light illuminates his face and I stare at him for a moment, struck again by how incredibly handsome he is. And how I see those hints of the young Alex I used to know. It’s in his kind eyes, the shape of his mouth, the slope of his nose.

  I like that face. A lot.

  Probably too much, if I’m being real with myself.

  He glances up, his gaze meeting mine. He just caught me staring, but for once, I don’t care. My cheeks aren’t even warm. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m on my phone?”

  “Of course not.” Did he think I’d be angry? Perhaps that’s a good thing. Most of the time, I get the sense Alex does whatever the hell he wants, who cares what other people want from him.

  That might be why Tiffany cheated on him. Not that I’m justifying her behavior, but if her fiancé acted like he didn’t care what she did, then she’d assume he wouldn’t care if she was with another man.

  Confusing logic, but maybe?

  I shouldn’t even bother trying to figure their situation out. I can barely figure ours out.

  We remain quiet for the rest of the drive to the hotel, though the silence isn’t a problem. He’s texting his father the good news, and I understand why that’s so important to him. I’m okay with him not paying attention to me.

  I’m not a total diva like some people I know.

  The issue with the continuous silence though, is that my mind is going a hundred miles a minute. Yes, it was nice to have time to think but now I’m scared I’m allowing myself to think too much. And that’s dangerous.

  My biggest problem with Alex is what he brings with him—lots of baggage. The ex-fiancée Tiffany situation is a terrible one, and I can’t avoid it no matter how much I’d like to. Here in Paris, what we’re doing is like dream fantasyland, merely playing at being in a relationship. But the minute we get home, reality is going to smack us both in the face and we’ll realize that maybe…

  Maybe we’re not meant for each other after all.

  He’s busy. So am I. He has a very recent ex he planned on marrying. I do not. There are no real threats from my side. Most of the time I prefer hanging out with my friends, and Alex likes hanging out in the office.

  We come from two different worlds.

  He has the ex.

  The ex.

  The woman he wanted to make his wife.

  Tiffany is a major obstacle I’m having a hard time getting over, I can admit that to myself.

  But can I admit it to Alex?

  Our driver drops us off at the front of the hotel a few minutes later, and Alex escorts me inside, holding my hand with all the assuredness of a real life boyfriend. I follow beside him quietly, drinking it all in like I do every time I walk through the hotel lobby. This place is truly unbelievable.

  This entire trip has been unbelievable. And it’s only just begun.

  The moment we’re in the tiny elevator, Alex pulls me into his arms, our bodies flush against each other. I rest my hands on his wide chest, tilt my head back to look into his eyes. His gaze is so intense, I want to squirm, but I don’t.

  I still have some semblance of control.

  “You have pretty eyes,” he says. “And full lips.” He gently touches the corner of my mouth with his thumb.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  “And your hair. It’s so dark and shiny.” He slips his fingers into the strands, playing with it for a moment. “I tend to prefer women with longer hair, but you’re an exception.”

  “Gee thanks.” What the hell is he doing? I’m confused by his personal assessment.

  “I shouldn’t do this,” he admits as he traces my jawline with his index finger.

  “Do what?” I ask, completely baffled.

  “This.” He kisses me, silencing whatever else I was about to say.

  And I honestly can’t remember because the moment his mouth touches mine, all rational thought leaves my head.

  He deepens the kiss with ease because I let him, I’m so eager for this, despite my earlier mental protest. His tongue touches mine before it goes on a slow sweep of my mouth and I wrap my arms around his neck, my fingers sliding into the hair at his nape. His hand slips down, so that it briefly rests on my butt and when the elevator doors slide open seconds later with a soft ding, my eyes pop open, afraid someone will be watching us making out with horrified expressions on their faces.

  Luckily enough, there’s no one around.

  Alex releases his hold on me and exits the elevator without a word, and all I can do is follow after him. His long stride makes it hard for me to keep up, and by the time he’s at our suite door, I’m still a ways behind. He waits for me, a faint smile curving his lips, but he seems tense, like he’s amped up and needs to expend his pent up energy.

  It appears he wants to expend that energy all over me.

  Chapter 30

  Alex

  I’ve been a walking stress case since we arrived in Paris. Hell, the last few weeks leading up to this surprise trip, I’d been stressed the fuck out. First, over wedding plans. Next, over an engagement breakup. Then the Descheaux deal threatens to fall apart, and my father was all over my ass about me going to Paris to try and save it—it seemed like nothing was going my way.

  Now finally, finally I feel like I’m back in control of my life. I have this hotel deal pretty much on lockdown. Dinner tonight went well. Alain and I had such a positive conversation that he told me he’s ready to sign the deal after all. Caroline enchanted Sabine with her natural charm, and despite the snobbery from Louis and Manon, all is right once again in my world.

  Including the fact that I reclaimed the girl who got away.

  She’s walking toward me, an unsure expression on her pretty face. Her cheeks are flushed—that happens a lot—and her lush lips are parted. She looks amazing in that clingy black dress and the high, high heels. She’s a beautiful, sexy woman who tempts me the more I look at her. At dinner that unmistakable tension was there, brewing between us. We almost kissed at the table before Manon rudely interrupted us.

  It’s why I finally had to kiss Caroline in the car. I needed to see if that tension was for real, or if I was the only one feeling it.

  I was definitely not the only one feeling it. She responded so sweetly, though the kiss ended far too soon for my tastes, only because the stupid center console was in the way. To cool off, I focused on texting my father to let him know I had the deal handled.

  It was that or maul Caroline in the backseat of the car in front of the driver. And I couldn’t do that. What we’re doing is fake. I can’t let real feelings slip into this.

  Real feelings will screw everything up.

  “Alex.”

  I blink Caroline into focus, only to realize she’s standing directly in front of me, her hand resting on my chest. “Yeah?”

  Her expression is serious. “We’re not having sex tonight.”

  “What?” I blink at her again. Did she say what I think she just said?

  “I said, we’re not having sex tonight.” She pats my chest, then enters the suite. “After that kiss in the elevator, I thought you should know that.”

  I follow her into the suite, the door slamming closed behind me. I watch as she turns on a lamp and then kicks off her shoes, flopping onto the couch with a relieved sigh.

  “My shoes were killing me.” She lifts both her legs into the air, flexing her toes, and I look away in frustration.

  Her legs are one of my favorite parts about her. Considering she’s now declared it a look but don’t touch scenario tonight, I need to get away from her.

  Fast.

  Shrugging out of my suit jacket, I head for the bedroom, tossing the jacket onto a nearby chair before I tug at my tie, loosening it until I can yank it completely off from around my neck. I unbutton my shirt and take it off, adding it to the growing pile on the chair. I keep going, stripping down to my black boxer briefs right at the moment Caroline enters the be
droom.

  “Oh God.” She places her hand over her eyes, shaking her head. “I wish I would’ve never seen that.”

  “Seen what?” I glance down at myself with a frown. Do I really look that awful? This woman is going to give me a goddamn complex if she keeps this up.

  “You.” She waves a hand in my general direction, her other hand still covering her eyes. “Half naked. Right after I told you we aren’t having sex tonight.”

  I kick my crumpled pants out of the way and walk toward her, stopping directly in front of her. “Caroline. Look at me.”

  She shakes her head. “I can’t.”

  “Caroline.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “Which is it? You can’t or you don’t want to?”

  She sighs with frustration and drops her hand, her gaze pinned on my chest, then slowly moving downward. “Oh God.” She closes her eyes so tight, little wrinkles fan from the corners. “You need to put some clothes on.”

  “Why?” I cup her chin, lifting her face up as she slowly opens her eyes, our gazes locking. “Do I disgust you that badly?”

  “Ha. No.” A whimper escapes her when I take another step closer, our bodies brushing against each other’s. “It’s hard to resist you when you’re not wearing any clothes.”

  “I’m wearing clothes,” I remind her.

  “Underwear doesn’t count.” She sighs and I release my hold on her chin. “I’m still holding firm to my no sex clause for tonight.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  Her eyes widen the slightest bit. I guess I shocked her. “Then why are you parading around with no clothes on?”

  “I’m not ‘parading around’, I was taking off my clothes when you happened to walk into the room.” I send her a pointed look. “You act like a woman who’s never seen a man in his boxer briefs before.”

  “I’ve seen plenty of men in their boxer briefs before.” She grimaces. “That came out wrong.”

  A chuckle escapes me. “I know what you mean.” I step away from her and head for the closet, where I pull a pair of lounge pants out of the drawer and hurriedly put them on before walking back into the bedroom. “I’m dressed,” I say, spreading my arms out wide.