Mr. July: An Enemies to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Bachelors at the Beach Book 1)

by Jax Hart

  “I missed my girl,” he bent low, scratching Daisy’s head.

  My fingers shook as I punched in the access code. I felt him behind me, one thick forearm rested above my head. I was caged between him in the door. He was toying with me. A predator teasing his prey before he went in for the kill. “I hate lawyers.”

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing,” I grumbled, finally pushing the door open escaping him. I picked up a food bowl, getting angrier and angrier by the second. He was so overbearing. Smug. Sure, of himself. He just showed up after last night inserting himself in my life. My business? And thinks he’s going to take Daisy? The thought of him ripping Daisy from me started to sting more then when Sierra took Wade.

  “No.”

  “No?” He lifted his brows, crossing his arms the thick golden muscle popping out.

  “No. You can’t adopt… D—. The dog. Kismet.”

  “Why not. She needs love, right?”

  “She has plenty right here. Besides, I’m not sure you’d be a good match. She needs someone utterly devoted.”

  “I can be utterly devoted.”

  I snorted. “No.”

  “Yes.”

  We tugged over her leash.

  “What’s the matter? Not used to the word?”

  “You’re a spitfire.”

  Ignoring him, I put Daisy in her crate. After I filled her water bowl, I went to the cabinet for her medicated eyedrops gently administering two per eye. “There you go, pretty girl. I’ll be back later.”

  I went to Roscoe next, fed him, put his life jacket harness with a leash on and handed him to Chase. “Be helpful and walk him while I take care of the rest of the animals.”

  After making quick work of the morning chores, I grabbed my backpack, locked up, finding Chase throwing a tennis ball while Roscoe eagerly showed off.

  Putting two fingers between my lips, I gave a sharp whistle. Roscoe came running.

  “Nice trick.”

  “I have a few.”

  “I bet you do.”

  The sun was rising, and the tide had already started going out, ignoring him I changed directions. “Stop following me.” Exasperated, I threw my hands in the air as Roscoe jumped onto the boat. Chase followed me across the street. My hands made quick work of untying the lines. When I turned around Chase was lounging in a seat on my boat, Roscoe beside him.

  “I didn’t give you permission to board.”

  He shrugged. “So? Sue me.”

  “You are infuriating. How do I get rid of you?”

  “You can’t.”

  “If you don’t behave, you’re going overboard. Are you renting the house for the weekend?” I just blurted it out.

  “What? I can’t hear you?” He exaggerated his hand motion to his ear, using the excuse of the running motor to evade my question. Fine. Two could play at this. If he wanted to pretend, he’s not my hottie nemesis then I could pretend not to be the renter who is suing him.

  He grinned over the rim of his coffee while watching my every move. I took us out past the flats to the deeper side of the bay where I linked up to a buoy to stop from us going adrift.

  “It’s too deep to drop anchor,” I explained.

  “I’m not worried.” He laid back against the side rail with his hands behind his head looking every inch the golden calendar guy I knew he was.

  I got busy, opening my laptop, connected it to the sonar screen installed on the boat and began looking for anything underneath us. While that was running, I opened the box I kept onboard that held my water and air sample equipment.

  When I turned around, the vial almost dropped from my hands. Chase had taken off his shirt and was sunning himself. My mouth watered. My eyes widened. He looked just as good in person as he did hanging up on my kitchen wall. His six-pack rippled under his golden-bronzed skin. His shades were on, but I knew he watched me.

  I quickly bent over the side of the boat, giving him a view of the back of my toned, tanned hamstrings. I felt the bottom of my mesh workout shorts rise as I lowered myself further to drop the vials into the water. I heard his groan and smirked.

  Since moving down to the shore my body had changed. I was fit but now I was tan and even more toned than before. I pretended to feel hot so I fanned my face with my hand, schooling my expression in an effort to hide my game. My fingers lifted the edge of my tank. I yanked it over my head. My full B’ cups were round and high in my coral bikini halter top. I had abs too. Maybe not a six-pack but definitely a four.

  He sat up so fast the boat rocked. “Put your shirt back on!”

  “Excuse me?” I furrowed my brow.

  “You don’t know the fire you are playing with.”

  “What? You took your shirt off first. It’s hot. This is how I work. Deal with it.”

  He growled coming closer. The back of my thighs hit the fiberglass side of the boat. “Dinner tonight. You and me. Six o’clock.” He towered over me, the words a command—a promise that spoke as much as his eyes did as he ripped his shades off, devouring every inch of my exposed skin.

  Seconds passed as we stood studying one another. We were on the precipice and we both knew it. He brought a hand up as if to touch me. His head dipped; hesitated. Then he was gone, diving clear off the side of the boat. The air rippled past me with energy as he moved. My heart pounded. He was seconds away from touching me, kissing the heck out of me. I was sure of it. And I knew I wouldn’t want him to stop.

  I spun, watching as his head finally surfaced. His powerful arms cut through the swells. I was in danger of losing more than just the court case. I needed a plan, a way to play the player so to speak. I was in way over my head with this one. He made Wade seem like a toddler eating crayons. I knew I couldn’t handle a man like Chase. I was… well me. And according to what Gran had told me about her boss, he was ruthless at schooling people in the boardroom. Once she told me he had buzzed her during a meeting, whispered in her ear to shred a contract into confetti and bring it right back into the meeting. When she complied, he threw it up in the air and told the opposite firm that’s what he thought of their demands. A new contract was made and executed and the partners had thrown him a champagne party after.

  He was cunning, smart, charming, and funny. A lethal combination. He stopped short of being a dick but got his point across in many ways. I sighed, pushed the blowing strands of my hair back from my face and tried to stop the thoughts I was having.

  He hoisted himself up over the side of the boat, salt water dripped off his body. I didn’t even try hiding my interest. My hand itched to reach out and trace his pecs. My lips burned to feel his on them. I was almost done collecting all my data. Before I did something stupid, like jump him right there I whisked my shorts off diving right off the same side of the boat he had just climbed up.

  But the swells were strong as the wind increased. I broke the surface only for water to crash over me. The waves kept breaking over my head. I swallowed what air I could before disappearing under the swells. My legs kicked as I desperately tried to surface again. I felt a strong pair of arms around me as I surfaced a second time.

  “Chase?”

  “I’ve got you. A wave crashed right over you as you came up.”

  “I know. I was fine.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” His strong thighs pressed against mine as he treaded water. His strong arms wrapped around my lower back. “I’m not playing games.” He stared intently at me.

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Maybe a few,” he admitted hoarsely. This time, there was no hesitation as his mouth descended. His top lip grabbed my bottom one. He kissed my lips first, got acquainted with them, before his tongue sought more. The waves picked up. One crashed right over us. He dragged me under the surface. His lips and mouth never leaving mine.

  We both needed air but kept stealing each other’s. It was madness. But in that one moment, under the sea, it was just the two of us. No one and nothing could interfere—could touch what had s
parked between us. I didn’t hate him, and he didn’t hate me. It was lust. Pure lust and wonder that we had found each other and already had known one another. Our kiss and hands spoke much more than either of us would admit.

  We finally broke the surface, chest’s heaving, lungs burning. But nothing burned hotter than whatever was brewing between us. Together, we swam back to the side of the boat, rested our arms on the top of the fiberglass side.

  I turned to him. “I’m not… I don’t date a lot,” I stammered, trying to convey that I wasn’t a girl on the scene. Someone who used a dating app and dolled herself up.

  He brought his thumb to my lip. “I know.” His eyes were serious as he looked at my upturned face.

  “This can’t hurt my Gran. If we crash and burn, don’t take it out on her.”

  Now his hand cupped the side of my face. “Oh, we’re definitely going to crash and burn. You can count on that.” His voice was rough sugar as his hands moved to my waist. Even while treading water he hoisted me up as if I weighed nothing to deposit me inside the boat.

  I felt a playful swat on my behind as I climbed in. “You know what that’s for… there’s more coming.”

  “I’m still suing you.”

  His lips curved as he hoisted himself into my boat, forearms and biceps popping. “I still have your money.”

  “You could give it back?”

  “Maybe I will. Five hundred if you tell me which bra was yours… another eight for which bed you slept in and—two grand for confessing you want me. Want me so bad, you couldn’t sleep last night.”

  “That’s extortion.”

  “So? Sue me?” His cocky smirk was all Mr. Hotshot. My answer was two of my palms against his chest, pushing him back overboard. My heart rate was high again. He pushed every single one of my buttons. Every. Single. One. I tingled all over. Maybe I was having a heart attack. The kind that grabs ahold of you when you fall for someone so hard you wonder if you’ll ever get back up. He treaded water. Eyes still all over me. “I’m going to break you. And when I’m done, you’re going to tell me everything.”

  “Really?” I crossed my arms. But that action only made my breasts lift even higher. He swallowed hard; my eyes watched the Adam’s apple at his throat work. I apparently affected him just as much as he did me. My palms sweated. “We need to get back in. The swells are picking up.” Roscoe barked nervously at Chase still in the water.

  I handed him a towel as he climbed aboard. The boat rocked and swayed. I unhooked the line from the buoy before starting the engine. The wind picked up a few knots. I started the engine, steering us home.

  My teeth started to chatter. Then warmth hit my back, wrapped around me like a hug as Chase stood front pressed to my back. His strong arms came around me. His chin rested on the top of my head. I was cocooned in his arms. But he was a gentleman and never touched the places where my body screamed. It had been too long for me and even when I was touched my nerves never sang like this for it.

  When we reached the mouth of the small inlet, I throttled down the engine. Chase still stood behind me. As I pulled into the cove and prepared to dock, his hot lips found the top of my shoulder. “Tonight, beautiful.”

  Then he was gone, grabbed his stuff and left before I had even fully docked. I took my time gathering my things, trying to clear my head. He had left as suddenly as he had appeared. Nerves and doubt started creeping back in. This was no longer about my need to be right, or to win. Somehow the months of bickering correspondence faded into nothing. The only thing I wanted to win now—was him.

  Twenty-Two

  “What? It’s not like I stole you. I rescued you.” Daisy cocked her head as she sat at my feet. Her brown eyes bore into mine as if she was willing her doggy brain to teleport some piece of vital knowledge.

  “Baby blue polo or baby pink?” I grinned, holding both shirts up to my chest in the mirror. She whined.

  “Fine. I’ll go with blue.”

  She whined some more, pawing at my ankle. “I know you miss her, but you’ll grow to love me.” I knelt to scratch her belly as she rolled to her back. “You were all over me last night, what changed?”

  I had forced myself to leave Ryan before we had even docked. It was that or take her and the dog.

  I wanted them both.

  It was crazy.

  Irrational.

  I hadn’t wanted a woman in months, being a slave to my shore house. Then bam. First spark was seeing her face pinned on a fridge. The second was meeting her last night and what made the fire spread was knowing she was the girl on the other side of the screen.

  The one who made my blood boil. Made me toss and turn, swear in frustration, and fantasize about all the dirty things I wanted to do to her.

  Now I had a face to match the name. A warm-blooded woman who made me itch to kiss her lips until they swelled. Fasten my hands in her hair. Caress her curves. Make her head spin. Maybe she was right when she said “kismet” last night.

  All this time, I felt restless, gave up my playboy ways, searching for something when I didn’t know what it was. The house helped eat away at the feeling I was missing something. I didn’t know the thing I was missing was her. I don’t even know her and yet it feels like I do. “Fuck, I’m making my own head spin.” I grinned, giving Daisy one last scratch. “I’ll be back in time to cuddle with you tonight, okay?”

  “Looking dapper, bro.” Heads turned as I walked out back, Daisy at my heels. Hunter, Char, and Bunny were finishing off their dinner. “Where are you taking her?” Hunter asked while his eyes were on Char’s lips.

  “On a romantic sunset picnic for two.”

  “She’ll like that.”

  I smiled at Bunny. “I feel like I already have a good read on our girl. Do you mind watching Daisy? Don’t sneak her any treats either. Daisy is going to start working out with me.”

  “What happened this morning between the two of you?”

  I feigned innocence as I turned my gaze to my PA. “What do you mean?”

  “She was out of it at lunch. Kept staring at the waves, muttering incoherent responses and whenever your name came up her cheeks stained the color of a cherry tomato.”

  “What did she say about me?”

  “Bruh, you’re gone. Completely hooked on her line.” Hunter made a fishing motion with one arm while a reeling motion with his other.

  “So?” I pumped Bunny.

  “Nope. I’m not selling her out to you, you rascal. If you break her heart, I’ll quit and work for the enemy. Diersky.”

  “Anyone but him, Bun-bun,” I groaned. “Oh, by the way, she figured out who I am.”

  “Oh?” Everyone perked up at this news.

  “Yep. She still insisted on seeing me in court and I said I’d give her all her money back for a kiss and tell type of thing…”

  Bunny gasped, turned red and fanned her face. “Lawd, have mercy.”

  “I wanted her to admit everything to me.”

  “Admit or submit.” Hunter snorted.

  I shrugged. “I don’t want to scandalize Bunny. Both would be nice though.”

  “She’s a good girl; dated a real loser for way too long. She’s not… very…experienced with men like you.”

  “Men like me? You’re wounding me Bun. And here I thought you were sweet on me.”

  “You best have her home by eleven.”

  “A curfew?”

  “I’ll put full fat milk in your coffee and tell you it’s a new soy.”

  “Bun… you’re killing me. I have nothing but honorable intentions toward your granddaughter.”

  “Honorable my ass.” Hunter coughed into his fist.

  “Don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to play footsies with my twin under the table.” I spoke without even breaking eye contact with Bunny.

  “She started it.”

  “That was my foot.” Bunny chimed in.

  “I always wanted a sugar mama,” Hunter smiled.

  “With your trust fund?�
� Charlie shook her head.

  “I’ll be your sugar daddy any day of the week.”

  “How about baby daddy?”

  “Hell, no.” I waved my arms in the air forming an imaginary X.

  “I have good genes. I’d be an excellent choice.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Can the three of you look after Daisy while I’m on my date and Bunny—make sure Hunter doesn’t seduce my twin.”

  “We don’t need a babysitter, bro.”

  “No more repeats of the summer of 2010.”

  “Bring her by later. I didn’t get a chance to meet her last night.”

  “Where were you anyway?”

  “I met some girls from UNC… we went for a night swim.”

  “Naked?” Charlie snorted.

  “Jealous?”

  My twin’s cheeks heated. After my date with Ryan, I was seriously going to kick Hunter’s ass. He flirts with Char but never does more than talk a good game.

  “I might bring her by. We’ll see how late it is. Oh, and Bunny—I’ve decided to work remotely for the next few weeks. You can Fed- Ex anything I might need here.”

  “You’re sending me home on Monday but staying behind?”

  “That about sums it up.”

  “My poor Ryan has no idea what she’s in for.”

  “If she takes after you at all, I’m sure she’ll handle me just fine.” I gathered a blanket, a candle, a good bottle of wine and headed to my car. I had ordered a nice spread to go from the best restaurant here. Thirty minutes later I was parking at her place.

  I jogged up the back steps, knocked twice at her door, a bouquet of white peonies in hand.

  The door swung open. Ryan didn’t look like she was dressed for a date, but my heart picked up speed just the same. Her hair was in a low ponytail. Her eyes red and a bit swollen.

  “What’s wrong?” I placed the flowers on the railing.

  “You took her.”

  My shoulders dropped. “I can’t help it. I fell in love. It was like that.” I snapped my fingers while giving a soft smile. “I’ll treat her like a queen. Hunter even took her out on his surfboard. She loved it. Char brushed her for about an hour and your gran well, she keeps sneaking her treats.”