Barefoot With a Bodyguard (14 page)

“I’m sure you don’t lack for those.”

Actually, she did. She lacked for a lot of things that men might offer, but since they came with such a heavy price tag, she’d managed to live without them.

A waiter approached the table, champagne in one hand, a bucket of ice in the other.

“Game time,” she said under her breath.

“Let’s sell this,” he whispered, taking her hand and making a show of holding it on top of the table. His blue eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were mustering up whatever it would take to play this game.

“Tilly,” he said, the name slipping off his tongue as though he used it daily. “There’s no one I’d rather be with than you on this…this adventure.”

Kate felt her jaw drop a little, the words hitting with the same force she imagined he landed a punch. He sounded sincere, even a little emotional. He was selling it, all right. If she hadn’t known better,
she’d
have bought it.

And, worse, she’d have liked it.

“Thanks,” she said. “You know I feel the same.”

He cocked his head ever so slightly, a move that could have been interpreted as a question or a tease or an acknowledgment. They stared at each other for a few heartbeats, maybe more than a few, giving Kate a chance to openly study his every feature, that crooked nose and tough jaw, his soft lips parted just enough that she could see his teeth.

And his eyes. As blue as the sky that afternoon and crystal—

The champagne popped like a gunshot, and Kate let out a soft shriek, startled.

Alec gave her a squeeze. “You weren’t expecting that.”

She wasn’t expecting
this
. She wasn’t expecting to get lost in his eyes or drunk on the idea of his mouth…on her. She wasn’t expecting to be so
attracted
.

“Here you go, Mrs. Carlson.” The waiter handed her a crystal champagne flute, golden and bubbly in the candlelight, and Kate took it, cursing the slight unsteadiness in her hand.

At least she understood now. Understood the way her heart was always in high gear and her throat was bone dry and her stomach fluttered like butterflies had moved in. She
wanted
him.

But everything in his behavior told her that was absolutely not mutual.

The waiter took his time putting the bottle on ice, still smiling at them, no doubt taking notes to report back to the gossipy staff. She and Alec shared another look, and this time she could see the challenge in his eyes.

Let’s put those rumors to bed
, he seemed to say.

Alec tapped her glass with his. “To my bride, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”

Kate studied the two crystal rims, thinking of all the things that would impress the waiter, but right then, she wanted only to speak to Alec. Honestly. “To my husband,” she whispered. “Who makes me lose control.”

His eyes warmed. “And I know just how much you love that.” They never unlocked their gazes as they put the glasses to their lips.

“And on that note, I will most certainly leave you lovebirds alone.” The waiter made a slight bow and walked away, probably off to the kitchen to quell any talk of the Carlsons being unhappy.

Kate took another deep drink, nearly draining the glass to let the sweet liquid spark on her tongue. “Now you owe me some honesty.”

He set down his own glass, barely having taken a sip. “I don’t recall making any deals like that.”

“Come on. Just a few questions that can’t possibly incriminate you.”

He huffed a soft breath. “Like what?”

“Have you ever been married?”

“Not until this week.”

“No one serious?” She regarded him closely, using the excuse of the intimate interrogation to drink in each feature. Had she really thought him unattractive when she’d first met him? Those eyes were impossibly blue, and his mouth… Lord, his
mouth
. Perfect lips, just perfect.

“No one serious but you, Tilly.” He added an edge to her name, likely to remind her why they were there and what they were
supposed
to be talking about. “You know it was love at first sight.”

“And we’re playing again.” She sipped the champagne, surprised at how disappointed she was. “Okay, then, let’s invent our romance. Where did it start?” she asked.

“Across the algebra classroom.” He didn’t miss a beat with that answer.

“High school?” She raised surprised brows. “You want it to be that long a courtship?”

“Well, there were all those years we didn’t see each other when you left…Illinois to live in…China,” he said.

She gave a soft chuckle at the sheer creativity of that one. “Oh, yes. The Beijing years. And you were…” She thought for a long time, still studying his face far too closely. “Working as…”

“I can’t wait to hear this,” he mumbled, averting his eyes.

“An actor.”

He snorted. “An actor?”

“You got the chops. I just witnessed it.” She shrugged. “So dream big for your fake life.”

“Being married to you would be a big enough dream.”

She froze mid-sip, frowning, not quite getting that comment. “What do you mean?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious, Ka…Tilly.”

She eyed him over her glass, not sure if he was angry or…squirming. “Not to me, it isn’t.”

“Look at me.”

As if she needed an invitation. She’d all but devoured him with her eyes since they’d been seated.

“And then, as I said, look in the mirror.”

“You don’t think…we’re…” What was he saying? “Complementary? Compatible? Sympatico?”

He looked up at the sky, fighting another laugh. “It’s like you swallowed a thesaurus.”

“Alec—” He fried her with a look, making her bite her lip and purposely put down the glass of champagne. “Come on. What do you mean it would be a big enough dream?”

“Not that I have ever given a crap about how many times my nose has been broken, or this scar that makes my one eye smaller than the other…” He tapped one of his eyebrows. “Or this.” He patted the side of his jaw. “A punching bag that’s been hit a hundred times. But…” He shook his head, words eluding him.

“You think you’re not good-looking?” Well, she hadn’t at first. But that sure didn’t last long.

He chuckled as if the answer were obvious. “Just saying that we’re in different leagues, which only makes this, uh, cover more difficult.”

“I don’t see you that way,” she admitted.

He looked a little surprised, but the hostess breezed by and threw them a friendly smile, reminding Kate how out in the open they were, which was likely why Alec got a little closer.

“Let’s get back to what we’re supposed to be discussing,” he said.

They should, but it was frustrating. She was much more interested in Real Alec, not Pretend Benjamin. Still, she nodded and picked up the champagne glass. “Where were we?”

“The Beijing years,” he reminded her.

“Ah, yes. And while I was there, you were…” She gave him a questioning look. “If you bagged that acting career, what did you do?”

“I was on a fishing boat in the Bering Sea.”

She laughed. “Well, that sounds
cold
. And did we talk during those years apart?”

“No,” he said. “But I stalked you on Facebook and found you at our ten-year high school reunion.”

That made her smile. “Sweet.”

He tipped his chin toward her empty glass. “Can you be trusted with another?”

“I’ll just drink yours since it’s obvious you’re not drinking.”

“Not while I’m protecting you.”

“No such constraints for me.” She winked and picked up his glass, but she didn’t drink. The first glass was just settling into her bloodstream, taking the edge off, leaving a nice, relaxing warmth. “But it would be easy, wouldn’t it?” she mused.

“To drink all my champagne?”

She shook her head, looking out to the water. “To just make up a history and not have to have lived it.”

“I guess. None of the good stuff, but then, none of the bad.”

No bad marriages to bad men who made her feel bad about herself. “None of the bad,” she agreed. How different would she be if she hadn’t had Steven bearing down on her life for five years? If her father hadn’t been so protective? If she’d—

“Hello!” A woman approached the table, reddish-blond curls cascading over her shoulders and a warm smile breaking across a lightly freckled face. “I understand you are the newlyweds staying in Caralluma.”

Alec stood immediately, making it appear he was being courteous, but stiffly enough that Kate suspected he either didn’t welcome or trust the intrusion.

“I’m Lacey Walker, the owner of Casa Blanca.”

“Oh, my wife and I were just talking about how you met your husband while you were building this resort.”

Lacey gave a musical laugh of acknowledgment.

“So it’s true?” Kate asked, standing as well.

“All of it,” Lacey said. “And, please, sit down. We don’t want anything to interrupt the romance around here. I just wanted to say hello since we haven’t seen much of you around.”

“Well, we’ve been…”

“Relaxing in the villa,” Alec finished for her.

Lacey laughed. “I’m sure of that. I do hope everything is good in that villa. You’re our first guests there, since we recently added on to the resort.”

“It’s perfect,” Kate assured her.

“We love to have newlyweds here,” she said. “We tell everyone who comes to Barefoot Bay to kick off their shoes and fall in love. But I guess you’ve already done that.”

“In high school,” Alec said easily.

Lacey’s brows shot up. “And you only now just got married?”

“We lost touch,” Alec said.

“I was living in China,” Kate added. “And Alec was working on a trawler in the Bering Sea.”

They shared a look that Kate hoped appeared to be wistful, but was more like a silent, secret high five.

“Wow, and, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you reconnect?” Lacey asked.

“High school reunion,” they replied in perfect unison.

“Aww.” Lacey put her hands together. “That’s a perfect Barefoot Bay love story.”

Except it was a total lie.

“I hope you have an absolutely fantastic vacation while you’re here. We love the couples who come for an extended stay.”

“Thank you so much,” Kate said. “The whole place is amazing.”

“Have you been to the spa?” Lacey asked.

Not for lack of wanting to, Kate thought. “Not yet. I haven’t been able to, um, get away.”

“Aw, you don’t want to separate for that long.” Before they could respond, Lacey tapped her fingertips in a silent clap. “Oh, I know what you need. A couples massage!”

Kate stared, not knowing how to respond to the idea of stripping down naked next to Alec while they were rubbed and oiled and…

“And, oh, tomorrow, Madame Valaina is here.” She pulled out her phone and swiped the screen. “I’m going to schedule you for an hour with her. On the house.”

“Wow, thanks,” Kate said. “Is she an exceptional massage therapist?”

Lacey looked up from her phone, a twinkle in her golden-brown eyes. “You don’t know who she is?”

“I do,” Alec said, making both women look at him. He looked
horrified
.

But Lacey laughed. “I know, no one thinks they need her, but trust me on this. I’m adding years of marital bliss to your lives.” She gave the phone a final tap. “You’re all set. Be at cabana number three, right down at the beach, at two o’clock. A fifty-minute couples massage, followed by…well, he can tell you about it.” Lacey gestured for them to sit down as she started to walk away. “Best wishes to both of you from Casa Blanca!”

She headed off to the next table as Alec sat very slowly and stared straight ahead.

“Who is Madame Valaina?” Kate asked. “She sounds like a fortune-teller.”

“Not quite.” He picked up her champagne and drained it.

“I thought you weren’t drinking.”

“I am now.”

By the time the waiter cleared the fancy after-dinner coffee that sat like lead in Alec’s stomach, Kate seemed to have accepted their fate.

They had an appointment with a sex guru.

“What is her actual title again?” Kate asked as they headed toward a nearly deserted beach to return to their villa.

“You can read about her in the spa stuff that’s in the villa,” Alec said. “I think her business is called Vibes. Which stands for something like…”
Valaina’s Intimacy Breathwork for Enhanced Satisfaction.
No way he was telling her that. “Something about breathing better.”

When she read what this woman did—which was basically teach people how to have sex, though he hadn’t been that blunt—she’d want him to cancel.

“So it’s an acronym.” She bent to slip off her sandals, and he took off his shoes, too. “Very Interesting Breathing for Every Soul?” she suggested.

He laughed, amused and a little surprised. “You just came up with that?”