“Hmm, I like the sound of that.” He leaned
in, brushing his mouth against her cheek. “I fell asleep thinking about you
last night.”
Elle felt butterflies flitting around her
stomach, a feeling she hadn’t had since her crush on the pitcher of her high
school baseball team. She tried to remain cool and detached with men to keep
her heart from being broken, but something about Caleb made her want to lower
her defenses. “I’ve been thinking about you too. In fact, you kind of inspired
a song today.” She hadn’t planned to tell him about “One More Kiss.”
“I
think it’s better than anything I’ve written in a long time.”
He smiled. “Tell me about it.”
She didn’t like to talk about her music.
She preferred to let it speak for itself. “Maybe I’ll play it for you sometime.
In the meantime, I think I’d rather keep you guessing.”
He edged his chair closer until their knees
were touching. “See, I’m kind of the opposite. When I’m into a woman, I prefer
laying it all out there, letting her know how I feel. That way, if she’s not
into me, I won’t have to waste my time.”
“I’m into you,” Elle said quietly, looking
him in the eye.
“Oh yeah?”
He was clearly taunting her, but she loved
it. “Yeah.”
“So when can we go on a real date? Not that
I mind watching your back…” He leered at her chest, making her roll her eyes as
she tried not to smile. “Or your front. But I’d love to take you out and spend
some quiet time just getting to know you better.”
“Isn’t that what we did last night at my
place?” She would love to go out with him, but she feared dinner at a
restaurant would result in him trying to run interference between her and
autograph seekers.
“Your schedule is clear this weekend,
right?”
“I’d planned on holing up at home and
working on the album. Not that I couldn’t be talked into a break. What did you
have in mind?”
“Why don’t we spend the weekend at my condo
in Islamorada?” He grinned like a little boy who was convinced he’d made an
impressive discovery. “Come on, it’s perfect this time of year, and you’d have
all the privacy you need. Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like a walk
on the beach, am I right?”
Elle thought about how great it would feel
to lie on a towel on warm white sand, reveling in the warmth of the sun and the
solitude as they listened to the roar of the ocean. “It sounds amazing, but…”
It seemed too early in their relationship to contemplate an overnight date.
He held up both hands. “Just so we’re
clear, I’m not pushing for anything. There are two guest bedrooms, and you’re
welcome to use one of them.”
She winced. “Am I that transparent?”
“It’s no secret that I’m attracted to you,
but I can understand why you would want to take this slow. Women in your
position have to be careful and discreet. I get that.”
And because he was so patient and
understanding, Elle leaned in to plant a soft kiss on his lips. She didn’t care
about the flash of cameras or the circle of photographers who had formed around
the security guards. The only thing that mattered was letting Caleb know he’d
said exactly what she needed to hear. “I’d love to go away with you. Thank
you.”
“It’s going to be amazing,” he said,
touching his forehead to hers. “You’ll see.”
***
Caleb was leaning against the bar making
small talk with Ryan Spencer, who turned out to be a riot. Caleb had expected
him to be more serious and uptight, like his brother, Evan.
“Can you believe that? The kid’s only four
years old, and he’s already hiding a whoopee cushion on his teacher’s chair and
calling it an April Fool’s joke.” Ryan grinned. “He’s going to be exactly like
I was at that age, and my wife is gonna kill me.”
“Boys will be boys, right?” Caleb had often
thought about what it would be like to have a mini version of himself running
around, wreaking havoc and stealing hearts.
“That’s what I tried telling my wife, Bri,
but she’s not hearing any of my excuses. She says I’m a bad influence on the
boys. Can you believe that?” Ryan asked, chuckling. “Me? A bad influence!”
Caleb had just met Ryan a few hours ago,
and he already knew he had the potential to stir up trouble just to amuse
himself. “Yeah, but she loves you anyway, right?”
“Sure, that’s what marriage is all about.
Finding someone who’ll love you in spite of your shortcomings.” Ryan propped
his elbows on the bar. “You ever been married, Caleb?”
“No.”
“Ever been tempted?”
“A time or two,” Caleb said. “I don’t know,
maybe someday.”
“You and Elle, huh?”
“Did I mention I was seeing Elle?” Caleb
asked, knowing he hadn’t.
“My brother may have said something about
it,” Ryan admitted, looking chagrined.
“Ah, so he sent you over here to see if you
could find out what’s going on between us. Isn’t that why he invited me here
tonight, to get some insight into what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling about
Elle?”
Ryan smiled. “Paranoid much? I don’t think
my brother had some big plan. Drake’s a friend of ours; you’re a friend of his.
Besides, Ev thought it might be good for your business to rub shoulders with
some of these people.”
Caleb’s business didn’t need any help, but
he couldn’t deny he’d made some good contacts. “I don’t mean to offend you or
your brother, but when I met Evan the other night, I got the feeling he was on
a fishing expedition.”
“He probably was. He cares about Elle. We
all do. Her last boyfriend was a jackass, and none of us want to see her get
mixed up with another loser like that.”
“I think it’s up to Elle to decide who she
dates, don’t you?” Caleb had never been intimidated by money or power,
especially now that he had both. The Spencer brothers may be considered royalty
in this town, but he could hold his own. The sooner they realized that, the
better.
Ryan quirked an eyebrow. “You’re right, but
here’s the thing—I protect my own. So does my brother. It may piss off our
friends and family from time to time, but they deal with it because they know
our hearts are in the right place. Elle is no exception. We may have crossed
the line a few times, but we love her. I refuse to apologize or make excuses
for that.”
“I get that. Elle’s lucky to have friends
like you looking out for her.”
“She doesn’t really have anyone else,” Ryan
said, tipping back his beer bottle. “Ev and I have a big family and a large
circle of friends who are always there for us, but not everyone is that lucky.”
“You’re right.”
“It’s tough to go it alone in this
business, especially if you don’t have anyone to guide you through it. When
Elle joined the Titan family and we realized she was pretty much on her own, we
took her in, made her one of us. So when anyone messes with her, they mess with
us.”
Caleb straightened to his full height,
taking advantage of the few inches he had on Ryan. “Lose the passive-aggressive
shit, Ryan. You made your point.”
“That’s all I wanted to do.” Ryan offered
his hand. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re a good guy. As long as you treat
Elle right, we won’t have any problems. But if you break her heart, I will hunt
you down.”
Caleb thought that was the first time he’d
ever smiled at a threat. Not because he thought Ryan wouldn’t make good on it,
but because he would react the same way in Ryan’s position. He’d earned Caleb’s
respect. “You don’t have to worry about her. I think I’m the one who should be
worried. It’s only been a few days, and she’s already monopolizing my
thoughts.”
Ryan grinned. “Take it from me, that’s how
it always starts. You’re doomed, my friend.”
Elle couldn’t remember the last time she’d
felt so young and carefree. Even though it was just a quick weekend getaway, it
was the closest thing to a vacation she’d ever had.
“Do you like fishing?” Caleb asked,
brushing his thumb against her palm.
“Um, I’ve never really been.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing, girl.
Tomorrow morning, we’ll wake up at dawn and get out there for the morning bite.
There’s nothing more exhilarating than fighting a huge tuna.” He smiled at her
wary expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you reel in the first one. After that,
I’ll strap you in so you don’t fall overboard, and you’ll be on your own.”
She didn’t know if he was kidding or not,
but the idea was so far removed from her real life that she found the idea
intriguing. Elle enjoyed the warm breeze blowing through the open window,
brushing against her upturned face as they crossed the Seven-Mile Bridge. She’d
noticed a change in Caleb as soon as their plane touched down in Miami. He
seemed happier, more relaxed, as though he was happy to be back.
“Is your place nearby?” she asked, taking
in the quaint shops and restaurants.
“Not too much farther.” He kissed her hand
with a smile. “Getting anxious?”
“Maybe a little.” She couldn’t tell him
she’d been looking so forward to this, she’d tossed and turned all night.
He waved to a uniformed security guard at a
gatehouse as they passed through immaculately maintained grounds. Elle had been
expecting a condo building on the beach, not beautiful stucco homes with
manicured lawns and carefully tended flowerbeds. Each home looked like a
private oasis, the epitome of luxury, yet they still managed to feel welcoming.
Brightly colored chairs were positioned on each patio to take advantage of the
breathtaking water views.
“This isn’t what I was expecting,” she
whispered.
“You like what you see so far?” He seemed
pleased by her reaction.
“I love it. But when you said you had a
condo in the Keys, I expected a few hundred square feet in a high-rise
building. I definitely wasn’t expecting anything like this.”
He waved out to a middle-aged couple
walking a Cocker Spaniel. “It is a condo; the homes just happen to be detached.
The common grounds are maintained by the corporation, and I don’t have to worry
about the grass and flower beds. They have an amazing recreation and fitness
facility for the owners and a few great restaurants.”
“Impressive.” Elle was no stranger to
opulence, but she hadn’t spent much time considering what her money could buy
her. She wasn’t into fancy cars, and she had only bought her monstrosity in
Nashville because Ricky loved it so much. Maybe she should buy a vacation home
in a place like this…
“I like the fact that it’s a gated
community,” Caleb added. “It gives me peace of mind when I’m not here.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean.” Everyone
seemed friendly, smiling and waving as they passed. A few even called out to
Caleb to get his attention. She loved the sense of familiarity and security,
something that seemed absent in her own life.
“I had a feeling you’d love it here,” he
said, grinning when she smiled. “It’s really laid back. Everyone’s here for the
same reason: to relax and have a good time. It’s easy to make friends here.”
“Are many of your neighbors permanent
residents?” Elle imagined what it would be like to hole up here and let her
biggest concern be what to throw on the grill.
“Some are. They’ve retired, and this is
their little piece of paradise.”
“I can see why they feel that way.” She
inhaled deeply when the fresh scent of saltwater tickled her nose. “If this
were my home away from home, I don’t think I’d ever want to go back.” Elle
could imagine the creativity that would flow in a place like this, unburdened
and free of the pressures of her demanding life.
“I think about that sometimes,” he
admitted. “My business is on pretty solid ground. My V.P. is amazing, and I
really could run my business from anywhere.”
“Then why don’t you take a leave of
absence?” Elle thought about how wonderful it would be to slip under the radar
for a while. She loved her fans and appreciated their devotion to her, but she
would give almost anything to take some time to focus on making music without
the pressure of being on her game all the time.
“I might someday.”
They rounded a corner, and Caleb pulled
into a cream stucco two-story home with meandering paths leading to the white sand
beach and front doors. The flower beds contained an explosion of color with
more blooms than Elle could hope to name.
“This is so perfect,” she whispered,
feeling a little self-conscious at how awe-struck she must seem. She was a
water sign and had always been drawn to the ocean, though she’d never had the
opportunity to spend much time at the beach. As a kid, she’d been too busy
trying to get good grades to win her parents’ approval, and as an adult, she
was too busy chasing success to take time for herself.
“I felt the same way when I saw this place
the first time.” He pointed toward a house just down the street. “My buddy Ewan
lives there with his wife. He and I grew up together. I was here visiting him,
and I fell in love with the place. I couldn’t stop talking about it when I went
home, so my girlfriend convinced me to buy it. I have to admit, it didn’t take
much convincing.”