Authors: Suzan Battah
“My father has been ill for over a year now. He passed everything over to me. I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Chris said with a faraway look. “Sometimes I get sick and tired of trying to prove myself. Everyone wants to see me fail.”
Julia rubbed his arm. “Look, if it makes you feel any better, I was top of my classes in renovation. I’ve got insider information on the best designs. The Augustine was brilliant before, really elegant. And once I’m done, the Augustine will shine like a massive diamond. It will still be the classiest place to stay at in all of Florida. Everyone will be checking in. And I mean everyone.”
The tension in his body eased. She knew he had been splattered across the tabloids for his business decisions, and admittedly some had been not so good. Several well-respected
business professionals had berated his choices publicly. He was obviously struggling with the idea of changing the image.
“What are your thoughts on not completely shutting down the whole hotel to finish the renovation?” He asked.
“Well, to be honest, it’s risky. We have to be on schedule at every point. The entrance will be done in record time. But we’re not painting every room. I have to be honest, anyone staying during the time we renovate may not like it. We have to ensure constant safety. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down,” she declared with absolute confidence.
Chris finished his sandwich first. Then they just sat there, gazing out at the ocean, comfortable in each other’s company. The view out onto the water was magnificent as the sun burned orange going down over the horizon.
“I love watching the sun go down,” he said, glancing her way. “I hate for our date to end.”
“I had a real good time, thank you.” She wiped her hands on a napkin, satisfied with how their second date was turning out.
Chris’ eyes darkened and his smile turned sensual. “I’m glad you had a good time. At least you enjoyed the food.” He gestured to her mouth, his eyes focused on her lips. “You have a bit of sauce on your lip. Let me get that for you.”
Her heart beat wildly as he slowly came closer. Before she could even wipe it away, he moved within an inch of her lips. His eyes sent a thrill of desire through her veins.
When his hand came around her neck, the tips of his fingers caressing her nape, she sighed. He moved in, watching her reaction as the tip of his tongue and lips met the corner of her mouth, sucking the offending sauce clean.
She felt the sensation through her whole body, closing her eyes. She gripped his thigh, sighing with complete pleasure, feeling the moment as if he had kissed her very lips.
She licked where he had kissed, the taste of him there, the fluttering in her belly burning deep.
“Mmmm.” He played with the tips of her fingers, a hint of a smile on his lips.
“That was a cheesy line,” she whispered, wishing he would kiss her for real.
“It worked, didn’t it?” He chuckled.
His arms came around her to pull her closer, so their bodies pressed together. She watched him, his gaze lowered to her lips before glancing back at her. There was a sensual heat yearning within the depths of his eyes.
He didn’t have to say anything. She knew his desire was real. The temperature went up a notch with delicious heat. All it took was her hand rubbing his thigh, the slight tilt of her head to encourage him to lean in for a proper kiss.
At first she pressed softly,
savoring
the taste of him. Then as his mouth opened, the tip of her tongue stroked his. The sound of his groan caught between her lips. She deepened the kiss as their desire took over, driving out all rational thoughts.
He pulled away, looking down at her beneath lowered lashes. She could see he was fighting for control. “Again,” she demanded.
His lips met hers in a soft duel. He managed to
maneuver
her onto his lap, his arms coming around her in a close embrace. As he slowed the kiss and broke away, his finger came up to touch her lips. “Julia, my Julia. When do I get to spend some more time with you?”
Surprised at his ability to make her forget reality, she made a most terrible blunder when she opened her mouth and blurted out, “Well, maybe we shouldn’t be so hasty. We’re both really busy and now I’ve got the Augustine contract, we can’t muck around.”
His smile disappeared, his jaw tensed as he stared back at her. Julia hoped he couldn’t feel her heart pumping beneath her ribs as she moved off his lap.
Chapter Six
A month had passed since she had first won the Augustine contract. Julia was not always able to see Chris. She intentionally made sure that she was available to attend the Augustine when required, always rearranging her schedule to fit in a visit to get a glimpse of him. She couldn’t help herself; even though she kept pushing him away, she always needed to see him. He was also very busy, but when they got the chance, they’d catch up for a chat in the corridors. She loved their
casual
relationship, it felt safe. Julia could tell he was keen to see her more and she just did her best to keep her distance.
Today, luck had found a way, as Julia arrived at the Augustine for a consultation with Ben. Chris bumped into her on his way out of his office. Before she could even make her way to his brother’s office, Chris stopped her in the corridor. She was momentarily in shock because Chris was rarely at the Augustine during the day. Then he surprised her with an invitation to go surfing.
“No,” she said firmly, even as she felt herself giving in.
Chris gave her a wicked look. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”
“I can’t surf.” She tried to leave his office, but he pulled her back in.
“I’ll teach you,” he said proudly.
Julia had to admit she loved the idea of learning how to surf. With Chris as her teacher, who wouldn’t? But she was reluctant to agree because of her appalling balancing abilities. In the water, she was guaranteed to fall.
She rarely went swimming, because she didn’t have the time anymore. She used to swim regularly, until Carlos became ill. While surfing had always been on her to-do list, she had always chickened out.
His offer to teach her how to surf was too tempting by far and she almost gave in. But she reminded herself that she was at the Augustine on business, not for pleasure. Chris was putting her on the spot. She was torn between going with him and not going.
“I’ve got work to do. Go surf, and we’ll catch up for coffee later or something.” She tried to leave once again, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his office,
maneuvering
her in and shutting the door in one fluid movement.
“Julia?” Her name spoken in such a way, deep and throaty.
“Yes?” she replied, grinning.
“How many hours are you working on this contract, including work you take home?”
“Maybe fourteen hours.”
He frowned. “You’re lying, try again.”
She tilted her head. “What does it matter anyway?”
“I’m disappointed, you’re more of a workaholic than me,” he muttered. “You’ve got to take time out for some fun.”
When he lowered his voice in that seductive way, she couldn’t help but play along. He was already wearing board shorts and nothing else. The sight of his naked chest made her look up at his face to keep focused. She was so tempted to just give in and go surfing.
“I’ll wait for your meeting to finish. Or I’ll tell Ben to reschedule. I know you want to come. I can see it on your face. I’ll tell him business can wait! We’re going surfing.”
When Chris headed for the phone to call Ben, she rushed over to stop him. But the cheeky devil held the handset out of her reach. Julia pressed closer to get it, but it was way beyond her reach. They stood together, almost embracing. He cleared his throat.
As she stepped back, she held up her hands in surrender. “He’s going to think I planned this.”
A minute later, Chris hung up the phone and replied, “See, Ben didn’t mind. We both think the world of the work you are doing. You’re coming, right?”
Julia groaned audibly and he laughed again at the look of horror on her face. Leaning back, he reached for and opened the top drawer of his desk. His arm came around her waist for support while he rummaged amongst the contents. She couldn’t see what he was looking for, but he found it quick enough, a black and gold card with his name on it. He held it up in front of her.
“What’s this?” She took the card.
“Go buy whatever swimsuit you want from the Augustine Boutique.” When he noted the look of surprise on her face and clear disapproval, he added, “Think of this as a gift for learning how to surf with me. Take it. I’m not waiting for you to go get your swimwear. I won’t be long, I’m going to see Ben.”
She found herself taking the card. She didn’t approve of this, but she ended up down at the boutique, surveying the beachwear. The whole experience felt surreal. The boutique was packed with beach necessities. She made her choice of a gorgeous tropical string bikini, falling in with his plans for the afternoon.
Chris walked into the boutique while she was finishing the sale. He smiled at the sales assistant, giving a nod of approval for Julia’s choice of swimsuit. Then he picked out a tropical sarong, floppy hat, and as an afterthought, a towel.
“She’ll have these as well.” He pushed the extra stuff at the shop assistant, looking around the shop.
The sales assistant gave her a knowing look. Julia protested immediately, moving the extra items out of the way. “Chris, what are you doing?”
“Getting some of the essentials,” he said matter-of-factly, pushing all the items back toward the sales assistant. He told the young employee. “We’re going for a surf lesson.”
“Oh that will be fun
Mr.
Augustine.” The sales assistant beamed brightly, winking at Julia.
She didn’t want to make a continued fuss of the situation with the sales assistant giving her and Chris interested looks, but she refused to take the sarong and hat, pushing them back.
“Well, at least get one of those sun protection swim shirts,” he said, picking one up off the rack. She saw it was two sizes too big. “This will look good.”
There was no arguing with Chris. He was determined to buy the whole selection for her. Finally, she managed to agree on getting the swim shirt and bikini with a beach towel. She changed in the shop’s dressing room, while Chris arranged to have her business clothes sent up to his office. When she came out of the changing room, his eyes widened slightly and he gave a soft whistle of appreciation.
A few moments later, they were on the beach. The sand felt wonderful between her toes. She realized that Chris was truly determined to teach her how to surf. He began with a couple of lessons on the sand to see if she could go from a sitting to a standing position. She supposed she might have scared him when she said how bad she was at balancing. But Chris was very patient, guiding her in each step and helping her to use her body to stand. Even on the sand she felt off balance and ended up toppling over a few times. Sand flicked everywhere, even into his face, and he started ducking when it looked like she was about to fall.
“Your feet are too close together,” he finally said. “That’s why you can’t balance. And think positive. If you think you’re going to fall, you will.” He watched as she stood on the board, wobbling a bit with her arms outstretched in the air, trying to keep upright.
She thought she looked more like a trapeze artist than a surfer. Julia turned to give him a glare, her hands on her hips.
“I told you I’m hopeless.”
At the same time, he burst into laughter. “That looks better.”
Ignoring his encouragement, she sat down facing him. She felt defeated and was almost ready to give up, until he playfully flicked some sand at her. With a challenge in his eyes, he declared, “You’re not hopeless. You just think you’re hopeless. Let’s try it in the water. The surf is great today for a beginner.” He got up, dusting the sand off and pulling her up. He bent down to grab the board and she found herself trailing him toward the water.
The waves were calm, swelling and rolling perfectly. He chose a spot away from the swimmers in the open water. He got off the board, allowing her to sit and feel the ocean.
“There’s a small wave coming,” he pointed out.
Julia was unsure of what she should do. Moving too quickly, she lay down on the board and then tried to jump up, vaguely hearing Chris call out her name. Her first attempt at catching a wave ended up with her completely flipping the board, almost knocking Chris out with it. She came up spluttering water and coughing, feeling as if she might have drowned.
“Are you all right?” He swam over to her, pulling her board behind him.
His look of worry made her burst into fit of giggles. His strong arm pulled her up to keep her from going under again. She puffed, trying to regain her breath from the experience. She had one arm around Chris, the other grabbing the board. “I told you I couldn’t balance very well!”
“Julia, get on the board,” he gritted out. “Are you all right? Did the board hit you?”
“I’m okay.” She bobbed around. This was the most exciting thing she had done in a long time. And flipping the board wasn’t as bad as she thought it was going to be.
“Do you want to go in?”
“No way, I’m having fun. I want to do it again. It almost felt like I was going to stand. I was nearly standing on the board!”
Chris snorted. “You weren’t even close. I think we should go back. If you hurt yourself…” He was debating about what to do in his mind and seemed to be certain of heading back in, she could see it in his eyes and sure enough he did. “Get on the board, Jules. We’re going back.”
Chris easily hopped on the board, waiting for her to take his hand. She frowned, half-climbing up on the board. He rolled his eyes at the way she was attempting to get back on the board, his hand coming to her bottom to push her up.
“I’m fine, really. I was close to drowning, but otherwise, that was really fun,” she said with a fresh burst of laughter. “Let’s try again.”
He didn’t look too happy. The frown that creased his brow looked like it would stay there as a permanent fixture. She smiled hesitantly, kicking her feet. He gave in.
“Can you at least be careful, wait for a small wave, no a bump of a wave?” Chris begged.
The next few attempts were less dramatic, though she went under several more times. Chris had to swim over to save her from drowning once or twice. But then she got better at falling off without risking her life. Some of his surfing friends paddled over in an attempt to help with guidance. Chris sat with one of his friends on his board, watching her flip every time, ready to save her if he was needed.
After forty-five minutes of her trying her hardest to stand on the board without falling off, she decided that she’d had enough of getting dunked while Chris watched, trying not to
laugh. It took him a while to relax enough to laugh at her, so that sign of caring warmed her heart.
He’d spent a good amount of the afternoon trying to teach her. She knew it would take a lot longer for her to get used to the idea of surfing, let alone actually practicing it.
When she finally gave up, she waved to him and he swam over towards her. The waves lapped against them, while they both held onto the board, bobbing up and down in the water. The afternoon turned out just the way she thought it would, with her falling and with him grinning from ear to ear. Even as she shook the saltwater out of her eyes, she was glad that she had come out with him. He was passionate about surfing and had been so patient with her.
Finally, Chris climbed onto the board and helped her to get on in front of him. Then they paddled back to shore, riding a small wave the rest of the way in. The beach was crowded with tourists as the peak season for vacation was at an all-time high. A few of the local surfers who knew Chris called out to him as they walked back to the Augustine.
They stopped at the beach shower to wash the salt and sand off. She lifted the swim shirt off and washed it briefly, squeezing out the excess water. His eyes hardly left hers as he passed her towel over. She wrapped the towel around her waist, leaning to the side so she could twist the water out of her hair. “Why don’t you go back out?” she asked him.
“I’m done for the day. Anyway, I’ve got a charity event later tonight,” he said quietly. “I have to be there.”
Stiffly, she replied, “Oh. Okay, well, I’ll see you later.”
She shouldn’t feel irritated that he was off to a big function without her, but she did. That’s what infuriated her the most.
***
Chris hated his Key Biscayne condo, but this was where he found himself driving to after the movie premiere. He had been following an exhausting schedule of work commitments for close to three weeks. Now he just wanted to be alone, no interruptions.
For months, there had been no reprieve, just work and more work. Until he met Julia, the Augustine had been his only focus. Now, his mind was preoccupied with the feisty Latin woman. He was glad his work commitments were slowing down, at least until the renovations started. Finally, he could enjoy her distraction.
Chris had desperately wanted to invite Julia to the movie premiere, a special children’s charity event. But he sensed her hesitation about getting to know him. He didn’t want her to get caught up with the very public part of his life just yet. He had grown up with it, and it still irritated him. More importantly, he didn’t want to scare her away.
He had to figure out a way to get closer to Julia. At least her company’s involvement in renovating the Augustine would ensure he would get to see her more.