Wild About The Bodyguard (13 page)

She took a
breath.

“
I’ve decided
to make the move to L.A.”

His expression
changed, but before he could say a word, she hurried on. It all
made such sense.

“
I should
have done it before now. That’s where all the action is. All the
contacts and opportunities. I’ve gone down for auditions plenty of
times, but I need to be in amongst the action. I don’t even have an
agent, for God’s sake, and I’m twenty-freaking-five.”

Talking out
loud about it made her agitated, but in a good way. Her life was
passing her by while she was mired down here, trying to dig up
skeletons from the past when now and the future were what mattered.
Just like Ann had tried to tell her.

Chase’s
expression eased. He nodded once, but didn’t look convinced.
Because he would miss her?

They’d known
each other, like, a minute. More likely he quietly thought she
might be wasting her time. He had seemed impressed by her acting
performance the other night, but they were sleeping together. Big
chance he wasn’t objective.

She only knew
if she didn’t go, she would never know.

“
Laycee has a
friend in Hollywood,” she went on. “He’s always telling her about
scripts. Last time we spoke, he said he’d be happy to put me up in
his spare room.”

A pulse in
Chase’s jaw began to beat. “A man?”

“
A
friend
.”

“
I thought
you said he was Laycee’s friend.”

Rather than
meet his doubtful gaze, she told her pounding heart to slow down
while she focused on the calm expanse of water spread out before
them.

“
I’ll keep my
condo here,” she went on. “I’ll rent it out. And I’m sure I’ll be
able to pick up some part-time work.”

“
Like
what?”

“
Keeping
books.”

His head
snapped around. “You do that stuff?”

“
I’m good at
it. Kinda why I got my degree.”

“
I didn’t
know...” He pulled a pained face. “I hate figures.”

She probably
shouldn’t but she felt as if he’d somehow insulted her.

“
Well,
figures like
me
.”
She lifted her chin and peered out over the water again. “I just
want to be an actress more.”

He remained
silent for a long moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she could
see him, gaze fixed on the gauges.

“
There are
some bad influences in that town,” he finally said, “particularly
in that industry.”

“
There are
bad influences everywhere if you try to find them.” She met his
gaze. “Which I won’t.”

“
I’ve worked
in L.A.–in the seedier places that people know about but try to
gloss over with Sunshine Strip glitter.”

“
My
background isn’t exactly Swedish boarding school. I’ll make out
okay.” Her cheeks were blazing now but she simply had to ask. “Of
course, if you’re trying to turn me off because you don’t think
I’ll cut it there–”

“
Whoa.
No
. In my opinion,
you’re amazing. It’s just I know that good people in tricky
situations make for flashing targets.”

“
Give me an
example.”

Clearly Chase
had been around, perhaps too close to the fire. More and more she
got the feeling something monumental had propelled him away from
the job that was so obviously a part of his DNA. But whenever he
got close to discussing it, the same look glazed over his eyes. He
wasn’t going to divulge a thing—ironic given that private
investigation involved digging into people’s lives...their
weaknesses and often sordid affairs.

Sammy made an
effort to push those thoughts from her mind. She and Chase might
have hit a snag, but after days wallowing in self-pity, now she
planned to enjoy herself. She wouldn’t be around that much
longer.

They anchored
in a secluded area not far from shore. On the lower deck, she got
down to a bikini top and her favorite cut-offs. Sitting back, she
let Chase organize food and beverages on the open rear deck while
she drank in the perfect synchronicity of his fluid movement and
well-honed muscle.

His thighs
were strong and dusted with just enough hair, and his buns looks
great in the square-cut trunks he’d hidden beneath his jeans. He
kept his shirt on, although the buttons now were undone. Each time
a breeze ruffled the fabric, Sammy’s mouth watered.

Slipping in
behind the table, Chase made himself comfortable on the cushioned
bench seat alongside of her. A champagne cork popped. When both
glasses were filled, he proposed a toast.

“
Here’s to
fitting together all the pieces.”

Bubbles hit
her nose a second before she took a long sip of the finest drop
she’d ever tasted–and having stayed with Ann and her impeccable
choices many times, Sammy had tasted a few.

The table was
set with a platter of fruit, cheese and seafood. He collected a
pre-shucked oyster. Edging the tip of a knife into its back hinge,
he asked, “Do you slurp?”

Oysters?
She winced.

“
You don’t
like oysters?” he asked.

“
They look
slimy.”

“
So, you’ve
never actually
tried
one.”

“
That would
be correct.”

He leaned
closer until she was caught in the mirror of those blue
eyes.

“
Imagine
taking everything around you here,” he said, “the sun and sea and
kick-back feeling—and having it caress each and every taste bud
from the tip of your tongue all the way down to your
toes.”

As she watched
the way his mouth moved, her taste buds came up with a few ideas of
their own.

“
Watch and
learn,” he said before squeezing some lemon and adding ground
pepper atop that oyster. “You want to make sure you open wide and
kind of massage it around the molars before letting it slide down
your throat.”

She grinned.
“We’re still talking about the oyster, right?”

When he
leaned over to kiss her, Sammy’s eyes drifted shut. They’d had a
difference of opinions earlier about opportunities and L.A., but
now, thank God, they were back on track. As her lips parted, and
anticipation began to rise, something wet slipped into her
mouth—but
not
what she’d expected.

Her eyes shot
open in time to see Chase withdraw the shell.

Ohmigod-ohmigod-ohmigod!

Her mouth was
filled with this huge briny, slimy blob. Holding her throat, she
darted a look around. She was ready to spit it out over the side
when the flavours Chase had spoken so eloquently about began to
blend, and–well, who knew?–she actually liked it. Closing her eyes
again, she let the texture and unique taste trickle through before
rolling it around her teeth and finally letting it all slide down
her throat.

When she was
aware of her surroundings again, she focused on Chase’s expression.
He’d tricked her but good. Relishing the deepwater aftertaste on
her tongue, she pretended to scowl.

“
I should
thump you.’

“
But you
liked it.”

“
Yeah. I did.
I really did.” She sent over a pretty smile. “What a shame if I’d
gone through my entire life without facing that fear and conquering
it.”

He narrowed
his eyes at her not-so-subtle subtext. “Like having the guts to
move to L.A.?”

“
That fits,
too.”

While he
mulled, she collected and shucked her own shell. After adding lemon
and pepper, she angled it near his mouth.

“
Your
turn.”

She didn’t
need to say please.

After he’d
swallowed, Chase smacked his lips.

“
You do
realize,” he said, edging close, “that oysters are
aphrodisiacs?”

She cast an
eye over the spread. “Wine and chocolate are supposed to help stoke
those fires, too.”

“
In that
case…”

He trailed a
plump strawberry through a dish of rich dipping chocolate. This
time, she happily opened her mouth and let the sweet combination
swirl around on her tongue. When she swallowed, she sighed and
collapsed back.

“
This is a
world away from pizza and beer.”

“
Not that
there’s a thing wrong with either of those food groups,” he pointed
out before popping a strawberry into his own mouth.

She had an
idea.

“
Want to try
something different?”

“
You have to
ask?”

She shucked an
oyster, plopped a spoonful of chocolate on top and offered it over.
Putting on a comic brave face, he slipped the concoction into his
mouth, added a long sip from his flute and then swallowed the lot.
His eyes watered while Sammy laughed out loud. Shuddering, he took
another mouthful of bubbles and swallowed.

“
Don’t think
I’ll try that again.”

“
Point is,”
she said, “you did try it.”

“
And, I
suppose, so should you.”

He was talking
about L.A. even as he cupped the back of her head and brought her
near to run the tip of his tongue over the parted seam of her lips.
The combination of tastes blew her mind. Tart and salt and sweet
and brut. Her nerve-endings began to spark in a telltale way that
left her nipples rubbing through her bikini top.

Grinning, she
nipped his lower lip. “I think we might be onto something
here.”

He murmured
against her lips. “I think so, too.”

The moment his
mouth covered hers, she was floating. Being with Chase just got
better and better. But she needed to take on L.A., and the two
cities weren’t that far away. She would absolutely keep in touch
with her friends.

Definitely
keep in touch with Chase.

But she
couldn’t see her and Chase hooking up again like this after she
left. This was a diversion for him; he’d made that clear from the
start. When she was gone, life would go on for Chase Wild the way
it had before. Maybe he’d find another small time case to maintain
a connection with that other side of his nature. She hoped he
continued to do what he enjoyed.

She hoped he’d
look back sometimes and remembered this.

She hoped that
he would remember her.

Wanting to
taste more and more of him, she leaned in as his hand travelled
down. Maybe it was the oysters and chocolate and wine or that
bittersweet hope, but suddenly she needed this contact more than
she needed her next breath. Everything that had come before had
been a prelude to what was about to catch light now. She wanted to
feel him around her, inside of her, stroking and kissing and,
yes…
loving
.

As the caress
deepened and her skin began to heat, she gripped his shoulders and
crawled up onto the upholstered seat. When she was on her knees
with her head locked over his, she coiled her arms around his neck
and pushed against him. Two large hands cupped her
behind.

He spoke
against her lips.

“
Those
oysters work fast.” She felt his grin graze her mouth. “I’m getting
all kinds of crazy ideas about what to do with one or
two.”

She wasn’t so
sure about that.

Reaching over,
she swept up a finger full of melted chocolate. He sucked it all
off and then kissed her again. They were too far from shore for
anyone to see. There weren’t any boats anchored nearby. She pushed
half her bikini top over and swept up more chocolate. A heartbeat
after smearing her nipple, Chase shimmied down to latch
on.

A moment
later, when he unzipped her cut-offs and stroked between her
thighs, she bit her lip to contain a sigh. She tugged at her
shorts. Both the cut-offs and bikini bottoms came off.

He murmured
against her ear, “We’re out in the open. It’s the middle of the
day.”

“
What can I
say?” She quivered when he nipped her lobe. “You’re a terrible
influence.”

“
And you’ll
get me arrested.”

“
Let’s face
it.” She grinned into his eyes. “We’re as bad as each
other.”

He grabbed her
hand and they hurried into the cabin.

The bedroom
was a cosy space organized in the bow. After he peeled back the
covers, she lay on the sheet and concentrated on the elevated
beating of her heart as Chase dragged off his trunks. As he slotted
in beside her, she hummed in her throat at the feel of his mouth
covering hers. She hooked a leg over his thigh and felt him reach
up. She heard something slide and then cooler air drifted in. When
his lips left hers, she saw that he’d opened a vent.

“
Not too
cold,” he asked, dropping a run of slow kisses along her cheek and
chin.

“
Just
perfect.”

He edged her
leg higher and then shunted her closer while, nose-tip to nose-tip,
his gaze searched hers.