“What do you mean?” He asks.
“Zoom lenses. Paparazzi. And the fact that Liam is not very subtle.”
He chuckles. “That’s true, subtlety has never been his thing.”
I laugh at that, then I see someone approaching on the beach. Son of a bitch. It’s Ralph again. Seriously, what in the hell is he doing out here every day? I can’t let him see me.
So, aware that I don’t want another beach chair boner situation, I deftly roll out of my own beach chair into the sand between my chair and Chase’s. Then I crawl across the sand, lean over, and kiss Chase. Only this time, I do it without climbing on top of him. This way I am facing the opposite direction when Ralph walks by a mere several feet from where I’m sitting.
I press my lips against his softly, attempting to not look like a barracuda trying to eat off his face. He takes the surprise kiss well. Especially considering it’s not the first time. But first he drops both the phone and earbuds into the sand with a soft thud. Then he joins the kiss.
I feel bad for doing the same thing to Chase two days in a row. I guess I’m going to have to start accounting for Ralph to go striding past whenever I make afternoon beach plans from now on.
Instead of getting angry at me for surprise kissing him. Again. Chase surprises me. By sliding his tongue into my mouth. Then he escalates and puts a hand on my waist, causing all kinds of butterflies to shimmy there.
“Tone it down, lover boy,” I whisper, breathless and surprised from the exchange. It’s supposed to be the other way around. He’s the one who is supposed to be blindsided by the kiss.
“Hey,” he whispers back, “you’re the one who jumped on top of me. Again. Remember?”
“It’s Ralph again,” I whisper complain, “I have no idea why he’s out here every day walking the beach in his work outfit.”
I’m starting to get curious, though. Ralph’s pace isn’t a leisurely scenic stroll either, he’s stalking down the beach like a madman, pant legs rolled up, scowl on his face. The walk looks like something between a manic power walk and I’m late to stab somebody with my kitchen knife.
I’m still wondering what the hell Ralph is doing out here every day in such a hurry when Chase pulls me into another kiss.
I smile at him. “What’s this one for?”
“I thought I saw Liam,” he smirks and then the dimple comes back.
I open up the cooler again and find a tank top and shorts to go over the bikini I’m wearing, then I ditch the hat. “Okay. I’ll be back, babe.”
He digs my phone and earbuds out of the sand. “Where are you off to now?”
“The usual. Lunch with my friends. Pretty sure I earned it. Keep the phone for now.” I wink at him and then start out on the hot, sandy, not-too-far journey to the Beaky Tiki.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chase
I can’t wipe the grin off of my face as I watch Kaylee leave. I never get tired of that view, even if it’s just a weekend.
And she’s right, she earned a lunch date. The audio she recorded is fantastic quality. Of course, when Liam retreated from me and the other paddleboarders, he had fallen right into her trap. It was a clever plan.
It hits me that I’m going to miss her, and I don’t want to think about having to leave tomorrow afternoon. It’s a shame this weekend ever has to come to an end.
But right now, I should get back to the recording and concentrate. So far, the audio is nothing but catching up and gossip. At least Kaylee started recording before they got to the good stuff.
Then I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. It’s Kaylee. She hasn’t gotten far in her trek to the Beaky Tiki. And even worse, there’s some guy in her face.
I pause the recording and yank the earbuds out so that I can listen. Whatever they’re talking about, it looks like it’s getting heated. I can’t make out everything, but I do not at all like the body language the guy is using on her.
I sit up to a crouch, wondering if I should jump in. Will she be angry if I jump in? Is she okay?
My muscles coil and I realize I’m already in fight or flight mode. Then the guy steps forward and knocks her hat off. A rage I have never experienced before rises in my chest. It wants me to unleash it. All of my blood races to my head and I have murder on my mind.
I hear myself snarl as I jump up and race over to Kaylee. I step in between her and the guy.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kaylee
I stroll off without a care in the world walking to the Tiki as fast as I can manage in the hot summer sun. For once, there’s nothing on my mind except the recent surveillance victory and lunch with my friends when someone looms into my field of vision.
I look up in surprise and then alarm. Shit, it’s Brad. And he’s pissed. What the fuck? What is he doing here and why is he mad when he’s the one who robbed me? By the look on his face, anybody would think it was the other way around.
“There you are,” he says. He’s gained at least ten pounds and it does not look good on him. “You got a lot of nerve, Kaylee,” he says, pointing a threatening finger at me and standing there looking stupid in his shorts and a collared shirt. That tips me off that he has apparently come to threaten me on his lunch hour.
I take a step forward instead of back, because fuck him. “What
