Page 27 of Clock Strikes Paradise

“It’s definitely no tropical paradise,” Camille replied, her grin widening. “But it feels like home. And being close to Nate’s family is important to both of us.”

We fell silent for a moment, enjoying the night’s warmth and the gentle sway of the water.

“This whole sale has been pretty stressful,” I said, sweeping my arms in broad strokes as I treaded water. “Podium is a huge success. Clay has been working nonstop for months preparing.”

Camille leaned back against the wall, tall enough to stand up. “I’m sure he has. This whole Podium thing has been Clay’s obsession for years. And he never does anything halfway. But he surprised me tonight.” She tilted her head, studying me with a playful glint in her eyes. “It’s nice to see him taking a break from work. I have a hard time picturing Clay Harmon scuba diving.”

The vision of Clay’s bare, chiseled chest on the dive boat floated through my mind. I let my eyes unfocus, allowing myself to savor the image.

Then Camille’s voice brought me back to earth. “I thought he was going to turn this place into a 24-hour boardroom. But at dinner, he was surprisingly… chill.”

I laughed. “You should have seen him in action this morning during our session with the two bidders. That was pure Clay Harmon, laser-focused and ready to take on the world.”

Smiling, Camille nodded sagely. “Oh, I have no doubt about that. He’s definitely got the killer instinct. Though he seems to be doing a better job here of letting go.” She paused, her gaze meeting mine. “Maybe someone's having a particular effect on him.”

Heat crept up my neck, and I shifted to hook my elbow on the pool deck, letting my legs float to the surface. “He's just enjoying the vacation atmosphere, I guess.” I kept my voice even, trying to sound nonchalant even as I thought of that magnetic pull between us last night at dinner. And again this evening.

Camille's eyebrows shot up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she glanced at the cottage. “Vacation atmosphere, huh? Looks like you two are sharing quite a bit of that atmosphere.”

“It's not like that,” I replied quickly. Trying to deny that it was exactly like that. “Clay brought me here because my room had a plumbing issue. They couldn't fix it, and the resort is booked, so Clay offered me his spare room.”

Camille burst out laughing. The sound echoed across the water, mingling with the gentle lapping of waves against the pool's edge. “Oh, please. That sounds like something out of a romance novel! The billionaire CEO sharing his luxurious cottage with his beautiful assistant.” She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice. “You’ve worked for him for a while now, but I wouldn’t blame you ifyou were just a tiny bit starstruck. He has quite the aura about him.”

My cheeks burned even hotter, and I was grateful for the dim lighting around the pool. “It's not... I mean, we're just—” I stammered, searching for the right words. “Clay's my boss, Camille. It's strictly professional.”

Camille's grin remained as she lifted her legs to float lazily onto her back, her yellow bikini a vibrant contrast against the turquoise pool lit with hidden spotlights. “Uh-huh. Strictly professional. That's why you're blushing like a schoolgirl right now.”

I splashed water in her direction playfully, trying to deflect. “Oh, stop it. You're imagining things.”

“Am I?”

I decided to go on offense. “You’re the one who is dating the pro hockey player and billionaire. Maybe you’re seeing echoes of your own story.”

Camille laughed softly, tipping upright to dance her fingers over the water’s surface. “Touché. Though Nate was a real challenge,” she continued, her voice taking on a more serious tone. She flipped onto her stomach, treading water as she faced me. “Turning that playboy around was no easy feat. But you don't need to worry about that with Clay. He's never been a tomcat. Or a weirdo boss who goes after his employees, for that matter.”

A chill ran through me, despite the warm water, as the memory of Bart coming onto me flashed through my mind. I shuddered involuntarily but kept the incident to myself. Clay was different, and Camille just reinforced that.

“You okay?” she asked, noticing my momentary discomfort.

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Just a little chill. Go on.”

Camille's eyes softened, and she moved closer. “If you and Clay do end up together, you'll hopefully have an easier time of it than Nate and I did.”

My forced smile turned into a completely genuine laugh. The idea was absurd, no matter how my heart fluttered at the thought. “There's zero chance of that happening,” I insisted, pushing off from the pool's edge to float on my back. The stars above seemed to mock me with their twinkling brilliance. “Nothing with Clay is ever simple.”

“He’s a complicated guy. Not going to argue that. My Harmon is the more straightforward one. And the more attractive Harmon, if you want my opinion,” she added with a teasing lilt.

I disagreed but kept silent.

As if on cue, the sliding glass door opened with a soft whoosh. Nate's silhouette appeared, backlit by the warm illumination from inside the cottage.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he called out, his voice filled with affection and anticipation. “You about ready to head out? I've got some plans for us back at our place. Private plans.”

Camille's eyes lit up. She giggled, the sound light and flirtatious. “Ooh, I've been waiting all night to hear that.” In one fluid motion, she hoisted herself out of the pool, water cascading off her toned body.

I watched as she sauntered over to Nate, grabbing a towel and her beach bag on the way. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close despite her damp skin. He whispered something to her, eliciting more laughing from Camille.

“Night, Elise!” she called over her shoulder as they strolled off with their arms around each other. “Don't stay up too late!”