Page 23 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

Her shoulders fell. Carly held Gage’s gaze as she answered, not bothering to look back at Christian. “Sure.” Yet just as she uttered the single word, Gage spoke up as well.

“You bet, man.”

Carly spun around to see Christian standing there, his buff arms folded over his chest. She assumed he was about to lecture her about how carefulhehad to be in his profession. There wasn’t exactly a look-but-don’t-touch rule since Christian had to do all sorts of touching as he pulled women close and guided them in the correct dance steps. But he had adapted a never-fall-in-love policy after being burned one summer a few years back.

The only thing was, Christian wasn’t looking at Carly. He was glaring at Gage.

Her defenses kicked in. Why should he be mad at Gage? “Christian,” she snapped. “Who do you want to talk to—me or Gage?”

Christian managed one hard gulp. “Gage.” He scowled at her. “You’reworking, by the way.”

Anger shot through her, but embarrassment did too. “My shift was over an hour ago. We were just hanging out.” The justification didn’t sound as good aloud as it did in her head.

Gage patted his chest with a towel, transforming his own glare to a cordial grin. “You want to talk? No problem. Let’s talk.”

Only it kind of was a problem. This washertime with Gage, and she didn’t want Christian to…to…lecture him out of liking her somehow. Sure, there might be a work conflict Carlywould have to figure out with the resort, but that didn’t involve Christian. He didn’t own her. But hedidknow a whole lot about her past. About things she hadn’t told Gage about yet.

Another rash of heat rushed up her neck.

“I’ll be back in a few,” Gage said. “Then we can head over and grab a bite to eat.”

Panic bubbled in her chest as she held his gaze. Gage must have sensed it, because in the next moment he moved in and placed a soft kiss to her cheek. “Mmm…” he crooned, rubbing the tip of his nose along her temple. “To be continued.”

Okay, nowshewas worried about the work thing too. This wasdefinitelynot appropriate. The conflicting tingles from his touch said it all. And—like Christian—the other staff members wouldn’t know whether Carly was on the clock or not.

Gage walked away from her then, meeting up with Christian who’d turned his back to them at some point. Probably when Gage kissed her on the cheek. The warm tingles came back, warring with the discomfort already rippling throughout her. She didn’t know what to do with any of it, but one thing was becoming clear—they probably shouldn’t be seen together a whole lot. At least not until she spoke to Cyree. And would that even be necessary after Christian shot his mouth off?

“Hey!” It felt like an out-of-body experience. Like her mouth hollered out on its own accord.

The two men spun around at once. She looked to Christian first, not even sure what she wanted to say.Don’t tell Gage about what I’ve been through. I don’t want him to see me as broken. I don’t want it to ruin what we have.

Instead she set her eyes on Gage. “Why don’t we skip The Mini Palm this time? I’ll cook something at my place.” She gave Christian a pointed glance. “Offhours.”

Gage’s eyes went wide. Perhaps the invitation sounded too forward.

He nodded. Gulped. “Okay.”

Christian shook his head in disgust before turning away from her once more. Gage on the other hand, kept his gaze on her as he took one sideways step after the next, barely keeping up with Christian as he moved.

Carly spun around and set her gaze on the sand at her feet. What in the world was she getting herself into?

CHAPTER 9

“So you want to try telling me what you’re up to?” Christian raked a hand through his hair and folded his arms. His reflective sunglasses not only portrayed the beach in duplicate once more, but it also showed Gage a reflection of his own, ticked-off expression.

“What I’mupto? I can tell you whatCarlyand I have been up to. We’ve been hanging out. Getting to know each other, not that it’s any of your business.”

Christian shook his head, his jaw clenched in what looked like barely controlled anger. “I told you to be careful with her. That she’s been through a lot, and a week or so later you’re making out with her on the beach?”

Gage had heard enough. “First of all, I know jealousy when I see it. If you wanted to stake some sort of claim on her, you should’ve done it in the first place instead of acting like a jerk.”

“I’m not the jerk here.You’rethe one willing to risk Carly’s job. Not to mention her privacy. You want the press to catch wind of her and put her under a microscope?”

Gage had already opened his mouth ready to let off with the building rant list in his head:You interrupted our first kiss, youidiot. I’m not even a big name yet.But another nagging question took its place.

“She’s risking herjobby kissing me?”

Christian shrugged. “The contract changes every time. One year it’ll say no romance between staff and patrons. The next it’ll say that any romance between the two should be kept private, like no public affection or anything.”