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Hope was too smart to fall prey to Chad again, but she did allow herself to enjoy his visits and teasing with him. How could she not?
“We both know the incredible view is the last thing on my mind and not where my eyes are riveted,” he said in that silky, heavily accented voice of his as he expertly leaned in. He was close enough that his warm, minty breath brushed over her mouth and cheeks, making her long for him to kiss her. “Is it taxing being the most beautiful woman in the world?”
Hope’s heart raced, and it was a Herculean effort to not reach for him. She could easily envision wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down. His mouth was the perfect match for hers, and the way his lips had hungrily devoured her … She trembled.
No. She couldn’t fixate on that kiss.
They’d shared one perfect kiss as they’d said goodbye after their long weekend. The very next day, she realized how stupid she’d been to fall so quick. Chad had been mesmerizing, but he’d never said he loved her or was committed to her. Who would after three days? Her lack of experience had to be what had made her fall so deeply.
Their time together had been a few extremely fun days, a break from reality, and the one incomparable kiss. Chad wasn’t committed to her. He’d made that more than obvious by being with Bermuda the next day.
“Is it taxing being the biggest schmoozer in the world?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, trying and failing to imitate his accent.
He chuckled as if that were a compliment. “The only thing taxing is not having those luscious and intoxicating lips of yours meeting mine. I expected a better hello out of you, beautiful.”
Hope wanted to flirt and have fun, but he was hammering her heart right now. She couldn’t let him see how deeply he affected her or he’d only increase the charm and blow her resistance out of the water. She was vulnerable to him and him alone. Why did he have to be the playboy of the century and the last man she could trust with her heart?
She imagined she was presenting to a major retailer and drew from the confidence of many successful presentations. Tilting her chin up, she prayed for strength and ducked out of his arms. Thankfully, he let her go. Chad would never restrain or force her, but he would use his incredibly persuasive powers to make her continually fall for him. Another notch on his belt, she was certain. She was likely the only one who didn’t let him use her for a vacation fling.
“To what do we owe the honor of the charming and famous Major Chad Prescott visiting? If I remember right, last time you were here you used my house and almost blew it to pieces.”
“Almost is still only almost, beautiful,” he teased, an irresistible smirk on his lips as he folded his brawny arms across his chest.
It couldn’t have been forty degrees out here and he was in only a T-shirt. Showing off his stunning build, or impervious to the cold having grown up in this climate? She loved it here, but having lived in Southern California all her life, she wasn’t used to the biting cold.
“Similar to the many times I almost kissed your enticing lips.” His gaze traveled languidly over her lips, and her entire body caught fire. “Only the one perfect kiss between us. A sample of ambrosia, never to be tasted, only to be longed for.”
His voice sounded full of regret and longing, and his accent was enough to make her collapse into his arms. Dang, he was good. He unfolded those manly arms, slowly crossed the distance between them, and cupped her face with both of his large palms. His emerald eyes captured her as his right thumb trailed across her lower lip in the most tender caress.
Hope could not catch a full breath and feared she’d hyperventilate and pass out. Chad would surely catch her, and she could pretend she was unconscious as she savored his muscular arms wrapped around her. Then he’d kiss her to wake her up and it couldn’t be considered weakness on her part that she had to respond to such a kiss.
“Shall we remedy that heart-wrenching blunder and make it many shared kisses?” He arched an eyebrow.
Hope had to rip herself away from him. She backed into the railing again. His eyes looked full of injury, as if she was his one true love and she was denying him a kiss from the only woman that consumed him.
What a joke. Chad was a moral Christian, so she knew he didn’t sleep with all the women flocking to him, but she could bet he’d kissed a hundred or more, both before and after they’d dated.
“If touching your smooth cheek felt that incredible, kissing you might instigate a heart attack.”
He was teasing now, and she appreciated it.
“I could never be the cause of your demise,” she teased right back.
He chuckled, but he still looked devastated by another near miss. Chad always felt so genuine to her, though she knew rationally he had to be acting most of the time. Nobody could be as charming and committed to her as his gazes, touch, and words made her believe. Until she saw a picture tomorrow of the next beauty in his arms falling for his charming smile. If he was an employee, he would’ve been sent on his way with a nice severance package years ago.
“To what do we owe the honor of a visit from the infamous Major Chad Prescott?” she asked again, hoping to keep things light. “Just come to flirt and tease as always? Faith is making her famous stuffed peppers for lunch. Would you like to stay and eat with us?” She walked a wide circle around him, hoping he’d follow her into the house where her sister could be a barrier between them. They’d talk, laugh, and tease through lunch, then he’d be on his way when he realized for the hundredth time that she wouldn’t fall prey to his charms ever again. It wouldn’t bother him for long. It was still early enough in the day that he could get at least one if not two more dates in.
Chad caught her arm before she could escape. “I have a favor to ask of you.” His voice sounded as serious as she’d ever heard it. Well, except for when he had beseeched her to tell him why she’d stopped responding to his texts and calls after their ‘perfect weekend’ together. She’d simply told him she’d lost her head that weekend and she had no interest in anything but friendship with him. He’d acted as if she had hurt him, demonstrating the impressive acting skills he possessed.
They had remained friends. They didn’t see each other often, or she would have likely faltered at some point and succumbed to his charm. Her insistence on the ‘friends’ label hadn’t stopped him from making sultry advances every time he saw her, though. Once they’d been together for an hour or so, he’d calm down. Of course, he was still more charming than any man she’d ever met, but he relaxed and they laughed and teased like close friends.
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow. “You need to borrow the house again? Some damsel in distress needing a hideaway?”
His lips flattened. She didn’t know the extent of his relationship with Sophie Pederson, but it had obviously stung when Sophie had chosen the ‘Charming Prince’ over the ‘Charming Chad.’ Prince Malik seemed incredible, and he and Sophie appeared deep in love, but Hope didn’t know how any woman could not choose Chad. She would in an instant. If she thought he might be faithful to her. Which he could never be.
If she had her data analysis team run a comprehensive assessment of her and Chad’s relationship, or lack thereof, it would be clear in black and white that they had no chance and no future. Which was the reason she’d never sent in the data to be analyzed, besides the fact it would be humiliating for her employees to see how desperate their boss and the owner of the company was for one Augustine charming military hero. There was some crazy hope in the back of her mind that one day Chad could be faithful to her.
He studied her and then he rushed out in a very un-Chad-like tone, “I need a date for Sophie and Malik’s wedding.” He cleared his throat and seemed to remember himself as he gave her a smoldering look and said in a husky, irresistible tone, “Beautiful Hope. Would you please do me the mind-altering honor of accompanying me to Sophie and Prince Malik’s royal wedding? Spending precious moments with you in Augustine as we laugh and adventure and fall outrageously in love would mean the world to me.”
