Powerful and Proud: Beneath the Veil of Paradise / In the Heat of the Spotlight / His Brand of Passion

‘Well done. Now we just need to fillet it. I’ll do that, if you like.’

‘Please.’

‘You slice the limes.’

They worked in companionable silence for a moment, the sun warm on their backs. When everything had been sliced and diced, Chase fetched a wooden bowl from the boat and tossed it all together. He divided the salad between two plates and presented one to Millie with a courtly flourish.

‘Your lunch, madam.’

‘Thank you very much.’ She took a bite, her eyes widening in surprise at how tasty it truly was. Chase smiled smugly.

‘Told you.’

‘Don’t rub it in.’ Unthinkingly she nudged him with her foot, a playful kick, and Chase raised his eyebrows. Too late Millie realised it could have looked like she was flirting. But she hadn’t been, not intentionally anyway. She’d just been...enjoying herself.

And when was the last time she’d done that?

‘A penny for your thoughts,’ Chase said lightly. ‘Or how about a bottle cap? I don’t actually have any spare change.’

She glanced up and realised she’d been frowning. ‘This is delicious, but it does seem a pity to eat such beautiful creatures.’

‘They are pretty,’ Chase agreed. ‘They’re actually endangered in US waters. But don’t worry, they’re still plentiful here. And the resort monitors the conch population around the island to make sure it never falls too low.’

‘How eco-friendly of them. Is that a Bryant policy?’

He shrugged. ‘A Chase Bryant policy. And economically friendly as well. If we don’t conserve the island, there’s no resort.’

Her salad finished, Millie propped her chin on her hands. ‘But I thought you don’t have anything to do with the resort.’

‘Not really. But I’m interested in environmental policy, so...’ He shrugged, but Millie wasn’t fooled.

‘Something happened?’

He tensed, and although it was barely noticeable Millie still felt it. Curiosity and a surprising compassion unfurled inside her. What had gone wrong between Chase and his family?

A second’s pause was all it took for him to regain his usual lightness. ‘Do I need to invoke the “no talking about the past” clause of our contract?’

‘That was my past. Not yours.’

‘I assumed it went both ways.’

She smiled sweetly. ‘Fine print.’

Chase polished off the last mouthful of his meal before collecting their dishes and tossing them back into the boat. ‘Fine. I was a bit of a reckless youth, made a few significant mistakes, and my father decided he’d rather I had nothing to do with the family business.’ He shrugged, as if it were such ancient history that none of it mattered any more. ‘So I went my own way, and am happy as a clam. Or a conch.’

Millie gazed at him, sensing the cracks in his armour. He was just a little too deliberate with his light tone, and his story was far too simple. She wasn’t about to press him, though. She’d been the one to insist that this week wasn’t about emotional honesty or intimacy. But then, what was it about? It had been half a day already and they hadn’t even kissed.

Yet she’d relaxed and enjoyed herself more than she’d ever thought possible.

‘Come on,’ Chase said, standing up and reaching a hand down to her. ‘Let’s explore the island.’

‘That should take all of two minutes.’

‘You’d be surprised.’

He hauled her to her feet, his strong, warm hand encasing hers, his fingers sliding over hers, skin on skin. Millie nearly shivered from the jolts that raced up and down her arm at that simple touch. When they did have sex, it was going to be amazing.

Mind-blowing.

Her heart slammed against her ribs as the realisation hit her again. Was she ready for this? Did she have any choice?

‘Stop hyperventilating,’ Chase said mildly. ‘If it sets you at ease, I prefer a bed, or at least a comfortable surface. A beach seems romantic, but the sand can get into all sorts of inconvenient places.’

‘You’ve tried it?’ Millie tried not to feel nettled. Jealous. She’d never had sex on a beach.

‘Once or twice,’ Chase answered with a shrug. He was leading her away from the boat, towards a small grove of palm trees. ‘Trust me, it’s overrated.’

Millie’s mind buzzed. OK, a bed. What bed? Her bed at the resort? At his villa? How were they going to do this? Well, obviously she knew how, but how without it being completely awkward or embarrassing? She hadn’t had sex in over two years and then only ever with one man. What on earth had she been thinking, suggesting a fling? She was the least flingy person she knew.

She also knew it was way too late to be thinking this way. She should have considered all the uncomfortable practicalities before she’d made the suggestion to Chase. Before they’d agreed on a deal.

Before she’d suddenly realised just what this all meant, and that there was no such thing as simple sex.

Yet, even though she was hyperventilating, she knew she didn’t want to back out. She wanted Chase.

Did his sailboat have a bed?

‘Yes,’ Chase called back and Millie skidded to a halt right there in the trees.

‘What do you mean, yes?’

He stopped and turned, so aggravatingly amused. ‘Yes, the sailboat has a bed.’

Her jaw dropped. ‘Did I say that out loud?’

‘No, but I could follow your thought process from here. I hate to say it, but you’re kind of predictable.’

‘You didn’t expect me to jump on top of you from the boat,’ Millie pointed out, and Chase cocked his head.

‘True. I like when you surprise me.’

She’d liked it too. She’d liked feeling his hard body under hers. She’d enjoyed touching him. Just thinking about it now made her blood heat and her body pulse. Why was she waiting for him to kiss her? What if she kissed him?

‘Don’t get ahead of yourself there,’ Chase murmured. ‘Our first kiss needs to be special.’

She let out a most inelegant snort. ‘What are you, a mind reader?’

‘You were staring at my lips like they were the latest stock market report. It didn’t take a huge amount of mental ability to guess what you were thinking.’