The Trust of a Billionaire Page 9

  Was he crazy or just being foolishly possessive?

  “Big wave coming,” Hannah called.

  But he had no time to react as the wave crashed down over him, slamming him under in a swirl of bubbles and currents. Giving the wave time to pass, he stood up again, and found Hannah laughing at him.

  “That’s what you get for taking your eyes off the waves.”

  Addi popped up then, completely unaffected by the wave since she’d been down digging for sand dollars. “What’s so funny?”

  Carter smiled at her curious little face. “I just got plowed by a wave and Hannah thinks it’s hilarious.”

  “I sure do.”

  But just then, another wave, albeit a smaller one, rolled right over her. She popped up a couple seconds later spitting out the salt water and wiping her eyes.

  “Now who wasn’t paying attention?”

  “Shut up. Now my sunglasses are going to be clouded with salt.”

  Addi, bored with the conversation, dove back down again. Carter moved closer to Hannah. “Maybe we should stop distracting each other.” Then, like his hand had a mind of its own, he reached out and moved a strand of hair that clung to her skin, wrapping around her neck. He met her eyes, which roamed over his face like he was a painting she loved.

  Addi popped up between them, and Hannah moved away. “Big wave,” she said.

  Carter grabbed Addi and jumped up to ride the wave, which fortunately crested after it washed over them. “I think we’d better head in before Addi gets too tired. The surf is getting rougher.”

  “I was just thinking that.”

  They started in for the beach, Carter keeping close to Addi. Since she kept wanting to stop and play, Hannah got ahead of them. As she walked up the beach, a couple of guys walked by, checking her out. She didn’t pay any attention to them, but Carter did. His jaw clenched, but really, how was he any different? He knew exactly how he looked at her, usually before he even realized he was doing it. And it was worse, because he knew she had a boyfriend.

  As he walked up the sand, his eyes scanned the area for Brant, but he quickly saw that another guy was on duty at the umbrella service. Brant was probably at home, waiting for Hannah to get back from work.

  “Here’s your towel, baby,” Hannah said.

  For a split second, Carter thought she was talking to him. He stared at her stupidly while Addi ran from him to get wrapped up in the towel Hannah held out to her. He was now in a thoroughly crappy mood. The problem was, he didn’t know if he needed to stay away from Hannah to get over it or stay close to her. Then he heard himself saying, “Let’s get some lunch. What do you say?”

  Hannah smiled as she dried off. “Swimming always makes hungry, so I won’t say no.”

  “What do you ladies want to eat?”

  “I don’t know about Addi, but I’d kill for a giant cheeseburger and a milkshake.”

  “Ooh, I want a milkshake,” Addi said, her eyes sparkling. “Can I have a strawberry one?”

  Carter smiled, thrilled to see her so enthusiastic about anything, but especially food—even ice cream. “Of course. Tell you what, you guys head out to the front of the resort and I’ll come pick you up.”

  Ten minutes later, he picked them up in his red Range Rover Evoque convertible. Addi climbed in the back and buckled up and Hannah sat in the front seat. With her hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head, sunglasses perched on her nose, and her golden skin shining in the sun, she was the picture of summer. As they rolled down the quiet beach road with the ocean breeze whipping their hair around and the decadent turquoise waters sparkling to their right, Carter realized he’d made the right choice. Being with Hannah always made him happy—as long as he didn’t think too much about the fact that she wasn’t his.

  “Where too?” he asked Hannah. “You’re the local.”

  She directed him to a sprawling shack of a restaurant called Poseidon’s Realm. The walls were covered in ocean themed décor and the waitresses all wore t-shirts with funny mermaid sayings. The place was clearly popular since it was so busy, but they were still able to get a seat on the deck overlooking the beach. Addi got a kick out of the seagulls who kept sneaking in from overhead to swipe food that was dropped on the floor while Hannah leaned back in her chair and sipped on the chocolate milkshake she’d ordered.

  “I know this isn’t really your style,” she told him, “but, man, I love this place.”

  Carter took a drink of his Coke. “And what exactly do you think my style is?”

  She shrugged and grinned at him. “You know, like that five-star restaurant you have back at the resort. Nothing but Kobe beef and microscopic portions and vegetables who get a spa treatment before they’re served.”

  He laughed but shook his head. “Spa treatment?”

  “You know, gently steamed. Where I come from, vegetables are either cooked within an inch of their life or deep fried.” She smiled, as if at a fond memory. “Or smothered in gravy if it’s taters.”

  The waitress brought their food over then, so he looked at her plate. Her burger was enormous and it was served with fries and coleslaw. “Well, you should enjoy this meal then. But for the record, you’re wrong about what I like.”

  She looked at his plate. “Ok, Mr. Grilled Mahi, how am I wrong?”

  “Of all the nicknames you’ve given me, that’s the worst.”

  “You only think that because you don’t know the ones I’ve never said out loud.”

  He wanted nothing more right then than to pull her across the table and kiss her sassy mouth. “Now that you’ve successfully driven this conversation way off tangent, what else do you call me?”

  “Oh no. I’m not telling.”

  Carter was about to press the point when a woman walking past their table suddenly stopped.

  “Hannah!”

  Carter watched as the woman engulfed Hannah in a hug. The heavy scent of suntan lotion hit him in the face when the breeze picked up, and he tried really hard to be patient. But when the woman turned and started checking him out, he wished she’d just leave.

  “Hey, Tiffany. Enjoying your vacation?”

  The woman nodded. “Not as much as you, I’ll bet,” she said, letting her eyes slide to Carter again. She waved her hand at someone behind Carter’s shoulder. “I’ll meet you at the car,” she called out.

  Watching carefully, Carter saw Hannah blush and then work to control her expression before Tiffany looked her way again. “I haven’t had much of a break, actually. I’ve been working a lot. Tiffany, this is Carter Ellis and his daughter Addi.”

  To Carter’s surprise, however, Hannah didn’t say anything about being Addi’s nanny or that he was her boss. Maybe it didn’t mean anything, but maybe it did. “Nice to meet you,” he said, holding his hand out to shake hers, even though being polite was the last thing he felt like doing.

  “Just enjoying a yummy lunch together, huh?” Tiffany asked. But again, her eyes hadn’t even shifted from his face to their food. “Well, as much as I’d like to stay and get to know your fella here, I’d better get going before my friend leaves me. Call me some time.”

  Who she wanted to call her was left hanging in the gulf breeze.

  Hannah picked up a French fry. “Thank goodness she’s gone.”

  This was so exactly what Carter was thinking that he burst out laughing. “But you two looked like such good friends.”

  “Oh please. She works with me at the school but rarely talks to me. She obviously just wanted to meet the hunk I was having lunch with.”

  She’d called him a lot of things before that could be taken as compliments, but he could never figure out if they were. He couldn’t help but hope, at least, that since she called him a hunk it meant she at least thought he was attractive. But when the heck had he ever been so worried about what a woman thought of him?

  “I noticed you didn’t tell her I was your boss. She might think I’m your boyfriend or something.”

  Hannah shrugged a
nd grinned. “I don’t care what she thinks. Serves her right for being so nosey.”

  “But what if it gets back to your actual boyfriend?”

  Hannah’s brows drew together and she tilted her head like he’d just asked the most confusing question ever. “Um, I don’t have a boyfriend, so that won’t be a problem.”

  Now it was Carter’s turn to be confused, but his heart was also racing like a turbo engine at full power. “You don’t have a boyfriend? But…Addi said that Brant guy moved in with you.” Carter turned to Addi, who was calmly dipping her fried shrimp in ketchup. “Right, Addi? Didn’t you tell me that?”

  Addi nodded. “Yeah. That’s what Hannah said.”

  Carter looked back to Hannah, his eyes sharp on her face. She was biting her bottom lip. Finally, as the suspense was about to kill him, she said, “She misunderstood. He moved into the apartment under me. So, same place.”

  “So why did he need to get a key from you the other day?”

  “Because…um…I had the spare.”

  “Why?” He knew his voice was sharp, but he couldn’t help it. He was determined to be absolutely clear on the situation before he let himself hope.

  “Why? I just did. I don’t have to tell you the whole long story of why I had his key. But he’s not my boyfriend. We dated once for a few weeks, but there was zero chemistry between us so I broke it off. We’re just sort of friends now. I guess. I’m not even sure I’d say that. But why the heck are you so worried about it?”

  Carter glanced down at Addi who watched them with big, curious eyes while she munched on her food. “Look, can we talk about this later?”

  Hannah glanced at Addi but looked as if she was about to argue. “Fine. But don’t think I’m going to forget about it.”

  “No problem. I’m absolutely certain I won’t forget.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The drive back to the resort was quiet and loaded. Hannah could feel the weight of their paused conversation. Her heart raced as she remembered Carter’s reaction to finding out she didn’t have a boyfriend. What did it mean? Sure, she knew he was a little attracted to her, but that was normal right? His reaction was way too exaggerated for her to understand, though.

  At least she’d been able to collect what few brains cells she still possessed to deflect his questions about her exact living conditions. Anything that came even close to discussing her house couldn’t be allowed.

  Driving back next to him now, it felt as if an electrical storm was gathering about them, ready to break any moment. She regretted not simply telling Carter about owning the house from the beginning because now it would be impossible. And now she was very sure that she didn’t want anything to come between them.

  Carter pulled up in front of the resort and tossed his keys to the valet while Hannah waited for Addi to unbuckle and jump out. Hannah held out her hand, and when Addi grabbed hold of it, Hannah relaxed slightly. Everything was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary was going on. She was being silly.

  She repeated this in her mind through the whole elevator ride and while she stood waiting for Carter to open his front door with her heart hammering at a frantic pace. Carter held the door for them to pass through, and she felt his eyes on her, making the back of her neck prickle with sensation and awareness. Her nerves were humming just from the charge in the atmosphere around them.

  “Addi,” Carter said, “Why don’t you go shower and take a nap? You look wiped out.”

  “Okay, Daddy. Will Miss Hannah still be here when I wake up?”

  Hannah looked to him for direction and his expression made her catch her breath.

  “I certainly intend for her to be. Now go on.”

  Addi looked between them for a moment, then went into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. They both stood very still, listening to her movements in the room beyond. Unable to take the stress a moment longer, Hannah asked, “Are we going to finish that conversation?”

  “Yes,” Carter said, coming towards her. “I believe you wanted to know why I was so interested in whether or not you had a boyfriend. Let me show you why.”

  Hannah knew then that he was going to kiss her and realized she’d been waiting for it since the restaurant. And she’d been wanting it. He pulled her too him, grasping her shoulders then sliding his hands down her arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Keeping his eyes locked on hers as he silently asked for permission, he reached for her waist, sliding his hand beneath her open kimono, pressing his warm palm against her bare back until she stood flush against his chest.

  Without thinking, she ran her hands up his chest, feeling the deep rise and fall as he breathed heavily, amazed that she had this affect on him. It all happened in seconds, but it was taking too long, so she moved her hands to the back of his neck and tugged, urging him down to her.

  His lips scorched hers with an intensity that sent her reeling. As she clutched at his shoulders and rose up on her toes, he tilted his head and deepened the kiss. She was overwhelmed by the sensations flooding her body, but still she reached out to meet his questing, demanding mouth with her own explorations. This was madness and perfection and deliverance all at once. Dreading the moment when he would break away, she clung more tightly to him, reveling in the sensation of her body pressed to his.

  His arms banded about her waist and lifted her off the floor. Her flip flops fell off, and she stopped kissing him in surprise until she realized he was walking the few steps into the living area. He pulled her down onto his lap and held her close. “Do you understand now why I wanted to know… why I wanted to plant my fist in the face of that smirking beach bum of yours?”

  Hannah laughed and kissed his jaw, a particular focus of her fascination since she’d first met him. “I’m figuring it out.”

  “I’ve never been so irritated in my life.”

  His words were muffled since they were spoken against her skin as he kissed her neck. She chuckled. “You have been exceptionally moody the last few days. I couldn’t figure out what was causing all the dark expressions.”

  “Let’s talk later. I’m much more interested in kissing you again.”

  His hand tightened against her waist as he spoke, and this time his kiss was more tender as he lingered over her lips. Hannah felt as if she were melting into him and the only thing that kept her together was her desire to learn the contours of his lips and the texture and warmth of his skin. She knew they would have to stop soon and be logical, discuss all the reasons why this was crazy, but not yet. Not until she’d quenched the longing within her to have more of this.

  But a firm, maddening knock on the door shattered the perfection of the moment with an imperious command.

  “Who in the blazes is that?” Carter asked, as provoked as she was.

  “I don’t know,” she said, “It’s your door.”

  Before they got any further, Hannah looked over his shoulder and gasped as Carter’s mother walked inside, closely followed by a young woman who was beauty personified. “Shoot, Carter.” Hannah pushed his hands from her waist and sat up.

  Carter shifted and turned to see. Hannah felt him tense when he saw who had come in, but he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to stand up. As she scrambled to get off Carter’s lap, Hannah felt like she was back in junior high again and getting caught making out on the porch swing. Carter, however, seemed perfectly collected. As he stood up, he put his arm around her briefly, running his hand up and down her arm. The gesture calmed her more than any words could have.

  “This is certainly a surprise, Mom.”

  Hannah couldn’t hear any of the usual warmth in his voice, and there was a pulsating tension in the room that made her think he was angry but keeping it in check. Barely.

  “Well, I for one nearly had a heart attack,” Mrs. Ellis said in reproachful tones. “With the nanny, Carter? Really?”

  Hannah felt sick to her stomach at the things Carter’s mom must be thinking of her. Why did she have to come today of all days? Or just at t
he worst possible moment?

  “Her name is Hannah, remember?” Carter’s tone had a sharp edge to it.

  Sensing how protective Carter felt, Hannah reclaimed some of her dignity. She took a deep breath and moved to gather her things. Whatever conversation was about to happen, it would go better without her in the way. No doubt the fashion model with extensions and a pushup bra would be staying for it though.

  Carter’s mom didn’t back down from his subtle warning. “Oh, I remember perfectly. I knew something like this would happen. That’s why I came back.”

  “You should have called,” Carter said, dividing his attention between his mom and watching Hannah pack her things. She felt it every time his eyes rested on her.

  “Why? We talked about me coming back for a visit.”

  “You were barely gone three weeks.”

  “I know, but I was so anxious for you to meet Jenelle.” Mrs. Ellis turned then and took Jenelle by the arm, pulling her forward. “Isn’t she lovely? She’s the Penhurst’s daughter. You remember them, don’t you? They stay at the Spiney Creek every spring. The banking family.”

  “Yes, I remember. Nice to meet you, Jenelle.”

  Hannah shivered when she heard the cool tones in Carter’s voice. If he’d sounded like that when she’d first met him, she wouldn’t have dared talk to him again. Jenelle was made of sterner stuff however.

  “A pleasure,” she purred, taking his hand in a delicate, lingering clasp. “Your resort is breathtaking. I’m so looking forward to spending a week here with you.”

  A jealous, possessive desire to slap the woman almost overcame her. No doubt her emotions were all raging too high for her to handle this well right now. Dang it. Where were her flip-flops?

  Carter spoke, putting Jenelle in her place. “With my mother you mean. I’m very busy with the opening of my hotel at the moment, I’m afraid.”

  His mom made a clucking noise. “Yes, we saw what you’ve been busy with.”