Read Online Barefoot Bay: Silhouettes on the Sand (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Chris Keniston - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chris Keniston
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smile reached his eyes. And that just made Chase grind down even harder on his back teeth. He didn't like it one little bit. He'd found C.J. first.
Taking a calming breath, he closed his eyes. Their business arrangement had brought her to Mimosa Key in the first place. Of course it was only natural for him to feel protective of her. Even from his brother. As for the kiss, after she'd taken him down like a judo expert, practically lying on top of her, the kiss was a natural reaction. It didn't mean anything. Basic human chemistry. That had to be all it was.
Crossing the short distance between them, Chase stood over the corner seating area where Mitch and C.J. were chuckling. "Looks like it's time to call it a night."
"Oh." C.J. flipped her wrist. "I didn't realize how late it is."
"You know what they say." Mitch shrugged. "Time flies when you're having fun."
Her shoulders relaxed, and she angled her head. "Yes. Yes, it does."
Before Chase could shout something stupid like "She's mine" or worse "Buy your own date," he took a short step back and extended his hand. "Shall we?"
C.J. nodded, stood, but didn't take his hand. "It was nice chatting."
"Yes, it was." Mitch extended his hand, and Chase bit down on his back teeth again when she accepted and shook it.
"I guess I'll see you at dinner tomorrow."
"And, remember, the Colonel is mostly all bark nowadays."
"I'll keep that in mind." She dipped her chin and turned on her heel.
Chase spit out a neutral "Night" to his brother and spun away after C.J., without saying anything he couldn't later take back. Or doing something he could get thrown in jail for.
* * *
What she had been dreading all night loomed over her like the Tower of London in the days of executions. No matter how many thousands of square feet or how many bedrooms the villa had, none of it felt big enough for the two of them.
Swallowing hard, she spoke few words, with the exception of the benign occasional comment about the party or the pleasant weather, during their short trip back to the resort. A heavy feeling of apprehension settled over her with the blanket of evening fog.
"Here we go." Chase slid the key card into the lock and shoved open the door.
Without all the bright sunlight, the previously large space felt considerably more confining. And intimate.
"Well …" C.J. dropped her purse on the nearby easy chair and looked at the stairs.
"Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee?"
Yes, something to wrap her hands around besides him. "Too late for coffee, but tea would be nice. I'll make some."
"No need. The maid has probably been bored all day, waiting for something to do."
"You're going to bother her now?"
Chase glanced at his watch and shrugged. "It's only eleven o’clock."
"No." C.J. pushed ahead. "I can zap a mug in the microwave as well as the next guy."
For a second Chase seemed startled by her response but hefted another lazy shoulder. "Works for me."
In the kitchen she checked a few cupboards, looking for cups.
Chase opened a drawer for spoons and napkins. "You and Mitch seemed to hit it off."
"He's a nice guy. So is Nate. I didn't get much chance to visit with Greg."
From another cupboard, Chase pulled out saucers for under the mugs. "You like talking politics?"
"Not really." Truth was, she'd felt horribly sorry for Mitch. When his guard was down, his eyes held a sadness that any stranger could see. "He loved his wife a lot, didn't he?"
Chase sucked in a big breath. "Yeah. They'd been college sweethearts. Abi was something else. Smart, sassy, and could keep all the Ivorys in line. Even the Colonel."
"I bet. I could tell from the way he spoke about her."
Setting the silverware on the table with a clank, Chase spun about. "He talked about Abi?"
C.J. nodded her head.
"He never talks about her. I mean, her name might get mentioned on occasion, but he never talks about her."
"Oh." C.J. pulled the hot mugs out of the microwave. "Maybe if he talked about her more, it
Taking a calming breath, he closed his eyes. Their business arrangement had brought her to Mimosa Key in the first place. Of course it was only natural for him to feel protective of her. Even from his brother. As for the kiss, after she'd taken him down like a judo expert, practically lying on top of her, the kiss was a natural reaction. It didn't mean anything. Basic human chemistry. That had to be all it was.
Crossing the short distance between them, Chase stood over the corner seating area where Mitch and C.J. were chuckling. "Looks like it's time to call it a night."
"Oh." C.J. flipped her wrist. "I didn't realize how late it is."
"You know what they say." Mitch shrugged. "Time flies when you're having fun."
Her shoulders relaxed, and she angled her head. "Yes. Yes, it does."
Before Chase could shout something stupid like "She's mine" or worse "Buy your own date," he took a short step back and extended his hand. "Shall we?"
C.J. nodded, stood, but didn't take his hand. "It was nice chatting."
"Yes, it was." Mitch extended his hand, and Chase bit down on his back teeth again when she accepted and shook it.
"I guess I'll see you at dinner tomorrow."
"And, remember, the Colonel is mostly all bark nowadays."
"I'll keep that in mind." She dipped her chin and turned on her heel.
Chase spit out a neutral "Night" to his brother and spun away after C.J., without saying anything he couldn't later take back. Or doing something he could get thrown in jail for.
* * *
What she had been dreading all night loomed over her like the Tower of London in the days of executions. No matter how many thousands of square feet or how many bedrooms the villa had, none of it felt big enough for the two of them.
Swallowing hard, she spoke few words, with the exception of the benign occasional comment about the party or the pleasant weather, during their short trip back to the resort. A heavy feeling of apprehension settled over her with the blanket of evening fog.
"Here we go." Chase slid the key card into the lock and shoved open the door.
Without all the bright sunlight, the previously large space felt considerably more confining. And intimate.
"Well …" C.J. dropped her purse on the nearby easy chair and looked at the stairs.
"Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee?"
Yes, something to wrap her hands around besides him. "Too late for coffee, but tea would be nice. I'll make some."
"No need. The maid has probably been bored all day, waiting for something to do."
"You're going to bother her now?"
Chase glanced at his watch and shrugged. "It's only eleven o’clock."
"No." C.J. pushed ahead. "I can zap a mug in the microwave as well as the next guy."
For a second Chase seemed startled by her response but hefted another lazy shoulder. "Works for me."
In the kitchen she checked a few cupboards, looking for cups.
Chase opened a drawer for spoons and napkins. "You and Mitch seemed to hit it off."
"He's a nice guy. So is Nate. I didn't get much chance to visit with Greg."
From another cupboard, Chase pulled out saucers for under the mugs. "You like talking politics?"
"Not really." Truth was, she'd felt horribly sorry for Mitch. When his guard was down, his eyes held a sadness that any stranger could see. "He loved his wife a lot, didn't he?"
Chase sucked in a big breath. "Yeah. They'd been college sweethearts. Abi was something else. Smart, sassy, and could keep all the Ivorys in line. Even the Colonel."
"I bet. I could tell from the way he spoke about her."
Setting the silverware on the table with a clank, Chase spun about. "He talked about Abi?"
C.J. nodded her head.
"He never talks about her. I mean, her name might get mentioned on occasion, but he never talks about her."
"Oh." C.J. pulled the hot mugs out of the microwave. "Maybe if he talked about her more, it
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