Page 18 of Clock Strikes Paradise (Island Escapes #4)

Chapter Fourteen

Clay

Mustering every ounce of self-control I possessed, I marched through the living room and retreated to my bedroom, leaving Elise standing by the pool. Shutting the door, I leaned against it and closed my eyes.

“This is what I get for listening to Nate. Dick.”

After he and Camille left, I’d gone outside and been utterly transfixed by the sight of Elise in that red bikini—it had blown my fantasies to smithereens.

And before I knew it, I’d been unable to stop myself from kissing her.

Then kissing her more. Deeper. I couldn’t get enough.

Thank God I’d come to my senses in time.

As I leaned against the door, I was tormented.

I brushed my fingers lightly over my lips, remembering her soft, wet tongue and how her body had melted against mine.

Attraction warred with responsibility as I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the freezing spray of the shower.

The icy water did little to quell the fire burning within me, but it gave me time to think.

I wanted nothing more than to march across the cottage to her room and make her scream my name.

But that couldn’t happen.

I might be an asshole. Hell, I was an asshole. But not that kind. I wasn’t a predator.

So instead, I climbed into my bed.

Alone.

Horny.

Miserable.

And with a strong sense that I wasn’t making the right decision here. But I couldn’t let anything happen between us. Yet as sleep claimed me, my last thought was of that breathtaking, unforgettable kiss.

I woke up early, before it was fully light.

How the hell was I going to backpedal from this?

We couldn’t just pretend like that kiss never happened, but I didn’t know what to do now.

And I didn’t want her thinking I was a cold, aloof prick.

I was becoming very aware I hadn’t treated her well over the past three years.

Appreciated her as an assistant and part of my empire, yes.

But now I was seeing her . The very desirable, intelligent woman.

I couldn’t allow us to cross that line again, especially not after what she experienced with Bart.

But maybe we could form a new baseline. After dressing in casual drawstring pants and a T-shirt, I called room service to have a light breakfast delivered.

In the living room, I tried not to pace as I waited for her to emerge from her bedroom.

I poured some coffee to distract myself. We were diving again this afternoon, but my morning was completely open. I’d seen a stack of paddleboards and kayaks on the beach and a smile raised my lips. Kayaking and exploring the island might be just the thing to get my mind off Elise.

I heard the door open, and an entire flock of nerves took off in my stomach. It was an unusual sensation and one I didn’t like, which only reinforced that I needed to make things right between us.

Elise moved hesitantly across the floor. She was dressed in shorts and a pretty blouse, and her hair was coiled into a messy bun.

A lock of hair had fallen over my forehead, and I swept it back. “Morning. Coffee?”

“Please,” she replied, taking a seat in an armchair adjacent to me as I handed her a steaming cup. She wrapped both hands around it and took a long inhale, giving me a tentative smile.

“Listen,” I said, diving in. “About last night... I want to apologize again for kissing you. After what you went through with Bart, that was the last thing you need to deal with. It was a lapse in judgment, and I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Of course,” she said quickly, her throat bobbing as she swallowed.

And an emotion flickered through her eyes, something I couldn’t quite decipher before it was gone.

Could it have been disappointment? Then she nodded firmly.

“We just got a little swept up in the tropical night. Let’s just forget about it. ”

“Agreed,” I said crispy, and realized I sounded like her boss again. Dammit. “I, uh, ordered us both breakfast.”

A smile graced her face as she surveyed the yogurt, granola, and fresh tropical fruit, and spooned some of each into her bowl. “Thanks. It looks delicious.”

As I started with my own breakfast, I searched for something to say. A way to connect. And I realized I knew almost nothing about the woman sitting next to me. How was that possible? “You know, I don’t even know where you live in the city.”

She took a sip of coffee and barked a laugh. “Queens. It’s not much, but I can afford my own place. And that’s because you pay me well. Thank you for that.”

I thought of my four-thousand square-foot penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park and felt like a complete dick. And I didn’t want any reminders that I was her boss. “You’ve more than earned it. What do you do outside work?”

She gave me a long, even stare, like she understood perfectly that I was only now realizing that I didn’t know much about her. “Night school has taken up most of my spare time. But now that I’ve graduated, I’ve joined a gym and I’m taking painting classes.”

I grinned. “You have a creative streak?”

She laughed and a beautiful flush crossed her face. “I don’t know about that. My paintings so far have been pretty awful.”

“Still, at least it’s something. I usually exercise in the evenings, or just continue working until I go to bed. Maybe I should join you in that painting class.” Which might have been the most idiotic sentence I had ever uttered. Nate would be on the floor laughing if he’d heard it.

But Elise just smiled broadly, as if she found the idea charming. “I’ll save you a spot at the next class, then.”

We continued to chat over breakfast. I found out she was an only child, and a shadow crossed her face when she talked about her parents, but she quickly smiled again as she told me she graduated top of her class.

When we were on the last of the coffee, her eye fell on my appointment book sitting on the coffee table. “Your schedule is clear until our dive with Nate and Camille later. Any plans?”

Coffee cup in hand, I sat back against the couch.

“Yes. Nate is meeting again with Laurent and Celeste this morning without me. I was thinking of checking out a kayak from the kiosk on the beach and exploring the wetland area to the north. Just to get my mind off the sale for a while. And the decision. How about you?”

Her lips curved into a lush smile, and I tried not to stare at her mouth. “That’s funny. I looked outside after I got up and had a similar thought. It’s such a beautiful morning, too lovely to spend indoors.”

My stomach tightened as I thought about what her lips had tasted like. With effort, I wrenched my eyes to hers. And that current was back. That delicious push and pull between us at the fact that we had independently decided to do the exact same thing.

Before I could think about it, I opened my mouth. “Would you like to join me?”

The idea was either fantastic or terrible, and I couldn’t decide which. But I wanted to spend time with her—I liked hearing her laugh. I wanted to know her better.

She hesitated for a moment, then inclined her head. “That sounds like fun. Let’s finish breakfast, then head out.”

As I refilled our coffee cups, I again pondered how wise this was. I thrived on control, on strong boundaries and high moral ground. So what was it about this woman that made me want to throw all that to the wind and just let go?