Chapter 2
1097 Words
Chase Ellis stood behind the crowded beach bar, hidden, but his eyes stayed glued to her. He wasn’t the only one watching, but he sure as h*ll was the only one affected. His pulse hammered as she slid into the water, her body a slow, graceful movement that hit him square in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs.
“So the princess decided to take a dip,” he muttered, trying to sound detached, even though every muscle in his body had just gone rigid.
Calista Hope—Cali. She hadn’t left anyone’s radar since she showed up, rolling in on her mom’s private jet, entourage in tow. Just another rich girl with too much privilege and not enough substance. He wasn’t supposed to care, not supposed to look twice.
But then he did. And now? He couldn’t stop looking.
She wasn’t just pretty. She was the kind of beautiful that crawled under your skin, that made you want to rip your own chest open just to deal with the pressure. Her legs stretched out forever, endless and toned, flexing with each smooth glide through the water. Her skin shimmered, kissed by the sun, a soft, dangerous glow that made him feel too hot, too aware of everything tightening inside of him.
His fists clenched at his sides, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t stop the ache twisting lower, spreading through him like fire. His body reacted before his brain could even catch up, hardening, pulsing with every move she made. It pissed him off, how easy she made it look—how effortless her beauty was, how f**king perfect she seemed.
Her hair, wet and sleek, clung to her back as she floated, every rise and fall of her chest pulling him deeper into whatever spell she’d cast. And she had no idea. That was the worst part. She didn’t know that every move she made, every flick of her wrist, sent shockwaves through him.
F**ck. He swallowed hard, the tightness in his throat spreading through his chest, every nerve raw and exposed.
She floated there like she owned the entire ocean, lost in her own world, while he stood on the edge, unraveling. His body screamed at him to do something, anything to get closer, but his mind warred with the reality of who she was.
Still, he moved. Every step toward the shore brought the heat roaring back, crashing through his body like a tidal wave, making his skin hum and his pulse race.
He didn’t even know what her face looked like up close yet. But he sure as h*ll was about to find out.
Unaware of her new audience, Cali surrendered to the water, her body moving fluidly with the ocean’s embrace. Every stroke was a dance, drawing Chase’s gaze like a moth to a flame.
"Pretty amazing, right? The soothing rush of water and breeze," he remarked, dipping his feet into the refreshing waves, the coolness contrasting the heat rising in him.
Startled by the unexpected voice, Cali peeked with one eye, her cool demeanor cracking just a fraction.
The sun hung low, painting the shore in warm hues as she glided from the water, droplets clinging to her skin like jewels, glistening in the fading light.
"I need a towel, please," she requested, her gaze barely acknowledging him. "You're with the hotel, right?"
Clad in a plain white tee and black board shorts, nothing about him screamed hotel staff. Rather than feeling annoyed, he was drawn to her effortless confidence. He signaled to a nearby staff member for a towel and approached as Cali wrung the water from her hair, droplets cascading down her back.
Instead of simply handing her the towel as she expected, Chase stepped closer and wrapped it around her himself. As she held onto the towel, his hands gently settled on her back. "What are you doing?!" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
“Hold still, princess," he teased, adjusting her wet hair onto the towel with surprising gentleness.
Their close proximity sent an unexpected jolt through Cali as Chase managed her wet hair. Leaning in, he flashed a sly grin.
"Didn't expect a mermaid emerging from the depths," he quipped, his tone teasingly irreverent. "Hope I didn't ruin your beach glam." With a casual shrug, he sauntered off, leaving Cali torn between irritation and an unexpected flicker of interest, his remark lingering in the sea-scented air.
As Cali watched the guy disappear down the beach, Brittany slid closer, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Okay, spill. What’s the deal with that one? ‘Cause, I mean, I wouldn’t mind a little staff service like that.”
Cali didn’t even flinch. “Just hotel staff.” The words came out smooth, icy, like she couldn’t care less.
Brittany snorted, crossing her arms. “Yeah, sure. ‘Just hotel staff’ doesn’t usually get all touchy with a towel. That’s some VIP service right there.”
“Stop reading into it, Brit.” Cali’s tone was dismissive, but her steps betrayed her as she turned in the wrong direction, completely blowing the whole cool exit she was going for.
Brittany’s eyebrows shot up, biting back a laugh. “Uh… The villa’s that way, babe.”
Cali paused, glancing down the beach as if she knew exactly what she was doing. Then, with a slight lift of her chin, she turned back around, pretending it hadn’t happened. “I was taking the scenic route.”
“Yeah, I bet you were,” Brittany teased, her grin widening. “Didn’t expect the ice princess to c***k like that.”
Cali shot her a sidelong look, her eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. That little towel moment? You’re telling me you weren’t just a little bit interested?” Brittany couldn’t resist pushing her. “Come on, admit it. You were into it.”
Cali’s expression stayed neutral, but her jaw clenched slightly. “He’s irrelevant.”
Brittany let out a laugh. “Right. Irrelevant usually means staring at him like he’s the last drink on the island. You’re terrible at lying, by the way.”
Cali picked up her pace, keeping her gaze straight ahead. “I’m not lying.”
“Oh, yeah,” Brittany teased, nudging her lightly. “Definitely nothing going on there.”
Cali kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to engage, but her pace said it all—she wasn’t walking away from Brittany’s teasing. She was running from it.
- Writer
