From This Moment On: Heartwarming Contemporary Romance (Windswept Bay Book 1) (16 page)

The idea had him humming as he organized the paint and decided on what he would paint. She was on his mind constantly.

He’d known her for less than two weeks and he knew she was the one. He loved her and he wanted her in his life. He wanted to be a part of her life. And if it took him a lifetime, he was determined to show her that a real man didn’t hurt a woman. He planned to gain her trust one day at a time for as long as it took.

There was no way he could get on a plane in a few days and fly off without her in his life. Not when he wanted her as his wife. And he did.

He wanted to watch sunsets with her each evening as they walked hand in hand along the beach and he wanted to wake up with her next to him each morning.

His thoughts were full of her as he began painting the background for the mural. When she showed up with coffee and muffins for him and Jax, it took every bit of willpower not to pull her into his arms. But he managed to control the urge and instead took the cup from her, enjoyed the sparks their fingers made when they touched and the flare of awareness in her eyes and then he went to work on the wall. And Cali went to work being the hostess of the gathering onlookers. She helped answer questions from the crowds that gathered to watch and to talk to the few local media reporters who showed up. And she made sure he and Jax had plenty of liquids and food.

He was glad to have her there.

“I love watching you weave magic with that spray gun,” she called up to him on the second evening as he climbed down from the top tier. It was near dinner time and most people who’d been curious had dispersed for the day, so they were alone. Even Jax had left to check on his business.

“Then I’ll use it all the time.” He paused around the eight-foot mark and stared at her, where she waited on the ground. She was so incredibly beautiful and he itched to paint her there on the sand with that look on her face. “You take my breath away, Cali Sinclair.”
And I’ve fallen for you
.

“You’ve had too much sun.”

“No, you’re incredible.”

Her green eyes clouded. “I don’t know what to say to that,” she said after a moment.

He climbed a few more feet and then hopped from the metal-framed scaffold and landed in the sand beside her. “There’s nothing for you to say. It’s just the way you make me feel.” He ran a knuckle along her jaw and then landed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose because he couldn’t help himself. “Some things just are. And the fact that you make me breathless is one of those things.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t the climb down that twenty-foot tall scaffold?” she teased, looking pleased that she’d figured out a comeback.

“I’m certain.”

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Having had her on his mind every moment of the last few days wasn’t helping him pull back from her. It was a beautiful tropical evening and the promise of a spectacular moon was in the air. “Take a walk on the beach with me tonight,” he murmured. He almost kissed her and would have if she hadn’t sidestepped him and shot him a small smile.

“I can’t.”

“Or won’t? But that’s okay—I like a challenge.” And he wasn’t giving up. “I’m not giving up on us, Cali.”

Her eyes went wide and he wondered whether she understood how serious he was. But he decided not to push.

“So what are you going to paint?” She changed the subject. “This background that you’ve done with the paint gun has me so curious.”

“You’ll see. Trust me.”

Something flickered in her green eyes. Unable to help himself, he leaned toward her and pressed a kiss on her lips. “I promise you, people will want to see it. I better get back to work.” He turned to go to the table with paints. It was either that or sweep her into his arms.

“I do trust you,” she said, breathless in a way that had his mind completely not on painting. Had him stopping in his tracks and turning back to her slowly.

“I do,” she continued, not sounding exactly convincing.

“If you trust me on this, then we’re making progress.” Again, unable to stop himself, he took two steps back to her and pulled her easily into his arms and kissed her again. It was a kiss full of self-control and restraint, because he didn’t want to scare her off. “And now, if you want me to get this done, I better get back to work.”

“Maybe so.” She then backed away. “I’m here if you need anything.”

Boy, was that a loaded statement.
He needed her. In every way imaginable—heart, mind, and soul, he needed her.

For the rest of the afternoon, Cali couldn’t stop thinking about what Grant had said. Or his gentle kisses. And what he hadn’t said.

He was trying to gain her trust. And she’d told him she did trust him.

As if understanding how hard it had been for her to say the words, he’d said they were making progress. That meant he wasn’t giving up on fully gaining her trust.

But he would be gone soon.
How could he gain her trust if he was gone?

Would he move to Windswept Bay for her?
He had a horse ranch. Cam made it to the island maybe two times a year but rarely more than three. Cowboys loved their ranches and as much as Grant traveled, he’d want to be on his ranch when he wasn’t painting some exquisite work of art on walls, making people smile.

She sighed as she watched him paint. Loving the way he moved, the way he threw himself into what he was creating. She loved everything about him.

But even if she ever truly gave up her freedom for a man again, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—leave the island. Her life was here at Windswept Bay.

And his was only here temporarily.

By the next afternoon, things were not so quiet on the beach. If Cali had thought Grant painting on the interior of the building was a draw to crowds, she found it was nothing compared to the interest in the exterior wall.

The third day, it was amazing how the wall began to come alive. As it did, the crowds began to show up, gathering on the sand to watch. Everyone was intrigued and it showed.

Shar and Jillian came from the office to help answer questions and give their support. They were all interviewed for the local news. Publicity for the resort was good.

Pictures and video and word began to travel across Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites as onlookers snapped shots of Grant painting. He did look spectacular up on the scaffold, working on near life-sized dolphins that were coming to life as they watched. She loved what she was seeing and couldn’t wait for the finished product. Obviously others couldn’t either.

Grant and Jax painting was big news. Jax and his Lagoon Adventures were also getting great publicity. And then, mid-afternoon, things started to shift as it seemed the dam broke as people and reporters arrived in droves. Reporters appeared with their vans and satellite feeds and helicopters began to buzz the beach, hovering and getting their shots of Grant and the mural.

One in particular seemed almost determined to get on the scaffold with Grant.

“This is getting crazy,” Shar yelled over the roar of the helicopter. “Where did all these people come from? The parking lot is full and there’s starting to be a traffic jam out on the street. These helicopters buzzing around are getting dangerous.”

Cali studied the situation. “Word’s gotten out. People who are close are coming to the island out of curiosity. Nothing like this has ever really happened here before.”

“That’s the truth. And look at him work. This is going to be gorgeous. You had a great idea.”

Cali felt pride, knowing her sister approved. “Thank you. Hopefully we’ll get some calls for reservations to perk up the coming weeks.”

“Oh, we are.” Jillian came across the sand, just as a gust from a helicopter nearly swept her away and sand blasted them. “If he gets any closer, the sand might mess up the wall!” she yelled.

“What is he thinking?” Cali yelled in alarm. Spinning toward the helicopter, she waved her arms, trying to tell it to get back. She glanced at the top of the scaffold and saw Grant turn toward the chopper. Her heart dropped as she worried that the helicopter blades were dangerously close to him.

He lifted his hands, his paintbrush still in his right hand, and he motioned the reckless pilot back too, just as a wind gust caused the helicopter to bobble badly.

People screamed and began running. The news crews on the ground were now getting footage of the reckless helicopter as it seemed to struggle. Miraculously, the pilot lifted the machine into the sky and flew away. Cali, Shar, and Jillian had been frozen as the dangerous moments unfolded.

“What in the name of thunder is going on here?”

Cali was dizzy with fear and relief as she spun to find Levi. His badge glinted in the afternoon sun and he’d yanked his aviator shades off to glare at her and then at the disappearing helicopter.

“Do you know how disastrous that nearly was?”

Cali shot a relieved glance up at Grant and saw that he was clamoring down the scaffold.

Levi continued his rant. “There is a traffic jam on the street. News vans from all over Florida are crammed out there. I have my men blocking the way into the resort but this is a circus. Why didn’t you give me a heads-up it would be like this?” He directed the accusation at Grant as he stalked over, his expression stormy.

Grant ignored Levi. “Are you all right? That helicopter was out of control.”

The intensity of his gaze was locked on her. To Cali’s surprise, she saw worry and fear for her there in those eyes.

“Are you all right?” he repeated, sounding as if he was barely controlled.

She nodded. “I am.”

Before she got the words out, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “I had a horrifying few moments up there, worried all of you on the ground were about to be decimated by that reckless—” His words broke off and he turned to Levi; still keeping his arm around her shoulder, he held her close. “Charges or something should be brought against that pilot. There was no sense in that. He could have harmed all these people.”

Levi still looked madder than a bull in a rodeo chute. “Does this happen every time you paint? Is this normal? If so, me and my department should have been alerted to this circus. And believe me, we’ll find out who that pilot is.”

“It can sometimes get crazy but never like this. I didn’t think about it getting out of hand here or I would have said something the other night at dinner.”

Suddenly microphones were shoved at Grant and they were surrounded by reporters.

“Mr. Ellington, is it true this is your first marine mural since the plane crash that killed everyone but you?”

“How does it feel to be the only survivor of that crash?”

Questions came in rapid-fire. Cali felt Grant tense beside her. She brought her arm around his waist and squeezed, trying to give him support as a microphone bumped her in the cheek as some female reporter shoved it to get at Grant.

“That’s enough,” Levi barked, pushing between them and the reporters. “Everyone back up. And that’s an order.” When no one seemed to listen, he roared, “I said back up.
Now
.”

Everyone scurried back a couple of steps. Despite the way her heart was thundering, Cali marveled at her brother. Levi looked fierce and every bit the protector in that moment.

“Now, if you want to ask Mr. Ellington questions, you’ll do it in an orderly fashion or I’ll run your butts off this island so fast your heads will spin. Is that clear?”

Chapter Nineteen

They hadn’t gotten to talk much after the helicopter incident, not with the reporters and then the crowd jumping in with questions too. From the reporters, some questions were intrusive on the pain he’d suffered and the loss and grief he carried. But the crowd, his fans, had asked questions about his painting, about the marine life he loved to paint and she’d witnessed him come to life during those moments. But, she was afraid the questions about the crash had taken its toll; when they were done, he’d gone back to work.

Hours later, he climbed down from the scaffold where he’d been working on a school of yellowtail fish weaving through the brilliant coral. He gave her a distracted kiss and held his palm against her cheek.

“It’s been a long day,” he murmured and then he headed to his room for sleep.

Cali wanted to go after him but she didn’t. The day, the heat, the intensity of his artistry—all of it together was what had him exhausted and distracted. He needed sleep. He’d be better tomorrow.

She spent a sleepless night sitting outside her bungalow, burrowed in her patio chair as she listened to the surf and thought about her life. And about Grant. And about her life without him when he left.

On Friday, the crowds returned in full force, just as Grant warned they probably would because people would want to see the final product. He’d been right. With luck, by evening it would be done. Levi and his Windswept Bay Police Department made certain order was upheld.

.

Despite all the chaos going on around them, she watched along with the crowd as Grant and Jax put the finishing details on the amazing, amazing work of art. It took her breath away.