Stolen (Book One) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) (2 page)

She smiled back. And she’d never complain about being saved by an Adonis water god. They stood for a few seconds in silence. Now that everything was taken care of, she expected he’d go, but he surprised her when he pushed away from the counter to move closer. There was something else under the surface of his stare and it made her knees go a little weak.

This visceral gut reaction to him was getting out of hand.

“I’ve never seen anyone else sitting on the deck with you.” He tilted his head and she realized it was a sort of half question that he was waiting for an answer to.

“No. Just me. I’ve only got a couple of days left then the coach turns back into a pumpkin.” She hoped he wouldn’t force her to explain what she meant or why she was alone in paradise.

But he didn’t seem all that interested in digging deeper. Instead, he accepted her explanation at face value. “Have you been to the street market yet? It’s on the other side of the island but it’s worth the drive.”

“Is that an invitation?” she teased. Apparently her filter was on vacation as well. Heat climbed up her neck and she looked anywhere but in his eyes. Which put her at chest level because he was tall, maybe six foot three. Without shoes on, she came about up to his chin.

“Yes,” his voice rumbled.

Harper took a few steps back and inhaled slowly, then let it out even slower. His complete confidence, his ability to just be up front and without pretensions was intimidating to say the least.

She met his gaze, in a little more control now. “I wasn’t inviting myself,” she clarified, “so you don’t need to feel obligated or anything.”

“I was going to ask you anyway. You just beat me to it.” That sexy grin. God, women everywhere must throw their panties at him all the time.

“In that case, I have not been and it sounds like fun.”

“How about tomorrow? I’ll pick you up around eight in the morning. There’s this amazing cafe I’d love to take you to first. Then we can hit the market?”

“That sounds good.” And it did. She spent five days virtually by herself, her snorkeling guide aside, and it would be nice to do something fun with someone else. Especially someone who looked and sounded and behaved like an action movie hero come to life.

“Make sure you wash that cut and rebandage your wound later today. And it’s probably best to stay out of the water, at least for the rest of the day. Give it time to heal for a bit.” He stepped outside and jumped down onto the sand.

Harper stood in the doorway, her hand on her hip. “Spoken like a true doctor,” she mused out loud.

He laughed. The sound was rich and warm and she wanted to roll around with it. “Nah. Just experience. Paddle boarding isn’t as easy as it looks.” Then he winked at her. “See you in the morning...ahhh…”

They made a date for tomorrow and neither knew the others name.

“Harper,” she said.

“Ethan.” He grinned again. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow, Harper.”

That insidious heat spiraled through her body when he said her name like that.

“Yes you will, Ethan.”

With one last heat filled glance at her, he turned and jogged back toward where he’d left his board.

Harper felt like she was going to collapse. Suddenly her heart was racing again, and she didn’t know if it was the reality of almost drowning finally hitting her full force, or all of the anxiety about the media circus in Boston, or just meeting the man of her dreams.

She suspected it was all of the above.

* * *

“
Y
ou were right
. This papaya sorbet is to die for.”

Harper pushed the spoon around the dish, scraping every last drop of the ice cream out and licking the spoon before she set it back on the table. After coffee and a delicious pastry, she couldn’t resist the cold treat, especially when the day had started out hot already.

She’d worn a light blue tank top with a deep V that hugged her chest without being too indecent and a pair of white shorts that cut off mid-thigh. Knowing it would be hotter than hell, she’d twisted her hair into a side braid to keep it off her neck. She tried to wear her favorite gladiator sandals because they made her legs look amazing, but the straps had rubbed against her cut and she gave up pretty quick.

White tennis shoes were the only other option, which turned out to be a good choice because the street fair was more like a five street fair, and enormous. There were booths set up along both sides of the roped off streets so that people could walk right down the middle without having to worry about getting run over.

The vendors hawked everything from sunglasses to clothing to every kind of food one could imagine. Ethan insisted that they start at one end and make their way down every row. When Harper stopped to admire a seashell necklace, Ethan bantered back and forth with the woman until they were both smiling.

“Something to remember today by,” he said with a grin. “Turn around.” His fingers brushed over her bare shoulders when he slipped one arm over her head to fasten the clasp. He stood so close behind her that she could feel his breath wash over her ear.

They’d made it down one whole row and already she wanted to drag him back to her bungalow. He chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to the crook of her neck before stepping next to her and taking her hand. His thumb caressed her palm as they made their way to back up the other side.

He wasn’t an Adonis water God. Not even close. He was the fucking Devil.

But she went with it because she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around someone who didn’t want to pry, judge, or somehow take from her while giving nothing in return.

Ethan was different from any guy she’d ever met. He was so easy, so calm and funny without needing to point a neon sign at himself to announce just how cool he was.

He just was.

She smiled, thinking about how much she was enjoying spending time with him. Then again, she would have enjoyed just sitting and staring at his smoking body, no paradise or street fair was necessary as backdrop.

“What’s so funny?” Ethan asked, leaning down close to her ear.

He made her feel like they were the only two people at the crowded street fair.

“Just thinking about you in those hot board shorts.” She turned and looked at him boldly. No games. No pretending they were flirting. She had two days left and damn it, they were going to be good ones.

His eyes darkened and his gaze drifted down to her lips.

Still holding her hand, he traced her hip with his fingers. Tiny electric shocks made her skin feel too tight.

“Funny. I was just thinking about you in that tiny yellow bikini.” His lip quirked in a sexy grin, but instead of kissing her, he stepped back and tugged on her hand. “Come on. Lots more fair to see.”

“Fucking devil,” she muttered under her breath, but he heard her because he threw back his head and laughed. When he was done, his fingers tightened around hers.

His smoldering gaze bore down on her and she swallowed loudly.

“Don’t worry,” he all but growled into her ear. “Everything you’re thinking about right now? Yeah, trust me, it’s gonna happen. But not until later.” He nipped at the sensitive flesh under her ear and it sent a jolt right between her legs.

Then he started walking like nothing had happened, except she could see the wicked grin on his face. Bastard. She should end their date with a chaste kiss and shoo him on his way for being such a tease.

Yeah, right.

Righteous indignation had never been her strong point.

They spent the morning stopping at every booth and Harper grabbed a couple more pieces of jewelry and a gorgeous silk beach wrap in the most exotic colors. Whenever she liked something, Ethan stepped in and haggled good-naturedly with the merchant. She didn’t care about saving the money, she just liked to watch him get all animated.

Laid back wasn't something she’d been used to. People in her life were calculating, intense. Always looking out for themselves. Ethan radiated relaxation. Whoever he was, he didn’t seem to have a care in the world aside from living in the moment.

She hadn't asked where he was from, and honestly, that’s not what today was about. She had no desire to share anything from her life right now and so far, they’d just been enjoying each others company without any pressure.

Harper had become a social pariah the past few months.

Ethan looked at her like she was someone special and she liked it. Why not go with it? Enjoy whatever this was because sure as hell when she got back to Boston, her life wouldn't be her own. Not for a long time. Scandal had a way of sticking to people, even those caught up in the scandals of their loved ones.

When they finally ended up at a little outdoor cafe on the outskirts of the street fair, Ethan pulled out her chair and then sat across from her.

“Having fun?” he asked, one eyebrow quirked. That damned sexy grin turned his lips up.

Despite the thickness of the air between them, she nodded. “I am.” And she was. Today had been exactly what she’d been trying to do when she left Boston. Escape. Yes she’d done that for the previous five days but being by herself gave her time to think, even though she had forbidden her brain from going there.

With Ethan, she’d been able to be in the moment and truly had not thought about her family. It was nice. She was more relaxed than she had been all week.

“Hey, where’d you go?” Ethan asked. His hand felt warm over Harper’s, and she forced herself back to the present.

“Somewhere I’d rather not be,” she answered. “In my head,” she clarified.

He traced his thumb over the top of her hand and heat filled his eyes. Long eyelashes swept down and he watched her from under them. God he had that
I want to eat you up
look that was making her skin tingle. “Then just be here with me,” he said. “Stop thinking so much.” He grinned a little when he said it, to show he wasn’t lecturing her.

“Okay,” she agreed softly, feeling a flutter in her chest. “But it’s difficult—lately I live in my head all the time, practically.”

She thought he might start to inquire as to why. After all, she’d dropped enough hints about it.

But instead of asking questions, Ethan’s hand dropped to her leg. It was casual, but the heat that resulted from his touch was like a shockwave through her entire body.

The waiter came back and set their plates down and Ethan leaned back and removed his hand from her leg as if nothing were going on. She knew her face was red, that her chest was rising and falling too fast. Every time she shifted, a flash of pleasure shot from between her legs.

This was torture and he knew it.

He had barely touched her all morning, and yet her she was, panting like a dog in heat from the briefest caress of his hand on her thigh. God he was a bastard. A cocky, sexy as hell bastard that she wanted in a way beyond just lust.

It was almost desperation, an emotion she wasn’t that familiar with.

“So, you came here alone,” Ethan said, finally.

“Yeah. And you?”

“Same.”

“So we could both be outlaws, on the run from the cops, then,” she joked. It was a strange joke, perhaps a little too close to the truth for her own good.

But Ethan nodded. “Or maybe there are worse things to be on the run from,” he said, and his eyes had lost some of their humor.

The understanding in his eyes prompted an unexpected wave of curiosity to roll through her. He seemed so laid back, in the moment. What could he be running from?

But she didn’t ask. If she asked, he might answer—and she wasn’t sure she wanted to ruin the fantasy. Not to mention, he might also expect her to tell her story, and she definitely didn’t want to have that conversation with a hot guy in a temporary paradise.

“This salad is amazing,” she said, changing the subject.

“Not as amazing as the view.” He winked and her shoulders relaxed.

His eyes darkened as she watched. How had she never seen the way a man’s pupils dilate when he was turned on? The blacks of his eyes ate away at the color.

Her gaze dropped to his lips.

“Have you ever wanted something so badly that you could almost taste it?” he asked.

“I take it you’re not referring to this delicious salad?” she joked.

“Not even remotely,” he replied.

“Oh my,” she said on an exhale. She wasn’t hungry anymore, at least not for the rest of her half eaten salad. She set her fork down and waited. Prayed that he was going to suggest they go back to the bungalow now.

“I’ll bet you taste so sweet. I can’t wait to find out.”

Her breath came out in harsh gasps. Thick desire settled between her legs and she had no doubt that she was wet and ready, swollen for him. She loved the words spilling from his mouth. So filled with innuendo and promise.

She shifted and had to stifle a groan when fissures of pure pleasure shot through her body. His jaw hardened. His eyes were almost black now.

“Are you still hungry?” he asked tightly.

“Yes.” God yes. All she wanted was to be naked with him. “But not for this salad,” she said, knowing he knew exactly what she meant.

The understanding passed between them without another word.