The Resilient One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance (6 page)

His coughing calmed but they stayed in the awkward position of her holding his much thicker arm aloft and staring at each other. Alyssa was having crazy thoughts like wanting to run her fingers down his arm and maybe tickle the side of his chest.

“I’m ready for my burial,” Granny Ellie called from the beach.

Alyssa dropped Beck’s arm and stood.

Beck strode to Granny’s side. “We have to do this right.” He used his forearm to scoop out sand until there was a nice depression, then formed a sort of pillow on the end. “Lay in that.”

Granny Ellie obeyed. Alyssa and Beck started scooping sand over her small frame.

“I never knew this was how you wanted to be laid to rest,” Alyssa said, trying not to laugh at the image they were making. Two adults covering a tiny elderly woman in sand like they were all a bunch of children.

“Just burn me when I croak,” Ellie said, closing her eyes and seeming to enjoy the sand covering her. “And only a quick service. I hate the blubbering at funerals. Oh, and lots of yummy food. Feed everybody.”

“I was joking.” Alyssa’s joy evaporated as she imagined really burying her beloved grandmother. She’d be so alone, but Granny wasn’t going anywhere for a long, long time. At least Alyssa hoped not. She looked up to see Beck studying her. She forced a smile and scooped more sand to cover Granny’s legs.

They kept piling sand on until Granny whispered, “Okay. I think that’s good.”

Alyssa met Beck’s eye and the laughter just spilled out. They laughed so hard her stomach hurt.

“Get a picture quick and get me out of here,” Granny demanded.

Beck and Alyssa handed their phones to a teenage boy tossing a football nearby. Alyssa wished she had her high quality camera. She wanted to remember this moment forever and she’d really like to zoom in on Beck’s chest.

The young man took the first picture with each of them on one side before Granny demanded, “No. You both need to be on my right so the sun won’t ruin the picture.”

Alyssa laughed at Granny telling her how to pose for a picture, but she obediently moved next to Beck and knelt in the squishy sand.

“Put your arm around her, act like you actually like us,” Granny told Beck.

He shrugged and smiled at Alyssa. “Does anyone ever tell her no?”

“Why would anyone want to?” Granny squeaked. “Hurry up, I’m being crushed by sand granules here!”

Beck wrapped his arm around Alyssa and drew her into his side. Alyssa should’ve stayed more upright but she found herself leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his chiseled abdomen. Her fingers touched the bumpy scars there and he stiffened for a second before relaxing and bringing his other hand to her waist. Tingles shot through her body from his firm hand.

It felt so natural to be cuddled up like this, but at the same time more exciting than skydiving. Alyssa’s pulse was thundering in her throat and she couldn’t create any moisture in her mouth. She’d dated different men since being attacked by Hugh and though a lot of them had been nice guys she’d always felt tense and afraid when they touched her. Right now the only emotions were excitement and warmth. Was it Beck or was she finally ready to be close to a man again?

Alyssa smiled for the shots, sad when the boy declared he had some good ones and extended their phones in his hand. Was it her imagination or did Beck let go almost as slowly as she did?

Beck stood and retrieved their phones while Alyssa started pushing the sand off of her grandmother. Granny looked at her and winked. “Now that was more like it.”

Beck joined them and Alyssa was relieved she didn’t have to tell Granny to knock it off because really, she didn’t want her to. Usually when Granny tried to push her toward men she balked and ran the other direction. With Beck, she wanted to run right to him.

Alyssa enjoyed every minute with Beck. She thought of how Maryn had asked her to secure a date with him and hoped this counted, but she also hoped this was just the beginning. Then realization poured over her. She couldn’t become involved with him. If she did, she’d have to confess to taking pictures of him and his sister and selling them to a magazine that distorted the truth and sold millions of copies of that distortion. Then she would see hurt and anger instead of laugher and appreciation in his eyes. That could never happen.

“No way!” Maryn screamed into the phone. “You spent the day with him? On the beach?”

“He’s… impressive.” Alyssa wasn’t sure that was the right description of Beck. He was handsome, fun, smart, kind, and she was definitely impressed. She unwound the towel from her head, playing in the ocean and sand had been great but her hair needed that scrubbing.

“Details!”

“There’s not much to tell. We met this morning at breakfast. Granny asked him to go to the beach with us and we had a great time. Swimming, snorkeling, burying Granny in the sand, lunch at Hulu Grill.”

“Granny Ellie is such a hoot.”

“Yes, she is.”

“And… how does he look without his shirt on?”

Alyssa drew in a sharp breath and placed her hand on her heart. “Fabulous.”

“I knew it! I knew it! Can you send me a pic?”

“If you promise not to use it for some stupid article.” Alyssa hated that she worried. Maryn was her best friend, but she was also a voracious magazine writer and Beckham Taylor was prime writing material.

“I promise. Sheesh. What do you take me for?”

“I feel awful about taking those pics of him, Mar.” She ran a brush through her hair, tugging at a knot.

“I know, but he’ll probably never know it was you.”

Him not discovering the truth didn’t make Alyssa feel much better.

A pounding at the door announced Granny Ellie, dressed in a silky pant suit, looking classy and beautiful. “Hang up the phone and get ready,” she instructed. “Beck is taking us to Kimo’s.”

“I gotta go,” Alyssa told Maryn. “I’ll send a pic soon.” She hung up amidst much protest. “You talked him into taking us to dinner too?”

“Didn’t take much talking.” Granny winked. “What have you got to wear?” She started yanking dresses out of Alyssa’s closet.

“Wait. I don’t want you pushing him into dating me.”

“Who’s granddaughter are you?” She held up a knee-length floral dress and tossed it at Alyssa. “A fine-looking, intelligent, fun-loving, and possibly wealthy—I’m still doing a little sleuthing to determine that one—man is interested. And wow if he isn’t a lot of man. You push, drag, beat him over the head if you have to, but you do not play hard to get. Got it?”

Alyssa barely hid the rolling of her eyes. At least Granny hadn’t called Maryn yet and found out the whole scoop. She darted to the bathroom to change, put on some minimal makeup, and see what she could do with her hair. “Give me ten minutes.”

“I’ll see you in the courtyard in five.” Granny Ellie slammed the door on the way out.

Alyssa laughed as she slipped on her dress. “‘Who’s granddaughter are you?’” Then she sobered as she looked in the mirror at her dark skin and hair. She loved being Granny Ellie’s, but sadly she was a product of her mother too and her mother had taught her that men, especially wealthy ones, only make you miserable.

Beck paced the courtyard waiting for Alyssa to appear.

“Calm it,” Ellie commanded. “She’d be an imbecile to not want a taste of you tonight. Raar.” She batted her eyelashes and smiled coyly at him.

“Ellie.” Beck stopped walking and shook his head at the older woman. “I barely know her and she’s your granddaughter. Shouldn’t you be protecting her from me?”

Ellie met his gaze, her blue eyes full of mischief. “You know everybody has talents?”

“Sure.”

“I have a talent that I’ve honed to perfection throughout the years—knowing if a man is worth his weight in gold… or not. Four different husbands and they were all worth it, even though it about killed me to lose them.” She glanced up and down his frame. “You’re a big one, but I still think I’m dead on that you’re worth every pound.”

Beck chuckled, wondering for a second if Granny knew how wealthy he was. He weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds and when he first took over his family’s business it had been worth two hundred and fifty million dollars. The analogy would have worked then though he’d grown his net worth considerably in the past couple of years buying and building a considerable amount of commercial real estate in Orange County. “Thanks, I think.”

He heard a light tread and turned to see Alyssa descending the stairs in a flowing dress, the bright colors accentuating the beauty of her dark coloring. Her shapely calf muscles were on fine display, but he noticed she wore a sturdy, but feminine shoes instead of a sandal like most women would. He loved that she’d entrusted him with her birth defect. He loved each minute he’d spent with her today. Thanks to her hilarious grandmother their time was going to be extended.

He didn’t appreciate shallow women, the kind that came onto him easily because of his fame and money. A lot of those women appeared, on the outside to have it all together, but once he dug to the inside there was nothing there, exactly like his ex-girlfriend Belle. From all he’d seen, Alyssa was very different from the women who pursued him. He liked that although it obviously hurt her to run she didn’t slow down or stop but kept working hard. He liked that her life didn’t appear to be easy, but she had fun and was sweet with her grandmother and everyone else he’d seen her interact with, from the teenage boys gawking at her on the beach to the old men gawking at her at the restaurant. He could tell she was a good person—being beautiful was actually just a bonus. A nice bonus.

“Alyssa.” His voice came out all breathy and embarrassing. He cleared his throat. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks.” She met his gaze and smiled. “You’re looking pretty good yourself.”

“Slight improvement from being covered in salt and sand.”

“Ha!” Granny Ellie clasped her hands together, grinning at the two of them. “I was the one plastered in sand. Well, you two have fun. I’m heading to bed.” She took a step toward the stairs.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Alyssa grabbed her grandmother’s arm. “Beck asked you to dinner, not me.”

Beck laughed. “I don’t want to steal your granddaughter on your first night on the island.”

“Oh, pooh,” Ellie said. “Don’t you think you deserve something special tonight, not a dinner with an old geezer?”

“It will be special going to dinner with two beautiful ladies.”

Ellie shook her head, but wrapped her hand through the elbow he offered. Alyssa placed her warm hand on his other elbow and Beck straightened. He felt like the king of the world with her close to him.

Alyssa was grateful Granny hadn’t dodged out of their dinner date. She was interested in Beck, but she still wasn’t ready to be alone with any man.

She hadn’t eaten at Kimo’s before. They had a beautiful view of the setting sun from the second story balcony. The restaurant didn’t appear too extravagant—scarred, wood tables and floors. The only thing pompous was their starched shirt waiter and the fancy menu.

Jerry from the bed and breakfast had advised her when she first arrived on the island, “If you’re willing to take out a second mortgage, eat at Kimo’s or Mama’s Fish House.” As Alyssa didn’t have a first mortgage she’d steered clear, but all the food on the island was expensive so she wasn’t shocked when most of the entrees were fifty dollars or more.