Page 17 of Clock Strikes Paradise

“Cheers,” Elise replied, clinking her glass with ours.

After our nightcap, I excused myself, citing the need for some fresh air. I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and went for a barefoot stroll along the beach. It was such a relaxing change to simply enjoy myself as a man instead of a CEO. The waves lapping at my feet brought a sense of peace and tranquility that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. A pang of loneliness crept through me, then I pushed it firmly away. My previous relationships had been with women who only wanted me for what they could get from me—what my money and position could provide. I was better off alone.

As I returned to enjoy the night from the pool deck of my cottage, I caught sight of Elise walking along the shore. The silver moonlight illuminated her dress and hinted at the body underneath, making her seem almost ethereal. She carried her shoes in one hand, allowing the water to splash over her feet.

Just as I had done minutes ago.

Her hair cascaded down her back, and the breeze played with the hem of her dress, teasing glimpses of herlegs. She moved with an unconscious grace, unaware she was being admired.

“Get it together, man,” I muttered to myself, rushing to my feet and marching inside. I closed the door behind me and took a marching step forward. Then I froze. I couldn’t stop myself, helpless to keep from turning around to peek through the blinds at Elise as she ambled along the shoreline, the moon casting a radiant light on her face.

Chapter Nine

Elise

I chewedmy lip as I surveyed my cottage, making sure it was spotless in the morning sun. A recently delivered coffee service filled the room with a rich, enticing scent. I smoothed my pencil skirt, preparing for the strategy meeting with Clay and Bart. The change in venue from Clay’s larger cottage to mine was a last-minute change I hadn’t expected, but the mystery was solved when Bart walked in a few minutes later.

“I convinced Clay to have the meeting here,” Bart said, a smile playing on his lips. “I thought it would be nice to get him off his home turf, so you’d feel more at ease.”

“Uh... thank you,” I said, though I had no idea what he was talking about. If anything, being around Clay lately did the exact opposite of putting me at ease. And not because he intimidated me. Though I had to admit Bart had been more pleasant to be around after Clay’s reprimand. He’d actually impressed me at the dinner last night.

And hopefully a room snafu wouldn’t cause any issuesfor our meeting. After showering, I’d discovered my bathroom sink faucet was faulty. The water was currently off as maintenance attempted to source the problem from afar.

Clay arrived shortly after, dressed casually in khakis and a button-down shirt that accentuated his athletic build. The lock of hair flopping over his forehead gave him a charming look, and I had a sudden urge to sweep it back in place. I poured us all coffees before we settled into our seats, with Clay across from me on a couch and the coffee table between us.

Bart sat next to me and stretched both arms over his head with a long sigh. “I slept like a log last night. Best sleep I’ve had in years!”

Clay nodded. “So did I. The bed was extremely comfortable.”

A vision of me in it with him popped into my head. An image of sweat and passion, and me stroking that chiseled chest. I quickly took a sip of coffee to cover the heat racing across my face. A quick glance at the open door of my bathroom provided me with a different subject to think about. “Oh, speaking of the resort. The faucet burst in my bathroom this morning. Evan said they’d either fix it or find me another cottage.”

Bart snorted. “I thought this was an upscale place.”

I shrugged at him. “When I called Evan about it, he was extremely apologetic, and maintenance issues must happen regularly in rooms being used all the time. I’m sure they’ll find me something.”

“No doubt they will,” Clay said absently as he jotted down a note. “Let’s get down to business.”

He and Bart discussed the two offers on the table, Laurent’s and Celeste’s, while I typed out notes. While Laurent’s proposal was financially more advantageous,working with Celeste seemed like it would be a far more enjoyable experience. Though I knew Clay well enough that he wouldn’t let emotions cloud his judgement.

“Ultimately, we won’t be working with either of them for long,” Clay mentioned, his expression serious.

Bart tapped his index fingers together, eyeing Clay. “True, which makes our decision all the more important. As CFO, my job is to watch the bottom line. And that makes Laurent’s offer the only one to consider.”

I disagreed but was hesitant to voice my opinion. Yes, financials were important, but so were the employees working for Podium. Clay had mentioned all would receive a generous bonus after the sale, so I remained silent. After all, I was there to help Clay with tasks and logistics, not as a member of the decision team.

Clay was distant during the meeting, hardly noticing me. But Bart made up for it. As the CFO handed out papers, his hand would graze mine. When he poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the center of the table, our arms brushed. His actions were much more subtle than on the boat yesterday, and I couldn’t be sure if his touch was intentional or accidental. But it made me uncomfortable. Bart Mayhew was the last man I wanted touching me.

When I scooched away after the water incident, Clay stilled, his icy blue eyes darting between us, only to settle on Bart. Then Clay’s phone rang, distracting him.

“What? Now? I’m in a meeting.” He paused, listening, then checked his watch. “Fine. Give me five minutes, then have him call me.” He lifted his gaze to us as he pocketed his phone and stood. “It’s the Tokyo office, calling about GreenDrive. I need to take this.”

I frowned and glanced at my tablet. We already had a conference call scheduled later that afternoon with anexecutive from the electric vehicle tech company, Clay’s latest passion. His empire extended to multiple industries—Podium was only a portion of it. I loved both the idea of the acquisition and the thought of being at the vanguard of a field exploding in popularity and importance.

“One of the parties has an emergency and they need to move the call up,” Clay explained, sensing my confusion. “I’ll keep it as short as possible.” And with that, he left the cottage, leaving Bart and me alone. The room now felt emptier, as if some of the life had been sucked out of it.

I wasn’t sure if he was coming back or if the meeting was over. But I didn’t want to chitchat with Bart, who was swinging back ever closer to being a creep again during our session. I adjusted my glasses and noted the agenda on my laptop screen. “All right, let’s continue.”

“With what?” Bart asked, leaning back on the couch. “Clay would blow a gasket if we talked business without him.”