Lucas clicked on the article heading, which read, “Omegron CEO Embezzlement Cover-Up?” Then, with a sigh, he turned off his phone and set it face down on the armrest. Keeping up with the news wasn’t helping. In fact, Lucas was almost certain that reading these articles was making things worse. Maybe his staff had been right when they’d told him to keep his head down for a few weeks and not read the news.
At least no reporters had found him yet.
Lucas heard a faint sound coming from outside and twisted in the loveseat. When they’d gotten back from lunch, Kendra had taken her camera and gone onto the balcony. Now, she was resting the camera on the railing, bent forward, her auburn hair falling around her shoulders, framing her face. He couldn’t see her expression, but he could imagine the look of concentration she was probably wearing.
Kendra had proven to be very distracting. He’d barely thought about Omegron at all during the spa morning, or during lunch, when they’d continued their joking and teasing. Despite not knowing many of her stories or much of her history, Lucas feltlike he knewhernow. At least a little. He knew that she fiddled with her hands or a small object when she was nervous and that she blushed deeply when she was embarrassed. He knew that her laugh was joyful and infectious. He knew the look she got in her eye when she was about to do something mischievous, like splash him. He knew that she liked photography and that she enjoyed being in the water, at least when it was planned, but that she’d never been surfing.
He hadn’t meant to get to know her, but he had. And as much as a part of Lucas wanted to pull away while he still could, another part wanted to lean in. Being here at Sol Y Estrellas felt like being in a parallel universe, far from who he usually was. Kendra made him feel different, too. With her, he felt like he could be a different kind of person, a fun-loving, teasing guy who liked to relax in the water and share dessert.
The problem, though, was that Lucaswasn’tthat guy. Not really. Back in LA, he was a focused CEO who cared about his company more than anything — or anyone — else. Still, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to be a different guy, just for a little while.
“Wow, you’re not on your phone.”
Kendra’s words startled him out of his reverie, and he looked up at her. She’d come inside, the camera on a strap around her neck, her eyes shining.
“How did the photography session go?”
“It was great.” She leaned forward, holding out the camera on the strap, and showed him a few pictures she’d taken on the camera’s small screen. The photos were gorgeous. They showed the ocean and the resort below, the same things he’d been looking at the whole time, but, somehow, they seemed expansiveand thoughtful when captured through her lens. A few photos focused on small details, like the furl of a palm leaf on the tree in front of their balcony, or the sun catching on a cloud above the ocean.
“These are amazing.”
“Thanks!” She grinned at him. “Want to come for a walk?”
Lucas hesitated. He did, but the pull of his phone and the news it held was still too strong. “Not this time.”
“Suit yourself.” Humming under her breath, Kendra left the hotel room, closing the door behind her. Lucas reached for his phone again. He knew he should ignore the news, but he checked it anyway. The lure of the phone always pulled him in, even when he tried to ignore it. Just like Kendra did.
He read the article about the CEO embezzlement cover-up and a few more. He barely realized that any time had passed until the door opened again and Kendra came in.
“Hey.” He looked up, catching her eye.
“Okay, put your phone away.” She crossed the room in a few quick strides and knelt on the loveseat beside him. Her knee brushed his leg, and her smiling face was close enough to kiss.
“Your wish is my command,” Lucas joked, setting the phone down on the armrest. “What’s up?”
“I got you something.” Her green eyes were sparkling. “Since we don’t have wedding rings, I thought we could use these.”
“All right…” Lucas grinned. She reached into her pocket and withdrew two woven gift-shop bracelets threaded with smallwhite shells. One was made of green thread, and the other of pink.
“What do you think?” She held them up, grinning mischievously.
“They are gorgeous,” Lucas said. “You must have spent a fortune.”
“Absolutely! These are priceless heirlooms meant to be passed through the generations. Do you want green or pink?”
“You know, I think I’m going to go for the green.” Lucas chuckled as he held out his arm. “Put it on.”
She looped the bracelet around his wrist, knotting the ends together, and nodded. Her fingers brushed against his wrist as she did so, and he couldn’t ignore the warmth he felt from the places she touched.
“That looks wonderful. Will you put mine on?” She held out her arm, and Lucas took the pink bracelet from her and looped it around her wrist. It was hard to work with the small ties — his fingers weren’t as nimble as hers — but he managed to fasten the knot. As he did so, his fingertips brushed against the sensitive skin at the base of her wrist, and he felt more than saw her shiver. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
She was so close. Her pink lips were slightly parted, and he could see a smattering of freckles across her cheeks.
“You have freckles,” he said quietly, his voice coming out deeper than he’d expected.
“Oh, yes.” Kendra put a hand to her cheek as though hoping to cover them. A blush began to spread beneath her fingers.
“Don’t do that.” He took her wrist and pulled her hand gently away from her face. “They suit you.”
