James’ jaw tightened as a new dose of resentment flared through him. “A few months down the road I helped out with her ex-boyfriend’s truck payment, her little sister’s small business…heck, I even bought this woman a new car because hers kept breaking down between jobs and leaving her stranded on the roadside.”
He shook his head, unwilling to admit that the incident with his old housekeeper was far from isolated. James had already learned this lesson the hard way. Helping someone out was one thing. Being taken advantage of was another.
“I’ve had the same driver for fiveyears—his name’s Leonard. I don’t know if the guy’s married or if he’s got any kids. I don’t know where he lives or what team he roots for. That’s why things work out with him.”
Duke groaned on the other end of the line. “Dude, you’re overthinking this. Which is a veryJamesthing to do, actually. You’d already know it if this chick was like that. You’re not stupid.”
James recalled a handful of lawsuits the Benton family had endured over the years. Ridiculous ones that were dismissed before they could even go to court most of the time. People often came up with get-rich schemes at their expense. But Camila might actually have good cause. She probably could’ve sued him and Adel both. Heck, she’d have a case for defamation of character. And she’d likely win, too, by demonstrating her loss of clientele after the dinner party.
But she hadn’t done that.
He nodded while sucking in a dose of fresh, salt-misted air. Camila might not be wealthy like Adel or the other women he’d dated, but she wouldn’t try taking advantage of him either. Perhaps he could do this after all. There was no guarantee for romance or anything, but James would be lying if he said there wasn’t a spark there.
“Aren’t I crossing some line if I hit on her at this point? She’s, like, working for me.”
“Listen,” Duke said, “here’s what matters: This personal chef of yours isn’t a permanent employee. Heck, you can barely evencallher an employee since she’s independent, right?”
His shoulders lifted a bit. “True.”
“Plus,” Duke continued, “I’mthe one who made the reservation in the first place. The resort found her for me, and you happened to step into my place. This chick’s not going home with you. She won’t be hitting you up for gas money on behalf of her crazy Uncle Joe. So just flirt like a normal guy, will you? Have some fun. Heaven knows that’s whatIhad in mind when I booked the place.”
James let Duke’s words sink in. He was right. Camila wasn’t some employee he’d brought on for the foreseeable future.
“Do you think I should address that and get it out of the way?” James asked. “I could say like, I don’t know, that I’m interested in getting to know her and I don’t want her to think of me as her boss.”
This earned another groan from Duke, along with a few colorful words. “Come on, James. Think about how awkward that would be.” He sighed. “I’ve got to get back to work. Just start flirting with her, will you? See if she’s into it. Don’t make it all weird by talking about it first. Women hate that.”
“Fine,” James grumbled before ending the call. But he wasn’t so sure Duke was right. The last thing James wanted was for Camila to worry about the pressures of not disappointing her new boss, even if it was temporary. She wouldn’t want to lose her job, and she definitely wouldn’t want to lose the good word he planned to put in for her, so she might feel…obligated to entertain him in that way.
Equally bad was the fact that she might think he was using his position as a way to get what he wanted.
He glanced back to the sky, hoping to spot the hawk once more. No. Just some white, puffy clouds and a flock of seagulls in the distance.Flirt like a normal guy, will you? Have some fun.James could picture Winston speaking those very same words. Perhaps, in a way, he had.
“I’ll try,” he said under his breath. And with that, James selected every name in his phone, save Stephanie, Duke, and Camila’s, and hit delete. Time to do what he’d come for—it was time to make better use of his time there.
Just as his determination took root, James spun to see a black town car parked along the circular drive on the other side of the property. And what was this? Camila stood beside it, talking to some guy in a suit. A driver, perhaps? He certainly wasn’t gray-haired like Leonard. James could tell even from a distance that the man was young. And he was standing a little too close to Camila for his liking.
James shielded his face from the brightness as Camila tipped her head back in laughter and rested a hand on his arm. A sting of jealousy rushed through him, and suddenly he was tugging his phone from his pocket once more. Who knew if Camila even had her phone on her? He’d find out.
With quick fingers, he tapped out a text.
James:is everything okay over there?
He hit send before he could rethink it and watched. A bout of satisfaction struck as she pulled her phone from her apron pocket and looked at it. She shielded her face in a similar fashion, looking his way. At last Camila nodded, then set her attention to her phone.
At once a text popped up on his screen.
Camila:Do you know anything about a yacht excursion for two?
James:Nope.But then he recalled what Duke had said.Heaven knows I planned on having a good time… Apparently he did—yacht excursion and all. James watched the two talking in the distance, noted the flirtatious way Camila stepped closer and swatted a teasing hand toward the guy.
It was a new side of her, one James hadn’t seen until that moment; she’d always been so...businesslike with him. He could fix that, couldn’t he? He considered the trip once more, then tapped out an additional reply.
James:Duke must have booked the trip, but it’d be a shame to let it go to waste. Would you be up for trying the yacht life with me?
His pulse pushed fast and hard as he hit send. Each pump of his heart causing a tight ache in his chest, shoulders, and neck. He stared across the beach floor, beyond the side of the villa and its ivory statues and potted plants, watching for Camila’s response.
She turned her gaze on him, and his quickened pulse raced hotter still. She spoke a few words to the driver before attending to her phone once more. The wordsplease say that driver’s not part of the yacht crewran through James’ mind as he waited.
