Redemption Series Boxed Set, Books 1-4

by Sandi Lynn

  By time she was finished with her story, we reached the restaurant and took a seat in a booth with high backs.

  “Have the two of you ever dated?” I ask and had no clue why.

  Lexi laughed. “No. He’s like a brother to me.”

  “You mentioned his dad was friends with your parents. What about his mom?”

  “His mom is a whole story on its own. She wasn’t around.”

  “Oh.”

  “So tell me, why a temp agency? Are you in between jobs or careers?” Lexi asked.

  “I just moved here last Friday, and I needed a job ASAP. The agency called, and I took it. It’s only temporary until I figure out what I want to do.”

  “You just moved to California?” she asked. “From where?”

  “Berkshire, Indiana.”

  “I never heard of it.”

  “I’m not surprised.” I smiled. “It’s a small town; boring, no excitement whatsoever.”

  “Do you have family or friends here in California?”

  “Nope. I don’t know a single person, except for the few people I just met.”

  “Wow. So you moved here without a plan or a job or anything?”

  “Yep. Just me and my suitcase. It was kind of a very sudden move. Like less than a twelve-hour move. I came here to start my life over.”

  “Let me guess, some douchebag boyfriend broke your heart?”

  “Yeah. He was one of the reasons.”

  We ate our food and Lexi paid the bill.

  “How much was mine?” I asked as I pulled out my wallet.

  “Put your money away. This lunch is on Chase.” She smiled.

  When we reached the office, I thanked her again for lunch and went back to my desk. I’d just made a new friend in California.

  Chase

  “Here,” Lexi spoke as she threw a receipt at me.

  “What’s this?” I picked it up.

  “That’s what you owe me for lunch.”

  “Why am I paying for your lunch?”

  “Because you wanted me to find out information about Kinsley and I did. The least you could do is pay for it.”

  I sighed as I pulled my wallet from my pocket and handed her some cash.

  “Well?” My brow arched.

  Lexi shut the door to my office and took a seat.

  “She just moved here from Berkshire, Indiana on Friday.”

  “I knew she wasn’t from California!” I pointed at her. “Why did she move?”

  “The only thing she said was she moved here to start her life over. I asked her if a douchebag boyfriend broke her heart and she said he was one of the reasons.”

  “Hmm. So, she’s not a lesbian. Damn it! Did she ask about me?” I grinned.

  “No.”

  “Not at all?” I cocked my head in irritation.

  “The only thing she asked was if you were my boss.”

  “That’s it? Nothing else?”

  “No, Chase. Nothing else. I’m sorry, but I don’t think she’s interested in you. Especially if she just got her heart broken by some douchebag in Berkshire, Indiana.”

  “Well, I’m just going to have to fix that for her.”

  “How? You’re the master, the god who breaks women’s hearts every day. She’s a nice girl and I like her. In fact, I think we could be really good friends. So, I won’t let you break her heart.”

  I narrowed my eyes as I stared at her from behind my desk.

  “I wouldn’t.”

  Laughter escaped her. “It’s all you know how to do! Leave her alone and move on to the next victim. Oh wait. She did ask if we had ever dated.”

  “Why would she ask that?”

  “Cause I told her I’ve known you since we were kids.”

  “Well, if she asked that, then some interest in me must lie somewhere inside her. Why would she care if she wasn’t attracted?” I smiled. “You didn’t tell her about all the women I date, did you?” My eye narrowed.

  “No, and I don’t have to. All she has to do is google your name and thousands of images of you and different women pop up. She’d be able to tell right away what a manwhore you are.” She smirked.

  “That is not true!”

  “Sure it is.” She laughed. “Google yourself. Are we done here? I have work to do.”

  “Yes, we’re done.” I shooed her out of my office.

  Picking up my phone, I googled my name and clicked on images.

  “Oh shit,” I spoke to myself.

  Chapter 11

  Kinsley

  The work day was almost over, and I couldn’t wait to get home. But first, I had to stop at the grocery store and do some shopping. I was cleaning up my desk when Chase walked over and handed me a flyer.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “I’m having a beach party on Saturday with some people here at the office. It would be rude of me not to invite you. It’ll be fun. You should come. There will be a lot of alcohol, surfing, sunbathing, volleyball, barbeque, music, and when nightfall hits, a big beautiful bonfire where you can roast marshmallows. I have one every year and it’s a blast.”

  “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

  “Okay. Have a good night. Still looking forward to spending the evening alone?” He smirked.

  “Yes.” I grinned.

  “Sounds boring, but to each his own. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He walked away, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I shoved the flyer into my purse and called it a day.

  After the market, I took my bags, two at a time, up the stairs and into the kitchen. Once I put away all the groceries, I cooked myself some dinner. Nothing fancy. Just a small homemade pizza and a salad. I took it over to the table and sat down, looking out the window at the palm trees that lightly swayed back and forth. I glanced at my purse, which was sitting on the chair next to me, and pulled out the flyer that Chase had given me. I typed in his address, 2715 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA, and discovered he only lived fifteen minutes from me. That was a little too close as far as I was concerned. Maybe attending his party would be a good thing. Mrs. Buckley always taught me to look for something positive in a negative. Chase Calloway was a negative, but the positive aspect of his party would be that I would get to know my co-workers and potentially make some new friends. Unlike the backstabbing bitch from back home, the one I grew up with and had known since I was six years old.

  As I was cleaning up the kitchen from dinner, there was a knock at the door, and when I opened it, Mrs. Graham was standing there with a plant.

  “Mrs. Graham. How are you?”

  “Hello, Kinsley, and please call me Delilah.”

  “Come on in.” I smiled.

  “This is for you, dear, a little housewarming gift.” She handed me the green plant.

  “Thank you. That was so sweet. Can I make you a cup of coffee or some tea?”

  “A cup of tea would be nice.” She smiled as she took a seat at the table. “What’s this?” She picked up the flyer.

  “Chase Calloway invited me to his beach party on Saturday.”

  “Oh, that was nice of your boss to do that.”

  “Not my boss. His son. He works there as well.” I grabbed two teabags from the cabinet. “He’s actually asked me out to dinner twice.”

  “And you haven’t gone?”

  “No.” I smiled as I poured hot water in two cups. “He’s not my type.”

  Next thing I knew, Delilah pulled out her phone and brought up a picture of him.

  “Oh my. He’d certainly be my type.” She winked.

  I set the cups on the table and took a seat.

  “Are you going to go Saturday?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. It would be a good opportunity to get to know some people from work.”

  “And it would be a good opportunity to get out and explore. Now back to Chase Calloway. Why won’t you have dinner with him again? And don’t tell me he’s not your type. This man is everyone’s type.”

  “I’m not
looking to go out with any guy right now or for a long time. Remember why I moved here. Plus, he’s a total Casanova. You should see how he flirts with all the women. It’s like they’re under a spell when he’s around. It’s nauseating.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Well, I can definitely see why.” She smiled. “Just go to the party and have some fun. You deserve it. You’re settled here now so there’s no reason not to.”

  “I’ll think about it.” I smirked.

  The next morning, after Mr. Calloway left for a meeting, I walked over to Lexi’s desk.

  “Morning, Lexi.” I smiled.

  “Good morning, Kinsley.”

  “Are you going to Chase’s beach party on Saturday?”

  “Yeah. His parties are always the best.” She grinned. “I hope you’re going to go.”

  “I don’t know. I’m still thinking about it.”

  “Well, you should. There’s going to be a bunch of us there.”

  “What a way to start the day.” Chase smiled as he stopped at Lexi’s desk. “Good morning, Kinsley.”

  “Good morning.”

  “Did you stop by to see me?” he asked with a smirk on his face.

  “No. I came to see Lexi.”

  Lexi snorted.

  “Oh. Well, it’s nice to see you’re making some friends here. Lexi, I need to go over a few things with you in my office when you’re finished.”

  “I need to get back to my desk anyway,” I spoke. “Lunch?” I asked her.

  “Sounds good.” She smiled.

  Chase

  “What do you need to go over with me?” Lexi asked as she stepped into my office.

  “What did you two talk about?” I responded as I leaned back in my chair.

  “Really, Chase?”

  “Yes. Get on with it.” I waved my hand.

  “She asked me if I was going to your party.”

  “Is she coming?”

  “She doesn’t know yet.”

  “Well then, it’s up to you to make sure she comes.” My brow arched.

  “I can’t force her to go, Chase.”

  “True. But you can certainly persuade her, darling. In fact, you can do it at lunch today.”

  She cocked her head at me. “What is it about her that has you all wound up?”

  “I don’t know,” I spoke with seriousness as I stared at her.

  Kinsley Davis was one hell of a sexy woman. I’ve been with a lot of beautiful women in my life, but there was something different about her that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I wasn’t the type of man to really get to know the women I slept with. I honestly could have cared less. I knew they would never amount to anything and that was the way I wanted it, so why bother getting to know them. But, from the moment I saw her, something inside me was pulled towards her. I couldn’t explain it even if I tried. Now I was counting on Lexi to make sure Kinsley attended my party. She needed to be there. I needed her to be there.

  Chapter 12

  Kinsley

  I opened my eyes and let out a big yawn before climbing out of bed and changing into my workout clothes. Over the past week, I made it my daily morning routine to run along the beach before starting my day. Now that I was living in California, I needed to make sure I stayed in shape.

  I made a cup of coffee, brushed my teeth, and put my hair up in a ponytail. After placing my Apple watch on my wrist, I grabbed my earbuds and my key, and headed out the door and across the street to the beach, where I would run at least three miles. As I was running and trying to concentrate on the music that was playing in my ears, the only thing I could think about was Chase’s party. I knew it would be fun, but at the same time, I was nervous, and I had no idea why.

  After my run, I hopped into the shower, put on my bikini, and then slipped into my short sundress. Grabbing my bag, I climbed into my car, punched Chase’s address into my phone, and headed to his house. My belly was fluttering with nerves and I had a subconscious suspicion it had something to do with Chase Calloway. His incessant flirting all week was getting to me. Don’t get me wrong, he seemed like a nice guy. A guy who was way too sexy to walk the face of the Earth. But again, I knew his type and he wasn’t mine. If I was into one-night stands or a casual fling now and again, I’d jump on that in an instant. Would it actually be so bad to try it? After all, I did come to Cali to reinvent myself, try new things and start fresh. I could ditch the old Kinsley Davis and have some fun for once in my life. This was California, not Berkshire, Indiana. Everyone and everything seemed so alive and the vibe was amazing.

  I pulled up to the curb down the street from his house since there was nowhere else to park and walked up to the front door, where I rang the doorbell, and a man in a black suit answered.

  “Good afternoon, are you here for the Calloway party?” he asked.

  “I am.” I smiled.

  “Please come in. Mr. Calloway is out on the beach with the other guests.”

  “Thank you.”

  I stood in the entryway and gasped at his beautiful home. White. Everything was white. From the walls to the furniture and the moldings that were complemented with a white-washed oak floor. As I was following the man in the black suit to the patio door, Lexi came from I wasn’t sure where.

  “Kinsley!” she exclaimed. “You’re here.”

  “Hi, Lexi.” I smiled brightly.

  “Come on, let’s go down to the beach.”

  She hooked her arm around mine and led me out the French double doors and to the sand, where people gathered all around, playing volleyball, sunbathing, surfing, and sitting at round tables talking with one another with drinks in their hands.

  “Well, hello there, Kinsley.” Chase smiled as he scanned me from head to toe. “You look lovely.”

  “Hi, Chase. Thanks.”

  “Thanks for coming. You won’t be sorry. I’ll catch the two of you later. I have to run into the house for something.” He smiled.

  Lexi walked me over to where she had three chairs set up and a large umbrella staked in the sand to provide some shade.

  “Can I get you something to drink? There’s every kind of liquor imaginable.”

  I looked over to my left and saw a bar set up with a bartender shaking cocktails.

  “Seriously? He set up a bar out here?” I asked.

  “He’s Chase Calloway. When he does something, he goes all out. How about a margarita? This guy makes the best watermelon ones.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “I’ll be right back.” She smiled.

  “I hope you’re having a good time,” I heard Chase’s voice approach me from behind.

  I tilted my head back as he stood over me with a wide grin across his face.

  “I’ve been here five minutes.” I smirked.

  “Right,” he spoke as he set down his surfboard and took a seat in the chair next to me. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Lexi’s getting it for me. Thanks.”

  “So tell me, Kinsley.” He leaned closer to me. “Have you ever been surfing?”

  “No. This is actually the first time I’ve been on a beach. Well, I mean, when I moved here.”

  “Seriously?” He chuckled. “Why is that and where are you from?”

  “I’m from Berkshire, Indiana and that’s where I’d been for the past twenty-four years.”

  “Sounds dreadfully boring.”

  “Oh. It is. Trust me.” I gave him a small smile.

  “Here’s your margarita,” Lexi spoke as she handed it to me. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Welcome to California. May you find the fun you seek.” Chase smiled as he held up his glass of scotch to me.

  “Thank you.” I gave a small smile as I brought my glass to his.

  “Surfs up, bro!” Steven yelled as he ran past us with a surfboard.

  “I’ll catch you later, sweetheart.” Chase grinned as he stood up, took off his shirt, grabbed his board, and ran down to the water.

  I gulped as I stare
d at his ripped body. His washboard abs, biceps that were the perfect size, and muscular back made my legs tighten. Lexi made it back and introduced me to a couple of friends of hers. While we all sat and talked, my eyes kept diverting to Chase on his surfboard.

  “Let’s go swimming!” Lexi spoke with excitement as she stood up and slipped out of her cover-up.

  Swimming in the ocean was something I’d always dreamed of, so I took off my sundress and followed Lexi and the other girls out to the water.

  Chapter 13

  Chase

  I was sitting on my surfboard when I saw Kinsley and the girls heading towards the water. Instantly, my cock started to rise as I stared at her in her bikini. Her hourglass figure was something to be desired as well as her perky C-cup breasts, which were scantly covered by her bikini top. The best part about her was that she was natural. Almost all the women I’d been with had breast implants, which I found nothing wrong with, but I preferred natural ones. And from what I could see, they were perfect. Once she was in the water, I paddled my surfboard towards her.

  “Get on.” I smiled.

  “Your surfboard?”

  “If you’d prefer to get on something else, I would be more than happy to accommodate you.” I smirked.

  “I bet you would.”

  “Come on. Get up here.”

  She glared at me for a moment and then climbed on my board facing me, and we sat there for a moment while the waves rocked us back and forth.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “It’s nice. I take it you surf often?”

  “I surf every day. Mostly in the mornings before I head into the office. It helps clear my head.”

  “I know what you mean. I run every morning before work on the beach across from my apartment.”

  “I definitely can tell,” I spoke.

  “Excuse me?” Her brow arched.

  “I mean, look at you. You’re in great shape. I can tell you take care of yourself. You’re sexy.” I winked.