by L. P. Dover
“Oh, hell, I know what that means. Enjoy, my darling. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Have fun today.” The elevator door opened and I rushed inside. Once in the lobby, I noticed Olivia, Sophia, and Allie at a table, finishing up their breakfast.
Olivia waved me over. “You missed breakfast.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I decided to sleep in this morning.” Sophia drank the last of her juice, grinning like she’d just won the lottery. Olivia and Allie snickered. “Am I missing something?”
Olivia beckoned me closer, so I knelt beside her. She looked like she was going to burst with whatever information she was holding. “Sophia slept with Lucas Montgomery last night,” she blurted.
Mouth gaping, I stared at her in shock. I didn’t know whether to pity Sophia or be pissed off. If I called her out, I’d expose my own messy association. Instead, I turned to her, regarding her curiously. “You slept with him, huh? How was it?”
She fanned herself. “Amazing. We’re keeping it a secret for now.” I’ll bet.
“You’re so lucky,” Allie said, dropping the rest of her bacon onto her plate. I could hear the disappointment in her tone and see the jealousy in her eyes. “Can you see if his brother will talk to me? He seems pretty cool.”
Sophia beamed. “I’ll see what I can do. I don’t know when we’re getting together again.”
A chuckle escaped my lips and she glared at me. There was too much craziness going on in that head of hers. “All right, I’m going to head out. I hope you ladies have fun shopping today.” I moved back, but Olivia stood and grabbed my wrist.
“You sure you don’t want to go with us?”
I shook my head. “I’m just going to play a little golf today. I need to work on my short game. Thanks for asking though.” I waved goodbye and walked out the back entrance of the hotel, straight toward the clubhouse. Up ahead, I could see Lucas with the golf cart, strapping up his clubs. Then my stomach dropped as someone else caught my attention.
“Don’t you look nice today,” Rhett called out as he drove up and stopped, grinning that thousand-watt smile of his.
“Thanks. So do you.” He was dressed in a navy golf shirt, white pants, and a white Nike hat to match. “What are you doing here?”
He nodded toward the course. “Thought I’d squeeze a round in. One of my college buddies came in from out of town. Figured I’d bring him here.” Smile wide, he shrugged. “And I figured it was also a good opportunity to run into you. You still haven’t given me an answer about the wedding.”
My gaze wandered over to Lucas who, judging by the look on this face, hated the fact I was talking to Rhett. He hopped in his cart and started toward us. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. For such a cocky man, it was pretty hot seeing jealousy darken his features.
“Actually, I’ve decided to go solo,” I replied, turning my attention back to him.
Rhett’s brows lifted. “Sure you won’t change your mind?”
I shook my head. “It’s for the best.”
“All right. You better save me a dance though.”
Lucas stopped his cart behind Rhett’s. “I will,” I said quickly, inching toward Lucas.
Rhett glanced back, shocked to see Lucas behind him. Lucas didn’t smile at him, which made me nervous. “Well, I’ll be damned.” Rhett slid out of his cart. “If it isn’t Lucas Montgomery.” He held out his hand to Lucas. “What brings you all the way to Myrtle Beach?”
Lucas shrugged. “Needed a vacation.” Then he focused on me. “Ready for your lessons, Dr. Locke?”
Rhett’s smile seemed to fall off his face. He addressed me. “You’re taking golf lessons?”
I nodded. “Lucas offered, so I thought I’d take him up on it. It’s not every day you have a professional teacher.”
Rhett snorted under his breath, clearly not impressed. Taking my wrist, he pulled me to the side. Lucas was about to follow, but I held up my hand.
“What are you doing?” I hissed low.
Rhett looked over my shoulder at Lucas. “Giving you a warning. It’s clear this guy just wants to get in your pants. It’s what the pros do. Don’t let these golf lessons fool you.”
The thought made me laugh out loud, and it took him back. He let my wrist go and I patted his shoulder. “No need to be worried,” I said, loud enough so Lucas could hear me. “He’s not getting anywhere near my pants. It’s just golf lessons.”
Lucas shook his head and smiled when Rhett glared at him. Sighing, he got back in his cart. “Be careful, Ashley. You don’t want to get caught up in whatever he’s offering.”
He was right, I didn’t, but I had a feeling it was too late. Every second I spent with Lucas, I fell deeper and deeper. Rhett circled around back to the clubhouse to pick up his friend. They sped off down the cart path to the first hole.
Lucas cleared his throat, grinning triumphantly, even though I could tell he hated me talking to Rhett. “Good morning again, sunshine. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded down the path toward Rhett. “What all did he want?”
I shrugged. “Nothing, really. Just asked if I’d made a decision about his offer to be my date at the wedding.”
His jaw clenched. “What did you say?”
“That I was going to go solo.”
Rolling closer, he came to a stop and breathed a sigh of relief. “What if I was your date? You know we’d have fun. Plus, I could meet your family all at one time.”
“And tell them what exactly?” I asked incredulously.
“That you’re mine.” Eyes twinkling, he bit his lip. “No, seriously though. You’ve got to stop being scared at some point. One way or another, our relationship is going to come out. Unless, you really hate me and you’re trying to be nice.”
That made me laugh. “I don’t hate you . . . well, at times I do, but it’s because you can be an ass.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I leaned against the cart. “Before we even go down that road, I just heard the craziest story. Figured you should know, since you were a part of it and all.”
“Uh-oh, what’d I do?” he asked with a chuckle.
I moved closer, leaning on the seat. I loved the smell of his freshly showered skin. “Apparently, you slept with Sophia last night. She said you were amazing.”
He burst out laughing and shook his head. “What the hell. Did you put her in her place?”
“No,” I huffed. “I should have, but it was more fun this way.”
Lucas patted the seat beside him. “Maybe one day, you’ll stop being embarrassed of me.”
I slid in and he started toward the parking lot so I could get my clubs out of my car. “It doesn’t bother you that women lie about having sex with you?”
“It’s just words.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t mean anything.” We parked beside my car and I opened my trunk. “However,” he stated, grabbing my clubs, “it becomes a big deal when something like that is said and I’m not with you to prove my innocence.”
The thought had crossed my mind, and it was something I dreaded. In the event I gave him a chance, how could I ever trust him?
Once he had my clubs strapped beside his, he turned to me, voice serious. “Are you going to ever be able to trust me, Ashley? I can tell you now, I want this to work. But in order for a relationship to succeed, there needs to be trust.”
Sighing, I met his gaze and shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, I want to trust you, but I don’t know how to with women falling all over you all the time. There’s just too much temptation. And we all know what happens in the pro circuit. Cheating is like a hobby.”
Disappointment flashed in his gray eyes. “What if you came with me? I’m cutting back to just five tournaments a year. Surely, you’d be able to travel, with your brother running the practice and your dad filling in for you. They might actually like me and approve of it.”
A laugh escaped my lips. “Maybe. I know my dad would. My brother’s a little protec
tive though. He might be harder to win over.”
His grin broadened. “At least, you didn’t say no. That gives me hope.” He looked around, then stole a kiss before I could object. “Come on. We’ve got a game to play.”
Chapter Fifteen
Lucas
“What all do you have planned for our date tonight?” Ashley asked, grabbing her driver out of her bag.
I smiled. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t require you to be out in public.” I walked with her up to the tee box.
“What do Aiden and Noah say about you spending so much time with me?”
“If they’re smart, not a damn thing. Noah’s been busy with Harper and my brother’s been doing his own thing. He’s been eyeing the dark-haired one. What’s her name . . . Allie?”
She teed up her ball. “Yeah, I’ve noticed her staring at him too. She’s not as bad as Sophia, but they’re two peas in a pod. He might not want to hitch his cart onto that wagon.”
“I can understand that.” The moment Sophia had first opened her mouth, I could tell she was a gold digger. And to top it off, she had crazy eyes. There was no way in hell I’d ever let Sophia anywhere near my bed—whether Ashley was in my life or not.
Ashley lined her foot up with her ball. “Do I look okay?”
Coming up behind her, I placed my hands on her hips. Her intake of air was slight, but I heard it. It gave me hope. And through the rest of the day, I found reasons to touch her, only for her to pull back when someone was around. It drove me fucking crazy. The one woman I wanted more than anything was the one woman who refused to give in.
On the sixth hole, she was teeing up and I leaned in close enough to make her shiver. “You look great. Just spread your legs a little more.”
Snickering, she jabbed her elbow into my side. “Of course, you’d say something like that. Next, you’re going to want me to wash your balls.”
I shrugged. “Hey, if you want to, I won’t complain. I think there’s a ball washing station on the next hole.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can handle your own balls. I’m not getting anywhere near them.” She swung and hit the hell out of the ball. It soared into the sky and landed right in the middle of the fairway, only a few yards behind mine.
“Very nice,” I applauded her.
Hopping in the cart, we drove down the path. She took a swig from her water bottle and looked over. “How did it feel when you won the U.S. Open last year? That had to be one of the highlights of your career, right?”
“It was.” I still remembered the moment I sunk the last putt, putting me in first. Pulling the cart onto the fairway, I stopped at her ball. “It was the most amazing time of my life. My dad had won it too, many years ago.”
“How is it having him for a manager?”
I shrugged. “It’s not bad. He wasn’t too happy about my spontaneous trip to Myrtle Beach, I’ll tell you that much.” He chuckled. “But in the end, he understood I needed the time. Which was better than I’d expected. I thought he’d be livid and demand I come back.”
She placed a hand on my arm. “First and foremost, he’s your father. He’s got to be so proud of his son for following in his footsteps.”
“He is,” I agreed.
“What about Aiden? Did your father not want him to play?”
“Of course he did, but Aiden loves the calculations of the sport. He’s a genius at it. You wouldn’t believe how many pros have wanted him to be their caddy.”
Ashley laughed and it was the sexiest sound I’d ever heard. “Bet you don’t like that.”
I shrugged. “At the end of the day, it’s his choice. If he wants to team up with someone else, I’m not going to stop him. He’s my brother and I’ll love him no matter what he decides.”
She studied my face and her look softened. It was the first time I’d ever felt her admiration. “I like that, Lucas. I really do.” She hopped out of the cart and grabbed her club. It felt like I was finally getting somewhere with her.
“Thank you for the lessons today.”
I loaded her clubs back into the trunk of her car. “You’re welcome.”
She looked at her watch. “I should probably go. My massage is in twenty minutes.” Then she looked up at me. “What time is our date tonight?”
Grinning slyly, I shut her trunk. “As soon as your massage is over, come to my room and we’ll go from there.”
Gaze narrowing, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Why can’t you tell me what we’re doing?”
I winked. “It’s a surprise.” We got back in the cart and I drove her up to the hotel. “Have fun at your massage. I’m going to return the cart and wait for you in my room.”
She stared at me curiously, knowing damn well there was something up my sleeve. There was no way I could ever pull anything over on her; she was too smart. I waved at her and then floored it to the clubhouse to return the cart. I had to hurry.
Aiden was in the lobby when I rushed in. “Hey, man,” he called out.
I stopped mid-step and slapped his shoulder. His hair was all gelled and he looked nice in a blue button down and black slacks. “Where are you off to today?”
He nodded toward the elevators. “My date’s about to get off those elevators. I met her last night in the bar. Figured we’d go out to a nice dinner and then come back for some fun time.”
“Sounds good to me. Ashley still won’t let me anywhere near her.”
Aiden chuckled. “Looks like you’re going to lose that bet.”
I shrugged. “Honestly, I haven’t even thought about it. I don’t care about the bet anymore.”
He opened his hand. “Then go ahead and give me the money.”
I slapped it away. “You’re such a dick. If you were a good brother, you’d forget all about it.”
“Fuck that noise. You made a bet, and you’re losing. Might as well go ahead and pay up.”
“Fine. I’ll transfer it to your account tonight.” Glancing down at my watch, I noticed I was running out of time. “I have to go.” I took off for the spa as fast as I could without drawing attention. When I walked inside, the lady at the front desk froze, her mouth gaping. She looked to be in her late forties with short, brown hair, and dark spots from too much sun.
“Mr. Montgomery,” she said excitedly. “How can I help you today?”
Focusing on her name tag, I gave her a million-watt smile. “Hello, Jemma. Can you please take me to Fernando?”
She nodded toward the back. “Of course. Follow me.”
The lights dimmed the further down the hall we went, and classical music echoed from every corner. She stopped at a room where a tall, tanned figured was grabbing a handful of towels. He had more muscles than me and looked like a fucking Greek god. No way in hell I was letting him touch Ashley.
Jemma cleared her throat. “Fernando, you have someone who wants to see you,” she said in a sing-song voice. Waggling her brows, she looked between the two of us, then walked away, leaving me wondering what the hell that was all about.
Fernando turned his head and gasped. “Well, butter my biscuit. You are so much hotter in person. What can I do for you?” He sounded more feminine than any female I knew.
“Uh, I was hoping I could pay you to do something for me.” After the words fell out of my mouth, I realized how it sounded.
Fernando swayed closer. “Oh, honey, I can do whatever you want. You don’t have to pay me, I’d be honored. You’d be surprised how many people seek out my services.”
That was why Jemma had waggled her brows the way she did. Fernando wasn’t going to get off touching Ashley, but me on the other hand . . . I held up my hands. “I’m not here for that.”
Fernando’s smile faded and he looked confused. “What exactly do you need me for?”
I pulled out a couple hundred-dollar bills. “You have a woman waiting for a massage right now. I need you to let me in there, so I can do it myself.”
“Please tell me you know this woman. I don’t want to
get fired.”
“You won’t,” I promised him. “Ashley’s with me.”
His eyes flashed with understanding. “I see, I see. You don’t want another man touching her.” He nodded in approval. “I like that. Very sexy.” Handing me the towels, he started for the door. “Come with me.” I followed him to another door and he looked around quickly. “She’s in this room. She’ll be on her stomach, so she won’t see your face. All you’ll need, as far as oils are concerned, are lined up on the counter.”
I held out my hand. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. If you know of any single, sexy men, send them my way.”
“Will do.”
He took off down the hall, and I slowly opened the door. The music was soft and subtle and the lights were dimmed. Ashley was hidden behind a curtain, but I could see her feet hanging off the edge of the table. The closer I got, the more I could see of her body. Her skin was perfect, like smooth silk. The only thing covering her was a small towel around her butt and waist.
Heart racing, I picked up one of the oils on the counter and read it. Chamomile. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I’d never actually massaged anyone before; I was usually on the receiving end. The oil warmed as I rubbed it between my hands. Ever so slowly, I massaged her shoulders, kneading the tense areas between her shoulder blades.
Never in my life had I craved a woman the way I did Ashley. Maybe it was her bold personality and blatant loathing of my existence that fascinated me. Or maybe it was the fact she’d slept with me before she knew who I was. Maybe, it was a little of both.
Then again, it was so much more than all that. She was smart and independent. She didn’t need a man like me. In fact, I couldn’t see her with any man other than me—a man she hardly knew. But I was more than willing to let her in.
I worked my fingers into her lower back, thighs, calves, and arms. She moaned, which only made my dick strain even harder against my pants. The woman was going to kill me.
Taking a deep breath, I leaned down, gently kissing the back of her neck.
