Sweet Surrender

by Jill Sanders

  They stepped onto the docks over an hour later, loaded down with a bag of muffins and coffee from the local bakery. He was going to be only a few minutes late and had already called ahead to the resort to let them know.

  Stopping beside his boat, he was jerked to a stop when Bella tugged on his arm. He glanced back at her in question.

  “This is yours?” She frowned at his sailboat.

  He chuckled. “Yes, I thought you knew.” He shrugged. “It’s the reason your brother and his friends always include me. I’m the only one with a boat big enough to accommodate all of us.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me the other day that this was yours?” she asked as he helped her step onto the deck.

  “The Dame and I go back a few years.” He chuckled. “She was my first buy when I got a full-time job. Well, after the house.” He shrugged. “But she was the most important.” He unhooked them from his slip at the dock. “Actually, your brother pays for my slip.” He nodded towards the spot as he turned on the motor, after making sure she was sitting down next to him. “In exchange for the freedom to take her out whenever he wants.” He leaned closer to her and added. “I would let him for a case a beer a month, but…” He shrugged. “Ben insists.”

  “Now I feel… bad. You know, getting sick.” She motioned to the cabin below them.

  “You’re not going to be sick now, are you?” He frowned down at her.

  “No, I think it was just a one-time deal. There was a lot of stress…” She sighed and took another sip of her coffee.

  He nodded in agreement. “Do you feel well enough to eat?” he asked as they started out of the dock area. Missing the morning ferry had a few perks, such as being able to be alone with her for breakfast.

  “I hope so. I’m starved.” She laughed over at him.

  “Good.” He turned the motor off and moved over towards her.

  “Can you just leave us floating like this?” she asked as she glanced around, a worried look on her face.

  He chuckled. “Do you see any other boats?”

  She shook her head no. “But aren’t there some sort of… routes or rules you have to follow?”

  “Like a flight plan?” He chuckled and pulled out a bottle of orange juice and handed it to her.

  Bella shrugged. “Okay, so I guess boating isn’t as regulated as driving or flying.”

  “Other than a handful of rules, like those in a no-wake zone, it’s pretty much an open field out here.” He bit into his muffin.

  She relaxed back and for the next few minutes they enjoyed their breakfast as the sun continued to rise and heat them.

  “You have a big party today?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said, finishing off the muffin and swallowing the last of his juice. “I’m going to be busy for the next few days. Until after the wedding Saturday morning.”

  “I ran into the groom-to-be after I left your office yesterday,” Bella said after he started the motor again. She’d moved to stand beside him. When she swayed and almost toppled over, he reached around and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her between him and the massive wheel.

  He felt her sigh against him.

  “And?” he asked, enjoying her softness against him.

  “I agree with your assessment. I can’t see why the bride doesn’t see through his fake charm. He was standing in the door to his room, berating the waiter who had brought up his dinner.”

  “Which one?” He frowned.

  Bella thought about it. “Ed?” She tilted her head. “I think that was his name.”

  “Eddie.” He nodded. “Is there anything I should know in particular? What did Eddie do to instigate it?”

  She turned to look over her shoulder at him. “I don’t think he did anything.” Cal slowed down as they pulled into the dock at the resort. “Whatever he did, I doubt it deserved the reaming he got.”

  “Right.” He shifted. “Wanna help me tie this off?”

  She bit her bottom lip in question. “What do I have to do?”

  He smiled. “Toss a rope.”

  She laughed. “Then I’m game.”

  For the next few minutes, he instructed her on how to help until his boat sat secured in one of the slips. He couldn’t count how many times he’d boated to work over the last few years. Once, when JT had taken the ferry in for a new paint job, he’d used it to shuttle most of the employees to work for an entire week.

  He pulled Bella to a stop at the end of the dock, figuring they should say their goodbyes in private.

  “I don’t know when I’ll have time to see you today.” He brushed a strand of her dark hair away from her face, wishing they could spend the entire day together.

  “That’s okay.” She smiled. “I have a few things I wanted to do.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed him.

  “If you need anything,” he said when she moved back.

  “I’ll find you.” She smiled up at him and he felt his heart skip at the look she was giving him.

  Taking her hand, he walked with her to the main building and, just before stepping into the clearing, he dropped his hand, knowing that their relationship should remain private as much as possible.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Bella was floating as she made her way up the stairs. She’d never had a night as wonderful as last night with Calvin.

  How was she supposed to focus on anything when her body was still vibrating from what they’d done to each other? What Calvin had done to her.

  Her mind was so busy replaying last night that when she stepped into her rooms, the scene didn’t register at first. She had to blink a few times before the mess finally sunk in. She stepped back out of the door. She came to a stop when she bumped into a young maid pushing a cart.

  “Is everything all right, miss?” the girl said smoothly in a southern accent.

  “My… room.” She shook her head. “Someone broke into it.” She motioned towards the door.

  The maid frowned at her, but then stepped past her and gasped as she looked inside. “Are you all right miss?”

  Bella nodded. “I… just got back.”

  “I’ll call the manager,” the woman said, touching her arm. “Why don’t you come over here and have a seat. You’re very pale.”

  Bella allowed the woman to drag her to a settee underneath a wide window.

  She didn’t know how long it took Calvin to get there, only that it seemed like he was there in a blink of an eye. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, concern flooding his eyes.

  She nodded. “Someone broke into my rooms. They… destroyed everything.” She felt her eyes start to burn.

  She wasn’t so concerned about the things she’d seen broken or thrown around the space, but for the intrusion into her privacy. Then she froze at remembering several of the threats she’d received. Did this have anything to do with Michael? Would he send someone out here to scare her? Could he stoop this low?

  She realized Calvin had been talking to her and cleared her thoughts so she could hear him finish.

  “…stay here.” He started to stand up.

  “Wait.” She took his hands, holding him still. “What if they’re still in there?”

  “I think we’re safe.” He smiled at her. “I’ll be right back.” He squeezed her hand lightly, then stood and nodded to the maid. “Linda’s going to stay with you.”

  Bella glanced over to the maid, who moved over and sat next to her. Then she turned and watched Calvin disappear into her rooms. She held her breath, trying to listen down the hallway for any signs of a struggle.

  It seemed to take forever and when he finally stepped out again, she relaxed. “I’ve called the police,” he said, avoiding her eyes as he motioned for Linda. “Let’s try to keep everyone clear of this floor until the police are done. Then we’ll need everyone up here to help clean the mess.” He sighed and Bella noticed a frustrated look in his eyes. “We’ll need a few things replaced in there b
efore we let anyone stay in those rooms again.”

  Bella swallowed at the memory of the destruction she’d seen.

  “Hey, why don’t you let me take you on down to the dining hall? You can sit and have a cup of coffee and some of Adam’s coffee bread while we wait for the police to arrive.”

  She took several deep breaths. “Did they destroy any of my things?” Before he opened his mouth to say anything, she knew the answer. “How bad?”

  He sighed. “Your clothes are destroyed… well, most of them.” He had an odd look, but then he shook his head. “I’m afraid your iPad and laptop are toast.”

  She closed her eyes and groaned.

  “Come on.” He pulled her up into his arms. “Linda, I’m walking her downstairs. Make sure everyone steers clear of this floor until I get back.”

  Linda nodded as Calvin led her towards the stairs.

  “Cal, was there anything else?” she asked, biting her lip. If this was a simple break-in, they would have stolen her things instead of destroying them.

  He stopped on the landing and looked down at her. Again, she could see that he wanted to tell her something.

  “Someone used your lipstick to write a message on the wall.” He was running his hands up and down her arms, warming her. Suddenly, she realized she was freezing.

  “What did it say?” she asked. When he opened his mouth, she could tell he was going to make an excuse not to tell her, so she gave him a look that said, don’t even try to hide it from me. It must have done the trick because he sighed and then answered.

  “You’ll never hide from me,” he said in a deep voice laced with anger. “Do you think this was Himes?”

  The words had her vibrating with fear, and she shivered. Calvin pulled her into a hug. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on Calvin’s shoulder.

  “I don’t know,” she said finally with a sigh. “I’m not sure of anything right now.”

  Could Michael be so out of control? After all, he hadn’t really shown that much interest in her. Sure, he’d acted like they’d been seeing one another a lot longer than they had. As if they were romantically involved beyond the three casual dates.

  She had done some research, and she understood that most stalkers didn’t need encouragement to go off the deep end. If Michael was behind all this, then those three dates were all it took in his mind to warrant the crazy.

  She had a growing ache that spread throughout her entire body and knew that it was the weariness of the last few months seeping in.

  “Come on.” He pulled her up to her feet, his arms still wrapped around her. “Let’s head down and get you something warm to drink.”

  She followed him down the stairs. Actually, she allowed him to drag her down there since she wasn’t really feeling in control of anything anymore.

  He set her in a booth in the back corner, away from the large wedding group that filled the main part of the dining room.

  A cup was shoved in her hands and only after she’d taken a sip did she realize that it was hot chocolate instead of coffee. The sweetness was welcomed. A plate of coffee cake was set in front of her just as Calvin disappeared back up the stairs. She nibbled on it. It was wonderful, so she focused on eating instead of the quick glimpse that she’d had of her rooms.

  When Calvin returned, her mug and plate were empty, and she was on her phone with her agent. The sugar had allowed her fears to dissipate, which made room for her anger to bubble.

  “I don’t care how it will look. I want a restraining order filed by the end of the day.” She glanced up as Calvin sat across from her, his eyes narrowing at her words.

  “I doubt it’s going to do anything, really,” Maggie was saying in her ear, “but I thought we should do it after you started receiving those emails.”

  Bella sighed and avoided Calvin’s eyes as she looked out over the green lawn. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky today. The rains had turned everything super clean outside, and Bella could just imagine how the soft breeze smelled of saltwater and grass.

  “Well, we’re doing it now. I think I’m ready for that interview.”

  “Really?” Maggie’s voice spiked slightly. “Do you think you’re in the right state of mind?”

  “Who cares.” She shifted her phone to her other ear. “I’m the victim here, and it’s about time the public knew it. The man is powerful in Hollywood, and I won’t be pushed around and afraid for the rest of my life.”

  “I’ll set it all up,” Maggie confirmed. “I’m really sorry about your things. Will you be returning to California soon then?”

  Bella’s eyes moved over to Calvin, and she thought about jumping on a plane to LA and frowned. “No,” she answered quickly. “Not yet.”

  “Are you sure? It’s obvious his reach is wide. It’s not like you’re any safer there than here.”

  “I am.” She smiled at Cal, who smiled back. She could tell he couldn’t hear what Maggie was saying. “I’ll call you later tonight when I know where I’ll be.”

  “You’ll be at my place,” Calvin broke in.

  “Was that your brother?” Maggie asked.

  “No,” she said into the phone. “I’ll… text you the address where I’m staying,” she said before hanging up.

  “No?” Calvin asked, tilting his head slightly.

  “That no was for Maggie, not for you.” She played with her napkin. “I don’t want to be a burden on you.”

  He chuckled. “You’re not.” His hand closed over hers. “I promised your brother I’d watch out for you.”

  She felt her heart sink a little at the thought that she was just a promise between friends.

  “Besides,” he added with a smile, “I like having you in my bed.”

  She smiled and relaxed slightly, then glanced towards the stairs. “My things?”

  “I’m having what few clothes of yours survived cleaned and packed up for you. They should be ready for us later.” He glanced around. “If you want, I can get you another room for a few hours.”

  She shook her head, not enjoying the thought of being alone in a hotel room for a few hours, even though she was feeling a little tired after the rush of the emotions.

  “My office has a sofa,” he suggested.

  “That sounds nice.” Then she asked the dreaded question. “Did my guitar survive?”

  He shook his head slightly and slid out of the booth to pull her up into his arms. “No, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” She sighed into his arms.

  “Come on.” He stepped back. “I’ll take you up to my office. You can rest.”

  Three hours later, Calvin woke her from the nap she hadn’t believed she would take. He’d left her sitting in his office and, at first, she’d walked around the space, trying to come up with her next move. Then she’d sat down and closed her eyes for just a moment, since her head was throbbing.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said, sitting beside her on the sofa.

  “It’s okay.” She stretched her arms over her head and rolled her shoulders. Before she could say anything else, he pulled her close and kissed her, making her wish that they could spend a few hours napping together.

  “I’ve got our lunch planned, if you feel like stepping out and enjoying some sunshine,” he suggested.

  She thought about it and nodded. “That sounds wonderful.”

  She was surprised when he led her down one of the pathways towards the small beach area. There, on the pebbled shore, lay a large green blanket with a picnic lunch ready for them. She assumed the food was still tucked in the basket sitting off to the side. There was even a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket.

  “Wow.” She glanced around. “You did all this? What if someone else had come along first?”

  He chuckled and helped her sit down. “Then we’d eat up in the dining room instead.” He sat down and opened the wine. He poured her a glass and handed it to her. Then he opened the basket and started laying out the food.

 
; “It’s one of the services we offer.” He motioned towards the picnic. “I didn’t do anything except put in the order,” he admitted with a smile.

  “You poured the wine,” she pointed out.

  He laughed. “I did.” He handed her a container filled with lemon herb chicken.

  “I’ve never had a picnic on the beach before,” she admitted after her plate was full.

  “You haven’t?” He tilted his head. “I guess this is my first time too. I’ve brought many lunches out here for some quiet time, but I don’t think that counts.”

  She shook her head and agreed. “No, it doesn’t.”

  “To firsts… together.” He held up his glass of soda and she tipped her glass of wine against it.

  She was thankful that Calvin went out of his way to make the lunch conversation light and fun. She laughed and flirted with him while enjoying the sun and the fresh sea air.

  When he glanced down at his phone after it chimed, he frowned over at her. “And that’s my lunch break.”

  She sighed, not wanting to leave the warmth of the beach.

  “Feel free to stick around.” He motioned to the now crowded beach. There were more than a dozen people lounging around or swimming in the water. A few others had picnics like theirs.

  “I think I will. At least for a while.” She sighed and relaxed back, wishing for her own swimsuit. Then she glanced sideways at him. “Did my swimsuit survive?”

  He shrugged as he dusted off his work slacks. “I didn’t really take stock.”

  She nodded. “If not, Serenity’s has some really cute ones I saw in there the other day.”

  He chuckled and then bent down to kiss her. “I’ll come find you after the party. It starts in an hour.”

  She held him down and kissed him again. “I may just nap here now,” she admitted.

  He chuckled. “You are on vacation.”

  “Right,” she admitted as he pulled away.

  “If you need me.” He wiggled his phone.

  “Thanks, for the lunch and… for everything,” she said. He nodded and she watched him disappear back down the pathway.