“In two days.”
She arched a brow and shot him an accusing look. “I thought you said you were in town for a little while?”
Clayton grinned, feeling suddenly very much like his old charming self again. “I was planning on it but now I don’t have to be. I’ll arrange everything. Can you be ready?”
Charlene nodded, her features tightening though it was hard to decide whether it was from anxiety or anticipation.
Two days. He had two days to prepare for Charlene’s arrival. He wondered how many days it would take her to change her mind about keeping him at bay. Clayton almost hoped she remained steadfast in her resolution. Charlene Penticton was the only woman on earth who had ever shaken him. She was the only woman on earth who could never be his.
Chapter 4
Traveling in Style
When a shiny black limousine pulled up in front of the house, Charlene wondered what they could possibly want with her. Then she realized, with a start, that this was the car Clayton had said he would send for her.
A limo? Her mouth opened in shock. She stepped back, letting the drapes fall back into place before picking up her small suitcase by the handle and heading for the door.
Charlene stepped outside onto the small porch. She turned and slid her key into the deadbolt, satisfied at the sound of it sliding into place. She paused, her hand on the doorknob.
Was she insane? She’d asked herself that no less than a million times during the past few days. She shouldn’t be going to Clayton’s house in Santa Cruz. Not only was it half way across the country, he was paying her expenses. It was shameful for someone who had always prided herself on her independence and capability to see to her own needs. She felt the heady need of indebtedness though she knew Clayton expected nothing in return.
Was it just because she longed to make amends for what happened that she agreed to go? Her stupid teenage crush had parted two life-long friends. No, she knew it was more than that. She only felt that she owed Clayton something because she wanted to feel that way.
The night after her father’s funeral, Charlene had been unable to sleep. She was lonely and filled with grief but she was unable to sleep for the fact that she kept wondering what on earth she had agreed to. Half of her wanted to go and half of her knew she shouldn’t. She had made Clayton promise that he would act like a gentleman but what happened when she lost her senses and begged him not to?
What had once been a crush had grown into something so much deeper over the years. She’d thought she was safe, inserting Clayton into her most secret fantasies. She never imagined that she’d see him again. When she’d found out he was married, her hopes had sunk irrationally. It was the only bit of news about Clayton her father had ever shared with her.
Regretting fully her impulsive decision to give in to years of longing, Charlene tried to back out of the trip but Clayton had called her early the morning after she’d seen him to confirm he’d made her travel plans. He said he would send a car and that there was a plane ticket waiting for her at the airport.
How had he arranged everything so soon?
Noticing her on the step, the limo driver got out and walked quickly up the sidewalk edging the driveway to help her with her tiny suitcase. Though she easily could have handled it herself, Charlene turned it over. Up close she could see that the man was much older than she’d first thought. His hair was gray under his cap and his face was lined with wrinkles. He was almost a full head shorter than her and his eyes were kind. A myriad of laugh lines crinkled the corners.
She was unsure what to do next so she followed the silent driver. He put the bag in the car’s trunk then went around to the side and held the door open for her.
“It should only be a twenty minute drive to the airport ma’am.” The driver touched the brim of his hat and Charlene nodded, sliding into the backseat. He closed the door behind her. She was relieved the black glass partition between them was up. That way maybe the driver couldn’t see how flustered, inexperienced and confused she was.
If Clayton wanted to impress her he’d certainly succeeded.
The surprises only kept coming. At the airport, the driver steered the limo right in through a secured area and onto the tarmac.
“What the hell?” Charlene stared out the window, expecting to see a flock of security personal come rushing at them any second. No one came. The whole place looked deserted.
Her door opened and the driver eyed her curiously. “The jet ma’am. It’s right there. I’ll get your bag and you can board as soon as you wish.”
“What jet?” Charlene hated the lostness in her own voice. She inched backwards, closer to the car than the open door.
“Mr. Ellison instructed me to see you to the private jet. I thought he would have informed you.”
Charlene pasted a smile onto her face. “I’m sure it was just a surprise.” She finally climbed out of the car and stood waiting while the driver got her bag. Once he did she followed him over to the large plane clearly waiting for her.
What the hell? How could Clayton afford this? Why did he have a private jet at his disposal? She wanted to ask the driver her questions and get some answers but she didn’t dare. She didn’t want to seem any more ridiculous than he probably thought she was already.
“The stairs are over there. Feel free to enter and find whatever seat is best. The pilot is already waiting inside and there is a stewardess to assist you with any needs you might have.” The driver touched the brim of his hat again. “Enjoy your trip to San Jose. There will be a car waiting to take you to your destination after you arrive. Have a safe flight.”
“Thank you,” Charlene said woodenly but meaning what she said. The man nodded. She wished she had something to give him for a tip but she figured the five dollar bill in her purse would be more insulting than anything.
Turning, she faced the giant plane. Holy shit. This was really for her. She was really going to get on that thing and fly half way across the country to meet a man she obviously knew nothing about. Her sixteen year old self would have leapt for joy and applauded her good luck and bravery. Her older self, the woman who had seen her father grow sicker and die was far more cautious.
As she climbed the steps to the plane’s entrance, Charlene wondered what other secrets of Clayton’s she’d discover.
Chapter 5
Entering a New World
Charlene’s eyes widened when the car that had taken her from the San Jose airport to Santa Cruz pulled up at what could only be Clayton’s house. She gasped when she’d first set eyes on the sprawling mansion with the private beachfront. The house had that ultramodern design that she wasn’t quite sure if she’d ever been a fan of but she had to admit it was impressive. It was done all in white and looked like five squares of varying height all joined together.
There was a pool in the back even though it was right on the ocean. Charlene couldn’t see it but she was willing to bet money that it was there. A three tier fountain with an angel on top spouted water in the front yard. The grass that ran past the driveway and into the front yard was lush and green and immaculately cared for. Perfectly trimmed shrubs bracketed the house and lined the walkway.
The driver, a younger man who always kept his eyes focused on her face as though awaiting instruction, came to open her door for her. Charlene was ready. She purposely didn’t look around her like a lost puppy. As she walked up the long driveway towards the front door, the driver right behind her, wheeling her small bag. She couldn’t help but pause for a second and stare out past the house to the endless blue expanse of ocean.
The beach was beautiful. It wasn’t the white sand variety but it didn’t need to be in order to be breathtaking. She could imagine putting on her bikini in the heat of the day, rushing across the hot sand and diving into the cool ocean waters.
Her thoughts helped distract her until the driver reached past her and knocked gently on the ornate front door. It was wood and rose likely eight feet tall. Glass partitio
ns stood out beside the door but it was impossible to see into them as the glass was fogged for privacy.
The door opened and Charlene almost expected a butler but it was Clayton. He smiled when he saw her and it transformed his face from serious and hard into one that looked at least twenty years younger. He was dressed much more casually than the last time she’d seen him. He was wearing dark wash jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt that outlined his muscular chest and arms. Unbelievably enough his feet were bare, as though he’d just come from the beach or outside.
Good lord, Clayton was likely in better shape than she was. Was it any wonder that the sixteen year old version of herself had been madly in love with him?
What about the twenty-six year old version?
Charlene swallowed hard. Clayton thanked the driver and the man turned, doffed his hat and left. She was alone, on Clayton’s doorstep, wondering for the millionth time if it was crazy that she had agreed to come.
“Charlene,” Clayton finally said, breaking the awkward silence. “Come in. Please.”
“Thank you.” She stepped through the entrance and couldn’t help but emit a strange, strangled, impressed sound when she looked around. “This is amazing,” she finally said, because she had to say something.
Clayton’s face remained impassive. If he was pleased that she liked his house, he didn’t say so. She had a thousand questions but she kept them to herself.
“I can show you where your room will be. You could put your bag in there and then you could tell me what you want to do.”
“No itineraries?” Charlene joked. Clayton had the kind of house that told her he was a scheduled type of person. She tried hard to keep her eyes away from him but they kept straying back.
As impressive as the house was with its massive staircase made of wood planks and glass railings, the huge, spacious living rooms with the hardwood floors, and the even more impressive kitchen… it couldn’t hold a candle next to Clayton himself. How the hell was he so fit?
She knew he was divorced. She’d been devastated to learn about his marriage though she was careful to hide her sorrow. When she found out through mutual friends that he was getting a divorce, ironically enough she’d been sad. She didn’t like to hear of broken marriages or people getting hurt.
“No itineraries,” Clayton confirmed, grinning to reveal perfectly straight, white teeth. Charlene starred when she noticed that the front two were no longer slightly crooked. How could she have missed that when she’d first seen him again? Did she even know Clayton at all anymore? “I thought you might like to see the beach though. The tide goes out right away and there’s a little cave just around the corner that we could go to. It’s pretty neat if you’ve never been inside of one.”
“That would be fun.” Charlene cursed herself for sounding like an overwhelmed child but if Clayton noticed he didn’t pay any attention.
His dark eyes never strayed from her face and finally he turned and she followed him up that impressive staircase to her room. He dropped her bag on the king sized bed. The room itself was sparsely but expensively furnished.
The king sized bed had black velvet upholstered headboard and foot board. There was an overstuffed chair off to the side and a huge, carved armor off to the other side. Beyond that was a huge desk with an ornate chair perched in front of it.
“There’s a bathroom over here,” Clayton said. He walked over and Charlene noticed the door. She was surprised that it slid into the wall instead of opening in or out.
She quickly walked over to take a look inside. The bathroom was massive, likely larger than her living room at home and had a glass shower, huge jet tub and a double vanity.
“Jeez, if your guest bedroom looks like this I can only imagine what your bedroom looks like,” Charlene said. She immediately regretted her words and felt a hot blush settle on her face.
Clayton laughed but his dark eyes held something deep and undefined and Charlene had to look away. “It might look pretty much the same, just larger.” Clayton assured her with his light tone. “If you want to change I can meet you downstairs.”
“Sure,” Charlene whispered. As soon as Clayton left she flopped down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. “Oh my god,” she whispered. “This cannot be real.”
When she opened her eyes everything was still there. Clayton really did own a mansion and she really was there. She closed her eyes again and imagined Clayton in beach attire which included no shirt and a whole lot of muscular, bare chest. Her entire body tensed painfully at imagining him, half naked, in that cave with her.
“Get a grip Charlene,” she told herself angrily, sliding off the bed. She unzipped her suitcase much more forcefully than was necessary and hunted around until she found the plain black bikini she’d brought. Seeing Clayton’s house she wished she’d had something fancier. A four hundred dollar swim suit instead of a twenty dollar one.
Charlene slipped out of her maxi dress and into the bikini. She walked into the bathroom, the white marble floors cool on the undersides of her feet, and studied herself in the massive mirror.
Not bad. Though she hadn’t had time to do anything but yoga in the past few months and even then, just to relieve stress, Charlene was still quite fit. Perhaps never having time to eat a proper meal helped.
She inspected herself from the side, feeling ridiculous. Her breasts had never been on the large side but they looked good in the bikini top. Her stomach was flat, her hips gently tapered and her legs long and shapely.
What would Clayton think when he saw her in a bikini?
Frowning, Charlene pushed that thought out of her mind. God, he probably wouldn’t even notice. He had never given her any sign that he returned her feelings. When she’d been sixteen he saw her as a daughter. Why should he think of her any differently now?
Charlene’s determination to stop thinking about Clayton faltered the second she saw him downstairs. If he’d looked good in clothes he looked phenomenal without them. She’d been right about him having the body of a man twenty years younger.
His powerful shoulders were broad and well-muscled. His abdomen was chiseled and he definitely had a defined six pack. His skin was bronzed from hours spent in the sun. His shorts ended just below his knees and the rest of his exposed leg was thick with corded muscle.
Charlene could hardly tear her eyes off of his body but forced herself to look only at his face. Which was in itself a pleasure. She’d always had a thing for older men. To her, men just got better with age. Clayton’s dark hair was cut short on the sides and left longer on the top. There were streaks of gray at the temples but his hair was cut so short it was hard to see it there. Not that she would have minded. A strong brow, which shadowed dark eyes, leveled into a straight nose and a square jaw that was always clean shaven. His lips were strong, not narrow or thin like some men’s.
“Are you ready?” Clayton’s gaze swept over her body and Charlene felt herself blush again.
She nodded. “I think so.”
Clayton grinned. “Come on then. I’ll race you down to the beach.” He took off running through the back of the house and Charlene stood, planted to the floor, feet frozen in shock.
Had he really just said race you? She heard a door bang shut on the other end of the house and figured Clayton meant it.
With a little cry of excitement she took off running. She found the back sliding glass door and let herself out and then she was chasing him as he strode powerfully and effortlessly to the sand that lay below.
The wind tangled in her hair, the sand was warm and soft under her feet. Charlene raised her hands to the air and laughed. She couldn’t recall the last time she had ever felt so free.
Chapter 6
The Cave
The sight of Charlene racing down the beach, blonde hair streaming behind her, the late afternoon sun at her back, green eyes reflecting the ocean, stole Clayton’s breath.
He stopped and let her catch up. Her chest was heaving with the e
ffort of running, her breasts rising and falling. He forced himself to tear his eyes away from her glorious body and focused on her face. Did she know what kind of havoc that swimsuit created for him? Lord, he could imagine stripping her right there on the beach and taking her in the sand while she writhed in ecstasy below him.
Clayton was instantly rock fucking hard at the thought. Which was pretty damn hard to hide in shorts. He turned; making sure Charlene couldn’t see that part of him and walked towards the cave. The huge rock formation was already in view and when he cast a glance at her beside him he could tell she was already captivated by the natural beauty of the shore.
They walked for a few minutes before they came to the cave’s entrance. It was tall enough for them to go in without ducking. Charlene took the lead, venturing in excitedly.
The sun’s rays illuminated the first half but after that it was dark. She stopped, still standing in the light and Clayton halted.
“This is amazing! You can only reach it when the tide is low?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s not going to come in and kill us is it?”
Clayton smiled. “No. We’ll be out of here before it ever comes back in.”
“How far are we going to explore?” Charlene’s expression was doubtful, as though she suddenly wondered whether coming here was a good idea or not.
“Only as far as you want. I just thought it might be interesting to see it.”
“It is.” Charlene glanced around at the dripping walls. Water covered the sandy, rocky floor and she took another few steps inside, glancing around. “I feel like if I was a kid this would be the best place in the world. All my friends would have been jealous to hear about it.”
Clayton stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Charlene froze when she noticed how near he was. He told himself to back away, that this was too close. There was little more than a few inches between them and that damn bikini of hers was aching to be torn away.
Fuck.
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