Jolie hesitated, falling under the spell Max was weaving around her. This was insane to think anything could even happen between them. They were so different, yet things just seemed to just click. The feeling of his hand on her jaw, his finger on her cheek was so innocent, yet so sensual. She stared at his smile and the look in his eyes.
“I don’t know that I should,” she answered honestly. It would be too easy to fall for him, and what would she do once he left? She’d always been alone, and now the idea of it bothered her. She wanted to see him shucking oysters again on the sandy little island because in that place, in that time, it was just a single man with a lonely woman. Here, this was a reminder that there was a world out there that his family owned, including this very hotel.
“You don’t have to answer now,” he mumbled, pulling his hand away from her face where he had lingered in the unexpected caress. Max picked up the bag and handed it to her. “Take your time, go through the items, and just let me know tomorrow. Get some rest, Jolie.”
Nodding, she practically fled the room and shut the door behind her. Her heart was beating ninety miles a minute as she stood in her own room utterly alone. He was so nice, so warm, and outgoing—and she was a blasted idiot.
What girl wouldn’t want to be wined, dined, and wooed by some handsome billionaire? Heck, even Cinderella got to marry the prince and all those stories had to be based on something, right? The way her luck was going, the pendulum was bound to swing the other direction. She had a chance to hang out with a guy that was attractive beyond her wildest dreams with no chance of commitment because he would be gone in two more days – so what was the problem?
Setting down the bag he’d handed her, she grabbed the remote and flipped on the television. Pulling the two enormous chairs together, she angled the television and gathered up her courage.
Opening the doorway, she realized that Max hadn’t shut his own door yet. He was just standing there where she’d left him, unmoving, with his arms crossed over his chest. He glanced up in complete surprise, a warm smile blossoming on his face.
“Jolie?”
“C’mon,” she invited nervously. “Star Wars is on and I love that movie.”
“I do too.”
Chapter 6
Jolie was on cloud nine.
Last night, hanging out with Max, had been more fun than she ever realized. She loved watching movies, and it was great to hear that he did. Apparently he liked films so much that he enjoyed watching the behind the scenes and ‘the making of’ promos online. He was smart, truthfully brilliant, pointing out scenes to her and whispering at how they made the effects seem so surreal before computer-generated scenes. Who knew the man that shucked oysters, swam long distances, and had an incredible smile enjoyed things like that? She’d assumed that being rich meant he was incredibly spoiled, and she found that Max was anything but that.
He was sweet, tender, and funny.
He was also perfectly normal.
Falling asleep in the chair, she heard the faint snore and nudged him gently with her foot, pretending to be adjusting her position in her seat. He sat up straight, frowned, and then shook his head, looking utterly enchanting as he slowly woke up.
They’d ended their movie marathon abruptly. Max said a tender goodnight to her as he exited the room. He hadn’t pushed her for an answer after asking her out tomorrow night. He’d urged her to go through the items in the bag, keep what she wanted or exchange for something else. She had expected him to demand an answer before leaving for his own room to rest, but again, he surprised her.
It was nice to have someone that gave you space to be yourself—and she already knew her answer. She was going out with him and going to take advantage of every second she could in enjoying his brief company. Max was so easy to talk to and that smile of his set her world on fire. How could she have ever said no?
Unfortunately, staying up so late and being so worn out had resulted in her sleeping almost until noon. She’d awoken when housekeeping had knocked on the door. Snacking on a freshly opened pack of M&Ms from the tray of goodies and sipping on a ginger ale, she took her time getting ready.
Whoever had bought her the necessities deserved a medal.
Under the expensive clothing were down-to-earth items she could truly use, not the little lacy, racy stuff. A sports bra, some cotton granny panties, and makeup, were the treasures she’d never expected to find! Neutral eyeshadow, tinted moisturizer, a tube of mascara, along with dental floss, tampons, and a small rollerball of Gucci perfume.
Oh yes—her mysterious shopper had won the Gold!
Jolie soaked in the tub, taking her time and savoring the scent of the soaps and the luxury of the sunken bathtub in her suite. As she dressed, she slipped the gown over her head, rubbed lotion on her legs, and slipped on the strappy sandals that were obviously designed to be chic but comfortable. The soles felt like she was walking on a yoga mat, even if a little short for her foot. It wasn’t bad and a darn good guess by her secret shopper.
Hearing a knock, Jolie happily pulled open the door to see Max standing there with a small box in his hands. She reared back, surprised, and looked at him curiously.
“What’s that?”
“It’s just a little something,” he said with a light smile. “These are special back home and I wanted to give you a piece of my culture.”
“It’s not artichoke pizza,” she teased, looking at him. She knew it wasn’t because the box was tiny, about three inches long.
“It’s the smallest pizza in the world. You guessed it, so I guess it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?” Max replied with a feigned, mock sigh, as he moved to slip the box into the pocket of his heavily starched, button-up dress shirt. He was wearing cargo pants and leather sandals that made him look like he was destined for infamous streets of Hollywood, the sands of Morocco, or Amalfi coast.
“What?” she teased, laughing and reaching for it.
“I think not,” he taunted, moving to hold the box over her head.
“Max…”
“Jolie…” he countered playfully, grinning. “Close your eyes, hold out your hand, and let me explain.” She obediently shut her eyes tightly and dutifully extended her hand, palm upwards. She expected to have something touch the inside of her hand, but then felt his fingers tickle the inside of her wrist. Something cool lay against her skin and she almost peeked as her heart beat in excitement.
“In my homeland, we believe that when terrible luck befalls you—or to prevent such things—you wear a charm to ward yourself against it. This is just a little something that made me think of what happened yesterday and reminded me of home,” Max breathed. “Open your eyes.”
Jolie slowly opened them and looked down in surprise to see a bright blue, black, and white disc on a gold chain on her wrist. The enamel disc practically stared at her, and she glanced up at him in surprise.
“You gave me an evil eye?”
“They are not evil—they protect you from it.”
“This is so… different,” she hesitated, unsure what to say. It was unexpected and so thoughtful. “Max, I…”
“If you don’t like it, it’s okay.”
“I am stunned,” she admitted candidly. “This is an incredibly sweet and thoughtful gift I wasn’t expecting—and it means a lot. After yesterday, I could use a little luck on my side and it will always make me remember this weekend.”
“I don’t think I could forget it.”
Nodding, she wasn’t sure what to say but was touched by the look in his bright eyes. Max held out his arm towards her. She placed her fingertips on his rolled-up shirt sleeve, the evil eye charm practically glowing against the bright white and tank skin in her line of vision.
“Let’s go have some fun,” he whispered with a flirtatious smile as they headed towards the elevator.
Hours later, they burst out of the dance club laughing hysterically and holding each other’s hands. Jolie had never had so much fun in her entire life. The
handsome man beside her, the billionaire who was celebrating his birthday in a way he never dreamed, couldn’t dance to save his life and obviously didn’t have a shy bone in his body.
At first she thought it was a joke when he’d pulled her directly onto the crowded dancefloor among the throng of people dancing to the pulsing beat. The lights were flashing, bright green, yellow, and purple laser lights were blinking in and out. It was truly modern and not normally her thing. She’d only been to a club once, and it was very uncomfortable for her to go alone, so when Max suggested it, she thought maybe there was something she didn’t know about them or realize.
When Max started dancing, that is when it hit her.
She watched as he jumped with his arms in the air and shake his bottom wildly. Occasionally he would point his fingers in the air and throw his head back. People were looking at him, and Jolie couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Slapping her hands over her mouth, she saw the questioning expression on his face.
“Do you know how to dance?” he asked loudly, leaning towards her.
“Do YOU?” she blurted out.
“You move to the music as it makes you happy,” he hollered as the sound increased. “Come Jolie—relax and have fun. We know no one here but each other. Dance with me.”
Jolie saw the joy in his eyes and realized Max was right. They only knew each other there in the sea of bodies on the dancefloor and if he didn’t care what they thought, only wanting to have fun with her… so what did she care? She nodded and began to dance wildly, almost a mirror of him. He was grinning at her, looking so pleased, and truthfully that was all she really wanted right now.
She needed Max to have a beautiful birthday.
As they stepped out onto the street, it was wonderful to hold his hand and savor the feeling coursing through her. She had so much fun with him once she finally let down all her guards and inhibitions. Max still couldn’t dance a lick, but it didn’t matter to either of them.
“Where are we going?” she asked, wiping the sweat from her brow. It had been so stuffy inside the club, and she was grateful for the breeze that seemed to fan her.
“I thought maybe we could get some water or have a drink,” Max offered, walking along with her. “I don’t want the evening to be over yet.”
“Neither do I.”
The club they visited wasn’t far from the hotel and both were practically beachfront. She waited as he indicated, stepping to a walk-up bar nearby. Watching him, she allowed herself to sigh happily. That feeling was pent up inside as she stared at him. He was utterly breathtaking and when combined with his sweet personality; the combination was devastating. She’d never been so attracted to anyone in her life before. Max glanced at her over his shoulder and waved, causing Jolie to raise her hand in acknowledgement.
She was falling for him—and he would be gone soon.
A fresh pang of despair hit her as he walked towards her, holding out two brightly colored, extremely tall, plastic cups. The bottom where the white fluid seemed to glow.
“Look at this, Jolie,” Max grinned. “This is incredible. The man made our drinks glow and said this was as American as he could make it.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t care,” he laughingly admitted, putting one of the straws in his mouth and taking a sip. “It tastes like strawberries, coconut, and rum. He even put an umbrella and a glow stick in the glasses. How fun is that?”
Jolie grinned at his exuberant joy at discovering the world she obviously never even paid attention to around her. Everything was new to him and he was seeing it all for the first time, giving her a chance to do so, through his eyes.
“Would you like to watch the waves for a bit?” he asked suddenly.
“I think I would love that,” she admitted, accepting her drink and staring at his breathtaking smile. Max held out his hand to her as they descended the boardwalk to the sandy expanse before them. They walked for a few moments before kicking off their shoes and having a seat, fully dressed, in the sand. At first she hesitated, because of her beautiful gown, but when he plopped down carelessly in the sand, she realized that regardless of the price of the gown—she wanted to sit with Max in the moonlight.
“This has been incredible,” he said immediately, sipping on his drink again.
“Today was a lot of fun,” she admitted, taking a sip of her own drink and rearing back. There was a lot of alcohol in the concoction, but the coolness was definitely welcome. “I just wish my boat hadn’t been stolen.”
“I wish that had not happened either, but we will replace it.”
“When my insurance gets around to it,” she corrected.
“It will be here tomorrow,” he said firmly, taking another sip and looking out at the water. Jolie glanced at him and saw the hint of a smile touching his lips.
“You didn’t…”
“Nope. I did not.”
“Max…” she drawled.
“I did not… but I might have helped,” he hedged. “I told my uncle to keep what happened a secret so my family doesn’t panic at the fact that their only son was trapped in America on an island. My mother can be quite dramatic when it comes to me.”
“I can only imagine.”
Max grinned.
“My uncle knows what happened to your boat and I want to make it right by replacing it. This was not your fault. You have been wonderful in making the best out of an unpleasant situation—and I want to thank you.”
“You don’t have to do this…”
“Jolie. I want to,” Max interrupted quietly. “This has been the best birthday I have ever had, and for so many different reasons.”
“The… best?” she stammered.
“Yes,” he replied, taking another large sip. “I have seen another country on my own, I have sampled some of your native foods here, and this has been quite an adventure for me. It was everything I wanted and didn’t realize I needed.”
“Oh,” she whispered, growing quiet, her mind racing.
Max was getting her a boat.
This was insanity. It was like he was simply saying that he would get her a fresh pair of shoes, like it was an everyday thing. Her boat she’d saved up for the down payment for almost three years and still owed on it. She wanted to ask so many questions, like what kind of boat or what size, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful.
Truthfully, she was stunned.
Absently, she took a large sip and winced at the brain freeze that instantly hit her forehead, and not the resounding pain in her heart. He wanted an adventure and got it. She wished he would say something crazy like he was falling for her, or that he was never leaving, but that was so out of the cards.
“I didn’t realize how thirsty I was,” Max mumbled.
Jolie glanced over, sipping on her straw, and saw that he was nearly halfway through his drink. She glanced down at the tall plastic cup she held and saw her own was halfway empty too.
“Mercy,” she breathed, feeling the world spin around her as she turned her head. “That stuff is potent.”
“I was just thinking that too,” he admitted, chuckling. “I don’t think I’m drunk, but I am definitely feeling whatever alcohol was in that thing.”
“I might be,” she confessed. “Yuck…” she said, putting her cup down in the sand. “I don’t like feeling spinny-spinny or getting brain-freeze. It makes my nose hurt.”
“I think I’m done with it too.”
Max put hit cup down in the sand too and crossed his legs, sitting instead of having them sprawled out before him. His sandals were in the sand beside his cup, practically mirroring her own. The surf was sweeping the beach clean close to where they sat.
“What do you even do in Greece?” she blurted out and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, that came out rude.”
“No, it’s okay,” he laughed. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“Really?”
“My parents run this enormous shipping company but I don’t really
do much at all. It’s like they still think I’m a kid and don’t trust me to make smart decisions. They teach me little things, but I need to do my own, make my own mistakes, and learn from them.”
“You are anything but a kid,” Jolie gaped. “You are quite a fella.”
Max looked at her sharply with a smile on his face.
“Sorry. I blabber when I feel woozy.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he grinned and shook his head, “But my parents might be right after all.”
“Nope. What you said made perfect sense to me.”
She saw the look on his face and her entire world seemed to lean sideways. She put out an arm to steady herself in the sand, only to realize that she was barely moving, but Max was definitely leaning towards her.
“Jolie,” he breathed.
She could smell the strawberries on his breath and with the full moon above, it illuminated the way he was looking at her. His face was so close to hers and it was heady. His beautiful tanned skin, the strong bony bridge of his nose had a few freckles on it, and the sweep of his eyelashes against his skin made her toes curl in delight. There was even a slight indention just under his eye that was faint evidence of a scar. He was simply beautiful, like one of those ancient Greek statues you saw in books.
“Max?”
“I can’t help this anymore,” he whispered.
Before she could ask what he meant, his lips touched hers. The warm pressure of his lips, combined with the sweet taste of strawberries and the saltiness of sweat from when they’d been dancing earlier, was her undoing. She was helpless against the rush of feelings sweeping through her. Her hand was in the sand was suddenly grasping desperately at the earth to keep from falling over. Her world just turned over in that single sweet kiss. Nothing would break this moment between them. She felt Max’s hand reverently cup her face as he deepened the kiss, making her sigh against him.
“Hey. You two gonna finish those?”
The Billionaire's Birthday Love Page 5
