The sun finished escaping her watery bed, shining brightly and filling the sky with color and heat. Waves lapped at our feet as he pulled me further into his lap to kiss me again I wanted to kiss him for eternity with just the sun and the waves as the world.
“You are so beautiful,” he murmured reverently, taking a strand of hair and tucking it carefully behind my ear.
“So are you,” I replied, blushing. I wished my words were better, but they were still true. His chest was hot and smooth against my bare arms as he pulled me into yet another mind-shattering kiss.
“Charlotte is going to wonder where we are,” I said with a giggle as the sun continued her climb.
“Let her worry for a moment,” Bastian whispered, his lips going to my throat. I moaned softly as he nipped the delicate flesh. I was turning into a puddle of want in his lap and I wanted so much more than just kisses on my throat.
I then let out the biggest yawn in the history of mankind.
Bastian chuckled. “And now I've kept you out all night.”
“Worth it,” I informed him with a smile. I would have gladly spent a year awake for his kiss. For this moment, I would have done anything.
His face split into that heart-shatteringly beautiful smile. It was even better than the first one. Happiness made his eyes shine in the morning light, sparkling with gray and blue hues of joy. I nearly died a little.
“Let's get you home,” he said softly, disentangling his body from mine. I loved the way he said home. As if it were ours. As if we belonged together there.
He rose smoothly to his feet and then helped me to mine. He picked up his fallen shirt and shook the sand out of it before draping it over my shoulders and leaving his own bare. The sun glistened on the scars, but I could only see beauty in them. He was a survivor.
Walking hand in hand, we made our way back along the shore to the giant mansion. The beach was fairly flat, but now that we were moving and not sitting, exhaustion was stealing over me. I grew more tired with every step, my feet turning to lead as what was left of my energy was quickly drained. I couldn't believe how far I had ran last night, and now I was regretting it. I could see the house looming over the cove, but I was so tired I wasn't sure I would make it that far. I stumbled, my feet catching on the sand and exhaustion, but Bastian caught me.
In an easy motion, he saved me from falling and instead swept me off my feet and into his arms. I tried to protest, but I was to tired that I was having a hard time finding the words. He just murmured softly, silencing my objections and carrying me the rest of the way and up into the house.
He paused before the stairs for just a moment and I tried to get out of his arms. “You don't have to carry me...”
He tightened his arms, pinning me in place against him. “Maybe I want to,” he informed me as he shifted my weight and began to climb. He made it feel easy. He wasn't even breathing hard at the top.
I snuggled into his chest, closing my eyes and inhaling the scent of his skin. He smelled of sea salt and a masculine musk that I was quickly falling in love with.
I whimpered when he set me on my bed, disappointed at the loss of his chest against my cheek.
I opened my mouth to ask him to stay, to crawl into bed with me. I wanted more of his touch, but no words came out. The bed was just too soft and my eyelids just too heavy.
He kissed my forehead just as I lost the battle to stay awake, sending me off to dreamland on a kiss.
“Sleep, Ava,” he whispered as I stole into dreams involving him. “I'll be here when you wake.”
Chapter 16
I woke to an empty room. The space was too big for just one person.
At first I thought the whole thing must have been a dream. In what world did a billionaire kiss me on the beach at sunrise and then carry me home? I had to have dreamt it, because things like that didn't happen to me. I was ordinary and that was extraordinary. But then I moved and felt the sand in the bed and I knew it was real.
I glanced at the clock to discover that it was nearly lunch time. I couldn't blame Bastian for not being here. As much fun as I was asleep, I knew he had a business to run and things to do. He couldn't just sit in my room watching me sleep all day. And actually, the idea of him doing just that was rather creepy.
I got up and stretched my arms out over my head. It felt good to be alive today. I ran to the bathroom and quickly freshened up before picking up my phone. All the email updates were good and I let out a relieved breath. I picked up the house phone and dialed my dad's cell phone.
“Mr. Fairchild's phone,” a sweet female voice answered. I frowned, and did a double take. Where was dad?
“Um, I'm Ava Fairchild and I'm looking for my dad...” Panic starting to bubble in my chest. Why was someone else answering his phone?
“Oh, good! He made me promise to carry his phone and answer it in case you called.” The voice was warm and friendly. “My name's Audrey and I'm one of the nurses here. He's in having a test done but he's doing great. He wanted you not to worry and that he can't complain about anything here except for the food.”
I chuckled. That sounded just like a message Dad would leave. “What kind of test?” I asked. I was sure Dr. Verner would have told me if something had happened that necessitated something drastic.
“Nothing serious,” the nurse promised. “I can't give that information out over the phone, but your dad really wanted you to know he's just fine. Jackie is here if you'd like to speak with her about it. I believe she's out in the waiting room. Cell reception is terrible out there, so he asked me to keep his phone.”
“No, that's all right.” I shook my head, realizing that she couldn't see me through the phone. If Jackie was there, then he was fine. Besides, Jackie would talk my ear off about her bowling game instead of telling me about my Dad and my stomach was rumbling. I liked her a lot, but the woman loved to talk. “Will you have him call me this evening?”
“Of course,” the nurse promised. “He actually wanted me to tell you he'd be calling you if you didn't.”
I laughed and thanked her before hanging up the phone. I was so glad dad was doing all right. I was glad Jackie was there taking care of him. It made me feel less guilty knowing that someone who loved him was with him. I trusted Jackie enough to entrust my father into her care.
I ran a brush through my hair one last time, smiling into the mirror and deciding that I looked very pretty this morning. It probably had something to do with how happy I felt. Kissing a gorgeous man on the beach had that effect on me. I winked at the mirror and hurried down the stairs to the kitchen to stop the rumbling in my stomach.