Southern Seduction & Pleasure in His Arms

“But the dinner theater starts in ninety minutes.”

Hearing loud noises, Demi glanced over her shoulder. A yellow party bus blasting pop music crawled through the streets and tourists, clutching cameras and guide books, posed for pictures all across the marina. “Go ahead,” Demi urged. “You love cocktails, music and period costumes, so go to the show with Roderick and live it up.”

“Are you sure? We don’t mind waiting for you. Those shows never start on time.”

“I’m positive. Let your hair down, take tons of pictures and dance until you drop.”

Geneviève giggled. “Girl, that goes without saying. I always do!”

“Have fun with your husband-to-be. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do—”

“Not so fast,” Geneviève said, interrupting her. “Tell me more about this guy you’re with. Where is he from? What’s he like? Are you safe with him?”

“Absolutely.” Her sister couldn’t see her through the phone, but she patted the side of her purse. “He’s a perfect gentleman, but if things go south I’ll use my pepper spray on him!”

The sisters laughed. They made plans to meet up tomorrow then Demi ended the call. She noticed Chase watching her with a furrowed brow and wondered why his expression was somber. “What’s wrong?”

“I overheard your conversation with your friend. You have pepper spray?”

“Yes, and if you disrespect me, I’ll use it. I’m from Philly. Don’t try me. I’m not the one.”

The sound of his loud, booming laugh made her smile. They’d hit it off from the moment they’d met last night. She loved hearing about his hobbies, his career and his successes on Wall Street.

“Tell me more about your job. Do you like being a personal assistant?”

“Most of the time, but there are days I’m so busy and stressed I feel like pulling my hair out.”

“I hear you. Creating apps can be tedious, exhausting and disappointing, especially when you’ve spent months working on a project only to have it fail.”

“Wow, that’s tough. I can’t imagine. How do you deal with professional setbacks?”

“I give myself a couple of days off to regroup. I’ll work out with my trainer, meet up with my brothers at our favorite pub, or vent to my father. Once I blow off some steam, I get my head back in the game,” he explained. “It’s how you deal with failure that determines whether or not you’ll be successful, and I choose to learn from every disappointment.”

Demi took a moment to consider his advice. “I’ve never looked at it that way before, but maybe I should because I waste a lot of time and energy fretting when things go wrong. People think working for a celebrity is an easy, glamorous job filled with A-list parties and shopping sprees, but being a personal assistant for one of the biggest stars on the planet is a challenging, incredibly stressful job.”

“I didn’t realize you worked for a celebrity. Anyone I know?”

A helicopter buzzed overhead and she pointed it out to Chase. “I’ve always wanted to go on a helicopter ride, but I’m afraid of heights. Have you ever tried it?” she asked, anxious to change the subject. It was a lie; Demi had been on dozens of helicopter rides with her mom and sister, but she’d needed a diversion and had said the first thing that came to mind.

“Yes, several times. Jonas got his pilot’s license a few years back and I often fly around New York with him,” he explained in a jovial voice. “You’ll love it. It’s an exhilarating ride and if I wasn’t going to a charity event with my family in Barcelona tomorrow, I would arrange a private tour for you.”

Glad she’d dodged his question about her career, Demi nodded as he spoke. She enjoyed talking to Chase, but she didn’t feel comfortable discussing her personal life with him. Every time she told someone that Geneviève was her sister, they changed. They’d beg to meet Geneviève, ask for favors, concert tickets and even money. Chase was down-to-earth, but Demi feared if she told him the truth she’d spend the rest of the day answering questions about her famous sister. “Do you travel with your family often?”

“Whenever our schedules permit. Jonas and I celebrated our birthday yesterday—”

“Really? No way! Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”

“You never asked,” he said with a wink and a grin.

Gazing out onto the harbor, Demi admired the world around her. The water was so clear and bright it glowed in the sunshine and the views of the Mediterranean Sea were a photographer’s dream. Taking a mental picture of her surroundings, she reveled in the beauty of the great outdoors. The breeze carried a refreshing scent. Birds squawked, laughter rang out and Samba music played in the distance, creating a festive mood.

Sunshine warmed her face as her thoughts wandered. Demi was excited about her career and eager to put everything she’d learned as a celebrity personal assistant to good use. To her surprise, “Ask Demi” was not only trending but attracting thousands of new followers a week. Doling out relationship advice to heartsick millennials was great fun and, thanks to the popularity of the segment, she’d landed an advertising contract with her favorite perfume company. Her career was on the right track, finally picking up steam, and Demi couldn’t be happier.

“Our ride is here.”

Confused by his words, Demi broke free of her thoughts and glanced around the harbor. A yacht with the words The Great Escape written in fine, gold script pulled up to the port and Demi admired the gleaming vessel. Bowing his head, the captain smiled and waved. She glanced around, noticed no one was behind her, and frowned. Do I know him?

“We’re going sailing,” Chase announced. “It’s the only way to see the island and Captain Teo is a skilled boatman who knows Ibiza like the back of his hand.”