The cell phone stopped ringing then chimed, notifying Demi that she had a new text message. Guessing it was from her mom, she stayed put on the comfy arm chair. On one hand, she felt guilty for blowing off her family last night, but she’d had a thrilling time with Chase. Even though she was disappointed that he’d left without saying goodbye, hooking up with him had given her her mojo back. Made her feel strong. Like a boss. Demi was bummed that Chase was gone, but she wasn’t going to let his sudden departure ruin her day. She was leaving Ibiza on Monday, and she didn’t want to waste the rest of her vacation ruminating over a guy she barely knew—
Liar! shouted her inner voice. You know Chase in every sense of the word!
Demi rose. Stood tall. Enough was enough. She didn’t have time for a pity party. She had beauty tutorials to post, monuments to explore, celebrities to meet and entrepreneurs to network with. Chase had bailed on her. So what? The day wasn’t a bust. She could check out the hotel spa with Gigi, hang out at the beach with her girl squad, or go shoppi
ng with her mom at Hippy Market. There were tons of activities she could do to get her mind off Chase, and Demi was determined to forget him.
“His loss,” she grumbled. “I’ll find another. Guys like Chase are a dime a dozen.”
But as the words left Demi’s mouth, she knew they weren’t true. They’d hit it off and she longed to see him again. Longed to feel his touch and taste his lips. Deep down, Demi feared she’d never forget the charismatic New Yorker who’d instantly seized her attention at Infamous—and given her the best sex of her life.
Chapter 10
Palming the football with his right hand, Chase scanned the field for a receiver, but none of his brothers or cousins was open. They’d been in the hot sun for hours and Chase wanted an ice-cold drink to quench his thirst. It was the first time since his horseback riding accident that he’d played football with his family members, and Chase didn’t want to overdo it, couldn’t risk hurting himself while on vacation. The charity event at Parc de la Ciutadella was going strong and likely wouldn’t end for several more hours, but Chase was exhausted and ready to call it a day.
Chase stumbled on a rock. It was a wonder he could walk let alone run. Demi had rocked his world—literally—and he had the aches and pains to prove it. Not that he was complaining. She was a passionate, enthusiastic lover and if he hadn’t embarrassed himself last night in the bedroom, he’d probably still be at her suite, making love.
All day long, he’d thought about Demi. He owed her an apology for leaving her suite without saying goodbye, but he’d had no choice. Juliet had showed up while Demi was in the shower, and her incessant banging on the door had put him in a difficult position. He’d worried that Demi would return to the bedroom and freak out about his ex-girlfriend showing up again. To get rid of her, he’d been forced to leave the suite to escort Juliet to her room. He wanted to speak to Demi, face-to-face, not over the phone, and hoped she’d forgive him for walking out on her.
Someone whistled, drawing his attention across the field. Cheers, laughter and foreign languages filled the air. Couples did yoga under leafy trees, tourists strolling along the pathways admired exotic plants, flowers and parrots, and fitness lovers jogged, biked and skated around the park. Artists painted, played instruments and sang traditional Spanish songs, creating a celebratory mood on the grounds.
Known for its centuries-old museums and scenic boating lakes, Parc de la Ciutadella was the most famous and popular park in Spain. But, to his surprise, dozens of strangers had stopped to watch their pickup football game and were cheering wildly.
“Bro, I’m open! Pass!” Jonas shouted, waving his arms in the air. “Hit me!”
Blinded by the glare of the sun, Chase sprinted backward to avoid being tackled by a petite, blonde defender. An image of Demi—her eyes twinkling, her breasts bouncing, her hair swaying seductively across her shoulders—popped into his mind as he hurled the football across the field. It hit Jonas in the face, shattering his sunglasses. Doubled over, Jonas moaned like a wounded animal, earning chuckles from spectators and players on the opposing team.
“Son of a bitch!” he raged, erupting in anger. Their family members tried to console him, but he pushed them away. Tilting his head back, Jonas touched his nose, moving it from left to right to ensure it wasn’t broken. He cursed him out, but Chase didn’t take offense to his brother’s insults. He’d screwed up and Jonas had every right to be mad at him. Next time, he’d focus on the game instead of fantasizing about Demi.
Yeah right, scoffed his inner voice. You have a better chance of meeting the President!
“What the hell was that?” Jonas roared, gesturing to the goal post behind him with a nod of his head. “Are you crazy? I said, ‘Hit me’ not smash me in the face with the football!”
“My bad, Jonas. The sun is so bright I couldn’t see.”
“I have half a mind to kick your ass up and down this field. Then you’ll see what it’s like to be humiliated...”
Expelling a deep breath, Chase raked a hand through his hair. He reflected on his day in Barcelona and, even though Jonas was mad at him, he was glad his family had accompanied him to the charity event. Ibiza was more than just a party island crawling with celebrities, dignitaries and international tourists. Every year millions of dollars were raised for local shelters and Chase was proud his company was one of the official sponsors of the event.
Yawning, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It had been a long day, but Chase didn’t regret making the trip to Barcelona. Arriving at the park that afternoon, he’d been pleasantly surprised to see the Mobile Entertainment tent packed with young people. The American models his marketing director had hired to man the booth shook hands with visitors, handed out promotional gear and posed for pictures and selfies. The event had been a rousing success, filled with many worthwhile opportunities. He’d made meaningful connections with several savvy businessmen, befriended an Australian tech giant and met a successful female entrepreneur, who’d flirted with him over drinks. To be polite, he’d taken her business card, but he wasn’t attracted to her, and he didn’t want to visit her Tuscan villa.
Chase used the sleeve of his white, V-neck shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow. For the second time in minutes his thoughts returned to Demi—the beauty who’d knocked him off his game. He wondered where she was, who she was with and if she was thinking about him. Addicted to the high, the thrill of their wild, frenzied lovemaking, his body craved her tight, wet—
“This isn’t over,” Jonas warned, jabbing an index finger at Chase’s chest. “I’m going to get even when you least expect it, and it won’t be pretty.”
Chase groaned inwardly, wished he could go back in time and re-throw the football. Quick to joke and laugh, Jonas was as mischievous as a Tasmanian devil, and Chase knew his brother would made good on his threat. He only hoped he didn’t embarrass him at his office. If he did, Mercedes and Katia would never let Chase live it down.
“It was an accident. I swear.” Chase wore an apologetic smile. “Jonas, hang tight. I’ll go grab you some ice and a beer from one of the food vendors.”
Jonas scoffed. “Why? So you can throw it at me? No thanks. I’m good.”
Two brunettes, busting out of tank tops and yellow, cotton shorts, appeared on the field and linked arms with Jonas. They spoke to him in Spanish, tenderly rubbed his neck and shoulders, and his scowl morphed into a smile. Off the trio went, talking and laughing, and Chase knew his twin was in good hands. His family members raced over to the food vendors set up in the tents around the park, and Chase was glad to see them go. They’d been together all day and they were starting to get on his nerves, especially Remington. His older brother loved to stir the pot and derived great pleasure from provoking Jonas, but his antics were annoying.
Chase checked his sports watch. They’d been at the park for hours, and all he wanted to do now was sleep. He’d been going nonstop since arriving in Ibiza four days earlier, and the late nights and early mornings had finally caught up with him. If he had the key for the rental car, he’d return to the SUV, stretch out in the back seat and take a nap. They had three more days in Spain and even though they’d agreed to end their trip in Barcelona, Jonas wanted to return to Ibiza tonight for the legendary Foam Party at the Amnesia nightclub and Chase planned to join him. Not to go clubbing—to see Demi.
Doubts assailed his thoughts. Demi was real and down-to-earth, but Chase wondered what would happen if he told her he was a multimillionaire with a successful business, vacations homes around the world, and the best of everything money could buy. Would she ask him for a loan? To pay her bills? To buy her a Lamborghini? It had happened before and Chase didn’t want to get burned by someone he was interested in.
Wetting his lips with his tongue, he contemplated joining his family at the red-striped tent serving sizzling plates of barbecue. The aromas wafting on the breeze roused his hunger, causing his stomach to moan a