His Lifeguard Obsession

Chloe

“Chloe!” Evan hissed from the other side of the pool.

I was sunk low in my look-out chair with my sunglasses clamped firmly over my eyes. Since I’d arrived, there’d been whispers and funny looks. In my post-coital excitement, I’d forgotten about the scene Rhett had made with Doctor Carl yesterday in front of a ton of staff and gossiping members. My ears were burning with the amount of whispered speculation coming my way.

“Chloe!” Evan said again, reaching me and peering upwards. “You’re needed in Mr. Sutton’s office.”

A knot gathered in my throat at his words. I took a shaky breath. “Yeah, it’s fine. I’m not going.”

Evan's mouth dropped open. I couldn’t listen to Rhett smooth over the awkwardness of my run-in with Victoria. It would hurt too much. He’d gotten what he’d wanted, and so had I. There was no point in dragging it out.

“You have to. He’s the owner, and he wants you to go to the office. Please, don’t put me in this position,” Evan begged.

Ugh, crap. Rhett was the last person I wanted to see, but I didn’t want Evan getting in trouble. “Fine.”

I climbed down from my perch and grabbed a t-shirt to pull over my costume. I didn’t want to be exposed around Rhett. My heart was like a squishy blister, waiting to pop. I didn’t need him to see how my nipples perked up whenever I saw him.

The walk to the management office felt like a walk of shame. Eyes followed me, as did the whispers. I could hardly blame Rhett. I’d known the risks but decided to do it anyway. The only difference was that he’d pay no consequences for having a bad reputation at Hill Crest, whereas they were already rolling out the Scarlett A for my forehead.

I knocked briefly on Rhett’s office door and then stepped inside. “Seriously, a bang post-mortem is not needed—”

“Chloe. Thanks for coming,” Rhett said smoothly, speaking over my words as I registered we were alone.

I stared at the older man Rhett, who was slowly getting to his feet. Rhett rounded the desk and came to stand beside me. There was something comforting about the motion, like he was buttressing me.

He smiled down at me, and my heart lurched in my chest. How could I have missed this man in a few short hours? “Chloe, sweetheart, allow me to introduce my father, Arthur Sutton. Father, this is Chloe, the woman I was telling you about.”

Arthur held his hand out to me. His skin had the same papery texture as my mother's. I gripped it lightly, my head spinning. What the hell was Rhett up to?

“This is the young employee you see fit to turn the club upside down for?” Arthur Sutton’s voice was ripe with disapproval, and he was peering at me like he was inspecting a rock and wondering where the gem was.

“This is the woman I’m going to marry, yes,” Rhett said coolly, taking hold of my waist as I spun around to stare at him.

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded, forgetting for a moment his father was watching us. Confusion and a thrilling sense of excitement and hope rushed through me.

Rhett smiled at me, completely unconcerned by my alarm. He focused on me, his eyes drifting over my features as if each one was precious. “I’m going to marry you, Chloe, if you’ll have me.”

I had no words to answer him. For the first time in my life, my brain went completely blank, and I could only stare at the man who had worked his way so effectively into my heart in a matter of days.

“Now, look here, Rhett. There’s a right and wrong way of doing things, and appearances are important in a small town like this,” Arthur was saying behind me.

I couldn’t take my eyes from Rhett. He hadn’t moved either. It was like we had escaped into a small bubble made for us.

Rhett reached up and tucked a hanging lock of hair behind my ear. “What do you say, Chloe?”

“I’ll say the only appropriate thing at this point; have you hit your head? Are you feeling dizzy? Here, follow my finger.” I waved my hand in front of his face, genuinely fearing a head injury.

Rhett laughed. “God, I love you, woman,” he muttered. He turned to his father. “Father, you’re right. There is a proper way to do everything, and I’ve taken that into account. Let’s go to the conference room. I have something to say.”

Rhett slipped his hand into mine and tugged me from the room. I followed in a daze.

Nothing could have prepared me to see the entire staff of the country club sitting inside the huge room. The loud din of speculation faded as Rhett walked in the door and pulled me along beside him.

“Here, sit with Arthur,” he muttered, lowering me into a chair at the front and getting his father comfortable beside me. Then he took off for the podium at the front.

“Do you know what he has planned?” Arthur asked beside me.

I shook my head. I was clueless, and it was obvious.