Nothing Left to Lose (Guarded Hearts 1)

I smiled sarcastically. “Well, duh, that’s how room service usually works.”

He snorted and put the coffee pot down forcefully, still frowning at me. “Anna, you don’t do that! Something could have happened, you can’t answer the door like that,” he scolded.

I sighed because he hadn’t relaxed at all. “Ashton, seriously, chill out. You really think someone’s gonna jump me posing as a waiter?” I giggled and shook my head at his overprotectiveness.

He didn’t look amused at all. “Miss Spencer, you can’t-”

I held up my hand and interrupted him.

“Er, Mrs Taylor, if you please,” I corrected, knowing it would ease some of his tension.

His face softened for a fraction of a second before he put his stern face back on. “Fine, Mrs Taylor, you don’t do that again. I’ll answer the door,” he barked, using his SWAT Agent voice on me.

I rolled my eyes. Maybe in a couple of days he’ll relax. “Okay, Mr Overprotective,” I stuck out my tongue.

He sighed and took my hand. “Look, I’m sorry. I hate telling you that you can’t do things, but it’s my job, okay? If we were home, you wouldn’t answer the door to someone who you didn’t know,” he explained, looking at me apologetically.

I shrugged. “I guess, but no one knows I’m here.”

He frowned down at his plate. “I still need to do my job. I need you safe.”

I nodded, seeing that this conversation was making him uncomfortable. He was right, he genuinely didn’t like to tell me no, I already knew that. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” I agreed. “Do you want some of my pancakes?” I offered, changing the subject.

Our day was spent on the beach, snorkelling, sunbathing, and generally fooling around and laughing. The cocktails that the beach bar served were delicious, though we both opted for virgin ones this time. Ashton was snacking on the free cupcakes and doughnuts the whole day, claiming that he needed a sugar boost because I was wearing him out.

That night we dined in the more upmarket restaurant that was located just off the reception. The food was so incredible that I actually ended up eating three desserts. Afterwards, we went to the little lounge clearing in the woods where we went last night. Instead of steel drums, there was a pianist this time. The whole night, Ashton and I chatted and laughed while holding hands, or danced. It was perfection.

At closing time, Ashton suggested that we walk a little way up the beach before returning to our villa. As I slipped off my shoes, he took them out of my hand. The sand was nice and cool now. The moonlight reflected off the sea, sparkling and shimmering. I internally swooned at how romantic it all was. The beauty and tranquillity of it was astounding.

“It’s nice here, huh?” Ashton stated when we stopped and threw a couple of seashells into the water.

I laughed at his choice of word. “Just nice? Are we at the same place?”

“Okay yeah, it’s incredible,” he amended, laughing.

“This is the nicest place I’ve ever been. It’s amazing here. I want to come back some day.” I stooped and picked up another couple of shells and a pebble, throwing them into the water too, watching the ripples.

“I’ll bring you back one day,” he promised, wrapping his arms around me and pressing his chest to my back. My breath caught in my throat. I would love that! Maybe, if we managed to stay friends after his assignment finished, we could vacation again together one year.

“Yeah? Cool,” I replied, trying not to show that I was affected by what he’d said.

He kissed the back of my neck, just once, before moving away. I turned back, seeing that he’d sat on the sand a couple of feet behind me. His legs were stretched out in front of him as he just watched me with a smile on his face.

“Why so happy?” I inquired.

He shrugged easily. “I love to make you happy, it makes me happy.”

My heart melted as I dropped the last couple of shells and pebbles I had and walked over to him, settling myself on his lap, straddling him. My stomach fluttered because that was just how I felt about him. Seeing him happy made me happy too.

I pressed my lips to his, seeming to light a fire inside myself that only he could extinguish. His arms looped around me, pulling me closer to him as the kiss deepened, and then I was lost.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Over the next few days, I had the time of my life. Each day was different to the one before, we snorkelled, sunbathed, hiked, hired a pedal boat, and even took a ride over to the next island on a speedboat and did a little shopping. We spent a lot of the day just holding hands and talking. Ashton had finally relaxed, and even let me go to the bar on my own a couple of times. The evenings were spent either in the lounge bar watching the entertainment that the hotel laid on, or just lying on our terrace, eating dinner under the stars. The whole vacation had been spectacular. And the sex; my whole body ached in a satisfied way that it had never done before. The thought of going back to school was almost painful because I knew our ‘relationship’ would have to come to an end.

On Christmas morning, the sun shone through the window, heating my back. My head was on Ashton’s chest, and his arms were securely around me. A happy sigh left my lips. This is already the best Christmas ever, and I’ve only been awake for ten seconds!

I snuggled closer to him and looked up at his face. He was still asleep and looked like a dream because he was so beautiful. Pressing my face into the side of his neck, I breathed him in. It was like sensory overload as his unique scent filled my lungs and made me moan breathlessly.