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.
I could hear Charlotte's sweetly pitched voice contrasting with Bastian's deeper tones long before I entered the kitchen. I walked in to see him at the stove cooking something while Charlotte sat at the table with her laptop reading off numbers and figures.
“Good morning, sleepy-head,” Bastian greeted me, talking over Charlotte's readings. I beamed at him. “Want some food?”
I nodded and sat at the table next to Charlotte so I could watch him. He moved so smoothly in the kitchen that it was like watching someone dance.
“Rough night?” Charlotte asked, glancing back and forth between the two of us with one eyebrow raised.
“It started out that way,” I said, unable to stop the grin forming on my face. “But it's been a great morning.”
“Oooooookay...” Charlotte shook her head at both of us, and then went back to her computer. Now that I was there, she just mumbled quietly as she input information.
It wasn't long before Bastian brought over three plates of big, beautiful sandwiches with artfully arranged potato chips on the side. Since I didn't see a bag, I had a feeling they were homemade.
Bastian's arm grazed mine as he set the plate down in front of Charlotte, sending a surge of electric desire straight through me. It was like the hours between our kiss and this minute had never passed. All I could think about was kissing him again.