“No, sir.”
“Then we're done here,” he said gruffly. He picked up the broken piece of surfboard and handed it to me. “Since you're so keen on me not having it, you can run it to the trash.”
I nearly dropped it my hands were shaking so badly. Mr. Belrose's eyes went to mine again, capturing me in their dusky power. My heart pounded so hard I was sure I was going to need CPR soon.
His eyes are beautiful, I thought. I pushed away the thought and looked away. That thought was not even remotely appropriate for what was going on right now. I did not need to be noticing that my billionaire boss, who I had just tried to take down, had nice eyes. Or how broad his shoulders were. Or how nicely he filled out his suit.
“Yes, sir,” I stuttered. But I couldn't help but look up at his eyes again. They drew me to him like a
moth to a flame.
It was like he could see straight through me and knew exactly who I was and what I was thinking. It made me glad I wasn't thinking something inappropriate, like him in his boxers, though given the way he was filling out that suit, it would be a very nice sight. Crap! I thought, blushing harder. Now, I'm thinking of him in his boxers!
I looked down again, hoping that it was dark enough to hide my blush. When I peeked back up, his eyes were still on me, but with just the barest hint of a smile. As if he did know what scandalous thoughts were going through my mind. And that just made me blush harder. This was not my night.
“Good night Miss Fairchild,” Mr. Belrose said evenly, turning to go back into the house. I just stood there, staring after him, holding the broken surfboard.
“Next time, just let me handle any thieves,” Elijah remarked, walking past me to follow his boss. I nodded, waiting until they were both gone before going to my knees.
That had been a disaster.
I carefully picked up the broken surfboard nose and all the wrappings, finally noticing a trashcan just off to the side. It wasn't in the direct light from the house, so it was hard to see. That was why he had been looking around. If I had just waited thirty more seconds before turning into Sir Galahad, I wouldn't be in this mess.
I carefully threw everything away before turning to go back in the house. Except, I didn't want to go back inside yet. Mr. Belrose and Elijah were inside, and the very last thing in the entire world that I wanted just now was to run into either of them again tonight.
So instead, I followed the house around back to the beach.
***
The fine white sand on the beach gleamed in the silver moonlight like a magical substance that only stayed on this world for a short time. I walked toward the calm, dark water, watching the waves whisper against the pale shore.
I hurried across the big, wooden back porch and down toward the water. Silver and black waves whispered to the shore as I approached, and I relished the squish of the warm sand beneath my bare feet. I took a deep breath in of delicious salty air and let it out slowly. This was a good place. Even if I was an idiot. At least he hadn't fired me.
The wet sand was cooler and more firm as I dipped my feet into the water. The ocean sighed and washed around my ankles, welcoming me to go deeper. In the distance, back on the island and away from the water, a frog croaked out a love song, filling the night with chirps that merged with the soft hush of the waves.
I glanced back at the giant house to see a light turn on in one of the upper windows, yellow and warm in the dark. I didn't recognize the position of the room from our tour and assumed it must be “The Study.” I giggled. I was even thinking of it in quotations, like it was incredibly important and secret.
I wondered what the billionaire was doing this late at night, other than throwing out broken surfboards. I didn't actually know much about him. Sure, I of course had Googled him, but even the internet knew remarkably little about the reclusive billionaire. His two partners had several pages of information, but not him.
I knew he and his two partners, Leo and Gabriel, had started an online dating service together. Kindling Romance- let us start the fires of love! I had seen their advertisements everywhere. If I hadn't been with Chad, or burned so badly by Chad, I would have considered using them myself. They were apparently the best dating website around.
I stepped out further into the water, stopping when the water hit my knees. I wiggled my shorts up a few more inches to keep them from getting wet. It was so peaceful and calm out here. For the first time in months, I felt my shoulders drop from my ears and the frown ease from my face. Even after the debacle of trying to tackle a billionaire, I finally felt like myself again. Like I didn't have to keep up a happy face just because it was expected.
Squishing my toes in the bottom of the ocean, I let out the tension I hadn't even realized was there. I hadn't worried about the business at all today. I hadn't looked over my shoulder for my ex-boyfriend all day. I didn't worry about him showing up and ruining my good mood. Things were good, he was far away, and I could finally relax.
Dammit. I was thinking about Chad again. I needed to stop that. He would have called me stupid for trying to help a billionaire save money anyway.
I shook my head. This wasn't the place for thinking of people who didn't want me. This was a place to relax and recover. Here, I was free. The ocean was washing me clean so I could start over. The money and prestige from this job would get Fairchild Auctions and Appraisals back on track. It might even give me enough to book my ticket to Paris.
The thought of Paris made me smile. This could be just the thing I needed. The thing that would get me going again. Finding out about Chad had nearly ruined me, but I was strong. This job could pay for my Paris trip and give me the best fresh start a girl could ask for.
With happy thoughts buoying me, I turned around to head for bed. The giant mansion welcomed me back from the water as I reluctantly left the ocean behind me. The sand felt warm after the cool of the water.
The curtains over the lit window shifted and I saw a silhouette move away from the edge of the window. I shook my head. He couldn't possibly have been watching me walking out in the waves and moonlight. If he did, he probably thought I was an idiot for being out there in the dark.
Mr. Belrose's intense blue-gray eyes flashed through my mind. After our spectacular encounter, it was hard to imagine him helping people fall in love. He must handle the business end, I thought. His partners must handle the romance. He probably wouldn't know love if it hit him over the head with a baseball bat.
I giggled a little at the thought of a world-traveled billionaire watching me from his window like a love-struck teenager. As if. I was a small-town girl with no stamps in my passport and the exact opposite of high society class. I appraised things for high society, I didn't join them. Not to mention, I had just tried to tackle him in my bare feet. I had to be the farthest thing from interesting to him.