Take a Chance (Chance, #1; Rosemary Beach #7)(27)

“I’m getting tired and my head is a little scattered.”

Adam nodded and gave me an understanding smile, then stood up.

“I get that. I would be, too.”

I set my cup down and led him back to the door.

“Thanks again for tonight, and I’m really sorry about all this.”

Adam didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stared down at me a moment as if he were deciding something important. Then he bent down slowly and in that brief moment I knew what was about to happen. It would be my first kiss since Grant. I had kissed Grant a lot during those two weeks. I didn’t want to compare him to Grant, but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop myself.

When his lips touched mine they weren’t as soft but they were warm. He moved over my mouth gently and it was pleasant. He didn’t try for anything more. When he pulled back and smiled at me I knew that nothing would ever be as good as Grant’s kisses but that I could live with this.

“They are as soft and plump as they look,” he said, then shook his head with a grin on his face. “Good night, Harlow.” He opened the door before I could say more and stepped outside, closing it behind him.

He wasn’t Grant but he was nice. He wanted me. And the smile on his face made me feel special. As if I had been something special for him. Grant Carter was made for women’s fantasies. Adam was more real. He wasn’t the kind I would need to worry about getting in too deep with. He was just someone to spend time with.

Grant

“You have got to be f**king kidding me,” Rush’s voice broke into my dreams and I slowly peeled open my eyes to see tits in my face. Confused, I looked down and saw two long pairs of legs draped over me.

Carly and Casey. I had forgotten. Damn, they were still here. I’d passed out. Shit. I would’ve preferred to send them home. Then I remembered Rush’s voice and jerked around to look at the door. Rush was glaring at me with disgust. He wasn’t looking at the two nak*d women in my bed. Kudos to him, because they had nice asses. I knew that firsthand.

“Get rid of them and meet me on the balcony,” Rush said and walked off.

Why was he so pissed off? This is what I did.

I disentangled myself and stared down at the two girls I’d spent my night with. Several condom wrappers littered the room and bed. They’d been full of energy. “Time to get up, girls. It’s going-home time,” I said, jerking the covers back and slapping both their asses. They grumbled and I couldn’t remember who was who anymore. I was pretty sure at one time last night I was just calling them both Harlow. It was a low moment.

“I got company. Get dressed. I’ll have a cab waiting on you in five minutes outside. It was fun,” I told them and flipped the lights on to help.

“Ouch,” one said, covering her eyes.

I waited until both of them were up and looking for clothing before I left them to finish. I headed outside to see why Rush was here.

Opening the door, I stepped out into the sunshine.

Rush glanced back at me. “Two of them? Really? That’s f**ked up.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t preach at me about two at a time. You did it all the damn time back in the day.”

Rush shook his head. “I was stupid. You’re stupid.”

“Watch it. I happen to think it was pretty damn smart. They were nice and jiggly and helped me release some tension.”

Rush turned his head to look at me. “I thought you had a thing for Harlow,” he said.

I did . . . but I couldn’t. I had explained this to him.

“Wanting Harlow is one thing. Sure, I want her. Who the hell wouldn’t? But the thing is, I care enough about her not to mess with her. I’m not going to get serious. I can’t have what you have with Blaire. It isn’t me.”

“Bullshit,” Rush said, turning to look directly at me. “I had a drunk-off-his-ass idiot rambling on about how special she was and how he just wanted to talk to her and how much he missed her smile. That shit don’t go away.”

I hadn’t realized I’d said I missed her. I did. Even with her here, I missed her. She made me laugh and her smile always made everything else seem unimportant. “She went out with Adam last night.”

“The tennis pro?”

“Yeah,” I replied, feeling sick at my stomach. What if Adam kissed her? What if he touched her?

“So, you f**ked two strangers in your own damn bed.”

“Because she went out with Adam,” I replied. That was the truth. I wouldn’t have gone looking for distractions had she not been on a f**king date with f**king Adam.

Rush let out a sigh. “Harlow is the most sheltered person I know. She has been protected and guarded her entire life. She’s the only child of Kiro’s to make it into the news. So he hid her in North Carolina with her grandmother. He hated the way the news wanted to know everything about her. He used his money to keep the world out of her life. Once her grandmother died she was thrust into his world and did the only thing she knew to do. She hid away in her room. Now she’s here and she needs friends. She can’t stay home and hide. She has Nan there. So, sure. Someone asked her out. She went. Why the hell not? You haven’t asked her out. You haven’t done shit.”

“I’m scared of her.” There. I said it.

Rush frowned. “You’re scared of her? Harlow? Or are we talking about Nan?”