Page 19 of Exposed
The elevator dinged and the doors started to close.
“Hold the elevator,” a voice called, as a long, olive-skinned arm slipped between the crack.
The doors bounced open, just as Nate pressed the button. “Sorry about that, I didn’t see you.”
Two men brushed through the door. The smaller of the two pulled his sunglasses off and Nate curled his hands into fists.
“No problem. There’s a wave of people coming behind me, so we’d better hurry up.” Carlos loosened the tie at his throat and cuffed up the sleeves on his suit jacket. Ashley’s fingers dug into Nate’s forearm in warning—as if he didn’t know who he was.
Nate released the open button and the doors glided shut. He cleared his throat. “Floor?”
“Eighth.” Carlos leaned back against the elevator wall and smiled at them. His gaze lingered on Ashley. Disgust roiled through Nate. The breadth of his bodyguard’s shoulders spanned the width of the elevator. The cart lifted off the groundand after a few floors, the elevator shaft turned to glass and they had an expansive view of the atrium.
Nate forced a smile. The muscles in his face strained in protest. “Beautiful ship. Have you been on it before?” he asked.
Ashley squirmed next to him, and he tightened his hold on her arm. The bodyguard didn’t look at them. Hector Jose was a rough and hard sonofabitch.
The elevator slowed to a smooth stop and the doors opened. Carlos extended his hand to let them off first. “First time. Although it first sailed in January so it’s still very new.”
“Ah, well you guys have a good time.” Nate waved and led Ashley through the doors and down the hall.
Ashley waggled her fingers and followed Nate. They stayed close at their heels and fire scorched up Nate’s back. He tucked Ashley’s hand close to his side as they proceeded down the cerulean blue-carpeted hallway.
He stopped at the wide double doors of their suite and fished his key card from his pocket.
“Look at that, we’re neighbors.” Carlos gave him a jovial smile, but his green eyes darkened a shade. He dug his hands in his pockets. Hector rapped his knuckles against their door.
“Small world.” Nate smiled and swiped the key in the lock.
Carlos’s door swung open and Maddie stood in the doorway. Her long hair tumbled in loose waves around her shoulders, blond highlights flashing through the chestnut strands. Goddamn, she’d changed her hair. His breath caught in his throat and he froze with his hand on the door.
Carlos beamed and turned to face Maddie. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her slim fingers tangled in his hair as her mouth closed over his. Carlos groaned and turned to press her against the door. Her lashes flicked open and landed on Nate. Her eyes went wide and she froze in Carlos’s arms.
Carlos’s dark brows snapped down and he frowned at her. Like a slate wiped clean, Maddie straightened and flashed her perfect teeth. “Hi honey, you made it.” Her neatly manicured fingernails curled into his hand. “Come see the room, it’s gorgeous.”
Ashley covered his hand with hers, opened their door, and nudged them inside. He moved through the door just as Hector closed Carlos’s door behind them. His eye caught Carlos’s hand slide over Maddie’s ass as she led him into their suite.
Pressure built against his temples. Ashley sidled in front of him and shut the door. Her brown eyes flashed at him and the corner of her mouth twitched.
“Don’t even think about it,” she hissed. Her long finger pointed at his chest. “Whatever is going on between you and Maddie, you need to leave that shit on land. Got it?”
Hot air blew through his nose. He rubbed his face and turned from the door. Christ, what had he been thinking? That he could break the door down and knock Carlos out for touching Maddie?
If he didn’t get his emotions in check, he was going to fuck everything up.
CHAPTER 6
Adark shapestepped in front of the warm sun, casting her in shade. Maddie shielded her eyes and smiled at the short man dressed in white.
“Here you are, Mrs. Santiago.” The waiter handed her a tall margarita and passed her a napkin. She cringed. The urge to correct him seared through her mind, but she forced a smile.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly, the corners of her mouth ached in protest. He nodded and turned away. She propped the back of her chair up, lifted the sunglasses from her eyes, and rested them on her head. The pool deck was swarming with people, at tables and in loungers, and some were floating in the massive pool.
Red, low-slung swim trunks caught her line of vision. Her gaze dragged up long, muscular legs, and lingered on nicely tanned abs. God, he was ripped. Water coursed from his dark blonde hair and trailed over taut nipples on his broad chest. Her mouth went dry. A deep, steady throb started low inside her.
The memory of his hot mouth sealing over hers and his fingers curled into the back of her neck flashed through her mind. It had taken everything in her to walk away from him that night in her apartment, but she’d had no choice. Nate would never risk everything for her, and if he had walked away from her again, it would have cut her like a knife. So she’d done it for him.
A low whistle brought her eyes to his.
