Free Barefoot Bay: The Billionaire's Convenient Secret (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Leigh Duncan

to see where it led.
    They sprang apart when footsteps sounded on the path coming from the beach. Josh moved closer as the burly figure of a man rounded the corner of the deck.
    “Casa Blanca Security, ma’am, sir,” came a voice out of the dark. “Sorry for the interruption. I’ll be on my way.”
    “Miles? Is that you?”
    Josh’s voice focused her gaze on the uniformed man who’d stepped out of the shadows and into the spill of light around her doorway.
    “Josh?” Surprise sent the guard’s voice higher. “Hey, man. Guess they’ll let just about anyone into Casa Blanca these days.” He double-timed it up the steps and onto the deck.
    “Guess so if they have you guarding the joint.” Josh turned to her. “Charlie, this Miles. Miles, Charlie. Miles is an old friend and, all kidding aside, about as fine a security specialist as you’ll ever find.”
    “Nice to meet you,” she managed, struggling to maintain her focus, which had strayed to the possessive hand Josh had slipped around her waist.
    Backing away slowly, Miles tipped his cap. “Sorry for the interruption. I’ll let you two get back to…whatever.” He skirted past. “I’ll call you later in the week. We’ll knock back a couple of brews like old times. Give your aunt Charity my best.”
    The hand around her waist stiffened. In the dark, Charlie felt her eyes widen as her stomach rode the express elevator to the basement while the guard’s footsteps faded into the distance. “Josh…” Her whisper barely rose above the sound of the distant surf. She wet her lips and tried again. “Josh, what did he mean by that? Is Charity Grambling your aunt?”
    The hand at her waist slipped away. “Yes,” came the curt reply that threatened to nip their relationship off at the roots. “I didn’t tell you because—”
    “You were using me to get information? A bargaining ploy?” Even as she said the words, she didn’t believe them. Josh wasn’t like the men she dealt with in the office day in and day out. He was different. Open and honest. He’d never deceive her, would he?
    “Maybe at first. But that ended five minutes into our first conversation. To tell you the truth, I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d look down your nose at a thirty-two-year-old who still works for his aunt.”
    “I’d never…” Her mind crashed into truth’s brick wall. The fact was, he was right. She’d already stretched her rule against dating co-workers to the breaking point just by meeting Josh for a drink. If she’d known he was Charity Grambling’s nephew, she’d never have agreed to see him. “I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t have gone out with you if I’d known.” She took a breath and rubbed her temples. “And that would have been a damn shame. ’Cause you’re one of the smartest, warmest, nicest guys I’ve ever met.”
    “Plus, I’m a darned good kisser,” he said, his deep, rumbly voice sending a shiver straight down her spine.
    “That, too,” she agreed. She laughed then, glad she’d taken a chance on him. “If you still want me to, I’d love to see the island with you tomorrow.”
    In answer, Josh brushed a kiss over her forehead and stepped away. “I’ll pick you up at nine thirty?”
    “Yeah, sure,” she answered, her thoughts drifting to the incredible kiss she wished had gone on all night. “That’ll be fine.”
    Still rattled, she fumbled her key in the lock. At last, the door opened, and she all but stumbled into the villa. Closing the door behind her, she pressed her head against the cool, hard wood.
    Josh had an amazing knack for making her forget her own rules. She had a strict policy against dating anyone associated with work. She’d crossed that line by accepting Josh’s invitation to have drinks at Junonia. That was bad enough, but she’d compounded the problem by agreeing to join him for dinner. Discovering that he was Charity Grambling’s nephew had given her the perfect opportunity to break things off