Claire was a hard nut to crack. She was the first woman that had ever said no to him.
“Hello, handsome,” a woman said, interrupting his thoughts.
Chance looked at her, aware that she was obviously trying to flirt with him when she batted her eyelashes and looked at him.
“Hello,” he replied.
“So, are you free tonight?”
“Do you have anything in mind?” he asked her.
“There is a private jacuzzi in my room, and it is awfully big for little old me,” she flirted with him.
Usually Chance asked no questions in these types of situations; he would make her his for the night. And when the morning came, she would be a blubbering mess when she woke up and found him gone. Not only would he be gone, but she wouldn’t be able to get him alone again. Tonight, though, he had another woman on his mind, and the thrill of the hunt was more fascinating than the woman who offered herself whole to him right then.
He smiled and touched her face. “Maybe if we had met two days earlier.”
“Bummer,” she pouted and used her index finger to absent-mindedly pull the lace on her top to reveal firm breasts. “Are you sure?”
Chance could feel the heat rising, and he had to fight to control his urges. “I’m sure.”
As he walked away, he felt like an idiot for refusing someone he was certain he could have in pursuit of a woman who was not even interested in him. He brightened, however, when he thought of all the naughty things he would do to her when he had her to himself. He would not rest until she was completely his, but one thing was sure: to have her, he would have to change his rules of engagement.
***
Chance spent the night tossing and turning in his bed until the heat made it impossible to stay there. He had deliberately chosen the room across the courtyard from Claire, unknown to her, of course. He went out on the balcony and stared across, gritting his teeth at his temporary defeat.
He could see the pale light on the horizon telling him that morning was fast approaching, and he went back into the room and pulled on a pair of running shorts. In two swift motions he was dressed in a white tee as well as his sneakers. Maybe a morning jog would give him some perspective and a different angle to figure out Claire. That was his goal when he left the room, but an hour later he had achieved only sweat and no clarity.
Back in his room, he ripped the towel from the bar in anger and went back out to the balcony. The sun was peeping over the horizon, and he saw movement inside her room. He stepped back behind the curtains so she couldn’t see him, and he watched as she stepped outside with her towel in hand, rubbing her damp hair. Her face was serene, and she wore a smile and a robe; he grew hard just watching her. Chance inwardly cursed her for the effect she had on him; an effect she refused to acknowledge.
As if she was aware of his presence, she looked directly at him and her hands stopped moving. He stepped further into the shadows, but when he stuck his head out again, she was gone. He sighed. This was stupid. A grown man like him acting like a child. He had to get a grip on himself, he thought, as he decided to go down for breakfast.
He was just pouring himself a cup of coffee while he waited for his breakfast when he saw Claire and Amy coming down the stairs. The cup froze on its way to his lips as he watched them, and the pair of eyes he was least interested in found him.
“Chance,” Amy called with a wave.
But his eyes were on Claire, who gave him an odd look and a half-smile and walked to a table. Apparently, she didn’t care about him, and he hated being at a disadvantage. He waved at Amy, who was walking towards him.
“Hi, Amy,” he said, his eyes still glued on Claire.
“Would you like to join us?” she asked, pointing to their table.
Had it been just Amy, he would have refused. But he accepted any invitation that brought him closer to the woman who made him feel something he had never experienced before: rejection.
“Sure,” he said as he followed her to the table where Claire sat, but Claire didn’t seem at all pleased to see him.
“Forgive my intrusion,” he said as he pulled the chair out for Amy, then sat between her and Claire.
“Maybe you should eat at another table,” Claire said as she stuck her knife aggressively into the omelet.
“Claire!” Amy looked at her, appalled, and kicked her under the table. “You’re being rude.”
“Rude? I’m just enjoying my breakfast.”
“That’s not new,” he said to her, and Amy looked at the two of them.
“What?” Claire asked, her tone raised.
“I’m just being honest,” Chance only smiled and dug into his omelet. “So, how’re you enjoying your trip so far?”