NINE
Dammit, thought Cat, why does he always have to look so delectable? It was easy enough to resist Scott while they were surrounded by others, but now that he was ready to bump things up a notch and take her out somewhere, and now that he’d broken the ice by giving her that little kiss earlier, her hormones had gone into overdrive.
But the man came with some kind of baggage. She needed to keep reminding herself that until she found out what it was he’d been hiding, she really ought to play it cool. At least, that was what she was telling herself mentally at the same time she threw her arms up around his neck and kissed him back for all she was worth.
He certainly didn't complain, but surged forward with an eager groan and shoved her against the doorframe, more than willing to accept the attention. Then he chuckled and asked, “So, I take it you didn’t mind that kiss after all?”
“Sorry,” she said breathlessly. “But I knew if I didn’t kiss you back now, I might not get to at all. I have no idea what’s going to happen after your big reveal.”
Cat zoned back into reality, taking in the fact that she was plastered against the metal piece that was meant to catch the lock rather than her back, with Scott’s hands gripping her ass, and their torsos so close together you’d have to pry them apart with a crowbar. A fact which she wouldn’t mind at all except that the woman whose room was next to hers suddenly opened her door.
“Oh. Sorry,” said Ellen as she took the pair in. “I didn’t know you had company.”
“We’re just getting ready to go,” said Cat, blushing profusely as Scott moved away from her. She turned the lock on the door from the inside, grabbed up her purse, and pulled the door closed, noticing that Scott was saying something to the woman, but the blood was pounding so loudly in her ears she had no idea what it was.
As they headed for the stairs, Scott’s hand naturally slid along the small of her back, however briefly, and the simple touch set her on fire. Her nipples were still remembering the feel of being pressed against his rock-hard chest, and she was finding it difficult to catch her breath. And Scott himself seemed to be playing it cool, like nothing had happened at all, as Ellen followed them down the hall.
“So where are you two going?” she asked in a conversational tone, obviously hoping to ease some of the tension in the air.
“We’re going over to Mrs. Mac’s for dinner,” Scott told her.
“Oh, I love going there,” Ellen grinned. “Eat well, laugh often, live long! Have you ever been, Cat? You should really love the décor.”
“License plates,” Scott chuckled. “Interesting stuff. But not my main interest personally. I’m just going for a big, juicy porterhouse steak. And that baked potato will be completely loaded.”
Cat chuckled. “You sure do love packing on those carbs.”
Aiden flexed his chest muscles. “Well, of course.”
Ellen laughed as she passed them on the stairs. She leaned toward Cat’s ear and said, “Lucky girl!” Then she disappeared down the stairs. The two of them reached the bottom, and then headed over to the parking lot.
When Scott bypassed the stalls and headed over to the garage where the company cars were kept, Cat was somewhat surprised. But when they bypassed the company cars and headed for a Porsche SUV, that’s when her confusion really started to show.
“Don’t look so worried, sweetheart,” said her companion with a chuckle as he pulled out a set of keys and used the fob button to unlock the doors. “Just get in, okay? All shall be revealed soon.”
Cat did as she was told, but her stomach balled up into a wad of nerves. Getting into the smooth seat of luxurious gray leather certainly helped, though. She’d never sat in a more comfortable seat in her life. Don’t get distracted, she reminded herself. There’s most definitely something up.
Scott turned the key in the ignition, and the radio came on. Apparently, he must like rock music. He moved to turn it off, but Cat shot out a hand to stop him. “Not yet, okay? This is a good song.”
Grinning appreciatively, he left it alone. Backing out of his stall, he angled the car in the right direction and headed out, and not much later they’d already traversed the short distance to the middle of the island, finding the Overseas Highway and the salmon pink, shack-like restaurant at the side of the road.
“I’ve heard of this place, but I’ve never been before,” said Cat as she looked around. The place was a bit of everything, with license plates littering the walls, and glass cases containing starfish and snakes painted onto the floor and counters, encircling things, including a large wooden plaque with the ‘eat well’ saying carved onto it with black letters. The tables were bright red, which somehow contrasted well with the completely plate-covered walls.
“What do you think?” asked Scott with a chuckle.
“It’s amazing,” Cat said, grinning. A waitress greeted them and brought them to their seats.
“Well, first off, we’d like a couple of appetizers please,” said Scott as they slid into their seats. “I think a batch of lobster bites, and maybe some oysters, should suffice.”
Cat giggled. “Are you sure oysters are a good idea after that little fiasco of a greeting earlier?”
Scott grinned at her, waggling his eyebrows. “Oh, definitely. That, and some Iguana Bait beer. Could we get a pitcher, please?”
“Sure thing, mister.”
Cat blushed and shook her head. “And maybe a Coke for me too, just in case I’m not impressed by his beverage choice?”
The waitress chuckled. “I’ll get on that right away while you two look over your menus.”
“Oh, I already know what I’m having,” said Scott, grinning. “But the lovely lady still needs time.”
“No, not really,” said Cat, shrugging. “A scampi seafood platter sounds divine.”
“All right, then, let me just get those menus out of the way and we’ll get this party started, okay?”
“Thanks,” said Cat, smiling.
By some mutual, unspoken agreement, neither of them brought up Scotts hidden secret until they’d each taken their last bite of key-lime pie and the waitress had brought the check to the table. Then, as he stood to go, Scott said, “I think I’d like to drive out onto the beach for our little discussion, if you don’t mind. Maybe take a moonlit stroll, share this bottle of wine? That way, even if you’re mad at me, being under the stars might just mellow you out.”
“I thought you said it wasn’t bad,” Cat complained.
“Well, it isn’t,” he grumbled as they headed for the door. The air had grown slightly chilled, and Cat shivered. Scott was quick to slip the jacket he’d brought with them over her shoulders as they headed for the SUV. They didn’t say anything else as he drove them to a marina on Bayside.
“Let’s go,” he said to her, and Cat got out and followed him down a set of steps that led right out onto the beach itself. She was glad she was wearing her flats as they held hands and walked, side by side, enjoying the cool breeze.
“So, I’ve given you plenty of time,” she told him after a while. “What is this big secret you’ve been trying to hide?”
“Can I ask you something first? What do you think of mixing romance with work?”
“As long as two people are able to separate them well enough, I don’t think it’s bad really,” Cat shrugged. “Why?”
“But what if you were dating your boss?
“What, did you already get hired?” she asked. “But even if you did, that still doesn’t make any sense. You didn’t even go for an admin job.”
“I didn’t have to apply for that,” he admitted. “It’s sort of already mine.”
“So Mr. Whitney put you in charge already?” Cat clarified. “I knew somebody would have to manage the resort, but I thought you just wanted to dive. Are you in charge of the watersports, then?”
“No, Cat, you’re not listening,” he sighed. “I’m in charge of—everything. Mr. Whitney is me. Scott isn’t my first name, it’s the middle. I hate that I couldn’t tell you before, but I’ve been pretending all week. Figuring out who stays, and who goes.”