Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter Nine

It was times like these when Carmen wasn't sure what to do with her hands. She wasn't carrying her phone directly in her hand, which was just so unfortunate because it could be used as a way to distract herself or to appear distracted to others.

When Simon's car pulled up at the docks, she had been way too nervous about the media snapping pictures outside to really care about the phone that she had subconsciously slipped into her rhinestone clutch. And due to the lack of it, now she was forced to busy her eyes gazing at the laughing and giggling crowd around them, the champagne bubbling up the glasses and the same glasses being clinked and raised in the air.

Before joining the party on the deck, however, Simon had led her to a room.

"I have a surprise for you," he said to her before turning around and twisting the knob. As the door opened, it revealed the most gorgeous suite she had ever laid eyes on.

The room itself was divided into two floors—a duplex suite. The bottom floor was decked with couches and dining and a private kitchen of its own while the upper one was entirely bedroom space. There was a balcony with enormous glass walls that provided a panoramic view of the water and the sky. Another set of a sitting section outside with a private pool she never thought she needed but seemed such an adorable addition to have.

Carmen had never seen anything quite like it. For a second, she nearly forgot they were on a ship and not at some beachfront apartment. But then again, this setting was so much better, it brought a smile to her face without her even knowing.

A pair of arms had folded around her small waist, gripping her back to reality. When Simon murmured against her ear, his breath was hot and delicious. "Do you like it?"

Oh, yes. Yes, she did. It was impossible not to. "It's gorgeous."

Simon trailed his mouth up the column of her neck while Carmen felt herself easing into his hold and the things he did to her poor, poor heart. "Well, thank God, because it's yours."

Despite every cell in her body wanting nothing more than to let him have his way with her—which unfortunately he hadn't yet, leaving her to quietly worry if he had any plans, either. Not that she had any intentions to confront him about it. It was already as embarrassing as it was—she turned around and looked up at me. "You're not actually suggesting staying here, are you?"

It was so hard to read Simon sometimes. It was frustrating. Then again, she'd be lying to herself if she said that wasn't part of his charm. He was enigmatic and elusive, which intrigued her curiosity and made her want to learn more and more about him. Enough to know that he wasn't anything like Ronin, and that he wouldn't break her heart once his purpose was fulfilled.

Simon dazzled her with a dashing smile. "Surprise?"

Carmen looked utterly confused.

He chuckled, clarifying quickly enough. Although before that, he took her hand and led her towards the balcony. Simon slid the glass wall to the side before asking her to be careful while crossing the threshold. The balmy sea breeze felt stronger than it did when they were on the deck, fierce enough to push her hair to the other side and totally destroy the styling. Carmen would have groaned out in pure irritation if she hadn't been laughing and basking in the feeling of wind and salt on her face.

"Would it really bother you if we stayed here for, say, a few days?"

At the back of her mind, Carmen had anticipated those words coming out of his mouth. She had spotted the banner and heard people mutter on their walk up here. The cruise was expected to be leaving in a short while. What she couldn't figure out was if she was truly comfortable with this so-called surprise.