And with that fact, I might have developed a bit of a crush on the boy from the other side of the pond.
“Do you have any?” he asked without looking up.
I was still pondering my new crush when he asked the question. It took me a minute to realize what he was asking. “Um, oh.” He was talking about tattoos. “No, not yet. I haven’t figured out what I’d want to commit to forever.”
He nodded. “I guess it’s a big decision.”
“Wasn’t it for you?”
He thought about my question for a second, then he shook his head. “Nah. Ink might be the only form of commitment I’m okay with.” Then he shrugged and quirked his lips before adopting an embellished Jersey accent. “That’s my credo. No ragrets.”
I bit back a smile. “You have no regrets? Like not even a single letter?”
We both laughed at the reference to the movie We’re the Millers, but in the back of my mind, his comment about commitment rang loud and clear. Red flags waved in front of my face, and I knew I couldn’t entertain my crush on the hot British stranger sitting across from me for another second.
“Maybe I can draw you something, and we can face your fear of commitment together.”
He winked, catching my heart completely off guard. I wasn’t expecting those eyes to pierce me so deeply or his gesture to create such a visceral reaction in my chest. I laughed over my discomfort. “No offense, clearly you’re a talented artist, but you don’t know me well enough to create something that will be etched in my skin forever.”
His smile softened while his eyes shone brighter. “Not yet, Chelsea Banks, but give me one week.” He peered down at his menu while he mumbled his next words a little softer, “And I will.”
7
Liam
A door slammed in my dreams, causing my eyes to fly open and my heart to gallop to life. I awoke to the vision of Chelsea in my head, an ache at my groin, sheets around my feet, and my fist wrapped around my cock. I was already in midstroke before I realized what was happening. Sweat beaded on my skin as I worked furiously to release the buildup that suddenly felt excruciating.
I’d been dreaming about the nanny. Full lips, petite height, slim waist, curvy hips. Sure, she was sexy as hell, but she was nothing like the women I went for back home. Chelsea was as pure as they came. She had an innocent outlook, flawless skin, natural everything. But she made me laugh, and I liked the sound of hers.
It wasn’t until my release shot off in a powerful surge that I let out a heavy breath, bringing a wave of relaxation with it. I’d needed that. After everything I’d been through over the last two months, the past two weeks especially, that was the first time I’d truly let go. The burden of breaking the hearts of three women on a single day, all who had confessed to falling in love with me, still ate me up at night. But how was I to know I wouldn’t fall in love with any of them?
“Afraid of commitment” and “the Forever Bachelor” were how the fans of the reality show had labeled me. Maybe they were right. Perhaps I was doomed to live as a single bloke after all.
I shook my head and groaned while stretching out my body. My eyes caught on the digital clock at my bedside, and I cursed. It was already noon. I’d been sleeping the day away without even realizing it. Still, I was groggy as fuck. With a plan to remedy that, I hopped out of bed, brushed my teeth, and quickly rinsed off in the shower. Once clean, I slipped on my swim shorts and headed out the back door to the courtyard.
The second I left the house, I could hear splashing and laughing above the surround sound, but I couldn’t see a bloody thing. The area where Chelsea lived was fairly private with tall shrubs and trees surrounding the gate. I couldn’t even get a glimpse of the area from the house, which I had attempted to do yesterday morning before she showed up to water the plants.
Once I reached the gate entrance and pushed my way inside, I halted completely in my steps. “Oh, shit.”
Chelsea was climbing out of the pool in a hot yellow bikini, her firm bum prominently displayed. She paused at the sound of my voice and snapped her head in my direction. That was when I caught movement from inside the pool. Another woman with a similar bikini style lounged on a large watermelon floatation device with her shades on and her skin glistening.
“Well hey there,” the unknown woman said with a slow-spreading grin.
I lifted my hand in a friendly wave. “Hiya. Apologies, loves. I didn’t know the pool was reserved for the afternoon.”
Chelsea stepped the rest of the way out of the pool and reached for a beach towel that sat on the lounge chair closest to her. “Morning, sleeping beauty,” she said, her gaze traveling slowly over my body.
I pinched my brows together, happy that my shades hid my amusement. “How did you know I was sleeping?”
Her lips twitched, and her cheeks darkened in color, causing a heavy feeling to hit my gut. I remembered the sound of a door slamming when I woke up to find I was giving myself a good wank. Maybe Chelsea had been inside the house. Maybe she’d caught a glimpse of me. The possibility excited me far too much.
Then she shrugged and pointed to my head as she stopped in front of me. “Your hair. You must have been having a good dream.”
Bloody hell, the minx had been there watching me. Too bad she’d left before it got good. “My dreams were excellent, thank you. Would you like to hear about one?”
She let out an airy laugh, and I swore her cheeks pinkened even more. “Maybe some other time.” She waved over the pool. “You’re welcome to join us. There’s room for everyone. That’s my best friend, Maisey.”
“Hello,” I called out to her friend with a short wave.
“Hey there, Liam. I’ve heard lovely things about you.”
Chelsea rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Don’t believe her. I didn’t say much other than that you saved my life and paid for lunch when it was supposed to be my treat. Oh.” She snapped her fingers as if she’d remembered something else. “And that you’re an artist.”
She dropped her towel back on her chair and walked away from me. I followed her, not knowing where she was going, but I didn’t care much as my eyes fell to that glorious arse. When she stopped at a blue cooler and bent over to grab two beers from it, I wished I’d looked away sooner. The fabric of my trunks twitched with excitement. Then Chelsea whipped back around, handing me a beer. My eyes snapped up to hers a second too late.
“Thirsty?”
She was clearly referring to the beer, but that wasn’t what I was thirsty for, not after watching her strut around the pool soaking wet and confident as hell. When I didn’t say anything, Maisey let out a laugh.
“I’d say he’s thirsty all right, darlin’. Go ahead. Give him a taste.”
I choked on my next words but was saved by the sight of the door to Chelsea’s pool house opening followed by a tall black man emerging. He caught sight of me and greeted me with a “Sup” and an uptick of his head.
My first thought was that this was the man whose willy Chelsea was going on about at the tearoom the other day. My chest tightened, and my jaw ticked with jealousy. I couldn’t possibly feel possessive over a woman I barely knew, but she’d said there was no willy, that it had just been a ruse for Gwen’s benefit.