I shook my head, but couldn’t catch my breath to speak. I just sat there, biting my lip and trying to get hold of myself.
The longer I was quiet, the more Marcus seemed to come undone.
“Becca, please. Please tell me what’s wrong.” He stroked back my hair, those ocean eyes searching mine. “I’ll fix it,” he blurted before he could stop himself.
I gave him a watery smile. “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me Becca.”
A faint blush tinted the tops of his cheeks, and he dropped his gaze to the chair. “I didn’t think I had the right to,” he confessed softly. “I thought it was a name reserved for your friends.”
“And we’re not friends?”
Two more tears slipped down my cheeks but he wiped them with gentle fingers, placing his hands on both sides of my face.
“I’d think we are.” He leaned down hopefully and caught my eye. “You’re my friend. I’m not sure how you feel about me—you kick and Mace me a lot…” A broken laugh escaped my lips, and he leaned back on his heels, looking pleased. “There’s that smile.”
He waited patiently for another moment or two while I caught my breath and got myself together. Once I finally felt like I was in control, I put on my best “normal” face. “So how did the meeting go last night? Did Takahari say anything else about the merger?”
“That’s not—”
A very strange expression flitted across his face. His eyes tightened around the edges, and it was as if he was seeing me for the first time. His lips parted, but instead of answering my question, he dropped his head, letting his hair spill across his forehead. When he did finally speak, his voice
was soft and low.
“Please tell me what’s the matter.”
But this was one problem my daring billionaire couldn’t fix.
I flashed a tight smile, but shook my head, stuffing my cell phone back in my pocket. He understood the subject was closed, but unwilling to leave me alone, he tried a different tack.
“Come to the beach with me?”
I glanced around in surprise. “Now?” The beach was dark. Only the light of the full moon reflected off the tops of the waves, leaving the sand bathed in shadow.
He smiled and held out his hand. “If you like.”
For a second, I considered his offer. Then I laced my fingers through his open hand. I would like. In fact, I would like very much.
We went to the beach a few minutes later.
“Is it cold?” I asked hesitantly, perching on the water’s edge.
He had already waded in up to his stomach by the time I got to the beach. When he heard me speak, he turned around and gave me a breathtaking smile. The moon lit up his curls in a silver halo, and his eyes were the exact color of the starlit sea.
“It’s warmer than you think.” He offered me his hand. “Come on.”
He was right. At first I just dipped in my ankle, but the water was as warm as a bath, and I was quick to scamper in. It wasn’t exactly a peaceful shoreline. It was the kind that kids would love to jump and play in during the day. None of the waves were too rough, but I still squealed and jumped back as a bigger one splashed up to my chin.
Marcus laughed and whirled around. “Are you afraid to get wet?”
I answered him with a resounding wall of water that eight years on a swim team had led me to master. It struck him squarely in the face, and he stumbled back a step, coughing and blinking salt water from his eyes.
“You little—”
The next second, he was charging through the waves. I screamed and dove for cover, but I wasn’t fast enough. I may have perfected the art of splashing, but Marcus had over a foot on me and strong muscular arms. It wasn’t long before the two of us were dripping from head to toe.
“Where did you learn to play like that?” he panted, combing his hair from his eyes.
I shrugged and giggled. “I have an older brother, Max. It was kill or be killed in my family. He made sure I learned to survive.”