Alpha Billionaire Series
Loving the One I Should Hate Chapter 8

GRANT

I lay in bed, the sheets twisted around my legs. The scent of Mandy was still on my skin. What the hell had that been? And why had I just let her get up and leave?

I didn't let women use me and walk out the door. I was certain that wasn't her last time in this bed. I would make sure it wasn't. She was the kind of woman I could take hours to play with, and I had the feeling it would be years before I understood her infinite nuances. She was the kind of woman that would be worth it.

I threw back the sheets and headed for the shower. I didn't want to lose the memory of her skin against mine. I did feel the need to wash away any thoughts of long-term commitment. I didn't know where those had snuck in from, and they did not need to stick around.

Mandy was a fun time. End of story. Fun times could be repeated, but they should not come with plans of shared banking accounts and wondering if this house had enough bedrooms for kids. It did. I already counted before I decided I needed to wash away those thoughts.

My time at the lake was for relaxing, not obsessing over a beautiful woman who had come into my life, blown my mind, and left just as quickly. The universe had other plans for me. Even if I had been able to get Mandy out of my thoughts it was never for very long. I took my jet ski out for a run around the lake the next day. I certainly hadn't expected to see Mandy out on the water. I really hadn't expected to recognize her body from so far away. She was barely a spec on the small private beach. And yet, I knew that was her. I would have been able to spot her in a crowd of thousands.

I navigated the jet ski closer and watched as she played some game with a few kids. She was as gorgeous as the memory burned into my mind; I really hadn't been making that part up. Maybe it was the bikini she wore or the self-confidence she exuded. I steered in a bit closer. A rope and floating buoys marked off an area to be safe for swimmers. I floated just outside of the ropes until she turned and saw me. I was close enough to make out the features of her face, even though her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses.

She waved and then turned to say something to one of the kids. The next thing I knew she was wading out to me. She bounced along as the water got deeper. By the time she was on the other side of the rope from me she was covered up to her breasts, and they floated like majestic orbs that drew my eyes like magnets to ferrous metals.

"You're too close to the beach, you know that right?" She teased and my body roared with desire.

"I'm on this side of the ropes. I wanted to see you. I thought you would just wave, and I would be on my way. This is better." My gaze left her breasts to look into her face. I licked my lips and returned my gaze to her body. "So much better."

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, nodding toward the little beach swarming with kids with water wings, and parents.

Quickly looking over her shoulder, she ducked under the rope and swam a few feet out to my jet ski. She hung off the edge with her crossed arms. "They're having a little open house, fun for the kid's kind of thing."

"I see that. Why are you there? It would seem you already know how to swim."

She laughed, and her smile cut through me. "I learned to swim here, and when I was older, I helped to teach kids how to swim."

"Did you really?" I was impressed.

She nodded. "It was fun. I thought I wanted to be a teacher at one point."

"And you're not?"

"Nope. I'm in management. Just finished my MBA."

I knew she was a smart woman. And she liked kids.

"I have to get back. I'll see you around." She slipped away from the jet ski and moving like a mermaid, swam under the barrier and back to the beach.

She looked like some goddess emerging from the waves as she walked up the beach and turned to wave at me.

There was something about that woman. Even if I hadn't already had sex with her, my body would have been craving her. Now I wanted more. Turning the jet ski away from the beach, I opened the throttle and sped away in a feeble attempt to lose my ache for Mandy in speed.

"I'm not coming back," I announced. I sat in my kitchen and doctored an annoying cut along the side of my hand. I could almost blame Mandy for the wound. It was testosterone-fueled stupidity that caused me to not pay proper attention while tying off the jet ski because I had been so distracted by playing my meeting with her over and over again in my head. Specifically, the way her breasts floated in the water. And kids. Why was I thinking of Mandy and kids? And somewhere in there a wave lifted the jet ski into the cleat on the dock and my hand was trapped between the two

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dylan's voice was more annoyed than anything else.

"I mean I'm going to stay up here a bit longer."

"What could possibly... oh, you met a woman. She must be one hell of a lay-"

"Don't be disrespectful," I cut him off.

"You have met a woman. Seriously, Grant, we sent you away for a little R and R. Don't get distracted by a little a*s."

"It's not little, and I'll get distracted if I want to. We have nothing pressing at the moment. I'm a phone call away, and if I'm needed, I can drive down for the afternoon."

Dylan let out a low whistle. "Sounds serious. Is it?"

"I don't know. She's different." I hissed as I poured antiseptic over the cut.

"Are you okay? What was that?"

"It's nothing. I cut my hand."

"You should have just said that, 'can't come in boss I injured my hand."

"Except I'm the boss."

"Except you're the boss. I'll call if anything comes up. I hope you get your girl."

I did too, more than I cared to admit to myself.

"You hurt yourself?" Mandy's gentle voice caught me off guard.

I looked up and smiled at the concern I saw in her eyes. As we made eye contact, her face broke into a smile that had my d**k thrumming with a need to get at her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. It had been two days since I had seen her while out on the lake. We were a town over in one of those Mart shores. The odds of running into her were insane, and yet, here we were.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Hi Grant, are you following us?" Mandy's friend jostled in close.

"If I were following you, you would see me at every turn. I would be your shadow."

"Happy coincidence," Mandy said.

Mandy hip-checked Vivica. She rolled her eyes and pointed away from us. "I'll be over that way getting something I don't need since I clearly am not needed at the moment." She turned to glare at me. "Condoms are two aisles over, just saying." Mandy didn't say anything as she watched her friend roll the shopping cart away.

"What was that?" I asked.

Mandy stepped in close, and I dipped my face to hers. Her lips were as soft and sweet as I remembered.

"She's just looking out for me," she said once the kiss ended. "Let me see your hand."

She picked my hand up. Her touch was delicate, soft, tender. Her fingertips caressed the bruised skin. It hurt, but I wasn't going to let her think I was weak by flinching.

"It looks worse than it is." I let her hold onto my hand. Anything for her touch.

"You probably should have gotten stitches. It's going to leave a scar."

"Scars make for good stories."

"What's the story with this one?" she asked.

"Right now, the story involves a dock cleat, and a rogue jet ski," I answered.

"And later?" She let go of my hand.

I wanted to pick her hands up and put them back on me when she let go of me.

"Later when it's a healed scar? I don't know, I'll have to think of something epic. Maybe a battle over a fair maiden, or..."

"Or you got your hand bashed while tying off your jet ski and not paying proper attention?"

"Don't make it sound so mundane and plebeian in nature," I joked. "I decided to stick around. When will I get to see you again?"

Mandy looked in the direction her friend had gone. "She goes home soon; I'll need distraction after that."

I leaned over. "I'll be happy to oblige," I said as I claimed her mouth again.

"Good gravy, have you been standing in the middle of the aisle making out the whole time? Get a room." Vivica's sharp voice yanked me back to reality.

"I've been trying to convince her." I winked as I pushed my shopping cart away.

Mandy gave me a small wave. The last thing I saw was her smacking her friend on the arm.

That evening, with Mandy's kisses still fresh in my mind, I headed across the lawn to have dinner with Scott and Gracie. I brought a bottle of wine with me. I owed them a little something for hosting the party where I met Mandy. They didn't even know they had done something as significant as that.

"Oh Grant, so glad you decided to stay." Gracie gave me a perfume-filled hug.

She cooed when I handed her the wine and then introduced me to her friend. "Melissa, I want you to meet our neighbor Grant."

Melissa was a woman of expensive tastes. I worked with women in power suits all the time, I recognized the jewelry. Her hair was perfect and sleek, not a strand out of place, her make-up immaculate. Mandy didn't wear make-up, something I hadn't realized until I looked at Melissa.

It became obvious as dinner progressed that Gracie was trying to play matchmaker. More than once, Scott said something about his new boat, and Gracie cut him off, redirecting the conversation back to extolling either Melissa's virtues or mine.

I wouldn't have been interested in Melissa even if I hadn't met Mandy. She was attractive and accomplished. I met women like her every day in Chicago. They never once caught my interest the way the vibrant Mandy had so completely caught mine.

I had surrendered my attention at Mandy's feet the moment I first saw her. It was time to admit to myself that there was something very serious happening, and I needed to stay around to see it played through. I'm not sure who was more disappointed, Gracie or Melissa when I excused myself after dinner and went home alone.