*Shelby*Michael held my hand as he led me through a side door of the mansion, avoiding the large crowd of the engagement party. When the door closed behind us, the music and noise of the group were muffled. All that we could hear was the low rumble of the bass as it vibrated through the walls.Michael and I walked in silence, and he never let go of my hand as he led me back to his room. Michael's room was decorated in soft grays and silvers. The massive bed stood alone in the center of the room with a crystal chandelier hanging over the center. My feet were sore, so I slipped my heels off and set them by the double door entrance of the room. Michael clicked the lock on the door, walked across the room, and sat down in an armchair on the other side of the room. I followed, my bare feet cold on the tile floors. The room's soft coldness made me feel like I was surrounded by a cloud, comfortable and warm but still in a storm. I nearly sank into the plush armchair t
*Shelby*Standing in his bedroom, after my confession to him about Todd being my ex, Michael kissed me. He was gentle at first. Then, before we knew it, we were locked together, his tongue gently teasing me to open my mouth until my lips parted, and he pushed between my lips with an urgency that had my skin tingling and my core lighting on fire. His fingers set the skin of cheek ablaze.My heart drummed in my chest at the anticipation in the air at our closeness. We were so close that I could almost feel the sharp edges of his stubble that had dusted his face as the day grew to a close. Releasing my lips, he whispered, “I can’t imagine not knowing you, Shelby.” His breath was warm against my lips. The small vibrations sent waves of energy through my entire body. Goosebumps prickled my arms. The sweet smell of cinnamon on his breath, and his sandalwood cologne, mingled perfectly together. The sensation was too much for me to bear, so I closed my eyes, letting
*Michael*“Bruce. What did you find out?” I asked the head of my security team. “We have reason to believe that Blaine knows your current location in the Bahamas, sir,” Bruce’s voice echoed on the other end of the phone.I looked up when the door clicked; Shelby had left during my eagerness to call Bruce. I felt like a complete ass. I kissed her and then made a phone call seconds after. “Sir?” Bruce’s voice pulled me out of my own thoughts.“I’m sorry, Bruce. What did you say?”“We are worried about your security measures in the Bahamas. You have no one with you from the team. Please tell me you have been activating the security system we had installed.”I’d completely forgotten about the security system in the rush of preparing for Lauren’s engagement party. I’d have to remember to set that after we got off the phone.“How do you know that Blaine knows where we are?” I asked. Seconds later, my phone buzzed against my ear. I put Bruce on
*Shelby*I woke up on top of the king-sized bed in my cotton robe. Apparently, I fell asleep right after getting out of the tub the night before. I didn’t even make it under the covers. My stomach growled, so I got up and put myself together. After putting on light makeup, I picked out a strappy sundress from my new vacation wardrobe and headed for the door. My bare feet made contact with a slip of paper someone had slid under my door sometime during the night.I can’t stop thinking about you or that kiss. I will find you tomorrow, so we can talk.-M.Even without recognizing the neat handwriting from his previous note, I knew it was from Michael. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of me being on his mind. I carefully placed the note with the other and the small pink sea shell before making my way down to the kitchen.The house was completely silent; everyone was probably still in bed, nursing a hangover. I was glad that I would get to spend the m
*Shelby*My eyes burned from all of the crying I had done the night before. I’d spent the whole day in my room, and I’d barely slept that night, worrying about how many magazines would have the picture of me and Michael on the cover the next day and thinking about my decision to leave.I just hoped that I would be able to make it home before the media caught hold of the story. I wanted to be as far away from Lauren as possible when she got ahold of the picture.I texted Lin, telling her to confirm the flight for the next day and wondered how I'd even get there. Flying commercial meant I couldn't use the private airstrip.Maybe Reggie will be able to help me. Or Brenna. Now more than ever, I wanted to escape this vacation. I’d gone to the bathroom and started the shower, filling the room with steam, when I heard an urgent knocking on my door.My heart sank, knowing Michael would never knock so frantically on my door; the only other person it could be was L
*Shelby*The wheels of my suitcase got stuck in the gravel at the end of the driveway. I sighed and pulled harder, having no idea how I was going to get to the airport from here. The suitcase was too heavy; it was crammed full of all of the clothes that Michael bought for me.I realized I had not thought my escape plan through. I didn’t want to do the messy goodbyes with anyone in the house, and I figured I would be able to find a taxi eventually, but my first priority was to get as far away from the mansion as possible.However, it seemed I was going to be stuck at the end of the driveway forever.The crunching gravel surprised me, and I turned around; just as a black Cadillac pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, and I was relieved to see Reggie sitting in the driver's seat.“What are you doing, Shelby?” Reggie asked me as he took off his sunglasses. He looked so confused at me standing there; suitcase stuck in the rocks.“Um. I am trying to
*Michael*I rolled over in bed; the glare of the sun from the window had streamed across my face, pulling me from some much-needed sleep.I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened with Shelby on the beach. I wanted to talk to her, to see if she was okay, but I hadn’t seen her since the incident.My mind went over it, reliving every aspect in vivid color….“Michael, there is a man taking pictures of us!” Shelby had squealed.I’d turned my head, and sure enough, a man was standing on the rocky outcrop hanging over the cove.“Shit! Stay behind me, Shelby. I’ll get you out of this,” I’d said as I protectively shifted her body behind mine.She’d buried her face in my neck, and I could feel her nervous heartbeat against my chest. I had been so foolish to pull her into this mess. I knew instinctively that this was Blaine’s doing.I should have accepted the extra security when Bruce suggested it. I’d swam for a group of rocks as fast as I c
*Shelby*A knock sounded on my door, but I didn’t want to get out of bed. The room that was usually cluttered but tidy, was full of moving boxes, in corners pushed as out of the way as possible. It had always been a tight squeeze with all three of us in one room, but now it just felt claustrophobic. I closed my eyes and wished sleep would come, wished it would give me a break from my thoughts that continued to run back to Michael. I missed him but knew I could never face him after all of the trouble I had caused. I hadn’t talked to him after he ran off after the photographer, so I had no idea how much he had to pay the man not to publish those photos.I’d only guessed that he had eventually spent enough money, because I never saw my face plastered all over the front of a gossip tabloid, blog article, or magazine. I had panicked the entire flight home, but I’d decided not to react to the picture the unknown number had sent me, it wasn’t like I could do an