Page 82 of Out of the Gold

I lift my head and gaze at my boyfriend for a long moment before reaching forward and kissing him. The shock of our lips coming together still steals my breath. “Okay.”

When I stand, I offer him my hand. As we head toward the gate, the wedding party enters. Charles ducks his head downward, causing my heart to reach out to him. I know how difficult it is to be recognized, given my lifetime as being Braxton Hunte’s daughter. I point toward some bushes, gesticulating with abandon. Anything to divert their attention from the man at my side.

We’re almost to the gate when one of the groomsmen says, “Hey! No way! Guys, it’s Chase Wright!” Everyone in the party stops and turns our way. Guess this is an American celebration, given their accents.

Next to me, Charles stiffens. With practiced ease, he releases his pent-up breath and schools his expression to one of welcome. He waves. “Hi, everyone. Congratulations on your wedding. You remind me of my sister. You make a beautiful bride.”

The dark-haired woman in an elegant white gown with sequins that catch the Italian sun turns a shade of red when she’s singled out. So unlike Lindsay, who loves being the center of attention. Their photographer circles us, making me feel like a hunted deer. I can only imagine how Charles is feeling.

“We wish you all the happiness,” I pipe up. “We’ll leave you to your photos.”

Before we can take another step, the groom appears at Charles’s side and whispers something to him. Although I can’t hear him, the subtle change in my boyfriend’s demeanor shows he’s going to take some pictures with them. So much for a relaxing day in Ravello.

Charles turns to me. “I’ve agreed to add ‘a little something’ to their wedding album. I hope you’re not mad at me.”

My eyebrows rise. Guess he’s used to this and, while not exactly thrilled, he’s taking it in stride. I return the favor. “Take as long as you need.” He bends down and kisses me, then joins the wedding party.

I wander over to the bench we previously occupied and watch him work the wedding party. He takes photos with everyone, not just the newlyweds. From the looks on their faces, they are beyond thrilled. A small smile plays around my lips. He’s given them a memory to enhance their wedding, set in such a romantic place. Charles is a good man.

When he starts to sign whatever they’ve given him, I rise and go to the gate. Finished signing, he poses for one last photo, kisses the bride’s cheek, and walks toward me. With measured steps, we leave the wedding party and turn left. Instead of going into any more stores, we head over to the low rock wall overlooking the water.

To break the silence, I rub the back of his shoulder. “Hey, you did a great thing back there.”

He expels a long breath. Slanting me a sideways glance, he confesses, “I’m sorry I had to leave you alone like that.”

“You were worried about me?”

He kicks a little pebble and it bounces off the wall. “Other ladies have lost their minds when I had to interact with my fans.”

What sort of women has he been with in the past? “That’s nuts, Charles. Being with your fans is a part of your job. My dad taught me that from a very early age.”

He bends down. “He did?” His knuckles scrape the ground and he retrieves a small rock.

“Yes. I know how important your fans are to your career. You don’t have to explain that to me. And I’ll never begrudge you any time spent with them.” His whole body relaxes as if he was bracing for a much different response from me. However, I can’t allow him to get away scot-free. “I know you’ll make it up to me in other ways.”

He throws his head back and laughs, then tosses the rock over the wall. We lean over and watch as it descends into the water, far below us.

“And what ‘other ways’ were you thinking about, Goldie?”

A variety of possibilities come to mind, all beginning and ending with us naked. I lick my lips. “I’m sure you’ll think of something creative.”

“I can be damn imaginative when spurred on.” He grabs my hand. “Let’s get back to the room, where I can test out some of my creativity.”

We begin the walk up the hill to our villa. Charles has been nothing but up-front with me, and I trust him. He was scared to tell me about his interactions with fans, but he did. He was even more nervous to share his love of classical music and violin, yet he did that too. Since he compared the bride with his sister, the need to share another piece of my reality with him becomes overwhelming.

I lick my dry lips and start in reverse. “After everything that went down with Grant the mistrust I had for people grew.” He nods and I gather the strength to continue. “If you haven’t noticed, it takes a lot to get to know me, the real me. I mean, I’m friendly with everyone, but no one really gets to know me all that well.”

He kisses the top of my forehead. “I’m honored to be one of the few people you let in.”

“You should be,” I tease to break the tension. “But the truth is that after Grant, no guy could get close to me. I went out on a couple of dates here and there, but nothing ever got too serious. Until . . .”

“Me.”

My breathing stutters. “Charles, I’m scared because I’ve never been in a relationship like ours.” I’m able to take a deep breath. “But the more time we spend together, the more I’m convinced you’re the real deal.”

“Goldie, I’m flattered you feel that way. If I could go back in time and change what Grant did to you, I would. No one, especially you, deserved to be treated as a pawn for what your family could do for him. That’s so wrong.”

“Thanks.”

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