CHAPTER FIVE
Zane
I’d been the one wanting to fish, so why did I feel like the one circling the bait?
Jesus, this woman did things to me. Crazy, erotic things that went beyond sexual.
At first, the goal was to get her into my bed. Now, it was to get her to smile.
I was becoming addicted to that flash of teeth. The little dimple on her right cheek. The way her eyes smiled too. It was a full-face affair that I didn’t think she bestowed enough.
Leaning in close, I played with a lock of her hair. “You know something?”
She lifted a brow. “What’s that?”
“We should just get this first kiss out of the way and all this awkwardness will disappear.” Dropping her hair to take her chin, I ran the pad of my thumb over her lower lip. It quivered and my cock pulsed in response.
Oh, the things I could make quiver on her.
“Are you feeling awkward? You appear to be the same cocky playboy I met less than an hour ago.”
Ouch.
“Clean slate,” I reminded her. “And it was your awkwardness I was thinking of. You keep looking around the room, not meeting my eyes.”
“I like to people watch.”
I looked over at a table a few feet away. “Like those people?”
She leaned back in her chair and did a casual scan over her shoulder. “Poker dude?”
I laughed. “Exactly. You’re very observant.”
She pushed her hair back as a gust of wind blew it in all directions. I liked the wild way it looked. Sort of like how she might appear with it splayed out over a pillow after a nice tousle in the sheets.
“Like I said, I like to people watch. I find them fascinating.”
I smirked. “Hence the binoculars?”
She scowled, but the look was good-natured. “People watch, not people stalk. Those are for our finned friends, remember?”
“Uh huh, so you say.”
She sipped her drink again, blue eyes shining with mischief. “So I did.”
Enjoying her playful mood, I leaned in conspiratorially. “Think I’d look good with Colonel Sander’s kind of ink?”
She glanced over at the other couple’s table again. “Yes! I absolutely think you need that exact same tat…” she reached out and tapped me on the forehead, “right there.”
“Now, you’re just being mean. I think you should give me a kiss as an apology.”
There was a long moment of silence, then she crooked her finger at me. Like a caught trout, she reeled me closer until her hands were on my cheeks. “You’re right,” she said, pulling my face closer to hers. “I’m sorry.” Then she kissed me right on the center of my forehead.
I exhaled a breath. “You are an evil woman.”
She leaned back in her chair, that sexy smirk reappearing. “Still want to get to know me better?”
Biblically. Intimately. I want to know every cell in your body.
“Yeah.”
“Why the flying penguins?”
I blinked. What the total fuck? “Um…”
She laughed and tapped me over the heart. “The dove tattoos. Why did you choose them?”
“For my grandparents. I’d never really experienced loss before they died, just days apart from one another. At their funeral, doves were released. I…” I lifted a shoulder, unsure how to go on.
“Kept them as an eternal memory?” Sloane offered.
She got me. “Yes.”
Like most women, she couldn’t help but reach out and run her hand over it. She hesitated before actually touching me. “May I?”
“Of course.”
Her hand was soft as she caressed my ink stained skin. “I would have expected something tribal or more warriorlike. This is simple but gorgeous.”
“I think there’s enough war on our planet.”
Her expression softened. “Make love, not war? It appears you’re doing your part to fulfill the wish of that motto.”
“Clean slate,” I reminded her but shoved my sleeves up so she could examine the see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil triad on my right arm as well as the warrior she expected on my left.
Her finger traced over the lines. “Such contradictions,” she murmured. “Unexpected.”
Time seemed to slow as she touched my skin, her scent surrounding me. “So… no gambling canines?” I asked to break the tension.
She began to move her hand away, but I closed mine over hers. She didn’t resist, just stared down at where our fingers linked. “No.” She looked serious now. “Continue to choose the symbols that speak to you.”
She picked up her drink but only took a small sip. Since we seemed to be in a serious place, I decided to ask the question I’d been curious about since she ordered. “Do you always avoid alcohol? If so, I’ll remove the champagne I brought to your room.”
“I don’t drink when I work.” Her eyes widened just a bit. If I hadn’t been watching her closely, I would have missed it. “I mean…” She cleared her throat but seemed to be searching for an explanation.”
“Dolphin watching?” I offered, giving her an escape. What was she hiding?
She recovered quickly, giving a soft, embarrassed laugh but didn’t confirm or deny my guess. “Sorry, I think I’m tired from the trip. It’s been a while since I’ve taken any time off.”
I waggled my eyebrows at her, hoping she’d continue to laugh. “I have several ideas on ways to help you relax.”
She rolled her eyes but was still smiling. “I’m sure you do. But to answer your initial question, I do enjoy champagne and wine. I also enjoy pale beer. When I go to a baseball game or watch football on television, eat pizza or barbeque, it’s usually beer that I prefer.”
“Beer? Sports? Pizza? I think I love you.”
She laughed again. It was light, airy, and freaking magical. Not one hint of a silly-ass giggle in it. She sighed, and I found that sound arousing.
Everything she did was arousing.
Tracing the outline of her hand with my fingertip, the romantic island music playing filtered in and I asked, “How about we trip the light fantastic, Sloane? Get the blood stirring before we settle down for that glass of wine?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. I don’t dance.”
I stood up and held out my hand. “Come on. Just one.”
She shook her head and made stop signs with her hands, but I wasn’t taking no for an answer. The pretty lady needed my help desperately. She just hadn’t realized it yet.
“You don’t dance yet. You see, I’m going to teach you. That way you can say that you learned to dance while you vacationed in Maldives. It’ll be a cute story you can tell our grandkids one day.”
The way she eyed me made goosebumps pop up in a place that didn’t happen too often. “You think you’re smooth, Zane, but this little dance won’t be a thing I tell anyone’s grandkids about. And neither will you.” I just stood there, hand held out until she rolled her eyes and sighed, then laced her fingers with mine and stood. “At least my sandals are light and won’t hurt your feet too badly when I step on them.”
I pulled her against my chest and pressed my lips to her ear. “Stop talking. Let’s just move.”
And move she did, following along just fine. Up until the time I turned her around, and she left her feet right where they were. I nearly crushed her little toes. She laughed. “I told you so.”
“No, you said you’d crush mine. This was quite the opposite.” I grinned and pulled her back against me. Although many inches shorter than me, her body fit the curves and valleys of mine perfectly. “Let’s start again. I’ll move our clasped hands when I’m taking a step to let you know what’s going to happen.” I bent and pressed my forehead against hers. “You will be a dancer before you leave me.”
She shook her head and smiled. “Will I now, Fred? Okay, you’ll move your hand, and I’ll move my feet. Let’s try this again.”
I took tiny steps to make sure I wouldn’t step on her, and she watched our feet as we went. After I allowed her to do that for one song, I made her look up. The song was slow, perfect for holding her close. “You can rest your head on my shoulder while we move back and forth. Just slide your feet alongside mine.”
Her eyes were wary. “Um. Well. I…”
Pulling her to me, I felt her heart pounding. “It’ll be okay, Sloane. We’re just dancing. After this, I’ll buy you a glass of wine. Then maybe we’ll head to the spa. You can get a mani-pedi while I watch.”
She looked up at me through long lashes. “Is that what you’re into, Zane? Watching?”
“I like to watch a thing or two. A few things come to mind where you’re concerned, but they’re a bit on the naughty side. I should probably keep them to myself for now.”
She nuzzled my shoulder and ran her hand up to rest on my bicep. “Do you have that much patience?”
Giving her a little squeeze, I picked her up and spun around. “With you, I think I can wait for all that.” She slid down my body until her feet were on the floor again. “I’d like to get to know you first.”
Pink lips quirked to one side. “You say that as if it’s a certainty.”
I gave her a lopsided grin right back. “You say that as if it’s not.”
She laid her head back down on my shoulder and ran her hand down to rest on my ass. “Nothing is certain, Zane.” Then her hand came up my back and stayed in an appropriate area.
That was okay. I could deal with that. The woman wasn’t going to be easy. I could see that. I could respect that. And I thought I could handle that.
But that dance was something else. Our bodies curved together like we were two pieces of a puzzle. Her hand fit in mine as if we were cut from the same cloth.
The smell of her hair took me away as I nuzzled my nose in the soft strands. Flowers, some vanilla, and maybe even a touch of tapioca pudding made up the enticing aroma. Sloane was a rare woman, and I was lucky to have gotten to her before any other man had.
As I looked around, I saw men eyeing her. A few looked envious of me. More than a few looked cockily at her, waiting for me to leave her alone for a brief moment so they could steal her away.
Not a chance, boys. She’s all mine.
When the song ended, neither of us seemed to want to let the other go, and no way in hell would I be the one to let go first. She sighed and pulled away. “I’d love a glass of wine now.”
Not letting her hand go, I led her back to the table. “I’ll find us a good bottle.” Pulling her chair out, she took her seat. We both seemed to be in a bit of a daze. “Now, don’t you go running off on me.”
That sly smile was back. “Not a chance. And try not to run off with any of the random women who’re hovering around the bar, waiting to take you away from me.”
I made my way to the bar and watched various men’s eyes go toward my girl.
Listen to me. My girl.
But that was how I was already thinking. Any man would find me standing in his way if he made a move on Sloane. As ridiculous as it might seem, I knew she was special. Even though we’d only talked a little to one another, I knew there was something about her. Something I wanted to explore much further.
And I thought she might like to explore things further with me too.