Any closer? I’m already waist deep.
Chapter Seven
DANE THOUGHT IT had taken all of his restraint to walk away from Lacy’s room this morning when he really wanted to keep her in bed for another two hours. He’d been wrong. It took even more control to keep from swooping her into his arms at the Bookstore Restaurant, when she was with her sisters. Now, as he watched her walk down the dock toward the boat, he knew he should play it cool, pretend that his heart wasn’t thundering in his chest and every nerve in his body wasn’t calling out for her. If he let loose that bundle of emotions, he might never let her go again.
As she approached with a trusting smile and those gleaming blue eyes that slayed his heart, his body had a mind of its own. He jumped from the boat to the dock and hurried toward her. The hell with making a good impression. He took Lacy in a deep, passionate kiss, lifting her feet off the dock, his chest pressed against hers, her heart hammering in perfect timing to his. And when he drew back, he was relieved to see a wide grin on her lips. God, you’re beautiful.
He set her feet back down on the dock just as Hugh and Savannah came up behind them.
“What is this, the Love Boat?” Savannah teased. “Hi, Lacy,” she said with a wave. Savannah’s brown bikini showed through her white cover-up. She stood next to Hugh, who was wearing swim trunks and tank top. Both looked at Dane and Lacy with approving smiles. Savannah arched a brow. “Is this gonna be a make-out trip? Do Hugh and I need to find dates?”
Lacy blushed, and Dane pulled her against his side. “We have a lot of time to make up for, but I promise we’ll behave.” He winked at Lacy.
Lacy wore the same blue bikini she’d worn in Nassau—the one Dane had pictured her in until last night, when his visions of her no longer required clothing.
Dane and Hugh climbed aboard the forest-green Talaria, a forty-eight-foot Hinckley yacht. Dane helped Lacy aboard, and for a moment they stood gazing into each other’s eyes.
“Come on, lovebirds,” Savannah said as she grabbed Lacy’s hand and dragged her toward the bow.
Lacy looked back over her shoulder with a wide smile, and Dane felt a tug in his heart. What was it about her that was so different from the dozens of other women he’d been with over the years?
“Dude, are we gonna pilot this boat or stare?” Hugh teased. Hugh was six and a half years younger than Dane, and as the youngest of the Braden siblings, he’d picked up on all of the ribbing from his older brothers and sister, and over the years, he’d learned how to dish it out as well as take it.
Dane gave him a playful shove, and they went to work untying the ropes that tethered them to the slip. Dane piloted the boat, watching Lacy standing at the bow; her curly blond hair whipped around her, and the cover-up she wore flapped in the wind. He couldn’t wait to get farther out to sea, so he could spend some time beside her. He felt most at home on the water, and he’d imagined what it would be like to go boating with Lacy every time he’d been at sea. Now he knew that being anywhere with Lacy would make it sweeter.
Lacy took off her cover-up, and she and Savannah turned and waved at them.
“Damn, bro. She’s hot,” Hugh said.
Hugh’s tone was a little too hungry for Dane’s liking. He was used to his brother making comments about women—all women, with no regard for if they were taken or single. Hell, because of his high-profile career, Hugh had more supermodels chasing him than Josh ever did, and Josh designed the clothes they would do anything for.
He knew Hugh was harmless when it came to Lacy, but that didn’t tame his urge to stake his claim.
“Watch it,” he warned.
“Dude, really? She looks at you like you’re the main course. I wouldn’t even try.”
The main course? Really? Dane smiled, casting another glance at Lacy, who was now passing by portside on her way to the seats in the rear of the boat. She waved, and Dane blew a kiss in her direction. Savannah was right behind her. She pretended to catch the kiss he blew and stuck her tongue out at him. Dane shook his head. Savannah could make anyone smile.
The sun shone brightly, and a nice breeze kicked off the water. He cut the engine.
“Ready to catch some rays?” Dane asked.
Hugh flashed a knowing smile. “That’s not all you’ll be catching.”
“Do you ever think of anything other than sex?” Dane pulled off his shirt and grabbed a towel.
Hugh shrugged. “I try not to.” He followed Dane out of the cockpit and down into the cabin. They came back on deck with four wineglasses and a bottle of Didier Dagueneau Silex.
Hugh poured four glasses of the white wine, handed each person one, and raised his glass. “To a perfect afternoon.”
“Nice.” Savannah picked up the bottle and squinted. “Isn’t this the wine that mountain man made?”
“Yeah,” Dane said. “Didier Dagueneau was a wine maker in the Loire Valley. He had a huge cult following for his sauvignon blanc wines. He did look like a mountain man with his big bushy hair and massive beard. Poor bastard died when his plane crashed. I believe his son took over the business.”
“That’s horrible,” Lacy said.
“That’s why I’ll never pilot a plane.” Dane winked at Lacy.
“No, you’ll just swim with the deadliest animals around.” Savannah rolled her eyes.
“I thought that was your job,” Dane teased.
“Like I haven’t heard that a hundred times,” Savannah said. “I wish someone would start a rumor that attorneys are kind, generous, beautiful people.”
“Vanny, you are all those things.” Dane lifted his glass. “To a perfect afternoon with beautiful company.” He clinked glasses with Lacy.
“Lacy was telling me that she lives near Boston,” Savannah said.
Dane had wondered when Savannah would begin to pry into their personal life.
Dane settled in beside Lacy and swung an arm around her sun-warmed shoulder. He felt her stiffen for a beat, then relax against him.
“How long are you staying on the Cape?” Savannah asked Lacy.
“Just till tomorrow. I work Monday, so…” Lacy took a sip of her wine.
“Dane’s gonna be here for a week or two, right, Dane?” Savannah pushed.
“I think what Savannah is getting at is that you and I should try to see each other since we’ll be only two hours apart.” Dane wrapped his other arm across Lacy’s chest and kissed the back of her head. “Don’t worry, Savannah. Lacy and I will be making the most of our time together.”
Dane whispered in her ear, “Savannah’s a little pushy.”
Lacy smiled. “I want to spend time with you.”
“Good.” He’d been thinking about how to ask her to stay for another day, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous, and he definitely didn’t want to put her on the spot in front of his siblings. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Hell, just go with him on his tagging mission. You’ll love it. Dane’s all slick and sexy in his wet suit, being all macho and shit.” Hugh grinned, his eyes bouncing from Lacy to Dane and back again.
“Nothing like putting them both on the spot.” Savannah gave Hugh a shove.
“What?” Hugh protested.
“I have a meeting Monday morning. I really couldn’t stay, even if I wanted to,” Lacy said. “I’m up for a promotion in a few weeks, and I’ve been working really hard to get it. I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
Damn. “We’ll figure it out,” Dane assured her. So much for asking her to stay.
“What’s that scar from?” Savannah asked, pointing to Lacy’s thigh.
Dane felt her flinch against him and instinctively knew she needed to be rescued from the line of questioning Savannah was putting her through. He rose to his feet and headed for the cabin.
“Lacy, wanna help me get lunch together? I’ll show you the rest of the boat.”
“Sure.” Lacy followed him down the stairs.
Out of earshot of his siblings, he reached for her hands. “I’m sorry about that. They’re a little aggressive, but they mean well.”
“It’s okay. I like them a lot. They’re really nice.”
Dane touched her cheek, and all the yearning he’d been holding back came tumbling forward. He kissed her. The sweetness of the wine mixed with the heat of their bodies, and he felt Lacy respond as she sank into him, kissing him deeper, thrusting her tongue against his, then running it over his teeth, sending a pulse of need through his groin.
He pulled back, his body already raring to go. “Lace,” he whispered.
She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into another kiss, then pushed back quickly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.” She kissed him again. “But I can’t help making out with you.”
He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Dane, we can’t,” she said. “Not with them up there.”
“What kind of guy do you think I am?” He led her to the bed and sat next to her. “All I want to do is kiss you, nothing more.” He pulled her down next to him and kissed her again. His body screamed for more. She reached for his hand and brought it to her breast, her nipples already taut beneath her bikini top.