Wicked Sexy(22)

Because she was still feeling wicked from last night, she reached up and cupped the back of his neck.

He stilled. Yes, she had her hands on him in public where everyone on the island could see. Probably, they should have discussed ground rules for the morning after, but they hadn’t. So she did what she wanted to and slid her hand up over that strong, corded neck and buried her fingers in the soft, short hair. She also stepped in until her body brushed his.

He held his ground and she took that as permission. Last night he’d been hers. Today part of her wanted everyone to know that. Even if it might be simpler to let it go quietly and unheralded. She didn’t know what he wanted right now, and that was a problem.

“Thanks,” she said again, reaching up to brush her lips over his.





DANI’S LIPS TOUCHED his—once, twice—and Daeg had no idea what it meant. Or why he was even

thinking about what a kiss might mean when he could be enjoying it. Really enjoying it. And in front of half the town.

Almost chaste at first, she threaded her fingers through his hair—he loved that—and deepened the kiss.

He groaned. She sighed. Or maybe they both did. He couldn’t tell, didn’t care, in fact. No, he just stood there and kissed her and kissed her, their tongues exploring, until he finally had to come up for air.

“No worries. I can walk,” she said coolly, as if their last passionate embrace hadn’t happened at all,

although her face was rosy red and he knew for certain she desired this as much as he did. After all, he knew her tells now. That little pulse thudding at the base of her throat? That was 100 percent arousal right there. “You’re needed here. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your job.”

Logically, he knew she’d cover the blocks to the storm shelter just fine. There was nothing happening

on that stretch of sidewalk other than a few monster-size puddles, and she was already toeing off her flip-flops.

She’d be fine.

Really.

And yet she was walking away from him and there was nothing fine about it.





13

Five days later

SITTING IN SWEET Moon’s front office, Dani didn’t need to look at her calendar to know exactly

how many days it had been since the storm. She’d never planned on happily ever after, but part of her had been hoping for more than one night. That part of her kept checking email and voice mail—now that

service had been restored to the island—and had her rushing to the window every time gravel crunched on the drive. The part that thought seeing Daeg Ross again was a very good idea, or certain parts of him, at least.

She didn’t want forever, but she definitely wanted the rest of the summer.

Unfortunately, Daeg had pulled a disappearing act. Of course, she should give him credit for the role he was taking in the island’s cleanup. He and Deep Dive were in high demand. When she’d walked away from

him the morning after the storm, he’d had his game face on—the quintessential military man on a mission, directing ops. The man who kept them all safe. He was everywhere—but back in her arms. So was she just

a one-night rescue? Another day on the job for him?

As far as she could tell, he hadn’t been back to Sweet Moon.

Which was probably her answer right there.

Nevertheless, her libido was apparently more optimistic than the rest of her because when car wheels

sounded on the driveway, she had to check. Just in case. When she squinted out the window into the bright sunlight, however, there was no Daeg in sight, only an expensive rental car. Most of the tourists went for the simpler, cheaper rentals, but the local agency kept a few of the larger, tougher, more expensive SUVs on hand.

Whoever the driver was, his credit was good.

She checked the reservation book. She didn’t have any notes for today, so this was probably a walk-in.

She got ready to smile and act welcoming. Two minutes later, the door tinkled its corny music as the new arrival stepped in, and it was immediately clear why he hadn’t called ahead for a reservation.

She would have refused.

Her ex-fiancé had broad shoulders that stretched the cotton of his ironed polo shirt. His khaki walking shorts and hiking boots were ideal island wear. As always, Rick Lane looked immaculate and every inch the successful insurance executive.

“Hey,” he said, giving a lopsided grin as if they’d parted company months earlier with a promise to meet up. As if she hadn’t caught him in bed with another woman and thrown his ring at his head. She eyed his forehead, but she must not have tossed the diamond hard enough because the skin there was smooth,

unmarked and scar-free. No, regrettably, he looked every bit the successful business professional that he was. He certainly didn’t look as if he’d been pining for her.

She narrowed her eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?” He paused in the doorway, not thrown by her less-than-warm greeting.

“No.” She didn’t feel like being nice, and she definitely didn’t want him inside the cabin.

“No?” His smile widened. “That’s not terribly polite of you.”

“Ask me if I care.” She stepped around the counter and gestured out onto the porch, because Rick

wouldn’t go until he’d gotten whatever he’d come for. He was the master of charming persistence.

“Hey.” He spread his hands wide as he followed her. “I care, baby.”

She almost managed not to snort.

His hand snagged hers as she passed and he tugged. “Sit down with me. Please?”

“Five minutes.”

“Ten,” he countered, grinning. “I know you. You’ll time me, and I need a full ten.”

She dropped down into an Adirondack chair, pulling her knees up to her chest as Rick’s eyes wandered

over her. She could almost see him trying to reconcile her no-nonsense office attire with the gauzy beach

dress she’d picked that morning. She didn’t have to dress for success at Sweet Moon and she liked the whimsical ruffles around her neck. The fabric was so sheer that she knew he could see the outline of her bikini beneath the dress and no doubt, a hint of pale skin. And yet she was still all covered up.

“You look good. Relaxed.” Apparently, she’d passed his visual inspection.

She wasn’t responding to that. She couldn’t and keep her distance. Instead, she pulled her phone out of her bag and dropped it on the table between them where the clock was clearly visible. “Ten minutes,

remember?”

“Okay.” He leaned forward, arms on his knees. “I’ll lay it out.”

“That would be good,” she agreed. The sooner he said his piece and left, the better.

“I screwed up,” he said.

No disagreement from her there. In her world, when you asked someone to marry you, you were

offering that person a promise that included fidelity and trust. And love. Love would have been nice. Heck, she hadn’t even got the fidelity and trust part.

“You think?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm. “I was under the impression we were engaged.

Evidently, you weren’t.”

“Shari was a mistake. She was there and willing and—” He paused, which was wise, because she was

going to have to kill him. Clearly, throwing his ring back at him hadn’t been enough. “And our sex life wasn’t particularly exciting, okay?”

No. It wasn’t okay.

“You came all this way to tell me our sex life stank? I was there, too, remember?”

He blinked. Yeah. Maybe Rick hadn’t considered that angle.

“It takes two,” she continued, pointing at him. “My mistake, I misunderstood which two you wanted.”

“Shari isn’t in my life anymore,” he interrupted. “I want you to know that.”

At least he hadn’t given the other woman the ring they’d picked out together. She’d wondered about

that.

“I don’t care.” And that was true, she realized with some surprise. She’d waited weeks for Rick to

understand he’d made a mistake, for him to come back to her. Yet here he was, and she just wanted him off her porch.

“You don’t want to know why that matters?” he pressed and she gave him a tight smile.

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“I want us to get back together.” He reached for her hand. The sensation was pleasant. Familiar.

That wasn’t good enough anymore, however.

“That ship has sailed.”

“I don’t think so. I think you’re mad and you’re right.” His watchful gaze annoyed her. “Whatever was

or wasn’t going right for us in the bedroom, my seeing Shari on the side wasn’t the answer.”

“You could say that.”

“I am.” He squeezed her hand. “I want us to start over. I want a second chance. And—” he paused,

fishing in his pocket “—I want you to wear this again. For us.”

He held out the ring. There was no denying that it was beautiful, an heirloom piece with two centuries

of love stories. She’d been thrilled with it and had had to have it when they’d found it at an estate sale.

Two months ago she wouldn’t have hesitated. Rick was a known quantity, or so she’d thought. He was

easy to predict and she always knew exactly what to expect from him. She didn’t think that had changed.