Page 3 of Sweet Love at Bayside
“Why not?” she said, surprising him. “Go ahead and put your number in my phone…?”
“Rick.” He entered his contact information and handed it back, curling his fingers over hers and holding them for a beat.
Her eyes flicked up, dark and alluring. “I’m Desiree,” she said a little breathlessly.
Oh yeah, you feel it, too.
“Desiree.” Her name rolled off his tongue as if he’d said it a hundred times. “You sure I can’t convince you to have a drink with me? We can go back to my place and build a bonfire.”
“A bonfire…” She crossed her arms, rubbing at goose bumps, and her expression turned skeptical. “Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you ask me formynumber?”
The truth was, he had no idea. He just sensed he shouldn’t be too aggressive with her, but he couldn’t tell her that, so he went with, “I’ve got a sister. She got married last summer, but when she was single, I wouldn’t want her giving her number to a guy she met like this.”
Her lips curved up. “Um…?”
Great, now he sounded like a cretin and had to come clean. “Not buying it, huh?” He laughed. “The truth is, I was just trying to give you the choice instead of being one of those jerks who come on too strong. My brother and a buddy and I own Bayside Resort, here in Wellfleet. I’m pretty easy to track down. A safe bet. A good choice. Thebestchoice.” Her gaze warmed, and he tried again. “Bonfire?”
She inhaled a shaky breath. “I better not. It’s been a crazy day, and I’ve got a complicated evening.”
Complicated?He had a handful of questions about that, but before he could suggest they go somewhere to talk, she said, “Sorry, but I’d better go. I have a lot to do tonight.”
“I hope it’s nothing too difficult.”Too difficult?That was the best he could come up with? He was really out of practice. It had been a long time since he’d had to try to pick up a woman.
She smiled. “Actually, I don’t know what it is yet.”
He wondered if she was on the cusp of a breakup. That would explain her blowing him off. “You have my number. If things get rough, use it.”
“Thanks, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She cocked her head to the side with a thoughtful expression. “You don’t even know me. What if I’m a psycho?”
She was too cute. “If you were a psycho, you would have taken my head off when I sprayed you. Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I’m parked just over the dune. You don’t need to.”
“I’d like to.”
Her eyes shifted over his shoulder toward the water. “But your Jet Ski…”
“It says ‘Bayside Resort’ on the side. No one’s going to be stupid enough to steal it.” He didn’t care if they did. She intrigued him more than that machine ever had.
“You’re persistent.” A smile lifted her lips as he guided her up the sandy path with a hand on the small of her back.
“And you’re beautiful.”
“Does that usually work for—”
He stopped walking and drew her against him. The reins on his aggression were apparently short-lived. She sucked in a sharp breath, and when their eyes met, she let it out with a dreamy sigh. It was the sexiest sound he’d ever heard.
“You tell me, Desiree. Does it work for me?”
The unmistakable look of lust rose in her eyes. She licked her full, pink lips, and he wondered how they’d feel pressed against his or searing a path down the center of his body.
“The verdict is still out,” she said softly, but her unstoppable smile, and the fact that she was no longer shivering, told him all he needed to know.
Each time their sides brushed as they crossed the parking lot, she stole a quick glance. He had the urge to tell her she could brush against him, touch him,tastehim all she wanted, but that underlying sweetness held him back.
“If you own Bayside Resort, then you probably have pretty women at your beck and call. Why go to the trouble of leaping off your Jet Ski to meet me?” She withdrew a single key with a tiny gold heart key chain from a pocket in her dress and unlocked the door of her MINI Cooper.
“You were gawking at me.” He stepped closer, hoping to see that hungry look again. “It would have been rude of me not to.”
