Page 57 of Dreams That Bind Us
She blinked at him, her plump lips moist. "On steroids?"
"I plan on spoiling you rotten, Kitten. You'll get used to it." Unable to resist, his mouth slanted over hers. She was like the finest drug churning through his system or a perfect bottle of wine that he never wanted to end.
With a groan, he pulled away, clasping her hands together between his. "I have to stop now or I'll take you right here on this path in front of everyone." Not much of a threat since they were the only two people around. "And being arrested for public fornication is not how I want to commemorate buying this resort," he teased, loving the way the apple of her cheeks bloomed pink. "Let's save this for when we get back home where we can celebrate properly."
He chuckled when the shade on her cheeks turned from pink to a deep scarlet flush.
"This is such a beautiful piece of paradise. I can't believe what they've done with this little island," Aunt Louise commented. She squinted at the evening sky.
"If I remember correctly,” she continued, “the government sold it to a developer in the late eighties. When I left Key West around 1994, it was big news around town that they were planning to build a small housing development. It was such a joke because from Mallory Square, we could still see the piles of junk equipment littering the key. They were a laughing stock for years because everyone knew the military had been dumping there for decades. It wasn't just a junk depot but also contaminated with fuel and other wastes. It was ludicrous."
“And yet, here we are,” Carl commented, his eyes gleamed as he leaned toward Aunt Louise, clearly enjoying their conversation.
"It took several years to clean out the water and build the remaining infrastructure. Then, of course, the housing construction began. And can you imagine what it took to get all the construction materials here?" He settled back in his chair. "But by the time they were selling houses, the developer had a wait list of buyers."
"And I bet you were at the top of that list," Aunt Louise answered, batting her eyelashes.
Anna grinned, sipping her coffee. She couldn't remember the last time she’d seen her aunt flirt with a man. The chemistry between the two was palpable. Anyone could see the electricity popping between Carl and her aunt.
Aunt Louise tossed her head. "Well, clearly all the doubters—including me—were wrong, because this is spectacular and the view is breathtaking." She tapped Carl's hand. "Tell me, Carl, do all your guests get the five-star treatment like this from the restaurant?"
"When it's requested, of course. James wanted to celebrate tonight, as he should. And I assure you, the rest of the restaurant does not disappoint," he assured her.
"I'm sure you're right." Her aunt flipped a lock of hair over a shoulder, holding a seductive pose.
Oh yes, there was definitely something between these two. Very interesting.
Anna’s eyes turned to the ocean, noting the way the lights glimmered off boats in the distance. The moon hung high in the sky, full and bright. Even with the light breeze, it was a perfect evening for a dinner outside. James couldn't have chosen better weather.
As if he sensed her thoughts, his warm hand slid over her thigh, grabbing her attention. She gave him a contented smile. He was so elegantly handsome he took her breath awaysometimes. So much so, she often wondered what he saw in her, what drew him to her other than their shared dreams.
When he mentioned taking Aunt Louise to dinner on Sunset Key, the last thing she expected was to be celebrating his purchase of the island, or resort.
Whatever. It was still mind boggling. She couldn't help the nagging feeling of not being good enough.
Anna had always been at peace with herself, even in the worst of times. She hated feeling insecure and out of place. What woman wouldn’t wonder why a man like James, who could have anything and anyone, would want her?
She was a simple artist who preferred the peace of her warehouse and quiet evenings to that of social events. It was a far stretch for her to even imagine a jet-setter’s lifestyle. She'd never be comfortable at posh cocktail parties or large formal dinners. It just wasn't her.
"I can see the wheels turning in your head," James murmured in her ear. "What are you thinking, Kitten?"
Anna glanced at her aunt, but she and Carl were absorbed in their own discussion and not paying them the least bit of mind.
Anna turned to James, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip. She wasn't sure how he'd handle her honesty, but she didn't want to mislead him into believing she was comfortable.
"What is it?" he whispered, his eyes pinched with concern.
"This is all just… overwhelming for me. I'm not sure what to think about you owning all this. And I don't know why I'm here." It sounded stupid now that she'd voiced it out loud, but it didn't make the dark feelings go away.
His lips curled into a sweet smile as he placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face to his. "You're here because I'm in love with you and I wanted to share this with you."
The breath froze in her chest at his words. She wondered idly if she’d misheard him. Their relationship was still fairly new andthey certainly hadn’t discussed any emotions other than desire, much less the “L” word. She couldn’t even grasp how to reply.
Luckily it didn’t seem like he expected a response as he kissed her softly, a knowing twinkle in his green gaze.
"And," he continued, "it's just business, love. I have properties like this all over the world. By the time I'm done selling most of them off, I'll be downsizing quite a bit despite this acquisition. But this is where I want to be long term."
Anna nodded absentmindedly. It was difficult to follow the conversation when her brain had melted down at those five little words he’d dropped on her.
