“LET’S GO INSIDE,” he’d suggested, feeling a crazy, happy grin spread over his face as he’d looked at her. She’d been made love to, good and proper, her lips kiss swollen. “We’ll start all over.”
And they had.
One great afternoon and night in her cabin, acting out every sexual fantasy he could remember from her list, and then, finally, when it was already growing light outside, moving on to the simple and sweet. That face-to-face, arms-around-each-other contentment until they tumbled over the edge into sated sleep.
He wasn’t sure who had seduced whom here, but this night had been the best sex of his life—and it was more than just sex. Dani wanted a summer fling, an island fantasy. And he wanted more. He tested the idea, tensing as he came fully awake. Was that what he really wanted? A happily ever after with this woman? He thought about staying put with Dani and it fit. Felt right. This time, he wasn’t going anywhere.
Problem was, he still had to convince her to stay. With him.
She dozed peacefully. He noted her pink skin tone and that her lips were still pouty and red; her hair was tangled where he’d run his fingers through the honey-colored strands. She was naked, too, and he was glad. He didn’t want anything between them, not even clothes. Enjoying the view, he ran a hand down her arm. He did it lightly, since she needed the sleep. They’d worn each other out.
She looked damned good.
She looked like the woman he loved.
She rolled over in the bed, taking the sheet with her. That was fine. She could have the sheet. After all, she already had his whole heart.
Her eyes opened while he watched. Nothing coy or cautious, just closed one minute, and then, in the next moment, she was watching him. Man, he hoped she liked what she saw. That last night wasn’t a mistake she was regretting already.
“Hey,” he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.
He sure liked the pink flush on her cheeks. Better, he liked the way he felt when he was around her.
“I should get up.” She started to move, dragging the sheet with her. He stopped her by sliding an arm around her waist and bringing her closer to him.
“What’s the hurry?” He nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. She was under his skin now.
“Daeg.” The amusement in her voice was all too clear. “I have a business to run here. So do you. We can’t stay in bed all day.”
“Half the day,” he countered. When he kissed her ear, her breathing stopped short. “You could do that.”
“You don’t want to leave.” Her words were more a question than a statement.
“Nope.” He had no desire to put distance between them. More to the point, why would she? Sliding a hand into her hair at the back of her neck, he rubbed the surprisingly tense muscles there. “I’d like to stay.”
There. It was the opening strike in his campaign to keep her by his side and in his arms. He pretended he wasn’t holding his breath, waiting for her answer.
“You don’t mean that.”
He couldn’t see her face, so he tipped her chin up so her eyes meet his.
“I do.”
This time she didn’t sound so amused. “You don’t do that, Daeg. You never have.”
“Are you staying?” he asked. It wasn’t much of a cautious opening gambit, but it was the best he had. He wanted to blurt out how he felt, tell her everything that was going on in his mixed-up head. The restraint was just about killing him, but he didn’t want to screw this up. He needed to play it the way she needed it played.
“At Sweet Moon? Duh.” An impish smile lit up her face. “I thought you knew that.”
“Not for the summer, but...forever,” he clarified.
“Forever’s a long time.” She eyed him, a familiar little crinkle forming between her eyes as she worked through the implications of what he was saying. She’d have thinking lines there when she was older and, yeah, he wanted to be there to see that, wanted to be the one holding her for the next fifty years or so.
“I like forever just fine.”
She winced as if he was crazy. “You and forever in the same sentence? I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Get in, get out and get the job done. That’s what you told me,” she said matter-of-factly. Like there was no arguing with the statement.
“Some jobs take longer than others.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged, and her hair moved about her shoulders. She looked deliciously mussed. Everything about her, from her warm glow to the sheet tucked over her bare breasts, screamed I just had sex. Really, really hot sex.