Safe? She was anything but safe with him. At least not emotionally because she was pretty sure she was falling for him, which was ridiculous considering she’d known him just over a week. The level of feelings she thought she had couldn’t be developed in such a short time...could it?
“Something is rolling around inside that head of yours,” he stated, pulling her from her thoughts. “Maybe you need a distraction.”
“Oh, believe me. You’ve distracted me since you got here.”
Dane kept that dark gaze on hers as his mouth kicked up in a grin and he pulled on his belt buckle. “That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever received.”
“You would take that as a compliment.”
Dane stood before her with his jeans unfastened, belt dangling, and reached for the hem of his shirt. “Why did you go to this trouble? We could’ve just stayed in your penthouse.”
Stella shrugged. “I wanted to change it up a little. I never know when you’re going to leave, so I guess I wanted to—”
“Give me a going away present?” he asked.
When he whipped his shirt over his head, she felt a warm glow of satisfaction at the realization that he’d gotten so comfortable with being bare around her
he no longer even hesitated to take off his shirt. Everything about being together had become natural and effortless. They’d fallen into an easy pattern of making love at night, and when she worked during the day he would text to check on her or he’d make himself scarce and let her work. He never tried to tell her how to do her job and he’d never mentioned buying Mirage again and she certainly hadn’t brought it up.
“Let’s not talk about you leaving,” she added. “I’d rather focus on you and this fantasy of mine.”
Dane quirked a brow. “Did you have any man in mind for this fantasy?”
She took a step toward him and toyed with the tie between her breasts. “I didn’t even think of this fantasy until I saw you.”
He reached out, easing her hands aside, and slid apart the knot holding her shirt closed. Dane’s fingertips grazed over her skin as he pushed the material from her shoulders. Stella shrugged until the shirt fell to the floor.
“I do like this outfit you came up with.” He caressed the line on her skin just above the lacy edge of her bra. “I don’t think I’ve seen you wear this around the resort before. Is this special for me?”
“You know it is.”
His hand slid down and he curled his fingers inside her waistband, tugging her toward him. “I like knowing you thought of me, of this. Nobody has ever done anything like this before.”
Which would explain the lack of fiancée now.
“First the bourbon and now the fantasy room.” Stella smiled. “This has been quite the week for you.”
“You have no idea,” he murmured. “But let’s get to this fantasy.”
“Well, as much as I’d love to escape to the middle of nowhere and just chill, that’s not possible for me now. So, I thought I’d bring you here and we could at least pretend to be somewhere else.”
Dane unfastened her skirt and sent it down her legs. She kicked it aside, leaving her in her matching red bra and thong set, and her boots.
“I don’t care where I am if that’s what you’re wearing.” Dane finished undressing and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Tell me you’ve never brought another man in here.”
Stella rolled her eyes. “What do you think?”
He dipped his head and feathered his lips over the swell of her breasts. “I think I’m damn lucky and I’m done talking.”
She fisted his hair and arched her back as he jerked her bra cups aside and feasted on her. His hands gripped her backside as he lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist and let him take total control.
Dane spun toward the suspended, oversize tent and sat her on the open edge. When he eased back, Stella nearly whimpered. But he didn’t go far. He reached down to her boots and slid one, then the other off, letting them thunk to the floor.
Stella spread her legs, making room for him. He stepped up onto the bottom rung of the small ladder and curled his fingers around her waist.
“I want to see and taste every damn inch of you,” he told her as he scooted her back into the pile of pillows. “I’ll ruin you for another man.”
Stella stilled, her eyes darting to his. Ruin her for another man? What was he saying? Did that mean he wanted more? That he wanted to stay and see what happened?