Isaac lifted his eyebrows at her, as if challenging her for daring to walk away from him. Wowzers. The powerful military man was irresistible.
She ignored the look and gestured to the chair. He slowly walked in her direction, his gaze never leaving hers. What did he want? A kiss? She put a hand to her throat and knew that her limited experience with men had failed to prepare her for the likes of Isaac Jewel. Could anything have prepared her to be alone in a tropical paradise with a man so … manly? She realized now her little perfume game was playing with fire. She shouldn’t have suggested it. She should stop now.
Isaac sat. She automatically cleaned off his neck and heard herself saying, “And finally, I think this will be the winner: my Military Man line.” She didn’t tell him that she’d had him in the back of her mind as she created this one. “This cologne is a combination of deep basil, warm spice, and brushed suede. It defines casual elegance and strength while exhilarating the senses with a blast of fresh air for the man who was meant to protect and serve.” She gulped as she finished and Isaac gave her a heated look.
Isaac leaned closer in his chair, tilting his chin up so she had full access to his neck. She gulped and put some cologne on her finger. Slowly, she raised her shaky finger to his neck and dragged it across. He swallowed as she did, and for some reason, his neck moving under her fingertip filled her stomach with a flash of heat. Her hand moved to the other side of his neck, and her finger lingered on his pulse, which sped up.
Cosette pulled back, and their gazes locked. She couldn’t have moved if a bulldozer was coming at her.
“So you think this is the one?” Isaac asked quietly.
She thoughthewas the one. “Um, we’ll have to give it a minute for the alcohol to evaporate and mix with your body chemistry.”
He nodded. “Anything I can do to speed the process?”
“Warm air helps. I could blow on it.” Her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. Oh no!
“Yes, please.” He gave her a smoldering look that she felt clear through.
She should not do it. She should not lean in and blow on his neck. Instead of heeding her brain’s promptings, she leaned in so close she brushed against his chest. Feeling unstable, she braced herself, grabbing on to his far-too-perfect muscular arms.
She glanced up at him. He was breathing more quickly, and his blue eyes were concentrated on her. What was she supposed to do? It took half a beat of staring at him before his delicious scent invaded her brain and she sighed. Blow on his neck. That sounded … appetizing.
She felt like she was floating as she leaned against his broad chest, clung to his arms, and exhaled on his neck. His body shuddered against her. Was he feeling what she felt? Hot, breathless, full of anticipation? Was there anything wrong with moving just a bit closer and pressing her lips to his neck? She couldn’t think of anything, so she did.
Isaac let out a soft groan as her lips connected with the warm skin of his neck. She heard herself groan as well. She wanted to trail her lips up his neck to his face and see what kind of a reaction kissing him full on the mouth would do to the both of them. Inhaling deeply, she said against his neck, “It’s perfect. You’re absolutely irresistible.”
“To you?” he asked in a husky whisper.
Cosette’s mind was foggy, distracted by his delicious scent, the desire she felt for him, the warm look in those blue eyes. Isaac was all she’d ever wanted, and she was finally right here with him, and unless her social radar was even further off than she’d feared, he was giving every indicator that he wanted her too.
A loud beep sounded from Isaac’s pocket. He jumped, cursed, and stood quickly, moving around her while he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Get in your bedroom and lock the door,” he commanded.
Terror rushed through her. What was happening?
Isaac was focused on his phone. She ran for the bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. As she leaned against the door, her heart raced out of control. Her gaze darted around at the large windows that she’d thought were so charming, facing the thick trees next to the beach. Now she wondered if Vance and his bodyguards were going to burst through those trees, grab her and Isaac, and start cutting them up.
Her breath was coming faster and faster, and she thought she was having a panic attack. She’d never had a panic attack. What did they feel like? She wanted to Google symptoms, but she remembered that she had no Wi-Fi on her computer and no phone. She felt lost, alone, terrified. Where was Isaac? What was happening? How would she know to come out of the room? What would she do if Vance hurt Isaac?
Pressing her palms harder against the door, she forced herself to remember her mom’s advice throughout her life. She bowed her head and begged for help:Please protect Isaac. Please.
“Cosette?” Isaac’s voice floated through the door.
She whirled around and yanked it open. He looked great, perfect. She flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. “You’re okay? Is Vance here? Did he cut you?”
Isaac chuckled. “No one’s here, and your Vance isn’t going to hurt me.”
Cosette pulled back and muttered fiercely, “He’s notmyVance.”
“Noted.” Isaac raised his eyebrows and gestured out into the trees. She felt so exposed with all the retractable doors open, though she might not feel much better with them closed. Anybody could hack through glass, right? “It was actually a pig that set off the alarm.”
“A pig? Like a wild pig, or somebody’s pet, or somebody’s dinner?”
He smiled at her. “A wild pig. He was big, big enough to trip the sensors. We’re safe. Since we’re elevated like this, no animal is going to get in, and nobody else is out there.”
“I think we should close the wall things now.”
“Okay.”
They busied themselves closing and locking the retractable walls. When they finished, Cosette wanted to recreate the moment, but she had no clue how. Dang being socially inept. Dang not having a phone to call or text Mar.
She grabbed the cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, and washcloth and motioned to the colognes. “You can keep the samples.”
“Thanks.” Isaac walked to the table, stopping just before her.
They’d been so close when the stupid pig had tripped the alarm. Now she had no clue what to do. No matter Mar’s reassurances to the contrary, it was obvious from her experience that she was a child when it came to romance and hunky men. Isaac was out of her league, and he would probably laugh if he knew her immature longing for him.
“Good night,” she murmured, hurrying to her room. Glancing back, she saw him watching her with those blue eyes that made her want to stare at him all night long.
She shut and secured the door behind her, hoping and praying that she could sleep. The scare with the alarm was one thing. The appealing look in Isaac’s eyes was quite another.