Or he might kiss me back.
Usually, she could read men. But not Duncan. Sometimes he treated her like a buddy—someone you went to a baseball game with or met for lunch. A few times, though, she'd seen the heat in his eyes when he looked at her.
“You look like you're contemplating the meaning of life.”
I was just contemplating you.“Just zoned out. The fire is kind of hypnotic.”
“It can be.” Sitting down, he handed her an enormous bowl of ice cream covered with whipped cream. “Tell me what you think.” He nodded toward her bowl before digging into his even larger serving.
Rich, dark chocolate and coconut teased her taste buds, and Tory closed her eyes. “You weren't kidding.”
Duncan's laugh sent shivers down her spine. “If you haven't noticed yet, I'm usually right.”
Tory prepared herself for his smile before opening her eyes. Only it wasn't his smile that captured her attention. Instead, it was his eyes and the desire reflected in them.
Heat hotter than what the fire was giving off swept through her. “Is that so?” She leaned toward him.
“It is.”
Whether he moved or she did, the gap between them became smaller.
Pop!
Startled, Tory jumped back, breaking whatever spell they'd been under. “What the heck was that?”
“Don't worry. Nothing is wrong. It happens when steam is released from the wood.” Duncan brought a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth.
Without a doubt, Duncan's mouth would be against hers instead of his spoon if not for the fire. Either the wood had the best timing in the world or the worst. Right now, she wasn't sure which it was.
NINE
A crystal-clear,blue sky and a tropical breeze greeted Tory and Duncan when they exited the hotel's parking garage. Considering that they would spend much of their time at the resort, and they could use a car service if they wanted to leave, a rental car wasn't necessary. Regardless, she'd gotten them one for the week. She enjoyed having the ability to come and go without depending on anyone else.
“I think the weather here is slightly better than at home.” Tory stopped at the curb and waited for an opportunity to cross the street.
It had been thirty-two degrees and pouring when they entered Logan Airport this morning. The cold she could tolerate, especially if she dressed accordingly. The rain she didn't mind, especially if she didn't have to drive in it. But she hated it when the two combined.
“Can't argue with you there,” Duncan replied as they crossed the street and walked onto the hotel's property.
A sprawling complex, the hotel consisted of five buildings with an open lobby placed in the middle of them. Various restaurants and stores occupied the ground-floor level in two of the buildings, while a full-service spa and ballrooms were in two of the other ones. Tory had yet to learn what the deal was with the fifth building. Near the tennis courts, the structure consisted of only two floors and was a short walk away from the others.
Tory kept an eye out for Grant or anyone else from the wedding party as they crossed the lobby and joined the guests waiting to speak with someone at the front desk. She could handle being surprised by one of the bridesmaids. But she wanted to be prepared to see Grant.
She spotted Ivy and Preston walking out of the sandwich shop and waved as she took back her driver's license and a credit card from the hotel employee.
“I see you are staying with us until the twenty-third,” the hotel employee said. “How many room keys would you like?”
They'd be spending a lot of time together, but they wouldn't be attached at the hip. “Two, please.”
After jotting down the suite number, the employee put the key holder and a resort map on the desk. “Your suite is in the Wave Rider Tower,” the employee said, circling one of the many buildings featured on the map. “The hotel offers a variety of free activities every day. You will find them posted on the display screens around the resort. You can also find them on Channel 5. No reservations are required for them. The hotel's fitness center is open twenty-four hours a day, and it is here.” The woman circled the two-story building near the tennis courts. “Our tennis courts are free to use; however, you'll need to reserve a court in advance.”
Even if Tory had known the hotel had tennis courts, she wouldn't have brought her racket. At home, she could easily find a place to play tennis. But, unfortunately, she couldn't tour an almost five-hundred-year-old Spanish fortification just anywhere. And El Morro in Old San Juan was on her list of places to visit while here.
Almost as soon as they stepped away from the front desk, Ivy threw her arms around Tory. “You're here! How was your flight?”
“Uneventful.” Just the way she liked her flights to be.
Before she could make introductions, Ivy smiled and hugged Duncan. The woman didn't have a shy bone in her body and treated everyone as if they were her best friend. “It's nice to finally meet you, Duncan. Tory has told me a lot about you.”