13. Chapter 13 – Rae
B e still my fucking heart.
Zach held my gaze after claiming he only had one woman on his mind, making it clear exactly who he was talking about. Me.
He lounged against our picnic blanket, elbows digging into the blue fabric, tanned skin and white smile a gorgeous contrast. Literally throwing myself at him would be bad, right? Bad? Or good.
That damn taunting grin, the way he kept teasing me, made it difficult to remember that half the town surrounded us.
He crooked one finger, tilting his chin in silent challenge.
Even the damned backwards ballcap that covered his brown hair tempted me to touch him.
Flip it off. Muss him up. Anything to stake a claim.
His dark eyes were warm and liquid, tracing my face, my neckline.
It felt like a caress, but he hadn’t moved an inch.
Heat cut through me like a laser, focused and precise, filling me with a yearning that had no place in a public park.
Dammit.
Two could play that game.
Dropping to hands and knees, I crawled toward him. My breasts swayed, my tank top gaping. His tongue licked out, whetting his lips as his gaze locked on my chest .
One palm forward, then the other, taking my time. We were close enough that I could smell the mint on his breath.
Instead of closing the distance, I reached past him, flipping open the cooler. Holding his gaze with a challenge of my own, I pulled out the container of ranch dip and carrots. I sat back coolly and snapped the lid off, as if I hadn’t just bested him at his own game.
Zach barked out a cough that might have been a laugh at his own expense. “Can I have some?” he asked, voice raw.
I offered him the container. “Sure. Help yourself.” I added an evil little smile to turn the knife.
Something tumbled in his dark eyes, but he took a carrot, snapping it viciously between white teeth. “Don’t mind if I do.”
His expression promised retribution, but all I could feel was triumph. Playing with Zach like this, flirting so openly, was a new experience. And I loved it. The anticipation. The freedom to tease. It bubbled in my veins like the sweetest wine, making me feel floaty. Satisfied. Happy.
“Aunt Rae, can I have some grapes?” Hana reappeared at our blanket, and I scooted closer to Zach, making room for her.
“Sure, honey.”
The band finished tuning up and announced their first song, drawing Tae back to join us for dinner.
Zach pulled out the food I’d packed, plus paper cups and the lemonade.
Music flowed over us, an energetic beat to accompany our dinner as we munched happily on our picnic.
The kids devoured the pepperoni and veggies, Tae leaving the cheese and crackers to the rest of us.
When our bellies were full, we packed up the last of our meal.
“Will you come dance with me?” Hana asked, turning Bambi eyes on Zach .
I bit back a smile. There were only about three brave dancers in front of the makeshift bandstand. At least two were three sheets to the wind. It wasn’t exactly a dancing crowd.
“Sure, Hana-banana.” He pushed to his feet, extending his hand to Hana. My heart fluttered, settling into a new rhythm as he escorted her to the front, matching her sway for sway as they stood facing the band.
“Can I go back to Matt?” Tae asked.
“Uh-huh,” I said, eyes still locked on the dancers. On Zach.
A few more brave souls got up to join them. Lucy slipped between blankets, dropping down on my left. Her hair was caught back in dark pigtails. She wore a high-necked black tank top and jeans. Even with the breeze coming off the water, she had to be roasting.
“Hey, Rae.”
“Hey, Luce.” I said it absently, attention returning to Zach. Some men looked awkward when they danced. Like they didn’t know what to do with their hips. Zach shifted his weight naturally, laughing down at Hana as the little girl tried to demonstrate more complicated dance moves for him to try.
“Fifty women’s ovaries just exploded into their fertile phase watching that,” Lucy drew my attention to her, nodding toward Zach. “I hope you lock him down before the pheromones get out of control.”
“I’m thinking about it,” I admitted.
She snorted, shaking her head, brow wrinkled with something akin to pity. “Oh, sweetie. The way you’re looking at him, you need to stop thinking and do .”
“We’ve got the kids to take care of.”
“Don’t Jia’s bedroom doors lock?”
“Luce. ”
She lifted a shoulder, eyes soft. No longer teasing. “You deserve something for you.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does?”
I blinked. “Who are you, and what have you done with my cynical friend Lucy Millen?”
One side of her mouth quirked in a smile. Her gaze fixed on something in the distance. “She’s still in here.”
I shifted, following the direction of her gaze. Oh . I smirked. “You sure about that? Maybe a certain park ranger is wearing you down.”
“Bite your tongue.” She looked so affronted, I couldn’t help but giggle.
“Whatever you say, Luce.”
She sniffed. “Exactly.” She tilted her chin toward Zach and Hana. “Lock. It. Down.” She winked. “Thank me later.”
She slipped away as smoothly as she’d appeared, leaving me with nothing to do but reflect on her words.
Zach turned, catching my gaze, and crooked his finger. My cheeks flushed, remembering his earlier taunts, but slowly, I pushed to my feet, weaving my way toward him and Hana.
He extended a hand, taking my palm just as the band transitioned into a cover of Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved.”
Clay appeared at my elbow, bowing to Hana before extending his palms in an invitation to dance. “My lady.”
“What do you say, Hana-banana? This is my friend Clay.”
Shyly, the little girl nodded and slid her palms into his, swaying from side to side with the big man.
I caught Lucy’s gaze across the crowd as Zach gathered me into his arms. The way she followed Clay, I figured we could count fifty-one explosions for the night .
“This is what I wanted,” Zach’s deep voice in my ear, almost breathy, sent my stomach swirling, dipping and diving like I'd been flipped upside down on a rollercoaster.
His palms settled on my hips, his hold close enough to show possession, but distant enough to keep the strictest of prom chaperones happy.
I let my fingers play with the tendrils of hair at the back of his neck, settling closer until my cheek rested against his shoulder.
The scent of coffee clung to him, making me think of early mornings when he brewed enough for two, offering me a mug as we watched the sun rise from the harbor on the deck of my boat or his.
We swayed, the band’s crooning lyrics a fitting soundtrack. Dappled sunlight shone through the trees, the hint of salt floating on a gentle wind. Zach was warm and sure, easily keeping time with the music as we danced.
I forgot to think about the crowd. My responsibilities. My fauxmance with Simon. All of it.
We came to rest, and I realized the band had announced a break. Reluctantly, I peeled myself away from Zach, leaving our little bubble of magic. I made peace with the reality of the kids darting between blankets and townspeople chatting around us.
“Thank you for the dance,” Zach said. His eyes said so much more.
Flustered, I dropped my gaze.
Hana was already dragging Clay toward our blanket. I noted with a smile that Lucy had reappeared there as well.
“It was my pleasure,” I responded softly.
We wound our way back to our group, Zach pausing to chat as different islanders called his name.
I hovered at his side, smiling softly, if vacantly as he made small talk.
How the man could focus on the weather and fishing yields after our dance made me pause.
Maybe it hadn’t shaken him the way it had me.
Or maybe he was just better at hiding it.
Either way, I couldn’t stop wondering, if I looked back fast enough, would I catch him watching me?