Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Sayla
“Are you for real, man?” Hogan staggers to his feet, glaring at Dex. “I’m in the middle of my song.”
“You’re done, my friend,” Dex grunts. Meanwhile, the music continues in the background. It’s the part where Hogan should be belting out “baby, baby” over and over.
Oops.
Dex turns to me, and when we lock eyes, heat bolts into my throat. “I really need to talk to you alone,” he says. “It’s an emergency.”
Hogan scoffs. “You good with this, Sayla?”
I nod a quick yes. “Yes, I’m good.”
Dex scowls at Hogan. “You and I are a different story.”
A shriek of feedback bursts through the speakers, and Dex addresses the rest of the room.
“Nothing to see here, folks.” He offers everyone a quick wave.
“Carry on!” He forces a chuckle, then thrusts the mic back at Hogan.
Hogan takes the mic and drops his arm in defeat.
The cord hangs at his side, but at least our conversation isn’t being broadcast over the speakers anymore.
Still, my pulse is racing.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Without answering, Dex slides an arm behind my back to usher me across the room. Meanwhile, Hogan does his best to pick up in the middle of the chorus, stammering through the song’s final verse.
When we’re almost to the exit, Dex pauses. Squeezes my hand. “Sorry to do that without warning. Are you okay?”
A wave of trust washes over me, and I’m not sure why, but I feel safe. Like I trust that whatever’s going on, Dexter’s on my side.
“I’m okay,” I tell him. Then I throw my gaze to Tori, who’s scurrying over to meet us.
“That was so romantic,” she gushes. “I knew you’d step up, Dex.” She sends me a knowing smile. “You are one lucky woman.”
“I guess I am.”
Dex puts a hand at the small of my back. “Let’s go.”
He guides me out the door, steering us along the building and over to a table at the far end of the lodge. The almost-full moon casts a glow on his broad shoulders. The stars wink at us through the tree branches.
“What’s the emergency?” I ask.
Dex collapses onto the bench, then he tugs me down next to him. He’s so much taller than I am, I have to tip my chin up when I turn to face him.
“I just had to get you out of there.” He lets out another grunt. “Hogan was getting a little too handsy.”
For a long moment, I sit there, quietly appraising him. “That’s why you interrupted his song?”
“Yeah.” Dex runs a hand over his hair, awkwardly, spiking it up. “That’s why.”
“I’m not some damsel in distress, Dex.”
“I know that.” His jaw shifts. “But the guy’s been putting moves on you for the whole retreat. I thought you might need a little backup. Kinda like you did when Tori was coming on to me. Was I wrong?”
He’s right. I did do that.
“And anyway, Hogan wasn’t just coming on to you,” Dex grumbles. “He was practically grabbing your—”
“You stopped him, though.”
“Exactly. So I’m sorry for not consulting you first. I didn’t think. I just took action.” His tone is gruff, like he’s rattled. “To be honest, I think I kept pretty calm considering how I felt on the inside.”
I stifle a smile, half amused, half shocked, half annoyed, plus also reluctantly attracted to Dex’s show of protectiveness. And yes, I know four halves make up two wholes. But that’s what’s going on inside me. Turmoil. And a churn of anticipation over what this all might mean.
I don’t want to like the fact that Dexter got a little possessive.
But I kind of like the fact that Dexter got a little possessive.
“How did you feel?”
“I wasn’t a big fan of the ‘get a room’ comments.” His Adam’s apple traverses his throat. “I don’t want anyone thinking about you and Hogan being alone in a cabin.”
I tip my chin. “You’re sharing a cabin with me.”
“I guess I am.” His huff is quiet, and he meets my gaze. “But so far, I’ve managed to keep my hands to myself.”
I arch a brow. “So far?”
“You know what I mean.” He nods back toward the lodge. “Anyway, if you want to go back in there to Hogan …”
“I don’t.” I shiver in the cold night air. “Actually, I’m exhausted and my head hurts.” I rub at my scalp. “I think my ponytail’s too tight.”
“That’s a thing?”
“It is.” I let out a long sigh.
“Then … just … take it out.”
“You know what?” I glance around, my lips curving on one side. “That’s an excellent idea. I think I will.”
I lift my arms and work at the tight ponytail holder, unwinding multiple loops of the band. And as my hair rains down my back, a tingle starts along my scalp. The feeling is so good, I let out a low moan. Then I reach up again to give my head a little scratch, both hands tangled in the strands.
Dexter ducks his head. “Itchy?”
“Nope,” I say. “Once your hair gets loose after being pulled tight all day, your head gets fresh blood flow or something. I’m honestly not sure exactly how it works. I only know that the result is almost painful. But then … so much better.”
His gaze surveys the cascade of blonde around my shoulders. “I hardly ever see you that way.”
“What way?”
“With your hair down.”
My lashes flutter. “You notice my hair?”
“I notice everything about you.” The words come out husky, and I drop my arms. Then he says, “Turn around.”
My mouth goes dry. “Excuse me?”
“Face the other way,” he says. “On the bench.”
I lift my chin. “But … why?”
His eyes laser in on mine. “I was thinking I could massage your scalp.”
“Oh.” I take in a deep breath, hold it.
“If you’ll let me.”
After only a brief internal debate, I exhale and spin around, throwing one leg over the bench until I’m straddling the seat with my back to Dexter.
“Good girl.” He turns and mirrors my position on the bench, edging up behind me until I can practically feel his breath in my ear. Then he slides a hand under the curtain of my hair, laying one warm palm against the nape of my neck.
A tremor catapults through me, and he slips his other hand up along my scalp, threading his fingers through the strands. When he reaches the ridge where the hair bumps up from the old ponytail, I let out a little whimper of pleasure.
“Is this all right?” His question comes out rough, but his touch is beyond tender.
I nod. A silent consent.
So Dexter begins to knead the most sensitive spots on my head.
Gently at first, then more purposeful, as he increases the pressure.
His fingertips probe every inch of my scalp, sending shockwaves of pleasure down my spine.
The moves are slow but steady, and a shimmer stirs in my abdomen, traveling up behind my ribs, filling the space around my heart.
I can’t explain what’s happening between us, but there’s a shift. And I surrender to the thrill of being tended to. This man is meeting my needs right now without any thought of reciprocation.
I arch my back, leaning into him without even realizing it. And Dexter accepts the motion, cradling my head with his palms.
“Let me know when to stop,” he says, his breath hot against my face.
“Never,” I whisper. “Ever.”
From around the corner comes the sound of crunching footsteps, then someone gasps, “Oh, no!”
Dexter and I awkwardly clamber up off the bench, leaping apart as soon as we’re free from the table. Bob and Hildy are ten yards away, cowering. Bob holds up a lantern, and Hildy punches his shoulder, glaring at him.
“I told you we shouldn’t go looking for them,” she hisses. “But you just had to follow them out here to be sure they were okay.”
“They did leave in quite a hurry,” he protests.
She throws her hands up. “And now we’ve interrupted this sweet, private moment.”
“No, no it’s fine,” I blurt. “There are no private moments happening here. Dex and I were just … umm …”
“Collaborating?” Bob offers.
“Talking,” Dexter grunts.
“But not privately,” I emphasize. “I just needed some fresh air. The inside of the lodge was getting a little stuffy, and Dexter was nice enough to come out here and keep me company.”
“Keeping you company?” Bob grins. “So that’s what the kids are calling it these days.”
“Leave them alone, Bob,” Hildy warns.
“What?” He holds the lantern up so the light beams in her face. “You’re just mad that I’m right.”
“Only because it’s so rare.”
Bob swings his lantern over to us. “I told Hildy right after you two showed up that I sensed some real heat between you.”
“Heat?” Gah! “There really isn’t,” I insist. “Dexter and I are just … friends.”
Friends.
The word strikes a strange chord in my throat. Last week, I would’ve told you Dexter Michaels was the bane of my existence. And yet just moments ago, I was dreaming of more than his hands in my hair.
I wanted his lips on my mouth.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Hildy says, lowering her voice, “Bob and I aren’t just business partners.”
I tip my head. “What are you?”
“Married!” Bob hoots. Then he peers around in the darkness like he’s checking for witnesses. “Yes sir, you’re looking at a guy who works with the old ball and chain. But Hildy and I don’t tell anyone. We’re afraid our retreat guests might be distracted by all our natural animal magnetism.”
Hildy nods in agreement. “Keeping our feral chemistry under wraps is hard enough as it is.”
I’m not sure if she’s being sarcastic or serious, but either way, I fight a laugh, and Dex makes a gurgling sound in the back of his throat.
“The point is,” Bob says, “Hildy and I understand why you two wouldn’t want anyone to know you’re a couple.”
“Oh, hey!” Tori bounces around the corner of the lodge. “They found out?” She hoists her hands in the air like a bank robber caught by the cops. “I swear I didn’t tell them your secret!”
“Awwww, man.” A look of disappointment drips down Bob’s face. “I thought Hildy and I were the only ones to figure it out.”
I glance at Dexter, wondering how he wants to play this. If we deny being a couple now, Tori will know we’ve been lying to her for days. Or, more accurately, that I lied to her. And she’s been so nice and surprisingly supportive. There’s no good option. We either keep up the lie or—
“Please don’t tell anyone else,” Dex says, taking the decision out of my hands. “Sayla and I don’t want our boss to think we’re unprofessional. And either way, this is all so new, we just want this time to be about us. You know how it is when you’re falling for someone. It’s … just … special.”
Falling for someone.
I know his words aren’t real, but still. I hold my breath.
Hildy sighs, her eyes clouding over with nostalgia. “That was so long ago.”
“A million years,” Bob says.
“Well. More like thirty-five,” Hildy corrects.
“Either way.” Bob clears his throat. “You two can feel safe being your natural selves around us.”
“We won’t say a word,” Hildy pipes up.
“I didn’t even tell Caroline,” Tori chirps.
The three of them nod expectantly, like they’re waiting for a response.
Dex releases a long breath. “Well, that’s a relief.”
“Such a relief,” I exhale, wiping my brow. “Phew!”
“See?” He turns to me, his hands sturdy on my shoulders. “We don’t have to worry anymore. They’re on our side. Everybody is.” He gathers me to him, and I gaze up into his dark eyes. “Feel better now?”
“I do.”
“Aww,” Tori squeaks. “You two are just so perfect together.”
“She’s the perfect one.” Dexter’s really selling the lovey-dovey boyfriend act. And even though I know he’s only pretending, his warmth liquifies me anyway.
“Thank you,” I say, because we have an audience. And anyway, what else would I tell him even if we were alone?
You’re not as bad as I thought.
Or even bad at all.
You make me feel safe.
I never imagined myself in a relationship with any man, let alone a coworker.
Let alone you.
While my brain and heart swirl in opposite directions, Dexter slowly lowers his chin, deliberately pressing his mouth to one side of my temple. Then he moves over to lavish his lips on the other side. Finally, he meets in the middle and gifts me with a tender kiss right above my eyebrows.
And I’m here to report that the sweetest, softest kiss of my life is a forehead kiss.
Go figure.