EIGHT
AFTER MAKING HER decision, it was easier to fake it in front of the exuberant Alessia. She even went for a drink with her and her friends after dinner. They talked constantly about how incredible Roman was during their hike that day. He was so strong and fit and amazing. Even Thea started to believe it.
No one asked about her day. Why would they? As far as everyone else was concerned, all she did was work. Their focus on the star and excitement about what was to come gave her a break. No one was looking at her, so she could almost forget what happened.
It all came crashing back to her upon opening her eyes the next morning. There was no avoiding it. Her notes were in the corporate suite. She could start over without them, but she’d mapped out some good pathways. A second swing wouldn’t do them their original justice.
Plus, you know, Zane might get the crazy idea about bringing them to her room. Shaking that notion wasn’t quick or easy.
All she had to do was go there, collect her things, and apologize for sending him any signals. There could be no more signals.
Except when she got there, Zane was on the terrace, talking on what appeared to be a cellphone. She didn’t look too closely; he was moving around and could turn her way any second.
It was best. Perfect, actually. While he was out there talking, she could gather her things.
Hurrying over to the desk, intentions clear, she paused at the sight of the latte in the same place it had been the previous day. Damn. That had been good latte. She’d miss the latte. Yeah, that was the root of her sorrow.
Shaking off her disappointment, that wasn’t really about the drink, she pulled her bag across the desk to collect her things into it.
“Wandering away, Wanderer?”
She hadn’t heard him approach, probably because he was only just inside the tall terrace doors.
“It’ll only take me a minute to get out of your hair.”
So much for the speech she’d been mentally writing all morning.
“You don’t have to go,” he said, coming closer.
Still, she couldn’t make eye contact. Nothing had changed since she’d abandoned him on the chaise the previous day.
“It’s okay. I can work anywhere.”
“Thea,” he said from the other side of the desk. Unable to look up, she kept stacking her things, stuffing them into her bag. He came around to her side. “Thea.”
That time he accompanied the murmur of his name on her lips with his fingers combing into her hair to scoop a hand around the base of her skull.
“Don’t,” she said, wincing as she raised her shoulders in a recoil. “Please.”
“I should’ve realized you were a runner,” he said, taking his hand from her hair like she’d asked.
Except the minute it was gone, she wanted it back. Right then, it hit her how much trouble she was in.
“I have a lot of work to do.”
“I know and this is the best place to do it.”
He put the phone on the desk as she stuffed the last of her things in her bag.
“I thought there was no cellphone coverage around here.”
“There will be by next summer. But that’s a sat phone.”
Much smaller than she thought they were, but what did she know.
“I’ve taken over your space for too long,” she said, intending to leave.
Zane caught her shoulders to halt her. “Can we not pretend you’re running out of here for any reason other than what happened yesterday?” She didn’t say a word, but he smiled. “I kissed you.”
“Zane…” she said and tried to pull away.
He tightened his grip. “Something scared you; I want to understand what it was.”
“Nothing, no, I—”
“Come on, babe. We got past the barriers and gave each other a second chance… What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing!” she exclaimed, horrified he’d think that.
“It was a good kiss,” he said, somehow moving closer. “We felt good together.”
Her gaze floated up to his. “Yes,” she conceded in a whisper. “Too good.”
“Help me understand, baby,” he murmured, his palm skimming upward until the edge of his thumb grazed her jaw. “What’s going on in your head? You don’t want this…? Don’t want to see what this is?”
“I don’t do casual sex,” she blurted out. “I’m sorry, I… It’s not a big deal, I’ve done it, didn’t enjoy it, so decided not to do it again… Years ago, I mean, not because of you, just…” She shrugged. “You’re very attractive and I know we have chemistry, but I can’t. I just can’t do—”
“Hey,” he said, cupping her face. “Who said anything about casual?” She blinked at him. “Baby, I think you’re amazing. You’re hot and so… alive. I wasn’t looking for you, for anything… You know how they say as soon as you stop looking for a relationship, that’s when one finds you? Babe, I flew thousands of miles to a basically deserted island and… here you are.”
“We’ve known each other three days.”
“I know,” he said on a short laugh. “I’m not suggesting we fly to Vegas and make it official, just…” His focus shifted as his fingers rose to a tendril of hair hanging by her face. “This isn’t nothing.”
It wasn’t. Thea was drawn to him. Something in her had connected itself to something in him.
The incredulity just wouldn’t go away.
“It’s been three days,” she said again.
His broad smile heralded an exhaled laugh. “I know it would sound nuts to anyone else, but…” He peered deeper into her. “It isn’t just me, is it? All you wanted from me was sex?”
Locked onto his gaze, her hands somehow found their way to his chest. “I don’t know what I want from you… But if we hook up for a one-night thing… We have the next twenty-something days here and—”
“We don’t need an expiration date or to put any pressure on each other,” he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders to pull her closer. “Until we decide otherwise, you’re mine. I’m yours. We’re together. Nothing casual. Doesn’t make forever inevitable, we just be… together.”
The idea was tempting. “It can’t be that simple.”
“You don’t want to be mine?”
He squeezed her so tight she felt it in her lungs. The depth of his possession finally relaxed her enough to smile.
“Is this your idea of a shortcut into my panties?”
He bobbed his chin toward the desk next to them. “The desk could probably hold us.”
Wrinkling her nose, she pushed her shoulders back against his embrace to get a better look at him. “You said there were tables upstairs. The chaises are still outside… And the beach is just over the wall. You lack imagination, Drift.”
“Do I?” he asked. “Maybe imagination can be your department.”
“So what’s your department?”
“I come up with the ideas, you figure out how we execute them.”
“Oh yeah? So your idea is…”
“Getting into your panties.”
Bending his knees, he sank lower to grip her ass. His audacity wrought a shriek of a laugh from deep inside her.
“Zane!”
His mouth stole hers and everything else faded away. When he boosted her onto the desk, she heard her bag fall, and shoved it to the side, getting it out of their way. He urged her further onto the desk, pushing himself hard against her, the imprint of him betrayed how much he wanted her, how hard he wanted it.
Driving her fingers into his hair, she held his head, pulling him to her, begging for the intensity of their kiss to keep on going all the way to the end of—
She tore her mouth from his. “Wait.”
“Wait. Wait?” he panted. “Baby—
“I know,” she said, bringing her hands to his cheeks. “I know, me too, but we…” She had to stop and take a breath. “If you’re serious about this being more than a one-time thing… Don’t you want to date me?”
His mouth opened, but his expression exposed a conflict between the honorable answer and what his body wanted.
“I… yeaahh,” he said, dragging out the begrudged word even though it sounded painful.
After another few seconds, he groaned and conceded the transaction wouldn’t be completed.
As he backed off, and turned away, she shimmied to the edge of the desk, pulling down her skirt. Sitting there, she gave him a second to calm whatever he needed to calm. If they were together, she might tease him… and one day, if together became a more tangible thing, she might help him out with the calming.
Glancing around to check how far her bag had gone, everything was scattered. Her laptop hung precariously on the corner of the desk, just beside a pool of brown liquid and ice.
“Damnit,” she said, hopping off the desk to rush to the restroom.
Grabbing up as much tissue as she could, she hurried back to the mess to mop it up.
“Babe, you don’t have to clean.”
“What a waste,” she said, tossing the sopping tissues into the trash. “No sex and no latte. What did I do to piss off fate today?”
“There’s a spot on the west shore, a cabana with a grass roof. It’s not much more than a room with a deck, but it’s quiet… it’s private.”
“You want to have sex there?”
“I want to date you there,” he said, coming over to stop beside her. “Go outside and wet your toes… I’ll clean up in here.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Babe,” he said, extending a hand to her. “You want to date. You love the beach and your work is important to you.”
She looked up at him. “Why are you telling me about me?”
“Showing I pay attention,” he said, smiling.
When her hand slid into his, he pulled her to her feet. “I can clean up a mess.”
“We work in the day,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’s important to you, I won’t get in the way of that. We date at night or in the afternoon, whichever you prefer.” He guided her hand onto his chest. “I respect what you value.”
Picking up on his meaning, she touched his face. “You’re my equal.”
“Yes, I am,” he said, descending slowly to kiss her quick. “Now get outside and feel better while I take care of things in here. You have work to do.”
He was right. About everything. More than once or twice, it was becoming a habit. She went outside to be confronted by a large block of stone in front of the wall. A block…? No, a step. Her lips curled as she ascended the block to stand atop the wall, then she laughed. There on the other side were more blocks. A stack of them: descending stairs.
Taking advantage of her new route, Thea needed the chance to center herself. Having a date didn’t give her permission to be distracted. She had to get her work done and then… she could let loose.