Chapter 8 #2
Bohemian yet statuesque, Wren possessed the sort of body any man would have no trouble worshipping.
Her skin glowed with health, just like her glossy blonde hair, thick and wavy, with natural sun-kissed highlights that caught the light.
She’d truly grown into a gorgeous woman who didn’t seem to realize her own power.
“I’ll give you some time to decide.”
When the waiter quietly backed away, she rolled her eyes at Soren. “You’re over the top.”
“What can I say? I like to put on a good show.”
“Well, it’s enough already. I haven’t been this pampered...” She laughed, the sound like wind chimes in the warm air. “Ever.”
“That, beautiful, is a shame.” He laced his fingers with hers, and she stilled, her gaze dropping to their entwined hands as her smile slightly faltered.
“Soren.” Disentangling her fingers from his grip, she tucked her hands in her lap and sat back. “Um, I think we need to slow down.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a lot. First, the dress and the shoes and the jewelry. Then this place. You’re opening doors and holding my hand. Things are moving too fast for me.”
“I warned you I wasn’t going to waste time.”
“And I’m warning you to slow down. This is... weird. We’re friends.”
She didn’t understand, so he made himself crystal clear. “I’ve pictured you naked a dozen times, Wren. And that’s just today.”
“Soren!” she hissed, glancing around nervously, but they were alone, at the best seat in the house.
“What?” He shrugged. “We’re more than friends. I’m done pretending I don’t see you. I’m not immune to you, and you’re not immune to me. No more polite lies for whatever bullshit reason we had for taking so long to get here.”
She looked like she wanted to call for help, but they were completely secluded on the enclosed balcony. “Don’t say stuff like that.”
“Why? You’d rather I lie and pretend I’ve never thought of you in a sexual way? I’m a man, and you’re a beautiful woman.”
She sipped her champagne and flushed, the darkening of her cheeks adding to her natural glow. “It’s a little too much.”
“Fine. I’ll tone it down. But I’ve given this a lot of thought, Wren. I want this. And I go after what I want in life.”
The champagne in Wren’s stomach fizzed wildly as she recognized the determination blazing in Soren’s dark eyes. It wasn’t that he studied her like prey. He studied her like a challenge. And Soren hated to lose. If anyone were going to inherit the Fishery, it would most likely be him.
“Does it scare you to realize that I want you?”
Her heart stuttered as nervous energy made her reach for her champagne flute again. “You have to stop.”
“What am I doing? We’re just talking.”
This was more than talking. He was never so explicit or direct with her, saying such blatantly flirtatious things.
No one spoke to her with such shameless intentions, and she didn’t know how to respond.
There was no way to shield herself from his directness, especially when he looked at her like she was something he planned to devour.
She took a long swallow of champagne, bubbles dancing on her tongue. “What scares me is that determined expression in your eyes. I’m not that easy, Soren. Just because you want something doesn’t mean you automatically get it.”
“We’ll see. I can be very persuasive.”
“Obviously. But I’m not like other women. As much as I appreciate your generosity, I’m not used to being spoiled. I don’t think you’re going to get the outcome you’re hoping for.”
“Give it time.” He leaned back and studied her with predatory focus. “You’ll learn to like being taken care of, Wren, maybe even expect it over time. I enjoy treating you.”
She frowned, unease prickling along her spine. “It’s a little intense.” She was used to Soren’s confidence, but she’d never been the sole target of his relentless pursuit.
“That’s because we can be real with each other. We’re past the point of fake, Wren. We’ve been through too much together.”
She shifted in her seat to reach the champagne. Soren beat her to the bottle and refilled her glass with practiced grace.
She took a sip. “Okay, let’s say this works out. How do you see it going between us?”
“Well, I think we both want to stay in Hideaway Harbor.”
“Especially if you inherit the company,” she said with a bite of condescension.
“That might be the catalyst that got us here, but it’s not the only reason I’m interested.”
“No?”
“It’s not an unpleasant predicament, Wren. We’d make a decent couple.”
“Mmm, decent.” She sipped her champagne, annoyed by the cold calculation silently surrounding his motives.
“You understand what I mean. We get along. I make you laugh. You’d want for nothing.”
“Yes, I’m so tired from all the wanting.”
“Make jokes all you want. But I mean it. You’d literally want for nothing.” His gaze deliberately dropped to her chest.
“Stop it, Soren,” she hissed, covering her cleavage with her hand.
He chuckled and sat back. “I’m just saying I’d take care of you financially and in other ways. We can leave it at that for now.”
Soren wasn’t one to brag. He simply demonstrated. He’d spent his whole life being underestimated and proving people wrong. She understood him well enough to be intimidated by the determined expression burning in his eyes.
She searched her mind for any argument that might throw him off course. “What about kids?”
“What about them? I’ve always pictured myself with a family.”
“You have?”
“Of course. I’d like four.”
“Four?”
“Sure. Or three.” He shrugged. “Two seems too few, and five might be pushing it.”
“You think?” Maybe she needed something stronger than champagne for this conversation. “So, let’s say you get the company—”
“Only one way for that to happen.” His gaze dropped possessively to her lips.
“Don’t stare at me like that. This is a hypothetical.”
“Fine. I get the company—and a hot wife.”
“Give me strength,” she mumbled into the champagne flute. “Who’s taking care of all these children you plan to father?”
“My wife. I want a traditional dynamic. I’ll be the provider. She’ll be the nurturer.”
“See, we’re already having issues.” She reached for the bottle, swatting his hand away when he tried to beat her there. Dumping more champagne into her glass, she swirled it under her nose before sipping. “I’ve got The Haven.”
“Yeah, but you’d be in a different position. Once you have the capital backing, it wouldn’t take long to finish the property plans. Then you could hire people to run it for you. You’d have plenty of time to do the things you really love.”
She scowled at him. “I’m already doing the things I love. I like being the manager, Soren. The Haven is mine. I don’t want someone else to run it.”
“Fine, you could stay involved, but you’d have enough staff to delegate the parts of the job you don’t enjoy. No one loves their job one hundred percent, Wren.”
She did. Even the challenging parts, like investing in ads and figuring out how to get a lucrative return on her investment. Every challenge motivated her to some degree. It was hard, but that made it that much more rewarding.
“Listen, Wren, I love seeing your dreams come to life. We all knew this was your vision since our moms passed. You’ve done what you said you would and made an incredible tribute to honor her life. People from all over the country travel to Hideaway Harbor just to stay at your place.”
“Thank you.”
His praise meant more than he realized. The Haven wasn’t only named after her mother, it was designed to share all the things she loved with the world. She’d lost her life too early and hadn’t had time to create a legacy, but Wren created one for her.
“I respect that you’re an independent woman, Wren. But, if we were to actually do this, nothing would stop me from spoiling you.”
“I don’t need to be spoiled.”
“I realize you don’t. No one does.” He took her hand again, this time not letting her go when she tried to pull away. “I know you can handle the work. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to make your life a little easier.”
Thankfully, the waiter returned before she figured out a response.
After placing her order, she excused herself, needing a few minutes to find her bearings.
Unfortunately, the champagne was already hitting her, making the world softer around the edges.
By the time she wobbled back to the table in her fancy gold heels, she acknowledged she should probably stop drinking, but there Soren sat, waiting with that same intense stare, so she decided to have another glass.
Soren continued to push her boundaries throughout the meal, holding her gaze a few seconds too long, unapologetically flirting, taking any chance he got to brush his hand over hers.
The more the champagne went to her head, the more she found herself enjoying his uninterrupted attention, basking in the heat of his focus like a cat in sunlight.
By dessert, she was completely drunk. “I think I drank too much cham—” She hiccupped. “—pagne.” She giggled and wagged her finger at him. “Don’t try anything funny on the way home.”
“I make no promises.”
“You better. I need you to be Protective-Soren, now.” She cupped her hand at the side of her mouth and whispered a fake cry for help, “Save me! I’m smashed, on a date with a very determined man who thinks I’m pretty.”
Leaning back in his seat like a king occupying a throne, he chuckled. “Very pretty.” Holding his jaw in the V of his forefinger and thumb, he eyed her carefully. “Don’t worry. I’ll always protect you from bad boys.”
“Including yourself?”
“I’m not one of the bad ones.”
She smiled, her face warm and pleasantly numb. “No, you’re not.”
The waiter returned for one final lap to ask if they wanted coffee. Soren lifted a brow in question and she figured why the hell not.
“Two coffees.”
The waiter disappeared, and they fell into a comfortable silence broken only by the distant crash of waves against the cliffs below.
“This is nice,” he commented, studying her the way he had most of the night.
“Yeah. The food was outstanding.”