Chapter 6
Surfacing from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, Dante felt more invigorated than he had in months, possibly years.
And all because of a kiss that he couldn’t get off his mind.
It was a kiss he had gone to bed thinking about and had awakened remembering.
A kiss whose memory still had him in its grips.
He could clearly recall the perfect way their mouths had joined, then clung with an urgency he had felt in his bones. The way their tongues had tangled stirred things inside of him, kindling a fire that hadn’t been lit in a long time.
He began his usual swimming routines─ freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. Even after doubling the amount that he usually swam, he felt energized and on top of the world. In full command of the ocean.
And all because of a woman.
Once back on shore, he dried off with a towel and tried not to glance at the house where Marti was staying. The place where she spent the night, sleeping alone in her bed, while he had lain in his, wishing last night’s kiss had turned into something more.
He wrapped the towel around his waist and began walking toward his place.
He had a feeling that he was being watched.
But then, hadn’t Marti practically let it slip that she had noticed his early morning swims?
He had no problem with her checking him out because he’d enjoyed doing the same with her yesterday, watching her from his kitchen window.
As he walked, he refused to glance up at her bedroom. He didn’t want her to know he was aware of her watching him. Though he could almost feel her gaze on his skin.
Moments later, he was back at home and headed for the shower.
Then he would enjoy a cup of coffee and finish reading the Motor Sport magazine article he’d started reading on yesterday.
He’d thought about venturing down to Cannon Beach, a few miles down the coast, and wondered if Marti might want to join him.
More than likely, she had made plans to hang out here on the beach, but it wouldn’t hurt for him to ask, just in case.
***
Marti eased down in bed, glad Dante hadn’t detected her presence by the window.
She had seen him the moment he left his house in the pre-dawn hours, and she had watched him swim a steady series of strokes until the sun shone brightly in the sky.
Never had a man looked so gorgeous in the water.
It was as if he dominated that part of the ocean along the coast. Unable to resist, she’d eased up in bed and watched him the entire time.
Now she needed to get up and officially start her day. As she had done yesterday, she would spend some time on the beach. Hopefully, Edgar wouldn’t do anything to ruin those plans. And if he did, she hoped Dante would come to her rescue again.
Less than an hour later, she was in the kitchen brewing a cup of Avera coffee.
She leaned against the counter as she inhaled the delicious aroma that flowed through the house.
And when she took a sip, she closed her eyes and nearly groaned.
It was so good. She appreciated the generous supply Dante had shared with her.
Marti took another sip, and it produced the same reaction.
Still, the sun was shining bright, and she needed to get her day started. She couldn’t just stand there, sipping coffee while daydreaming about the kiss she had shared with Dante last night. She already had on her bikini under her cover-up. All she needed to do was pack a lunch, her book, and…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door, and for a moment, fear froze her in place, and she stopped breathing.
She quickly reminded herself that she wasn’t in Billings and, for the moment, she was safe.
A part of her resented the way she was living her life now, afraid of her own shadow. She couldn’t take it for much longer.
Leaving the kitchen, she glanced out her living room window and saw that her early morning visitor was Dante. Why did she feel such a sense of peace at just the sight of him? Peace…and safety. Smiling, she opened the door. “Dante, I hope you’re not here to take your coffee back.”
He chuckled. “I have a feeling you’d fight me tooth and nail if I tried. No, that’s not why I’m here. I thought about going to Cannon Beach today. It’s been years since I’ve seen the Haystack Rock, and I wanted to know if you wanted to join me?”
The gigantic sea stack was a major tourist attraction in the area, and people traveled from across the country to see it. It had even been featured in several Hollywood movies. Marti recalled seeing it that summer so long ago. She’d been wowed by it then and would love to see it again.
“I would love to go. Thank you! Besides, with my secret weapon miles away on Cannon Beach, who’s going to protect me from Edgar?”
“Good question. I’m glad you thought of it,” he said, chuckling.
“Come on in,” she said, stepping aside. “I just need to change.”
“No need. We can go swimming while we’re there. I’m wearing my swim trunks under my shorts.”
“In that case, I’ll grab a beach towel. It won’t take me long.”
“No rush.”
She nodded and then raced up the stairs to her bedroom.
***
“Have you ever had a more perfect day?”
Dante glanced over at Marti once he’d parked his car in her driveway. The trip to Cannon Beach had definitely been one of his better ideas. “Not that I can think of right now,” he said, smiling at her. Getting out of the car, he walked around it to open her car door.
“Thanks,” she said, and he walked beside her up the walkway.
Although there had been several tour groups out and about, seeing the Haystack Rock had been interesting.
When he’d first seen it, back when he was a kid, it had been a cool place to check out.
But today, he’d viewed it through more mature eyes and could appreciate it as one of the ocean’s great wonders.
He was even more enthused when the tour guide went into detail about how the rocks, as well as all the other sea stacks in the Pacific Ocean, had been formed.
He was certain that he had heard the same spiel before, years ago, but today, he’d actually listened.
After separating themselves from the tourists, they had managed to find a spot on Cannon Beach that hadn’t been as crowded.
Going swimming with her had been fun, although it was hard not to stop eyeing her in the tiny bikini she wore.
Once she’d removed her cover-up, he knew he was a goner.
It was a different swimsuit from yesterday, but damn, it was just as sexy.
During lunch, they exchanged cell numbers without giving any particular reason for doing so.
He had asked for hers, and she hadn’t hesitated in giving it to him.
Although he wished otherwise, his desire for her was becoming more overwhelming by the second.
Admittedly, he had no qualms about desiring a woman, but he’d never felt attraction like this before.
He felt that if he didn’t have her soon, he’d spontaneously combust.
“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked, noticing how their steps seemed to be in sync.
“The rest of the day? It’s almost five o’clock, Dante.”
He chuckled. “That’s supposed to mean something?”
“Yes,” she said, grinning. “The day is almost over. I’m glad you sent me home with leftovers last night, so I won’t have to figure out what to make for dinner. I plan to shower, eat, and get into bed early. Your never-ending energy wore me out today.”
Hmm, but not in the way he would have liked to have worn her out, Dante mused. But it was best to keep that thought to himself. “There’s a poker game over at the Seaglass Saloon that starts at eight. I’ve reserved a seat at the card table.”
“Sounds like fun, I hope you return a winner.”
He winked at her. “I’ll do my best.”
“By the way, I’m going to be gone all day tomorrow,” she said. “I’m going to do some shopping in Portland.”
He thought she sounded really excited about it, but then most women would be. “Sounds like fun. Enjoy yourself.”
“I will.” They stopped at her front door. “And I accept your invitation to a beach date night.”
He smiled. “Great. Will Saturday night work for you? Around six?”
“Sounds perfect.”
“And my homemade specialty meal is included,” he said.
“I can’t wait to find out what that is.”
“I’ll make sure you’re not disappointed. By the way, any music preference?” he asked.
“I enjoyed listening to what you were playing last night. I’m a R she understood far too well what he was talking about. And she doubted she could take things slow much longer either.
The last thing she expected to find in Wild Rose Point was a man—especially not one as smart, as civilized — as hot! ─ as Dante. But now that she had, she was absolutely considering indulging in a no-strings affair with him. She had a feeling it would be one of the best decisions she’d ever made.
Suddenly, she decided to stop considering it…and do it. There was no reason for her not to see where things could go with Dante. She wanted him and he wanted her, and they could both walk away in the end with no regrets.
So, this was her plan…
When she arrived in Portland tomorrow, dropping by the lingerie shop to purchase several sexy items would be at the top of her list. For the first time in years, she would let herself go, throw caution to the wind, and enjoy the moment.
And she definitely intended to enjoy the man.