Chapter Thirty
Jane couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Chance had locked her in place with quiet words and his all-consuming presence. Her back touched a wall covered with plants. He towered over her. Arousal hummed around them.
She had no idea what to do. The most beautiful man she’d ever met was acting as though he might kiss her.
The possibility terrified her. She didn’t want the moment to end, and she’d never survive the certain disappointment that would course over his face if he, for some insane reason, actually kissed her.
The elevator chimed. A talkative group exited, and Jane threw herself out of Chance’s reach, practically running to the safety of the open elevator.
He followed behind her and reached over Jane’s shoulder to catch the elevator door as it tried to close on her.
Jane scurried through the doors, mumbling, “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
When the doors finally shut, Chance pressed the button for the first floor and stayed on the opposite side of the small space. Between them, Jane stared at the ornately patterned floor that looked as though it were drawn with gold.
Thankfully, Chance had more manners than she did. He was a perfect gentleman, not asking why she sprinted away. She couldn’t imagine what he must’ve thought, and her cheeks flamed.
The elevator made its slow descent, and Chance pulled out his phone, typing until they arrived on the first floor.
Finally, she glanced at him as they stepped out.
His casual demeanor was a lesson in cool.
Nothing could faze him. He slowly ambled out, and she self-consciously walked by his side.
They passed through a small hallway then he held open the door as they exited, acting as though nothing had just happened.
Well, nothing had happened.
Maybe nothing had even been about to happen. Jane could have projected her fantasy into a perfectly benign conversation.
Their driver waited for them at the curb, and they slid into the back seat. Chance was still cool as a cucumber. Her embarrassment grew, and she recalled his words. No idea what they were doing. Of course not, because they didn’t make sense! She could’ve slapped herself on the forehead.
The car sped off. She didn’t trust her voice enough to ask where they were going. It would kill her when they arrived at her hotel. She didn’t want to end the night like this, didn’t understand what Chance saw in her—or didn’t—and Jane wanted to scream.
“We’re here.”
This wasn’t her hotel. How long had she zoned out? They couldn’t have been in the car for that long. Their driver opened the door, but she didn’t see the bright lights that lined Abu Dhabi’s now-dark streets.
Chance helped her out. The sounds of the city became clearer. Jane chewed on her bottom lip and scanned the dark parking lot. There wasn’t much to see beyond a large partition. Perhaps it was a retaining wall. Then she realized scent of water hung in the air. “What are we doing?”
“We’re going kayaking.”
Jane turned toward Chance and could faintly see his face. “Did you notice that night fell?”
His lips quirked. “I did.” With a tilt of his head and a grin that was more than enough to make her heart trip, he led them toward a dock.
She’d grown up in Pensacola and had seen her fair share of docks. By those standards, this dock was nice. Just like everything else in Abu Dhabi. Chance took her hand and pulled her stiffly around the gate. He didn’t let go. Her gait only became more awkward as they walked by a deckhouse.
And that’s when she saw the kayaks that stole her breath. “Chance?” The kayaks glowed. “Those are…” She didn’t have words. Kayaks weren’t beautiful things. Yet, the two that floated side by side were. They left her breathless. She turned to him, met his eye, and knew he had made her breathless.
“Greetings, Mr. Evans!”
She turned toward the voice as a stout man emerged from the shadows.
His belly was as large as his smile. “Welcome!”
The men spoke as though this activity had been quickly planned. She couldn’t look away from the kayaks. Underwater lights were attached at the front of each, and the result was magical.
“Cool, huh?” Chance stepped to her side. “I always wanted to do this.”
Cool wasn’t in the same universe. She peered over the side of the dock as they were fitted with life jackets, given woefully few instructions on how to kayak and where they could go, and before Jane knew it, the stout man situated her in one kayak. Chance floated beside her.
Their movement disturbed the shallow water. Clouds of sand whirled to their sides.
“Are you ready?”
“Sure,” she said.
His kayak glided away, and she tried to follow her instructions. Apparently kayaking was easier said than done.
Chance called over his shoulder, “Come on, Mary Poppins.”
The nickname was yet another reason Jane was sure this wasn’t a date. But at the moment, she didn’t care and had bigger problems: moving.
She fumbled with her paddles, splashing when she meant to stroke. The impossible little boat moved sideways instead of following Chance.
He glided back as easily as he’d left. “Stuck?”
“No, thank you very much.” She paddled again just as fruitlessly as before. At least this was an activity she didn’t mind embarrassing herself over. “I’m enjoying the view. That’s all.”
Chance snatched the end of her paddle.
“Hey!”
With his other hand, he effortlessly paddled his kayak, towing her along. Maybe if she hadn’t run from him at the rooftop bar, this would be embarrassing. But she just laughed. “Show off.”
He chuckled, easily sliding his paddle from one side to the other, not letting go of her.
“Pretty impressive, Hercules.”
“Obviously, my goal.”
She smiled and relaxed. Chance did all the work.
It felt as though they were sliding across glass until he stopped paddling.
They drifted, and he used her paddle to pull her to his side.
A beautifully lit circle surrounded their boats.
Beyond them, the night sky and dark water blended together into a black abyss.
“I feel like we’re the only people on earth.
” Fish darted by. Underwater plants moved with the underwater currents.
“I didn’t know anything like this existed. ”
Chance made up names for the fish, providing fantastical details about the Great Abu-Dha-bowskis and Purple People Eaters.
He regaled her with impossible stories of goldfish that were strong enough to sink pirate ships and seaweed that could be used as dental floss.
Jane laughed and laughed and laughed, already missing him before they said good night and goodbye.
“I’ve never met a guy like you before.” She was certain that she’d never meet someone like him again.
He gave her a strange look but then joked. “Guess I’m one of a kind.”
Sadly… She had to go halfway around the world to find the most interesting person she’d ever met. Forget how freakin’ hot the man was. Who else would come up with this day? No one except for Chance.
Chance paddled them closer to the dock, and they returned to where they’d set off from. The stout man reappeared out of thin air. Jane didn’t know how Chance had known where and when to go, but she realized he always had an innate sense of what came next. At least one of them did.
She was plucked from the kayak as easily as she’d been put on the water. The man took their life jackets and disappeared again. “My legs feel like wet noodles.”
He slung his arm around her shoulder, and she didn’t pull away. They ambled up the dock, and she breathed in the faint scent of their day together. She’d never smell incense again without thinking of souks—and him. Jane wished she hadn’t run from Chance on the rooftop.
Embarrassment had changed into regret, and she wished he’d forget what had happened and would kiss her now. She wouldn’t run. Chance, kiss me. Jane slowed. The dock ended soon. The sedan would be in the parking lot. This was their last moment alone.
He paused then stepped in front of her. Her pleading heart clenched, and she dared to lift her chin, to meet his stare.
Chance towered over her. With the city lights and sounds held at bay, with the moonlight streaming down upon his chiseled face, she couldn’t look away. He gazed at her as if hungry and tormented, as though she caused him pain that he simply craved.
A warm breeze rolled off the water, loosening her hair. He tucked the wayward strands behind her ear.
“You did that in the desert.”
He touched her hair again and then his knuckles swept over her cheek.
Jane’s eyes fluttered shut. Her lips parted, and Chance trailed his fingers across them. Her breath weighed heavily in her chest. His fingertips skimmed over her chin, her jaw with a touch fainter than air. Jane quietly moaned as his touch slid down the strumming pulse in her neck.
Cold electricity bled over her when he pulled away. Jane almost protested—until his hands threaded into her hair. Chance tilted her head, and Jane trembled. Their bodies touched. The anticipation of his lips on hers made her weak—a brash chirp of a cellphone blared.
She jumped then lurched back. Her hands covered her face. Jane didn’t know if she would scream, cry, or curse. Chance cursed, long and low before he opened his eyes again. His jaw ticked, and his hand went to his side. “Sorry. That’s an emergency call from headquarters.”
Jane blinked hard. “Sure. Of course.”
Chance stepped back as he answered the phone.
“Yeah?” He listened and rubbed a hand over his face, into his hair.
“Yeah.” He dropped his head back. “No. She’s here.
” He paused, shaking his head. “Yeah. With me.” He hung up, pocketed the phone, and when he finally turned to her, she thought he might smash his phone.
“Or, as it turns out, not an emergency call.”
“They called about me?”
“Angela was worried and jumped up HQ’s ass to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m okay,” Jane whispered.
Their moment was gone. Judging by the blissful seconds before his phone rang, she was sure that she’d missed out on the world’s best kiss ever.