Page 35 of South Beach Bodyguards

He made a face. “You’re right. I do know that.” As the elevator opened he put his arm across the door so it wouldn’t close on me. “Do you think I’m scary?”

That he could think that was ridiculous. And cute. And adorable. And freaking sexy as hell. I stepped in the elevator and turned back to him, heart soft and squishy. “No. I don’t think you’re scary at all. I think you’re the man I can trust to always do the right thing. I don’t think you’ll ever hurt me or put me in danger.”

He let go of the door and moved in close to me, using both hands to cup my cheeks. His body crowded me, and I loved the way that felt. “I would never put you in danger.” Bending down he kissed the top of my head.

It didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t reiterate that he wouldn’t hurt me.

That gave me a pit in my gut. No guarantees. I knew that. Today only.

This wasn’t the movies and I wasn’t Julia Roberts. She had a better mouth than me.

We lapsed into silence and I crossed my arms across my chest, my bag getting heavy on my right shoulder. It flopped forward but I didn’t bother to fix it. I wanted to say something, though I didn’t really know what, when the elevator doors opened. A minute later we were in our room and I let my bag fall to the floor with a gasp.

“Ryan, this is amazing.” The drapes were open exposing floor to ceiling windows and beyond that just the ocean. We could see a sliver of the beach but mostly it was just water, inky black now that dusk had descended, the moonlight dancing over the rolling waves.

Ryan pulled the slider open and stepped out onto the balcony. “Is, I could get used to this.” He glanced back at me with a grin. “Welcome to how the other half lives.”

I followed him outside and breathed in the winter breeze. Not hot, just a warm kiss, the scent of the ocean in the air. “It’s beautiful up here. This is what your dad’s place is like. It has such an amazing view, doesn’t it? I can’t wait to see it in daylight.”

It was the wrong thing to say. “I’ve never been to Mickey’s condo,” he said flatly.

Part of me wanted to press, ask why not, but the timing was wrong. “Look at how dark it is out there. I forget how expansive the ocean is. With the lights from all the buildings, it’s magical.”

Stepping to the railing, I looked straight down. The pool area was backlit and everything glowed and shimmered. It was a sexy hotel, no question about it. It made my nervousness evaporate. I felt sexy too, being there with Ryan. The heat of the day had receded and I shivered in my strapless dress, rubbing my arms. It was January, after all, and the nights got windy.

“Are you cold?” Ryan asked incredulously. “Here.”

He moved in behind me, and pulled me back against his chest, wrapping his arms around me. I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried. It felt amazing to be in his arms, staring out at the water. So fantastic that it was surreal. It was real, yet not permanent. The ultimate fantasy and I felt lucky to have this opportunity. How many girls got to have their first time go down like this?

After a minute, he said, “How about I order us some wine or champagne?”

I wouldn’t have pegged Ryan for a wine drinker. In fact, I was sure he wasn’t. I wasn’t either. “How about a martini instead? I can’t say I’m big into wine.”

“Even better.” He let his hands drift off my arms. “Do you want dinner yet or later?”

“Later.” I turned around, searching his face, wanting him to understand if we drew this out too long, I’d lose my nerve entirely. “I bet there’s beer in the mini-bar. We don’t have to call room service. I don’t need a martini.”

I could tell he knew what I meant, because his face softened. “I’ll go check. You can sit here and relax.” He pulled the lounge chair out for me, away from the bistro table. “Sit down, Is.”

I did, but my leg bounced up and down from nervous energy. Just the thought of being with Ryan made my mouth hot and my nipples harden. I swallowed hard, trying to calm myself. It felt like he took forever to return to the balcony but at most it was three minutes. Three long horrendous moments of jittery anticipation. He handed me a glass filled to the rim. I took a sip, not bothering to even ask what it was. It looked like beer. It tasted like beer. Good enough.

Ryan sat down next to me, his leg bumping mine as he spread his legs and settled back into the chair. “That mini bar was fully stocked. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a minibar at home, just to have it? Like boom. I’m going to eat this tiny can of Pringles for no reason with this miniature bottle of gin. It’s cheaper than trying to stock a full bar.”

“Pringles and gin?” I mused. “I’ll pass.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it.” Ryan lifted his glass to his lips and drained half of his beer. “This is pretty good. It’s a lager.”

I didn’t know what that meant and I could really give two shits. What I cared about was closing the distance between the two of us. I was in agony waiting, wondering, yet he looked like he was settling into that chair for the next hour. I would self-combust by that point. So channeling my inner-Julia I took a deep breath and set my beer down on the table. Then I stood up and sat down right in Ryan’s lap. It was a bold move and not exactly in character. But it was the only way I could think to spur the action along.

But clearly my delivery was off. I moved really fast and completely caught him off guard. He had been right in the middle of raising his glass to his lips and my arm bumped his, spilling his beer all over his chest and mine. He jerked backwards and I rolled on his thigh, almost toppling down onto the floor.

“Ah!” I yelled, grabbing onto his biceps. That stabilized me, but sent another swell of beer sloshing over the side of his glass.

For a second he looked stunned, then he set his glass down on the table. “Shit, sorry.” He brushed at the liquid dripping down over the swell of my breasts and disappearing into my cleavage. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“My fault,” I said, voice high pitched from embarrassment and from the fact that he was touching my chest.

He seemed to realize what he was doing about a beat after me. His hand paused, thumb solidly buried in the depths of my sundress. His gaze met mine and he went still. Then without a word, he bent over and sucked up a droplet, right off the top of my breast. His tongue flicked out and followed the trail of the beer, back and forth, and deep down into my cleavage. I sighed. Ryan peeled the cup of my bra away from my skin and descended down over my breast, sucking my nipple into his mouth.

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