Page 14 of Lahaina Noon

She heard him chuckle as he said, “Aye, aye, Captain!”

He pulled the car into the garage of a swanky development in the heart of downtown Dallas. She glanced at the entrance to the tower before the gates obscured her view.Of course, there’s a doorman and a red carpet,she mused.

Liam parked the extravagant car in a spot marked ‘reserved’ and opened her door, taking her hand to assist her before he handed her off to her date with a grin and wink.

Vaughn took her hand and smiled warmly. “Please,” he implored, “Join me inside, where I will explain everything.”

Here goes nothing,she thought and followed him into a posh lobby.

He pressed the down button for the elevator.

“What,” she inquired, “Not the penthouse?”

He grinned at her. “Only for work, my darling. For private matters, I prefer something more… intimate.” his voice dropping on the last word sent another shiver through her.

They rode the elevator in silence, her hand still held in his. She kept her eyes firmly on the button for S3, not wanting to get caught staring at him like some foolish schoolgirl.And why not?She argued with herself.You’ve already made it plain that you are pathetic and want to jump him. He knows you think he’s hot. Thank you, Jack. Mental note: strangle adorable brother-in-law next time you see him. So why not be a brazen hussy and lap that man up like…

“You’re thinking too hard again.”

Bridget blushed and settled her shoulders.

“I’d love to know what was going on in that pretty head of yours that’s making you blush like that.” He brushed his mouth against her ear.

“Stop that!” She turned her face towards him and found his lips next to hers as he grinned at her. She involuntarily leaned into him, succumbing to the pull of his mouth.

DING. The elevator doors opened into a small foyer with a single door.

She moaned to herself,Every. Time.She faced forward and looked around. “Just one door?” she asked him.

“Yes, I have the only space down here. For some reason, most people don’t want to live underground. I don’t mind. I find it quite cozy.”

Bridget shook her head. Cozy was not a word she thought of in relation to Vaughn. He seemed too full of life and energy to ever do something like sit and snuggle up reading a book or cuddle up and watch a movie in front of a crackling fire on a cold night.

She watched as he swiped an electronic keycard through the device next to the door and heard the lock release. “Fancy,” she said nervously,then stepped through the door as he held it open for her. Whatever she was expecting Vaughn Drake’s private living space to look like, it wasn’t this. It was the exact definition of cozy. A huge fireplace was the focal point of the living room. Large couches and armchairs that looked perfect for sinking into, a chaise lounge that looked too divine to resist, all done in rich, warm colors. It wasn’t as stark and cold as she’d been expecting for someone who had enough money to hire a designer.

But everywhere she looked, cozy was exactly the word that came to mind. She realized it reflected what she had come to learn about Vaughn. He was a man who exuded warmth and fire, so why wouldn’t it extend to his home?

He had led her to a well-equipped kitchen, where she was pleased to see a gas range. “Huh,” she said, “I’m surprised you don’t have one of those glass cooktops that are all the rage.”

“Well, I prefer an open flame for cooking,” he replied with a smirk as he unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled his shirt sleeves up, displaying forearms that were toned and muscular.

“Do you do that a lot? Cook?”

“Oh yes, when Liam lets me.” He opened a drawer and selected two forks.

“Lets you?” she raised her eyebrow.

“Yes, Liam fancies himself the next Top Chef, so he’s always experimenting when he’s here. But I gave him the rest of the night off.” He grabbed a pair of sparkling crystal wine glasses, then reached for a bottle from the wine rack at his feet and opened it with a flourish. “Our favorite, number eighty-seven.” he smiled while pouring the dark wine.

Bridget laughed, “So Liam is a man of many talents,” she stated, taking the glass he offered to her. Taking a sip, she rolled the rich wine across her tongue and studied the man in front of her. She wondered if he was trying to distract her from the promised conversation. She reached for a fork and decided to turn the tables. She opened the dessert container and scooped up some of the chocolatey goodness there. She held up the fork and lifted it to his lips with a smile. As he leaned forward to take the bite from her, she quickly pulled the fork away and put it between her own lips instead. “Mm,” she moaned, licking her lips in what she hoped was a seductive manner. She watched his eyes as they seemed to darken, his shoulders tensed, and his fingers went white around the stem of his glass.

“A dangerous game indeed, Bridget,” he murmured. He took the fork from her suddenly limp fingers and the wine glass from her other hand. Setting them on the counter, he reached out and buried his fingers in her hair. He slowly pulled her towards him and angled his mouth to hers.

Every inch of her body was on fire. She wrapped her arms around him automatically, knowing she was going to regret this next move. Just as his lips brushed hers, she tilted her head away and whispered, “Shadows.”

Vaughn reacted as if she had deflated him like a balloon. He lowered his hands to her shoulders and ran them down her arms to her wrists. He looked at her squarely and nodded his head. “Yes, I promised you an explanation. You are just too tempting. Very well.”

He grabbed the chocolate cake and forks, gesturing to her to get the wine and made his way to the living room. He set them on a low table next to the chaise and moved to the fireplace. He knelt and went about lighting it.

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