Page 38 of Rescued by a SEAL

“How about we forget about him for a while and just enjoy us,” Mason said, reaching over and taking her much smaller hand in his. Her hand was so delicate and smooth. He lazily traced circles over the back of it was his thumb, his other hand firmly on the steering wheel.

“Now that I can get on board with,” she said with a relieved sigh. “I’m tired of letting him dictate my life.”

Mason pulled onto the road, heading away from the busy tourist stretch of the beach.

They passed another beach community, but before long they were in a more secluded area. Mason pulled his SUV to a stop, cutting the engine. The small sandy parking area off the road wasn’t a real parking lot, but the locals came here a lot to enjoy the private section of the beach.

There were no other cars around today, and Mason loved that he and Taylor would be alone. “I packed a ton of things for lunch since I didn’t know what you liked,” he said.

“I’m not picky,” she assured him as she shifted to unfasten her seatbelt. Mason’s groin tightened as her dress slid slightly higher up her bare thighs.

Hell.

Every little thing she did he found sexy.

The way her curls fell down over her shoulders. The way she moved. The way her chocolate brown eyes widened as she looked at him.

She flushed slightly as she caught him watching her.

“You look beautiful,” he said. Not wanted to make her uncomfortable, he held her gaze for a moment and climbed out and rounded the SUV, opening her door. He took her hand and helped her step out, letting his hand linger on her waist as he moved to assist her.

He towered above her, loving the way her small body fit against his. He brushed some of her hair back from her face as the ocean breeze blew. “I like your hair like this,” he said, capturing one curl between his finger and thumb. “You always wear it straight, but this looks incredible.”

“I’ll probably have to pull it back since we’re at the beach. It’ll be blowing in my face all afternoon.”

“Damn. I should’ve told you ahead of time where we going.”

“It’s fine,” she assured him. “And I love the ocean.”

“Duly noted,” he said with a grin, moving toward the trunk of his SUV. He opened the back hatch and grabbed his backpack laden with food and drinks and a soft blanket that he’d stashed beside it. “I don’t have an actual picnic basket. This’ll work though,” he said, turning back toward her as he swung the backpack onto his back.

Taylor had already pulled a hair tie out of her bag and was pulling her hair back into some type of twist. Her slender neck was elongated, and he saw she had on some dangly earrings he hadn’t even noticed earlier.

The glint of silver caught in the sunlight. A few stray pieces of her hair fell loose, but it gave her a softer appearance.

Hell, he wanted to tug her hair back down and run his fingers through it, kissing her senseless here in the parking area. Back her against his SUV and feel her curves against him.

That would have to wait though.

He brought her out here to enjoy lunch and an afternoon down at the ocean, not to make out with her on the side of the road.

“Let’s go,” he said, tucking the blanket under one arm so he could take her hand with the other.

“Can I carry something?” she asked, looking over at him.

“Not a chance.”

She laughed, the light, musical sound filling his chest with warmth. “You do know I usually carry my own things to the beach,” she said, sounding amused. “Beach chairs, towels, coolers—you name it. Not to mention lugging my photography equipment around when I’m wanting to capture some decent photographs.”

“I know, and I also know you don’t need to when I’m here.”

“But that’s silly,” she protested.

“Hell, sweetheart, it’s nothing. I plan to do plenty for you when we’re together. If you’re dating me, there’s a lot you won’t need to worry about.”

“So now we’re dating,” she teased, glancing up at him. “I thought this was just our first date?”

He pulled her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the back of it, loving the way that she shivered as his touch. “The first of many. How about over there?” he asked, nodding his head toward a flat stretch of beach twenty feet away. “It looks like a good spot and far enough back from the tide that our blanket won’t get wet.”

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