Page 104 of Resting Beach Face
Brooks openedthe walk-in closet in the custom suite Skylar had designed as part of the resort remodel. Their permanent residence might be in a hotel, but it was as spacious as an apartment. “Skylar has tons of clothes, so help yourself.”
“Wow.” My gaze traveled over suits in black, gray, blue, lavender, and cream. Dress shirts in every shade of the rainbow—and just about every texture too, from starchy formalwear to clingy silks and breezy cottons. There were shelves to the right and left. One side held shoes and belts, but I wasmuchmore interested in the other one.
I picked up a red lacy scrap of something and held it up. “Skylar, you naughty little minx.”
Brooks snatched the lingerie from my hand. It looked to be a top of some kind, but transparent and lacy and sexy as fuck. “Boundaries, man. He said you could borrow a shirt, not grope his lingerie.”
“Touchy touchy,” I teased. “I knew you two were kinky, but?—”
“Shut it,” Brooks said. “It’s not about kink. Skylar wears it for him, not me.”
“Okay, fair. And you don’t like it at all, right?”
Brooks neatly folded the lacy top and replaced it on the shelf. “I didn’t say that. He’s gorgeous in it. Not that it’s any of your business.” He shot me a glare. “Don’t be picturing it, either.”
I chuckled. “Relax. I’m here to get ready for my own date, remember?”
Brooks smirked. “Does Declan wear lingerie for you?”
I laughed, thinking of his silk pajamas. “Not in a million years, but I’m okay with that.”
After giving the contents of the closet another scan—there wasn’t enough time to go through every item—I tugged a white Hawaiian shirt patterned with artsy blue leaves and flowers in different shapes and sizes—off the hanger. “This looks good.”
It wasn’t as loud—or as tightly fitted—as the clothes in my closet back at my parents’ place, but it was more my style than the too-nice dress shirts or pastel solids Skylar favored.
It would match well enough with the khakis I wore to work, but I snagged a belt to dress up a bit.
“You look almost respectable,” Brooks said after I’d exchanged shirts and buckled the slim belt at my hips.
I flipped him the bird. “Don’t insult me.”
He chuckled. “Sorry, my mistake. You look trashy as ever.”
“Much better.”
I raked my fingers through my hair, fluffing and smoothing, until Brooks grabbed my elbow and steered me away from the mirror on the closet door. “Seriously, Cash, you look great. Just get out there or you’ll keep him waiting.”
“Right.” I took a breath to calm my suddenly racing heart. I’d slept in Declan’s bed last night, yetnowI was nervous. “What if I mess it up?”
Brooks shook his head. “Man, if you haven’t scared him off by now, you never will.” He gave me a little push toward the door. “He looked like he wanted to die when he thought you were going out with Danny. He’s all yours.”
Everything Brooks said was true, but tonight was nerve-wracking. I’d hooked up a lot, but dated? That wasn’t something I had much experience with. And dating Declan was something I’d wanted for so long but never actually believed I’d achieve.
Half of me expected the lobby to be empty when I got there. As if the universe didn’t work unless Declan was unattainable.
But as I emerged from the hallway, he was the first person I saw. Theonlyone I could see.
He didn’t look much different from usual. Declan was always a nice dresser when he ventured out of the garden. He wore white slacks and a pale blue button-down, open at the neck to reveal just a hint of dark chest hair. His jaw was smooth of the dark stubble that encroached by afternoon, and as I drifted closer, the spicy scent of his aftershave teased at my nose.
“You look amazing,” he said. “I was going to take you home to get ready, but…”
Home. He said it so casually, as if the B&B was more than a place for me to stay for a day or two. I wished it were true. The more space I had from my father’s toxic presence, the less I could imagine willingly going back to it.
“Skylar let me borrow something,” I said with a sheepish smile. “I don’t have anything suitable for a date in my duffel bag, and even if I did, it’d be wrinkled as hell.”
Declan drew closer and brushed a kiss to my cheek. “Well, you look gorgeous.”
I smiled. There was a time I’d have never imagined that type of compliment from Declan. But I’d learned a lot about him these past few weeks. He felt attraction—even if it wasn’t sexual.The warmth in his eyes was all for me, and I drank it up like a desert flower.
