Page 16 of The Art of Loving Lacy
“Lacy was telling me that she lives near Boston,” Savannah said.
Dane had wondered when Savannah would begin to pry into their personal life.
Dane settled in beside Lacy and swung an arm around her sun-warmed shoulder. He felt her stiffen for a beat, then relax against him.
“How long are you staying on the Cape?” Savannah asked Lacy.
“Just till tomorrow. I work Monday, so…” Lacy took a sip of her wine.
“Dane’s going to be here for a week or two, right, Dane?” Savannah pushed.
“I think what Savannah is getting at is that you and I should try to see each other since we’ll be only two hours apart.” Dane wrapped his other arm across Lacy’s chest and kissed the back of her head. “Don’t worry, Savannah. Lacy and I will be making the most of our time together.”
Dane whispered in her ear, “Savannah’s a little pushy.”
Lacy smiled. “I want to spend time with you.”
“Good.” He’d been thinking about how to ask her to stay for another day, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous, and he definitely didn’t want to put her on the spot in front of his siblings. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Just go with him on his tagging mission. You’ll love it. Dane’s all slick and sexy in his wet suit, being all macho and alpha.” Hugh grinned, his eyes bouncing from Lacy to Dane and back again.
“Nothing like putting them both on the spot.” Savannah gave Hugh a shove.
“What?” Hugh protested.
“I have a meeting Monday morning. I really couldn’t stay, even if I wanted to,” Lacy said. “I’m up for a promotion in a few weeks, and I’ve been working really hard to get it. I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Dane assured her. So much for asking her to stay.
“What’s that scar from?” Savannah asked, pointing to Lacy’s thigh.
Dane felt her flinch against him and instinctively knew she needed to be rescued from the line of questioning Savannah was putting her through. He rose to his feet and headed for the cabin.
“Lacy, wanna help me get lunch together? I’ll show you the rest of the boat.”
“Sure.” Lacy followed him down the stairs.
Out of earshot of his siblings, he reached for her hands. “I’m sorry about that. They’re a little aggressive, but they mean well.”
“It’s okay. I like them a lot. They’re really nice.”
Dane touched her cheek, and all the yearning he’d been holding back came tumbling forward. He kissed her. The sweetness of the wine mixed with the heat of their bodies, and he felt Lacy respond as she sank into him, kissing him deeper, thrusting her tongue against his, then running it over his teeth, sending a pulse of need through his groin.
He pulled back, his body already raring to go. “Lace,” he whispered.
She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into another kiss, then pushed back quickly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.” She kissed him again. “But I can’t help making out with you.”
He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Dane, we can’t,” she said. “Not with them up there.”
“What kind of guy do you think I am?” He led her to the bed and sat next to her. “All I want to do is kiss you, nothing more.” He pulled her down next to him and kissed her again. His body screamed for more. She reached for his hand and brought it to her bikini top.
He drew his mouth from hers long enough to say, “That’s hardly fair.”
“Shut up and touch me,” she said.
“Lace, I’m only human,” he whispered.
