Page 14 of The Art of Loving Lacy
“So…what? Then you go back to texting and an occasional video sex call?” Kaylie ran her hand through her hair and shook her head. “I don’t know how you put up with that stuff. I’d figure out what you want this weekend, and if it’s Dane, then let him know in no uncertain terms.”
“Kay, give her a break. She’s just seen him for the first time in more than a year.” Danica turned a serious gaze toward Lacy. “Lace, ignore the ultimatum advice; it rarely works. Just enjoy yourself and let things happen naturally. But if you think about things and you realize that sharks are a bigger issue—which given your history, they very well could be—then he deserves to know now rather than later.”
“Speak of the devil,” Kaylie said with a smile.
Lacy turned around and spotted Dane and Hugh at the gate of the patio. Her heart rate hastened when Dane’s eyes locked on hers—the memory of their night together translated in his heated stare.
“Hey, ladies.” Hugh waved as he pulled a chair from a neighboring table and straddled it backward. “How’s the coffee?”
Dane squeezed Lacy’s shoulder, and she thought her heart might leap from her chest. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Hi, beautiful,” he whispered. “I missed you over the past hour.”
Lacy felt her cheeks flush. Now that she knew what was beneath Dane’s white shorts and tan Brave Foundation T-shirt, her fingers itched to touch him. She wrapped her hands around her mug to keep them from acting on their own.
“You guys sleep okay? I slept like a rock.” Hugh’s light yellow polo shirt stretched tight across his muscular chest. His hair looked as though it had dried in the wind, with thick waves pulled back from his handsome face, in contrast to Dane’s finger-brushed hair, the front of which hung thickly above his eyes. “Savannah, Josh, and I had a few drinks in Savannah’s room, and by the time I fell into bed, I was zonked. You should have joined us,” he said to Danica and Kaylie. “I told Blake and Chaz what we were doing.”
Danica looked down, and the blush on her cheeks told Lacy what her sister was doing the evening before.
“Chaz was so tired,” Kaylie explained. “But maybe we can catch up with you guys tonight.”
“Maybe so,” Hugh said. “I have to be in California Tuesday for a charity race. I can’t drink a lot, but we can go have some fun.” Hugh flagged down a waitress and ordered coffee. “Anyone else want a cup?”
“No, thanks,” Dane said. “Lace, Treat said we could take out his Talaria. It’s not a sailboat, but she’s a beauty. I thought we’d take a whirl around the bay.” He raised his eyebrows toward the others.
Lacy struggled to tame her excitement at spending an afternoon with Dane, and in the next moment, she worried he might want to swim in the deep sea.Thatwas definitely out of her comfort zone. She touched her scar. “Sounds great. Will we be swimming?”
“Not if I can help it,” Dane said with a wink. “Any other takers?”
Lacy knew how close Dane was to his family, and she wasn’t surprised when he invited the others along, though she was a little disappointed at the idea of not having him all to herself.
“Savannah and I were going to hang out at the beach this morning. We’ll come along, if you don’t mind,” Hugh said.
“We’re going into Chatham today with Kaylie and Chaz, but thanks anyway,” Danica said.
“Sounds great,” Dane said to Hugh. He squeezed Lacy’s shoulder. “Great.” Dane looked at his watch. “Why don’t I go get things ready, and I’ll meet you guys at the dock in half an hour.”
“I’ll help.” Hugh sucked down his coffee in two quick gulps and jumped from his chair. “Nice to see you guys. We’ll see you this afternoon.”
Dane kissed Lacy’s cheek, and as she watched him walk away, she felt the heat of her sisters’ stares.
“Looks like you’re going to a boat party,” Kaylie said.
Danica leaned in close to Lacy and asked, “Did Dane say he missed youthe last hour? I guess you had company overnight?”
Lacy felt heat rush up her cheeks again. “Okay, yes, he stayed in my room.” She sighed. “I was going to tell you guys, but…”
“Good for you, Lace,” Kaylie said.
“I’m happy for you,” Danica said. “But you should be honest with him about your scar before you guys get any closer. Hiding things just causes trouble later.”
Any closer? I’m already waist deep.
Chapter Seven
DANE THOUGHT IT had taken all of his restraint to walk away from Lacy’s room this morning when he really wanted to keep her in bed for another two hours. He’d been wrong. It took even more control to keep from swooping her into his arms at the Bookstore Restaurant, when she was with her sisters. Now, as he watched her walk down the dock toward the boat, he knew he should play it cool, pretend that his heart wasn’t thundering in his chest and every nerve in his body wasn’t calling out for her. If he let loose that bundle of emotions, he might never let her go again.
As she approached with a trusting smile and those gleaming blue eyes that slayed his heart, his body had a mind of its own. He jumped from the boat to the dock and hurried toward her.The heck with making a good impression.He took Lacy in a deep, passionate kiss, lifting her feet off the dock, his chest pressed against hers, her heart hammering in perfect timing to his. And when he drew back, he was relieved to see a wide grin on her lips.
