Page 35 of Love and Other Trials
“Guilty and not ashamed to admit it. But don’t worry. I know when to follow the rules and when to improvise. With you, I feel a compulsion toward the latter.”
Weren’t they talking like idiots? But it was so much fun. And she loved using their nicknames. It felt liberating somehow. Because Elizabeth wasn’t “The Runt” or the kid who didn’t seem like Stormy Deverell’s daughter. Or the sister of the Three Tornadoes, even if they only shared half-blood.
Elizabeth could be whomever she wanted to be.
And what she wanted, she decided, was to stretch her hands up to the deepening blue sky anddance, because she feltthat good. She’d put Dax’s hands on her hips and rub herself all over him. Look up into his deep green eyes and know what was going to happen between them.
Because it was so going to happen…
She didn’t know where it would lead, but she didn’t need to. She’d learned to take life as it came. Dax was in her life right now, and she planned to enjoy the hell out of him.
“You know…” He gave the back of her hand a wicked little stroke that ignited more fires in her already achy belly. “I’m pretty good at improvising too.”
Their eyes locked. She could see the heat flash in his intense gaze. Maybe it was time to take down some of her walls, the ones she’d put up because so few of the people she’d come across had bothered to take a second look at her. So she consciously unstacked the bricks and peered out at him—and he seemed to notice.
His flirtatious smile changed. While it wasn’t as bright or wide, it was more intense. Her own mouth shifted as she let him in a little more, inviting him into the private little space inside herself. Then his mouth tipped to the right, and a new light entered his mesmerizing eyes—one she hadn’t seen before—and she felt like she’d gained something special.
He tightened his grip on her hand. “You really are beautiful,” he said, his voice strong and true in the breezy evening. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight.”
She went with pure honesty, the kind she only gave when she felt safe with someone, a rare feeling. “I didn’t want to be anywhere else.”
His chest lifted, and he leaned back, almost as if to give them room, before shifting closer to her and tucking her hair behind her right ear. “Me either.”
The sun was setting, casting a soft glow on his face, which was already becoming both familiar and dear to her. She took in more details of it now. The elegant line of his straight nose. The strong, deep-set brow. He had a tiny scar under his jawline, and his earlobes were the kind that partially attached. His green eyes had flecks of gold and black in them, making her think of panning for gold in the days of the Gold Rush, maybe because of how strong he was. A man clearly made of courage. One who loved adventure. One who made his mark in life…
The moment stretched as they continued to study each other in the waning light. She heard the easy cadence of his breath and leaned closer to catch more of his spicy scent. He did the same, and then he was cupping her chin gently in his big, warm hand and guiding her face toward him. Their gazes locked a moment before their lips met, the touch light but still shocking. The jolt from touching him rocked her back. His hand curled around her nape, keeping their mouths joined as they learned each other in soft, easy passes with an undercurrent of urgent longing.
She couldn’t say how long the kiss went on. All she knew was that his lips were warm and firm and that he kissed her like he’d been waiting to do it his whole life. Even then, there was no impatience in his touch. It was perfect, and she found herself wishing there wasn’t a table between them.
Sherlock gave a low ruff, and she eased back. Maybelline was coming toward the table with a platter of steaming fried food and a few treats for Sherlock.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you’d prefer your food hot.” She set both plates down. “You can always smooch later.”
The waitress cackled as she walked away after patting Sherlock’s head and giving him a soup bone, leaving them staring at each other.
“Well, Elizabeth…” His voice was rough and deep and made her thighs clench.
“Well, Stephan,” she answered because she didn’t know what exactly to say.
How did one make sense of a kiss that seemed to make the world brighter? She’d never experienced its like before.
“Shall we eat?” he asked, handing her a table setting.
She took it, knowing he’d seen the shaking of her hands. Channeling her alter ego, she found the right response. “Eat? No, I say we feast tonight.”
The word seemed appropriate.
For once in her life, Ariel Holmes had everything she could ever want, and she was going to savor every minute.
EIGHT
They were in the car,but he didn’t want to go back to the resort.
Sometimes he felt this way when he was up in the air with nothing but beautiful blue skies and white clouds before him. The whole world looked perfect up there. No petty squabbles in the mess hall. No difficult orders to execute. No power-hungry three stars trying to show everyone who had the bigger dick.
Ariel was like that blue sky. Enveloping. Fun. Easy.
He’d known right away that he liked her.
