Page 57 of Love and Other Trials
“Tiffany might not have wanted anything to do with the digging, but she thought of that.” She reached for the bottle and made a face. “I’ll have to clean this up. Here’s hoping it will add some extra luck because we need all the luck we can get.”
Understatement of the century. “Hey! No one else dug up the bourbon so that’s pretty lucky, if you ask me.”
She nodded before grabbing the shovel and heading back to return it to where it was stowed. When she returned, her gaze scanned the house. Longing filled her eyes.
“Do you want to go inside? We aren’t on a schedule, you know.”
She laid her hand on the end of the staircase, rubbing the wood absently. “No, I’ll go in when I’m packed and ready to move in. I’m going to bring a bottle of champagne with me to celebrate. Grandma always did love the bubbly. If you’re around maybe, I hope you’ll come with me to toast.”
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly. He planned to be there. He was glad she knew it. “Count on it.”
Their gazes locked, and he finally gave in to the urge to kiss her. On the beach, she’d seemed to need time for reflection. But now she lifted onto her tiptoes to meet him halfway and curved her hand around his nape. The first touch of their lips rocked him back. She was hot and sweet and so giving it nearly brought him to his knees. He gave her back everything, knowing she was searching for something in the kiss and hoping she found it.
When she finally drew back, her smile spread across her face, and then he knew.
Whatever she’d been looking for, she’d found.
He ran his fingers over that smile and knew he’d remember this moment until the day he died.
Her breathing was still coming hard, but so was his. He nodded to the palm tree. “I could give you a boost if you wanted to give climbing it another shot.”
That had her laughing quietly as they headed to the passenger side of his Bronco. “Maybe later. Right now, I want real food. How do you feel about burgers?”
“Are you kidding? I could eat them every day.”
“I know just the place.”
She was true to her word. The restaurant had a beach vibe with its outside bar and seating. Twinkle lights danced above them. Palm trees swayed amidst yellow tables and chairs situated in a green-like jungle. Paradise Bar was a good name. He’d felt like he’d arrived in paradise, with the best girl in the world at his side, and the pretty damn best dog too.
He had the smash burger, she a buffalo blue. They plucked fries from each other’s plates and fed each other a morsel to try. Her two blue Curaçao margaritas made her lips and tongue turn the same color, and he leaned across the table at one point and whispered, “I can’t wait to see how you taste.”
Her blue eyes heated, and under the table, her hand caressed his thigh under his shorts. They stared at each other after that, waiting for the check with increasing impatience. Usually he liked hearing bands, but the one setting up in the corner couldn’t tempt him tonight.
He wanted to be alone with Ariel, and Ariel alone.
When they got back to the resort, Sherlock headed to his makeshift bed beside the fireplace as Dax quickly closed all the blinds and curtains. Ariel grabbed his hand the moment he was finished and led him in a rush back to his bedroom. Her blue eyes were filled with light and heat when she said, “I thought we could try out your bed tonight.”
“Have at it, honey.Mi casa es su casa.”
She was laughing as he took her mouth in a deep kiss. The impatience from before had them tearing at each other’s clothes. He couldn’t get to her warm skin fast enough. She clearly wasn’t in any mood for slow because she tugged his shorts down immediately and took him into her sweet little hand, milking him until he had to stop her or die.
“Have mercy, honey.”
She pushed him back onto the bed, getting the rest of his clothes off, and slid a condom on him before undressing herself. “Not tonight.”
When she straddled him, he was ready for her. She didn’t want any preliminaries, and when he touched her core, he understood why. She wanted him in a way that made him even more desperate. Fitting himself to her entrance, she lowered herself down onto him, and then everything went wild. He bucked under her as she arched back, and they drove each other on until their cries mingled, releasing them from the sweet torment they’d endured. She collapsed on top of him, and he was more than fine with that. He handled the condom and fitted her against him, feeling like he’d died and gone to heaven.
“Was it better for you?” she whispered against his chest. “Because it was better for me, and I didn’t see that happening. It was already insane.”
He could barely laugh. Hell, he could barely feel his body over the mad electricity still coursing through his system. “What you said. God, Ariel.”
“Oh, Dax.” She squeezed him tightly. “I’m so glad we’ve met.”
“Not planning on going anywhere, by the way.” It was time to put it out there. “This is me saying I want to date you. Exclusively. I want to find a way to make this work. Are you freaked out?”
She kissed his chest and then the underside of his jaw, lingering with an assuring tenderness. “Not a bit, which is why I know I’m good. When I’m uncomfortable about something, I get a headache or I break out in hives.”
She’d had a headache earlier, he recalled, but he wasn’t about to bring that up. Instead, he lifted her arm and studied it. “No hives. Whew!”
