Page 31 of Love and Other Trials
“Sure. I imagined meeting you and what you’d be like.” His finger grazed over her jaw, lighting a trail of fire. “How you’d smile. What we’d talk about. I suppose I should have guessed you’d be funny after you made that garlic comment, except now I know it wasn’t totally a joke.”
She shifted a little closer to his warm body, aware of the broadness of his chest under his white T-shirt. The smell of warm man reached her, making her give a little sigh. “Right. Thanks for the reminder. We should buy garlic tonight. I think it’s our duty, Stephan. To save the world.”
He cupped her cheek, and she rose onto her tiptoes with a smile on her face, sensing what was next. God, she was more than ready.
“Whatever you say, Elizabeth.” His husky voice liquified her bones. “Whatever you say.”
His head descended, those brilliant green eyes never leaving hers. She laid her hand on his chest, feeling the strength there, the heat. His arm came around her waist, making her belly tense. God, he was taking his time watching her, heightening the desire growing between them. She kept her eyes on his, watching him right back. The heat and promise she saw there had her biting her lower lip. Her pulse went erratic, and her thighs clenched.
Kiss me, dammit!
Sherlock barked. Ariel jumped back, nearly stumbling. Dax’s hand caught her. Muffled laughter reached her ears, making her look around.
Dax’s mouth twisted as he jerked his head to the right, peering out the window. “Ten o’clock. Jesus, we’re going to need to close the blinds.”
Spotting the little Peeping Toms, she reached for patience. They’d almost been caught kissing by her nephews? How great was that? “Privacy isn’t respected in my family.”
“I’ll make sure to lock the doors even when we’re tucked in the house. I don’t usually keep my doors locked. Maybe it’s being on base or a carrier, but I’m not used to it.”
“It’s good to be a guy,” was all she said as she heaved out a frustrated breath.
Dax strode over to the window where the boys were peering in—Marshall and Ripp pressed near the front of the group. “Boys,” he called through the window, “last I heard, spying into people’s houses was illegal. Y’all move along.Now.And don’t let me catch you doing it again.”
She crossed over and watched them run off, yelling like banshees. “Why do I suddenly feel cornered?”
He lowered the blinds and closed them. “Because you know they’ll talk. Now, I’m really ready to get out of here for the evening. I’ll text Rob and check in.”
She pressed her hands to her temples while he did that, where a dull throb was starting. “If I thought we could get away with staying at my grandma’s house on Folly Beach, I would have us both pack up and leave now. But I need to be on-site, according to Tiffany, and traffic can be a nightmare.”
He set his phone down and put his hands on her shoulders, massaging the tension there. “We’ll get through this, Ariel. I promise. Don’t let those boys bother you.”
She made a face. “I actually miss Bumper.”
“Me too.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the front door. “But don’t worry. We’re going to kiss. When I set my sights on a target, there’s no stopping me.”
Oh, that was so sexy. She liked the shift in conversation. “Am I in your sights, Captain Hotpants?”
“You’d better believe it, honey. Now grab your purse and anything else you need. What about Sherlock? Does he need to be fed?”
Ariel glanced over at the bloodhound. He was standing at attention, peering at the door. Playing guard dog after the boys’ peeping. “I always carry something for him in my purse, but where we’re going, he’s going to be well taken care of. Just you wait.”
Dax flashed her a grin. “Race you to the Bronco.”
“You’re on.”
With Sherlock in the lead, they made it there, both of them breathless, but since she hadn’t seen any of her family on the way, she was feeling great. Revived. As much from the way Dax was looking down at her as from the short run.
The pull between them was palpable, and all she could think of was their two aborted kisses. No way she was coming back here unkissed. She’d let things take their course, but if it hadn’t happened by the time they headed back to the resort, she was taking him to a romantic spot along the water and getting it done. She needed his mouth on her. Stat.
“Let’s get a move on.” His usually deep voice was rough with desire. “If we get caught again, I might lose my mind.”
“Me too.”
She caressed his bicep before he opened her car door and the back for Sherlock. She hopped inside and was still buckling her belt when he joined her. Sherlock gave a low ruff, gazing out the windshield. “Where we going, honey?”
Oh, how his sugary endearments lit her up inside. “To a little shack along the water that serves up the best fried food around. You like fried okra,baby?”
Her equally teasing drawl had him skimming a hand on her bare knee as he turned the car on and put it in reverse. “As much as I like shrimp and grits and cornbread. I don’t eat fried food all that often, but when it’s around, you won’t find a happier man.”
