Page 24 of Jack of Hearts
“Yeah, we’re bad boys, always wanting to see up a girl’s dress.” He took her hand, lacing their fingers. “I’m a happy man tonight. Want to know why?”
Madison sighed as she dug her toes into the still-warm sand. “Sure, I’ll bite.”
He tilted his head and peered down at her, a half grin on his face. “You can bite me anytime the urge strikes, and as hard as you want.” He squeezed her hand.
She wished he wouldn’t say things like that because now she was thinking of all the places on his body she could scrape her teeth over.
“I’m happy because I’m with you. I wasn’t sure you’d come out with me tonight.”
“I wasn’t going to.” He had the sleeves of his blue button-down shirt rolled up, and as they walked, her arm brushed over his. Every place he touched her prickled with awareness, and she leaned her face toward him, inhaling the starch from his shirt and the unique spiciness that was Alex.
They reached the edge of the water, and she let the waves splash around her ankles. She’d given up on holding her dress down. It was dark and there was no one else on the beach, and the warm August breeze felt nice on her legs and thighs. Sensual even, but she thought that might have something to do with the man who was still holding her hand.
“Would you like me to answer your question now, Madison?”
“Yes, please.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alex slowed his steps but didn’t stop walking. He hated lying to her about who and what he was and that he was going after her family. Although he hadn’t actually lied, more like omitted important facts, but he didn’t think she would see the difference. When the day came that she found out, would she forgive him? It was a risk he was willing to take because he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind no matter how hard he tried.
He had to be careful around her, though. He’d slipped when he’d told her keeping silent was an interrogator’s trick. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he’d seen the question—why did he know something like that?—in her eyes. It was hard to think straight around her, but as long as he kept on his toes so he didn’t make a mistake like that again, he’d be okay.
“There’s no denying that we’re attracted to each other, Madison, and if we’re going to see each other, I don’t want to sneak around to do it. I won’t sneak around like we’re doing something wrong.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
He stepped in front of her. The wind blew her hair out behind her, and as she looked up at him, the moonlight soft on her face, he thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“So we’re going to allow Ramon to dictate our lives? That doesn’t sit well with me. I want to spend time with you, and not just by slipping through your bedroom window in the middle of the night. You asked me what I wanted, and that’s it.”
“You don’t understand.” She focused her gaze out over the ocean.
He put a finger under her chin and turned her face back to him. “Then enlighten me.”
“Can we sit?”
“Sure.” He took her hand and led her up to dry sand. “Is this okay?”
“What are you doing?”
He paused with his hand on the last button of his shirt. “Taking it off for you to sit on.”
“That’s really sweet, but I’m not worried about my dress. It’s just dry sand.” She slapped her forehead. “How silly of me. By all means, take off your shirt. I’m thinking I’ll enjoy the view.”
“Wicked girl.” He kept his shirt on, but left it unbuttoned should she decide later she wanted to explore the view. “Tell me what I don’t understand,” he said, once they were seated.
She brought up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. That caused the hem of her dress to slide up her legs, exposing her thighs. He told his eyes to stay on her face, but they refused to obey.
“Like what you see?”
Busted.“I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I didn’t. I’m a man. Show us some skin and we turn into drooling idiots.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. “Talk to me, Madison.”
“Okay, it’s like this. My parents loved each other and both loved me. We had a great family. A little over a year ago, my dad was killed by a hit-and-run driver when he was leaving the newspaper one night.”
“Newspaper?”
“He was an investigative journalist, a damn good one. Michael Parker. Ever heard of him?”
