Another finger slid over my shoulder blade. If he kept this up, there was no way I’d be able to make my legs function enough to walk out the door. His palm smoothed over my back, turning to a light pressure when he passed over the space between my shoulder blades. I couldn’t stop my sigh as fingers skimmed justbelow the back of the shirt, and I thanked God I had worn the halter because this was heavenly.
He pressed a kiss to the nape of my neck as his hands passed over my shoulders and followed a path down my arms.
“Should we try the beach next weekend?” he said, his breath warm on my neck.
It took me a moment to wake my brain up and answer. “Please.” And that had not been what I’d meant to say, but his hands were so close to leaving my skin, that it blurted out.
They traced their path back up, and I felt his lips on my ear. “Please, what, Tori?”
Good God, where had the sweet, bashful man I was falling for gone? This version of him was even more impossible to resist, and I suspected he could ruin me for any other man.
“Can we go to the beach next weekend?” I breathed as his lips dragged over my neck.
“I think I can arrange that.” He nipped my skin, his hands dropping from me. “But for now, let’s go check out the zoo.”
He walked to the door, rolling his neck before he glanced back at me. I threw him a frown, which only elicited a deep chuckle from him. This man was going to be the death of me, and he knew it.
“You’re torture,” I said, willing my legs to move and praying they didn’t give out on me.
He gave me a cute shrug, no sign of the seductive man who had just given new meaning to applying suntan lotion there to see. I snatched my purse, tucking the sunscreen into it before grabbing my keys and walking past him.
“If you don’t want me to touch you, then don’t leave me an opening.”
I stopped and swiveled toward him. He wore a smirk that unraveled me.
“I never said I didn’t want you to.” My voice was barely a whisper.
He stepped into my space, letting my door close behind him, and scooped me into his arms. Serious and smoldering. A combination that left what remained of my voice fleeing.
Brushing his thumb over my cheek, he said, “Do you want me to, Tori?”
A nod was all I could manage, the words escaping me like petals on the wind. He lowered his forehead to mine. “Not yet.” His voice was hoarse. “You’re too special to rush, luna mia.” And this time, I really did swoon. His arms held me tight as he stole my breath with a kiss that devastated me. I would have waited an eternity for more touches if this was what waiting brought me.
“Okay,” I mumbled against his lips. He smiled, drawing back from me. Hazel with shades of amber searched my face before he took my hand and led me to his car.
I took my phone out while he climbed into the seat, intent on searching for the words luna mia.
“My moon,” he said before I could pull it up. “Technically, it’s la luna mia, but I took the liberty of shortening it.” His focus remained on the street as he pulled out of the parking spot. His throat bobbed, and he gripped the steering wheel as if admitting it had left him conflicted. “It means you’re the light in my dark nights.”
I searched for words, wondering why he left me so speechless so often. I swallowed, my throat burning. “Do you have many dark nights?”
His eyes flitted to me, his lip twitching to hold back a grin. “Not anymore.”
Leaving me stunned, he turned his attention back to the road. Hands wringing in my lap, I studied his profile, wondering how someone who brought so much happiness to my life couldhave darkness in his. Secrets he had yet to reveal, ones I worried he would never tell me.
“Did you know bald eagles mate for life?” I asked Gabe as I shoved another piece of popcorn in my mouth.
He was leaning over the railing, observing the two eagles in the cage in front of us.
“Can’t say I did.” He turned his face toward me, a question in his eyes, and I felt the color climb in my cheeks. His sight returned to the cage. “But I admire that. It’s how it should be. You find the one and you stick with that one…no matter how hard it gets.”
My heart thudded, a noisy, irritating sound I hoped he didn’t hear. He reached down and took my hand, guiding me to the next exhibit as his thumb rubbed over mine. We were only three weeks in. It was too soon to feel this way. This certain. But it was there, below the hesitation. A thought that this wasn’t just a summer fling. This was something more that would last.
“Got any more fun facts about animals you can educate me with?” he asked, giving me a cute smile.
“Not off the top of my head, but you can feed the giraffes here. I read about it on their website.”
His gaze fell on me. “Did you research the zoo, Tori?”
