“Are hotels your kink?” She’s witty today.
“No, it’s just Lake Spark only has so many spots,” I rebuff.
“This whole thing started because you showed up at my hotel during a hurricane. Here we are on a date on top of a hotel with a storm approaching.”
My hand falls to her lower back to press her closer to me, which is a very dangerous move, because I just want to get lost in her. “I think this will be our start for getting it all right.”
A roll of thunder is stronger than a minute ago. It breaks our moment, and we both study the clouds covering the moon and the purple-blue hue of flashes of light.
Isla backs away. “We should probably head inside.”
A hand finds my heart. “I failed at my date planning and forgot to check the weather.”
It causes her to grin at my humor as she saunters back to the table. “I assure you that you did great, because I’m going to say that I don’t want this to end.” Her head cocks to the side as I take in the news.
“Well then, I should ask them to bag this all up so we can enjoy this at home.”
I stride straight to her and capture her chin between my thumb and long finger, tipping her gaze up to enable my mouth to lower. My lips mold against hers for a kiss that feels far too overwhelming because this is us kissing for all the right reasons. Everything before was attraction and sex. Now emotions are involved, and if I’m honest with myself, a big load of hopefulness too.
Isla whimpers into my mouth when she brings her tongue to mine and swirls. Her fingers find the nape of my neck and curl into my hair. We both kiss a non-respectable first-date kiss because this is far too deep, with no end in sight.
I’m so tempted to lift her up and push everything off the table to lay her down. But I’m well aware that we have to go slow, and I’m not sure she’s ready, even though I know her doctor said I could worship Isla’s body. Maybe not in those exact words, but I was there, as they also checked on Nora.
The point is, I can’t give into lust right now. Only sink into this kiss and then angle my lips to take in another. This is long, hard then soft, and the parting of our lips is a brush of skin that zaps along my spine straight to my groin, waving to my chest in the process. It’s all stirring inside of me.
Our possibilities.
Which is why when we return home and enjoy snacking on food until Hadley returns Nora—because there is no way Isla would allow an overnight—then we fall into a different kind of night.
When Isla and I climb into bed, we find one another with her leg hooking over my hip and my hand resting on her side, before our giddy looks lead us into a make-out session.
“You had to leave your shirt off? A new habit that you formed when it became only you and I in bed,” she nearly pants.
A cocky grin hits my lips. “It’s effective, isn’t it.”
She scoffs a sound before kissing me again. This is all we’re going to do tonight, until she falls asleep in my arms with her head against my chest. She flicks her eyes up to study my face.
“When is the second date?” she asks.
That’s promising.
24
ISLA
Iwatch as Vaughn speaks to the man sitting next to him at the table as we enjoy a dinner for the management team of the Spinners at Catch 22 here in Lake Spark. They rented the whole restaurant for privacy. The subtle feeling of Vaughn’s fingertips on my bare thigh under the table can’t be ignored, which is why a wry smile has been fixed on my mouth for the last few minutes.
My focus on the wine glass is broken when Violet touches my shoulder in passing and leans down. “Going to the ladies’ room if you want to freshen up?”
“Sounds like a plan.” I can use a little break and to check in.
I’m still wondering if I could be so lucky. The past week since Vaughn’s and my date, a shift has happened between us. The kind of change that I welcome. We don’t tiptoe around the obvious and easily enjoy our time with Nora, but we also enjoy one another through the chances of late-night dinners while she sleeps and a hell of a lot of roaming hands. But the nights that we sit outside on the patio and admire the night are my favorite. We talk about our days and things that we can plan. It was an easy yes when he asked if I would accompany him for his team dinner.
Violet and I make it to the ladies’ room and are alone. We head straight to the mirror to freshen our makeup and adjust our dresses.
“This isn’t too boring for you, I hope.” Violet swipes on a new coat of mahogany lipstick to her lips.
I grab my blush from my bag and begin to apply. “Actually, not at all. It’s kind of hot to see Vaughn in his element, plus I’m used to all of this hockey talk.”
