Page 19 of Beneath the Dawn

“Sounds like fun, I hope you return a winner.”

He winked at her. “I’ll do my best.”

“By the way, I’m going to be gone all day tomorrow,” she said. “I’m going to do some shopping in Portland.”

He thought she sounded really excited about it, but then most women would be. “Sounds like fun. Enjoy yourself.”

“I will.” They stopped at her front door. “And I accept your invitation to a beach date night.”

He smiled. “Great. Will Saturday night work for you? Around six?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“And my homemade specialty meal is included,” he said.

“I can’t wait to find out what that is.”

“I’ll make sure you’re not disappointed. By the way, any music preference?” he asked.

“I enjoyed listening to what you were playing last night. I’m a R&B and jazz kind of girl. However, when I want to cut loose, I like pop thrown in.”

“Another thing we have in common,” he said, extending his hand for her door key. Chuckling, he added, “Though it’s been years since any song has made me cut loose.”

She handed her key to him without hesitation, and they both knew why. After opening the door, he stood aside. “After you, Marti.”

She entered, and when he followed her in and closed the door, she turned around, and he pulled her into his arms.

***

Marti wrapped her arms around Dante’s neck. The perfect ending to the perfect day. Kissing him had become an addiction for her, stopping just short of total obsession. Their mouths and bodies seemed perfectly aligned. And the way she so easily allowed her tongue to hungrily tangle with his was a stark indication that she couldn’t get enough of his taste. His mastery at kissing, combined with raw, all-consuming chemistry, had her totally entranced.

She was fighting hard to keep pleasure a choice and not a necessity. She had learned a hard lesson at twenty-four and knew she could not allow herself to become dependent again on a man, counting on him to do the right thing. She’d never take that risk again.

However, here in Dante’s arms for the time being, she could put the memories behind her and replace them with a skin-deep need she felt all through her entire body. She felt safe in his embrace, consumed by an overwhelming physical desire. She didn’t understand it, but at the moment, it was something that she needed. With Dante, she could cast aside all her worries and lose herself in him.

She lost track of time with their kiss, and his slow withdrawal of their mouths left her reeling. She felt an immediate loss, a chilling emptiness. Unwrapping her arms from around his neck, she took a step back, needing the space as she pulled herself together.

Marti met his gaze, and the look she saw in his eyes nearly halted her breathing. And when he reached up and traced her wet lips with the tip of his fingers, she felt her heart skip a few beats.

“Enjoy your day tomorrow, Marti,” he said in that ultra sexy voice that sent shivers down her spine.

“And you enjoy yours, Dante.”

He smiled, and she felt heat consume her. “I’ll try.”

Dante leaned in and brushed a kiss across her lips before opening the door to leave. She locked it, then leaned against it and released a long, deep sigh. Spending a day in Portland would be a good distraction. Still, she couldn’t help questioning the wisdom of it. Especially since she had come to Wild Rose Point to hide out. There honestly shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

The person stalking her likely thought she was in London, not on the West Coast. Besides, she needed to put a little distance between herself and Dante so she could clear her head. When he was around, she had trouble thinking straight.

A day of shopping would help her declutter her thoughts, not just about the stalker but also about whatever might be developing between her and Dante. For the first time in years, she was enjoying spending time with a man, just for the sheer pleasure of it.

At that moment, Dante’s words from last night came back to her in full force…

“I want you to think about what we’ll be getting ourselves into, Marti. I won’t rush you, but I doubt if I can take things slow much longer. I hadn’t planned on engaging in an affair with anyone, and I doubt you did either. I hope you understand what I’m saying.”

She had news for him; she understood far too well what he was talking about. And she doubted she could take things slow much longer either.

The last thing she expected to find in Wild Rose Point was a man—especially not one as smart, as civilized — as hot! ─ as Dante. But now that she had, she was absolutely considering indulging in a no-strings affair with him. She had a feeling it would be one of the best decisions she’d ever made.