Page 20 of Beneath the Dawn

Suddenly, she decided to stop considering it…and do it. There was no reason for her not to see where things could go with Dante. She wanted him and he wanted her, and they could both walk away in the end with no regrets.

So, this was her plan…

When she arrived in Portland tomorrow, dropping by the lingerie shop to purchase several sexy items would be at the top of her list. For the first time in years, she would let herself go, throw caution to the wind, and enjoy the moment.

And she definitely intended to enjoy the man.

CHAPTER 7

Dante stood and glanced down at the firepit he had erected. The last of four. He had chosen the perfect location between both his and Marti’s homes, mainly for convenience, and had strategically erected them in a circle around a wide-open area. Four firepits and several torches would ensure they would not have any unwelcome guests of the insect variety showing up in their area. He knew Marti would appreciate that. Gathering up the materials he needed had been easy, since everything was close at hand--driftwood of all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses, rocks, and stones.

Earlier that day, he had paid a visit to Main Street, the business district of Wild Rose Point. After sharing a drink with a few of the guys at the Seaglass Saloon, he had stopped a few paces down at the Water Witch, a metaphysical shop that had been there for years. He recalled going to the shop with his father a few times to buy the ingredients for making scented fire starter packs.

One of the things Dante and his father did at least twice during their summers in Wild Rose Point was to hold a bonfire on the beach, and Mario would make his own fire starter packs. In addition to beeswax and sawdust, he’d included herbs known to promote focus, clarity, and relaxation.

Dante had watched his father enough times over the years to remember how it was done, and today he had purchased everything he needed to recreate the experience. He had decided to replace some of the herbs his father often used with ones that would release a more pleasant aroma—such as lavender, a scent that inspired calm and tranquility. He couldn’t think of a better way to set a mood.

He glanced over to the third house in the community of Lasco Cove. Yesterday, he had gotten word that the owner had accepted his offer, and within hours, the house officially became his. That meant after Marti left, he wouldn’t have to share this stretch of beach with anyone else. Marti would be a hard act to follow. He’d miss her once she went home.

He looked over to Marti’s place. He had been in his kitchen staring out the window when he had seen her leave for Portland yesterday, and he’d been sitting on the screened patio during the late afternoon when she had returned. He figured she’d had a productive day, if the number of shopping bags she took into her house were any indication.

As he sat at the kitchen table this morning, enjoying his coffee, he watched as she headed for the beach. Just like on that first day, she wore the same floppy straw hat and carried the same tote bag and beach towel. Telling himself he was only watching to make sure Edgar didn’t bother her, he saw her spread the towel on the sand, take off her hat to tie her hair back, and remove her cover-up before racing toward the water. He’d never seen anything more graceful or beautiful.

Dante was so tempted to go outside and join her. However, mindful of their date tonight, he had decided it was best not to wear out his welcome. He would put all his energy into making their date tonight special. Glancing around at the firepits he had built, he knew he was off to a good start.

***

The knock on Marti’s door came just as she slid her feet into the beach slip-ons she had bought yesterday. Unlike the last time Dante had come calling, there was no moment of fear. She only felt anticipation, knowing the person at her door was someone she wanted to see.

For the past two mornings she’d only seen him from her bedroom window as he’d made his way toward the beach before dawn. She loved watching him take his first dive, and then she’d spend the next hour admiring the fluid motion of his body as he moved through the water.

He seemed to be totally in his element in the water. The muscles in his back, arms, shoulders, and thighs seemed to be in perfect harmony as they correlated with each powerful, rippling stroke in the ocean. She decided that sitting up in her bed, watching his every movement, was worth waking up for.

At the sound of the second knock, she hurried down the stairs. She could have easily met him on the beach, but she was beginning to understand that was not how Dante operated. He admitted to being old school when it came to taking care of a woman, and picking her up on a date and returning her to her door was part of who he was.

Before opening the door, she glanced down at herself. She had known this would be the perfect outfit the moment she had seen it. It was a short sundress that showed a lot of her legs and thighs—probably too much--but she wanted to look and feel sexy tonight. And she did.

Earlier, she had visited the Wild Rose Point History Center, where she’d engaged with several of its interactive exhibits before returning home and taking a long nap. She had awakened refreshed and ready to enjoy an evening on the beach with a handsome man.

“Who is it?” she asked, although the racing of her heart signaled his identity.

“Dante.”

She liked the way he said his name in an Italian accent. To be honest, she liked everything about him. Why couldn’t she have met him thirteen years ago instead of Malcolm? If she had, her life would have been so different.

She opened the door, and he stood there, just as she’d known he would, looking like a sin she’d love to commit. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, accentuating the fullness of his face and masculine features, especially his jawline and nose…and there was a single small hoop gold earring in his right ear. It was something she had never seen him wear before, but it definitely complimented both his features and his attire.

He was dressed in a beige short-sleeved, button-up linen shirt with matching linen trousers. The clothes not only accented the coloring of his eyes but did marvelous things to his skin tone.

Her gaze traveled all over him, all the way down to the brown leather fisherman sandals on his feet. It should be illegal for any man to look this good. This level of attractiveness should be criminal.

“You look good, Marti.”

She glanced up from his feet to meet his eyes. Immediately, she saw the heat in his gaze. Obviously, her outfit met his approval

“Thanks. Only that should have been my line, because you look good, too, Dante.” Actually, what he looked like was a devilishly and rakishly handsome badass with that ponytail and earring.

“Thanks. You ready?” he asked.