Page 24 of Beneath the Dawn

He refocused on pouring the wine. It was not supposed to be this way. No woman had ever been able to dominate his time or attention. It had been that way for years. His only focus had been on the family─the Averas, Kingstons, and De Lucas.

Of course, maybe he didn’t have to be so focused on them anymore. Skylar was now married and his other godbrother, Nico De Luca, who was Ricco’s son and only eight years younger than Dante, was taking on more responsibilities within the company.

Still, even though he now had more free time to enjoy the finer things in life, he had no intention of letting a woman ever be front and center. Marti wasn’t there yet; however, if he weren’t careful, he could envision it happening. And that was not at all what he wanted.

But then what did he want? He knew the answer to that question. He wanted Marti. In his bed but not in his head, and definitely not getting close to his heart. Hell, it hadn’t even been a week. Maybe he should pack up and find another place to spend the rest of his vacation. The Bahamas weren’t so bad, and he still had a place there. And he couldn’t forget Skylar’s newly opened resort in Napa Valley, which he had named Haven, after his wife.

He had visited earlier that year, but it was still being renovated. The spacious resort, surrounded by beautiful vineyards, had been well worth the extensive remodeling that had been necessary. Once again, another Skylar Kingston acquisition had turned to gold.

As Dante recorked the wine bottle, he knew leaving Wild Rose Point because of a woman was not the answer. And it definitely was not part of his makeup. He would go with the flow and be prepared to walk away at the end, the same way he’d always done with his affairs.

He moved back toward her with the wine glasses. “Here you are.”

It was only then that she stopped staring at the ocean to look at him. “Thanks,” she said, smiling.

She took a few leisurely sips, and then the music, which up until then had been a mixture of jazz and R&B, switched over to Michael Jackson’s, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’. Dante couldn’t help thinking the song’s title was most appropriate, especially at that moment.

Marti placed her glass aside, stood, and laughingly said, “Time to cut loose.”

And she did.

Dante sat there and watched her every twist and turn in that very short and sexy sundress. She moved body parts he had forgotten were movable, at least the way she was doing it. Her dance steps were sinuous, fluid, and full of energy. Her movements were in tune with the beat of the music and sinfully seductive. He shifted in his seat when he felt a tightness at his zipper and knew why. Damn.

He sipped his wine as he sat there, mesmerized. Her movements aroused him to the point that he knew he’d have trouble standing up. And he had no doubt she knew exactly what she was doing to him. She could probably see it. Yet she didn’t stop.

She began dancing toward him. When she extended her hand, he placed his wine glass aside and went to her. There was no way he could keep up with her movements, but he would do his best. Throwing his head back, he laughed, actually enjoying himself.

Peace, quiet, and solitude were what Dante had been looking for when he made the decision to come to Wild Rose Point. Those might have been the things he had hoped for, but Marti Goshay was what he got. Admittedly, he wouldn’t change a single thing about the way his vacation was going. If he’d thought that Skylar’s wife, Haven, was a breath of fresh air, Marti was the complete opposite. She was a spitfire, someone who was authentically herself. And he couldn’t get enough of her.

There was no game-playing or coyness. She was a woman who knew her own mind, one who knew how she felt and what she wanted. A person who was irresistibly real. That didn’t mean she hadn’t made mistakes in life, but then most people had. Him included. But she had a way of not only stimulating his body but also his mind. Definitely, his kind of woman. A rare gem that he had been lucky enough to find.

He thought about the man who had broken her heart. How could any guy who had earned her love ever do that to her? And to cheat on her with another woman? That was totally unacceptable. Some people didn’t know how to appreciate a good thing when they were lucky enough to have it. There was no question about it. The man who had betrayed her had been a damn fool.

When the song ended, a slow, jazzy duet by Teddy Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills began playing. Feel the Fire. He drew her close, needing to hold her as they swayed to the rhythm. He closed his eyes, determined to tune out all the sounds around them ─ the ocean, the nocturnal noises from nighthawks and owls, and the wood crackling in the firepits. Instead, he placed his full concentration on the woman in his arms…and felt the fire.

CHAPTER 9

Marti’s body was pressed close to Dante’s as they swayed to the melody that flowed around them. The music and lyrics seemed to resonate with her. She felt the fire, and a part of her knew he did, too. This was different for her, being held by a man that she felt connected to. It was definitely a unique experience.

For the past month, she had been bearing so much alone. Sleepless nights, looking over her shoulder, and getting freaked out by any unusual noise were taking their toll on her. But at this place in time, in Wild Rose Point, she felt safe. And tonight she wanted to close her eyes and absorb everything radiating from Dante. The heat, the fire and most of all, his strength. He knew how to treat a woman and make her feel special. This beach date night was a prime example of that.

She recalled his words from a few nights ago… “I learned the best way to rid yourself of fear is to confront it head-on.”

That was what tonight was all about. He thought he was helping her overcome her fear of insects. But in ways he didn’t know, he was helping her through a much more difficult situation—avoiding her stalker…at least until she figured out what to do about it. She wasn’t going to let the person harassing her go so far as to break her. She would not let fear control her, even if it meant telling the police everything, which is something she hadn’t done…yet.

The music stopped, and another slow song began, but Dante stopped moving. He stood there, holding her in his arms as if he knew his warm embrace was exactly what she needed. Maybe it was time to let him in on what she wanted from him. “Dante?”

He leaned back to look at her. “Yes, Marti?”

“I want you.”

The look of desire in his eyes told her he was thinking along the same lines even before he responded to what she had said. “And I want you, too.”

Lowering his head, he captured her lips. The moment he did so, she sank closer into his embrace, letting their mouths mate in a way that was familiar, yet somehow new. It was as if tonight would change things—for both of them.

This kiss was different. Granted, none of the others had been lacking. But tonight’s kiss spoke of anticipation, of yearning…and deep, dark desire. It was the wet-your-panties kind of kiss. The type that could bring a girl to an orgasm even while she was still fully dressed. It was more stimulating than any kiss she had ever experienced. If this was a prelude to getting what she wanted, she couldn’t wait to see what came next.

She wasn’t sure how long they stood there kissing, but she didn’t care. This was a kiss of no return, and she was all in. When he finally released her mouth, she shuddered at the loss.