Wind Therapy - A.J. Downey Page 0,42
nodded, but didn’t speak, choosing instead to take a draw off her Mexican Coke. She looked like she belonged in one of their damn commercials. She was beautiful enough. The only thing that wasn’t commercial worthy about her was how tired she looked.
“Tired?” I asked and she nodded and sighed as Dray dropped back down beside us.
“I think I just need to eat something,” she said, and I smiled, touching her shoulder lightly, her smooth, soft skin tantalizing. When she didn’t flinch or shy away, I stepped in and curved my whole arm around her shoulders. She swayed slightly on her feet and leaned into me and I liked that. That she was comfortable with me today.
“Marisol, this is Dray. Dray, this is Marisol.” I made the introductions.
“Hi,” she murmured.
“Hey, Marisol.” Dray winked at her and graced her with one of his rare smiles. Her timid one grew slightly in return.
“Anybody give you any flak?” I asked.
“No,” she said, and for a second, I had to ask myself if it was a little too emphatic or if I was just reading into something that wasn’t there.
“Did I hear something about food?” Dray asked. “You hungry?”
Marisol warmed to him a little bit more and nodded.
“Dinner’s about to be up. Come on, let’s go grab some grub.” He jerked his head in the direction of the back deck and she smiled and nodded, and we turned that direction.
Dray gave me a meaningful look and I gave a nod. To be continued on that other thing we’d been talking about.
“Are you done for the day?” Marisol asked softly when she was sure Dray wouldn’t hear as he greeted a couple of men up by the stairs leading up to the back deck.
“I think I can be if you need me to be,” I said and arched a brow. I both was and wasn’t surprised at how much I wanted to hear her say it… that she needed me to be.
I only half got what I wished for. She nodded silently, her look pensive and I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and lowered my lips to hers. She tipped her face toward mine and kissed me back, her lips soft against mine. The smell of coconut and rose petals drifted to my nose, a mix of her lotion and whatever sunscreen she’d used.
It was crazy how she took over every one of my senses. Soft, heady, sweet, and so fucking easy on the eyes, her soft little sigh of surrender as she yielded to my deepening the kiss was music to my ears. I loved it when she gave in like this. When it felt like she didn’t hold anything in reserve.
Too soon, she caught herself and backed off.
“You good?” I asked her, voice pitched low and only for her ears.
“Yeah,” she whispered gently, but pride swelled in my chest at her breathy, slightly stunned tone. Yeah. I took her breath away. I knew exactly the kind of effect I had on her and it was honestly all I ever wanted. To affect someone so deeply and honestly have them have the same effect on me.
I pulled her lithe body into the shelter of my own and held her for a minute, resting my chin on the top of her silky hair and breathing her in.
“It’s gonna get cold out here when the sun goes down, you got a cover up or something?” I asked.
“No, but if it’s okay, I would honestly just like to take a hot shower and crawl into bed after dinner. I’m tired.”
I chuckled and asked, “You sure you don’t want to watch the fights tonight? Reaver’s going up against Fen.”
She looked up at me with those wide, honey-brandy-soaked brown eyes of hers and blinked once, slowly as she tried to decide if she’d heard me right.
“Let me go get dressed.”
“I’ll fix you a plate while you do, how’s that?” I asked and she blushed prettily.
“Aren’t I supposed to be doing that?”
I stepped in and smacked her on the ass with a grin. “Go on, git. See you in a few.”
She smiled at me and bit her bottom lip alluringly, casting a long look over her shoulder as she complied and went to get dressed. I got in line to fix her a plate; eyes fixed on her gorgeous ass as she walked away.
Chapter Twelve
Marisol…
When I returned in a pair of shorts and my favorite peasant blouse over my bikini, Maverick was halfway down the long buffet set up, loaded