like…,”––I lick my lips. Again.––“That, you can do whatever you want, and they’d be cool with it.”
“So, if I kissed you right now…?”
“I mean, I’m wearing your red pin, aren’t I?”
He grins. “Good answer.”
There’s an electric pause before his breath fans across my cheek, and I’m positive I’m about to melt into a puddle at his feet if he doesn’t kiss me. Right. Now.
“Nora! They need you to sign something before we can get started!” Gem shouts from a little bungalow on the beach as the water laps around our ankles.
Another growl. But this one is much lower and filled with so much disappointment and sexual frustration I could drown in it and die a happy girl. There’s just something about the rush of adrenaline pulsing through my veins at the knowledge that this guy wants me.
Me.
Sweet, shy, Mama Two, Nora Daniels. Is wanted by a man who is practically sex on a stick.
Shaking off my insecurities the best that I can, I pat his cheek. “And that’s what Gem calls cockblocking. You’ll have to return the favor the next time she and Conner are in the same room. Wanna come with me or…?”
Rearranging himself through his board shorts, he mutters, “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Like tonight? Or…?” I razz, surprising myself with the innuendo I just tossed at him.
With another groan, he smacks my ass, and I squeal in surprise before scampering toward the bungalow to stay out of his playful reach.
“Don’t tempt me!” he yells at my retreating form.
Ditto, I want to return, but I bite my tongue. He’s way too tempting for a girl like me. Especially when we’ve both gone to so much trouble to set up certain guidelines that guarantee this little relationship will dissolve as soon as our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale. The thought is bittersweet because even if he wanted something with me, I know I wouldn’t take him up on it, no matter how strongly I could feel about him.
Nope.
After signing the paperwork, a super sweet girl named Aayla with long, black dreadlocks and a kind smile leads us down a boardwalk. My flip flops slap against the wood paneling that surrounds a massive water enclosure where dolphins are playing peekaboo with the spectators between the soft waves.
“Are you excited?” Gage murmurs beside me. The guy is so enthralled with my reaction to the beautiful animals that he’s missing the entire thing.
“Uh, yes!” I almost squeal. “Do you see the dolphins that are right there?” I point to the water that’s only a few feet away from us.
“And you get to swim with them.”
“Well, technically, I think it’s more of an up-close and personal encounter. We only get waist-deep in the water or something like that, but still. It’s going to be awesome. I keep telling Gem they’re my spirit animal, but she insists crabs are.”
His brows furrow. “Why would crabs be your spirit animal?”
“Because they have something to do with my zodiac sign. Yours is a lion, by the way.”
“Ooo…I like it. Powerful. Strong. A badass.” His eyes glaze over as he thinks about it for a second longer. “Yeah, I’m definitely cool with claiming the lion.”
“I’m sure you are,” I joke. “But since you can’t swim with lions, I guess dolphins will have to do.”
Tossing his arm over my shoulder, he pulls me into his side and admits, “Like I said when we were on the ferry, I’ve always wanted to try swimming with dolphins, so thanks for inviting me. This will definitely be a memory for the books. Although I’m going to be a little jealous that the dolphin is going to get to kiss you before I do.”
“I mean…technically, we’ve already kissed. Remember the football stadium?”
“How could I forget? I’ve been craving you ever since.” It sounds more like a rumble than a coherent sentence but still causes tingles to race down my spine as his eyes drop to my mouth.
My face heats up as I remember how close we were to kissing only a few minutes ago, but I don’t know what to say.
So close. Yet so far.
I’m not sure when we really stopped moving, but now I find myself chest-to-chest with a very attractive Gage, who looks more determined than ever to finally end the blissful torture we’ve both been putting ourselves through. And blissful it has been because I’m not sure if I’ll be able to live up to the hype he’s built in his head, which is why I rock back on my