Mistletoe in Paradise (Wildstone #5.5) - Jill Shalvis Page 0,24
same? Are you a hundred percent here with us?”
She looked into his eyes and saw only acceptance, affection, and concern for her. “I think we both know I need to work on that,” she said softly. “Actually, I need to work on several things. But the good news is, once I set my mind to something, I don’t give up until I’ve got it right.”
He smiled. “Sounds promising.”
She flashed a mischievous grin. “Some things take practice, though. Lots of it.”
“Good thing I’m really good at practicing . . .”
Chapter 11
James didn’t often let himself think of the future. After all, he knew better than most that not everyone got one. But being with Hannah again, he couldn’t help but think of the one he’d once upon a time hoped to have with her.
It was afternoon beneath a warm sun, nothing but the Caribbean Sea for miles, and his favorite girl in a different bikini, this one a heart-stopping red. They were currently sitting on the swim deck off the back of the boat, dripping wet and breathing hard from a race, winner to collect the spoils of their choice. Hannah had beaten him, mostly because he couldn’t take his eyes off her as she swam, moving through the water while laughing so hard that she’d nearly drowned herself.
She was still laughing when she pushed her drenched hair from her face and met his gaze, her smile slowly fading.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m really sorry about this morning.”
“I don’t need an apology,” he said. He knew her well. When she wanted something badly enough, she made it happen for herself. If he was ever lucky enough to have it be him she wanted again, she’d let him know. “It’s okay, Hannah.”
“No, it’s not. I put work ahead of you and I shouldn’t have. It didn’t mean I didn’t want to be with you, not then and not at breakfast.”
“Work has been your life for a long time. It’s understandable that you’d put it first.”
“Well . . .” She smiled. “I’m not working right now.”
That adorably sexy smile was something his body remembered quite well, and damn, he loved Playful Sexy Hannah. “You’re not,” he said with a laugh. “And you have yet to claim your prize—even though you cheated.”
“I’d never cheat.” But she laughed.
“Uh-huh,” he said, unable to keep from laughing with her. She was . . . infectious. “So when you had a quick bikini-top malfunction out there and flashed me, that was entirely by accident?”
She lifted her chin, but her eyes revealed both heat and humor. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He moved closer, crowding her for the simple pleasure of having her close as he smiled into her face. “Maybe we should discuss this later in private, in greater detail.”
“I agree,” she said. “Lying down, in case I get . . . tired.”
“I like the way you think.” He touched the tip of her nose. “You need more sunblock.” He sat up and reached for the bottle.
“You just want to get your hands on me again.”
“One hundred percent. Lie down on your front.”
She hurried to do just that, wriggling into place and making him groan because she had the cutest, sexiest wedgie going. All too aware of the fact that her dad might very well have eyes on them, he did his best to make this a PG event, keeping his hands on her sun-warmed skin and not slipping beneath the itty-bitty bikini.
“I’ve got to tell my dad in the morning before we hit San Juan,” she murmured, eyes closed. “And then your parents will be here and you’ll have a chance to talk to your dad as well. Big day.”
“Yeah.”
She slipped her hand in his and sighed. “Back to real life.”
He drew a deep breath but didn’t say anything, and she looked over at him.
“I remember the last time we were lying right here,” he said.
She sat up and nodded. “It’d been a hard year for both of us.”
“Yeah,” he said. “My brother had died and the girl I loved dumped me and then ghosted me. As hard as a year ever gets.”
She stared at him. “You . . . loved me?”
“Does it matter now?”
She drew a deep breath. “Yes. And I didn’t dump you. It . . . didn’t work out.”
He snorted.
“It didn’t!” She pointed at him. “You wanted me to walk away from a college internship and travel the world, no questions asked, no plans, just fly by the seat of your pants. And I got