he said as they both rose to their feet, and he reached for her.
Ford and Randi fell silent, watching them.
“We’ll FaceTime,” she said quickly, the disappointment in her eyes palpable. “You can fill me in on how it goes.”
“Right.” He swallowed hard against the crushing feeling in his chest. How the hell was he going to survive being apart from her? “I know you can’t be here, and you can’t miss the festival, but damn it, baby…” He gathered her in his arms and said, “I wish you could.”
Chapter Twenty
CARLY DIDN’T KNOW if she should slaughter Birdie or praise her for the clothes she’d bought on Zev’s dime. In addition to the barely there string bikini, she’d purchased a white lace thong, a ridiculously small miniskirt, a gold tank top, and a gauzy, see-through and backless cream-colored minidress. She opted to wear the flowy dress to dinner with Ford and Randi, even though it was far more provocative than anything she’d ever choose for herself. The front panel of the dress had a swatch of lace down the center, baring a path of skin between her breasts all the way down to her waist, and lace strings attached to the sides of the panel that tied across her bare back. Two more laces tied around her neck, like a halter. There would be no hiding anything tonight.
Zev stepped behind her as she slipped her feet into the cute strappy sandals Birdie had chosen, which went perfectly with the dress. He moved her hair to one side, pressing a kiss to the skin he’d bared, and said, “I think Birdie should be your personal shopper.”
“It is pretty, isn’t it?”
“The dress is sexy as sin, but you’re stunning.” He turned her in his arms, looking incredibly handsome in a gray button-down short-sleeved shirt and jeans.
“Thank you. I just wish she’d chosen something other than a thong.”
“You still hate them, huh?” He reached beneath her skirt, hooked his fingers in the sides of the thong, and said, “I dare you not to wear it.”
She inhaled a ragged breath, the feel of his fingers on her hips sending heat to all the right places. “If I accept your challenge, then I dare you not to touch my naked parts while we’re out tonight.”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s asking for a lot.” He kissed her neck and said, “I can last through dinner. No promises afterward.”
“You’re so wrong. Your voice holds the dirtiest type of promises. Too bad Jack’s plane doesn’t have a private cabin for our trip home tomorrow.”
“Jack’s not flying us back. Randi’s sister, Tessa, is. She lives on the island.” He dragged the thong down to the floor and said, “It offers a bit more privacy.”
She stepped out of the thong, and he ran his hands up her legs, dropping a kiss on each of her thighs before rising to his feet, leaving her wanting more. She glanced at the clock, wondering if they had time for a quickie before meeting Ford and Randi. When they’d come back to the marina, Ford and Randi had taken the coins to the vault and Zev and Carly walked to the wildlife sanctuary. She’d been wanting to see it since she was a teenager, and being there with Zev was even better than she’d imagined. They held hands, enjoying the sights. There were long grasses with trails snaking through them, patches of pine woodlands, and a sandy barrier beach. They saw turtles, egrets, herons, swallows, and sandpipers. Carly could have walked for hours, but they’d needed to get back to the boat to shower and get ready for dinner. They were meeting Randi and Ford in half an hour.
Zev’s phone rang, and they both glanced at it on his desk. Dad flashed on the screen with a FaceTime call, and she remembered that he’d left a message for his parents to share his news. She wanted to say, Ignore it, but that wasn’t fair. Her sexual desires didn’t trump sharing his incredible news with his family.
“Better answer it before you fail your dare.” She was only half-teasing.
He kissed her and said, “Grab your sweater. It’ll be chilly soon.” He reached for the phone as she got her sweater, and then he took her hand, leading her up to the deck.
A gentle breeze washed over Carly’s skin. She went to the railing to give him privacy. As his parents told him about their day, she gazed out at the other boats in the marina and the cute