sual clothes that cost more than my entire wardrobe put together.
"I grew up in the country," he clarified. "I haven't lived in the country since I was seventeen."
"But you miss it?"
"Not at all. The only thing that made living there tolerable was the distant thunder of the waves," he said in a way that I knew that topic was closed for discussion.
That didn't mean I wouldn't pry. "You don't miss it, but you come here because it reminds you of it?"
"Sometimes it's good to be reminded of the past." He brushed back the wind-loosened strands of hair from my eyes. "To remember how much is at stake in the present."
Caught in his quietly intense stare, I could barely swallow. My words were a whisper. "How much is at stake?"
"More than I'd care to admit." He massaged my furrowed forehead until I relaxed. "I have a treat for you."
I blinked at the segue. "A treat?"
Eyes on mine, he slipped his hand into the opening of his coat at my neck. It hovered over my pulse, a teasing caress that set my heart pounding. Slowly, he slid the back of his hand down over my scarf, over my collar, not stopping until it rested over my chest.
Despite the layers I had on, I could feel the heat radiating from his hand. My nipples hardened into tight, needy peaks, and I had to fight the impulse to rub myself against his knuckles. I held my breath to avoid the slightest contact, not releasing it until he reached into his coat's inner pocket and drew out a small white bag.
He held it out to me.
"Do I want it?" I wasn't sure if I meant the little bag or the passion he offered.
"I think you do," he said in his low, sexy accent.
Afraid he was right on both counts, I took the bag. It bad a small sticker seal—Teuscher. Teuscher chocolate was like manna from the gods. I glanced up at him before I broke into it. "What if I didn't like chocolate?"
"It's dark and sinful. It went without saying that you'd like it."
Picking a piece, I ignored his burning gaze and bit into it. I sighed at the smooth, rich taste. I popped the rest, savoring each chew. M&M's were everyday food, like a hamburger, but Teuscher was like splurging on filet mignon.
Rhys turned my chin so I faced him. "You have some on your lips."
Before I could do anything, he leaned forward and I felt his breath caress my skin.
My heart thundered in my chest. I wanted to get up and run far away from him. I wanted to close the distance and take him into me, physically and emotionally.
And it scared me. I'd seen what loving Wu had done to my mom. I hadn't wanted anyone like that—ever. Hands on his chest, I pushed him back. "I need to go."
He studied me, entirely too knowingly, before he dropped his hand and sat back. "Sometimes, Gabrielle, one needs to accept one's fate."
If I didn't know better, I'd think he was talking about more than what was going on right here. But now wasn't the time to get into that. I shrugged out of his coat and handed it back to him as I stood.
"I'll take you home," he said, standing.
"I'll take the bus." The last thing I needed was to be enclosed in a small space with him. Because I knew I sounded ungrateful, I softened my voice and said, "Thanks. This was"—Exciting? Illicit? Foolhardy?—"interesting."
The corner of his mouth hitched in amusement.
"Well. Um. See you." I waved and started to walk away as quickly as the sand let me.
"Gabrielle."
Freezing, I turned around.
"You forgot this." He strode to me, holding out the Teuscher bag.
I looked at the chocolate, just as tempted to leave it as I was to take it with me, because I knew with every bite I'd think of him. Which is what he wanted. I narrowed my eyes. "You're evil."
"I've been called worse," he said with a smile. Lifting my hand, he flipped it to kiss the inside of my wrist before setting the bag in my palm.
Speechless from the sparks shooting through my body, I took a step back, and then another. Turning, I headed back to the bus stop. I could feel him watching me go, and I was overcome
"I grew up in the country," he clarified. "I haven't lived in the country since I was seventeen."
"But you miss it?"
"Not at all. The only thing that made living there tolerable was the distant thunder of the waves," he said in a way that I knew that topic was closed for discussion.
That didn't mean I wouldn't pry. "You don't miss it, but you come here because it reminds you of it?"
"Sometimes it's good to be reminded of the past." He brushed back the wind-loosened strands of hair from my eyes. "To remember how much is at stake in the present."
Caught in his quietly intense stare, I could barely swallow. My words were a whisper. "How much is at stake?"
"More than I'd care to admit." He massaged my furrowed forehead until I relaxed. "I have a treat for you."
I blinked at the segue. "A treat?"
Eyes on mine, he slipped his hand into the opening of his coat at my neck. It hovered over my pulse, a teasing caress that set my heart pounding. Slowly, he slid the back of his hand down over my scarf, over my collar, not stopping until it rested over my chest.
Despite the layers I had on, I could feel the heat radiating from his hand. My nipples hardened into tight, needy peaks, and I had to fight the impulse to rub myself against his knuckles. I held my breath to avoid the slightest contact, not releasing it until he reached into his coat's inner pocket and drew out a small white bag.
He held it out to me.
"Do I want it?" I wasn't sure if I meant the little bag or the passion he offered.
"I think you do," he said in his low, sexy accent.
Afraid he was right on both counts, I took the bag. It bad a small sticker seal—Teuscher. Teuscher chocolate was like manna from the gods. I glanced up at him before I broke into it. "What if I didn't like chocolate?"
"It's dark and sinful. It went without saying that you'd like it."
Picking a piece, I ignored his burning gaze and bit into it. I sighed at the smooth, rich taste. I popped the rest, savoring each chew. M&M's were everyday food, like a hamburger, but Teuscher was like splurging on filet mignon.
Rhys turned my chin so I faced him. "You have some on your lips."
Before I could do anything, he leaned forward and I felt his breath caress my skin.
My heart thundered in my chest. I wanted to get up and run far away from him. I wanted to close the distance and take him into me, physically and emotionally.
And it scared me. I'd seen what loving Wu had done to my mom. I hadn't wanted anyone like that—ever. Hands on his chest, I pushed him back. "I need to go."
He studied me, entirely too knowingly, before he dropped his hand and sat back. "Sometimes, Gabrielle, one needs to accept one's fate."
If I didn't know better, I'd think he was talking about more than what was going on right here. But now wasn't the time to get into that. I shrugged out of his coat and handed it back to him as I stood.
"I'll take you home," he said, standing.
"I'll take the bus." The last thing I needed was to be enclosed in a small space with him. Because I knew I sounded ungrateful, I softened my voice and said, "Thanks. This was"—Exciting? Illicit? Foolhardy?—"interesting."
The corner of his mouth hitched in amusement.
"Well. Um. See you." I waved and started to walk away as quickly as the sand let me.
"Gabrielle."
Freezing, I turned around.
"You forgot this." He strode to me, holding out the Teuscher bag.
I looked at the chocolate, just as tempted to leave it as I was to take it with me, because I knew with every bite I'd think of him. Which is what he wanted. I narrowed my eyes. "You're evil."
"I've been called worse," he said with a smile. Lifting my hand, he flipped it to kiss the inside of my wrist before setting the bag in my palm.
Speechless from the sparks shooting through my body, I took a step back, and then another. Turning, I headed back to the bus stop. I could feel him watching me go, and I was overcome
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