tent. Arka
wore faded denim knee-length shorts and a dark-gray T-shirt that
showed every muscle. Gwen realized this was the first time she’d
seen him with a shirt on … or in shoes. His leather sandals
looked brand new.
Enrique let out a wolf whistle. “I need to
carry a weapon with you two in public.”
“Aren’t you a sweet-talker?”
Maggie tossed the keys to Arka. He caught them and handed them to
Enrique.
Enrique jingled them. “Guess I’m
designated driver.”
Arka took her hand, reminiscent of her dreams.
Dreams she now knew he had shared with her. He gave her that quirked
smile and led her to the back door of the hummer Maggie had rented.
“I like your hair down.” He whispered against her neck,
sending shivers through her.
“Thanks. Maggie did it.” She didn’t
mention it took forever and a trough of spray conditioner for Maggie
to get a brush through it and French braid it across the top of her
head. Then a half-bottle of gel to get her curls un-frizzed enough to
hang free in soft ringlets.
The bright lights of Belize filled her with
excitement; she couldn’t remember the last time she went out
without the need to look over her shoulder constantly. Maggie
directed them till they came to a stop across from a bar. “Why
are we going here?” Enrique asked with suspicion in his voice.
“It’s karaoke night. The guy at the
rental place told me about it.” Maggie looked over the seat at
Gwen. “You may not know it, Arka, but Gwen has the voice of an
angel. We just need to get a few drinks in her.”
Gwen groaned. Leave it the Maggie to throw her
under the proverbial bus. “I’m not singing.”
Maggie got out of the car. “You always say
that. Git ya ass out da car, sista.” She closed the door,
giving them no choice but to follow her. Of course she found the only
empty table … and of course it sat next to the stage.
“What did you do, make reservations?”
Gwen had to laugh.
Maggie shrugged. “Hells yeah. And believe
me, they didn’t come cheap.”
More than half the patrons were American. “Three
double shots of tequila and a coke for our designated driver,”
Maggie ordered for all of them.
Arka turned Gwen’s chin with his fingers
and touched his forehead to hers. “What’s tequila?”
Okay. Tonight had just become a lot more
interesting. “You might know it as fire water.” He
shook his head. “Well, then I guess you’ll just have
to drink it and find out.” She broke the connection before
he could ask more questions.
The drinks were delivered and Maggie immediately
ordered another round. Gwen lifted the back of Arka’s hand to
her mouth, loving the intensity of passion in his eyes as she slowly
licked the webbing between his thumb and first finger. Holding his
gaze, she sprinkled salt on the spot and repeated the process on her
hand. She handed him a wedge of lime, taking one for herself, and
lifted her glass. Maggie’s tequila and Enrique’s coke
touched to hers, and they all looked at Arka expectantly. He followed
suit and raised his.
“To Gwen. She not only survived …
she conquered,” Mattie said, bringing tears to Gwen’s
eyes. Arka lifted a brow but didn’t ask any questions …
yet. Maggie’s sentiment meant too much for Gwen to be angry
with her friend.
Gwen added, “To lost treasure.”
Enrique said, “To beautiful women.”
He wiggled his brows at Maggie.
Arka didn’t hesitate. “To a treasure
found.” His gaze held hers. Gwen knew she was falling in love
with him. Why didn’t that thought scare the hell out of her?
“Lick.” Maggie demonstrated for
Arka. “Drink.” She threw the double shot back. “Suck.”
She bit into the lime.
He watched Gwen closely as she followed the same
process Maggie did. He lifted the back of his hand to his tongue,
followed by the drink, only Arka slammed the empty glass hard on the
table as the lime went into his mouth. Gwen thought he was going to
have a heart attack. He shook his head and growled as
wore faded denim knee-length shorts and a dark-gray T-shirt that
showed every muscle. Gwen realized this was the first time she’d
seen him with a shirt on … or in shoes. His leather sandals
looked brand new.
Enrique let out a wolf whistle. “I need to
carry a weapon with you two in public.”
“Aren’t you a sweet-talker?”
Maggie tossed the keys to Arka. He caught them and handed them to
Enrique.
Enrique jingled them. “Guess I’m
designated driver.”
Arka took her hand, reminiscent of her dreams.
Dreams she now knew he had shared with her. He gave her that quirked
smile and led her to the back door of the hummer Maggie had rented.
“I like your hair down.” He whispered against her neck,
sending shivers through her.
“Thanks. Maggie did it.” She didn’t
mention it took forever and a trough of spray conditioner for Maggie
to get a brush through it and French braid it across the top of her
head. Then a half-bottle of gel to get her curls un-frizzed enough to
hang free in soft ringlets.
The bright lights of Belize filled her with
excitement; she couldn’t remember the last time she went out
without the need to look over her shoulder constantly. Maggie
directed them till they came to a stop across from a bar. “Why
are we going here?” Enrique asked with suspicion in his voice.
“It’s karaoke night. The guy at the
rental place told me about it.” Maggie looked over the seat at
Gwen. “You may not know it, Arka, but Gwen has the voice of an
angel. We just need to get a few drinks in her.”
Gwen groaned. Leave it the Maggie to throw her
under the proverbial bus. “I’m not singing.”
Maggie got out of the car. “You always say
that. Git ya ass out da car, sista.” She closed the door,
giving them no choice but to follow her. Of course she found the only
empty table … and of course it sat next to the stage.
“What did you do, make reservations?”
Gwen had to laugh.
Maggie shrugged. “Hells yeah. And believe
me, they didn’t come cheap.”
More than half the patrons were American. “Three
double shots of tequila and a coke for our designated driver,”
Maggie ordered for all of them.
Arka turned Gwen’s chin with his fingers
and touched his forehead to hers. “What’s tequila?”
Okay. Tonight had just become a lot more
interesting. “You might know it as fire water.” He
shook his head. “Well, then I guess you’ll just have
to drink it and find out.” She broke the connection before
he could ask more questions.
The drinks were delivered and Maggie immediately
ordered another round. Gwen lifted the back of Arka’s hand to
her mouth, loving the intensity of passion in his eyes as she slowly
licked the webbing between his thumb and first finger. Holding his
gaze, she sprinkled salt on the spot and repeated the process on her
hand. She handed him a wedge of lime, taking one for herself, and
lifted her glass. Maggie’s tequila and Enrique’s coke
touched to hers, and they all looked at Arka expectantly. He followed
suit and raised his.
“To Gwen. She not only survived …
she conquered,” Mattie said, bringing tears to Gwen’s
eyes. Arka lifted a brow but didn’t ask any questions …
yet. Maggie’s sentiment meant too much for Gwen to be angry
with her friend.
Gwen added, “To lost treasure.”
Enrique said, “To beautiful women.”
He wiggled his brows at Maggie.
Arka didn’t hesitate. “To a treasure
found.” His gaze held hers. Gwen knew she was falling in love
with him. Why didn’t that thought scare the hell out of her?
“Lick.” Maggie demonstrated for
Arka. “Drink.” She threw the double shot back. “Suck.”
She bit into the lime.
He watched Gwen closely as she followed the same
process Maggie did. He lifted the back of his hand to his tongue,
followed by the drink, only Arka slammed the empty glass hard on the
table as the lime went into his mouth. Gwen thought he was going to
have a heart attack. He shook his head and growled as
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