Read Online Perfect for the Beach by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Kayla Perrin - Free Book Online Page A
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massage for the next day, and spent a few hours soaking up the last of the sun’s relaxing rays, her normally easygoing, laid-back boyfriend had grown increasingly quiet and contemplative.
The gradual shift in his mood both worried and unnerved her, because she’d seen this reflective side of him before, and it didn’t bode well for her, or them, she knew. The last time had been a few months ago when he’d told her he loved her and she’d done the unthinkable and bolted, as well as avoided the topic every time Alex tried to broach the subject again.
Though she knew deep in her heart that she cared for Alex and loved him to the best of her ability, it had taken her weeks to gather the courage to return the sentiment, to speak the words that had the power to make her weak and too susceptible, and could strip her of everything she held dear if she allowed herself to succumb to such a vulnerable emotion. And because following in her mother’s footsteps was her greatest fear, it was so much easier to keep her feelings under wraps, as well as maintain an assertive, I’m-in-control edge in any of her relationships.
That motto had worked well with previous men, but Alex had proved time and again that he wasn’t at all threatened by her strong-willed nature, and that left her with little protection against just how persuasive Alex could be.
The frantic beating of her heart seemed to roar in her ears, and she drew a deep breath to calm her racing pulse and jittery nerves. She stared at her reflection, silently berating herself for jumping to any conclusions about tonight or what Alex intended. Most likely, his introspective mood was all a figment of her imagination. Or so she hoped.
She smoothed a hand down the front of her dress, and before Alex came looking for her, she headed out to the living room. She found him standing out on the suite’s private balcony, his strong, lean body silhouetted by the lights surrounding the resort and the beach beyond, and the summer breeze ruffling his thick black hair. As if sensing that she was behind him, he turned around, his disarming blue eyes taking in her dress in a slow, lazy perusal before returning to her face again.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice a deep, sexy rumble that felt as intimate as a caress on her bare skin.
She came up to him, slid her arms around his neck, and tipped her face up to his. “You don’t look too shabby yourself, Mr. Wilde.” Indeed, he looked absolutely gorgeous in a charcoal knit shirt that made his eyes a brighter shade of blue, and black trousers that fit his hips, butt, and thighs to perfection.
She raised up on her toes and touched her lips to his. He returned the kiss, but kept it much tamer than she would have liked. God, she wanted to forget about dinner and whatever had him so preoccupied and spend the evening here in the suite. In their bed. Lost in one another without the outside world or emotional confrontations intruding in any way.
But her wish wasn’t to be. Gently, he ended the embrace, took her hand in his, and entwined their fingers. He reached up and brushed long wavy strands of her hair over her shoulder, his sensual touch lingering warmly on her bare skin. “Are you ready to go?”
There was no mistaking the glimmer of hope she saw in his eyes, or the adoring look in his expression, and damn if both didn’t make her nervous as hell.
Swallowing hard, she shored up her fortitude and flashed him a dazzling smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Alex was obviously a man on a mission, and he wasn’t about to let anything distract him from tonight’s purpose. And Dana had no choice but to wait and see what was on his mind.
Chapter Three
After eating a sumptuous dinner by candlelight, and with a baked apple tart dish set between them to share, Alex raised his glass of wine to Dana’s in a toast. “Here’s to our one-year anniversary, marking our first date.”
Smiling, she touched the rim of her
The gradual shift in his mood both worried and unnerved her, because she’d seen this reflective side of him before, and it didn’t bode well for her, or them, she knew. The last time had been a few months ago when he’d told her he loved her and she’d done the unthinkable and bolted, as well as avoided the topic every time Alex tried to broach the subject again.
Though she knew deep in her heart that she cared for Alex and loved him to the best of her ability, it had taken her weeks to gather the courage to return the sentiment, to speak the words that had the power to make her weak and too susceptible, and could strip her of everything she held dear if she allowed herself to succumb to such a vulnerable emotion. And because following in her mother’s footsteps was her greatest fear, it was so much easier to keep her feelings under wraps, as well as maintain an assertive, I’m-in-control edge in any of her relationships.
That motto had worked well with previous men, but Alex had proved time and again that he wasn’t at all threatened by her strong-willed nature, and that left her with little protection against just how persuasive Alex could be.
The frantic beating of her heart seemed to roar in her ears, and she drew a deep breath to calm her racing pulse and jittery nerves. She stared at her reflection, silently berating herself for jumping to any conclusions about tonight or what Alex intended. Most likely, his introspective mood was all a figment of her imagination. Or so she hoped.
She smoothed a hand down the front of her dress, and before Alex came looking for her, she headed out to the living room. She found him standing out on the suite’s private balcony, his strong, lean body silhouetted by the lights surrounding the resort and the beach beyond, and the summer breeze ruffling his thick black hair. As if sensing that she was behind him, he turned around, his disarming blue eyes taking in her dress in a slow, lazy perusal before returning to her face again.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice a deep, sexy rumble that felt as intimate as a caress on her bare skin.
She came up to him, slid her arms around his neck, and tipped her face up to his. “You don’t look too shabby yourself, Mr. Wilde.” Indeed, he looked absolutely gorgeous in a charcoal knit shirt that made his eyes a brighter shade of blue, and black trousers that fit his hips, butt, and thighs to perfection.
She raised up on her toes and touched her lips to his. He returned the kiss, but kept it much tamer than she would have liked. God, she wanted to forget about dinner and whatever had him so preoccupied and spend the evening here in the suite. In their bed. Lost in one another without the outside world or emotional confrontations intruding in any way.
But her wish wasn’t to be. Gently, he ended the embrace, took her hand in his, and entwined their fingers. He reached up and brushed long wavy strands of her hair over her shoulder, his sensual touch lingering warmly on her bare skin. “Are you ready to go?”
There was no mistaking the glimmer of hope she saw in his eyes, or the adoring look in his expression, and damn if both didn’t make her nervous as hell.
Swallowing hard, she shored up her fortitude and flashed him a dazzling smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Alex was obviously a man on a mission, and he wasn’t about to let anything distract him from tonight’s purpose. And Dana had no choice but to wait and see what was on his mind.
Chapter Three
After eating a sumptuous dinner by candlelight, and with a baked apple tart dish set between them to share, Alex raised his glass of wine to Dana’s in a toast. “Here’s to our one-year anniversary, marking our first date.”
Smiling, she touched the rim of her
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