“They look happy,” he said, motioning toward Stefan and Callie.
She nodded as she wrapped a filmy shawl around her arms. “They’re good for each other. They get each other. It’s rare to find that.”
“I understand,” Dustin said. “How many times do you find two people who can talk about the most mundane things for hours and not get bored? Two people who share so many of the same interests, taste in fritters and Kool-Aid notwithstanding.”
She laughed softly, but shook her head. “Don’t Dustin. I told you, last night was a one-time thing.”
“But it doesn’t have to be.” He captured her hands between his. “You asked me if I knew how to be serious, and I’m telling you right now that I do. I’m being completely serious with you, Stefanie. Yesterday had nothing to do with you being Stefan’s sister. Nothing. Once I figured out who you were, I tried to leave.”
Surprise flashed in her eyes.
“I tried,” he repeated, “because I knew your brother would be upset. But it didn’t matter. None of it mattered, because the time we spent together yesterday was some of the most relaxing, enjoyable hours I’ve had in years. Years, Stefanie.”
He tipped her chin up and stared into her eyes. “We both have one more day here in Turks and Caicos. I think it would be a crime if we didn’t spend it together.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I don’t know.”
“It’s one day. All I’m asking for is one more day with you,” Dustin lied. He wanted so much more, but he would cross the bridge of really pursuing her once they returned to Louisiana. “You said you wanted to prove to your friend that you haven’t become a dull, boring stick-in-the-mud.”
“A dull, boring stick-in-the-mud is a bit harsh,” she said with a quick laugh.
“So prove that you’re not one,” he said. “Think of all the fun, adventurous things to do on this island. Spend the day with me tomorrow. Let’s make the most of our last day here.”
She shook her head.
“Wait a minute,” Dustin said. “I know how to make you say yes.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t say it,” Stefanie warned.
A wicked smile curved up the corners of his lips.
“I dare you.”
~ ~ ~ ~
“I don’t know about this, Dustin.”
“Oh, come on. This is too wild and crazy? A dune buggy?” Dustin didn’t try to mask the incredulousness in his voice, but Stef didn’t care. These things could be dangerous if you weren’t careful. She walked around the low-sitting open-air vehicle while Dustin signed the paperwork relieving the rental company of any liability.
“You already chickened out of going cliff diving, even though you said you never back down from a dare,” he pointed out.
She peered at him over the rim of her sunglasses. “There is a difference between taking on a dare and being a complete fool. I’m a nurse. I’ve seen my share of serious injuries, and anyone who dives off a cliff into a choppy ocean is just begging for a cracked clavicle. The same with these things. There’s not even a cage holding us in.”
Dustin responded with a fake yawn.
“Whatever.” Stef laughed. She stuck her tongue out at him, eliciting a roguish grin that tickled all of her female parts. He was sexy even when he wasn’t trying to be; it drizzled over him like honey down a honeycomb.
He inspected the vehicle’s thick tires before accepting the keys from the rental company operator.
“So, are you chickening out of this, too?” he asked once he joined her again.
“When you said something adventurous I thought it would be a hike or something.”
“You’re army. You’ve parachuted from a plane. I would think you could handle riding along the beach in a glorified go-cart.”
Dustin narrowed the distance between them, dipping his head slightly so that he could whisper in her ear. “I thought you army peeps were supposed to be fearless.”
He was so close Stef could smell the resort’s bath soap on his skin. Her eyes closed as she soaked in the maddening scent of citrus and man. She had to fight the urge to bury her face against his neck and snatch a taste of the magic she’d experienced Friday night when she’d held him against the door to his room.
Why do I have to want you so much?
Stef feared she already knew exactly why this man, whom she’d only known for a few days, elicited such a powerful response from her. He called to that girl who still lived deep inside. That wild, thrill-seeking, risk-taking girl who used to get off on pushing the limits and living on the edge. She’d spent years suppressing those urges—even through her adrenalin-packed army days—but one little taste of that remembered excitement had her craving it. And craving him.
Stef knew she could never fully embrace the wild child she used to be. Reality would hit her as soon as her plane touched the tarmac in Louisiana tomorrow. But she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to enjoy it for today.
“What do you say, Stefanie? Are you ready for your adventure?” Dustin asked.
“There is only one way I’m getting into this dune buggy,” she said. His brow quirked in inquiry. “I drive.”
“You’re going to drive?”
“That’s right,” Stef said, crossing her arms over her chest. If she drove, she could control the danger level and make sure things didn’t get out of hand.
With a skeptical smirk curling the edges of his lips, he reluctantly held the keys out to her. “Fine. Just remember you’re not driving Miss Daisy. You’d better put this baby through its paces.”
Stef snatched the keys from his fingers, eager to wipe that grin off his handsome face.
Twenty minutes later, both she and Dustin were screaming as the dune buggy went airborne over a rugged patch of vegetation. They splashed through a shallow creek, bumbling over the smooth, slippery rock bed.
“Damn, girl!” Dustin gripped the metal beam over his right shoulder. “You trying to give me a heart attack?”
“What’s wrong, Miss Daisy? A little too wild for you?”
His full-on smile nearly knocked the air from her lungs. Giving him up at the end of the day was going to be so hard.
They drove through the island’s salinas, the natural pools that were once used to collect salt from the ocean water. Following a map Dustin had taken from the dune buggy rental company’s reception area, they made their way to the northern edge of the island, which was home to one of its most famous and historic sites, the Grand Turk Lighthouse.
They parked the dune buggy and started for the towering structure. “Can we go inside?” Stef asked.
“The map says that there are no inside tours, but we shouldn’t let that stop us.”
“Forget it. I’m not breaking into a lighthouse,” Stef said.
Dustin let out an exasperated sigh. “I forgot. You’re a goody-two-shoes army vet.”
“Whatever.” She laughed. “As if the navy is so badass.”
“Navy is nothing but badass.”
He took her by the hand as they walked along the grassy knoll surrounding the lighthouse. From this vantage point they could see some of the most amazing views of the ocean she’d ever experienced in her life.
For this brief moment in time, everything seemed perfect.
Stef tried not to lose sight of what this was—one day with him. That’s all it was. She would not get swept up in the romance of this idyllic setting, or how strong and warm and soothing his palm felt against hers, or how easy he was to talk to about anything and everything. It was one day, so she’d better soak in the experience while she had the chance.
“My seven-year-old would love this,” she said as she looked up at the cast-iron lighthouse painted in white. “He’s so into history right now.”
“Where is he?” Dustin asked.
“His grandparents—my late husband’s mom and dad,” she explained. “They retired to Florida, and they are determined to make my son overdose on theme parks over the next few w
eeks.”
“Nonstop rollercoasters? Sounds like heaven on earth.”
“Really?” She looked at him over her shoulder. “I would think a daredevil like you would fall asleep on rollercoasters. Just not exciting enough.”
His deep chuckle rumbled through her, causing her belly to quake with want. She’d met him less than forty-eight hours ago, yet she was already starting to crave the sound of his voice.
“Does he visit them often?” Dustin asked. “Jacob, that’s his name, right?”
“Yeah,” Stef said, “and I’ve only just started to let him visit for extended periods of time. He’s only seven, after all, but I know that having him there brings Robert and Shelia a bit of comfort. They both have had a hard time dealing with Brandon’s death.”
The last thing Stef wanted intruding on their day together was talk of her deceased husband, but it wasn’t something they could ignore either.
“I’m sure it’s been hard on you too,” Dustin said, his voice cautiously low. “I mean, I don’t know all the details, only what Stefan’s shared.”
“It’s been an adjustment.” Stef nodded. “I never imagined myself being a widow and single mother in my early thirties.”
She turned back toward the ocean and studied the gentle waves kissing the shoreline.
“I think back on that last morning,” she continued. “When Brandon left for work. He pulled out of the driveway fifteen minutes earlier than usual because he wanted to stop at the dry cleaners to complain about a tiny hole they’d burned into one of his suit coats. I often wonder if he’d still be here if he’d left at his normal time.”
Dustin remained silent, his expression so empathetic that it made her chest ache with gratitude. Eventually, in that same soft, understanding voice, he asked, “How has Jacob handled it?”
“He misses him. At first he asked a lot of questions, but then, that’s Jacob.” A small smile drifted across her lips. “My son has a very old soul. We’ve had some interesting talks over my famous fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches.”
Dustin’s face scrunched up. “Wait a minute. What?”
“You know. Elvis’s favorite snack. It’s like a grilled cheese, but with peanut butter and banana instead of cheddar.”
“First of all, everyone knows that you use American cheese to make a grilled cheese, not cheddar. And fried peanut butter and bananas just sounds nasty.”
“That’s because you’ve never tried it,” she said. “According to Jacob, I can open my own restaurant and serve nothing else, and make loads of money.”
Dustin sauntered up to her, stopping a hairsbreadth away. “If that’s the case, maybe you should make one of your famous sandwiches for me once we get back home.”
He ran a single finger down her cheek, then back up. Stefanie’s eyelids slid shut, the ache that had settled in her chest taking on new meaning.
“I already told you, Dustin. We can’t see each other once I’m back in Maplesville.”
“Why are you so anxious to see this end?” The pained rasp in his voice only added to the sudden hurt crowding her chest. “Can you honestly tell me you have no problem with never seeing me again after today?”
“Dustin…”
“This doesn’t have to be the end, Stefanie. It doesn’t have to be anything too heavy either. It can just be what it has been this weekend, two people getting to know each other better, enjoying each other’s company, pretending they both aren’t turned on as hell by that kiss the other night.”
The backs of his fingers dusted lightly across her jaw. His soft, warm lips followed. He traced a path along her skin, his nose nudging along the curve of her neck. He sucked in a deep breath.
“We’ve been in the sun all day. How can you still smell so amazing,” he whispered as his nose traveled further down her neck.
A hushed gasp escaped Stef’s mouth at the feel of the openmouthed kiss he pressed against her skin. He drew a trail of moist kisses along her jawline, then cupped her cheeks and brought her lips to his.
Whatever pittance of resistance she still possessed melted the moment his tongue touched hers. With tender insistence he eased his way into her mouth, moving with long, lush strokes. Desire swirled within her belly, slowly building with every languid caress of his tongue.
Stef ran her hands up his back, while Dustin’s trailed down her sides, stopping at her hips. His fingers spanned her sides, pressing lightly into her backside. He pulled her in closer, fitting her body against his. The sensation lit a fire within her, its flames licking at her nerve endings, causing her nipples to pebble with need and the spot between her legs to grow wet with want.
This is what she had been missing. This heady feeling of being desired, of being transported to a distant world where the only thing that existed was pleasure. She missed this. She needed this. She wanted to feel this over and over and over again, until her entire body was nothing but a mass of pulsating sensations.
Dustin continued his brutally sensual assault on her mouth, pressing his tongue harder and deeper, doing the same with his body. Stef welcomed every delicious thrust, her own tongue seeking, devouring, until she thought she would die from the pleasure of it.
When their mouths finally broke apart, she had to take a moment to get her bearings. His kiss had left her knees weak, her mind tangled.
“My God, Stefanie.” Dustin pressed his forehead against hers, his breaths labored as they soughed in and out of his mouth. “If you even try to tell me you don’t want this, I’m calling you a damn liar.”
“I never said I didn’t want it.” She captured the fingers that continued to trail along her cheek and looked him in the eye. “But it doesn’t change anything. I can’t be this same woman back in Louisiana.”
His pained expression tore a hole in her heart.
“I’m sorry, Dustin.” Her voice came out raspy as she tried to recover from that kiss. “This weekend was exactly what I needed, but it has to be just that. Just this weekend.”
He cupped her face and pulled her closer to him. “You’re making a mistake,” he said. “From what I can tell you need some fun in your life. I can provide that. Your fun doesn’t have to stay here on Grand Turk.”
His thumb brushed faintly across the tiny scar behind her ear.
Stef jerked her head back. Feeling his soft touch against the physical reminder that remained from her long ago mistake had the impact of being doused with a bucket of ice water.
She sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
“I just can’t,” she said. “Please, don’t let this ruin the rest of our day together,” she pleaded. “I need…I need you to be okay with this, even if you have to pretend. We only have a few hours left. I want us to enjoy them.”
A muscle flexed in his stubble-covered jaw, but after a moment his face relaxed. He even gifted her with a soft, slightly resigned smile.
“Fine,” he said. “But to show you just how big a mistake you’re making, I’m even going to let you continue to drive. See the kind of man you’re giving up?”
Stef couldn’t help but laugh. It really would be hard to give him up.
But she would. She had to.
By the time they returned to the rental place, Stef’s legs were caked with mud, and her hands ached from her vise grip on the steering wheel. She didn’t care if her hands hurt for a week, nothing could make her regret the past couple of hours. Adrenalin pumped through her veins, wild and brilliant and exhilarating.
“I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun.”
“I think you’re in the wrong profession,” Dustin said. “NASCAR drivers make a helluva lot more than nurses. You’d kick ass on the circuit.”
“Admit it.” She nudged him with her shoulder. “This was better than cliff diving.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “If we were cliff diving, I would get to see you in a bikini.”
“Who says I would have worn a bikini?”
“Don’t ru
in my fantasy.”
“I’m not sure I wanted to know that you’ve been fantasizing about my swimwear.”
He lolled his head to the side and hit her with the most delectably wicked grin. “In my mind it’s red, with ruffles along the edges and skinny little strings holding it together.”
Stef thought about the plain navy-blue one-piece in her suitcase and burst out laughing. “You would be so disappointed with the bathing suit I packed.”
“I think I should be the judge of that.”
“Nice try, but you’re not getting me in a swimsuit today.”
He grumbled as he climbed out of the dune buggy. He pointed to a water hose next to the building. “Looks like we can wash off over there.”
As they started toward the building, Stef said, “There’s something that’s been niggling at me since yesterday morning when I found out you were Stefan’s Hawk.”
“Stefan’s Hawk? Makes me sound like a pet.”
“You know what I mean,” she said. “Anyway, I’m trying to figure out how is it that we’re meeting each other for the first time in Turks and Caicos? Stefan’s been working for you for over a year now.”
“Yeah, but I only moved to Louisiana a few months ago,” he said as he used the water hose to wash the mud from her legs. His large, steady palm moved efficiently up and down her calves, loosening the caked on dirt.
He peered up at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You’re getting turned on, aren’t you?”
“Shut up.” Stefanie laughed. She refused to admit that he was right. Having his hands on her, even in this detached way, excited her to the point of making her skin hot.
“You’ve been running your company remotely all this time?” she asked, getting back to her original question.
“It isn’t that hard to do.” He stood, rinsed off his fingers, and wiped them dry on his tank top. “I’ve got some good men and women working for me. They were able to handle things as I moved the base of operations from Alaska south to the Gulf. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I grew up in Denver, but nothing in Colorado prepared me for that Alaska cold. It’s brutal.”
I Dare You! (Moments in Maplesville Book 4) Page 4
