by Leanne Banks
“You have beautiful skin,” the stylist said. “I just want to make it look better for the photographers. Compared to others, you take so little time.”
“You’re very kind,” Sophie said.
“Actually, I’m not,” he said. “I’ve applied makeup for many others who needed far more than you.”
“Then, thank you very much,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” he said with a wink. “But you were easy. Once you put on your red dress, every man in the room will jump at the opportunity to meet you.”
Every man in the room. The prospect made her nervous. She wasn’t at all accustomed to receiving that much attention. At the same time, she couldn’t help thinking that the man whose attention she most wanted wouldn’t even be in the room.
Chapter Seven
“Would you like another drink?” David asked as he skimmed his hand over Sophie’s bare shoulder and leaned closer to her.
His proximity made her uneasy. Until tonight, she’d enjoyed the friendly flirtation, but it seemed he was touching her much more frequently and sitting a little too close, allowing his thigh to slide against hers. Sophie found herself trying to edge away as subtly as she could.
Relieved when the dinner was concluded and David drove her to her apartment, she nearly leapt from the car. “Well, this has been a lovely evening. Thank you so much for escorting me,” she said as they climbed the stairs to her apartment.
“It doesn’t have to end,” he said in a low, seductive voice. “If you invite me in.”
Yikes, she thought and covered a big yawn. “Oh, this has been a very long day. I’m afraid I’m totally worn out.” She put her key in her door and glanced over her shoulder. “Thank you again—”
He leaned in and caught her lips with his before she could stop him. Automatically pulling back, she cleared her throat. “Thank you again.”
“I’ll call you soon,” he promised.
Sophie closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Well, darn. This flirtation distraction wasn’t working out nearly like she’d planned. How was she supposed to have a successful flirtation if she didn’t even want the man to kiss her? Sighing, she unzipped the dress and hung it up. It seemed to mock her very hopes and dreams from the hanger.
It was obvious she was going to have to tell David that she wasn’t interested in anything but friendship with him. Frustrated, she got into the shower and washed away her perfect makeup and hairstyle. Time to go back to being herself. She just wished she wanted to kiss David. But instead, Max still hung in her mind...and that kiss.
* * *
Sunday morning, Max rose and drank his coffee in the kitchen. He still had to work on the designs for the center for handicapped children. He could have stayed in his apartment and tooled around, but he decided he’d rather go to the office so he could print off some of the options.
As he drove toward the work trailer, he noticed the road was progressing well, but not as well as he’d hoped. They would be hard-pressed to finish on schedule. Max halfway noticed the beauty of the foliage and the glimpses of the rocky coast and azure ocean, but he was more interested in making headway on the plans for the new center.
Pulling into the parking lot, he noticed Sophie’s car parked next to the trailer. That’s right, he thought. The big date with Stefan’s advisor had taken place last night. The knowledge had driven him so nuts that he’d spent most of the evening at the gym, wearing himself out with a workout. He’d tried not to think about that guy seducing Sophie, but he hadn’t been successful. Truth was he hadn’t slept well in days, but he was doing his best to ignore the fact.
Curious as to why she had decided to come to the office, he entered the trailer and saw her focused on computer work. “Hey, what are you doing here?”
“Making sure I stay ahead of the curve,” she said, not looking up at him. “I don’t want to get behind. Why are you here?”
“Working on the plans for the center for handicapped children. I want to print off some drafts. Easier for me to compare,” he said.
She nodded, but still didn’t meet his gaze. “Good idea.”
He watched her for a moment. Her body was tense and erect and she didn’t wear a speck of makeup. Violet shadows formed circles underneath her eyes. Max went to the coffeemaker, which held half a pot, and poured himself a cup. “So how was the dinner last night?”
“Crab and steak. Excellent food for that kind of event,” she said, still not looking at him.
“And what about David? How’d that go?” he asked, taking a sip of the strong brew.
She finally met his gaze. “Do we have to discuss this?”
Whoa, he thought. “No. I was just curious. He was Mr. Picnic last week.”
“That was last week,” she said with a frown and returned her gaze to her computer screen.
Max took another sip and studied her a moment longer. “He didn’t hurt you or try to force you into anything, did he?”
Sophie sighed and looked at him. “No. I just want to be friends with him and I think he may want—” She bit her lip. “More.”
Max nodded, relief flooding his body. He didn’t overthink his reaction. “Poor guy,” he said, even though he didn’t feel one bit of sympathy for David.
She winced. “I guess,” she said.
Max went with his instincts. He would question them later. “Well, how about if we work for awhile then hit the beach this afternoon?”
She blinked at him. “The beach?”
“Yeah,” he said. “How often have you gone since we’ve been here?”
“Not once,” she said.
He shrugged. “So you wanna go?”
She stared at him for a long moment. “Okay,” she said. “Why not?”
Max worked through the next couple of hours, printed off his design options and shut down his laptop. He turned to Sophie. “Ready to go to the beach?”
She looked up at him. “Yes, but my bathing suit is at my apartment.”
“Let’s go,” he said. “We’re burning daylight.”
Max led the way in his rental car until Sophie took a different turn to get to her apartment. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he thought about what he should take for their trip to the beach. Beer. Did he have wine? Could he get it quickly if he didn’t have it?
Why was he second-guessing himself?
He gave a quick call to Sophie. “You bring the towels. I’ll bring the beverages, and I’ll drive.”
“I can put together a couple sandwiches,” she said.
“Offer accepted,” he said. At the same time, he thought his plan was nowhere near a gourmet picnic created by the palace.
Max was nothing if he wasn’t quick, so he grabbed his trunks and whipped into a wine store. He grabbed two bottles along with beer, ice and a wine opener. Moments later, he pulled in front of Sophie’s apartment. He tried to remember the last time he’d taken a woman to the beach. He usually just took a woman to dinner and to bed. Max wondered why he felt such a kick of anticipation.
Moments later, Sophie burst from the front of her apartment building carrying a couple of bags and wearing a big smile. The smile got to Max. He reached over and opened the car door. “Come on in.”
She slid inside the passenger seat and crammed the bags in the floorboard. “Ready,” she said.
“Then we’re off.” He drove toward the shore. “I hear there are several beaches. One is for families. One allows nudity.” He paused a half beat. “One is a little further north and not so busy.”
“Let’s go north,” she said.
He shifted the manual shift into second. “Your wish is my command.”
“Yeah,” she said in disbelief and lowered her window. The wind whipped through the vehicle and Max lowered his pass
enger window, too. The breeze was refreshing. It made him wonder why he’d waited so long to go to the beach. After all, the ocean was so close.
“This is wonderful,” Sophie said. “The ocean smells so good.”
“Can’t disagree,” Max said.
“Life is short. I’m thinking we all should enjoy what life offers. Next year, I may not be near the ocean.”
He suddenly realized what she was saying. They’d worked so many projects together, in so many interesting places, but they’d worked so hard that they’d rarely explored and enjoyed the countries they’d visited.
“True,” he said. “The beach is calling.”
He drove north and pulled into a public beach access. “This okay?”
She nodded.
He pulled the drinks and ice from the car and grabbed one of her bags. They hiked up to the beach. The hot sand sank under their feet. They trudged toward the shore where the sand was more tightly packed.
Sophie pulled out the towels, tossed one at him, set hers on the sand and pulled off her cover-up. She wore a sensible black one-piece, but Max couldn’t deny a burning curiosity about her tight, slim little body. Plopping down on her blanket, she stared at the ocean for a long moment.
“Nice view,” Max said, but he was looking at the woman beside him.
She smiled at him, clearly missing his point. “That, it is.”
Max half-chuckled to himself. “Wanna go in?”
A sliver of reticence crossed her face. “I think I want to just look at it for awhile first.”
“Afraid?” he asked as he pulled a beer from the bag. “Want one?”
“Not yet,” she said. “And not really afraid. I’m just not the best swimmer.”
“You can’t swim?” he asked, surprised. Sophie was so competent he hadn’t considered she’d have a weakness in any area, especially something practical like swimming.
“I can swim,” she corrected him. “But with the exception of that trip to the Great Barrier Reef last year when I wore a life jacket and was supervised by the tour agents, I haven’t done a lot of ocean swimming.” She sighed and wove her fingers through the sugar-white sand. “The truth is I went swimming on a day trip with a friend and got caught in an undertow. I swallowed a lot of water.”
“Well, I can’t let you keep thinking about that,” he said, putting down his beer, grabbing her hand and lifting her to her feet.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, tugging away from him.
“It may sound like amateur psychology, but the best way to deal with a bad memory is to replace it with a good experience. Let’s go.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, but moved along beside him as he led the way to the water. “Besides, what if it’s cold?”
“You’ll warm up after a few minutes,” he said, scooping her into his arms and walking into the surf, which was cooler than he’d expected. She gave a half-muted squeal that made him laugh. “The thing you have to remember about the ocean is that it’s not the same all the time. It can be stormy. There can be dangerous riptides. Or it can be calm like today. Look around,” he said and pointed up the beach. “See those people over there? The water is nearly up to their waists and they’re floating on their backs.” He lowered her into the cool water.
Her eyes grew round and she sucked in a quick breath. “Yikes, this is cold. You could have warned me.” She crossed her hands over her chest and hugged her arms. She stepped into a hole under the water, putting her off balance.
Max caught her before she tumbled into the water. “See, it’s not that bad.”
She glared at him. “You could have given me a little time to get used to the idea.”
He laughed. “Can’t do that. We’re burning daylight. I don’t know when we’ll get another chance to get out here again.”
“Well, I guess that’s true,” she conceded and looked around. “This really is an interesting island. The people, the variety of the landscape. Rocks on one beach and trees on another. Are you glad you came to meet your half siblings?”
He shrugged, feeling conflicted. “I guess so. It’s a complicated relationship.”
“I understand Bridget is gearing up to help you with a fundraiser,” she said.
He glanced at her in surprise. “I just talked to her a few days ago.”
“She’s a mover and shaker when it comes to social events, and it’s not as if she has months to pull this off. If you think about it, the more she talks about it, the better for the charity project.”
“Okay. Unless it’s a beer and burger party, she’s probably better at this stuff than I am,” he said. “And now one more thing to take care of your previous bad experience in the water,” he said as he leaned closer to her.
“What’s that?” she asked, and he saw her gaze dip to his mouth.
Max was tempted to go ahead and kiss her, but he had a feeling he’d better take his time with sweet Sophie. “Hold your breath,” he said.
Her eyes widened in shock. “Oh, you’re not going to dunk me.”
He shook his head. “No. You are.”
“I’m what?” she asked.
“You’re going to dunk your own head under the water,” he said, then added before she could protest, “I dare you.”
She glowered at him. “You would.”
“Hey, you nagged me into coming to Chantaine,” he said. “Fair is fair.”
“Okay, okay,” she said and sank under the water, then burst to the surface.
She took his breath away. Her hair slicked back and her skin glistening with water, she reminded him of a mermaid. He wondered how he could have missed the beauty of her skin and the glow of her cheeks, how dark her eyelashes were. He felt like an idiot.
“Done,” she said with a laugh. “Now I want to sit on my towel.” She slipped away before he could grab her hand and she ran from the water. Something inside him felt a little lighter at the sight of her skipping through the water.
* * *
Sophie didn’t know what was going on, but she liked it. Mostly. She’d never seen Max look at her quite that way before. At one point, she’d thought he was going to kiss her. A strange combination of adrenaline and sweetness rushed through her. She’d been waiting so long. Was Max really finally seeing her? Or would this turn into another fake-out?
Perhaps she was imagining it. Her stomach sank. Struggling with her emotions, she mashed down all the risk and scariness of the situation. Terri would tell her to enjoy it. Don’t worry. Enjoy, Terri would say. Sophie tried to take her friend’s imaginary advice.
Sophie watched Max as he walked toward her, his wide football-player shoulders moving from one side to the other. Far too attractive for his own good, he sank down beside her with a cocky grin. “I got you into the water. Betcha like the ocean better now, don’t you?”
It was hard to resist him. “Maybe,” she said.
“Maybe?” he challenged, nudging her with his elbow.
“Okay, you’ve given me another memory. It may take a few more to completely obliterate that one where I got caught in the undertow.” She looked away, sifting her fingers through the sand then she looked back at him. “But this was a good start.”
“Ready for a beer? Or do you want wine?” he asked.
“I’ll take a beer,” she said and leaned back on her elbows. “Do you remember the first time you saw the ocean?”
“Yep,” he said. “We went to the Eastern Shore when I was ten. Loved it right off the bat. Drowned out my parents’ arguments.”
She took a sip of the brew and looked at him. “That must have been hard on you.”
“Yeah,” Max said then gave a faint smile. “But the waves were great.”
“The first time I saw the ocean was the time I got pulled into the undertow,�
�� she said. “It helped to visit the Great Barrier Reef. That kinda forced me to give it another try. It helped having the life jacket and all that supervision. And seeing the fish. That was just amazing.”
“You never told me you were afraid of the ocean,” Max said.
“I’m not technically afraid. Remember I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef,” she said.
He nodded. “True. That’s pretty impressive.”
“I would have felt like a real wuss if I hadn’t,” she admitted.
He met her gaze. “I’ve never thought of you as a wuss.”
“We all have our secret fears,” she said and took another sip of beer. “So, for each drink of beer, we have to answer a question.”
“Why ruin a good beer?” he asked.
“C’mon,” she said. “It’ll be fun. Your favorite color?” she asked. “Wait. I can answer that. Blue.”
“How’d you know?”
She shrugged. “Just noticed. You always pick it when given a choice.”
“What about you? What’s your favorite color?” he asked.
“Guess,” she said.
He glanced at her bathing suit. “Black?”
She tossed him a dark look.
“Oops. Pink?”
“I have two. Blue and green. I like green because it makes me feel calm.”
“Okay,” he said. “Favorite flower?”
“I really love a combination bouquet. Roses, carnations, greenery. I like something that smells good and lasts.” She smiled and pumped her feet. “What about you?”
“Flowers?” he asked. He’d never even thought about it. “Something that won’t make me sneeze. Something in the ground. Maybe a bush. My adoptive mother had one. Hydran—something.”
“Hydrangea. They’re beautiful. Excellent choice. They can be pink, white, blue, purple.”
“She had blue ones. Big flowers with lots of blooms. She watered them every day.”
“Does she still have them?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, still does.” He sighed and took another drink. “Favorite food?”
“Chocolate mousse cake,” she said quickly.
