Yeah, that summed up both of them quite nicely. Dinner. She forced herself to focus on the business at hand. She was here to buy a dress for dinner, a dinner where she’d made up her mind she would tell them everything. It was a huge risk, especially since she didn’t have a clue if they would really believe her. If they didn’t, they would likely turn her over to the Chicago police.
And if that happens you’re no worse off than you were before you ran.
Determined to stick to her decision despite her fear of the night’s outcome, she turned from the clothing rack and spotted a marina-blue cocktail dress on a mannequin in the center aisle. She chewed her bottom lip as she walked closer to it, taking in the richly textured lace, the scalloped edges, and the matte wraparound waistband. The design was flirty without being overly sexy, and absolutely perfect for tonight.
Her cellphone vibrated as she started thumbing through the rack next to the mannequin, looking for her size. Knowing it was Ashley, she pulled it from the pocket of her shorts, flipped it open, and tucked it between her cheek and shoulder.
“If you’re calling me with more bad news, save it,” she said by way of greeting.
“You said you would keep in touch,” Ashley scolded.
“I did and I intend to.” Bingo! Delilah found her size, pulled the dress from the rack, and held it up to study it more closely. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to call every day.”
“Dee, you’re off somewhere in BFE, you won’t tell where, and I have no way of knowing what’s going on with you unless you call me.”
“I’m not in Bum Fuck, Egypt and everything is going okay.” She considered that statement for a heartbeat before adding, “I guess.”
A bell chimed at the front of the shop and the female attendant’s pleasant voice carried through the quiet atmosphere as she greeted the new customer.
Delilah angled her head as she examined the cocktail dress. She’d bought a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of sandals during her shopping spree in Silver Springs. Both of them would look laughable with the dress.
“What did you say?”
“Huh?” Ashley’s voice pulled her from her thoughts about where to find a matching pair of shoes. “Oh. I didn’t say anything.”
“Are you shopping?”
The shock that reverberated through the cellular waves had Delilah righting her head and putting a hand on the phone to hold it to her ear. She winced. “Yeah. It’s stupid. I know. My whole world has fallen apart around me and I’m buying a cocktail dress. I just—”
Ashley bulldozed over her. “Why do you need a cocktail dress?”
“Um…” Delilah hesitated.
“Are you going on a date? You are, aren’t you?” Ashley went on before she could answer. “You’ve gone off, met some Egyptian god, and you’re going out with him tonight.”
Delilah started to say he wasn’t an Egyptian god, but reconsidered the statement. She’d already deemed Kalvin and Blaze to be built like Adonis. She supposed they could be Egyptian gods instead of Greek.
“Something like that,” she finally answered vaguely.
“Oh. My. God.” The disbelief in Ashely’s tone made each word its own sentence. “Dee, how do you know this guy isn’t the one that’s been following you?”
Delilah smiled at her friend’s concern. “It’s not, Ash. I promise. I’m certain of it.”
“But how can you be sure?” Ashely wouldn’t let it go.
“I just know, okay. Trust me. I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m not being followed anymore.” At least she was pretty sure she wasn’t. “I’m still clueless about everything and I’m probably digging myself into a different mess by going on this date, but…”
“You need some time to let your hair down,” Ashley finished when she trailed off. “You need to get your mind off everything for a little while. I get it. I’m just so worried about you.”
Delilah tightened her grip on her cellphone, afraid of the answer she might get to her next question even though she knew she had to ask. “Have you heard anything today?”
“Not a peep out of the cops or fire department.”
Delilah released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I guess that’s good and bad.”
“The insurance company called. Remember you gave them my number as an alternate contact? The adjuster wants to discuss the payment of the policies on the store and the house with you.”
“Payment?” Delilah asked, puzzled. “The last time I talked to anyone, they said there wouldn’t be any payout until the authorities completed their investigation.”
“Maybe they’re done.”
The hope in Ashley’s voice moved like a tangible wave through the distance and washed over Delilah, leaving behind a sense of confusion. If the investigation was over, Ashley would know about it before she would since no one knew where she was.
Delilah frowned. “They’re not done. Officer Dodds is probably using them to try to find out where I am.”
“Which is apparently a really prized and coveted piece of information, since you still won’t even tell me where you are.”
She smiled. “You know all you need to. I still don’t want you having to lie for me.”
“Right. And while I’m back here in Chicago not lying for you, you’re out there somewhere preparing to go on a hot date with a super-hot hunk. Somehow, I think I’m getting the raw end of this deal.”
She laughed at that. “I’m glad you called, Ash.”
“I’m going to call again tonight if I don’t hear from you first. You have until midnight.”
“I guess I better hold onto my slippers so I can make sure I’m back at my hotel in time.”
“That’s exactly what you better do. Call me as soon as your date is over. I want to know my bestie made it to her temporary home safe.”
“I promise.” She bid her friend good-bye, snapped her cell shut, and shoved it back in her pocket.
“Are you finding everything okay?” The female attendant who had greeted her when she entered the store stepped beside her and purred. “Isn’t that dress lovely? I bet the color and style will look fantastic on you.”
“It’s beautiful,” Delilah agreed. “I think I’d like to try it on.”
“Follow me. I’ll let you into the changing room.” The woman shot her a knowing smile over her shoulder as she led Delilah through the store to the far wall. “One look at you in that dress tonight and Blaze and Kalvin are going to be tripping over their tongues.”
Delilah gaped at the woman’s back. “How did you know I was buying this to go out with them tonight?”
The woman shuffled through a ring of keys on her wrist, unlocked the changing room, and turned to face her. “There might be a lot of people on this island, but the grapevine grows among the islanders like it would in any small town. My sister is a hostess at Starry Skies. Blaze reserved a table for three for tonight. You were seen having lunch with Kalvin at the Karma Café yesterday.” She shrugged. “Anyone can put all that together and come up with the newest ménage sprouting in our midst.”
“It’s…just…dinner,” Delilah stammered, not knowing what else to say.
The woman’s smile widened and she waggled her brows. “That’s how most of them start.”
* * * *
Blaze glanced at his wristwatch, noted the time was nearing seven, and rocked back on his heels as he hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his pants. “I’m stakin’ claim on the first kiss tonight.”
“You better make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground when you do it. The woman kisses like a dream.”
Blaze slid Kalvin a sideways look. “Smug bastard.”
Kalvin chuckled. “It’s not my fault I was the one who ended up being in the right place at the right time this afternoon.”
Blaze dropped his attention to his booted feet. “Yeah, about that. I stopped by the café to talk to Ari this afternoon. You know, to see what else she could tell us about Faith?”
/> “And?”
“She didn’t tell me shit, but the sheriff was there with his wife and Brandon. He offered to run a discreet background check on her to see what it pulls up.”
“You didn’t mention that earlier.”
Kalvin had told him about his encounter with Faith on the beach, about the scar Blaze had felt between her shoulder blades, and how she hadn’t wanted to talk about it.
“I wasn’t sure if I should.” Blaze raked his fingers through his hair. “Hell, I’ve been seriously thinkin’ about callin’ John and askin’ him not to.”
Kalvin pushed an audible breath from his lungs. “I don’t like it, but, if she’s in some kind of real danger and she’s keeping it from us, we may be on borrowed time.”
“I don’t like her stayin’ at the resort when we’re halfway across the island where we can’t keep an eye on her.”
That worry had started setting in when he’d seen the fear that flashed in her eyes yesterday. The fact that Arianrhod hadn’t retracted the part of her prophecy that put Faith on the run from something or someone hadn’t helped either. His woman, their woman, was in some kind of trouble and, so far, they’d spent more time away from her than at her side where they needed to be.
“She’s already accused both of us of moving too fast,” Kalvin pointed out. “Asking her to move in with us, even if we know that’s where we’re headed, will probably make her feel like she’s on a speeding freight train.”
“Hell, I feel like I’m on a speedin’ freight train.” He’d woken up yesterday morning the same as he’d been doing for too damn long…alone and wishing their woman would find her way to the island. Several hours later, their woman had walked in on him going to blows with a punching bag over shit he apparently couldn’t change for his brother. This morning, he’d still woken up alone, only their woman had finally come to the island. Instead of wishing for her, he’d spent the morning hours pondering over how to make sure she stayed. “What sucks is the fuckin’ train isn’t headin’ where I want it to go.”
Kalvin chuckled. “It’s getting there, man. We’ve just got to give her some time and be patient. She doesn’t know what we do, that she’s meant to be with us. She didn’t have an Arianrhod in her life to tell her. It’s left to us to show her.”
“I’ll be more than happy to just as—” Blaze forgot the rest of the sentence when he saw her. The slowly setting sun bathed the main drag in a hue of fading yellow light that seemed to embrace her as she walked down the middle of the sidewalk, her head held high and her gaze locked on him.
Christ, the woman was stunning. His heart started to beat triple-time as each step she took in the silver stiletto heels brought her closer to him. The dress she wore stopped just above her knees and hugged her sultry curves like a tightly wrapped gift he wanted to take his dear sweet time unwrapping.
Kalvin whistled and Blaze swore he saw a tint of pink rise in her cheeks. His buddy pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against outside the Starry Skies restaurant. Blaze shot an arm out when Kalvin started toward her, stopping the man in his tracks.
“You do it and I’ll knock your ass to the concrete,” he said out of the corner of his mouth, unable to tear his attention from Faith even long enough to give the other man the glare that should’ve accompanied his warning.
Kalvin barked a laugh and took a half-step back.
Faith stopped barely two feet from them, angled her head, and gave him a puzzled look. “Did I miss something?”
“I don’t know if you did, darlin’,” Blaze drawled as he closed the distance between them, hooked an arm around her waist, and pulled her against him. The move drew a soft gasp of surprise from her lips as she tipped her head back to look up at him. “I know I damn sure did, though.”
Blaze dipped his head and brushed a soft kiss to her slightly parted lips before inching back to meet her gaze. “You look amazing.”
Her lips unfolded in a smile that sent electricity surging straight to his cock. “Thank you.”
Unable to resist, he kissed her again, this time tracing the outline of her lips with his tongue. She moaned softly, her lips parting wider, and he took it for the encouragement he hoped it was. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, glided it over hers, and felt her arms locked around his neck as she gave herself to the kiss.
Kalvin had been wrong. The woman kissed better than any dream Blaze had ever had. God, she tasted good. He slid a hand up her spine, holding her even more tightly against him as he slanted his mouth on hers to deepen the kiss. Her heart beat a rapid pulse against his chest that matched his own, thumbing in time with the excitement and desire sizzling through his system. His cock turned to stone in his slacks and he allowed the hand still on the small of her back to drop lower, cupping her tight ass in his palm.
It took every ounce of control he had and even more he hadn’t known he possessed to break the kiss. He eased back, set his forehead against hers, and gazed at her. Desire and passion swirled in the depths of her amazing eyes. “Thank you. I was feelin’ a bit left out.”
Her eyes slowly closed and her shoulders rose as she took a deep, ragged breath. A smile toyed with the corner of her lips as her eyes fluttered open and she met his gaze again. “Damn.” The whispered word might have alarmed him if her smile hadn’t spread. She laughed, albeit breathlessly. “You’re going to have to give me a second to recover. I think you just made me forget my own name.”
Kalvin moved in at her back, put his hands on her hips, and tried to turn her between them. “Come here and I’ll help you forget it for longer.”
“Forget it, shithead.” Blaze tightened his hold on her so Kalvin couldn’t spin her around. “You got your time with her on the beach.”
“Hey, I let you have the first kiss tonight,” Kalvin argued.
“Boys!” Faith raised her voice over them, though the word shook with amusement. “I agreed to have dinner with both of you. Dinner,” she emphasized. “The invite didn’t include standing on the sidewalk outside the restaurant all night with the two of you fighting over who’s going to kiss me next.”
Blaze grinned down at her. “We’re not fightin’, sweet thing. I’ve been givin’ him hell all afternoon ’cause he ran into you and I didn’t.” He loosened his hold on her, giving her the space to turn in his embrace toward Kalvin if she wanted.
“Where were you anyway?”
“I went for my swim early this mornin’. I like the beach on the other end of the island better.”
Her eyes widened. “You mean where the nudists hang out.” A flush of color brightened her cheeks. “Quite literally, I suppose. Kalvin said there’s a nudist colony on the island.”
Blaze bit back a grin. “There is. And, yes, that’s where I go swimmin’. I don’t care for swim trunks. They’re too confinin’.”
Her brows inched together at that. “But not more confining than underwear, right?” Her face turned its reddest yet and she buried it in his shoulder as she groaned. “I can’t believe I just asked that.” She lifted her face so fast she nearly head-butted him in the chin. Her hands flattened firmly on either side of his face. “Don’t answer that. I can already see where this conversation is heading.”
Enjoying himself, he answered anyway. “No, they’re not. And, no, I don’t wear underwear either.”
She groaned again and rolled her eyes. “You just couldn’t resist, could you?”
Blaze cracked up. “You wanted to know, darlin’.”
Even in heels, she still stood a few inches shorter than him. She rose to her tiptoes, surprising the daylights out of him when she planted a kiss on his lips. “That was more information than I needed, thanks.”
“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, darlin’, whether it’s TMI or not.” He dropped his gaze between them, momentarily mesmerized by the way the curvy lace of her dress flirted with the swells of her breasts, covering the satiny flesh just enough to torment his cock and leave everything to his imagination. “I’ll ne
ver understand how women can walk in stilts. Your feet must be killin’ you after that walk from the resort.”
She giggled. “They aren’t stilts. They’re heels.” She wiggled in his embrace, bending her knees slightly as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. The move had her sultry body grinding against his cock and he barely managed to swallow the growl rumbling in his throat before it escaped. “A professional female, which I happen to be, by the way, can run a marathon in stilettos. Now, by my calculations, that makes three kisses for you. I believe Kalvin is the one missing something this time.”
She dropped her hands from his face and turned in his arms toward Kalvin. Pleased with the direction the night was already taking, Blaze stood quietly with his arms locked around her waist and Kalvin’s hands on her hips as Kalvin kissed their woman.
“Are you ready for dinner, sweetheart?” Blaze heard Kalvin ask as he broke the kiss and saw Faith nod.
Blaze let his arms fall from around her waist and laced his fingers with hers as Kalvin turned sideways in front of her and took hold of her other hand. Kalvin pulled open the door of the restaurant just as the shrill of the fire department tones spilled out of the firehouse less than a half a block across the street.
The men exchanged glances and both reached for the department radios they always carried on their belts. Blaze got to his first. He flipped up the volume he’d turned down way low as the dispatcher nestled inside the sheriff’s department relayed the call.
“We’ve got a report of a fire in one of the suites on the third floor of the resort. They’re evacuating the hotel and volunteers are already on scene, but they’re requesting the engine for assistance.”
“Sonuvabitch,” Blaze muttered and keyed up his radio. Across the street, the engine was already rolling out of the firehouse bay, its lights blazing and sirens blaring. “This is Vardry,” he said into the handheld speaker. “Fitzpatrick and I are outside Starry Skies. Radio if this is a real deal and we need to grab the other truck.”
“Roger, Lieutenant,” Mindy Slovak responded.
Safe and Burning with Ecstasy [The Heroes of Silver Island 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 8
