The Proposal

by Jennifer Lewis

  She blinked, color dusting her cheeks. “Oh. Well, thank you.”

  She bought the necklace and matching earrings. He set the bags down in the grass when she asked him to help her put the jewelry on. His fingers brushed the velvet skin at the nape of her neck. For a second, he felt her quiver. As he laid the cool metal against her, he couldn’t help the pleasure at the knowledge that he caused it.

  Briefly, he placed his hands on her shoulders, liking the warmth of her bare skin beneath his fingers. She tensed and froze, staring at something in the distance.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I just...” She shook her head. “I thought I saw someone.”

  “Who?”

  “No one. I must’ve been mistaken.”

  He turned her toward him, searching her face. “Andrea.”

  Her eyes slid to the side. “Brad. I thought I saw Brad.” Lips compressing, irritation shimmered in her expression. “Even here...” Shaking her head again, a smile wavered on her lips. “Well, this is Hawaii. I’m not going to let him ruin it.”

  Tilting her chin up, he pressed a kiss to her lips. “Good girl.”

  Still, he found his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of the man. Considering all Deacon’s former employee had done recently, he couldn’t say he would be surprised to see Brad followed them here. If the other man had... Well, Benton admitted he wouldn’t mind getting his hands on the worthless excuse for a human being. His knuckles itched to collide with Brad’s face and feel the satisfying crunch of bone.

  “Benton?”

  Tearing his eyes away from the throng of people, he looked to Andrea. She held a colorful dress against her body in shades of blues and greens, adorned with large, obviously Hawaiian flowers. It was his own fault his mind immediately imagined her naked beneath the fabric, where he could peel it away and... Pulling his sunglasses abruptly from his shirt, he slammed them on his face.

  “You don’t like it?”

  “No. I mean, no, it’s nice. Buy it if you like it.”

  She stared at him a moment, something crossing her face before she put it away. “Well, if it’s that bad...”

  Annoyed at himself, he walked up and pulled the dress from the rack. “No, it’ll look good on you. I’ll buy it.”

  “You’re a strange man, Benton.”

  “So I’ve been told.” The merchant cheerfully bagged the dress and handed it to him.

  Reaching behind her, she held up a lei made of artificial flowers. “The lady needs this. For the dance later.”

  Taking the flowers, Andrea set them on her head. “Dance?”

  The merchant relayed the location, accepting the money Andrea passed her.

  “I don’t dance,” Benton told them both.

  Andrea lifted her chin. “Then you can watch me dance.”

  “What is it with you women and dancing? Leads to nothing but trouble.”

  “I know exactly what you’re talking about. This isn’t a club.” She plucked the lei from her head and put it in the bag with the dress.

  “You don’t need a club to make trouble.”

  “Oh, don’t be a grump.”

  Feeling as if he was being remarkably accommodating considering they were shopping, Benton left her to her assumptions. They came upon a produce vendor, and he examined the strange looking offerings with skepticism. The one the man held up looked like it was covered with green dragon scales.

  “Cherimoya. It’s very good.” Slicing one quickly, he offered Andrea a piece. Without hesitation, she tried it and her face lit with pleasure. Jaw clenching, he commanded his nether regions to behave themselves and quickly bought three, moving them along.

  By the time they made it to the end of the market, Benton wondered if they were going to have to buy an entire suitcase just to get everything home. The bags filled the back of the rental car. Buckling up, Andrea looked over her shoulder and ducked her head.

  “I promise I don’t usually shop so much.”

  Benton pulled into the traffic. “It’s Hawaii. Don’t worry about it.”

  “You’re not very helpful for a girl’s wallet.”

  “I’m not going to tell you how to spend your money.”

  “I suppose I wouldn’t appreciate that...” She mused.

  “Right.”

  Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. “I think the flight is catching up with me.”

  Benton glanced at her, tracing the lines of her face and neck. Delicate, and creamy, every inch of her begged him to touch. How the hell he was going to keep his hands off her, he didn’t know. He should have known better. Having a taste didn’t dull the ache, it only lit the fire.

  * * * *

  Forcing himself to nap, Benton woke to the sound of the shower. Images of Andrea covered in water assaulted him. Tossing the blankets aside, he stripped and headed for the bathroom, not giving himself time to think. Soap in hand, Andrea let out a surprised squeak before he closed the glass behind him and boxed her into a corner.

  “Benton, you-”

  Taking the soap from her hands, he twisted her around and started with her back. She arched into his touch, words fading into the steam surrounding them. As his fingers brushed across her stomach and rose to cup her breasts, she sucked in a breath and let herself rest against him. One arm wrapping around her waist to hold her in place, he gently squeezed one nipple and then the other. Her head fell back onto his chest and a moan squeezed out between her lips.

  Wiggling against him, her backside torturing the hardened length of him, he slipped his hand between her legs and returned the favor. Gasping, her knees fell apart, allowing him better access. He brushed his thumb across the slick folds, and when those knees threatened to give on her, he lifted her up and forced her to wrap her legs around him. Brushing wet hair from her face, he held her eyes prisoner as he leaned in to take her lips, demanding everything and finding no resistance.

  Her arms went around his neck and her fingernails dug into his back. He cupped her backside, squeezing, before unwinding her and flipping her around. She bent forward willingly, gripping the ledge wrapping around the shower side. Pulling her up by her hips, he pressed into her, easing in slowly. As the water fell across his back, he loved her until he couldn’t hold on anymore. Pressing his fingers between her legs again, he sent her over the edge and followed.

  Bringing her up with him, he held her to his chest while his heart hammered beneath it. If he had his way, he would never let her go again. But something told him that she would fight the fall, and he couldn’t make her want something she didn’t.

  Pushing the thoughts away, he finished washing them and toweled her off when they stepped onto the rug. She said nothing while he dried her hair, and he found he wanted her thoughts. She only looked at him with those blue eyes of hers, holding secrets she wouldn’t share. He let her leave the bathroom, watching her shift through the bags until she found the dress she bought earlier. She slipped it over her head, pulling a pair of panties from her suitcase to slide up her shapely legs.

  Benton knew he was gone when the only thing he wanted was to take the damn things off and pull her onto the bed.

  Looking at himself in the mirror, he held in a sigh. “You’d think you never had sex in your life.”

  Wondering where his discipline went, Benton threw on a pair of shorts and a shirt, finding Andrea sitting out by the pool. She looked up at him, questions in her face. Pulling her up into his arms, he refused to answer, instead holding her and only relaxing when she acquiesced, laying her cheek against him.

  “Let’s go dancing.”

  He felt her lips curve. “I thought you didn’t dance?”

  “I don’t.”

  Shaking her head, she pulled away from him. “Let me get my sandals.”

  Taking his phone from his pocket, Benton dialed.

  “Yo.”

  Benton grinned, though the other couldn’t see it. “Nice greeting, Ryan.”

  “Well, it’s you. Anyway,
what’s up? How’s Hawaii?”

  “It’s Hawaii. How’re Deacon and Ashlyn?”

  “You’re supposed to be on your honeymoon. Leave all the worrying to me.”

  He stilled. “Is there reason for worry?”

  “No. Chill, man. All is quiet on the home front.”

  “Good. Listen, I need you to check something out for me...”

  “Sure thing. Just say the word.”

  By the time Andrea joined him on the patio, he hung up the phone, having sent Ryan on a mission. He didn’t want Andrea to know or think about anything except relaxing. When she asked him who he was talking to, he answered vaguely about checking up on those left at home.

  She hoisted her purse onto her shoulder. “Do you ever fully relax?”

  He shrugged.

  She followed him through the bungalow, waiting while he locked the door. “That isn’t an answer.”

  He steered her toward the short path leading to the car. “That’s all the answer you’re going to get.”

  She murmured something under her breath he couldn’t quite hear. Smiling, he helped her into the car before sliding behind the wheel. If Ryan was efficient, he would have his answer before the night was out.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Two beers in, and she shimmied onto the make-shift dance floor, swallowed by a small crowd of similarly drunk females. Andrea didn’t know a single soul, but when it came to women and dancing, there was the unspoken rule of friendship and protection from unwanted attention. As she spun with a dark-haired stranger, laughing, her eyes strayed to the bar, where Benton stood with his own beer. He stood tall, sexy and dangerous in his jeans and dark shirt. Just looking at him gave her a thrill she knew better than to entertain.

  The woman whose name was Candace, leaned in again and said in her ear, “Who is that supreme specimen of man at the bar? He’s been staring this way all night.”

  Pride pulled up her shoulders. “My husband.”

  Candace laughed. “You are lucky!”

  Was she? Benton provided her with everything she needed. Except the one she wanted: love. But she knew it was foolish to want something they never agreed on in the first place. Once everything ironed out, she fully expected him to offer her a divorce.

  Shielding her heart, knowing that alcohol made her susceptible to all sorts of things not good for her, she refused to look at him again. His eyes burned into her from across the room though, and she felt the caress of his gaze no matter what direction she turned. He made her feel as if no other woman existed outside of her. That carried with it a different kind of danger.

  With two other girls in tow, Candace grabbed Andrea’s hand and drug her back to the bar. They shared a trio of shots, until Benton’s hand rested on her shoulder.

  She looked up at him.

  Leaning down, he nearly pressed his lips to her ear, causing a shiver to wind its way through her. “Be careful. You’ll be sick in the morning.”

  Rebellion sparked. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Don’t make me carry you out of here.”

  Red-lined lips flattened. “You wouldn’t.”

  “I suggest you don’t try me.”

  She leaned in, pressing her hands to his chest, alcohol making her bold and not a little reckless. The feel of him beneath her hands, all muscle and heat, temporarily tangled her tongue. He only raised an eyebrow, a smile playing at his lips.

  She slapped a palm against him. “I don’t know what you find so funny.”

  He brushed his lips across hers. “You.”

  Irritation sparked. Waving to the ladies, she looked into Benton’s face and started for the beach. She didn’t have to turn to tell he followed. Slipping from her sandals, she dug her toes into the sand as she walked. She savored the sounds of the waves sliding across the shore, knowing she would remember when she sat behind a desk a few short days later.

  The further she went, the fainter the lights from the city seemed. They glowed on the water, stretching with the current until they were beyond distorted. It reminded her of her thoughts lately. Benton had a way of confusing her and making her wonder what she truly wanted. She knew she cared for him. Nearly all her friends knew the same. So why didn’t he?

  Spinning, she stopped short of running into him. “Why did you marry me?’

  His eyebrows rose. “Why are you asking me?”

  She tossed her arm in the air, shoes flipping. “Why not?”

  “You already know.”

  Moving closer, she poked him in the chest. “Do I?”

  “You’ve had too much to drink.”

  “Don’t change the subject, Benton. You’re a quiet man. There’s more going on in there, than just marrying me so I can have some house.”

  “It’s important to you.”

  She dropped her sandals. “Am I important to you?”

  “What kind of question is that?”

  “One that wants the truth.” She folded her arms. “Did you just marry me for a house?”

  Sighing, he dragged a hand through his hair and looked off at the ocean, jaw tightening. “What do you want from me?”

  “You know.”

  “Crazy lady.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, so you can dismiss what I want. Don’t be a coward.”

  Eyes narrowing, he flexed his hands. “Lady, you’re sure dangerous when you’re drunk.”

  She tossed her hair. “Maybe I’m just more honest.”

  “I’m going for the former.”

  “Stop talking in circles, Benton.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Why is this so important?”

  “Why shouldn’t it be?”

  He rolled his eyes toward the sky. “I need to keep you safe.”

  His words sank in. “What do you mean? You married me to keep me safe? How does that make any sense?”

  “How does it not? I can’t keep you safe unless you’re with me.”

  “You didn’t have to marry me.”

  He dropped his hands. “It made the most sense.”

  She snorted. “To you. That’s typical man talk there.”

  “Don’t be rude, Andrea.”

  Those eyes held her captive. Maybe she didn’t know what she wanted to hear. She doubted he loved her. But she wanted something from him, something more than just talk of houses and keeping her alive. Even that he cared for her outside of her well-being. The man wanted her; that much couldn’t be denied. She knew that men didn’t have sex with emotion so much as women did, and she didn’t want to be one of those women: easy to sleep with and easy to leave.

  Frustrated, with herself, with him, she threw her arms up and spun again, uncertain of her destination.

  “How can I talk to you when you walk away?”

  “Oh, who cares!” She lamented, picking up speed until she reached the edge of the ocean. Dipping a toe in, she enjoyed the unusual warmth. Forgoing sense, she waded in until the water grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled.

  “Andrea.”

  Ignoring him, she trudged forward and spread her arms across the surface. It felt cleansing, as if she could let go of everything holding her back; her own hang-ups and the past and her confusion over Benton.

  He muttered something behind her and a few moments later, joined her. He had the sense to roll up his pants, but she didn’t care. Everything swelled up inside her until she felt like she was caught inside a tropical storm, waiting for it to tear her down so she could rebuild herself again.

  His arm came around her. “What are you doing?”

  She held herself stiff, not wanting to relax. “I don’t know. But I’m a crazy woman, so why does it matter?”

  She felt the heat of his breath as he pressed his nose into her hair. “I like you the way you are.”

  “Oh, really? You like me.”

  “What do you want me to say? That I care about you? Of course I do.”

  “Maybe I needed to hear it.”

  “Sometimes I don’t
know what to do with you.”

  She twisted, looking up at him. “Is that what took you so long?”

  He stilled, eyes unreadable. “You were better off.”

  Andrea shoved him. “So, you think. You didn’t ask me what I thought.”

  “Sometimes I can’t tell what you think.”