I eye him suspiciously, but see no sign he抯 pulling my tail.
揑抣l admit you抳e spent way more time in luxury resorts than me. But I抦 not sure the slogan of a Winthrope exclusive coffee should be 慴etter than average.挃
He smirks, his eyes glowing like he could spank me梐nd wouldn抰 that be godawful?
揇on抰 kid yourself about the high-end crowd, honey badger. Rich people aren抰 always as discerning as they think. Sometimes they抣l assume something is better only because they paid more. I agree we抣l make improvements, but I doubt it needs the work you think.?His gaze is so intense as he takes a step closer. 揚erfect is the enemy of good enough, and that抯 what makes the world run.?
揇id I accidentally sign up for your business course? I want out.?
I stare up at him, suddenly too breathless to keep sassing.
My eyes drop to his lips, that thick seam perfectly framed by his jaw, slowly chewing a hole in my whole world.
Yes, I抦 aware I抦 staring like a flipping idiot, but can I stop?
No.
揑 don抰 expect you to be chained to this lab the entire time we抮e here, you know. Get the hell out. It抯 a beautiful island. You should explore it. Fuck knows how many hours the rest of the team is actually working,?he rumbles.
Why does every little bout of grumping just make him hotter?
I swallow the heat trapped in my throat, finding enough air to force out an answer. 揧ou抮e serious??
He nods, folding his arms. They flex across his chest like timbers.
揌ave you ever really seen Hawaii, Eliza??
揊irst time. I don抰 even know where to start.?Am I rambling? 揂s far as exploring goes, I mean. I wouldn抰棓
揟ry the beach first. You can follow me梚f you want,?he adds, almost as an afterthought.
I blink. 揥hat??
揧ou basically just said you need a guide. So we抣l start at the beach and I抣l fight off any great white sharks that want to make an afternoon snack of your ass.?
I actually gasp until I realize he isn抰 serious.
Cole asshat Lancaster just cracked a stupid joke.
He turns away, staring at the scintillating waves out the window and stuffing his hands into his pockets. 揟his isn抰 business. I抦 offering to show you around off the clock, after hours…？
After hours.
Oh, God.
My heart leaps up my throat and crashes back down again. I never imagined such a mundane phrase having the force of a wrecking ball.
I抦 about to jump at the chance to throw myself headfirst into whatever this is梠r might be.
But Derek抯 stupid smug face floods my mind. A man with his bright-eyed smile, his crisp button-down, his bouquets in hand and dangerously sexy salt-and-pepper scruff.
Forever tarnished with heartless lies. The easy way he brought me to dinners and concerts and held me in bed like I was the only woman he抎 ever love.
All while his wife and kids were at home, oblivious to this loser gentleman using me for his selfish pleasure.
I can抰。
I can抰 go down that road again梐nd Jesus, I definitely can抰 with my boss.
?to talk about the coffee, right??I say sheepishly, my gaze fixed out the window when he looks at me.
Part of me wants him to say, 揊uck no. To suck the salt water off your lips,?so I have an excellent reason to run out of here screaming like my hair is on fire.
But a bigger, needier part of me wants to hear him say it so I can be stupid.
So I can gamble on making another mistake because at least I know there抯 no other woman this time.
But most of me wants him to say, 揧eah, coffee,?in a completely disarming way. Then I could safely step foot on a sandy beach with this alphalicious prick while pretending to be sane and saving face.
Yes, I know.
I am the queen of hot messes.
揑f you want,?he finally says with a one-shoulder shrug, swallowing so hard it抯 audible. 揂fter hours doesn抰 have to mean work. I抎 be open to talking about more.?
More? Panic floods my veins, but I don抰 surrender full control.
揥hen? I get the impression any time before five o抍lock is an early day for you.?It comes out of my mouth in a husky whisper.
I don抰 sound like a professional woman who抯 eager to discuss a new luxe coffee. More like a desperate tramp ready to fall on her boss?salami.
But can抰 they both be true?
Can抰 I be both without initiating my life抯 self-destruct sequence?
I want to believe.
Especially as I meet his bristling eyes and he mutters, 揙ne o抍lock. I抣l meet you at the end of the main path.?
Then his heavy footsteps pad away, leaving behind my own drumming heart.
揟his feels a little like home. Except San Diego beaches were always twenty times more crowded.?
I stare out at a few lazy surfers in the distance. A parasailor glides along the horizon as we stroll across the beach hours later, shoulder to shoulder.