Page 22 of Wicked Shadows
7
CHAPTER SEVEN
They strode togetherin comfortable companionship to an island-themed boutique a few stores down from the restaurant. The locals were sheltered in their island lives, content to live in their own paradise and not invite the pressures of the mainland in. Elle’s presence wasn’t noticed any more than Devon’s was. With a new bathing suit in hand, they walked to the marina and boarded his boat.
While he maneuvered out of the marina and the no-wake zone, Elle retreated below deck to the small cabin to change into her new bikini. She grabbed the bottle of sunblock on her way back to the deck and stopped in her tracks when she cleared the doorway. A shirtless Devon stood at the helm, navigating the boat away from the island. Behind his mirrored shades was the man she’d idolized for years from a distance. But he was suddenly very close.
She slid her sunglasses over her eyes and walked toward him. “Sunscreen?” She managed to utter the single-word question.
One corner of his lips twitched, but he kept his tone neutral. “Sure.”
She stepped behind him and shook a dollop of lotion onto her hand then began rubbing it on his broad shoulders. Mesmerized by the ripples and ridges of his muscles, her movements slowed as her fingers memorized every inch of him. With deliberate concentration, she committed every sensation to memory so she could relive the moment repeatedly. She squeezed more from the bottle and continued exploring his arms and coated his lower back, taking her time since she’d run out of excuses to keep putting her hands on him. With reluctance and disappointment filling her, she took a step back and began coating herself.
“You missed a spot,” he said casually.
She looked up at him, but his back still faced her. “Where?”
“You didn’t get my chest or my ears. Do you want me to fry out here on the water in the harsh Florida sun?”
She grinned to herself, thrilled he’d challenged her the way he did. If it had been left up to her, she wouldn’t have had the courage to do it on her own. But with him all but daring her to continue, she was more than happy to oblige.
Firm strokes of her fingers glided across the smooth skin of his chest. Though his eyes were hidden, she felt them moving over her face as if he’d physically touched her. His muscled body was firm and strong under her touch. At first, she hadn’t noticed how rigid he’d become. The more she massaged the lotion into his skin, the faster his chest rose and fell with his breaths. His lips parted, and his eyebrows disappeared completely behind the rim of his sunglasses. Even with her inexperience, she loved knowing her touch affected him as much as his presence affected her, and even more so when he couldn’t hide it as well as he thought.
Intentionally adding long, smooth strokes, she increased the pressure, massaging the thick striations of his muscles more than rubbing the lotion. Relishing in his masculine quality. Allowing her fingers to roam over the hard ridges of his defined stomach muscles. From the corner of her eye, she noticed his hand gripped the boat’s steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turned white, and he became as stiff as a board.
Rising up on her toes, she brushed her breasts across his chest when she reached for his ears. She gingerly stroked over the lobes and the upper rim, drawing in the powerful scent of his cologne with every inhale.
“Have I missed anywhere else?” she asked breathily.
He silently raised one eyebrow, the arch appearing over the top of his sunglasses. One side of his mouth lifted in a slow smile, then the other side followed, revealing his white teeth against his tanned skin. “That’s a dangerous question to ask me, Elle. I already have to keep reminding myself you’re Jeff’s little sister. That little towheaded girl still lives behind your eyes.”
Being doused with a cold bucket of ice water would’ve felt better than the way his words dashed her hopes that something more than friendship could develop between them. His words, though they weren’t meant to hurt her, left a sting in her chest that momentarily clogged her throat. The emotions welled up inside with the realization he didn’t look at her at all the way she saw him.
Beth’s warning reverberated in her mind, confirming she’d gotten her hopes raised for something that would never be reality. She’d misread cues and put too much emphasis on her own feelings, projecting them onto him and seeing what she wanted to see. But his reminder that she was simply his friend’s sister brought her feet back to the ground and her head out of the clouds.
She snapped the lid of the sunscreen bottle closed with more force than necessary before stepping out of his personal space. “I haven’t been known as ‘Jeff’s little sister’ since you two graduated high school. Where are the masks, snorkels, and fins? I’ll get them ready while you steer the boat.”
“They’re in the storage compartment under the bench seat in the back of the boat.” He kept one hand on the wheel as he turned to watch her walk away. His head was leaned to the side, his eyebrows drawn together, and his gaze fixed.
Knowing he scrutinized her every move, she pushed her disappointment aside while preparing the snorkeling gear. After he’d planned an excursion to give her a reprieve from prying eyes, the last thing she wanted was to seem ungrateful. Feeling hurt was her own fault, she reasoned, for setting such unrealistic expectations. At least she had the answer she needed and could stop holding out for the one she couldn’t have.
Lost in her thoughts as she knelt in front of the storage area, she was startled when she felt strong hands grip her arms from behind and lift her to stand. She was whirled around with no effort, instantly facing him. His sunglasses were pushed up on his head, and she saw the questions swimming in the depths of his blue eyes. Without changing his gaze, he removed her sunglasses and stared deep into her eyes.
“What’s wrong, Elle?” He held her face in his hands, keeping their connection intact, refusing to let her look away from him.
Her lips parted to speak, but a reply wouldn’t come. How could she explain how foolish she’d been? If she spilled her true feelings to him, the rest of their day together would be awkward. Uncomfortable. Ruined.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Her voice was intentionally more upbeat. She forced happiness into her eyes. Whatever it took to avoid being mortified by the truth.
He narrowed his eyes, crinkling them at the corners, and lowered his brows in a demanding gesture. “For the record, I know you’re lying to me. You didn’t even feel the boat come to a stop or hear me walk up behind you. What was on your mind just now?”
“Just the things I need to do.” She was intentionally vague while stating the truth at the same time.
“Giving me a version of the truth isn’t a loophole I’ll let you get away with for long. Just remember that.”
“Are we already at the reef?”
Her abrupt change of subject didn’t go unnoticed, but he decided against challenging it for the time being.
