Page 15 of The Sailor

As she sat next to Zach, she realized it was the man next to her who was making her feel relaxed. He didn’t judge. Didn’t feel the need to fill the air between them with words. He was simply existing in this beautiful place with her.

She couldn’t help thinking of Lobster Cove . . . and the fact she’d despaired of ever finding someone to just coexist with peacefully, the way Britt and Chad had found each other. Was that really less than thirty minutes ago?

Her stomach twisted at the thought, a combination of nerves and excitement.

Turning, Marit studied Zach. He was staring out over the water with a serious expression on his face. She realized anew how handsome he was. He could have any woman he wanted. So why he was with her, why he’d asked her out, she had no idea. But she felt lucky.

It was a strange feeling. She’d felt as if she’d gotten the short end of the stick for most of her life. Between her health issues when she was younger, her short stature, her parents dying, her shit brothers, the issues she’d had in Portland with Thorne Deaton, she’d always felt decidedly unlucky.

Now, after spending the evening with people who obviously loved each other deeply, seeing their loyalty to each other, being a witness to Chad and Britt’s engagement, seeing Evelyn so happy about becoming a grandmother, and now sitting here at some unknown cove, her hand in Zach’s . . . she felt extremely fortunate.

“What are you thinking about so hard?” she blurted, wanting to know what was going through Zach’s head to make him look almost ferocious.

“How much I want to bash your brothers’ heads in.”

Marit blinked in surprise. Her lips quirking upward, she grinned, then she began to laugh.

Zach glanced at her. “I’m serious.”

“I know you are,” she said, still chuckling. “I was just sitting here thinking how lovely your family is. And then you come out with that.”

He shrugged. “For what it’s worth, it takes a lot to get me riled up. But make no mistake, Marit, I won’t sit back and let those I care about be abused in any way. Verbally, mentally, or physically. I hate that you had such a piss-poor experience with your family.”

Every word out of his mouth made Marit like him even more. She’d already been impressed that he seemed to always say what he was thinking, didn’t play games, was loyal to the extreme. This violent side of him didn’t scare her in the least . . . because she had an innate feeling she’d never see that anger turned toward her.

As she stared into his hazel eyes, she felt her body stirring. She wanted Zach. Wanted to know how it felt to have all that intensity he demonstrated when he talked about defending those he cared about, centered totally on her.

Marit licked her lips and her nipples hardened as his gaze dropped to her mouth. He shifted just a touch closer, and she wanted his lips on hers more than she’d wanted almost anything in her life.

She leaned into him and lifted her chin.

Zach’s free hand came up and caressed her cheek in a barely there caress. “May I kiss you?”

Shit. She was a goner. All that other good stuff she already liked about this man, and now he was asking for consent? That feeling of being lucky came back tenfold.

“Yes. Please.”

Zach leaned closer, taking his time. Heightening the anticipation. He licked his lips, and Marit was almost panting with how much she wanted this. Him.

“If you go out with me, you’re probably going to see a lot of my brothers. My mom. I’m a mama’s boy. Is that going to be an issue?”

He didn’t need to warn her. She definitely understood that he and his family were a package deal. She wasn’t sure she could do it when she’d first learned of his brothers, but now? After spending the evening with them? After seeing everyone interact and not detecting one iota of the traits she’d observed in Max and Mav?

She decided it was about time she tried to get over her fear of family. Logically, she knew that not everyone was like her brothers. Most families were decent and loving. And Zach admitting he was a mama’s boy made her want to laugh. She could see how much his mom doted on him. He was the baby of the family, after all.

“Marit?” Zach asked warily, still inches away. His hand had come to rest on the side of her neck while she’d been contemplating his words.

“No, it won’t be an issue,” she whispered.

As soon as the last word was out of her mouth, Zach’s lips were on hers.

She thought he might take things slow. Instead, his tongue immediately demanded entry into her mouth, and as soon as she opened for him, he took control. Tilting her head, tightening his hand on her neck, and moving his other hand to her waist as he devoured her.

The attraction Marit had felt before bloomed into full-fledged desire. The man knew how to kiss. He wasn’t shoving his tongue down her throat, but caressing her possessively. Showing her without words how skilled he was when it came to satisfying a woman.

They were both panting when he finally pulled back. But he didn’t go far. He kissed her nose. Then her forehead. Then her cheeks. Then he went back to her lips as if he couldn’t get enough.

By now, Marit was more than ready to strip off all her clothes and let Zach take her right then and there. It wasn’t as if there was anyone around to see them. He could’ve done anything he wanted to her—and she would’ve let him. But his hands didn’t stray past her neck or her waist. While his kiss communicated how much he wanted her, he obviously wasn’t going to attempt to go any further tonight.