All of Me: Rod & Daisy Duet Box Set Page 8

  “You have my undivided attention.”

  “When you asked me if I was here looking for my soul mate, I told you I didn’t know if I even believed in that anymore. The truth is, I want to believe in two people loving each other for their entire lives. I want to believe there’s one man out there meant only for me. When all of this happened today, it was like a hard slap in the face that woke me up and made me accept it’s not in the cards for me. At all.

  “Anyway, I know you enjoyed having two women fight over you, but I’m afraid my reaction was more about me and the death of something I’ve always wanted to believe in than it was about you and some bimbo in the hallway.”

  “Just so I’m clear, none of your reaction was because you felt jealous or territorial over me?” His question is meant in jest, I know that, but there’s a modicum of earnest curiosity in it too.

  “I can neither confirm nor deny there was any jealousy involved. But if I hike my leg and mark my territory on you later tonight, I need you to overlook it. Let it happen without commentary. Chalk it up to me having a bad day.”

  His roar of laughter is exactly what I need to hear after my surge of adrenaline mixed with other hormones.

  “I’ll do my best not to be offended by it. If it makes you feel any better, I was very jealous when I saw that jackass, Thomas, talking to you. I was ready to kick his ass before I heard what he was saying. Maybe I’m selfish, but I don’t want to share you with anyone else. What if you left me because you decided you liked him better?”

  Rod and I just crossed a line we never intended to traverse. There’s a lot more truth behind that question than there is jest.

  “That’s not something you have to worry about with me, Rod. Unfortunately for you, once you become my friend, you’re stuck with me for life, no matter what happens. Just ask Tracy. She’s been trying to get rid of me for years, but I haven’t taken the hint yet.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Daisy

  “We had a great talk after you and Kevin left. We’ve kept things superficial until now. It seems as if we’ve turned a corner and are sharing more personal information with each other. But do you think that’s such a smart thing to do? I mean, we only have a few more days together, then I’ll never see him again. Not weeks. Days.” I turn to Tracy, waiting for her to impart her wisdom and tell me what I should do about these damn feelings I have for Rod.

  “Of course I think it’s the right thing to do. Share all your feelings. Squeeze his out of him. Lay it all out on the line. How else will I get you laid? You won’t give any other guy a chance to get to know you. You’re brave, gorgeous, and strong. I want to add happy to that list.” She waits for my argument, ready with her next countermove.

  “There’s an enormous problem with this scenario. Two, actually.”

  “And what are these two enormous problems?”

  “One, I really like him. I don’t want to like him because I know how it’ll all end. And two, I don’t know much more about him other than his first name and that he’s a software developer. He’s withholding information on purpose. I won’t ever see him again once we get back to Atlanta. I’m not interested in a vacation fling. I thought I made that crystal clear before we booked this trip.”

  “Yes, you certainly did. Every damn day from the time we booked it until this very minute. But here’s what you’re not considering, you need to lighten up and have some fun while you’re still young. So what if it’s a vacation fling? It’ll be the fling of a lifetime. The memories will be great and will linger awhile. The second thing, you like him, stop that shit right now. He’s a means to an end, and it will end. Stop putting your heart on the line.”

  “You know me, Trace. You know I’m not a casual sex kind of woman. I don’t take those kinds of chances. And as far as my heart, I didn’t say I was in love with him. I don’t even believe in falling in love anymore. Besides, I just met him, for crying out loud, so it’s not as if I’m planning our wedding or anything. But his personality is almost impossible to resist. He’s a different person when we’re alone than when the crowd is watching.”

  “There’s only one way to fix that, my dear. Stop resisting. Ride him like you’re a jockey trying to win the Kentucky Derby and get him out of your system. It’s the angsty buildup that’s making your mind all mushy. Get that out of the way and you’ll feel much better.” She shrugs and sheds all her clothes on the way to the shower.

  “Thanks for the pep talk. Glad I can always count on you to give me the best advice.”

  Only her hand emerges from the bathroom, with her middle finger standing tall and proud, in a special best friend message meant only for me.

  I fling myself back on the bed and replay our conversation in my mind. Before I realize it, my thoughts drift back to Hot Rod and the day we spent at the cabana. After we rejoined the others and finished the luscious meal, everyone wanted to take a turn on the slide. Not wanting to be the oddball out, I got in line and waited my turn. Rod slipped in front of me just before I reached the ladder.

  When he leaned down to brush a kiss across my cheek, he murmured words of encouragement in my ear. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll be right there to catch you.”

  And he was.

  Not that I’d ever admit this to Tracy because she’d use every word of it against me, but once I got over my initial anxiety of the unknown, I loved the ride so much I couldn’t stay off the slide. The feeling of soaring through the air, the thrill of picking up speed, and the sensation of my stomach dropping in that split second between leaving the slide and hitting the water below became addicting.

  That experience is a lot like how I feel when Rod acts chivalrous and attentive. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a little voice keeps reminding me this is nothing more than infatuation. I’ve dreamed about a man who is thoughtful and devoted to me for so long, I’ve projected those feelings onto Rod and made my mold of the perfect man fit him.

  But maybe Tracy is on to something with the whole building memories idea. After examining the last several years of my life, I have to face the cold, hard truth.

  I haven’t really been living at all.

  I’ve been existing, moving through one day to the next without making many remarkable memories along the way.

  Simply marking the days off the calendar isn’t making my mark on the world.

  “Tracy, I’m raiding your clothes for my dinner outfit tonight,” I announce on my way to her side of the closet.

  She pokes her head out of the bathroom. “Are you fucking with me right now? Just messing with me to try to psych me out?”

  “Yep, I sure am. I’m totally fucking with you and messing with your head.” I pick up her white mermaid dress. It’s backless with spaghetti straps and a long slit in the front. It’s perfect. Even though she’s taller than me, I can pair it with my heels and make it work.

  Then I step in front of the full-length mirror and hold it up in front of me. The silky material will perfectly cling to every curve. I can’t wait to walk into the formal dining room wearing this baby.

  “You look different.” Tracy steps out of the bathroom to watch me. Her head tilts to the side and her expression is softer than normal. “You’re happy.”

  “Why do you sound so surprised about that?”

  Her eyebrows draw down, but not in anger. At this point, I think I’d prefer angry Tracy, because the look she’s giving me now is one of pain. “Because I haven’t seen you truly happy in a really long time.”

  “That’s not true. I’m always happy.”

  “No, you’re not. You enjoy making others happy, but your happiness always takes a back seat. What you’re doing right now is all for you, and it looks good on you.” She wraps her arm around my shoulders, and we stare at each other in the mirror. “There will come a time tonight when your fears try to take over. They’ll attempt to convince you to change clothes, to hide away in the room, or something else equally dumb. Don’t let them steal your joy, Daisy
. You deserve to have fun, whatever that means to you.”

  “Rod asked me to go on a hike in the mountains with him tomorrow. I said I’ll go. Just the two of us, alone, in the woods.”

  “That sounds fantastic. I’m happy for you. Trust me when I say, you will make it back here in one piece and completely unharmed, or Rod will never see the light of day again.” She kisses me on the cheek. “You know I love you and I’d never encourage you to do anything that would end up hurting you.”

  “I do know that, and I love you too.” I lay the dress on the bed while she grabs her makeup bag out of the bathroom and begins her routine. “You and Kevin seem to be all cute and cozy. What’s going on with you two?”

  “Just a little vacation fun. He’s a nice guy and so good looking. And he does this crazy thing with his tongue that I can’t get enough of.”

  “Stop. Stop it right now. There is no way this story can end with me ever looking him in the eye again. Considering I’ll see him at dinner in a little while, I don’t need that visual stuck in my head.”

  Tracy shrugs. “Your loss. I’m just trying to help so you can tell Rod how to do it.”

  “Tracy—seriously—stop right now.” She cackles with her evil laugh behind me as I walk toward the bathroom for my shower.

  Great. Now I’m thinking about Rod, his tongue, and whether he’s taught it any freaky moves. Dinner tonight won’t be awkward at all. Then after dinner, when we go for a stroll on deck or dancing in the nightclub, all my thoughts will gravitate to that one question. I’ll have a permanent blush on my face.

  I’m blaming it on the sun today.

  After showering, shaving, and setting my makeup, Tracy and I slip into our little robes and enjoy some quiet time on our balcony. Watching the waves wash ashore as the sun sets is relaxing, and not anything I get to see living in the Atlanta area.

  “When we get home, I want you to promise me you’ll have more fun and be happy. I’m just warning you now, so you’ll have plenty of time to get your mind settled.” She doesn’t bother looking at me as she relates her directive. I know she means well, so I give her a pass.

  “You have my word.” My instant agreement surprises her at first.

  “Remember this moment, Daisy, because I’m holding you to this agreement.” The devious smile on her face worries me. That’s usually reserved for the most heinous situations. “Time to get dressed for dinner. I can’t wait to see Rod’s tongue fall out of his mouth when he sees you in that dress.”

  Rod’s tongue will fall out his mouth.

  Perfect.

  Someone help me.

  After I slide the slinky dress over my head and step into my heels, I move in front of the mirror. I’m shocked by what I see in the reflection. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was a beautiful, confident woman who had everything going for her.

  “Forget Rod. My fucking tongue is on the floor. You look so fucking hot. Too bad we’re both heterosexual, huh?”

  “Yeah, that’s too bad.” I laugh with her. “Thank you, though. I appreciate the confidence booster.”

  “Did you bring that other dress for formal night like I said?” She arches one brow at me.

  “Yes, ma’am. I wasn’t planning on actually wearing it until now, though. I only brought it so I could say I did.” I smile sweetly at her to prevent her wrath.

  “Just be glad you changed your mind when you did. It’s in a few nights and we’re going all out for it. Spa treatments, getting our hair done, and adding some new jewelry from the resort’s shopping center. I can’t wait.” Tracy rarely gets excited over anything like this, so I know she’s put a lot of thought into this.

  “I’ll be right beside you, with bells on. Well, maybe not bells, but a beautiful formal gown and whatever new jewelry you pick out for me.”

  We purposely wait several minutes past the official formal dining time to avoid the lengthy lines. Everyone else is seated already, so we’re able to walk through the double doors without waiting behind anyone. It feels like the vacation equivalent of being fashionably late for a red-carpet event. When we approach our prearranged table, Rod looks up from the evening menu. His bottom jaw drops to his chest and his eyes bulge out of their sockets. I may have imagined a slightly exaggerated cartoon version of him, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

  However, the heat level in his eyes that’s nearing the flash point of spontaneous combustion is very real. I feel their searing caress as he inhales deeply and lets his gaze flow over my skin. He doesn’t try to hide his obvious reaction, and it serves as an aphrodisiac for me. Being desired and feeling desirable is a heady combination.

  Then he licks his lips.

  My mind goes right there. To his tongue, and all the tricks it may or may not know.

  The blush starts at my chest and flames up my neck to my face. With his attention solely on me, he notices it immediately. I drop my gaze from his to focus on the floor directly in front of me, but I can’t stop the corners of my mouth from lifting. When I finally meet his intense stare again, there’s no doubt his mind-reading skills rival Tracy’s. I also detect a fair amount of pride in his realization that he’s the cause of my current state, even if he doesn’t know exactly why.

  “You look absolutely amazing, Daisy. I mean, I’ve drooled over you in a bikini all day already, so I never thought putting on more clothes could make you even sexier. I’m not sure what to do with myself now. It’s as if everything I ever believed in was a lie.” He steps over to my table and pulls my chair out for me. Then he takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it.

  I’ve always wanted someone to do that. How I wish this guy was real and not only a vacation version of himself.

  “Thank you. You look very handsome tonight yourself, Rod.”

  Before we finish our meals, we combine our tables into one instead of talking across the aisle. We get more than a few side eyes from the others for laughing a little too loudly in the more formal dining area of the hotel. When we’ve eaten our fill and annoyed the other vacationers enough, we decide to take our private party to the exclusive beach and enjoy some fresh night air. The moment we step outside, Kevin and Tracy ditch us in favor of taking a stroll meant for two.

  Rod smiles and extends his hand. “How about a drink, a short walk, and a comfy lounge chair with a view?”

  “Just one chair?” I think I know what he means, but I’m a little rusty at this whole dating thing, or fake dating, or vacation flinging, whatever we’re doing, I’m rusty at it.

  “One chair. You lying in my arms under the stars with no one else around. Is that okay with you?”

  “That sounds like heaven on the beach to my ears.” It really does.

  “Perfect. What do you want to drink?”

  “A cosmopolitan. It’s my all-time favorite.”

  We stop at the poolside bar and he orders our drinks. Then we leave our shoes on the boardwalk and stroll barefoot through the sand to the more secluded area. I hold his drink while he drags the lounge chair closer to the water. Once Rod settles in the lounger, I sit between his legs and lean my back against his chest. The warm air gusts over my skin, but the man behind me causes the goosebumps covering my body.

  “Are you cold?” Before I have a chance to answer, he sets his beer bottle in the sand, raises up, and removes his jacket. Then he leans back, pulling me with him, and covers me.

  Now his scent really is all over me. It’s a masculine scent I wouldn’t mind bathing in, spicy and woodsy, mixed with an intoxicating aroma that’s so unique to Rod I’d recognize blindfolded. I sip on my drink from under his coat, though I don’t need it. The gesture has my head spinning. I’m wrapped in the warmth of Rod from all sides.

  Lying in his arms is the stuff dreams are made of, or at least the kind of dreams my escape into steamy romance novels gives me. I’m not sure he’d meet Tracy’s minimum qualifications of a billionaire badass biker who secretly wants to fall in love, but I do think he has an enormous hea
rt he tries to hide from the world. The brief mentions of his sister were with a distinct tenderness in his expression.

  When I finish my drink, he takes the glass from me and places it in the sand beside the chair. Then his arms snake under his jacket, glide across the silky material of my dress, and brand my skin with his touch.

  “Part of me wants to take you to the nightclub on the rooftop and dance the night away. Another part wants to keep you right here, where it’s quiet and we’re all alone. But I’ll do whichever you’d prefer without complaint.” His lips brush against my ear as he speaks. But he doesn’t move while he waits for my choice.

  He’s right there. I could turn my head with very little effort and kiss him. The quick one I planted on him in the ocean was a spur of the moment decision, prompted by the circumstances, and it was a couple of days ago. In this intimate setting, I’d send a very different signal, one I’m not sure I’m ready to follow through on just yet.

  The mere thought of it conjured it into being because here I am, turning toward him, and pressing my lips against his. He responds by turning so we’re lying side by side. I push his jacket off me and caress his cheek with my fingertips. His eyes search mine for a moment and a flash of uncertainty lights in them, but I don’t know what question he’s asking me. He slowly shakes his head before capturing my mouth with his.

  What starts as a slow burning candle quickly morphs into a fully involved inferno. His tongue glides across the crease of my lips, asking for entrance, and I instantly comply. He threads his fingers through my hair and grips the roots, tugging just enough to make the pain and pleasure mix deliciously. The urgency in his kiss isn’t demanding or aggressive, it’s empowering to me. The way he’s mastered the art of kissing should come with a warning label.

  He leaves my lips and moves his mouth along my jawline toward my ear, then down my neck. The light nips, warm licks, and soft caresses he leaves have my body churned up like the ocean in a ship’s wake.