themselves. Alex Collins didn’t need a Mrs. in front of her name or a man standing beside her. She had a future built on her own blood, sweat, and tears.
She shouldn’t be a woman who melted at the sound of a deep voice. A successful woman didn’t go to dinner with a stranger just because he told her to. Nor did they dampen their panties at the mere suggestion of what else he may tell her to do.
Panic boiled deep inside of me, erasing Nox’s words. For a moment I was a voyeur watching the scene as a silent movie. With the faint lighting highlighting the railing, the illumination of the pool, and the glow of the candle, I saw the movement of his lush full lips, but I couldn’t hear the words. My attention was focused on the small shadows that chased across his high cheekbones and in the hollows of his eyes.
Nox reached across the table as my name echoed through the salty air.
“Charli? Charli?” The name was spoken each time louder than the one before. “Are you feeling ill?”
“What?” I shook my head. Perspiration dripped between my breasts as a chill settled over me. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know…” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Four years in one of the most acclaimed colleges and suddenly I was inarticulate.
“Give me your hand.”
Mindlessly, I obeyed.
“Let’s go inside. Maybe it’s the chill.”
I stood, allowing Nox to guide me back into the suite. With only the slight pressure of his large hand in the small of my back I became his puppet.
“B-But our dinner?”
“Don’t worry. Mrs. Witt will bring it inside. If you’re feeling up to it, we can finish it in here.”
Hugging my midsection and calming the thoughts in my head, I nodded.
Once we were inside, Nox removed his suit coat and placed it over my shoulders. The intoxicating scent of cologne filled my senses. I wondered how I hadn’t noticed it outside. It must have been the breeze. With the soft satin covering my shoulders, I was enveloped in a woodsy scented cloud. Nox led me to a sofa near the windows while Mrs. Witt set our dinner on a dining room table.
His blue eyes swirled with gray and navy, like the clouds to his rumbling voice. “What happened?”
I lowered my chin, unable to answer, not because I couldn’t speak, but because I didn’t know.
His grin returned, if only tentatively. “Your coloring is better. How do you feel?”
I nodded. “Better. I really don’t know what happened. I-I don’t want to admit that I’m nervous.”
Nox’s confident tone was back. “Nervous? Surely, Charli, you’re accustomed to the attentions of men.”
I shrugged. “I-I’m not.” I looked up at his scrutinizing stare. “I mean, it’s not like this is my first either. It’s that I’ve been busy with school and, well, I haven’t dated in awhile.”
“School?”
“Yes, I recently graduated.”
“Tell me that you mean from college ,” he demanded.
I couldn’t help the smile. Did I look that young? “Yes. I promise I’m of legal consent.”
“I didn’t doubt that.” His tone rose and he squeezed my knee. “Now, what it is that you’re willing to consent to … that’s what has piqued my interest.”
“Nox, this week is supposed to be my—well, our, my and Chelsea’s— discover life week. Discover and enjoy but take no souvenirs. I have a lot happening in the future.”
“Charli, I may have called you my wife at the pool, but rest assured, that’s not what I’m looking for. Simply put, I find you attractive—striking really. You’re well-spoken and witty. I like that. Believe me, when I decide a woman is mine, I hold on tight. But if we set the ground rules of going into this next week with no expectations for more, I can do that.”
I thought about his proposal as we moved to the table. Though the seared shrimp smelled delicious, I moved it around my plate more than I ate.
“Again with the rules?”
His forehead wrinkled. “Do you have a problem with following
She shouldn’t be a woman who melted at the sound of a deep voice. A successful woman didn’t go to dinner with a stranger just because he told her to. Nor did they dampen their panties at the mere suggestion of what else he may tell her to do.
Panic boiled deep inside of me, erasing Nox’s words. For a moment I was a voyeur watching the scene as a silent movie. With the faint lighting highlighting the railing, the illumination of the pool, and the glow of the candle, I saw the movement of his lush full lips, but I couldn’t hear the words. My attention was focused on the small shadows that chased across his high cheekbones and in the hollows of his eyes.
Nox reached across the table as my name echoed through the salty air.
“Charli? Charli?” The name was spoken each time louder than the one before. “Are you feeling ill?”
“What?” I shook my head. Perspiration dripped between my breasts as a chill settled over me. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know…” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Four years in one of the most acclaimed colleges and suddenly I was inarticulate.
“Give me your hand.”
Mindlessly, I obeyed.
“Let’s go inside. Maybe it’s the chill.”
I stood, allowing Nox to guide me back into the suite. With only the slight pressure of his large hand in the small of my back I became his puppet.
“B-But our dinner?”
“Don’t worry. Mrs. Witt will bring it inside. If you’re feeling up to it, we can finish it in here.”
Hugging my midsection and calming the thoughts in my head, I nodded.
Once we were inside, Nox removed his suit coat and placed it over my shoulders. The intoxicating scent of cologne filled my senses. I wondered how I hadn’t noticed it outside. It must have been the breeze. With the soft satin covering my shoulders, I was enveloped in a woodsy scented cloud. Nox led me to a sofa near the windows while Mrs. Witt set our dinner on a dining room table.
His blue eyes swirled with gray and navy, like the clouds to his rumbling voice. “What happened?”
I lowered my chin, unable to answer, not because I couldn’t speak, but because I didn’t know.
His grin returned, if only tentatively. “Your coloring is better. How do you feel?”
I nodded. “Better. I really don’t know what happened. I-I don’t want to admit that I’m nervous.”
Nox’s confident tone was back. “Nervous? Surely, Charli, you’re accustomed to the attentions of men.”
I shrugged. “I-I’m not.” I looked up at his scrutinizing stare. “I mean, it’s not like this is my first either. It’s that I’ve been busy with school and, well, I haven’t dated in awhile.”
“School?”
“Yes, I recently graduated.”
“Tell me that you mean from college ,” he demanded.
I couldn’t help the smile. Did I look that young? “Yes. I promise I’m of legal consent.”
“I didn’t doubt that.” His tone rose and he squeezed my knee. “Now, what it is that you’re willing to consent to … that’s what has piqued my interest.”
“Nox, this week is supposed to be my—well, our, my and Chelsea’s— discover life week. Discover and enjoy but take no souvenirs. I have a lot happening in the future.”
“Charli, I may have called you my wife at the pool, but rest assured, that’s not what I’m looking for. Simply put, I find you attractive—striking really. You’re well-spoken and witty. I like that. Believe me, when I decide a woman is mine, I hold on tight. But if we set the ground rules of going into this next week with no expectations for more, I can do that.”
I thought about his proposal as we moved to the table. Though the seared shrimp smelled delicious, I moved it around my plate more than I ate.
“Again with the rules?”
His forehead wrinkled. “Do you have a problem with following
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