veins.
Her gaze heated and roamed over his chest and biceps. “If anybody could, it would be you.” Her eyes met his. “My brothers are big guys.”
She looked at him like he was her hero, and suddenly, he realized he wanted to be. He scooted over on his chair. “Sit with me, Marin. I want to put my arms around you.”
Her brow creased. “Do you think there’s enough room?”
“Yep.” He patted the narrow space beside him. Marin shifted from her lounger to his. He put his arms around her and held her close and whispered, “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re beautiful, graceful and athletic.”
She tipped her face up to stare at him, her eyes wide and full of doubt. “ That’s how you see me?” She snorted. “Just wait till you get to know me better.”
He sensed the deep hurt beneath her words. Stirred with emotion and protectiveness for the woman he held in his arms, Jason had to swallow a couple times before he could continue. “It is how I see you. I’m an analytical thinker. We’ve spent all week together, and I’ve watched you.” He ran his palm down her arm and kissed her forehead.
“You just get so totally absorbed in the world around you that you forget about yourself. You’re so filled with wonder and appreciation for the things the rest of us take for granted, you lose track of your own perimeter. That’s all there is to it, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.”
Her lovely eyes grew bright, and she blinked up at him with that dreamy look he’d grown so familiar with over the span of a handful of glorious days. Lord, that look did things to his insides.
“Thank you, Jason. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she whispered.
Placing his finger under her chin, he tilted her face up and kissed her. She put her arms around his waist and sighed against his mouth. Having her in his arms felt right, like they belonged together. Ending the kiss before they made spectacles of themselves, he shifted around until they were both comfortable. Then he cradled her against his chest, a deep contentment filling his very soul.
He wanted to be the one who lifted her away from fire ants, caught her before she fell, tripped or slipped. To be her hero, and to have her always look at him the way she did tonight suddenly became very important to him. More than anything, he wanted to be the lucky guy who shared her bed and her life. Marin was beautiful, inside and out. He kissed her forehead again and played with her silky hair.
She yawned. “I’m not going to make it through the movie,” she mumbled.
“That’s OK. I’ve got you.”
She nodded against him, snuggled closer and closed her eyes.
She’s the one , a voice whispered through his head. He didn’t doubt, didn’t question. He’d fallen in love with this gorgeous, distracted interior designer. Happiness filled him. His eyes stung, and the stupid grin he’d been trying to batten down the entire week split his face once again. He might as well get used to looking like an idiot, because he wasn’t going to let her go.
#
“I can’t believe I’m this full again,” Marin said with a sigh, leaning back against the leather seat. She glanced around at the elegant Crown Grill, appreciating the dark paneling, parquet and marble floors and etched glass partitions. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a steak that delicious, and who knew salt came in smoked applewood or Hawaiian pink flavors?”
“And the lobster.” Jason groaned. “It’s going to be really tough to go back to eating normal meals.” He signed the slip for their dinner. “Want to walk tonight, or would you rather find a quiet place to sit?”
“Walk, of course. This is the last chance we’ll have to spend time on the promenade deck.” Sadness and uncertainty swirled through her. She and Jason had pretty much abandoned the rest of the SLS group and gone off on their own after Tulum. They’d spent their days and evenings
Her gaze heated and roamed over his chest and biceps. “If anybody could, it would be you.” Her eyes met his. “My brothers are big guys.”
She looked at him like he was her hero, and suddenly, he realized he wanted to be. He scooted over on his chair. “Sit with me, Marin. I want to put my arms around you.”
Her brow creased. “Do you think there’s enough room?”
“Yep.” He patted the narrow space beside him. Marin shifted from her lounger to his. He put his arms around her and held her close and whispered, “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re beautiful, graceful and athletic.”
She tipped her face up to stare at him, her eyes wide and full of doubt. “ That’s how you see me?” She snorted. “Just wait till you get to know me better.”
He sensed the deep hurt beneath her words. Stirred with emotion and protectiveness for the woman he held in his arms, Jason had to swallow a couple times before he could continue. “It is how I see you. I’m an analytical thinker. We’ve spent all week together, and I’ve watched you.” He ran his palm down her arm and kissed her forehead.
“You just get so totally absorbed in the world around you that you forget about yourself. You’re so filled with wonder and appreciation for the things the rest of us take for granted, you lose track of your own perimeter. That’s all there is to it, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.”
Her lovely eyes grew bright, and she blinked up at him with that dreamy look he’d grown so familiar with over the span of a handful of glorious days. Lord, that look did things to his insides.
“Thank you, Jason. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she whispered.
Placing his finger under her chin, he tilted her face up and kissed her. She put her arms around his waist and sighed against his mouth. Having her in his arms felt right, like they belonged together. Ending the kiss before they made spectacles of themselves, he shifted around until they were both comfortable. Then he cradled her against his chest, a deep contentment filling his very soul.
He wanted to be the one who lifted her away from fire ants, caught her before she fell, tripped or slipped. To be her hero, and to have her always look at him the way she did tonight suddenly became very important to him. More than anything, he wanted to be the lucky guy who shared her bed and her life. Marin was beautiful, inside and out. He kissed her forehead again and played with her silky hair.
She yawned. “I’m not going to make it through the movie,” she mumbled.
“That’s OK. I’ve got you.”
She nodded against him, snuggled closer and closed her eyes.
She’s the one , a voice whispered through his head. He didn’t doubt, didn’t question. He’d fallen in love with this gorgeous, distracted interior designer. Happiness filled him. His eyes stung, and the stupid grin he’d been trying to batten down the entire week split his face once again. He might as well get used to looking like an idiot, because he wasn’t going to let her go.
#
“I can’t believe I’m this full again,” Marin said with a sigh, leaning back against the leather seat. She glanced around at the elegant Crown Grill, appreciating the dark paneling, parquet and marble floors and etched glass partitions. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a steak that delicious, and who knew salt came in smoked applewood or Hawaiian pink flavors?”
“And the lobster.” Jason groaned. “It’s going to be really tough to go back to eating normal meals.” He signed the slip for their dinner. “Want to walk tonight, or would you rather find a quiet place to sit?”
“Walk, of course. This is the last chance we’ll have to spend time on the promenade deck.” Sadness and uncertainty swirled through her. She and Jason had pretty much abandoned the rest of the SLS group and gone off on their own after Tulum. They’d spent their days and evenings
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