“Whoa!” Grabbing her hand, he forced her to stop. “Maria, look at me.”
“Just let me go.”
“Not until you look at me. You’re not sure how you feel about what happened, and you’re twisting things around so you can avoid those emotions. I’m not going to let that happen. Look at me,” he demanded in a low voice.
There was anger in her eyes when they finally settled on him, but he also saw uncertainty swirling around in them. “Maria, from the moment that I looked you up, I knew that I wanted to help Christmas Crates. The fee to get you to fly me was a fraction of what I wanted to pay. What you’re doing is amazing, and I want to be a part of it. This trip to the beach was so I could finally see a genuine smile on your face. You’ve stressed and worried and hissed and snarled from the moment I laid eyes on you. I wanted you to smile. I wanted to be the reason that you smiled. I won’t deny that I wanted you, but I would have been equally as happy seducing you back in the hotel room. I didn’t do all this simply to get you naked, Maria.”
He didn’t release her until her shoulders relaxed. She gave him a small smile. “Okay, but what you’re talking about is a business transaction, and I refuse to do that while I’m naked. Can we talk about it when we get lunch?”
Jarik could tell that she’d slipped a little out of his grasp, but he hadn’t lost her completely. They’d talk, and he’d make love to her again.
And again and again until she realized that he wasn’t planning on letting her go. Ever. Maybe then, she’d finally give in.
He took his time getting dressed and gave her time to sort herself. He even turned his back until she cleared her throat to give him the all clear.
“There’s a place that my brothers and I used to love. Interested?”
“Something swanky, I’m sure,” she muttered, but she smiled at him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. She was warming to him.
He helped her back over the rocks again and led her a few blocks up the beach before stopping in front of a small building with a single window.
“Is this is it?” Maria asked with a laugh. “Boy was I wrong.”
“Glad I could surprise you. As kids, my brothers and I were little hellions. My mother used to say that we weren’t fit for restaurants, but here we could eat good food and still run along the beach and make trouble.”
“Is that you, Jarik?” an elderly man called. “Come here for your regular? Ah. Is that a lady with you?”
“Gordon!” Jarik reached through the window to give the old man a hug. Gordon had seemed ancient when Jarik was a kid, and he honestly couldn’t believe the man was still alive, let along working. “This is my friend, Maria.”
“Maria. You are very beautiful. Please tell me that you are more than friends,” Gordon said with a wink. “If he will not claim you, I am single.”
“Oh, my,” Maria laughed. She leaned over as the old man kissed her on the cheek. “I am very fond of the view here.”
“The beach or Gordon?” Jarik asked, amused.
“Both.”
“She’s a keeper, Jarik! While you’re here, can you help me real quick? My assistant is off on an errand, and my back isn’t what it used to be.”
Jarik kissed the top of Maria’s head, almost absently, and went to help Gordon. The old man opened the door to the yellow shack and pointed to some boxes on the floor. “How can I help you?”
“They’re the bags of soda, and my cola is out.”
Jarik hauled the bag of syrup from the box and pushed it on the rack. As a teenager, he’d spent a few summers at the beach and helped Gordon out when the old man needed it. Screwing the line in place brought back fond memories. The carbonation machine made a few popping noises before the syrup started to flow through the line. “All set!”
“Good, good. Your lovely lady ordered, and I’ll have it ready in a few minutes. Now, go out and woo her.”
“Woo her? I thought she was going to be your girlfriend!” Jarik teased.
“I see the way you look at her son, and it’d be suicidal for anyone to try to take her away from you. How long have you two been dating?”
“Dating?” Jarik shook his head. “I’ve only known her for a few days.”
“A few days?” Gordon frowned. “Be careful, Jarik. The hotter the flame, the worse the burn.”
“When have you ever known me to get burned?” Jarik asked with a wink. Hugging the old man, he went back out to join Maria. She was staring off at the shore. “Are you okay?”
“It really is beautiful here,” she murmured as she turned back to him. Nervously tucking her hair behind her ear, she cleared her throat. “I owe you an apology about earlier, Jarik. Usually I don’t stick around after sex, so I guess I’m not sure how to conduct myself.”