Wicked Sexy (Men of Discovery Island 1)

“Daeg Ross,” she said out loud, watching her grandmother’s face for a reaction.

Her grandmother didn’t look surprised. Of course, she’d also checked the guest book and Dani might have mentioned him. “He always did like looking at you,” she said conspiratorially. “When you were both in school.”

“He never said anything.” Or if he had, not to her.

Instead, he’d pushed her away, all “look but don’t touch.”

Her grandmother laughed. “Certainly, he didn’t. He was what, five years older than you? Those years don’t mean much now, but when you were teenagers that was all the difference in the world. He was a young man when you were still a child. It wouldn’t have been right.”

“You think it could work?” She didn’t know why she was asking her grandmother impossible questions. After all, sometimes there were no answers, and Dani already knew how horribly wrong a relationship could go. Just making Daeg hers for a handful of nights had been a huge departure for her. She’d taken that chance in the bedroom, and Daeg had more than proved he was one hot lover—and she’d met him kiss for kiss. But was that enough? What was enough to make the transition from weekend lovers to long-term, committed types?

“You have to take that chance, Dani. He hasn’t given you any reason to believe he won’t be there for you tomorrow, the day after or the year after, has he? Maybe you’ll have your tomorrows in different ports—and maybe he’ll be first off the boat...or you will be. There is no formula for happily ever after, Dani. What counts is that you’re both part of the equation.”

She wanted that chance, she realized.

She needed that chance.

19

“YOU COULD GO for a drive,” her grandmother had recommended. “You could go look for Daeg Ross.”

Now, with her grandmother’s words ringing in her ear, she was here out on the beach. A quick check-in at Deep Dive had revealed that Daeg wasn’t at the shop. Cal had pointed her toward the beach and, sucking up her courage, she’d gone.

Spotting a search-and-rescue soldier wasn’t difficult. Six foot two inches of male gorgeous, her Mr. Right was straddling that motorcycle of his on the hot asphalt, staring out at the water. His powerful thighs grasped the sides of the bike and his boots were planted firmly on the ground. The aviator sunglasses pulled down low over his eyes made it impossible to see what he was looking at exactly, but she knew. His eyes were fixed on the horizon and his thoughts probably on getting away from Discovery Island.

“You want something?” He posed the question when she got close, but he didn’t turn around.

Yes. She did. She wanted him and everything that entailed. Slow, sleepy mornings spent in his arms. Rides to nowhere or somewhere on his bike, checking out the island and figuring out how and where they could build a life together. All the little minutes that made up a day, and the earthshaking, heart-stopping moments, too, when things went really right or really, really wrong. She just didn’t know how to tell him.

“I do.” She stepped up beside the bike and noticed its smooth, black frame. Sleek and powerful, too. He didn’t move, didn’t give her any encouragement. She had to do this by herself. For them. “I want to talk.”

“Okay...talk.” He removed his sunglasses. His gaze was direct and unyielding. That was okay. She’d decided to fight for what she wanted and she was going to get it. For them.

“I did some soul searching about what you said in the cabin yesterday, about how you felt.”

“I suggested you take a chance. Maybe believe in us,” he interjected, his mouth quirking.

He had. Staring deeply into his eyes, she realized some things were easier to turn off than others. Stopping the flood of desire coursing through her, for instance, was downright impossible. She wanted to run her hands over Daeg’s broad shoulders; she knew the strength his arms could give. Her gaze tracked down the rest of his strong, lethal body and she—

He coughed. “Earth to Dani?”

Oh, right. Her explanation.

She shrugged helplessly. “Daeg, I’m always going to overthink things. You need to understand that. You jump in, feetfirst, and I’ll be there on the sidelines, shouting advice and encouragement.”

“And criticism,” he muttered.

“Probably,” she admitted. “But I’d like to think we’d be on the same team, working together. The night of the storm—”