Chapter Three: Ellie

Chapter Three: Ellie

- Seduction?

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The introduction left me dizzy and breathless.

I knew I was biting my lip. Sending mixed signals about what was happening, because at this point, not even I knew.

Was this seduction? Had I been missing it? Doing it wrong this whole time?

I wondered when he released my hand and waited expectantly for a name in return—a name I had momentarily forgotten.

Giving out my personal information was probably the lowest thing on my to-do list, which was expected at places like these. Privacy. Anonymity. For people who actually had lives to leverage or ruin.

“Going to make me work for it?”

He raised a thick brow at me again. They were clean and expressive rather than bushy. It was clear he took care of himself and had pride in his appearance.

“I happen to like Dove. Let’s stick with that.”

I finished a few more bites of the tender chicken and perfectly al dente pasta, slathered in whatever garlic cream sauce heaven they had sloshed it in.

It seemed like DJ was enjoying his meal too, and neither of us spared one another those little sounds of appreciation for the chef’s work.

By the time I finished, I had to stop myself from licking the bowl. It was that heavenly.

I also noted that, unlike most guys, he didn’t seem put off or offended by the large and frequent bites I shoved into my mouth.

I was a fast eater. Always had been. I didn’t drop to the floor and do push-ups after my meals anymore, though. I’d gone through a had-to-be-in-the-military phase and trained myself accordingly. I wanted to be a hero—but mostly, I just wanted to be a badass like my dad.

“Dove it is, then,” DJ decided after finishing his own meal and generously tipping the waiter when he returned for our plates and dessert order.

I went with the chocolate cake. I couldn’t help myself.

“So, what is it you do that affords feeding your fat guy?”

Less smooth.

He was trying harder to be more light and casual than at the start. His eyes focused on my mouth and my fork when I finally opened them to pay attention.

Of course, I blushed, unable to keep up the too-cool-for-school act. I swallowed my piece and confessed.

“I’m a kindergarten teacher.”

“Okay, Dove makes more sense now. A teacher at a Hede resort is a bit taboo.”

It was clear he was considering my comment about being here on business before he asked the next question.

“How does a teacher have business in the Keys?”

“I work with family doing real estate excursions during the summer months,” I explained, maybe a little too easily. “My brother-slash-boss wants to expand our real estate business, and I couldn’t get a room otherwise. I only got a room here because my friend scored me a ticket.”

I added, “Kind of a ‘forget the asshole’ gift.”

“My mom did the same for me,”

He shrugged a bit, and this time, it was my turn to be shocked and amazed.

“Your MOM?”

Without a drink to spew everywhere, I settled on popping my eyes out of my head in the choke.

“Not like the whole island is a Hede resort,”

He shrugged. “What happens behind closed doors has never been up for discussion, but none of us are stupid.”

That was a little more defensive.

“Our nightlife has never crossed with our wholesome daytime family outings. Besides, I’m finalizing a rather messy divorce myself,”

He settled back into his previous ease.

“Gold-digging, lying, cheating bitch syndrome?”

“Ding ding, we have a winner.”

“And what is my prize?”

“A dance. This is a good song.”

I couldn’t argue.

The song was slow, sultry, with a bass line that felt like a second heartbeat.

His hand was already extended across the table, fingers brushing mine. The contact was featherlight, but it sent a spark crawling up my arm.

One dance. One excuse to feel the heat of his body pressed against mine.

And suddenly, it didn’t feel like I was pretending anymore.

I knew we agreed on no touching, but just a little couldn’t hurt.

Fuel for the imagination.

When DJ’s hand settled on my waist, it felt like little waves of lightning going through my skin. I felt the warmth of him reaching to heat my chilled body.

There was enough space for another person between us, but this was still as close as I’d been to a man in...

My pull or follow to his rhythm made him a little bolder. Each step brought me a little closer.

Mints were, after all, included with our final ticket, and I instantly regretted that no part of me could deny the comfort of being held. The compliment of being looked at.

The ache inside me was something a stranger could never understand—and was somehow rubbing away like the water on the sand.

The bitch side of my inner dialogue was remarkably silent.

When it became clear that he wanted to kiss me as badly as I wanted to kiss him, it wasn’t just his hands. Not just his body or eyes.

It was the combination of patience, power, and desire, flowing over me like a lifetime of tenderness I’d forgotten existed.

The scent of salt clung to his skin, warm from the sun, and I swore I could feel the rhythm of his chest rising and falling against mine, syncing to my own.

It truly was pathetic, and the song fading out gave me the excuse to pull away.

“Well played, D,”

I huffed out, stepping back to look at the water rather than at him.

His hot hands still kept contact with my skin.

“Wanna take a walk with me?”

Heat. Hunger. All the things as foreign to me as the simplest brush he ran down my arm—leaving a trail of gooseflesh in its wake.

It was so easy—too easy—for those nimble fingers to pull me back to him, feeling the power and attraction picking up my heart and nerve endings.

He felt like live wire to one half and a magnet to the other...

I knew what this place was. I knew that half the reason I came was to get over it, and here this guy was—looking at me with equal heat to the way I was looking at him.

Like maybe, he knew or understood...

Lost in those inner inquiries again, I missed his hand cupping my neck, how close our mouths were getting...

His breath was soft against my lips. Warm.

I wondered—if I started, could I stop? Or would this be the night everything changed?

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