Sea of Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, Book 4) Contemporary Romance (13 page)

Lacy emptied the remaining wine into their glasses. “Really? I had you pegged all wrong,” she said with a smile.

“I doubt that. You probably had me pegged pretty close,” Dane said.
Unfortunately.

Lacy rested her head back on her chair and closed her eyes. Dane had the urge to pick her up and carry her inside, tuck her into bed, and let her fall asleep in his arms, safe and warm. Instead he pushed to his feet.

“I think I’d better go,” he said.

Lacy sat up. “You don’t have to go.”

“I do. I promised you that I wouldn’t fall in love with you, and spending too much time with you isn’t going to help me keep that promise.” Dane took her hand and helped her to her feet. Her body swayed with fatigue, and when she settled herself on her legs, her lips were inches from his. Dane inhaled the clean, fresh scent of her shampoo. His hands ached to touch her hips and pull her close, to draw her chest against his, his mouth to her lips. She looked up at him with a wanting look, a look that was seared into his memory from their night on the dunes.

“I have to go,” he whispered.

She licked her lower lip.

Dane stifled a groan.
Walk away.
“It was nice to”—
God, I want to kiss you—
see you.” He shoved his shaking hands into the pockets of his jeans and took a step back. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lacy.”

She arched a brow. “Tomorrow,” she said.

“Sleep tight.” He walked backward toward the front door, knocking into a chair and stumbling over it. Lacy raced to his side, catching his arm. They stood at the same time, measured movements, each watching the other. Need flashed in her eyes.
I’m not blowing this
.

‘Thank you,” he managed, then turned and headed for the door. “Tomorrow. Eight o’clock. See you then.”

THE SECOND THE door closed, Lacy groaned aloud, then threw herself onto the couch.

“Shit. Shitshitshit.” She rolled onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow.
What am I going to do? Go get him!
She ran to the front door and peered out the sidelight window. He was gone. She leaned her back against the door and sank down to her heels. She’d wanted to kiss him so badly that she could already feel his lips on hers. She could practically taste the sweet wine on his breath.
What am I going to do?

Her phone vibrated. She read the text from Dane.
Good night, Lace.

She wanted to tell him to come back. For a minute she stared at the phone, unable to return the text.
He’s just doing what he promised. No pressure
. She finally texted him back.
G’night.

She stood in the center of the living room, waiting for another text. After ten silent minutes, she threw her phone on the couch. Then, spotting Dane’s sweater on the chair out on the deck, she went to retrieve it. The cool breeze felt good against her skin, which had become far too warm in anticipation of his touch. She lay back on the lounge chair and brought his sweater to her nose, inhaling deeply. She moaned at the delicious reminder, then inhaled his scent again. She settled his sweater over her chest and spread it out so it covered her whole torso.
He’s so big
. The thought sent a shiver down low, and her mind conjured up the image of him naked, perched above her, his chest a wall of muscle, his arms trembling as he thrust his large cock in and out of her. She slipped her hand beneath her waistband and touched herself, not surprised by the wetness she felt or the instant reaction she had to the teasing flick of her fingers. Lacy closed her eyes and pictured Dane, working herself into a fury of lust and desire. His name sailed from her lips like a prayer as she climbed quickly to the height of a hard and urgent climax. Aftershocks rumbled through her body as she lay under the cover of the night, her mind playing with thoughts of the man she swore she’d never kiss again and wondering what tomorrow might bring.

THE NEXT MORNING, Dane popped out of bed with renewed energy. He moved through the plush cabin of Treat’s forty-two-foot sailboat and into the galley, where he brewed a pot of coffee. Then he showered and called Rob. He raised an eyebrow when it went to voicemail.

“You lazy son of a bitch, asleep at seven. Enjoy your day off and call me if you want to talk. I’ve been thinking about you and Sheila, and I wonder if you shouldn’t just take a day or two and go to her parents’ house. Talk to her. Clear the air of whatever’s going on. Anyway, man, I’m around. I’m here if you want to talk.”

Dane’s next phone call was to Lacy. He pushed her speed dial number on his cell phone, whistling as it rang. Then he hung up quickly. Damn it. He didn’t want to seem like he was hounding her. He hadn’t been able to resist stopping by the evening before, and hell, leaving was about the toughest thing he’d ever had to do. But a promise was a promise, and he’d be damned if he’d be the one to break it. He had to prove himself to her, and he wanted to help her through her fear of sharks. He wondered if Hugh had been right and that her fear was really the crux of what was keeping her from accepting him back into her life.
At least last night was a start
. He loved Lacy, and he hated knowing that anything could steal her confidence. Sharks and the oceans had always been his passion, but what he felt for Lacy was far stronger than the love he felt for anything else. He was the perfect person to help her through this, and in the end, maybe Lacy would finally see him for the man he was trying to be.
The man I am
.

His phone vibrated with a text from Lacy. Dane smiled as he scrolled to read it.

Did you just call?

He laughed and texted back.
I called, then remembered ur not supposed 2 fall in love w/me so…

He drank his coffee on the deck and stretched out in the morning sun. When his phone vibrated again, a thrill ran through him.

A hang-up will def keep me from falling in luv w/u. See u in 20 mins.

Dane watched Lacy walking toward the dock. Her blond curls hung thick and wild around her nicely tanned face. Her hips swayed as she walked in a short white skirt, and the navy sleeveless blouse and white sneakers she wore gave her a nautical look. Dane smiled. Every time he saw her, she looked even prettier than she had the time before.

She looked at the itinerary he’d given her, on which he’d written,
I’ll be in the third slip from the left.
She wrinkled her nose, looked to the left, then to the right, then checked the paper again and scanned the boats one more time. She was so damn cute that he was tempted to watch her for a few more minutes as she figured things out, but the urge to be closer to her was greater than his desire to watch her.

Dane stood and waved. “Lace!”

She waved and approached the boat with a smile. “This is like the boat we were on in Wellfleet.”

“Sort of. It’s much smaller. Treat has great taste,” Dane said.

“You stayed here? Why am I not surprised?” she asked.

He kissed her cheek. “Friends greet that way, so that’s within my rights,” he teased. He reached for her hand to help her aboard.

“I’m not going out with you to hunt for sharks,” she said.

“I know. There are no sharks in coffee, and I don’t think there are many sharks at the library, so we should be safe.” He helped her onto the boat. “Home away from home,” he said. “Coffee?”

“No, thanks,” Lacy said, eyeing the cabin. Her cheeks flushed.

“Don’t even think about it. I’m not going down in that cabin with you. The last time I did, you took advantage of me.” He winked and was relieved when she smiled.

“Does the library open this early?” she asked.

“No, but I thought we might go to the fish pier, then maybe take a walk through town, and by the time the library opens, we’ll be right there.”

“Don’t you have to work?” she asked.

“We tagged a big one Sunday, and yeah, I have to work, but I’ve reprioritized my duties, and I’ve dedicated the next few days to ensuring that you get a proper education on all things Brave.” Dane finished his coffee and went belowdecks to wash his coffee cup while Lacy relaxed in the sun.

“Ready?” he asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose,” she said.

A few minutes later, they climbed into Dane’s car and drove down to the Chatham fish pier. It was too early to see the fishermen bringing in their loads for the day, but Dane had already spoken to the pier manager and he had something else in store for Lacy.

They parked by the road and walked down a steep hill toward the pier.

“This is so cute,” she said as they passed the fish market.

“That body of water is Aunt Lydia’s Cove, and see that little island? It’s Tern Island Sanctuary.” He took her hand in his. “Come on.” As they climbed the steps to the second-story deck of the fish pier, Dane let go of her hand, not wanting to push the limits.

It was harder than he thought it would be to not reach for her again. He had to remain strong.
No pressure
. He pretended not to notice the questioning look in her eyes.

She went to the far side of the upper deck. “Seals,” she said, pointing to the little dark heads popping in and out of the water by the island.

“Yup. That’s why they called the Brave Foundation. In the last decade, this area has gone from a seal population of two or three thousand to more like fifteen or sixteen thousand. Seals came, sharks followed,” he explained.

“To eat the seals,” Lacy said.

Dane shrugged. “They have to eat.” They descended the stairs and walked toward the beach. “Are you okay to go out on the floating dock?” He watched her for signs of nervousness.

“Yeah. I should be fine,” she said.

A fisherman stood on the edge of the dock with a bucket. He tossed fish into the water as Lacy and Dane approached, and within seconds, there were three seals arching their slick backs out of the water, then poking their enormous heads up and looking at the man with the bucket. He tossed a few more fish into the water, and the seals dove under the water to catch them.

“They’re so cute!” Lacy said. “Look how big their eyes are. And look at that one over there. See how it’s staring at us?” She moved closer to the fisherman. “Can you toss him one, please?”

Dane loved her enthusiasm, and as she moved toward the edge of the dock, he stood protectively by her side. She crouched down, and he knelt beside her.

“Dane, by saving the sharks, you’re allowing these cute creatures to be their meal tickets,” Lacy said.

“Lace, what’s in the bucket?” he asked.

“Fish?” she said.

“Right. Are fish more important than seals?” he asked.

“Well, no.”

“It’s the natural food chain, babe. Seals eat fish, and sharks eat seals. We eat cows and chickens. It’s the way nature works. Oceans are the most important ecosystem on the planet and our best defense against global warming. Sharks play a vital role at the top of the food chain by maintaining the oceans.” He dipped his fingers in the water. “Did you know that oceans absorb most of the carbon dioxide that we put into the atmosphere?”

Lacy shook her head.

“The oceans convert that carbon dioxide into a large percentage of the oxygen we breathe. Destroying the sharks could destroy our oceans and our life support system,” he explained. “That’s just one example. There are a million reasons to save sharks, just as there are a million reasons to save seals.”

“Thanks, Caleb,” Dane said to the fisherman. Caleb waved, and Lacy and Dane headed back up the hill to the car.

“Don’t you ever feel guilty saving sharks when you hear about shark attacks?” Lacy asked as they climbed into the car.

“Nope. I feel horrible when someone gets bitten by a shark, but sharks are not looking for humans to eat. If they were, there would be a hell of a lot more fatalities,” Dane explained. He drove around the corner and into Chatham.

“So you buy into the whole thing about sharks thinking humans on surfboards are seals?” she asked with a touch of sarcasm.

“Not at all. If sharks thought people were seals, they’d attack with torpedo-like speed. They’re curious creatures. When they appear in stealth mode, their goal is not predation. They use their teeth like we use our hands. When they bite something unfamiliar, whether it’s a person, a surfboard, or a license plate, they’re looking for tactile evidence about what it is. It’s like a test, a sniff from a dog. When they attack seals, they attack fast and hard, tearing them to shreds. It’s a different approach. So, yeah, I feel terrible when someone gets bitten by a shark, just like I feel terrible when a person gets bitten by a dog, stung by a bee, or hit by a car, but you don’t kill all dogs, snuff the bees, or dismantle the cars, right?”

Lacy nodded. “I guess I can see your point.”

“I sound like I’m lecturing. I’m sorry. I get a little passionate about what I do,” he admitted. “Rob and I spend a lot of our free time convincing people of the innocence of sharks. It’s a tough business.” Dane parked the car and they walked through the parking lot to Main Street.

“Where is Rob? I thought he was arriving Sunday,” Lacy said.

“He’s going through a hard time with his wife right now. To be honest, I’m a little worried about him.” Dane thought about Rob’s behavior on the boat. He’d have to remember to call him again later and see if he could get him to open up a little more about what happened between him and Sheila.

“Gosh, you’ve told me so much about him over the last year and a half that I feel like I already know him and his wife. If you’re worried about him, maybe you should be with him instead of me.”

“The enormity of your heart never fails to amaze me,” Dane said. “I’ll call him later. I left him a message this morning. You’ll get to meet him when we go out on the boat later this week.”

Lacy’s eyes widened.

“Don’t worry. We’re not catching sharks,” he assured her.

Lacy looked up and down Main Street. “I can’t remember if I have ever been here. It looks familiar, but…” Lacy said.

Despite the early hour, tourists walked along the sidewalk of the small town. Lacy and Dane peered into the shop windows as they passed. Unlike other parts of the lower Cape, Chatham was known for its predominantly preppy undertone. Pink Izod shirts and lime green shorts were displayed in almost every clothing storefront window. They looked over the books in front of the used bookstore, then headed across the street to Kate Gould Park, where Lacy walked through the plush carpet of grass with wide eyes.

“I’ve been here. I know I have,” she said.

Dane pointed to the white gazebo at the far end of the field. “To a band concert?” he asked. The Chatham Community Band had played every Friday night during the summers since just after World War II.

“Yeah,” she said. “I remember old men in red outfits, I think. Gosh, I must have been so young. I haven’t thought of that in…forever.” Lacy smiled. “Come on.” She took off running down the lawn to the gazebo and flew up the steps, then twirled around on the empty stage.

Dane jogged after her, watching the smile spread from her lips to her eyes.

“You know what?” she asked.

“What?” He wanted to touch her hand again, something, anything to let her know he was there for her, ready, willing, wanting to listen to whatever she wanted to share.

She sat down on the steps of the gazebo. “I don’t think happiness is based on the amount of time you have with someone. I think it’s all about how you spend that time and the enjoyment of each other while you’re together,” she said.

“You’re thinking about your dad,” he said.

“My dad wasn’t around a lot because he had another family, as I told you,” she said. “But when he was with us, me and my mom, he was present. He was there. Emotionally and physically
present
.”

“Lace.” He wondered if she was making the same connection he was between her father’s attentiveness and his own. “I’m sorry if it was difficult for you when you were growing up, and I’m sorry I wasn’t physically there for you over the last fifteen months.” Dane watched her nod, then pull her knees to her chest.
The hell with keeping my distance
. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side.

“Thank you. You’ve heard me say it all before. I had a good childhood, but it was kind of weird knowing I had sisters that I had never met, and the kids at school thought I was making up stories.” She sighed. “But my dad loves all of us, and I never had any hard feelings toward Danica or Kaylie even though he spent most of his time with them. After I met their mom, I felt horrible about what he had done, but he loves us all. Even their mom, I think. And my mom was always there for me. I guess that really made things okay for me.” She touched his hand. “Even when you weren’t physically there, Dane, I still felt your presence as if you were.”

Dane closed his eyes, relishing in the confirmation of his attentiveness. He needed to hear that she at least recognized the efforts he’d made. It was another step forward.

“I think you’re right, Lace. It’s not how much time we have. It’s how much we enjoy the time we have with others that matters.”
Like spending time with you right now
. Her body was warm against him, and he had to remind himself that she was not his girlfriend. He hated that invisible line in the sand that he had to try not to cross.

“Are you thinking about your mom?” she asked. “You must miss her very much.”

Dane’s chest tightened. A familiar lump formed in his throat. He pushed past it and smiled down at her. “I do, Lace. Some days more than others.”

She smiled up at him.

Not wanting to push his luck, Dane withdrew his arm from around her shoulder and pushed to his feet.

“Library?” he asked.

“Sure.” She reached for his hand, and he helped her to her feet. Lacy didn’t release his hand. Dane didn’t pull away; he didn’t grip her hand tighter. He let her control the connection between them.

When they reached the stone wall in front of the library, Lacy walked up the edge of the grassy lawn and balanced as she crossed the wall like a balance beam, still holding on to Dane’s hand.