I turn quickly to open the wine and end up knocking my phone off the dresser. With a sigh, I bend over to pick it up, and that’s how Ash finds me when he walks in—standing there, bent at the waist, with my ass in the air.
Awesome.
When I straighten and face him, he’s all wide-eyed and flustered, like he was trying not to stare. Although I’m pretty sure my robe kept my butt covered, I can’t be one hundred percent sure.
“Hey,” I say breathlessly. “How were the dogs?”
For a moment, he looks around in confusion before his focus returns to me. “They were good. We walked a little farther than I had planned, but I wanted to make sure everyone did their business before I put them back up with Roxie.”
“Smart. Very smart.” I try to be inconspicuous as I straighten my robe. “Was she asleep when you put the dogs back in her room?”
“She was, and now I fully understand your frustration from last night.”
“Right?” I say excitedly, happy that someone else experienced it and I’m not crazy. “I love her, but I’m also concerned. Like maybe I should suggest that she go see an ear, nose, and throat doctor.”
Shrugging, he steps further into the room and shuts the door. “So, um…what’s going on? I thought we were all meeting down in the hot tub.”
“Oh, right. Loren is convinced that Mike is ready to finally set a date, and she wanted to set a romantic stage for the two of them.”
He glances around me to where I have our own romantic setup going on.
“Loren did it!” I blurt out.
“Excuse me?”
“Yeah, she ordered this whole setup for us so we wouldn’t mind being banished to your room.” My nervous laugh turns into a snort, and I’m mortified. “Anyway…there’s a little bit of everything here.” I then act like some sort of game show assistant and point it all out to him with great flourish.
“Salty and sweet,” he says with approval. “Nice.” Then his attention is back on me. “And all this?”
“Right, so…I know this looks like I’m trying to be sexy, but this is what I typically sleep in. I just figured it was easier to get changed down in my room and then head up.” But now I feel super awkward and wonder if I maybe should have just changed into something casual and then put on my nightie later.
This entire situation is weird.
Hell, this entire vacation has been weird.
But now I’m just standing here waiting for him to say something because I’m flustered and a little embarrassed, and way out of my comfort zone.
When he takes a step toward me, my heart begins to race.
When his gaze roams over my entire body from head to toe, I feel it like an actual caress.
And when he comes to a stop right in front of me, I’m practically vibrating with anticipation.
“I’m not gonna lie,” he says, his voice low and gruff, and it makes me shiver. “I like this plan much more than the hot tub one.”
Swallowing hard, I whisper back, “Really?”
He nods and then his arm bands around my waist and I’m pressed up against him everywhere and it’s freaking delicious. Neither of us says a word, but I know whatever we say next is going to change everything for us and the course of the entire night.
Everything about this moment screams romance—the dim glow of the bedside lamp cast warm shadows across the room, bathing everything in a golden hue. The air is thick with anticipation, an electric charge neither of us has said out loud, but I know we’ve felt from the moment our hands first intertwined on the plane days ago.
“Tell me you want me to kiss you,” he demands, his lips a mere breath from mine.
“Kiss me, Sebastian. Please.”
I see a hint of a smile just before his lips touch mine, and then all I can do is feel. My eyes drift shut, and I’m wrapped up in the most wonderful sensations. He kisses me with such tenderness, and I really love the way he takes his time. I have to tamp down my own impatience because this is too good to rush. So, I slowly drape my arms over his shoulders as he takes the kiss a little deeper. His tongue touches mine in the most perfect way and I simply melt against him.
I’ve always enjoyed kissing, but I didn’t always enjoy the way some guys kiss. Sebastian could teach a masterclass on it.
