“This might be a stupid, silly question, but have you heard from Tiki and Lake?” he asked.
“I got a text from Tiki letting me know they got to the airport this morning. Their flight was at eight. She said she would let us know when they landed.” Tonya twisted out of her shorts and shirt, revealing a tiny bikini.
“Wow,” he managed. “Is that one of your sister’s designs?”
“Fresh off the rack.” Tonya smiled. “Although it’s not this summer’s line. She was playing around with some ideas for next year.”
“It looks amazing on you.” He glanced around at all the other boats as a rush of jealousy surged through his system. “What little there is of it.”
“Trust me. There are ones that cover less. There is an entire line of thong bottoms this year and even the one-pieces are so revealing I couldn’t possibly wear them. So many of them sold out, which is why she started on some of these. She said she might do a mid-season showing.”
“While I like what I see, I wouldn’t want you prancing around a beach or this bay in anything smaller, especially a thong.”
She lowered her sunglasses and peered over the rims. “I don’t know if I find that insulting or insanely sweet.”
He chugged half his water, wishing it were a beer, before slipping off his shirt and tossing it to the seat. “I’ve always been the kind of guy who prefers something a little more modest.” He shrugged. “But I haven’t been in this bay, or Sandy Bay, outside of wedding rides. I don’t go to the beach. I’m never at a pool, so I have no idea what’s in vogue when it comes to swimwear these days.”
She laughed. The sound was like melting chocolate over his ears. For months, maybe even years, he’d been pushing down his attraction to Tonya, but he had no idea that when he let his guard down, it would completely crumble. The wall that he’d built around his emotions had been destroyed, leaving him vulnerable.
His therapist told him for a while now that he needed to put himself out there, but she told him to take it slowly.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to do that anymore. He couldn’t deny the fact that he wanted Tonya. It wasn’t only a physical thing. He cared for her deeply. His pulse raced.
“You act as though you’ve never seen me in a bathing suit.”
He waved his finger up and down at her body. “I haven’t seen you in something like that and I’m sorry that I’m acting like an idiot. You’re incredibly beautiful and I’m having inappropriate thoughts.”
“Thank you. I think.” She leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows and lifting one knee.
“Do you have sunscreen on?” What a lame way of asking to put his hands on her body.
“I do.”
“Oh. Okay.” He rolled to his stomach, keeping his weight on his forearms. “I wouldn’t want you to burn.” He ran his finger over her bare shoulder. Doug’s words from last night rolled around in his mind. “I want to talk to you about something that might sour the mood a little bit, but I think it’s necessary.”
“That sounds serious.”
“I feel like if we’re going to try this dating thing, we need to discuss why I haven’t even considered it since I left my wife.”
She wadded up her cover-up and used it as a pillow, turning her head. “It’s been seven years since you and Victoria divorced. Are you seriously going to tell me you haven’t been out on a single date?”
“I don’t expect anyone to understand, but no. I haven’t. Not even a one-night stand.”
“Are you telling me you haven’t had sex since then?” Her cheeks turned a sweet blushing red.
God, he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss the hell out of her, but that would have to wait. “I know that seems strange, but I have my reasons.”
“Seriously?” She lifted her sunglasses. “I just assumed like everything else, you kept all that private.”
“You nailed one thing. If I had, I wouldn’t shout it from the rooftops.” His therapist was right about how talking openly with people he’d come to enjoy being around would feel good. Scary, but not totally out of his comfort zone. Especially with Tonya. “However, my reasons for remaining single, especially when it comes to having never acted on my growing attraction to you, are a cause for concern and something I want to address so you have all the facts.”
“Foster. This isn’t a business transaction.”
“I know.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against her warm skin. Right now, he wasn’t sure if he should follow Doug’s advice. Telling her might turn her off.
But if he didn’t, and things blew up badly, he’d never forgive himself for not explaining how his mind and emotions worked.
“And I don’t mean to sound that way. It’s just that I don’t ever want to hurt you, intentional or otherwise.”
