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I pushed the butterflies down and sat on the edge of the bed. We were going on a real date—perhaps something we should have done before sleeping together. It didn’t really matter now. Cole was taking me out in my new black dress .
* * *
I t was almost six o’clock. The corners of my eyes were lined with a smoky charcoal eyeliner I picked up at Tassels Surf Shop. I puckered my lips a bit to smooth on a pale lip gloss. I hadn’t spent as much time as I thought I would in the sun, but it didn’t take much on South Padre to pick up a tan. My shoulders were already sun-kissed. I tossed my new makeup in a bag and straightened my lotion bottles around the sink. Tomorrow, we were moving into the beach house next door .
I didn’t know what it meant, other than Grayson needed a real house and I needed to turn this room over so Cole could make more money .
Once the vacationers arrived, our time alone at the Dune Scape would be over. Tonight, I wanted to make the most of every second we had together .
I grabbed the clutch Sasha convinced me to buy and walked out of my room. Cole was standing in the corridor holding a bouquet of flowers .
“Wow. I don’t even know how to tell you how gorgeous you look.” Cole looked awestruck .
“Thanks. I think you just did.” I took the flowers. “I thought you weren’t the wine and roses guy .”
“Technically, these aren’t roses, so I’m still good.” He laughed. “You look so hot in that dress, I’m having second thoughts about taking you anywhere.” He leaned down to kiss my neck .
“You look pretty amazing too.” He was wearing dark jeans, and a white fitted button-up shirt. The sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I looked at the ground and noticed his boots .
“Ah-ha! You are a cowboy. I knew it .”
“Everybody in Texas has boots. True fact .”
“Really or are you trying to cover up your cowboy side?” I teased .
He slid his hand into mine and led me to his truck .
“You two have fun .”
I spun to see Lisa waving wildly from Cole’s room .
“She’s the sitter ?”
“Yeah. Come on. Grayson is fine .”
He opened the door for me. Cole pushed the buttons on the radio until it landed on a song that he liked .
As he steered the truck over the bridge and toward the sunset, it felt strange I hadn’t left the island all week. Everything I needed and wanted was on that one little stretch of beach .
Cole drove through flat dry stretches of land for almost an hour before we reached the Mexican border. I noticed the line of cars into the foreign country wasn’t nearly as long as the line of cars on the other side trying to gain entry into the United States. My palms were sweaty at the sight of so many armed guards and search dogs .
“Is this safe?” I wanted to sound confident, but this was my first trip to a border town and I wasn’t prepared for the guns or angry-looking men eyeing the fence line .
“I wouldn’t take you somewhere if I thought we wouldn’t be ok. I come here all the time with my buddies. The key is to stick with me. You’ll be fine, darlin’. You know I’ll keep you safe .”
It wasn’t just the military background, Cole had always been protective. And it wasn’t until now that I realized what it felt like to have a man who wanted to make sure I was guarded and safe no matter what .
One of the border patrol officers waved us through the gate and into Mexico. I hadn’t meant to grab Cole’s hand, but I needed some extra reassurance .
“Kaitlyn, it’s going to be fine, but we don’t have to have dinner here. I can turn around and we can find another restaurant.” He eyed me across the truck .
My comfort level was being tested, and I was considering admitting that I had wimped out and needed the security of American soil under my cute black heels .
“But—if I turn around, you won’t get to see the surprise I have for you.” Cole smiled .
“What’s the surprise?” I was curious to see what the no-wine-and-roses guy had planned .
“You are just going to have to trust me. I promise I’ll take care of you. Besides, with your right hook you’re a one-woman combat machine .”
