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Chapter Three
“My turn to ask,” Dariasaid the next day. She was lying flat on her stomach on a lounge chair that faced the beach – or at least where the beach was supposed to be. Because Nik’s room was further in the island, all they could see were a few palm trees and the throng of tourists that spilled into the inner walkways, offering shortcuts to the island’s plaza where all the fancy boutiques were.
“You’ve been asking all the questions,” Nik pointed out dryly.
“It’s not my fault you take too long time to think of your question,” Daria protested. Then she released a little moan, her eyes sweeping shut in pleasure at the way Nik kneaded her back. “Oh, that’s so good.” Conscious of how Nik didn’t seem to have that much money – at least not enough to pay for a $100 treatment at her favorite spa – Daria had suggested they take turns giving each other a massage. So far, it was proving to be the best idea she ever had, with Nik’s firm, sensual touch so much better at making her feel deliciously hot and relaxed all over.
The dreamy smile on Daria’s face tempted him to kiss her, but Nik fought to keep himself in control. It could all be an act, he reminded himself. This and everything that had happened yesterday – all of it could be Daria simply pretending to be the kind of girl she imagined he wanted.
Yesterday had only added to the enigma Daria represented. They had indeed gone on building sandcastles – or at least he did, while hers appeared more like prison wards she had tried to beautify by sticking seashells to its sides.
Afterwards, they had gone swimming, time passing them by as they alternated between talking about anything under the sun and making out. The last one had been entirely Daria’s idea, of course. Dinner had been vastly simple, Daria insisting they buy meat and seafood from the local market and grilling them outside their room.
Throughout it, he had waited for Daria to show signs of boredom or exhaustion. He had waited for her to slip – waited for her to leave him for one of the supposedly richer guys in the island. And there had been plenty of them. Daria turned heads wherever they went, and most of the men never bothered to hide their admiration.
Any of them would have willingly dropped a couple of thousand euros just to have Daria smile at them. She could have had her pick among those men, but she hadn’t.
She had chosen to stay with him, and when she had fallen asleep in his arms after another long, wild, and passionate bout of lovemaking, it had been with the same dreamy smile she had on her face now.
Either she wanted sex from him that much, Nik thought grimly, or he was close to getting what he wanted: Daria falling in love with him and leaving herself open to his revenge.
“Nik...can I ask my next question?” Her voice was a mixture of sleepy and determined, like a child unable to admit she was ready for bedtime.
Again, there was an urge to smile – an urge he had felt more times today than he had in his entire life. It was not a pleasant thought, and with it came an equally strong urge to leave Daria. To get out of her life and never look back.
In the end, he heeded neither urge, and his voice was deceptively mild as he said, “Make it count. I won’t answer any other questions after this.”
Raising her head, she looked at him over her shoulder and pouted. “Spoilsport.”
“Only because you’re acting spoiled. Now, your question?” As he spoke, he resumed kneading the muscles of her back, yet another thing he had never thought he’d end up doing in this lifetime. And yet...he had. The silky feel of her skin was irresistible, and a disturbing sense of possessiveness struck Nik at the thought that, in another time, another man would be able to enjoy her body the same way.
He inhaled roughly at the thought. No. Goddamn. Way.
Beside him, Daria was still speaking, apparently oblivious to the violent slant that his thoughts had taken. “I’ve asked you about your favorite color, your favorite food, hobby...”
As she rattled off, Nik slowly found himself relaxing. He merely listened, knowing by now that Daria had a penchant for thinking out loud. It was a habit he suspected would lead to other people thinking she was vain, but the time he spent with Daria made him realize it wasn’t that at all. She did it simply because she liked doing it, and if he had to be honest, he liked it, too. The years he had spent working in the corporate jungle had made him distrust people who only said what they thought people wanted to hear. He would rather have Daria, with her outrageous ideas, over them any time of the day.
“But one thing I’ve never asked...” Daria suddenly flipped around, and Nik found himself almost cupping her breasts instead.
He immediately pulled his hands away. Nik scowled, knowing it had been deliberate on her part, but Daria only laughed in response.
“That,” she declared. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she glanced at him with thoughtful gray eyes. “All the men I...know—-” Again, Daria almost said ‘dated’ but managed to catch herself in time. “—-are quick to paw their girlfriends in public, even when it’s not appropriate.” She wrinkled her nose, remembering how one of the frogs she had dated had tried to get his hand under her skirt in church. “But you’re different. Actually, you’re the exact opposite. Why?”
He shrugged.
She pouted. “Come on, please.”
“Let me ask you a question instead.” Nik cupped her chin, making sure she looked straight into his eyes. “Why did you choose me to be your first?” He managed not to let his lip curl at the last word.
Startled by the question, Daria gazed at Nik searchingly. “Why are you asking me that now?”
“Aren’t you willing to answer me?”
Even if she was, Daria thought, he wouldn’t believe her. No one except her friends would believe the truth, which was that she had written a message in a bottle to God, and Nik had been the result.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she said finally.
Safe answer, Nik thought.
