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“Dale, please. I’m not in the mood for teasing.”
*
Dale picked upone of her hands and played with her fingers. “When the staff here phoned me to say you’d been in an accident…”
It was so difficult to convey the absolute dread he’d felt in the pit of his stomach for hours. “They tried to explain what happened, but I didn’t know how badly you were hurt and had to hear your voice. I died a thousand deaths. Zoe, I don’t know what is going on between us, but this incident has just confirmed what I’d already known—I want you in my life.”
Zoe was scowling. “Dale, I’m just a diversion for you—”
He swore and gently touched her face. “Is that really what you think? That I end up in bed with every woman I’m seen with? Damn it, Zoe, you left me, remember? And, okay, I have a reputation that I’m usually the one leaving, but with you… It’s different.”
“I… I…” She bit her lip, and all his good intentions flew out of the window.
His hands trembled. “Why? After the amazing night we had, why did you leave? You made coffee for me, left me something to eat, which by the way, has never happened to me before, but you left. Why?”
She gave him a look before she glanced down. “I left before you could,” she said.
Dale stared at her back and swallowed. Time to come clean.
He nodded. “The truth? You’re probably right. I would have. I would have pushed you away because I was completely thrown by the intensity of what happened between us,” he said quietly.
Her face was carefully blank. But she swallowed and he knew—he had a chance. If he didn’t bugger it up again, that was.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice husky.
He could smile again. “You know perfectly well what I mean. The night we had together was amazing—you were amazing. It was much more than sex. I still don’t know exactly what this thing is between us, but I want to find out. One night with you,” he said, taking her hands in his, “has not been enough.” He leaned in and kissed her softly. “And I’m not sure,” he murmured against her skin, his lips gliding over her mouth, “how many nights and days would be enough.”
She pulled away slightly. “I don’t know, Dale, it makes working with you very complicated.”
He smiled. “Then it’s complicated. Come to think of it, you’re complicated. You annoy me, you irritate me, you’ve upset my life, but I want to spend every one of those annoying, irritating, upsetting moments with you.”
“I annoy you?” She gasped. “You are the most annoying person I have ever met!”
“Good.” He smiled. “Then we fit perfectly.”
*
His words nestledaround her heart and breathing became difficult. We. He’d referred to them as we. Two of them. Together.
He kissed her on the forehead and took her hands again. “Now you have to rest, please. Your bruised ribs must hurt like hell. You’re still very pale. Darryn and I will talk to the police—”
“There’s really nothing to tell, I—”
“We have to report the incident, and they will need to get a statement from you. But I’ll come and get you later, and we’ll see whether you’re up to an evening out.”
Dazed, Zoe stared after him. That “we” word again. She hugged herself. This could not possibly last. But for now, she was going to enjoy this beautiful island, this gorgeous man, and whatever life was handing her on a platter at the moment. Later, after Dale had moved on to the next woman, there would be enough time for crying.
