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Yep, that made sense. Why else would I be so concerned with her enjoying herself here?
By the time the steaks were ready, the sun was going down. Rylee was sitting at the patio table in the cushioned swivel chair. She’d brought her camera out here with her and took a picture of the sunset as I set the plates of food on the table.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, her voice tinged with awe.
I turned to look, seeing that the sky was painted in shades of orange, pink, and blue as the sun went down over the ocean. She was right. It was a stunning sunset.
“You know, I remember loving that kind of thing when I was a kid, but I hardly notice it these days.” I sighed as I took a seat. “I don’t exactly have time to stop and smell the roses with my corporate lifestyle. A lot of days, I leave the office in the early evening and the sun is already going down, but all I can focus on is the business.”
She grinned at me. “Well, there’s no work to be done here.”
“You’re right about that,” I agreed with a chuckle. I watched the sunset for a few long moments, noticing how the edges of the sky started to shift to a darker and darker hue as the sun sank lower in the sky. It really was nice.
We started eating, and I wanted to get to know her better. “So, I asked you to tell me about yourself earlier and all you gave me was your mom’s impression of you as an old soul. I didn’t learn anything.”
“Okay . . .what do you want to know?”
Everything.“Anything.”
“Let me think…” She ate a bite of steak while she considered what to tell me.
I’d already started on my own, the juicy meat much more satisfying than the crackers we had yesterday.
“I used to be a ballerina,” she finally said.
“What?” I wasn’t expecting that.
“Okay, I guess I wasn’t really a ballerina, not professionally.” She smiled, and my heart seemed to flip-flop in my chest at the sight of it. “But I studied ballet when I was growing up. I was really good too.”
“So, why didn’t you go on to do it professionally?”
“Being good at something doesn’t necessarily make it a passion,” she said in a way that resonated with me. “I realized in high school that I didn’t love it the way that I should if I wanted to pursue it as a career. So, I quit.”
“You told me that your dream is to be a photographer, so how did you end up a flight attendant?”
“Sometimes dreams take money, and not everyone has it.” Her tone was a little defensive, and this time it bothered me. Maybe it was because I felt like we were getting to know each other and moving past whatever snap judgements she’d made about me.
“I know that,” I said, and I saw guilt flash in her eyes.
“Sorry. I’m just a little touchy about that. I make good money as a flight attendant, but you’re right. It’s not my dream job. And to be honest, my mom is pretty disappointed that I work on these private jets.”
I waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. It was a strange statement, not really lining up with the warmth and love that was apparent when she talked about her mom earlier in the day. I sensed there was more to this, and that it just might have something to do with her attitude toward me.
But I remembered the way she let my statement about my dad hang in the air without comment, so I decided to extend her the same courtesy with her mom. I could wait until she opened up to me.
Because she would, I had no doubt about that. I wanted her, and I was a confident, driven man that always got what he wanted. Rylee would probably say it was because I had so much money, but that wasn’t the reason. I was a determined man. Right now, all the strength of that determination was directed toward the idea of seducing her into my bed.
I wanted to touch her, to burying myself inside of her. I wanted to connect with her on a deeper level.
I was sure that we’d be stuck on this island for at least a few days. I could feel that the attraction was mutual, so why not make the most of our time together while it lasted?
CHAPTERSEVEN
Rylee
When Hayden got onto that plane yesterday, I never expected to have this kind of chemistry with him. It was stronger than any connection I’d felt before, turning my body into a live wire every time he was near.
An aching need had grown between my thighs over the last hour that we’d been sitting out here on the porch, talking like we’d known each other so much longer than just a day. Now that I’d let down my guard with him, I felt more relaxed and at ease in his presence. And every time I caught his gaze sweeping over me, a flush of desire took hold of me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what it would feel like to kiss him.
