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“May I touch your face?”
Except for maybe that.
“I know that sounds odd,” Mano continued, “but it’s how I see people. I’d like to see you better.”
A part of Paige was happy that Mano couldn’t see her. He seemed so interested in her. Would finding out how she looked ruin their perfect night together? She supposed that telling him no would end it just as awkwardly. “Okay,” she agreed.
Mano turned to face her, but his expression was as concerned as hers likely appeared. “You sound nervous. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s okay,” she argued, placing a hand on his forearm. “If you had your sight, you would’ve known what I looked like from the first moment, so you’ve waited long enough to know. I just hope you’re not disappointed with what you find.”
* * *
Disappointed? Most of the women who had drifted in and out of Mano’s life had a healthy sense of self-esteem, but not Paige. Whether or not she was right, she seemed to think she was invisible or even unattractive. He didn’t think that was actually possible, but now he’d find out for himself.
Taking her wrists in his hands, he let his palms glide up her arms to her neck. There, he cradled her face in his hands. Paige was tense and still beneath his fingertips as they traced the lines and angles of her face. She had a delicate brow, large, wide eyes and a sharp nose. Her face was thin, as was the rest of her, judging by her narrow wrists and protruding collar bones.
He realized then that she was too still and too silent beneath his touch. “Breathe, Paige.”
She moved slightly with a sudden exhale and intake of breath. Once she relaxed, his fingers ran over her hair. It was long, straight and silky. Paige hadn’t twisted it up or tortured it with curling irons and hair spray. It just flowed naturally down her back.
“What color are your eyes?” he asked, trying to envision them in his mind.
“They’re a hazel color. Not quite green and not quite brown.”
Mano nodded, the picture coming together. “Now, tell me about what you’re wearing tonight so I can see it.”
“I overdressed a little,” she confessed. “It’s a blue satin cocktail dress that I found on sale at the mall. I don’t even know why I bought it—I have nowhere to wear it normally—but I threw it into the suitcase when I was packing. I figured if I didn’t wear it tonight, I might as well donate it to charity.”
He didn’t know why she had to cut herself down with every description of herself. “What shade of blue?”
“A dark royal blue, kind of like the deeper waters off Waikiki.”
Mano could see that color vividly in his memory. He wished he could continue his exploration, run his hands over her body to find out more about her. Feeling bold, he traced the neckline of the gown with his finger, finding the V plunged deep. His fingertip lingered at the apex for a moment as Paige let out a ragged breath. He expected her to pull away or tell him to stop, but she didn’t. She leaned closer to him. The scent of her mingled with the Plumeria and orchids that perfumed the breezes. He was intoxicated by it and drawn to her in a way he simply didn’t understand.
Gently cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his lips to hers. Her response to him was cautious, but curious. After a moment, the caution gave way to enthusiasm. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her body against him. Mano felt his every muscle tighten as her lithe body pressed into his own.
He let his tongue explore her mouth as his hands explored her body. She had the taste of decadent chocolate lingering on her lips. Her body was lean and angular to the touch, with few curves to cup in his hands. Considering how tiny she’d felt when he’d touched her earlier, he wasn’t surprised. It was just another way that his Paige was different.
As his hand strayed near her belly, she went stiff as stone in his arms. “Paige?”
He felt her pull away and the next thing he knew, her loud and unsteady clomp of heels against the marble floors grew softer and softer until the front door of his suite slammed shut. She’d just run away.
He’d had a lot of reactions to his kisses in his life, but he’d never had a woman turn tail and run. For a moment, Mano wasn’t exactly sure what to do, but in the end, he decided to give chase. He wasn’t going to let Paige run away from this. If nothing else, he would apologize for crossing a line and making her uncomfortable, but he felt like it was more than that.
Mano made his way cautiously through the suite to the entrance, then across the vestibule to Paige’s door. He pressed the doorbell of her suite and waited as patiently as he could. His heart was still pounding in his chest and his muscles were still tight with tension from their kiss. It was possible that Paige just wouldn’t answer the door, but he didn’t think she was the kind to just ignore him. That would be impolite.
Mano heard her soft shoeless footsteps approach the door and it unlatched with a metallic pop. The door swung open.
“Yes?”
He could tell by the harsh tone of her voice that she was upset. Mano just wasn’t sure if she was upset with him or herself. “Did I do something wrong?” he asked.
“No. You were wonderful. Everything I could’ve asked for and more on a night out in the most romantic place in the world. It’s just me. I’m sorry,” she said.
And here he thought he’d been the one apologizing. “Sorry for what?”
“For everything,” she said with a sadness in her voice that told of more than just tonight’s worries on her mind. “For kissing you, then for running. In the moment, I wasn’t really sure what to do. I don’t trust myself when it comes to these things. I make poor decisions, and I’m not saying that kissing you is a mistake, but I’m really not at a place in my life where I need this kind of...complication.”
