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Brooke
The last thing I wanted to do was discuss my career. Especially if Lucas had an ego like my ex and would start comparing medical schools and specialties. There was no doubt talking about my job would then lead to discussing my mother, personal failings, and generally lead to a miserable evening.
“Does it matter what I do?”
He laughed. “I suppose not.”
Tonight I’d started down the road of being Brooke the crazy girl, and frankly, I preferred her story. She was the type to stand up to her mother and stop the blackmail. She’d sit on a bench with a handsome stranger, eating burgers and fries, and ponder nothing beyond this evening. This girl was carefree and unburdened by anything except where the moment took her.
I was thankful when he didn’t press for more information.
We both finished eating, and when I stood up, a wild thought took hold.
He shook his head. “Uh-oh, I sense mischief afoot. What are you thinking?”
“A little frolic in the water?”
His gaze bounced off the waves lapping the sandy shore. “Pretty sure this is how the movie Jaws started.”
My laughter bubbled up at his dry delivery. “I’m not going all the way in.” My Prada dress would never forgive me. But I wanted my feet in the water, and to experience more of this newfound freedom. I left my shoes on the bench before walking through the soft sand toward the darkened surf.
The cool water hitting my feet in a rush caused me to suck in a breath. Despite spending my entire life here in Southern California, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d put my feet in the Pacific Ocean. Too busy balancing work and my relationship to take time for the simple pleasures. No more. Although maybe I’d pick a sunny day the next time because the night chill coupled with the water temperature had goose bumps peppering my body.
But not for long. A pair of strong arms came around me from the back. Damn, I’d missed this. Human contact. Warm and comforting. I breathed in his scent, a nice woodsy, mint combination. Pressing my body toward his heat, I was rewarded when he held me closer. Finally, I turned around, thankful the full moon allowed me to appreciate how gorgeous he was.
He slipped his hand up to my cheek. “Hey, crazy girl.”
Shivers. And not from the cold this time. Nope, this was good old-fashioned lust. Caused by a combination of the alcohol buzzing through my body and the masculinity enveloping me.
“Did you come in to rescue me?”
“Something tells me you’re not the type of woman who needs rescuing.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Seems most of the classic rescues include a kiss.”
He bent his head, moving his lips inches from mine. “As you wish.”
Gah, any man who could quote Princess Bride right before kissing me was my type of romantic hero.
And the kiss? Holy crap. Lucas wasn’t the type to dive in. Nope. He took his time, grazing his lips to mine softly at first, then sucking in my bottom lip between his teeth before pushing forward, touching his tongue to mine. Jesus. If the man was half as good in bed as he was at kissing, I was in for a hell of a night.
This foreplay was like a drug. The anticipation had me wishing I could prolong the sweet torture. The sound of techno music coming from a nearby club inspired me to pull back and take his hand. “Come on. Let’s go.”
He chuckled, seeming not at all fazed by my change of plans. Perhaps he really was into crazy girls.
While I slipped on my shoes back at the bench, he did the same. “Dare I ask what’s next?”
“How about we leave it to be a surprise?”
He held out his hand. “You lead, and I’ll follow.”
I’d just met the man, but his willingness to go along with whatever I had planned was refreshing and right in line with what I needed tonight. Freedom.
We went straight into a nearby nightclub. “What’s your poison? Another Scotch?”
“I’ll switch to a champagne.” Any more hard liquor, and I might tip the scales toward truly drunk.
He leaned in, his mouth close to my ear. “Wait here, beautiful.” He punctuated the last word with a kiss under my ear.
