laced the words together. “I didn’t bring a lot of clothes.”
His hands soothed up and down her bare back, electricity sparking along the contact. “Check the master bedroom closet. Then we’ll head over to the resort. You can shop.”
“Shop?”
“You try on dresses, pick one out and wear it to dinner.”
“At your resort?”
“Resort and Golf club,” he corrected lightly. He was teasing her but it had the opposite effect.
The real world intruded and she remembered who he was and who she was. They did not live in the same reality. She might let herself play in his for a while, but getting attached would be stupid. “I have no idea how to be in your world, Nic.”
He kissed her nose before stepping back from her. “You just be you, Lizzie.”
Her smile faltered. She definitely couldn’t be herself.
It took him another few minutes and when he finally eased her away from him, Lizzie held her breath as the ache threatened to consume her. She was definitely in over her head. No matter how careful she was this week, when they parted it was going to leave a scar.
She found a sundress hanging in the master closet. The designer tag confirmed it was a dress she’d pinned a few weeks ago. She wanted to be the girl who hung it back in the closet and refused to wear it. She held it up against herself, admiring the retro fabric.
She should hang it back in the closet. She didn’t. She slipped it off the hanger and over her head before she could change her mind. It was perfect. The tight bodice gave her cleavage and the circle skirt was made for twirling. She slipped on the lemon yellow kitten heels and tried not to swoon.
She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and wished again for straight hair with bangs. Otherwise the outfit was perfect. The cute party girl she’d wanted stared back at her from the full length mirror. Mischief lurked in her eyes and her smile wouldn’t go away. That girl was up to no good.
She was perfect.
When she stepped back into the living room, Nic was waiting for her. He’d showered and was dressed in khakis and a white button down with the sleeves cuffed below his elbows. She had no idea why it made his arms so sexy, but it absolutely did. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her. He had the most dangerous smile in the world. He’d shaved, which made his face harder than usual. Nic could shave twice a day. The stubble usually shadowing his face made him more approachable. He was much more intimidating with a smooth jawline.
“You keep looking at me like that and we won’t be going anywhere.”
She shrugged. “You’re the one who wants to leave. I was perfectly happy.”
He held out his hand and she took it without thinking. “Ever been to the Keys before?”
“No.”
“The diving is excellent.”
“I’m not sporty. I’m decorative.” She flinched. The words had sounded much better in her head.
“Decorative?” he echoed, laughing under his breath when he opened the passenger side door of the convertible Aston Martin parked next to the SUV in his garage. “Aren’t you in graduate school?”
She slid into the seat, keeping her voice casual as she tried to think fast. What if he asked what she was majoring in? She could say math. When he asked if she was going to teach, she’d say yes. “I am.”
“Lizzie,” he said, his voice lower than it should be. “There’s something you should know.”
“What?”
“Decorative and smart is better.”
She went warm in places she didn’t know could get warm and she couldn’t help the smile that split across her face. Smart she could do. Smart wasn’t threatening. He liked smart? Perfect. She could definitely be that girl.
She couldn’t lose sight of the fact that when he said smart, he didn’t mean academic discussions about gap fluctuations or why P could never equal NP.
Chapter Seven
The Maretti Key Resort was much larger than the hotel in Miami. Nic gave the keys to valet parking then led her
His hands soothed up and down her bare back, electricity sparking along the contact. “Check the master bedroom closet. Then we’ll head over to the resort. You can shop.”
“Shop?”
“You try on dresses, pick one out and wear it to dinner.”
“At your resort?”
“Resort and Golf club,” he corrected lightly. He was teasing her but it had the opposite effect.
The real world intruded and she remembered who he was and who she was. They did not live in the same reality. She might let herself play in his for a while, but getting attached would be stupid. “I have no idea how to be in your world, Nic.”
He kissed her nose before stepping back from her. “You just be you, Lizzie.”
Her smile faltered. She definitely couldn’t be herself.
It took him another few minutes and when he finally eased her away from him, Lizzie held her breath as the ache threatened to consume her. She was definitely in over her head. No matter how careful she was this week, when they parted it was going to leave a scar.
She found a sundress hanging in the master closet. The designer tag confirmed it was a dress she’d pinned a few weeks ago. She wanted to be the girl who hung it back in the closet and refused to wear it. She held it up against herself, admiring the retro fabric.
She should hang it back in the closet. She didn’t. She slipped it off the hanger and over her head before she could change her mind. It was perfect. The tight bodice gave her cleavage and the circle skirt was made for twirling. She slipped on the lemon yellow kitten heels and tried not to swoon.
She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and wished again for straight hair with bangs. Otherwise the outfit was perfect. The cute party girl she’d wanted stared back at her from the full length mirror. Mischief lurked in her eyes and her smile wouldn’t go away. That girl was up to no good.
She was perfect.
When she stepped back into the living room, Nic was waiting for her. He’d showered and was dressed in khakis and a white button down with the sleeves cuffed below his elbows. She had no idea why it made his arms so sexy, but it absolutely did. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her. He had the most dangerous smile in the world. He’d shaved, which made his face harder than usual. Nic could shave twice a day. The stubble usually shadowing his face made him more approachable. He was much more intimidating with a smooth jawline.
“You keep looking at me like that and we won’t be going anywhere.”
She shrugged. “You’re the one who wants to leave. I was perfectly happy.”
He held out his hand and she took it without thinking. “Ever been to the Keys before?”
“No.”
“The diving is excellent.”
“I’m not sporty. I’m decorative.” She flinched. The words had sounded much better in her head.
“Decorative?” he echoed, laughing under his breath when he opened the passenger side door of the convertible Aston Martin parked next to the SUV in his garage. “Aren’t you in graduate school?”
She slid into the seat, keeping her voice casual as she tried to think fast. What if he asked what she was majoring in? She could say math. When he asked if she was going to teach, she’d say yes. “I am.”
“Lizzie,” he said, his voice lower than it should be. “There’s something you should know.”
“What?”
“Decorative and smart is better.”
She went warm in places she didn’t know could get warm and she couldn’t help the smile that split across her face. Smart she could do. Smart wasn’t threatening. He liked smart? Perfect. She could definitely be that girl.
She couldn’t lose sight of the fact that when he said smart, he didn’t mean academic discussions about gap fluctuations or why P could never equal NP.
Chapter Seven
The Maretti Key Resort was much larger than the hotel in Miami. Nic gave the keys to valet parking then led her
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