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His mouth is so close that the temptation to kiss him is difficult to resist.
I stare at him, feeling more confident because I’ve already decided to leave. “Mine too. But believe me, despite all that, neither of us is what the other is looking for right now.”
When we get back to the car, at least three bags are inside containing dozens of souvenirs. I’m so embarrassed when he tells me he sent his employee to buy them for my mother.
I say I can’t accept them, but he doesn’t reply, so the only way out is to say, “thank you,” get in the vehicle, and enjoy the ride back to the dock.
To my disappointment, he doesn’t ride with me; he just directs the driver where to drop me off.
With the door still open, he looks at me so intensely that I want to take my chances and do something I never thought I would. I unbuckle my seat belt and get out of the car; my body almost pressed against his because he’s still standing by the door.
He doesn’t move, watching me like a predator.
I feel beautiful and wanted, and I carry out my plan. Feeling reckless, I wrap my arms around his neck and press our lips together.
I don’t even know how to kiss a man like him, but I don’t think about it. The only thing that crosses my mind is that this is the last chance I’ll have to know how his mouth tastes.
It was meant to be a light kiss, but as soon as our lips touch, he wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me against his body. Hisfingers tangle in my hair with just enough force to make my head tip back without hurting me.
“I don’t do anything softly, Zoe. Do you want to kiss me? Let’s make it delicious.”
And then, all those movie descriptions of starry skies, bells ringing, and a stomach full of butterflies happen at the same time as he takes control of the kiss.
Fulfilling his promise, his lips devour me, sucking, biting, his tongue asking for passage, the intensity of the grip on my hair increasing.
I melt against his body; my skin is on fire. My breasts ache, tender against his solid chest. My hands come to life, getting lost in his hair, nails scratching his neck lightly.
I’m so far gone that I forget everything around me. He apparently doesn’t because he pulls away without losing grip on my waist, perhaps sensing that I’m not able to stay on my feet by myself.
He gives me a second, then takes a step back. “Did you change your mind?”
“I can’t. I really want it, but I’ve had my share of rejection in life.”
I get back in the car quickly before I lose my nerve because I know there’s a good chance, I’ll regret missing this opportunity to make this dream come true.
I lean my head against the seat, eyes closed, before I hear the door slamming.
This afternoon will be forever in my mind.
One can’t meet a man like him and forget about him later.
Everyone will be ruined if compared to his beauty and masculinity.
I’ve always been attracted to older men but never to someone with as much of an aura of power as Xander.
Now, thinking about it, I remember what he said about being interested in buying the cruise fleet. This is another small sample of the wide gap that exists between us.
It’s not just age or experience that separates us but wealth as well.
The car rolls through the streets of Barcelona, and that would normally excite me—people smiling and chatting freely, a different setting from my dull life in Boston—but right now, all I think about is our kiss and his gaze on me.
Zoe
CHAPTER EIGHT
I walkthe ramp to get back to the ship, feeling like I’m leaving a dream behind. Yes, I know it’s crazy and that there’s also a big chance this feeling is the result of my neediness, but what if it’s more? What if, out of fear, I kept myself from living something incredible?
The crew greets me as I walk in. There are about three hours left before the ship leaves, so instead of heading straight to the tiny cabin to drop off the bags of souvenirs, I head out to the deck to watch the sea.
