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I think I’ll have to catch him when he’s just barely awake and too sleepy to have all his arguments ready. So tonight. My palms go clammy at the thought of genuine rejection. What if I misunderstood, and he doesn’t really want me? What if what I witnessed was a single fantasy — just one of hundreds featuring entirely other women?
But Dallas is never going to make the first move. He won’t let himself, so that means either I give up on us entirely without even trying or I take action.
Dallas emerges from the exam room looking more cheerful than I’ve ever seen him. “Ready?” he calls to me and I nod. It’s still early in the day, but when I suggest stopping to get anything he needs for this next stage of recuperation, he turns me down flat. “Doc said I can go swimming, so that’s right where I’m headed when we get back.”
“In the lake? But won’t it be freezing?”
“Bracing, Esmerelda. It’s bracing. But no, I’m not that stupid to head out for the first time in open water, even a lake, without backup. There’s a lap pool in the basement of the lodge. Finlay said I could use it when I’m ready. Today’s the day.”
I frown at that. “I’m going with you.”
Dallas gets that look that says he’s going to push me away again. “I’m a freaking SEAL, Esmerelda. I can’t get into any trouble in a lap pool.”
I keep my eyes on the road. “I’m coming with you, or I’m calling your friends as soon as you leave the suite without me.”
He mutters under his breath, which tells me I’m right. They wouldn’t be happy and think he could rescue himself if he overextended. And seeing as they’re all SEALs, too…
A few hours later, I’m watching Dallas’s nearly nude body cut through the water. It’s a truly beautiful thing to see. His movements are efficient and practiced. But after twenty minutes, I notice he’s visibly slower. He pulls himself out of the water and reaches for a towel, ignoring the way my tongue is hanging out. I trail behind him as we head back to the suite, him still occasionally running the towel over his hair until it’s standing in little spikey bits.
Dinner is waiting for us, of course. When isn’t it? This time there’s roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with plenty of vegetables, and a peach cobbler for dessert. I guess Chef has decided Dallas needs to up his calorie intake now that he’s moving more.
Dallas has that look in his eye that tells me he’s looking for the right moment to suggest I pack my bags and head home. Maybe the pool situation is a blessing in disguise. He enjoyed that and I can tell he wants to make use of it again in the near future. I eye him dubiously and square my shoulders. I’m still making my move to initiate a change in our relationship tonight.
He heads off to bed after dinner. It’s not that late, but it’s easy to see why he’s tired. I putter around, nibbling on some of the food more than I should and trying to read but setting the book aside almost immediately. Finally, I decide to change into my pj’s and just wait in Dallas’s room for him to wake up. Yes, like a creepy stalker, but how else am I going to catch him at the right moment? I slide into his room. He’s deeply asleep, his breathing low and even.
Dallas is sprawled on his back and I bite back the smile because I know how much he was looking forward to being able to do that. I’ll just sit on his bed with my back to the headboard so I don’t fall asleep.
Except that as soon as my knee dips into the mattress, I’m hit by a truck. Suddenly I’m flat on my back, my arms pinned overhead and a strong hand wrapped a little too tightly around my neck. I squeak, or at least I try to.
“Esme? What the fuck? Did I hurt you?” Dallas grows increasingly frantic as his chokehold immediately loosens and he starts to feel me up in a hurry. The light switches on and I can see wild eyes staring at me while he continues to check me over.
“Esme? Say something. Are you hurt?”
I think it’s at this moment that I fall completely in love with him. He’s that scared for me. So I lift my head up slightly and place my lips on his.
All of Dallas stills except his heart rate, which is still going a million miles an hour. I reach my arms around his neck to pull him down. With a groan, he collapses on top of me and takes over the kiss. All his panic, his relief, his confusion as to how we’re in bed together comes through in the way his tongue tangles with mine. Finally, he pulls back with a ragged breath. “Esmerelda. Talk. Now.”
This is it. The big moment where I need to make my sales pitch. My mouth goes dry, but when Dallas starts to frown, I know my window of opportunity is closing fast. “I want you. To keep. Forever,” I whisper.
“Esme…”
I reach my hand up to his lips. “I’m aware you think I’m too young. But I don’t think so and I also know you want me. I want you too, so don’t be a pig-headed idiot about this.”
That catches him by surprise. Dallas’s eyes widen and then he grins before flopping down on the mattress next to me. “Are you forgetting that I nearly killed you right now?”
I scoff, “Nonsense. You weren’t expecting a visitor, and you immobilized me, but you didn’t even leave a scratch. I’m fine.”
“Esme, baby…”
I snuggle up to him, reaching one arm over his broad chest. “What happened to feeding me your cock one inch at a time? I really liked the sound of that.”
“How did you hear…? Oh, never mind. Got to sleep, Esmerelda. We’ll talk about this in the morning.” And with that, he reaches over and pulls me tight against him, pinning me down with one leg over both of mine. My head is tucked in under his chin and basically I’m in heaven. Just without firm answers. I snuggle in closer and heave a sigh of happiness. He smells warm and comforting, with only a hint of citrus. I’m no longer worried. Dallas is mine. He may just need some more convincing.
7
Dallas
Waking up with Esme in my arms feels so right it takes me a minute to remember she hasn’t always been here. And probably shouldn’t be even now. She murmurs something and snuggles closer. Then her eyes pop open in the dim morning light. I can see the confusion replaced with wariness and then finally determination.
