Bora Bora
Chapter 4
Jade sat across from Connor at the table, staring into those deep, dark eyes. She compared him to his brother. They were both tall, Connor had maybe an inch on Steve. Similar build, though Connor's shoulders were much broader and arms more defined. The similarities ended there. Steve was a blond-haired, blue-eyed surfer boy while Connor had dusky skin, dark hair and strong features.
"You're brothers? You don't look like brothers." Jade commented matter of factly.
Steve laughed and punched Connor lightly on the shoulder, "What are you talking about? We're twins, can't you tell?"
"Yeah, but I kicked him out of the womb before he was done cooking. Needed more leg room. That's why he's such a white boy" Connor joked, kicking Steve under the table.
They sure acted like brothers. Colleen rolled her eyes and explained, "They were both adopted by the same family when they were babies. They're only 2 months apart."
"I'm the older, more mature, big brother." Steve said as he threw a cocktail shrimp at his "little" brother.
Connor looked straight at Jade and said frankly, "I'm taller."
"I can see there is no competition whatsoever between the two of you. That's so sweet." Jade drawled sarcastically.
The familiarity and ease she felt at that table was enveloping. She had always been close to her sister, though they did have their teenage moments. And here they were, sitting at a table in paradise with the two most handsome men on the island, laughing and joking like they've all been together forever. Everything about that moment felt so right. It scared her. She had felt that fast comfort before and it had not bode well in the past. For some reason, despite the peaceful locale and easy conversation, she was on her guard. He was devastatingly handsome, lethally sexy and she could tell from his quick banter with his brother, that his tongue could be sharp. That combination is dangerous, she knew too well. Much more research, she decided and sat back to observe him.
He knew she was watching him. Her eyes inspecting him, her mind calculating the...possibilities?
No!, he thought savagely to himself and looked down to refold his napkin. This woman is going to be in my life for a long time. She is not a fling. She is not a one-night stand. She is not an option. She is off-limits. God, she's gorgeous.
He thought back to the moment he took her hand in the plane. She was so terrified, so helpless, so vulnerable. It was intoxicating. He wanted to save her, to protect her and fight for her. When his hand touched her's, he felt her emotions pass through his skin, and into his soul. She was already inside him, under his skin, in his breath. In his heart? No! he yelled at himself. Dammit, you idiot Connor, shut the hell up and get her out of your head!
He forced his attention back to the table and the approaching waiter.
"One more please." He asked, motioning with his empty glass. He sure as hell needed it.
“We will have to go snorkeling and there is this amazing private little beach on the other side of the island that we can reserve for the whole day.” Colleen began telling them all about the activities that were planned for the next week.
“We can go scuba diving and they give windsurfing lessons too. It’s so amazing here. Jade, you’re going to love it!” She said excitedly.
“I already do love it.” Jade answered. Why was she so careful to avoid his eyes when she said that?
Steve brought his own opinions into to conversation, “Honey, maybe they want to relax tomorrow and unwind. We have a whole week here together, we’ll do everything we want to do.” He winked at Colleen across the table.
“I saw paragliding in a brochure. Do they have that here?” Connor asked. “You would have to be pretty brave to do something like that.”
His easy smile was such a challenge to her. OK, she thought. She had lost her cool on the plane. Ok, he had come to her rescue. Ok, she wasn’t so brave when it came to planes and landings and everything involved, but she wasn’t a wimp.
Game on! she thought as she stared him down.
“Maybe we could hunt some sharks and wrestle an octopus while we’re at.” She raised her eyebrows to him.
“Sounds like my kind of fun.” He said, licking his lips.
“The closest I’m getting to a shark will be on my plate.” Colleen stated as she picked up her menu. Steve studied his menu and noted “Hey, they do have shark.”
With perfect timing, the concierge arrived. “Miss Jade, Mr. Connor. Your luggage has been placed in your cottages. When you are ready, I will be honored to have you escorted to your rooms where you will be shown the highlights of the suite. We are at your service. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Please enjoy your stay with us in paradise.” He bowed to both and turned on his heel.
“Miss Jade.” Connor said mockingly.
“Mr. Connor.” She followed, sitting up a bit taller.
They laughed and both blushed.
Whoa, Steve and Colleen thought as they looked at the two then back to each other. They studied their menus with renewed interest.
Connor leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. His broad shoulders and chest stretched against the black silk button-down shirt. He took a deep breath and flexed his arms, yawning. She didn’t want to stare, but couldn’t rip her eyes away from him. From his arms, his chest, his shoulders. Her mind saw through the shirt and she gazed at his bare chest, hot from the sun. She saw her hands running over his pecs, and down his arms. She saw his arms, so strong and firm, wrapping around her tiny waist. His mouth on her throat, his hands in her hair.
Connor stretched out his legs under that table and accidentally rubbed his calf against hers. The feel of her warm, smooth skin against his sent shockwaves up his spine. He sat straight up in his chair, knocking the table with his knees.
“You alright there, little brother?” Steve asked, questioning the sudden movement.
“I’m fine.” Connor stated defiantly. “What are we all ordering?”
He didn’t mean to move so quickly, but feeling her skin against his was more than he could handle at that moment. He pulled his chair closer to the table and picked up his menu. He was a man, and she was a beautiful woman. He had a very male reaction and just needed to calm down and focus on something other than her. He needed to not think about her skin, her hair, the way she smelled, and the way she looked at him. The way she was looking at him right now.
Interesting, she thought, as she watched him be uncomfortable for the first time. The way he moved back so quickly, then pulled his chair up close to the table. Oh really?, she mused. She looked at him and smiled knowingly, biting her lip.
He read her mind. Don’t think you’re all that girl, he thought. He shook his head and ignored her, focusing on his menu. She took his head shake as dare. She loved a challenge. We’ll see, she thought and pulled up her menu, blocking him from view.
The waiter reappeared and they all made their selections. She ordered shark, just for spite. Steve raised his glass in a toast. “To new family, new friends and love that lasts forever.”
"You're brothers? You don't look like brothers." Jade commented matter of factly.
Steve laughed and punched Connor lightly on the shoulder, "What are you talking about? We're twins, can't you tell?"
"Yeah, but I kicked him out of the womb before he was done cooking. Needed more leg room. That's why he's such a white boy" Connor joked, kicking Steve under the table.
They sure acted like brothers. Colleen rolled her eyes and explained, "They were both adopted by the same family when they were babies. They're only 2 months apart."
"I'm the older, more mature, big brother." Steve said as he threw a cocktail shrimp at his "little" brother.
Connor looked straight at Jade and said frankly, "I'm taller."
"I can see there is no competition whatsoever between the two of you. That's so sweet." Jade drawled sarcastically.
The familiarity and ease she felt at that table was enveloping. She had always been close to her sister, though they did have their teenage moments. And here they were, sitting at a table in paradise with the two most handsome men on the island, laughing and joking like they've all been together forever. Everything about that moment felt so right. It scared her. She had felt that fast comfort before and it had not bode well in the past. For some reason, despite the peaceful locale and easy conversation, she was on her guard. He was devastatingly handsome, lethally sexy and she could tell from his quick banter with his brother, that his tongue could be sharp. That combination is dangerous, she knew too well. Much more research, she decided and sat back to observe him.
He knew she was watching him. Her eyes inspecting him, her mind calculating the...possibilities?
No!, he thought savagely to himself and looked down to refold his napkin. This woman is going to be in my life for a long time. She is not a fling. She is not a one-night stand. She is not an option. She is off-limits. God, she's gorgeous.
He thought back to the moment he took her hand in the plane. She was so terrified, so helpless, so vulnerable. It was intoxicating. He wanted to save her, to protect her and fight for her. When his hand touched her's, he felt her emotions pass through his skin, and into his soul. She was already inside him, under his skin, in his breath. In his heart? No! he yelled at himself. Dammit, you idiot Connor, shut the hell up and get her out of your head!
He forced his attention back to the table and the approaching waiter.
"One more please." He asked, motioning with his empty glass. He sure as hell needed it.
“We will have to go snorkeling and there is this amazing private little beach on the other side of the island that we can reserve for the whole day.” Colleen began telling them all about the activities that were planned for the next week.
“We can go scuba diving and they give windsurfing lessons too. It’s so amazing here. Jade, you’re going to love it!” She said excitedly.
“I already do love it.” Jade answered. Why was she so careful to avoid his eyes when she said that?
Steve brought his own opinions into to conversation, “Honey, maybe they want to relax tomorrow and unwind. We have a whole week here together, we’ll do everything we want to do.” He winked at Colleen across the table.
“I saw paragliding in a brochure. Do they have that here?” Connor asked. “You would have to be pretty brave to do something like that.”
His easy smile was such a challenge to her. OK, she thought. She had lost her cool on the plane. Ok, he had come to her rescue. Ok, she wasn’t so brave when it came to planes and landings and everything involved, but she wasn’t a wimp.
Game on! she thought as she stared him down.
“Maybe we could hunt some sharks and wrestle an octopus while we’re at.” She raised her eyebrows to him.
“Sounds like my kind of fun.” He said, licking his lips.
“The closest I’m getting to a shark will be on my plate.” Colleen stated as she picked up her menu. Steve studied his menu and noted “Hey, they do have shark.”
With perfect timing, the concierge arrived. “Miss Jade, Mr. Connor. Your luggage has been placed in your cottages. When you are ready, I will be honored to have you escorted to your rooms where you will be shown the highlights of the suite. We are at your service. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Please enjoy your stay with us in paradise.” He bowed to both and turned on his heel.
“Miss Jade.” Connor said mockingly.
“Mr. Connor.” She followed, sitting up a bit taller.
They laughed and both blushed.
Whoa, Steve and Colleen thought as they looked at the two then back to each other. They studied their menus with renewed interest.
Connor leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. His broad shoulders and chest stretched against the black silk button-down shirt. He took a deep breath and flexed his arms, yawning. She didn’t want to stare, but couldn’t rip her eyes away from him. From his arms, his chest, his shoulders. Her mind saw through the shirt and she gazed at his bare chest, hot from the sun. She saw her hands running over his pecs, and down his arms. She saw his arms, so strong and firm, wrapping around her tiny waist. His mouth on her throat, his hands in her hair.
Connor stretched out his legs under that table and accidentally rubbed his calf against hers. The feel of her warm, smooth skin against his sent shockwaves up his spine. He sat straight up in his chair, knocking the table with his knees.
“You alright there, little brother?” Steve asked, questioning the sudden movement.
“I’m fine.” Connor stated defiantly. “What are we all ordering?”
He didn’t mean to move so quickly, but feeling her skin against his was more than he could handle at that moment. He pulled his chair closer to the table and picked up his menu. He was a man, and she was a beautiful woman. He had a very male reaction and just needed to calm down and focus on something other than her. He needed to not think about her skin, her hair, the way she smelled, and the way she looked at him. The way she was looking at him right now.
Interesting, she thought, as she watched him be uncomfortable for the first time. The way he moved back so quickly, then pulled his chair up close to the table. Oh really?, she mused. She looked at him and smiled knowingly, biting her lip.
He read her mind. Don’t think you’re all that girl, he thought. He shook his head and ignored her, focusing on his menu. She took his head shake as dare. She loved a challenge. We’ll see, she thought and pulled up her menu, blocking him from view.
The waiter reappeared and they all made their selections. She ordered shark, just for spite. Steve raised his glass in a toast. “To new family, new friends and love that lasts forever.”
No comments:
Post a Comment