Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Can’t turn down that kind of offer.”
She leaned against the bar and took a drink as she eyed the board. Like she was saying go ahead—impress me.
I was no dart pro, but I’d killed enough time in bars that I could play decently. I’d only missed the first shot because of her.
I took aim and let the dart fly. Straight down the middle. Bull’s-eye.
She cheered. “Admit it,” she said. “You’re a dart shark.”
“You’ve figured me out. But I’m still waiting to see how good my dart coach is,” I said, with an inviting sweep of my arm.
She parked a hand on her hip. “You doubt my skills?” she said, as if I’d offended her.
I shrugged. “Well, I’m waiting.”
She stared at me with a challenging expression. “You think I marched in here, gave you advice, and can’t back it up?”
“Time to show me,” I said, egging her on, and damn, it had been a long time since I’d flirted with a stranger.
She took the dart from me slowly, making sure to brush her finger along mine. That felt damn good. She never broke eye contact as she stepped away, like she was inviting me to stare. I drank her in, adding up details both practical and physical. The deep tan said local was more likely, and the bikini top, covered up by the tank and surf shorts, suggested she was a beach bum or simply part of the tourist industry. The toned legs and firm arms said she wasn’t afraid to break a sweat.
I could think of plenty of ways to get sweaty with her.
When she looked away, she raised her arm, steadied her stance, and tossed. Right down the center.
“Holy shit,” I said in appreciation.
She shrugged playfully and blew on her nails. “My stepdad taught me.” Something dark passed over her blue eyes when she said that, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came.
“He taught you well. But can you do it again?”
“I’m a dart coach, remember,” she said, then she proceeded to demonstrate, landing shot after shot until I was thoroughly demolished.
When the game ended, I extended a hand. “Congratulations. You are officially a goddess of darts, and I am humbly destroyed.”
“I’ve always wanted to be a destructive goddess.”
“By the way, real name’s Jake.”
“Mine’s Ariel,” she said.
“Works, even without the red hair or seashell bra.” It might have been her real name, but more likely it was a nickname or simply a bar alias. With two sisters, I understood about fake bar names. Worked for me, whatever it was.
She leaned in closer, and I caught a faint whiff of her shampoo. Coconut. Perfect scent for an island woman. “Maybe I even have a seashell bra,” she whispered.
Ah hell. That was an opening and I was taking it. “Let me buy you a drink and maybe you can tell me why you have a starfish on your belly button,” I said, and her eyes sparked in curiosity. I held her intrigued gaze for a beat.
Maybe work and women didn’t mix, but one night at a bar after a long-term hiatus? What harm could come from that?
I glanced at her stomach again, her hips, her waist, then looked back up to meet her gaze. “Since it’s ridiculously sexy.”
4
WEAK IN THE KNEES
Ruby
I’d had the piercing for so long I hardly ever thought about the sky-blue starfish belly ring. I ran my thumb across the sparkly surface. “I practically forgot I had this. Got it when I was sixteen.”
“Please tell me that was more than a few years ago,” he said playfully.
I rolled my eyes. “A lot more than a few years ago,” I said. More like sixteen years ago. But I didn’t want to give away too many personal details to a stranger. No matter how handsome he was, no matter how much I liked the crinkles at the corners of his green eyes, the stubble along his jawline, and the golden streaks in his brown hair. And his tattoos. His right arm sported a sleeve of ink in bold shades of orange, green, and blue, like tropical leaves, standing out against his fair but sun-kissed coloring.
“Well, you might have forgotten about it, but I could barely take my eyes off it,” he said, his deep voice low and sexy. Then he feigned seriousness. “I meant, while I was trying damn hard to be a perfect gentleman when you reached up to get the dart—I might have noticed the starfish.”
“Because it’s ridiculously sexy?” I asked, fishing for another compliment. They were unexpectedly…delicious.
“The starfish and its owner,” he answered.
I tingled all over from the remark. And maybe, too, from how it made me want to run a thumb along his sandpaper stubble, feel it brush against my chin, and mouth, and lips.
I gulped, then blinked, like a computer rebooting, as I tried to chase away the dirty thoughts racing through my head. I was here on this island for work—and a little recon. I’d stopped in The Pink Pelican to find my friend Kalila, who had tended bar last time I was here. But Kalila’s sister Maris manned the taps now, and I hadn’t even had a chance to ask her any questions—perhaps because Jake had distracted me from the moment I’d spotted him. He was still damned distracting. And I liked the way his compliments made me feel. Warm and a little fizzy. “Well, thank you for saying that.”