Sea of Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, Book 4) Contemporary Romance Read Free Page B

sure she wasn’t alone. She’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that in all those nights of sexual innuendos and—oh God, virtual sex—as the months pressed on, she wondered why they hadn’t found a way to be together.
    He reached over and ran his finger down her cheek, then lifted her chin so her eyes met his.
    “Why didn’t we see each other?” she asked, then immediately regretted it. Dane probably had a zillion women at the ready. Why would he take time away from his schedule just to see her?
    He put one strong hand on each of her arms and looked into her eyes. He shook his head. “Stupidity?”
    Lacy laughed, but her heart secretly cracked. She’d been engrossed in chasing her promotion and was working every second, too, but if he had mentioned the chance of a visit, she would have tossed that aside and found a way to be with him.
    “Really, Lace. I should have made it happen, and when I couldn’t, I made sure we spoke almost every night. I feel like I’ve known you all my life, and I was sure we’d see each other again after Nassau. But then I had to go to Maui, then Belize, then California.”
    “You were in Florida, too,” she reminded him. Brave’s headquarters were in Florida, and when Dane wasn’t traveling, he lived on his boat off the coast.
    “Right. But I was never in Massachusetts, and that was very bad planning.” He stepped closer, his eyes darkening until they were almost black; the hunger in them made her shiver. “I’m so sorry. I thought of you every second.”
    She swallowed hard. Being this close to Dane, feeling the heat between them, Lacy wondered if making the promotion a priority over Dane had been the stupidest decision she’d ever made. I could have been with you. She knew that was a pipe dream. Dane’s schedule was even crazier than hers had been.
    “Lacy,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
    She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She was flustered by the hunger in his dark eyes and the way it quelled her heart and revved her desire. He pulled her closer, and she flattened her hands against his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath her palms.
    “Lacy, I have to kiss you,” he said, piercing her with an intense stare.
    She gripped his lapel to stabilize her rubbery legs as he lowered his mouth to hers, gentle at first, then taking her in a greedy, passionate kiss. Every stroke of his tongue sent her stomach aflutter. He slid his large hands down her slim waist and clenched her hips, pulling her against every inch of his hard length.
    When they finally drew apart, Lacy felt intoxicated. The sweet taste of alcohol and lust lingered on her tongue as Dane gripped the railing on either side of her, trapping her in between. He leaned forward. His breath was warm on her neck, his body a living, breathing furnace against her.
    “What are we going to do with my fifteen months of fantasies about you? They’ve stolen any chance I have at rational thought,” he whispered.
    Lacy hoped that when she opened her mouth to speak, her voice would find its way past her pounding heart. “Who needs rational thought?” Kiss me again. Please kiss me again.
    Dane’s eyes flashed hot. Lacy held his stare. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. She’d go anywhere he wanted, whenever he was ready.
    The door to the reception room swung open, and Max and Treat stood behind them. “We were looking for you,” Treat said.
    Dane took Lacy’s hand and turned around. Her pulse raced and her mind ran in circles. How could she possibly wait until the end of the reception to kiss him again? He squeezed her hand. Lacy bit the inside of her mouth to keep from saying something stupid out of sheer nervousness.
    Treat ran his eyes between them. “Lacy, what a pleasure to see you again.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, never letting go of Max’s hand.
    “It was a beautiful wedding,” she said, relieved that her voice didn’t shake. She’d thought it might. “Max,