She’d just bet he was. Probably made out all the time in back rows with countless different women. The cautious voice in her head that always made an appearance after talking to her mom warned her to question Zane’s motives. She wanted to believe his intentions were pure, but as she’d looked around this evening at all the tan, curvy, gorgeous women in attendance, she couldn’t help but think he was much better suited for one of them.
“Something wrong?” he asked when she’d yet to say anything to him.
“No. Sorry. But you really should be with your crew, not slumming it back here.” She tried to sound carefree and relaxed but wasn’t sure she succeeded.
Especially when he looked at her quizzically.
She turned her attention to the screen. Zane was in the middle of a humongous wave, and as soon as he came out of it, he raised a fist in success.
“I remember that day vividly,” he half whispered, bending closer. “The wave was long, so as I transitioned out of the turn and onto the face, I needed to rely on a series of integrated movements melded together. I pumped to generate speed, bottom turned, drove through a cutback.”
“You make every ride look seamless,” Sophie said. “You’ve definitely got an unnameable thread in your DNA that sets you apart from everyone else. I bet you could do it with your eyes closed. Human physiology has wired you to perform that symphony of motion without thought. It’s called a discrete task. You’ve mastered a skill that contains a single unit of activity with a definite beginning and ending. Like a tennis serve or golf swing.”
“You’re right.” Awe sounded in his voice and Sophie inwardly smiled. “When I’m out there, I’m not thinking that hard.”
“It’s like Zane Hollander and the ocean just go together.” She wondered if anything else would ever mean as much to him as the sea.
“A good thing, since I suck at tennis and golf.”
She laughed and peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Instinct and technique come into play, too.”
He toyed with a piece of her hair. “Want to know what my instincts are telling me right now?”
Titanic vibrations sailed through her bloodstream. She did. She wanted to know everything he was thinking. She hadn’t known Zane very long, but the time they’d spent together had been intense from the second she’d laid eyes on him. She’d first been drawn to him by how incredibly gorgeous he was. How thoughts she’d never had about a man before swam through her mind in a rush. Those ice-blue eyes of his were so amazing, and when he looked at her and talked at the same time? Nothing compared.
She sighed. “Tell me later. Right now you should move back to the front.” She’d arranged this screening and reminded herself this was work, not playtime.
He gave her a wicked smile that made the juncture between her legs throb. “Okay.”
“Sophie?” She jumped at the hand on her shoulder. “Sorry, could I see you for a second?” one of the tech crew said. She stood and followed him while Zane returned to his seat. Thank goodness she’d stopped Zane from saying anything more. His very presence put her in a compromising position, and she needed to keep her wits about her.
Her stupid insula and striatum—the parts of the brain responsible for lust and love—were working overtime.
Wait.
Love?
The tech guy had some concerns about the generator running out of gas. She glanced at her watch. The film was almost over. Would they be okay for another fifteen minutes? A second guy nodded, and she held her tongue from asking why they’d shown up without enough fuel. She’d told them the film’s length.
She stayed where she was, willing the generator to keep going, and moved her attention back to the screen. The surfers in the film were good. Phenomenally good. But Zane had this invisible force of nature that put him in a class all by himself.
Applause and cheers rang out as the last image faded to black and the credits started to roll. She let out the breath she’d been holding and clapped along with the crowd.
People went this way and that, talking about the film with awe and excitement. More than once Sophie overheard someone say it was the best of the festival by far.
“There you are,” Honor said, gliding through the sand like the beach goddess she was in a flowy white dress and long lavender sweater open in the front. “I was looking for you at your seat.”
“Hi, sorry. Minor almost-glitch, so I came back here.”
“Do I need to kick someone’s ass?”
Sophie smiled. God, she was going to miss Honor. She didn’t have friends back home willing to kick ass on her behalf.
“No, but thanks for offering.”
Honor raised her hand, palm flat. “Dude, you rocked this.” They high-fived. “Thanks.”
“Now I need you to run interference for me.”
“What? Why?” Sophie smiled and waved at Jon Waldron as he walked by.
“Bryce wants to have a drink with me tonight.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Sophie saw how they’d eyed each other at the concert the other night, and the attraction had been 3-D-glasses obvious.
“Yes. So I told him I was helping you with all the cleanup and was unavailable.” She flashed her perfect teeth. “You are doing the cleanup, right?”
“Umm…”
“Pretty please?” Honor clasped her hands in front of her chest. “I’ll buy you a hot chocolate when we’re through. Or better yet, I can crash at your hotel tonight and we can order room service. The inn has some of the best desserts ever.”
Say the word, Sophie.
She thought she might say it tonight, but no way could she leave Honor when clearly she needed a friend. Tomorrow night. She’d tell Zane tomorrow night.
“Of course. We’ve got to make sure everything gets taken down properly and”—she glanced over her shoulder—“the bonfire is completely out and the trash is all picked up. And the chairs all make it onto the rental truck and a whole bunch of other stuff. We’ll be working here for a while.”
Honor pressed her shoulders back. “Yep, that’s what I told him.”
Movement caught Sophie’s eye. Or to be more exact, broad shoulders, a blond head, and a swagger that was criminal. Their eyes met and she couldn’t look away.
“Hi…guys,” she said, hoping Honor got the gist about who had approached behind her.
Her friend pursed her lips and gave a quick little nod before she twisted and stood beside Sophie.
The smiles on Zane’s, Bryce’s, and Danny’s faces were very disconcerting. They could not be any more handsome. Behind them trailed a lot of the team who had worked on the film.
“Hi.” Zane took her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. “Sophie, thanks again for a fantastic night. A bunch of us are headed out to celebrate, and we’d love you ladies to join us.”
“I wish we could, but we’ve got to stay and make sure everything gets cleaned up,” she said.
The sparkle in Zane’s eyes flickered a little less. He didn’t think he’d be turned down. “How about we stay and help? Then we can all go.”
She wanted to do a happy dance at his consideration. He wanted her with him tonight.
“Don’t be silly. This is your night. You need to whoop it up with your crew and friends starting right now.” She meant it. He should be out having a great time.
Some of the guys behind him got restless and called out “Let’s go,” and “Hurry up.” Danny bumped his shoulder. “The guy from the L.A. Times is waiting, too. Come on.”
“Go,” she said, slipping her hand back.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked.
“For sure.” Sophie peered up at his face with what she hoped was a flirtatious look. She really wasn’t sure how to do one, but every inch of her pulsed. That had to give off some sort of vibe, right?
He backed away with the corners of his mouth lifted in that devastating style of his.
“Sophie?” one of the tech guys called.
&nbs
p; It took a great deal of force, but she turned. “Yes?”
Somehow she managed to answer a couple of questions and not sound like a girl mooning over a boy. Thank goodness.
“I’ll go help with the chairs,” Honor said.
Which left Sophie with the bonfire. Tiny flames crackled in the large concrete pit and she put her hands over the dancing fire to warm them up for a minute.
“Incoming.”
Sophie spun around at the sound of Zane’s voice.
“Didn’t want to scare you,” he said, stalking toward her.
“What are you—”
His hands cupped her face and his mouth landed on hers and he kissed her until she had no idea what day of the week it was. Or what month.
“Is that your way of saying thank you?” she asked when he ended the kiss.
He trapped her in his arms, and she melted right into him. Hook. Line. Sinker. “Only where you’re concerned. But I’m not kissing you just to say thanks.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m kissing you because you’re something else, Sophie Birch, and every moment with you is perfect.”
Her heart fluttered.
“And I want to erase every other kiss from your mind so mine are the only ones you remember. So when you crawl into bed tonight, you’ll be thinking about me as much as I’ll be thinking about you.”
At a loss for words, she instinctively kissed him back. Put her arms around his neck and fused her mouth to his, cutting off any breathing space between them. Pleasure and happiness and…love echoed through her body.
She loved Zane.
She pulled back, breathing heavily. Zane was too.
“Wow,” he said, his voice ragged. He touched his forehead to hers. “You’re ruining me, you know that?”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Yeah, well, we both knew that would happen. You’re an angel to my devil and I should stay away from you, but I can’t.”
“I’m glad.”
He lifted away, cold air taking his place, and she almost grabbed his shirt and brought him back. “You really did an amazing job tonight,” he said. “You’ve done an awesome job all week. You’ve impressed everyone, and I say go for it.”
“Go for it?”
“The American Cancer Society. Whatever organization you want. You’re ready.” He flashed a smile. “Now I need to haul ass before Danny realizes I’ve run back here.”
“Have fun.”
“I’d have a lot more fun if you were there.”
“How about I show you some fun tomorrow night?” She put a hand on his chest. If he stood within touching distance, it was impossible to keep her hands to herself.
He arched an eyebrow. “Say the word.”
“I plan to.”
“Christ, you’re making it hard to walk away from you.”
She gave him a little push. “Go on.”
He stumbled back. “Good night, Sophie.”
“Good night, Zane.” She watched him leave and her stomach clenched. Because in three days, he’d leave her for good, and the thought of never seeing him again hurt. Hurt worse than anything. But she owed him a debt of gratitude, too. She’d come to White Strand with the goal of stepping out of her comfort zone with her first vacation and furthering her career, and Zane had helped her accomplish both.
Stealing her heart, he’d accomplished on his own.
She wished he’d want to keep it.
Chapter Ten
The next day flew by with two film panels and a scavenger hunt. Sophie didn’t have a second to sit down, bouncing from the movie discussions to a game around town that had her and her scavenger hunt group with a list of things to photograph that included a team member climbing up a fire truck’s turntable ladder, a man with a mullet, and a group shot with a live lobster. Danny had tried to get her in Zane’s group, but it hadn’t worked out, so she and Honor were paired with a few other professional surfers and local residents. Several times throughout the day, though, Zane texted her.
He was sweet and funny, and she found herself in a cloud of Zaneness she didn’t want to end. When their groups practically collided on Main Street, he grabbed her and ducked them down a tiny alley between red brick buildings.
“Hey!” she said on a giggle.
“Shh,” he answered.
She took a quick glance straight down the narrow walkway. The turquoise sea shimmered in the distance. It was like looking through a viewfinder, and she inwardly smiled, tucking another image away to recall later.
Then Zane nudged her against the wall and trapped her between bent arms. Her breath caught. She’d hoped their paths would cross, and here they were. He canted his head down and her lips parted and her eyes closed in anticipation of his kiss.
The boisterous sound of teenage boys coming down the alley interrupted them.
“Brah, you didn’t see the air I got. It was gnarly.”
“Badass.”
“Yeah, until you ate it.”
“Everyone eats it.”
“Zane Hollander doesn’t.”
“Bet he did when he was our age.”
“Whoa, it’s him.”
Silence filled the walkway as one by one the boys noticed Zane. Zane lifted his chin in greeting. They clamored to be the first to reach him in the narrow alleyway.
They were adorable. Every one of them with their colorful board shorts, sunburned noses, and uncombed hair. Awe and admiration sparkled in their wide eyes.
“Hi, Mr. Hollander,” rang out from each of them.
“It’s Zane, guys. And this is Sophie.”
“Hi,” she said, thrilled that Zane introduced her. Every time her name fell from his lips, it was like swallowing a happy pill.
“We’re big fans of yours,” one of the boys said.
“Thanks. I appreciate that. And just so you know, I wiped out plenty when I was your age.” Zane smiled and five young faces smiled back.
“I wish we had a pen to get your autograph.”
“I’ll be at station four later today. Come find me.”
“Cool!” “We’ll be there.” “Okay!” “Thanks a lot.” “Awesome.” The group slipped by and resumed their animated conversation.
“He is so badass.”
“I can’t believe we just met him.”
“He’s like a legend.”
Zane chuckled. “Great. Not even twenty-eight and I’m a legend.” He leaned back in and nuzzled her neck now that the coast was clear.
Her heart did a little tap dance. “Badass legend.”
He laughed harder. “There is that.”
“Yo, dude,” Danny called down the alley. “We need to roll.”
She blinked up at him as he lifted away and let out a breath she’d like to think was in frustration. “The winning team gets five thousand dollars for their favorite charity,” she said.
“Very true. So, tonight. Dinner at my place?” He ran a hand through his hair like he was nervous, and she wondered if he seriously thought she might say no.
“I’d like that.” She tried not to grin too broadly. “How’s eight?”
“Too far away, but I’ll take it.”
…
Sophie stood outside Zane’s front door at two minutes to eight and read Honor’s text. You remembered the condoms I gave you, right?
Condoms. Plural. Her cheeks heated and she blushed for the potted plant beside her. She’d been so nervous about tonight that she’d asked Honor to help her get ready. Her friend had taken it further and brought over a beautiful silver strapless dress for Sophie to borrow. It fell in a breezy shape to the tops of her knees.
Yes, they’re in the clutch you lent me, she texted back, then fanned her face. She was sure Zane had condoms, but Honor insisted she take a few anyway.
Are you commando? ;)
Oh my gosh, would Honor stop about that? No.
Do it. You’ll feel wicked and wanton. Promise.
And multiply the bu
tterflies in her stomach by a thousand. I—
You can, Honor’s text interrupted.
I’m about to knock on his door! she wrote instead.
Oh goodie. Just put your undies in the clutch.
Sophie thought about that for all of two seconds. Zane liked her because she was different, right? Because she wasn’t like all the other shameless women who threw themselves at him.
I’m keeping the panties on. Bye!
Fine. Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
Like that could happen. There wasn’t much Sophie had done. She put the phone away and pulled out the travel-size deodorant to give a few more swipes under her arms. “Just be you,” she whispered.
And rang the doorbell.
Zane answered wearing faded blue jeans and a washed-out green V-neck cotton shirt. His feet were bare and his hair was a damp, sexy mess. He smelled shower-fresh and yummy. As per usual she got lost in his eyes for a minute. Something honest and compelling always shone in them, but tonight it seemed magnified.
“Wow,” he said. “You look gorgeous. Come on in.”
“Thank you.” For saying such a nice thing. For making her feel so much. For asking her to be here instead of alone in her hotel room.
“Sorry I didn’t think to dress a little better,” he said. The door clicked shut behind him.
“You look great. You always look great.” She stood awkwardly in the entryway, her hands squeezing the tiny black purse. She hadn’t been this nervous around him since the first day they’d met.
He took the bag out of her hands and placed it on the side table. His gaze traveled over her, and then he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Your hair is the prettiest shade of red I’ve ever seen.”
“Most people think it’s colored.”
He frowned.
“It’s not, though. It’s natural.”
“Like the rest of you.” He slid a finger down her neck, across her collarbone, over her bare shoulder and down her arm. His gaze dipped to the swell of her breasts. Thank goodness for push-up bras.
Massive quivers vibrated through her. She wanted him to take her right here on the hard floor. Kiss her, touch her, lick her, be inside her. And then do it again.
Keeping Mr. Right Now: A Kisses in the Sand Novel (Entangled Bliss) Page 16