The Matchup

by Alice Ward

  “Miss Sloane, it is a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman like yourself.”

  Mushan released my hand as a frowning Zane took his attention. “We’ll start with a couple of Mai Tais.”

  I immediately bristled. “I can order for myself. Thank you though.” A breeze whipped my hair into my face, and I tucked the strands behind my ear. “A virgin strawberry daiquiri for me please.”

  With a bow, he was off to fetch our drinks as Zane smiled, his eyes once again scanning my features. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

  “Really. I was under the impression you preferred bobbleheads. You know, those who do whatever you want.”

  His eyes dropped to my lips, causing something inside me to quiver. When he scooted his chair around the side of the table, moving closer to me, heat coursed through my body. He had such an effect on me. No one had ever turned me on this much, especially on such short acquaintance. I wasn’t even certain what it was. His body, sure. But there was something else too. His voice was smooth, deep with low tones that seemed to vibrate through me. The kind of voice you imagined waking up to, the kind that you wanted to talk dirty as you made hot, passionate love all day and night.

  I lifted my hair off my neck, trying to cool the flame this man was stoking inside of me. The smile that slipped over his perfectly full lips told me he was well aware of how much he affected me. “I think a woman who knows what she wants is sexy as hell.”

  His eyes were drawing me in. Hypnotizing me with the sea green irises that glistened with golden flecks. “You do?”

  The wind blew a lock of his dark wavy hair onto his forehead, and I reached up to push it back into place. He took me by the wrist before I could touch it. “I find that aspect of you as attractive as I find your body.”

  I pressed my thighs together. “You do?”

  He nodded and leaned in, his hand sliding provocatively up my arm until it was resting on the back of my neck, holding me still as he moved in a little bit more. “I think you’re the most fascinating woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, Sloane.”

  This was just for show, I tried telling myself. This was just me acting like part of a couple in case my rabbit was nearby.

  That was a lie. I wanted this. Wanted him.

  “What do you find fascinating?” I managed to ask, allowing the seduction to pull me in. Just for show.

  The space between us grew smaller, and the tiny hairs on my body stood straight up as I waited for the sensations I was sure he’d stir inside me. “Let me show you.”

  “Here we go, one virgin strawberry daiquiri for my new friend, Miss Sloane, and one Mai Tai for my old friend, Mr. Zane.” Mushan had broken the spell, stealing our moment, and bringing me back to planet Earth.

  Zane and I slowly broke apart and looked at the man who’d robbed us of our first kiss. Then Zane blew out a breath and picked up his drink. “Thank you, Mushan.”

  I released the breath I’d been holding too, then wrapped my hands around the wonderfully cold drink. I took a sip and forced a smile. “Yes, thank you. It’s delicious.”

  Mushan frowned. “Are you too warm, Miss Sloane? Your face is very flushed.”

  Was it too late to throw myself into the ocean?

  Mushan hurried to climb onto a chair and pulled a string that brought an enormous ceiling fan roaring to life. He looked at me for approval, and I smiled my thanks, not trusting my mouth to speak.

  Zane was grinning like a fool. “Isn’t he helpful? You were looking flushed.”

  I took another sip and glanced around the room, looking for any newcomers I could inspect. “Very. I’m not yet used to the tropical weather.”

  Heat still had my skin prickling as Zane ran his fingers lightly from my knee up my thigh. Playing with the hem of my short sundress, he said, “Blue, like a cloudless morning.”

  My attention snapped back to him. “Huh?”

  “Your eyes. They’re blue, like a cloudless morning sky. Your skin is creamy and smooth. Like it’s never seen a single flaw.”

  He was a master of seduction, and I was once again falling under his spell. This needed to stop.

  “How many women have you said that to today?” I began ticking off my fingers. “Let’s see, there were three naked women at your bungalow not long ago. Now me. Any more I might have missed?”

  He laughed and sat back in his chair, his hand moving away from my thigh to rest on the table. It took all of my training not to look disappointed or relieved.

  “I wish you hadn’t witnessed that,” he said, lifting his drink to his lips. “If you want me to leave you alone, I understand.”

  That surprised me.

  First, that he even cared about my opinion of him. And second, at how panicked it made me to think of him leaving.

  For strictly professional reasons, of course.

  I had a job to do. Now Zane was part of that job, as my cover. If I moved forward with using him, I would have to keep him on a short leash. But I did want to keep him. He’d make things so much easier for me.

  As a couple, we could follow the rabbit if he went on a moonlit stroll along the beach. Zane and I would look like all the other lovers dotting the shoreline each night. Just another couple, holding hands, gazing into each other’s eyes adoringly.

  Just like we were doing now.

  Only, I wasn’t aware of anyone else. Just Zane. Him and his sexy eyes. Thick, dark lashes surrounded those unique green irises. Mine wandered over his handsome face, noticing how remarkably straight his nose was, and how it ended a finger’s width before his lips began. The way his juicy lips parted as if they were itching to kiss mine drew my attention.

  I lifted my glass. “Clean slate, okay?”

  He smiled and clicked his drink against mine. “Clean slate.”

  There was another plus to having Zane as my cover. With him nearby, I’d have to hone my skills, and as a rookie, he could prove to be valuable practice for me. I’d be able to enhance my ability to maintain two roles while under pressure as well as better track my stories and lies. We received a tremendous amount of training, but being in the classroom and in the field were two very different animals.

  Taking a deep breath, I smiled at him while also easing back in my chair, forcing my eyes to leave the majesty that was his face. I looked over his shoulder at the other patrons in the bar, observing, watching with a casual air.

  When I met his eyes again, he was gazing at me with that sexy little smirk on his face. I needed to take him into safer territory. “So, what is it that people do around here for fun?”

  “The list is long. I can show you a lot better than tell you.” He leaned back in his chair too. The gap between us grew, but the attraction didn’t fade with the great proximity.

  The button-down shirt he wore gaped a bit, giving me a glimpse of one of those perfect pecs I knew were lurking under there. The memory of seeing the man in only his board shorts came into my mind. Something inside of me stirred, wanting to know how it would feel to run my hands all over his muscles.

  “I wouldn’t want to get in your way of what you’ve been doing.” I leveled my eyes on his. “You know, conquering all the eligible females on this island.”

  He smirked, a lopsided, impish grin that I wanted to bite. “Hey, I thought we had a clean slate here.”

  I laughed. “You’re right.” I scanned the bar again, barely reacting when a white-haired man walked inside. I put my concentration back on Zane. “Do you forgive me?”

  I licked my lips and smiled, leaning closer to him. Just behind Zane’s right ear, I spotted the man again, a taller blonde who appeared Amazonian in contrast to his much shorter stature was on his arm.

  Zane was tracing my hand with his finger. “Of course I forgive you.”

  I leaned closer, lowering my eyes as the couple walked by our table.

  Dogs playing poker tattoo was prominently displayed on the man’s arm.

  Bingo.

  I linked my fingers with
Zane’s. My smile was genuine this time. He smiled back, those green orbs growing darker as his pupils flared with desire.

  I’d found my rabbit. Now I just needed to avoid being ensnared by the green-eyed trap of my own making.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Zane

  I’d been the one wanting to fish, so why did I feel like the one circling the bait?

  Jesus, this woman did things to me. Crazy, erotic things that went beyond sexual.

  At first, the goal was to get her into my bed. Now, it was to get her to smile.

  I was becoming addicted to that flash of teeth. The little dimple on her right cheek. The way her eyes smiled too. It was a full-face affair that I didn’t think she bestowed enough.

  Leaning in close, I played with a lock of her hair. “You know something?”

  She lifted a brow. “What’s that?”

  “We should just get this first kiss out of the way and all this awkwardness will disappear.” Dropping her hair to take her chin, I ran the pad of my thumb over her lower lip. It quivered and my cock pulsed in response.

  Oh, the things I could make quiver on her.

  “Are you feeling awkward? You appear to be the same cocky playboy I met less than an hour ago.”

  Ouch.

  “Clean slate,” I reminded her. “And it was your awkwardness I was thinking of. You keep looking around the room, not meeting my eyes.”

  “I like to people watch.”

  I looked over at a table a few feet away. “Like those people?”

  She leaned back in her chair and did a casual scan over her shoulder. “Poker dude?”

  I laughed. “Exactly. You’re very observant.”

  She pushed her hair back as a gust of wind blew it in all directions. I liked the wild way it looked. Sort of like how she might appear with it splayed out over a pillow after a nice tousle in the sheets.

  “Like I said, I like to people watch. I find them fascinating.”

  I smirked. “Hence the binoculars?”

  She scowled, but the look was good-natured. “People watch, not people stalk. Those are for our finned friends, remember?”

  “Uh huh, so you say.”

  She sipped her drink again, blue eyes shining with mischief. “So I did.”

  Enjoying her playful mood, I leaned in conspiratorially. “Think I’d look good with Colonel Sander’s kind of ink?”

  She glanced over at the other couple’s table again. “Yes! I absolutely think you need that exact same tat…” she reached out and tapped me on the forehead, “right there.”

  “Now, you’re just being mean. I think you should give me a kiss as an apology.”

  There was a long moment of silence, then she crooked her finger at me. Like a caught trout, she reeled me closer until her hands were on my cheeks. “You’re right,” she said, pulling my face closer to hers. “I’m sorry.” Then she kissed me right on the center of my forehead.

  I exhaled a breath. “You are an evil woman.”

  She leaned back in her chair, that sexy smirk reappearing. “Still want to get to know me better?”

  Biblically. Intimately. I want to know every cell in your body.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why the flying penguins?”

  I blinked. What the total fuck? “Um…”

  She laughed and tapped me over the heart. “The dove tattoos. Why did you choose them?”

  “For my grandparents. I’d never really experienced loss before they died, just days apart from one another. At their funeral, doves were released. I…” I lifted a shoulder, unsure how to go on.

  “Kept them as an eternal memory?” Sloane offered.

  She got me. “Yes.”

  Like most women, she couldn’t help but reach out and run her hand over it. She hesitated before actually touching me. “May I?”

  “Of course.”

  Her hand was soft as she caressed my ink stained skin. “I would have expected something tribal or more warriorlike. This is simple but gorgeous.”

  “I think there’s enough war on our planet.”

  Her expression softened. “Make love, not war? It appears you’re doing your part to fulfill the wish of that motto.”

  “Clean slate,” I reminded her but shoved my sleeves up so she could examine the see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil triad on my right arm as well as the warrior she expected on my left.

  Her finger traced over the lines. “Such contradictions,” she murmured. “Unexpected.”

  Time seemed to slow as she touched my skin, her scent surrounding me. “So… no gambling canines?” I asked to break the tension.

  She began to move her hand away, but I closed mine over hers. She didn’t resist, just stared down at where our fingers linked. “No.” She looked serious now. “Continue to choose the symbols that speak to you.”

  She picked up her drink but only took a small sip. Since we seemed to be in a serious place, I decided to ask the question I’d been curious about since she ordered. “Do you always avoid alcohol? If so, I’ll remove the champagne I brought to your room.”

  “I don’t drink when I work.” Her eyes widened just a bit. If I hadn’t been watching her closely, I would have missed it. “I mean…” She cleared her throat but seemed to be searching for an explanation.”

  “Dolphin watching?” I offered, giving her an escape. What was she hiding?

  She recovered quickly, giving a soft, embarrassed laugh but didn’t confirm or deny my guess. “Sorry, I think I’m tired from the trip. It’s been a while since I’ve taken any time off.”

  I waggled my eyebrows at her, hoping she’d continue to laugh. “I have several ideas on ways to help you relax.”

  She rolled her eyes but was still smiling. “I’m sure you do. But to answer your initial question, I do enjoy champagne and wine. I also enjoy pale beer. When I go to a baseball game or watch football on television, eat pizza or barbeque, it’s usually beer that I prefer.”

  “Beer? Sports? Pizza? I think I love you.”

  She laughed again. It was light, airy, and freaking magical. Not one hint of a silly-ass giggle in it. She sighed, and I found that sound arousing.

  Everything she did was arousing.

  Tracing the outline of her hand with my fingertip, the romantic island music playing filtered in and I asked, “How about we trip the light fantastic, Sloane? Get the blood stirring before we settle down for that glass of wine?”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. I don’t dance.”

  I stood up and held out my hand. “Come on. Just one.”

  She shook her head and made stop signs with her hands, but I wasn’t taking no for an answer. The pretty lady needed my help desperately. She just hadn’t realized it yet.

  “You don’t dance yet. You see, I’m going to teach you. That way you can say that you learned to dance while you vacationed in Maldives. It’ll be a cute story you can tell our grandkids one day.”

  The way she eyed me made goosebumps pop up in a place that didn’t happen too often. “You think you’re smooth, Zane, but this little dance won’t be a thing I tell anyone’s grandkids about. And neither will you.” I just stood there, hand held out until she rolled her eyes and sighed, then laced her fingers with mine and stood. “At least my sandals are light and won’t hurt your feet too badly when I step on them.”

  I pulled her against my chest and pressed my lips to her ear. “Stop talking. Let’s just move.”

  And move she did, following along just fine. Up until the time I turned her around, and she left her feet right where they were. I nearly crushed her little toes. She laughed. “I told you so.”

  “No, you said you’d crush mine. This was quite the opposite.” I grinned and pulled her back against me. Although many inches shorter than me, her body fit the curves and valleys of mine perfectly. “Let’s start again. I’ll move our clasped hands when I’m taking a step to let you know what’s going to happen.” I bent and pressed my forehead against hers. “You will be a d
ancer before you leave me.”

  She shook her head and smiled. “Will I now, Fred? Okay, you’ll move your hand, and I’ll move my feet. Let’s try this again.”

  I took tiny steps to make sure I wouldn’t step on her, and she watched our feet as we went. After I allowed her to do that for one song, I made her look up. The song was slow, perfect for holding her close. “You can rest your head on my shoulder while we move back and forth. Just slide your feet alongside mine.”

  Her eyes were wary. “Um. Well. I…”

  Pulling her to me, I felt her heart pounding. “It’ll be okay, Sloane. We’re just dancing. After this, I’ll buy you a glass of wine. Then maybe we’ll head to the spa. You can get a mani-pedi while I watch.”

  She looked up at me through long lashes. “Is that what you’re into, Zane? Watching?”

  “I like to watch a thing or two. A few things come to mind where you’re concerned, but they’re a bit on the naughty side. I should probably keep them to myself for now.”

  She nuzzled my shoulder and ran her hand up to rest on my bicep. “Do you have that much patience?”

  Giving her a little squeeze, I picked her up and spun around. “With you, I think I can wait for all that.” She slid down my body until her feet were on the floor again. “I’d like to get to know you first.”

  Pink lips quirked to one side. “You say that as if it’s a certainty.”

  I gave her a lopsided grin right back. “You say that as if it’s not.”

  She laid her head back down on my shoulder and ran her hand down to rest on my ass. “Nothing is certain, Zane.” Then her hand came up my back and stayed in an appropriate area.

  That was okay. I could deal with that. The woman wasn’t going to be easy. I could see that. I could respect that. And I thought I could handle that.

  But that dance was something else. Our bodies curved together like we were two pieces of a puzzle. Her hand fit in mine as if we were cut from the same cloth.

  The smell of her hair took me away as I nuzzled my nose in the soft strands. Flowers, some vanilla, and maybe even a touch of tapioca pudding made up the enticing aroma. Sloane was a rare woman, and I was lucky to have gotten to her before any other man had.