“I think it was more than that … something personal. But you showed up before he could … well, anything.”
A cool ocean breeze snaked inside my jacket and I wrapped my arms around myself. I peered around uneasily, as if Warren could be lurking behind shadowy bushes, waiting to jump out and grab me. Everything about his behavior had been suspicious, and I was more positive than ever that his dragon gloves had nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with hiding a telltale glow.
I imagined Warren taking off his gloves and pressing glowing fingers into my skin. Realizing what almost happened made me nauseous. Or maybe it was the combination of lack of sleep, missed meals and too many sips from red cups. I didn’t realize I was swaying until Dyce moved to my side, slipping his arm around my waist to steady me.
“Sharayah, take some deep breaths,” he said gently.
I did as told. His callused touch sent warm waves through me and I started to feel better — for all the wrong reasons.
“I’m okay,” I assured as I stepped away to show him I wasn’t a pathetic wimp. “I don’t usually get dizzy.”
“Shock will do that — sneak up like a sleeper wave then knock you over before you know what happened.”
“Well … I’m fine now. Today has just been totally insane.”
“I understand,” he said, nodding. But of course he didn’t — and I couldn’t explain.
“Getting away for spring break was supposed to be fun,” I added, “but nothing has turned out like I expected.”
“Not all bad, I hope?” he asked with a lift of his brows.
“Not all,” I admitted in a silky tone that would have made the real Sharayah proud but left me embarrassed. Would he think I meant he was the only good thing about today? That I was hitting on him?
“What I meant,” I quickly amended, “was that I had a good time on the drive down here with my friends.”
Saying this aloud made me realize it was true. The drive had been fun. Not the part where I was cooped up in the car for umpteen-zillion miles. What I’d enjoyed was being accepted as an equal by older girls and experiencing the wild side of college, with complete freedom to do or say whatever I wanted. Also, there had been a sense of girl-connectivity with Mauve and Sadie, sharing stories, sick jokes and gossip. And I could even admit (exclusively to myself) that strutting on a stage wearing only a wet T-shirt and thong hadn’t been
I realized Dyce was staring at me. “Anyway, I’m fine now, although things could have gotten critical if you hadn’t showed up.” I was babbling like I always did when nervous. “Not many guys would bother helping someone they don’t even know. Thanks for the rescue and for not actually killing Warren.”
“He got lucky.” Dyce arched his brows wickedly.
He wasn’t the only one, I secretly thought, feeling as if Sharayah was momentarily in control as she tilted my head and smiled in a slow, seductive way. The logical part of me (let’s call her Amber) struggled to gain control, but exhaustion made it hard to focus. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking anymore. This body was responding to Dyce — pulse racing, head light, heat surging as if my skin were on fire. Amber warned: Walk away from the hot guy. But reckless Sharayah ignored her.
Dyce wasn’t helping things either, staring at me with an intensity that went beyond casual flirting. So I did what any normal girl with normal desires would do when stuck in the hormone-raging body of adventurous spring breaker.
I studied him right back.
His thick lashes were unusually long and curly for a guy, drawing me in into his gray-green eyes, sea-deep with flickers of sun shining across the surface. I found myself wondering what he was thinking. Was he attracted to Sharayah? Not me, of course. He had no idea a high schooler lurked beneath this mature body. My inner Amber screamed for me to walk away before I was swept up into a storm of trouble.
But trouble sounded kind of fun.
“Do you live around here?” I asked him.
“No.” He shook his head. “Just on vacation.”
“Spring break?”
“You could call it that, although I don’t get into all the partying.”
I started to say “Me too,” until I realized that would be Amber speaking and out of character for Sharayah.
“Too bad,” I said, flashing what I hoped was a sexy smile. “My friends and I came here to have a good time, so we’ll be doing lots of partying.”
“It didn’t look like you were having a good time when I first saw you.”
“I was an idiot for believing Warren. Thank God you got rid of him — but how did you know? Are you psychic?”
“Nope. I heard you scream while I was out collecting driftwood. So I dropped my wood and ran right over.”
“You lost your driftwood?” I asked.
“No sweat. I can always find more. I hadn’t gathered any decent pieces anyway.”
I considered asking why he collected driftwood but that somehow seemed too personal — and my libido was already dancing with danger being so close to him.
The problem was … Eli wasn’t here.
My skin tingled as my thoughts raced in the wrong direction. I’m always going the wrong way at the worst times, I thought nervously. I stared down at my hands, clutching them together so I wouldn’t give in to my (very bad!) desire to reach out and touch Dyce. I’d never met anyone like him. Danger and mystery swirled around him, as subtle and seductive as a sea breeze. Deep inside me something wanton and wild rattled the cage bars, eager to break free.
“I have to leave now,” I said firmly, more to myself than Dyce.
“Can I walk you somewhere? It’s getting dark.”
“There are plenty of lights, so I can find my way.” Far away from temptation, I thought.
“Still, I don’t feel right letting you go off alone.”
“Warren wouldn’t dare come back — you scared him so bad he’s probably left town. I’ll be fine. I don’t want to keep you from your, um, driftwood any longer. I have to go find Mauve and Sadie. They’re probably waiting back at the car and wondering where I am — especially since I still have the car keys.” I held out the key ring.
“Go on then.” His smile, right into my eyes, increased my reluctance to let him go. He’d been so kind to me — a real hero. He said “good-bye” and started to turn.
“Wait!” My heart pounded as I stepped toward him.
“What is it, Sharayah?” The way he spoke her name rippled like music through my ears and into my heart.
“After everything you’ve done, I should do something for you — a reward, or maybe buy you dinner,” I babbled. “I mean, you may have saved my life.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“But I want to thank you. At least let me buy you a drink.”
“As much as I’d love to accept, I can’t. I need to return to Emmy,” Dyce said with a tip of his cap.
“Oh … I understand.”
I reached out to wave good-bye but Dyce misunderstood, clasping my hand to shake it. When our fingers met, I held on — his firm touch was stirring up my willful emotions, dousing the fire of logical Amber. The way he
