“Is there something funny going on between you two?” Scott asked. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how weird you were being at my party.”
Being under Scott’s thumb had grown so tiresome. In many ways, Allison felt as though she’d been born under it. “We’re hanging out. He’s my friend, too.”
Zane cleared his throat. “Hand me the phone.”
Allison shook her head and held the receiver to her chest. “No. I’ve got this. He’s being ridiculous, and you and I are sitting by the pool, talking. He needs to get over himself.” She raised the phone back to her ear. “Unless you have something nice to say to me, I’m going to say goodbye now and get back to my vacation.”
“He went on this trip to hook up with women,” Scott blurted. “He told me as much. And I do not want you to fall for his charms. Nothing good comes of it, and you just came off a bad breakup.”
Allison grumbled under her breath. As if she needed another reminder that Zane had a zillion other women waiting in the wings. Her brother was ruining her fantasy, and she wasn’t going to sit around for any more of it. “Okay. Sounds great.”
“You aren’t listening to me. You’re just saying that so Zane won’t know what I’m saying about him.”
“Yep. You’re right. Anything else? I need to get going.”
“Are you watching the forecast? There’s a system forming in the Atlantic. The weather channel says it could dip down into the Caribbean. It could be upgraded to a tropical storm by late today. It could easily become a hurricane.”
Allison looked overhead. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. “You are such a weather nerd. I’m not worried about something an ocean away, okay? Plus, it’s June. The hurricane season just started. I’m sure Angelique and Hubert will let us know if it’s anything of concern. Now, go back to your life so I can try to unwind. Kiss the kids for me.”
“I’m calling you tomorrow. And just punch Zane if he tries anything. Or remind him I will kill him if he touches you.”
Allison didn’t want to tell Scott that if there was any smacking going on, it would be only of the playful variety, and only if she was very lucky. “Got it. Love you.” She pushed the red button on her phone and tucked it back inside her swimsuit top. “Sorry about that. I think he’s paranoid that there’s something going on between us.”
Zane got up from his seat and ran his hand through his hair. His forehead creases were deep with worry. “Then you need to call him back and tell him that absolutely nothing is going on. Or I’ll do it. Give me your phone.”
Allison sat back on the chaise and didn’t bother to cover up when her sarong slipped open, revealing the full stretch of her bare leg and a good bit of her stomach, as well. She loved seeing the way Zane tried not to look...and failed. Did he want her the way she wanted him? Did he crave her touch? Her kiss? The thought of unleashing all of her pent-up desire on him, especially in paradise, where they could be blissfully alone, was so tempting it made her entire body tingle. It would be so easy to undo the knot of her cover-up and let it fall away. Give Zane an eyeful. Run her fingers along the edge of her bikini top, right where the swell of her breasts could draw the most attention. She wanted to do it so badly that her hand twitched. But she had to play this slowly. “Don’t be threatened by my brother. He’s just watching out for me. It’s a bad habit of his. He needs to cut it out.”
“You know why he’s so protective of you. There’s a good reason for it.”
Allison did know there was a good reason, but she’d been a little girl when she got sick. She hardly remembered any of it—it was practically a lifetime ago. Most important, she was perfectly healthy now and had been cancer-free for more than twenty years. Her entire family needed to stop hovering over her like she was made of porcelain. “And because my family is always around, I think we should take this chance to hang out on our own terms. Talk. Like friends. We are friends, aren’t we?”
“I don’t know.”
“What? You don’t know if we’re friends?”
He shook his head, seeming frustrated, which was not what she was going for. She wanted him relaxed. At ease. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to spend time together.”
“What are you afraid of, Zane? That I’m going to kiss you again?” She had a sliver of regret at putting things on the line like this at the outset, but perhaps it was for the best. If he was going to reject her, best to get it out of the way.
“For starters, yes.”
Allison pressed her lips together tightly. She decided then and there that if any moves were going to be made, the first would have to be his. If he wanted her the way she wanted him, he was going to have to show her. She wasn’t putting her heart and pride on the line a second time, especially not when he was so willing to say out loud that he was worried about what she might do. “I promise I won’t kiss you, okay? Just stop acting like you’re afraid of me, because I know you aren’t.”
“Of course I’m not
