Dreaming of Love (3 page)

“Exactly.” She smacked his thigh, and both of their eyes dropped to her hand.

He lifted his eyes to hers, and she swallowed hard. In the short time they’d been talking, he’d seen a handful of looks pass through her eyes: embarrassment, arousal, worry. She had to feel the way the air zapped between them. Her eyes darkened, and her lips parted.

Oh yeah, she feels it
.

She licked her lips, and it just about killed him.

“What about you?” she asked, visibly more relaxed now as she leaned back on one hand and turned her body toward him. “Where do you live? What do you do?”

Her question made him think a little deeper about the two of them.
A sexy architect into green building.
Figures
. It had been his experience that tree huggers rarely held much respect for demolition experts. He sucked down his wine and went with an evasive answer in hopes of postponing any negative discussion.

“Depends on the week. I don’t like to be tied to one place for too long. I get itchy.” He’d always been that way. Spending too much time alone in any one of the houses he owned made him edgy. He’d never met anyone he’d liked enough to spend a few weeks with, much less settle down with.

Emily’s finely manicured brows furrowed. Clearly he wasn’t going to get off that easily.

“So…”

“I’m into construction. I go where the jobs take me.”

“Oh. I thought construction workers usually worked around where they lived.”

“Some do. I work with larger projects, which means that I travel a lot.” He didn’t want to talk about his job. Especially not the demolition job he was assessing here in Tuscany. He was enjoying spending time with Emily, and the last thing he wanted to do was talk about why he blew up buildings for a living.

“How long are you here?” His feeble attempt at changing the subject.

“Nine days, and I have every day planned so I don’t miss a thing.” She held up her empty glass.

“No longer worried about me carrying you to your bedroom?” Their eyes locked, and he couldn’t help but think,
Or mine
, as he filled her glass. Although he knew it was just his ego talking. He’d stopped having flings a few years ago—but they were still fun to think about.

“I can think of worse things.” Her voice was quiet, seductive. She mindlessly twirled her finger in her hair and lowered her eyes. When she raised them again, she said more confidently, “Besides, you have sisters. I think you’ll take care of me.”

“That’s a lot of trust in a guy you’ve known for only a little while.” He refilled their glasses.

“If you were a serial killer, you’d have stabbed me and hidden my body by now. And if you were going to make a move, I think you’d have done more than talk about family.” She moved her fingers over so they were touching his. “Like I said, you have sisters. I think the big brother in you will keep me safe.”

Damn.
Talk about conflicting signals. The hand. The brother talk. A guy could get whiplash trying to keep up.

An hour and an empty bottle of wine later, they were standing in front of the door to Emily’s room. She was tucked beneath his arm, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glassy, and her head nestled against his chest.

Lightweight, indeed
.
Cute-as-hell lightweight
. Dae took a step back, leaned his hip against the doorframe, and crossed his arms, debating. He wanted to kiss her, to feel the soft press of her lips against his and taste the sweet wine on that sassy tongue of hers.
I think the big brother in you will keep me safe.

“These five overprotective brothers of yours, would they mind if we spent tomorrow together?”

She took a step back and raked her eyes down his body. “That depends. Do serial killers ask women on dates?”

He laughed. “I don’t have enough experience with serial killers to answer that.”

Emily’s phone vibrated in her pocket.

“Maybe that’s one of them. You can ask.”

Emily pulled her phone out of her pocket and read a text. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth and raised her eyes to his, then held up her index finger before responding.

“Christ, you’re not really asking your brother—are you?”

She shook her head, and her hair tumbled forward. “Soon-to-be sister-in-law. Daisy. She’s marrying my brother Luke the weekend after I go home.”

Dae scrubbed his hand down his face at the prospect of her asking her soon-to-be sister-in-law about going on a date with him. “Great.” He didn’t even try to mask his sarcasm.

Her phone vibrated again, and her long lashes fluttered as she read the text.

“Well? What does Daisy say?”

“Um…” She lowered the phone and held it behind her back with a coy smile.

Dae rolled his eyes. So much for their date. The words
stranger danger
came to mind. “It was nice getting to know you tonight, Emily.”

Her smile was replaced with tight lips and a wrinkled brow as he took a step away. “What? That’s it? I haven’t answered you yet.”

He closed the distance between them, so their thighs touched. Their lips were a breath apart, and her eyes held a seductive challenge. It took all of his focus for him not to lean down and wipe that smug look off her face with a kiss.

“I assumed…”

“Assumed?” Her voice turned low and sexy. “What happened to Mr. Hand or Arm? Wow, you’re not quite the man I thought you were if you give up that easy.” She touched his chest, nearly doing him in.

Dae clenched his jaw at the challenge. “I’m trying to be respectful. You’re the one who gave me the big-brother lecture earlier.”

“Oh, yeah.” She wrinkled her nose, and her eyes held a hint of regret.

She was so damn cute that he wanted to take care of her as much as he wanted to kiss her. “Yeah.” He leaned down and pressed his cheek to hers, then wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her against him. “I honestly don’t give a rat’s ass what Daisy said,” he whispered.

Emily nibbled on her lower lip.

Their bedrooms were located on more of a balcony than a hallway, with wrought-iron railings overlooking the great room below. The villa was silent, save for the sound of their heavy breathing.

“It’s your answer I want, not hers.”

He leaned back and gazed into her eyes, hoping she’d take a chance on the desire he could see lingering in them.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Great, and just for the record, I’d have kept you safe even if I didn’t have sisters, but I can assure you that my feelings toward you are not brotherly.”

Emily’s eyes widened.

“And I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t act sisterly toward me, either.”

“I—”

“Good night, Emily.”

AFTER A FITFUL night’s sleep filled with anticipation, Emily pulled on her favorite black tank dress and stood in front of the mirror. Thinking about last night and the way Dae’s stubbly cheek had felt against hers, she stroked her cheek, as if she could bring back the prickly, heated sensation of their skin-to-skin contact. Her lips lifted into a smile. It was mid-July, and the weather during the day was comfortably warm. She had a feeling that she’d be warm no matter what she wore when she was around him.

Dae
. Was his name short for something? She slipped her feet into her cutest and most comfortable sandals and read through her overzealous itinerary as she pondered names that could be shortened to Dae. She couldn’t come up with a single one.

They hadn’t made any real plans for today, other than to spend the day together. Her day was scheduled from nine until six, and she assumed he was okay with following her itinerary so she wouldn’t have to miss anything. She didn’t even know what time they were meeting, so she planned on eating breakfast early to be ready, just in case he was an early riser.

“Well, Mr. Bray, I hope you’re ready for a busy day,” she said to the empty room. She drew open the double doors to the balcony and inhaled the warm summer air. Her phone rang and Daisy’s name appeared on the screen. She answered on her way outside.

“Hey, Daisy.” Her room overlooked the vineyard. She scanned the grounds in search of the patio she and Dae had sat on the evening before.

“Hey, yourself. You left me hanging last night. So? What’s the deal? Did you do as I suggested?” Daisy’s excitement made Emily smile. Daisy was the Trusty town doctor. Her days were often as busy as Emily’s, and when she was working, she was professional and serious. With blond hair, blue eyes, and a killer body, Daisy had more people coming to see her, claiming to be sick, than she’d ever seen before. Emily smiled at the thought of her jealous, protective brother Luke’s reaction when he and Daisy had first started dating. He’d made quick work of letting the community know Daisy was
his
. She wondered what Luke would make of Daisy telling her to go for it with Dae.

“Did I…
take, rattle, and roll
with him?” She laughed. “Really, Daisy? No, I didn’t. Isn’t it midnight there? Why are you still awake?”

“I had to know if you went for it. You deserve a great romp! I can’t believe you didn’t take advantage of the situation. Em, you never date. You’re forever and a day away from the eyes of your prying brothers, and you’re in
Tuscany
. You can date, kiss, have a three-night stand, whatever you want, and no one in Trusty, Colorado, will ever know.”

“A three-night stand? Do people do that?” She spotted the patio off in the distance, and her stomach fluttered as it had the night before.

“How would I know? I’ve never even had a one-night stand.”

“So you haven’t, but I should? Great advice, Dais…” Emily heard voices and leaned over the railing. Dae and Adelina were walking around the side of the villa toward the back patio. Dae’s hair was damp, and his jeans hung dangerously low on his hips.
Again
. His white T-shirt clung to his hot body. He was even more smokin’ hot in the daylight. Emily’s pulse quickened. Now that she knew what it felt like to be pressed against those muscular thighs and that rock-hard stomach, she could barely think of anything else.

She stole another peek over the balcony. Adelina was looking up at Dae with a soft smile. Emily imagined all women would be taken with his good looks and easy nature. Dae said something, then patted her back, and they stopped right below Emily’s balcony. She hurried back into the bedroom and sat on the king-sized bed.

“What happened?” Daisy asked.

“Nothing, why?”

“You sucked in a breath. Are you okay? Oh my gosh, he’s not still there, is he?”

“No. He’s not here.”
Do I wish he were here?

“Oh.” The disappointment in Daisy’s voice was palpable.

“Daisy! He’s outside. We’re spending the day together.”

“Oh! Good. So, tell me all about him. Name? Age? Looks? What does he do? Is he an Italian stallion?”

“You’re relentless.” Having grown up with five brothers, each of whom watched her like a hawk, Emily secretly loved having her brother’s fiancées and girlfriends around. Having Daisy looking out for her was totally different from the way her brothers watched her. The girls supported and understood her wanting to fall in love, and her interest in men, while her brothers seemed to fear it. It was like she had four sisters now.

“His name is Dae Bray, and he’s—”

“Hold the boat! Day? Like
day or night
?”

“D. A. E. Dae. I’m not sure what type of name it is, but…I’m getting all hot just talking about him. He’s got this amazing voice that vibrates right through me, and his eyes. Oh gosh, his eyes aren’t just brown. They’re piercing. They looked almost black last night.”

“It’s called being horny, Em. Pupils dilate when we’re turned on. Tell me more.”

Emily sighed. “You’re such a
doctor
. Anyway, his hair is kind of longish, and he’s at least six feet tall, with broad shoulders and…Daisy, the man is pure muscle. I touched his stomach—washboard abs and all.” Emily fanned her face and exhaled loudly. “Oh, Daisy. This is bad.”

“No, this is very, very good. Go on…”

“You do remember that you’re marrying my brother in two weeks, right?” Emily teased.

“Oh, please. You know no man could compare to Luke for me, but you’re a different story. Your forever love is out there somewhere. Who knows? It could be this guy.”

Emily paced the bedroom. Rich, dark woods, cream-colored walls, and hues of peach and mauve brightened the room. A fresh bouquet of flowers graced the bureau, and a plush throw rug covered expensive tile floors in the same peachy hues. There was a throw draped over an armchair in the corner and a stone fireplace on the wall opposite the bed. The room wasn’t very large, but the textures and fall colors gave it a homey feel. Her thoughts traveled back to Dae and how easy he was to be with once she got her initial lust-fest under control. Oh shit. She remembered how she’d come onto him when they’d said good night.

“Daisy, don’t get your hopes up.” Emily wondered if she was talking to herself more than Daisy. “I mean, he’s totally hot…and fun. He seems smart and attentive, and—”

A knock at her door stopped Emily in her tracks.
And I hope I didn’t scare him off.

“Someone’s at my door.”

“So? Answer it.”

“Right.” Emily rolled her eyes. “I’d better go. Hey, Dais…”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for checking on me. I wish you or Callie or Rebecca or Elisabeth were here with me. I still can’t believe I came all this way by myself.” Why had she come by herself? Why had Wes given her this expensive trip in the first place? She’d been so excited by the gift that she hadn’t really dissected the reasons behind it. Now she wondered if he’d booked the trip because he wanted to thank her for helping him or if there was something more. Did he think she needed it?
Boy, did I ever need it.
Did he notice how she’d swamped herself with work lately to keep from being lonely?
Did everyone?

“Em, you’ve dreamed of this forever. You’re an intelligent, successful woman. You can certainly handle a little vacation on your own.”

“Thanks, Daisy. I needed to hear that.” She’d been so overcome with desire for Dae that she felt like her brain had turned to mush. She needed the reminder that she was smart and successful and that it was okay for her to enjoy a little time off. A vacation. Yes, that’s what this was. Of course it was. Wasn’t it? Something deep in her belly twisted with the thought. She felt like she’d been searching for something for months. For love? For companionship? Or was something much bigger lacking in her life, and she’d molded it into the hope of finding true love because of watching her brothers fall in love? Had she taken this trip with the hope of finding true love rather than relaxing and simply enjoying a vacation?
Ugh
. She pushed those thoughts as far away as she could. She was not ready to try to reevaluate her life. All she wanted was to have a good time with handsome, sexy, attentive Dae.