Trust Me (4 page)

“Okay, Alli. I’m not trying to make you nervous. I’m Damien.” He sits back in his chair and lifts one of his eyebrows as if he is trying to make a decision.

His white linen shirt paired with khaki shorts are doing wonders for him. His clothing hangs perfectly on his body, accentuating all the right parts. He has quite a calculating temperament.

I want to crawl over to him, straddle his legs, and kiss him.
Crap.
My mind is being a total traitor right now, causing my libido to make a surprise appearance this evening.
What is wrong with me?

“So, what happens when I want to see you after tonight?” he asks.

“After tonight?”

What started as an accident has now turned into a potential second date. When he laughs at me again, I realize that he’s caught on to when I’m flustered since I just keep repeating what he says.
Damn it.
Luckily, he gives me a minute to redeem myself.

“I guess we can set up something to meet again,” I say.

“Whatever works for you, Alli. How many dates do you think it will take until you feel comfortable enough to tell me your full name?”

Part of me wants to be honest and say now, but keeping my last name a secret seems to keep a barrier between us. I don’t want to get engulfed in the tidal wave I’m sure Damien can create. Plus, giving him my last name now would put me in the insane category since I just said we should stay on a first-name basis.

Hell, I have no idea how to respond.
It’s Sunday, and I consider the fact that I’m leaving on Wednesday. “How about three dates?” The likelihood that he’ll still be interested by that time is slim, and if he is crazy, I can just disappear back to Georgia.

“Does tonight count as date one?” He takes a sip of his beer as he waits for my response.

“Sure.”

He nods as if he is solidifying something in his head. “I’m looking forward to the third date.”

When he takes a bite of his sandwich, I watch in awe as his strongly defined chin moves as he chews.

“So, besides trying to get my attention for a dinner date, what were you doing out on the beach this evening?”

I just shake my head and raise my eyebrow. Finally, I respond, “A waiter told me about the sunsets. I love photography, so I came down, hoping to freeze a moment from this trip to remember it always. What were you doing down there before I practically ran you over?”

“Just enjoying an evening stroll on the beach while unwinding from a busy day. Are you a photographer for a living?”

That makes sense. He seems like the business type.
“No, I just finished my junior year in college. Photography is really just a hobby at this point.” I shrug as I take another bite. My mind wanders to the interview I have scheduled shortly after my return. It’s with the same magazine that was interested in me prior to my parents’ death.

“Well, I would like to spend some time together tomorrow. Would you be opposed to riding in a car with me?”

We have finished our meals, and we’re both sitting back in our seats, sipping on our drinks.

I check my creepy meter, and I’m still not getting anything. “I know this is going to sound a little crazy and a lot naive, but you’re a normal guy, right? I mean, not some—”

He cuts me off before I have a chance to continue. He looks at me seriously and honestly as he speaks. “Alli, what do you need to feel safe? I just want to get to know you. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, I swear we’ll leave, and I’ll take you wherever you want to go. Just give me a chance.”

His words strike me hard as he lays it all out there. I know I shouldn’t, but I really do feel safe with this stranger.

“What do you have in mind?” I ask.

“I thought lunch and the beach would be good. How does eleven sound? I can pick you up here if it’s not too far for you or just let me know where I can meet you.”

The intimate way his blue eyes are penetrating me makes me feel as if he can see deep inside me.

“Here at eleven will work. Is there something I should wear or bring?”

The waiter comes and delivers the bill.

“Dress casual and bring a swimsuit. I’ll take care of everything else. It will be about a thirty-minute drive if that’s okay with you.” He pulls out some cash and pays for our dinner and drinks.

I’m momentarily distracted as I watch him put his wallet back in his pants, and then I realize I’ve taken longer than necessary to respond. “Sounds great. Thank you for dinner. However, I should be the one buying since I rudely ran you over.”

As he stands, he grabs my bag off the floor and then reaches for my hand, and I oblige.

“Alli, it’s been my pleasure.” He looks like he is about to ask me something else, but he seems to change his mind at the last second.

We leave the restaurant and walk toward the beach. He moves his hand to the small of my back as we pass a couple coming from the opposite direction. Those tingles return. Our time is drawing to an end, and it saddens me.

“I’ll meet you here at eleven tomorrow morning. Here’s your bag. Thank you for taking a chance on me.”

I take my bag from him and look up into his blue eyes. I am once again captivated, and I want to lean in to feel those lips, but I quickly pull back. It’s still too soon to kiss him. “I’ll see you then.”

From the way he is looking at me, I can tell he knows that I find him attractive.
The bastard.

As I begin to walk off, I decide to give a bold exit line. “Oh, and Damien?” I wait for a few seconds until I know I have his undying attention. “I’m glad fate had me run into you tonight.” I give him a wink before I turn and sashay down the beach without looking back.

Even if I make a fool of myself here, no one back home has to know. Reveling in the feeling of being on cloud nine, I decide I’m ready to live.

When I wake up the next morning, I replay my dinner with Damien as I turn over to face the breathtaking view outside my balcony. Last night felt so good because my old self was starting to reemerge as I let go of those chains holding me prisoner. For once, the suffocation that has been ever-present since last year is gone.

The surprising part is that this happened because of a guy, a total stranger I feel a strong connection with. Damien is an utter mystery to me. I have no idea why someone of that caliber would be interested with a country girl like me
. Just enjoy this as it comes. You’re here to start living again. You don’t have to declare your undying love and fall into bed with him.

I can’t explain what is drawing me to Damien. It’s as though an electric current has encapsulated and tethered us into our own little world. Obviously, I was so surprised by the sudden feeling that I couldn’t even focus on what he was saying.

This has never happened to me before. I feel powerless around him, but I also feel empowered to be the person who has been missing over the last year. The likelihood of nothing coming from this eases my tension, but at the same time, it leaves me feeling hollow.

Looking at the clock, I decide it is time to start getting ready for the day. If I’m going to be in a swimsuit around Damien, I want the extra time to buff and shave.
No prickly legs for this girl.

I have about thirty minutes until it’s time to see Damien. I slowly head toward where I am supposed to meet him, and I stop to take a few pictures along the way. It’s a warm day in Miami, and the city is alive. The beach is covered in people soaking in the rays. I am wearing a light blue sundress that comes just above my knees. I accented it with silver jewelry and some comfortable semi-dressy strappy sandals. Arriving just in time at the front of The Beach Hut’s parking lot, I see a candy-apple red sporty convertible pulling into a parking space.

Damien easily extricates his body from the car. As he gracefully makes his way toward me with a smile on his face, I take in his mirrored aviator glasses, blue polo shirt, and cream linen shorts. My heart rate quickens at the sight of him.

My mind is going places as I imagine what I bet is one hell of a body in a swimsuit.
Shit.
Just thinking about him half-naked in the ocean builds a desire between my legs that has me instinctively wanting to rub them together. It’s almost embarrassing how my body reacts to him on that level. I haven’t even spoken to the guy, and I’m ready to tackle him here in the parking lot.
Classy, Allison. Get it together. This is not like you. Geez!

He comes up to me and puts his hand on my arm. “Good morning, Alli. You look even more beautiful than I remember.”

The way his lip is quirking to the side gives me butterflies in my stomach.

“Th-thank you.” I stutter nervously. My brain needs a good slapping for continuing to evade me in my time of need.

He knowingly smiles at me as he leads me to the car with his hand on the small of my back.

Like a true gentleman, he opens the door for me and waits for me to be seated. After closing the door, he gracefully strides to the driver’s side of the car. The interior is all masculine with chrome accessories and black leather. I imagine it’s what the inside of a race car would look like. He starts the vehicle, and it roars to life.

“So, where are we going?” I ask.

“A little beach house up the way.”

I know I should feel uneasy and scared about going to an undisclosed location with an almost complete stranger, but I don’t. The wind has started to pick up, and I realize it’s going to do a number on my hair. I quickly grab my hair tie from my bag and pull my hair up into a ponytail.

“Is this what you do on all your second dates?” I ask curiously.

The smoldering look he gives me has me getting all hot and bothered all over again. Despite my embarrassment, I consider asking him to turn on the air full blast because I am having a heatstroke in the mere presence of this man.
What is happening to my body?

He doesn’t answer my question as he pulls into a gravel driveway. I want to ask again, but the scene I’m suddenly in has completely taken me off guard. The beach house is beautiful with its white brick and blue shutters. The front door is framed by a trellis with flowers and vines winding around it. The tropical plants in a variety of colors surround the house and permeate the air with a floral scent.
I wish I could bottle this smell and keep it forever.
The ocean is behind the house, and I can hear the waves crashing against the shore. We have entered our own bubble, and I never want to leave.

Absentmindedly, I grab my camera and get out of the car. While taking a few shots, I murmur, “Wow, this place is mesmerizing.” Lowering my camera, I cannot take my eyes off this picture-perfect scene in front of me.

His hand grabs mine and gives it a slight squeeze. “I was hoping you would like it. I rented it for the afternoon to give us some time together without interruption. If you’re ready, lunch should be waiting for us out back.”

As we start to make our way, he stops suddenly and pins me in place with his sincere gaze. “Alli, if you start to feel uncomfortable at any moment, just let me know, and we will head back to do something else. Okay?”

“Okay. I promise I’ll tell you.”

He constantly surprises me at every turn, and I can feel myself being drawn to him, craving him more and more. I’m scared shitless because I have known him for less than a day.

When I follow Damien around to the back of the house, I am greeted by a pergola trimmed in sheer white curtains swaying with the gentle ocean breeze. In the center is a white wicker table set for two with large wicker chairs placed beside each other, adding that romantic touch. The food on the table looks decadent. There appears to be a crab dip with baguettes, salmon drizzled with a sauce, some type of pasta dish, and asparagus. A variety of fruits and chocolate petit fours adorn a tiered platter stand.

“Damien, this is lovely, but I think you have gone to way too much trouble. I just don’t know what to say.” I’m motionless as I take it all in and realize how much work this must have been.

“I wanted us to have a peaceful afternoon. Come, let’s eat. This is a private area, and we have it all to ourselves.” Putting his arm around my waist, he guides me to the table.