What the Heart Wants (23 page)

“Short of having a girlfriend here and there, Dylan hasn’t been in a long term relationship. Scott said it’s because no girls have appealed to him. There was one girl he liked, but it was over before it started.”

Great. The guy couldn’t commit.

“Does he have intimacy issues?”

Hope gazed over her shoulder. Probably to make sure Faith wasn’t eavesdropping. When she turned around, she leaned closer. “No, sweetie. Relax. Scott said Dylan is ready for a serious relationship.”

“How does Scott know so many intimate details? I thought Layne was Dylan’s best friend.”

Sex-driven best friend. Who was doing it with her other sister.

Ick.

Why did she allow that thought to press through? She gazed out the window, again, anxious to get the day started with Dylan. The four cream colored walls surrounding her were beginning to feel like a prison cell. Maybe because she hadn’t seen past them in a week.

“Dylan and Scott are close, too. Besides, guys talk, Hev, just like we girls do.”

Obviously.

Hope looked like she could gush. “Do you want to know the best part?”

“I think you’d tell me either way.”

Hope nodded. If she rocked in the chair any harder, she’d crash to the ground. “Scott confirmed Dylan’s interest in you. He said that you are all Dylan talks about. And he blamed himself for the whole incident at the wedding. He was never upset with you.”

Memories of their dance floated in Heaven’s mind. How close she and Dylan had been at the end of the song. How his breath felt against her cheek. The way his eyes peered into her soul.

Her skin tingled.

“Did you go off somewhere?”

Yeah. To paradise.

“Sorry. Was just thinking.”

“I feel change on the horizon, Hev. This weekend is going to be full of surprises.”

“They’re here,” Faith shouted as she hit the last step.

Heaven’s belly rolled like a stormy sea.

Hope jumped up from the chair and made her way to the door. Heaven stood and followed. Her eyes glued to the door when Hope opened it.

“Hey, Scott,” Hope gushed as he stepped in the door.

He leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek. “Hi, gorgeous, are you ready to head out?”

Hope’s eyes followed him as he leaned down to grab her bag. “I am so ready to go.”

“Hey, Hope,” Layne’s voice filled the air as he walked in next. He’d barely given her sister a glance when his eyes turned toward her. “Good morning, Heaven. You look…amazing.”

Awkward. Was he flirting? Probably. It was Layne after all.

Her eyes followed him as he passed. “Thank you.”

When she turned back around, desire rippled to her core. Not because of Layne’s comment. God, no. Dylan was standing in front of her.

God give her strength.

He was a sweet package of hotness wrapped up in jeans and a blue t-shirt. Those sexy eyes were taking in every inch of her. And there was more of her to see than usual.

She was glad Hope insisted she wear the sundress. Especially after seeing Dylan’s mouth gape.

“Good morning, Heaven.”

Even his voice swam with sexiness.

“Good morning, Dylan.”

“Where is your bag? I will carry it out for you.”

“It’s right over here,” she answered, turning to grab the bag at the exact moment Dylan did. When his hand fell on top of hers, Heaven’s eyes darted to his. Just a simple brush of his hand sent sparks flying.

And their day together was only beginning.

* * *

There was no moon in the sky. Not that Heaven cared. She was busy thinking about the day. How Dylan’s face lit up like the Fourth of July when she stepped onto the beach in her bikini. How they’d spent most of the day, hanging with Scott and Hope and laughing about Faith and Layne’s rendezvous.

Like the one they were sneaking off to now.

Her eyes met with Dylan’s. Both his brows stretched upwards as he cast his gaze across the beach at the fleeing couple.

He wanted to laugh. Just like she did. She could feel it. Instead he pushed his beer bottle down in the sand and leaned closer to her. The warmth of his body chased away the chill from the breeze blowing off the ocean.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face and gazed at the other couples. Brooke and Jerry. Emma and Sebastian. Scott and Hope.

The fire had died down to a smaller flame. Bottles and glasses glistened in the yellow light as the group chatted about the missing couple.

“Those two are so obvious,” Brooke chuckled as she leaned back against Jerry.

“That’s just like my sister. God, she drives me crazy. I need a drink.” Hope complained as she grabbed Heaven’s drink out of her hand. “Thanks, Sis. Cheers.”

“You’re welcome.”

Classic Hope. Never able to hold her liquor.

“She’s going to need help getting to bed tonight.” Scott said. He wrapped his arms around Hope, his bronze skin contrasting against Hope’s creamy tone.

Hope sat up straight. Her body stiffened in his arms. A feeble attempt to prove she wasn’t drunk. “No, I won’t.” She ruined her efforts when she broke into a giggle and fell back against his chest.

“My sister, the happy drunk,” Heaven said as she gazed at Hope. “Anytime she drinks, I’m usually the one helping her.”

Hope tried to cover her mouth, but Heaven leaned away. Her back pressed against Dylan. She started to jerk away. Until he leaned into her. The heat of his breath tickled her neck. She pretended to adjust one of the straps on her sundress, just to see how close he was. Her breath caught when they almost bumped foreheads. Yeah. He was really close. Her eyes fell to his lips. How easy would it be to drop her shoulder and lean in for a kiss?

No. She couldn’t. It took all her willpower to tear her eyes from his and force them to her sister. But when she did, disappointment rippled through her belly.

Scott’s muscles flexed as he pulled Hope closer, distracting Heaven from her obsession. “Don’t worry about her, tonight. I’ll take care of her. You have some fun.”

“He’s so sweet, isn’t he?” Hope beamed. Her head met Scott’s shoulder.

“I could use another beer,” Dylan said as he stood up and gazed down at Heaven. “Do you want to walk up to the house with me? We can get you another drink, if you want one.”

Alone time with Dylan?

Heaven’s pulse pumped up a notch.

She glanced up at his outstretched hand. Warm fingers cradled hers as she stood.

“I could use another drink.”

* * *

Trekking across sand while alcohol burned in his veins proved to be more difficult than Dylan expected. When he and Heaven reached the steps that led up to Jerry’s house, they dropped onto them.

“I don’t want think about walking through this sand, again,” he said, his eyes shifting to the bonfire burning in the distance. “Think they’d miss us if we didn’t come back?”

“I know Hope won’t.”

“True,” he laughed. “She doesn’t drink that often, does she?”

“No. Faith is lucky if she gets us to a frat party once a semester. Hope volunteers on several student committees. I’m usually at the library with a book under my nose.”

She was in college? How’d he miss that announcement?

He stretched his legs out, dipping his toes into the sand. “What are you majoring in?”

“English,” she answered. The laugh that passed through her lips was as soft as the ebbing waves splashing in the distance. “Would you believe I considered going into journalism?”

Talk about irony.

“If all reporters looked like you, I’d do nothing but interviews all day.”

Jesus, did he just say that? Layne was right. He was out of practice. Any more lines like that one and she’d run away, screaming.

He waited for her to look at him. When she didn’t, he nudged her with his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go get those drinks.”

Heaven flashed him another smile before taking his hand, allowing him to pull her up.

When she was finally on her feet, he noticed how close they were.

Kissing distance.

He kept looking in her eyes as they stood there, face-to-face, nothing but a starry sky above them. He squeezed her hand, just as he did the night Zeke had harassed her at the club.

She squeezed his back.

His fingers laced through hers. Their hands clasped together as they walked up the steps and onto the deck of Jerry’s beach house. He gazed around the deck, trying to adjust his eyes. The blinds to the French doors blocked out most of the kitchen light, leaving them in darkness, save the diminishing light from the fire. A few lanterns lit the banister around the deck, giving a cozy, warm glow on the treated wood.

Heaven was still holding his hand, but her eyes aimed toward the sky. She pressed her body against the rail releasing a sigh.

She was content. He didn’t need light to see it in her face. A hum inside her body spoke to him—drew him in.

What was this mysterious bond between them? He couldn’t read her mind. But her emotions…yeah, it felt like he could. He knew what she was feeling. Whatever connected them in the dream had bound them together in reality.

If he could unwrap her from his thoughts, he’d make time to call his mom and ask her if such a connection existed.

Her fingers slipped further between his. The tips curling around his hand when she squeezed. “I’ve always been fascinated by the stars and constellations.”

“They are pretty amazing. Centuries ago, people believed that the stars contained hidden messages. It’s kind of how the zodiac signs and horoscopes started.”

“I didn’t know that,” she laughed.

“My mom’s into stuff like that. Horoscopes. Fortunes. The mysteries of life. Fate…” He hoped he didn’t sound like some blundering fool. He glanced over at her, but her eyes were still on the sky.

“I bet your mom and I could have some interesting chats.”

Sure. Right after his mom volunteered to give her a reading.

His reading came to mind. The last card she explained to him. Two of Cups.

The card of unions. Of bonds between people. Powerful bonds that caused you to get lost in the person…

Ah, hell.

His reading was coming true.

“Do you believe it?”

Yeah…wait. What?

“Beg your pardon?”

Amusement played on her lips. “The mysteries in life. The stuff we can’t see, but can’t deny is there.”

“Um,” he rubbed his face. No. He didn’t. Not until she walked into his life. “I never used to.”

“Really? I thought that’s what your one song is about. Written In The Stars.”

So she did listen to his music.

“It has something to do with it.”

“I think that is my favorite song off the CD.”

If she only knew what that song was about…

She’d never believe him. Never believe he’d woken from a dream of her and written the lyrics in five minutes.

“That song is very personal to me. It barely made it on the album. I convinced the powers that be to add the song last minute.”

More like called in a last minute favor. To Nathaniel. At least his dad had a good sense of judgment when it came to music. Too bad he couldn’t apply that same good sense to his relationships.

“Luckily, they liked the song and agreed to release it first.”

“I knew you wrote it, but I didn’t know why.”

He saw the question dancing in her eyes. She wanted to know more, but should he tell her? Could he explain it without revealing too much?

“The song is about fate. About two people meant to be together. I wrote the song one night when I was trying to work through some issues.”

Great. Why the hell did he just say that? She probably thought…yep.

The sparkle in her eyes dimmed. As did the humming of their bond.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, even parted her lips to try. But then closed them.

Dylan’s heart sank into his stomach.

“Is something wrong?”

Idiot. He kept screwing this up. Now she thought he was interested in someone else. Or had been. But it was only her. Had been her for the last six months. Since childhood even?

“I’m fine.”

Okay, he sucked at connecting with women. But he did have a mother and the one thing she’d taught him…Fine never meant fine. That word mumbled through the lips of a woman was a mystery itself. A man needed a special decoder just to decipher the true meaning.

Regret played across her face. The way she focused on the rail and bit her lip.

He had to fix this. Now.

His voice dropped. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

He stepped toward her, closing the gap between them. His fingers remained laced with hers as they continued to hold hands.

She nodded. “I just feel bad for bringing up a bad memory for you.”

“You didn’t. Trust me. What I said earlier…it wasn’t about another woman. It was about finding the right woman.”

Her eyes rose to meet his. The pull between them grew vibrant, unyielding. Like a hurricane building over an ocean, waiting to make landfall.

Dylan reached for her, then hesitated.

What the hell.

He cupped Heaven’s face. The warmth of her skin radiated up his arm and over his body. Electric pulses spread through him.

“My God, Heaven,” he whispered as she gazed in his eyes. “You take my breath away, every time I look at you.”

That got him a wide-eyed glance. He watched, speechless as her eyes fell to his lips, lingered a moment, then met his, again.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

She took a step closer. The heat of her breath caressed his jaw.

He fought against the urge to kiss her. It would be a short-lived battle if she kept minimizing the space between them.

Her eyes fell to his lips, again. Something inside his chest snapped.

Then she did it. She pressed up against him.

And his resolve crumbled like a cookie.

His arms went to her waist. He pulled her close. She obliged him. Her arms curled around his neck. Her skin scorched his. His body surged with heat, as though lightning had struck every nerve and burned him past the point of recognition.