“What’d that guy say to you?” he asked quietly, rubbing a lock of her hair between his fingers.
“He apologized for getting in my way. Told me he would’ve offered to buy me a drink, but the rock on my finger said he’d better not.” She held out her left hand and sighed at the glittering diamond, a content smile on her pretty red mouth.
“Smart man.” He winked and she laughed. “What do you say we blow this pop stand and find some place for you to shake that sweet ass?”
“Armando suggested a club in one of the hotels down the beach.”
Annoyance churned in his gut, but he tamped it down. “Yeah? You two make plans to meet up?”
“Maybe.” She swiped salt off her margarita glass and stuck her finger in her mouth. He watched her tongue work around the digit and barely suppressed a groan. “You jealous?”
Yes. “No.” He knew she was playing with him, but the comeback still irked him. And strangely, it also made his cock swell. “Let’s get out of here. Lead the way to your boy toy.” He stood and offered her a hand. But she just sat there, blinking up at him. “What?”
“Why do you say things like that?”
“I’m just giving you crap.”
Apparently that wasn’t the right answer, because she shook her head, rubbed her fingers over the freckles on the bridge of her nose and slid the other way, a confused, pissed off expression on her face.
“What’d I do wrong now?”
“Nothing, Dan. Absolutely nothing. You’re freaking perfect. Just like always.” She threw the words over her shoulder as she marched toward the exit.
He let her go, leaving the distance between them, because he had no idea what just happened. Once again. She clearly needed to breathe for a few minutes and he needed...well, he had no idea what he needed. But he’d have to figure it out on his own, because she wasn’t giving anything up easily.
“Maddie!” A few moments later, he jogged to catch up, reaching her as they hit the main path connecting the hotels further down the beach. Soft reggae flowed from a brightly lit cabana on the right, and the warm, night breeze carried with it the fresh, fragrant aroma of the ocean. In the distance, water crashed against the shoreline and he wished she’d slow the hell down so he could suggest they take off their shoes and go barefoot in the sand for a bit. “Babe, hold up.”
He snagged for her arm, grasping more firmly than he’d intended when she didn’t stop. But the momentum of her body carried her further away from him and his grip naturally tightened.
“Dammit, Maddie, slow down!”
She gasped and spun around to face him, her eyes big and bright. She looked down to his hand wrapped tightly around her slight wrist and, feeling like an ass, he let go immediately. Bringing her arm up, she rubbed at the area he’d held, her chest heaving.
He’d hurt her. Shit.
“Baby, I’m sorry.” He moved in and gathered her close, not surprised that she remained tense in his arms. “I didn’t mean—”
Before he could say more, she stuck a finger to his lips, wound her other hand roughly in his hair, and pulled him down to her. He barely had time to register her reaction before her mouth was on his, sucking the very breath from his body. She nipped and grazed at his lips, licking and teasing her tongue against them like she couldn’t get enough.
And there was the woman he’d married.
He gave into the moment, not caring that they stood on a public path, making out and groping one another like teenagers. Like the only two people on the Baja peninsula. Her fingernails scored down his chest, through the fabric of his T-shirt and lower, until she came to his belt. He was pretty sure he’d lose his shit if she kept going.
“Let’s put off dancing until tomorrow night.” Anxious for more, he pulled her as close as was publicly legal. He could feel her breasts, hot and peaked against his chest and, oh, yeah, she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. In no time at all, he’d have her naked, wet and screaming his name, just like he’d wanted all damn day. Just like he knew she wanted too.
So why was she shaking her head and taking a step back?
“No?” he croaked, shocked and a little too desperate for his masculine pride.
“No.” She wet her lips and his focus snagged on the taunting pink tip of her tongue. Bad idea. Bad friggin’ idea. His cock thickened, eager to feel that sweet little temptation working its magic below his belt. But, as it stood, that wasn’t going to happen. “I told the ladies from the surf lesson we’d be out tonight.”
So? He didn’t give a shit about anyone else right now. All he needed was her. “I’m sure we’ll run into them again. We can reschedule.”
Maddie laughed, placed a peck on his jaw, and patted his chest lightly. “You can hold out for a little while longer, Mr. Hudson.”
“You obviously have more faith in me than I do, Mrs. Hudson.”