He leaned over, kissing her swiftly on the cheek, his lips lingering near her ear. "You look fantastic," he breathed.
They walked outside where she expected him to hail another cab. Instead, he led her to a Jeep Sahara sitting by the curb. Her bag went in the backseat and she climbed up front. Cole made sure her belt was on, with the half door shut before he went around to the driver's side. He hopped in, put his belt on and pulled into traffic.
Cole was wearing another pair of low riding beach shorts, these were red and tan. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt with a surf shop logo across the front and a surfer on the back. The surfer's features were amazingly familiar.
"Is that a picture of you on the back?"
He glanced at her, looking sheepish. "Yeah. Not trying to brag, I didn't realize I'd grabbed that one. I was sponsored for awhile, they even brought out a line of boards for me to endorse."
"Why did you give it up?"
He shrugged casually, turning left up a narrow road. "I was a kid. It was cool for awhile, but I grew up, and found something I liked better."
"What do you do? You mentioned getting away from the office."
He chuckled, glancing at her again as he drove. "Well, I don't have an exact title. Red and I are consultants, more than anything. He also represents bands and organizes videos for them. I scout locations, stand around and look important. Occasionally, I do the choreography for them. I hand it over to a dance captain who actually teaches the dancers."
"Why don't you do that part of it? You're a fantastic dancer."
He chuckled, winking at her. "Because it's boring, and I have more interesting things to do with my time. Like taking a beautiful lady around the island, and giving her scuba lessons."
"You met my mom once," she blurted out without thinking.
"I did? Cool! What's her name?"
"Rosaline Cross."
"For real? I remember Rosie! Wonderful lady! Great dancer. She kept looking at my ass, though, when she thought I wasn't looking."
"Oh, my God," Mara said. "You didn't give her scuba lessons did you?"
"Me? No. She took from an older fellow named Denny."
"Is he as good looking as you?" She wanted to smack herself for being so bold.
"He and I could be brothers, except he's old enough to be my father." He chuckled. "Yup, Rosie sure enjoyed her lessons!"
He drove a few more moments in silence, scanning the horizon for something. Mara watched his profile, wondering what he was thinking. The scenery flashed by as they sped down the road. She hardly paid attention to the blue sea, white sand and green palm trees blowing in the gentle wind. All that was a background to what she most wanted to see, Cole's profile.
"Perfect day." He turned the car onto a dirt track. "You'll love it out here," he told her confidently. It's among my most favorite places on the entire island."
"I know I'll love it. I have full confidence in my tour guide."
The Jeep slowed to a stop. He put it in park under some overhanging trees. She started to climb out, but he held her hand. "We aren't quite there. I just wanted a quiet moment before we get down the the beach."
Leaning over, he placed a soft, caressing kiss on her lips. His right hand crept behind her head, his left touched her knee, sliding slowly up to the hem of her shorts. His fingers didn't stop at the edge of the material, but kept going to the curve of her thigh.
Cole's lips traveled from hers, brushing her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, and moved to her neck. Mara's breath caught in her throat as the hand behind her neck slid down, brushing her breast. Her lips fluttered against his neck as she drew him toward her, pressing her chest to his. She inhaled his scent, the fragrance spicy and tangy.
"Oh, Cole," she breathed. "Don't stop."
He let go of her gently, putting the car back in gear. "We've got a schedule to keep. And there's someone for you to meet."
They drove about another mile, right to the beach, where a comfortably sprawling house on stilts stood. Cole parked under the house and they climbed out.
"Hello!" he called loudly.
"Cole?" A man's deep voice boomed out. "Cole, my boy! Come on up! Who's that with you?"
A dark haired, broad shouldered man stepped onto the deck above them. He was grinning, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He looked an awful lot like Cole.
"This is Mara, I told you about her."
"Of course! Come in, Mara! Welcome to my humble abode!"
Mara put her hand on Cole's arm. "Who's that?"
"My dad. He lives here year round now, since my mom passed. Come on up."
The house was rustic inside and seemed to be decorated rather randomly with beach flotsam. Driftwood was stacked by a fireplace that was lined with clam shells. A boat anchor stood in one corner, and in another was a figurehead from an old wreck.
©2021 Dellani Oakes
To Buy Dellani's Books https://www.amazon.com/Dellani-Oakes/e/B007ZQCW3A/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
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