Of Love and Deception (4 page)

Daniella crossed her arms. “Out. Definitely go out to eat.”

He cleared his throat. “I see. You don’t trust yourself.” 

“Trust myself... ha-ha. You’re the—”

Cruz grabbed her hand. “Let’s go. I have a great place in mind.” He led her out to the garage and opened the car door. Daniella slipped into the leather seat of his red BMW convertible.

Nice car.

They drove along the coast, redolent with the salty smell of the ocean stirred by the evening breeze. Cruz looked ahead and didn’t say much. The silence was awkward.

~~~

“Here we are,” Cruz said as he pulled into a parking spot at The Blue Ocean, a casual place, but definitely upper class. Daniella had been to it a time or two when her boss had been in a generous mood and invited the entire staff.

“Great choice,” she said. “They have excellent food, and I love the ocean view.”

“So you’ve been here before?” He sounded disappointed.

Daniella didn’t care for his tone. She gathered he was implying she wasn’t good enough or rich enough to have ever dined here. In a defensive tone, she said, “Of course I’ve been here. Why? Does that disappoint you?”

“Disappoint? Not sure what makes you think I’d be disappointed, but, well, I suppose I am just a tiny bit.” He grabbed her hand.

She jerked her hand free. “What? Why?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I’m... well I thought it would be special, but I should have known someone as beautiful as you had surely been here before.”

He gave her a wink and reclaimed her hand. “I just wanted something special to be
our
first.”

“I’ve had dinner here before, but never strolled along the beach.” She found him amusing and smiled as she returned his squeeze.

Once they entered the restaurant, she wondered if there could possibly be any tables left or if they’d have to wait. The place was packed.

“Hang on, I’ll be right back.” Cruz released her hand and went over to talk to a man Daniella assumed was the manager. She watched as they exchanged words. Cruz spoke and the manager looked at her. He nodded, they shook hands, and Cruz walked back, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. His faded denims, white ‘Sinful’ t-shirt, and a thick silver chain gave him a GQ look. Of course, his tan skin went right along with his rock solid body.

A chill snaked down Daniella's spine.
I must be insane. Everything about him screams danger. Playboy. Hello broken heart!

“Come on.” Cruz reached for her hand and led her through the dining room. He opened the glass doors leading to the deck seating.

“You must know the manager,” Daniella said as Cruz pulled a chair for her. She sat and he took his own seat.

“Can I tempt you with some wine?” A bartender asked.

Cruz nodded at Daniella.

“Oh, no thank you. Just a glass of tonic water, please.”

“And you, sir?”

“No, but I will take a glass of tonic as well. Thanks, Brandon.” Cruz shifted in his seat, and after Brandon left, he propped his elbows on the table and cupped his cheeks in his hands.

“What?” Daniella asked, wondering why he was staring at her. It always made her nervous when a guy sat and stared.

His eyes flickered to her lips, down the center of her chest and back up again. His eyes latched on hers, dripping with sex.

“I can’t help it. I just want to look at you. Your eyes are amazing. So blue. And your hair... I want to touch it, twist my fingers in the dark waves.” His words came out heated and breathy.

Breathe in breathe out.
Daniella imagined him doing this very thing, running his hands through her hair...
Oh! Alright. He's running his fingers through my hair, pulling me into a deep kiss... his hands gliding slowly down my neck as he continues to kiss me, his lips following the same pattern, and....
Her stomach tingled hot and then hotter. She squeezed her legs together and shifted slightly in her seat. When she glanced up at Cruz, his eyes, aquatic pools of lust, seduced her slowly.

“Is that okay?” He bit his lower lip, brows arched high in question. “Or am I making you nervous?”

His words pulled her out of her sinful thoughts.

“Um, no. I mean, yes. I mean, no, you’re not making me nervous. Okay, maybe just a little nervous.” Daniella’s cheeks heated.

“You’re blushing. I’m embarr—”

“Are you ready to order?” A tall, thin, blond waiter asked.

“Shrimp scampi for me, with asparagus for the vegetable and nothing more,” Daniella said.

“Hey. That’s my favorite dish. How’d you know?” Cruz grinned. “I’ll have the same.”

“Asparagus for the side?”

Cruz nodded. “Yes, and nothing more.”  

~~~

Dinner was delicious. Afterward, Cruz retrieved a jacket from his BMW, and took Daniella for that special walk he wanted to share with her.

“We have to take our shoes off.” Daniella kicked off her sandals and peered up at Cruz. “Well, what are you waiting for? You can’t take a walk on the beach and not feel the warm sand seep between your toes.”

Cruz chuckled. “A walk on the beach. No shoes. It’s evening and we can see the sun go down over the water caps across the sea. Very romantic.”

He kicked his shoes off and reached for her hand. They walked hand-in-hand and continued along the dampened area alongside the shore.

“So tell me, Daniella, are you an only child or do you have siblings?”

“I have an older brother, James. He moved to Canada. I haven’t seen him for two years. He’s ten years older so we were never really close, but he was always there to protect me.”
From assholes like Blake.

She glanced at him and admired his smooth skin. “How about you?”

Cruz halted, and stopped Daniella right next to him. He reached around with his free hand and pulled her close, face-to-face close. “No siblings. Though I'd often wished I had one when I was growing up. My father owns a lot of property, a lot of businesses, so we traveled often. I hated it. I've never had a brother or sister to share anything with.

“I was kind of lonely, but when I entered high school, my parents decided I was old enough to stay home and I was finally able to enjoy having solid friends. That's when I met Falcon and Meg, who are still my best friends. They’re sort of like the brother and sister I never had.”

He shifted slightly, his hands gliding along the length of her jaw.

“Yeah, I suppose that would stink...” she said, “traveling, moving, and changing schools all the time.”

“Yep, it did. But I’m over it now.” Cruz pointed to a rocky area. “Let’s go over there. It’s a great spot to sit and watch the sunset.”

He lifted her hand and lightly kissed it. The rocks were set in a stepping stone pattern and Cruz led her to the top. He sat down and placed Daniella between his legs.

“I bet you’ve visited this spot a time or ten,” Daniella said.

“Ha. That sounded like an insult.” He pinched her sides, causing her to squirm. “To be truthful, I’ve never brought a woman up here... until you.”

Yeah, right.
“But you hardly know me.”

Cruz ran his fingers through her hair. He pulled her back into his chest, swept the hair on the left side behind her ear and placed his lips close enough so Daniella could feel his breath against her skin. He whispered, “I know you’re an amazingly beautiful woman, but you never flaunt it. I know you're responsible. Money doesn’t make you happy. You want to be married one day, but you have high standards.”

“You sound certain of yourself—as if you’ve known me all your life.”

He leaned in closer, his chest pressed against her back. “Am I correct?”

A tingling sensation gnawed inside her gut. “I suppose I have to admit that you're assumptions are correct.”

Cruz inhaled deeply and Daniella could feel his lips near her ear. He exhaled and then said, “Look,” as he pointed toward the ocean and continued. “The sun is setting. Can you see the colors casting off the water?”

Daniella shuddered. It was the sensation of Cruz’s lips almost touching her ear.
Respond you dummy! Come on, come on, gather your voice and speak!

“I-I can... and... and it’s beautiful,” she said as Cruz’s hands slipped along the length of her neck in upstrokes.

His lips caressed her skin in soft kisses and little nibbles. When he reached her ear, he ran his tongue along the edge. His breaths harsh and uneven, he whispered, “Turn around.”

Shivers trickled down her spine, arousing her senses. She turned around. Cruz moved and situated her legs, one on each side of his, pulling her tightly against him, and then wrapped his hands around her waist. 

He looked into her eyes, ran his finger along the outer edge of her mouth before fully engaging his lips with hers. His tongue swept and thrust into her mouth, stroking her with sensations of sweet ecstasy. Daniella could feel the fever coiling up inside her, deep within the sensitive spots as his hands gripped her tighter with each stroke, molding her into him. Breathless, she eased back and escaped his grip. There were others in the distance and Daniella was a private person.

“Sorry,” he said.

“No. Don’t be sorry. I let you, didn’t I?”

Cruz grinned and gripped her hands. He lifted her up with him, led her down the rocky steps, and back along the sandy shore.

~~~

The evening breeze had a bite to it. Daniella wished she hadn’t worn a short sleeved shirt.

“You want my jacket?” Cruz asked.

“No, no. I’m fine. Thanks for offering.” She lied.

“You sure you’re not cold?” He observed her, his blue eyes widened underneath the wind-blown mess of brown hair.

“Positive.” Daniella shot him a smile, but her teeth chattered as a gust of wind blew past. She clenched her arms and tried to warm herself. It didn’t work out so well. The rising network of goose bumps gave away the truth.

Cruz stood, tugged his navy-blue jacket off, and without question, he draped it over her shoulders. “You’re not a very good liar.”

Daniella slipped her arms into the sleeves. “Thank you.” The warmth of his body heat kissed her skin and his intoxicating scent tempted her to close her eyes, but she knew if she did, he'd know what she was thinking.
Not such a good thing after the heated kisses on the rock.

The sky darkened. Daniella glanced at her watch, and Cruz unlocked his car. “We must come back here, maybe go further down the coast to listen to the sea. It has a calming effect, at least for me it does.”

Calming effect? That's not possible with you in all your glory surrounding me.

~~~

Cruz pulled into the garage, killed the engine, and closed the overhead door. He rotated, now facing her. “Did you have a good time?”

Daniella glanced at him. “I had a great—” She barely spoke the words when she was suddenly swept into a kiss, a deep delicious kiss. He held her head as he manipulated it every-which-way, rooting his tongue in deeper strokes.

Releasing his grip, he stared. “I like you... I really, really, like you.”

“I really like you too, but I really have to get going now.” She opened the door and slipped out of the car.

“Wait! Don’t move. Just hang on a second.” He jumped out of his seat and rushed around to her side of the car. Pressing up against her, he slid his hands up her sides and she shivered.

Why does he have to do that? Doesn’t he know how bad he’s making me want him? Or maybe that’s his plan. No, no. I can’t do that. I won’t do that.

Daniella urged him back. “I have to go.”

Cruz stepped away and hit the key fob to open the garage. She went forward as the door lifted.

“That’s it? You’re leaving... just like that?” In quick strides, he caught up to her.

Daniella stopped in front of her own car. “I need to go before you get me all wrapped up in another kiss.” 

“Am I so bad that you want to rush out of here?” His eyes widened and a playful pout formed on his lips.

“No, that’s not it at all. You’re just... well...”

“What? I’m just what?” Cruz stepped forward and stood in front of her.

“I... I... um, well you’re not bad at all. Just the opposite and I feel out of control. I’m not myself.” Her cheeks warmed.

Closing the distance between them, his voice rugged and heated, he asked, “Really? Why is that?”

The warmth of his body radiated, the heat burning in spots too sinful to admit, as he molded his body against hers. Even the sound of his voice threw flames when he asked, “Are you afraid?”

“Of what?” Her words crackled and her stomach quivered.

“That I could splay you out right here on the hood of your car.” His voice husky, he continued. “That I want more from you... more
of
you.”

His eyes were intense, practically stripped her bare.

“Um—”

He wrapped his well-defined arms tightly around her mid-section and snapped her against him. She melted into his chest and surrendered, allowing him full exploration of her mouth. She took advantage and slid her hands up and down the muscled planes of his back, then around to the bunching muscles of his broad shoulders, and back down to his waist.

He entreated her, one hand wrapped around her hips, the other running up the front of her chest. He squeezed her breast, gently but firmly, and moaned as he held his mouth against hers.

Daniella gasped when Cruz slipped both hands under her shirt, caressing the small of her back and creeping down into the lining of her shorts. She could feel his excitement pressing against her abdomen. 

“So perfect,” he whispered against her ear, leaned her back on the hood of the car, and pulled her shirt up, exposing her lacey white bra. His fingers slipped along the center of her breasts and slightly underneath until he hit the clasp. He pinched it open expertly, exposing her further. One hand against her left breast, he circled her right with his tongue and nibbled the tip before sucking her nipple completely into the warmth of his mouth. She gasped, and clenched his neck.

Blood rushed to her head. A drive deep within her wanting to let go of everything she believed in, every moral standard she upheld, and let him take all of her right here, right now.