“Don’t be embarrassed. There’s nothing wrong with what you were doing. Sweetheart, there’s a whole lot more to sensual pleasure than just mating for the species,” he told her emphatically.
She laughed delightedly. “I think I figured that out from the moment you touched me,” she answered, her voice still choked with laughter.
Dante cuddled her body on top of his, smiling. God, how he adored this woman. This warm, courageous, intelligent, beautiful woman who still retained her sense of humor and sweetness after all she’d been through. “Spend time with me. Not because you have to, but because you want to,” he said, unable to totally keep a pleading tone from his voice. He and Sarah had been thrown together with him as her protector. Now he wanted her with him by choice.
I want her to choose me.
She was silent for a moment, her head on his shoulder, and Dante almost wondered if she had fallen asleep. “Okay,” she finally agreed in a soft whisper.
The tension left Dante’s body, and his arms tightened reflexively around her. Maybe her answer wasn’t as enthusiastic as he wanted it to be, but just having her agree was enough. For now.
She moved off his body, slowly sliding to his side. He brought her soft, warm body next to his, and they were both asleep moments later.
CHAPTER 19
“What are you looking at?” Dante strolled over to Sarah as he devoured the last of his lobster roll.
Sarah stood outside of the last house on Main Street, looking into the window. “I like this shop.”
The monstrous old home at the very end of the street was aged and weathered, the paint peeling on the outside, but every time she stepped into Mara Ross’s shop, she could feel the sense of history that clung to the home. Dolls and Things was a lovely, eclectic store, and Sarah adored it.
“Let’s go in,” Dante suggested, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Sarah shrugged. “I never buy anything. I just like the store.” She looked at the dolls in the window, noticing her favorite—a large, blonde Victorian doll with blue eyes and a red velvet dress—still hadn’t sold.
Dante pulled open the door and held it for her. Sarah went in, shooting him a broad smile as she passed through the entrance.
She browsed around, examining the art on the walls and the expert craftsmanship of some of the dolls. Mara Ross had taken over the store from her mother when she’d died a year or so ago, keeping the tradition of having a doll maker in the town of Amesport. The skill had been passed down for several generations. Sarah didn’t hurry as she looked at the new additions, a habit that she’d developed after spending the last week in Dante’s company. It had been the happiest week of her life.
Dante had taught her how to do things just for the fun of doing them, and he’d seemed to enjoy it just as much as she did. They took long walks together and sat out on the beach for hours just to absorb the feel and the sound of the ocean. Dante had gotten himself a bike, and they’d ridden most of the bike trails in the area, stopping whenever they felt like exploring. Unfortunately, Dante still hadn’t gotten over his insistence that she wear her protective gear, but at least he’d given up on the jeans and long-sleeved shirts after Sarah had complained about suffocating in them with the weather so warm.
She played his massive piano at night, or they messed around with some children’s games that were probably better suited to grade school kids. But Sarah had enjoyed every minute of it. She’d cut her work schedule light so she’d have more time to spend with Dante, knowing all the while that it was going to make saying good-bye to him even harder. Strangely, she wouldn’t trade a moment of their time together, though. It had been a magical, relaxing week.
When she’d finished work today, they’d had a latte at Brew Magic and strolled down Main Street like curious tourists. They hadn’t rushed, checking out every shop that caught their interest. Dante hadn’t been able to resist grabbing a lobster roll—or three. Sarah was pretty sure he was completely addicted.
He’s going to miss those when he’s gone.
She quickly shook off the thought, determined to not think about tomorrow, to keep living in the moment.
She still hadn’t moved back into her cottage, even though it had been refurnished and it was ready. Somehow, she couldn’t seem to resist spending every night with Dante. His body was like an addictive drug, and every night with him was different. Sometimes he liked it rough, sometimes it was sensual, and there were moments when it was so tender that it touched her soul. Every single time, it rocked her world.
Sarah made her way back to the front of the store just as Mara was handing Dante a large bag. Apparently, he’d found something he liked.
Mara Ross was a quiet, curvy woman with dark, shoulder-length hair that was currently pulled back in a clip at the nape of her neck. Her glasses covered sharp brown eyes, and she always smiled readily, even though she was a little bit shy.
Sarah came to the front just in time to hear Mara tell Dante, “This house was originally owned by a Sinclair. I’m surprised you never knew.”
Mara knew the history of the whole town, her family having been here since the town was founded. “It was?” Sarah asked curiously.
Mara nodded at Sarah. “It belonged to a Sinclair sea captain.” She looked at Dante. “How do you think your family acquired the peninsula? The captain purchased the land to build his wife and children an even bigger home, but he died at sea before it was ever built. This house was eventually sold, but the land on the peninsula stayed in the Sinclair family.”