Page 21 of Starting Back
“No, my friend Nicole,” she said with her hand covering the phone. “She’s nervous about me going off with a stranger and wants me to ask for a picture of your license.” She rolled her eyes and held up a finger. “Give me a few.”
“Give me the phone.” I stretched out my hand. “I’ll talk to her.”
Her brows knit together before she brought the phone back to her ear.
“He says he wants to talk to you. Hold on.”
I opened the camera and pulled Kristina to me, holding the phone up over our heads before I snapped a picture. I stepped back and dug into my wallet, taking a shot of my license.
“Hi, Nicole. A photo and my license are heading your way. My badge number for the Fire Department is 3295. Kristina is lucky to have a friend like you to worry about her, but she’s safe with me. I promise.”
Kristina bit back a smile when I handed the phone back to her.
“There. I just sent both,” she sighed into the phone. “Happy?”
“Holyfuck, he’s hot.” We both jumped at Nicole’s loud voice over the speaker. Kristina grimaced and covered her eyes with her hand.
I shook my head, a laugh escaping me before I could help it.
“Tell him not to bring you back to the room until sunrise.”
Kristina winced and shook her head.
“I put you on speakerphone by mistake. But we both heard you.”
“Good. I’m so glad I’m sick. This is the vacation you were meant to have. I’ll expect a call from you tomorrow. Not too early, of course.”
Kristina’s eyes narrowed at Nicole’s giggle.
“Goodbye, Nicole.” She jabbed the screen with her finger and tossed it onto the small table next to the door.
“Once, just once, I’d like to not make a total fool out of myself in front of you.” She dropped her head into her hands, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Stop,” I said, grabbing her waist and pulling her to me. “You have not made a fool of yourself at all, so please don’t think that. So, do you agree with Nicole?”
“About what?” she asked after she lifted her head, her brow furrowed. “Sending her your license? I agreed to do it when I got here because I didn’t think I’d actually meet someone, but asking you for it now seemed ridiculous. I’m usually suspicious of people, but…I trust you. I’d have to, to let you—” She clenched her eyes shut and let out a long exhale. “Just take it as a compliment, okay?”
“Okay, I will. But that’s not what I was asking.” I dragged my hands down her bare back, stopping right before the sweet curve of her ass. “Do you think I’m hot too?”
She pursed her lips, exhaling a soft and fucking adorable groan.
“After everything in and outside of the pool last night, why are you asking me that?”
I shrugged, smiling when she shivered against me as I ran my finger up and down her spine.
“I’m needy and soak up validation from a beautiful woman like a sponge.”
“I wouldn’t think a man with all this ink would be a sponge.” Now it was my turn to shiver as she brushed her soft hands down my arms and over my torso. “Yeah,” she whispered as her gaze fell to my mouth. “If you need your ego stroked, then yes, I think you’re pretty hot. That’s why I’ve lost any semblance of rational thought since you picked my drink for me yesterday.”
I brushed her lips, stealing another quick kiss when her eyes fluttered shut.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you have me all out of sorts too.” I stroked my knuckles over the curve of her jaw. “Again, I’m just going with it.”
“Me too,” she said before burrowing her head into my chest. “God, you smell good.”
I chuckled and pulled her tighter, bending to bury my head in her neck. I breathed her in, already high on the scent of vanilla and roses, and couldn’t help running my lips across her shoulder.
“Ready?” I whispered when she pulled away.
