LITMIR.BIZ

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it with a voice that spoke of heartbreak. She enjoyed the meal with gusto, from fried dough to champagne-laced fruit juice, yet seemed satisfied to celebrate her belated birthday with a generic latte.

      “Tell me more about these birthdays of yours.”

      “What’s to tell? A year passes, age increases. Sometimes increase brings privileges, sometimes it brings wrinkles. And every once in a while, it includes candles, wishes and presents.”

      From her tone, it was just that matter-of-fact. Nic wondered what had happened to make her that way. Was it simply a lack of sentiment or was it something more?

      “What about holidays? Do you have a favorite?”

      “Holidays?” Her eyes widened behind the big round lenses of her sunglasses. “You want to know my favorite holiday?”

      “Sure. C’mon. We’ve put jobs, careers and personal-life details off-limits, right? So let’s talk generics. What’s your favorite holiday?”

      “President’s Day.”

      “Seriously?” Nic grinned.

      “Seriously. It’s the one time of year that everyone in the country is equally enthusiastic about anything to do with political figures.”

      Now that was a great point. Well argued, clever and devoid of any partisan inflection. Nic’s brows arched as he tucked away that fact.

      “Favorite vacation spot?”

      Darby waved her hand to indicate the beach.

      Hanalei was his favorite, too, so Nic couldn’t fault her taste.

      “Favorite pastime?”

      “Work.”

      “Work is your favorite pastime?”

      “What can I say? I love my job.” She shrugged, the move making her breasts shift temptingly in that snug purple swimsuit. Yeah, beachside vacations in Hanalei were definitely his favorite.

      “Me, too,” he admitted, totally feeling her. What he did, his career as a SEAL, as a team leader, a Navy Lieutenant Commander? That’s who he was. “I suppose it’s important to love what you do, to do what you love.”

      “Even if it takes over your life to the point that you forget your birthday until two days later?” she teased.

      Sure. But as involved as Nic was in his career, he’d never missed a birthday. Or rather, his friends—his team, his family—had never missed it. One year on a mission deep in the mountains of Afghanistan, he’d hunkered down in a cave, blowing out a match stuck in a MRE while the men of Poseidon sang an X-rated birthday ditty.

      Did that speak to his ties to his team being too tight? Nic pondered that for the brief second it deserved, then dismissed it as ridiculous. Which left Darby’s ties being, well, nonexistent? Didn’t she have family? Friends who remembered? Who celebrated with her? For her?

      A part of him—a part he barely recognized—was tempted to reach over and pull her into his arms for a hug. A hug?

      What the hell? Nic mentally cringed.

      Time to lighten things up, he decided.

      “Favorite song?”

      “‘All Summer Long.’”

      “Kid Rock’s mash-up of Warren Zevon and Lynyrd Skynyrd.” He nodded when Darby inclined her head. “Nice.”

      “How about you?” she asked, sipping the last of her drink with a slurp. “What’s your favorite movie?”

      “The Hurt Locker.”

      “Hmm, intense military flick starring hottie Jeremy Renner. Nice,” she returned with a smile, pushing her cleaned breakfast dish aside and leaning her elbows on the table to lean toward him. “Favorite color?”

      “Purple.”

      Obviously picking up the humor in his tone, Darby arched her brows. But to her credit, she didn’t ask. Instead, she kept the game going. “How about your favorite treat?”

      You.

      But just in case his taste for her was a fluke, he went with his second favorite since he’d enjoyed it a lot more often.

      “Snickers.”

      “Mmm, nuts, nougat and caramel. Great choice.” Darby flashed a wicked smile. “Favorite position?”

      “Now that’s a tough question.” His smile was slow and appreciative. “I was pretty into the ones we tried out last night. The standing in the shower this morning was pretty sweet, too.”

      “But?”

      Tempting, but Nic refrained from going smart-ass and went with honesty instead.

      “But I think in some things, I simply don’t have a favorite. I’m willing to give it some time, to experiment with a variety of positions and compare notes. You know, see if we can find a mutual favorite.”

      “I like that,” she said, sounding delighted. “It shows an open mind and a willingness to experiment.”

      “Babe, when it comes to experimentation, I’m all for doing it until I’ve got it right.”

      Darby’s laugh danced over the sound of the surf, filling Nic with an easy pleasure. Damn if he wasn’t actually looking forward to the next few days of leave now, with her here to enjoy it with.

      “So. Last question,” she promised as she stood. Her fingers made quick work of the fabric knotted at her waist. The watercolor hues slid off the temptation of her hips, leaving her standing in a bikini the color of crushed grapes. As bikinis went, it wasn’t exactly skimpy. The bottom rose high in the sides and came nearly to her belly button, while the halter-style top showed a delicious view of her cleavage, but mostly covered those lush breasts.

      Damn.

      His brain went blank as the blood drained south.

      “So.” Nic cleared his threat. “What’s your question?”

      “I’m just wondering what are your plans for the rest of the morning?”

      “I’m supposed to meet my cousin, catch a few waves,” Nic said absently, watching as she looked up the beach one way, then down the other. “But I can blow that off.”

      “Are you sure?” she asked as she reached behind her neck with one hand, behind her back with the other. The move made her breasts thrust out, and put his body on full alert.

      He tried to clear his head when Darby tilted her head to one side as if waiting for his answer. Really wanting to see what she’d do next, he hurried to give it to her.

      “Yep. Sure. Definitely.” He sat up a little straighter. “I’m positive.”

      With that and a flick of her fingers, the top of her bikini dropped away. Leaving her standing there, the sun glinting off those cherry-tipped breasts and making his mouth water.

      “Why don’t we try a few of those positions and see if we can make up your mind.”

      * * *

      MMM, YEAH. DARBY stretched her body out on the padded beach recliner, her flesh tingling as her toes dug into the warm sand and the sun drenched her supersensitized body with soothing rays. Her skin slathered with SPF 40 and her sunglasses shielding half her face, she stared out at the ocean in fascination.

      Hours ago, she’d ridden Dominic’s body the way he was riding those ocean waves. With the same enthusiasm, the same verve and—she tilted her head to the side—hopefully with the same skill.

      She was going to go with a yes to that last part since he’d seemed to enjoy himself.

      Almost as much as she had. And why not. The man’s body was like sculpted gold glittered with diamond-like sparkles of the ocean’s spray.

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