Finding You (Finding You Series Book 1) (9 page)

“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“Mmm, thanks.”

Alone again, I sat and took the lid off the tray of food, revealing a burger and some fries. I knew I’d never finish it but popped a few fries in my mouth before taking a bite of the burger. I went over in my mind what Ramah had said. Her advice had been sound. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding with Kyle. Could I hope that to be true? God, I didn’t even want to go there. I needed to remain quietly cautious.

Feeling more confused than ever, I shunned my dinner and decided to soak in the tub in the hope it may bring me some comfort. Turning the faucets on full and squeezing an ample amount of bubble bath in, the aromatic suds were soon fizzing and popping everywhere, threatening to spill onto the bathroom floor.

I stripped off and sank down low, letting the little bubbles of bliss swallow me up. It felt heavenly as I submerged down to my chin. A throaty sigh escaped as the hot water penetrated my skin. Lavender and patchouli filled the air.

Suddenly, everything didn’t seem so bad. I felt a little stupid at getting so worked up today. What was I? Fifteen? I had reacted like a jealous teenager. I’d never been that type of woman. Kyle didn’t owe me anything. It’s not like we were a couple. Maybe my hopes had been raised a little too high. I needed to step back and just accept it for what it was, a bit of fun while on holiday. I could live with that, couldn’t I?

What seemed to sting more than anything was that he’d never mentioned Gina. He’d kissed me and said nice things. One didn’t normally do that when you were practically engaged to someone else. I would call him on it when I saw him next. If I saw him again.

The effects of the hot, bubbling water had me dozing on and off and dreaming that someone was knocking at the door. It seemed to be getting louder and louder. Groggily looking around the misty room, the knocking continued. Someone was actually at the door.

Dashing out of the bath with soapsuds all over me, I threw my bathrobe on and flung open the door without so much as a second thought.

For the second night in a row, there stood Kyle. This time he was dry and holding a single, long stemmed white rose. It was I who was making puddles on the floor.

“Hey there, gorgeous! Gina told me that a woman had arrived looking for me today so I figured it must have been you. I looked everywhere. Where did you go?”

For a moment all I could see was his glorious straight, white teeth as he smiled and the gleam in his eyes. It did something to me that almost had me let my guard down and hurl myself at him but then I torpedoed back to reality.

I turned my back on him, giving him the cold shoulder. I wasn’t going to pretend as if nothing was wrong.

“Hey! What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

What a great actor! He almost sounded sincere. I couldn’t look at him and risk drowning in his eyes so I moved over to the bed where I sat down facing away from him. My throat tightened and I squeezed my eyes shut as I anticipated how the conversation would play out.

Kyle approached and stood close, waiting on me to say something but I didn’t know what the hell to say. I hated confrontation.

“Please, tell me!” A sliver of panic laced his words as he bent down to my level.

As if he didn’t know what was wrong! Was I going to have to spell it out for him?

He couldn’t see the tears that were pooling in the corner of my eyes or the quiver in my lips.

“Why did you leave the set today? I wanted so much to see you. Where did you go? I waited for you.”

Was this guilt talking? Playing the innocent victim to the hilt? Seriously? Did he think I was stupid?

Swallowing back my tears, I found my voice. “I started to walk back to the resort. One of your crew members was passing and drove me back here,” I blurted with a hint of malice that I couldn’t seem to hide.

“But why? Why didn’t you wait to see me?”

Oh yeah. He’s good. He’s still acting like he doesn’t know.

“Well, I saw you and your future wife together in a love scene and I couldn’t handle it. It’s not something I wanted to watch. I’m sure you can understand.”

Anger was sabotaging any rationality by this stage as I remembered how hurt I’d felt at having gone all the way up there to see Kyle, only to be confronted with him in a love scene with the buxom blonde who made no effort to hide her feelings or her breasts.

Kyle sat down next to me on the bed and spun me around so that I faced him but I averted his gaze.

“What do you mean my future wife?” His voice cracked as it raised an octave.

I stuck to my guns and didn’t look at him as one hand twisted the sheet on the bed. “Well, the driver of the van told me that Gina has told everyone that you’re going to propose soon.” In barely a whisper, I added, “Why would you not tell me?”

A soft hand found its way to my chin, using slight pressure to raise my head. There was no option but to make eye contact. As I did, I swear a small meow escaped my lips at the intensity of his dedicated stare.

“Everyone has got it all wrong, including Gina. Sure, we were going out for a while back in the States but that ended and we’re definitely not getting back together. Gina can’t accept the fact that I don’t love her anymore and I don’t want us to be a couple. She won’t accept the truth so she makes up lies all the time so she doesn’t have to face reality. She has half the crew believing that we’re still going out, but I don’t really care what they believe because they’re only work associates, not close friends. I’m so sorry. I’d never hurt you. That’s the absolute truth. I’m not interested in some money-hungry gold digger like Gina. Please don’t worry about her. This movie will be wrapped up in a few weeks and then I’ll never have to see her again. The love scenes are hard for me, because today I was wishing it were you I was touching and caressing. Gina and I have had fun times together and I don’t harbor any resentment towards her, but I’m no longer attracted to her. I’m attracted to you. After I found out you were on set today and I had missed you, I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing. That’s why filming took so long. I’ve only just finished now and then came straight here to see why you left without saying hello.”

It took a moment for my brain to catch up with my ears. When everything registered, I suddenly did feel silly. He sounded honest enough. His eyes had remained firmly on mine as he spoke. There had been no hint of trickery or deceit emanating from him. Could it all be the truth? Had Ramah been right after all?

Well, ah, this was awkward. I truly didn’t know what to say. Maybe I had misjudged him when I shouldn’t have.

Kyle saw my hesitation and continued, “It’s just a job for me. I’ve told you, these women might be pretty but they aren’t down to earth. They don’t have the same priorities that you and I have. I guess I’m lucky to have been raised in a normal, loving home, with good old-fashioned values. My family means everything to me and we are very close-knit. I think that’s important, especially in this business. It’s so hard not to get caught up in all the glitz and glamour. I’ve seen a few close friends get swept up in it all: one guy ended up in a drug rehabilitation center and the others I don’t really have much to do with now because they only care about booze, parties, and women. I went through that stage for a while but came to realize that it wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted to lead.”

His fingers caressed my face, his explanation giving me a measure of respite. I wanted to believe what he had just told me. He sounded genuine and honest. Why should I believe a bunch of gossip? It had all been a ridiculous misunderstanding.

“Please, Dakota, you have to believe me! I really feel a connection with you and I don’t want it to end. I want to keep seeing you for as long as you’re on the island. Let’s see where this thing takes us.”

The throaty rumble of his voice was music to my ears. This connection pulling us together was too mighty to stop. Fighting it was useless. It defied everything I had ever known.

“I’m sorry for doubting you. I just couldn’t stand the thought of seeing you kissing anyone else when it was so close to what we had shared. I’m not used to your world and I guess I was a little doubtful as to what you wanted and if you wanted to see me again.”

He pulled me into his strong arms and kissed me the way I yearned to be kissed. The suds that had clung to me earlier had dissolved, leaving my hair wringing wet.

Kyle’s fingers combed the sodden strands, his forehead finally coming to rest on mine after his warm lips had worshipped mine.

“Thank you,” I said, stroking his face lightly with my fingertips.

“What for?” he asked, pulling back slightly, his mouth a quirk of intrigue.

“Firstly, for being honest with me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted from anyone. I need to trust again. It’s been so hard but meeting you has given me faith that there are good people out there. Secondly, for wanting to spend time with me. I mean that. I don’t know what I have to offer you but I believe in fate and this feels like something good.”

He nuzzled his nose into my neck. “I know one thing.”

“Oh, and what’s that?” I angled my head, offering more of my neck, a tickle of tingles embracing my skin.

“You look incredibly edible when you’re wet.”

“Gosh, I’d almost forgotten that I was soaking in the tub when you arrived. There’s a trail of water all over the floor.” I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.

The mood had changed and we both chuckled some more at the misunderstanding.

“So, is the bath big enough for two people?” His head was cocked suggestively as I watched two adorable dimples appear at the sides of his mouth as his smile broke.

My eyebrows rose towards the roof and a flicker of hesitance had me biting my bottom lip.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to steal your virtue. I just want to caress you and massage those tight shoulders of yours. I promise to behave. Besides, why waste all that water?”

Why, indeed? I must admit, the thought of being naked together in the tub both frightened and ignited me. He was offering me affection without the pressure of sex. Not many men would be able to offer that kind of restraint. Kyle was so different to the stereotypical male that I couldn’t help but wonder if he was just a figment of my imagination.

“Okay,” I screeched, leading the way into the bathroom. “You need to turn around though. No peeking.” I wasn’t ready to strip down to bare skin while having him watch me. That was pushing me a little too far out of my comfort zone. As it was, my inner monologue was protesting about getting in the bath with him.

Without pause he turned his back on me while I dropped my robe to the floor and quickly climbed into the tub. The water had turned tepid and many of the bubbles had dissolved.

“Don’t turn around yet. I need to let some water out and put some more hot in.”

Kyle chuckled. “Yes, Ma’am. Hot is just the way I like it.”

I bit my lip at the innuendo, feeling his words affect me down below. With a shaking hand I reached to the bottom of the tub and pulled the plug, feeling the suction of the drain pulling the liquid out.

I hadn’t bothered peeking to see if Kyle had snuck a look in and wasn’t game, especially now the water level had dropped enough to reveal my bare breasts. Instinctively my arm flew across my chest in an effort to cover up as I pushed the plug back in tight, stopping any more water from disappearing.

Turning the hot faucet on full, it didn’t take long before the water level rose again and the suds re-bubbled up, giving me the privacy I needed.

Nervously turning off the water, I said, “Okay. You can get in now.” Still, I kept my gaze to the front, not game to watch him undress. As it was, I wasn’t sure how I would react to seeing his exposed body so close to mine. My thumping heart threatened to break my rib cage as I sensed him approach. Lowering my eyes to the water, I felt the level rise as he stepped in.

There was nothing for me to grab except my own legs, so I stabilized myself by squeezing both legs, hard. My breath accelerated and I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or desire.

As he sat down and placed his feet on either side of me, I looked up. He was grinning madly.

“Don’t worry. I’ve left my boxers on. You can relax.”

Christ, was I that readable? Poor little, scared Dakota can’t handle anything too scary or she might just crumble in on herself. Ugh, was it really too far from the truth?

“I…um…you didn’t have to.”

“Yes, I did. I don’t want you to feel any pressure with me. We said we would take things slowly and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Now, give me one of your feet.”

“Excuse me?”

“One of your feet. Let me have it so I can rub some of the tension from you. You’re wound as tight as a rubber band.”

Offering him my foot, which I’m glad had fresh nail polish applied, I sank back against the wall of the tub, basking in the sensation of his thumb and fingers probing into the sole of my foot. I never imagined having my feet rubbed could drag some of the tension from me. I allowed my shoulders to droop. A moan fluttered out of my mouth and my eyes closed.

“Feel good?”

“Mmm. I’ve never had this done before. It’s amazing.”

“We have many pressure points in our feet that are connected with different parts of our body. It’s called Reflexology and has been used by the Eastern cultures for centuries.”