Vacation by Claire Adams

tonight.
    Best to know what I was getting myself
into before offering her a few more dates later that week. I rolled my eyes and
released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. An hour ago, I was discarding
the thought of calling her at all, and now, I was planning out the week with
her stuck right in the middle of it. Why did attraction turn the most logical
people into blubbering, wishy-washy idiots?
    Why was it doing a serious number on me?
    I glanced up a few minutes later as she
stopped at the door to the bar, her hair down and covering her shoulders, her
dress white and feminine as it hugged her thin waist and flared out over her
hips. Bright blue sandals and a little bit of jewelry and the woman was
stunning.
    Lifting my hand, I caught her attention
and prepared myself for a battle that was soon to be fought deep inside of me.
My pulse had quickened, my heart contracting, my body aching.
    "Hey. Glad you changed your
mind." She stopped beside me and gave me a shy smile.
    "Me too. Come have a beer with
me." I patted the seat next to me and tried hard not to breathe in the
aroma of her perfume. It wouldn't help any of the insanity pumping through me.
What was it about her that drove me toward wanting her so badly?
    "I'd love that. One beer and then
you're taking me to get something to eat. I'm starving." She sat down on
the barstool next to me, her eyes moving to the bartender as I studied her.
    "You look beautiful." I let the
words escape me before I could deny her anything.
    "You're not so bad yourself."
She gave me a sideways glance before ordering a drink.
    I could do this. Drinks, dinner,
conversation. Nothing else I promised myself, and subsequently hated myself for
it.
    I wanted much more than what I had
planned, but that was usually my signal to run.
    Not
this time, or at least, not yet.

 
    Chapter
9
    Vivian

 
 
    Sitting next to him at the bar left me
wishing I had taken Casey up on her offer to join us. It was too much like a
date, and some part of me wanted the attention of the handsome man beside me,
though it would do nothing but end after a week of getting to know each other.
    A drink and dinner. Nothing else.
    I took the beer the bartender offered and
turned a little to focus more on Easton. His dark jeans hugged his hips and I
couldn't help but take in the fullness of the attraction that I felt toward
him.
    "So are you up for dinner, or is
another handsome guy taking me tonight?" I lifted my eyebrow at him. I was
the shy type until I got into a conversation with someone one-on-one. Then, and
only then, I could hold my own. Crowds left me a little overwhelmed.
    "I'm just glad I'm in the handsome
guy category, but yeah. Let's take these beers and walk down the strip. There's
a ton of good places to try. The taco stand next door is killer." He
touched my lower back as I got up and moved toward the door with him.
    I was forced to stifle a shiver at the
simple gesture. Not good.
    "Casey and I ate there for a late
lunch. It was delicious." I wrapped my arms around myself as the breeze
picked up and danced around us upon our exit.
    "One of my favorites. Let's try this
Latin place just down on the left. It's new and I've been wanting to give it a
go." He glanced over at me and smiled.
    "I honestly didn't think you were
going to call." I focused on the beach in front of us, not wanting to trip
and eat it in front of my handsome pseudo-date.
    "I wasn't. These trips always wear me
out, but it's a life I love. After seeing each other three times today, I
figured I'd be fucking with fate if I didn't at least take you to dinner."
He chuckled, and I let the various sarcastic responses that rose up in me fall
away. No need to chide him at the beginning of the meal. Fate had nothing to do
with us running into each other. I didn't care what Casey thought. It was dumb
and belonged in a fiction novel.
    "Well, then I guess I owe fate a
thank you for the free meal and the lovely view." I glanced back at him as
we walked