Keeping Mr. Right Now: A Kisses in the Sand Novel (Entangled Bliss) (10 page)

“You’d show off our coastline?” Julia narrowed her eyes and gave her trademark smart-aleck smile. “Or something else?”

His baby sister’s good mood relaxed the muscles getting a workout in his neck and shoulders since he and Sophie had left the beach.

“Oh, we’re not…” Sophie started to say, her cheeks turning pink.

“I’m here to talk about you, little sister, not me. What happened this morning?”

The light in her eyes faded some. “Come on, Mom’s waiting out back with lunch. Mark had to head to work, but he says hi and he’s sorry he missed you.” She linked her arm with his. “We’ll fill you in while we eat.”

“Tell your husband-to-be I said thanks for taking care of you.”

Julia smiled, and they moved quickly through the house, Zane grateful to spend as little time as possible inside the four walls. The second his mom saw him walk out the patio door, her face brightened. “Hey you,” she said, coming around the glass table with her arms outstretched. Her blond hair was shorter and she looked a little thinner, but eyes still sharp and the same color as his swept over him.

“Hey, Mom.”

She put her hands on his cheeks and looked her motherly fill before giving him a hug. “It’s been too long.” He didn’t dare move a muscle, happy to let her hug the life out of him if she wanted to. They may talk and text often, but that didn’t mean his mom didn’t need the real thing in front of her.

Mom stepped back and turned to Sophie. “You must be Sophie.”

Sophie shot him a surprised glance. He’d texted his mom early this morning to give her the heads-up and tell her not to read anything into it.

“Hi, Mrs. Hollander. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Please, call me Claire.”

“Claire.” Sophie smiled at his mom. A genuine, companionable smile that Zane didn’t see very often—if ever—from the women he spent time with. No ulterior motive, no forgery, just the real deal.

“Come sit. I’ve made all of Zane’s favorites.”

“This looks wonderful.” Sophie took the seat next to him at the round table under the oversize blue umbrella. “And the view is amazing.” She looked out toward the sea close enough to be wet in in less than a minute. “Thank you. I’m sorry if we’ve kept you waiting. It’s my fault. We stopped at the beach and I fell asleep.”

His mom and sister gave him identical looks, their mouths screwed up, eyebrows arched. But this lunch wasn’t about him whatsoever, and he needed to know what was going on with his sister.

“What happened at the doctor’s?” he asked, lifting the plate of pesto pasta and handing it to Sophie.

Julia took a deep breath and handed him the bowl of strawberries and blueberries. “I’m going to have surgery in three weeks. They’ll remove my entire thyroid. After that I’ll wait a few weeks and then have a radioactive iodine treatment to kill any remaining thyroid tissue.”

“Iodine treatment?” Zane asked.

“It’s a pill I swallow. Easy peasy.”

“And you’ll be cured after that?”

“Most cases are, yes.” Julia looked him straight in the eyes when she spoke, knowing, no doubt, that he needed nothing but honesty from her. They’d always been each other’s sounding board and rock. Julia, though, she’d been so much more when they were kids. She’d put him on a pedestal when he thought he’d be better off with the ground swallowing him.

“Let me know the date and I’ll be here.”

“I’d really like that.” She rubbed at the corner of her eye. A split-second gesture that crammed his heart against his chest. “Having you, Mom, and Mark there means everything.”

“The American Cancer Society offers a lot of different types of support,” Sophie said, her hands in her lap, her posture straight. “I volunteer with my local group back home and they’re great. I could help you get in touch with the local chapter here if you want.”

His mom spread her arms, one reaching into Sophie’s lap and covering her hands, the other taking Julia’s hand atop the table. “That would be lovely, thank you.”

“Thank you,” Julia echoed.

“How are the wedding plans going?” Zane asked, hoping to steer the conversation to a happier topic now.

Those magic words turned the conversation on its head, and for the next twenty minutes, the estrogen at the table almost choked the life out of him. So he tuned most of it out, preferring instead to concentrate on the delicate slope of Sophie’s neck. The freckles across her cute nose. The soft, messy tumble of light red hair and the melodious sound of her laughter.

“I wish I had more time to spend here. I would’ve loved to see your studio. The only things I can draw are hearts and flowers,” Sophie said.

“A girl’s staple,” Julia replied. She threw a strawberry at him, pulling his gaze away from Sophie. “You’re awfully quiet over there, big brother. How about I tell Sophie about the drawings you made when you were younger?”

Zane ground his teeth together. Graffiti. He’d done a little of that and wasn’t proud of it. “Not if you don’t want me to dump you in the ocean.”

“Like you could still do that.”

“That’s okay,” Sophie piped in. “Zane already has all the attributes I think I can handle.” She sank down in her seat and closed her eyes for a beat longer than a normal blink. “I mean what all girls could handle. You know, since he’s got the professional athlete thing going on. Add in that he’s funny and smart and kind and I’m rambling so I’m just going to be quiet now. Or actually use the bathroom.” She stood, her cheeks redder than the strawberry his sister had just thrown at him. “Could someone point me in the right direction?”

“I’ll take you,” Julia said, popping to her feet and taking Sophie by the arm.

“Julia,” Zane warned.

“What? I’m taking my friend to the bathroom.”

Her friend
. He liked the sound of that. He just plain liked. Everything.
Not good, dude.

“So,” his mom said when they were alone.

Nothing good ever followed “so.” “So,” he repeated.

“You’ve never brought a girl home with you before. Not that I’m complaining. I’m glad you haven’t brought home the usual type of woman I see you pictured with. But Sophie—”

“It’s nothing.”

“Oh, it’s something.”

“Meaning?”

“Sophie’s not one of your beach bunnies. She’s much more. Inside and out. And I think you know it, too.”

“What I know is I’m here for a film festival and then I head to Tahiti and after that Bali and France. Sophie’s here for the festival and then she goes back home to Montana.”

“Touchy,” his mom teased.

Shit. He was. Somehow this woman he’d known for only a few days had gotten under his skin and wiggled her way to a place no one had reached before.

His mom moved a piece of hair off his forehead. “You’ve been to those places many times.”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve never been to Montana.”

“Are you trying to play matchmaker?” he said, surprised. She’d always stayed out of his love life. Even when he’d still lived at home and fooled around with more girls than he could remember, she’d never said a word.

“Nope. Only trying to get that mind of yours to stay open.”

He shrugged. Yes, he liked hanging out with Sophie, liked the unanticipated need in his gut when he looked at her, but he had no desire for anything to go beyond this week. So no way would he be a jerk and give in to the growing demand that he touch her, taste her.

This week was about improving his image, not ruining it further by taking advantage of Sophie. Or worse, hurting her.

Chapter Six

Sophie stood a ways back from the crowd and swayed back and forth to the beachy tunes, unable to stop her body from moving to the uplifting beat. Honor’s shoulder brushed hers when they leaned opposite ways, and the constant reminder of friendship kept Sophie warm as the sun dipped behind the horizon.

Her very first concert right on the beach, and it was amazing. Cool sand underneath her bare feet, waves undulating in the background, palm trees swaying, hundreds of people dancing, long strings of white lights crisscrossing over the audience…she’d dreamed this, and now it was real.

The local band playing tonight slowed it down, and Sophie watched couples relax their tempo and wrap their arms around each other. Honor sighed.

Sophie did, too, her thoughts spiraling back to Zane and their time together in the ocean that morning. How he’d looked at her like she was a mermaid or something. Like he’d never seen her kind before and enjoyed it. He’d put his hand on her lower back when they left his mom’s house. Opened the car door for her. Stopped at a tiny little candy store and insisted on buying her a bag of old-fashioned taffy, which he adorably ate more than half of on the drive back.

“You’re thinking about him again,” Honor said.

“What?” Sophie turned her head.

“Don’t play dumb with me, girlfriend. You’ve been Zaned.”

“I’ve been what?” And why did it sound like she’d been lumped into a very large group? She pulled down the hem of her dress, a sudden breeze having picked up the thin fabric.

“Zaned. Haven’t you seen the shirts? It basically means you’re smitten with Zane Hollander, surf god.”

Of course she wasn’t anything unique. She was just another one of his groupies. Breaking her rule not to get too personal with him because she couldn’t help herself.

“Umm…” Sophie said.

“I’m happy you are.” Honor nudged her. “He’s the best Mr. Right Now ever.”

“He is, isn’t he?” So what if it was all in her head? She didn’t want to tell Honor their definitions were poles apart.

“Hey.”

Sophie jumped at the deep, sexy voice behind her. Zane had said he might see her tonight, but she’d refused to get her hopes up.

He came into view looking sexy as ever in a collared short-sleeve shirt and shorts. Bryce was with him.

“Hi,” she said.

“Bryce?” Honor said.

“Honor?” he answered, just as surprised.

“You two know each other?” Sophie took them both in, their eyes wide and stuck on each other.

“Yes.” Honor’s breathless response had Bryce stepping closer.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I live here.”

“Wow. It’s good to see you again.”

Honor nodded, and curiosity filled Sophie. She’d seen Honor around guys, and her friend did not get tongue-tied. Then Honor’s hand slipped into hers and squeezed, and more than curiosity pestered Sophie. Concern did, too. She was about to make an excuse for them to be on their way so she could find out what was going on when Honor spoke up.

“I was just saying good-bye to Sophie,” Honor said. “I’m meeting some friends. I’ll, uh, catch you guys later.” She let go of Sophie, spun around, and took off down the boardwalk, the evening shade swallowing her.

Bryce watched her go before his cell phone buzzed. “It’s Danny.” He stepped away, leaving her alone with Zane.

“Do you know what that was about?” Sophie asked.

“No idea.” His gaze raked down her body and back up again. “You look crippler.”

She smiled, even though she had no idea what that meant. Everything that came out of Zane’s mouth made her giddy. “I hope that means something good.”

He canted his head so his mouth grazed her ear. “It means pretty.”

Her legs wobbled, and he caught her around the waist. “You get prettier every time I see you, Sophie.”

She felt prettier every time he said things like that. “Th-thank you.”

“I want to dance with you,” he whispered.

“Okay.”

Zane took a step back. He lifted her hand and spun her until she was pressed up against his chest. Both his hands moved to the small of her back. Her arms went around his neck. And they slow-danced to the soft, mellow music spilling from the speakers up onstage.

Sophie almost couldn’t breathe, being in Zane’s arms like this. She didn’t care what the reason was for being there—for show or not—she didn’t want the music to stop.

Their bodies lined up in all the right places, and she felt…she felt like she belonged there. Because there was no place else she’d rather be than slow-dancing on a beach with the sexiest, sweetest, most attentive man she’d ever been with. She laid her head on his shoulder and imagined the night lasting forever.

She also liked how her body flooded with new-to-her sensations. Pulses that caressed the insides of her thighs. Trembles that rolled down her sides. Raw, addictive need that made her head swim with thoughts of him touching her.

Another gentle breeze made her keenly aware of where her dress hit mid-thigh. She shivered.

“You okay?” he said.

“Fine.” Times a million.

“Zane, a picture?” a man said from behind her.

The spell broke. She dropped her arms and took a big step back. Zane grabbed her hand, keeping her semi-close, and even though no one else was around them, she wondered if he’d danced with her to get caught. To help his reputation.

“Hey, Chris,” Zane said, obviously knowing the man with a camera around his neck. “That depends on Sophie. What do you say, Sophie?”

So surprised by Zane’s genuine demeanor and putting the decision on her, she really had no idea what to say.

“Chris Lawson,” the guy said, extending his hand. “With the
Surf Times
.”

“And a friend,” Zane added, letting go of her.

“Hello.” Sophie used a firm grip as they shook hands.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Chris looked back and forth between them as he adjusted his camera strap. “But I couldn’t let an opportunity like this go by.” He smiled the kind of smile Sophie was sure garnered him plenty of photo ops.

“Sophie?”

She looked at Zane. He’d been photographed with countless women, so it was no wonder this was no big deal. She, on the other hand, had never been in the same picture with someone like him. Heck, she’d never gone to prom or homecoming, so she didn’t even have those types of pictures. If this photo popped up in the
Surf Times
, she’d have to buy a few dozen extra copies to take home with her.

“Sure.”

Zane flashed that dimple of his, and the corners of her mouth pretty much lifted as high as they could go. He put an arm around her, and Chris took the picture. He asked her a couple of questions afterward, even though she got the impression he knew exactly who she was. Given her job with the film festival and her near-drowning experience with Zane, a lot of the local media did.

“Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your night.” Chris waved and headed down the beach toward the stage.

“Nice,” Bryce said, coming up beside them. Sophie had forgotten all about him and mentally shook herself. “Thanks, Sophie.”

“Of course.” She smoothed down her dress and gave Bryce a pained smile. “I, uh, think I’ll head back to my hotel now. Everything seems to be going smoothly here. Good night.”

“I’ll walk you,” Zane said.

“You don’t—”

“I want to.” He crooked his elbow.

“Okay, then.” She took his arm, happy for the escort, but also nervous. Sophie the woman wanted to invite him up to her room for a drink. That was the standard MO, right? But Sophie the event planner knew that was a bad idea. That was not the standard MO in a working relationship.

What would he expect if she did ask? Whispers of his reputation floated around like fairy dust on a godmother’s magic wand. Every girl wanted to be the next lucky one.

Wait a second. She was delusional if she thought he wanted to sleep with her. She didn’t hold a candle to the kind of girls he made a habit of seducing.

“Thanks, by the way,” he said, steering her down the boardwalk toward her hotel and breaking into her crazy thoughts.

“You’re welcome. I’ve never had my picture in the newspaper before,” she said.

“No, I mean thanks for the info you gave Julia. She texted me you’d been in touch already about the American…the American Cancer Society, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

Hearing his voice crack broke Sophie’s heart. She so wanted to reassure him that Julia would be okay, that the odds were very good given her young age and diagnosis, but she knew his mind would rest only after the surgery and treatment.

Zane’s father, she’d read, had died of a sudden heart attack, and that had to have been hard. Had to up the worry he felt about his sister. Sophie would never forget the love that had shone in his eyes for Julia.

“I’m happy to help,” she said. “Your sister is amazing. I really admire her positivity and strength. We’re the same age, and I’m not sure I’d have half as much poise as she does.”

Not for the first time, she thought about switching gears and working for a company that solely did charity fund-raising. Yes, fiftieth wedding anniversaries and milestone birthdays were important. Celebrating life was important. But she wanted to go above and beyond in that celebration.

“From what I’ve seen, you’d handle it just as well.” He watched her out of the corner of his eye.

Her breathing stuttered. He didn’t have to pay her compliments.

A group of skateboarders charged toward them. “Wassup, Sophie?” Dylan called out just before Zane put an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer so the riders could pass.

“Hi, Dylan.”

“We’re partying down the way if you want to join us,” Dylan said, flashing a smile and slowing to a near stop with both feet on his board. His friends passed by.

“Sounds like fun,” she said, not at all interested in the party scene.

Dylan nodded before lowering a foot to the ground and pushing off to gain speed. “It’s gonna be epic.”

She spun out of Zane’s hold to watch Dylan skate away.

“Zane can come, too,” he called over his shoulder.

“Thanks for asking,” she called out.

“If you want to go, I won’t stop you,” Zane said, his voice gruff.

Twisting back around, she frowned. “You were invited, too. Is there anyone who doesn’t know you?”

He shrugged.

“I’m, uh, good right here,” she said. “But if you—”

“I’m good, too.”

They resumed walking, quiet filling the space around them until Sophie remembered the question she’d wanted to ask before Dylan had come barreling toward them. “Were you always close to your mom and sister, or did your dad’s passing make you guys closer?”

Sophie noticed Zane clench his hand at his side. “That’s personal.” His tone held a brusque edge again.

“I guess I just thought that today we’d…” She ran her hands down the sides of her dress. The twinkling white lights in the palm trees outside her hotel came into view. Uncertainty wormed its way back into her vocal cords.

“Today was…” Zane started to say.

“Today was what?”

He slanted her a look she found difficult to read. And to her astonishment, she wasn’t letting this go and now she’d caught him off guard. “Unusual for me.”

“It was for me, too,” she said softly.

It seemed they both needed to let that sink in, since neither said anything more. Tall light posts with scrolled ironwork glowed along the boardwalk, allowing Sophie a peek at the charming beachfront houses to her right. Most were quiet, but voices and music trickled out of a few.

“My father and I didn’t get along,” Zane said, his voice tempered now. “The only thing that kept me clearheaded was surfing. Next came my sister and mom. Bryce and Danny.”

“I didn’t realize you guys went back that far.”

He turned his attention toward the sea, something Sophie noticed he did a lot. It seemed to come as naturally and be as important as breathing.

“Was your dad against your surfing?”

“Not at all.”

“Jealous of the time you spent in the water instead of with him?” A large number of people spilled out of a house and onto the walkway, and Sophie had to dodge a couple of giggling girls.

Zane briefly put his hand on her lower back and upped their pace. “Definitely not.”

“I don’t understand, then.” She wanted to add that being at the top of his sport was amazing, and what father wouldn’t be proud of his accomplishments, but she’d already gone gaga over him at lunch and didn’t want to do
that
again.

His shoulders stiffened; tension rolled off him. “You always this nosy?”

“You always this evasive?”

“When it comes to my father, yes.”

She put a hand on his arm. The muscle there went rigid. “I’m sorry.”

He looked down at her, and she wasn’t sure what he saw, but his muscles relaxed. “I don’t like talking about him.”

“Okay,” she whispered. At his admission, her thoughts fast-forwarded to tomorrow night. “I don’t know if Danny or Bryce mentioned it yet, but I’ve arranged a small cocktail party and Q&A for you tomorrow. I’ll be sure the topic of your dad stays off the record, but are there any other questions you don’t want to answer?”

“Will you be there?”

At his softened gaze, she knew she’d do whatever she could if… “Do you want me to be?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She’d spoken to her boss on the phone earlier and filled her in on the extra events for Zane. Thrilled Sophie had nabbed the opportunity, she wanted no expense spared and Sophie’s full attention on Zane.

Talk about a no-brainer.

With the movie venue owners and their staff two days into the running of the film festival and very much on the ball, it freed Sophie to be where most needed.

And she most needed to lick—stick!—close to Zane.