Free Unconditional by D.M. Mortier Page B

inhaling the salty, clean air, and immediately felt the ocean’s calming effect. The night air flowed soothingly over her heated skin. She’d needed this, after the turbulence of the past twenty-four hours. Finally, her thoughts seemed clearer, undiluted by her desire for the man walking soundlessly beside her.
    “It’s so beautiful here. The ocean breeze, the tranquility, reminds me so much of Trinidad.”
    “When was the last time you were home?”
    She laughed. “I haven’t been back in years.”
    “I can tell. Your accent is there, but infused with a bit of the British.”
    “You can’t talk! I can’t tell where you’re from. Sometimes you sound like the islanders and others, quite European. I know that you’re an American, so why don’t you have an American accent?”
    He chortled at her confusion. “I’ve lived a very colorful life.”
    “That’s all you’re going to say?”
    “I’m more interested in hearing about you.”
    Rinah saw it for the deflection it was. She let him get away with it, for now.
    They walked for a mile along the beach, talking about her childhood in various parts of the world. He seemed impressed with her language skills and admitted that he spoke seven other languages to her four. Besides English, they both spoke Spanish, French, and Russian. He didn’t name his other languages. No matter how much she tried, he remained guarded about his past, only disclosing the information she’d already gained from Bianca about his parents.
    Sitting side by side on the damp sand, they remained out on the beach looking out over the calm waters talking until the sun peeked over the horizon. Rinah was shocked to realize they’d been out there so long. Sometime during the conversation, she’d inched closer to him. By the early dawn hours, the cold chill of the night penetrated the thin fabric of her dress. Trying to get warm, she ended up sitting between his legs, with his strong arms wrapped around her. She was not only warm, cocooned in his masculine heat, she felt incredibly secure. Their connection seemed more intimate than the scene they’d shared in the shower hours before. She was reluctant for it to end. But as the sun rose higher, Dominic stood and pulled her up to her feet.
    Her objections were forgotten when she noted the stunned look on Dominic’s face as she stood before him. She immediately realized that her pale, classically cut dress, which was elegant and innocent in the night-muted lights, had been rendered partially transparent on the bright sun-lit beach. The slight dampness from the morning dew on the fragile material also increased the visibility of her body.
    She should have been embarrassed, but after the intimacy of the night and her surreal, lethargic state, nothing could embarrass her.
    “Where the hell is your underwear? That damn dress is practically indecent!” Dominic blurted out, his hair tousled in sexy disarray.
    “It’s not that bad.” She giggled at his disgruntled look. “Don’t you think it’s time we went back? I would also like to go home. My flight is scheduled for later tonight.” Trying to brazen it out with brave words, she still couldn’t prevent the telltale blushes that would be more visible if her skin had been of a lighter hue.
    “How the hell am I supposed to take you back, looking like that?” he muttered as he marched back to his apartment.
    She followed in his wake, amused by his attitude. But once they entered the apartment, her good humor soon deserted her.
    “Go find the rest of your clothes and get dressed properly.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You’re being unreasonable. These are all the clothes I have.”
    He stalked into his bedroom, returning a few moments later with one of his shirts.
    “Here. Put this on.”
    “You’re overreacting! It’s not that bad,” Rinah stated heatedly, bitterly disappointed that they’d lost the easy camaraderie from the beach. She stood with her arms folded, legs braced apart, and