She’d been staring down at her clenched hands so hard that she was surprised when she looked out the window and realized a full moon was rising over the water, the blue bay turning a deep purple.
“It’s beautiful.”
So beautiful that it suddenly didn’t make any sense to be nervous. She’d never forgive herself if she forgot to soak up the wonder of the experience just because she was so worried about what Smith wanted from her.
He’d promised he wouldn’t kiss her until she asked, hadn’t he? And she wouldn’t ask him, so that meant they could just be friends.
At least she hoped they could as she turned back to him and said, “You were great today.”
He kept his eyes on the road as he smiled at her compliment. “Thanks, it felt good. Of course, your sister makes it easy.”
“You should have seen her when she was ten. She’d be doing a commercial with a bunch of pros, and by the end, pretty much everyone knew she was the reason they’d shone so brightly.”
He pulled into a gated parking lot by the water and when she stepped out of the car, the wind blew hard enough that she needed to put on her coat.
“Let me,” he said as he slipped it over her shoulders.
Warmth moved through her, and not just because of the wool. He hadn’t copped a feel, hadn’t touched anything but her coat, but even from where he’d been standing behind her, heat had radiated from him.
What, she found herself wondering, would happen if she let herself lean into his warmth, his strength, just for a few moments?
It was harder to shake the crazy question out of her head than it should have been. Grateful for the cold rush of air that blew past—on the hopes that it could blow the forbidden desire away, too—she reached into her pockets for her gloves, but they were empty.
Smith finished putting on his jacket just as she shivered. He was frowning as he said, “Are you warm enough?”
“It’s just my hands. I forgot my gloves.”
He slid his fingers through hers. “Does this help?”
She knew she should pull her hands away. But, oh, he was so warm. And her hands always got so cold.
She looked down at their linked hands, but when she looked back up, the “Yes” she’d been about to say got lost in the need in his eyes. The same need she knew had to be mirrored in her own. All she could manage was a nod.
Her heart momentarily stopped beating as his gaze dropped to her mouth. Her memories of the sweet pressure of his lips on hers made her want it again so badly that, in that moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care that he was about to break his promise to her. Only, instead of kissing her, he simply lifted her hands to his lips.
He didn’t press a kiss to either of them, just held them against his mouth for a long moment before he said, “Why don’t we go see what the moon looks like from the boat?”
* * *
Valentina stared at the yacht in confusion. “I thought you had to take a ferry to get to Alcatraz.”
“Usually you do,” he said, “but they made a special exception for you.”
“Not for me,” she said with a shake of her head. “For you.” Suddenly, she turned to him with a frown. “We aren’t going as part of the regular group tour, are we?”
The wind blew a lock of her hair into her mouth and he reached out to slide it away, letting his fingers linger on her cheek for a moment.
“No, we’re not.”
His captain for the evening came out on the dock to greet them, and when he introduced Billy to Valentina, Smith didn’t miss the approval in the other man’s eyes. He helped Valentina on board and even though her eyes widened a little at the luxurious interior, she didn’t make a fuss about it. Probably because she simply didn’t give a damn about his money or possessions. In any case, she and Tatiana had likely been to Hollywood events on even bigger boats than this.
Yet again he was surprised by how nice it was not to have to explain his life to her. It was why so many people in the entertainment industry ended up together. No one else could really understand what it was like unless they’d lived through it themselves. Yes, she’d said she didn’t like being in the spotlight, but the fact that she’d helped Tatiana deal with them for so many years meant Valentina would also be adept at avoiding them. She’d know exactly where to look for them, how to outwit them, and when there was no choice, how to gracefully give in to them for an hour or two.
“What can I get you to drink?” He gestured to the fully stocked bar.
“Sparkling water would be lovely, thank you.”
He poured two glasses and joined her where she was standing at the rail staring out at the dark water. Just then Billy got them underway and the sudden movement jolted them enough that she fell back into his chest. Finally getting to hold her, it struck him yet again how surprisingly soft and curvy she was against him.
“Steadier now?”
She didn’t answer for a long moment. Finally, she nodded. “I think so.”
“And are you warm enough?”
“I am now.”
He wanted to bury his face in her hair to breathe her in, wanted to lower his mouth to the sweet curve of her neck, wanted to taste her soft skin. Instead, he reminded himself that one hand on the small of her back, the other holding hers to keep it warm, would have to be enough for now. Until she asked for more.
In silence, he held her as the boat sped across the Bay toward the infamous prison.
* * *
A National Park official stood on the island’s pier as they docked. “Welcome to Alcatraz.” The gray-haired man, who introduced himself as Sam Maines, had a deep, commanding voice that gave extra gravity to the historic maximum-security prison. He was a man who looked as comfortable on the rocks as the prison guards from a half-century ago must have.
As he helped Valentina disembark from the yacht, Smith made a mental note to get Sam’s contact information for the next time he needed a strong, steady, gray-haired man in a film. Not to mention the fact that the man’s eyes hadn’t so much as flickered when he’d seen who Smith was.
The night, he thought as the wind blew across them and Valentina instinctively leaned in closer to him for warmth, was just getting better and better. He loved the fact that she didn’t make even the slightest move to pull her hand from his as they followed the guide up past the Officer’s Club toward the south entrance.
“Alcatraz was cold,” Sam told them. “Harsh. Unforgiving. And it was also home to the families of the guards who kept it running.”