Dirk: A Stepbrother Romance(7)
She considered calling her mother but thought better of it. At best, the woman would offer her some half-hearted sympathy and hang up, complaining that her daughter couldn't look after herself for a minute. She'd never hear the end of how she interrupted her mother's million-dollar honeymoon with petty nonsense. No, she would deal with this on her own and, in the meantime, try to stay out of Dirk's way.
The next few days were chaotic. Katherine assumed everybody was still looking for her passport and had no idea that they were in any danger at all. The staff was busy and Dirk had cooped himself up in the office, ordering meals and sleeping on a small cot in the corner with one eye open. Eventually, his accounts were completely out of touch and encrypted so well that only he and Tanner knew how to access them. He spent the time on the edge of his seat, waiting for the shoe to drop. However, the time passed without incident, and Dirk finally allowed himself to step out of his office and take a much-needed break.
He pulled his hair out of his ponytail and rubbed his head. It was evening on the island, and most of the staff was settled in for the night. He had no reason to expect any company, and so he was very surprised when he saw Katherine's silhouette sitting forlornly at the fountain. She was gazing over the water, her shoulders slumped, and he suddenly felt a pang of guilt for how badly he had been treating her. He sighed, studying the way the vibrant lights made her blonde hair shine ethereally in the night, almost like she was a being of light from somewhere far more pure than his cursed island.
Dirk approached her quietly. She didn't notice him at first, and he gazed in the direction she was looking, staring up at the bright cluster of stars above their heads. He cleared his throat softly and she jumped, startled out of her thoughts. She turned her face toward him, and he was stricken by its beauty. He opened his mouth to speak, but found no words. Her perfect features tightened into a scowl, and he braced himself. He knew what it meant when a woman got that look.
“You know, it's not very fun for me to be stuck here, either,” she said to him. “I know you're super busy and all, planning out your next tattoo or whatever it is you do, but you don't have to treat me so badly.”
He wanted to apologize, but he was angered by her presumption. He had been up for days trying to make sure that his fortune and his family were safe. It really pissed him off to hear his hard work trivialized like that. More than that, though, he felt guilty. It wasn't her fault he was so stressed out. And yet there she was, constantly underfoot, making him feel very strange and unsure of himself.
Instead of answering her or apologizing, he held her gaze and approached her. She shrank back, unsure of his intentions. Suddenly his strong, warm hands were wrapped around her biceps, and she felt herself being lifted from the fountain. He brought to her feet and held her arm tightly in his, the way he had during their first meeting. Before she could protest, Dirk led her away from the fountain and walked calmly with her, deeper into the island.
Chapter 10
They walked quietly, their arms linked closely together. There was a forbidden type of intimacy in their stroll, and neither spoke as their bodies moved forward, almost of their own accord. She caught the fresh scent of his cologne as it wafted around them on the wind and had to stop herself from reaching down to grip his large hand tightly. His body was rigid but strong, and she allowed him to lead her deeper into the tropical wilderness.
Finally, he paused and dropped his arm from hers. He motioned to a large rock and she studied it quizzically, not entirely sure what he intended for her to do. Finally, he sat on the rock, and she sat beside him, finding herself looking out over a vast expanse of ocean water, brightly lit by the large, saucer-shaped moon. They stared at the scene together in silence, until finally Dirk cleared his throat and spoke.
“You're welcome to stay here as long as you need,” he told her, his hair falling in front of his face. “I'm very busy and have a lot of obligations. Don't take my lack of courtesy too personally. I'm not very good at politeness rituals.”
“I noticed,” she said. The sound of her laughter filled the air, causing Dirk's heart to thud. Her voice was musical. Everything about her seemed so damned perfect. If only they weren't related now.
“Yeah, well, they just don't make any sense to me,” he said, allowing himself to join in her laughter. She eyed him fondly before looking away. “I just do what makes the most sense to me. I don't have much problem offending people.”
“You must feel very free,” she observed, gently touching one of the bold tattoos on his forearm. “It must be nice having so much power and nobody to impress.”
The warmth of her hands ignited a fire within him, and he gazed into her eyes. They shone brightly in the moonlight, and he could almost imagine the burst of colors in them that had captivated him a few days prior when they had been having drinks together, not a care in the world. Until Tanner had called him about the Russians.
Suddenly his handsome face darkened, and he looked away from her.
“What's wrong?” she asked him, fighting the urge to caress his cheek. She had to remind herself that he was her stepbrother now. Any affection she showed him should be as platonic as possible.
“I'm just so tired,” he said, miserably. He wanted to tell her the whole story. Explain about Tanner, give her every detail about his job and his work, and why the obnoxious group of Russians were trying to get as close to his work as they could. It was just too much to say, though, and he felt his breath lock up inside his chest. He shook his head dismissively.