Page 42 of What I Like About You

“It’s okay, it’s kind of par for the course with Tripp and me. It’s not the first time it’s happened,” Zara told her.

Drea gave her a nervous smile in return, as if she wasn’t quite sure how to respond to what Zara had just revealed.

“I take it he’s never mentioned what went down between us?”

“There are a lot of things he’s never mentioned to us,” she replied.

Zara barked out a laugh and was afraid that it came out a lot harsher than she had intended. She just couldn’t help herself. Because some things really never did change.

“He’s never been big on sharing. Even when we were little, he was very selective about who he told what. His step-mom tried sending him to a psychologist at one point, but you can imagine how well that went over,” Zara explained. “Don’t ever repeat that though. I’ll be shark bait.”

“Cross my heart,” Drea replied, a big smile crossing her face as she drew an X over her heart.

They sat in silence for a moment before Drea turned to face her. Drea’s corkscrews curls flew wildly about her face from the wind, and she swatted at them to get them out of her face before she started talking.

“I hope you don’t mind my, like, inserting myself here,” she said. “But Dalton is really important to me, and I just want him to be happy. And I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him as happy as he’s been since you showed up here. I know I made the comment about what he’s like with all the others, but he’s not. He really isn’t. He's a flirt, don’t get me wrong, but not in a predatory way. He lets everyone think he’s this aloof playboy, but deep down I know he’s a romantic. I have absolutely no data to prove it, but I’ve long held this theory that he’s more talk than anything else.”

“I think you’re right,” Zara said, suddenly feeling like some kind of weight had been lifted. One that she hadn’t even realized she’d been under. But there was something about what Drea had just said that confirmed all her crazy thoughts. That once again, what the outside world saw was an act, and the Dalton she got was the real deal. Not that it gave her any more direction about what to do next.

“I should probably go talk to him.”

“Oh my God, yes!” Drea said, sounding relieved. “Last I saw, CC the succubus had latched on to him, and I would like nothing more than to see her face when you steal him away. There’s a whole ’nother comped vacation in it for you if you just walk up there and plant one on him in front of her.”

“That might be a bit much, but if the mood strikes, I’ll take it under advisement,” Zara said with a laugh.

“Just sayin’,” Drea responded as she popped up from the bench and walked backwards toward the bar, her arms raised in mock surrender.

As Zara made her way to the front of the boat, she saw exactly what Drea had been talking about. While the majority of the group was sitting around one of the large trampolines at the very front, currently engrossed as Antwan animatedly told a story, Dalton and CC were standing off to the side, just the two of them. CC wiggled and giggled in her barely there tie-dye bikini, swatting playfully at Dalton. He, on the other hand, had a look on his face that was obviously a practiced, customer service oriented one. However, even through his sunglasses Zara could tell that his eyes were glazed over and that he was silently wondering if anyone would notice if he tipped her over the side. It was the same look he’d always had growing up when he’d been cornered by one of their parents’ friends who wanted to talk colleges or future plans. Zara smiled to herself, feeling a slight twinge of happiness over being able to read him so well, helping her earlier frustration continue to slip away.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Zara said, walking up to them. “But I was wondering if I could cut in. I—”

“We’re in the middle of a conversation,” CC snarked, cutting her off. She looked at Zara as if she were a plate of table scraps and how dare someone have the audacity to serve her such a thing.

“CC, if you’ll excuse us,” Dalton said, not missing a beat and stepping around the model. Taking Zara’s hand in his, he pulled her into his side, then let go of her hand to throw his arm over her shoulder. It was a protective and possessive gesture all at once, and it lit her up inside as they walked a few steps so they could be alone.

“Hi,” she said, when she was sure it was just them.

“Hi,” he returned, seeming to be slightly wary of what she was about to say.

“I believe you. That last night was special for you too,” she said, feeling as if she were rambling. “And I’m sorry I got a little weird about all that earlier.”

“It’s okay, I get it. But I hope you get it now, that you are special to me. So incredibly special.”

“I do,” she said, feeling the blush start to creep up her neck. “I just have one question.”

“What’s that?”

“Did you really bite Leona?”