by Desiree Holt
“I always keep my word,” she teased. “Besides, how could I refuse such an enticing invitation?”
“To get all sweaty on the beach?” One corner of his mouth lifted in the hint of a grin.
I’d like to get sweaty with him someplace else.
Wait. What? What is the matter with me? I can’t get involved with anyone right now? My life is a mess.
But then her evil self pointed out that all play and no work made Kaitlyn a dull girl.
But dull is what I need right now.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up to see Ryan watching her with a strange expression on his face.
“What? Oh, yeah. I am. Why?”
He shrugged. “You looked a little weird for a minute.”
“Nope. I’m fine. Let’s get to it.”
They jogged slowly to the park where they stopped at a picnic table and stretched before hitting the beach. The sand was pretty much deserted at this hour of the morning. Only a few dedicated souls were out this early. Ryan set a slow pace to begin with, watching her to see what her tolerance was. But when she matched him stride for stride, he picked up the pace. When they reached the end of the residential section Ryan turned to head back and she was right there with him.
By the time they reached the park again, her fitness tracker on her wrist told her they’d run five miles. She blessed her treadmill at home that she used every day for the conditioning and endurance it gave her. Still, when they dropped onto a bench at a picnic table, it took her a few moments to catch her breath. When Ryan ripped his T-shirt over his head and began mopping his face and neck with it, she had even more trouble breathing.
Holy crap!
She was overcome with an unexpected desire to run her tongue all over his hard muscles, lick the drops of sweat from the matted hair on his chest and his nipples.
Crap, Kaitlyn! Get your shit together.
She uncapped her water bottle and took a long swallow from it, hoping to cool herself off. She noticed Ryan had started carrying water with him, also. Watching the muscles of his throat move so smoothly as he drank did little to lower her temperature. For a brief moment, she wondered if dumping the rest of the water on her head would help.
“So what’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” Ryan grinned as he threw out the famous old line.
Kaitlyn shrugged. “You could say I’m reevaluating my life.”
He cocked one eyebrow. “Yeah? Something wrong with it?”
She sighed. How should she answer him? “Did you ever reach a point or make a decision where you wished you could take it all back?”
Something indefinable flitted across his face and, for a moment, his eyes darkened.
“Yeah, I think we all do. So what happened to you to send you running down here to paradise?”
“No biggy. Decided my life needed to go in another direction.” Oh, wait. No. Other people decided it for me. “What’s your story?”
He lifted his bottle to his mouth and took a long time swallowing the rest. She could almost see the wheels turning in his brain. Okay, something had driven him here, but was it so bad he couldn’t share it? Of course, they barely knew each other, but sometimes strangers were the best people to unload your problems with.
Ryan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Kaitlyn couldn’t help staring as the muscles in his upper arm flexed. Then she blinked, hoping he hadn’t caught her gawking at him.
“You could say I’m like you,” he said at last. “Reevaluating my life.”
“Did something bad happen to you?” She wanted to clap her hands over her mouth as soon as the words were out. He’d probably want to ask her the same thing. “Forget I said anything. You have your secrets, I have mine.”
He gave her that devastating grin again, the one that showed his even white teeth and crinkled the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth.
“Works for me.”
They sat there in silence for a long moment, both of them gazing out at the water. She wondered if his mind was as filled with curiosity as hers was.
“I’m going to grill a steak tonight,” she blurted out. “Want to join me?”
Holy crap, Kaitlyn. Can’t you keep your mouth shut? You know nothing about him.
He studied her face, trying to read her expression. “Do you always invite strange men over for dinner?”
She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “No, but you don’t seem all that strange. Besides, I have a friend who calls me every day. If I don’t answer, she’ll call out the National Guard.”
Humor flashed in his eyes. “Not the police? Your friend must be pretty influential.”
“You know what I mean. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” Oh, great. Couldn’t she have phrased it better? He didn’t have to come? Erotic images began flitting unbidden across her mushy brain.
There was that hint of a smile again. “I’m happy to come.”
Oh, is there a double meaning there? I should just tape my mouth shut.
“Good. That’s good.” She drained the last tiny drop from her water bottle to distract herself. “About six thirty good for you?”
“I’ll check my calendar,” he teased, “but I’m pretty sure I can make it. And thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She pushed herself off the bench. “I guess we’d better start back.”
Ryan rose, also. “Of course.” Then he winked. “Because we both have very full schedules today, right?”
She laughed. “Right.”
What would he be doing until dinner?
They walked to her house without any further conversation. When they got to her stairs, she turned to him. “See you at six thirty.”
“Wine or beer?”
She drew her brows together. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll bring beverages. Do you prefer wine or beer?”
“Will you think I have no class if I say beer?”
“Will you think I’m uncouth if I say I don’t like wine?”
They stared at each other then both busted out laughing.
“Beer it is.” He nodded. “See you later.”
She climbed the stairs but stayed on her porch, watching until he reached his own door. Her eyes were glued to the flex of muscles in his firm ass beneath the thin jogging shorts. He took the stairs two at a time. When he got to his door, before he punched in the code, he turned and looked over at her.
Busted!
She swallowed and waved at him then hurried inside. Locking the door she leaned against it and closed her eyes. What was wrong with her, inviting a man she knew nothing about over for dinner? The words had flown out of her mouth before she could stop them.
But he’s cute and sexy.
He could also be a rapist.
No, her brain said. Weird maybe but not a rapist. He hadn’t given her his last name. Of course, she hadn’t told him hers, either. Well, maybe that added a little spice to the situation. Right now, she needed something to distract her from the disaster that was currently her career.
Okay. Shower, get dressed, hit the market for the steaks she’d said she was barbecuing.
Chapter Four
Ryan had just showered—again—and pulled on clean jeans and a T-shirt before heading next door when his cell rang. He looked at the readout. Walt. Of course. Probably more bad news. The man had been calling daily with updates on damage control. He knew agent had the publicity and image people working overtime to spin this and dump all the dirt on Marlo, but it wasn’t happening fast enough to suit Ryan.
“I hope you have something good to tell me for a change,” he growled.
“Working on it.”
“What does that mean?” Ryan demanded.
“It means I have a private investigator digging into the episode to see if we can find someone who did or did not see you that day. Then I—”
“I told you I wasn’t there,” Ryan interrupted.
“I know, I know. But my image people tell me it would
help their efforts if we had some actual proof.”
Ryan felt his blood pressure rising. “So my word isn’t good enough?”
“Calm down, will you? Psycho Marlo made a huge splash all over the place so it’s taking time to sort through it.”
“I didn’t do it, damn it.” He hauled in a deep breath to calm his raging anger. “How many times do I have to say it?”
“Ryan. I believe you. We all believe you. But until we have more than your word, we’re doing damage control the best we can.”
Ryan gripped his phone so hard he was afraid he’d crush it. “So is anything working?”
“The image consultant has been putting out a lot of stuff about your charity work,” Walt told him, “and your work with at risk kids. Posting all over social media. Trying to place some strategic articles. Good stuff to change the direction of people’s thinking.”
Ryan grunted.
“People love scandal, Ryan. You need a lot of ammunition to overcome it.”
“Fucking Marlo,” he muttered.
“Yes, and that’s what got you into this in the first place.” He paused a moment.
“What about the team?” Ryan persisted. “What’s the climate like there?”
“Well, they’re happy to have you out of sight and out of mind while they do their own damage control. And they aren’t looking to get rid of you, if that’s what you want to know.”
“Wow. I’m overwhelmed.” That was the thing he’d feared the most. “How’s my double doing?”
“Exactly what we want. Showing himself a few times a day at the windows. Otherwise watching television and playing pool in your game room.”
“Great,” Ryan griped. “I’m so glad I could provide him with all the comforts of home.”
“So how’s it going as a beach bum?” Walt asked, changing the subject.
“Boring,” Ryan growled. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Boring is good. Hang out at the beach or do some sightseeing. And stay away from women.”
“Good-bye, Walt. Call me when you have something good to tell me.”
His disconnected the call and stuffed his cell in his pocket. Good old Walt would split his britches if he knew Ryan was going next door to have dinner with a woman and he didn’t even know her last name. Worse yet, he’d strangle him if he knew how she made his mouth water and his cock stand up and demand to be noticed. Even now, thinking about her luscious body, her natural beauty, those freckles that just did it for him, made his balls ache and his shaft swell with need.
He’d certainly dated more than his fair share of women, and slept with a variety of them, but he didn’t remember a woman ever affecting him like this. He wanted to strip off her clothing and cover every inch of her body with kisses, run his tongue over that tempting flesh. She was so different from any of the other women he’d dated. Maybe that was it. She had a genuine feel to her as opposed to most of the women he played with.
It must be the environment, he told himself. All these pastel houses, and the beach and the water. Everything he drove past when he made his trip to the market for beer. He expected to hear Jimmy Buffet songs playing from loud speakers every time he went outside.
When he glanced at his watch he realized he was already ten minutes late. Bad form, Calhoun. He grabbed the beer from the fridge. Closed and locked the front door and jogged down his stairs and up the ones to Kaitlyn’s place. She opened the door almost as soon as he knocked. Ryan took one look at her and had to roll up his tongue.
Tonight she wore a simple cotton dress with thin straps and a full skirt. A light green that brought out the blonde of her hair and those damn freckles. It was also obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath it, but he didn’t know if he should take that as a signal or a fashion statement. And she was barefoot. She had slender feet and that sparkly pink polish on her toenails. He’d have a damn tough time controlling himself tonight, that was for sure.
He held up two six packs. “Beverages.”
“Wow.” Her eyes widened. “Are you planning to get me drunk?”
Ryan chuckled. “Is that a possibility?”
They stared at each other for a long moment. He could tell she was as aware as he was of the electricity crackling between them. Then she blinked and shook her head.
“Sorry. Let me put that beer in the fridge.”
“I can do it. I’ll crack a couple open for us, if you’d like.”
“Um, sure.” She waved with the barbecue fork in her hand. “Could you bring them out on the back porch? I’ve got the grill going.”
“No problem.” He watched as she moved through the living room out onto the porch, hips swaying beneath the full skirt. His palms itched to lift that material and touch everything beneath it. This was going to be a long evening if he didn’t get his libido under control.
He stashed the beer, keeping back two bottles that he popped the caps on. Should he bring her a glass for hers? Fish in her cupboards for one? Did she like to drink from the bottle?
As if she could read his mind, she hollered, “I don’t need a glass if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“A woman after my own heart.” He tromped out to the porch and handed her one of the beers. “To dinner.” He raised his bottle and clinked it against hers. “And good neighbors.”
She nodded and lifted her bottle to her lips.
Ryan almost forgot to drink his own beer, fascinated by the play of muscles in her throat as she swallowed. He tore his gaze away and looked down. Big mistake. There were those sexy toes with the very feminine nail polish. His cock made a big push against his fly to be free. Shit. He was in such big trouble here.
Kaitlyn turned away from him to test the steaks on the grill. The aroma of the sizzling meat made his mouth water. Okay, good. Something to take his mind off his neighbor and sex, two things that should not go together.
“We’ll be ready to eat in a few,” she told him. “Make yourself comfortable.”
He lowered himself into one of the lounge chairs on the porch, enjoying the scenery. Two ancient trees provided a large canopy over the small patch of yard below, a yard edged with typical Florida shrubbery. The late day sun peeked through the branches casting a golden glow over everything. Including his very sexy hostess.
Ryan took a long swallow of beer, hoping the icy liquid would cool his body to a manageable temperature. Otherwise this was going to be a very uncomfortable night for him.
“So how did you end up here in Ft. Myers on this street?” she asked as she flipped the steaks again. “Are you from around here?”
“Not really.”
She laughed, that wonderful musical sound. “Not really? That’s not a yes or a no.”
“I needed a place to chill out for a while, and a friend knew the rental agent here.” He took another swallow of beer.
“Funny,” She turned to look at him. “My story is practically the same. Think it’s karma?”
“I hope so. Listen, is there anything I can help you with?”
She nodded. “As a matter of fact, yes.” She expertly forked the steaks onto a waiting platter and handed it to him. “If you take this inside for me, I’ll get the salad and potatoes.”
In short order they were seated at the table with their steaks, baked potatoes, and salad and two fresh bottles of beer.
Better go slow, Ryan. You don’t want to make a fool of yourself tonight.
Which he could easily do if he couldn’t put a lid on this insane desire for the woman sitting at his right. He had to drag his eyes away from her and focus on his own dinner, which happened to be excellent. For a while, he was afraid they’d be eating in silence. Then, as if looking for some topic they could be comfortable with, she asked him what movies he liked and they kind of fell into a conversation. Before he realized it, they had finished dinner as well as two more beers each. Ryan wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the woman sitting at the table with him that made his head woozy and his heartbeat
speed up.
Kaitlyn cleared her throat as she pushed her chair back.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some coffee.”
“Yeah. Me, too.” He stood. “Let me help you clear the table.”
They both reached for his plate at the same time. Their hands connected and Ryan was sure he saw sparks dance in the air. He looked at her and in the dark blue of her eyes saw the same heat he felt in his own body. Her plump lips were so tempting he couldn’t help himself. Forgetting the plate he, cupped her face in his palms and leaned in to touch his mouth to hers.
He thought he would treat himself to a little taste of her lips, a brief contact to satisfy himself that he was imagining the intense connection. But the kiss blindsided him. A brief touch but the electricity that surged through him singed every nerve in his body. It certainly made his cock stand up and beg.
He gave her a moment to draw back and, when she didn’t, he traced the closed seam of her velvety lips with the tip of his tongue. She opened her mouth a little bit and without hesitation he accepted the silent invitation, sweeping his tongue inside, stroking hers, coaxing it to do an erotic dance with him. Still, she didn’t push him away, seemingly as lost in the heat of the kiss as he was.
Her scent filled his nostrils, the satin smoothness of her mouth seducing him. When she closed her slim fingers around his wrists, he was afraid for a moment she was going to push him away. Instead it seemed she was anchoring herself. Fire shot through him, every part of him screaming for more. He tilted her head slightly to give himself better advantage, only breaking the kiss when it seemed they both ran out of breath.
He opened his eyes to find her gaze locked with his, filled with a mixture of hunger and bewilderment. It seemed she was as stunned by the intensity of their connection as he was. With a gentle swipe of his tongue he licked the soft surface of her lips and teased the corners of her mouth before delving inside again to lick every inch of her delicious interior surface. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Somewhere in the back of his mind his feeble brain was attempting to warn him this could be dangerously addicting, but he clamped down on the thought as soon as it popped up. If she had told him to stop or done anything to discourage him, he would have backed away at once.