by Anna Durand
"It's okay," Mara said, smiling shyly. "Probably my fault for making you carry those bags."
"Carrying whatever crap you bring is part of my job. Once, I had to haul a giant pet carrier with a Saint Bernard inside it."
Mara's eyes widened. "You allow pets here?"
"Sure. Only well-behaved ones, and they have to be on leashes."
"But Saint Bernards are..." She went pale, like she might faint again. "Their heads are huge. And their teeth..."
I grasped her elbow. "Whoa, take it easy. Don't pass out. There are no dogs here at the moment. Are you afraid of them?"
She squashed her lips between her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, then sucked in a deep and noisy breath through her nostrils. Shaking off whatever it was, she squared her shoulders. "I am not afraid of dogs." She winced. "Most of the time."
Jeez, this girl was a tangled mess of phobias. Dogs. Naked people. What next? She was hot, and kind of sweet in a bat-shit crazy way, but completely neurotic.
I considered the stairs and the rooms they led to, rooms occupied by naturists. Lots of naturists. All of whom would be stampeding out of the dining hall anytime. How would Mara react to nude people playing miniten? She might freak when saw the thugs, the wedge-shaped boxes used to bat the tennis ball around in miniten. A thug kind of sort of resembled a Saint Bernard's head. If you squinted hard, and if you were an outrageously uptight city girl who was terrified of nudity.
"Tell you what," I said. "Why don't you stay in the little house, the one on the other side of the driveway? Val and Eve aren't here right now, so you can hang at their place until we sort out what to, uh, do with you."
Mara picked up her shoes. "Who are Val and Eve?"
"The owners of this resort."
She bit her lip. "Are you sure they won't mind?"
"Nah, they're cool. I've been staying in their house, but I can move if you'd feel weird about sharing a house with me."
"As long I have my own room, I'm fine with it."
"Yeah, you get your own room. With a door that locks." I hefted her bags off the floor, stifling a grunt. "Follow me. This is a family-friendly resort, so you don't have to worry about anything really crazy going on here. But it's probably best if you don't look into the dining hall."
She nodded gravely, still biting her lip.
Damn, I wanted to take that lip between my teeth and suck on it.
Instead, I led Mara out of the guest house and across the driveway to the little ranch house where Val and Eve lived. Until last summer, Eve had run the resort alone and cooked all the meals for all the guests in her kitchen. Ever since she and Val got together, and he became her business partner, they had loads of money to blow on improvements for the resort. Val was super rich, thanks to his previous careers as a soccer player and then a model. So now we had a big kitchen in the newly built addition to the guest house.
When we got to the door, I set down Mara's bags and dug the keys out of my pocket to unlock the door. I pushed it open, gesturing for Mara to go in first.
She peered inside with a hint of suspicion, but then smiled brightly at me and walked inside.
I lugged her bags across the threshold, kicked the door shut, and set the luggage down. "This is the kitchen."
Duh. Like she wouldn't know that if I hadn't told her. The room had a butcher-block island, two ovens, a double sink, a fridge, and pots and pans hanging from hooks.
Clearing my throat, I nodded toward the hallway. "Guest room's that way."
I headed down the hall with Mara behind me, pointing out the rooms as we went. The doors were all closed. "On the right is Eve's photo studio. Across from that is the bathroom. The other room on the right is Eve and Val's bedroom, which is where I'm staying, and this one on the left is the guest room."
Mara hurried past me to open the door.
"You've got a TV with satellite programming and DVR," I said. "There's also a clock radio with an alarm on the bedside table. This little desk here"---I ran my hand over the smooth wood surface---"has a drawer with notepaper and pens, plus a phone book. You also have a dresser with a big mirror on it, though I'm sure you figured that out on your own."
Yeah, the dresser was kind of hard to miss, being right there in plain sight. What an idiot I'd turned into today. It was her ass's fault. If she didn't have a shapely, enticing rear end, maybe I wouldn't act like such a dope around her.
Mara had stepped inside the room a few inches, but she eyed it with a hint of anxiety.
"Don't worry, nobody else is in the house." I tapped a finger on the phone on the desk. "If you need me, just press one. That rings the office in the guest house, which is where I'll be."
Her wide gaze flew to me. "You're leaving me alone here?"
"Relax, it's perfectly safe. You might not want to look out the window, but nobody will bother you here." I scratched the back of my neck. "Maybe I should hang around for a little while, to help you get settled."
Her tense shoulders sagged. "Oh thank you, Oliver. I'm so grateful there's one person here who isn't a nudist."
I almost winced. Not a nudist? She'd been assuming that because I was wearing clothes right now. If I told her I only dressed to greet new guests, she would panic for sure. Yeah, that was the reason I hadn't corrected her misconception about me. It had nothing to do with the fact I wanted to kiss her.
She inched toward the bed and cautiously settled her fantastic ass onto it. She bounced a little, like she was testing the mattress. "This feels wonderful. Very cushy."
Her breasts jiggled every time she bounced.
My brain went straight to a fantasy of Mara spread out on the bed, naked, moaning and begging me to---
"Oliver?" she said. "Are you all right?"
I coughed into my fist. "Yeah, fine."
The way she kept calling me Oliver made my balls tighten, but what the hell. Let's go with "I'm fine." If she called me Oliver again, I might develop a raging erection, but that was cool. I mean, it wasn't like she'd freak out and faint.
Ugh. At least this time, she would pass out on a nice soft mattress.
"Call me Ollie," I said for the sake of self-preservation. "Please. That's what everybody calls me."
My sister called me Liver, but she got away with it only because she was fourteen. No force on earth could stop a teenager from inventing insulting nicknames.
"Okay," Mara said. "Ollie."
That wasn't much better, but at least I'd averted a disaster. My dick had stopped twitching.
Until Mara stretched her arms above her head, smiled, and sighed. She flopped backward onto the mattress. "Mm, this bed is wonderful."
And then she glided her hands up and down her form-fitting dress.
Hard-on. Instant. Massive.
Shit, shit, shit.
I turned away from her, like I was about to leave. How could a woman who was terrified of naked people stretch like that right in front of me?
"You seem like you've settled in," I said, hugging the doorjamb to hide my hard-on. "I'll go make some calls to see if I can find a room for you somewhere else."
I made the mistake of glancing at her.
Mara, still lying on the bed, stretched her arms above her head again. "Thank you, Oliver."
Fuck. Would she ever stop saying my name?
I shut the door and ran out of the house.
Chapter Three
Mara
I lay there on the bed for several minutes, luxuriating in the softness of the mattress and the seclusion of this cozy little room inside this cozy little house. Curtains shielded the windows, so I couldn't see if nude people were having an orgy out there. Not that I believed they actually would do that. Ollie had told me this was a family-friendly place, and I believed him. He'd been so sweet and kind to me. Thank goodness I'd found one normal, non-nudist person to talk to at this resort.
He was cute too. And sexy.
I sat up and reached behind me to
unzip my dress. Why had I worn this thing? It was tight and made it hard for me to kneel or sit down. I longed to strip it off and put on something comfy.
But I couldn't reach the zipper.
How stupid are you, Mara? Wearing a new dress for the first time when you're traveling.
When I'd bought the dress, the woman in the clothing store had helped me get out of it. Maybe that should've been a clue, but I hadn't been thinking clearly about anything. Get out of town, that's all I'd had on my mind.
I struggled to reach the zipper, contorting my arms into positions that almost hurt, but couldn't quite reach the damn thing. Shit. I flopped back onto the bed, glaring at the ceiling.
Footsteps drew my attention to the open doorway.
Ollie stopped at the threshold with two of my large suitcases and the two smaller ones in his hands, plus the other two big ones under his arms. Panting, he said, "Almost forgot your bags. They were still in the kitchen."
His gaze skimmed over me, and he licked his lips.
I sat up.
Ollie walked into the room and set my suitcases on the floor. "There you go."
He started to leave.
"Wait," I said, pushing up off the bed. "I, um... It's kind of embarrassing, but I need help."
It was completely humiliating, actually.
"Help with what?" he asked.
I hunched my shoulders and pointed at my back. "Can't get the zipper undone."
"Oh." He licked his lips again, his hands curling into loose fists. "I guess I can give you a hand."
"If it's too weird for you, I'll understand."
"No, it's not weird."
He came up to me, gesturing for me to turn around.
I did, but he made no move to unzip the dress. I waited, feeling more anxious with every second.
"Nice dress," he said, his voice huskier. "You look really good in it."
My voice refused to work, but my body warmed, starting with my cheeks.
He took hold of the zipper and eased it down, inch by inch, his warm fingertip grazing my skin. A sensuous tingle trailed down my flesh in its wake, and suddenly, I had trouble catching my breath. When he reached my bra, he pulled his hand away.
"I think you can do the rest," he said, his voice gruffer.
When I turned around, he was staring at me. Lips parted. Chest rising and falling visibly. Eyes darker somehow, probably because his pupils had enlarged.
My breasts lifted with every breath I struggled to suck into my lungs, and I had the most inappropriate urge to kiss him. Cool air teased my skin where the dress gaped open, the sensation making me a little bit crazy. I wanted to touch him. Press my lips to his. Slip my hand inside his pants.
Ollie's gaze wandered down to my breasts, and he scrubbed a hand over his mouth. "I should go make those calls for you."
He moved toward the door.
I rushed forward to grab his arm. "Oliver."
Though he stopped, he didn't turn to look at me.
A reckless urge overtook me, one so irresistible I couldn't prevent myself from doing what my body wanted. I stepped in front of him, caught his face in my hands, and kissed him.
He held stone-still for a few seconds, while I kept my lips glued to his and reveled in the warmth and softness of them. God, his mouth. I wanted it. Now. Wanted him to thrust his tongue between my lips and ravage me.
Instead, he took hold of my upper arms and pushed me away. "This is really not a good idea. You're still freaked out about the naturist thing, and I don't take advantage of vulnerable women."
Of course he didn't. Oliver Jackson was a good man. I'd known that when I screamed and fainted and he'd caught me. Despite my stupid behavior, he'd taken care of me. Maybe I was not quite myself, but I knew I wanted him, and he didn't want me. Rejection felt like crap.
"Sorry," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up, with embarrassment this time. Ducking my head, I sidled out of his way. "I didn't mean to---Oh God, I really am an idiot."
"No, you are not. But you've had a big shock." He touched my arm. "Take it easy for a while. Watch some TV and chill."
I nodded.
He hooked a finger under my chin and urged me to look up at him. "You're sexy, Mara. I want to kiss you, but not like this."
Ollie ran his thumb over my bottom lip, then he walked out the door.
I stood there like a statue for a minute or two, maybe longer, wondering why I always did such stupid things. Of course he wouldn't want to kiss me. Why would he? I'd freaked out when I saw naked people.
After changing clothes, I ventured out of my room, heading down the hallway and into the kitchen. Ollie wasn't around. He'd told me he was going to his office in the guest house, so I hadn't really expected to find him here, but I had hoped for it. What should I do? Going outside seemed like a horrible idea. The nudists might be out there, and though I knew I wouldn't pass out this time, I still didn't feel up to facing a bunch of naked people who'd heard me scream and seen me faint. God, they must've thought I was a lunatic.
My stomach grumbled.
Should I rifle through the fridge for food? This wasn't my house. I didn't feel like I should poke around in someone else's kitchen. Ollie was letting me stay here instead of in the guest house out of kindness and probably a desire to make sure I didn't faint in his arms again.
I leaned my elbows on the butcher-block island.
And that's when I saw the tented card standing in the middle of the island. It had my name written on it. I picked up the card and looked inside. It said, "Eat anything you want, then kick back and watch TV. I'll bring you dinner tonight." Ollie had signed the card.
Now that I had permission to rifle through the fridge, I did. The owners of the resort had lots of food on hand, some of it things I'd never heard of, like Minas cheese. I made myself a turkey sandwich, even putting cheddar cheese on it in spite of hearing my mother's voice in my head saying, "Dairy will make you gain weight, Mara, and proper ladies don't get chunky." Screw that. I'd had a horrible day so far, not to mention the entire year before today, so I deserved cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream and onion potato chips.
And milk. Mm, it tasted so good.
Consuming a forbidden sandwich and chips made me want to go all the way, food-wise. I'd seen a tray of cupcakes in the fridge too, so I retrieved the tray and set it on the counter. The cupcakes looked like dark chocolate, tinged with red, and with vanilla frosting on top. Could they be red velvet? I'd never had that, though I'd dreamed of cupcakes like this often after seeing a case of them at the bakery across the street from my condo. Red velvet looked so decadent. So yummy. So...forbidden.
I picked up a cupcake, peeled back the wrapping, and sank my teeth into the dark, succulent flesh. The deep, dark chocolate melted on my tongue. The flavor of the cream cheese frosting melded with the chocolate in the most delicious combination. Sweet. Tangy. Rich. Mmmmm, yum.
An actual moan escaped my lips.
Swallowing, I closed my eyes and bit off another chunk of dark-chocolate heaven. Then another. And another. Once I'd finished off that cupcake, I dived into a second one, moaning even more deeply when the flavor of it filled my mouth.
A throat-clearing behind me made me jump and glance at the door.
Ollie still had his hand on the knob, the door halfway open. He wore a tight expression that seemed almost pained. "Sorry, I should've knocked first so I wouldn't scare you."
I quickly chewed and swallowed my bite of cupcake. Dropping the rest of it on the tray, I wiped my mouth with my hand. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be wolfing down all the cupcakes. Bill me for the cost of them, please."
"No way." He shut the door and approached the island, standing near me. "You're a guest. All the food is included."
I gazed longingly at the cupcakes. "I just found out I love red velvet."
"Yeah, I could tell."
His voice was deeper, infused with something I couldn't quite identify, s
omething almost...hungry.
I offered him a cupcake. "Want one?"
"No thanks. But you go ahead and eat all you want."
He still had that touch of hunger in his voice, but he said he didn't want a cupcake. Why did he sound that way, then?
Ollie raked his gaze over me from head to toe, taking in my capri pants and short-sleeve top. His tongue sneaked out to moisten his lips, and his eyes seemed to darken. When I got to my feet, he pulled in a long breath and exhaled it slowly, rubbing his jaw. "Pink toenails. I like it."
My sandals exposed my toes, and I always kept them painted. When he'd said he liked my pink nail polish, his voice had gotten deeper and huskier.
He lifted his gaze to mine.
The heat in those amber irises could've melted the clothes right off my body. It didn't, thankfully. But I did feel hot and wet in the most intimate way.
I suddenly realized the truth. When he'd looked hungry a minute ago, it hadn't been for cupcakes. He wanted to gorge himself on me.
No, it couldn't be that. Stupid, Mara, jumping to conclusions. If he'd wanted me, he wouldn't have pushed me away when I kissed him earlier.
His gaze skipped down to my chest and the modest amount of cleavage my top revealed. He licked his lips again.
"I should go," he said. "See you later."
And he left before I could form any words. How bizarre.
The door clicked shut behind him, and I went back to devouring red velvet cupcakes.
Chapter Four
Ollie
Pink toenails turned me on. Who knew? Not me, that's for sure. I'd never thought of women's toes as sexy, but one glimpse of Mara's pink-tipped digits had me fighting off a hard-on. It didn't help that she'd been enjoying a cupcake when I walked into the house. The blissful look on her face made me imagine her looking that way when I was fucking her. And the way she'd opened her mouth to take a bite, then closed her lips around it...