Halfway up the main staircase, she heard a familiar whistle and waited for the sound of footsteps on the porch. The front door latched shut behind Zane and she watched him stride into the house. The man had quite the swagger. That alone was enough to keep a woman smitten—and she was definitely smitten. “Good morning.”
Zane’s head lifted in her direction, and she was rewarded with a face splitting grin. “Well, aren’t you a pleasant surprise.”
Such a simple sentence and she could feel her chest puffing up with delight at the compliment. “I said I’d be coming over before lunch.”
He nodded. “True, but I hadn’t expected you to greet me as soon as I crossed the threshold.”
“Glad to oblige, but the here-to-greet-you part was just coincidence. I’m actually on my way upstairs to change into a swimsuit. Lucy tells me that the contractor, finished the swimming platform the General ordered, and I thought I would go out for a quick dip in the lake to inaugurate it.”
“Would you like some company?”
“I’m told there’s room for more than two.” Pressing her lips tightly closed, she tried not to grin like a star-struck teen.
His already captivating smile widened. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”
“You’ve had other offers today?” she teased.
“You caught me.” He laughed. “Best offer I’ve had in a very long time.”
She bobbed her head and still watching him, backed one step up the staircase. “I’ll meet you down by the shore as soon as I change.”
“Don’t change too much. I like you just the way you are.”
This time she rolled her eyes. She really was going to miss him when life returned to its normal routine.
“Too much?” He smiled.
Holding her thumb and forefinger up in a pinching motion, she shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe just a little.” She wasn’t going to tell him that she was loving every minute of it. Or at least not right away.
***
Zane made it back to his cabin and changed into his swim trunks in record time. He didn’t even bother going into the kitchen for coffee or biscuits. As much as he loved the breakfast pastries at Hart House, time with Callie, which he was running out of, was way more important to him. He’d even started considering what harm would it do to stay on a bit longer after his grandfather’s visit was over. It wasn’t like he had a job to lose if he didn’t go back.
Hand on the door knob, his phone ringing caught him by surprise. He’d yet to figure out the rhyme or reason to getting phone reception on this mountain. More than a time or two he’d tried to log on to do some research for Craig’s business plan without any success. Unless there was some cosmic force aware of the fact that the last thing he wanted to do now was talk on the telephone, in which case Murphy’s Law was clearly kicking in. “Hello?”
“Still wasting away in the middle of nowhere?” his buddy Craig teased.
“Yes and no. I’m still out in what you call the middle of nowhere, but definitely not wasting away. As a matter of fact, I’m on my way to go lay out on the water with a brilliant, funny, smart, and charming young lady.”
Silence hung momentarily. “How young?”
Zane resisted sighing heavily at his friend’s insinuation. “Not that young.”
“So she’s a dog?”
“What?” He really didn’t want to be having this conversation.
“Don’t sound so surprised. You used every descriptor in the book except one that says beautiful, gorgeous, or sexy. You know, normal adjectives for a hot hookup.”
“First of all, she’s not a hookup.” He wasn’t going to mention that he hadn’t even kissed her yet. Though the thought had been lingering on his mind more and more often for longer and longer with every passing day. “And secondly, she is not a dog. She’s actually very beautiful, both inside and out.”
He could almost hear his friend nodding silently on the other end. “Okay. Backing down. Change of subject. Any idea when you’re coming home? I’ve been working more numbers, and even had some interesting people reach out to me. We need to talk.”
“Sorry man, it’s going to have to wait.” He chuckled. “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date.”
Craig groaned loudly at the overused literary quote. “I get it. And I know I’m not the analyst, but if I’m doing this right, losing our jobs could be the best thing to happen to us.”
A couple of weeks ago he might have quickly agreed with his friend. Now he wasn’t so sure.
“Promise you’ll check in with me and let me know what your plans are and when you’re coming home.”
“Will do.” He said his goodbyes and tossed his phone onto the desk again. Hurrying out the door, he pulled it shut behind him, looked up the hill toward the house, then left to the water. There she was on the beach. Stepping into the water, she raised her hands forward and in a smooth motion, whooshed ahead, wading into the deeper water. He definitely wasn’t so sure anymore.
Thoughts of pulling that beautiful sweet swimmer in close for one very long and very thorough kiss popped into his head again. Taking a minute to admire the sleek, steady strokes as she cut through the water, he considered for the umpteenth time today, what could lingering here for a while longer cost him?
Diving in head first, he chased after the woman who had made herself at home in his mind. Her one foot on the ladder, he lunged forward and clapped his hand around the other ankle. A screech erupted that could have been heard across the lake followed by cheerful laughter.
“I’m going to need that back.”
“I don’t know.” He flashed a toothy grin at her. “Seems to fit really well in my hand.”
Still smiling, she hung onto the top of the ladder and thrust her leg back, knocking his grip loose. Arms flapping wildly, he sank like a boulder back in the water, splashing her from head to toe.
Laughing even harder, she swiped the droplets away from her face and waved her arms, shaking off the excess water and muttered, “You’re going to pay for that.”
Blinking away the water, she looked for Zane. Tiny bubbles popped at the water’s surface, but no sign of the man she’d grown so fond of. Laughter seized in her throat. Leaning forward, she scanned the dark waters in front of her. Spinning around, she did a fast three-sixty sweep around the platform, hoping he’d popped up somewhere else. Nothing. Whirling around, casting her eyes once again at the spot where he’d fallen, her heart did a double kick at the still waters and lifting her hands over her head, she dove in after him.
Wielding her arms from side to side, hope flurried when she struck something firm yet soft. Zane! Wrapping her arms around his midsection, she gave a strong kick and sprang out of the water and reached for the nearby ladder. Before her mind could consider her next move, strong arms tightened around her. Staring hard at the man holding her, she focused on twinkling blue eyes and white teeth peeking through a wide grin seconds before warm lips crashed against hers.
Chapter Twelve
The kiss was everything he’d expected and more. Zane didn’t expect a single kiss to have him waxing poetic, but her softness fit into his every hard curve perfectly. Almost as if she were made especially for him. Damn, how he wanted so much more.
Kicking his feet to shift around, he hung onto the ladder with one arm, his other hand draped over a shoulder. The edges of his fingers drew tiny circles at the base of her neck. She shifted slightly in his arms, making a slow purring sound.
His mind considered how long they could stay here like this before someone, anyone, spotted them entwined like a couple of randy teens when he felt a pressure against his chest. The hard force against him increased as Callie’s lips eased back. It took him a foggy moment to realize she was whacking his shoulder with a closed fit.
“How could you!” She managed to shove away from him and wade around to climb up the ladder. “Men.”
“Callie.” He reached after her, and catching up, followed her up the
ladder. Taking in a deep breath, he ran his fingers across the top of his head and silently cursed himself if he screwed this up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
Hands fisted at her hips, Callie glared at him. “Kiss! You think I’m upset about a kiss?”
Okay, that wasn’t the response he’d expected. It wasn’t the kiss. Which meant she was okay with the kiss? But even if the kiss wasn’t potentially the problem, he still wasn’t staring at an I’m-okay-with-anything expression. “I’m sorry, I don’t get it.”
Her hand shot straight out to the open water, her fingers dangling in the air. “You scared the living hell out of me!”
“I did?”
“Of course you did. When you didn’t come up for air, I thought you could be drowning, dying. Dead.” One hand still on her hips and bringing the other hand to her forehead, she closed her eyes, shook her head, and spun away from him.
“Hey.” He took a careful step in her direction. Standing close enough that he could smell lingering remnants of her almond vanilla shampoo, he gently ran the back of his fingers down her arm. “Please don’t be angry with me. I didn’t think. I guess for a few minutes I forgot I’m not a clueless teen.”
“Darn straight,” she spat, but didn’t turn around.
“Callie?” He reached for her with his other hand and gently turned her to face him. Those beautiful long lashes blinking back tears stabbed at his heart. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else I can say.”
“I thought I’d lost you.” She dared to look him in the eye.
Lord, spare him from his own stupidity. “If I promise never to do anything dumb like that again, will you forgive me?”
Her shoulders quivered and what he thought was an impending barrage of tears turned into muffled laughter.
“Call me dense, but I really don’t get it. What’s so funny now?”
“My mother used to say don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
He had most definitely waded into the I don’t understand women waters. Though he supposed it was a good sign that Callie was still smiling at him.
“She also would say to never say never.”
His last words replayed in his head. He had easily broken two of her mother’s rules, and now that he thought about it, she was probably right. The road to hell was paved with good intentions. “If I promise to do my best to limit dumb ideas in the future, will you forgive me?”
Still smiling at him, she nodded and let her hand fall flat on his shoulders. “See, you’re smartening up already.”
“So, if the kiss wasn’t what upset you…” he waited for her to shake her head, “then that means you won’t mind if I do it again?”
She shook her head and inched a fraction closer.
Suddenly he was all too aware that they weren’t really alone on the platform, but were surrounded by cabins. Cabins with people. People with prying eyes. “I’m going to hold you to that when we’re not quite so public.”
Taking a full step back, her eyes widened as if the thought of prying eyes had been as much of a surprise to her as it had been to him. “Lucy.” Callie twisted around quickly and stared at Hart House. “She can’t possibly see this far. Can she?”
He shrugged. “Not unless she keeps binoculars in her pocket.”
Groaning, Callie sank to the deck. Tucking her feet against her, she wrapped her arms around her legs and let her head rest on her knees. “We’re doomed.”
“I don’t get it.” He sat down beside her. “Why?”
“Maybe she didn’t see us.”
“Would it be that awful if she did?”
“Depends how you look at it. Basically, she thinks she’s a born matchmaker and nothing is more unsettling to her than two single people she believes should be together.”
“That’s not such an awful thing.” He wasn’t following why she seemed so upset.
“It wouldn’t be, except every time she tries to fix two people up, something terrible always happens.”
“So if she saw us together, then she’s going to do something that will… do what?” He was seriously confused.
Her shoulders dropped and her lips pursed, tempting him to kiss her worries away. “Actually, when you put it that way. If she already thinks we’re together than she doesn’t have to do anything to actually put us together, so nothing can go wrong.”
“Okay.” He had to think about that one a second. “Do I want to know what she’s done that is so awful?”
“No.” Shaking her head, Callie laid back on the deck and closed her eyes to the sun. “Forget I said anything.”
This was one strange conversation he didn’t mind seeing come to an end. Lying down beside her, his pinky brushed up against her hand. The contact made him feel like a bashful teen eager to hold the pretty girl’s hand. And didn’t that kiss change everything. Now what was he going to do?
***
Right about now, Callie would pay big bucks to know what was going on inside Zane’s head. She’d sounded like such a babbling idiot, talking about Lucy and her matchmaking. The beloved housekeeper seemed to have slowed down in her efforts. It had been a while since anything really ugly had happened around town. The last incident was that time Lucy siphoned a guest’s gas and left them stranded. Not that being stranded for a while with Zane would be such a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.
“Did I tell you that I have an old buddy who’s the Director of Sports Operations at Stanford?”
Well, now she knew what he was thinking. And wasn’t she more than a little disappointed that it wasn’t about her. “I don’t believe so.”
“We were roommates in college. At first, I wasn’t so sure we’d have anything in common. Even though I played ball, I majored in math and went to school on a full ride academic scholarship.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“I don’t know.” His eyes narrowed with curiosity. “Why doesn’t it?”
“Maybe because when we first met all I saw was the brainiac.”
“Brainiac?”
Heat filled her cheeks as her mind turned quickly to the picture of him springing up from the water, droplets sluicing over those well-formed muscles. “Never mind, you were saying you didn’t think you’d have anything in common.”
“Yeah. He attended on a soccer scholarship, but needed some help when it came to the academics.”
“So you helped?”
His head tilted to one side. “How did you know that?”
“Not so lucky guess.” She’d come to learn a lot about this man. Apparently Deidra wasn’t his first foray into wanting to help a promising athlete with their education.
“Anyhow, he was as good at soccer as I was at baseball.”
“That sounds pretty good.”
“Good enough that he made the national team.”
“That is good.” Tipping her head back and shielding her eyes with her hand, she could see him nod.
“He even played professional soccer for few years. Was the highest goal scorer in the history of the league. Still holds the record for most goals in a season, and most points in a season.”
“Okay, I’m officially impressed.”
“He could’ve played a few more years if he’d wanted, but he always liked working with talented young players, and frankly there was more job security in a future with Stanford than playing pro soccer.”
She glanced his way again and resisted the urge to move in for another kiss and pick up where they’d left off before she’d lost her temper. “Well, that makes sense. Soccer isn’t like baseball or football, or even hockey. There’s just not a lot of money in the lesser sports. Even Deidra has pointed out that if she were a boy, she could dream about being a pitcher in the major leagues. But earning a living as a woman in professional sports only makes sense if you play tennis or golf.”
“If you can cut it, tennis and golf make sense for men too.”
“But you and y
our friend didn’t play golf or tennis.”
“And neither does Deidra.”
Callie rolled part way to face him, and leaned her head on her fist. “So, this is about Deidra?”
“If you think it’s okay, I’d like to give him a call. See if maybe I can talk him into a little R&R by the lake.”
“But you said he played soccer?”
“He had a soccer scholarship, but he could have done baseball if he’d wanted. Besides, he’s high enough up the totem pole that if he just happens to find someone as good as Deidra, the softball coach isn’t going to say no.”
Flashing a tightlipped smile, without taking her eyes off of him, she sat up. “And while he’s here you guys would just maybe happen to stumble across a ballgame with my star player in the line up. Is that the plan?”
“Something like that.” His eyes sparkled at her like the lake in the sunlight.
Damn, he was hard to resist. Her hand inched closer until the tips of her fingers brushed a stray lock of hair away from his forehead. “You really are one of the good guys.”
“Was that a question?”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I know the answer.” She had every intention of leaning in for a kiss when up the hill, a flash of red caught her eye. Lifting her head and focusing, the sound of a slamming car door traveled all the way to her. It only took a moment to recognize the woman exiting the car. “Zinnia!” Without giving their proximity another thought, she sprang to her feet and gestured for him to do the same. “My cousin is here from New York. It’s been ages!”
Racing to shore, she barely stopped to grab a towel and kept going until she reached her cousin. No one seemed to care that Callie was sopping wet as the two indulged in a strangled hug.
“You look great.” Callie tipped her head back, studying her cousin’s business attire.
Zinnia returned a slower, longer perusal. “You look pretty good too, and I don’t mean what you’re not wearing. You’re practically glowing. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were pregnant.”
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