by Stark, Cindy
"I can't change your mind?"
More than anything, she wanted to be with him, but this was a perfect example of how distracting he could be. She had to be strong and keep her focus. "No, I can't. I'll call you tomorrow."
He hesitated, capturing her with his gaze and arching his brows seductively. She recognized the invitation, but had to resist. She couldn't let him know that he had that power over her. Finally, he conceded. "I'll wait for your call, then."
She met his gaze, feeling unsettled over the agreement she'd made with him. Balancing her aching need to be with Joe and her responsibility to her business wasn't going to be easy. "Okay." She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss, careful not to rekindle the inferno. "I have to go." She rushed across the street without looking back.
The bells on her quaint shop jingled as she opened the door, and there was her daughter waiting for her with expectant eyes. Luckily, there was no one else about. Elena continued through the shop and into the workroom with Cassie hot on her tail.
"Well, woo-hoo, Mom." Cassie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Where did you guys go?"
"To the park to talk."
"Just to talk, huh?" Her daughter gave her a quick once-over, still grinning.
What? Did Joe leave hand and lip prints all over her body? "Yes, to talk."
The front door chimed again, and Cassie smiled. "I'll be out front." Her smile grew more mischievous. "You might want to fix your hair before you come out."
Elena hurried into the employee bathroom and looked in the mirror. "Oh, hell." She looked like she'd been caught in a whirlwind. Her updo hung limply to the side, as tendrils of hair danced around her face. Scarce remnants of lipstick clung to her kiss-swollen lips, and most of her blouse was no longer tucked into her slacks.
She began pulling the pins out of her hair in an effort to fix it. If he could do this to her appearance in broad daylight in the middle of a park, what was he going to do to her life?
* * *
Elena glanced at the clock on her nightstand and sighed. Glowing green numbers disclosed that it had been three minutes since the last time she'd checked. Outside, a breeze danced in the darkened treetops, causing branches to scratch against her windows and the roof of her house, keeping her awake. Or at least that's what she'd claim kept her from sleep.
She rolled over and buried her head beneath a soft cotton pillow. She needed to quit thinking about Joe so she could get some rest, but the image of his eyes lighting up when she'd agreed to date him wouldn't go away. Nor would the feel of his exquisite kiss on her lips. It didn't help that she was wearing his shirt, but she couldn't bring herself to change.
Oh, god. She was a wreck.
She wanted him, but she'd convinced herself she shouldn't have him. Then she'd agreed to date him even though her brain told her it was a mistake. And now that he was back in her life, she wanted him in her bed that minute.
She groaned.
Her need for him was worse than the chocolate craving that hit her once a month. Even worse than the caffeine withdrawal she'd encountered when she'd tried to give up coffee. "Ahh…" She rolled again, punching her pillow. Why was she being tortured like this?
She watched the numbers on her clock switch to the other side of midnight. Twelve-o-one.
Technically, it was the next day. She'd told him she'd call him tomorrow, and now it was tomorrow.
She sat up and turned on her bedside light. The antique lamp spread a yellow glow over her hand-quilted floral bedspread and onto her cherry wood furniture. The note he'd given her in Cabo with his number sat next to her phone—not that she needed it. She wondered if, subconsciously, she'd planned to call him.
She decided she didn't care to consider what that might mean. She turned on her cell and dialed his number. Her heart thudded in her chest as adrenaline poured through her veins, leaving her giddy and nauseous at the same time.
At the first ring, she hung up.
What was she doing? He'd most likely be asleep. Tomorrow morning would be a better time to call. Seriously. If she wanted to maintain control, she had to start with herself.
She turned off the light and lay back down. Tomorrow would be soon enough. It would be.
Her cell rang, and she scrambled to sit up, knocking her phone from the nightstand to the floor. She cursed and then groped in the darkness until she located it and answered the call.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"Hello?" Elena's voice came across the line soft and sultry, and Joe couldn't stop his lips from sliding into a grin. There hadn't been a name attached to the number on his caller ID, so he wasn't sure it had been her who had called. But he'd hoped, and he hadn't been disappointed.
"Why did you hang up?"
"I realized how late it was. I'm sorry if I woke you."
"It's okay." He wasn't about to tell her that he'd been camped out in front of the TV, thoughts of her keeping him awake. "What's up?"
"I wondered if there was a chance we could have dinner tomorrow night. Normally, I’m pretty busy, but I happen to be free then."
He almost laughed out loud. Of course, he didn't doubt she had a busy schedule, but he was pretty sure she was using that excuse more from fear than actual time commitments. It warmed his heart to know she couldn't wait to see him, either.
"I'm free as well."
"Good. That's great." An edgy note colored her voice.
He liked knowing he affected her. Like knowing that she was up late, thinking about him. "How about I pick you up around six and take you to dinner? If you're available after that, I'm thinking of spending some time poking around Carmel. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed the town."
"Dinner sounds lovely. I'm looking forward to it."
Uncertain. Too polished. She was nervous, and he couldn't blame her. Their time in Cabo had been surreal, with none of life's constraints. He wasn't naïve. Taking their relationship into the real world would have its challenges, but he'd prove to her it could have its benefits, too.
He needed to reassure her, to lighten the mood and let her know dating him would be something to relieve her stress, not add to it. "You should know, when my phone rang and it was after midnight, I thought maybe you were calling for phone sex." He grinned as her gasp came across the line.
"Excuse me?"
"You know, it starts out with 'what are you wearing'?"
She paused and then chuckled. "Actually, I'm wearing your shirt."
Uh-huh. "And what color are your panties?"
"No, really, Joe. I'm wearing your shirt. You left it in my room in Cabo."
No, kidding. The memory came back in an instant. He'd been so pissed over her ditching him after they'd first made love that he'd forgotten all about leaving his shirt. And she was wearing it to bed? "I like the sound of that." His grin grew bigger. That was a good sign.
"And I'm not wearing any panties," she whispered.
Desire slammed into him, making him hard, and he realized the folly of taking the conversation in this direction. He hadn't told her, but he'd decided to start their relationship over and take the conventional route this time, allowing them to really get to know each other before he made love with her again. He'd realized Elena was more than special to him, and he wanted to do this right. Talking about sex with sexy Elena had backfired right in his face.
"Oh, Elena. Now, that's just torture." He left his recliner and headed outside to his townhouse patio where the air was cooler. How on earth was he supposed to court her properly if she kept talking like that?
"Maybe I want to torture you. I like you thinking about me all night, unable to sleep."
Like he hadn't been already. He sank into a wicker patio chair and gazed up at the darkened sky. "Trust me, sweetheart, you do that just fine without saying a word."
"Really?" Her voice was soft, sexy…and damn, he wanted her. Bad.
"Really." In fact, if he wasn't intent on making a good impression, he'd be zipping over to her house immediately to quen
ch his thirst. "I'm going to say goodnight now, Elena." Then he would jump into a cold shower. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"No more phone sex? We were just getting started."
He pictured her pouting her lips with disappointment. "I'm rethinking that suggestion." He chuckled. "At this point, all I'm getting is frustrated. For someone who intends to behave like a gentleman, that's a dangerous road."
She laughed then. "Oh, really? No sex?"
"Not on the first date." The Cabo playboy was going celibate. Knowing that he'd even consider it, told him exactly how bad he had it for her. "How am I going to get you to respect me if all we do is sleep together?" It might sound crazy, but he needed to prove to her that there was something between them besides sex. He wanted her to see their lives could blend. That it would be okay for her to love him.
"What if I want to make love with you?" Her voice grew sultrier. "What if I want you to hold me and touch me? Won't you?"
He groaned. "Elena." This was going to take every bit of his willpower. "I'm trying to be a gentleman."
"I don't want a gentleman. I want you, and I'll want you even more tomorrow. Think about that while you're lying alone in bed tonight. Goodnight," she said with a sing-song voice.
The line went dead.
Damn. He'd be hard-pressed to resist her. Would it count if he satisfied his frustrations by making love with her one more time, and then started courting her like a gentleman?
He sighed as he headed for the shower. Probably not.
* * *
Elena stood in her driveway, careful not to get her purple floral skirt dirty as she bent down to clip some spent blooms off a coreopsis that had lost its sunny glow while she waited for Joe to arrive for their dinner date. She'd been ready for the past thirty minutes and needed something to do to keep from self-combusting. Her nerves sparked like exposed wires on an electrical cord, charged and ready to zap at the slightest touch.
She put the dead heads in her basket and moved farther down the small rock wall that lined her paved driveway. This was the only section of her property that caught the afternoon sun, and she made the most of it, cramming in all her sun-loving favorite plants.
She snipped another dead flower, her anxiety snapping along with her shears. She'd barely been able to sleep the previous night with too many emotional and sexual thoughts ransacking her brain. She'd tossed back and forth, considering her options. Somewhere close to dawn, she'd managed to comfortably accept her decision to date Joe. After all, she was a different woman than she'd been in the past. She'd moved beyond Richard's scars for the most part, and she was confident that she could maintain her independence while enjoying a casual relationship with Joe.
Despite being anxious at the moment, she'd even gone so far as to convince herself this could be a good thing. It was a dangerous game, knowing she was deeply attracted to Joe and knowing of his intention to make her fall in love. But now that he was back in her life, she admitted she couldn't let him go. She could, however, keep things on the lighthearted side, and they both could enjoy a friends-with-benefits relationship.
She wasn't sure what the long-term effects would be, but this was the best solution she could come up with for now.
She pulled out a stray weed that had tried to hide beneath a plant's leaves. Now that she'd decided to take Joe as her lover, she intended to make full use of her opportunities. Only one small problem. He meant to resist.
Which was not a brilliant idea on his part. Snip. She clipped another faded bloom. That was the one area where she knew she'd have power over him. Snip. He might be able to hold out for a while. A secret smile curved her lips. But not for long. Snip.
Behind her, the quiet rumble of an engine nudged her from her strategic planning, and she turned as Joe pulled into the driveway. He climbed out of a newer-model black Landrover, looking tantalizing in jeans and a khaki green button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
He exited his car and sauntered toward her, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Hello." He smiled as he raked his gaze over her. Intense attraction snapped between them.
"Hi." She'd purposefully worn a low-cut sweater that hugged her curves. She leaned over and picked up her basket full of beheaded blooms. "I need to put my things away. Would you like to come in for a minute?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll wait out here if you don't mind and enjoy your beautiful garden."
She shrugged, laughing on the inside. He was afraid she'd try to seduce him again, just like she had when they'd first met. She loved that he was worried. He should be. She had no doubt she'd have her way with him by the end of the day. "Okay. I'll only be a minute."
She deposited the gardening items in the garage before gathering her purse. Outside, she found him leaning against his car, looking around.
"Nice house." He gestured toward the tall cypress trees that made a canopy over her roof. "I like the way the trees and bushes give it a feeling of seclusion."
"Me, too. It's nice to have privacy." She let her lips tilt into a slow grin, teasing him on purpose.
An interested glint flickered in his eyes, but he shook his head. "We'd better get going. We have a dinner reservation in fifteen minutes."
She walked up to him, stopping when their bodies were inches apart and placed a hand on his chest. "I've decided I'm glad you came looking for me. I believe I can be comfortable with a casual relationship played on my terms." She studied his gaze, unable to keep from smiling at the wary look on his face. She stood on tiptoes, placing her lips on his.
The moment her insides began to sizzle, he pulled away, arching a brow in consternation. "Not fair, Ms. Porter. I've tipped my hand, and now you're going to use it against me." He moved to open the car door for her.
She paused before getting in. "Don't you know? All's fair in love and war."
* * *
Elena and Joe walked hand in hand down a brightly lit alley paved with cobblestones. Pots filled with gold chrysanthemums and fragrant lavender lined the narrow strip of businesses. He'd treated her to a dinner of king salmon at one of the nicer restaurants in town, and then they'd spent the past few hours browsing the shops of downtown Carmel. Warm fall air carried the scent of the ocean, leaving her feeling carefree.
They'd just come out of a gallery where she'd selected a beautiful watercolor of the famous Tor Cottage surrounded by the pinks and purples of spring. It would cost her six month's worth of free flowers for the gallery, but she'd been eyeing it for weeks, and she hoped she'd never notice the small loss in profits spread over that many months. She'd go back on Monday to pick up the painting.
"What a perfect day." She inhaled a deep breath. "Don't you love the smell of the ocean?"
He nodded. "It smells different here though, don't you think? From Mexico?"
She thought for a moment and then agreed. "It must be the scent of the pines mingling with the breeze or something, but it's definitely different. Better."
"Yeah. I've missed being home." He pulled her into a small shop enhanced with polished wood and numerous bottles of wine. "I told my sister I'd bring her a bottle of her favorite Chardonnay."
"Tell me about her." Elena selected a bottle for herself. "Renee, right? Is it just the two of you?"
He nodded, lifting a bottle and checking the label. "She's great. A couple of years younger than me. She used to drive me crazy when we were kids, trying to do everything I did." He laughed. "I guess she's still doing that since she took over the family business while I was gone."
"Shipping, right?"
"Yep, and my sister absolutely loves running it."
Mercedes had been the closest thing she'd had to a sibling while in high school, and she'd often wondered what it would have been like to rival with a brother or sister. "Is she happy that you're back?"
"Yeah, she loves me," he said as he headed for the cashier. "But she'd be happier if I left the business to her and found something else to do."
That didn't sound too amica
ble to Elena. She waited until they were back outside to continue the conversation. "Doesn't that cause hard feelings between you?"
He took her hand again, and the simple gesture warmed her insides.
"Actually, no." He smiled at her questioning gaze. "She knows it's what I want, too." He glanced toward the ocean, and then back at her. "I've been thinking…" He tilted his head as though weighing his options. "I've considered opening a diving business here along the coast. There's a decent demand for skilled divers, and I might operate a diving school and offer guided tours on the side, too."
The excitement in his voice was almost palpable. She remembered that feeling, the exhilaration and satisfaction of following her dreams. She'd experienced that same rush the first day she'd opened her shop for business. And even though she'd gone through some rough and uncertain times, she wouldn't change a thing. "You should do it. There's nothing like following your dream."
"Yeah." He seemed surprised. "That's what my gut keeps telling me, but my brain has a problem with it. I'm just not sure now is the time."
"Why not?" Better now than never in her opinion. "You didn't have a problem leaving the business to go to Cabo. Plus, I seem to recall you spouting some nonsense about how there's never a perfect time, and that you need to take a chance now."
"I was talking about our relationship, then, Elena, not business."
"I don't see the difference." She shrugged, trying to keep the conversation from getting too serious. "They're both about passion."
They stopped near the doggie Fountain of Woof where a cute black Border Collie lapped at the fresh water. Elena smiled as the dog finished his drink and wet-nosed her hand before walking away with its owner. "You know, one of these days, I'm going to get me a dog just like that." She looked back at Joe to find his smile had been replaced by a thoughtful stare.
"He's cute." He gave the pup another glance before turning to her. "Cabo was temporary. This would be permanent."