She attempted a casual shrug. "You and my uncle thought I should stay here until the scandal blew over. I decided you both had a valid point"
"The hell you did. For some reason I can't begin to understand, you decided you want to stay. What we think has nothing to do with it."
So he already knew her that well, did he? Telling him the truth wouldn't hurt. "I decided I'd be a fool to leave paradise too soon." She just didn't intend to define paradise, which wasn't just this island but anywhere Damian Fuller happened to be.
"I might buy that excuse if you hadn't been champing at the bit to leave here, if not today then first thing tomorrow. What changed?"
"Everything." She shot him a big smile. "So did you pick up what you needed or do you have to do more shopping?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.
"I have to shop," he said through gritted teeth.
"Okay I'll just wait upfront." She started to push her cart forward but he stuck a foot out, stopping her.
"Don't get too friendly with the locals," he warned her.
"Why not? Do they bite?"
"Funny," he muttered, grabbing her cart, and then took off down the aisle.
She didn't know how or when, but the teasing and flirting with Damian had suddenly become second nature. It came easily in a way it hadn't before.
She wondered what had changed beyond her dress, and realized it was her perspective. Not just of herself as a woman capable of attracting this man, but of Damian himself. He was no longer an icon she feared or a guy with no substance who wouldn't give her a second glance. Now that she viewed him as a man with thoughts and feelings, she could treat him the same way she did the other men in her world, like Roper or her clients. Except for that added attraction, of course.
She could easily become addicted to the sensations taking over her body. She'd seen his reaction to her as she'd come down the stairs. Seen it in his eyes and seen it in his pants. As much as she blushed at the thought, she reveled in the attention so long denied.
She'd already been fortunate in his sisters' choice of clothing. Obviously the items in the closets and drawers were chosen with their husbands in mind. Micki doubted they brought those pieces for trips with their kids in tow. Especially the brand new lingerie with tags still attached. She planned to wear one tonight and would be happy to leave payment and a note of thanks, she thought wryly. No way would she give Damian advance notice of her intent. Micki was counting on the heat of the moment to carry them away.
Since she was already driving Damian insane, she decided to listen to him and not talk to anyone in the store. Instead she walked outside, purchased a snow cone and settled onto one of the benches she'd seen earlier.
On her first lick, the frozen ice reminded her of the days she and her sisters would buy this kind of treat when they were young. She curled her legs beneath her and sucked the juice from the cone, letting the cold refreshment ease the humidity and heat clinging to her skin. She shut her eyes and just enjoyed, hoping this was the first of many more pleasurable activities to come.
DAMIAN HEADED for the grocery store exit. His bags weren't in hand since Pops never allowed him to load his own car and Damian had long since stopped arguing. The older man thought that since baseball was America's favorite pastime, it was somehow his duty to serve Damian. Pops was a stubborn cuss and Damian had no choice but to give in. Unfortunately that meant it would be a little while before Pops got all the bags into the Jeep.
Damian stepped out into the heat of a sticky summer afternoon that was quickly turning to evening and immediately saw Micki. She sat on one of the benches he'd never paid much attention to until now and enjoyed a basic summer pleasure, one usually reserved for kids. But the woman eating the snow cone wasn't a child and the images she evoked as her tongue worked at the rounded head of the cone were for adults only.
Her eyes shut tight, her tongue covered the ice as she delicately licked the treat, then followed with her lips as she drew the snow cone into her mouth. Sucking. Pulling. Drawing every last drop inside her mouth and down her throat.
His groin tightened at the sight and the erotic visions that filled his mind weren't a huge leap. Not for a man on the edge of sanity.
A jarring, noisy sound broke his concentration and he looked up to see Pops walk out, pushing the shopping cart filled with his bags of groceries. At least he wasn't planning to carry the load to the Jeep one bag at a time.
'I noticed she's with you." Pops angled his head Micki's way.
Damian cleared his throat. "My agent's daughter."
"That's what I call mixin' business with pleasure."
Damian couldn't tell if Pops was issuing condemnation or just statement of fact. "What makes you think it's more than just business?"
"I saw the Post," Pops said. "And the News. You know we get it flown in late."
"Yeah." Damian knew. He'd just pushed the article out of his mind, hoping his island retreat was far enough away to forget things for a little while.
"You never brought anyone down here before." Pops pierced Damian with his best silvery-eyed stare.
"Never had to, but she needed a place to hide out till the speculation died down." Damian squinted into the late-afternoon sun, wondering when the inquisition would be over.
"I dunno what that craziness is about, but she looks like a nice enough girl. Mary said she reminds her of Ronnie," he said, referring to Damian's baby sister.
Normally that kind of statement would kill any building desire. When it didn't, Damian realized that Micki had a more powerful hold than he liked.
He glanced at Pops. "That ought to convince you I'm just doing a favor for a friend." For added luck, Damian crossed his fingers behind his back.
"Yeah well, Mary also said she looks like a keeper."
As if Pops knew the conversation was over, he pushed the cart toward the Jeep.
Damian looked over at their topic of discussion. Oblivious, Micki had begun licking the liquid dripping from the bottom of the cone.
Drawing a deep breath, Damian strode over and cleared his throat.
She glanced up, red juice on her chin.
"Ready to hit the road?" he asked.
She'd been sitting cross-legged and, on hearing his voice, her feet hit the floor. "Ready." She glanced around. "Is there a garbage pail near here?"
He took the paper wrapper from her hand, walked to the curb and tossed it in the trash. Pops, he'd noticed, was still loading the groceries into the back of the Jeep.
Micki, in the meantime, had begun licking her fingers and he couldn't resist the temptation to stare as she sucked the juice off her fingertips one by one.
When she met his gaze, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. "Sticky," she explained.
He swallowed a reply that would surely have involved him offering to take over the job for her. "Let's go," he said gruffly.
He needed a cold drink and his big-screen TV where he could watch a game and distract himself from this woman. As if such a tiling were even possible, he thought, wondering exactly what he'd gotten himself into.
CHAPTER SIX
UPON THEIR RETURN FROM TOWN, Damian sequestered himself in the den and flipped on the television to watch the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees. Since he hadn't invited her to join him and she was exhausted anyway, Micki retreated upstairs for a nap.
She woke an hour later and headed for the kitchen, intending to cook them dinner. She wasn't a gourmet chef, but she could whip up a passable meal for two. She didn't have to. An older couple was already at work.
She cleared her throat and walked into the room.
A gray-haired woman greeted her with a smile. "You must be Mr. Fuller's guest. I'm Rosa and this is my husband Tino." She gestured to a man who resembled Dom DeLuise. Robust and cheery, he waved, his hands full with a carving knife and breast of chicken.
"Micki Jordan," she said by way of introduction. "Can I help?" But even as she asked, she realized they were extremely
at home in the kitchen. They worked in tandem, helping each other and knowing exactly where to find things in the drawers and cabinets.
"No thanks," Tino said, just as Micki had expected. "Go relax and we'll let you know when dinner's on the table."
"Okay." She lifted her arms in a halfhearted gesture, thinking she'd prefer to socialize than go off alone. "So have you worked here long?"
"For the last five years, every time Mr. Fuller comes to town," Rosa said.
"What do you do between visits?" Micki asked.
"If his family's here, we cook and clean for them. If not, we come in weekly to freshen the place up and keep it from getting musty while nobody's living here."
Micki nodded, though she wondered how they made a living on Damian's sporadic visits alone.
"When Damian was young, we were his neighbors in New Jersey," Rosa explained as she chopped tomatoes. "We didn't have any kids of our own, so I'd do babysitting for his mother while she worked. She helped his father out at his car dealerships. Damian made it big, bought this place about the same time Tino had a heart attack."
She spared a loving glance at her husband. "He needed warmer weather and Damian needed caretakers. It's a win-win situation, though a much bigger win for us," Rosa said, clearly embarrassed.
“Don't sell yourself short,'' Damian said, joining them.
He stepped closer, his big body overwhelming Micki from behind, his heady masculine scent sending warning signals to her brain. If she thought she'd slept off the effects of last night, she'd been sadly mistaken. Her reaction to the man was as potent as ever, which meant her plan to seduce him was still in full force.
"I see you met the best people around," Damian commented, affection in his tone.
"We met," Micki said warmly.
'We're almost finished," Tino said. "Do you want us to come back and clean up?"
Micki shook her head. "No thank you. I can take care of-"
"I'd appreciate it." Damian interrupted her.
He eased closer and leaned his head near hers. "They'll be insulted if they think they aren't needed," he whispered quietly into her ear. His breath was warm and his lips brushed against her hair. He might not have intended anything except imparting information but the result was erotic all the same and she shivered.
"Well, I need my rest anyway," Micki said.
Rosa nodded, pleased. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so why don't you go sit and have a drink?' She gestured in the direction of the dining room.
Micki had expected a casual dinner, but as she headed to the other room, she found the rectangular table set with a delicate tablecloth, good china and two glasses of sparkling water poured and waiting for them. Surprised, she turned to question Damian.
He stopped short, nearly walking into her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, except…why the formality?"
He shrugged. "Rosa thinks company's a reason to use the good dishes."
"I would have thought this room was for show," she said, laughing.
"If it were up to me, that's what it would be for. My sisters decided if I was going to have a big house and help, I shouldn't be serving on paper plates in the den."
"They have a point."
He strode around her, pulled out a chair and waited for her to be seated.
Suddenly nerves took over as she found herself next to Damian at the end of the table. In the silence that followed, the atmosphere around them grew more intense. She became aware of the ticking of the clock on the wall behind her, a synchronized accompaniment to her heart as it beat heavily inside her chest.
She searched for an easy topic of conversation. He had his prearranged doctor's appointment the next day and Micki knew he put a lot of stock in the doctor helping him get back to work soon.
"So how 'bout them Renegades?" she asked to break the tension.
It worked. He grinned and raised his glass. "To the division championship, then the NLCS and finally the World Series."
She lifted her water and clicked her glass with his. He seemed pleased at the topic of conversation and she didn't want to mess up by getting too serious. "I spoke to Sophie and she said the camp ran smoothly."
He nodded. "It always does. You Jordan girls have a knack for PR."
"Thank you. It's something we all enjoy, which I'm sure helps a lot. Nobody wants to get up and go to work every day and be miserable."
"Amen."
She smiled. "You love what you do, too."
"There's nothing more fulfilling than baseball."
She raised an eyebrow. "Nothing more fulfilling, huh? Are you absolutely sure? Because I can think of a few things that at least come close." And in case her insinuation wasn't clear, she reached out and ran her foot up and down his leg.
He blinked, obviously startled. Well, so was she. She hadn't thought she'd have the nerve to pull off Sophie's first suggestion.
"Micki Jordan, are you flirting with me?" he asked, stunned.
She tried for a relaxed smile. "I believe I am." Because she might never get another chance like this again. A rush of excitement flooded her veins.
Damian, meanwhile, still looked stunned.
"What's the matter? I can't imagine I'm the first woman who's propositioned you."
He placed the glass back onto the table and leaned closer. "Is that what you're doing? Propositioning me?"
She nodded slowly. "The question is are you up for the challenge?" Because Micki wanted him at peak levels.
Damian stared at the woman next to him. How had she gone from embarrassed ingenue to seductive vixen? And how did he get the shyer Micki back? No way did he want to be alone with the bold Micki, who seriously threatened his tenuous restraint.
"Oh, Rosa," he called. "Is dinner almost ready? I'm starving."
Micki met his gaze and chuckled. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
"Is everything a sexual innuendo where you're concerned?"
She propped her chin on one hand. "Only since I met you." She paused in thought. "Actually only since Carter got me drunk, then you kidnapped me to a remote island off the coast of Florida."
"I tried to talk you out of the strip joint," he reminded her.
"That brings me to another point I thought you were a fun guy."
"I am a fun guy."
"You're going to have to prove it," she teased and his groin tightened with immediate need.
"Dinner," Rosa said, arriving with two plates, heaping with delicious food.
He'd hoped Rosa and dinner would break the tension, but as they began to eat, Damian realized they were just inching closer to the end of the meal and time alone-when he'd have to decide whether or not he wanted to meet Micki's challenge.
"Rosa, this is delicious," Micki said.
The older woman blushed. "Thank you. Steak, potatoes and green beans. All Mr. Fuller's favorites."
"So he ate his vegetables as a boy, did he?" Micki asked.
Rosa shook her head and laughed. "No but we've been piling them on his plate anyway. If we call them his favorites, we figure one day he'll forget and believe it"
"His mother's idea," Tino said, striding into the room with a wine bottle in his hand. "Wine anyone?"
Damian placed his hand over his glass. "No, thank you."
"Me neither."
Without warning, Micki ran her foot up and down his leg once more, blatantly teasing him. His gut twisted and he broke into a sweat. No way could he withstand a serious post-dinner assault.
"While you were having your wine, our daughter Sara called," Rosa said.
"The one who's getting married in a few months." Though he'd never been close with their children, Damian knew all their life stories and the depth of Rosa and Tino's love and pride in their brood.
"Well, not according to her. She had an argument with her fiance and just like that, she called off the engagement." Rosa snapped her fingers.
"As if a promise means nothing," Tino said, his disappointment and concern clear
in his tone.
"I'm sure she didn't break the engagement lightly," Damian said.
"That's what we need to find out." Rosa glared at her husband. She obviously wanted him to withhold judgment. "So we need to leave early, but I promise to come back and clean in the morning."
"That's not necessary." Micki waved a hand, calling attention her way. "You help your daughter. I'm happy to clean up."
"Are you sure?" Rosa asked.
Damian had every intention of letting them go to their daughter. "We can handle it," he assured her.
“Thank you " Tino said.
"Both of you," Rosa added. She untied her apron as she quickly walked back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, the door slammed shut behind the couple, leaving Micki and Damian alone.
Using caution, Damian turned to Micki. "I thought you wanted to get out of here as soon as possible." He hoped his reminder would get her to think about leaving again before he did something stupid. Like sleep with her.
"I changed my mind. I’m not so sure leaving is best for me after all. I like it here. It's relaxing, it's away from the press…and you're here."
Damian glanced toward the ceiling. How much could a normal guy take? She was sending out blatant signals and he couldn't deny his interest. Hell, he'd been interested for too long and now she was all but offering herself to him.
He'd never denied that he'd been spoiled, the baby brother of sisters who catered to his every whim and the athlete whose money assured him that any woman would do the same. Until now, he'd always known when to draw the line and respected the need to do so.
Micki deserved that same respect, but she so obviously didn't want it, and damned if he could stop himself from acting on what they both desired.
"You're serious?" he asked because he had to be sure.
"About you?”
He nodded.
"I can spell it put for you if you'd like," she said,leaning closer, her fresh scent enticing him. "I’m deadly serious about wanting you. About understanding your rules and not expecting anything beyond this. In fact, I'm so busy at home, I wouldn't have time even if you came crawling on your hands and knees."
He raised an eyebrow, wondering if he'd read her wrong in the past and she really was into short flings, or if she was telling him what he wanted to hear.
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