by Barbara Lohr
Rocking her head against the leather seat, she turned to face Alex. In the glow of the console, his strong profile was etched against the darkness. “Thanks for taking me tonight. Hope I can keep the names straight. My brain is addled, as my Grandma Lottie used to say.”
“Usually, I hate that kind of event. Tonight I had fun.” He looked surprised.
For a while, the only sound was the hum of the tires. Alex punched some buttons on the console and moody jazz filled the car. She’d been in high gear all night. Now her muscles began to release. The music made her drowsy. Maybe she should have had some coffee to keep her awake.
Next thing she knew, she heard the crunch of gravel and inhaled the spicy scent of pine. Blinking awake, she glanced over at Alex. His blazing white shirt, now opened almost to his waist, glowed in the darkness.
The man was hot. Sinfully sexy and nice. A dangerous combination.
“Guess you needed a nap.” His voice brushed her like dark velvet.
“Sorry I wasn't better company.” Pushing her feet against the floor board, she sat up.
“Not a problem. I always enjoy driving.”
The chit chat felt almost too comfortable, like they were a couple. Rolling down her window, she felt relieved when they reached the house. Crickets sang in the leafy darkness. So far from the hectic city and hot bakery. So soothing.
Finally he pulled into the garage that held his toys. Wasn’t that how Kate described his cars?
Lined up in a back row of a deep garage were a vintage red Corvette, a Jaguar, and what looked like an Austin Healey. His boy toys. Grandpa was a car nut, and she'd grown up leafing through his magazines. He’d go crazy over this collection. Although motion detector lights snapped on overhead, the two of them remained cocooned in the front seat.
Every cell in her body went on red alert. Relief poured through her when, with an amused backward glance, he slipped out of the car. When he opened her door and reached for her hand, she found herself face-to-face with Alex. She could swear he was about to kiss her—parted lips, heavy eyes, an uneven hitch to his breath.
Pivoting, she stumbled toward the open garage door. “Walk on the beach?” she threw back.
“Hey, you'll ruin your dress, Vanessa. Let’s find something else.” Grabbing her hand, he led her to the stairway. “How about a bonfire?” His voice held a placating note, like he was being careful.
“Wonderful. Sounds like a plan.”
“Kate probably has some cutoffs and shirts up in the guest room.”
“Hope she doesn't mind me using her things again.” Twisting her blue gown up in one hand, she took the steps carefully in her strappy sandals. The stone steps were solid under her feet, the iron railing anchored her hand. She walked carefully, while her mind spun like cake beaters.
One step at a time. Her grip on the railing tightened.
Once inside, Alex flipped on some lights. “I'll go up and change too.” For just a second, he hesitated, eyes swirling. His jaw shifted.
“Beach?” She read “bed” in his eyes. “Be right back.” Springing away, she stumbled up the stairs, catching one sandal in her hem and nearly tearing the gown. When she found Kate's room, she closed the door and collapsed against it. Counting to twenty, she waited for her heartbeat to slow.
Feeling like an intruder, she opened a couple of drawers until she found some cutoffs and a shirt that said Northwestern. Must be Kate’s alma mater. Didn’t take long to change. Looking at herself in the mirror, she tucked the t-shirt in. Nope, not casual enough. She yanked it out. Nope, it looked better in.
Even though the room held a cool lake dampness, her face still flamed. She brushed her hair back. Thank goodness the darkness would hide her pink cheeks. She didn't want Alex to see the effect he had on her. Why did the small things Alex did trip her trigger in a delicious way? Maybe Grandpa had done too good a job, impressing on them the importance of a man’s manners.
But wasn’t this how players behaved? Folding up her gown, she placed it carefully at the end of the bed. How pathetic, but every woman wants to believe she’s special. She slumped against the closed door. In the ladies room, Kate had hinted that Alex wasn’t this way with everyone. Could she believe that?
She was overthinking this whole thing. In her mind, she could hear McKenna telling her to just use her instincts. Tonight, she’d just be a girl enjoying the beach.
Checking the mirror, she dashed gloss on her lips. Moisture in the lake air had brought waves to her long, dark curls. A scrunchie lay on the dresser. Vanessa grabbed it and yanked her hair into a tight ponytail. Then she headed downstairs.
Leaning against the kitchen counter scanning a newspaper, Alex wore cut-offs and a gray T-shirt that hugged his broad chest and muscled biceps. She gripped the railing.
“Ready?” He tossed the paper aside and glanced up. “Bunch of logs outside.”
“Terrific.” She swallowed hard. The man was looking so fine in that shirt.
When he pushed open the door, she rushed into the warm, moist air. After grabbing some firewood and old newspapers from his patio, Alex led the way down to the beach, their bare feet a muted echo on the plank steps. In the darkness, the waves whispered sleepily against the shore. Soft and seductive, a damp breeze teased wisps of hair from her scrunchie. “This is so great.”
His smile told her that he felt the same. “Let’s get this fire started.”
Chapter 11
After Alex stacked the wood to one side, they started digging a pit at the edge of the beach grass. Together, they drove fingers through the dry crust to the cool sand below. The teamwork felt erotic. Moist lake air locked around them.
When their hands collided, liquid heat splashed through Vanessa’s body. Sitting back, she skimmed both palms up her arms.
“You cold?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
One touch. That’s all it took.
In the darkness, she felt Alex studying her.
Her heart began a wild, staccato beat. She brushed the grainy sand from her hands.
Alex vaulted to his feet. “How about a walk?”
“Sure.” But when Alex reached out a hand, she twisted away, snapped off a spear of beach grass and headed toward the water. The sand squeaked underfoot. She twined the beach grass around her index finger so tight the tip throbbed.
Heads down, they splashed along the shore, wet sand cushioning their steps. She tossed the blade of grass into the lake. When a rogue wave splashed over her feet, she gasped.
Alex grabbed her. “Whoa. You okay?”
“Fine.” She pulled away.
“You didn’t have too much to drink, did you?”
“No. Really, I’m fine.” Shivering, she clasped her arms over her chest. How could she be hot and cold at the same time?
“Can get kind of chilly down here at night.” Alex pulled her gently to his side. It was way too easy to melt into his warmth. Blame it on the chill in the water.
Together, they splashed through the shallows.
“You know, I kind of enjoyed helping out at your place the other day.” His tone was thoughtful, like he was still turning that day over in his mind. “Bo’s a kick. How old did you say he was?”
Her heart stuttered. “Two,” she finally said. No way did she ever want Alex to think Bo could be his. That complication could strain their business relationship, and it was silly. Sure, his stubborn pout sure reminded her of Bo, but no. All men probably pouted the same.
“Not that it’s any of my business, but does his father live nearby?”
Slipping out of his reach, she picked up a flat stone. “Sort of. He travels a lot.”
“Must be hard, being a single parent. You just couldn’t work it out?”
“Nope.” She wasn’t about to admit that Bo’s dad didn’t want him…or her. “Wasn’t in the cards, I guess.”
“Sometimes things just aren’t.” His voice burred soft on the night air.
“My family is a big support—e
motionally, I mean.”
“You're lucky to have them.”
She glanced up at the sad note in his voice. “You have Kate.”
Moonlight carved unhappy angles in Alex’s face. “My sister's great.”
“What about your parents?”
His sigh rippled with exasperation. “Let's just say I wasn't the son they expected.”
“They must be so proud of you. You're brilliant. Your business skills make that pretty clear.”
“That came a lot later.” His dry chortle scratched the night air. “After I’d aggravated every teacher I ever had in grade school, after I had to change high schools twice, leaving college after one semester was the final straw.”
“Wow. I’m sorry. And now?”
“They act as if my success is a mistake someone will correct soon.”
“You’ve done pretty well for yourself. Your house, your toys, as Kate said, they mean something, right?”
“Not to an academic family, Vanessa.” Stooping, he picked up a stone and winged it out across the water. “I never could live up to my name. My mother is a historian. Our names? Catherine the Great, although my sister prefers Kate, and Alexander. She aimed high.”
The rock fell from Vanessa’s hand. “You’re named after Alexander the Great?”
“Bad joke, right?” His eyes sparked, angry as all get out. Picking up the stone she’d just dropped, he flung it over the dark water so far she never saw the splash. “Speaking of names, what does Bo stand for?”
“Bodin. Gaelic name meaning communicator.”
He chuckled. “My mother would probably go for that. Of course, she’d prefer a king or a conqueror.”
“No, Bo’s just a little boy.” She began walking again. “And Kate? Where does she fit in the family circle?”
“Valedictorian in high school. Top five percent of her class at Northwestern. I should resent the hell out of her, but I don't.”
“It's great to have a sister who’s a real friend, isn’t it?”
“Looks like you and Jillian are close.”
“I’d do anything for my sister,” she murmured.
Reaching down, he grabbed another flat stone. With a flick of his wrist, he skipped it over two or three waves before it disappeared. “Trust me. My childhood would have been a total disaster without my sister.”
“I know the feeling.”
“Grandpa Joe seems pretty cool,” Alex said with a smile. “He’s obviously crazy about his great grandson.”
“My grandparents raised us after my mother’s death. Dad had left, and they picked up the slack. Grandpa carried on after Grandma Lottie’s death a couple years ago, but now his sight is failing. Macular degeneration.” What did the future hold? She just couldn’t go there. Neither Jillian nor Vanessa wanted to take over the bakery, but they’d sort that out later. “Luckily, those recipes are all in Grandpa’s head.” How embarrassing when her voice broke.
Putting one hand on her arm, Alex stopped. “You’ve got a lot on your shoulders.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Not wanting to see any pity in his eyes, she headed back to firmer ground, scuffing her feet through the dry sand.
They walked in silence. Funny how comfortable that felt. Her hair had slipped from the scrunchie, and she stuffed it in a pocket. “Thanks for all your help, Alex. I mean, with our business. It means a lot.”
“Glad to help out.”
When Alex took her hand, she didn’t pull away. For just that night, he was her friend, her mentor.
But the shiver rippling through her wasn’t about friendship.
His thumb brushed the tops of her knuckles. “I’m kind of glad Wolf couldn’t make it that day.”
“Glad I got to meet him tonight. I wanted to talk to him about his delis.”
“I think Wolf wanted to discuss more than his delicatessens with you.” Alex’s laugh rumbled deep in his throat, as if he’d one-upped his friend.
“That’s silly.” Still, she felt pleased. “Have you mentored many small business people like me? I mean, small companies like Randall's Cakes.”
“Not really. I get questions at seminars. Some random emails. Every geek wants to know how to make it big. I’m not Steve Jobs, but I’ve done pretty well for myself.”
Uncertainty had crept back into his voice. Alexander the Great. Who could handle that?
“You have a lot to show for your hard work.”
His quick glance was so appreciative, like a little boy who’d gotten a surprise A on his arithmetic test. “Thanks for noticing.”
The night had turned cool, but the heat building in Vanessa threatened to fire into a total meltdown. Funny how just their interlaced fingers could do that.
Alex’s steps slowed. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. His grip on her hand tightened as he turned her to face him. She didn’t pull away.
Maybe it was the moon.
Or the gently lapping water.
Or maybe it was just plain Alex. The curve of his smile. The question in his eyes.
All the reasons why she should not be attracted to Alex Compton slipped away like shifting grains of sand.
When he cupped her face with his hands, her whole body tingled. The glint in his eyes zapped her like heat lightning.
What was she doing?
Lurching away, she splashed back into the shallow water. Steam should be rising around her ankles.
Not saying anything, Alex followed. They passed a couple tucked up in the long grass. In the darkness, she picked up their soft murmuring. Need swelled, almost turning her inside out. For such a long time, she’d felt nothing. Now, one touch of his hand and feelings swamped her.
But she had to know one thing, and she stopped, heels sinking back into the sand. “Alex, are you helping me out because of that night in Vegas?”
“No. Yes. In a way.” He jabbed one hand through his hair, upending the dark waves until her fingers ached to tame it. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was plenty ticked. You’d kicked me to the curb.”
His wounded grin made her feel bad. Wasn’t that just how she’d felt after Ethan. “First time?”
Alex’s guarded look told her that, yes, maybe this had been a first for him.
Amazing. Could she really believe that?
“Suddenly, there you were on the show, with your whipped cream cakes.” He shook his head, like he was laughing at himself.
“And?” For years, she’d pictured him waking up, relieved to find her gone.
“And it was like a freight train, Vanessa. Like a goddamn train.”
Alex bent closer, and four years fell away.
She was crazy for his lips and hated the unwelcome longing building inside. She began to tremble.
Hands on her shoulders, Alex’s lips brushed hers, warm and tentative, like he was remembering.
God help her, she swung up on her tiptoes and pressed into him. One quick breath and the second kiss was like a tsunami, pulling her into the past.
“So you were happy to see me?” she murmured against his lips.
“Hell, yes, I was glad to see you again.” Pulling back, he nailed her with those eyes. When his hands fell to her hips, she snugged her body into his. His lips and tongue took over. Slipping his hands under her t-shirt, his fingers skimmed her skin lightly, like the moonlight dancing across the water.
She arced closer, tighter.
“Want to head back?” Chest heaving, he hovered, lips brushing her cheeks and neck.
“Yes.” She left common sense in the sand.
Jumping up onto the higher ridge of the dune, they raced back to the beach house. Sand sprayed beneath their feet. Her thoughts chattered.
Vanessa slammed a trapdoor on her mind.
Twice, Alex stopped to pull her into his arms, kisses hot and sweet. His eagerness fueled the crackling heat licking her body.
A warning bell sounded, faint behind that trapdoor. It all felt so familiar. In the elevator of the Vegas hotel, they’d bee
n breathless, their panting magnified in the close quarters. The hallway was deserted when the doors slid open. They’d fumbled and spun against the walls until, finally, they reached his room. Alex had rammed in the keycard.
Now they streaked past the unlit campfire and took the wooden steps two at a time. When she slipped, stubbing a toe, Alex scooped her up. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” The throbbing toe wasn’t what needed attention.
At the top of the steps, he set her on her feet. “Vanessa?”
She met his lips full on.
Inside, his body pressed her into the soft carmel leather of the nearest sofa. She welcomed his weight, drank in the damp scent of the lake on his shirt. Then he pushed up, staring down at her. She couldn’t read his face but didn’t want the interruption. His slow intake of breath sent foreboding shivering through her. She grabbed the front of his shirt. “Don’t stop. Please. Don’t. Stop.”
Alex palmed one cheek, brushing her lower lip with a thumb. “Let’s not hurry, okay? Vanessa Randall.” His voice caressed each syllable.
“Ooo…kay.” But her mind was thumping against that darn trapdoor.
Getting up slowly like the tall guy that he was, Alex pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
The master suite was at the end of the hall upstairs. Of course the spacious room had a magnificent view of the lake and a decor to die for. A bed long enough for a big man faced the windows, all slick black comforter and silky gray sheets.
Their lingering, tentative kisses didn't last long. With an impatient grunt, he tugged his gray shirt off and tossed it to the floor. His skin felt hot against her, like he’d been stretched out at his pool all day. Rocking her head to his chest, she drank in his scent, felt the steady thudding of his heart as she kissed a path to his shoulders.
“God, I’m really liking this,” he whispered.
“Me too.” If only her mind were in sync with her body.
Running his hands over Vanessa’s hips, Alex hooked his thumbs under her shirt and slowly pulled it over her head.
Her hair fell to her shoulders, a tangle that she caught back in one hand. “What a mess.”
He drew in a quick breath. “A gorgeous mess.”
“Oh, Alex,” she moaned as they fell onto the bed and he melted over her like soft wax. “No hurry, right?”