A Touch of Passion (boxed set romance bundle)

by Uvi Poznansky

  “Great job with the drywall,” Kate muttered, studying the seams. The interior walls were nearly ready to be primed. It was amazing how the living room appeared to be massive, now, with its vaulted ceiling.

  But what in the heck was going on with Michael Murphy? It was strange that someone who’d been totally unfamiliar with construction work had, apparently, experienced a complete turnaround after only a few weeks. Something was definitely off, here.

  But peeking at her watch, she promptly set those thoughts aside. It was after five. She didn’t have time to go back to the cabin to get ready for her date tonight. She’d just call Brian and have him pick her up at her parents’ house instead. It was better not to have him return her to the cabin anyway. He’d probably get the wrong idea and want to spend the night.

  ❋

  After stuffing her laundry into the washing machine and setting the dial to start, Kate scampered through the empty kitchen in her robe. Scrambling up the back stairs that led directly to her bedroom, she quickly shoved open the door.

  But what she saw inside the room brought her to a sudden halt.

  Her mouth gaped open.

  Damn, the man was ripped. She knew she was staring, but she just couldn’t seem to help herself. She studied the breadth of his shoulders and definition in his abs and arms. Even Michael Murphy’s broad muscular shoulders were developed and toned. Involuntarily, she became fascinated by the dusting of hair covering his well-defined chest. It narrowed down over his flat stomach, and thickened at his groin between strong, powerful thighs.

  Normally, she was attracted to men who were tall and lanky. But his body – well – it was just...amazing.

  Kate swallowed, struggling for breath. Stunned by her intense physical reaction at the sight of his naked body, her own body was seized by unfamiliar warmth when she became aware of the stirring of arousal at his groin.

  Hmm...

  And, inwardly, she grinned. The attraction she was feeling didn’t appear to be at all one-sided.

  Only slightly sheepish, she finally cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. Purely by habit, I came up here to shower and change clothes. I didn’t realize you were staying in my room.”

  Or had she? She suddenly recalled the conversation she’d had with her mother a few weeks earlier. She’d been way too absorbed with work lately. And it didn’t help that she’d been thinking about Michael Murphy almost constantly since she’d met him.

  Taken aback, Kate realized that, subconsciously, she might’ve been waiting for just this opportunity. She was certainly getting more than an eyeful.

  Chapter Six

  There was no mistaking the frank admiration in Kate’s shameless stare. Normally at ease with his nudity, Murphy was aware that his cheeks had turned ruddy once he realized he was becoming fully aroused. Taking in a deep breath and calmly turning away, he reached for the towel he’d just thrown over the chair and wrapped it around his waist.

  As if that helped.

  Damn it. Why was he so attracted to Kate?

  She wasn’t exactly beautiful.

  But she sure was lovely.

  As well as poised and self-assured. Kate was the kind of woman who knew what she wanted.

  And then she went for it.

  He frantically attempted to conjure up an image of the voluptuous body of his girlfriend, Sara. But Sara – well – she was a tease. Murphy had gradually come to realize that, since they’d begun dating nine months before, Sara had used sex as a means to manipulate him into doing whatever she’d wanted. She’d made such a point of complaining about his summer defection to Crystal Rock, he’d been sure she was going to break up with him beforehand.

  Mike grimaced. He’d actually wanted her to break up with him. Beautiful as she was, Sara was becoming more and more demanding. And with her irrational jealousy, she was alienating most of his friends.

  When he turned back to Kate, he realized she was leaving the room. “I’ll be dressed in about ten minutes. It’s not a problem for me if you need to use the shower.”

  Kate smiled, peeking back into the room. “Thanks. Half my clothes are still here in my closet, and I’m feeling pretty grubby. I don’t really have time to drive out to my cabin before my date tonight.”

  And then, before closing the door, she winked.

  Startled, Murphy laughed, sheepishly shaking his head. He was pretty damned sure he was blushing.

  But then he frowned. Date?

  ❋

  When Kate stepped into the kitchen dressed in a short denim skirt, Murphy’s breath instantly seized.

  Damn.

  Chunky turquoise worn around her neck immediately drew attention to the creaminess of her skin. Matching shards of her turquoise earrings peeked out through hair that was loose over her shoulders. He realized it was the first time he’d ever seen her without her hair pulled up into a ponytail.

  And those legs...

  Glaring directly at Murphy through the glass in the kitchen door, Brian Lancaster knocked.

  And Murphy’s mood was instantly soured.

  Brian stepped into the kitchen from the breezeway. “Murphy?” He studied him suspiciously. “What’re you doing here?”

  Peeking out from behind the refrigerator door, Dan glared at Brian. “He’s my friend, Lancaster,” he said dryly. “And also my parents’ godson. What do you think he’s doing here?”

  After a moment of tense silence, Brian muttered an apology.

  He didn’t appear to be sorry at all, Murphy noticed. Dan continued digging through the refrigerator until he finally pulled out some bottles filled with cheese spread and salsa.

  Crossing her arms and leaning back against the counter, Kate studied the snacks spread out on top of the kitchen island. “I thought you two were going out to eat?”

  Murphy answered, “Eventually. Dan’s the designated driver tonight. He’s giving me a tour of all the hot spots in the area.” He cleared his throat, attempting to keep his questioning casual. “So – where are you two off to?”

  “The Crystal Rock Tap. According to Julie, there’s a pretty awesome band playing out there tonight.”

  “Maybe we’ll see you there later?”

  Raising his brow, Dan stared at Murphy.

  Avoiding Dan’s eyes, Murphy turned to watch Kate as she approached Brian. When Brian wrapped his arm around Kate’s shoulders, Murphy frowned. What was going on here? Were Kate and Brian back together?

  “See ya later,” Kate said, as Brian escorted her out through the door.

  “Bye,” Murphy growled.

  When Murphy turned his attention back to the food spread out on the table, Dan was still staring at him accusingly.

  Murphy became sheepish. “What?”

  “You and Kate have sure been acting kind of weird. Is there something going on between you two?”

  Murphy was startled. “Nah,” he instantly muttered.

  Dan continued to stare.

  “I just don’t get what she sees in that guy,” he grumbled.

  Dan shrugged. “Yeah. I’ve never really liked him much, either. He’s kind of full of himself.”

  Murphy snorted.

  Dan sighed. “But Dad says he’s competent on the job.”

  Reluctantly, Murphy agreed. “Yeah. I’ve noticed that he does seem to know what he’s doing.”

  Dan began gathering up their snacks from the counter. “I’ll put this stuff away. Are we ready to go?” He frowned. “Maybe you should eat a little more if you’re planning on drinking?”

  Murphy had lost his appetite from the moment Brian Lancaster had shown up at the door. “I’m fine,” he said, patting the back pocket of his jeans. “Let me go upstairs and get my wallet. I’ll meet you outside.”

  After scrambling up the staircase to the bedroom, Murphy had his hands on his wallet when an unbidden thought ran through his mind. He really shouldn’t look – should he?

  He just couldn’t seem to help himself. He strolled into the bathroom, yanking out t
he vanity drawer.

  And grimly, he returned the emptied drawer to its track.

  ❋

  “What’s wrong with you tonight, Murph?”

  Unfortunately, Dan suspected that he already knew. Murphy never got drunk. But he was sure on his way tonight. Dan shook his head, resignedly. Another good man brought down by his sister, Kate.

  “Nothing,” Murphy muttered. Appearing anything but nonchalant, Murphy began studying the faces in the crowd. “I don’t see your sister here – do you?”

  “Yep. Exactly what I was afraid of,” Dan muttered. “Another one bites the dust.” He’d managed to steer Murphy to a couple of the other bars, and rack up a few games of pool, before he’d finally given in to Murphy’s not-so-subtle hints to come here to the Crystal Rock Tap.

  Murphy gave Dan a lopsided grin. “Huh?”

  “You need to eat, Murph.”

  “I’m not really hungry.”

  Dan rolled his eyes, shoving Murphy into a booth. “Yeah, I know. You’re getting totally inebriated, though – and it’s early yet.”

  “Alright. Just order me a burger, then.”

  A few minutes later, Murphy was looking a little better, Dan decided. The band onstage was pretty awesome. But the place was packed.

  After a few failed attempts at flirting with some of his more attractive female friends, Dan realized Murphy was just too distracted tonight.

  And he was still pounding down the beers.

  Dan finally gave in. “They probably went out to Dragonfly Pointe.”

  “Who?”

  “Shut up, Murph,” Dan muttered, rolling his eyes. “You’ve got Kate on your brain. Don’t try to deny it. What about Sara?”

  “I’m breaking up with her. I’ve already been hinting around at it. But it just wouldn’t be right to do it over the phone.”

  “What is it about Kate?” Dan was truly puzzled. He loved his sister, and she was pretty enough. But frankly he couldn’t understand why guys kept falling head-over-heels for her.

  “I don’t know, man.” Sheepishly, Murphy hung his head. And then, almost desperately, he swallowed more beer. “I just can’t quit thinking about her. There’s something about a sexy, competent woman like her...”

  “Stop.” Dan held up a hand. “Don’t tell me anymore. That was just a rhetorical question.”

  Murphy snorted.

  ❋

  Dan sighed, as he searched the room. The bar held a slightly older and classier crowd, and many were guests at the inn.

  What a crappy Saturday night. Usually, he and Murphy had a great time when they went out. But, tonight, he felt like Murphy’s babysitter.

  Still distracted, he finally turned his attention back to the man who sat across from him at the table. “An older woman, Uncle Shane?” Three years before, Dan’s mother, Jenny, had discovered family she’d never known existed. At Thirty-four years old, her younger half-brother, Shane Donnelly, was an FBI agent who’d recently relocated to Crystal Rock.

  “She can’t be that much older than me,” Shane muttered, grimly. “The woman’s gorgeous. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen her come in here before.” He sighed. “But she’s never even looked at me twice.” Scowling, he continued, “It looks like she might be ready to take off with that kid sitting next to her.”

  Glancing at the bar, Dan grinned. Brian had been attempting to push Murphy at Diane Montgomery the entire night. “Nah. Murphy’s here with me. Lancaster and Murphy are just in the middle of a pissing contest,” Dan grumbled. “Both of them want Kate.”

  “Your sister? But she’s not even here.”

  “Lancaster and Kate went out on a date tonight. But Kate must’ve ended it early. Murphy was so relieved to find Lancaster here by himself – he decided to take Lancaster up on his offer of a drink. And that led to two or three more.” Dan frowned. “But I think that Lancaster’s been feeding Murphy shots, now, too.” He suddenly laughed, shaking his head. “Wait until tomorrow. He’s gonna feel like shit. Murphy’s never been much of a drinker.”

  Only half-listening, Shane nodded, before squirming uncomfortably. “So – I guess that you know who that woman is, sitting at the bar?”

  Dan sighed. Apparently, Murphy wasn’t the only one with a one-track mind tonight. “I’m not so sure you want to get mixed up with her, Shane.” Uncomfortably, Dan cleared his throat. “She’s definitely got a reputation.”

  Shane jerked to attention. And then his eyes met Dan’s. “You haven’t...?”

  “Me? Na. But I’ve heard rumors about her and Sam Danielson. You know – the chief of police?”

  Shane clenched his jaw. “Yeah. Sam and I are friends. But he’s married – and pretty happily, from what I can tell.”

  “This was a few years back.”

  “What happened?”

  Dan studied Shane intently. “You sure you really wanna know?”

  Shane nodded, as his eyes returned involuntarily to the woman seated at the bar.

  “Well. I overheard my mom talking to Sam’s wife, Penny. Otherwise I would’ve never known. Diane – that’s her name – Diane Montgomery – put in an appearance in Sam’s hot tub – out at his cabin. She was trying to cause trouble between Sam and Penny, so she was out there by herself.”

  “So. What’s the big deal – if Sam wasn’t home?”

  “Sam was on his way home. Supposedly, he was staying alone at the cabin while Penny was living in his house in town. He and Penny had just had an argument – so he moved out of his house into the cabin to give her some space.”

  “Ahh. So Penny thought Sam invited this woman to his cabin?”

  “Yeah. But it wasn’t just that. I told you Diane was waiting in Sam’s hot tub?”

  Turning his attention back to Dan, Shane took a sip of his beer.

  “Well, Diane was waiting there naked.”

  Sputtering, Shane began juggling his beer.

  Dan stared at Shane, and asked with pretended innocence, “Beer go down the wrong pipe?” And then he grinned.

  “Yeah.” Shane snorted, rolling his eyes. “I sure wish something like that would happen to me,” he muttered. Wearily, Shane shook his head, once again focusing his eyes on Diane.

  Diane was pretty hot for someone over forty. But sometimes it was difficult for Dan to be around her. Bittersweet memories had instantly sobered him up from the moment he’d seen her tonight. He couldn’t help thinking about how beautiful her daughter Christina would’ve been at nineteen. She’d been the spitting image of her mother.

  But enough of that.

  “Uncle Shane. Listen to me. You’ve got an awfully big inferiority complex. Take it from me – it’s all in your head.” Dan studied Shane. The red hair and freckles were probably a little off-putting to some women. But physically fit, Shane was tall and broad shouldered. “Someone must’ve really done a number on you.”

  Uncomfortably, Shane shrugged. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because you’re an FBI agent. Women are gonna want you just for that, alone. You need to use it, man. Besides, you’re not a half-bad looking guy.”

  Shane rolled his eyes.

  “I need to get Murphy out of here. Lancaster’s up to something. How about helping me out, here?”

  Shane appeared hesitant.

  “I’ve got an idea – why don’t you pretend you’re on a case? You’ve obviously never had a problem approaching women when it’s work related,” Dan said dryly. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in charge.”

  Wryly, Shane smiled. “You’ve got a point there, nephew. I’ll see if I can distract her.”

  Dan watched as Shane determinedly approached Diane. And Dan did a double-take when he saw the way that she smiled. Had she actually been aware of Shane already? Hmm. Maybe. It was interesting that she hadn’t attempted to approach him. It seemed to Dan that Diane was never hesitant to convey her interest in a man.

  After a moment, she patted the barstool beside her.

  Showing no sign of the
anxiety he’d exhibited only moments before, Shane immediately sat down.

  Dan finally approached the bar, nodding at Brian. “Hey, Lancaster. I think that Murphy’s had enough. I’d better get him home.”

  “Yeah. He probably won’t be feeling too great for that canoeing trip tomorrow.” Brian grinned rather smugly.

  Why was Lancaster so intent on getting Murphy drunk? “Shit,” Dan muttered. Obviously, Brian felt threatened. Murphy wasn’t exactly hiding his attraction for Kate. If Murphy screwed up at work, Brain probably wouldn’t hesitate to throw it back in his face. Almost certainly, he was attempting to discredit Murphy, Dan decided.

  “C’mon, loverboy,” Dan whispered in Murphy’s ear. “It’s time to get you outta here.

  Murphy grinned from ear to ear. “Alright, Dan.” Without realizing it, Murphy had one leg caught behind the leg of his barstool when he attempted to slide up to his feet.

  When Murphy fell flat onto the floor, face first, Dan groaned as raucous laughter echoed throughout the bar.

  Chapter Seven

  When Kate heard the sound of crunching gravel, she awoke dazedly, sitting upright in her bed. There was definitely a vehicle pulling up into the driveway.

  Something must be up, she realized, making out the indistinct rumbling of voices. Dan usually didn’t bring friends along when he came to spend the night. An affable commotion echoed from outside the back door.

  “Kate?” Dan called, from under her window. “Could you please come outside? I need some help here.”

  “Be right there.” Sliding out from under the quilt, she jumped from the bed and quickly snatched up her robe, pulling it on as she unlocked and opened the back door.’

  Balancing his weight against Dan’s truck, Murphy was staring hard at her and wearing a goofy grin. “Kate!”

  She just couldn’t help it – she began to giggle.