by Alice Gaines
“How so?”
“No guy likes to think of someone having sex with his little sister,” he said.
She raised herself up on her elbow to study his face. “And you know this because you have how many sisters?”
“Zero, but it’s common knowledge.”
“We don’t want to make Kyle mad.”
“We’d better hit the showers.” He sat up. “I’ll go inside. You freshen up here and meet me in the kitchen in ten.”
“Twenty,” she said as she also climbed out of bed.
He rose and bent to grab his PJs from the pile of clothing on the floor. For a moment, he stood clutching his robe and staring at her. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”
“You’re pretty impressive, too.”
He went to her and put his arms around her, clutching his robe behind her. With his other hand, he tipped her face up to his. “We’re in this together. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“If you say so.”
He gave her one of his beautiful smiles and kissed her. To think…before her visit here, she’d had no idea what his kisses tasted like. Already, she’d become addicted.
He grabbed her butt in a playful gesture. “The kitchen in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be there.”
With that, he put on his pajama bottoms and left the cottage. Barefoot and shirtless. A walking advertisement to their night of sin. She sighed and headed off to the shower. Then, she’d have to find a top that covered the mark on her neck.
…
The roof didn’t cave in on Alex when he went into the kitchen after spending an unbelievable night with Michelle. If he’d feared the fact she’d given his world a 7.0 on the Richter scale would show on his face, he needn’t have worried. Other than “good morning” no one said a word to him as he got a mug out of the cupboard and poured himself coffee from the pot. Then he went to the stove where his mother was cooking a mound of bacon and kissed her on the cheek. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and gave him a smile full of “I told you so.”
Okay, maybe she knew something. He’d have to gauge how much later and figure out what to do about it. He went to the table, sat down, and sipped his coffee.
His father looked up from his paper. “Sleep well, son?”
“Yup,” he answered.
At the end of the table, his brother gave him a more inquisitive look. After all, the two of them had discussed the possibility of him having a relationship with Michelle. So maybe Chase was clued in, too.
Oh, brother. He could rapidly lose control of this situation. His mother might start making remarks about just how much time he’d spent in his own bed the night before. Then his brother could chime in with questions and wise-ass opinions. And Kyle could walk in and hear it all.
His father set aside his paper and turned toward where Mom stood at the stove. “What’s up for today?”
“Lots of deliveries,” Mom answered. “I need you home for them. Michelle and I are going to the spa.”
“Neither of you need any beauty treatments, honey,” Dad said.
“It’s so the two of them can relax for a few hours, Dad,” Chase said.
“And I can spend some girl time with Michelle,” Mom added.
Yeah, and pump Michelle for information about where Alex had spent the night. If the truth got out, his whole family would consider them a couple, when in reality, she’d go back home after the celebration. Without him.
Kyle appeared before Michelle did. As Alex had done, he made a beeline for the coffee pot. Then he stood, sipping his brew. “Morning, all.”
“We’re having a debate about breakfast,” Dad said. “Pancakes or eggs?”
“Pancakes,” Kyle said. “And I still want you to marry me, Mrs. Stafford.”
Typical Kyle. If he could, he’d take them all back to junior high. Alex and Michelle had moved way past that the night before, but Kyle would never see things that way.
“When Michelle gets here, we’ll let her decide,” Mom said.
And where was she, anyway? Alex had given her the full twenty minutes, and now another ten had passed. He shouldn’t miss her. He’d held her in his arms less than an hour earlier. She’d be with him again soon, one way or another. He seemed to have developed a craving for her, and that couldn’t be healthy. Still, his body had a mind of its own where she was concerned.
She showed up finally. She wore a flowery skirt that went to mid-calf and a peasant blouse. She’d tied a brightly colored scarf around her neck. Right. To cover the mark he’d given her. His cheeks warmed as he remembered getting so carried away with their lovemaking. If he blushed, she probably would, too, and the situation would get downright tense. Kyle poured her a mug of coffee and didn’t say anything.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Mom said finally. “Your vote—eggs or pancakes?”
Michelle glanced around as tense as if this were a job interview. “What everyone else wants.”
“I voted for eggs,” Chase said.
His mother looked at Alex. “What about you?”
He shrugged. “I’ll eat whatever’s put in front of me.”
“Oh for the love of heaven,” Mom said. “I’ll make both.”
Kyle took a seat near Chase, and Michelle sat next to him. Not so far from Alex that he couldn’t touch her if he wanted. He wanted, all right. In the worst way. You didn’t make love with a woman the way he had last night and not ache to keep her close. But her brother—his best friend—hovered right nearby. He had enough trouble with his mother knowing…well…whatever it was she knew about his whereabouts the night before. If Kyle found out he and Michelle had slept together, there’d be an argument. His parents didn’t need that right before their celebration.
Trouble was, he’d fallen in love with Michelle. He might as well admit it. He’d told her in his mind he loved her during their most intimate moment. As he watched his brother set out plates and silverware, the truth settled into his stomach like a solid weight. He hadn’t thought that in the heat of passion only. It had been real.
Now, he couldn’t take his eyes off her, and he had to keep his fingers clutched around his mug to keep from reaching for her. When his mother set a platter of bacon and scrambled eggs in the center of the table, he managed to dish some for his father and then helped himself. For crying out loud, he didn’t even dare serve Michelle without giving himself away. He’d hidden his dyslexia from people his entire life, and now he had to conceal his feelings for her, too. Normally, he could ride herd on his emotions easily enough, but caring for Michelle and not being able to express it might test him beyond even his limits.
“Pancakes up soon,” Mom said.
Michelle rose from her seat. “Oh, no, you don’t. It’s time for you to sit down.”
“This’ll just take a minute.”
“Kyle and I will do that for you.” Michelle nudged her brother. “Won’t we?”
Kyle looked surprised for a second and then gave his sister a smile and got up, too. “Sure, we will. Mickey and I have made pancakes lots of times.”
Crap. Kyle still thought of his accomplished, beautiful sister as a kid. And Alex had had sex with her.
“Let them do it, Emma,” Dad said. “You’ve been working too hard.”
“All right.” Mom relinquished the pancake turner to Michelle. “Just be sure to heat the syrup.”
“I know where it is,” Kyle said as he went to the cupboard.
Mom finally sat next to Dad, and when Kyle put a mug of coffee in front of her, she wrapped her arm around Dad’s. “It’s good to have all the kids home.”
Except it wouldn’t last long. Alex would have to report to camp in a month or so. Kyle’s winery wasn’t far off. But Michelle’s job—either the current one or the one she wanted—would take her far away. When he next saw her, she’d be Professor Dennis, someone who didn’t have time for him.
Still, for a moment, he could watch her at the stove. He could pretend they were toge
ther and she was making his breakfast. Or he could imagine doing the cooking and taking pancakes to her in bed. They could share, getting the syrup in places it didn’t belong.
Dangerous fantasies. And damn it all, he didn’t seem to have the power to control them.
…
How did you make a few days last forever? Michelle had only that long before she’d have to return to her real world and leave her brief affair with Alex behind. Oh, sure, she’d see him again, but things wouldn’t be the same. She’d managed to seduce him—a real victory of sorts. But she hadn’t made him trust her enough to share secrets with her.
She almost had to marvel at that. She’d managed sexy and seductive, but somehow trustworthy eluded her. Even with someone she’d been so close to years ago.
One normally didn’t ponder such things while lying half-dressed on a massage table as a stranger’s fingers did wonderful things to the kinks in one’s back. But Emma lay on the table next to hers getting the same treatment. Their spa day together. Emma’s treat.
Of course, she’d had to remove the scarf from around her neck, and Emma had seen the mark Alex had put there during their lovemaking. Emma hadn’t said anything…yet…but she’d managed to gloat without words all the same.
“Oh, that feels good.” Emma groaned her approval. “I had no idea planning a party could be so much work.”
“A party like yours?” Michelle said. “Of course it’s a big deal.”
“I hired people to do the work. Why don’t they just do it and leave me alone?”
“I’m here to help. We’ll get everything done.”
“Liane will be coming up from the city, too.” Emma chuckled as if having Liane around—whoever she was—held more significance than another pair of hands.
“Liane?” Michelle said.
“Jim’s personal assistant.”
“What happened to Yolanda?” Hard to picture Jim without his long-time coworker. She’d been his right hand.
The person working on Michelle placed her thumbs at the base of Michelle’s skull and worked the muscles of her neck. Who would have thought you could hold tension there?
“Yolanda retired. She’ll be at the party, but we’re not letting her do any work,” Emma said. “He promoted another young woman. She’s very competent.”
Why Liane’s competence should make Emma chuckle was a mystery.
“She runs rings around Chase,” Emma said.
Mystery solved. More of Emma’s matchmaking. This Liane must be something if she could get the upper hand with Chase. That could be fun to watch. “I’ve never seen Chase off balance.”
“He’s met his match with her. I want my sons to be happy, but it’ll take the right kind of woman with Chase,” Emma said. “Someone who won’t put up with his crap.”
Michelle couldn’t help but laugh, but it came out more like a hoot. Emma never used words like crap. She hardly ever said anything stronger than “darn.” She had her second son pretty well pegged.
“Jim and I aren’t getting any younger,” Emma said. “It’s about time we had grandchildren to spoil.”
Oh, dear. Michelle should have seen this coming. Emma and Jim loved children so much they’d never want to be true empty nesters. But if Emma was expecting Michelle and Alex to give her a grandchild, she’d be sorely disappointed.
“Emma, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression.”
“I don’t think I have.” Emma turned her head to face Michelle and her gaze fell on the spot Alex had marked. “I can give you some makeup to cover that.”
Michelle’s skin heated over her face to the roots of her hair. Because Emma hadn’t said anything until now, Michelle had hoped they wouldn’t have to discuss the events of the night before. No such luck, apparently.
“You two thought you were being so clever meeting in the middle of the night,” Emma went on. “You know the expression that mothers have eyes in the backs of their heads?”
“Everyone does.”
“Well, I have ears there, and I heard Alex moving around. And then, this morning, his bed looked exactly the same as when he’d snuck out of the house in the wee hours.”
“I…we…that is, Alex and I…” Michelle’s face got even hotter, if that was possible.
“You needn’t be embarrassed,” Emma said. “Jim and I weren’t virgins on our wedding night.”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding night.” There, she’d said it out loud. The relationship, if you could even call it that, had no future.
“Of course, I don’t want to rush you two into anything.”
“There isn’t anything to rush,” Michelle said. “We’re just friends whose hormones ran away with us.”
“There isn’t anything better than friends becoming life partners. The first flush of romance only lasts so long. Then you have to be able to like and trust one another.”
Trust? Michelle could have screamed. Alex didn’t trust her, and if he didn’t, how could she trust him? Even if she tried liking him, he’d disappoint her by dating his usual type of woman as soon as he got back to New York.
She’d always been spectacularly unsuccessful with men. Unpopular in school, she’d hardly dated. Over the years, she’d been too brainy to attract dates. Could anyone picture her as an NFL wife, with all the beauty and glamour that involved? Seriously? Alex needed a different kind of woman, and he’d find her.
“I want you to be happy, too, dear,” Emma said. “And there’s no better man alive than my Alex.”
“I know that.” Did she ever. That didn’t mean she was the right woman for him.
“Everything will work out for the best,” Emma said.
Of course Emma would say that. She’d had such a good life with Jim, obviously destined to spend the rest of their lives together. They must have had some shaky times in their relationship, but they’d never questioned whether they should be together.
As they’d talked, and as the thoughts had spun around in Michelle’s mind, the masseuse had moved down her body and now was working on her feet. She tugged at Michelle’s toes, separating them and creating and releasing tension.
“All done,” the masseuse said.
Michelle sat up, wrapping the bath sheet around her as she did. Emma was doing the same, and soon the staff members led them to a different room where a snack of sparkling water and fresh fruit had been laid out. They took seats in recliners near each other and ate strawberries and slices of honeydew melon. A waterfall in the corner of the room was surrounded by plants and lit by full-spectrum fluorescents. All very peaceful.
“So, when do you think you’ll hear about the university job?” Emma asked.
“Hard to tell. It could be as early as tomorrow or it could be weeks.” If she wasn’t their first choice, they’d negotiate with people they wanted more. Unsuccessful candidates wouldn’t hear for some time that they hadn’t gotten the job. If she was to receive good news, it would come soon.
“It’ll keep you busy, won’t it?” Emma said.
“Insanely.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have a husband.”
For most people. Michelle hadn’t found much so far. But maybe for a minute, she could imagine a different way. She could pretend Emma was her mother-in-law and they had spa days regularly. During the NFL season, she could work like crazy on weekdays and spend weekends with Alex. He could live with her at Cardmouth the rest of the time. They could make regular visits to Sonoma to see his parents—her in-laws.
“If you and Alex were to become serious about each other, we could see you more often,” Emma said.
“We can do that, anyway.” But Michelle’s imagination didn’t drum up images of friendly visits for old time’s sake. Instead, it played the scenario of a wedding at Kyle’s winery with a mariachi playing at the reception. A rehearsal dinner in the patio and yard where the anniversary/birthday party would take place. Jittery nerves for all the good reasons, and Alex to act as her rock throughout. Every
woman’s dream. Surely she could indulge in the fantasy without causing harm.
“In any case, you won’t be staying away another eight years,” Emma said.
“No.” One way or another, she wouldn’t lose Jim and Emma again.
Another staff member entered the room carrying a tray full of what looked like ointments and lotions. “Ready for your facials, ladies?”
“Indeed, we are,” Emma said.
Michelle lay back and closed her eyes while the woman applied a rose-scented paste to her skin. And her mind let her imagine this was her normal life and not a visit that would end soon, not to be repeated.
Chapter Eight
Alex’s father had corralled all the men into the kitchen, sat them down around the table, and declared they’d all have to pitch in to help with the party while the women enjoyed a day of rest and relaxation at the spa. Alex would do what he could, of course, but his skill set didn’t include flowers and food. Maybe he could help with music.
Kyle looked as uncomfortable as Alex felt while Chase produced a yellow-lined pad and started organizing.
“Let’s break this down by category into tasks,” Chase said. “Things we can check off as done and others we can split up and get done.”
“I’ve got wine,” Kyle volunteered.
“We’ll need champagne and soft drinks, too,” Jim said.
“Put me down for those, too,” Kyle said. “Write it on your list, Chase.”
Chase made entries for all that under “drinks” and set Kyle’s name next to those items.
“Dad, what if Mom’s already ordered this stuff?” Alex asked. “Shouldn’t we wait until she gets home to ask her?”
“We’re not leaving this all up to your mother.” His father tapped an index finger against the table. “I want to show her the men can accomplish something, too.”
The whole exercise was pointless. No one in their right mind—man or woman—would wait until the last minute to order drinks. Mom had to have done it, and they’d only be duplicating her efforts. On the other hand, if they ordered too much, it would all get used eventually. Kyle really did have the wine part covered.