“Uh-huh.” She nodded. “Hey, have you noticed anything weird about Scott Peltier lately?”
“Eos’s president? Not really. But he’s a whole lotta rungs higher on the corporate ladder than me. I don’t interact much with him unless it’s for a specific project. Why do you ask?”
“Can’t put my finger on it. I’ve interviewed him before, on the desalinization project. Today, he just seemed…different.” She shook off the feeling of oddness that had blanketed her since the press conference. “What do you think about the expansion plans?”
Ian furrowed his dark blond brows and scratched his chin. “It doesn’t make much sense, if you ask me.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Off the record?”
She nodded, eager to hear his take on the proposed merger.
“The changes will lead us in a different direction than what has been mandated by our Board of Directors. Our focus has been on helping third world countries achieve the necessities to development. It’s written into our mission statement. But the new direction seems to be focused more on corporate profits than the altruistic nature prescribed by our ongoing R and D.”
“Hey!” Lia interrupted as she plopped down to the grass next to Polly’s chair. She swilled her orange soda. “No shop talk.” The small bag of chips she held crinkled as she ripped it open.
Aerie drifted to the ground next to Lia. “She’s right, you two should be talking about something else.”
Like how fast you can get this man’s clothes off. He’s hot. Aerie projected her voice directly into Polly’s head, the thought tickling her brain. Aerie typically chose non-verbal communication when she played matchmaker for her sisters. Always had. Polly spared a glance at Ian, judging Aerie’s words as truth.
“We’re not talking about work,” Ian protested. He winked at Polly. “We’re discussing the difference between altruism and corporate greed.”
Lia screwed up her face, squinting at Ian. “Sounds suspiciously like work to me.”
“Come on, Lia. The announcement from Eos will impact the Greek Chorus as well.” Polly mentioned her sister’s comedy club. “More employees for Ian’s company equals more people living in town. More citizens…more business for you. More business, more money in your pocket.”
“Maybe. But if the move isn’t right for Delphi then I’m not greedy enough to want them to take that step. I love our little town just the size it is.” Lia drew her knee up and rested her arm on it. She glanced from Polly to Ian and back. “If you have to discuss work, why don’t you and Ian take out one of the paddle boats and keep all the gruesome business talk away from the rest of us whose only aim is to have fun.”
“Great idea, Lia.” Ian jumped up and extended his hand to Polly. “Once I get you isolated on the water, I can bore you with all the crazy baseball stats I know.”
“You know that isn’t really an enticement to get in a boat with you, right?” Polly laughed and accepted his hand.
Aerie pursed her lips at Ian, as if blowing him a kiss. Polly knew her sister, the Muse of Love, had nudged the man. Polly held her breath, waiting for his response.
“Would it work better if I agree to talk dirty to you?” He laughed, but Polly caught a gleam in his eye, as if he was sincere about the offer. She bit her lip and raised an eyebrow in Aerie’s direction.
But, damn…the idea sent squiggles of delight straight up her torso. Good goddess, they’d been friends for a couple of years. But she’d be lying if she claimed she’d never hoped he’d be interested in her that way.
She was saved from responding when he sauntered away toward the boat dock on the other side of the picnic pavilion. He stopped about ten feet from her and twisted to look over his shoulder, one brow raised.
“You better catch up,” Lia prompted. “You wouldn’t want to miss any of his smutty talk. He probably has a Ph.D in that as well as science.”
Polly shot a half-hearted fuck-you nudge at her younger sister, which just resulted in Lia nudging back. Her poke was more like a pinch on Polly’s butt, causing her to jump and then hurry after Ian. Lia’s musical laughter joined with Aerie’s chuckle, and the sound danced after Polly.
It would be interesting to see if Ian really did talk dirty to her, or if their conversation would remain about business.
She mumbled to herself as she caught up to him. “Damned if I understand why I’m only half hoping for the sexy talk.”
Chapter 2
Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
What the hell prompted him to tell Polly Thanos he’d talk dirty to her? The offer just spewed out of his mouth without a wait-a-damn-minute thought. Not thinking with the right head is the only reason he could come up with. He’d blame the long stretch of skin bared by her short shorts as the culprit in his momentary loss of reason.
He’d probably just made her ridiculously uncomfortable. For months, he’d been attracted to her without acting on it. He hadn’t been into anyone that way for years. Since his wife dumped him for a golf professional. After she’d carried on a secret affair with the son of a bitch throughout most of their married life. Within a month of their honeymoon, Marcia had betrayed him.
Since then, he’d guarded his heart. Every single one of his relationships since the divorce were casual, shallow affairs. His attraction to Polly, the woman he’d always counted as a friend, had been slowly developing, evolving to something more. Lately, every time they were together with a group of their friends, he’d wanted to ask her out and hadn’t. He’d lay that fault directly at his ex’s door. She’d ruined his ability to believe anyone would remain faithful to him.
But hand to heart, right this moment he wanted to whisper to Polly about how much she turned him on. He fought the overwhelming urge to stroke his tongue around the delicate shell of her ear, feast on her lobe. Why’d he pick this particular event, a freaking barbecue with kids running around, to come on to her?
Most likely it was because her legs were so long and her butt looked amazing in those tiny shorts she wore. Or the way the mahogany-red top resembled a hot flame and outlined her perfect breasts. He knew her skin would be like silk when he cupped one of the perky apple-shaped mounds. Whoa! When might be jumping the gun. Better to think in terms of if…if he got an opportunity to touch her boobs. Jesus, he was salivating like a teenage boy who’d discovered his dad’s stash of Maxim magazines.
She caught up to him with her long-legged stride, playfully bumped him with her shoulder. “Hurry up, slow poke.” She laughed and then raced ahead to the dock. Beautiful strawberry blond hair caught in a ponytail bounced playfully between her shoulder blades as she ran.
Running wasn’t exactly comfortable with his dick stiff as a board in his pants. But he sucked it up and breathed through the discomfort to chase after her. By the time they pounded across the wooden slats of the pier, his cock returned to only half aroused and they both laughed breathlessly.
“Hop in. I’ll untie the boat and push us off.” He held her hand as she scampered down to the seat.
She laughed again as the craft wobbled like a tipsy ballerina. The sound hit him right in the libido, sending new shards of lust through his system. Desperate to hide his physical reaction to the happy sound, he bent and concentrated on untying the mooring line. He tossed the rope to the floor of the rocking vessel and dropped in.
Polly steadied him with a hand on his waist as he stood and pushed them away from the dock. The heat of her palm seeped through the cotton of his T-shirt, branding his skin. His dick started its happy dance again. He recited the periodic table of elements alphabetically in his head, hoping to combat his intense physical reaction to her touch.
The boat rocked again as he plopped down next to her and put his feet on the pedals. He slouched low, rocking back on his tailbone—his hands folded discreetly over his lap, and started the boat in motion. Polly leaned back, kicked off her flip-flops and stretched her legs over the gunwale. She shifted and freed her ponytail, which had been trap
ped between the bench and her back. The delicate scent of almonds and apples wafted from her hair as she flicked it against his shoulder.
“Are you going to help me paddle?” he asked as she lounged against the padded bench.
She sent him a mischievous smirk. “You seem to have it under control.”
“We’d cover more water if we work together.”
“If I help we’ll make it around the lake too quickly.”
“So?” He broke a sweat as he labored over the pedals.
“Less time for us to talk shop. Or” —she bit her lower lip— “for you to talk dirty to me.”
He trained his gaze on the sight of her plump rosy lip caught between even white teeth. He forgot to pedal for a moment and sucked in a deep breath.
The spell was broken when she released her lip and grinned. “Kidding. I’ll help.”
She swung her legs back into the boat, bent her knees, and began pedaling in sync with him. Their thighs rubbed together as they motored the boat toward the center of the lake.
He almost told her to stop, because the motion made him think of how they could move together in his king size bed. As it was, it would be hard to put two sentences together and make any sense at all.
They moved in silence for a few minutes, working together. Ian enjoyed the companionable quiet, free of distractions from the other people. Polly’s chest rose and fell rapidly and he realized that due to her shorter legs she had to work harder to make the same circuit he did.
He rested a hand on her knee, and stopped her motion along with his. “Sorry, I didn’t realize we were moving so fast. What do you say we just float for a few minutes? You aren’t in a rush to get back, are you?”
“Not at all.” Her voice was breathy. She swiveled on the seat and drew her knee up, grazing his ribcage. “Sorry.” She edged away, lifting her foot off the seat.
He stopped her by wrapping his arm around her thigh and resting his hand on her shin. He held her leg against his chest, relishing the intimate feel of their positions, the heat from her body. “It’s okay.”
“Oh.” Her blue eyes widened and the corners of her mouth quirked up. She rested a hand on his forearm.
Tightening his grip around her leg, he dropped his gaze to her plump lips. Her tiny gasp was magical as he leaned in—
“Why aren’t you paddling, Aunt Polly? Are you tired? Do you have something in your eye?” The childish voice came from behind.
Polly jerked away from him, her toes digging into his thigh as she slid across the bench. The sweet scent of her shampoo hit him in the face again as she spun around to address the kid. “Hi, Hailey. We’re just resting.” She pointed her finger at Nia. “Your timing sucks.”
Nia shrugged, but then laughed.
Ian caught and rubbed the ends of Polly’s hair between his fingers as Nia and Thomas paddled abreast of them, with Thomas’s niece tucked securely between them. He’d recently gotten acquainted with Thomas through Jax. The guy was the host of a television show Ian really liked, Doubting Thomas. It had been hard to not get a little star struck whenever he’d first ventured into Thomas’s orbit. But he was a genuinely nice guy, and Ian liked his precocious niece. Although, not so much at the moment.
“A likely story.” Nia squinted her eyes at Polly, then exchanged a glance with Thomas, almost as if sharing an inside joke.
Ian looked at Polly. Her cheeks had blushed a delicate rose in the sunlight. “Did you put on sunscreen? Looks like you’re getting a little burned.” Not willing to break contact after almost kissing her, he tucked his hand under her thigh and curled his fingers around the cushion.
Dropping her gaze, Polly pressed her thigh down, sandwiching his hand. “I’m okay. But maybe we should head back in. I’m sure it’s almost time to eat.”
“We’re going to head back now,” Ian called over to the other boat without taking his eyes from Polly’s face.
“Can I go with them, Uncle Thomas?” Hailey’s hopeful voice crushed Ian’s plan to spend the next ten minutes tasting and tempting the minx at his side.
“I don’t know, munchkin. They kind of look like they want to be alone.” The serious look on Thomas’s face wiped the joy off Hailey’s.
“It’s okay with me, if Ian doesn’t mind.” Polly searched his face, brows raised. She lowered her voice. “You can talk dirty to me some other time.”
When he nodded, a megawatt smile broke out on Polly’s face. Bright promise flashed in her eyes, making him instantly glad he’d capitulated.
After maneuvering the boats closer, Polly and Nia held each other’s gunwales while Thomas lifted Hailey clear of their boat and deposited her between Polly and Ian.
“We owe you. We’ll see you on the shore a little later.” Thomas rested his arm along the back of the bench, hugging Nia close. There was a gleam in the man’s eye that broadcasted his intention to disappear with his woman for the foreseeable future. Thomas nodded toward Ian but addressed the child. “Hailey, you behave for Aunt Polly, got it?”
Hailey wiggled on the seat. “Aye, aye, Captain Sparrow.”
“Hey, munchkin...remind me no more pirate stories at bedtime.”
Hailey screwed her face into a what-you-talking-about look.
Shaking her head, Nia scolded Thomas. “I told you so.”
“I’m going to tell you so.” Thomas teased back and laughed as he applied his feet to the pedals and moved the boat away.
The sound of good-natured taunting echoed over the water.
“Let’s go. Pappoo Zeus promised me a special hot dog.” Hailey patted her small hands on Ian’s knee.
“Wouldn’t want to miss that.” Ian rested his feet on the pedals and started cranking them around. He looked at Polly. “You gonna help this time?”
“Hey, I helped.”
“Jobs go faster when you work together.” Hailey started singing. “Work together, work together, that’s how you get the big job done.”
The child continued singing as Polly laughed and joined Ian in propelling the boat.
Ian ran his arm along the back of the bench, curling his fingers around Polly’s shoulder. He stroked his hand down her arm until he found bare skin. Just as he’d thought—silky, smooth, slightly heated from the sun. He dipped his fingertips under her sleeve and enjoyed the tingling bolts of electricity coursing from his fingertips to the rest of his body. He remained quiet while Hailey sang, but Polly joined on the chorus. Her husky, alto voice was like a cool blast of fresh air.
They paddled across the lake, the girls singing as Ian basked in the sunshine and company. It had turned into the perfect late summer afternoon. He scanned the horizon, surprised to see a dark storm cloud scudding across the sky. Within the dark charcoal of the cloud, a lighter gray appeared. If he were inclined toward the whimsical, he’d say it looked like a head.
“We should paddle in,” he commented, pointing to the skyline. He shifted the rudder to turn them toward shore.
“Mr. Ian, doesn’t that look like a face? Can people live in clouds?”
“I sort of doubt it, Hailey. They’d fall through the floor,” Ian replied. “But I was just thinking it could be a head. Or a bowling ball.”
She giggled then asked, “Did you know Leo somebody or other built this boat?”
Polly smiled affectionately at the kid. “Leonardo da Vinci designed a boat like this, but I don’t think he built this one.”
“That’s what I meant.”
“And honestly, good old Leo wasn’t the first to have the idea for using human labor to move a boat. But he did think it would work better if people sat side-by-side and not behind each other. He was a pretty smart guy.”
Ian caught Polly’s eye. “Sounds like you knew him.”
She shifted her gaze away. “Not likely, since he’s been dead over five hundred years.” She pedaled harder.
Ian increased his pace. “Maybe you knew him in a past lifetime.”
“Aunt Polly, were you incarnated?” Hailey’s
voice rose and she tipped her head back to study Polly.
“Re-incarnated, and nope.” Polly shook her head. This time, her bright smile didn’t make it to her eyes. She turned to study the shore.
“Mr. Ian, I think Mr. da Vinci invented a lot of things. He even thought up sewers so people could get rid of their poops without stinking up the neighborhood. Uncle Thomas told me so when we went to a museum last year.”
“Really?” Teasing Polly had disappeared, leaving a glum replica in her stead. With a tiny shrug, Ian cocked his head to the side and looked at Hailey. “What else do you know about good ol’ Leo?”
“I know he suggested adding worms to your poops so it can go through a tiny pipe. But who wants worms in their poops?”
Ian bit his cheek to keep from laughing. Why indeed. And who the heck would explain a complex idea like that to a child of eight?
But…Ian straightened on the seat as a thought struck him. He stilled his fingers on Polly’s arm, but squeezed as he sifted through the ideas Hailey’s innocent question had sparked.
He’d been conducting experiments on a sanitation project for Eos targeted at impoverished third world countries. His studies had previously only considered easily and cheaply produced chemical solutions to break down and safely dispose of wastewater. But the chemical solution wasn’t a sound one, due to the caustic nature of the compounds. They’d be in danger of contaminating ground water.
What if they quit thinking like chemists? What if they introduced an organic option? After incurring the initial start-up costs of creating nematodes or microbial agents to consume human by-products, the poop-eating worms would be a naturally renewing resource.
The idea was brilliant due to its simplicity.
“That’s it! Hailey, that’s a fantastic idea. Worms!” Ian’s laughter boomed off the gentle waves shaking his chest and rocking the boat. “And it took a sweet kid like you to come up with it.”
A loud, aggravating bird squawked and scolded from overhead, scattering his thoughts. Polly gasped and her back stiffened to ramrod straight and uncomfortably tense. Shooting a piercing look toward the black and white bird fluttering above them, she waved her arms, as if shooing the bird away.
Greed: Goddess of Delphi (Goddesses of Delphi Book 3) Page 2