His Semi-Charmed Life: Camp Firefly Falls Book 11

by Lisa Hughey

  She sat up abruptly and he skidded to a stop. “I was just admiring the stars.” She tilted her head back and stared at the sky. Had that been panic in his voice?

  “Jesus.” He dropped down next to her. He gulped the rest of his beer and put the bottle on the dock with a thud.

  Since she couldn’t very well comment on his unexpected concern, she searched for a safe topic. The weather. The outdoors. Innocuous subjects. “Gorgeous night.”

  “Yeah.” Diego cleared his throat. “I don’t spend much time outside.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  He shrugged, and his biceps brushed her shoulder. The light contact should have been nothing, a mere whisper against her bare skin, but her nerve endings suddenly sizzled with awareness.

  Diego Ramos was close. His body radiated a subtle heat, warming her left side. A shiver shimmied over her spine.

  “Cold?” The question was hushed in the quiet night air.

  Lights from the cabins twinkled along the paths, but out here on the dock, dark wrapped around them, protecting their privacy.

  Sexual awareness shimmered between them, thick in the humid air.

  “I’m fine.” But a little tremor in her voice gave her away.

  “What was that all about?”

  She didn’t pretend not to understand. “You sure are direct.”

  “I live by a few credos, one of which is you never know unless you ask.”

  She raised her eyebrows, her lips curled in a smirk. “That’s certainly true.”

  But she didn’t answer.

  The urge to rest her head on his shoulder, to lean against him even for a moment, was so strong. She yearned for that physical closeness.

  “How was your day?” she asked, desperately wanting him to focus on something other than the way Jeffrey London had snubbed her.

  Diego was silent for a moment. How was his day? “Fine.” Not exactly the truth but nothing that he could pinpoint was wrong. And yet dissatisfaction thrummed below the surface of his emotions. He couldn’t seem to shake this restlessness that plagued him more and more.

  He’d rather think about Penny and their illicit attraction than his strange unsettled feelings about today’s merger meeting. But that topic should be a no-go too.

  He couldn’t reconcile her hard work with his memories of the spoiled little girl, but she wasn’t a little girl any longer. She was a lush, sexy, earthy woman who pushed all his buttons, even some he didn’t realize he had.

  “Well, I’d best get to bed,” Penny said.

  His breath caught. Images of them in bed twined together, his dark flesh an erotic contrast to her fairer skin. His hand against her breast, her fingers clutching his shoulders as he tasted her. The visual images brought his libido to stunning immediate life.

  “I’ll walk you to your cabin.” Diego jumped to his feet, pleasantly sore from his work today, and tried to banish those erotic visions from his brain. No sex with the help. And okay, shit he sounded like Jeffrey London right there.

  No sex. Period. This weekend was to finalize the deal that would move him from a well-off millionaire into the upper echelons of billionaire CEO status.

  After many years—sweat, heartbreak, and learning curves—he was within reach of the goal he’d been striving for since her words struck him during their altercation in the parking lot all those summers ago.

  Penny hesitated another second. He held out his hand. Tentatively she placed her palm in his and he tugged her to her feet. Except she’d already started to stand, and the combined efforts propelled her right into him.

  “Oh.” She lost her balance, falling against him, her breasts rubbing his chest. Her soft exhale puffed against his lips and they tingled.

  He still held her balled fingers. He tugged her even tighter against his body and curled his other arm around her waist so they were pressed together from knee to collarbone. He stared into her shadowed green eyes, barely able to see her features. The new moon offered little visibility.

  Her eyes fluttered shut. Giving him permission or shutting him out? He bent his head and paused a hairsbreadth from her mouth. “I’m going to kiss you.” Business 101, use declarative sentences to state your intentions rather than as a question.

  “Mm’kay.”

  He brushed his lips against hers, butterfly soft. He didn’t want to scare her. She was already skittish, as if she would bolt if he let go.

  What the hell was he doing, kissing Penelope Hastings?

  Probably the worst idea he’d ever had and yet… He sipped at her mouth, learning the texture. Her arms were toned and her hands callused and strong, and her lips were soft, sweet.

  She melted against him, and her free arm circled his shoulders and held on as if he was the only thing keeping her from liquefying into a puddle on the ground. Her soft moan of acquiescence spurred him on.

  The scent of lilacs rose in the heated air. She scraped her fingernails along his scalp and his dick hardened in a rush. Ever since that moment in the kitchen last night, he’d been thinking about kissing her. More than kissing her.

  She sighed and opened for him. Her surrender easy, simple. Between one breath and the next she traced his mouth with the tip of her tongue, dipping inside in an uncomplicated stroke. But as she tried to retreat, he sucked her tongue inside his mouth. And the gentle, tender kiss turned fiercely passionate. Lust swamped him.

  Diego slanted his head and dove into the kiss.

  She moaned louder as the kiss became a battle. He skimmed his fingers along her back and pressed her ass so that she rocked into his erection.

  Twined together, he held tight to her fist, having the irrational thought that if he let go of her hand, she’d flit away.

  A shout from the boathouse interrupted their escalating embrace.

  They broke apart. Diego’s chest heaved as he strained for breath.

  Her eyes were wide, shocked, as they stood there, stopped on the precipice of a monumental mistake.

  The commotion in the boathouse continued.

  “Better see what’s wrong.” He brushed her loose hair away from her face.

  “Yeah.”

  They headed toward the noise.

  When they entered the boathouse, Zinnia was sitting on the makeshift dance floor, tears tracking down her face. She didn’t typically drink but he’d noticed earlier she’d been over-imbibing.

  “What happened, Zin?”

  “Twisted my ankle, knocked over some chairs, hit my head.” Her lower lip stuck out like it had when she’d been two. “Generally made an ass of myself.”

  “All in a day’s work.” He brushed his thumbs over her tears.

  She snorted. But then her eyes filled again. “Hurts,” she whispered.

  “I can take a look if you’d like,” Penny offered. “I have basic first aid training.”

  “Does the camp have a doctor?”

  “All the employees are certified in first aid and obviously CPR but for anything more serious, we rely on the hospital.” Penny gestured to a chair. “Let’s get her up on the chair so I can take a look.”

  Diego lifted Zinnia onto the chair and tried to disperse the crowd around her. “She’ll be okay. Go ahead and enjoy the party.”

  But the accident busted the party atmosphere and people paraded by, giving Zin either sympathetic looks or accusing stares, until soon the giant room was empty except for the servers and bartenders.

  Penny asked Zin questions, pressing on various spots. But when Penny tried to rotate the injured ankle, Zin cried out. Purple already mottled her skin, and the muscles and tendons around the joint had puffed to twice their normal size.

  Someone had grabbed the first aid kit off the wall. Penny wrapped Zin’s ankle tightly in a bandage. Then she pulled on the exam gloves and pressed against Zinnia’s skull. “Ow.”

  Penny swabbed the cut and bump with an alcohol wipe, then tossed the gloves and supplies in the garbage.

  Diego squatted beside Zin and held her hand.
“Everything will be fine.”

  “I ruined your party.” Tears dripped off her chin, likely exacerbated by the cocktails she’d been chugging.

  “Mija, you planned the party. And you did a great job. Everyone had a blast.”

  Penny cocked her head at Diego.

  He patted Zin’s knee gently and stepped away from her.

  “She needs to be looked at by a doctor.” Penny propped her hands on her hips. “I don’t think she has a concussion but I’m pretty sure her ankle is broken. If it isn’t broken it’s a bad sprain.”

  Diego pulled out his cell but Penny shook her head. “Won’t work out here.”

  No cell. He’d forgotten.

  He rubbed his hand over his head. Zinnia had begun to cry softly again. “Can we call an ambulance at the lodge?”

  “It will be faster if we just take her.” Penny let her shoulders slump for a second. “Let me wash up and then I’ll bring my car down to the boathouse.”

  “I can take her.”

  But Penny was shaking her head. “Can’t let you do that. You’ve been drinking and your employee was injured on camp grounds. The Tullys, and their insurance company, would ream me if I let you drive. I’ll take her.”

  “Then I’m going with you.”

  6

  Penny was having the most delicious dream.

  She was warm and protected and turned on.

  She snuggled closer to that warmth and sighed. A slight thump beat beneath her cheek, the sound steady and comforting.

  The dream flowed in a series of disjointed pictures, but Diego Ramos featured prominently. Kissing her. Sexing her up. Chatting about their days. Working in the garden. Driving fast in his Porsche. His tenderness, concern, total hotness created a longing she couldn’t contain. His devotion to his assistant—and cousin, she had finally discovered—was extremely attractive. He didn’t abandon her like—

  “Penny.” The rumble echoed throughout her. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

  Sweetheart?

  As much as she liked that, she didn’t have a sweetheart.

  Dream. Must be a dream. She snuggled back into the bliss of sleep. So tired.

  “Penny.”

  She swiped her hand, trying to get the voice to go away. Instead someone heaved her. Disoriented, she peeled her eyes open.

  Darkness. She blinked.

  “I need your help getting Zinnia into her cabin,” the voice to her left said.

  What? She shook her head trying to clear her brain. She was in her car, in the passenger seat, which never happened.

  “You with me?”

  She turned her head, and saw him in the dim light. “Diego?”

  “Yeah.” He brushed her hair from her face and curled it behind one ear. She shivered at the light touch. “Can you help me get Zinnia inside?”

  Penny shook off the last of her sleepiness. She’d crashed hard on the way home from the hospital.

  Let’s hope she hadn’t drooled on his shoulder. And thank God he had no idea what she’d been dreaming about.

  “Yes, sure.” Penny twisted around in her seat. Getting Zinnia into the back seat had been a challenge but she needed to keep her foot propped up and there wasn’t enough room in the front seat of the car for that. “Absolutely. Let’s get her to bed.”

  Bed. And Diego and that dream. Penny’s face heated but it was pretty dark out so hopefully Diego hadn’t noticed. Focus, Pen.

  Zinnia was passed out in the back seat, probably from a combo of exhaustion and the pain medicine they had given her.

  Penny bolted out of the car.

  It took twenty awkward minutes to get Zinnia into her cabin and resting in her bed.

  The entire time Zinnia had rambled about a variety of things, touching on her worry that Diego wouldn’t participate in the activities tomorrow. Apparently he’d blown off the opening ice breaker.

  They were just about to leave when Zinnia grabbed Penny’s hand. “Promise me.”

  Penny blinked. She patted Zinnia on the shoulder. “Sure.”

  Zinnia’s grip was tight on Penny’s fingers. She shot a blurred, hazy look at Diego. “Make sure he participates in all the activities, including the partner ones. He needs to set a good example.”

  Penny didn’t know how she was supposed to do that. Especially since she barely knew him. But, “Sure.”

  Zinnia wouldn’t let go of Penny’s hand. “Diego. I’m supposed to be your partner. You better still participate.”

  “Yeah, Zin.” She snatched at his hand, missing the first time.

  “On your word,” Zin demanded. “You won’t back out.”

  He was silent, holding her hand loosely, looking as if he desperately wanted to argue.

  “How do we turn this failure into a success?” Her words were slurred and her lids drooped. “See, I’m finally getting it.”

  Penny started at the words. That’s what her father always said. Always. Until in the ultimate failure, he fled the country with her mother, leaving Penny behind to face the consequences of their failures.

  She’d begun to think that Diego Ramos hadn’t really remembered the last time they’d spoken when they were kids. Because he’d never given any indication that he recalled the scene in the parking lot.

  Penny flushed. Clearly, he hadn’t completely forgotten.

  “I want this camp, this retreat,” Zinnia clarified, “to be a success.”

  “The merger will go through no matter how the camp goes, Zin.”

  “Don’t care about the stupid merger,” Zinnia’s words slurred even more. “Care about you. Participate. Have fun. Be happy.”

  Penny wanted to slink outside when the conversation turned personal.

  “Sure, Zin.” Diego pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I promise. Go to sleep. I’ll check on you in the morning.”

  Diego Ramos clearly doted on his cousin. The expression on his face had been soft, affectionate.

  They exited Zinnia’s cabin.

  He handed her the car keys. The quiet pressed in. They were all alone in the hushed woods. “I’ll ride with you back to the lodge.”

  “Oh, I’m not there now. I moved to an employee cabin.”

  “Then I’ll walk you to your cabin.” The camp was quiet. The partiers and staff had gone to bed hours ago.

  “I’d forgotten the silence of the woods.” He inhaled deeply.

  “Yeah. Me too.” She loved the simple, reflective peace here.

  They stood for a few moments, letting the reverent quiet surround them. She spent plenty of time outdoors. But his comment piqued her curiosity. “Where do you live?”

  “Boston,” Diego replied. “It’s never quiet there.”

  In tacit agreement, they walked toward her cabin.

  She rarely visited the city anymore. Her life was in the western part of the state. Of course, if she got this side business off the ground, she’d have to be in the city more often. But right now, nature was her groove. “Chickens and roosters are a little different from traffic and sirens.”

  “You actually live on a farm?”

  She decided not to take offense. “Yep. Ride a tractor and everything.”

  “That’s slightly slower than my GT,” he teased.

  Soon they were at her cabin door. “Thank you.”

  “It’s the least I could do.” His mouth curved up in a tired smile.

  Penny sighed. Damn, she was exhausted. And she was going to have to go get the plants tomorrow. Brad was still at the hospital with his boyfriend—she’d checked in on him while Diego was helping Zinnia in the emergency room.

  And apparently she was participating in activities with Diego.

  “Well.” Awkward silence filled the air. This felt more like the end of a date than a quick walk home. But she hadn’t been on a date in…forever. “I’ve got a really early day.”

  He snorted. “On a mission to wake camp up early again and then stop?”

  As if she’d planned this morning. “A farmer’s work i
s never done.” She infused her voice with a lightness she didn’t feel.

  His face sobered. “By the way, your engine is running a little rough. You might want to get it looked at.”

  “I know.” She rolled her eyes. If he started mansplaining, this convo was done.

  Right now, she was pouring all her extra cash into getting this additional project off the ground. She couldn’t afford to spend money on a nonessential repair. As long as it ran, she was good to go.

  What was she waiting for? Idiot. This wasn’t a date. They weren’t even really friends. More like slightly combative acquaintances…who kissed on the dock. She turned to open her door. Stopped to read the note attached to the little knocker.

  Penny, call me when you get in. No matter the time. I need another favor.

  —Michael Tully

  Diego curled his fingers around her biceps and turned her around to face him. “Wait.” He pressed his other palm against the doorframe and leaned close. Caged between the hard door and his hard body, her heart thudded, picking up in rhythm.

  “Thank you for helping me with Zinnia.” He bent his head, his mouth hovering over hers. His gaze asking for permission. The sexual tension simmered between them, heavy in the expectant night air as he waited for her answer.

  Penny pressed forward up on her toes, their bodies a mere inch apart. Still she paused but it must have been enough encouragement.

  He tugged her against his chest until she snugged tight to his muscles.

  She melted against him. There was no other word for it. Her body buzzed with anticipation as she waited for his kiss.

  Everything in her softened and readied for his exploration.

  Diego pressed his mouth to hers, his soft lips a contrast to his hard body. His beard scruff tickled her jaw. Her eyes drifted closed and other senses took over. Crickets chirped in the background. Hushed air. Muted sighs. His leg pressed between her thighs as he pinned her to the door.

  Their clothing rustled when Penny wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on for the ride.

  She sailed on a cloud of lust when he pulled her closer. His kisses harder, she nipped at his mouth. Then he took over, the taste of hospital coffee and the mint from the waiting room subtle as he licked into her mouth. At the rough caress of his tongue against hers, her belly fluttered with desire.