by LuAnn McLane
“Not at all.”
“Although leaping might still remain a little bit painful,” he told her.
“Oh, I forgot!” Trish scrambled away from him and looked down at his ankle. “And you ran out here when I was screaming like a goofball! Oh, does it hurt? I hope this didn’t set you back.” She put her hand on her mouth and gingerly examined his ankle. “My goodness, all I do is cause you trouble.”
“Maybe you’re the kind of trouble I need,” he said, causing Trish to look up at him. “Hey, I freely admit that it felt good to come to the rescue. It was worth the little bit of pain it caused to make sure you were okay.”
“I owe you one, then,” Trish answered slowly. She wondered how frayed gray gym shorts and a worn New York Mets T-shirt could look so supersexy. Maybe because she knew what he looked like without the shirt? The dark stubble shading his jaw and the dark wavy hair just shy of needing a trim only added to the appeal.
“One . . . what?” He arched a suggestive eyebrow. “Do I get to choose?”
“I . . . uh . . .” The soft breeze that blew across the field did nothing to cool Trish off. She wanted to scoot up there, straddle his lap, and kiss the man senseless.
“Let me fill in the blank for you: a kiss.”
“A . . . kiss?”
Tony tilted his head to the side. “Too much to ask?”
“S-sounds like a reasonable request,” she tried to say lightly but sounded a bit breathless instead.
“Nice. So, when can I collect?” Tony asked, and the look he gave her made a hot shiver slide down her spine.
Right this minute got stuck on the tip of Trish’s tongue.
“How about now?”
Was the man seriously reading her mind? Trish searched his face, trying to read him. The spontaneous kiss they’d shared was one thing. And he did the kissing. Trish couldn’t even remember when she had taken the lead and kissed a man. “I . . .”
“Take a flying leap, Trish,” he challenged, but didn’t laugh this time. Instead, he gave her a serious yet seductive look that had her slowly moving toward him. At first she didn’t even realize what she was doing and then suddenly she found herself straddling his legs and looking into his deep brown eyes. “Do it,” he softly encouraged, but his hands remained at his sides. “Kiss me.”
Trish blinked and then dropped her gaze to his mouth. After licking her lips to moisten them, she leaned just slightly closer. She placed her hands on his shoulders, feeling the solid strength, the warmth, and leaned closer still. Although he remained silent Trish could tell by the rise and fall of his chest that he was anticipating this as much as she was. She looked in his eyes, seeing golden flecks and molten desire.
Desire for her.
She touched the tip of her tongue to his bottom lip, teasing, nipping, and then with a soft sigh molded her mouth to his . . . and kissed him. He opened his mouth for her and she took full advantage, dipping her tongue in gently, shyly, savoring the taste, the texture, and the silky heat. Her hands slid up to his head and she threaded her fingers through his soft hair.
With a low groan Tony put his hands on her waist, pulling her closer. Trish moved against him and the sensation of his hard body against her softness sent a jolt of desire through her that took her breath away. She sucked in much-needed air and melted against him, needing to get closer still.
Tony’s hands were suddenly beneath her shirt touching her bare skin and she loved it. He had big palms, slightly callused fingers, and the slight abrasion made her tingle.
This felt wanton. Wicked.
It felt fantastic.
She didn’t think she’d ever wanted a man more than she wanted Tony right now. But just when Trish was about to tug Tony’s shirt until he got the message about removing it, Digger came bounding toward them with his ball.
“Well, that was bad timing,” Tony said with a pained laugh. “No doggie treats for a week.”
Trish leaned her forehead against his chest, suddenly a little bit embarrassed. “Maybe he has more sense than us,” she said with a nervous laugh. “What are we, anyway? Teenagers?”
Tony reached down and tilted her chin up. “It sure feels like it,” he told her. “I don’t think I’ve been this turned on since I was about seventeen.”
Trish felt heat creep into her cheeks. “We’re outside,” she whispered as if someone might hear. “And I was about to strip you half naked!”
“I know. It’s awesome,” he said with a grin. “Well, except for the half-naked part. I’d rather be totally naked.”
Trish laughed weakly. “I don’t know whether to be proud or embarrassed.”
His grin faded and he gave her a serious look. “I haven’t felt this alive in a long time, Trish. Damn, that felt good.” He rubbed his thumb over her chin. “But I want to make love to you in my bed where I can take my time.” He dipped his head and kissed her with such tender sweetness that she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly.
After pulling back he said, “Let me cook you dinner tonight. I’ll fix whatever you want.”
“No!”
His face fell. “Why not?”
“Because you have to stay off your ankle. I’ll fix dinner for you.”
“You’re a bossy little thing.”
“So you keep telling me.” She arched an eyebrow. “Are you going to follow orders?”
“I think you could get me to do whatever you wanted,” he told her.
“Really, now?” Trish had some suggestions that had her feeling more like a college student than a divorcee. She arched an eyebrow. “That’s good to know.”
“Yeah. So . . . what do you want?”
Trish tilted her head to the side and tapped her cheek with her finger. “I think I’ll make a list.”
“Like a honey-do list?”
“No, more like a honey-do-me list,” she whispered in his ear. “But first I have to do some shopping.”
“For groceries?”
“No . . . lingerie.” She drew out the word.
Tony’s eyes widened and he scrubbed a hand down his face. “Dear God, am I going to wake up on my couch with an ice pack on my ankle and a ball game on the television? Was this all a dream?”
Trish put a hand on her hip and tilted her head. “Yeah, but when you do I’ll be in your kitchen cooking you dinner. But you’d better get in there and rest up,” she said, and then turned on her heel. With her head held high she started walking toward her back door. Trish could feel his eyes on her and she grinned, wishing she could turn around and see the stunned look that must be on his face, but it would ruin her exit.
Embarrassment vanished. She felt bold and beautiful. After living a life of restraint, trying to please instead of being herself, this felt even better than a flying leap. This felt airless, like soaring.
Tonight could not come soon enough.
22
The Things We Do for Love
AFTER DROPPING LUNCH OFF FOR GABBY AND JOY, REESE decided to stop in Designs by Diamante on his way back to the restaurant. He wanted something special for Gabby, and his mother had told him that the jewelry in the store was all handcrafted and one-of-a-kind items.
After entering the shop he stood there feeling a little bit lost, but the soft music and cinnamon-scented air put him at ease. Reese was also relieved to see a pretty woman about Gabby’s age standing behind the counter. Hopefully, she’d be able to help him pick out something special. Shopping for jewelry wasn’t something he did frequently . . . or well, ever. Candy necklaces hardly counted.
The clerk flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder and gave Reese a big smile. “Thank you!”
“I haven’t bought anything yet,” Reese responded with a grin.
“Yes, but I’m from Chicago, home of amazing pizza that I’ve dearly missed until now. You’re one of the o
wners of our new Italian place—am I right?”
“Yeah,” Reese replied, and felt a little surge of pride. “So you like our pizza?”
“Absolutely! Your pizza is delicious, so thank you!” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Bella Diamante. My mother owns this shop.”
Reese shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Bella. My mother suggested your shop for a gift for my girlfriend.”
“Gabby Goodwin, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Small town.” Bella laughed and then shrugged. “Took me a while to get used to it after growing up in Chicago, believe me, but I love it here.”
Reese nodded. “I’ve been away for a few years. I’ve forgotten that news travels fast in Cricket Creek.”
“Well, welcome back! And again, thank you for the pizza. Now, let me help you find something special for Gabby.”
“Do you know her?” He wasn’t surprised in the least that Gabby had so many friends who cared for her.
Bella smiled. “She’s doing the flowers for my wedding. Addison is my wedding planner. I’m having a huge barn wedding out on the Greenfield Farm.”
“Oh, congratulations!”
“Thanks! My fiancé is a pro baseball player, so I’ve had to do most of the planning myself. Gabby is such a sweetheart! You’re a lucky guy.”
“Well, I know that I’m lucky she goes for a guy like me,” he said in a joking tone, but Bella frowned.
“I don’t get it? What do you mean, a guy like you?”
“I kinda stand out in this town.” He pointed to his tattoo and winced. “And I was kind of a screwup back in high school.”
Bella chuckled. “Oh, I hear ya. I wasn’t a saint in high school either. Gave my single mom some gray hair, for sure.”
Reese chuckled.
“But listen.” Bella nibbled on the inside of her lip for a second and then continued. “I get where you’re coming from. Three years ago I showed up for a party at Sully’s dressed in stilettos and a cocktail dress. I didn’t know that casual attire meant jeans and T-shirts.” She rolled her eyes. “The parking lot was pretty much filled with pickup trucks. I didn’t think I’d fit in either.” She raised her palms upward. “I was ready to turn around and leave, but that night I met my fiancé. Ironic, huh?”
“Love at first sight?”
Bella tipped her head back and laughed. “Hardly. Logan and I butted heads for a long time before we realized how we really felt about each other. In case you haven’t noticed, I have a strong personality and pretty much speak my mind.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Reese said.
“Good, then I’ll go a step further and tell you that Cricket Creek was struggling pretty hard-core when I moved here. But after the baseball stadium was built, the local economy improved and things have continued to get better. They just all kind of banded together and wouldn’t give up hope.”
“Tell me about it. None of this was even here. This was just a hillside where we rode dirt bikes when I was a kid.”
Bella nodded. “Well, the reason I’m butting my nose in and telling you this is that in my experience, although there are most definitely some small-town values remaining, Cricket Creek is pretty accepting and progressive. I don’t think you need to worry about what you did way back in high school.”
Reese thought that over. “You’re probably right,” he said. In truth, everyone who’d come into the restaurant had been supportive and he knew the town had taken care of his mother the years he’d been in Brooklyn. Honestly, though, other than his family the only one he really cared about believing in him was Gabby.
“Now, let’s pick out something pretty for Gabby. My mother does custom work when time allows, but if you want something right now we can do that too. Something really fun is a charm bracelet. You can customize one that suits Gabby’s personality. And you can keep adding charms to it while you build memories together.”
“I think that’s a really cool idea.”
Bella led him over to a glass display case. “Sweet. Let’s get to work.”
“I want to do the charm bracelet for tonight, but there is something kind of different that I’d like for your mother to make for me if at all possible,” Reese said when he was hit with sudden inspiration.
“Shoot. Mom is on vacation with her husband, but let me know what you have in mind. I’ll take some notes and ask her.”
Reese told Bella the story of the candy necklace and by the end she had to swipe at a tear. “That’s the sweetest thing ever. Seriously.”
Reese grinned. “So, do you think she could make something like that?”
“Mom can do just about anything and she loves a challenge. I’ll run this by her and get back to you on it. In the meantime let’s get the charm bracelet going. I’m thinking something with a flower on it, right?”
“Wildflowers are her favorite.”
Bella brought out a tray filled with charms. After searching she came up with a daisy. “How about this?”
“I like it.”
“Ah! Here’s a slice of pizza. Do you want to add that to kind of represent you?”
Reese grinned. “This is fun. I know Gabby is going to love this.”
Fifteen minutes later Reese walked out of the shop with the bracelet in a beautifully wrapped package. As he walked past the quaint shops he caught his reflection in a picture window and shook his head. He was grinning from ear to ear once again and didn’t even realize it.
The grin remained when he walked into the restaurant. With the lunch-hour rush over, the main restaurant was almost empty, but they’d be busy later, so he hurried into the kitchen.
“Where’ve you been, sweetie?” Tessa asked. “I was starting to get worried.”
“It’s kind of hard to get mugged in Cricket Creek, Mom. And if you look I did send you a text message.”
“Oh.” She glanced around the room. “I never know where I put the doggone thing. Ah, over by the sink. Sorry. I didn’t look.”
“Would have kept you from worrying.”
Tessa shrugged. “I’m a mom. I worry. It’s my job,” she said while stirring a pot of sauce. “Oh, what do you have in the package? Something for Gabby?” She tapped the spoon on the metal pot and smiled.
“A charm bracelet from the jewelry store you told me about. I figured we’d be dead, so I stopped while I had the chance.”
“It’s a cute store.”
“You’ve been in it?”
“Eh, once when they had open house a while back. You know me. I’m not much on jewelry,” she said, but something flickered in her eyes when she said it. Reese remembered his dad would bring her unexpected gifts, most often jewelry. Nothing fancy but it always made his mother happy. It really didn’t take much to make his mother smile, well, back then, anyway. She wiped her hands on a towel. “I wish I could see it,” she said. “Gorgeous wrapping.”
“Bella did it. She’s a cool chick. Loves our pizza, by the way, and that’s saying something since she’s from Chicago.”
“We’ve had a lot of folks move here from the Windy City in the past few years. Her stepdaddy is the bigwig who built these River Row shops. We’ve got a lot of movers and shakers who moved to this little town.”
“I’m a mover and a shaker,” Reese said, and demonstrated by wiggling his ass. He was rewarded when his mother laughed.
“Um, I don’t know what you’re doing, but it needs to stop,” Tony said from the doorway.
“Just what are you doing here?” Tessa demanded.
Tony put his palms in the air. “Whoa, just hold on. I’m just here to pick up some dessert.”
“And to check on things,” Reese added.
“That too.”
Tessa tilted her head. “Wait. Dessert? Give your sister more information than that.”
“What, a guy
can’t stop in for some cake? You know I have a sweet tooth.”
Tessa narrowed her eyes.
“You might as well answer her,” Reese said with a grin.
“Okay, well, I sort of rescued Trish from a snake and she’s cooking me dinner.”
“Ohhhh,” Tessa said, and wiggled her eyebrows.
“As a thank-you and to keep me off my foot. Nothing more.” At least not until nightfall.
“If you say so,” Tessa said. “But . . . if it were something more, you should stop by Gabby’s and pick up some flowers.”
“You need to quit playing matchmaker.” Tony glowered at her, but Reese noticed something different about his uncle’s demeanor. He just seemed more . . . relaxed. The brackets of tension around his mouth were gone even when he was trying to frown.
“That’s how we do things in Cricket Creek. Get used to it,” Tessa shot back, completely unfazed. They both knew that his uncle was a softie beneath his tough-guy demeanor.
“I have red velvet cake in the fridge.” Reese angled his head toward the stainless steel refrigerator.
“That will do quite nicely,” Tony replied, but when he started to hobble over there, Tessa waved him off.
“Would you just sit down, for Pete’s sake? I’ll wrap up a couple of slices for ya.”
“What is it with women ordering me around?” Tony grumbled, but he suddenly noticed the wrapped package and looked at Reese. “For Gabby?”
“Just a little somethin’.” He shrugged but couldn’t hold back a slight grin.
“You should take lessons from your nephew,” Tessa said. “He knows how to woo a girl.” She placed the wrapped dessert in front of him.
“Hey, Mom, come on. My red velvet cake should do the trick.”
Tony shook his head. “I’m not wooing anybody. I just thought it would be a nice gesture to bring dessert. That’s all! Capisce?”
Reese exchanged a look with his mother.
“Right . . . ,” Tessa said in a tone that conveyed that she wasn’t buying it.
Finally, Tony sighed. “Okay . . . okay, I might be a little bit fond of her. And I’m probably out of my ever-lovin’ mind for ever going there at all. You’d think I’d learned my lesson.”