Kel stepped through the door and strolled across the wide cedar deck to the lawn. He hadn’t expected to like the first place he saw, or even the second or third. In truth, Kel thought he’d have to look long and hard to find a house that pleased him.
Kel had never thrown money into real estate like many of his teammates had. Some of the guys had additional homes in Colorado and Florida and Arizona. Kel owned an old mansion in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood, a Mercedes, a pickup truck and a decent wardrobe of Italian suits and shoes. Beyond that, he’d spent his money on the typical toys: stereo equipment, televisions and computers.
Most of his teammates might call him frugal, but from the start of his career, Kel knew the precarious position he was in. A simple pitch could lead to a career-ending injury. In the blink of an eye it could be all over. His parents had always struggled to make a living, raising seven children on a high school teacher’s salary. Kel wanted to be in a position to give them whatever they needed as they got older and, at the same time, have a comfortable future for himself.
When he reached the water, Kel walked out on the rickety dock. The lake was beautiful, calm and serene, the sun sparkling off the surface. A fisherman bobbed in a boat nearby, lazily casting his line and reeling it in. He waved at Kel and Kel returned the greeting.
“I could live here,” he said, slowly turning and taking in the view. He could imagine his siblings coming to visit in the summer, the rambling house filled with his nieces and nephews, lazy days spent out on the water. West Blueberry Lane wouldn’t make a bad address.
The agent was still waiting for him in the kitchen. She opened the door and he stepped back inside. “Well, what do you think?” she asked.
“How long has it been for sale?” Kel asked.
“Five weeks,” she said. “The mechanicals need to be replaced along with the roof and that might be scaring people off. I think it’s priced a bit high. I think it might go soon. There’s a woman in town that has been seriously considering putting in an offer. So if you’re interested you should probably get an offer in before she does. And I know of a bank that will push your financing through quickly.”
He nodded. If the agent knew who he was, she wasn’t giving any indication. Financing really wasn’t an issue, as long as Kel wanted the house. But this was a big decision. Buying a house in Austell meant that he was about to begin his life after baseball-and he’d begin that life living just a few miles from Darcy Scott.
“Let’s put together an offer,” Kel said. “Offer the asking price, no contingencies.”
The agent gasped. “None? What about financing?”
He shook his head. “I can pay cash,” Kel said. “I’m just going to walk through once more, if you don’t mind.”
Dumbstruck, the agent shook his hand and Kel walked back through the house to the living room. Maybe he was being too optimistic, but he was sure that he could find here the peace and quiet he’d always craved.
Kel wandered down the hall to the master bedroom. He tried to imagine it freshly painted and decorated, furnished with a comfortable bed. He could see the two them, snuggled in bed on a Sunday morning. He’d make breakfast for them and they’d spend the day reading the paper and making slow, sweet love. Kel paused and shook his head. Funny how the image automatically included Darcy. Since when had she become a permanent part of his future?
As he walked through the other bedrooms he thought about a family. He’d always known that marriage and kids wouldn’t have been a smart choice as long as he was playing-not that over the years he’d ever found a woman he wanted to marry. His baseball career had occupied so much of his energy, he hadn’t had a lot left over to share. But he had more time now, time to find the right person.
Kel headed to the front door and walked outside, taking one last look at the façade of the house. He could be happy here, with or without Darcy. But with her would be much better, he mused.
As he pulled out of the driveway, Kel glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Darcy had left his room this morning just after dawn. They’d spend the past three nights together in the same bed. Of course she’d be the first woman to come to mind when imagining his future here.
Kel turned the car towards The Delaford, then remembered his original reason for driving into town. “Damn,” he muttered. Condoms. He usually carried an adequate supply of them, but he and Darcy had been going through at least three or four a day. By all rights, he should have been exhausted. But Kel felt like a guy at the top of his game. Life had never been better.
He’d seen a Price Mart store on the highway just outside of town and headed back to it. Kel parked the car in the busy lot, then reached into the backseat for a baseball cap. He pulled the brim low, hoping his sunglasses and the cap would obscure his identity. Had he been shopping for a toaster, he might not have been so concerned, but condoms were a different matter.
Soft music played in the background as Kel walked past the elderly man who greeted him at the door. He went directly to the pharmacy and searched the shelves, but eventually was forced to ask the pharmacist. The man gave him an odd look, as if he might recognize him, then pointed Kel to the correct aisle.
As Kel studied the selection, he found the absurdity of the situation amusing. It took him back to the days of his youth, sneaking around, trying to hide what he was doing with his high school girlfriend. Still, that wasn’t far off. With Darcy, everything seemed so new and exciting. When she touched him, he felt exactly the way he had when he was seventeen and he’d first experienced a woman’s body.
How long would that last between them? Would the thrill eventually wear off, or could he count on it to endure for a lifetime? Kel had never considered inviting a woman into his future, but he could imagine inviting Darcy.
He drew a deep breath, then reached out and grabbed his usual brand. And the last moment, he took an extra box, one that promised “increased pleasure” for his partner.
When he got to the checkout, he grabbed cash from his wallet, intending to rush through as quickly as possible. But a young mother with a cartload of disposable diapers stood in front of him, searching her purse for coupons. He glanced over at the adjoining checkout line, then groaned inwardly.
The woman standing in that lane worked at The Delaford. He recognized her from her occasional stints behind the front desk. Amanda, if he recalled correctly. Her gaze fell to the boxes he clutched in his hands, her eyebrow quirking up in amusement.
Kel turned away and dropped the boxes on the conveyor. He managed to make it through the checkout process without anyone else recognizing him, but Amanda was waiting for him once he’d collected his purchases.
“Big night planned?” she asked.
“How is that your business?”
“I’m Darcy’s friend.” She held out her hand. “Amanda Taylor. Don’t bother introducing yourself. I’ve heard all about you.”
“You have?” he said, shaking her hand.
“Would you like to grab some lunch, maybe have a little chat?”
Kel shrugged, then followed Amanda to the lunch counter located near the exit. She bought two hot dogs with the works, then handed him one, before settling at a small table in the corner of the café.
“Thanks,” Kel said.
She nodded as she took a bite of the hot dog. “So, Mr. Baseball, what are your intentions regarding Darcy? I mean, I know you two plan to have as much sex as possible until you leave. She told me that. But beyond the sex, what are you thinking about?”
“You and Darcy talk about me?” Kel murmured.
“We’re best friends. We discuss everything.”
“And what does she say about me?” he asked. “How does she feel about what’s happening?”
Amanda leveled him a look. “You want me to rate your performance in the bedroom?”
“No!” Kel said. “Well, not unless you feel qualified. I mean, if Darcy has made comments, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to know.” He shook his head, c
ursing softly. “No, I don’t want to know about my performance. But I would like to know how she feels about me.”
Amanda leaned forward, bracing her arms on the table. “I’m not sure I should get involved.”
“Hey, you’re the one who invited me to lunch,” he countered.
Amanda took another bite of her hot dog, studying him. “I don’t think Darcy knows what she wants. And having wild, fantastic, mind-numbing sex every night isn’t going to help her figure it out. Maybe you ought to give her a little space.”
Mind-numbing? Were those her words or Darcy’s, Kel wondered. “I suppose I could do that,” he said.
After all, he’d already decided to buy the property on the lake. That meant their relationship wouldn’t necessarily end in a few days. There’d be nothing to stop him from playing a quick round of golf at The Delaford now and then. And while he was there, he’d stop by and visit with Darcy. “But it’s difficult to stay away from her,” he added.
“Why is that?”
“Because I really enjoy being with her. And it’s not just the sex, because if it were necessary, I could do without that, at least for a while. I just like talking to her and looking at her and holding her hand.”
“You’re not falling in love, are you?” Amanda asked.
“No!” Kel said. But as soon as he answered, he realized that wasn’t entirely true. “I don’t know. It’s kind of difficult to tell since I’ve never felt this way before. I’m usually…in control.”
Amanda sent him a wary look, then grabbed her shopping bag and stood. “I want you to know that if you hurt her, I’ll break both of your arms. Not personally, but I know some guys who could. So watch yourself.”
“I will,” Kel said, certain that Darcy’s friend didn’t make empty threats.
“Somebody has to watch out for her,” she muttered.
Kel nodded as he watched Amanda walk out of the store. Someday, maybe he’d get to be that person. But if he was going to fall in love, it certainly wouldn’t happen after just a few days with a woman. Even he knew that it took a lot longer than that.
DARCY TURNED off her desk light and quickly tidied the files she’d been reviewing. She’d spent the entire day in her office, trying to keep her mind on work and failing miserably. Her father was due to arrive in a few days and she hadn’t yet figured out how to broach the subject of her future with Scott Hotels and Resorts. In truth, all she’d been thinking about was her present.
The prospect of another evening with Kel brought a nervous flutter of anticipation to her stomach. When they were together, she felt so alive. She’d thought spending time with him would wash away the memories, but instead it had only created so many more. She’d come to crave his touch, the taste of his mouth, the feel of his skin against hers. When they were apart, Darcy found herself lapsing into wild fantasies about the erotic pleasures they might share next.
He had total control over her willpower, making her happily do whatever it took to please him. Yet his pleasure always seemed to be hers as well, and vice versa. When she looked into his eyes as he buried himself inside her, Darcy saw the surrender, the vulnerability, of a man who had carefully dismantled all barriers between them.
But there were also times when Darcy looked at him and wondered if she were perhaps coloring his reactions with her hopes instead of his realities. He seemed to genuinely care for her. They spent hours in each other’s arms talking and teasing, learning all the intimate details that lovers needed to know. But in the end, he’d leave and all this would fade into the past.
A knock sounded on her office door and Darcy looked up, expecting to see Kel standing outside. Instead, Amanda strolled in, a dripping wet rag in her hand. “I thought you ought to see this,” she said.
Darcy wrinkled her nose. “What is it?”
“It’s your swimming suit. Jerry found it stuck in the water intake for the pool filter. Would you like to explain how it got there?”
“It must have fallen off when I was swimming the other night,” Darcy said with a soft giggle. “When Kel and I were swimming.”
Amanda sat down in one of Darcy’s guest chairs, draping the wet suit over the arm of the other. “So I gather it’s going well?”
Darcy drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That depends on how you define ‘well.’ The sex is fabulous, Kel has to be the most disarming man I’ve ever met, and I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since he arrived. When we’re together, I can’t seem to get enough of him.”
“And how does he feel?” Amanda asked.
“I’m not supposed to care about that. I decided to embark on this little affair in order to get him out of my system.”
“And how’s that working for you?”
Darcy sighed deeply. “I can’t stop thinking about him,” she admitted. She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a new box of chocolates from Sinfully Sweet. “I had Olivia stop at Sinfully Sweet when she was in town yesterday. Try the chocolate-dipped caramels. They are absolutely to die for.”
“So, if things are going so well,” Amanda said, “why are you sitting here eating caramels?”
“He didn’t call me today,” Darcy said. “Yesterday he called me six times and today nothing. I think maybe it’s over. He’s bored and ready to move on.”
“I ran into him today in town,” Amanda offered. “He was stocking up on condoms, so I’m pretty sure it’s not over.”
“You saw Kel?”
She nodded. “I talked to him. I told him if he hurt you, I’d break his arms.”
Darcy groaned. “No! That’s not part of the deal. I can’t get hurt because I’m not supposed to care about him, don’t you see?”
“What I see is two people who are trying so hard not to care about each other that they can’t see that they might be falling in love.”
“No,” Darcy said. “I won’t let myself. It’s as simple as that.”
“Do you want this to end?”
Darcy plucked another caramel from the box and popped it in her mouth. “No. But it is getting in the way. I haven’t done anything to prepare for my father’s visit.”
Though the distraction of having Kel around was enjoyable, she’d managed to forget everything that was really important to her. She’d worked so hard to build a career in hotel management and it was time for her to take the next step, to force her father to see her as his successor or to move on and find another job with one of his competitors.
If she’d learned anything in her life it was that she needed to be in control, that she needed to determine her own future. Darcy couldn’t depend upon her father to know what was best for her, nor could she allow a husband or a fiancé or a boyfriend to alter her plans. She wasn’t daddy’s little girl anymore, so desperate to please and so starved for his attention.
“Maybe you should tell the guy how you really feel.”
“I plan to. As soon as he arrives I’m going to tell Daddy-”
“Not your father. I was talking about Kel. And don’t try to hand me the line that you don’t know how you feel.” Amanda stood up, grabbed a handful of chocolates from the box, then walked to the door. “Gosh, all this talk about sex has made me really horny. I need to find myself a man. I think I might have to talk Carlos into giving me a massage.”
Darcy opened her mouth, ready to issue a stern warning about fraternization, but Amanda just wagged her finger and turned on her heel, leaving Darcy to her own sexual dilemmas.
Darcy reached for the phone and punched in Kel’s room number, but then quickly hung up before it rang. If this was the end, then she wanted to hear it directly from him, face to face. She opened her desk drawer and grabbed the master keycard for the guest rooms and tucked it in her pocket.
The deal had been so simple at first. She had only wanted one taste of the forbidden fruit, just enough to satisfy her hunger. But then, she’d never expected to become addicted, to crave him so much that she couldn’t control herself, to do anything for one more bit
e of the apple.
“I’m supposed to want more than this,” Darcy murmured. She was twenty-eight years old. Her college roommates were all married and starting families of their own and here she was, contemplating yet another night of no-strings sex with an avowed playboy.
Closing her eyes, she sighed softly. She could go to her own room and try to fall asleep or she could have one last night with Kel. “Oh, what the hell,” she muttered as she walked out of her office.
Darcy waved at Olivia as she walked through the lobby. “Take me off the board,” she called.
When she reached Kel’s door, she didn’t bother knocking. She pushed the keycard into the lock and opened the door, then slipped inside. Kel was lying on the sofa, watching television, dressed only in a pair of sweatpants.
She let the door click shut behind her and at the sound, he sat up. “Darcy!” He scrambled to his feet and stared at her, his hand resting on his hip.
“You were expecting someone else?”
“Yes,” Kel said. “Actually, I called down for a massage. They were sending someone up. Karl, I guess. I wanted him to work on my shoulder.”
“I thought we’d see each other tonight,” she said, “but I didn’t hear from you.”
“I was planning to call after the massage. I thought maybe you might like to have some time to yourself. You know, get a good night’s sleep.”
Darcy slowly crossed the room and picked up the phone next to the sofa. She punched in the number for the spa, then waited for the receptionist to pick up. “Hi, this is Darcy. I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Martin in the Bennington Suite would like to cancel his massage. He has other plans.”
Darcy dropped the phone in the cradle, then shrugged out of her jacket, tossing it aside.
“We could both use some sleep,” Kel suggested. “I’ve got a lot of things I need to think about and I can’t really do that if you’re distracting me.”
Her fingers moved down to the buttons of her blouse, a tiny frown wrinkling her brow. “All right, if that’s what you want. When we made this arrangement we didn’t say we had to spend every night together.” She pulled her blouse out of her skirt and dropped it off her shoulders, revealing a lacy black bra.
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