Kelly took a deep breath. “It’s not that. He’s special. I’ve never met anyone like him. And I don’t want him dragged into our family melodrama. You wouldn’t mean to do it, but you always do. I wish you and dad would grow up. It’s dumb that you guys don’t talk the way normal people do.”
Her mother shrugged. “Normal? Kelly, do you know one single family who is normal? There’s no such thing. I realize you girls didn’t have the traditional childhood. You were obsessed with surfing and your sister with modeling, but your father and I have never done anything but encourage you.
“And as for this situation that’s going on with your father, I think he might be in one of those idiotic midlife crises. He lost the twenty pounds he gained after retiring. Bought a new red Viper, and then he took off on one of his trips. We had three different events to attend and—poof—he was just gone.”
Her mother sipped her drink.
“Are you on your meds?” Kelly and Mimi didn’t beat around the bush when it came to their mother combining pills and alcohol. Most of the time it only made her more mellow, but if she drank too much, then she could go anywhere from suicidal to the happiest woman on earth—and everywhere in between. That’s all Kelly needed—to have her mother running around half out of her mind.
“Yes. The doctor just changed them. I’m allowed two cocktails a day. So shush and answer my question.”
Kelly had to think about it for a minute.
“Normal to me is where people communicate about their needs and wants. As far as I know, you and Dad have never discussed his little trips. He comes back, you give him one of your eyebrow twitches with the single tear running down your cheek, and then he runs out and buys you a Mercedes or an apartment in Paris. And then you two are blissful peas in a pod until he does it again.”
Her mother sat daintily on the nearest sofa and patted the seat beside her. Kelly went along with her mother’s request.
“We aren’t like most couples, I’ll grant you that. But what we have is okay for us. Only this time, I promise, it’s different. I’m not so sure he plans on coming home.”
The slight catch in her mother’s voice bothered Kelly. “What did you do, Mom?”
“Why do you always assume it’s me that is at fault?” her mother admonished. She stared down at her glittery pink fingernail polish.
That was her mother’s biggest tell. If she was upset or had done something wrong, she couldn’t look a person in the eye. Kelly had the same problem, but lately she’d surprised herself. Though she fully intended to tell Rafe the truth, the universe kept conspiring against her.
“Please tell me you didn’t use some supermodel dude to try and make Dad jealous. What are you—twelve?”
“Watch your tongue, young lady, I am your mother. And this time I didn’t do it on purpose. I haven’t done that in years. You know as well as I do that I never did anything with that other man. I only wanted to get your father’s attention. And you were seven—how can you even remember that?”
Her dad had been a basket case. That was how she remembered. He’d hired a private detective to follow her mother. Kelly had been privy to more than one conversation between her father and the detective since she’d often gone with her dad to his work. The hospital was close to the ocean, and when he had breaks he took her surfing.
“I was there. It was hard to miss. Call him, Mom. Ask him where he is. You are too old to play games.”
“I thought we agreed never to use that word, old,” her mother complained. “And for the record, it was the tabloids that made something out of nothing. We weren’t even on the same coast and it was a picture from ten years ago when we were doing that vodka campaign.” Her mother’s hand flitted.
“Whatever happened with Dad, fix it. Pick up the phone and...be adult about it.” Kelly was tired of being the grown-up in the family. Her sister acted like a teenager half the time, and her parents like spoiled children. They were all good people but had the emotional depth of self-involved tweens at a slumber party. “And stay out of my way with Rafe. I don’t want my family to scare him off.”
I’ll probably do just fine with that all on my own.
“Certainly,” her mother said, “Rafe seems like a lovely young man. The way he spoke up for you, well, honey, you deserve a man like him. He is someone who will always have your best interests at heart. And I know that from only meeting him for a few minutes. After all those jerks you dated, who just wanted to take from you, it’s about time.”
Kelly couldn’t believe that her mother remembered the marine’s name. Unfortunately, Kelly didn’t really deserve Rafe. Though, yes, she had replied to his letters with only the best intentions because Mimi never would. As much as Kelly was supportive in the beginning, the bare truth was that the letters became as important to her as they were to him.
She’d taken an act of altruism and behaved as selfishly as the rest of her family. He was such a good person through and through, and she was nothing more than plain, old deceitful. If she told him what had happened, then she would know one way or the other if he could forgive her.
“Oh, no! There’s some odd notion in that brain of yours and it doesn’t bode well. Tell me everything.”
“You have enough problems, Mom, you don’t need mine.” There was a part of Kelly that wanted to spill it so that someone besides Adrien knew what was going on with her. The other part was too ashamed.
“Why don’t I try your problems on for a change? You’re always complaining about my narcissism. It might be nice to put your needs before mine for once.” Her mother winked.
Kelly put a hand on her mother’s forehead to check for a fever. “Are you sick? Or on drugs other than those you have a prescription for?”
Her mother smirked and swatted at her hand. “Behave yourself, and tell me what’s happening.”
Kelly grabbed a cushion and squeezed it tight.
And then she told her mother everything.
* * *
RAFE COULDN’T BELIEVE he hadn’t made the connection that Kelly and Mimi’s mom was Raina, one of the most famous supermodels of all time. Rafe’s dad used to say she was the only woman he’d leave his wife for, and it had been a running family joke. His mom would say Raina was more than welcome to pick up the socks he left all over the house and cook his breakfast at five in the morning.
Then his dad would take her in his arms and kiss her so passionately that Rafe and his brother would make gagging sounds.
Rafe couldn’t think about his parents without getting all choked up. It had been three years since their passing. His mom had had stomach cancer, which took her quickly. His dad had died a month later due to a heart attack. The one saving grace was that his parents had been around to see Rafe straighten himself out. He’d given them hell as a teen, so rebellious, and for absolutely no reason.
His mother always blamed it on hormones, but there was no excuse for his behavior back then other than sheer stupidity. His parents provided him a good life. They never had a lot of money, but there was a roof over his head and he always knew he was loved.
He couldn’t imagine what Kelly’s life had been like growing up with a supermodel for a mom and another one for a sister. Of course, neither woman compared to Kelly’s natural beauty.
The woman was a combination of qualities he’d never seen before. Despite his being scared of the snakes, she’d stayed calm and never made fun of his phobia. Her only concern had been for him.
He also couldn’t ignore the kissing. Rafe had dated many women in the past, but none of them had lips like Kelly’s. The type that sent shivers, the good kind, through his entire body.
Then there was the possessiveness he felt. It was so strong that the idea of another man touching Kelly was enough to send his temper into the clouds. She’d called that Adrien a big brother, but Rafe had caught hi
m giving her looks of pure affection. As far as Rafe was concerned, the guy was lucky his head was still attached to his body.
Rafe acknowledged, though, that when she looked at him, there was nothing but desire there. He’d seen it at the waterfall before the snakes arrived. The connection he felt for her scared the hell out of him and at the same time made him truly happy. Never in his life had he been so—he wasn’t even sure what the right word was—for a woman.
Rafe’s smile beamed back at him in the mirror as he shaved. Since the moment he met Kelly, he hadn’t been able to get the image of her out of his head. She was the first woman who’d ever made him think about promises and possibilities.
Way to get ahead of yourself, man. You’ve known her, what? Maybe forty-eight hours?
She was so easy to talk to and there was an easy grace about her. He’d watched her at the party the night before. People flocked around her. He liked that the only smile that reached her eyes was when she glanced at him, though. If he could bottle that smile, he’d make millions.
“Rafe?”
He patted his face with the towel and peeked around the corner of the bathroom to see Kelly waiting. “Hey, am I running late?”
“No, I’m about ten minutes early. I needed to get away from my mom. She’s just full of advice tonight.”
Her hair had been pulled up on the sides, and she wore a little more makeup than he’d seen her in. It enhanced the beauty that was there, but it wasn’t necessary.
Kelly rolled her eyes. “She did my hair, makeup, nails.” She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. “And even picked out what I was to wear tonight.” She did a twirl in her bold red dress and then struck a pose. He liked the way it fit against her curves. She twirled around again to show him the back had been cut away, all the way down to her hip.
His mouth went dry instantly. All the blood in his body rushed to his groin. He wanted her.
Now.
“You don’t like it?” The crestfallen note in her voice dragged his gaze back up to hers.
“You’re beautiful.” He really couldn’t give a damn about the dress. It was the woman inside that had him at full attention. Every nerve in his body was tuned in to her. That bow mouth with the full lips. Her fingers stroking the silky dress fabric. Even the way her right foot turned in, as though a thread of uncertainty coiled through her.
He had to stop looking at her or he’d slip that pretty dress off and say to hell with her friends at the bar. Exploring her curves until he memorized every dip and swell would be so much more fun. Clearing his throat, he rubbed the towel against his face.
“Let me finish getting dressed.” He pivoted on a heel. Sometime between shaving and her arrival, the twinge in his hip diminished. His body throbbed but with an entirely exquisite kind of pain.
He dropped the towel on the edge of the sink and paused. He was falling for her. He stood right on the edge of a sandbar, and she was the fifteen-to-thirty-foot swells sweeping in to topple him.
His leg ached at the memory, but his spine stiffened. Life kept throwing these top-heavy waves at him, but he hadn’t drowned yet.
“Rafe?” Her voice beckoned from the other room.
Snatching his shirt from the hook by the door, he pulled it on and strolled back out. Her grin kindled a new fire in his blood. “I’m ready.”
He only hoped that was true.
11
KELLY SURVEYED THE Bay Breeze as she and Rafe walked into the busy nightspot. A few months ago, after a particularly nasty tropical storm, the wildly successful club, which was big with the locals, had been ripped apart. As she scanned the rough-hewn wood tables and the teak bar that had remained standing for more than fifty years, it was hard to remember the decimation.
Everyone in the small community had pitched in to help rebuild their favorite bar. It had taken less than a week.
She loved this little slice of tropical heaven. The food came grilled, the alcohol icy and the music eclectic. Rafe’s bemused expression absorbed everything from the band on the makeshift stage to the pair of waiters in khaki shorts and no shirts.
At the crowded tables sat young couples, old couples and a profusion of Kelly’s friends, who shouted out greetings as she and Rafe moved through the throng to find a spot at the bar. “Interesting place,” he said.
“It’s one of the best bars in the world.” She ordered a drink and bounced playfully to the rhythm of the drums. It was an obscure song that Adrien’s band played, a combination of tribal beat and smoky jazz. “All the locals come here and it’s like a big party every night.”
Rafe’s gaze roamed the room. But each time he caught her studying him, there was no mistaking the heat in his eyes.
Maybe her mom did know what made men drool.
The looks he gave her made her feel powerful and sexy. Despite the cool breeze ruffling the torches on the deck, the air inside the club was stuffy.
“I should apologize for my mother, again. I wasn’t expecting her.” Like anyone really planned for sudden disaster, but Kelly’s mob often blew in like a tropical squall, sucking out the sunlight and lashing the beach with furious swells. At least when she had some warning she could surf the waves ahead of time.
“I didn’t realize who she was at first, but I guess it makes sense, given Mimi’s choice of profession. Did you ever consider modeling?”
He’d gotten a beer and every time his lips touched the top of his bottle she imagined them against her skin. “No.” The strangled word barely made it past the lump of emotion in her throat. Swallowing hard, she grabbed her drink just to keep her hands busy and away from him. “I liked surfing and there are some modeling gigs you can get with that. As for hours and hours of walking, posing and worrying about whether I’m tan enough or too tan? Nah. That and I like real food. Given what I do, I get to eat whatever I want.”
A mouthful of beer barely quenched the thirst she experienced. Had she ever wanted a man like this? No. The answer came quickly.
“So, why surfing?” That deep voice of his sent a lovely shiver up her spine.
“When I was a kid, Mom traveled a lot and Mimi was already hooked on the life. Me? Not so much. So I hung out with my dad. We lived in Newport Beach and his hospital was right near the ocean and he’d go in for consults on surgeries and then whisk me out to the water.” Her expression became wistful. Those were some of her best memories. Just her and Dad on the beach. He’d point out the waves, tell her which ones were great, which ones weren’t. They’d paddle out together and catch the ride back in.
“You loved it.” Rafe’s voice softened, his head tilted as he watched her. “It’s written all over your face.”
“Yeah, I guess I never really thought about it before, but I was happier on the ocean than I’d ever been on land. I think Dad got that. We went surfing all the time.” She’d always thought of her dad as being somewhat absent from her life, but he’d given her the gift of doing what she loved best. At some point, she should probably thank him.
Right after she reamed him out for playing head games with her mother.
“And competing?” Rafe took another sip of beer.
She could stare at his mouth all day, the strength of his jaw and the softness of his lips.
“Complete accident.” She turned away from him and leaned into the bar. He twisted to mirror her pose, and closed the distance between them so that their noses nearly brushed. The rest of the bar faded, leaving just the two of them.
“Dad and I were supposed to meet, but he was stuck in surgery. It was hardly the first time, but I was sitting there, watching the waves, and this radio crew started setting up. And then more flags were coming in and surfers flooded the beach. Turns out a local meet was held there every year, but I’d never seen it. A guy came by with a clipboard, handing out numbers and signing people up.
I think I was fifteen? I just decided what the hell, I wanted to surf anyway. So I got a number and the rest...well, the rest is history.”
Rafe chuckled, the warm puffs of breath tickling her cheek. “What did your dad say?”
“Well, I came in second and he was pretty impressed. But he was livid with the guy who signed me up because I wasn’t old enough.” Wow, how had she forgotten that? Dad never got angry, not like that. He’d dressed down the coordinator in cool, precise tones and then given her a big hug, a kiss on the cheek, and insisted on buying her a celebration lunch.
“How’d you talk him into letting you compete?” He rested his chin on his fist, his gaze never leaving her.
“Do you really want to talk about this?” She loved competing, riding the wickedest waves. But it couldn’t be that interesting to someone who didn’t surf.
“I want to know everything about you.”
Her stomach did a little flip-flop. “He asked me if I liked it and when I said I did, he hired a coach—a former competitor—and even got me a tutor for school so I could travel. He told me I was old enough to know what I wanted. Until I was eighteen, he or someone in my family always went with me. It’s funny, I don’t always remember just how supportive he was that first year.” He’d gone to every competition he could, making sure to never schedule surgeries when she had a meet. She didn’t quite remember when or why that had stopped.
“Sounds like he’s a good dad.”
“Yeah, he can be. So what about your dad? What did he think of the Marines?”
Rafe smiled and shook his head. “He thought it was a good idea, but it did scare him a little. I told you I wasn’t the best kid—truth was, I was a hellion. I got into trouble a lot because I was bored. Bored in school, bored with chores, bored with my friends. Life never seemed to be that exciting.”
“Typical teenager. I didn’t think anything was exciting until I entered that meet.” Which was true. She didn’t like all the usual stuff and while her parents were nuts about each other, they were also nuts about appearances. Competing took her away from that world, surrounded her with other athletes who liked to push themselves as hard as she did.
Mission: Seduction Page 8