A Stranger Is Watching

by Linda Randall Wisdom

  She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to think about it. I couldn’t believe I burned so badly when we were at Lake Havasu. The burn was bad enough, but the peeling was worse. I looked like a patchwork quilt for days.”

  “You did look pretty funny.” He grinned as he snatched the last breadstick out of the basket.

  “I’m so glad you thought it was hilarious,” she said sarcastically. “You get a sunburn and peel. Let’s see how you feel when you’re itching all the time.”

  Riley’s eyes suddenly darkened as if a delicious memory came to mind.

  Then Jenna’s memory took an abrupt turn as she remembered the nights she’d itched so badly. And how Riley had soothed her fevered skin with a silky lotion that smelled of vanilla and honey.

  He had warmed it between his hands before he slowly applied to her skin. He had taken his time, making sure he hadn’t left one inch untouched. She had treasured that memory for many a long night when she felt so alone.

  She picked up her wineglass and gulped down half the contents.

  A hand reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist before she drank more.

  “Be careful, Smitty. That stuffs pretty potent. Why not try the water instead?”

  “I picked up the wrong glass,” she lied, setting the wineglass back on the table. To further her lie, she picked up her water glass and drank deeply.

  “Well, as I live and breathe. Hey there, old buddy!” A Texas twang warned them before a man’s hand clapped Riley’s back. “What the hell you doing down here, son?”

  Riley looked up at the man towering over him. “Same as you, Seth. Picking up some sun.” He glanced behind the man and gave a questioning glance. A statuesque brunette squeezed into a leather tank style dress stood there looking bored.

  “This here’s my wife, Mitzi,” Seth explained. He glanced over at Jenna. “I don’t believe I’ve met this lady.”

  “Jennifer,” Riley said crisply. “My wife.”

  Seth grinned broadly. “Well, hell, son, I never thought you’d get yourself hooked. Not after all those nights we hung out together. But then, I guess that’s why you’d be here since it is a honeymoon resort.”

  Riley turned to Jenna as he spoke, “Let’s just say she’s very special.” He turned back to Seth. “What about you?”

  He shrugged. “Mitzi used to work in one of my clubs. She wanted to go to Paris, but I told her I wasn’t going all the way over there for what I can get here.”

  “Seth,” Mitzi turned his name into three syllables with a pure Brooklyn accent. “Are we gonna eat or what?”

  “Or what, baby,” he leered. He waved his hand at her. “All right. All right.” He leaned over to Riley. “I gotta tell you she’s the one. It took me four times, but I know this marriage will last.” He looked at Jenna. “Nice to meet you.” He walked off with a swagger that appeared to go with his over-the-top personality.

  Jenna picked at her salad. “Don’t tell me. His clubs cater to those lonely businessmen from out of town. And he employs ladies, and I use that word loosely, who are more than willing to keep them company for an exorbitant fee. I gather his wife recently retired from the business.” She chose a cherry tomato and brought it to her lips.

  “That’s Seth, all right,” Riley agreed, working on his salad. “You know, each time he’s gotten married, he’s said the same thing about his wife. This one probably won’t last any longer than the others.”

  “I do declare, you meet some of the most interesting people,” she drawled.

  Riley grinned and shook his head.

  “I’m not so sure I can handle all these changes in you, Smitty.”

  “Tough. Live with it. The new me is doing just fine.”

  Chapter 8

  The muted sound of water splashing wouldn’t have been enough to wake up most people. But then, Riley wasn’t most people.

  When he glanced in the bedroom, he didn’t expect to find an indentation in the mattress and an empty pillow. Had he slept so soundly he hadn’t even heard her leave the room?

  “Some damn fine protection you are, Cooper,” he muttered. “You should have gone with your first instinct and stayed in here with her at night. That’s what you get for being a nice guy.”

  He noticed the French doors he’d closed and locked last thing now stood open. He walked over and looked outside. While he stood there, he saw a sight that literally took his breath away.

  Jenna swam back and forth with the grace of a seal, with only the moonlight for covering.

  At each end of the small pool, she surfaced long enough to draw in a gulp of air and dove back under to glide through the water back to the other side.

  Riley couldn’t move as he stood there and watched the otherworldly sight that sent a white-hot fire streaking through his belly.

  He remembered the many late nights when they would wander across a deserted stretch of beach. And he would urge her to swim nude. Every time she refused for fear someone would come upon them.

  Until one hot summer night when they’d taken a long drive up the coast. At one point they got out and walked and stumbled onto a secluded cove. Jenna shed her clothing, ran into the water and then screamed how cold it was. Soon the cold hadn’t mattered when Riley had warmed her with his body.

  He remained standing in the doorway, content to watch her swim. At least he knew she was safe.

  But not safe from him.

  Riley bad no idea how long he stood there watching her swim. She still had no idea he was standing there.

  It was some minutes later when she climbed out. She snatched up a towel that lay on the cement by the pool. She wrapped it around her body, then lifted her arms to slick back her hair. With the moonlight streaming down on her body, she looked like a silvery wraith.

  She slowly turned until she faced the bungalow. She didn’t say a word as she stood there looking at his shadowed figure standing in the doorway. Words weren’t necessary.

  Riley stepped out of the darkness of the room and walked toward her. When he stood in front of her, he grasped her by the waist and lifted her onto the low stone wall. The towel parted and dropped down to pool around her hips, but neither of them noticed. Or cared.

  He still didn’t speak as he ran his hands along the sides of her head, feeling the cool moisture against his palms. He kept his hands flat against her hair.

  When she lifted her face, her lips were slightly parted. A droplet of water still shimmering on her lower lip caught his attention. He lowered his head, his tongue catching that droplet and taking it back into his mouth. His mouth returned to hers in a kiss designed to steal her breath away as it cajoled, tempted and seduced.

  He didn’t touch her any other place than his mouth on hers and his hands framing her face. She didn’t refuse him nor did she move away. She sat there allowing him to refamiliarize himself with her taste.

  Words weren’t necessary when actions spoke louder.

  Jenna soon raised her arms and looped them around Riley’s neck. Her movement caused her body to arch up and press closer to his. He carefully grasped her injured wrist as if to examine the damp bandages. He nuzzled her palm and pressed a kiss against the center of her palm.

  The heat of his body dried her damp skin as he bent his head to nibble the sensitive skin along the curve of her neck. She closed her eyes, slightly bending her neck to one side in a silent invitation.

  The only sounds heard were the ragged sounds of their breathing, muted sounds of insects and even fainter sounds of music and laughter coming from the resort. They weren’t alone except in their minds. They knew each other so well that each touch was guaranteed heaven. They knew each other’s weak points and where pleasure was the greatest They were intent on giving each other pleasure.

  Jenna’s parted lips slid along Riley’s jawline down to his throat. She delicately sank her teeth into the slightly rough skin to taste the tangy salt of his flesh.

  Riley felt the hunger rise up in him with white-hot urgency. Her
scent was an aphrodisiac he hadn’t experienced in some time, but his memory was infallible. The faint chlorine scent of her skin didn’t detract from her personal scent. A scent that he could have identified if he stood blindfolded in a room with a hundred other women surrounding him.

  No other woman ever slaked his hunger the way Jenna did. He moved his head, returning to her mouth to plunder its inner sweetness. His tongue plunged downward, mimicking the loveplay they had once indulged in so lightheartedly and so intensely. The loveplay his body ached to recreate. Except he instinctively knew their joining wouldn’t be the lighthearted play they participated in before. There was too much between them. For now, hunger was the strongest emotion.

  He wouldn’t have it any other way.

  He burned when he felt her hands running across his chest. When her fingertips found his nipples and circled the hard nubs, he felt ready to explode.

  His hold on her face tightened but was still so gentle her skin would not be marked by his possessive touch.

  His kiss deepened, sweeping her into a world of fiery mystery that sent her soaring. She wound her legs around his waist, arching up against his arousal. With no clothing between them, there was no way he could hide it. Not with Jenna rubbing against him and whimpering low in her throat. With her legs wrapped tightly around him, they were as close as they could be.

  When she reached down and circled his hardness with her hand to guide him into her, there was no stopping either of them. He thrust into her, feeling as if he’d finally come home. Riley wasn’t sure whether he cursed or prayed as he felt Jenna draw him inside. Her tight velvety walls sheathed him and pulled him in even farther.

  Riley could feel his neck muscles tighten to the point of pain as he remained still, hoping to regain his control. He had to close his eyes to better savor the joy he hadn’t experienced in such a long time.

  The soft sounds from Jenna’s lips seemed to dance across his skin at the same time as her lips stroked his flesh.

  He withdrew slowly even as agony ripped through him. And then paused before thrusting inside again. His strokes were slow and steady, determined as he was to make this last as long as possible.

  Jenna’s nails dug into his shoulders, and he felt her muscles start to tighten around him. Experience told him that as long as he kept their loving slow it would only build up the tension between them until they were both quivering with sensual pain that enhanced their pleasure to the extreme. Her soft whimpers built in intensity as his own body tightened to the explosion point.

  When Jenna opened her mouth to scream, Riley’s mouth covered hers with a deep probing kiss. She could only cling to him as they raced to the stars.

  This was nothing like the many times they had made love before. This was a passion that had built up over the years apart, and it could only be quenched by their union. Quenched then reborn.

  By the time Riley shot his release into Jenna, she was a pulsing mass of exposed nerves. She felt as if he would only have to run his fingertips across the surface of her skin and she would explode again.

  She kept her legs wrapped around his waist because she didn’t have the strength to release them. Her hands remained locked on his shoulders, and she rested her cheek against his chest. His skin was damp, and under her ear she could hear the heavy thud that she was sure echoed her own racing heartbeat. She wasn’t sure she could utter one word.

  She could feel Riley’s lips moving against her temple.

  “Do you think we sent the Richter scale into infinity?” he asked in a low voice.

  Jenna took a couple of deep breaths to steady her pulse.

  “Massive earthquake in Mexico sent an exclusive resort sliding into the sea. Film at eleven,” she said finally.

  He chuckled. “That good, huh, Smitty?”

  “You knew it was, so don’t go looking for compliments, Cooper.”

  He kept his arms around her. “Hold on.” He kept her wrapped around him as he walked to the pool and descended the steps into the water. When they were waist-deep, Jenna let go and floated away. Her arms moved lazily through the water as she watched him with a gaze that told him nothing.

  “If you’re looking for an apology, you’ve come to the wrong place,” he told her.

  “I don’t recall acting like the wounded virgin.” She flopped back and floated. “The tension had been building up between us from the beginning. After all, we’d been lovers at one time. It was a natural conclusion we’d have sex sooner or later.”

  “Natural conclusion?” he repeated. “Sex?” He made his way closer to her. “Smitty, what we just had was more than sex. It was way out there in the cosmos. It was better than good.”

  Jenna continued treading water as she listened to Riley’s tirade. He may have kept his voice soft so no one could overhear, but it was no less intense.

  She didn’t want him to know how much it meant to her, but she didn’t think he would believe she meant what she said about it being just sex. All she knew was that making love with him was even more soul shattering than it had been before. She had no idea how long they would have together, and she didn’t want him to think she saw more in their lovemaking than might have been there.

  “Yes, but no matter how good what we just had was, it doesn’t mean we won’t have a parting of ways when your assignment is over,” she told him before she swam past him in the direction of the steps. She climbed out and retrieved her towel from the wall. She acted as if what they just had was an everyday occurrence.

  It wasn’t so dark that Riley couldn’t see how badly her hands trembled as she dried herself off. Or the stark expression in her eyes just before she looked away from him.

  Riley allowed her to get as far as the door before he caught up with her. Fury was etched on his face, but his touch was gentle.

  “Sorry, sweetheart, but you always were a lousy liar,” he muttered, gathering her up in his arms and fastening his mouth on hers.

  If he expected an argument, it wasn’t forthcoming. As he laid her on the tumbled covers, Jenna’s arms lifted to pull him down beside her. Her eagerness elected him as it had done before.

  And as before, there were no words spoken, because their bodies seemed to do a better job than their mouths ever could.

  Riley woke up feeling better than he had in a long time. He kept his eyes closed as he felt the energy race through his body. He knew he was grinning from ear to ear. Something he hadn’t done a lot of lately. But then, an event like last night hadn’t been in his life for a long time, either. Something along the lines of three years.

  “Why don’t you just get up and beat your chest with your fists and howl at the sun?” An amused voice interrupted his internal joy. “It’s no secret that’s what you really want to do.”

  He opened his eyes. Jenna was dressed in red cotton shorts and a red-and-white-print tank top that barely skimmed the shorts’ waistband. When she moved the fabric shifted just enough to reveal a strip of lightly tanned skin.

  After they’d come back inside, they’d rewrapped her hand with an elastic bandage that shone a bright pink against her arm.

  “Couldn’t you find anything to match your jewelry?” he asked, nodding toward her arm.

  She held her arm up, striking a model’s pose. “I thought this would make a nice contrast.”

  Riley breathed a silent sigh of relief. Jenna’s manner told him she had no regrets about the previous night.

  He knew he didn’t have any. If anything, he regretted there would come a time he would have to give her up again.

  By rights, he shouldn’t have made love to her. He should have continued with the cold showers and kept her at arm’s length. He also recalled they both hadn’t thought of protection. Riley only hoped it was a safe time for her.

  He should have remembered he’d taken her on as an assignment. He’d deliberately tagged her in his mind as an assignment so he wouldn’t consider any personal feelings.

  He should have known better.

>   Jenna leaned against the dresser with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

  Riley noticed with great interest her action plumped her breasts up above her arms.

  “I thought about heading over to the lanai for breakfast, but I knew you wouldn’t have been happy with me for going without you. Therefore, I am starving and impatiently waiting for you to get your tired old body out of bed and into the shower.” She arched an eyebrow.

  Riley winced at her challenge. He was out of bed in a flash and on his way to the bathroom. Before he reached it, he stopped in front of Jenna. He crooked his arm around her neck and brought her to him for a hard and very thorough kiss.

  “Not all that old, and not all that tired,” he murmured, when he released her.

  Uncaring he was naked, he went into the bathroom. Jenna barely had time to take a deep breath before she heard the drumming of the shower. She delicately ran her tongue across her lower lip. She imagine she could still taste him.

  “No, definitely not old and tired.”

  When Jenna and Riley entered the lanai dining area, Sasha greeted them in his courtly manner and suggested they join them.

  “My grandson is by the swimming pool with his nanny watching over him. He seems to prefer swimming to eating breakfast, although he will later complain he is very hungry and ask why I didn’t feed him,” he explained, then he gestured to the waiter to fill Jenna’s and Riley’s coffee cups. “I would appreciate the company.” He turned to Jenna. “Are you enjoying your visit?”

  “I find it relaxing,” she murmured, smiling her thanks to the busboy as he filled her waterglass. “It’s amazing how much there is to do around here.”

  “Yes, there are some fascinating tours offered to some of the Indian burial grounds and ancient temples,” Sasha told her. “You should insist your husband take you on one of them.”

  “I’ll have to think about that.” She pushed back her chair. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I am taking advantage of the buffet. I love the idea of eating as much as I’d like,” she said with a mischievous smile.