Frisky Business

by Tawna Fenske

  “Never rule out the possibility of reconciliation, Marley.”

  Marley bit her tongue, resisting the urge to point out that her father had ruled out the possibility of reconciliation with five previous wives when he’d married his sixth last spring. Marriage was not a subject she cared to discuss with her dad.

  “So speaking of your mother, have you heard from her lately?”

  Speaking of subjects you don’t want to discuss with your dad…

  “Mom’s doing great,” Marley said brightly, handing him his glass as she curled herself on the other end of the sofa. She tucked her feet under his legs and took a sip of the bourbon. She made a face.

  Luckily, her dad didn’t look up from his computer. He took a healthy swig of the bourbon and set it down on the coaster.

  “How is she holding up in—”

  “Guatemala,” Marley interjected. “That’s what I’ve been telling people. It’s easier that way. Simpler. I’d appreciate it if you could back me up on that.”

  Her father frowned. “You aren’t still sending her money, are you?”

  Marley set her glass down with a thunk, missing her own coaster by a foot. “Dad, can we not talk about this?”

  Her father looked up and shrugged. “Whatever you want, honey. You know I’m just concerned about your financial security.”

  “I appreciate that,” Marley said tightly, not appreciating it much at all. “I’m here in Bend for a fresh start, Dad. No one here knows my mother is a criminal, so maybe you could keep that information to yourself?”

  Walter raised one hand. “Say no more. So did you meet any men at the charity event?”

  “What?”

  “Events like that are a great place to meet single people who have their financial priorities in line. It could be a nice way for you to find someone.”

  Marley sighed, wondering if it was too late to turn the conversation back to her ex-fiancé or her long-lost mother or root canals or anything more appealing than this. Magoo hopped up on the couch beside her and rested his head in her lap. She stroked his ears as Magoo began the tedious process of bathing her arm with his tongue.

  “I already found the best guy on the planet,” Marley said, scratching Magoo beneath the chin. “Magoo is a more likeable guy than anyone I’ve ever dated.”

  “I don’t doubt it. But wouldn’t it be handy to also have a guy who walks upright and can pick up the tab at a restaurant?”

  Marley shook her head. “I’m not looking for a rich guy, Dad. I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime.”

  She waited to see if he took that as a personal insult, but he merely shrugged. “Money comes with perks, Marley. It’s a fact of life.”

  “It comes with drama, too. I was serious the other day when I said I’m done with rich guys. I want to meet someone more blue-collar. Someone more normal. Someone with different priorities than the men I’ve dated before.”

  Her father raised his eyebrows but said nothing, turning back to his computer. Marley wriggled her toes under his leg, feeling six years old again and eager to please her father with something she’d made out of macaroni and paste.

  “There’s a very nice wildlife specialist at the museum. Derek.” She paused and bit her lip. “I mean Darin. Anyway, I might try dating him. He seems like a very nice, normal, down-to-earth guy who probably doesn’t have a bank account the size of Texas.”

  Her dad sighed. “Just be careful, Marley. You know how you can be with money.”

  The words felt like a knife between the ribs. “How I can be with money,” she repeated, digesting the words. “I’ve built my entire career around money. Around handling donors’ contributions with wisdom and aplomb and professionalism.”

  “And I’m very proud of you, honey.” He patted her knee. “It’s just a shame things haven’t gone as well in your personal life. But if you find a good man who can—”

  “You know, Dad, I’m really tired.” Marley jumped up, done with the conversation, done with her drink, just done. “I think I’m going to turn in for the night.”

  Her father looked at her and sighed. “I only want what’s best for you.”

  “I know that. We just have a different opinion about what that is.”

  Her father nodded and took a small sip of his drink. “Good night, sugar. Sleep well.”

  Marley nodded and bent to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks for looking out for Magoo all evening.”

  “No problem. We had a good time watching HBO and licking things around the house.”

  She managed a small smile. “Sleep well, Dad.”

  “You too, baby.” He put his earbuds back in, and Marley watched him turn up the volume on whatever he’d been listening to when she’d walked in. Probably hip-hop so he could be current on the latest musical trends for his young wife. Marley sighed and turned away, and Magoo hopped down from the sofa to follow her.

  Marley padded through the living room, across the foyer, and down the hall toward the bedroom with Magoo trotting after her. She got halfway down the hall when a knock sounded at the door. Magoo barked once, then sat down on his haunches in the foyer and waited to see what exciting thing might be happening.

  Marley pivoted on her bare heels and headed for the front door. She gave a fleeting thought to whether it was wise to throw open the door to a stranger at eleven p.m. on a Thursday night, but she was too tired to care.

  She unlocked the deadbolt, yanked open the door, and screamed.

  Chapter 5

  At the sound of Marley’s scream, Will dropped the giant pink bunny he’d lugged all the way to her front porch. The massive stuffed rabbit landed with its ear flopped over Will’s crotch and its glassy eyes leering gleefully. He shoved the animal’s head aside and grinned at Marley, who gaped at him from the doorway.

  “Sorry about that,” he said. “I take it you weren’t expecting company?”

  Marley blinked and looked from Will to the bunny and back to Will again. Her hair was tousled and her feet were bare, and Will was certain he’d never seen her look so beautiful.

  “I wasn’t expecting a four-foot pink rabbit at the door at eleven p.m. on a Thursday night.”

  “Good point. Giant pink rabbits generally appear on Wednesdays at noon.”

  “Will, what the hell is this?”

  He rested one hand on the rabbit’s head and tried to keep his eyes off Marley’s cleavage. She was still wearing that black dress with the billowy neckline that gave him small glimpses of her flesh whenever she moved just right. Maybe if she stooped down for a closer look at the rabbit…

  “Rabbit,” Will said, struggling to direct the blood back into his brain. “That’s a very good question, though. One I asked myself at least four times as I drove here with a gargantuan pink rodent in the passenger seat of my car. For the record, she wore a seat belt.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. But why is the gargantuan pink rodent on my porch?”

  “Bed insisted,” Will said. “She wanted to make sure you got the message that she was pleased with how you handled the party this evening. She also wanted an extra special way to present you with this.”

  He lifted one of the rabbit’s floppy arms, waving it in Marley’s direction until she looked down and spotted the envelope safety-pinned to the creature’s pink paw. He watched her brows raise quizzically, and she studied the envelope for a moment before looking back at Will.

  “That’s for me?”

  “That’s for Cheez Whiz, but Bed wanted to be sure it was delivered to you personally.”

  Marley licked her lips and bent down to unpin the envelope. The neckline of her dress gaped open, and Will felt himself grow dizzy. He diverted his gaze to a huge bronze statue that looked like a pterodactyl preparing to crash into the wall, and he studied it intently as Marley tore open the envelope.

  “Oh my Go
d,” she said.

  Will looked back at her, relieved to see she was standing at an angle that kept her tempting flesh off display. Her face was pale, and when she raised her eyes to his, they were wide and stunned.

  “Is this for real?” she asked.

  “I believe so.”

  “Is she joking?”

  “Bed never jokes,” Will answered. “I didn’t see the amount, but I trust it’s either embarrassingly large or she just enrolled you in a jelly-of-the-month club?”

  Marley blinked again. “This is more than ten times the biggest donation of the night. And that’s saying something, considering we had some very generous donors this evening.”

  Will nodded, not particularly surprised. “Bed does love the grand gesture. Hence the ugly pink rabbit.” Will looked down at the creature again, then back at Marley. “Do you mind if I bring this inside? I don’t want your neighbors to see it. They might get jealous, and before you know it, they’ll all expect me to show up on their doorsteps with massive pink stuffed animals.”

  “Right. Um, how about right here against the wall?”

  Marley pointed at a spot in the foyer next to the airsick pterodactyl, and Will bent down and picked up the rabbit. He half-carried, half-dragged it to the wall and propped it up beside the statue. Marley shut the door behind him and turned to study the arrangement. One of the bunny’s massive ears flopped over its button eyes, and Will tucked it back along the side of the creature’s head. The ear promptly slid back.

  Will shrugged. “A word of warning—it has those eyes that look like they’re following you no matter where you move. It’s kinda creepy.”

  “Creepy doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

  Magoo trotted over to inspect the new arrival. He sniffed one of the massive feet, then the other. He gave a tentative lick to the fur on the creature’s belly, then sneezed. He trotted to the other side and surveyed the animal’s massive leg. Hoisting himself up with a grunt, Magoo began to hump it enthusiastically.

  “Magoo, stop that!” Marley hissed, giving him a light nudge with her toe.

  Magoo was undaunted. He closed his doggie eyes in bliss and readjusted his position. The rabbit bounced pleasantly as the ear flopped back and forth over its beady eye.

  Marley grimaced and tried in vain to shoo her dog away. “Magoo, stop it! Go on—get.”

  Magoo ignored her and shifted positions.

  “There’s no stopping true love,” Will said. “Or puppy love. Or in this instance, a strong case of salax.”

  Marley stopped shooing and looked up at Will. “Salax?”

  “It’s Latin,” he said. “It means lecherous, lustful, lascivious—”

  “Horny?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Why am I not surprised you know the Latin word for horny?”

  Will shrugged and looked back at Magoo, who seemed to be picking up speed. “You have to admire the effort. Impressive stamina, Magoo.”

  Marley frowned and clapped her hands. “Magoo, seriously—stop.”

  The command fell on deaf ears, though Will had the sense she didn’t really mean it. They both stood for a moment, watching as Magoo released his grip on one leg and moved to the other side of the rabbit. With a delighted snort, he heaved himself onto the rabbit’s other leg and got back to work.

  “I suppose the rabbit should be grateful Magoo is neutered,” Marley said. “Did you know rabbits are capable of conceiving starting at three months old, and the average gestation period is thirty-one days?”

  “And now I understand where the term ‘breeding like rabbits’ comes from. Are you always such a font of trivial animal facts?”

  Marley shrugged. “Since I accepted this job, I’ve been doing my best to develop and demonstrate my wildlife knowledge.”

  “You know Cheez Whiz doesn’t require you to be an expert on everything, right?”

  Marley flushed and looked back at the rabbit, which was still clenched in Magoo’s passionate embrace. “Does the bunny have a name?”

  “I’m glad you asked. Bed wanted me to be sure and let you know Pookie is from her personal collection. She has more than 600 rabbits, in case you’re wondering.”

  “None of them living, I hope?”

  “Fortunately not. Had she sent a live rabbit, things might be going differently for Magoo.”

  Marley frowned down at her pet. “I’ve never had a dog before. Should I… um… make him stop?”

  “He isn’t hurting anything.”

  “I didn’t get a chance to walk him today, so I guess it’s good exercise.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  They both looked away from Magoo, and Will felt his gut clench as their eyes met. He didn’t blink, and Marley’s eyes held his with the same intensity. Something shifted between them, and Will felt the temperature in the room rise at least twenty degrees.

  He wasn’t sure which of them would speak first, or if he was even capable of speech. He caught the faint scent of blueberries in the air and breathed deeply, filling his lungs with warm air. Marley blinked and touched her fingertips to the base of her throat. An odd gesture, but one that left Will aching to trail his own fingers over that heated patch of flesh.

  At last, he found his voice. “It’s a good thing we’re standing here witnessing one of the least romantic displays imaginable.” His voice sounded dark, strained. “Eliminates any urge we might have to repeat the scene from your kitchen.”

  Marley bit her lip. “Totally.”

  “A dog humping a giant pink rabbit—definitely a mood killer.”

  “Of course.”

  “Not that there was a mood to begin with.”

  Neither of them looked at Magoo. Their eyes stayed locked together, and Will realized for the first time that Marley’s were the most beautiful shade of hazel with flecks of silver. She bit her lip and tucked a strand of blond hair behind one ear.

  Will took a fractional step closer, not sure what prompted him to do it.

  Okay, he had a pretty good idea.

  “It would be a really stupid idea for us to kiss right now,” he said.

  “Ridiculous.”

  “There are strict company policies against it.”

  “Absolutely,” Marley breathed. “I can’t afford to lose my job.”

  “It would be highly unprofessional for the board chairman to break such an important rule.”

  “And I’m avoiding men who have more money than God.”

  Will took another step closer. “I can’t actually vouch for the current balance in the Almighty’s bank account.”

  Marley took a shuddery breath and moved a fraction of an inch closer. “How much do you really oversee my position?”

  They lunged for each other at the same time, their teeth colliding in a most unromantic fashion as Magoo grunted and skittered between their ankles.

  This shouldn’t be hot, Will thought.

  But it was.

  If their first kiss had been tentative, this one was nothing like it. The intensity of it left Will panting and dizzy, his hands fumbling to touch every inch of her at once. He slid his palms to the sides of her face and he kissed her hard and deep, his tongue tangling with hers. Marley pushed him back against the door and molded her body against his, her lush curves fitting perfectly against his chest. She pressed her body into him, and Will groaned as her hip bone grazed his growing arousal.

  Will broke the kiss, panting hard, eager to feel his mouth against other planes of flesh. He kissed his way down her throat, pausing to savor the throb of her pulse against his lips. Her skin was the softest thing he’d ever felt, and she smelled faintly of blueberries. He breathed her in, feeling dizzy all over again. He moved his lips at last, kissing his way across her throat before brushing his mouth against her earlobe. Marley whimpered and gripped his sh
oulders hard, pressing her body against his, driving Will mad with the gentle pressure of her pelvis against the fly of his jeans.

  Steady, steady.

  He traced his tongue against the soft skin behind her ear, breathing her in, feeling her gasp against his throat. He slid one hand up and nudged the strap of her dress across her shoulder, exposing two more inches of flesh. He devoured it like a starving man, grazing the bone with his teeth to feel her writhe against him. Marley gasped and dug her nails into his shoulders, urging him on.

  God, she feels amazing.

  Will slid his hands around her back, his fingers tracing her spine to where her bare flesh disappeared beneath the fabric of the dress. He found the top of the zipper and he hesitated there, waiting for some sign from Marley.

  “Ahem.”

  It wasn’t the sign Will had in mind, and the sound definitely hadn’t come from the woman in his arms. Will drew back and blinked at the tall, gray-haired stranger standing with arms folded over his chest in the alcove between the foyer and the kitchen. He wasn’t holding a shotgun, but he wasn’t offering a glass of wine, either.

  Will nodded, not entirely sure what etiquette called for in these circumstances.

  “Sir,” Will said. “Nice evening.”

  The man said nothing, and Marley whirled around to face him. Will watched her eyes fly wide and her flushed cheeks lose two shades of color.

  “Dad!” she gasped. “Um, hey. I forgot… um, did you need something?”

  Marley smoothed her hands over her dress, a desperate attempt to brush Will’s handprints off the fabric. He said a quick farewell to his dream of seeing the dress puddled on the floor at his feet and took a step away from Marley.

  “Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He stuck out his hand. “Will Barclay.”

  The man hesitated a moment, then gave Will’s hand a brief shake. “Walter Cartman. I wasn’t aware you were expecting company, Marley.”

  Marley cleared her throat and smoothed down her dress again, and Will tried not to be distracted by the sight of her hands on her body. “It’s okay, Dad. Will was just dropping something off. Er, that.”