But years ago she had vowed never to let fear control her life. This experience might be totally unexpected, it might come to a painful conclusion, but in the meantime, she was going to savor every second of it.
Chapter Seven
Ricky took an icy shower to cool down enough to face Allie again. That dress his sister had brought over ought to be banned…except in the privacy of his home. He wouldn’t mind seeing Allie in it night and day. It was only a sundress, nothing fancy, but it did devastating things with her already potent eyes, drew attention to every dip and curve of her body, revealing way too much satiny skin in the process. He’d promised to take her dancing so she could wear it, but he already hated the prospect of other men ogling her.
When he went looking for her after his shower, he was relieved to find that she’d changed, though the white shorts and T-shirt she had on now weren’t much of an improvement. She still looked way too tempting. Apparently his displeasure was evident, because she frowned when she saw the way he was studying her.
“Is everything okay?”
“Fine,” he said tersely. “Are you ready to go?”
“Whenever you are,” she said at once.
He gestured toward the door, then followed her out, trying to keep his gaze focused on something other than the sway of those slender hips and the bare expanse of shapely thighs. At this rate he was going to have to start buying his jeans in a larger size.
“Any preferences for lunch?” he asked when they were in the car.
“It’s up to you. Whatever works with your plans.”
“Are you always so agreeable?” he inquired irritably.
Her gaze seared him. “I thought I was being considerate,” she said stiffly. “If there’s a problem, I can stay here.”
Ricky sighed. “Absolutely not. The only problem is me. I’m tired and cranky and taking it out on you.”
“Maybe you’d rather take a nap than go to lunch,” she suggested as if he were an irritable toddler.
Ricky ground his teeth together. “We’re going to lunch,” he insisted, glad she couldn’t hear his tone of voice, which was less than gracious. “I know the perfect spot. It’s guaranteed to put me in a better mood.”
She gave him a wry look. “Then by all means, let’s go there.”
Even as he drove across the Rickenbacker Causeway, Ricky could feel the tension slipping away. With the sky a brilliant blue and the water of both Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic sparkling, it was hard to think about anything other than how lucky he was to live in such a place.
He glanced at Allie and saw that she, too, looked more relaxed as she studied the narrow strip of palm-tree-lined beach and the water beyond. He tapped her arm, drawing her attention.
“Can’t beat the view, can you? Look back toward the city,” he suggested, indicating the Miami skyline over his left shoulder.
Allie nodded. “I know. It’s my favorite drive. I come to Key Biscayne almost every weekend.”
“Have you been to the restaurant in the state park?”
“The one at the lighthouse?”
He shook his head. “The other one.”
Her expression brightened. “I didn’t know there was another one.”
“You’ll love the setting,” he promised.
A few minutes later, after driving through the small village of Key Biscayne, with its stretch of oceanfront condos and hotels on one side and mansions on the other, they reached the state park at the tip of the island. Ricky paid the admission, then made a right turn that took them to an inlet referred to as No-Name Harbor.
Built on stilts so that it sat above the water was a small, no-frills restaurant with an outdoor deck that faced back toward the southwest. The view was best at sunset, but even at midday it was like being on an isolated island, rather than just minutes from downtown Miami. A few boats bobbed at anchor in the harbor and a few diners sat with beers and fresh fish, enjoying the mild breeze that offered relief from the steamy early-October heat.
“Like it?” he asked Allie.
“It’s wonderful,” she said.
“A little rustic, but the fish is fabulous. You have the feeling they just threw in a line and caught it about the same time you placed an order.”
Once they’d ordered their own fish sandwiches and drinks—a soda for her, a beer for him—he sat back with a sigh. A moment later he felt Allie’s gaze on him. She gave him a slow smile.
“You look better already,” she said.
“I feel better. Sorry about before.”
“Want to tell me why you were so uptight?”
“Not especially.”
“It did have something to do with me, though, didn’t it? Ricky, if our arrangement isn’t working for you, just say so. I can find someplace to go. I don’t want to take advantage of an impetuous offer you’d rather you hadn’t made.”
“It’s not that,” he protested. “I just hadn’t counted on…”
“Yes? Talk to me. We have to be able to communicate.”
Her gaze was so trusting, so expectant, that he knew he’d never be able to lie to her face just to save them both a little awkwardness. “Okay, you want the honest-to-goodness truth?”
“Of course.”
He thought of half a dozen ways to put it before finally settling for being blunt. “I’m attracted to you.”
To his astonishment, she feigned an exaggerated sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness,” she said. “I was worried it was my imagination.”
“It’s not funny, Allie.”
She placed her hand on top of his. “Ricky, we’re both adults. I’m not going to jump in bed with a man just because I’m attracted to him, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to admit the obvious.”
His gaze narrowed. “Which is?”
“That I’m attracted to you, too.”
He wasn’t sure whether he was relieved or appalled by her admission. It definitely made things more complicated.
“I just want you to know that I’m not going to do anything to take advantage of the situation,” he said.
Amusement flickered in her eyes. “Good, because I wouldn’t let you even if you tried.”
She said it with absolute confidence, as if she had loads of experience protecting herself from men like him. Ricky doubted that she did, but he had to admire her faith in her own values. Or maybe it was a lack of faith in his powers of persuasion.
He seized the hand that had been resting atop his. “Careful, angel. Some men might consider that to be a challenge.”
“Are you one of them?” she asked, clearly more curious than fearful.
“On occasion,” he admitted. “I’ve rarely been one to turn down a dare.”
To his amazement her lips curved into a slow, provocative smile. “Then it will be very interesting to see how you handle this one, won’t it?”
He groaned at the blatant taunt. Every time he turned around, Allie Matthews was surprising him. Something told him that for the first time in his life he had met his match.
Allie watched the play of expressions on Ricky’s face and took a great deal of satisfaction from clearly having stunned him. She knew she was playing with fire, but she also trusted him more than anyone she’d ever known. He had said he wouldn’t take advantage of their situation, and she believed him. That gave her the freedom to test her powers of seduction.
She studied Ricky’s now-wary expression and congratulated herself. So far she seemed to be quite good at it.
It also seemed like a smart time to scale back the game. “Which nephew is playing soccer this afternoon?”
Ricky stared at her blankly. “What?”
“I was asking about the soccer game. Is it one of Maria’s sons who’s playing?”
He nodded. “Tomás. He’s actually quite good.”
“How old is he?”
“Six.”
“They have a soccer league for six-year-olds?”
“They do indeed. Of course,
the kids are a little older before the game actually resembles real soccer, but they have a great time, and they’re very enthusiastic. My brother-in-law coaches.”
“Why not you?”
He grinned. “I coached for one week, but I kept forgetting they were only six. My competitive spirit kicked in and I put way too much pressure on them. After the first game my sister threatened to ban me from the stands as well as the sidelines. We compromised. I can sit in the stands, but I have to keep my mouth shut. Maria sits next to me to make sure I don’t forget. I’m pretty sure she and her husband have a bet on how long my silence will last.”
Allie chuckled. “Who’s betting on you?”
“No one,” he admitted, his expression rueful. “The only question seems to be when, not if, I will break my promise.” He studied her. “How are you feeling? Do you think you’ll be up to stopping by? Your color is better today.”
“I feel better,” she admitted. “But I don’t know if I can last a whole game, and I don’t want you to have to leave before it’s over.”
“Haven’t you been listening? You’ll probably be doing everyone a favor if you get me away from there. You will earn Maria’s undying gratitude, to say nothing of little Tomás’s.”
“Then I’d love to go,” she said, looking forward to seeing Maria again and to meeting her family. “Will the other boys be there?”
“Absolutely, though they’re usually running around and getting into mischief.”
A half hour later, Ricky pulled into a parking lot beside a soccer field. The game was apparently already under way, because the attention of the adults in the stands was riveted on the field.
As Allie and Ricky walked in that direction, three dark-haired boys, who seemed to range in age from seven or eight down to three or four, spotted him and raced in their direction.
“Guess what?” the oldest one shouted, his face flushed with excitement. “Tomás scored a goal, all by himself.”
“Only because the goalie ran off the field to go to the bathroom,” his younger brother countered.
Ricky laughed. “That does make it easier,” he said, then turned to Allie. “At six, the finer points of waiting for substitutions or time-outs seems to elude them.”
“I can imagine,” she said dryly. It would drive a particularly competitive coach to distraction. “Glad you’re not coaching?”
“Glad I’m not coaching the other side, anyway.”
The littlest boy was tugging on his hand. “Uncle Ricky. Uncle Ricky.”
“What is it, niño?” he asked, scooping the boy into his arms.
The child pointed at Allie. “Who’s she? Is she the one everybody’s talking about?”
Allie was a bit disconcerted to discover that she’d been the topic of conversation in the family, but Ricky didn’t seem the least bit surprised.
“Yes, she is,” he told his nephew. “This is my friend, Allie Matthews. Allie, this little munchkin here is Miguel. His big brother is Pedro. Pedro is a budding musician.”
Pedro politely extended a hand. “Hello.”
Allie regarded him with immediate interest. “What kind of music do you like?”
“I play the violin,” he told her shyly.
“I used to play the violin, too,” she told him, aware that Ricky was staring at her with surprise that swiftly changed to sympathy as he realized the full implications of the revelation. “In fact, until I lost my hearing, I was going to be a music major. Sometimes I even played with a symphony orchestra.”
Pedro’s eyes widened. “Wow, that is so cool. How come you didn’t tell us that, Uncle Ricky?”
“Because until just now I didn’t know it.”
Allie felt a tug on her arm and looked down into an upturned face.
“I’m a big brother, too,” the remaining boy protested. “I’m Ramón, but my friends call me Ray. I’m five.”
Allie grinned. “I’m glad to meet you, too, Ray.”
“Is it true you were almost buried alive?” Pedro asked, clearly fascinated by the gruesome prospect.
Allie couldn’t prevent the shudder that washed over her.
Ricky winced. “Sorry,” he said to her, giving her hand a squeeze. He turned to his nephew. “Pedro, you don’t ask people a question like that.”
“But Mama said—”
“I don’t care what your mother said. It’s not polite to ask about something that would be very upsetting if it were true. Would you want to talk about it if you’d been trapped in a building that collapsed?”
Of course, a seven-year-old couldn’t really imagine exactly how dire a circumstance that might be. Pedro’s expression turned thoughtful, then decisive. “I think it would be cool.”
“It would not be cool,” his uncle declared.
“But you rescued her, didn’t you? She’s okay, and that makes you a hero. All my friends are talking about you. I can’t wait till you come to my concert on Thursday so they can all meet you.”
“Enough,” Ricky said, ending the discussion, clearly embarrassed by the talk of his heroics.
“It’s okay,” Allie said. She smiled at Pedro. “I can imagine it must seem pretty exciting, but believe me, it wasn’t. It was scary until your uncle came along. He really is a hero.”
“I knew it!” Pedro shouted exuberantly, and went racing off, no doubt to repeat the story. Miguel and Ray scrambled to keep up with him.
“Obviously you’ve made a conquest,” Ricky told her. “Why didn’t you tell me about your music before?”
“It never came up,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, I try not to think about it too much.”
“I’m sorry. Losing something you loved like that, something you’d intended to spend your life doing, must have been as hard as losing your hearing.”
“It was,” she said in a way that she hoped would end the topic.
Ricky took the hint and led the way to the stands. Allie noticed quite a lot of speculative looks aimed in their direction as they climbed up to join Maria. Ricky tried to maneuver Allie toward the space next to his sister, but Maria shook her head.
“Oh, no, you don’t, Enrique. You sit next to me so I can clamp a hand over that big mouth of yours, if you forget yourself.” She regarded Allie apologetically. “It’s not that I wouldn’t rather have you beside me.”
“I understand,” Allie said with a grin. “Completely.”
“He told you, then, about his abominable behavior.”
“He swears he has reformed,” Allie confided.
“Ha! That I will believe when I see it.”
“Okay, when you two have finished having your fun, I’d like to concentrate on the game,” Ricky said.
Maria clucked disapprovingly. “It is the concentrating that is the start of the trouble. We are here for fun. That is all.”
“There is nothing wrong with wanting to win,” he countered defensively.
“Only when you wish to win at all costs. Now behave. You are making a bad impression on Allie.”
He scowled at his sister. “And that would matter to you because…?”
“Because I like her,” she said, winking at Allie.
Ricky draped an arm across Allie’s shoulders. “I like her, too,” he said, his gaze locked with Allie’s.
“At last, something we can agree on,” Maria said.
The warm acceptance of Maria and the flash of lust in Ricky’s eyes combined to make Allie feel as if she had stumbled into her heart’s desire. This was what she had always craved—the teasing, the sense of belonging. If the hurricane had been her worst nightmare, this…this was her dream.
She sighed. Ricky instantly cupped her chin and studied her face.
“Everything okay? Are you too hot? Tired? Would you like something to drink? There are sodas available.”
The barrage of solicitous questions made her smile. “I’m okay. Stop worrying. I’ll tell you if I need something or if I want to go.”
She caught the smirk of satisfaction o
n Maria’s face and had to resist the urge to return it with a smug grin of her own.
“So, Enrique,” Maria began, her expression suddenly innocent. “Will you and Allie be coming to Mama’s for dinner tomorrow?”
Allie held her breath as she waited for him to reply. Was he ready to subject himself to the speculation of the rest of his family? Was she, for that matter?
“What do you think, Allie?” he asked, his expression neutral.
“I think it’s up to you. This is your family. Maybe we should discuss it when we get home.”
He brightened at the reprieve. “Good idea.”
“Well, I hope you’ll be there, Allie,” Maria said. “Everyone else is dying to meet you.”
“I can just imagine,” Ricky murmured, his voice apparently too low for his sister to hear, because she didn’t react.
Allie, however, grinned. “Maria might not have heard that,” she said. “But I did.”
“It’s not bad enough that I have a mother who, I swear, has eyes in the back of her head? I have to meet a woman who can read my mind?”
“It wasn’t your mind,” she said. “It was your lips.”
“Whatever,” he said miserably. “I’m doomed.”
Maria, her eyes full of mischief, turned in their direction. “Yes, little brother, I think maybe you are.”
In the end Allie opted not to go to the Wilders’ for dinner. Ricky swore that he wanted her to come if she felt up to it, but she was beginning to sense that he was totally bewildered by how quickly things were happening between them. The truth was, she was no less confused. She concluded that a day apart would be good for both of them.
“But you’ll be all alone,” he protested.
“Not if you’ll call Jane and give her a ride over here.”
She couldn’t deny that he had seemed relieved by the compromise. And Jane had been ecstatic at the idea of getting an afternoon away from her sister. She had arrived with a picnic hamper packed with food.
“But I’d planned to fix something,” Allie protested when she saw it.
A Love Beyond Words Page 8