The psychologist in her wanted to know the inner workings of this man. But she knew that if she was lying in bed alone and thinking about him touching her, professionalism would be totally forgotten.
Warmth flooded her inner thighs and she squeezed them together to try to quell the pleasurable sensation, but the movement only enhanced it.
“I know you were a freshman in high school, but what age were you when you moved to Baker’s Falls?” she asked in what she hoped was a steady voice.
He leaned back against the leather seat. “I was thirteen. Wes, my brother, was ten. My dad told us we were leaving Pinecrest and moving up in the world. Just like The Jeffersons.”
Derek fingered one shoulder-length dreadlock, his expression sober.
“But when we got here,” he continued, “it seemed like nothing had changed except the zip code. Even the rats were the same.”
Natalie shuddered. “Rats?”
He nodded. His voice grave, adding, “Big as cats!”
She peered at the house again, disgust slithering through her body.
Derek chuckled. “I’m sure they’re gone by now.” He patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry.”
His polite touch translated into a slingshot of pleasure. It arrowed through her, making her want to close her eyes and indulge in its power, yet somehow she managed to keep her eyes on his face.
“Then let’s not wait a moment longer, let’s go!”
She moved to open the door, but stopped when he gripped her arm, not tightly, but firmly.
“Wait,” he commanded in an urgent tone.
She pulled her arm toward her and he released it. His face was apologetic, and she knew he hadn’t meant to grab her so suddenly. He’d acted out of instinct or some kind of need.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Orangish light from the street lamps filtered through the leaves, casting shadows inside the car. Yet nothing could hide the flicker of fear she saw in his eyes.
His upper lip trembled slightly. “Do they know I’m coming?”
“Of course not,” she assured him gently. “When I booked the reservations yesterday, I put them under my name. You being here will be a complete surprise.”
Derek ran his hand over his head and blew out a ragged breath. “God, I don’t even remember if my dad or my brother even like surprises.”
She moved to open the door. “Who doesn’t like surprises?” she joked, but she knew Derek wasn’t laughing.
He tugged on her arm. “Natalie, I don’t know about this.”
His touch was sweeter and gentler this time, and she didn’t immediately pull away.
“The memories,” he continued, releasing her arm. “The things I did... The stuff I said...” He hung his head and his voice drifted off on a trail of pain.
Her heart twisted in her chest with recognition. The way he was feeling right now was how she felt every day. The regret was like a parasite that grew and festered.
She’d hurt her family, too, but it was too late to reconcile.
She inhaled the sweet fragrance of daffodils permeating the air through the open windows of the Jeep and tried to relax. A car suddenly sped past and broke the uncomfortable silence.
Derek lifted his head and turned toward her. “To be honest, I’m not sure I’m even welcome there anymore,” he admitted. “What if they slam the door in my face?”
Natalie had no way of knowing how receptive his brother and father would be to a reunion. His fears could be justified. But as his life coach, it was her job to support and comfort him through it. Without getting emotionally involved, of course. That would be the tough part.
“Reunions are...stressful,” Natalie said. “Especially when there are unresolved issues. But family always forgives.”
He shook his head. “No way. Not my family,” he retorted. “Especially not my dad.”
His tone had an edge of bitterness, but she knew it was only because he was hurting inside. And although she hated to see Derek in pain, it meant he could still feel. His heart was still soft. Pliable. And there was still a chance it could heal.
“Maybe he doesn’t know how,” she said softly. “Maybe it’s up to you to show him.”
He slumped in his seat and turned his head toward her.
“Why do I feel like I’m about to jump out of a plane?”
She stared at him in amazement. Unknowingly, he’d tapped into something she’d been trying to deny for months.
Deep down, she knew they were both standing on the precipice of some kind of change. Embracing it meant taking a leap of faith, which was hard when you didn’t know what was going to happen when you hit the ground.
“Well, I’ve never jumped out of a plane, but I imagine it’s not so bad if you have a parachute.” She touched his hand. “And a partner.”
He raised a brow, leaned over and ran his finger down her cheek.
“Oh, yeah? Which one are you?”
Her breath hitched. She was grateful he couldn’t see the confusion in her eyes. The truth was, she didn’t know the answer, and that was the most frightening thing of all.
Leap of faith.
Natalie tilted her head and grinned. “Jump and find out,” she dared.
Before he could respond, she grabbed her purse and hopped out of the car. She exhaled in relief when he got out, too.
He pulled their luggage out of the back. “Is that another challenge?”
Natalie lifted the handle of her roll-on suitcase. “You bet it is.”
Her heels clicked on the stone pavement as she walked away. Moments later she felt a tug on her elbow.
Derek stepped in close. “Then I accept.”
Even darkness couldn’t mask the desire that stretched between them. She bit her lip to keep from trembling.
Without another word, he released her, walked onto the porch and set his bags down.
She followed and for a moment she admired Derek under the glow of the porch light. He was the type of guy who always looked fine, no matter what time of day.
Natalie felt a little like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, staring at the polished oak door in front of them. What happened when it opened would set the tone for the rest of their time in Baker’s Falls.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Almost,” he responded.
Her eyes followed his hand as he smoothed the travel wrinkles from the front of his khaki pants. Her mouth went dry as thoughts she shouldn’t be having skipped through her brain.
Their eyes met. Although she didn’t know exactly what he was feeling at that moment, she imagined it was probably similar to how she’d felt when she was about to skate a championship. Where everything was on the line. Just before she set blade to ice.
He nodded. “Go for it.”
Without hesitation, she pressed the bell. Seconds later the door opened with such gusto that the pretty wreath hanging on it nearly fell off its hook.
A man she assumed was Derek’s brother, Wes, stood in front of them.
“May I—?”
Natalie held her breath as the expression on the man’s face quickly morphed from welcoming to shock and confusion. When he finally released the doorknob, she saw tears in his eyes as he stuck out his hand.
“Aw, what the devil am I doing?” he exclaimed, immediately wrapping Derek in a huge bear hug. “Welcome home, bro!”
The men embraced. What Derek had in height, Wes had in sheer mass.
Wes punched Derek in the shoulder. They laughed, put their fists up and pretended to box each other.
“Man, it’s good to see you in person and not just on ESPN.”
“I missed you, too, bro,” Derek said.
His voice cracked with emotion, but Natalie heard a sense of fre
edom in it that she hadn’t heard before.
Natalie wiped tears from her eyes at the sight of the two brothers, once estranged, now reunited. All because one took a step and the other didn’t retreat. She was so happy she felt like cheering. They didn’t seem to even notice she was there and that was fine by her.
The two men hugged again.
“We’ve got a lot of catching up to do,” Derek said.
Wes guffawed and slapped Derek’s back. “We can’t do it here on the porch. This is Baker’s Falls. People will talk. C’mon in, man.”
The men started to walk inside the house.
Natalie cleared her throat loudly and they turned around.
“Who’s this pretty lady?” Wes elbowed Derek. “Don’t tell me you forgot the manners Momma taught us.”
Although Wes’s rebuke was good-natured, Natalie detected a veil of anguish on Derek’s face, but it quickly disappeared.
She smiled. “I’m Natalie Kenyon. I believe we spoke earlier on the phone.”
“Ah... Yes. I remember now.” Wes shook a finger at her. “But you neglected to mention you had my brother in tow.”
She waved her palms like jazz hands and her smile was as big as opening night.
“Surprise!”
Their laughter burbled out into the warm spring night, as if they were three old friends rather than three people trying to make the best out of an uncomfortable situation. And for the first time Natalie felt a real sense of hope that Derek and his family could reconcile, even though they still had a long way to go.
“Wes, what’s all the commotion out there?”
The laughter died away at the sound of a woman’s friendly but stern voice.
Wes took his wife’s hand in his. “Janet, I’d like you to meet my brother, Derek Lansing.”
Janet’s eyes widened as she shook Derek’s outstretched hand. “It’s great to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!”
Derek tilted his head toward Wes. “I can only imagine what Wes has told you about me.”
Wes slapped him on the back. “All good things, my long-lost brother. All good things,” he assured him. “And this is Derek’s girlfriend, Natalie.”
Natalie’s eyes went to Derek’s face and he winked at her as though they shared a secret. Heat rose in her face and she opened her mouth to correct Wes. But when she saw Derek give a barely imperceptible shake of his head, she thought better of it.
What was he up to now? she wondered, and decided she’d have to tell his brother the truth at another time. This was a business relationship, not a personal one.
And that’s the way it must remain, she told herself.
She shook Janet’s hand. “Great to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Janet said. “We’ve been holding dinner for you. Are you guys hungry?”
“Starved!” Derek and Natalie proclaimed in unison. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Then let’s eat!” Wes said, clapping his hands together in anticipation.
His wife poked his ample stomach. “You’ve already had your dinner,” she reminded him.
“Then this will be my bedtime snack,” Wes quipped.
Janet let out a sigh of mock disgust and walked into the house.
Derek grabbed the luggage and strode into the center hall, while Natalie followed. When they were all inside, Wes closed and locked the door.
Derek looked around at the antiques, flea-market knickknacks and dark crown molding. His face held a mix of awe and amusement. “Wow, this place looks different then I remembered it.”
Natalie held back a giggle. It was obvious he’d never been in a romantic bed-and-breakfast.
Wes gestured toward the rose-colored walls. “The structure and floor plan hasn’t changed.”
Janet interrupted. “And I did all the decorating.” She beamed.
“It’s beautiful,” Natalie affirmed.
“Nothing is as beautiful as my girl,” Derek said, looping his arm around Natalie’s neck.
She felt her face redden. His casualness both pleased and irked her. Why did he insist upon carrying on this charade?
“Go ahead and leave your bags here,” Janet directed. “Wes can bring them upstairs later, after he helps me get dinner on the table. Come on, honey.”
After Wes dutifully followed his wife into the kitchen, Derek stowed their luggage next to an antique hall tree and began to walk away.
Natalie snagged the end of his shirt just before he stepped out of reach.
“What do you think you’re doing telling your brother I’m your girlfriend?” she whispered.
He shrugged, but there was a mischievous smile upon his lips.
“I didn’t tell him, he assumed it,” he whispered back.
She frowned and lifted her chin. “I noticed you didn’t correct him.”
Derek put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Her breath whooshed out of her in shock.
“Neither did you!” he reminded her, resting the tip of his finger on her bottom lip. The texture of his skin was slightly rough and she wrestled with the inner urge to stick out her tongue for a taste. Or a playful bite.
But she never got the chance. For as quick as he embraced her, he released her, leaving her to catch her breath.
“Because you winked at me!” she accused.
Her knees shook when his eyes tripped over her large breasts with no apology and seemed reluctant to return to her face.
“Oh, is that all I have to do to get you to do what I want?” he teased. “I just need to wink?”
Her cheeks heated at his boldness, not with anger, but because deep down she liked his attention, even though she knew it was wrong.
Wes called out, “You guys get lost?”
She blew out a ragged breath. “We’ll continue this later.”
He winked. “I hope so!”
She turned on her heel and strode off, aware of his eyes on her body as he followed close behind.
After holding the kitchen door open for her, Derek pulled out Natalie’s chair and she sat.
“Ladies first,” he whispered, and the subdued bass in his voice resonated in her ears. He gave her shoulders a little squeeze, and then moved to the other side of the country-style pine table and sat opposite her.
Janet stepped to the table and placed a large bowl of salad and a basket of hot crusty rolls amid the sterling-silver flatware, linen napkins and pretty cobalt-blue plates.
Wes followed with a casserole dish steaming with homemade lasagna. He set it on a trivet right in front of Natalie and the delicious aroma wafted to her and made her appetite soar.
When the couple seated themselves, Derek unfolded his napkin.
“Everything smells and looks delicious,” he said, his eyes seeking Natalie’s.
She blushed and quickly dropped her gaze. The yearning she felt for him reflected back in the shiny plate in front of her. His simple touch and sensual voice kindled a deep, physical need she’d dare not explore.
Wes picked up some tongs and started to toss the salad. “Just wait till you taste it. My wife is a wonderful cook.”
Janet placed her hands on her hips. “Is that the only reason you married me?” She pouted.
“No way,” declared Wes. The tongs clattered against the stainless-steel bowl as he swooped to pull Janet into a kiss.
Watching them embrace, Natalie’s face burned with envy. She didn’t know how long they’d been married, but it was clear the couple was very much in love. She wished she could experience that kind of relationship. To be swooped off her feet into a passionate kiss at any given moment of the day...
Shame coursed through her and she made a conscious effort to transform her envy into hope. Even though she�
�d never been blessed with the kind of love that Janet and Wes had, as long as she was alive, there was still a chance.
“Stop it,” scolded Janet with a smile on her face. “You’re embarrassing me in front of our guests.” She put a large slice of lasagna on each plate before retaking her seat.
“Don’t mind us,” assured Derek. “I’m glad my brother is happy.”
“And even happier now that you’re here,” replied Wes. He bowed his head and folded his hands. “Lord, thank you for moving a mountain and bringing my brother home. May he know how truly loved he is.”
“Amen,” everyone responded.
Salad and bread were passed around the table. When plates were full, everyone got busy eating.
Natalie groaned inwardly with pleasure. As Wes had promised, the food was delicious. She couldn’t recall the last time she had a home-cooked meal. Normally she ate out with clients or friends. There were so many restaurants to try in her Upper East Side neighborhood and New York City in general that she never needed to cook.
Best of all, no cooking meant her kitchen stayed spotless. And Lord knows, she hated to clean.
Derek was the first to break the silence. “Did Pops already eat or is he still putting in overtime?”
Natalie stopped chewing momentarily. Although Derek’s tone was casual and unaffected, she knew it was a hard question to ask.
Wes wiped his mouth with a napkin. “He’s not here. He moved out ages ago. Before we were even married, right, honey?”
Janet nodded. “We bought the house from him and turned it into a bed-and-breakfast six years ago.”
Derek’s shoulders slumped and Natalie knew he was disappointed.
“Where’s he living now?”
“Above his office,” Wes replied.
Confusion leaped into Derek’s eyes. “He’s living above his office at the school? In the science lab?”
“No, no,” Wes said, chuckling. “He quit working there a long time ago—right after you left to play exhibition.” He took a sip of water. “He’s got his own cleaning business now. People are working for him, instead of the other way around.”
Stealing Kisses Page 5