by Carolyn Rae
Lisa pointed to the image on the iPad. “Let’s add more strips here to build a nose. We can do this together.”
* * * *
Justin watched from the doorway as Luke knocked on the glass door and brushed his hair back, revealing a small scar on his temple Justin hadn’t noticed before.
Tanned and toned, his attractive, one-time dance partner walked toward them, her green T-shirt echoing the green in her eyes and nicely outlining her breasts. He’d felt their softness the night of the dance. Her red hair flowed like silk over her shoulders, making him want to touch it. Her sweet smile had lingered in his mind long after she’d returned to her date. He might be here to check out women who could be the jewel thief, but he really wanted to get to know this woman better.
“Lisa,” Lucas said, “I’d like to introduce Justin Sherrod, a friend who’s visiting me. He may only be here a short while, but I’m sure you’ll see him around.”
“Hi,” Justin said, “Nice to see you again. It’s great to connect with a fellow Texan.”
He shook her hand, her fingers satin smooth and warm, and held on a little longer than usual. “Where do you work during the rest of the year?”
“I teach fifth grade at a Dallas private school.”
“That’s quite a drive from Hurst. Isn’t that right next to Fort Worth?”
“Yes, but it’s worth the drive, except when there’s a traffic jam—which there usually is.” She swiped a lock of hair from her face.
His gaze zeroed in on her ring, remembering he was here to do a job. “That’s a nice ruby.” She was too nice and too friendly to be the thief, but he’d check the description of the missing ring anyway.
She sent him a lovely smile. “Thank you. My parents gave it to me for graduation from UNT. So, what do you do in Dallas?”
“I’ve been managing a jewelry store there. Luke and I were friends in high school. I had some free time, and he’s been urging me to visit and see this place. Maybe we can meet for coffee or a drink someday soon.”
“I’d like that.”
Justin grinned. “Well, I know where to find you.”
* * * *
Lisa watched Justin shut the door behind him. He followed Lucas down the hall, his long legs striding with an easy grace. Justin might have been saying that just to be friendly, but she couldn’t help smiling. He wasn’t at all like Bill. Now here was a guy she’d like to see more of. Just to date, though. She wasn’t ready for anything more.
As she watched Evan and the others work on projects, she glimpsed Justin again standing in the hall opposite the windows. He’d come back to watch. Why?
Later, after he’d gone and it was time for the class to be over, she thanked the children and Alex for helping her clean up. She greeted the parent picking up the last kid. As they walked out the door, she opened her sample test booklet for the Graduate Record Exam. She needed to take it for graduate school so she could get a master’s degree and be eligible for better jobs.
She’d brought the booklet, complete with an answer sheet, and paper to take notes here in case she had a few moments between classes, but she’d been kept busy all morning.
After lunch, she spent the afternoon on the beach, wondering if she’d see Justin walk by, but he didn’t appear. Perhaps he was seeing his date from the dance. Lisa wished she’d been the one he’d danced with most of the night. Man, that guy was smooth on the dance floor. Remembering how it felt to be in his arms, she found it difficult to concentrate. She’d have to study harder tonight when she wasn’t distracted by looking for him at the beach.
Except after supper, all those facts kept swirling around in her head until she got sleepy and went to bed.
The next day she gave her class a different project as the paper mâché wasn’t dry enough to paint. After the children left, she decided to study for an hour, then pick up some lunch, and sit on the beach and do some more. She’d taught her fifth grade class the basics, but now she’d review multiplication and division of fractions.
A quick tap on the door startled her. She looked past the glass door, open to catch the breeze. Justin, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts revealing powerful legs, stood at the door. “May I come in?”
“Of course. I was just preparing for an exam I have to take in two weeks.”
He walked over to her, the scent of his aftershave teasing her senses. He seemed even taller standing this close. “What’s the test for?”
“It’s the GRE. I need to take it, so I can finish my master’s degree.”
““You sound ambitious about improving yourself.”
“It will put me in good stead to apply to Dallas’s most prestigious school for girls.”
“I see.” He flipped through her sample test booklet and grinned. “I feel your pain. Those are tough. I studied for two weeks, but passed it with a good score. How about we grab some sandwiches, and I can quiz you on stuff? We can do it on the beach.”
She hadn’t expected a first date with him to be a study date. She welcomed the chance to be with him, but wasn’t sure how much studying she’d get done. “Sure. That sounds great.”
He led her to a car with a folded beach umbrella stashed in the back. “Want to stop by your place for a swim suit?” He glanced at her bare arms. “Your skin is so fair. I suggest you bring plenty of sunscreen. I wouldn’t want to be blamed for a bad sunburn because I kept you out in the sun all day.” He grinned. “I can help you rub it on. Now get in and put your seat belt on.”
As he followed her directions and drove to her cottage, visions of his smooth hands rubbing lotion all over her, set her insides tingling. She watched his deft movements, enjoying the ripple of muscles as he made a sharp turn.
“You drive this sports car well. Is it like one you own back in Dallas?”
He smiled. “Not really. I’ve never driven one of these.”
At her place, she led him into the living room. The white wicker couch and chairs had comfortable green cushions with a flower print. On an end table sat a framed family picture she’d brought with her. “Have a seat. I’ll change and be ready to go in a few minutes.”
She grabbed both her swim suits and a thin cotton cover-up, headed through her bedroom to the bathroom and shut the door. Should she wear the one piece or the two piece? After putting on the one piece and looking in the mirror, she took it off. She pulled on her bikini, studied her reflection, and decided she looked fun and flirty. She donned her pale green cover-up, slipped on her rhinestone decorated flip-flops and stepped back into the bedroom.
He stood in the doorway and gazed at her. Pushed to speak by the silence, she said, “I’m ready.”
He smiled. “Indeed you are. Bring your test preparation materials. I can help you study.”
His admiring look made her smile all the way to the car. After inquiring as to her preferences, he stopped at a deli and brought out wrapped sandwiches, bottles of soda, and two bags of chips. A few minutes later, he parked and led her to the beach. He set up the umbrella and spread out a blanket under it. She sat, enjoying the breeze and the warm sunshine. Sandpipers chirped as they scampered along the sand near the surging waters. A tiny crab crawled under a rock.
“Oh, look. There’s a sailboat,” she said. “It looks so smooth the way it glides through the water. I bet it would be fun to ride one.”
Justin tuned a boom box to a country station. “It is. My father owns one he sails on Lake Ray Hubbard.”
As they munched sandwiches, he asked her if she’d made any friends here.
“I’ve met a few. I joined a book club group for the summer. It’s a good way to get acquainted.”
“What kinds of crafts do you have the kids do in your class?’
She lifted a finger to her nose and grinned. “I can still smell the flour paste from working with paper mâché. I helped Evan make a wolf head for a play he’ll be in. He was so excited about being the big, bad wolf.” She wiggled her toes in the warm sand, liking the way it gav
e beneath her feet. “Evan growled, pretending to be a wolf. I can’t wait to watch him perform.”
“You’re good with kids. I like the way you encourage them to try new things.”
“I tell them sometimes you make mistakes at first, but that’s not a reason to avoid trying something different.”
Justin nodded. “I agree. I had fun doing grunt work part time for a PI during high school and college, but my family urged me to go into the family business. I manage Harrold’s Jewelry for my stepfather, and I’m good at it, but I’m not sure I want to stay in the business.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s hard to compete with a stepbrother who always takes first place. He has a bigger store, which brings in more profits than mine.”
“Is he older?”
Justin shook his head. “Actually, we’re the same age, but I wasn’t part of his family until I was five and my mother married his father.”
“Do you have any other siblings?”
“I have a half-sister. She’s eighteen, and learning to play a guitar.”
An alarm beeped on his Rolex watch with its green ring surrounding the white face. He pushed a button to turn it off.
“Nice watch. Is it waterproof?”
He nodded. “I wouldn’t take it off and leave it here.”
“So why did it beep?”
“It’s set for my regular time to check inventory at my store and make any changes in the records.”
“You sound like a really efficient manager. I bet you’re a good salesman too.”
He smiled and picked up her tube of sunscreen. “Let me spread this on your back.”
She removed her cover-up, noting his gaze. His appreciative grin made her feel beautiful.
“Don’t know why you want to hide those nice curves.” He took the tube and squeezed a cool gob on her back. His hands smoothing it over her back warmed her skin, making her want to lean back against him. He rubbed the lotion onto her shoulders. She could get used to this—much nicer than doing it herself.
“Ummm, you smell nice,” he murmured into her ear, his mouth so close she could feel his breath on her skin.
She laughed. “Even with the hint of paper mâché paste on my hands?”
“All I can smell is your perfume,” He knelt, facing her and rubbed the cream over her midriff, his fingers lighting embers she’d thought she’d never want to feel again. His gaze met hers as he spread lotion over her neck, his fingers smoothing it down over the rise of her breasts showing above her swimsuit top. She caught her breath, but he stopped at the edge of the fabric.
Maybe a short fling wouldn’t dent her heart—a man with slow hands was bound to be a great lover—not that she’d go that far. She reached for the tube.
He pulled the sunscreen container out of her reach. “I’m not finished yet.” He spread some on her left arm, his fingers caressing her skin all the way down. He smiled, making her pulse speed up. After smoothing lotion over her hand, he turned it over and kissed her palm. “You have such soft skin.”
She smiled. Bill had never said anything like that. Justin gave her other arm the same treatment, making her heart beat faster. “Now shall I put some on your legs?”
Thinking about him touching her inner thighs, she shook her head. Probably best to finish this herself before she got carried away. “Thanks for doing my back. I can take care of my legs.”
Quickly, she rubbed lotion all over her legs, but couldn’t help wondering how it would feel to have his fingers running over them. Remembering how Bill had liked to touch her legs and then plunge into her made her pause.
She really enjoyed Justin’s company, but she’d better keep this relationship at the “just friends” level, no matter how much he turned her on. He was handsome as all get out and nice to boot, but that was no reason to get involved. She’d only be seeing him for a short time, so they wouldn’t even get that far. Besides, she had to study for the test.
Chapter Four
Justin walked beside Lisa into the surf. Beyond them a sailboat glided. “Would you like to try sailing? My folks have a cottage at a lake, and my father occasionally lets me take the sailboat out. It’s neat the way it glides over the water. We could check at the boat rental place.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Justin tugged on her hand. “Let’s walk out farther. If we can get behind the swells, maybe we can ride a wave until it crashes.” While she’d changed clothes in the bathroom, he’d snuck into her bedroom hoping to take a peek at her jewelry box and seen a ruby ring.
One had been on the list of stolen items. Luckily, she’d left the box open, so he’d taken a quick glance at that and a canary diamond ring. He’d barely gotten back to the doorway when she’d opened the bathroom door. She’d have opportunities to scope out jewelry worn by mothers picking up kids from her class as well as meeting with ladies in her book club. If they met in members’ homes, she could pretend to use the bathroom and sneak into their bedrooms.
By now they had walked through the water just past the point where the waves broke. He paused and grasped her hand again. “Let’s start paddling and ride this swell.” The force of the water surged them forward until it broke them apart. Justin was knocked down into the sand. His head hit the bottom, and he barely avoided a mouthful of sand. He got off his knees, stood, and laughed. “I don’t seem to be very good at this.”
Standing there with a faint smile, Lisa looked like she was trying not to laugh. “That was fun. Let’s try again.”
“Sure. Why not?” He walked through the next crashing wave and swam out past it.
This time Lisa got knocked down. He helped her up and brushed hair from her face. “Let’s try another wave,” she said.
This time they both managed to glide with the wave. Lisa stood. “I think I’m getting the hang of this.”
After riding the waves a few more times, Lisa clasped her hands over her arms. “I’m chilly. Let’s go back to the blanket and sit in the sun.”
He took her hand, liking the way her fingers clung. He squeezed, and she squeezed back. She was a good sport. He liked that in a woman. He also liked the way she looked at him, warm and friendly. He moved closer to get a better look at her ring. The uniquely designed ruby ring was not expensive, but a precious stone nevertheless. After seeing how she helped the children, he’d hate it if she were greedy enough to take other’s possessions. The necklace she’d worn at the gala had been costume jewelry, but with no time to use his loupe, he wasn’t sure the yellow diamond ring he’d seen in her jewel box was authentic.
Sitting next to her on the blanket, he drilled her on math and vocabulary.
After an hour, she lay down. “That’s enough for today. My head is swimming with words I never heard of. Maybe, if it’s not too much to ask, you could help me go over them again. I don’t have any morning classes tomorrow. There’s a Keurig in my place. I can make coffee, and I’ll make coffeecake.”
“You mean you actually cook here? I thought this was more like a vacation for you.”
“I’ll be teaching crafts for the whole summer. Actually, I enjoy baking, but I don’t make coffeecake unless I have someone to share it with.”
He touched her arm, surprised by the little zing. “I’m sorry, but I promised to take someone for a balloon ride first thing tomorrow.” He looked at his watch. “However, Zoe told me we’d land and be picked up by twelve-thirty at the latest. I could take you to a late lunch at Junonia.”
“Now I’m the one who’s sorry. I have a Zumba class at one.”
He looked her over, appreciating her well-rounded breasts showcased by her swimsuit top and her toned legs. “You’re in great shape as far as I can tell.”
She smiled. “I have a yoga class at two tomorrow, and Gussie and I are going shopping in Naples after that. Then I’m going to a book club meeting after supper. What time is it now? Let me see your watch.”
He held out his arm, wondering if she were scoping it out for a futu
re theft. Most victims had been women, but a guest had recently reported emerald studded cuff links and a matching tie pin missing.
“It’s three-thirty now. I’d better get back to my place.”
After packing up her things and brushing sand off, Lisa climbed into his rental car. “Thanks for helping me study. I’ll spend tonight going over things.”
Now he wished he hadn’t let Chenille talk him into the balloon ride tomorrow. He’d never done that before, but it would have been nicer to go with Lisa instead.
Justin parked in front of her cottage, and held her hand as he walked her to her door. He wanted to kiss her goodbye, but wasn’t sure how she’d take it. They’d only met yesterday morning, well, they’d shared one dance, but he hadn’t gotten to know her as well as he’d like. Somehow he sensed she wasn’t ready for more at this point. And besides, he was investigating her, among others. He squeezed her hand. “Until the next time. May I have your phone number?”
She rattled off her number, and he typed it into his phone.
After a wave and a smile, she shut the door. As he drove off, he kicked himself for not setting up another date. He’d definitely call her tonight.
At nine o’clock, he figured she’d be tired of studying. It should be all right to call. Too late to propose a date for tonight, but plenty of time to arrange one for the day after tomorrow. When she answered, he loved hearing the sound of her voice as she related the funny things the kids in her craft class had done. A girl had accidentally punched a hole in her paper mâché project. Lisa described the girl’s woebegone face and how she brightened up after Lisa helped her repair it. “I guess painting will have to wait for a few days until everything is dry.”
She said she was going to a book club meeting tomorrow evening, so she wouldn’t expect him to see her tomorrow. Except that reminded him she might be checking out other women’s jewelry.
She mentioned it was late and she was getting sleepy. He checked his watch and realized it was well after ten. He’d never enjoyed talking with a woman that long before. It was too bad she was on the suspect list. He supposed he should see a lot of her in case he might catch her at something. Now that was a task he could look forward to. However, he’d be really disappointed if she turned out to be guilty.