“This is nice.” She turned her face to his palm, brushing her soft lips against his calluses and scars.
“Yeah, it is.” This slow and comfortable romancing felt real good. He tipped her face up, and from that point, touching his mouth to hers and sliding into the kiss he’d been hungering for was perfectly natural.
But are either of you in any right state of mind to be doing this? This could go all sorts of wrong. She’s freshly divorced. You’ve got no damned clue what to do with your life. Messing around in Reboundville is a dumbass idea.
But messing around sure as hell felt good, and he needed to feel. They were just kissing. Safe, right? Maybe he could blame that bright full moon shimmering over the lake.
Ha, not likely.
Luckily, that niggling voice shut up fast under Livie’s kisses.
He learned she liked her throat kissed and sucked, soft nips, and long slow deep kisses that left them dizzy. He learned he liked her sweet whimpers and sighs, her innocent enthusiasm, and the shivering zing shooting straight for his groin when she brushed her lips over his unshaven jaw. Yeah, the woman liked kissing. Good thing, since he was fond of the pastime himself.
Lazy exploration, lips caressing lips, gentle testing nibbles along soft curves. His mouth moving against hers, teasing and tempting, their lips and tongues toying and stroking together. They ended embraced under the moonlight, cheeks together, her soft breasts crushed to his chest, leaving him washed in a peace he’d not known in far too many years. His hard-on was wedged against her, damned obvious, comfortable, and hopeful. Hope would have to satisfy, because this wasn’t the time or place for more.
He combed his fingers through her soft black hair, imagining her under the star-spangled dark bowl of sky dressed only in the long shining fall, filling his hands with the lush silk and pulling her close…
“It’s gotten dark,” she whispered, stroking her fingers along his back.
Behave. He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I should have brought a flashlight for you.” He slipped the cane into his grip.
“At least we have some moonlight.”
“True, but take it easy. If you twist an ankle, I’m not carrying you out.” He tacked on a joking laugh, slamming the brakes against his gut’s sick twist. So many things he wasn’t doing anymore.
Taking the moonlit trail slow and easy also allowed his body time to take the hint playtime was over.
“There they are. Have a nice walk?” JoAnn waved from the table, where most of the group huddled around the Monopoly board.
Dave laid an arm around Livie’s waist, resting his hand on her hip. “Real nice. How goes your world domination skills, JoAnn?”
“Well, since you swiped my new partner, it hasn’t been easy, but I am determined to prevail.” JoAnn studied Livie for a moment, and her gaze traveled to his hand comfortably set over the curve of Livie’s ass. She raised a stern, motherly brow.
Dave let Livie go with a casual caress and a pat.
Livie turned in the lamplight, giving him a glowing smile.
Oops. JoAnn’s raised-brow reprimand clicked. Livie looked thoroughly kissed, and he’d managed to mark her neck.
He parked himself in a chair and stretched out his leg. Livie’s pleased sighs from their kissing session filled his head and eased his guilt. She’d enjoyed those kisses just fine.
And so had he.
Chapter Six
Olivia woke before her campmates. She lay quietly, enjoying the cool peace and debating more sleep or coffee as the dawn sky faded to blue, her mind humming with yesterday’s unexpected events and Dave’s kisses.
Coffee won.
Her mirror revealed the reason behind the looks directed at Dave and her last night. Oh, boy. An obvious love bite marked her neck. Makeup? No, too late, and hiding the mark might make her look ashamed of kissing Dave, when she felt shockingly excellent about last night and Dave’s gentle, potent kisses. He’d been relaxed and so sweet, treating her as a desirable woman instead of a pretty doll.
With mostly good cheer and some trepidation, she headed to Spider Camp.
Dave was at the stoves, stirring up delicious scents in the fry pans. He waved, and her heart leapt at his welcoming smile.
A bleary, but smiling Lloyd sat at the table with Christopher, feeding Daisy, his sandy blond hair on end. Margie was washing her face. Lumps inside tents and on cots showed where others still slept.
“Good morning.” Dave set down his spatula. “Ready for coffee?”
“I’d love some.” She met him at the stove. “Smells wonderful.”
He poured her coffee and refilled his mug. “Thanks. Scrambled eggs and hash today. We’re trying a new brand of freeze-dried eggs, so fingers crossed.”
“Want me to fix your coffee for you? Just sugar, yes?”
“Thanks. Two spoons.”
“Sweet tooth.”
“Oh, yeah.” Dave smiled, his gaze cruising her mouth and the mark he’d left on her neck. “Sorry about that.” He spoke only for her ears, but that smile proved he was far from sorry.
Olivia flushed warmly but held his gaze. “I enjoyed it.” She soaked in the sensuous memories of his kisses, the bliss of his warm lips against hers, even the rasp of his beard stubble over her skin.
His gorgeous eyes darkened. Was he also remembering?
She turned to fix their coffees, only to find Margie, Scott, and Lloyd watching their little exchange with open fascination.
Be bold, be brave. Oh, right. Oh, heck.
She stirred the sugar into his coffee, and fixed her focus on the contented Daisy being fed by her father. What should have been an incongruous picture of the craggy, big-handed carpenter with the baby girl in her flowery romper was beautiful.
Her stomach wrenched under a glut of hurtful longing.
Enough. Be bold, be brave. Look forward, let go.
Olivia returned to Dave and the lovely feelings they’d shared. She handed him his coffee and lightly kissed his cheek. “Let me know if you need anything.” At her low, breathy voice, she blushed, having meant to say, Let me know if you need any help with cooking. Flustered, she escaped to drink her coffee with Margie and play with baby Daisy.
Throughout breakfast, Dave talked with the guys but silently flirted with brief looks, smiles, and winks. They didn’t touch once, but every time their eyes met, she’d feel the press of his lips and warm body. Thank heaven she wasn’t as fair-skinned as Kay, or she’d surely be a permanent fuchsia pink.
After lazing around for an hour after breakfast, the men finally stirred for some waterskiing. As usual, Dave volunteered to drive.
Dave crooked a finger. “Hey, Livie, grab a vest and come spot.”
“Okay.” She stood, expecting Mark or Nate to jump up and join them for a boat ride since Lloyd was first up to ski.
No one did and everyone became abruptly busy.
Dave clambered aboard his glossy red and black ski boat, waiting there for her with his sharp smile and looking deliciously sexy.
Be bold? Tickled by an urge to tease, she dropped the vest aside, drew her T-shirt over her head, stretched leisurely, and wriggled down her shorts as she turned to face him. His smile took a heated twist, and she sucked in a breath. Ah, teasing was a risky idea. She tugged on her life vest, blushing over how little skin her bikini covered. Silly, considering how often she’d worn the suit and its skimpiness had never bothered her before, but she’d never seen Dave look at her with such blatant hunger either.
Firming her shoulders and resolve, she waded out and meekly took her place in the spotter’s seat.
Her spotter’s services were hardly necessary beyond relaying Lloyd’s signals for more speed. Mark skied next, then Nate. Dave barely spoke, but this potent silence was the exact opposite of last week’s ornery silence, and his content, sexy smile kept her mind in a heated whirl.
To escape the boat and cool off, she asked to ski next. He amiably agreed.
Nate volunteered to spot, but when he
boarded, Dave said something, Nate took the wheel, and Dave settled into the spotter’s seat.
Oh, no. He’d never watched her ski before. She focused on the ski tip emerging from the water. She’d pretend sweet Nate was watching. No pressure…Oh, dear.
They were off. With effort, she focused on cutting large, easy S’s over the flat wake, concentrating on the simple pleasures of blue water, sunshine, speed, and cooling spray, until she’d settled enough to take playful jumps. She loved the small rush from launching into brief flight above the water.
In the distance, a parasail’s bright canopy rose into the air. Dave and his love of skydiving filled her mind, and she ached for him losing that part of his life.
Could he ever waterski again? She pondered her own balance, how her weight rested on the ski, and how she used her legs. His left leg had lost strength and flexibility, complicating the issues for steering, stance, and balance. She smiled. A daredevil like Dave wouldn’t be kept down for long. If he wanted to ski again, he’d find a way to beat the challenges.
****
Oh, yeah, watching Livie ski was pure pleasure. Now Dave understood Mark’s “Holy shit!” when Livie had jumped the wake last year. He’d seen more daring and higher jumps, but she did the stunt with perfect grace and style.
Jealousy gnawed Dave at Mark’s seeing that first jump. He was turning into a real dog in the manger. He’d adored women, lusted after them, enjoyed them, but never had he been jealously possessive over one. He hated the feeling.
That possessiveness had first struck last year, in the instant he’d comprehended R.J. intended to hit Livie, but the full truth was far more complicated and getting more complicated every minute. He slumped in the seat. He needed to get his head straight, not get all bent around a woman.
Would taking each day easy and enjoying what you have here for the next week be so bad?
Maybe Livie was what he needed to pry his mind out of the past and the black moods, and move into the now and future. He’d enjoyed the hell out of the light flirting and teasing between them this morning and the kissing last night.
Just chill. This could be a good thing. Enjoy yourself. You tried it yesterday, and it went pretty good. True? So go for it.
Right. Time to stop stressing. Time to enjoy the life he had.
After Livie’s ski run, he handed off the driving and waded out to Livie as she dried off.
“You’ve got great form on the water there.” He looked his fill of her curves before dragging his attention back to her soft brown eyes.
She smiled shyly. “Thanks. It was fun.”
“Ever do any competitive skiing?”
Her shocked laughter rang. “Me? No. You’ve seen the extent of my skills. Not a competitive bone in my body and no time. Did you ever compete?”
“Nope, unless bets between friends for beer money count.” He grinned, ignoring the loss and regrets, and focused on Livie.
“I imagine that can be competitive in itself.”
“True.” He chuckled. “There was the time Nate, Lloyd, and I—uh, maybe not that story.” If he wasn’t careful, he’d motor-mouth everything. Livie made spilling his mind way too easy.
She laughed and wrapped the towel around her hips, drawing his attention to those new soft curves and the smooth stretch of her belly, to her lovely small breasts cupped in the black bikini top, and to her smiling lips that he wanted to taste again.
What if he did kiss her? He’d publicly kissed her once before. Only…
Once was a passing, casual thing. Twice…
He brushed back damp strands of her hair, and his hand lingered. What a difference from last year, the polished veneer and brittle strain vanished from her face, leaving gentle beauty.
Want won, and in front of his friends, he kissed Livie. A quiet gasp escaped her, and then, her soft, warm lips yielded.
He broke off the kiss and stepped back. Swamped in a weird mix of triumph and oh, shit, he winked at Livie and purposefully avoided his pals’ eyes. A kiss hadn’t left him this off-balance since high school.
****
That intoxicating, public kiss and the raised brows shared between their friends left Olivia in a lingering state of delighted, anxious butterflies. To her relief, Dave eased off on the outright flirting the rest of the day, letting her pretend all was normal. Only, pretending normalcy was far from feeling normal.
At dusk, the guys headed out fishing and took the twins, leaving the women to enjoy a girls’ night together.
Olivia helped JoAnn and the others as they prepped for breakfast and morning coffee and set up cots and sleeping bags. When Kay handed Olivia Dave’s sleeping bag, his scent ignited a restless need to be wrapped in his arms and kisses.
With the camp set for the night and Daisy settled to sleep, they kicked back around the table, drinks in hand, with only the citronella candles and one lantern for light.
“Ah, peace reigns.” Patti sighed.
“I’ve been looking forward to this since they made plans at breakfast.” JoAnn popped her beer. “I tell you, never has one light beer been so eagerly anticipated.”
Patti raised her cup. “Here’s to a productive and long evening of fishing. Cheers.”
“Cheers. Amen.” They clinked cups and cans.
“Anyone want to play cards?” Margie asked.
JoAnn shook her head and stretched in her seat. “Not me. Tonight I just want to soak in the peace and quiet.”
Karen nodded. “We had a wonderful time paddling today, but I’m beat.”
Everyone agreed to laziness and settled into companionable, aimless chitchat as they sipped at their drinks.
After refilling drinks, Patti cleared her throat and pinned a sharp stare at Olivia, a smile twitching her lips. “Sooo, Livie, what’s going on with you and Dave? Time to spill the deets.”
Patti’s question unleashed the others, and their jumbled words poured together, “We’ve been curious. Interested. Concerned. Wondering. Surprised. Those kisses…” Margie remained silent, but her shy embarrassed smile hinted she might be thinking the same.
Thank goodness, Olivia had already swallowed her mouthful of vodka and tonic. What was she to say to all that?
“It’s none of our business—” Kay spoke hesitantly.
JoAnn took over. “But we’ve known Dave for a long time.”
“And we really care about you, Livie,” Pippa said.
“And Dave.” Kay cast a warning glance at JoAnn and Patti.
Overwhelmed and cornered, Livie sucked in a long breath. “Ah, we’re simply spending time together, enjoying ourselves. He was teaching me to fish yesterday.”
“Just we’ve never seen him, well, spend time with a woman here at the river. Ever,” Pippa said.
“We love him dearly, but he’s never been a settle-down type of guy,” Patti said.
Honest concern filled JoAnn’s blue eyes. “We don’t want to see you hurt again, sweetie.”
Olivia shook her head at them. “Dave’s not going to hurt me. How could you say that?”
You never thought R.J. would hurt you either, remember?
Honestly, had there been any warning signs before she committed to R.J.? No, the beginning had been innocent of the telltale clues that infiltrated their marriage like the shadows of rot through a peach. She’d been cautious, and everyone had only good things to say. Yes, a careeraholic even then, but he’d made room in his life for her, hadn’t he? Or was that just what she’d wanted to see with her head in the clouds of love?
Karen locked her gaze on Olivia. “We don’t mean he’ll hurt you on purpose.”
“Only, you’re both in the middle of major life transitions,” JoAnn said.
“And things always feel different here,” Kay said.
Olivia fidgeted with her cup. “We’re just relaxing, having fun. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing,” Pippa said.
“Having fun is good,” Margie offered.
“But it’s clea
r things are maybe sliding a little deeper than simply hanging together fishing and sightseeing,” JoAnn said.
Olivia’s hand flew defensively to the love bite. “Look, I appreciate your concerns, but you needn’t worry. We’re fine. Dave is really sweet, and we’re having fun.”
“Dave is…really sweet?” Kay laughed, but kindly. “I have heard my good friend called many things, but really sweet is a first.”
Patti shot her a somber stare. “And sometimes fun can bite you in the butt.”
Olivia choked out a laugh. “You all are talking like I’m a teen on my first date. I’ve been married. I know what’s what.”
Not that she was so experienced in dating and she’d failed at marriage, but Dave’s friends didn’t seem to know him at all. Hadn’t they seen him so patient and kind with the boys and Daisy? Even last year, in that hallway kiss, despite being drunk, he’d been so gentle.
JoAnn leaned forward. “Precisely why we’re concerned. You’re not a casual gal, and he’s not a serious guy.”
Patti shook her head. “We love him like a brother, but he’s our Peter Pan.”
Pippa jumped in. “So what happened at Black Canyon? Dave left prickly as a bear with a sore paw, and you two came back chilled and happy and then that walk and the signs of serious kissage.”
Olivia flushed deeper. “We, ah, worked out a misunderstanding. Why are you talking like Dave’s trouble? Kay, you told me he was a good guy.”
“He is, the best, but honestly—” JoAnn snapped her mouth closed and glanced at Kay.
Kay shrugged. “I did. Dave is. I trust him like I trust Nate. But the accident—He’s not the same. He needs time. It’s been rough for him…Both of you need time.”
“No.” Margie’s solemn voice broke in.
As the others fell silent in surprise, she pinned her gaze on Olivia. “No. If you two want to be together, you should. Getting over nearly dying, is…challenging? You change in unexpected ways. You think you should be thrilled. You’re alive when you almost weren’t. But your life is different and weirdly confusing. More, although he’s recovered, the damage is permanent and has taken away the job he loved. No matter how you all wish and how Dave tries, in the end he’ll never be that same guy again. What you thought you wanted, needed, expected…changes. You change forever.”
Love Burns Page 9