Home to Me

by LaVerne Clark

  Sam eyed her, his lips curving the slightest bit. “Sure thing.”

  Hurrying to the changing sheds, she felt the heat of his gaze tracking her the whole way, and she struggled to keep her gait natural and not fall flat on her face. Finding a free cubicle, she undressed, then reached into the bag for her swimsuit. As she pulled the two scraps of material out of the bag, she panicked. The bastard. He’d chosen and packed her one and only bikini. She owned three other full suits, but he’d ignored them in favor of the sexy two-piece. It couldn’t have been a mistake because the bikini sat in the back of the drawer, the others within easy reach at the front.

  She’d bought the suit when her relationship with her ex was showing the first signs of unraveling. Bright red shot with gold thread, it was an outfit that screamed, “Look at me.” At the time, it had the desired effect, turning the man into a quivering ball of lust. Would Sam’s reaction be similar? Her eyes narrowed, and she smirked. It would serve him right. The thought loosened the hot coils of tension in her belly, and she stepped into the panties, adjusting the side ribbons until they sat securely.

  Tying the strings of the top around her neck, she surveyed herself in the speckled mirror and struck a pose. Cocking a hip, she practiced a sultry look, then grinned in satisfaction. Sam’s plan to keep her on edge was about to backfire spectacularly.

  Wrapping a towel loosely around her hips, she slung the bag over one shoulder and sauntered out. Sam sat on a bench already changed, his towel around his neck, thigh jiggling and head bent over his phone, skin gleaming bronze under the weakening afternoon sun. Her heart banged against her ribs, and her mouth went dry. Taking advantage of the fact he’d yet to notice her, she looked her fill.

  The last time she’d seen him shirtless, he’d been no more than a boy, all rangy height and promise. As an adult, that promise had filled out—and then some. Shirts stretched tight over broad chest and shoulders hinted at the beautiful body he possessed, but seeing it uncovered was another thing altogether. All those long hours of manual work digging and hauling heavy loads had sculpted his body into the kind of muscularity even a dedicated gym routine would struggle to recreate. Immersed in whatever was on the screen, he frowned and scrubbed a hand over the back of his head. Her eyes followed the play of bicep muscle before dropping to his chest, her fingers itching to explore the smattering of hair on his chest and follow the narrowing path disappearing under the waistband of his swimming trunks.

  As if sensing her appraisal, his head lifted sharply, and his eyes widened. The hand holding his phone dropped to his lap as his gaze swept her from head to foot, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in a swallow. Emboldened, she added a little more swing to her hips, drawing his eyes like a beacon before they snapped back up to her face. Eyes fixed on his, she stopped before him and dropped the bag at his feet along with the towel in a slow reveal.

  Chapter Five

  Sam’s mind went blank as all the blood in his body traveled swiftly south. The phone in his hand creaked in protest, and he forcibly relaxed his fingers, reminding himself to breathe. But shit, it wasn’t easy when the goddess standing before him robbed it from him. To say she’d grown up when he wasn’t looking was an understatement.

  “Are you ready?”

  His body roared at the innocent question delivered in her husky tone.

  Hell yeah, I’m ready. Let’s get that private room—now.

  With a grimace, he mentally kicked the door in the face of his closet caveman and scooped the bag from the ground into his lap, manfully trying to keep his eyes off her fine form. “Just give me a minute. I need to find my phone cover.” Her brow lifted at his gruff tone, a smirk on her lips. He wasn’t fooling her, but he daren’t give up the illusion. They weren’t the only visitors.

  Having already unearthed the cover, he bought himself a little more time by rummaging around the bag. And then his fingertips encountered the unmistakable feel of lace and silk. His heart stopped. The material was still warm. With a gulp, he snatched his hand back and dropped the phone into the mess of clothing and shoved the bag underneath the seating. “Ready.” In a move he hoped looked casual, he snagged the towel from his neck and held it in his hands as he stepped toward the pool.

  “Seriously, Sam?”

  He glanced at her and frowned. “What?”

  Amusement with a hint of naughty lit up her features, and something in his chest gave a sharp tug. There she was. The elusive girl from his memory. Combined with the new confidence he saw shining from her gaze, she was entrancing. Effortlessly sexy, she stood with one hip cocked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Suffering the momentary discomfit was worth it when it meant seeing her like this again.

  She gestured down at his hands. “The towel is for after your swim, not during.” Her head tilted to the side, and her mouth twitched as she glanced briefly at his groin area and raised her brows. “Unless there’s a problem?”

  He bared his teeth in the parody of a smile. “Nope. No problems here.” Balling up the material, he threw it behind them and launched into the hot water. Lucy followed more sedately, lowering herself into the water inch by inch, the sighs and moans she made making him mighty glad his body was already submerged. Averting his gaze, he closed his eyes, ordering his mind to conjure up images of garden designs, big machinery, and piles of dirt.

  “Oh, God, Sam. This is wonderful.”

  Giving up the distraction as a lost cause, he lifted his head and glanced over at the woman who consumed his thoughts. Steam drifted up from the thermal water and draped between them in clouds of mist, outlining her body as she floated on the water. Supported by a padded headrest, she’d let her body go lax, her eyes closed in bliss. The natural upward curve of her lips made her look as if she were smiling, her cheeks flushed with pink.

  “It is,” he agreed and tore his gaze away from her sensual figure. But it was too late. The image of sweetly rounded breasts made buoyant by the water, slender legs, and miles of creamy skin just begging to be stroked had already burned into his brain. Maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea after all. He fought the urge to pounce on her and contented himself with drifting closer, his fingertips brushing the ends of her hair instead.

  Another soul-deep sigh came from her rosy lips, and he bit down on his own to stop the groan of appreciation from escaping. Yeah, the idea was a good one. She needed this, and selfish bastard that he was, he’d damn well enjoy the view while it was on offer. What was that old adage? No harm in looking. He snorted under his breath at the lie. Whoever had come up with that gem had obviously never been hard to the point of excruciating pain before.

  Blue eyes popped open. “Did you say something?” When he didn’t answer, she turned her head, her focus sharpening on his face. Her eyes widened and she blinked, her lower half sinking under the water as she gathered herself to stand. She took a hesitant step toward him, her head cocked to the side, her eyes reflecting conflicting emotions. “Sam?”

  The husky quality to her voice stroked along his nerve endings like a cat being rubbed the wrong way, pleasure and discomfort at once, and it was all he could do not to pull her flush against him to ease the sensation. “There is so much I want to say to you, Lucy, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear it.” He contented himself with lowering her bikini top in his mind instead.

  Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession, drawing his eye, her nipples hardening behind their thin barrier as if she could see into his mind. “Why don’t you try me?”

  His body surged, and he gritted his teeth, battling the desire to throw her over his shoulder caveman-style. He contented himself with trailing his fingertips over the silky skin of her arms instead. Satisfaction tugged at his mouth as he watched goose bumps lift the fine hair on her flesh, the desire to smooth it with his tongue eating away at his control.

  Shrill shrieks of laughter sounded from a bunch of kids nearby as they played water tag, and Sam took a step back, the reminder they were in a public place making it possible
.

  “Another time, brat.” Stretching his arms out over the edge of the pool, he dropped his head back and closed his eyes, feigning relaxation. A loud sigh of frustration was her only response. No matter how hard it got—and God knew it was getting really hard—he wouldn’t break the course of action he’d devised and determined on during the long sleepless night he’d endured after her request. Regardless of the fact their time together was manufactured for a reason, Lucy deserved to be wooed, not thrown into bed at the slightest provocation. He wouldn’t cheat her of that. And if he was honest with himself, he was enjoying the wooing process. Even if the anticipation of having her was slowly killing him.

  The soft sound of lapping water slowly relaxed him. The faint scent of Lucy’s shampoo rising to his nostrils told him she wasn’t far away, but now her proximity had become a comfort. Tense muscles relaxed as the healing properties of the water worked their magic, leaving him loose-boned and lethargic.

  After an age, he opened one eye and turned his head toward her. She floated on the water, looking for all the world like a water nymph. Freed of the product that had kept her locks styled in soft wisps around her face, now it floated in crazy spikes around her head. He grinned. It suited her much better that way, wild and unpredictable. The undertones of her hair had darkened to gold, the blonde highlights shimmering with light, warming her porcelain skin to a soft cream, and looking as edible.

  He groaned. Just like that, he was right back where he’d left off.

  Her lashes fluttered open. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Making a cup of his hand, he trailed water over her belly, making her straighten with a squeak. He squinted up at the sun. “I think it’s time to get home, though. Don’t want sunburn on top of sore muscles.”

  “Ah, you’re right. How long have we been here?”

  Her voice was low and husky as if she’d just woken up, and his whole body tightened. She stretched luxuriously, chest rising out of the water, back arched and arms raised, and he almost swallowed his tongue.

  “Long enough.”

  Her brow rose at the abrupt answer, and she eyed him for a moment before her shoulders lifted in a shrug.

  Turning his back, he placed his hands on the side of the pool and surged out. Water streamed from his body, the cool breeze prickling wet skin on contact. Snatching up his towel from where he’d dropped it, he hastily wrapped it around his waist, then retrieved Lucy’s. He turned just in time to see her climb the ladder, each rung revealing more of her gleaming-wet, scantily-clad body. What a stupid idea of his to grab the bikini. He hadn’t thought that one through enough. Desire, hot, heavy, and insistent, settled low in his belly. She reached for him, and blood roared through his veins, but she only tugged the towel out of his grip.

  “Thanks.” Her eyes sparkled with an amused light.

  The little minx was playing with him. He grinned even as his body ached with unfulfilled need. Slowly but surely, the brat was coming back to herself, justifying his decision to involve himself in this crazy project of hers. He’d gladly endure the moments of sexual frustration if it meant bringing her back to life.

  His eyes caught on a bead of water at her collarbone. It slid over the ridge and down her skin, gathering speed until it disappeared between the gap created by her cleavage. He swallowed thickly and averted his gaze to just beyond her shoulder. Helping her out didn’t mean he’d suddenly turned into a damned saint, though. Everyone had their limits, and he was dangerously close to his.

  “I’ll meet you at the car when you’re dressed,” he growled. Not waiting for an answer, he spun on his heel, pulling his shirt over his head as he went. Once they were both fully dressed and headed for home, surely this new hyperawareness would settle down to a low simmer so he could ignore it.

  But it didn’t matter how he spun it in his head, deep down he suspected that might not be the case. There was no getting away from the fact their relationship had changed whether they liked it or not, and forging new paths would be the only way forward.

  Opening the door to the Jeep, he placed the towel onto the seat and grimaced as the damp material of his shorts stuck to his thighs. Cold and uncomfortable, he figured the sensation would help distract his thoughts from those of the woman who’d been tormenting him.

  Lucy sauntered toward him, hips swinging and the hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth while the breeze tousled her hair dry. Dressed now in soft track pants and casual shirt, she looked no less tempting than she had in her barely-there bikini. He muttered a curse under his breath as she approached and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. What the hell had he let himself in for?

  “Oh,” she groaned. “That feels better.” She collapsed into the passenger seat and turned sparkling eyes on him. Even after being immersed in the pools, the subtle scent of her shampoo still clung to her, filling the enclosed space with her essence. “That was such a great idea, Sam. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He took shallow breaths and depressed the button to open his window, mentally cursing at its slow speed. A stray breeze flitted through the vehicle, and he closed his eyes as it drifted over his face and he gratefully sucked it in. Fortified, he opened them again and started the engine.

  As the car ate up the kilometers, a companionable silence settled over them. The hiss of tires on tarmac, the quiet rumble of the engine, and the radio set low to a favorite rock station all combined, adding to the atmosphere of shared comfort. He’d forgotten how much he’d enjoyed the sheer pleasure of Lucy’s presence. It had always been so easy. Unlike other women who’d flitted through his life, she didn’t need entertaining. She was content to be in her own headspace, not feeling the need to fill it with idle chit-chat. He never had to explain himself to her, to tell her what he was thinking. She got him.

  Until it came to how he saw her, that was. Then she was clueless. Not that he could really blame her if he were being honest. He was still trying to understand it himself. For so long she’d been his best friend’s sister, putting her strictly out-of-bounds. He’d struggled to play by the rules for years. But now Jordan was gone, they were both adults, and the rules had changed.

  “You missed our exit.”

  He blinked, bringing their surroundings into sharper focus. He glanced at the rear-vision mirror to see their off-ramp grow smaller and smaller. At her arched brow, his mind raced with a plausible excuse. “I thought we’d grab some Thai food to take home. I know it’s your favorite. There’s a little restaurant just off the next off-ramp that does the best Tom Kha.”

  “You remember?”

  She spoke in an awed hush, and he stole a glance at her. Those big blue eyes were glued to his face.

  “You’re not so easy to forget, Lucy.” He cleared his throat to clear the telltale huskiness from his voice. “You’d better text your mum to let her know we’re getting dinner.”

  Lucy bent her head over her phone, thumbs flying, and Sam’s lips twisted. What a fool. He’d been congratulating himself on his powers of restraint, safe in the knowledge they were on their way home and he could finally relax his guard. At least they’d have a chaperone in Janet, otherwise all his carefully-laid plans might combust into flames.

  ****

  Lucy’s body ached all over. Places she didn’t even know had muscles were sore, but her spirits soared. From beginning to end, it had been a wonderful day. The fact Sam had missed the turnoff was the icing on the cake. Not only the obvious—Thai food for dinner—but it proved to her he was just as distracted. His hasty excuse didn’t fool her for a bit.

  Sam guided the Jeep around the final tight corner toward her childhood home, the wheel sliding through his hands as they straightened up. The rasp of skin on leather made all the fine hair on her body rise, reminding her of how they’d felt as they glided over her bare skin. She bit down into the fleshy part of her bottom lip and squeezed her thighs together as her pulse quickened.

  Thankfully, Sam pulled the vehicle to a stop outs
ide the house in that moment, and Lucy gathered the plastic bags containing dinner and the backpack, glad for the distraction. With her hands full, she waited for Sam to round the hood and open her door.

  “I’ll take those.”

  His fingers grazed hers as he hefted the bags from her lap. Ducking her head to conceal the flush creeping over her cheeks, she shouldered her backpack and led the way up the path. The door opened in a rush as they approached, revealing her mother’s face wreathed in smiles.

  “Darlings! Did you have a good time?” She practically danced on the spot as she ushered them in. Her mother had never been accused of being subtle.

  Lucy shot a glance back over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. Sam’s eyes crinkled at the corners. Moving past the two women, he disappeared into the kitchen with the food, and Lucy turned her attention back to her mum. “We had a lovely time. It was so good to see Mrs. Oates again. I’d no idea she was still alive let alone still the force she was when we were little.”

  “Hasn’t Sam done the most marvelous work there? If it wasn’t for him, well, heavens”—her hands flew up to express the depth of her concern—“poor June would be in dire straits.”

  “Was her situation that bad?” The thought made her stomach hurt. The woman could be cantankerous and difficult, but despite all that, she’d always had a soft spot for her.

  “It was.” Her mother turned from the door and linked her arm through Lucy’s, towing her slowly toward the kitchen where they could hear the rattle of plates and cutlery being set. “Sam has always had a heart of gold. That boy is special.” She stopped and laid a palm on Lucy’s cheek, lowering her voice. “Nothing in the world would make me happier than to see my two favorite people in the world realize they were made for each other. Please don’t hurt him.”

  Lucy startled. “Me? Hurt him? You’re saying that to the wrong person, Mum.”

  Her mother shook her head and smiled serenely. “No, honey. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Of course, while you were in Australia he dated, but he seemed to hold himself a little aloof from those women, as if he was biding his time or waiting, for what, I didn’t know. He never looked at anyone the way he does you. I’m so thrilled that it turns out it was you he was waiting for all along.”