by Joanne Rock
She wanted to close her eyes and absorb the feel of him. To listen to him talk to her.
“I can’t just leave town for a week,” she protested, though her eyelids fluttered.
She could hear footsteps on the hardwood floor, and they were coming this way. She edged back from Keith just in time to see the waif-thin salesclerk turn the corner into the dressing area.
“Anything I can get for you folks?” the clerk asked, her eyes taking a slow path up and down Keith’s powerfully male physique.
“Not yet, but I’m working on a list,” Keith replied, never taking his eyes off Josie, his palm still cradling her cheek.
“Sure thing,” the young woman agreed, licking thoroughly painted lips while she stared her fill.
Not that Josie could blame her. She found it a challenge to look away, too.
But honestly, she couldn’t spend her afternoon salivating over a handsome man. With regret she stepped back from him as the clerk finally departed. Keith’s hands returned to his sides while her every nerve ending protested his absence.
“I’m sorry.” She really was. A fling with an extremely desirable man would be more than welcome right now. “But I need to get back to Chatham to meet with Chase and nail down that contract. Plus, I have other projects to follow up on in Boston if I want to keep meeting my payroll. I can’t afford a vacation.”
“Okay.” Keith retreated to the love seat. He sat forward, elbows on his knees, his fingers propped in a steeple. “But will you humor me while we look at this from another angle?”
He waved toward the dressing room and she took the opportunity to try on her clothes.
“It won’t help,” she warned him, stepping behind the heavy velvet curtain and drawing it shut. “But I’ll listen while I change.”
Quickly, she tugged off the big tee he’d given her and wriggled out of her jeans, her skin overheated and sensitive.
“Let’s say for a moment that money wasn’t an object.” His deep voice carried over the curtain rod, over her. Then the words sank in.
She tensed, hearing the breezy, entitled voices of her parents in those words.
“Money is always an object,” she countered, refusing to embody the media’s definition of her as a trust-fund baby.
She’d worked too hard for her independence, and wouldn’t give it up now.
“I agree. But let’s assume we can find a practical way to work around that problem for now. Do you have any other objections to this proposition? For example, do you feel I’m jumping the gun on this?”
Something about his forthright confrontation of the issue pleased her. The tension in her shoulders relaxed as she tugged the khaki capri pants off the hanger.
“Not really.” Maybe that would be the quickest way to shut down this insane conversation, but she didn’t feel right lying to him after he’d been so direct with her, so thoughtful and charming. “You were kind enough to call the Coast Guard for me last night. And you brought me into shore first thing today. That was really considerate, when you could have just cashed in on an attraction I probably didn’t hide very well.”
The moment of silence made her wonder what he was thinking.
“Keith?” What if someone else had entered the dressing area out there while she babbled away about ridiculously private things?
“I’m here.” There was a rich, smoky note in his voice again that made her shiver as she slid into the blouse. “I was just thinking about the way you responded to me last night while you were sleeping.”
“I knew something happened!” she accused, tugging aside the curtain far enough to glare at him.
Until his hot gaze reminded her her blouse wasn’t buttoned. She wrenched the velvet barrier closed again, her pulse thrumming hard.
“All I did was talk to you.” His voice loomed closer.
She swallowed, her mouth gone dry.
“So what did you say?” She believed him, trusting her instinct that he would not take advantage of a sleeping woman. He could have had half her clothes off during that kiss earlier, but he’d been admirably restrained.
Besides, she was so strangely turned on by his voice, it made total sense that he might have said things to her in her sleep.
“I told you what I wanted to do to you,” he admitted, the rich, male timbre mere inches from her ear on the other side of the velvet drape.
She swore she could feel the warmth of his body through the curtain. Beneath the cups of her bra, her breasts beaded. Her fingers twined around the fabric of her unbuttoned blouse to keep from reaching out to touch him.
“Like what?” she prodded, needing to know. Wondering if his suggestive words had inspired the dreams she’d had all night.
“I suggested I remove your clothes with my teeth.”
Her breath hitched. No, she forgot how to breathe altogether.
“I dreamed about that.” In vivid detail. “Among other things.”
“Will you let me in?” He must have tapped the curtain because the fabric billowed gently. “Just for a minute?”
That would be dangerous. But she’d never felt so turned on by a man with so little prompting. The chemistry that simmered between them wasn’t your everyday garden variety of male-female interest. It was like a biological necessity imprinted on her DNA, urging her toward him.
“Yes.” She had the feeling it would be the first of more affirmatives she would whisper for this man.
And then he was in the dressing room with her, behind the velvet curtain and isolated from anyone else in the store. The spotlight overhead burnished his dark hair with a blue glow. His green eyes set fire to her skin as they roamed over her half-dressed body. But all she could think about was his teeth going to work on the straps and buttons that remained, peeling away everything she wore until she was utterly naked, vulnerable to him.
“You liked it when I talked to you, Josie.” His voice rumbled in her ear, soft and warm, for her alone.
She closed the distance between them, pressing herself to him again, once more initiating the contact that he withheld. Out of noble intent? Or to see how far she would go?
“How did you know?” She kissed his jaw, inhaling the dark spice of his aftershave. “How could you tell I liked it if I was sleeping?”
His cheek shifted beneath her lips and she could tell he was smiling.
“You made these sexy sounds. Little humming noises. And when I stopped, you arched toward me like you wanted more.”
“Wicked man,” she chastised, even as she stepped between his thighs.
The picture they made in the dressing room mirror was almost more than she could bear without throwing herself at him and wrapping her legs around his waist. His body looked all the more powerful next to her petite frame. His strong calves and taut butt promised pleasure for as long as she wanted what he could give her….
“Sir?” The feminine trill of the young salesclerk came through the curtain, a smirk evident in the only word she spoke.
“Yes?” Keith’s voice was curt, but his gaze remained warm all over Josie’s body.
“I put together the things you requested and I got an overnight bag from the shop next door. You’re all set.” The woman sounded so breathless Josie wondered how far she’d had to run for that overnight bag.
And what, exactly, had Keith ordered from a women’s apparel shop? Pulling her thoughts back to reality, Josie stepped away from him and buttoned the blouse. She’d buy it and wear it out of the store, preferably the sooner the better, since lingering with him only tempted her sorely.
“Thank you,” he returned. “We’re almost done.”
“No hurry.” The clerk gave a girlish giggle as her steps faded away.
“What did you buy?” Josie queried, leaving the khakis in place, too, since she knew it would be a mistake to undress in front of him.
Her skin was already way too oversensitive, her body completely susceptible to him. If she ever took her pants off around him, she knew exactly what w
ould happen next.
“I thought it prudent to plan for all eventualities.” He handed her the purse she’d dropped on the floor earlier, giving every appearance of affording her some space.
But by now she had his number.
“You bought clothes for me, didn’t you?” She needed to be careful around a man who could appear so accommodating while skillfully maneuvering to what he wanted. “You went ahead and purchased things for a trip I can’t possibly take.”
“When faced with impossible odds, I think it’s best to eliminate the obstacles, one by one. Your lack of attire is an obstacle that’s now been removed.” He said it so seriously, so earnestly, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Wow.” She shook her head as she settled her purse strap on one shoulder, preparing to leave the dressing room and put some distance between her and this man. “I’ll bet you’re a force to be reckoned with at the bargaining table.”
“Try me.” He spread his hands as if to say bring it on. “Why not test the strength of my negotiating skills and tell me what else is holding you back from going with me?”
Something about his complete confidence in himself made her want to play devil’s advocate.
“What if I said I’m just not that into you?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“I’d kiss you again and see if you were still singing the same tune five minutes from now.”
And…yeah. No sense tempting fate. She remembered the effect his kiss had on her. The bell chiming at the entrance door to the store called her back from pleasant memories of Keith’s mouth on hers.
She needed to finish this conversation and return to Boston before she tossed her good sense aside and sailed off into the sunset with a stranger.
“Assuming you’re correct about that…” Her voice scratched on a dry note and she had to clear her throat. “Then my hesitation comes down to two things. One is a financial necessity for me to keep working. The other is more complicated, and I’d rather not delve into those waters, since the economics alone are reason enough. Okay?”
“You can redecorate Jack’s boat,” he suggested, undeterred. “It’ll be my Christmas present to him and his soon-to-be fiancée to take the Vesta from vintage bachelor pad to something more family oriented.” He kept his voice low, now that they could hear other customers in the store. The music muffled the words, but they could still hear the patter of conversation and laughter on the sales floor.
“No.” Josie was shaking her head before he finished. “That makes sex a business transaction, and I wouldn’t take a job from you if we went on this trip together. But—strictly out of curiosity—I thought you were selling this boat for Jack and bringing it to the buyer in Charleston?”
Wasn’t that the whole purpose of his voyage?
“He thinks I am. I mean, that’s what I agreed to do. But I have reason to believe he’s going to get back together with his ex-girlfriend this week, and, since the boat was an important part of their relationship, I think he’s going to change his mind about selling the Vesta.”
“So conceivably, we wouldn’t even go all the way to Charleston?” She had no idea how he could intuit a reunion between his brother and an ex, but she was beginning to realize Keith Murphy wasn’t the kind of man you doubted. “Not that I’m seriously considering the trip.”
But if it was only a couple of days, to take the edge off this hungry, restless feeling, maybe the trip wasn’t as impossible as she’d thought. And who would see them together in the middle of the Atlantic? It wasn’t as if they’d resurrect the old scandal, when no one knew they were together.
“Probably not. But I can’t stay near Chatham or it could jeopardize the reunion between those two.” Briefly, he explained how he’d made a bet with his brother to swap boats, knowing Jack’s ex would be on the other one. “I can’t make it too easy for him to weasel out of the wager and take his own boat back. Those two need some time together to work things out.”
“You’re matchmaking.” She found that…adorable. There was no better word.
And knowing he harbored a tender side beneath his arrogance attracted her all the more.
Keith scowled. “I’m shoving the jackass in the right direction. Call it what you will.” Tugging open the curtain to the dressing room, he held it aside but didn’t step out yet. “So how about we agree to just a couple of days headed south? I’ll stick close to the shore and we can navigate inland on Wednesday morning. You can check on your business and return to Boston if you want.”
She recognized that he was making it easy for her to leave. The choice remained hers alone.
Damn, but it was a gamble. She hadn’t even mentioned her other fear. She couldn’t bear for the party-girl image to return. The accusation that she’d been as hedonistic as her parents had cut deep, especially given how hard she’d tried to forge a path away from their wealthy lifestyle.
She’d learned her lesson, and was now more conservative in how she promoted her business, avoiding the nightclub scene and the movers and shakers who lived on the society pages.
Yet Keith Murphy’s family was a staple in the Boston media. If word got out about her spending time sailing the Eastern Seaboard with Keith, she’d be right back to being depicted as the spoiled, pampered offspring of obscenely rich parents.
But they sure weren’t in Boston now. And it had been far too long since she’d indulged in the kind of fun this man promised. Hadn’t Marlena been after her to take a couple days off? Maybe she would return to work as recharged as her assistant suggested.
“Okay,” she agreed, before she had a chance to talk herself out of it. “If we can head inland on Wednesday, I could afford to take a couple of days to relax.”
The white-hot flame that flared in Keith’s eyes suggested relaxation wasn’t his primary concern. And just like that, her temperature spiked in answer.
“I’ve got a few ideas to help you unwind,” he assured her, his arm sliding around her waist as he guided her toward the door. “And the sooner we get started the better.”
HIS BUSINESS SKILLS came in handy for organizing a trip with Josie. On the way back to the Vesta, Keith encouraged her to pick up any personal necessities while he arranged for the clothes he’d bought to be delivered to the south wharf, where they’d docked. He called in an order to a local gourmet shop to stock their fridge with a few specialty items and enough food for a week. Another phone call took care of purchasing new sheets and extra towels, also to be delivered. Finally, he touched base with the marina’s housekeeping service to spruce up the boat and ensure all the delivery people were quickly accommodated.
As the afternoon grew warmer and the streets crowded with day-trippers who’d taken the ferry over for an outing, Keith celebrated his victory in negotiating a couple days with Josie.
He still couldn’t believe she’d said yes.
That lone affirmative marked his biggest coup yet. He couldn’t wait to have her all to himself. Even now, as he waited outside the cedar-sided pharmacy where she’d disappeared to buy shampoo, he had to fight the urge to haul her back to the boat, where they could lock a door behind them.
Their time alone in the dressing room had been sweetly torturous. His kiss proved to Josie the chemistry was there, but it had taken a toll on him, too. His whole body was so primed for her, he’d had to exercise all his will to harness the hunger during their last-minute preparations.
To distract himself while he waited, he checked his email, tying up some loose ends at the office. He leaned against a tree trunk as a jogger ran past with three little dogs on leashes. Two women, clutching iced coffees and too many packages, dropped onto the bench near him as he set up his email’s auto-respond feature to forward an associate’s contact information. Then he double-checked the weather report, before sending an email to the owner of Wholesome Branding, the marketing firm interested in offering Green Principles services to all their clients.
Keith kept his tone light, mentioning his plan to
head south for a few days in case their paths could cross during this trip. The head honcho at Wholesome was surprisingly reclusive for a marketing guy, but his home base was on the Virginia coast, so maybe this trip would provide a chance for them to outline parameters for a partnership.
But right now, Keith’s main goal was Josie. Just thinking about her sent an electric jolt over his skin. No, wait. That sensation derived from the fact that she was walking toward him, a small package from the pharmacy in one hand and a canvas shopping bag in the other. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail and a new blue-and-white-striped ribbon held it in place on one shoulder. Big sunglasses hid most of her face, like a movie star trying hard to stay incognito.
She carried herself with the grace of a dancer, her petite frame sliding easily through the crowd of late-day shoppers. But her neat presence and hesitant smile hid a sultry side. He’d seen hints of her hidden sensuality the night before, when she’d given that throaty moan in response to his seductive words. And today, in the dressing room… There was no telling what might have happened if that salesclerk hadn’t called through the curtain when she did.
Signing out of his online account, Keith jammed his PDA in his pocket and met Josie on the sidewalk, taking her bags. He drew her aside to make room for a group of schoolkids ambling down the street in matching yellow T-shirts behind their leader, who wore a three-cornered hat and narrated the outing.
“Are you ready?” Keith figured the boat ought to be well stocked by now. He’d paid enough to ensure timely service.
To ensure he didn’t have to wait much longer to touch this woman.
“I think so.” She glanced down at the packages she’d handed him and then nodded, her cheeks flushing that shade of pink that drove him crazy. “Yes.”
He wouldn’t call it a full-on blush, but a tinge of color that hinted at the same keen awareness he felt. He couldn’t wait to uncover every possibility for inciting that reaction.
Soon, he’d put his lips on her cheek to test if he could feel the warmth there or just see it. For that matter, he planned to put his mouth all over Josie Passano before the sun set, just as soon as they’d sailed far enough from Nantucket to be sure they were well and truly alone. While he’d made practical plans for their voyage together, they didn’t come close to the level of strategy he would deploy in uncovering ways to pleasure the woman next to him.
