Guardian

by Catherine Mann

  Their mouths met, open, greedy, seeking to take as much as possible from a single kiss. She touched her tongue to his, tempting, luring him past her lips. Then he plunged deeper, sweeping away her ability to think with the bold touch of his tongue. She gripped his shoulders, her fingers digging in as she held tight to keep from sinking.

  God, David was a great kisser, and she loved to kiss. She soaked in the moment, needing to fill the void in herself after so many long nights without the touch of a man, of even the simplest brush of lips as a morning greeting or good-night farewell. An ache swirled low within her, while familiar, also somehow different, desperate.

  Ravenous.

  David slid his hands down her back, hauling her onto the couch until she stretched out on top of him.

  And they really kissed. Passionately. Crazy. Out of control. The kind of frantic and sure touches that came from experience. He rocked her hips against his with guiding pressure, the hardening heat of him searing her.

  She spread her legs to straddle him, bringing the core of her against the rigid heat of him. Desire pooled within her, bringing a moist heat where her body met his. She whimpered with need, her hungry hands urging his mouth more firmly against hers.

  One strong arm secured her while he tunneled under her shirt and upward in a tingling path along her side. She prayed he wouldn’t stop, her breast already anticipating his touch. He cupped her, his thumb circling gentle brushes that sent sparks of almost painful intensity sprinkling through her. If only they could stay like this and say to hell with the rest of the world and responsibilities.

  “Sophie.” He pressed his forehead to her shoulder.

  Gasps of air flowed between them. She forced her lids open and stared into his eyes. Quicksilver flashes gleamed in the moonlight streaking through the window.

  She saw…responsibilities.

  They weren’t teenagers content with a lengthy unconsummated make-out session in the back of a car. Their bodies demanded release, a natural conclusion to passions denied, then ignited.

  That left only two choices: stop or finish. Really no choice at all for her.

  Sophie melted against him, her face nestling against his shoulder. Even as she inhaled the warm, scented crook of his neck, she already distanced herself—in her mind if not her body. He rested his chin on her head while they steadied their breathing.

  His hands moved lightly up and down her back. “Remember when I said I was offering to protect your family, not take you to bed?”

  “Uh-huh.” She willed her galloping heartbeat to slow.

  “I lied.” His hands went still, his breath warm against her ear. “Unless you want to take me up on the offer, you need to go back to your room.”

  She should have panicked, would have even the day before, but she’d begun to understand him. He wouldn’t take her right there on the sofa when his daughter could walk in. He must be trying to chase her away.

  Why?

  She wasn’t brave enough to find out. With more than a little regret, she peeled her body off of his. She needed to run, run far and fast from this honorable, lanky man who already tempted her more than she wanted to admit.

  Sophie picked up her empty ice-cream carton and backed away from him all the way into the kitchen without taking her eyes off him. He stared back, his hand on his chest, his eyes at half-mast with a smoky heat that seared her. Turning, she set her empty Tupperware carton in the sink and made tracks back to her room.

  If only she could toss aside her new insights on David as easily, because right now, she wasn’t sure if she could hold out through the night.

  SEVEN

  Childish squeals floated up to the porch from the sun-baked shore, enticing Sophie. But work didn’t disappear, even on weekends. She reclined on the beach lounger with a legal pad, brainstorming a list of questions for cross-exam on Monday, while David swung a golf club, hitting practice balls along the shore.

  On her other side, the children played tag football with Madison and Geoffrey Vaughn. Her boss had been surprised at her change of locale for the weekend but expressed concern over the car accident. He’d agreed it was better to be safe than sorry, and if she needed somewhere else to stay, to consider his house available. Geoffrey had been flexible about adding Haley Rose to his plans to play catch with Brice—except Madison couldn’t catch, so they’d swapped to tag football.

  And David had been adamant about not discussing the case in front of Vaughn. Which seemed silly considering any information she had, her boss could access. But they’d plowed through files this morning. She needed time for the information to shuffle around in her head until it slid together to form a complete picture.

  So she let herself think and stare off—where David happened to be.

  Sun gleaming down on him, David whipped the golf club again, muscles rippling. She’d heard single women whisper around the watercooler when he’d become a bachelor again, about how he’d played the semipro circuit for a while before going to college. She’d didn’t know much about the sport, but he sure appeared top tier to her.

  Not that he’d looked her way this morning. He had barely spoken to her all day, instead quiet and irritable. He must have depleted his store of words the night before.

  At least the grump would be easier to resist than the man of moody confidences. “David, would you please quit glaring at Geoffrey.”

  “If your boss touches my sister one more time, I’m going to cuff him to the dock.”

  “She’s an adult. Don’t you think the overprotectivebrother routine is a little silly?”

  He grunted. Swack. Another ball went flying down the shore.

  Yet in spite of his grouchy mood, he’d filled the electric churn with more ingredients for homemade ice cream—lemon this time. Had David decided to make more after noticing her midnight kitchen raid? The possibility of such thoughtfulness touched her.

  She peered over the rims of her sunglasses. “Maybe now you’ll quit asking if he and I are dating.”

  “Funny, Sophie, very funny.” David’s arms flexed as he swung the golf club again. His polo shirt stretched across his broad shoulders.

  Then he reached for more practice golf balls, his khaki shorts showcasing that fine butt and long legs. Given half an opportunity and a bonfire, she would burn every pair of his shorts.

  And he wasn’t even looking at her.

  The sun warmed her legs below the hem of her shorts. Watching David warmed the rest of her. A contrary corner of her ego made Sophie want to stretch.

  Instead, she drew her legs up and tucked her chin on her knees. Who was she kidding? Her legs weren’t model long. She was happy in her skin, damn it.

  Sophie studied the grumpy jet jock fluidly swacking golf balls. Twenty-four hours of make-believe family time had provoked a melancholy longing. She had wanted a life like this for her son, for herself. The shared laughter of a core family—man, woman, children.

  While the ideal family picture was a dream, it wasn’t worth risking what she’d fought so hard to build the past year.

  David tapped another ball in place, lining up his drive. “Vaughn already spent the day here. Why do we have to feed him, too?”

  “You’re the one who wanted everyone to stick together.” She knew he meant well, but she still resented his controlling attitude.

  Sophie had already decided Brice shouldn’t leave the house with Geoffrey. David hadn’t given her a chance to speak. Just as he hadn’t discussed the call he’d made to the auto shop this morning until after the fact. The mechanic had not looked over her car yet, but David said he’d alerted the guy to be on the lookout for anything suspicious.

  All of which Sophie could have handled on her own. They were supposed to be working as a team this weekend. Why couldn’t he have discussed it with her first? His intentions were honorable—just a bit heavy-handed. “What’s the harm in having Geoffrey here?”

  “So he pitched a ball around with our kids for an hour,” David grumbled. “I don
’t have to give him my sister in exchange.”

  She dropped her notepad to the chair and swung her legs to the side of the lounger. “Madison is only being polite. Even if she likes him, so what?”

  “Military marriages are tougher than most. My sister doesn’t need to set herself up for failure.” Swack.

  Did that mean David intended to spend the rest of his life single? Or just the rest of his career? And why did it even matter to her?

  She couldn’t deny he was hot. Last night had proven in no uncertain terms how attracted they were to each other. Yet in spite of their kiss and heated tangle on the sofa that had stopped a hair shy of consummation, David hadn’t made a single move on her all day. Her body felt languid with longing, the close quarters having added a familiarity to their relationship. From behind her sunglasses, Sophie looked at his bare feet dusted with dried sand. What would he do if she brushed her foot along the top of his?

  Sophie pulled away and crossed her legs yoga style, the electric churn beginning to labor behind her as the ice cream thickened. She needed some space to reestablish objectivity. Now. They still had two more nights left in the same house. She would stay away from that refrigerator—and the man behind the homemade ice cream—even if she had to lock herself in her room.

  Sophie nudged her sunglasses. “I should have my new locks in place by Monday afternoon.”

  “Good.” He jabbed his golf club back into the bag and jogged over to the ice-cream churn.

  “Complete with a state-of-the-art security system.” Which would leave them eating peanut butter into the next century.

  Once the Vasquez case ended, she would have a better handle on her finances. Then she could set a stable plan into place for herself, Brice, and Nanny. Her first responsibility must be her son’s security.

  David dipped out a dripping glob of lemon ice cream. “Will you taste this for me?”

  Life wasn’t playing fair today.

  Knowing she should take it from his hand didn’t stop her from pressing her palms on her knees and leaning toward him. Slowly, she closed her mouth over the spoon. Her eyelids fluttered shut as the tart flavor slid over her tongue. She couldn’t have suppressed her moan if she’d tried.

  David watched Sophie savor the lemon ice cream, her tongue peeking out to steal the creamy dab left in the corner of her mouth. He almost groaned right along with her. Keeping his distance, honoring the fact she didn’t want a relationship, was just about to kill him. He didn’t think he could stand another cold shower. He couldn’t decide which was harder, him or that leather couch he’d slept on last night.

  At the moment, no real contest.

  All this together time was really ratcheting his bad mood to an all-new high, reminding him of how he’d failed his daughter, his stepson, too. He’d failed to hold the family together, and now both kids had lost a mother and each other. Then Vaughn had to show up. Even his sister fawned all over the guy.

  Shit.

  He looked back at Sophie and damned if her eyes weren’t focused on the beach, too, on the image of the children playing together. Then she looked at him again. There was no missing the hunger in her expression. Memories of last night’s kiss hummed right there between them. He honest to God hadn’t intended to do that, had only meant to talk a little, put her at ease so she would relax and open up during their work discussion. Instead, all the chitchat in the dark had just wrapped around them until he reached for her.

  The connection he felt to this woman scared him shitless.

  So he’d done what any man does when he wants to get rid of a woman determined to pick at his soul. He’d hit on her, which, of course, made his torment worse.

  Thank heaven Monday and the installation of a new security system would mark an end to playing house. Sophie could move back into her fancy home, and he would return to his Spartan lifestyle.

  Absently shoveling another spoonful of ice cream, he counted the hours until Monday morning. The ice cream melted in his mouth. He would miss her, miss the noise of a family. He swallowed and set aside the bowl, appetite ruined.

  * * *

  Watching the sun sink, Sophie propped her elbows on the dock railing and listened to the roaring of boats. Lights blinked in the distance. This whole day had been frustrating on too many levels. She wasn’t used to feeling so out of control. And then, to add heartache to frustration, she’d been tormented with family scenarios all day. She couldn’t miss her son’s happiness or how her quiet boy came out of his shell.

  She tugged her hair tie off and put it on her wrist. Wind tore at her and she tipped her face into the night air, relishing the sensation. She surrendered to the awakening. It was time to reclaim her life, not the same one she had before. But then this year had changed her.

  She wouldn’t allow herself to be swept along as she had during her marriage to Lowell. But she couldn’t fight the tide as she had for the last year.

  Time to swim. She needed to give up her house, move someplace she could afford, and show her son how to respect the past without clinging to it.

  The even tread of footsteps echoed along the planked walkway. Not bothering to confirm with a look, she recognized David’s loping stride. He eased beside her, resting his elbows by hers. David shifted his weight forward to one knee until he stood shoulder to shoulder with Sophie. Her bare feet almost touched his running shoes.

  A fish jumped from the water below her, then plopped in again leaving circles widening along the surface. “Don’t bother preaching about safety. I know I shouldn’t be out here alone.”

  “We all need space sometimes.” David stared at his hands clasped loosely in front of him. “Besides, I seriously doubt you’re going to get in a car wreck here on the dock,” he joked, even though she knew as well as he must that the threats were larger.

  But she appreciated his attempt to ease the strain all the same.

  She gestured out over the water, sun sinking fast. “Those kids on Jet Skis over there look ferocious.”

  He laughed along with her.

  Definitely an intoxicating day.

  Was that why he’d come out here? For more? For her?

  She glanced back at the house. “Is Brice all right?”

  “Just fine.” His arms rested beside hers on the dock railing, as close as he could be without touching her. “He and Haley Rose are playing video games with your grandmother.”

  “With my grandmother?”

  “She’s not too shabby.”

  His face was close, near enough that if she arched up on her toes, she could kiss him. She watched his mouth move as he spoke, a hunger stirring in her belly.

  “Madison is in her room, doing her Pilates or yoga or meditation. I’m not sure but the music is definitely…unique.”

  She wanted to kiss his smile more than she wanted air. She also wanted to tear his clothes from his body and have him here, in the water or even on the dock—if it was a little more private.

  What the hell was going on with her?

  She wasn’t the rip-a-man’s-clothes-off type. She was more the candlelight-and-flowers sort, sensual romanticism, not gritty passion. Making a change in her address was one thing. Taking on an affair with this man was a different matter altogether…if she dared.

  He turned toward her, and her hand settled on his chest, her fingers gripping the warm cotton of his polo shirt. She felt his heart beat faster. Touching him, angling into the kiss was beginning to become such a natural thing…

  A squeal sounded behind them. Sophie jumped back. David straightened, his shoulders rolling.

  Haley Rose raced down the dock, an oversize shirt from summer camp drooping off one shoulder, her knees still covered with sand. “Dad, we have a question.”

  Brice walked after her, slower, his feet dragging. Nanny watched from the balcony until the children stopped beside them, then she tucked inside again.

  The children stopped side by side. One so fair, one so dark, both so precious. Haley Rose was a great kid.
David had done a good job on his own, and she knew how tough that was.

  Curious furrows trenched in Haley Rose’s forehead as she looked from Sophie to David, then back again. She brushed a tangle of plastic bracelets up her arm in a clear imitation of her aunt.

  Finally she elbowed Brice in the side. “Ask her.”

  Brice stuffed his hands in his pockets and nudged Haley Rose none too gently with his shoulder. “This was your idea.”

  “Aw, Brice, come on. Just try.” She hip bumped him.

  Sophie leaned back against the railing. “Just try what, Brice?”

  “It’s just a kiddie amusement park. No big deal.”

  Guilt kicked in. She’d been so immersed in the court case—and David—she’d forgotten about the school fund-raiser with the amusement park offering a percentage kickback to help pay for the new gym.

  Haley Rose yanked her father’s hand. “Can he go? Can we go?”

  Her syrupy smile could have slathered a stack of pancakes. The little manipulator even turned in her toes, the tips of her shoes touching. “Dad, please talk to Sophie. You promised I could go, and I can’t leave Brice behind, but he says his mom doesn’t have the money…”

  Sophie gasped and David cut her short. “Haley Rose…”

  Sophie interrupted. “It’s okay. She’s just repeating what she heard.”

  Brice pulled himself upright. “Sorry, Mom.”

  Sophie brushed Brice’s sandy hair off his forehead. “I just wished you’d talked to me.”

  Her son looked so much like Lowell, her heart twisted. But he wasn’t like her carefree husband. Brice was a worrier. All the more reason to get her life in order.

  Brice ducked from under her hand and grabbed Haley Rose by the elbow. “Come on. Let’s go back inside. I’m gonna beat your Wii bowling high score.”

  Haley Rose exhaled a martyred sigh. “I guess that means we’re all stuck here in the house together for the whole entire evening.”

  The whole entire evening. Together. In the house. David’s gaze slammed into Sophie’s. They stared at each other for a blink.