by Kristi Gold
“Go to bed, Drew.”
“I will. But you can bet I’ll probably be camping.”
Seven
As Drew predicted, he couldn’t sleep to save his life. The couch was too small, and his need for Kristina too great. He couldn’t even toss and turn without toppling over the edge.
This wasn’t going to work, he thought as he sat up and braced both hands on his neck already stiff from the position he’d maintained for over two hours. That wasn’t the only thing.
Kristina kept playing through his mind like a favorite song. He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her, thinking about what he’d like to do with her.
Maybe he should go to her. After all, his bed was more than adequate for both of them. Besides, they didn’t have to do anything other than hold each other.
Might work at that. He had nothing to lose by trying, except maybe control. Nope, he’d just have to be strong, keep his hands to himself. He didn’t even have to wake her. He could just crawl in and be content knowing she was nearby, knowing he couldn’t touch her the way he really wanted to, at least not tonight. Then he could sneak back to the couch before dawn.
Slipping on his shorts and shirt, he took the stairs two at a time as quietly as he could. Once he arrived at his room, he pushed open the door that creaked too loudly. He waited for a moment to see if he’d alerted Kristina to his presence. The last thing he needed was to scare her to death.
He couldn’t make out much in the limited light other than Kristina’s form beneath the covers. She hadn’t seemed to move. So far, so good. He immediately knocked his toe on the edge of the lounger near the door. Stifling a string of curses, he managed to arrive at the bed without ramming any more obstacles.
Quietly he undressed down to his briefs and braced his knee on the mattress that groaned beneath his weight.
The mound of covers moved and Drew hated that he’d wakened her. “It’s me, Kristina.”
“Guess again.”
“What the—?” Drew bolted from the bed, grabbed for his shorts and tugged them back on with fumbling fingers. “Grandmother?”
“An astute observation, dear Drew.”
He choked down a foul curse. “What are you doing here?”
The bedside lamp flipped on, revealing Lilly’s rheumy eyes trying to focus, a sour look on her face. “For your information, your fiancée is in the guest room. She insisted I take your bed so I’d be more comfortable.”
Drew was anything but comfortable at the moment having been caught by his grandmother with his pants down, literally. He pulled on his shirt and said, “Actually, I…” What excuse could he possibly give Lilly that sounded remotely believable?
Lilly sat up on the edge of the bed and yawned. “I know what you’re up to, Grandson.”
“I just wanted to tell her good-night.”
“Without your clothes?” Lilly glanced at the bedside clock. “And it’s a little late for conversation.” She let go a grating chuckle.
“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “I thought she might want to talk.”
“You thought no such thing.” Lilly settled herself back into bed and flipped a hand toward the door. “Go find her. Your secret’s safe with me.”
So much for his plan to crawl in the sack with Kristina. The daybed in the guest room wouldn’t allow enough space for both of them, at least not side by side. On the other hand…
That was the last thing he needed to imagine at the moment with Lilly staring at him expectantly. “Good night, Grandmother. Sorry I woke you.” He pivoted toward the door.
“One more thing, Drew.”
So much for a quick escape. “What?” he asked, not bothering to turn around.
“Kristina is a fine young woman, and she deserves your respect. If you don’t have any intention of seeing this through beyond a quick tumble between the sheets, then you’d best think twice.”
Finally he faced her. “I understand what you’re saying, Grandmother. But I have to admit, I do like her. A lot.” Drew was surprised at how easily the confession rolled off his tongue.
Lilly smiled with satisfaction. “Of course you like her. Grandmother always knows best. You may thank me later.” With that, she snapped off the light and Drew walked out the door, her words echoing in his mind.
He did like Kristina, more than he ever thought he would. And he certainly didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to be with her, talk to her, hold her, and no doubt about it, make love to her. Maybe even tell her things he’d never told any woman, told anyone for that matter. He hoped he would have that opportunity soon, if not tonight.
Halfway down the stairs on his return to the dreaded sofa, Drew reconsidered and paused at the window on the landing. A half-moon cut a swath of light across the glass-still lake, bringing with it a great idea.
The cove. Kristina. A place to be alone.
He ran the risk that Kristina might not agree to come with him, but he could tell her that he wanted to go for a midnight stroll, away from his family’s prying eyes, especially Lilly’s. To allow them the chance to talk, relax, and whatever else might transpire in the dark of night.
All he could do was ask, and hope that he didn’t find someone other than Kristina in the guest-room bed.
“Kristina.”
The sultry voice pulled Kristina from her momentary dozing. For hours she’d been awake, thinking about Drew, and now, as if she’d conjured him up, he was stroking her hair and speaking to her in soft whispers.
She rolled to face him, her heart filled with joy over his sudden presence. “Can’t sleep?” she asked.
“Not a bit. How about you?”
“Not much.”
“Care to go exploring?”
She pushed herself up to a sitting position. “Drew, your parents are right next door.”
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
He stood and held out his hand. “Outside. I have a place I want to show you.”
Kristina wondered what else he wanted to show her once they arrived at the place. That consideration brought about an overwhelming excitement. She draped her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. “I need to change.”
“No, you don’t. Just put on some shoes.”
“I can’t go traipsing around outside in a nightgown.”
He took both her hands and pulled her up. “No one’s going to see you except me.”
Now pressed against him, the thin cotton the only barrier between her breasts and solid man, she shivered. “Are you sure?”
He brushed a kiss over her forehead. “I’m sure.”
“Okay.” She slipped on her canvas sneakers and took the hand he offered, allowing him to lead her down the stairs, out the back door and to who knew where else.
The area was dimly lit by moonlight as they headed up a path not wide enough for them to walk side by side. Drew kept hold of her hand and tugged her along behind him at a steady pace. A slight breeze rustled through the trees and an occasional limb grabbed Kristina’s ankle. She momentarily considered that she might encounter some poison oak. Nothing like spending the weekend scratching. But her current itch was one she wanted Drew to scratch, and that took precedence over her concerns.
“Where are we going?” she asked in a whisper. “Back to Chicago?”
“It’s a swimming hole,” he said over one shoulder. “Nice and secluded. We’re almost there.”
They reached a break in the woods and Kristina came to his side to survey the scene. Immediately before them a dock stretched out over a small cove of water illuminated by a swath of moonlight. Serenity at its finest. A beautiful scene that should be immortalized on a postcard, Kristina decided.
She smiled at Drew and said wistfully, “This is heaven.”
He grinned. “Yeah, and I plan to enjoy it to the fullest.”
Without warning, Drew released her hand and began stripping while Kristina stood, mouth gaping. He kicked off his deck shoes and divested himself of all cloth
ing, then ran to the end of the dock and dove in. The splash and Drew’s shout echoed over the water, yanking Kristina out of her daze.
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she strolled onto the dock, peeking over the end to see Drew immediately beneath. Luckily the water came to his chest, and she couldn’t see anything beyond that. Not that she wasn’t mildly curious. Okay, mildly wasn’t exactly sufficient. Unfortunately, Drew had undressed so quickly that Kristina hadn’t been given the chance to satisfy that curiosity.
“Come on in,” he said, treading water beneath her. “Feels great.”
She imagined he would. “From the way you yelled, you could’ve fooled me. I wouldn’t be surprised if you woke the entire household.”
“Nah. They’re all sound sleepers.”
Not quite willing to strip beyond her shoes, Kristina toed out of her sneakers and sat on the end of the wooden pier to dangle her bare feet over the edge.
Drew continued to tread water below her, his wet hair glistening in the moonlight. “Come on, Kristina. Live a little. I’ll make sure you don’t drown.”
“I used to be a lifeguard,” she said. However, she was a little worried about drowning in Drew’s sensuality. And for goodness sake, he was naked. She certainly couldn’t ignore that if she decided to take the plunge.
He moved closer until he was immediately below her. “Then what are you afraid of?”
“Snakes,” she blurted out.
“There’s only one you’ll have to deal with.”
Wonderful. “Poisonous?”
“Not really.” His teeth flashed white in the darkness. “It’s known as the Connelly Crawler.”
Kristina giggled from self-consciousness, from awareness that she was no match for that particular species. “Now, that sounds dangerous.”
“Only if he’s provoked.”
“And what provokes him?”
“Beautiful women.”
She turned her attention from Drew to her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The familiar insecurity resurfaced. “Then I guess we don’t have to worry, do we?”
Drew tugged on her ankle. “Actually, since you definitely qualify, we do. But I’ll try to keep him under control.”
Could Kristina keep her own urges under control, especially with him claiming that she was beautiful? She remembered what Lilly had said about sex, and she’d thought it a good idea at the time, but now she wasn’t so sure. She still had too many unanswered questions, too much to consider before giving in to Drew and her own yearnings to be with him in every way possible. “Go ahead and have fun. I’ll sit right here.”
“I refuse to swim alone, Kristina. Give me your hand. You can help me up.”
Help him up? Drew, naked as the day he was born? Was she really ready for that?
“Come on, Kristina,” he said, holding out his hand.
Be mature, she told herself. Give him a little boost, and ignore his state of undress. As if she could really do that when confronting his nudity up close and personal.
Closing her eyes, she grabbed Drew’s hand but instead of him coming up, she fell in, gown and all.
When the cold water engulfed her from toes to ears, she realized why Drew had yelled. But it wasn’t long until she was lifted into Drew’s strong arms, blanketed by warmth, firmly planted against him. All of him.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”
Dear heavens, she couldn’t do that, knowing what lurked beneath the water’s depths. She seriously doubted that what she felt nudging her belly was any form of fish or snake.
Drew whirled her around until her head began to spin and in order to keep from sinking, she braced her hands tightly on his shoulders and circled her legs around his waist.
“Much better.” His voice was rough, seductive.
“At least in water I’m practically weightless,” she said. “Otherwise, you might throw out your back.”
“Stop it.”
Kristina was taken aback by his serious tone. “Stop what?”
“Stop putting yourself down like that.”
She glanced away. “Sorry. It’s a habit.”
“One you need to break.”
Oh, if only she could. If only Drew could understand how many years she had fought to accept her size, the cruelty that had been a part of that battle for acceptance. If only she could believe that it really didn’t matter to him.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered, his gaze leveled on her breasts outlined in detail beneath the now-transparent, clinging cotton gown.
She lowered her eyes, feeling reticent. “Thank you.”
He kept one arm around her back and tipped her chin up with his free hand until she contacted his assessing, crystalline gaze. “I mean it, Kristina. If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t be in the shape I’m in right now.”
“Are you referring to the Crawler?”
“You bet I am. He’s a little agitated at the moment.”
Nothing Kristina hadn’t already noticed. “Sorry.”
He traced his tongue over the shell of her ear. “I’m not sorry. I am wondering what I’m going to do about it.”
Did he mean for them to make love for the first time here, in the water? Was that possible? Of course it is, you dummy.
“Drew, I think—”
“I don’t want you to think.” He ran one fingertip slightly beneath the modest neckline of the gown. “I want you to take this off. Please.”
Speechless, she could only nod her approval.
He reached beneath the water and tugged the material up from where it had settled around her hips. Kristina froze from the fear of him seeing her totally naked except for the plain white panties she wore beneath her gown.
Clinging to Drew’s shoulders, she remained very still while he worked the gown above her breasts. As if in a trance, she lifted one arm, then the other, until he had it over her head before she could draw a much-needed breath or issue a protest. Drew tossed the discarded gown and it slapped the surface of the dock with a plunk.
He started moving out of deep water, although Kristina still felt as if she were up to her neck in need. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Closer to the bank so I can see you better.”
He kept traveling until the water no longer provided shelter above her waist. Kristina resisted the urge to cover herself, but she couldn’t look Drew in the eye.
“You can touch bottom here,” he whispered.
She slid her legs down until her toes contacted solid ground, but she still felt dizzy, disoriented, only mildly aware of the night sounds surrounding them. Her focus centered on Drew’s strong arms, every place they touched, the faint scent of soap on his skin, the width of his shoulders beneath her grasp. Convening all her courage, she finally raised her eyes to his.
He took a long lingering look at her breasts then sent Kristina a sultry smile that made her flush from head to toe. “You are incredible,” he murmured.
Incredible was right. Even though Kristina was standing in cool water, her bare flesh exposed to the nippy night air, a slow, liquid blaze traveled the length of her, creating a riot of desire deep within.
He kept his eyes locked into hers while he gently stroked his thumbs on the sides of her bare breasts, over and over until he had her wanting and waiting for him to go farther. He kissed her then, a hot thrilling kiss that blocked everything but him from her consciousness. All her worries disappeared as if carried away on a current of longing. With each passage of his tongue between her parted lips, she could only consider the way he made her feel—desperate, desired…beautiful.
Slowly he moved his hands to palm her breasts and Kristina felt as liquid as the water where she now stood. He broke the kiss and his lips came to rest on her neck then slowly slid downward to the valley between her breasts.
Kristina felt totally consumed by the heavenly sensations, and a needy sound escaped her mouth as Drew circled his tongue around her nipple. As if she�
��d suddenly divorced herself from reality, she slid her hands to his hips and tugged him closer until she could feel every breathtaking part of him.
“I need you, Drew,” she whispered. “So much.”
Suddenly he raised his head and tipped his forehead against hers. “We probably shouldn’t be doing this. We’re not ready.”
Odd that he hadn’t said “you’re not ready.” “I really think I am.”
“I’m putting too much pressure on you.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
He gave her a frustrated look. “I also don’t have any condoms with me.”
“Then you weren’t serious about me getting pregnant?”
His smile was wry. “No, I wasn’t serious.”
“Not about the laundry or the lawn or the housekeeping either?” she asked hopefully.
“No.”
“Then why did you say all those things?”
He glanced away, but not before she saw some unnamed emotion in his eyes. “I was kidding. I thought you realized that.”
“Actually, I wasn’t sure you were. Not at first.” She cupped his jaw in her palm, forcing him to look at her. “But now that I know you so much better, I realize that’s not the kind of man you are.”
He dropped his arms from around her and stepped back. “You don’t know everything about me, Kristina.”
Kristina sensed he was about to close himself off again. She wouldn’t let him. “I know you love your daughter. I know you’ve had a hard time since your wife’s death. But I also know I can trust you, Drew. I’m beginning to have faith that this relationship could work. Maybe it was even meant to be.”
The immediate change in Drew’s demeanor indicated that Kristina had said the wrong thing. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and raised an invisible gate, severing any emotional connection they’d shared to this point.
He turned away from her and headed toward the ladder at the side of the dock. “We need to get back before someone realizes we’re gone.” Once he made it to the top, he kept his back to her while he dressed. “You can wear my shirt. I’ll wait for you at the head of the path and we’ll walk back together.”
