by Coleen Kwan
To make matters worse, it was such a struggle pretending there was nothing going on between them when she was microscopically aware of his presence. Each time he came close to her, her entire body fluttered with anticipation, and just the sound of his voice in another room was enough to make her prickle with pleasure.
She wasn’t being honest with him about her identity, but there was nothing fake about her body’s reaction to him. She wanted to be with him, desperately. She wanted another blissful night with him, where hot, earthy sex would make everything else inconsequential. Where she could forget who she was, where she came from, everything. She wanted to lose herself with Joe.
But Saturday night she fell asleep on her own, again.
After several hours at Joe’s B&B, she and Vince returned to the inn to prepare for the evening rush. Joe stayed behind and didn’t come back, even when dinner was in full swing. She overheard Sarah asking Vince if he knew where Joe was, and Vince had replied that Joe was still at the B&B and wasn’t expected back.
Nina went to bed wondering if she’d ever spend another night with him.
…
Joe shifted in his seat as he tried to stay awake while Nonna Lina rambled on about the dog she’d owned when she was a little girl. He never missed his visits to his nonna, and his Sunday visits were longer. He could’ve used a morning to sleep in after his long day on Saturday, but he was up bright and early at the inn to make sure guests were checked out properly and handle any possible complaints. Then he’d gone back to weatherizing his B&B before it was time for his soccer match. He’d almost decided to skip soccer until he realized they had no substitutes, his team was almost in the semifinals, and he couldn’t let them down at the crucial moment. He’d have to return to his B&B after his visiting Nonna, but for now he should give her his full attention.
“What was his name again?” Nonna Lina’s brow puckered up with the effort of remembering. “Was it Lucky? Or Patch? Oh, dear. I’m getting too old.”
“Your dog’s name was Sampson.” Joe had heard about her dog countless times before. He patted her hand. “And you’re not too old. You’ve got years and years left ahead of you.”
She gave him a fond smile. “You always cheer me up, Joe. You’re a good boy.”
But as Joe left a half hour later, his heart was heavy. What would happen if he could no longer afford the fees of the nursing home? What if he couldn’t get his bank loan, and the mortgage repayments on the potential B&B slowly bled him dry? In that scenario, he would sell the property to Beaumont, of course. No contest there, not with his nonna’s well-being in the balance. But his soul flinched at the thought of caving to Beaumont, of losing his dream and saddling the town with a resort most locals didn’t want.
He had to stay positive, he told himself, and get his property weatherproof so he wouldn’t have to spend even more money on it.
When he reached his B&B, he was surprised to see Vince and Paul’s trucks already parked there. But inside, the first person he bumped into was Nina.
She beamed at him. “Hey, boss.”
“Nina? I didn’t expect to see you here.” His spirits lifted. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes were crumpled, and her garish turquoise Crocs were dull with dust. And she’d never looked more ravishing. “Actually, I didn’t expect to see anyone here again today.”
“Nina roped us in,” Vince said as he clomped down the stairs with Paul, a stepladder balanced between them.
“She said she’d buy us each a case of beer,” Paul added, winking at Nina.
“A case!” She chuckled. “Liar. It was one beer each.”
“One beer.” Paul sighed as he shook his head. “You’re lucky I’m a sucker for a pretty face.”
They all laughed, but Joe felt a tightening in the tendons of his neck. Paul was one of his closest friends, but damn if he didn’t feel a twinge of jealousy at his blatant flirting with Nina.
“Beers are on me,” Joe said loudly. “When we’re done.”
“Shouldn’t take long,” Paul said. “We’re going to seal up some of the shutters.” The two men trooped out with their stepladder, leaving Joe alone with Nina.
“Thanks,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn’t used to feeling grateful to her.
She shrugged, looked just as discomfited as him. “It was nothing. I knew you were busy with soccer and your grandmother today, and you’re worried about the weather, so I was hoping to spare you some hassle…”
Nina rattled on like she was nervous about something. But what? He’d caught her giving him some strange looks ever since she’d found out about this B&B, but he couldn’t figure out the reason. Maybe she was worried he’d made a bad investment.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I really appreciate it.”
She wriggled her foot, still looking a little jumpy. “You’re welcome.”
Her soft voice pierced him with longing, and he wished they were alone so he could kiss her nose. Or, better still, he wished they didn’t have to pretend they were nothing to each other. He wished they could touch each other in public and not give a damn about onlookers. Well, he could hardly complain, since he’d made the rules. Only, sometimes, he wasn’t so sure about the reasons for those rules anymore.
On impulse, he stepped right into her personal space and cupped his hands around her face. She blinked up at him in surprise, her cheeks cool and creamy beneath his rough palms. Her eyes were deep aquamarine as she quivered in his hold, and once again he wondered about the cause behind her tension. Then he dropped his mouth onto hers, a brief, starving kiss that didn’t satisfy, only whetted his appetite. But that was all he could allow himself right now.
“I’d better go check up on those two,” he said gruffly, “seeing as I promised them beer.”
Chapter Eight
“Got any plans for today?” Joe’s eyes gleamed at Nina, indicating he definitely had a plan or two. The last of the weekend guests had just checked out, meaning Nina had no more duties at the inn that day.
Nina grinned, trying and not succeeding to tamp down the fluttery feelings he always triggered in her. Honestly, her feelings for Joe were beginning to verge on serious, which was kind of scary.
“Why?” She couldn’t stop herself batting her eyelashes at him. “What do you have in mind?”
“I thought I could make it up to you for being so preoccupied these past couple days.” His admiring gaze slipped over her, lingering on her breasts. “I was going to start that last night, but it didn’t turn out that way.”
She understood. Last night at the bar¸ Paul had drunk too much and got mushy about some girl who’d dumped him. Joe had had to drive him home.
“How is Paul?” she asked.
Joe lifted a shoulder. “I called him this morning. He’s hungover, but he’ll survive.” He leaned closer. “But I don’t want to talk about Paul. What are you doing today?”
The hunger in his eyes made her sigh. When Joe wanted something, he was irresistible. “I’m helping Mrs. Stewart with her charity stall this morning, but I should be free after that.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You’re helping Mrs. Stewart?”
“Yeah.” She put a hand on her hip. “Why are you so surprised?”
“I guess I wasn’t expecting it.”
Feeling awkward, she huffed out a breath. “Well, I want to. Okay?”
“Okay.” Joe chuckled. “I’ll pick you up here around three, then.”
“You seem very sure that I want to be picked up.”
Leaning in, he traced a finger along the line of her jaw, sending a quiver of pleasure through her. “Yes, sweet pea, I’m very sure about what you want.” He ghosted his mouth over hers, hot with promise, but only for a second before he stepped back.
“Don’t be late.”
And damn if he didn’t pat her ass as he walked off.
…
Donations for the charity stall had been coming in for days. Nina, Mrs. Stewart, and Patty Williams, an
other volunteer, set to work combing through them for any quality pieces they could sell at the festival.
“People donate stuff like this?” Nina wrinkled her nose at a moth-eaten coat she pulled out of a black garbage bag. “No one will want this.”
“Don’t be so hasty,” Mrs. Stewart said. “It’s not good enough for the festival, but we’ll put it in the dollar bargain box here in the store. Winter’s coming, and some folks around here can’t be too choosy.”
Nina instantly felt bad. What did she know about real poverty? “You’re right, and I should know better.” She folded the coat and placed it in the box for the thrift store.
“No, it’s good you haven’t reached that level.” Mrs. Stewart smiled at her. “You seem to be settling in. Everything okay at the Comet Inn?”
Nina nodded. “I’m still breaking dishes, but I’m getting better.”
“Joe’s a good boss to have. And a good friend, too.” Mrs. Stewart paused, and Nina knew she was thinking about last week when she’d seen Nina and Joe together on the balcony.
“Yeah, Joe’s nice,” Nina replied, keeping a straight face.
She delved into the next garbage bag. Expecting another bunch of ratty clothing, she wasn’t prepared for what she found.
“Hey, Mrs. Stewart, look at these.” She held up several dresses, all of them simply designed in muted shades of taupe, mushroom, and ivory.
Mrs. Stewart gave them a cursory glance. “They look nice.”
Patty squinted at the dresses. “I dunno. They seem a bit dull to me.”
“But they’re Favreau.” Nina didn’t need to check the labels to know these were the same chic, expensive French-designed dresses that her high-society stepmother favored. Favreau wasn’t as instantly recognizable as other big French designers, but wealthy people like Ellen preferred the exclusivity. “They’re made in France. These dresses should definitely be in the charity stall.”
“Are you sure?” Patty eyed the dresses doubtfully.
“Yes!” Nina nodded eagerly. “Price them at fifty dollars, and they’d be gone in a flash. In fact, you could probably sell them for sixty, seventy dollars. Each of these dresses would retail for several thousand dollars.” She scrambled through the bag and pulled out more clothing. “Look, there are pants and jackets, too. You could make a fortune here.”
Mrs. Stewart and Patty both stared at her.
“I’ve never heard of this Favreau.” Patty sounded accusing. “You seem to know a lot about French clothes.”
Nina halted, belatedly realizing her faux pas. Mrs. Stewart also appeared confused. Okay…she’d slipped up again. An ordinary working-class girl like she was meant to be might know about Christian Dior and Valentino, but she shouldn’t recognize a niche brand like Favreau.
“Um, I used to do some babysitting for a rich woman in San Francisco,” she quickly improvised. “She wore dresses like these. That’s how I know.”
“I see.” But Patty still seemed a little suspicious. “It’s just that you knew what they were so quickly. You didn’t even read the labels.”
Nina shrugged. “I guess I have an eye for detail, that’s all.” She turned to Mrs. Stewart. “So, should I price them and put them aside for the festival stall?”
“Maybe just a few.” Mrs. Stewart was still doubtful. “And definitely don’t price anything above thirty dollars. We don’t want to end up with a lot of unsold stock.”
Thirty dollars! They might as well give them away. But Nina held her tongue, afraid she’d blow her cover, and did as she was told.
At lunchtime they stopped for coffee and a quick sandwich. Patty seemed to have gotten over her doubts about Nina, as she chatted to her about her family and her occupations. She was on the festival organizing committee, it turned out, and was another fan of Joe’s. Under Joe’s leadership, the festival had grown each year and was now a great tourist attraction.
“We pride ourselves on our individuality and craftsmanship,” Patty said, sounding like a brochure. “People visit here because they like a personal touch. That’s why we’re so opposed to having a Beaumont resort foisted upon us.”
Nina’s heart sank at the mention of her dad’s hated company again.
“Not everyone is opposed,” Mrs. Stewart said mildly. “Some people think a resort would be good for jobs.”
Patty snorted. “A few jobs in exchange for ruining our peaceful environment? It wouldn’t be worth it. There are other ways of generating new jobs.”
Like Joe’s proposed B&B, Nina thought. He’d need to hire extra staff, and the kind of guests Joe wanted to attract would likely spend more money in the area, too.
“What do you think of the resort?” Mrs. Stewart asked Nina.
She looked up at the two women. “It shouldn’t happen. It has to be stopped.” Because Joe’s dream had to come true.
Patty and Mrs. Stewart exchanged looks. “See?” Patty said. “Everyone thinks it’s a terrible idea.”
Fortunately, they dropped the subject after that.
…
“Should I lie low until we get to your place?” Nina’s eyes sparked with mischief as she squirmed in the passenger seat of Joe’s pickup truck. It was broad daylight, and he had just picked her up from the inn after she’d helped Mrs. Stewart. “I could put my head on your lap,” she said, licking her lips. “That way no one would know I was with you.”
Lust surged through Joe at the prospect of having those luscious lips of Nina’s so close to his crotch. But he manfully tamped down his desires.
“Sweet pea, it’s sweet of you to offer, but I don’t want the sheriff pulling me over, because I’m sure I can’t drive straight with your head in my lap.”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “Well, as long as you don’t mind being spotted with me.”
He’d been careful to park at the back of the inn when he’d picked her up, and now instead of driving down the main street, he was taking a detour through the quiet part of town. He didn’t particularly enjoy keeping his affair with Nina a secret, but he knew he had to be careful.
“If anyone asks,” Joe said, “we’re picking up supplies for the inn.”
“Good thinking.”
But she seemed a little deflated, as if the secrecy was getting to her. He lobbed her a quick glance, noticing the gold glimmers in her hair and the soft poutiness of her lower lip, and his blood stirred again. He could stare at her all day and never get his fill. She’d surprised him over the last few days, the way she’d leaped in so enthusiastically to help him without a second thought. His heart warmed once again.
Impulsively, he reached over and squeezed her free hand. “Thanks for all your help with the B&B.”
She grinned sheepishly back at him. “You’ve said thank you already. You don’t have to keep saying it. And besides, I wasn’t the only one. You had your friends there, and they probably helped you more.”
“Yeah, but I expect them to turn up, not you.”
He thought of Deanne, the woman who had made him steer clear of any further relationships, and how different she was from Nina. Deanne would never have come out in a storm to help him. She wouldn’t have supported his dream of opening a B&B at all.
Nina was gazing at him rather penetratingly. “You keep yourself so busy all the time,” she said, blue eyes trained on him. “Is that how you avoid having a girlfriend?”
Startled by her question, Joe almost drove off the road. When he was back in control, he shook his head at her. “You know, you really shouldn’t spring a question like that on a guy when he’s driving.”
“Sorry,” she said, clearly unapologetic. “I’m just curious.”
He clamped his hands around the steering wheel. “Clearly, you’re not helping the cause.”
She waved a hand. “I’m not auditioning for the part, but I’d like to know. A guy like you…stable, driven, knows what he wants and goes after it. You seem more like the type to be in a steady relationship, not bouncing around from affair to affair.”
She lifted her shoulders. “But you don’t have to tell me. I know I’m too blunt sometimes.”
He had no reason not to tell her about Deanne, now. He was over the hurt—nothing but scar tissue left.
“I broke up with my last girlfriend, Deanne, a few years back, just after my nonna’s accident,” he said calmly. “She’d cheated on me. When I confronted her, she said it was my fault because I spent too much time on my grandmother and my business.”
Nina gasped. “What a bitch! But you shouldn’t let her ruin your whole life.”
“Who said she ruined my life? I’m very happy without a girlfriend.”
“Don’t you want to get married one day and have kids?”
He gave her a wry smile. “You really don’t mind asking personal questions, do you?”
“Hey, you and I are way past the polite stage, if we were ever there at all.”
“Agreed. The truth is I don’t have time for a girlfriend, let alone a wife and kids. I’m busy enough as it is, and I’ll be even more stretched when I get the loan for my B&B.”
The justifications slipped from his tongue, glib and practiced. How often had he used these excuses? They sounded so plausible he almost believed them himself. But deep down he knew he would move heaven and earth not to allow anything to get between him and his woman. If she was the right woman, that was.
Nina rolled her shoulders, as if she wanted to shake off the somber mood that had come over them. “Well, seeing as you’re such a busy beaver, we’d better make the most of this afternoon, huh?”
Joe was more than happy to push aside his serious thoughts. He squeezed her thigh and left his hand there. “Beaver, hmm? You read my mind.”
She slapped his hand, feigning outrage. “Your mind is so dirty.”
“Yeah, but you like it.”
She walked her fingers up his forearm, making his skin tingle. “Yeah, I do.”
But when they reached his house, getting naked with her wasn’t the first thing on his mind.
“I’ve got something for you,” he said as they walked into his living room.
