Josh took his time filling his plate and grabbed two bottles of sparkling water from the refrigerator. When he joined her in what most would consider a family room, Courtney already had the television on and she was scrolling through old I Love Lucy episodes.
“Any requests?” she asked him.
Oh, he had a request all right, but it had nothing to do with what they watched while eating dinner. “Surprise me.” He considered one of the overstuffed chairs. It would be the safest place in the room to sit. Josh walked past the one closest to him and joined Courtney on the sofa.
The only sound in the room came from the flat-screen television mounted on the wall while they ate. Or more specifically in Josh’s case, while he ate and envisioned removing Courtney’s top so he could see more than just the outline of her nipples. If any erotic images were going through her head, she didn’t let on.
“Callie said we can use Cliff House for the wedding. She offered to help with any planning too, and I already called Henri. He’ll call me back soon with some menu ideas. Did you get everything you needed today?” She opened the bottle of water he’d brought in for her.
“Yeah. We can go to City Hall tomorrow for the marriage license.”
“We’ll have to go on Friday. I’m going shopping for a wedding dress in Boston with my sister tomorrow.”
“I’m surprised you’re not going to New York.”
“She wanted to, but I don’t feel like it. There are plenty of bridal stores in Boston. I won’t have a problem finding something.”
For about the fifth time since sitting down, he rubbed his neck and rolled it from side to side.
“Stiff neck?”
It wasn’t the only thing that was stiff tonight. Josh nodded. “My neck and back were already bothering me this morning. All the time in the car didn’t help.”
Setting aside her water, she moved onto her knees. “Take off your shirt and turn around. I’ll give you a back rub. It might help.”
If she put her hands on him, he could kiss any chance of sleeping tonight goodbye, so the smart thing to do would be to politely decline. Unlike Courtney, who’d graduated both high school and college early, he wasn’t smart. Grabbing the bottom of his shirt, Josh pulled it over his head.
Energy sizzled and cracked across his skin when her palms came down on his shoulders. Slowly, she kneaded and massaged the tight muscles in his upper back. He’d had plenty of massages in his life, especially when he was prepping for a role and spent countless hours in the gym. None had ever affected him the way this one was. While Courtney was working out the knots almost as well as any professional, her touch was acting like gasoline to a fire. With each movement of her hands, his body tightened and his internal temperature inched higher.
She kneaded a particularly tight spot, and he moaned.
“I’ll assume you’re enjoying the massage,” she said as audience laughter erupted from the television.
Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to enjoy the feel of her skin against his for the first time after so many weeks.
She shifted her position, her body rubbing against his, and he felt her pebbled nipples against his back as she trailed her fingers up and over his shoulders. Her touch was more of a caress than a massage now. Gradually her hands slipped lower, and he held his breath as they passed his clavicle and stopped.
Moist lips touched the back of his neck. Before he could react, Courtney’s hands moved lower, and he dug down deep for the control necessary not to turn and take over. A second kiss joined the first, and her palms caressed his skin as they moved back toward his shoulders. Then just like that, they disappeared, as did the weight of her body leaning against him. Prepared to ask what was wrong, Josh turned, expecting to find Courtney back in a sitting position. Instead, he found her still kneeling and pulling her top off.
Erect nipples taunted him, begging him to touch them. Despite his efforts, his self-control started to slip. He placed his hands on her sides mere inches below her breasts, because if he touched them he was a goner. “Courtney.” His voice came out strangled.
She met and held his gaze while her fingers undid the button on his jeans and tugged the zipper down. Her hand closed around him as he took possession of her mouth.
“Any better?” Her voice broke through the vivid daydream playing out in his head.
“Much.” Although it’d been all in his head, he could almost feel her hand wrapped around him.
“Do you want me to keep going?”
If she kept going, the little self-control he had left would be long gone. “No. I’m good. Thanks.”
Her hands disappeared from his body, and she sat down again. After pulling his shirt back on, Josh reached for his plate, glad Courtney’s attention was on the television and not him, because if she took one look at him, she’d know exactly what was on his mind.
Eight
When Courtney offered to give Josh a back rub Wednesday night, she’d done so because she wanted to help, not because she wanted to touch him. Well, it had been mostly because she wanted to help. Either way, it hadn’t taken long for her to realize what a gigantic mistake it was. Once she touched his skin, memories of his hands moving across her body forced their way front and center, as did memories of her pleasuring him. Abruptly stopping the massage would have seemed strange, so she’d gritted her teeth and suffered through it. Alone in bed later, she’d wondered what the hell was wrong with her. They were both adults and physically attracted to each other. Denying herself the pleasure she knew full well Josh could give her because there was a miniscule chance she might let her guard down and get emotionally attached was plain stupid. She was an intelligent woman. If she didn’t want to let her emotions into play, she wouldn’t.
Simple.
She’d had the same argument with herself on Thursday and then again last night after climbing into bed very much alone while Josh retreated to his bedroom down the hall. Much to his credit, Josh had been a perfect gentleman since he moved in. Although he still appeared in the kitchen without a shirt in the morning, he always kept his hands and his lips to himself, despite the clear evidence he wanted more than a companion to eat meals with while they watched reruns of old black-and-white sitcoms.
Would she be having the same talk with herself tonight? As much as she’d like to say no, she knew more than likely she’d be alone in the big bed again when they came back from her parents’. While she’d somehow managed it in Hawaii by inviting Josh back to her room, she wasn’t comfortable making the first move. But if she wanted them to return to the intimate relationship they’d had, she’d need to do just that, since Josh seemed intent on leaving the status of their relationship in her corner.
The knock on her door put her current thoughts on hold.
Although they’d shared breakfast every morning since he moved in, she was the first one in the kitchen. Josh always joined her before she finished pouring her first cup of coffee. She didn’t know if he set his alarm so he was up before she left or if he was simply a morning person who liked to get up early. Whichever it was, she enjoyed having the company.
“Courtney.” Josh’s voice traveled through the closed door.
Thus far this week, their bedrooms had remained off-limits, so if he was outside the door now, there must be a good reason. “I’m up. Come on in.” She set aside the book she’d been reading—well, trying to read. She was still on the same page as when she’d picked it up twenty minutes ago.
She held her breath as the door opened. Considering where her thoughts were before he interrupted, she didn’t know if she could handle a shirtless Josh in her bedroom this morning.
A fully dressed Josh appeared in the doorway, but he didn’t step into the room. “I made breakfast for us.”
Unless you counted picking up takeout, in the past four days, he’d exhibited no culinary skills whatsoever. Something along the lines of “you cooked?” almost slipped out, but she stopped herself just in time. No matter what was waiting for
her in the kitchen, it was the thought that counted.
“Great. I’m hungry.” She tossed aside the throw blanket she’d been using since she sat down in the chair and gave the bed a wide berth as she headed for the door.
He’d put a plate containing what looked like an egg and cheese omelet near the seat she usually used at the island. A bowl full of some kind of sugary cereal was in Josh’s preferred spot. Fresh fruit, an assortment of baked goods, and coffee completed the meal.
“How long have you been up?” she asked as she sat. Yesterday her grocery order had contained a large assortment of fruit but not a single muffin or cinnamon roll. So either he’d gone out for the ingredients to make them, which she doubted, or he’d made a trip to a local bakery.
“A few hours. I thought you might like breakfast when you got up.” He poured milk into the bowl of cereal. She wasn’t sure what kind he was eating today, but based on the color, it was chocolate flavored. She wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than the marshmallow-laced one he’d eaten yesterday with a side of bacon. “I made the omelet, but the muffins and cinnamon rolls are from Ambrosia.”
She eyed her plate. “Thanks. It looks delicious.” Courtney hoped it tasted as good as it looked, but if it didn’t, she’d never tell him. With her fork, she cut off a corner and tentatively popped it in her mouth. In her opinion, it needed a little more salt, but otherwise the omelet tasted great. “You didn’t make yourself an omelet?”
Josh covered his cereal with slices of banana, as if adding fruit to the bowl would somehow make it any healthier. “Not a big fan of eggs.” He scooped up a spoonful of cereal and popped it in his mouth, then reached for one of the oversized cinnamon rolls.
They’d eaten breakfast together almost every morning in Hawaii. Now that she thought about it, he’d always ordered carb-heavy meals like pancakes and waffles. Various types of breakfast meats had usually accompanied his meals.
“Do you want to split this with me?” He pointed to the bakery treat with his knife.
She knew from past experiences just how tasty the roll was. It was also huge, and she’d never be able to eat an entire one and her omelet. “Sure.”
No sooner did the bakery treat appear on her plate than Courtney cut into it. A rich combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, and icing melted on her tongue. After cutting off another piece, she eyed it and then her omelet. The one Josh had taken the time to make, but she’d barely touched. Rather than enjoy another bite of the cinnamon roll, she returned to the eggs.
“What time do we need to be at your parents’?” Josh asked between mouthfuls of food.
The question barely registered, thanks to the dab of icing on his lips. All she needed to do was lean to the right and she’d be able to lick it off. Who knew where things would go from there?
“Uh, around five.” She started to lean in his direction.
He raised another spoonful of cereal toward his mouth, and she wasn’t sure if she should thank or curse the silly utensil that now stood between her and his lips.
“Do you have any plans until then?” he asked.
“Unless hanging around here and being lazy counts, nope.” Grabbing a napkin, Courtney held it out. “You have icing on your lip.”
Rather than wipe his mouth, Josh licked the icing off. If she suddenly had some of the same sugary goodness on her lip or perhaps another part of her body, would Josh be kind enough to lick it off for her?
“The ice rink opens soon. How do you feel about ice skating this afternoon?”
Located not far from City Hall in Kennedy Plaza, the outdoor rink was used year-round. In the winter people could ice skate or participate in ice bumper cars. During the warmer months, people used the area for a wide range of activities as well. She’d passed by the rink countless times, but she’d never had any desire to visit.
“I don’t own any skates.” She couldn’t remember the last time she slipped on ice skates.
“I checked the website when I got back because I don’t have any here either, and we can rent some there.” Josh selected what appeared to be a blueberry muffin from the assortment and added it to his plate. “We don’t have to go. I just thought it might be fun.”
She’d never been a great skater, but when she’d been younger she usually managed to stay on her feet even if it hadn’t always been pretty. It’d been a long time since she tried though. If she attempted it today, there was a high probability she’d spend most of her time on her butt. Still, it might help cement their charade in the eyes of the public. Not once since they announced their engagement had they been spotted together. If a couple really was in love and about to be married, shouldn’t they be seen together as often as possible?
“It’s been a very long time since I skated, so before we go, it’s only fair to warn you that I’ll probably spend a lot of time falling.”
In the process of buttering his muffin, Josh paused. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you and make sure you stay on your feet.”
Regardless of the weather or the temperature, Josh enjoyed spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, he had done little of it over the past several weeks, and the ice rink had been a stark reminder of that fact when he passed by earlier this morning. Any other time, he would head north and enjoy a few days of skiing. With that ruled out as an option this weekend, an hour or two of skating would get him outside. While he could go alone, he’d much rather have Courtney’s company, something he looked forward to more and more each day.
If given a choice, Josh didn’t get up before eight o’clock, and at the moment he had no place he needed to be each day. Still, he’d set his alarm so he was up in time to enjoy breakfast with Courtney before she left for work. During the day, he found ways to keep himself busy, but she frequently popped into his thoughts. And although the only time he usually sat at home and watched television at night was when he had his daughter with him, he’d looked forward to doing exactly that when Courtney came home since the first night he walked in on her watching old reruns of I Love Lucy. Considering the number of episodes they’d watched together over the past few nights, they’d run out before the month was over and need to find something else to do. Josh knew what he’d like that to be. However, until Courtney reached the same conclusion, he’d enjoy spending time with her in whatever way she’d allow, and at the moment that meant skating around the ice rink in the middle of downtown Providence.
While Josh waited for Courtney to finish lacing up her skates, he glanced around the ice rink. Although it had only opened a short while ago, people of all ages were already moving across the ice. So far, except for when the woman working the skate rental desk flat-out asked if he was J.T. Williamson, he’d remained inconspicuous. However, considering the number of people already here, it was only a matter of time before someone snapped a picture or stopped him and asked for an autograph. And if a picture appeared on the internet, Pauline would be doing backflips of joy. She’d sent him several texts over the past few days telling him the media expected pictures of them together. She’d even suggested they stage some photo ops to keep both his fans and the magazines happy. When it came to his personal life, he didn’t care what the media expected, so he’d made it clear she wasn’t to stage anything. However, he couldn’t control what random people with cell phone cameras did when they were out in public.
“Okay, I’m ready.” She sounded anything but ready.
Standing, Josh held out his gloved hand. “It’ll come back to you. Skating is a lot like riding a bike.” He hoped so, anyway. If not, he might be kicking himself later for suggesting the activity today.
“If you say so.”
She didn’t hesitate to accept his hand as she cautiously came to her feet. She didn’t let go as they made their way onto the ice. He didn’t know if she kept it there because it helped with her balance or because she wanted the physical contact. Either way, he didn’t care. It felt right there.
Josh kept them as close to the wall as possible as the
y moved at a snail’s pace across the ice. Around them, people zoomed past, including kids who looked no older than five or six. If he was alone, he’d feel compelled to not only keep up with the other skaters but to pass them. Not today. Right now he was exactly where he wanted to be, and he didn’t care what the people around him were doing.
More than halfway around the ice, Courtney picked up her pace. Rather than moving at the speed of a snail, they were moving about as fast a turtle. They still wouldn’t beat any records, but it was an improvement.
“I was hoping the news was wrong, but it looks and feels like it’s going to snow,” she said as they approached the spot where they’d started.
He’d never be able to explain it to someone who’d never experienced a snowstorm, but he understood exactly what she meant. The air felt like snow was on the way, and he hoped the weather forecast was correct because he loved a good snowstorm. It was one of the many reasons he spent as much of his time as he could in New England.
“At least it’s not supposed to start until around midnight. We should be home from my parents’ by then.” Courtney changed her pace again as they started on their second lap around the rink, and they passed another couple skating.
If the storm started much earlier than expected and forced them to skip dinner, he wouldn’t complain. From the little he knew of her family, they were tight. Given what they believed were the facts of their relationship, he didn’t expect them to welcome him with open arms tonight—not that he expected them to be hostile. Instead, they’d be aloof but polite. Although he wasn’t looking forward to it, he could understand their likely behavior.
“Is your sister going to be there?”
The only time she’d mentioned Juliette was when she announced they were going shopping in Boston for a wedding dress. Before they arrived tonight, he’d like to know who he was about to face across the dinner table.
Tempting The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 13) Page 10
