by Leanne Banks
Sitting down next to the heater, she listened to the lap of the water against the shore. It didn’t get any better than this.
Leo appeared and she met his gaze. “This is heaven. I don’t care what your work demands are. I still can’t comprehend how you can leave this place.”
“You like it?” he said with an approving smile.
“What’s not to like? Beautiful scenery, comfortable living conditions.” She sighed.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said.
“And have you noticed the stars?” she asked, looking up at the sky.
“No, but I would expect you to,” he said. “See anything interesting up there?”
“It’s more than interesting,” she whispered.
“I may have to get a telescope so you can show me how interesting it is,” he said.
A staff member appeared with a tray of food and served both of them. “It looks delicious,” she said.
“No more than you,” he said.
She bit her lip and looked down at her food. “What made you decide to build a lake home here if you fight staying here?”
“Something about it was irresistible,” he said. “I missed the water. I miss the ocean too,” he said. “I’ll address the ocean another time.”
“How can you miss the water? Haven’t you spent your whole life in Philly?”
He paused. “No. I have vague memories of visiting the sea. I can’t explain it. I just do.”
She frowned, taking a bite of lobster. “But you said you had no childhood.”
“Exactly,” he said in a crisp voice. “Like I said, I can’t explain it. It’s like it’s from another life. One of the few irrational things about me.” He took a bite of steak.
She sensed he didn’t want to discuss it further. Despite her desire to ask more, she delayed giving in to her curiosity. She had another job to do. “Thank you for inviting me. After the prom drama of the day, this is a huge relief.”
He smiled. “How did that go?”
“Mostly good,” she said. “My sisters are total opposites. Tami can be a trial, but she was good today.”
“How often do you see them?” he asked.
“Almost every week,” she said. “The love of my life.”
He slid his hand across the table and covered hers. “Is that why you’re not married?” he asked.
“It’s more complicated than that. I guess I haven’t found the right man yet,” she said.
“Describe the right man,” he said. “Similar backgrounds? Shared passage on the Mayflower? Same schools?”
“No,” she said, laughing at the Mayflower comment. “Good head, good heart and crazy for me.”
“That list doesn’t sound that difficult,” he said.
“You’d be surprised,” she said. “What about you? Describe your right woman.”
“Someone classier than I am to conceal my rough edges,” he said. “Beauty doesn’t hurt. Complete honesty. I’m not sure marriage is necessary, though.”
“Many men don’t,” she said in a dry tone, her stomach tightening at his reference to honesty. How could he expect that of someone when he’d been the consummate liar?
“You disagree?”
“I believe in family. Marriage is part of family.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know much about family.”
She gave a shrug in return. “Maybe you should learn.”
He paused as he lifted his beer. “Is that a challenge?”
“I’ll let you decide that,” she said with a light laugh.
After dinner, they took a walk along the long dock that led out to the lake. His cell phone beeped and he glanced at the caller ID. “Excuse me, I need to take this. Won’t be a minute. I’ve had a few blips with the China deal.” He put the phone to his ear. “Leo Grant,” he said and listened.
Calista walked further down the dock, torn between her next step with Leo and the sound of his voice.
“So our shipping agent in Hong Kong tried to charge more after we’d already loaded the merchandise for transport? Fine. Pay the surcharge this once, then call our second choice. After delivery is confirmed, cut the first guy loose and tell him we will be reporting his behavior to everyone in the shipping and merchandising business.”
The ruthless tone in his voice made her throat tighten.
“That’s my final word,” he said. He turned off his cell and looked toward her. “That’s done. We shouldn’t have any more interruptions this evening,” he said and moved beside her, sliding his arm behind her back.
“Why do I get the feeling that a guillotine has just fallen on some very foolish guy in Hong Kong?” she asked.
Leo shrugged. “He should have stuck to the deal. If someone tries to cheat me, they’re history.”
She felt a chill and a sliver of bitterness at his hypocrisy. How many times had his own father cheated people? How many times had Leo been a part of his father’s schemes?
“Have I frightened you?” he asked. “There’s no need as long as you’re honest with me,” he said, drawing her against him as he leaned against the small building at the far end of the pier. “Now let me make you forget about that unpleasant phone call.”
His warmth surrounded her as he slid his hands down her back to her bottom and slid one of his hard thighs between her legs. A stab of sensual shock raced through her. “Leo,” she began.
He dipped his head to her throat, rubbing his lips over her skin. “I bet every inch of you tastes delicious,” he muttered, sliding his tongue over a sensitive spot. “I knew you would from the first minute I met you. Give me your mouth,” he said and coaxed her lips into meeting his. Skimming one of his hands upward, he touched the side of her breast.
He emanated pure masculine strength and sexuality and gave her the unmistakable message that he wanted to possess her. The primitive drive seemed to throb just beneath his clothes. Despite every reason she had to detest him, she was drawn to him like no other man. Here, she sensed, was a man with a will to match her own. Without conscious thought, she responded to him, sliding her arms up behind his neck, arching against him.
He took her mouth and she took his, drawing his tongue into the recesses. Heat scored her from the inside out, and her body called to his. His touch was tender, edged with roughness that only turned her on more.
He gave a low, carnal growl. “Let’s go back to the house. I want you in my bed.”
His words threw her into a maelstrom of confusion. She drew back from him catching her breath, trying to catch her sanity. She wanted to be with him intimately. She wanted him. But she had a plan. This relationship wasn’t for her pleasure. It was for something far more important.
She inhaled another deep breath, reaching down deep for her conviction. “I want—” She broke off when she looked into his dark needy gaze and her mouth went dry. She couldn’t look into his eyes at this close range. His gaze reflected the ache she felt inside her. She bit her lip and closed her eyes. “I’m afraid you’re not going to understand this.”
“Understand what?” he asked.
She forced her eyes open, but turned her gaze to his right shoulder. His strong, broad shoulder. “I want to go to bed with you.”
“Good, let’s—”
“But I can’t,” she quickly added.
Silence, so clear she could hear the water lapping against the dock, followed.
“Why?” he asked.
Summoning her courage, she met his gaze. “It’s going to sound terribly old-fashioned, but I want to keep that for the man I marry. I don’t think I’m cut out to be intimate with a lot of men. I don’t want to make the mistake of giving my heart, myself, to a man and then being crushed because he isn’t the right one.”
He shot her a considering look then wiped his hand over his face. “You’re telling me that you’re saving yourself for marriage? That’s the oldest trick in the book.”
“I told you that you wouldn’t understand. I’ll leave in the morning,
” she said and turned away from him to walk back to the house. She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling the impending crush of defeat. Holding off on sex had been a calculated risk, but Calista had suspected that it would be difficult to motivate Leo to marry her quickly unless she waited.
Three seconds later, she felt her hand caught by his. “Not so fast,” he said.
She stopped in surprise, searching his face.
“The least you can do is give me a chance to change your mind. Or see if you can change mine,” he said.
Her heart racing a mile a minute, she shook her head. “I don’t want to deceive you. I heard you talking earlier. You hate to be tricked. Again, it’s best if I leave in the morning.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth. “I’m not disappointed, or feeling tricked. I’m just surprised. Your outlook is unusual.”
“I know, but I’ve watched so many of my friends make poor choices and wish they could take everything back. It’s about more than the physical intimacy. I just think I’m one of those women who jumps all the way into the pool of commitment. I totally understand if you’re not looking for that. Most men aren’t.” She added that last statement to spur his competitive nature. Leo wouldn’t want to be compared to another man.
“I’m not most men,” he said. “I’ll show you to your guest room and we’ll see how it goes.”
She opened her mouth to tell him she had judged him correctly, but he covered her mouth with his finger. “I insist,” he said in the sexiest voice she’d ever heard.
After Leo led Calista to the guest bedroom, he prowled his balcony, still aroused from the way she’d tasted, smelled and felt in his arms. He couldn’t remember a time when a woman had turned him away from her bed. Although she’d done it without malice, it didn’t diminish his sexual frustration. In fact, her desire not to manipulate him aroused him even more.
Many women had tried to trick him into marriage. A few had even feigned signs of pregnancy, but Leo had been very careful. He had no interest in binding himself to just any woman. At least, he hadn’t until now. But he saw the advantage of linking himself with Calista. She was pure. She represented a fresh start.
Glancing out at the still lake, he considered taking a dip in the frigid water to quiet the heat Calista had generated in him and the longings he’d buried long ago. Did he really want a family? Was such a thing possible for him? His upbringing had been one move after another. He’d never known when his guardian father would take out his rage on him. He’d spent so many years braced for something horrible to happen to him. And it had, several times until he’d run away.
Leo wondered what it would be like to be loved by a woman like Calista. He sensed she was the kind of woman who would marry forever. Look at her commitment to her sisters. She possessed a strength that drew him like a light in the darkness.
Was he considering marrying her? The notion shocked him. He barely knew her. Yet, he knew she was different. She’d known what it was like to be raised in a loving family—with relationships and ties she still worked to keep strong. She possessed the core of something he’d been searching for, for years.
He raked his hand through his hair. It wasn’t just sex. He suspected he could seduce her into his bed despite her lofty goal. The sexual animal in him roared at the urge to take her, to make her his. He could and he suspected they would bring each other amazing pleasure.
For some strange, insane reason, however, he hesitated seducing her for the pure purpose of his gratification. It wasn’t out of consideration for her principles. No. Her reticence called to his competitive nature. He wanted her to be convinced that he was the man she wanted. The man she couldn’t turn down. He wanted her to come to him.
The next morning after breakfast, Leo took Calista out on his boat.
“The water is beautiful,” she told him when they stopped near another pier.
“Want to swim?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, giving the lake a skeptical glance. “How cold is it?”
“Depends on whether you’re cold-blooded or warm-blooded,” he said and stripped off his shirt. “Let’s go in.”
He felt her gaze linger on his chest then she seemed to force her gaze away from him. “If you’re sure,” she said. “If I freeze, you have to promise to pull me out. Okay?”
“Promise,” he said and watched her remove her shirt to reveal a bikini top that encased her full, creamy breasts. He could easily imagine them bare and wondered about the color and size of her nipples.
She kicked off her shoes to reveal slender feet with vixen-red toenails. He liked that touch of wildness she kept hidden from the rest of the world. He’d like to take care of all her wild urges. She pushed down her jeans, wiggling as she stepped out of them.
He fixated on the inviting curves of her waist and hips, feeling himself respond to the sight of her feminine figure. He took action to cool his arousal immediately. Diving into the water, he felt the cold wetness sink into his skin. Rising to the surface, he caught sight of her looking down at him from the boat.
“How cold is it?”
“Not cold enough to make icebergs,” he said.
“That’s not very encouraging,” she said.
“Are you afraid?” he asked.
She immediately pursed her lips and lifted her chin. “Absolutely not,” she said and jumped off the side of the boat. Seconds later, she bobbed to the ladder, gasping. “Omigod, you lied. This water is frigid.”
“Well, it’s not as warm as my pool at the house,” he said, swimming toward her. “But it could be worse.”
“When?” she asked. “In January?”
He laughed.
A wake from a boat riding past caused a wave and she reached for him with fear in her eyes. Concern rushed through him. “You’re okay,” he said, pulling her body against his. “I wouldn’t let you drown. Damn, I should have asked if you’re a swimmer.”
“Of course I am,” she said, her wide green eyes meeting his. Another wave rolled toward them and she clung to him more tightly.
“Are you afraid?” he asked, enjoying the sensation of her lithe body against his.
“Not really,” she said, but her tone wasn’t at all convincing.
“Nice try. You can tell me the truth now,” he said, lifting her chin to meet his gaze again.
She shook her head and sighed. “It’s silly.”
“I bet not,” he said.
“One time when I was a teenager, a friend invited me to the lake. Her father took us out in his boat. I didn’t know it, but he’d had too much to drink. It was a windy, choppy day. I fell overboard and hit my head against the side of the boat.”
Leo swore. “Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have forced you into the water.”
“You didn’t force me. Besides, I don’t like it that I still get that knot in my stomach when I think about lakes and boats. Being a wuss is such a bore.”
He admired her for trying to rise above her fear. “You could never be a bore.”
“Just trying to be a brave little toaster,” she said with a smile.
Her vulnerability grabbed at him, making him feel incredibly protective. “We can go back.”
“No,” she protested. “It’s so beautiful here. I just might not be able to stand the water temperature very long. Although you are helping,” she said, her eyelashes sweeping downward, shielding her eyes from him.
Despite the chilly water, arousal shot through him again. “Good to know I’m useful in some way,” he said, sliding his hands around her back. The sunlight glistened on her light blond hair and the water droplets on her fair skin. He fought a strong urge to lick those droplets.
Instead, he took her mouth in a kiss. Her lips reminded him of the finest brandy, potent and addicting. He drew her tongue into his mouth and she made a delicious sound of arousal. Leo wanted to hear that sound again and again. He felt her shiver, but he wasn’t sure if it was from arousal or cold.
“Let�
��s go back to the house,” he said and pulled her toward the ladder to the boat. “But you should know that when we ride on the boat the breeze will make you even colder.”
“We could fish,” she said.
He blinked, surprised at her suggestion. “You know how?”
“Of course,” she said. “Do you? If you don’t, I can show you.”
He laughed at the lightning-fast switch from uncertainty to confidence. “I can fish,” he said. “A long time ago, I fished for my supper.”
She met his gaze. “Was that before or after you were hatched at the age of sixteen?”
“Both,” he said and turned her toward the ladder. “You go first and I’ll bring up the rear.” She climbed the rungs and he was given an up close view of her gorgeous derriere in her bikini bottom. He groaned, wondering if he would be able to stick to his plan to make her come to him.
Hours later, Leo watched her lean back in the Jacuzzi and sigh. “What a great day,” she said, then cracked open one eyelid. “Too bad the fish I caught was so much bigger than yours.”
He chuckled. “Lady’s luck,” he said. “I couldn’t show you up. You’re my guest.”
She opened both her eyes and scowled. “That’s pure bull. The next thing you’ll be doing is telling me you’re not competitive.”
“Only every bone in my body,” he said.
She smiled and her gaze dipped to his shoulders in feminine appreciation. She’d done that several times today, so he knew she wasn’t immune to him. He was winning her inch by inch. The notion filled him with a rush he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Like the hot tub?” he asked.
She nodded, closing her eyes again.
“It’s even better when you’re naked,” he said.
She opened her eyes to sexy slits. “And how would you know that?”
“It’s in the manufacturer’s instructions,” he said.
A gusty laugh from her rippled all the way down his body to his groin.
“I dare you to take off your swimsuit,” he said.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she said with a sigh.
“Even if I promise to keep my hands off of you?” he asked.
