He shrugged. “It was fun.”
It was a revelation, she thought but didn’t say. She’d seen Micah in a whole new light. He was famous. Rich. Important. Everywhere they went, people scrambled to please him. Fans—mostly women—had stopped him on the street to coo over him, completely ignoring Kelly’s presence. And she’d seen his reaction to all of the notoriety. It all made him uncomfortable. Sure, he was polite to everyone, but there was a cool detachment in everything he did that told Kelly he’d much prefer going unnoticed.
Micah lived a life that was so far removed from Kelly’s they might as well have been on different planets. But, for now anyway, they were together. And maybe that was all she should think about.
She strolled across the terrace to the railing and lifted her face into the sea breeze that was soft and cool. Turning her head to him, she said, “I thought the maître d’ at dinner was going to cry when you signed his book for him.”
Micah poured them each a glass of champagne and carried them to her. Handing her one, he had a sip of his own. “I couldn’t believe he had it with him at work.”
She laughed and took a drink of the really fabulous wine. Shaking her hair back from her face, she sighed. “I can’t believe I’m here. Not just California,” she amended. “But here... Here. In this beautiful hotel. With you.”
“I’m glad you are,” he admitted, then frowned slightly as if he’d like to call the words back.
But it was too late, because Kelly heard them and held them close in her heart. He might not want to care about her, but he did. For now, that was enough for her. Neither of them had gone into this expecting anything but a release of sexual tension. And if she was feeling...more, then she’d just keep that piece of info to herself. He wouldn’t want to hear it and she wasn’t ready to admit it, anyway.
Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, Kelly turned from the railing, walked to the table and set her champagne flute down. When she turned back to Micah, she smiled and reached behind her back for the zipper. “I think we made a date for this terrace tonight, didn’t we?”
She saw his grip on the fragile stem of the flute tighten. “Yeah. We did, didn’t we?”
The zipper slid down with a whisper and she lifted both hands to hold the deeply scooped bodice of the dress against her. “And you’re sure no one can see us?”
He took a drink and speared her with a look that was so hot, so barely contained, his brown eyes burned with it. “Private terrace. No neighbors. Empty ocean.”
“Okay then.” Kelly took a breath and let the dress drop to pool at her feet. She’d never done anything like this, and she felt both excited and exposed. But Micah’s gaze on her heated her through, and she forgot about feeling self-conscious and instead enjoyed what she was doing to him.
On that shopping trip with Terry, Kelly had indulged in some new lingerie, as well. His expression was all she’d hoped for.
Micah’s gaze moved up and down her body before settling on her eyes again. “You’re killing me.”
“You like?” He more than liked and she knew it.
“Yeah,” he ground out. “You could say so. One point for the black lace.”
Kelly grinned. “Nice! That makes it four to two, my favor.”
“You keep dressing like that, I’ll give you all the points you want.”
She shook her head slowly and said, “But didn’t you say that in your dream I was naked?”
“So you are trying to kill me.”
“No,” she assured him. “Just torture you a little.” Slowly she peeled out of the black lace bra, dropping it onto the nearest chair. And, leaving her high heels on, she slipped out of the matching scrap of her panties and stood there with the ocean breeze drifting across her skin like a lover’s hands.
“Well,” she asked softly, “as good as the dream?”
“Better,” he told her, and bent to take a kiss while his hands cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.
Kelly groaned and leaned into him, loving the feel of his hands on her skin. The taste of his mouth on hers. She felt completely wicked and absolutely wonderful.
He dropped one hand to her core and she parted her thighs for his touch. Micah had shown her more about herself, what her body was capable of, than she’d ever have believed possible. And now she wanted him all the time. Craved what happened between them when they were together. He stroked her, explored her, and she whimpered with need as an oh-so-familiar tension crept through her.
His thumb moved over that one sensitive spot and she gasped, moving her hips, trying to feel more, faster. He pushed one finger, then two, inside her and Kelly groaned again, clutching his shoulders, holding on while her body went on another wild ride courtesy of Micah Hunter.
The cold air brushed against her while his warm hands stoked fires inside her. Over and over, he touched, caressed, until she was just on the brink of a shattering climax. Then he stopped and she nearly shrieked.
“Micah—don’t—”
“Wait.” He lifted her, plopped her onto the table then, as she watched, he parted her thighs and knelt in front of her.
“What’re you—Oh, Micah...”
Beneath her, the heavy metal table was cold against her behind, but she didn’t feel cold. She felt as if she were on fire. Then Micah covered her center with his mouth and Kelly cried out in surprised pleasure. His lips, tongue and teeth drove her crazy. She threaded her fingers through his hair and held him to her as he continued his delicious torment.
He licked and suckled at the very heart of her, and the sensations rising inside her were powerful. Overwhelming. She had to hold on to him or she was sure she would have simply fallen off the face of the earth. She rocked helplessly in place as he pushed her so high there was no higher to go. Then the crash came and Kelly cried his name in a broken voice and let the sound drift away into the night wind.
Still trembling, she locked her eyes on his as he stood up and looked down at her. “Point to you,” she whispered. “That was—”
“Four to three then,” he said, scooping her off the table to cradle her close. “I’m catching up.”
She smiled because she felt so darn good, but Kelly looked up at him through glazed eyes as she admitted in a whisper, “I’ve never—I mean no one...”
“I know what you meant,” he said softly, his gaze locked with hers. “And if you’re interested, there are a lot more firsts headed your way.”
“I love to learn,” she said, reaching up to briefly cup his face in the palm of her hand. Kelly laid her head on his chest as he carried her through the spacious living area into their bedroom.
Whatever he had in mind, Kelly was ready for it.
* * *
The following night, Micah and Kelly had dinner with Sam and Jenny Hellman, then the four of them took a walk around the hotel property. Both women were strolling slowly ahead of the men, and Micah could only guess they were still bonding over their favorite romance author.
Since Sam and Jenny had arrived, the four of them had spent a lot of time together, and Micah was pleased at how well Jenny and Kelly were getting along. Though why it mattered, he told himself, he couldn’t have said. It wasn’t as if they were all going on vacation together. And unless Sam and Jenny rented the Victorian for ski season again, they wouldn’t be seeing each other after this weekend. Once Micah had moved on, none of the others would have any reason to meet. So why did it matter to him that the people he was closest to were becoming friends?
Hell, he didn’t know. But that was typical. Since meeting Kelly, Micah had felt off his game. Off balance. And she was doing it to him. Micah’s gaze locked on Kelly. She wore a bright yellow dress that made her look like a lost sunbeam in the night. Her hair was long and loose and the wind kept lifting it, as if teasing her. Somethin
g inside him stirred and warmth spread through his chest.
“You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you?”
“None of your business,” Micah said tightly, and he knew that was as good as saying yes.
“Ah, touchy.” Sam nodded thoughtfully. “That’s interesting.”
“What’re you talking about?” Micah kept his gaze straight ahead because looking at Kelly was more fun than looking at Sam.
“Just that you’ve never minded talking about your women before...”
Micah ground his teeth together. “She’s not one of my women,” he said. “She’s Kelly.”
“Also interesting.” Sam smiled to himself. “Getting attached, huh?”
“No.” He was definitely not getting attached. Of course he cared about her. But there was nothing more than that because he wouldn’t allow it. “Leave it alone, Sam.”
“Not gonna happen.” His old friend punched him in the shoulder and said, “For the first time, you’ve brought a girl home.”
Micah snorted. “Are you crazy?”
“Come on. We both know Jenny and I are as close to family as you’ve got, and here we are, the four of us, bonding nicely. So I think that says something.”
“And I think you should stick to being an agent,” Micah told him. “Because the fiction you dream up sucks.”
Sam laughed and waved one hand at his wife when Jenny turned around to look at them. “Why not just admit that you and Kelly have something good together?”
Micah sighed and fixed his gaze on Kelly again. The way her hair fell around her shoulders. Her long legs, the way that yellow dress clung to her curvy body. Everything about her appealed to him. And that was enough to make him wary. She was the only woman he’d ever met who had tempted him to look deeper. That made her dangerous.
“Because what we have is temporary.” Saying it aloud reinforced what he knew was pure truth. There was no future here.
“Well, I like her.”
“Yeah,” Micah said grimly. “So do I.”
“Well, you don’t sound too happy about it.”
Micah scowled and wasn’t sure if he was directing the expression at his friend or himself. “Why should I be? You know as well as I do I’ll be leaving in a few more months.”
Although, as he said it, Micah realized that moving on didn’t sound as good as it usually did. Strange. Normally, after three months in one place, Micah was already getting restless. Making plans for where he would go next. Polishing up one book and already plotting the next. That was his life. Had been for years. And it worked for him, so why would he even consider changing it?
“And your point is...?”
“Don’t say point.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” Micah shook his head. He’d never be able to hear that word again without thinking of Kelly. What were they now? Four to three. He remembered how he’d been awarded that last point and his body went hard as stone.
“This is temporary,” he said again, emphasizing that last word, more for his own sake than for Sam’s.
Sam stared at him as if he had three heads. “It doesn’t have to be, that’s what I’m saying. Hell, Micah, you’re already engaged to her.”
And this engagement would end just like the last one, he told himself. Sighing, Micah stuffed his hands into his slacks pockets. “We explained the whole thing to you. It’s just a lie for Kelly’s grandmother’s sake.”
“Lies can become truths.”
Micah snorted. “No, they can’t.”
Sam shrugged. “Hey, look at it from my perspective. You guys get married, and Jenny, me and the kids have a place to stay every ski season.”
“That’s very thoughtful,” Micah said wryly.
Sam smiled as he watched his wife stumble, catch herself and keep walking. “Jenny could trip over air, I swear.” Sighing in exasperation, he said, “You and Kelly are good together, Micah. Why be in such a damn hurry to throw it away?”
Because he didn’t know what to do with it.
“You don’t buy gigantic emeralds for a woman you don’t give a damn about—and thanks for that, by the way. Jenny’s already reminded me that her favorite stone is a sapphire.”
Micah laughed a little and it felt good to ease the tightness in his chest. “That’s your problem. As for the emerald, I just wanted Kelly to have it. That’s all.”
They were walking through the hotel gardens and past the pool where a couple dozen people splashed in the aquamarine water. The sky was clear, the air was warm and the ocean breeze was cool and damp.
“Why?” Sam asked. “Why’d you want her to have it?”
“Because,” Micah said in exasperation. “Just...because.”
Sam laughed and Jenny turned around to look at him. He waved her off again and said, “Damn, Micah. No wonder I can get you so much money for your books. You’ve got a real way with words.”
“Drop it, Sam.”
Sam stopped. He was a couple inches shorter than Micah, a little heavier and a lot more patient. “Just admit it, man, she’s got you. You care about her.”
“Of course I care. What am I—a monster?” Micah stared out at the black ocean. “She’s a nice woman.” Lame, he thought. “We have a good time together.” They had a hell of a lot together. “I like her.” Like. Care. Hell, even he didn’t believe him.
“Must be love.”
Micah’s head snapped around and his gaze burned into Sam’s. “Nobody said anything about love.”
Shaking his head, Sam mused, “Damn, you react to that word like a vampire does to a cross.”
“I’ve got my reasons,” Micah reminded him.
“Yeah, you do,” Sam agreed. He leaned back against the railing behind him, folded his arms over his chest and said, “I’m the first to agree you had a crap time of it as a kid. So I get why you’ve closed yourself off up until now.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming,” Micah mused.
Sam slapped his shoulder. “That’s because you’re a very smart man. So here it is. But, how long are you going to use that excuse?”
Micah shot him a look that would have had most people backing up with their hands in the air. Not Sam, though.
He gave Micah a bored smile. “Please. Don’t bother giving me the Death Stare. It’s never worked on me.”
Micah rolled his eyes. True. “Fine. But my past is not an excuse, Sam. It’s a damn reason.”
“Because you had a miserable childhood you can’t love anyone? That’s just stupid.” Shaking his head, Sam said, “It’s like saying you never had a burger when you were a kid so now you can’t have a Big Mac.”
Micah scowled.
“Basically, buddy,” Sam continued, “you’re letting a crappy past mess with your present and future.”
Micah ground his teeth together so hard it was a wonder they didn’t turn into a mouthful of powder. Having his past reduced to a stupid analogy didn’t help the situation any, and Micah felt compelled to defend his decisions on how he chose to run his life. If he wanted to be a footloose wanderer with no connections to anyone, that was his call, wasn’t it? If it sounded lonely all of a sudden, that shouldn’t be anyone’s business but Micah’s. And it had never mattered to him before, so he’d get over it. He liked being alone. Liked the freedom. Liked being able to pick up and move and have no one miss him. Right?
He frowned to himself over that last thought. Would Kelly miss him when he left? Would she think about him? Because he damn sure knew he would be thinking about her. Just another reason to leave.
“Wow,” he said finally, “thanks for the analysis. How much do I owe you?”
“This one’s on the house,” Sam said, ignoring the sarcasm. “At some point,” he paused. “Sorry. Used the word ‘point’ again, a
nd someday you’ll have to explain why we’re not using it anymore.”
Micah choked out a harsh laugh, but Sam wasn’t finished.
“You have to decide if you want a life—or if you’d just rather be somebody else’s victim for-freaking-ever.”
“I’m not a damn victim,” Micah muttered, insulted at the idea.
“Glad to hear it,” Sam countered. “Now, what do you say we catch up with our women and go get a drink?”
“God, yes.”
Sam hustled on ahead to catch up with Jenny and Kelly. Micah smiled in spite of everything as his friend offered each of them an arm and then led them off toward the hotel bar. Kelly turned her head to smile at him, and even at a distance Micah’s heart gave a hard jolt.
He hadn’t planned on any of this. All he’d wanted was a quiet place to work for six months. He hadn’t asked to have Kelly come into his life. And now that she was there, he didn’t know what to do about it. Sam meant well, but he couldn’t understand what drove Micah. How the hell could he?
When you lived a life in the moment, tomorrows just never came into play. So, like always, Micah wouldn’t look to the future—he’d just make the best of today.
* * *
Luxury hotels, limos and five-star restaurants made for a wonderful holiday, but after two weeks back at home, it all seemed like a pretty dream to Kelly.
As soon as they’d got home, she had stepped right back into her routine as if she’d never left, and that’s how Kelly liked it. Her time away with Micah had been wonderful, but being here in her small town with him was perfect. She never took off the emerald necklace he’d given her so that, even when she was busy with her different jobs and Micah was shut away in the Victorian working on his book, it was like she had him with her everywhere she went.
Micah.
“You’re doing it again.”
Kelly jumped guiltily and grinned at Terry. “Sorry, sorry.”
“Where were you?” Terry held up a hand. “Nope. Never mind. I know that look. I have it on my face constantly when Jimmy’s home.”
Kelly sighed a little, took a sip of her latte and scooted closer to where Terry was rolling out dough for the next batch of cookies for her shop. The kitchen smelled like heaven and, like Terry, was organized down to the last cookie sheet stacked carefully on its rack.
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