by Jamie Pope
It made her tremble a bit. The vision was vivid, powerful and unexpected. She looked up into his eyes, her mouth going dry. He was looking at her in that way again, the way that made her uncomfortable, the way that made her feel as if he could see inside her. As though he knew what she was thinking.
She couldn’t let him know what she was thinking.
She couldn’t let him know how much he affected her. No man had ever moved her physically like this before. “What is it that you really want?” She tried to laugh, injecting humor into her voice as she took a slight step back and crossed her arms over her chest. Her nipples had grown tight. She hoped that they weren’t visible through the thin material of her dress. She hoped he hadn’t realized that he turned her on by doing nothing but standing there. “Did you come to ask me if there were any more brownies? Because I ate them all.”
She had made brownies for them after they’d got home from the market the other day. The day she’d doubted her decision to work there. He had gone so cold on her when she’d asked him to go to the store with her. But then she’d had to remember that he wasn’t like her other clients. He wasn’t like the sweet elderly women who wanted her more for her time than her skills. She had overstepped by asking him to do anything with her.
But he had gone with her the next day, and she’d noticed his unease grow as they’d got closer to town, noticed how he only guided the cart down empty aisles. Just as his discomfort seemed to have grown when the mover had talked about his injury. That made her realize that it must be hard for him to be reminded of one of the most painful moments in his life every time he stepped out of the house. Maybe that was why he never left his home. It appeared that everything he wanted came to him.
He grabbed one of her curls and wrapped it around his finger as he inched his face closer to hers. The action made all the thoughts drain out of her head. “It would have been polite to ask me if I wanted the last one before you ate it.”
“Oh?” She lifted her head, her heart beating a little faster. “You’re going to school me on what polite is? Considering you ate ten of them, I thought it was okay if I polished off the last one. I actually, dare I say it, thought you might have saved the last one for me. It’s what a gentleman would do.”
He tugged on her hair, bringing her face a little closer to his. Her eyes went to his lips, to his smooth, full, brown lips that looked entirely kissable. Her mouth was inches from his and she could feel the heat of his face on hers. All she had to do was close the gap. All she had to do was take one more step forward.
“Um, excuse me?”
She jumped away from him, like a kid who’d got caught with her hand in the candy jar. This was exactly the thing her mother was worried about her doing. And Carlos was exactly the type of man she was worried about Virginia doing it with. She turned around expecting to see the movers, but instead there was a young man in a blue-checked button-down shirt and tan slacks. He was handsome, too, with dark bronze skin and a playful smile.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You didn’t,” she lied as she stepped completely away from Carlos. “Are you from the painting company? I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. Well, it doesn’t matter, let me show you what you’ll be working with.” She was anxious to get away from Carlos, to get back to work, to what she was supposed to be doing.
“I’ll gladly let you show me what you’ve been working with.” He grinned at her, and she had to admit it was kind of sexy. Maybe it had been too long since she’d been with a man. Every guy she saw today she thought was good-looking. It had to be Carlos’s fault. Her hormones hadn’t been stable since she met him.
“Shut up, Elias.”
“You know him?” Virginia looked back at Carlos, who had annoyance plastered all over his face.
“I more than know him. This is my little brother.”
“Oh, good!” She smiled at the flirty younger man. He was built well, but differently from his brother. Shorter, thicker, more like a football player. “I was thinking that you were kind of gorgeous. I guess I was just seeing the family resemblance.”
“Kind of gorgeous?” He placed his hands over his heart. “Girl, you wound me.”
He was charming, too. She liked him immediately.
“Excuse me, ma’am.” The movers were back. “Can you show us what you would like moved next?”
“Of course.” She turned back to Elias. “I hope you’re staying for a while. I’m going to make lunch.”
Chapter 5
“Uh,” Elias said as he closed the distance between them. “You want to tell me who that is?” He punched Carlos in the arm. “It’s no wonder you don’t mind being holed up here. You’ve got a woman with an ass that won’t quit. When were you going to tell me about her?”
He punched Elias back a little harder than his brother had punched him. “There’s nothing to tell. She’s not some woman. She’s the interior designer.”
“Designer, my ass. You were about to kiss her.”
Carlos shook his head even though he knew that was true. “We were just talking.”
“With your lips inches from hers?”
“Yes.” He didn’t know why he was lying. If Elias had walked in on them two seconds later he would have been kissing her. The truth was, he had gone out of his room just to see her. He’d wanted to know what she was up to, especially when he’d heard the men’s voices when he was on his way back from his gym. It was for her safety, he told himself. Hideaway Island was safe, but he didn’t want anyone to think she was in this big house alone. “What the hell are you doing here anyway?”
“I came to see how you were. Obviously, you’re doing pretty well.”
“They’re almost done.” Virginia came back into the room smiling, as if she was happy for the company. She always seemed happy, even when there was nothing to be happy about. “What do you two want for lunch? I could grill up some hamburgers or some chicken. I’ve got all the stuff for jerk chicken and mango salsa. Or I could make you some pasta.” She walked over the fridge and scanned its contents. “I can do some cheesy chicken and tomato pasta. It’s really good.”
“You don’t have to cook. We can order in.”
“Cook? Order in? Last time I was here you made us eat frozen pizza.”
“I needed to get rid of it.” Carlos shrugged. “Plus, you’re not a guest. I don’t have to impress you.”
“I can cook. I like to cook.” Virginia handed them both beers. “What sounded good to you, Elias?”
“So much about what you said sounded good.” Carlos noticed the way Eli’s eyes roamed her body. He couldn’t blame him for looking at her that way, but he still wanted to knock him on his ass. She wore a sundress today. This one was short, in a coral color that looked so pretty against her brown skin. Her hair was loose today, her curls springing out in every direction. The first word that came to mind was cute, but she was more than cute. She was sexy. The way that she walked and talked and smiled was sexy, and the longer she was in his house the more he wanted her.
“Burgers sound good,” Carlos answered for his brother.
“She wasn’t asking you. She was asking me.”
“It’s my house. I decide.” He looked back at Virginia. “We’ll do cheeseburgers. I’ll start the grill. You think you can make one of those fancy salads you like?”
“Of course. We’ll eat by the pool, and while we do Elias can tell me all the embarrassing things about you that you never wanted anyone to know.”
* * *
There were six painters there that morning. When she had called the island’s only company, she’d asked if they were able to do such a big job. They’d assured her they could, that they would send out everybody they employed. And they had. She was now looking at six people in white overalls and hats, two of them well into their sevent
ies and one who looked as if he should be in school that day. Virginia didn’t know what to say when she saw the ragtag group, but they showed up with big smiles on their faces, ready to work and seeming very happy for the opportunity.
“Would you like some lemonade?” Virginia approached the elderly woman she had come to know as Cynthia with a tray. “I made it myself.”
“Oh, thank you!” Cynthia smiled and put down her roller. “You’re so wonderful to work for. Isn’t she nice, Bobby?”
“Huh?” The elderly man stopped his painting and turned around.
“Never mind.”
“What?”
“Never mind! Go back to work,” she said loudly. “He can’t hear. Deaf as a doorknob now and won’t wear those fancy hearing aids we had to go all the way to Miami to get. Stubborn as a mule, but a good worker.”
Virginia agreed. They all were good. She was relieved because painting was the first step in her design and she couldn’t afford for it to be messed up. She had almost gone with a more experienced company that was off island, but Carlos had taken a chance on her so she was taking a chance on them.
There was a knock on the open door and she turned around to see a man standing there. He looked like a workman, in his paint-smeared T-shirt and jeans, but there was something ruggedly handsome about the man with the nut-brown skin.
“Hi. Can I help you?” She wasn’t expecting any workmen today.
“Derek Patrick.” He extended his hand.
“You’re the guy who makes the furniture,” she blurted out. “You’re the mayor?” She was expecting an older man. Not this hunky guy before her.
His smile was bashful. “I am. I know I look like a homeless person, but I assure you, I’m the mayor of this fine island.”
“It’s great to meet you. I’m Virginia.” Virginia shook his hand. “Your furniture is so beautiful. I was admiring it online and was hoping to use some of your pieces in the house.”
“I would love for you to come by my workshop. I can custom make whatever you want.”
“That would be amazing.”
“Believe it or not, I didn’t come here to drum up business. I came to thank Mr. Bradley for using local businesses. I encourage everyone to support our local economy.”
“Don’t thank him, thank me.” She grinned. “I’m the one who hired everyone.”
“I didn’t hear that Mr. Bradley had gotten married. Congratulations.”
“Oh, I’m not married to him. I’m just the interior designer.”
“And that was just my way of finding out if you were single.” He flashed a smile that would make a lesser woman’s heart race. “Well, are you?”
“You’re smooth, Mr. Mayor. I am single.”
“I should be better behaved. I really would like to say hello to Mr. Bradley and welcome him to the neighborhood. But maybe you’ll agree to have dinner with me one night.”
“Maybe I will.” Maybe she should. He was artistic and handsome, and maybe seeing him would take her mind off Carlos. She worked for him and he took up more room in her head than he should. Especially since the other day when she’d been just moments away from kissing him. “I’ll go see if Carlos is around. Why don’t you...” She looked around her, seeing if there was any place for him to make himself comfortable. “Grab a paintbrush and help out?” She motioned her head toward the kitchen. “Follow me and I’ll set you up with some cookies and lemonade while you wait.”
“I’m okay right here. I’ll catch up with my friends.”
She nodded and left him to see if Carlos was up for company. He had warned her that very first day not to bother him with anything. To handle things herself. And if it were anything else, she would have. She knocked at his bedroom door, knowing he was in there from the faint sound of the television. There was no answer, but she turned the knob and entered anyway. The room was huge and white. Completely white from the walls to the crumpled duvet on the huge bed. The only thing that broke it up was the chocolaty-brown wood floor. There was so much she could do with this room, but he didn’t want her to touch it and she wasn’t sure why. The sound of the television distracted her from her thoughts. There was a sitting area attached the bedroom, just like in her suite, only bigger, with a wall-size flat screen. A baseball game was on, and it took a moment for her to spot him sitting in the middle of the old black leather sofa.
“Carlos,” she called to him. He didn’t turn around, didn’t give any sign that he heard her. She walked closer to him, and as she did she heard his name being said on the television. And then she saw him leap across the screen, his glove extended, going after a ball. He caught it, and for a brief second there was triumph on his face, but the triumph turned to pain when he landed and then he crumbled to the ground reaching for his ankle.
So that was it. The moment he’d got hurt. At first when she’d heard about the injury she hadn’t thought much of it. Athletes got hurt all the time. He would go back to playing one day, but he had been out for a while and there were no signs of his going back. Baseball was what he did and he was no longer able to. Baseball was to him what painting was to her, except Virginia had exiled herself from the thing she loved. She walked closer. He still hadn’t heard her; his eyes were glued to the TV, to the medics coming out on the field.
Why was he watching it? Why was he torturing himself? Who would want to watch the one thing that hurt them the most?
She picked up the remote from the side table and shut the television off. It was then he looked at her. And when he saw her in his space his eyes filled with anger, but just before that she saw sadness. That was the thing about him she hadn’t been able to identify—there was an air of sadness around him that made her want to soothe it away.
“What the hell are you doing in here? I thought I told you I didn’t want to be bothered. In fact, your job depended on you not bothering me.”
He was yelling, but it didn’t concern her; she just kept walking closer to him, and when she was right in front of him she climbed onto his lap, straddling him. “Don’t bark at me.” She slid her hands over his cheeks and, pulling his face toward hers, she kissed him.
As soon as her lips touched his she knew that she had never experienced a kiss like it before. His lips were warm and smooth, full, just as she liked them. His body was hard and hot, and when she slid her tongue across the seam of his lips she felt something inside him switch on. He took control of the kiss then, taking her mouth with a vengeance, slipping his tongue deep inside as his hands slid under her dress to cup her behind.
Coherent thoughts flew out of her head; all she could do was feel. Feel his lips on hers and his hands on her body and herself become aroused. Dampness formed between her legs and suddenly she was too hot. She wanted to peel off her underwear, peel off her dress, peel off everything that was keeping her skin away from his.
He flipped them over so that she was on her back, his heavy body settling on top of hers, his hands reaching for her underwear.
“Damn it, Virginia.” He lifted his lips from hers for just a second as he hooked his fingers into her panties.
It was then she came to her senses. Not because she had barely known him a week, not because he was her boss and she his employee, not even because there were six painters down stairs.
“Wait!” She put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “I came to tell you that the mayor is here. He wants to welcome you to the town and thank you for supporting the local economy.”
“What?”
He was hard as a rock and pressed between her legs, making it really hard for her to think. “The mayor is here to see you. Now get off me. I’m not allowed to have sex with you anyway.”
He got up, but the huge erection tenting his pants was distracting her. “You can make this disappear.” He had caught her staring. She was embarrassed but she didn’t look aw
ay. “I think since you’re the one who created this problem, you’re going to have to be the one to solve it,” he said.
“The mayor is here!” She stood up, attempting to fix her clothes, hoping she didn’t look as though she’d been about to have extremely hot sex.
Carlos stepped forward, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into him. “Send him away.” He kissed the curve of her neck, slow, wet, hot kisses that made her knees go weak.
“No sex. I can’t.” She smacked the back of his head.
He stepped away from her, looking annoyed. “Why not?”
“There’s six painters down there, and in case I forgot to mention it, the mayor is also downstairs. Plus I make it a rule never to have sex in the middle of a workday. And I never, ever have sex with somebody I’m working for.”
“Fine.” He walked away from her and toward the door. “But if you think this discussion is over, you’re wrong.”
“Well, damn. I was going to come here tomorrow at the same time so we could start over, but you yelled at me and told me I wasn’t supposed to bother you during the day.” She thought about what she’d walked in on him watching, but didn’t want to bring it up in that moment. Somehow seeing him wounded like that made her want him more than his deep sexy kisses. “I’d hate to disobey a direct order twice,” she said as they went down the stairs and back into the great room.
“I’ll allow you to disobey the order for that reason only.” He grasped her arm, lightly running his thumb over her still-stimulated skin. “I thought you said the mayor was here.”
“He is.” She pointed to Derek, who had a roller in his hand and was painting while he chatted with Cynthia.
“That’s him?”
“Derek?” She called to him. “I’m so sorry to keep you. My father would bust a gasket if he knew I put the mayor to work.”
