by Kirk, Cindy
“Joel and I are simply at the beginning of a two-week affair, which will terminate when Chloe returns.” The words tumbled from Kate’s lips. “At that time we’ll go back to being social friends.”
Mary Karen didn’t look surprised at the admission. Of course, with five small children—four of them boys—it probably took a lot to shock her.
“Sounds like a fun interlude,” Mary Karen said in an easy-breezy tone. “Travis and I never made love when the kids were in the house, so I understand that part. But why hide your relationship from your friends?”
“It’s not really a—” The words died in Kate’s throat. “Joel, is everything okay?”
He was back. Kate’s heart gave an excited leap even as guilt sluiced through her veins. Here, she’d insisted he not tell a soul, yet what was she doing? Blabbing to Mary Karen.
Two lines of worry appeared between his brows. His gaze dropped to the ice bag next to her ankle and he cocked his head. “Why isn’t the ice on your foot?”
“I had it on, but removed it a few minutes ago.” Kate was surprised he was so worried. She wondered if his concern had anything to do with his wife’s illness and subsequent death. She’d heard rumors that Amy Dennes had delayed going to the hospital when she’d become ill. “Ice isn’t meant to be on an injury continuously. Just for fifteen minutes or so.”
“How’s the game going?” Mary Karen glanced at Joel. “We’ve been too busy gabbing to notice.”
“The kids are now playing ball,” Joel said with an indulgent smile. “Your Connor is quite a slugger.”
Mary Karen sighed. “He’s very active. And any of his siblings can attest to his ‘slugging’ abilities.”
Joel smiled but his eyes remained on Kate.
“I’m feeling much better,” Kate assured him. Okay, it was a bit of an exaggeration, but she wanted him to enjoy the day.
“That’s all I need to know.” He shot her a wink and headed back to the field.
“Now, where were we?” Mary Karen said once he was out of earshot. “Oh, yes. You were about to tell me why you and Joel decided to keep your relationship a secret.”
Mary Karen, Kate decided, was the perfect woman to be blessed with five children. She had a memory like a steel trap and could zero in without notice.
“Because we don’t have a relationship.” Kate emphasized the word. “We’re only together for the sex.”
“Only together for the sex? Ooh, this sounds interesting.”
Kate looked up and stifled a groan.
Lexi pulled up a chair and took a seat. Her amber eyes snapped with curiosity. “Back up. Tell me everything. Well, the interesting parts anyway.”
After swearing her to secrecy, which was beginning to seem rather pointless considering soon their entire group of friends would be under the Code of Silence, Kate caught her up to speed. “When you interru—er, walked up, I was telling Mary Karen that Joel and I have no relationship, it’s just about the sex.”
Mary Karen and Lexi exchanged a glance.
Lexi’s brows pulled together in confusion. “I thought you liked Joel.”
“I bet it’s his first wife.” Mary Karen shifted her gaze to Lexi. “You think he’s still hung up on her.”
“Well, yes,” Kate said, “but that isn’t—”
“Don’t you want it to be about more than sex?” Mary Karen asked.
“M.K.,” Lexi said, rather sharply, “isn’t that a little personal?”
Mary Karen lifted her hands. “Just wondering. No obligation to answer.”
“Of course we already know you think he’s hot,” Lexi mused.
Mary Karen tilted her head. “We do?”
“Yes.” Lexi gave a decisive nod, then focused on Kate. “You must like him somewhat. If you were simply in the mood for a fling, you’d have shagged Ryan. I’m sure he’d have happily obliged.”
Mary Karen shook her head. “C’mon, Lex, we all know Ryan would never have been satisfied with a fling.”
Lexi thought for a second. “You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” Mary Karen’s self-satisfied smirk faded. “But I’m also confused.”
Kate knew she’d regret it, but she opened her mouth anyway. “Confused about what?”
“Do you want to be Joel’s girlfriend?” Mary Karen tilted her head.
Kate couldn’t tell them about Chloe, so she tried the simple approach. “For reasons I prefer not to go into, we both knew the boyfriend-girlfriend thing wouldn’t work for us. Because this will be only a two-week thing, why get everyone confused?”
“Makes sense,” Lexi said slowly.
Mary Karen shook her head. “I’m worried.”
“That our secret will get out?” Kate asked.
“No. That your heart will get broken.” Mary Karen leaned forward, resting her hands on her thighs. “In theory your plan makes perfect sense. But trust me on this one, when you’re sleeping with a guy you like and admire, keeping your emotions out of the equation is very, very difficult.”
“It won’t be a problem for me.” Kate gave an emphatic nod. And it wouldn’t. She had no choice. She couldn’t fall in love with Joel Dennes.
Chapter Fourteen
Joel’s eyes shone dark with concern. “Are you sure you’re up to staying for the firework display?”
“Absolutely.” At least, Kate would be once she got her hands on a glass of water and popped a few more ibuprofen. “Besides, the way I look at it, my foot will feel the same whether I’m here or at home.”
They stood off to the side in a darkened corner of Mary Karen and Travis’s large deck. Joel had appeared surprised when moments earlier she’d told him she was tired of sitting and wanted to take a stroll. It had felt good to stretch her legs and mingle.
But by the time they drew close to the doors leading inside, her toes had begun to make known their displeasure at the increased activity. She’d moved to the rail without comment, not wanting to complain, concerned if she did that Joel would insist on taking her home.
Kate inhaled the pungent scent of pine and let the cool mountain air caress her face. A CD from the patriotic musical George M! played in the background. She found the music, mixed with the soft hum of conversation, as soothing as a bubbling brook. “It’s so peaceful out here.”
The words had barely left her lips when Mary Karen burst onto the deck, her husband mere steps behind her. She hadn’t gone three feet when she stopped and whirled.
“You knew better than to give him that juice,” Mary Karen hissed, her voice tight with anger.
Joel glanced at Kate. She shrugged.
Mary Karen’s shoulders were rigid. The spunky blonde’s eyes flashed blue fire. “There’s an ugly purple stain all over the rug.”
“Logan was thirsty, M.K.” Travis’s calm voice was in sharp contrast to his wife’s. “He wanted grape juice.”
By now the two had attracted the attention of everyone on the deck, including Ryan, who’d arrived only minutes earlier.
“Logan knows he has to sit at the table when he has grape juice.” Her voice shook with emotion. “You know that, too, Trav.”
“Cut him some slack, Mary Karen,” Ryan called out. “You have four boys. Spills go with the territory.”
“Shut up, Harcourt.” Mary Karen pinned him with her gaze. “When you have kids, you may offer your opinion. Until then, mind your own beeswax.”
Mary Karen turned back to her husband. “Lexi’s grandmother made that rug.” She angrily swiped back the tears filling her eyes. “Now it’s ruined.”
“Ah, honey, don’t cry.” Travis tugged his wife to him, holding on tight despite her efforts to pull away. “I’ll take it to the cleaners on Monday. They’ll work their magic and it will be good as new.”
Kate told herself this was a private moment. But her gaze remained fixed on the couple.
“I’m sorry,” Travis whispered, planting a kiss at the corner of his wife’s lips. “So very sorry.”
&n
bsp; Only when Mary Karen’s arms wrapped around his neck and their mouths melded together did Kate look away. It wasn’t nearly soon enough. The raw emotion and sexual energy given off by the two was like an incendiary device. A smoldering heat ignited in her belly. It sputtered, then flared, fueled by the testosterone rolling off Joel in waves.
“Get a room,” Mary Karen’s brother, David, yelled.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kate saw his wife, July, swat him in the arm. Everyone laughed.
Travis turned toward his openly staring guests, a big smile on his face. One arm remained around his wife’s waist. “Thanks for the suggestion, bro. If we disappear, you know where we’ll be.”
Two bright patches of pink dotted Mary Karen’s cheeks, but Kate noticed she pinched her husband’s backside before she stepped forward to mingle.
“My dad used to kiss my mom like that,” Kate mused. “My sister and I thought it was gross. In retrospect it was rather sweet.”
“I’ve never seen my parents kiss.” Joel leaned against the rail. “I’m extremely thankful.”
“Not even under the mistletoe?”
“Not even then.” He sounded amused.
Although Kate had attended many Christmas parties, she’d never once been kissed under a sprig of berries and leaves. Perhaps that’s why it still seemed like the ultimate romantic gesture. “If I asked, would you do it?”
He studied her for several seconds. “Because it’s barely July, I doubt we’ll be encountering mistletoe anytime soon.”
He was right and she wasn’t about to push further. Besides, her relationship with Joel would be over long before Christmas, so it scarcely mattered.
Instead of saying more, Kate changed the subject. Movies, television shows, tastes in music and wine kept the conversational ball rolling.
As they talked, the fire inside Kate continued to build. Each time Joel touched her arm, her skin sizzled. From the way his gaze kept dropping to her mouth, she wasn’t the only one feeling the heat.
The evening breeze kicked up, sending the light floral scent of her perfume wafting in Joel’s direction. He inhaled deeply. Big mistake.
Keeping his passion for the gorgeous brunette under control tonight had been harder than Joel expected. It didn’t help that their lovemaking this morning had been off the charts. He could still feel Kate’s soft skin against his and hear the soft mew of pleasure when he touched her in key spots. The taste of her mouth was permanently seared on his lips.
When Travis had kissed Mary Karen, Joel wanted to say to hell with their agreement and kiss Kate until they were the ones needing a room. But he didn’t. That wasn’t him. He kept his emotions under control.
He glanced around the increasingly crowded deck. One thing for sure, there was no privacy here.
They could go back to his house, but he hated for Kate to miss the display over Snow King. What he needed was somewhere with a great view where they could be alone… .
His lips curved up in a smile.
“I know the perfect place to watch the fireworks,” he whispered in Kate’s ear. “Interested?”
“A better spot than here?”
He dropped his gaze to the vee of her shirt. “More private.”
“Well, if I can’t have mistletoe—” Kate heaved an exaggerated sigh, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her away “—I’ll settle for private.”
* * *
When Joel turned the truck into the circular drive in front of the abstract-looking home in the mountains, Kate was certain he’d taken a wrong turn. Then he pulled to a stop and hopped out.
The fact that the home was completely dark inside didn’t appear to concern him. He flung a blanket over his shoulder and tucked a pillow under each arm. In his left hand he carried a high-intensity flashlight.
Kate glanced around the professionally landscaped lawn. “Who lives here?”
“It recently sold.” Joel took her arm and led her down on a rock path that curved around the side of the large home. “The new owners won’t arrive until after the first of the year.”
Kate stepped onto the back flagstone patio and motion sensors flooded the manicured lawn with light. Her breath caught in her throat. She looked up. And up. And up. At the far end of the yard, a steel observation tower soared forty feet into the air. Metal fencing encased a large deck area at the top.
Joel looped an arm around her shoulders and lifted his gaze. He smiled. “The perfect place to watch the fireworks.”
“I’m sure it is, once you get up there.” Kate stared at the zillion steps that appeared to wind all the way to the heavens. “Please tell me there’s an express elevator.”
Joel’s smile disappeared. “If you think climbing the steps will be too much—”
“I was just kidding. It’s not a problem.” Even though Kate knew the climb would put stress on her toes, if she was careful to lead with the ball of her foot she should be fine. She had no doubt the view would be worth the effort.
Joel cocked his head. There was a beat of silence. “Are you sure?”
She slipped her arm through his. “Absolutely positively sure.”
He laughed and offered her his arm.
Once Kate reached the last step, she breathed a sigh of relief, then moved to the rail. Although the mountain property was surrounded by trees, up here she had an unobstructed view of Snow King. “This is amazing.”
Joel placed the light on the deck, then came up from behind her, slipping his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. “A-ma-zing.”
Somehow she didn’t think he was talking about the view. As Kate arched her neck, scenery was the last thing on her mind. All she could think was how good Joel smelled and how right it felt to have his body next to hers. She wondered if he’d ever made love under a star-filled sky. If not, perhaps they could both make tonight a first.
He must have read her mind because he gave her a deep, toe-curling kiss, then tugged her to the plaid blanket he’d spread in the center of the deck.
Kate settled herself on the soft flannel with a casualness at odds with the anticipation coursing through her. “How do you know about this place?”
Joel sat beside her, looping an arm over her shoulders, his fingers dangling just above her right breast. “The home needs a lot of updating on the inside and they wanted a bid.”
She gazed into his eyes. Could he hear her heart pounding? “I didn’t know your company did remodeling.”
“New-home construction is our primary focus.” His gaze remained on her lips. “But when it gets slow, having indoor work keeps the subcontractors I work with happy.”
“Well, I’m happy you found this place.” Kate liked it here. Liked being alone with Joel. Liked knowing that she could kiss him whenever she wanted.
“We have a good ten minutes before the fireworks start.”
Was that a smile lurking in his hazel depths? Kate trailed a finger down his arm, her gaze never leaving his. “Any suggestions on how we pass the time?”
“We could talk.”
Her heart plummeted in her chest. She dropped her hand to her side. “I guess we could.”
He chuckled then, a low pleasant rumbling sound. “Or we could get naked.”
Before she could respond, Joel placed an openmouthed kiss on her neck. The mere touch of his smooth, moist lips sent blood surging through Kate’s body.
“You are so beautiful.” His voice was soft and gentle as a caress. His hand slid beneath her shirt.
Kate’s skin turned to gooseflesh and anticipation skittered up her spine.
“So soft,” he said in a low soothing voice, rubbing his palm lightly over her skin. His fingers were strong, yet gentle, and her entire body tingled at his touch. Warm shivers of sheer pleasure coursed through her veins as several loud booms shattered the stillness. A spray of glittering gold stars rained down on them.
“Want to continue? Or would you prefer we stop for the fireworks?” His deep voice held a teasing lilt.
“Just steer clear of the toes,” was all Kate could manage.
Thankfully Joel understood. While scattering kisses across her shoulders and up her neck, he continued to gently move his hand over her lower back. With each slow stoke, each unhurried touch, her desire grew. When he slid his hand upward, she moaned and arched her spine against him.
He played her like a fine violin, drawing her out, making her respond as she’d never responded before. The darkness and solitude lent a dreamlike air. By the time the sky over Snow King was painted in broad swaths of red, white and blue, their clothes were strewn across the deck. And the only fireworks Kate cared about were the ones she found in Joel Dennes’s arms.
* * *
After ten nights together, Kate had to admit it felt strange locking up alone. She liked falling asleep in Joel’s arms. Liked waking up to find his leg flung possessively over hers. Liked making love before she’d had her morning coffee.
Today, just after she’d added cream and sugar to her morning brew, he’d called to tell her the morning hadn’t been the same without her. Satisfaction flowed like warm honey through her veins. It appeared seeing her every day had become a habit for him, too.
Kate couldn’t imagine going days or, gulp, weeks without talking to him. Soon that would be a reality, but she refused to worry about that now.
Because she and Mitzi had agreed to meet at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce’s monthly event for young professionals, Kate happily accepted Joel’s offer of a ride. With one stipulation. They had to stop at Carl’s Jewelry on the way.
Her day quickly sped by and Kate had just finished with her last patient when he texted he was waiting in the parking lot. On the drive downtown, conversation flowed easily as she updated him on her day and he updated her on his.
Next to being in bed with him, this was what she liked the most. She couldn’t believe how comfortable she felt around him. When he pulled into the parking lot and shut off the truck, Kate impulsively leaned over and kissed him.
