by Elks, Carrie
She sat up and swung herself around, then slid her arms over the crutches, lifting herself up to standing.
“Are you okay?” Nate asked her, walking back into the room. He was drinking from a huge mug. His hair was mussed up, his t-shirt crumpled, and the dark cotton shorts he was wearing made her want him all over again.
“I was just wondering where you were.”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I made some coffee. You want some?”
She shook her head, smiling as she sat back on the bed. “No. I want you to come back to bed.”
He slid onto the mattress beside her, placing his half-full cup on the table. “I was thinking what a great idea it was for Riley to go on this field trip,” he said, turning on his side to face her. “And wondering whether there are any others she can go on.”
Ally laughed. “You’ve changed your tune.”
“Yeah, well maybe I’ve been a bit too much of a helicopter parent. She’s proved she’s trustworthy. I should give her more of a break.”
“You won’t hear any argument from me.” Ally slid her hand around his waist.
Nate winced at the sudden coldness from her palms. “You’re freezing.” He pressed his hand over hers.
“It’s cold in here without you.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s sixty-five degrees already.”
“That might be warm to a Seattle guy, but this California girl feels the cold.” She shivered to make her point.
“You want me to warm you up?” He didn’t wait for her answer before he pulled her against him.
She tugged at his t-shirt. “This should go,” she told him. “I need direct body heat or else I might freeze to death.”
There was a smirk on his face as he pulled it over his head, messing his thick hair up even more. Then he put his arms around her, laying back on the mattress until she was nestled against him, and pulled the covers up over them.
She pressed her lips to his chest, breathing him in. Nate swallowed. “Did you sleep okay?” he asked.
“I was out like a light for the night.” She smiled against his skin. “Well, all three hours that were left of it.” She looked up at him. “How about you?”
“Like a dog. You wore me out.”
“That’s what happens when you get old.”
Nate barked out a laugh. “Enough of the old. I’m not that ancient. I still have all my own teeth.”
“I know.” She closed her eyes, remembering how they felt as they scraped softly against her breasts. God, she really could do it all over again. “How old are you, anyway?”
“Didn’t your dad teach you it’s rude to ask?”
“I just want to know our age difference. For science.” She shrugged.
“Since you asked so nicely, I’m thirty-nine.”
She lifted her head up. “You got the big one next year?”
“This year.”
“Wow.” She nodded. “Are you going to ask me how old I am?”
“I already know. You’re twenty-seven. I’ve seen your resume, remember?”
“So that makes it twelve years between us. Soon to be thirteen. I guess it’s not so bad, is it?”
“It depends, I guess,” he said, his brows furrowing as he thought it through.
“On what?”
“On what we both want out of life.”
She reached out to trace her finger across his chest, moving it in circles. “What do you want out of life?” This conversation was getting deep, especially since it wasn’t even six in the morning. It made her chest feel tight, as though she was only a few sentences away from panicking. She held her breath and waited for his answer.
He shrugged. “Pretty much what I have. A healthy business, a happy daughter, nobody telling me what I should or shouldn’t be doing. I like my life.” He turned his head, looking at Ally. “How about you?”
She was still tracing her fingers along his skin, her circles getting smaller as she reached the thin line of hair leading down from his navel. Running her finger over it, she smiled as he gasped. He captured her hand to stop her teasing.
“I want to be happy,” she told him. And it was true. Okay, there was so much more that she wanted, but she wasn’t sure she could talk about it without looking crazy. She wanted somebody to love her and be loved. Wanted a house on the beach just like this one. She wanted her father to explain why he’d sold the café.
“Happiness I can do,” Nate said, as if he sensed her sudden tenseness. Did he know that all she wanted to do right then was to run for ten miles, and then maybe ten more? “I know one way to make you very happy indeed.”
She smiled as he pushed her until her back was against the mattress, then pressed his lips to her throat, making her shiver.
Yes, he could do happiness, and she’d take whatever he had to offer. Because if there was one thing life had taught her, it was to grab onto the happy whenever it made a fleeting appearance.
21
“Honey, it’s your dad. I’m calling to see how you are. Lorne told me your ankle’s broken and I’ve been worried sick about you. Do you want me to come home? I’ll get on the next flight if you need me, you just have to say the word.”
Ally closed her eyes as the voicemail continued, feeling her chest get tight. He must have called when she was with Nate this morning, before she’d turned on her phone.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about the café. There’s no excuse for it, except that I’m a foolish old man who didn’t want to upset you. Yet I ended up doing it anyway.”
He sounded lost. It reminded her of the way he’d been right after he and her mom had divorced and he’d pick her up from school then sit in the car as if he had no idea what to do next.
“There’s so much I want to say and I know you probably don’t want to hear it. Please call me back whenever you’re ready to talk, or even if you’re willing to listen.”
He cleared his throat. “I love you, sweetheart. More than anything else in this world. So call me, please. I just want to know you’re okay.”
Ally lifted her hand to wipe the dampness from her cheeks. For a woman who rarely cried she was so emotional lately.
She and Nate had two more nights together before Riley got back and she was determined that nothing was going to spoil it. She’d call her father back after that, when she had more time and space to think about things.
It had been too long since they’d spoken, and she knew it was mostly her fault. Firstly for blocking him – ugh what a stupid thing that was – and then for waiting for him to make the first move.
When Riley was back, she’d talk with him like the grown-ups they both were. She owed him that, at least.
* * *
“I have your clothes and I’m willing to exchange them for information.” Brooke was standing at the front door, a bag in her hand from where she’d been back to Ally’s place to pick up a few more things. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and she was wearing a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt; her standard uniform for when she volunteered at the animal shelter. It was one of her favorite places in the world.
“What kind of information?” Ally asked, leaning against the doorjamb. It was late in the afternoon, and she was all alone in the house.
“How many times, was it good, and did you remember to practice safe sex?”
Ally glanced over Brooke’s shoulder, though there was clearly nobody else there. It was a gated house – nobody got in or out without either a code or a press of the button from inside the house. “I guess you’d better come in.”
Brooke grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Ally turned on her crutches and made her way up the hallway to her bedroom, where Brooke placed the bag on top of her bed. “Oooh,” Brooke said, turning to her with a grin. “This bed is cold. When was the last time you slept in it?”
“Was everything okay at my apartment?” Ally asked, deliberately ignoring her question.
“Yep. Yo
u had some mail; I put it in your bag. Oh, and I saw your super in the lobby. The part came in earlier than expected. The elevator will be fixed the day after tomorrow.”
“It will?” Ally felt her brows knit together at the thought. “Oh, that’s great. Do you have long enough to sit for some coffee?” she asked.
“Sure. Though I have an assignment due at the end of the week, so it’ll have to be a quick one.”
They walked into the kitchen, and Ally grabbed them a couple of mugs from the cupboard in the island. “How’s school going?” she asked.
“It’s tough. But I keep telling myself it’s only a few more months.” Brooke leaned across the kitchen counter. “After that the real fun begins.” She was studying for her degree in Veterinarian Technology. All her life she’d dreamed of working with animals. Before she became pregnant with Nick, she’d been offered a coveted place in Vet school, but having a baby had put an end to all those plans. Ally was so proud of her friend for going back to study, with a plan to become a Veterinarian Technologist – not quite a Vet, but the job was still made for Brooke. Ever since they were kids she’d been obsessed by animals.
Ally turned on the coffee machine and listened as the water tank began to heat up, steam making it rattle. She was caught up thinking about the fact that the elevator would be repaired soon and she’d be able to move back home in two days time. The thought didn’t excite her as it would have done a couple of days ago.
“There were a few voicemail messages on your home phone for you,” Brooke said as Ally passed her a mug of coffee. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to listen to them or not. But then I was worried they might be important.” She gave Ally a soft smile. “They were all from your dad.”
Ally bit down on her lip and winced. The skin there was still tender from this morning. “I finally remembered to unblock him,” she said. “He left a voicemail on my phone. I’ll call him back over the weekend.”
“Good idea,” Brooke said, raising her eyebrows. “You don’t want to ruin your alone time with Nate.”
Great minds thought alike.
“So, are you going to answer my questions or what?” Brooke asked. “I need all the details about you and Nate. I’m living my life vicariously through you. I can’t remember the last time I was even asked out, let alone did anything exciting with a guy.”
“Your mom tries to set you up all the time,” Ally pointed out. “Wasn’t she pestering you to go out with some lawyer the other week?”
“I’m really not interested in her friends’ sons.” Brooke wrinkled her nose. “I can see it now. Breakfast appointments at the salon, lunch with the Women’s League at the Beach club. Evenings entertaining whatever clients my husband is desperate to land.” She shuddered. “There’s no way I’m turning into my mom.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Ally grinned. “And since you’re clearly going through some kind of crisis, I’ll answer one question and one question only.”
“That’s a lie. You’re dying to tell me all about him.”
Ally held her finger up. “One.”
Brooke laughed. “Okay, okay,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Give me a minute to think about it.” After a moment she lifted her head up and smiled. “Okay, I got it.”
Ally sighed. “Why do I not like the sound of this?” All those times she’d been the interrogator and it had been Brooke or Ember with wide eyes beneath the bright light of her scrutiny – she’d never thought the situation would be reversed.
“It’s not that bad. But I’m really curious now,” she said, biting her lip to stifle her smile. “What’s the best position to have sex with your leg covered in a plaster cast?”
Ally sighed, deciding to brave it out. “Every position you can imagine,” she told her friend. “I’d hate to choose between them.”
22
Nate flicked at the button on his dashboard to accept the incoming Bluetooth call. “Hello?” he answered, pulling the Lexus into the parking lot opposite the coffee shop. There were only a few cars scattered here and there this early in the morning. Mostly business owners and surfers – everybody else was still tucked up in bed.
“Hello, stranger. Long time no talk.” Kirsten’s warm tones came down the line. “I was beginning to think I didn’t have a brother.”
“Sorry.” He winced, even though she couldn’t see him. “Things got kind of hectic around here.” He glanced at the clock on the dash. It was right before seven. Enough time to open up and get himself ready for his video meeting later today with his investors. “What time is it there?” he asked as he pulled into a space.
“Almost ten. I just finished my first lecture. I figured I have enough time to grab coffee and ream you out for not calling me.”
“What coffee did you get?”
She laughed. “That’s such a you question. I got an Americano with room because I’m not loving the way they make cappuccinos at this place. When are you going to open up a Déjà Brew in Boston?” She paused, and Nate could hear her take a sip of her drink. “It’s the home of coffee. We need you here.”
“Seattle’s the home of coffee, and we’ve already got shops there.”
“Six hundred thousand Bostonites would beg to differ.”
He flicked the ignition off and rolled his neck. Christ he was tired. And too old to be getting by on only a couple of hours sleep two nights in a row.
But damn was it worth it.
He smiled, thinking of the way Ally had looked as he left her this morning. All sated and warm and everything he’d dreamed of. It had taken an act of will to leave her and actually drive to work.
“So, I texted Riley last night and she told me she’s in L.A.,” Kirsten said, bringing Nate out of his thoughts. “I feel like I’m out of the loop. The last time we talked she was grounded. So what’s she doing there and how come you let her go?”
“One, she’s on a field trip. Two, because I’m the world’s best father.”
Kirsten sighed. “I need details, Nate. Tell you what, I’ll send you an email full of questions the way I do when I’m doing a practice deposition. How does that sound?”
“Horrific?”
She chuckled. “How are you doing, big brother?”
He glanced up at the mirror to look at himself. His hair was still wet from the shower he took after he finally dragged himself away from Ally. His face was freshly shaven, and in spite of the shadows beneath his eyes they somehow looked brighter than they normally did. “Good,” he told his sister. “I’m good.”
“You sound it,” she said, a smile in her voice. “I knew a change of scene would be perfect for you both.”
He glanced out of the windshield. Yeah, Angel Sands was pretty – and being close to the ocean was definitely good for the soul. But the way he was feeling had nothing to do with the beautiful beach, and everything to do with the woman who’d somehow limped her way into his life, smashing everything up and making it new again.
“Listen, I need to go and open the shop,” he told Kirsten. “I’ve got some meetings I need to prepare for. How about Riley and I Skype with you this weekend? I’ll have a bible in my hand ready to swear to tell the whole truth.”
“Skype sounds good,” Kirsten said. “I’ll have my questions ready, too. Did you want me to submit them beforehand?”
“Always.” His sister never failed to make him smile. For the briefest second he considered telling her about Ally. But then he shook his head and pushed that crazy notion away.
What would he tell her anyway? That he’d been sleeping with one of his employees? Or maybe he could tell his sister – his baby sister – that Ally wasn’t that much older than her. What was it, a year or two? If he thought she was being curious now, imagine what she’d be like with that kind of information.
Nope. Best to keep quiet about it and get on with things.
“Bye, sis.”
“Goodbye, big brother. Talk to you this weekend.”
If he’d have thought about
it too much her words would have sounded like a threat. Instead, he ended the call and decided not to think about it at all.
* * *
“Hello, darling, how was your day?” Ally asked as he walked into the hallway. She was standing there waiting for him, a huge grin on her face as she held out a glass of red wine.
“What’s this for?” he asked, taking the glass. His eyes crinkled as he smiled back at her because, really, she was a sight for sore eyes after his long day. Her wavy blonde hair was down, the tips skimming the dark blue tank she was wearing. He let his eyes scan down her body, taking in the way her blue-and-white striped skirt stopped mid thigh, revealing her toned, tanned legs. Was it wrong that he wanted them wrapped around him, cast and all?
She leaned to the side, adjusting her weight on her crutch. “You’ve been working so hard, the least I can do is pour you a drink when you get home.”
“Am I in the middle of some fifties housewife fantasy?”
“Do you want to be?” Ally lifted an eyebrow. “Because I can grab you a pipe and slippers.”
“Ah, no.” He bit down a laugh and reached for her, running his fingers down her soft curls. “When it comes to relationships I prefer mine to be equal. Sometimes me on top, sometimes you.”
“Right now it’s mostly you,” she said, glancing down at her leg. “But as soon as this cast is off, then all bets are off.”
Nate blinked, trying to get the image of Ally riding him out of his brain. But it refused to disappear, sending shoots of excitement down between his legs. Jesus, he’d just got home. Couldn’t his body give him a break for a minute?
“I’ve got something to show you,” Ally said, inclining her head toward the living room. “This one took a little longer to set up, but hopefully it’s worth it.”
He followed her down the hall and through the doorway to the living room. Looking around, he tried to see what was different, but for the life of him nothing stood out.
