by Melody Grace
She squeezed her eyes shut, already flushing with the thought of it, but Riley paused. “Oh no, sweetheart, you’re not hiding from this.” She felt him move back up her body, his body skimming hers, blazing with heat. “Look at me,” he ordered softly, and she shivered, feeling exposed.
He stroked her gently through her bikini and a moan slipped from her mouth again.
She heard him chuckle, whiskey sweet. “I don’t want you to miss a minute of this, baby. Open your eyes.”
Brooke slowly obeyed, and looked up to find he was braced above her, that gorgeous, teasing smile on his lips. “See,” he whispered, and stroked her again. “It’s much more fun this way.”
He pushed the fabric aside and skimmed a fingertip over her, and Brooke gasped at the touch. Riley was poised above her, those dark eyes just inches away, and there was nowhere to hide as he delved deeper, touching her just right.
She shuddered around him, her blood thick and hot. God, he was too sexy, and he knew just how to wind her tighter, watching as she tried in vain to keep from losing control.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, dipping to lick her lips as his fingers curled higher. Brooke whimpered, pressing into his hand, needing more somehow. “Don’t hold back now, baby.” He kissed her softly, teasing. “I’ve got you now.”
He did. Brooke couldn’t deny the pleasure sweeping through her, or how wild and reckless it felt to come undone in his arms. She kissed him eagerly, their tongues dancing together as his fingers worked their magic, unraveling her inch by inch until she was moaning, pressing wantonly against him, her voice lost on the breeze. Higher, higher he drove her, until she was dazzled with the heat, out on the edge of something so strong, it was like she’d taken leave of her senses.
“Let go,” he ordered her, his voice gruff. “Let go for me, sweetheart.”
Brooke wanted to, she was so close, but still, something held her back. This chemistry between them was dangerous—burning too bright to give into, too hot to keep from the scars.
If she fell off the edge, could she trust him to break her fall?
Riley kissed his way down her body, his touch roving deeper, faster now, and then it was too much to keep at bay. He was everywhere, undeniable, and Brooke couldn’t fight the pleasure anymore. She broke apart, crying out against him as the waves of bliss shuddered through her, leaving her gasping in his arms.
Wow.
Riley was right: he was exactly the man for the job.
Brooke couldn’t help but smile. She felt so light, she might just float away. “Want a rematch?” she asked, her eyes closed. “Double or nothing?”
Riley laughed, rolling to one side. When Brooke opened her eyes, he was propped on one elbow, watching her with a satisfied smile.
“That good, huh?” he said, smirking.
“It’s a start.” Brooke grinned back.
Suddenly, she didn’t know what she’d been so afraid of. This was Riley: king of the no-drama good time. She didn’t need him to catch her, she told herself, pleasure still sweet in her bloodstream. This was just a little fun.
12
T hey spent the morning sunbathing, out there on the boat. Brooke felt all her stress and anxiety melt clean away, soothed by the gentle roll of the ocean—and Riley’s lazy kisses.
“I’m beginning to see why you like this thing,” she said, yawning. “It must be nice being able to just pull up the anchor and sail on whenever you please.”
“I keep it close to home most days,” Riley replied. He was lying beside her, one hand intertwined with hers. “My adventuring days are behind me. I like my creature comforts, a hot meal and a good glass of whiskey.”
“Speaking of . . .” Brooke sat up. “I remember you saying something about a picnic?”
He grinned. “Worked up an appetite, have you?”
“Maybe.” She smiled back. “And I could use some fuel for another round.”
Riley’s eyebrow arched.
“Another swim,” she added, getting to her feet.
“Sure, that’s what you meant.”
She laughed and headed down into the cabin, where she found a picnic basket and a couple of glasses. She emerged back on deck and paused, just watching Riley. He was fixing something with the sail, looking sexier than any man had a right to; tanned skin golden in the sun, his muscles rippling.
She felt a delicious shiver spiral through her. She’d been joking before, but it was true—this was just the start of their fun.
Riley looked up and caught her staring. “Come here,” he beckoned, and she moved closer. He kissed her softly, but even the gentle brush of his lips ignited something hot and craving deep inside.
A sudden chill whipped around them, and Brooke shivered. Riley broke the kiss. “You’re cold.” He frowned, gently rubbing Brooke’s shoulders. He glanced back out at the water and paused. “When did the weather turn?”
Brooke looked too. The blue skies were now clouding over fast with an ominous grey, and the calm waters were getting choppy, the boat shifting and rolling on the tide.
“Come on,” he said, looking concerned. “We better get back to harbor before this storm blows up.”
Brooke grabbed a sweater and pulled her clothes back on over her swimsuit as Riley set about pulling up the anchor and setting their course back to Sweetbriar Cove. By the time they arrived back at the harbor, it had started to rain. The wind was whipping hard around them, and the waves were roiling high. Brooke held on tight to the railing, glad to see the dock right up ahead. She was already feeling queasy, and if she spent longer on this rollercoaster of a ride, she wasn’t sure she could keep from doing something incredibly un-romantic.
The harbormaster met them to help Riley secure the boat up tight to the mooring. “I was wondering where you were,” he said, reaching out to help Brooke ashore. She staggered inelegantly off the boat and caught her breath, relieved to be on solid ground again.
“It was a race, but we made it.” Riley grabbed her things and hopped onto the dock. “The storm sure picked up fast.”
“Shouldn’t last long.” The harbormaster checked the horizon. “But I’d spend the night on dry land if I were you.”
“That’s the plan.” Riley met her eyes with a secret smile, and Brooke grinned back. Now that she wasn’t hanging on for dear life, she remembered exactly where they left off—and his tempting promises for where they would pick up again.
Riley opened the lockbox and retrieved his keys and her phone. “Four hours and counting,” he said, passing it over. “I’m impressed. The way you were talking about that thing, I figured you’d be in a cold sweat by now.”
“I’m not that bad!” Brooke protested, laughing. “I can go a few hours without—”
She stopped, seeing the screen. Fifteen missed calls?
“Come on,” Riley said, starting out ahead of her. “Let’s get out of this rain—and into a hot shower. Your place or mine?”
Brooke ignored him, frantically dialing the front desk at the hotel. They answered right away. “Kevin? It’s Brooke,” she said. “What’s going on?”
“Only total meltdown!” he exclaimed, sounding panicked. “Where have you been? We’re been calling everywhere trying to reach you.”
“I left my phone for a few hours,” Brooke gulped. “Calm down, tell me what’s wrong. Did the drains clog in the Marigold suite again?”
“Worse,” he whispered. “The computers are all screwed. Something happened, some kind of virus or something? I don’t know, but the system’s wiped. I called in tech support, but they don’t know what to do either. Everything’s gone!”
Brooke’s stomach dropped.
“What do you mean, gone?!”
“Hey, put that away.” Riley suddenly took the phone from her hand, grinning. “Your day off isn’t over yet.”
“Riley!” Brooke snatched it back impatiently and pressed it to her ear again. “Hello, Kevin? I’m on my way. Don’t touch anything until I get there!” S
he hung up, her mind racing. The whole system? That was everything: reservations, orders, all the internal guides and training and—
“Everything OK?” Riley asked.
Brooke turned on him. “No! No, it’s not OK!” she exclaimed, full of dread. “Nobody’s been able to reach me for hours! What did I tell you about my phone? I can’t just clock off and disappear like you. I have people counting on me!”
“Whoa, easy there.” Riley placed his hands on her shoulders. “Take a breath.”
“I don’t need to breathe!” Brooke cried. “I need to get to work.” She pushed past him and started for the parking lot before she remembered he’d driven. Crap. “Can you please drop me at my place?” she asked through a clenched jaw. “I have to get back right now.”
Riley blinked. “Sure, we can head straight to the hotel.”
Brooke shook her head. “It’s out of your way.”
“It’s no trouble.” Riley nodded to the car. “And whatever the problem is at work, I’m sure you can figure it out.”
She’d always liked Riley’s eternal optimism, but for once, it was no comfort. Brooke sat tense in the passenger seat as they sped up the coast to the hotel. What had she been thinking taking off like that today? Going AWOL wasn’t a part of her job description, and who knew what mess Kevin had made blindly clicking about after the system went down? It was her job to be around for these disasters, on call so someone could minimize the damage and keep everyone from making a bad situation even worse.
What if they couldn’t restore the files? What if the whole system was erased? Brooke’s stomach churned just thinking of the information they’d never get back. And with the big wedding coming up in just a few weeks, she needed those contacts!
“It’ll be OK.” Riley reached over and squeezed her hand. He flashed her a reassuring smile. “Whatever it is, I’m sure you can fix it.”
“You don’t know that,” Brooke snapped back, tense and guilty. She’d been sunning herself out on the ocean while everything was falling apart. “I never should have let you take my phone. They’ve been trying to reach me for hours.”
“These things happen.” Riley sounded supportive, but Brooke wasn’t in the mood for his “easy come, easy go” approach to life.
“Not on my watch, they don’t,” she said tightly. “I’m supposed to be in charge, so I’m the one who has to answer to the boss for any mistakes. Not all of us have the luxury of running our own thing however we please.”
Riley opened his mouth to reply, but they were pulling up outside the hotel. Brooke reached for the car door and opened it almost before they came to a stop. She dashed inside without a backwards glance.
“Kevin?” she called, hurrying into the lobby. She found the weekend manager huddled around the computer with her IT guy and a group of staff—all of them wearing the same panicked expressions on their faces.
“Brooke, thank God!” Kevin exhaled, looking relieved to see her. “We’ve tried everything. Nothing’s working.”
She strode forward. “Guys?” She looked to her bartender and bellhops. “Let’s get back to work now, OK? I’ll let you know if there’s anything we need.”
The crowd dispersed. Brooke turned to Kevin. “Tell me what happened,” she said, trying to sound calm and totally in control of the situation. “Start at the beginning.”
“I was, umm, working the morning shift,” Kevin started, evading her gaze. “Things were quiet, the Newton wedding haven’t checked in yet, they called and said their flights were delayed, so they won’t be in until this afternoon, and—”
“The computer, Kevin,” Brooke interrupted him.
He flushed. “So, it was quiet. And I already double-checked the rooms and the reservation schedule, and there was really nothing I needed to be taking care of, so I thought I would play some Bixy, just until anyone arrived.”
Brooke frowned. “Bixy?”
“It’s this new game.” Kevin was the color of a tomato now, flushed all the way to the tips of his ears. “You can download it from the server and log in to access your old games. So I . . . ummm . . . I . . .”
“He downloaded a bootleg copy.” Her IT guy, Jose, put Kevin out of his misery. “Packed with viruses, I’d say.”
“The screens all froze, then they went black, and this logo flashed up.” Kevin tilted the screen so Brooke could see the icon, a maniacally laughing cartoon frog.
“We checked the office computers and tried rebooting, but it’s a system-wide shutdown,” Jose said, looking grim. “I’m sorry, but this is way above my pay-grade. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Brooke stared at the screen in disbelief. The entire hotel ran off specialized software—everything from linen delivery to the restaurant orders to her entire reservations schedule. If it was all lost . . . She couldn’t even imagine it. There was no replacing the information, they would be completely paralyzed.
“What about the back-ups?” she asked hopefully. “We back up the system, every night, so we don’t lose anything.”
Jose shook his head. “The back-ups are still a part of the main system. Right now, we’re locked out. We can’t get in to anything.”
“Is there anyone we can call?” she asked desperately. “There has to be someone.”
He shook his head. “Like I said, this is some messed up shit. Sorry, language.” He looked panicked. “There are some specialized security places we can try, but it’s the weekend, and they can be pretty pricy.”
“How pricy?”
“Like, ten, twenty thousand.” Jose looked grim.
Brooke felt faint. “Dollars?” she gulped.
She felt tears well up in her throat, and she fought to keep them back. She couldn’t fall apart now. They had three weddings, two anniversary parties, and a whole host of other events—just this week! These guests had trusted Brooke with their most special occasions, and this was the thanks they got: slacker staff, technical nightmares, and a manager who was too busy playing hooky to keep them in line. She wanted to prove herself so badly, but she’d just plunged the hotel into total chaos.
This was it. She was getting fired for sure.
RILEY HUNG BACK, watching Brooke try to keep it together. To anyone else, she seemed in control, but he knew her now. She was in meltdown, and if the most drama-free, collected woman he knew was panicking, then this had to be bad.
Damn. He shouldn’t have made her give up her phone, even as a joke. He may be able to go off the grid whenever he wanted, but she had responsibilities here that mattered to her, and he hated the thought that he’d moved this stressful situation from bad to worse.
He moved closer in time to catch some of what her IT guy was saying. It was some kind of hack, infected malware or a virus an unsuspecting staff member had downloaded.
Riley brightened. There wasn’t much in the hotel trade he could help with, but this? This he could do.
“This is just a satellite unit, right?” he interrupted.
Jose, the IT guy, nodded. “The main hub is back in the office.”
“Alright,” Riley said. “Lead the way.”
Brooke looked surprised. “Look, I appreciate the offer,” she said slowly. “But I really think we should wait for the professionals.”
Riley couldn’t blame her hesitance. She’d only seen him hanging out behind the bar, serving beers, but then again, there weren’t many coding emergencies in Sweetbriar Cove that required his expert technical skills. “Look, I know computers,” he assured her. “We saw this all the time. Let me help. I promise, I won’t make it worse.”
It wasn’t the most reassuring vow he could make, but Brooke was clearly desperate. “I guess it can’t hurt,” she said, and led him to the IT room in the basement. Riley looked around, checking the setup.
He glanced up and found Brooke hovering anxiously nearby. “You go take care of things upstairs,” he told her. “I’ve got this.”
She looked like she was about to protest, but then her phone buzze
d. “The wedding party’s here,” she exclaimed. “And now I don’t know what rooms to put them in!”
“Go,” Riley said again. “I promise, I’ll find you if I need you.”
“OK. Thanks.”
Brooke bolted for the stairs again, leaving Riley alone. He settled at the computer and cracked his knuckles. God, it had been months since he’d even looked under the hood of a system like this. But he found a clean laptop to connect, and soon he was deep in the file directory, absorbed in the lines of code. It reminded him of the all-nighters he pulled in college, fueled by energy drinks and sheer determination. He and Tate would stay up for hours, pushing to get the software just right. He always loved it, getting absorbed in the challenge. Some people thought computers and code were just boring lines of data, but Riley saw the beauty in it—just how much you could make that data do, and how wrong it could go with one tiny flaw.
But this time, the stakes were higher than just the challenge. Brooke had too much riding on this for him to take a half-hearted look around; it was personal. He wanted to be the one to fix this for her and put that carefree smile back on her face.
He wanted to show her he wasn’t just a pretty face—and damn fine kisser.
And then maybe they could pick up where they left off earlier, before bad weather and even worse computer mishaps got in the way.
Riley paused, hit with the memory of Brooke gasping against him on the boat and the look in her eyes as she came undone. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen . . . and he needed more. Something about her had taken hold of him, and now he would do just about anything to get another glimpse of that wild, passionate woman she kept hidden inside.
Like fixing this mess of a virus, before it did any more damage.
Riley got back to work, finding the source of the damage, and—luckily—the failsafe built into the code. Once he found the weakness, he was able to scrub it from the system and restore from the back-ups. In just a couple of hours, he had everything working again—and when he heard the shriek of delight from down the hallway, he could tell Brooke knew it too.
