“I’ll get you for this.”
“Good Morning, Sunshine. Or should I say afternoon?”
“At this moment, I don’t give a rip what time of day it is.” She didn’t recognize her own voice. She could barely hear herself over the pounding in her head.
“Now, now. I’m not the one who poured shots down your throat. How many B52s did you have anyway?”
Little flashes of memory teased her. “I lost count somewhere after five.”
He laughed again. “Three is your limit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hank made ‘em stronger just for you. Even if he saw you were shitfaced, he wouldn’t water down his drinks.”
“Is there some reason for your torture? I was thankfully asleep. Dying would be preferable to the torment of my ringing phone.”
“The first thing you need to do is drink water. I left some aspirin on the counter and a note with a concoction that will make you feel better.”
“The first thing I need to do is get off the floor.” She struggled to sit up without dropping her cell.
“The floor? Did you throw up in my bed?” Dennis sounded horrified.
“God, I don’t think so. Wait.” She was fairly certain she hadn’t. She sniffed the air. “No. It doesn’t smell.”
“Maybe I should have stayed home today,” he groaned.
“No. I’ll be okay. Once I get my bearings.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “And get this hammer in my head to stop pounding.”
“Go drink some water. Everything you need is on the kitchen counter. Trust me. It works.”
“When a man says trust me—” she started, but he interrupted.
“I know, I know. But trust me. Go. Wash your face and hit the kitchen.”
“I don’t care to hit anything else, thank you. The floor was enough.”
“You can tell me about that later. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
“Okay. And Dennis. I meant what I said. I’ll get you for ceaselessly calling me until I had to answer.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He was still laughing when the phone call ended.
God, she felt like death warmed over.
She climbed up onto her knees, leaned her elbows on the edge of the bed, and stayed there for several minutes, holding her head in her hands. This was getting her nowhere. She forced her eyes open, even after the protest from her head to avoid the light. She pushed to stand up. So far so good. Eluding the mirror seemed like a good idea, at least until she could wash her face.
She glanced down at her apparel. Dennis must have dressed her for bed—or undressed her. Last night she’d had on a short skirt and daring blouse. She still had on her underwear, but one of his large T-shirts hung on her now.
A shower was needed, but she had to get her headache under control. The throb at her temples drove her teeth together, causing an ache in her jaw. She found a glass and some aspirin on the counter where Dennis had left them. After swallowing three, she padded back to the bathroom. Bracing her hands on the wall, she stood under the hot water, the needles prickling her body. Water saturated her hair, doused her face, and soothed the tense muscles in her body. When the water turned cool, she soaped her limbs and rinsed quickly.
The steam had helped to clear her head. She used a towel to wipe the mist from the mirror. The woman staring back looked vaguely familiar. Maybe the concoction Dennis left would help her feel like herself.
Thirty minutes later, she felt like a new woman. Well, at least a woman with a new head. That must have been a miracle cure. The hangover from hell was just a memory. Thinking food would help, she forced herself to eat something.
She cleaned the bathroom, tidied the apartment, and threw a load of clothes in the washer. She’d just twisted the cap on a bottle of water when she heard a key in the lock.
“Where have you been? You don’t work on Sunday.” she greeted Dennis.
“Today was the only day my client could meet, so I went to the office for a few hours.” He shrugged out of his coat and tossed it on the back of the bar chair. “Looks like someone is feeling better.”
“I don’t want to know how that concoction works,” Kelly said, thinking of the blend she’d prepared—and drank. “I only care that it worked.”
“That it does.” He stepped around her, heading to the refrigerator. He grabbed a beer and twisted the top.
“Speaking from experience?” she asked.
“Yep.” He took a long draw from the bottle. “Man’s that’s good.” Seeing her frown, he tipped his beer to her. “Want one?”
“No. I feel better and I’m going to stay that way.” She shoved the hair back from her face. “God, I’m never going to drink shots again.”
“Until the next time,” Dennis added.
“Go to hell,” she slung at him.
“Come on. Famous last words.” He turned and strode to the living room.
She followed. “I mean it.”
“We all do.” Dennis took his usual spot on the couch and patted the space beside him.
She sat, tucked her feet under her and crossed her arms. “I don’t remember much. I don’t like not knowing.”
“Um hmm.”
“It’s the worst feeling ever. Having no idea of your movements. Not remembering what I did. If I made an ass of myself.”
“Callum.”
She glowered at Dennis. “Who?”
“Callum,” he said before taking another swig of beer.
She narrowed her eyes, hating Dennis when he withheld information and teased her with one-word sentences.
“Who is he?”
“You should know. I had to peel you off him last night.”
“Peel? As in . . .”
Dennis held up his hand and made a motion as if he were peeling a banana. She rubbed her forehead.
“Please tell me I did not do something stupid.”
“Can’t do that.” He chuckled.
“Damn you, Dennis. This is no laughing matter.”
He placed his bottle on the coffee table. “It’s not that bad. You drank some shots with the guy. Danced. He didn’t like the idea of you leaving with me, but he was okay about it.”
Kelly groaned in exasperation. “Oh, no. I will never drink to the point where I have no idea what I’m doing again.”
Dennis got up and went to the kitchen. He came back with another beer. “Here.”
“No.”
“Hair of the dog. It might help.”
She screwed her eyes up at him and snatched the cold bottle from his hand. She took a sip and sighed at the cool refreshing liquid sliding down her throat. “Just one.”
“What do you remember?” he asked as he sat down.
“I remember dancing with Craig and that damn wall came up again. He accused me of playing a game.” She faced Dennis. “I think he believes we’re involved.”
“Involved?”
“As in together. An item.”
“You and me.” He swung his beer from her to him.
“Yes.”
“Nah. How could he think that?”
“Well, it’s not a stretch. I mean, look at us. I’m living with you—”
“You’re not living with me,” he interrupted.
“You know that first day he came by, I was in the shower. Your shower.”
“I remember. I explained that you like the shower head in my bathroom.”
Now that she thought about it, maybe Craig thought . . . “Which is in your bedroom.” Kelly jumped from the couch. “He thinks we’re sleeping together!”
“What?” Dennis scrubbed a hand over his face. “You’re being ridiculous. I’ve practically shoved you two together. He’s seen me chatting up other women. No way I’d do that if y
ou and me were an item. He knows me better than that.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, I’m sure. I see the way he looks at you.”
She supposed Dennis should know his friend, but . . . “You said he was acting weird.”
“Yeah, like he wants to jump your bones and is trying to hide it from me. Goosy.”
Kelly chewed on the end of her finger while remembering several times he had seemed interested, then suddenly turned cold. It didn’t make sense.
“I’m headed to the shower.” Dennis stood up and stretched. “I’ve got a date.”
She tuned out, the rest of his comment echoing as he strode down the hall. She had some thinking to do.
Like, why did the word belong keep popping in her head?
~ ~ ~
Dennis left. In no mood to cook, Kelly ordered a pizza. Her head and stomach felt fine, so she figured a pie would be as good as anything else. When the doorbell rang, she grabbed her wallet and hurried to the door.
Craig.
Damn, he looked sexy leaning against the doorjamb, more delicious than any pizza. A half smile hovered around his lips, while resplendent blue eyes scrutinized her. His black wavy hair looked like he’d run his hands through it several times. Her tummy convulsed. She wanted to grab him, yank him inside, and have her hands give him that mussed look.
“Hi. Can I come in?” His husky voice had her stomach plummeting to her toes.
Somehow, she managed to find her voice. “Of course,” she said as she stepped back.
“Is Dennis here? I didn’t see his car.”
“No. He’s out.” She closed the door, sighing in disappointment. He wasn’t here for her. She padded to the sofa.
“I wasn’t sure you’d see me,” he said as he stepped from the landing.
“You made your opinion of me pretty clear last night.”
“I came to apologize.”
Her heart lifted. On the heels of her joy, her sensible side surfaced, reminding her not to be foolish.
“Apology accepted. Do you want a beer?” She made to walk by him, stepping toward the kitchen. Her breath caught in her throat as she was grabbed by her arm.
“Wait.” Instead of anger, Craig’s expression was one of pain.
She tried shrugging his hand from her arm, but he used both hands to hold her.
“Please.”
“Please? When only last night you couldn’t get away from me fast enough?”
He released her as if she’d suddenly burned his hands. The blue eyes she’d once thought so striking looked hollow and bleak. He shoved a hand through his hair.
“Look. We’ve gotten off on the wrong footing. Can we start over?”
Kelly resisted the urge to smooth the blue-black curl that fell on his forehead, then mentally smacked herself for even considering such a thing.
“I don’t believe in starting over. You called me a tease. You accused me of playing a game. Of trying my wiles on you. If you think me deceitful, why the hell were you dancing with me? My God, Craig. You practically made love to me on the dance floor. You call me a tease?” Kelly shook with anger, and wondered where the hell all this fury was coming from.
“Explain what you said. You don’t—”
“You want to listen to explanations now?” She couldn’t believe the audacity. “You knew everything you needed to know last night. Everything to make up your mind about whatever got your balls in such a twist.”
“Kelly, please.”
“Stop begging. I can’t stand it.” She flung her arms around herself and paced to the end of the sofa.
“I need to understand.”
She whirled to face him. “You? You need to understand? I’m totally confused.” She waved a hand as she began pacing again. “You want me. You don’t.” She stopped and stared with deliberation. “You insulted me.”
“What happened to apology accepted?” He stood there with his hands in his pockets, a lost puppy-dog expression on his face. “I think I might have misinterpreted something. I need to clear it up. You said you don’t belong to anyone.”
She recalled their conversation. Then it hit her. Belong.
“Do you really think I would have behaved the way I did with you if I belonged to Dennis? He’s not my boyfriend. And even if he was, like I told you, I don’t belong to anyone.”
Craig looked like he’d just been shot. She almost felt sorry for him. If he were any other guy. If she didn’t like him so much. If. Oh, hell.
“Damn you. Damn you for—”
His hands shot out, drawing her to him and he covered her mouth with his.
The movement was so sudden, she gasped, giving him the perfect opportunity to slip inside. His tongue began a slow assault, taking her mouth in a sensual kiss. He tasted divine. The kiss shook her, swept her away in a sea of bliss, where everything around them disappeared.
Weightless, floating, she returned his kiss, while a nagging voice somewhere out there kept interfering with the mindless abandon she wanted to lose herself in.
Hunger blossomed, but she couldn’t do this. Couldn’t trust her own judgement. Craig made her melt, then froze her out. What if he did it again? She’d just gotten out of one horrible relationship, which turned out not to be a relationship at all. The guy had been married. She’d be a fool to jump into another man’s arms, no matter how delicious his kiss.
She struggled out of his embrace. “Is that your way of winning an argument? I’m mad, and I’m confused. What the hell is going on with you?”
He shoved a shaky hand through his magnificent hair. He seemed almost as dazed as she’d been.
“Look. Tell me if I’m wrong. I thought you and Dennis were an item.”
“Explain item.”
“You know. You and him. You’re his girlfriend.”
And still Craig had been tempted. Unable to fight the spark between them. She let him stew a moment. She’d try one more time to get this through his thick head.
“Dennis and I are very close. I told you, I’m not his girlfriend. We’re friends.”
“Friends,” he repeated.
“Yes. Friends.” Did she have to come right out and say they weren’t sleeping together? She studied Craig, watching several emotions cross his face. Then, a huge grin, one that could melt any girl’s knees, including hers, formed on his mouth.
“So, you’re not his girlfriend?”
She rolled her eyes. Everything came together like the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Craig wanted her, but he’d held back because he thought she and Dennis were together. The inkling had been there in the back of her mind all along. The hostility, the mistrust, it all made sense. He was being noble. Honorable. A decent man.
Tension flowed from her muscles. She belted out a mock laugh.
“Are we talking about the same guy? Have you been paying attention? I call him Casanova for a reason.” She leaned in as if she was about to divulge a secret. “He’s earned the name.”
“And here I thought you were—”
She gave Craig a glower, waiting for him to confirm that he’d thought the worst.
“Never mind what I thought.”
“No, please. Continue.”
He shook his head. “No matter how I say this, it won’t come out right. I think I should keep my mouth shut.”
“And I think that if you don’t explain yourself, you’ll be in trouble again.”
“Does that mean I’m not in trouble?”
The doorbell rang. Dammit. She spun on her heel.
“Hold on.” Craig grabbed her arm again, in a more gentle grip this time.
“It’s the pizza guy,” she explained.
She gave a generous tip and slammed the door. She tu
rned, and bumped into a walled chest. Craig’s hands gripped her shoulders.
“Will you forgive me for being an ass?”
Damn his sapphire blue orbs that made her melt. She took a long assessing look down his body, scrutinizing every muscle-packed inch, compelling in his jeans. His eyes crinkled as if he waited for her assessment. The corner of his mouth quirked up and her world tilted.
“Want a slice?”
Chapter 9
Kelly’s tongue slid from between her lips and curved, licking sauce from her finger. The innocent yet seductive movement gripped Craig right in his balls. He wanted to lean forward and lick the sauce from her skin, taste the freshness of her lips, devour her alluring mouth. He was lucky she hadn’t thrown him out.
“I hope sharing your pizza means you’ve truly accepted my apology.”
She looked at him from beneath her eyelashes, and once again the bottom of his stomach dropped.
“I’m working on it.” She lifted her wine goblet and took a sip, her sensual lips caressing the rim of her glass.
“Thank you for sharing your dinner, and your wine.”
“The wine belongs to Dennis. I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“He might if he knew what an idiot I’ve been.”
Kelly’s laugh rolled over him like a soft wind in the summer time. An enticing breeze that enchanted your skin and left a teasing promise to the delights of more. He wanted more. More of everything she had to give.
He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Kelly was free. The elusive creature he’d fantasized about for days lingered within his reach. Still, he was smart enough to tread carefully. It was too soon to lean in and take what he wanted. What he’d denied himself for days.
Just because she had no attachments didn’t mean she would leap into bed with him. Besides, Kelly was special. He needed to know more about her. And he planned to spend as much time as necessary doing just that, getting to know her.
“Things are beginning to make sense now.” Kelly took a napkin and dabbed her lips.
Instant Enticement Page 12
