“That’s fair but I won’t stop trying.” He rose and clasped her hands. “Let’s seal this with a kiss.” She’d agreed to a start but he wanted more. He brushed his lips over hers.
“Mark.” His name flowed on a whisper.
He gathered her close. “I want you. I have since the moment I saw you again.” He drew a deep breath. “That’s a lie. I’ve wanted you since the day we collided outside Chem lab. Blakefields always fall hard and fast.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“Stop trying to decide how I feel or how I’m going to act.” His mouth closed over hers. He slid his hands beneath her sweater and stroked her smooth skin. As he deftly unfastened her bra he felt her resistance fade. He ran a hand over her breast and felt her nipple bead. His tongue slid over her lips. Her mouth opened. He plunged his tongue inside to caress hers. She stroked and retreated. Her body moved on his. He continued kissing and caressing and edged toward the couch. He lifted her and pushed her sweater higher. He caught one breast in his mouth. The catch in her breath spurred him to suck.
“Do you want me as much as I want you?” He kicked off his shoes and slid his jeans down.
Her eyes widened. “Mark.”
“This is how I feel when I’m near you.” He pushed her to the couch and slid a hand beneath her skirt. As his fingers edged beneath her panties she trembled. “Remember that weekend.”
“I’ve never forgotten,” she said.
Her skirt was above her waist. He slid her bikini down and exposed her. He stroked her and felt the wetness moisten his fingers. “Do you want me?”
“Yes.” Her breath quickened.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
He slid inside and rode until her movements matched his. Her cries rose above the guttural sounds rolling from his mouth. He felt her body tense. He devoured her mouth in a deep and carnal kiss. “Christa.” How could he express this moment of being complete. He released and slid away.
She stood and straightened her clothes. “I have to leave.”
“Stay.”
“I can’t.”
He clasped her hand. “Spend the day with me.”
She pulled free. “The inn. My son.”
“Our son.”
She met his gaze. “You’re right. He is ours and I must find a way to tell him about you and why you’re here. I can’t permit your arrival to harm him.” She walked to the door.
“I want to spend time with you and Davy.” He hoped he’d eliminated any hint of a plea from his voice. He wouldn’t beg and if she procrastinated any longer he would act.
“Only if he wants to see you.”
He snagged his jeans from the floor. “I will see him. This can be easy or hard.”
She paused with one hand on the door. “Don’t bully.”
“Let me buy him a gift or two. Does he have a computer, a game system or a handheld?”
Christa shook her head “Stop. I’ll decide what he needs.”
He reached her side and brought her fingers to his lips. “We should talk about what happened here.”
“I know what happened.” She stepped onto the porch. “You’re a master of seduction.”
“Don’t tell me you weren’t as ready as I was. Just like old times.” He started to follow and realized he had no shoes. He watched her run up the path. Seduction, maybe. They had made love and would again. The heat between them seared. The next time she would be naked and an active participant.
He closed the door and finished dressing. After checking voice mail and email he left the cottage. He needed some staples. He strode to the parking lot. As he neared his car he saw Christa’s sisters leave the inn. He slid into his car. His attempt to avoid the pair failed.
The taller of the two glared. “You owe Christa and you’d better pay up.”
Stella, that was her name. Peggy was the other. “I don’t owe anyone a thing.”
“Hah!” Peggy stood with her hands on her hips. “Child support. Nine years plus.”
“Money she never asked for.” Mark smiled. “All she had to do was let me know about the pregnancy.” He slid the key in the ignition.
Stella laughed. “Sure you would have paid. Not in my lifetime. I was fourteen and Peggy twelve when he was born. We remember what happened.”
He arched a brow. “Do you?”
“When Mom and Dad died we were stuck in a dreadful foster home. Christa was shacked up with you and never heard about the accident for days.” She stabbed a finger at him. “She found the courage to escape you and rescued us.”
“And supported you.”
“She owed us,” Peggy said.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Peggy leaned against the door. “She wrote you a letter begging for your help when she was preggers.”
“Did she?” He raised an eyebrow. “I never received one.” They looked as though they had no idea he and Christa had talked.
“Liar. You wrote back saying being preggers was her problem.” Smugness colored Stella’s voice.
Peggy laughed. “Could be you weren’t the one who answered. Maybe your rich daddy intercepted the letter.”
Mark chuckled. “Not my dad. After he smacked my head he would have driven me here and watched while Christa and I were married.”
Stella glared. “I don’t believe you. We think you should give Christ a hundred thou.”
Mark started the engine. “Not going to happen. Oh, I would like to see those letters.”
“She tore them up,” Stella said.
“And cried for hours,” Peggy said.
“I wonder if the police would call what you’re attempting as blackmail and extortion.” He turned the engine off. “Shall we visit Christa and see if she’ll back your story?”
The pair stepped away. They scurried toward the house.
“Didn’t think so.” Mark drove to town. When he finished shopping he intended to warn Christa about the pair. If she didn’t stop them he would.
* * *
When she left Mark, Christa ran to the house. What a fool she’d been to meet him at the cottage. One kiss had erased all her reasons to remain aloof. She hurried upstairs for a second shower and to change clothes before rushing to the inn to make sure all was in order for her weekend relief. She also needed to check the gift show to see if any of the crafts provided by local women needed to be restocked. Fall always brought an increase in sales.
Christa drew a deep breath tainted with the scent of love-making. What was she going to do? Just like that never forgotten four days with Mark she was as much in love with him as she’d been ten years ago. Then and now he’d made no mention of anything beyond the present. Except he wanted his son.
She groaned. He’d said he would have married her if he’d known about Davy. Was that just talk or had he meant those words? She would never know and she regretted losing the chance to discover if he’d spoken the truth. A realization swept into her thoughts. No matter how much she wanted to deny, Davy was their son.
After a quick shower she pulled on jeans and a sweater. She hurried to the inn. Her hands fisted. Peggy and Stella stood beside Mark’s car. What were they up to now?
For years her feelings toward the pair had been conflicted. Pity for the orphaned girls, anger at their behavior and at herself for allowing the ways they had learned as children to continue. For years she’d blamed herself for being with Mark when the accident had occurred. The girls had sensed her guilt and had exploited her feelings. They had used her absence and their weeks in a dreadful foster home to bully her. Once she’d sold the inn she could send them on their way. Selling seemed her only solution.
As she entered the inn she saw Mark’s sports car leave the parking lot. Her half-sisters went to their car. What had the pair told him? Maybe he would leave. She entered the gift shop and began the inventory and made a few calls.
At two the couple who managed the inn on weekends arrived. “Andy, Mary, here’s the guest
list and the names of those expected. Menus and the gift shop inventory. Three women are bringing in more items.”
Mary ran her finger down the guest list. “You’ve rented one of the cottages. Are we that busy?”
Christa shrugged. “The inn’s booked solid. A friend is staying in the cottage.”
The young woman arched a brow. “How old is he?”
Andy shook his head. “Not your business.”
“Actually he’s from Good Travelin’,” Christa said.
“Really.” Mary picked up the lists. “Is he going to do a feature?”
“He’s considering the possibility.”
“Great.”
Andy steered Mary to the door. “We’re good. See you Monday.”
Christa followed them to the door. She sat on one of the porch chairs and stared at the sky. She remained until the school bus arrived.
Davy ran across the parking lot. “I’m home.”
“So I see.” Together they walked to the house.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said.
“About what?”
“That man. Mark. Is he my father?”
“Yes.”
Davy looked into her eyes. “Do you think he has that thing? You know, like he couldn’t remember about you and me ‘til now.” The eagerness in his voice surprised her.
“Do you mean amnesia?”
“Yeah.”
How much should I tell him? She opened the front door. “He didn’t know about you.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t tell him.” She walked to the kitchen.
Davy followed. “Didn’t you like him? He seems nice.”
Christa drew a deep breath. “This is complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your grandfather and his wife died. I had to take care of the inn and the girls.” She opened a cookie tin. “I was so busy I didn’t know about you for months.”
Davy poured a glass of milk. “You could have told him then.”
“I tried twice. He was away on business. Then I was so busy with everything.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “That was wrong. I cheated him and you.”
“It’s okay. Will I like him?”
“I think so.”
“Will he try to take me away?”
“Absolutely not. He wants to spend time with you and someday take you to meet his family.”
Davy’s eyes widened. “Is he married? Do I have halves?”
Christa smiled. “No and no. He’s talking about his brothers, sisters, his father and step-mother.”
He looked up. “Can we do something with him tomorrow?”
The eagerness in his voice made her panic. She couldn’t say no. “Your choice.”
“Then we will.”
“Do you want me to tell him?”
“You know him.” He started on his snack.
Christa walked to the laundry room to start a load of clothes. Peggy and Stella dashed through the side door. Christa groaned. “What now?”
“Wait until you hear what he plans to do,” Peggy said.
“Who?”
“Davy’s daddy.” Peggy glared. “He’s gonna call the police. Said we were talking blackmail.”
“What did you do?” Christa listened with horror to their version of an encounter with Mark. “How could you. Anything between Mark and me is none of your business.”
“Sure it is,” Peggy said. “He could give you enough money to buy us out.”
Christa added soap and bleach to the washer. “How often do I need to tell you this? You have no share of the inn. The property was left to me by my mother.”
Stella blocked the doorway. “We know better. Mom told us as his wife the inn would be hers if Daddy died. They both died so we should get a share each.”
“She told you wrong.” Christa slammed the washer lid. “Hire a lawyer. Check at the courthouse and see who is listed as sole owner. Suing won’t do you a bit of good.” She pushed past them.
Chapter Four
Christa stood outside the kitchen and fought to control her rising anger. Her half-sisters had to face reality not to their liking. They’d asked Mark for money. They’d lied to him. In telling him their version of events they had lied.
Davy opened the door. “What time are we leaving and are we going to the movies?”
“We’re leaving at five. I need to talk to Mark.”
“Are you going to tell him about tomorrow?”
She ruffled his hair. “Among other things.”
“Will he have rules, too?”
“Of course.”
“Can I go to the inn? Chef Jack said I could earn extra money washing potatoes.”
She laughed. “I’ll come for you there. You can wash a lot of potatoes in an hour and a half.”
He nodded. “Maybe five dollars worth.”
They left the house together. She watched him run to the inn. Moments later she knocked on the cottage door. Her gut tightened. How much damage had Stella and Peggy done?”
Mark opened the door. “Didn’t expect you to come calling.” He winked. “Ready for an encore?”
She shook her head. “Just a few things. First I had nothing to do with my half-sister’s schemes.”
“Never thought you did.” He touched her hand. “How can you let that pair live?”
Christa drew a deep breath. The moment his scent reached her trouble loomed like a boulder over her head. “I felt sorry for two orphaned girls. Unfortunately I had no idea how to control them.”
He nodded. “About time you put those feelings away.” His hand slid along her arm. “Did they tell you about the letters we exchanged? Yours asked for child support.”
She growled. “Not my style.” She met his gaze. “I don’t want Davy to be hurt in a custody battle.”
“Not going to happen.” He tugged her into the cottage and closed the door. “You must have been devastated with all that had happened.”
“What made matters worse was I was with you when they needed me.”
“Were they hurt in the accident?”
“They weren’t in the car.” She made a face. “My step-mother wanted a new dress and dragged my dad to St. Johnsbury during a rain storm. She was always spending money they didn’t have.”
“Like her daughters?”
“Absolutely. They learned young. Dad never said no.”
He clasped her shoulder. “I wish I’d known about Davy.”
She sighed. “So do I but there never seemed to be a right time to tell you. We’ll work out a schedule of visits.”
“I want to see you, too.” He tapped her cheek with a finger.
Christa stared at him. Did me mean for more than sex?
* * *
Mark raised Christa’s hand and kissed her palm. He believed she would arrange for him to see his son. He also believed her half-sisters would continue their attempts to manipulate Christa. While he couldn’t change the past or predict the future he wanted Christa in his life. What did she want? Sure her responsiveness gave him hope. But hope could vanish in an instant.
One thing troubled him. Though she had tried to reach him all those years ago why hadn’t she left a message and number for him to call? Would he have recognized the name? Had he said or done something wrong? He groaned. He was at fault for not telling her how he felt. He’d thought they had plenty of time to talk about love.
He slid one arm around her waist and tugged her close. Her body fit against his as no other woman’s had. He touched his lips to hers. The need to mark her as his was strong. Words of love stirred but they couldn’t be said until he knew how she felt.
“I need you,” he whispered.
The fragrance of her hair, the rising aroma of her arousal brought his desire to a peak. Her breasts molded to his chest. His tongue flicked her mouth and tasted. Need built until he feared he would explode. Would he ever have enough of her presence in his life?
Christa stepped back. “I s
hould go.”
Her sigh told him she would rather stay. “Is Davy waiting for you?”
“He’s at the inn kitchen washing potatoes to earn some extra money.”
“Enterprising.”
“Does that surprise you?”
He heard a defensive note in her voice. “Why? I don’t know him. How would I know what he likes?”
“That’s my fault.”
“Circumstances.” He drew a deep breath.
She gazed into his eyes. “I wish things had been different.”
“So do I.” She retreated to a chair.
“Tell me about our son.”
Christa’s smile brought an answering one from him. “He’s a good student. He’s responsible and always finds ways to earn money. He has an allowance and saves most to buy things he wants.” Pride filled her voice.
Mark studied her face. If she encouraged her son to work for luxuries why did she give her half-sisters a free ride? She’d spoken of feeling responsible and sorry for them but they were adults. Sure they worked for a few hours at the inn but they could do more. Her reasons weren’t his concern yet. “How long will Davy be occupied?”
“I told him I’d come for him at five.”
“Would he worry if he finished early and you weren’t home?”
She shrugged. “Probably not. Why?”
He stepped closer. “Can’t you tell?”
“Mark.”
“Yeah. I need you again.”
She laughed. “If I remember you were always standing at attention.”
“Only with you.” He pulled her to her feet. “You can’t deny you want me as much as I want you.”
“Where is this leading?”
“Let’s find out. He brushed his lips over hers. Her mouth opened. He stroked the inside of hers with his tongue. He felt her resistance melt as she took fire. Her tongue invaded and met his stroke for stroke. Her arms slid around his neck. She moved against him. He needed to be inside her. He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. “Come with me.”
“Yes.”
Together they walked to the bedroom. They stepped apart facing each other. Christa pulled her sweater over her head. Through the lace of her bra he saw the darker color of her nipples. A flush spread over her face.
Seducing the Innkeeper (At First Sight Book 3) Page 4
