Lost Innocence

by Jannine Gallant

  She clung to his forearms to stay upright. “In that case, I’m glad I didn’t wear a lace teddy. Nothing says subtle like a sad donkey.”

  “See, you make me laugh. Now, about that back rub . . .”

  She pressed her face against the pulse beating in his neck. “As long as you don’t put me to sleep.”

  “I won’t.” Pulling away, he flipped back the comforter, then scooped her up in his arms to lay her on the cool sheets. “Roll over onto your stomach.”

  Nina didn’t have to be told twice. Burrowing her cheek into the pillow, she breathed in the scent of Teague. The man smelled almost as sexy as he looked, something earthy, like a walk in the woods. When he straddled her hips, she melted completely.

  Hands kneaded the muscles along her spine through soft cotton while something hard pressed against her behind. When he tugged the T-shirt upward, she let out a low moan as those strong fingers touched bare skin.

  He drew in a sharp breath. “No underwear?”

  “Not subtle enough?” Her voice was muffled as he maneuvered the shirt over her head.

  “I’m not complaining, although this massage might not last as long as I’d planned.”

  She didn’t answer, just lay against the sheet in a limp sprawl as he worked all the tension out of her. Eyes closed, she was lost in a world of pleasure unlike anything she’d ever experienced. When he moved off her for a moment, she mumbled a protest, but when he returned there was nothing at all between them. Covering her completely with his naked, warm body, he braced his weight on his elbows and kissed the back of her neck while he settled intimately against her.

  “Are you sure?” His voice was hoarse when he spoke.

  “Yes.” With the insistent prodding at her moist center, she was anything but sleepy. Her insides clenched in anticipation.

  “Protection?”

  “I’ve got it covered already, since I assume we’re both healthy?” She squirmed to roll over beneath him and wrapped her arms around his neck when he nodded. “Then we’re good. So good, I just might die.”

  He kissed her and kept kissing her as he sank inside her and held her close. She kissed him back, crazy with need to take everything he had to offer and give more in return. They moved together, skin slick with moisture as their breathing increased in tempo.

  Nina was lost in a world of pleasure so profound she couldn’t hold on. With a cry, she let herself fly.

  Chapter Ten

  A jarring noise intruded on his consciousness, shattering a dream he struggled to hold on to. Losing the battle, Teague woke slowly, cocooned in warmth and wrapped up in a woman. Her smooth knee rested on his thigh, while a soft arm was draped across his chest, and one bare breast pressed into his side. He was afraid to move, afraid to open his eyes, certain he was still lost in a fantasy. It wasn’t until the cell on the bedside table rang again that he came fully to his senses.

  Not a dream. Nina. When the phone rang a third time, he reached across her to grab it. He couldn’t ignore a potential work emergency, even if it was his day off. Glancing at the display, he frowned. Not the fire captain. Doreen.

  Had something happened to Keely? His heart skipped a beat as he answered. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Daddy. Guess where I am?”

  Nothing wrong. Just his daughter calling to check in. He slumped against the pillows as a roar sounded in the background.

  He smiled. “Hi, Keels. Where are you? In an erupting volcano? Being eaten alive by a dinosaur? I think I heard the ground shake.”

  “No, silly. That was a jet taking off. They’re really loud. We’re waiting to get on our plane, and it’s taking forever.”

  Nina lifted her head off his shoulder, blinked, and smiled.

  He tightened his arm around her. “That’s probably because your grandparents made sure you got to the airport early. Are you having fun with your cousin?”

  “Yes. Hallie got her ears pierced. Can I get mine done? Pretty please?”

  “We’ll talk about it after you get home.”

  A loudspeaker blared, cutting off Keely’s response. “I have to go now. They just told us to line up. I can’t wait to get on the plane.”

  He smiled at her excitement as he stroked Nina’s back. “Have fun on your flight and mind your grandma and grandpa. Okay, Keely?”

  “I will. Bye, Daddy. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” When the phone went dead, he closed his eyes.

  “I take it your daughter is about to board her plane.”

  He nodded and opened his eyes to stare into bright green ones. Nina propped her chin on the hand resting atop his chest and met his gaze as her knee burrowed farther between his thighs. His whole body tightened as the blood left his head to rush south.

  “Yes. They have an early flight this morning.” He cleared the roughness from his throat.

  “Not so early. It’s nearly eight now. We should probably get up.”

  “Or we could . . .” When she brought her knee slowly upward, his eyes crossed, and he forgot what he was saying.

  She gave him a teasing smile. “Go take a shower?”

  An image of Nina naked beneath a spray of water, soap bubbles sliding down her skin, filled his mind. “Yeah, we could do that.” He sat up, then gathered her into his arms and stood. Carrying her high against his chest, he strode across the floor to the connecting bathroom.

  She clung to his neck and laughed out loud. “Seriously?”

  “You bet.” He opened the shower door. “Want to turn on the water? It takes a while to warm up.”

  With a nod, she twisted the knob. “What shall we do while we wait?”

  “I have a few ideas.” He shifted her until she could wrap her legs around his waist, then kissed her, taking his time and enjoying the fact that she was as breathless as he was when he finally released her. He rested his forehead against hers. “This is the best morning I’ve had in a long, long time.”

  “Yeah, but I think we can make it even better. Is that water hot?”

  He leaned sideways and stuck a hand under the spray to check the temperature. “Yep.”

  She slid down him and landed on her toes, then took his hand. “Let’s go clean up.”

  Steam filled the room as he ran a bar of soap across her curves and worked up a lather. She returned the favor, soaping his chest and letting her fingers trail lower . . . By the time he finally pressed her back against the tile and slipped inside her, his legs were so shaky he could barely stand upright. Holding tight to each other, they shuddered and shook and clung beneath the torrent until the water grew tepid.

  “We need to get out of here.” His lips brushed her ear.

  “I don’t think I can move.” She pressed her face to the pulse beating at his neck. “You sapped all my energy.”

  “Try, because I’m too weak to carry you.”

  “Wimp.”

  They stumbled out of the shower and wrapped up in towels. After they’d dried off and dressed, Teague was faint with hunger.

  “I need food. How does bacon and eggs sound?”

  “Greasy.” Nina leaned against the counter with her mascara brush poised an inch from her nose. “I’ll go home and make a smoothie. I’m not a big breakfast eater.”

  He paused with a hand on the doorframe. “Serious? You should always eat a solid morning meal.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Funny. I’ll go make coffee while you finish up in here.”

  “Coffee I can get behind. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  He couldn’t quit smiling as he filled the pot with water and ground coffee beans to dump in the filter. Maybe getting involved with Nina wasn’t such a bad idea after all. They seemed to be getting along pretty damn well.

  When Coco strolled into the room and barked sharply, he followed the dog to the laundry room to feed her. As he scooped kibble into the plastic bowl, his practical side protested. Of course you’re getting along, idiot. You’ve spent over half your alone time in bed. />
  He ignored the voice of reason as he headed back to the kitchen, determined to enjoy a morning spent drinking coffee with a beautiful woman who was also funny and smart and kind. They had a full week to test their relationship without worrying about how it might affect Keely. By the time his daughter returned, maybe he and Nina would both know if what they’d started stood a chance outside the bedroom.

  “Why the pensive face? Worried about what bacon and eggs might do to your cholesterol levels?”

  Glancing up, he smiled as Nina walked straight to the coffeepot and stared at it, obviously willing the machine to spit out the last of the fragrant brew perfuming the air. Her long legs clad in her customary shorts weakened his knees. He gripped the counter for support, just thinking about how she’d wrapped them around his waist.

  “Bacon won’t kill me. A few more nights like the last one might give me a heart attack, though.”

  She pulled two mugs from the glass-fronted cupboard before turning to face him. “Oh, I think your heart can handle it. I can vouch for your amazing stamina.”

  He grinned as she filled the cups. “I was just trying to keep up with you.” After adding milk to the mug she offered him, he took a sip. “So, what’re your plans for the day?”

  She stirred honey into her coffee. “First, I’ll talk to the police and a security company, and then I need to spend some time working. What about you?”

  “The kitchen remodel begins today. Since the cabinets are solid wood under all that battered paint, I’m going to refinish them to save some money. I’m afraid I blew my budget ordering granite countertops to replace the discolored Formica.”

  She eyed him over the top of her cup. “A day spent sanding cabinets. Sounds fun.”

  “You aren’t tempted to hang around and help me?”

  “Not in the least.” She took another swallow. “In fact, I should take off. I’ve got a lot to . . . damn.”

  “What?”

  “My battery is dead. I can’t go anywhere.”

  “Right. I have jumper cables in the shed. Let’s go get your car started. You can let it run in the driveway until you’re ready to leave.”

  She took a step closer and stood on her toes to drop a quick kiss on his lips. “Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.”

  Teague put a hand on her back to guide her toward the entry as Coco’s nails clicked across the wooden floor ahead of them. “The dog can run around outside while we’re taking care of your car problem. She’s going to be lost without Keely here for company.”

  Nina picked up the overnight bag she’d left by the door. “I don’t doubt it. They seem to be inseparable.”

  He held the screen open and shivered as he crossed the porch behind her. Fog hung in the trees, casting the yard in gloom as they walked side by side toward the shed. “I hope this burns off.”

  She rubbed her arms as goose bumps pebbled her skin. “Yeah, it’s damp and chilly. Not a great combo. I was hoping to paint down at the beach today.”

  “You don’t want to paint fog?” He pulled open the door and lifted the cables off a shelf.

  “I might have to if I don’t want to fall behind schedule. I was hoping to wrap up one of my projects today, but starting a new one isn’t out of the question. I guess I’d better change into something warmer first.”

  “If you want to go get your car keys, I’ll drive my truck over.”

  “Thanks.”

  Fifteen minutes later Nina’s engine was running as he stood beside her in the driveway. Reaching out, he stroked a wisp of hair off her cheek. “So, is this going to be awkward, living so close to each other? Should I formally call to ask you out in a couple of days, or can I just drop by when I’m sick of sanding?”

  “I’m not big on playing games. If you want to do something this evening, I’m free.”

  “I’d like that. I guess I’ll see you later, then.”

  She reached up to kiss him, and her lips clung just long enough to make him want a whole lot more. Before he could deepen the contact, she slipped away.

  “Have a great day, Teague.”

  As she walked across the yard, hips swaying in a way that made his heart beat a little faster, he couldn’t help thinking his day would be a whole lot better if they were spending it together.

  * * *

  Nina tried to ignore the chill creeping down her spine and failed. For late May, it was damn cold out. The fog hadn’t cleared and didn’t look like it would break up anytime soon. Wrapped in an old wool jacket as gray as the day, she huddled in front of her easel in the shelter of some rocks near the base of the cliff. The tide had just turned, and she worked hard to capture the rush of the water as it was sucked out to sea. In the distance, the three Sirens were shrouded in mist, and an eerie atmosphere pervaded the deserted beach.

  Not so deserted after all. Two figures appeared out of the fog, walking along the damp sand. One was bundled in a padded jacket with a scarf draped over her head and wrapped around her shoulders. Judging by the slow deliberateness of her stride, an older woman. Head down, she left her companion, the young blond girl Nina had seen on the beach twice before, to drop heavily onto a large chunk of driftwood a little farther down the beach. The girl stood nearby at the water’s edge, hair flying in the breeze off the ocean. Every now and then she turned to glance toward the woman, who sat with her back to the cliffs. A mixture of angst, sadness, and uncertainty was reflected in the child’s eyes.

  Drawing in a breath, Nina chose a different brush and squeezed new paints onto her palette. Following an urgent need to capture all that raw emotion, she painted quickly with deft strokes. If she could duplicate the dejection on the girl’s face before the child left the beach, she could fill in other details later. The lone figure was what the picture had been missing, a symbol of melancholy in the fog-shrouded landscape that added a human touch and encapsulated the mood of the piece.

  By the time the woman stood and called to the girl, Nina had what she needed. All the despondency disappeared from her subject’s eyes in a flash to be replaced by a hint of defiant spirit as the girl waited until the last second to run away from an incoming rogue wave.

  Laying down her brush, Nina shivered as the two walked away. She’d been tempted to make her presence known, to ask if the child was all right. The spark of mettle she’d shown when confronted by the wave reassured her. The girl was a fighter and wouldn’t let whatever was bothering her keep her down.

  Still, she’d perfectly portrayed that moment of vulnerability. Nina wasn’t certain when she’d ever been so pleased with her work. Ignoring the cold chilling her to the bone, she painted the thin figure from memory, adding a pair of too-short jeans and a blue windbreaker. Her fingers were nearly too stiff to move before she stopped, satisfied with every detail of the painting.

  Pulling back her coat sleeve to glance at her watch, she let out a yelp. No wonder she was practically frozen to her stool. She hadn’t moved in hours. After packing up her paints, she made two trips down the beach, then up steep steps cut into the cliff to haul all her gear to the car. By the time she’d carefully placed the still-wet painting safely in the back, she was considerably warmer.

  After sliding onto the driver’s seat, she paused with the key in the ignition to stare out over the endless sea. The fog was beginning to clear, only to be replaced by storm clouds hanging low in the turbulent sky. A crack of lightning slashed through the darkness, and thunder echoed. A not-so-subtle reminder that everything could change in an instant.

  For once, she wasn’t going home to an empty house. Teague would be—if not exactly waiting for her to walk through the door—only a few yards away. This morning, she’d tried to play it cool, tried not to pressure him with assumptions, and had given him plenty of space. Her only major fights with Keith had been over what he termed her tendency to make unreasonable demands on his time. Her lips firmed as she started the engine and pulled out onto the road. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  But Te
ague had indicated he wanted to see her tonight. Humming to an old Billy Joel hit on the radio, she cruised toward town as a few raindrops spattered against the windshield. She’d cook dinner for him, and afterward—well, afterward could take care of itself. Flipping on her blinker, she turned into the lot in front of the grocery store and parked. After grabbing her cloth tote bags off the passenger seat floor, she stepped out and slammed the door.

  “Nina.”

  Turning, she smiled and waved as Paige hurried in her direction. “What are you doing home? I thought you were at an out-of-town auction.”

  Her friend shifted the bag of groceries she carried and tucked a strand of blond hair that had escaped from beneath the hood of her jacket behind one ear. “I was, but they canceled the second event I planned to attend. If you still want to go to Portland, we can do it tomorrow. I called your cell earlier, but you didn’t answer.”

  “I was working and forgot to check my messages. Anyway, I went shopping yesterday, so we’re all good for the bachelorette party. I know we talked about going with a sixties theme, so I bought everything in psychedelic colors.”

  “Cool. We need to let everyone know so they can dress appropriately. Were you able to fit all the art supplies in your car?”

  “Actually, I went with Teague. He had to take his daughter to the airport, so we drove his truck.”

  “Oh, really?” Paige’s brows shot up. “How’d his wife feel about your road trip with her husband?”

  Leaning back against the car door, Nina crossed her arms over her chest as a misty rain fell. “Didn’t I tell you? Turns out I was mistaken, and he’s a widower. His wife died a couple of years ago in a drive-by shooting.”

  “Oh, my God. How horrible.”

  “Yeah. It sucks that we have tragedy in common, but it sort of drew us together. That and the fact he’s extremely hot.”

  “So, are you dating him?”

  “Sort of.” Nina stared at the ground. “We’re sleeping together, if that counts.”

  Paige gripped her arm. “That’s great. At least it is as long as he’s treating you right. When do Leah and I get to meet him? I assume if she had already, I would have heard about it by now.”