by Linda Cajio
“A little sore in spots, but pretty good.”
He leaned back against the tall display case and surveyed the jeans and green sleeveless top she was wearing. The knit material was molded to her small, full breasts. He decided she looked terrific. “I like the outfit. By the way, I got your note this morning, and I locked up the house.”
“Thanks.”
Her cheeks seemed faintly rosy to him. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“It was my pleasure.”
Definitely a blush, he thought in amusement as her color deepened. He shifted his weight, and his itching back brushed against the edge of the case. The relief was sudden and surprising. He moved sideways against it. Instantly a thousand suppressed fires came to life, and he rubbed harder against his makeshift back scratcher to ease them.
“Turn around,” she said, chuckling, “and I’ll scratch.”
He quickly obeyed her. Feminine nails gently raked their way around his shoulder blades. He practically arched against them. “More left and harder, please.”
She complied, using both hands to give him a really good scratching. “I shouldn’t be doing this. It will only make it worse.”
“It’s ecstasy,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against the case and closing his eyes. To his satisfaction, she continued scratching for long minutes, fanning out and downward to catch new breakouts. He wondered if he’d have any skin left by the time she was done, then decided he didn’t care. He couldn’t remember anything ever feeling as good as Cass gleefully ripping up his back.
Until she began to rub. The soft, barely perceptible brushes of her palms through his cotton shirt slowly smothered the fires of his damaged skin … and ignited others. His blood began to pump heavily through his veins. He tried to ignore it. His heart thumped erratically, and the store suddenly seemed devoid of air. His brain instantly conjured up the image of her nude and leaning over him, her hands stroking lower and lower, tantalizing and teasing, bringing him to an eruption point.…
“Enough?”
Further erotic visions immediately dispelled, he slowly straightened and turned to face her. Lord help him, he thought. The woman was going to kill him. Aloud, he said, “Maybe. Just stay close by in case I need a repeat, okay?”
She laughed and reached up to ruffle his hair. “I’ll be around.”
Dallas stared at her as her fingers gave him a last playful rub. The gesture was so innocent and yet so incredibly intimate that it took the breath from his body.
“Take it easy, Dallas, okay?” she said, smiling at him. “If you collapse on me, I swear I’ll plant a hook in you and use you for bait.”
He cleared his throat and managed a hoarse “I’m no fool. I’ll be careful.”
A customer came in just then, and as he watched her walk away he acknowledged he had been a fool. Why had he ever thought he couldn’t get involved with her? Why the hell had he tried to convince himself that he hadn’t wanted to be?
From the beginning he’d been attracted to her and had tried to push her away. It must be the sun, he thought. His brains must have been scrambled even to have considered keeping Cass Lindley at a distance.
Dallas wanted to laugh out loud at the stunning realization that he’d been fighting a needless battle with himself. Instead he allowed himself a huge grin.
Granted, he had a job to do. And he would do it. But that was no reason to think he couldn’t have Cass too. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted a woman, and he’d be crazy to let her go just because she was the key to solving a company’s problems. He’d learned enough tactical strategy from his father to know that with a little extra work two objectives could be reached just as easily as one. He wanted both.…
No, he silently corrected himself. He needed both. He needed to turn M & L around. And he needed Cass.
Now all he had to do was come up with a plan.
Eight
She couldn’t stand it.
Cass swished the damp mop viciously around the tile floor of the storeroom, trying to work off her restlessness. Ever since she’d decided to take a stab at being friends with Dallas her reaction to him had been intensifying. Lord, she thought, all she had to do was look at the man, and she was melting. It was one thing to have a plan, but quite another to actually implement it.
She told herself she just didn’t want to rush things, that was all. She had never taken this kind of emotional risk before. Naturally, she’d be a little cautious.
Muttering a curse, she wondered how she was supposed to be the least bit cautious, when he was more virile than ever. His sunburn had faded to a healthy reddish brown. His eyes seemed almost golden, and his features were carved in oiled mahogany. He seemed leaner and taller, and she knew he could match any lifeguard muscle for muscle.
And in two whole damn days, he hadn’t touched her once. Not once.
“Hell,” she muttered to herself, remembering how he’d had every woman customer flustered and giggling.
Just then Dallas walked into the storeroom, and as she glanced up, a shiver of awareness pulsed through her. A feeling of irritation quickly followed. She had put off cleaning the storeroom until this morning, when she knew he would be coming in late. Naturally, he’d turn up when she looked like an extra in The Creature from the Black Lagoon.
“You look gorgeous,” he said, smiling at her.
“Hardly,” she snapped, annoyed by his ridiculous compliment. “I’m hot, tired, and sweaty, and I’m wearing cut-offs and a T-shirt that are older than the Declaration of Independence. Pig-Pen looks better than I do.”
He came forward and took the mop from her hands, then brushed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. His smile widened, and he said, “You always look gorgeous, Cass. In fact, I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, no matter how you’re dressed.”
Cass tried to force back the wave of desire his touch created. It was useless. His hand smoothed back more drooping tendrils, and she felt the warmth he generated spill throughout her body. He lowered his head until his lips just brushed against hers in the sweetest caress.
They lightly touched again … and again … and again. Every nerve in her body was tingling in response. She wanted his mouth firmly settled on hers in a deep kiss. She wanted his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. She wanted his strong hands touching her everywhere.
She reached up to pull him closer.
He lifted his head and stepped away. “Gorgeous.”
The sensual flow was replaced by a wash of vague resentment. She took the mop from him. “Thank you. Now, get out of here so I can get the floor done.”
“Why are you doing the mopping, Cass?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re the owner.”
“I’m doing it because it’s my turn,” she said, gritting her teeth. She swept the mop around in the other direction, away from him. “You can’t expect people to work for you if you’re not willing to do every job you ask of them. You ought to know that, Dallas.”
“I’ve been working in large corporations for a long time, Cass,” he said in a soft voice. “You can’t do every job there. It’s impossible. What you do is insure that all employees do their assigned jobs properly and to the best of their abilities. And you ought to know that.”
She stopped mopping and turned around. This was the prime opportunity to bring up something that had been nagging at her. “Ah, yes. Your job. You haven’t mentioned that in quite some time.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to be ready to talk about M & L,” he said, his tone gentle. “Shall we talk about it now?”
Cass eyed him warily. That was another problem with him, she thought. He was being so … nice. “Yes, we should talk about it. That’s why you’re playing stock boy, isn’t it?”
“And you are suddenly playing bitch,” he said bluntly. “What’s the matter, Cass?”
“Nothing’s the matter. It’s just that we might as well get everything out in the open.”
/> He gazed at her, the assessing look back in his eyes. She realized how little she had seen of the corporate man over the last several days. He had been … Dallas.
“So,” she said, forcing her gaze to remain on his. “Tell me why you disagree with Ned’s decision to go public. That is one of your main arguments, isn’t it?”
Settling back against the work table, he gazed at her. “I’m not the only one who doesn’t like it. But your assessment is correct. Ned’s looking to raise twenty million dollars by going public.”
She stared at him, shocked by the staggering amount. Recovering a little, she realized her mouth was hanging open, and she pursed her lips together. “Twenty million. And how much more are the banks loaning for the project?”
“They’re not.”
“What!”
He dipped his head.
She took a long, slow blink at what the implications were. “Is the company’s credit that bad?”
“For this project, it is. Banks like to be assured they’re going to get their money back with interest. They don’t like the fact that Ned is refusing to test-market the venture by opening a few boutiques first to see if they’ll take off in the marketplace. He wants to open two hundred and fifty stores in one shot.”
“But that’s cra—” She stopped herself from saying anything further. It didn’t matter.
“Crazy,” he finished for her. “Yes, I know. So does everybody else, except Ned. You might as well close down M & L right now. At least the stockholders would come away with their investments intact. They won’t once the boutique fiasco starts. Ned’s power-hungry, Cass, and he’s got a right to be. You put him there.”
“Me!”
“That was too harsh,” he conceded, smiling gently at her. “But I have to admit that sometimes I can’t help feeling that way, since nobody can stop him from ruining a fine company. Except you.”
“It’s not so easy for me, Dallas,” she said, slowly pushing the mop across the floor. “I was never interested in the company, but I kept the stock mostly because it was from my grandfather. The Markses have been good to me, and I just can’t go in there and do what you’re asking. It’s not right.”
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
She turned around. “For what?”
“For not questioning what I’ve just told you.”
She shrugged. “I know you wouldn’t bother to lie about facts I can easily check.”
“One week ago you were suspicious of every word I said, and you know it.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, nobody would be foolish enough to lie about something like this, if the truth could easily be discovered.”
He laughed. “Don’t try to slide out of it, lady.”
“I’m not trying to slide out of anything,” she began hotly.
“Cass, you better quit while you’re ahead.”
She closed her mouth on a pithy remark.
He’d probably turn that to his advantage too.
He watched her house from behind the thick grass of the dunes. Despite the sliver of moon and faintly twinkling stars, his presence was well hidden. He could hear the waves lapping continually against the beach, and the strong wind coming off the ocean wafted across him, bringing a slight chill. His flesh rose in goose bumps. He ignored them.
It had become a habit to come out to the deserted beach for a night stroll. And each time he’d found himself heading in the direction of her house. No amount of lecturing on schoolboy behavior had stopped him from coming here to wait until she turned her lights out and went to bed. Then the fantasies would start.
Fantasies were all he had at the moment, he thought. Reality was an entirely different matter. He’d finally thought up a plan, and it called for some very old-fashioned courting. Cass was a very cautious and stubborn woman, and he’d quickly sensed that she wouldn’t expect him to woo her. But it was becoming increasingly important for Cass to accept him for who and what he was.
That was the problem. At the rate she was going, she wouldn’t accept him before the turn of the century.
Patience had never been one of his specialties, and he’d been pushed to the limit of his endurance. He wanted her. His body was so highly tuned to her every movement now that it was painful even to look at her. He wondered if the verbal tug-of-war she’d recently been engaging in was an indication of her endurance limit. Just that morning she’d been hell-bent on provoking an argument over M & L. Instead she had given him an enormous amount of trust.
He was beyond walking away, and he knew it. Time was running out.
The invitation of the still-lighted house was too much to resist, and he rose to his feet and brushed the sand from his faded jeans. He admitted he wasn’t at his best, but then, she’d seen him less than impeccable in the past.
He scrambled up the bank and across the only road on that end of the island, all the while watching the lights of her house. If they went out now, he admitted he was probably at the point where he wouldn’t give a damn. His body and mind were in unison on the subject of Cass Lindley.
He’d just set foot on the bottom step when the sliding glass doors opened and she emerged on the deck above. His breath whistled when he saw her delicate profile silhouetted against the night. She was dressed in a sheer peignoir of orchid silk, and he gazed in awe at the picture of feminine beauty she made. A sudden strong breeze pushed the material against her slender frame, outlining her breasts, belly, and thighs. Her blond hair seemed to have a life of its own as it curled around her features. With one hand she smoothed it back from her face.
He climbed two more steps before she turned toward the stairs.
“I’ll scream!” she warned loudly, backing toward the safety of the house. “The cops’ll be here in two seconds!”
“Cass! It’s me, Dallas,” he said, amused.
“Oh.” She leaned over the rail and peered down the steps. “Are you sure? I can’t see you.”
“Trust me, Cass.”
“Yep, that’s you, all right.” She straightened. “So what are you doing here at this time of night?”
“I was taking a walk on the beach and saw your lights on, so I thought I’d drop by.”
“How nice,” she said flatly.
“Since you obviously aren’t buying that one,” he said, “would you believe I was running from little green Martians and knew you’d rescue me?”
“Martians are tall and elegant.”
“Okay. I came for Jaws.”
She chuckled softly. “Too late. I ate him yesterday.”
“I’m out of excuses, so why not take a walk with me on the beach. It’s a beautiful night.”
He waited through a short, tense silence, before saying, “Cass?”
“Not tonight.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I’m not in the mood for a walk. Or a talk. Go home, Dallas.”
He realized she was trying to put a barrier between them. It was much too late for that.
“Are you afraid you’ll give yourself away?” he asked challengingly.
There was a long silence this time.
“I think I will take that walk,” she said. “Just give me a moment to change and lock up.”
He smiled to himself as he waited for her at the bottom of the steps. He knew she’d never be able to resist a challenge. Anticipation rushed through him at the thought of being alone with her on the beach.
Just to walk, he told himself, knowing seduction was not what he needed tonight. Cass had to want him as much as he wanted her. Still, that didn’t stop the sensual visions from pushing at him.
“Okay,” Cass said as she joined him at the foot of the stairs. She had changed into a loose cotton shift trimmed with eyelet lace and small buttons down the front.
His senses sprang to life at the scent of light perfume and woman. Every muscle in his body tightened at the closeness of soft feminine flesh. He wanted her, and it took every ounce of control he possessed to keep from reach
ing for her. A walk. That was all. A walk.
With a monumental effort he took her hand and turned toward the beach. For an instant she resisted, then relaxed. Her palm felt fragile in his, and he liked the sudden surge of protectiveness running through him. Then he realized the only person she needed protection from right now was himself.
The thought was sobering.
They recrossed the road and walked along the edge of the deserted dunes in silence. The tide was out, and, yards away, the wves broke in small waterfalls against the damp sand. Finally he said, “You’re up late tonight.”
“How would you know?” she asked.
“Because I’ve been watching the house. Just in case the burglar came back.”
“I’ve got a burglar-alarm system now. I’m quite safe.”
He glanced over at her. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Must have been an oversight. But now you’re making me wonder if you’re my burglar.”
“Not me. My modus operandi is a sunburned body.”
He smiled at her chuckle.
A sudden gust of wind whipped the hem of her shift around her bare legs. Seeing the soft cotton sliding across her flesh made him wonder how incredible it would feel to slide it from her body.
With her free hand Cass gathered the material back around her. Dallas suppressed a sigh of disappointment.
“What made you so cautious about men?” he asked.
She glanced over at him. “I told you. Six stepmothers.”
“That made you cautious about marriage. I’m talking about men.”
“Why do you want to know?”
He almost said, “Just curious,” then realized how flip it would sound. “Because I like to know what I have to fight.”
She stopped and turned to him. “Don’t make it more complicated than it already is.”
“It’s too late for that, and you know it.”
She was silent for a moment, then said, “I hate it when you make those damned ‘on the nose’ assessments.”
As they began their stroll again, he laughed. “You make it sound like it’s a mortal sin.”
“Now, that’s a much more interesting topic than my past love life,” she said. “What sins have you committed, Dallas Carter?”
