by Sarita Leone
It was a shame the table was between them. Chloe leaned close, mindful of the flickering candle. All she needed was to set her hair on fire, and the romance would be over. They’d already had too much excitement, and this was still, technically, their first date.
She licked her lower lip, hungry for something that was not on the dinner plate.
“What’s that? The one thing you’re thinking of?” She waited for his answer, watching his gaze slip from her eyes to her mouth and back to her eyes again.
Kyle raised a hand, signaling for the check.
“Being alone with you.”
He glanced at the scrap of paper Millie brought, then handed her a wad of cash. When she left, after thanking him profusely, he stood and came around the table. Leaning close—so close his breath swept across her cheek and turned her nipples to pebbles—he whispered in her ear.
“I hope it doesn’t shock you, but I’ve been wondering how you would look without so many clothes on…wrapped around my body. And that, pretty lady, is what I can’t get off my mind.”
Chapter 24
Anyone who grew up in Lobster Cove knew the post-date make out spot was, of course, Quinn Beach. There was the dock, but although it was long on ambience, it was short on wooden benches, so the first-come, first-serve rule applied there. Also, it was much more public than the beach. A good option for young teens, getting-to-know-you dates and seniors trying to recapture a bit of their youth, but as far as serious lip-wrangling went, the beach was as good as it got.
They passed a pay phone on the way out of the restaurant.
“Mind if I give a call home?” In her heart, she felt her uncle was probably fine, but it never hurt to check.
He pulled some change from his pocket, held it out on the palm of his hand and said, “Here, I’ve got a dime.”
“Thanks.”
The dime she took was warm from being in his pocket. She rubbed a fingertip over it before she lifted the black receiver and dropped the coin in the slot at the top of the phone. She dialed. It only took two rings for someone to answer.
“Hello?” The television blared in the background.
“Gabby, it’s me. How is he doing?”
Kyle stood close, his attention on the conversation.
“Perfectly fine. Watching The Rockford Files.”
“No more trouble breathing? Did he eat dinner?”
She gave him a thumbs up sign. He looked very satisfied with her end of the conversation.
“Reva opened a can of chicken noodle soup, I made some grilled cheese sandwiches, and we had that apple pie Julia picked up at the farm stand yesterday. So yeah, he’s fine. And no, no more trouble breathing.” She lowered her voice a notch. “Although we may all need hearing aids by the time we’re thirty. Damn, but I’m sure they can hear James Garner all the way in the MacDonnell house!”
The neighbors were probably watching the same show, so it didn’t much matter if they got it in stereo. Lobster Cove was a spot on a windshield, size-wise, and didn’t have a huge assortment of channels in their television lineup.
“Hey, you all don’t mind keeping an eye on him for a bit longer, do you?” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She didn’t think anyone had a date; hopefully no one wanted to go to the movies. They really had all been so busy no one had had much of a chance to catch up with anyone else.
Her uncle was a grown man, and normally she wouldn’t be so paranoid about his being on his own, but the near-death experience couldn’t be dismissed from her mind. Not yet. Maybe not ever. She could still see the blue lips and pleading eyes.
Just as she decided to go home, Gabby answered. “Oh—sorry, I was handing the popcorn bowl to Reva. What? Do we mind? Are you kidding me? We’re all in sweats and baggy t-shirts, eating popcorn and filing our nails.”
“You’re not feeding him popcorn, are you?”
A snort. “Yeah, and nuts, hard candy and peanut butter. Lots of stuff to make him choke and gag.” She paused. Dropping the sarcasm, she said, “Of course we’re not giving him popcorn. I’m having popcorn. Reva’s got ice cream—Rocky Road, I think it is. And Julia and our favorite man are eating the rest of the apple pie. With whipped cream, no ice cream. No nuts. Nothing bad for him, I promise.”
She should have known they’d take good care of him. With a nod to the phone, where the operator was due to break in any second, she said, “Thanks. I’ll be home later on, okay?”
“Go have fun with that hunk—uh oh, there’s the operator! Bye!”
Gabby disconnected, so Chloe hung up the phone.
“He’s fine, right?”
“Thanks to you and your enchanted freezer trick.” When he held out his elbow, she tucked her hand through his arm. He held the door open for her, so she passed into the night ahead of him.
“No trick.” They walked slowly toward the car. The angled street parking near the dock was so full during the day cars circled, waiting for a place to pull in. Now, there were very few spots filled.
“Trick or no trick, you saved his life.”
He opened the passenger door for her. “How do you feel about a drive to the beach?” He jutted his chin toward the velvety canopy above them. “The moon is full, the night is warm, and it feels kind of right to go walking on the sand with a beautiful woman. What do you say?”
It was a no-brainer.
“I say yes.”
Chloe sat in the leather bucket seat, put her hands on her lap when he shut the door, and then waited for him to walk around the car. A thrill of excitement shot up her spine. The beach. The moon. The man who turned her knees weak and made her girl parts warm. The evening had started out horribly, but it was getting better with each passing minute.
The dome light came on when he climbed into the driver’s seat. He shut the door, leaving them in darkness again. The key fit into the ignition and when he turned it the dash lights came on. Only then did he turn, look into her eyes and smile. “I hoped you’d agree to the beach. I’ve got to come clean; I’ve been thinking of taking you there ever since I met you.”
“Tell me why.”
People loved the beach for a million reasons. Kite flying. Surfing. Shell collecting. There was more to do on the sand than get hot and heavy. For all she knew he was a sand castle aficionado. There were enough of them around, and they looked quite ordinary until they began to salivate at the sight of buckets and shovels.
She watched the fabric on his shoulders stretch as he took a deep breath. The muscles beneath the shirt pulled the seams nearly to their limit, and not for the first time she had an urge to reach out and feel his biceps. Purely a physical reaction, she knew, but the sight of such strength turned her on.
The answer didn’t come right away.
He turned to her, moved close and gave her a small kiss on the lips. It was a tease, a sweet, sensual tease, one that left her wanting much more.
“To do that. And hold your hand. And hear your voice. And make you laugh. Then, kiss you some more.”
She just stared at him, wondering if her dinner had been laced with something psychedelic. Surely this couldn’t be happening.
“What do you say? Now that you know why I want to take you to the beach, do you still want to go?” A devilish grin turned sexy and sophisticated to hotter than hell in a heartbeat. He wiggled one eyebrow.
She managed to nod. “I do.”
Kyle backed out of the space with a shake of his head.
“The two most dangerous words in the English language.”
Chapter 25
It was a perfect night for a stroll on the beach. The night air sultry and the moon couldn’t have been more gorgeous if Norman Rockwell had painted it.
They’d left their footwear in the car, along with her purse. He’d even left the keys in the ignition. Lobster Cove was the kind of place where people slept with their doors unlocked and their Buicks in the driveway with the keys in the visor.
Luck was with them. Quinn Beach was des
erted.
As they walked across the dune and down the path to the sand, he took her hand. His skin was warm, his touch gentle. Their fingers threaded together without conscious effort. Neither spoke until they were near the water’s edge. Even then, they stood looking out into the distance for several minutes.
The night was pure enchantment. Moonlight skittered over the waves. Cocooned in the darkness, they could have been on a deserted island, the last two survivors on the planet. Nothing existed beyond the bubble around them.
Chloe sighed, without realizing it.
One strong arm around her shoulder pulled her against his side. She molded to his physique as if made to fit to him.
“What was that about?”
“Hmm?” Her mind had wandered—to a point that featured him shirtless, so she wasn’t about to divulge that information. “What was what about?”
He tightened his grip on her shoulder, bringing her still closer.
“Don’t try to deny it. I know a sigh when I hear one. So the question is: What’s a sexy lady like you have to sigh about? You’re not still worried about your uncle, are you?”
She’d already seen his compassionate nature at work. He genuinely cared about people, and that was part of what made him an excellent doctor. He didn’t just attend to the broken bones or scrapes of humanity; he concentrated on healing the whole person. And, as she’d seen by his continuing care for little Eddie, the kid they found on the road beside the busted bicycle, his attention didn’t end when a patient was out of sight.
Chloe loved that about him, that he immersed himself in the lives he took under his care.
“Not at all. He’s in good hands with the girls. We all watch out for each other, you know? A family of sorts.”
“Hey, family is where you find it. Not all families are tied by blood. Believe me, I know.”
Now, he sighed.
The question came without thought. “What do you mean?”
“I’m adopted. I have an amazing family—they live in New York, and I’d like you to meet them the next time they visit—but they’re not my blood family. I love them, and we’re family, but it’s not because blood ties us together.”
The bottom dropped out of her belly. At least, that’s how it felt. She swallowed hard, searching for a response because she knew he waited for one. Funny, the question had come on its own. Now, words were elusive.
The important question, the one that hammered at the front of her head begging to be given voice, is where she settled. “Do you remember your birth mother?”
“Nah, not a bit. She had me and never even held me. That’s what I was told, anyhow. Left me at the hospital, where a social worker came to get me and bring me to my parents’ home.” He paused. “I have always wondered why she didn’t even hold me, although it really doesn’t matter.”
“Maybe she couldn’t.” The words came from a constricted throat.
“Maybe.” He pulled her against his side tightly again, then said in a lighter tone of voice, “You still didn’t tell me why you gave that great, big sigh a few minutes ago.”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes. That. What gives?”
She shook her heard. “Nothing. It just took my breath away, that’s all. When I see the moon dancing on the water…it just makes me happy.” She turned to him. Shrugged. “Silly, huh?”
His arms came around her and for a second she thought he was going to hug her, but he put one hand on the small of her back and took one of hers in his other. The hard-packed sand beneath their feet was a wonderful dance floor. He whirled her once. Twice. Then, he began to move and she followed easily.
The good doctor’s singing voice was as pleasing as his dancing skills. He hadn’t been serious when he claimed he wasn’t able to carry a tune.
“Well it’s a marvelous night for a moon dance…”
The words trailed off. Kyle’s humming was music enough. He pulled her closer, so close they were intimately molded.
Her cheek rested on his shoulder. Being in his arms was peaceful. So much had happened recently, and all on top of the usual burdens, that she hadn’t time to clear her mind. Not once had she managed to feel an ounce of contentment since accepting the weight of the house, her uncle’s health concerns and everything else. There were times she thought she might drown beneath it all.
But now, her life and its issues were all so far removed, she felt as if she were floating.
Chloe lifted her cheek and looked up at him.
“You’re a vision in the moonlight. An absolute goddess in my arms.” His voice was husky, a low rumble against her chest.
Her head spun, as if she’d been drinking, but they hadn’t consumed enough wine to get either of them drunk. But drunk? Yes, that’s how she felt when he smiled down at her.
He lowered his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a kiss that was nowhere near as sweet as the one in the car had been. This was pure passion, right from the first moment. He groaned, his tongue parting her lips and slipping into her mouth. She met his touch with her own, swirling her tongue past his lips. Tasting him. Intimate exploration that deepened their ardor.
Chloe bent her knees, letting him lower her to the sand. It was still warm from the sun, and soft beneath her back.
A hand found its way beneath her loose blouse. She wore a lacy bra which he pushed aside. His hand cupped her breast, sending jolts of desire to distant points in her body. He ran a fingertip over her nipple, murmuring his delight when it pebbled against his skin. She arched her back, pressing her body against his.
He covered her with one leg, his arousal hard against her hip. Her hands caressed his back through his shirt, but she wanted more. She ached for more.
A moan when he broke their kiss. Her shirt bunched high on her chest, exposing her breasts to the moonlight. It did not occur to her to look around, to see if they were being observed. She did not care. All thought had flown from her mind, cast aside with the first touch of his lips on hers. He’d turned her into a red-hot bundle of desire.
Her left hand slid lower on his body, cupping his backside, but only for a moment. He chuckled, then touched his tongue to the nipple he’d fondled. Peppering her skin with tiny kisses, ratcheting the desire coursing through her to a fevered pitch, she ground herself against him and put a hand to her mouth.
Chloe bit down on her finger to keep herself from begging for more. She wanted it all—every inch of the man whose mouth suckled her breast. Her hand fisted in his dark curls, holding on tightly lest she be lost to the sensations flooding her.
It did not register immediately when Kyle released her. He held his body over hers, his elbows supporting most of his weight. Their gazes locked, their breathing ragged and their mouths wide.
“I can’t.” Regret tinged the two words.
His hard-on pressed hotly against her, insistent and tempting. She knew he could—and that he wanted to, as badly as she wanted it.
“I don’t understand.” She heard the shakiness in her voice. Swallowed hard and repeated herself. “Kyle, I don’t understand.”
He stared into her eyes, looking so filled with regret it nearly broke her heart. He wiped a thumb across her cheek, touched her lips and trailed it down her jawline.
“I just can’t. Not this way. Not on the beach, where we’ll forever remember that I took you to dinner, then to Quinn Beach and made love to you beneath the moon. Believe me, that’s exactly what I want to do, but I can’t.”
No man had ever refused to have sex with her, and that was what this was—painfully, a refusal to get closer. It boggled her mind. So confusing, to feel his desire—so blatant and erotic—while he turned her down.
“I-I…” Hitching a deep breath and searching for something to say, she closed her eyes. Looking at him just made it worse, so she shut him out.
“Chloe, please.”
Humiliation swept over her just as ardor had done just a short while ago. Hot and cold, found and lost—none of it made sen
se.
Her life did not make sense. Why should this be any different?
He tapped her nose with a tender finger. “Please, open your eyes. Look at me.”
She wanted to crawl off into the dunes but since he was still on top of her she had few options. Opening her eyes, she avoided his gaze.
It felt like a cowardly move, but humiliation didn’t instill courage.
“Chloe…” He moved his head so she had no choice. Their gazes locked. He offered a slow smile. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“I get it. Can we leave, please?”
He shook his head. Did not make a move to let her up. She wasn’t at all afraid; he devoted his life to helping others. He would never hurt her.
“Not until you understand why I’m not…hell, I can’t believe I’ve got the woman of my dreams half naked on the beach, and I’m putting a stop to something that would have been the most amazing experience of my whole life. Shit.”
Kyle turned his head to the sky. Closed his eyes. Shook his head in apparent disbelief.
She watched in pure amazement.
He looked at her again, with eyes that were compassionate and gentle. And, regretful—but determined. So many emotions, and all shown clearly.
“I want to make love to you, Chloe. I want it so badly I won’t be able to walk straight for hours.”
She gave a little giggle. It wasn’t planned, and she couldn’t stop it. It brought a grin from the handsome man still leaning over her. And, he pressed his erection against her hip as she giggled again.
“Oh, so you think it’s funny? Well, I can’t say I blame you. I’m a fool, turning down what I’m turning down—and I deserve to be reminded that being a gentleman sometimes comes with a penalty of its own.”
“A stiff penalty.” She covered her mouth with her hand, afraid she’d laugh out loud when his eyebrows lifted so far on his forehead they disappeared beneath his curls.
“A smartass. I knew it—the lady’s not only beautiful and smart, but she’s a smartass as well. Just my luck, falling for a woman who pokes fun at a guy when he’s…ah, in a delicate state.”
