Just that morning, Adrian had followed her into the shower and ensured that every single inch of her was clean, slicking her up with his soapy hands and then following with his mouth. She’d had many a shower scene with Brent, but when it was over, it was a pleasant memory, nothing more. Now, she swore she could still feel Adrian’s skin against hers, his tongue sliding into her center, teasing her until she was, once again, begging him for more, always more.
And, when she spotted Brent heading towards her table, looking even taller than usual in his pressed dress slacks and pilot jacket, she didn’t feel the usual zing of anticipation, the usual impatience to get him alone and rip his clothes off. Given the appreciative looks the other women were shooting his way as he wound through the crowded coffee shop, they didn’t share her opinion. One woman looked like she was sizing Nell up to see if she could take her in a fight.
“Watch your back,” Nell said lightly as he drew near. “You’re spreading a trail of heartbreak in your wake.”
He grinned. “Too bad I’m not interested.” He leaned down to kiss her, and Nell let him since it was awkward to evade, but she pulled back when he started to deepen the kiss.
She made a point of checking her phone. “Sorry to rush you, but I’ve got to meet my mom in about half an hour.”
“Spa day, you said?” Brent sat down across from her. “Hard to imagine that being your mom’s thing, from what you’ve said about her.”
“I know. Her fiancée insisted, and my mom agreed if we could have Stella Burgers for lunch, which Brooke hates—stupendously greasy, and of course, no vegetarian options.”
“That’s sweet.” Brent shifted, looking slightly nervous, which was weird, since the man had confidence in spades. “So, kind of a bachelorette party, then?”
“Sort of. Spur of the moment—we wanted to visit my friend Amy, who is pregnant and stuck here on bed rest, and might miss the wedding. Then it snowballed from there.” She smiled at him. “How’s things with you?”
When he just looked at her, eyes intent, she tapped his hand.
“Earth to Brent.”
He continued to study her. “Something’s different.”
Nell took a sip of coffee. “Same haircut. Same jeans size.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He met her eyes. “Are you seeing someone?”
God, was it that obvious? She really needed to work on her poker face.
“Kind of,” she hedged. “I’m with someone for now, but it’s not serious. Just exclusive.”
“But, not serious.” He kept looking at her with that intent look in those bright blue eyes, and it was starting to freak her out.
“Nah. You know me. Serious isn’t my thing.”
“Do you think you’ll ever change your mind about that?”
“No,” she said instantly. “Like I said, we’re just…together. For now. The guy is wired for family, though. He’s already got the big house and just needs someone to help him fill it.” The thought of Adrian moving on, staying on the Island, and marrying some insanely gorgeous woman, probably someone with great boobs and long, luscious hair, who she’d want to hate but, knowing Adrian, who would be smart and funny and talented, and then they’d have kids, miniature Adrians, running around and she’d run into them at the Farmers Market, that happy little family, all beautiful and loving and fun…Nell realized she was gripping her coffee mug so hard her hands ached, and that Brent was talking.
“Sorry.” She deliberately relaxed her grip. “What were you saying?”
“I meant, would you ever change your mind about being serious?”
Well, didn’t that make her sit up and pay attention. She took a close look at him, at those blue eyes so serious on hers, noticed he was freshly shaved, all dressed up in his uniform, smelled faintly of the sexy woodsy cologne he knew she loved.
“Have you changed your mind about being serious?” she asked carefully. “You, with a woman in every city?”
He shifted a bit in his seat, sheepish. “Actually, it’s just been you, for a while now. You know, it gets old, always starting over with someone new, never getting to really know them and dive a bit deeper. I’ve been getting tired of the pilot lifestyle, too. Bouncing from one city to the next, never more than a few days at home—if you can even call that home.”
Nell thought back over their encounters over the past year and realized there’d been signs here and there—longer layover weekends, lots of questions, maybe on the wistful side, now that she re-examined them, about her home, her life, the routine of it all.
“I’ve always loved Seattle the most, so I started to wonder why I was still living in Arizona. I realized it’s because I don’t mind saying goodbye to it every time I have to go to work. I miss this place when I’m not here. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted out. I interviewed for a job at Sea-Tac, a desk job, and got the offer a few weeks ago.”
“That’s great, Brent,” she said. “I can relate—I feel lucky that I get to fly for a living but still stay in one place.”
His blue eyes stayed steady on hers. “I was hoping one of the perks of living here is that I might get to see you more often. Maybe even outside of the bedroom. Not that it isn’t great seeing you naked. I don’t want that part of it to stop, let me be real clear.”
She laughed, appreciating him. Damn, the man was h-o-t. And that uniform? Normally she’d have marched him right out of the coffee house and to the nearest hotel so she could devour him from head to toe. But now, looking him over, sure, she felt a little tingle—she wasn’t dead. But mainly she felt regret that another one was biting the dust. She realized that under it all, she’d counted on running to Brent for some comfort and no-strings-attached sex when her fling with Adrian ended—because it would end. And, she realized, it was going to hurt when it did.
“Brent…” she paused.
He let out a long sigh, shook his head. “Oh, man. That tone isn’t good. Let me save you from having to talk about feelings because I know how much you love that.”
“You don’t like it either, or at least, you didn’t used to,” she pointed out.
He shrugged. “Got soft, I guess.”
Nell blew out a breath. “I just don’t think I’m cut out for the long-term thing.”
Brent studied her. “Sure about that?”
“Yeah.” She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t believe me?”
“I think you’re just scared.” He grinned when she glared at him. “You can’t intimidate me. You’re all talk and no bite. Actually, I don’t mind if you bite…” He leered at her.
Torn between annoyance and affection, she sighed. “I suck at the permanent stuff. Trust me on this. And, damn it. Why’d you have to get all grown up? I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”
He laid a hand over hers, waited until she met his eyes. “I think you’re selling yourself short. Selfishly, I hope you realize that, ditch this other guy, and give me a call.”
Nell’s phone buzzed with a text from Hannah, and she frowned. “Shit. I really do have to go, Brent. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Think about it, at least a little. I’m moving up in two weeks. You know how to reach me.”
Noticing the way the other women nearby were checking out his ass as he stood up, Nell smiled wryly. “Honey, you’re going to get hit on so hard, you’ll be practically knocked unconscious. You don’t need me to settle down.”
Outside, Nell turned to face Brent.
“I’m sorry,” she began, but he shook his head.
“Enough of that. I gave it a shot. I would have always regretted it if I didn’t try. And, hey, you might change your mind.”
“I don’t think so, Brent.”
He wrapped her up in a big hug, kissed her cheek. “The door’s open. Now, go celebrate with your mom.”
Brent walked off, his long legs eating up the sidewalk, that sexy uniform hugging his ass in all the right places. Nell sighed. Relationships, even the seemingly casual ones,
were too goddamn complicated.
***
“I owe you one, Nell,” Jan said an hour later.
Nell, face down on the massage table, her muscles a puddle of bliss as Carly, the masseuse, kneaded strong fingers into her neck, could only mumble, “Huh?”
“I know you like manicures, but you stuck with me instead,” her mom said from the adjoining table.
Nell rolled over with the help of Carly, who expertly re-draped the towels.
“Yeah, it’s a real hardship getting a facial and a massage. You better pay up soon, Mom,” she deadpanned.
“The gunk feels weird on my face, but I have to admit, this is kind of nice,” her mom admitted. “Don’t tell Brooke or she’ll drag me here every damn weekend.”
“No point in you getting a manicure, you’d just mess it up the next day at the garden center,” Nell pointed out. She sighed as the masseuse kept working on her neck.
“Lots of tension here, honey,” Carly said, as she pressed on a particularly stubborn knot. “Try and let go.”
Her mom snorted. “Good luck on that one.”
“That’s not helpful, Mom,” Nell said. “Besides, anyone would be stressed in my shoes. I doubled my business, Amy was hospitalized, Dad…anyway. I earned these knots.”
They lay in silence for a while longer while the dim lights and the soft, airy music lulled Nell into a comfortable doze. Finally, Carly patted her on the shoulder, told her to drink lots of water and to take her time getting up. Jan sat up as soon as her own masseuse left and stretched her arms, yawning.
“I had some knots, too. All that wedding planning.”
Nell took another moment to lay there and enjoy the bliss before slowly getting up and putting on her robe.
“It’s all on track,” she reassured her mom as they headed to the shower to wash off the oils. “Caterer, check. Music, check. Booze, check. Beautiful resort with a view of the ocean, check. A fabulous guest list, check.”
“I know, I know. I have only myself to blame. I’m the one that wanted a fancy party.”
Nell kissed her on the cheek. “And, a fancy party you shall have.”
After they showered and dressed, they waited in the courtyard for Brooke and Hannah to finish their pedicures and manicures. The spa’s courtyard was covered with clear glass, a concession to Seattle’s frequent rain. Plush couches and armchairs were surrounded by lush greenery. A tinkling water fountain in the center added to the serene vibe. Nell poured them each a glass of lemon water and joined her mom on one of the couches.
“Thanks for the treat,” Jan said, draping her arm around Nell.
Nell leaned in and rested her head on her mom’s shoulder. “Hannah and Amy chipped in, too. I told Amy not to worry about it since she couldn’t make it but she insisted. I felt guilty for about two seconds before I remembered she’s rolling in it.”
“Who would have thought sleepy Lopez would land a famous movie star—and that he’d fall for a local?” Jan stroked Nell’s head, a habit that dated back to her childhood that had always made Nell feel safe and loved. “And now, we’ve got Adrian, a star in his own right in the art world.”
Nell groaned and sat up. “Don’t even go there, Mom.”
“What?” Jan glanced over, brown eyes quizzical.
“He’s not going to fall for a local, too. Well. I guess he could.” She scowled. “But, not me.”
Her mom smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners. “I was going to say that things come in threes, so we should get another famous visitor next year to even it out. You were quite clear that you and he aren’t a ‘thing.’” Jan made air quotes with her fingers.
“Oh.” Nell couldn’t think of what else to say to that. Foot, meet mouth.
Jan just sat, watching her in that calm way that drove Nell crazy. Maybe that had worked when she was a teenager, but she was a grown-ass woman now, and if she didn’t want to talk about Adrian, then she wouldn’t.
She held out for all of sixty seconds.
“Sure, maybe it’s a little intense with him, compared to my usual relationships, or lack thereof. But, we’re just dating for fun. I’m just not used to seeing someone who lives on the Island and knows my friends and mom, for god’s sake. This is the exact reason I don’t date on-Island.” Nell pointed her finger accusingly at her mom, who just raised an eyebrow. “Now I’m having a conversation about the guy I’m having sex with in a spa instead of talking about normal stuff.”
“Honey, you should always talk about sex at the spa,” said Hannah, joining them on the couch and waving her freshly painted nails at them to show off. “It’s like a rule.”
“The first rule of Spa Club is we don’t talk about Spa Club,” Brooke said, sitting down next to Jan and kissing her.
“The second rule is talk about sex. Often. And in detail.” Hannah looked expectantly at Nell. “So?”
“The massage was lovely, thank you for asking,” Nell said.
Hannah nudged her. “Is that code for Adrian’s a stud muffin in bed? Because if it isn’t, snooze. Come on, you always have the best sex stories.”
“Not in front of my mom, I don’t,” Nell retorted. “Come on. We need to get over to Amy’s.”
“Someone needs more booze,” Hannah said to Brooke, and they both giggled.
“Someone made me the designated driver so she could drink more booze,” Nell reminded her with an eye roll.
“To the penthouse!” cheered Hannah, leading the way to the exit. “More champagne for everyone!”
“I second that.” Brooke slid her arm around Nell’s waist as they walked to the car. “Really? No sexy stories?”
Nell just shook her head. “Mom, you better have a glass of champagne soon. You’ve got some catching up to do with these two.”
It was a short ride to the hotel where Amy and Ben were staying. Nell smiled as the elevator zoomed to the top. A small lobby filled with art and fresh flowers sported a sign that read, “Congratulations, Jan and Brooke!”
“I could get used to this,” she commented when Ben opened the door and showed them into the spacious multi-room suite, with floor to ceiling windows that let in views of the bay.
Amy waved from the couch. He grinned at them, gestured to the candles lit throughout the suite.
“I brought the spa to her.”
Amy smiled, her eyes soft, and laid a hand on Ben’s cheek. “My hero. The spa technician just left—I got my own mani and pedi without leaving the couch.”
“Aww,” Hannah and Brooke said in a chorus.
Nell nodded. “You did good, Ben.”
“And, the Stella Burgers should be arriving any minute.”
Right on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Ben helped unload the burgers, fries and sodas, and then hot-footed it out of there.
“He’s getting a bit stir crazy,” laughed Amy. “I’d say I was too, but I’m too relaxed from the mani/pedi.”
“This is the place to get stir crazy,” Nell remarked, looking around at the huge suite, lushly decorated and complete with a mini kitchen.
“I know, I know.” Amy waved a hand, and dug into the salad that Ben had brought in from the kitchen. “I can’t complain. Except maybe about not having any burgers. That sucks.”
“Too salty.” Hannah handed her a single fry. “Here. A consolation prize.”
“So, honey, how are you feeling?” Brooke gave her knee a quick rub.
Amy made a face, pushed the hair off her face. “Oh, please. This is your bachelorette party. Enough talk about me.”
“Don’t be silly,” Jan said briskly. “We want to know how you’re doing. Ooh, is that a chocolate shake?”
Nell grabbed one for her mom and one for herself. She closed her eyes at the first sip. “God, that’s so good. And yes, Amy, the brides have spoken. How’s baby Superstar and mama doing?”
“Baby Superstar.” Amy laughed. “I like that. We’re doing just fine. In fact, I should be able to go home soon. My blood pressure has stayed down since
we left the hospital, no spotting, no swelling. And look!”
She swiveled sideways, lifted up her shirt to expose the gently rounded curve of her belly.
“I can’t fit in my pants anymore!”
Hannah grinned. “And, that’s the only time we’ll be celebrating that particular phrase.”
“I always wanted to have kids,” Amy sighed, dreamy eyed. Then she laughed. “If you’d have told me the day Ben and I first met, when I was sprawled out on the dirt in my garden, that he’d be the father of my child someday, I’d have thought you were out of your ever-loving mind.”
“Tom and I only got together because I paid him to,” Hannah said. “He placed an ad in the neighborhood newspaper for handyman services, and I needed my front porch steps repaired. The first time I met him, I was more interested in how much he would charge than I was in him.”
“Like you didn’t check out his…tools,” Nell smirked.
Hannah grinned. “Oh, I checked them out. But, it was just appreciation for a thing of beauty. When he came back to do the job, we got to talking, and he asked me out. It wasn’t a bolt of lightning, but the more we went out, the more I liked him. Pretty soon I couldn’t imagine life without him.”
“I spotted Brooke the moment she walked into Bloom,” remembered Jan. She shot her fiancée a glance. “The sun was coming through the window and landed right on her face so she seemed to glow. I’d never seen a more beautiful smile. Still, I figured no way would she be interested in me.”
Love in the Air: Lopez Island Series #2 Page 23
