He’d asked her what she wanted and hadn’t told her what to do, unlike her sister, who had, again on the phone, been adamant about neither of them speaking to or seeing their mother if she surfaced. Phoebe might not be happy that Halley was entertaining the notion, but if she acted on her desire to see her mother again? Phoebe would be furious. Undecided still, Halley forced her mind off the unpleasant subject and on to one much easier to take.
Kane. She might find him ridiculously attractive and want him sexually, but there was something about him that had always gotten to her on a deeper level. Because he had a good soul and an even better heart. He’d reached out to her when she was obviously in need and had been there for her when they barely knew one another. Now? He was slowly ingratiating himself into her life. And she was having trouble finding the will to care.
So despite telling herself she was being silly, she went into the bedroom, looked in the mirror, fixed her hair, and swiped a quick hint of gloss on her lips.
She hoped he’d knock or let her know he was there, but he didn’t, and after an hour, she decided to go out and see if he needed anything. But first she went back to the kitchen and poured a glass of ice water, then headed out to the deck.
Not wanting to interrupt him, she waited for him to notice her. Besides, watching him work was no hardship. The pull and flex of his muscles was a treat and she ogled him without shame, until finally, he glanced up.
She held up the glass for him to see.
“One sec.” He shut off the machine he was using and pulled off his hard hat and goggles. He walked over, taking the drink from her. “Thank you. I could use it.”
He gulped down the contents of the glass in what felt like four big swallows and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm. “Damn, it’s hot out today.”
She took in the moisture dampening his shirt. “Want to come in for a little while? The air conditioning will feel good.”
He shook his head. “I’m going to keep working.”
She glanced at his serious expression and furrowed brows. He wasn’t his usual smiling self. “Is anything wrong?” she asked.
He met her gaze. “Shitty morning.”
She felt for him and knew what it was like to have problems you didn’t know how to solve. “I’m a good listener.” The offer was the least she could do after she’d confided in him the last time they were together.
He shook his head and grunted his reply. “Nothing you want to hear.”
“Really? Because I remember dumping on you the other day and you seemed to want to listen. Why wouldn’t I do the same?” she asked, not taking his dismissal as definitive.
His lips lifted a little at the reminder. “Okay, then. I’ll take you up on that.”
Everything inside her eased. “Good. Now, I always find it better to brood down by the water. Want to take a break and talk there?” she asked.
He shrugged, his muscles moving beneath his shirt. “Why not? Maybe it’ll help.”
She placed the glass down by the sliding door and kicked off her shoes.
He glanced at her bare feet and shook his head. “I’m working with nails. I’d rather not have to rush you to the hospital.”
“Gotcha.” The last thing she wanted was to get hurt and need a tetanus shot. Ugh. She slid her sandals back on and led the way down the stairs and across the sandy expanse leading to the water.
They sat down in what she liked to think of as her spot and kicked off her sandals once more, sliding her feet forward so when the water lapped up the shore, it covered her toes before receding again. He didn’t remove his shoes but settled in beside her, keeping his work boots safe from the water.
“How’s the painting going?” he asked.
“Good. Something feels a little different but I’m going with it.”
He nodded. “Follow your muse.”
“That’s the plan. Maybe different is good. I mean, every summer I hope that one of the big New York gallery owners ends up seeing my work and asking me to show in Manhattan. They haven’t so far but I keep hoping anyway.” Because summers brought the wealthy vacationers and winter just brought snow, she thought to herself.
He shaded his eyes with a hand and glanced at her. “You could beat the pavement,” he said. “Go to the city and show them your paintings yourself.”
“Have you met me?” she asked, laughing. “Did I ever give you the impression I’m the type of person to head to the city and push my work on unsuspecting gallery owners?”
He tilted his head, amusement lighting his handsome features. “You could try and step outside your comfort zone.”
She merely laughed harder. No one was more a creature of habit and home comforts than her. “You sound like Phoebe.”
“Because we both want what’s best for you.”
She leaned back against her hands. “And who would know that better than me?” she asked.
He looked out over the ocean and let out a low groan. He wasn’t thinking about her art, that much she knew. But she also understood that someone would only speak when and if they were ready. So she waited, focusing on the scenery, because otherwise she would look to her right again and drink him in. His strong profile, straight nose, full lips. Not that she’d noticed and memorized his profile or anything.
“My sister called this morning,” he said at last. “My dad didn’t come home last night. I found him at an all-night poker game with his friends.”
She winced. “Ouch. I’m sorry.”
“Thing is, he knows better. And he fucking won, which means he’s going to think he’s invincible and keep going, looking for bigger and better games until he loses and gets in serious debt.” He kicked at the sand with his big boot.
She sighed. “Addiction is hard and not just on the addict.”
He nodded in agreement. “It’s been going on for years. When we were growing up, one year, my mother had been saving for Christmas. I don’t remember how old I was. Maybe twelve or so. And Dad, he had this bright idea that he could double her small savings and get me and Andi even better gifts.”
She held her breath, knowing where the story was going and almost afraid to hear.
“He lost it all. Dragged himself home and had to face my mother’s wrath. Andi and I heard the yelling from our rooms.” He swallowed hard. “Mom sold her sewing machine that year to make sure we didn’t miss Christmas. And the thing is, what Dad didn’t understand was that we didn’t want big presents. We just wanted a fucking holiday. A few gifts under the tree like the other kids so when we went to school and people asked what we got, we didn’t have to say nothing.”
“And your mother gave that to you. She sounds like a special person.” She was probably where Kane had gotten his warmth and generous spirit.
“She really was.” His expression softened. “There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. And we lost her too soon. Her death threw Dad into a spiral he’s still digging his way out of with a second mortgage on his house.”
She surprised herself by reaching out and placing her hand over his. “You can only do so much to help him. Obviously, you can’t change his habits, and he clearly isn’t interested in stopping. But you can alter your reaction to him. You need to divest yourself of the need to fix him or you’re going to drive yourself insane.”
He snorted at that. “Easier said than done. But you’re smart and you’re right. I need to work on it.” He turned toward her and she shifted her weight so she was closer to him.
“Did it help to talk?” she asked, knowing it had lifted a burden off of her when he’d listened.
“It all helped. Talking, the water… you.” He stared into her eyes, the dark brown depths sparkling with something that beckoned to her.
Seconds passed. The roar of the ocean waves mixed with the swell of noise echoing in her ears as he leaned toward her. His lips called to hers. She didn’t know who moved first but suddenly they connected. Meshed. Harmonized in utter perfection. He glide
d his mouth over hers, back and forth until she parted her lips, letting him in.
The warmth of the sun beat down at the same time heat filled her from the sensuality of the kiss. He brought a hand up to cup her neck, his hard grip an erotic counterpoint to the softness of his mouth. He sucked on her bottom lip and nipped with his teeth, causing her to moan and lean in, needing to get closer to him.
Over and over, his lips slid over hers, alternately sipping, then devouring, his tongue thrusting into the deep recesses of her mouth, the thrust and parry of his tongue a prelude of how he’d take her body. Gentle sometimes, rougher others, both ways erotic and hot, arousing her mind as well as her body.
He gripped her neck tighter and pulled her to him, her breasts crushing against the cotton of his shirt. Her nipples were hard and needy and she wished she could rub them against his hair-roughened chest. Instead she was stuck with a kiss and soft whimpers escaping her throat.
He nipped at her lip one last time, swiped his tongue over her in a soothing motion before pulling back and gazing into her eyes.
“So much better than I fucking imagined,” he said in a gruff voice.
She let out a hesitant laugh as reality drifted back and settled on her shoulders. “Kane…”
“No regrets,” he warned her.
She shook her head. “I don’t. I can’t regret that kiss. But you need to know, I’m not a good bet for a relationship.”
He narrowed his gaze, that heady stare still hot on hers. “What makes you say that?”
She swallowed hard. “I’m different. You know that about me. I like being alone. I work hard, get lost in my paintings. I forget what time it is. Sometimes I don’t pay attention to days and nights. I spend more time alone than with people and most guys don’t want a girl they can’t take out with their friends because she doesn’t like big crowds.” There. She’d said it all, put her truths out there for him to hear.
Not all of her truths, of course. There were some she didn’t drag into the light of day. Ever. She didn’t even allow them in her nightmares if she could help it. The problem was, sometimes she couldn’t control her dreams. She wished she could.
“And?” he asked, as if what she’d said meant nothing.
“I’ve had unsuccessful relationships. And do you want to know why they were unsuccessful? Because I’m odd,” she said before he could answer. “And they got frustrated with me and broke things off. So I don’t do relationships anymore. I don’t like disappointing people and I don’t like being hurt when things inevitably end.”
“Hmm.”
She opened her eyes wide. “That’s all you have to say? Hmm?”
An understanding smile curved his lips. “You’re forgetting that I know you and I like what I see. I’m not looking to change you. And I’m not looking to force you into a relationship you don’t want.”
She blinked and braced herself up with a hand on the sand. “You aren’t?”
He shook his head. “I like you. I like spending time with you. And yeah, I like kissing you. A fuck of a lot. And I plan to do it more often. But trap you in a relationship if that’s not what you want?” He shook his head. “Not happening.”
She swiped her tongue over her kiss-roughened lips. “I don’t know what to say.” Nor did she know what to make of his proclamation and easy acceptance.
“I like you and you like me, yes?”
She nodded.
“And the kiss, it was good?” he asked, stroking a hand down her cheek and eliciting a shiver that went straight to her already erect and aware nipples and down to her sex.
“Yes,” she murmured.
“Then let’s not overanalyze or examine what this is or isn’t. My life is crazy what with the garage, my father, my nephew who hangs around every day… and now a side gig that I definitely enjoy.” He gestured back to her deck. “No need to label and complicate things.”
She was surprised to hear him be so nonchalant. With his pursuit of a date and him showing up here to build her deck in his limited spare time, she definitely thought he wanted something serious.
If he didn’t, if he could accept who she was and what she could give, then she didn’t see an issue with letting things be and taking it one day at a time.
“So are we on the same page?” he asked, his lips brushing over hers. “We have fun? We enjoy each other? And we don’t put pressure on either one of us with expectations?”
“Agreed,” she said, wondering why her stomach tumbled over the idea that he didn’t want her for anything more than just a good time. He’d given her exactly what she’d asked for.
They sat for a while longer, looking out at the ocean. She loved the feel of sand between her toes and water lapping over her feet. It soothed her like nothing else in her life ever had. And having this man by her side? Utter perfection.
Suddenly a big black dog came barreling toward them, flying into them and coming up from his head butt of her stomach licking everything in sight.
She laughed and grabbed his collar. “Bruno, you bad boy. Did you escape your house again?” She giggled into his soft fur.
“Hey, boy.” Kane patted his furry head. “Are you an escapee?” he asked.
The dog licked his cheek.
Kane grinned, earning himself points in Halley’s book. Any man who liked dogs rose in her estimation. And Bruno was discriminating. She’d seen him growl at the neighbor on the other side of Halley’s house who hated dogs and complained when Bruno escaped his home, which admittedly was too often.
Kane picked up a stick within reaching distance of where they sat. “Do you fetch?” he asked the dog, tossing the stick.
Bruno took off, running for the new toy and delivering it back to Kane, dropping it at his feet. “Good boy,” he said, running his hand over the dog’s fur.
For the next few minutes, they played fetch until Ronnie, Halley’s neighbor, sauntered over to retrieve her dog. “Sorry for the interruption,” she said, taking in first Halley, then Kane, her eyes lighting up when she looked at him.
Blonde, single, pretty, and obviously interested in Kane, she waited around instead of grabbing her dog and returning home.
Which meant introductions were in order. “Kane, meet my neighbor Ronnie Palmer. Ronnie, this is my… friend, Kane Harmon,” she said, struggling over the word choice to describe their relationship while Ronnie’s eyes lit up at that revelation.
Halley’s stomach tumbled at the sexual recognition the pretty woman gave Kane. “Ronnie is renting the house next door for the month,” she murmured.
“Why haven’t I seen you around before?” Ronnie asked, with eyes only for him.
“I own the garage in town. Maybe your car just hasn’t broken down?” He shaded his eyes from the sun with a hand, looking up at Halley’s neighbor.
She straightened further, pushing out her ample cleavage over her sheer bikini cover-up. “Well, isn’t that perfect? I just happen to need an oil change,” Ronnie said. “Maybe I’ll come by the garage instead of going to the gas station.” She fluttered her lashes.
“I’ll see you then,” Kane said. “And nice to meet you.”
Halley swallowed a groan at Ronnie’s pleased smile. She’d been adamant about not labeling their relationship, but being Kane’s friend with no expectations was going to be harder than she’d imagined.
“Come on, Bruno,” Ronnie said and sashayed her way across the beach, her dog following after her.
Kane leaned back on his hands. “So she seems typical of our town’s summer visitors.”
“What do you mean?” Halley asked.
“Beautiful, forward, and probably only interested in one thing,” he said, obviously not interested in what the blonde had to offer.
The twisting discomfort in Halley’s stomach eased. “Someone doesn’t like the tourists much. Don’t they bring in good money over the summers for your garage?” she asked.
He nodded. “They do. But you’d be right in saying I’m not a big fan.” H
e rose to his feet and extended a hand. “I need to get back to work.”
She recognized a subject change and placed her palm in his and he helped her stand. Together they walked back to the house, leaving Halley with churning emotions and a lot to think about when it came to her non-relationship with Kane Harmon.
Chapter Five
Have fun. Enjoy each other. No pressure, no expectations. No, they were not on the same page, Kane thought, but he had a plan and he was sticking to it. He’d given Halley what he knew she needed to hear if he was going to keep seeing her. Talking to her. Kissing her. And fucking her. Eventually.
For now, he’d settle for what she was willing to give while he sweet-talked her into more. He worked into the afternoon, and the few times he paused, wiping the sweat from his brow and looking through the glass, he saw her painting. She was a study in concentration, more so because he was using power tools, which had to be distracting for her. Her brush moved across the canvas with deliberate precision, her eyes focused, never drifting to his.
When he stepped in for a better look, he noticed her little tongue peeking out from between her lips. Which brought him back to their kiss, one he wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.
Her lips were soft and sensual, the gliding touch of her tongue electrifying. It had taken all his self-control not to lay her down in the sand, strip her out of that sexy dress, and take her right there in front of God, the water, and the fucking neighbor who’d ended up interrupting their time together.
He was ready to wrap up for the day, so he knocked on the glass sliding door to let her know.
She slid it open and stepped out. “What’s up?”
He immediately took in her paint-stained hands, a smudge of light blue on her cheek, and bit back a grin. “I’m finished for the day. I need to do some things for my family tomorrow, so I won’t be working on the deck.”
Fearless (Rosewood Bay Series Book 1) Page 6
