“I’m sure Charlie will kiss it all better.”
“Just save me some of whatever you’re cooking.” Ed rubbed his flat belly. “You’re in for a treat, Sam. Carly cooks fit for a king.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of my cooking.” She smiled up at Sam. “That’s a big flaw in my character. I admit it.”
“Not if you share it.” Sam winked. “You’re cooking and your flaws. All of them. Actually, you better show me your flaws up close and personal.”
She laughed, but there was a slight shadow in her eyes. It was fleeting, quickly hidden when she turned away, but he knew he’d seen it.
Wondering, he looked at Ed, but he was too busy gawking at something across the road. “What the hell…? What’s your damned cat doing to my dog?”
Pretty much anything was possible with SJ. Alarmed, Sam swung around to look across the road to his house.
Ed was already moving and Sam, unable to see properly, shoved his glasses back on. Everything came into focus and his eyebrows shot up.
Was he seeing correctly? Crusher was so small, he could be mistaken.
Huggie was sitting on the steps looking totally unconcerned. Did he even know what was happening?
His long legs quickly overtaking Ed, Sam crossed the road and ran up his garden path to the veranda, where he stopped and gaped at the swing chair. This was not happening.
Ed came to a halt beside him. “Hells bells. What is this?”
“I have no idea,” Sam replied.
Huggie grunted.
“That’s all you can say?” Ed demanded.
The big bikie shrugged.
Adjusting his glasses on his nose, Sam looked in wonder at SJ and Crusher. The tiny dog was pinned down on his back on the swing chair with SJ on top of him. The big ginger cat was washing his face enthusiastically.
“SJ?” Sam queried, unable to believe his eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Licking Ed’s dog.” Carly came up on Sam’s other side, amusement clear in her voice. “Probably going to clean him before he eats him. Aren’t cats notoriously clean?”
Automatically, Sam slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her against his side.
“That’s not funny,” Ed retorted.
“You should see it from my point of view,” she replied. “I’m laughing on the inside.”
Crusher’s slightly bulging eyes were round as saucers. Frozen in place, he could only lie there helplessly while the big cat washed his face. SJ’s purring was loud and rusty.
“Crusher was in your care, Huggie,” Ed accused. “Why did you give him to the cat? What happened, man?”
“I introduced them,” Huggie answered. “Thought SJ was going to eat him, but he had a change of heart. Crusher was near on shitting himself, tail all tucked up under him while SJ sniffed him, and then SJ grabbed him by the scruff and carted him up onto the swing chair.”
Ed’s eyes widened. “He scruffed Crusher?”
Carly started laughing.
Dropping a kiss on top of her glossy hair, Sam grinned as he watched SJ. “I think my cat has adopted him.”
“I think my dog is shitting himself. He’s going to have a heart attack, or at the very least lose his eyeballs. They’re almost popping out of his head.”
“This is what happens when you own a dinky dog.” Carly leaned her head against Sam’s shoulder. “SJ wouldn’t have been able to scruff him if he were a Rotty.”
“Poor thing. Come here, man.” Ed went up the steps and approached the swing chair, only to stop when SJ looked up at him and growled. “Holy shit.”
Crusher’s eyes bugged even more.
“Sam, come and rescue my dog.”
“Wouldn’t worry about it,” Huggie said. “He’s all right. Cat’ll look after him.”
“You stay out of it. This is your fault.”
“Better licking him than eating him.”
“Sam!”
Laughing, Sam walked up the steps and over to SJ, who growled warningly at him.
“Man, that cat is going to eat you, too.” Ed looked warily at the big ginger tom. “What are you going to do?”
“This.” Ignoring SJ’s threats, Sam simply picked him up and held him in one arm, where SJ dangled, still growling but not scratching or fighting.
Crusher sucked in a deep breath and rolled over.
“Poor little tyke.” Ed gathered the tiny dog in his hand and protectively cradled him against his chest. “Poor little bugger. Scared stiff.”
“He’s a bikie’s dog, remember?” Hands in the pockets of her navy blue culottes, Carly watched in amusement.
Sam snuggled SJ close to him. “And SJ is a nurse’s cat, so he needs lots of love and care. Bikie dogs are tough.”
Huggie rolled his eyes.
“Don’t make fun of Crusher.” Ed patted the tiny dog’s head. “Even killer dogs have feelings.”
“What about SJ’s feelings? He’s Crusher’s adopted Dad now,” Carly pointed out. “You shouldn’t separate a family.”
Ed pointed one oil-stained finger at her. “You stay out of it, missy.”
“Just stating the facts, sir.”
“The fact is that you’ll get my boot up your bum if you keep this up.”
“You’re wearing thongs. Just thought I should point that out.”
“I don’t wear them all the time.”
“And I’ll break your foot if you even try it,” Sam said mildly. “Just thought I should point that out.”
“My hero.” Carly batted her eyelashes at him. “Just for that I’m making you chocolate mousse for dessert.”
“I’ll take whatever you give me.” And he certainly didn’t mean dessert. Just the sight of her standing there, eyes dancing with amusement, teasing and pretty and so damned luscious he could lick her like an ice cream, and he was ready to beg for more than just dessert.
In fact, he wanted her for dessert. Make that entrée, main and dessert. Eat her right up. And do it all over again. And again. And make that one more time.
There was no doubt she caught his meaning. Whether it had something to do with the way he looked at her, he wasn’t sure, but when she blushed so sweetly it was all he could do not to kick his two new friends off his property and drag her inside for much more interesting, nefarious activities.
Yeah, he’d agreed to go slow with their relationship, but he couldn’t help the way he felt, his desires reflected in both his words, tone and his body. His shaft was sure in agreement, stiffening behind his shorts in anticipation.
Down, boy, down. Taking a deep breath, he schooled his features into an easy smile.
“I need to take Crusher home.” Ed jumped off the veranda. “Settle his nerves with some doggie choc treats.”
“I’ll come with you. I need to have a shower.” Carly looked at Sam. “I was serious about dinner. Are you free tonight?’
Hell, yes. “Looking forward to it. Suit and tie?”
“T-shirt and shorts.”
“My favourite style.” He rubbed under SJ’s chin, making the big cat purr. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
“See you at six thirty.”
Huggie heaved himself up off the veranda step and ambled down the garden path behind Carly and Ed.
Sam looked down at SJ. “Do you have an emotional issue we need to talk about?”
Six thirty on the dot, Sam was ringing the old fashioned bell. SJ was fed and happily snoozing under Sam’s doona on the bed, the sun was just starting to get low on the horizon, and Sam was ready to eat. Both Carly and dinner.
Especially Carly.
When she opened the door, he didn’t bother with greetings, just stepped right in, gathered her into his arms and kissed her senseless, pulling her so hard against him that no way could even a pin fit in-between them.
“Oh God,” he said when he finally released her. “I needed that.”
Straightening her bodice, of which he’d somehow managed to undo a couple o
f buttons – he didn’t even remember doing it, talk about being dexterous – Carly licked her lips. “Yum.”
That just made him hot all over again, and he reached for her.
Laughing, she backed away. “Uh-uh. Dinner first, remember?”
He sighed.
Following her to the kitchen, he watched her hips sway under the gauzy, gently swinging skirt and sniffed the air. The sight of Carly and the smell of roast lamb was an interesting mix. He fully meant to enjoy both.
Walking into the kitchen, he looked at the dining table. In the centre was set a scented candle already burning so that the scent of roses filled the air.
“Take a seat,” Carly invited.
“How about I get the drinks instead? Considering you cooked, I can at least pour.”
“You’ll get no arguments from me.” She nodded towards the ‘fridge. “There’s water, Diet Coke, a jug of iced coffee made fresh, and I think Ed has a can of lemonade in there as well. Or you can have coffee or tea.” She paused. “Um…sorry, I don’t have wine. We don’t actually drink it, so I didn’t think to buy any.”
“No worries.” Sam opened the ‘fridge. “I’m not much of a drinker of alcohol. I do, however, have a weakness for iced coffee.” He winked. “And home made is my favourite.”
Smiling, she returned to the stove.
By the time she set the dishes on the table, Sam was comfortably sitting, his mouth watering at the sight of the roasted food.
“Okay,” he said, “I may just have to marry you for your cooking.”
“Nice to know where your priorities lie.” Laughing, she sat down.
“Man can’t work on an empty stomach.” He held the platter out to her. “Ladies first.”
“Charmer.”
“So, how’s Crusher?” Sam queried, forking potatoes onto his plate.
“Recuperating in Ed’s room. He’s curled up in his basket with a toy bunny.” Spooning out beans, she looked at Sam out of twinkling eyes. “How about SJ?”
“We had a chat about his emotional issues, he assured me he had none, scoffed down a bowl of tuna to prove it, and has gone to my bed with tuna breath.” Cutting into the slice of roast lamb, Sam swiped it through the gravy. “Could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw him washing Crusher, but there you go. The world is full of surprises.”
“You’re telling me.” She took a sip of iced coffee. “Some pleasant, some not so.”
Hearing something in her tone, Sam arched an eyebrow. “Something bothering you?”
“No.” Smiling, she started to cut the meat on her plate. “So, how was your day?”
He looked levelly at her. “Carly, if something has happened, you can tell me. I’m a good listener.”
“I’m sure you are, and I promise you everything is fine. Now, your day?” She angled her head to the side. “Or I can talk about women’s problems.”
“Hey, I’m a nurse. I can take whatever you dish out and maybe give some advice in return.”
“You’re impossible. Ed would have run a mile at the mention of it.”
“I’m not Ed.”
Her expression was unreadable as she studied him, and then her mouth curved into that smile he loved so much. “No, Sam, you’re not. You’re not like any bloke I know.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Her eyes were warm. “The best thing.”
“I can be better.”
“I doubt it. You can’t beat perfection.”
“I’m not perfect.’
“I know. You left your book on the veranda yesterday.”
“Geez, I wondered where that had gotten to.”
“I’m wondering why it was on my veranda.”
“It started when I lost my glasses.”
“This should be good.”
“Well, I was looking for my glasses, thought I spotted SJ streaking over here to torment Crusher, and I came after him, only to realise it wasn’t him. This is why I wear glasses, remember? Anyway, I must have put my book down here, because I know I had it when I left the house and I know I couldn’t find it when I got back.” Sam paused. “But it was on my swing chair this morning.”
“I had to get up early for work and I spotted it under the chair on the veranda. Do I need to know how it got there?”
“Beats me.”
Laughing, she shook her head.
“See, not perfect.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “But I’m excellent in selected areas.”
“I just bet.” She pointed her fork at him. “I bet you’re great at your job, too.”
“I do my best.”
“So how is work?”
Work was all right, in fact, since he’d told Max that he had a girlfriend, word had gotten around like lightening as he’d known it would, and apart from a few wistful glances the women who’d been previously eyeing him were now simply friendly. Wistful, but friendly only.
If only it had been like that previously, life would have been more pleasant. Blokes might joke about being hot property, but he was sure that if they really did experience it, they’d find out it wasn’t that great. Unless they thought differently than Sam, which he knew some did as he’d personally been regaled by their exploits in the dining room.
They could keep it. He just wanted a woman to love and share his life. And Carly was that woman, he knew it deep in his heart.
“Work’s great,” he replied truthfully. “Busy, sometimes fun, sometimes not. But that’s life.”
The conversation was easy between them, the evening passing pleasantly. They’d just retreated to the lounge room when the phone rang.
“Be right back.” Carly walked out to answer it.
Sitting on the sofa, Sam sighed and patted his belly. The food had been delicious and he now had Carly to himself. The evening wasn’t over. Could life get any better?
After several minutes, she returned.
“Everything okay?” he queried.
“Fine.” She’d just started to sit down on the sofa beside him when Sam grabbed her arm and yanked. She shrieked his name when she toppled against him.
Slinging one arm around her shoulders, Sam tucked her into his side, leaning down to kiss her lips which still gaped open in surprise. That led to him just needing to taste her, and she was delicious, his open-mouthed, plundering kiss filling him with the flavour of the chocolate mousse they’d eaten.
When he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard.
“I think you planned this,” she managed to accuse.
“Darn, you figured out my dastardly plan.”
“I know I should complain, but I can’t.”
“Good.” He kissed her again, a little deeper, a lot hotter. Coming up for air, he smacked his lips. “I do like your taste, honey.”
She blushed and he laughed.
Smacking him lightly on his leg, she snuggled into him. “You are so bad.”
“How would you know? You won’t let me be bad.”
Her glance was wry.
“Peace.” He made the sign with his fingers.
“You know when you’re beaten.”
“We’ll debate that another time. So, honey.” He settled back on the sofa. “Tomorrow.”
“Mmmm?”
“It’s the weekend. You don’t work.”
“True.”
“I have tomorrow afternoon off.”
“That’s nice. What are we doing?”
“How about we hit the beach?” When he didn’t get a reply, he looked down at the top of her head where it leaned against his shoulder. “Carly?”
“Beach,” she repeated.
“Yeah. It’s going to be a hot day, the sea will be cold.”
“I…ah…I don’t surf.”
“Don’t have to. I’ll surf, you swim.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You have other plans?”
“No. But the beach?”
“You have togs, don’t you?” When she didn’t reply, he asked
, “Bathers?”
“Yeah. About that…” Pulling away from him, she sat forward, reaching for the remote control. “Why don’t you go for a surf and we’ll meet later?”
“Because I want to go to the beach with you. What’s the problem? You don’t like the beach?”
“Sand in the crack,” she joked.
“There are seats there.”
“Yeah. No. You go.” Turning her head, she smiled at him. “I’m not a beach bunny.”
There were shadows in her eyes. He could see the slight strain in her smile, the lack of true pleasure that had been present just minutes before his suggestion. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” The way she avoided looking him directly indicated otherwise. “Now, we can meet at-”
A thought struck him. Beach bunny. Shit. “Are you kidding me?”
“What?”
“I don’t believe it.”
“What?” She leaned back a little.
“You refuse to go to the beach because you’re embarrassed.” Anger spiked through him.
“Oh, I don’t…no, it’s not like that.” Flustered, she dropped the TV remote, but when she bent down to pick it up, he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back to face him.
The muscle in his jaw ticked, he was so pissed off. “You really think I care about how you look in bathers?”
“No, of course not.” But she couldn’t look him in the eyes.
He glared at her. “Seriously, Carly? You’re going to keep lying?”
“I’m not…” She stopped when Sam’s eyes narrowed warningly.
“Fine.” She threw herself back against the sofa. “I don’t want to get into bathers, okay? I’ll be rolling around the waves like a beached whale, and – and I don’t want you to see me like that.” Folding her arms beneath her breasts, Carly glared at the blank TV screen.
He rolled his eyes.
“I saw that!”
“Honey, you won’t look like a beached whale.”
“You’ve never seen me in bathers.”
“I’ve seen you partially naked already, so what’s the difference?”
“That was different.”
“How?” Jesus, women.
“Because it was the heat of the moment.”
“So?”
“When things happen in the heat of the moment, not a lot is observed.”
Unbelievable. His eyebrows shot up. “I saw a lot. I tasted a lot.” When her cheeks only flamed further, he added, “Honey, I sucked your nipples. What can be any baser than that?”
Seducing Sam Page 19
