“Good,” Lee said, but Azure noticed that he was paying more attention to Mandi than was strictly necessary. How could he not, with her breasts on display like a tray of fruit? Forbidden fruit, Azure hoped, but maybe not. Mandi was returning his interest unabashedly.
“The thing is,” Goldy continued, sounding thoughtful, “Lee’s obstacle card would seem to indicate a falseness of some sort.” She glanced up at Lee. “Still, the future card shows sensual bliss and happiness and money in the bank. And a soul mate as well.”
“Oh, Lee’s future card is the ace of the deck,” Mandi noted with interest. “You could say that it shows speedy orgasms, too. Though that might not mean sensual bliss for a partner, if you know what I mean.” She shot a coy look up at Lee and laughed. The diamond in her nostril glinted in the sunlight pouring through the front window.
“Mandi! I should never have let you read that tarot instruction book!” scolded Goldy.
“I’m only saying what you can’t bring yourself to talk about, Goldy dear. Say, Lee, I manage the juiceteria down the street. You want to come over and have a free smoothie on me? I could use a ride. My car’s in the shop.”
Azure’s expectations dropped precipitously when Lee looked interested. “A juiceteria?”
“A fancy name for a juice bar. The kiwi smoothies are good, and we also make a terrific guava fizz.”
“Azure? Would you like to go?” Lee smiled at her.
Mandi seemed surprised that Lee would invite Azure to go along and lifted one skeptical brow as she waited for Azure’s reply.
Which, Azure decided in that split second, was no. Lee had tossed the note over the railing of the balcony and invited her to the lobby. Presumably he’d wanted to see her. She wasn’t about to share him with Mandi Eye Candy, the complete airhead.
“I have work to do,” Azure said loftily. “Maybe another time.” If Lee chose, he could take the hint and call her later. Or he could even change his mind about going with Mandi.
“Okay, whatever,” Mandi said breezily. “Lee? Let’s go.”
“Are you sure you won’t join us?” Lee said. To Azure’s satisfaction, he sounded a wee bit anxious.
“No, I can’t. Sorry.”
“Come along, Lee, I don’t want to be late for work.” Mandi tugged at his arm.
He afforded Azure one last look over his shoulder. Azure, biting her lip in chagrin, thought that at least Lee looked regretful as he followed Mandi out into the heat of the day. He could not, she thought miserably, feel more regretful than she did at this development, but after all, he had had a choice. He wouldn’t have had to let himself be manipulated by Mandi, though Azure supposed that the offer of a free smoothie had a lot to do with it. When you didn’t have a lot of money, you tended to take people up on freebies.
“I tried to call you when I saw Lee’s car pull into the parking lot,” Goldy said. “You didn’t answer the phone.”
“I was out on the balcony. There was all that noise from the jackhammer across the street, and I didn’t think to turn up the ringer on my cell or on Paulette’s phone in the kitchen.”
“Well, you got here and saw Lee, but why did you let him go off with Mandi?” Goldy scooped the tarot cards into a pile.
“I’ve never liked sharing my toys.”
Goldy giggled. “Can’t say that I blame you. Frankly, I’m surprised at Lee’s reading. The Emperor is a powerful figure, so he must have a strong personality.”
“If Lee’s powerful, that’s a surprise.”
“Azure, don’t count him out so quickly. And by the way, you look real nice in that new outfit. I think Lee noticed.”
“He noticed Mandi,” Azure said, feeling deflated. It didn’t help that outside she could see the red Mustang as it zoomed out of the parking lot. Mandi’s hair was flowing in the breeze, and she was talking with much animation. Lee wore his mirrored sunglasses, so it was impossible to read his expression.
“Between you and me,” Goldy said conspiratorially, “I think Mandi is insignificant in his life. I didn’t see her in the spread of cards.”
Azure couldn’t stop herself from asking. “And what about me? Did you see me?”
“Oh, you were there, all right. You’re part of the influence on Lee’s life that will come into operation soon. Maybe you’re his soulmate, Azure. The cards definitely showed a soul mate.”
“How soon is this influence supposed to arrive?”
Goldy looked mysterious. “Oh, I couldn’t say.”
“But not today, I gather.”
“Oh, Azure, I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Nothing in life was sure, Azure thought unhappily as she went back upstairs to the apartment. Especially where men and, apparently, the tarot were concerned.
LEE WONDERED WHAT HE WAS doing driving down Collins Avenue in the company of a ditzy blonde who sported a jewel in one nostril and talked nonstop.
“Like I said, at the juiceteria we have avocado smoothies, strawberry fizzes, and something you might really enjoy, limeade made from Key limes. You know, those are the little limes, the ones they make Key lime pie from. I can make really good Key lime pie if you want to come over for dinner sometime. For today, maybe you’d like to try the passion fruit smoothie. I’ll make it for you myself. Maybe you’d like that. Would you?”
Lee made a noise that he hoped was noncommittal. He was already contemplating how he was going to engineer his escape from this woman. Despite her considerable pneumatic assets, spending even one hour with her would be like walking forty miles in bad socks. But for the moment he was trapped, and all because he had wanted to see this juiceteria and compare it with what he had planned for Grassy Creek.
“Here we are,” Mandi said. “Drive down this alley. Mine’s the first parking space.” He parked the car, and, treating him to much tossing of hair and swinging of hips, Mandi preceded him into a little hole-in-the-wall place with scarcely enough room to turn around. It had a bar equipped with stools, and a narrow counter where you could stand and watch people passing by on the street while you drank your juice. Grassy Creek was going to be much more upscale and health-food oriented.
“What will it be?” Mandi said after elbowing her assistant aside. “The coconut? The passion fruit? Although if you choose that one, it might make you more passionate than you would like,” and she winked.
“I’ll take the coconut,” he said, studying the decor of the place. It was simple, with walls painted a bright Pepto-Bismol pink and gray tile floors. On one wall hung a framed poster showing an animal—it appeared to be a donkey—lying back in a beach chair with its hind legs crossed and blissfully drinking from a glass adorned with a tiny pink paper umbrella. His Grassy Creek store would have a scenic mural behind the counter and elegant light fixtures, not fluorescent lamps.
The roar of the juice machine interrupted his thoughts, and in a minute or so Mandi slid a glass across the counter toward him.
“I don’t suppose you serve wheat grass juice?” he asked while he could get a word in edgewise.
She raised her eyebrows. “No. What’s that?”
“Oh, a health food thing,” he said before trying out his drink.
“Health food,” Mandi said disparagingly, and then she was off on a new tack, one that seemed to be pointing toward the possibility of seeing him when she got off work.
He ignored her, drank half of his drink, decided that it was too sweet by far, and insisted on paying for it. This seemed to hurt Mandi’s feelings, but he figured the couple of dollars he gave her were well spent on research. He had gained valuable knowledge about the competition hereabouts.
But now he was finished with business and could concentrate on pleasure. He would head back to the Blue Moon where he’d try again to connect with Azure. He’d been surprised when she’d refused to accompany him when he left with Mandi. Surely she knew that he had no interest in anyone but her. Didn’t she? He’d been clear enough in his intentions from the very beginning. Hadn’t he?
/> Maybe today’s tarot reading had scared her off. Or perhaps Mandi’s mindless prattle about speedy orgasms and phallic symbols had offended Azure. He had an idea she’d be a tigress in bed, though.
The thought was intriguing. He wouldn’t disappoint her in the lovemaking department. That is, when he got a chance to show her that he could—what was it? Oh, yes, “make women ecstatic with his expertise.”
He grinned to himself, already anticipating his own ecstasy as well as hers.
7
YOU’VE GOT MAIL!
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Not-So-Charming Paco
Dorrie, I’m going to be staying in Miami Beach for a while because I won’t be meeting with Leonardo Santori until Friday night. I might stay over the weekend, too. Guess what—I’ve met someone. And guess what else—you can tell Paco I’ve met someone. I swear, I can’t figure out for the life of me why I ever thought Paco was charming in the first place.
More later—
A.J.
P.S. Yes, I’ve kissed him, and no, he didn’t turn into a prince.
AROUND TWO IN THE AFTERNOON, Azure was on her way back to the Blue Moon after shlepping a stack of file folders over to a harried Paulette at the Rent-a-Yenta office when the red Mustang barreled around the corner. Lee swung it over to the curb and grinned at her, his smile as bright as the sun winking off the chrome wheels.
“Hi, gorgeous. Want to go snorkeling?”
She stopped in her tracks. With his crooked grin and tousled hair, he looked about as scrumptious as a man could look. Still, it wouldn’t do to appear too eager.
“Why should I?” she said.
“Because it’s fun. Because I have snorkels and swim fins in the trunk of the car. And because what else do you have to do?”
“Now that you mention it, not much.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not planning on taking me to Haulover Beach, are you?”
He laughed. “No, I’ll never go there again. I promise.”
He looked so appealing that she found herself smiling, unable to stay angry with him. After last night, and she still remembered exactly how his kiss had broken down all the barriers between them, the only thing on her mind was resuming where they had left off.
“Hop in. You look beautiful, by the way.” He leaned over and opened the passenger-side door for her, and without giving this jaunt another moment’s thought, she slid in beside him. The car smelled of sun-warmed leather, of Lee, of adventure.
“Where’s Mandi?” she asked.
He angled the car back into traffic. “I left her at work.”
She turned toward him. “So. You’re into providing a free taxi service for single women?”
He slid an amused look at her. “Did I say it was free?”
She enjoyed parrying with him. “You mean there’s a price to pay?”
“Isn’t there always?”
“Now that you mention it, maybe so.”
“Are you interested in the price you’ll have to pay today?”
She raised her eyebrows, pretending to consider this. “I’d say so.”
“First let me explain that I wish you had come with Mandi and me.”
“Oh.” She couldn’t think of a snappy reply. “How was the smoothie?”
“Fine, but I came to the Blue Moon today to see you, not Mandi.”
“You didn’t act like it. And besides, I thought you wanted Goldy to read the tarot cards for you.”
“Believe me, the tarot was secondary.” He would have loved to share with her his reason for accompanying Mandi to the juiceteria, but he couldn’t do that without mentioning wheat grass. If he did that, she’d immediately know more about him than he wanted her to know.
“I guess I could have been more forceful about asking you to come with us to the juice bar,” he said. He’d be glad when this playacting stint was over and he could talk with her about his plans for Grassy Creek. He hoped she’d be as enthusiastic as he was.
“I still wouldn’t have gone,” she said.
He glanced over at her and, taking note of the stubborn set of her jaw, decided to change subjects.
“What did you think of Goldy’s tarot reading?”
At this, she softened. “I’m not into that kind of thing, but Goldy is a sweetheart and I don’t mind going along with it.”
“Have you ever had yours read?”
“No, and I doubt that I ever will. What if she declares that I’m going to be kidnapped by Elvis worshipers, and in a spaceship yet?”
He smiled. “Maybe it’s better than being kidnapped by me in a red convertible. That’s a very attractive outfit, by the way. I recognize it from the store window.” He thought he saw the hint of a blush spreading upward from her neck—a very graceful neck, he thought.
“Paulette and I went shopping, and she insisted that I buy this. I’ll never wear it again.”
“You don’t go to the beach when you’re in Boston?”
“A group of us rent a house on Cape Cod for a week in the summer. It’s not like here, though. Not nearly as hot, for one thing, and not as—colorful.”
She herself looked very colorful today, Lee thought. The yellow bikini showed through the transparent wrap, and although her hair was piled haphazardly on top of her head, most of it had fallen out of its clip and swung around her face.
“I’m glad you decided to come with me today,” he said.
She blew out a long breath, treating him to a hint of a smile. “I only hope I won’t live to regret it. Where are we going?”
“There’s a park at the end of Miami Beach. Fleck suggested it.”
“Who’s Fleck?”
Damn! He’d slipped. It was hard keeping his guard up when what he wanted to do was get to know her better. “Fleck’s a friend. Does a lot of snorkeling and diving.” Which was why there were snorkels and swim fins in the trunk of the Mustang.
“I haven’t been snorkling since I went to the Virgin Islands with my friend Dorrie on vacation a couple of years ago,” she said. Suddenly a thought surfaced out of nowhere. “I didn’t bring my cell phone,” she said. “Or my PalmPilot.”
“So what?”
“So I might miss an important call. I might need to check my schedule.”
“We have no schedule, and if you miss any calls, so what?”
She pondered this. “So what,” she repeated. “You’re right. So what?” She laughed again, something that she was prone to do when she was with Lee.
When they arrived at the park and he had pulled the car into a parking slot, she went around to the trunk to help him with the equipment.
“Here you go,” he said, handing her a pair of swim fins and a snorkel.
“Want me to carry the towels?” she asked.
“No, I’ve got them.” He tossed them across his shoulder.
The parking lot smelled of hot sun-baked asphalt, suntan lotion, and sea air. They’d had to park a long way from the beach, and when they finally reached the sand, there were several Latino couples with children not far away. A curious crab peered at them from the edge of its hole, then scuttled out of sight. Out on the sun-spangled surface of the bay, someone cut a frothy wake on a jet ski.
Azure helped Lee spread the towels on the sand, and Lee removed his shirt. At first Azure felt self-conscious about unwrapping the pareo and exposing herself to his eyes in full sunlight, but when she did, he didn’t stare and he didn’t ogle. That earned him a few points in her estimation.
He tossed her a swim mask. “This one should fit,” he said.
She tested the mask and found it satisfactory. Then she tugged the swim fins on and stomped around experimentally, scaring away a flock of seagulls who were looking for a handout. “I feel like one of those sea monsters in old Japanese science fiction movies,” she said jokingly, and he grinned at her through his own swim mask and retorted, “I feel like I just stepped off the spaceship that the Elvis worshipers are expec
ting,” which made her laugh because he did look like something otherworldly.
Once they were in the water, she became more confident. She was an excellent swimmer, and she swam year round at her health club in Boston. Here the water was so warm and clear, and the salt water made her feel light and buoyant in her own skin. She adjusted the snorkel to fit her mouth and submerged, following Lee as he paddled toward the rocks of the manmade jetty.
At first they didn’t see any fish at all, only a discarded fishing lure and an old lawnmower tire. But as they hovered over the rocks, Lee motioned toward a black-and white striped fish, and soon there were at least a hundred, their scales flashing iridescent as the school surrounded them. The currents stirred by their passing felt like silk against her skin. Before long, a bigger fish swooped out of a crevice in hopes of finding his dinner. The school of striped fish scattered, and the big fish hunkered down between the rocks, lurking in wait for his next opportunity.
Before she had ever gone snorkeling that first time in the Virgin Islands, Azure had thought that the underwater world might look something like scenes out of the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. It wasn’t like that at all. The denizens of the sea were reclusive, and if you suspected one was hiding, you had to wait it out, all the while looking as little like a preying fish as you could.
Azure found that she and Lee could communicate by hand gestures, pointing when there was something unusual to see, motioning in the direction toward which one of them wanted to swim. Once she caught him staring at her from behind his face mask and wondered how she looked to him; underwater, did she look fat or too pale, or did she seem sexy?
But it was easy to forget her own self-consciousness, and in the end, it didn’t matter anyway. In the end, the only important thing was that they had a good time.
After Lee at last motioned for them to swim toward shore, they surfaced side by side in the shallows. Azure pulled off her snorkel and mask. “Did you see that big stingray near the large boulder?”
Life Is A Beach (Mills & Boon Silhouette): Life Is A Beach / A Real-thing Fling Page 28
