by Julie Cannon
If Bill gave any indication he was upset by his wife’s eavesdropping, Callie didn’t pick up on it. But she did see his face light up, and he rose from the chair to kiss Phyllis on the cheek.
“Not sure if you had any plans for today? I imagine Callie and Dillon would like some time alone to explore the island. Callie, just because we invited you and Dillon down here doesn’t mean you’re obligated to spend the entire weekend with us. We’re just a couple of old folks.”
“Speak for yourself, Bill.” Phyllis playfully slapped her husband’s arm. “I’ll have to remind you that I am seven months younger than you. A fuddy-duddy I am not, and don’t you forget it.”
Fuddy-duddy? Now Callie was certain she had fallen back in time. These two were the most pleasant people she had met in a long time. She hoped that when she was their age, she would still be this energetic and feisty. A tingle down her neck told her that Dillon was standing behind her.
“Good morning, Dillon. I hope you slept well. Come, please sit down. Would you like some coffee?” Phyllis rattled off, ever the hostess.
“Good morning to you too and, yes, I did sleep well, and some coffee would be great.” Dillon didn’t join them but walked over to the banister and looked out at the ocean.
Callie studied Dillon as she casually leaned against the rail. Her hair was wet and she wore a pair of navy surfer shorts trimmed in white piping, which hung off her hips like she had been born in them. Her tank top covered a sports bra the same shade of blue as her shorts. A tattoo of turtles crawled up the outside of her right calf above bare feet.
“All this sunshine and fresh air is going to kill me.” Dillon squinted against the bright morning rays of the sun. She wasn’t much of a morning person except for when she woke up with the right woman, and she wasn’t surprised this morning that she woke up alone. She debated about turning around to face Callie, but instead took a moment to recall the fire in her veins at their first kiss. Soon she was almost as aroused as she was last night, but she put a damper on her lust and directed her attention to her hosts instead.
“I want to thank you again for inviting us, Bill.” She nodded her gratitude to Phyllis for the cup she placed in her hand.
“It’s my pleasure, Dillon. I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but indulge an old man. You looked like you were under a lot of stress and needed to relax.”
Dillon’s radar went up, trying to detect if he meant their deal or just life in general. “I’m pretty much always like this. My assistant Greg keeps scheduling me for vacations and always has to cancel at the last minute. I think he gave up sometime last year.”
Bill laughed. “Now, Dillon, don’t give up on yourself. You’ll find something or someone to make you want to settle down. And when you do, it won’t even be difficult. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.”
Dillon was glad for her sunglasses. She glanced at Callie when Bill mentioned a “someone.” She had considered spending more time on her personal life, but every time she thought she had reached a point in her career to do it, something better came along. Another piece of land, another project, another client.
Callie wouldn’t meet her eyes, and Dillon didn’t know if it was because of Bill’s comment or last night. Callie was absolutely adorable. She was hot, passionate, and a fabulous kisser. But she was also a lot of fun. That thing with her underwear was something Dillon would probably never forget. She realized Bill was looking at her for a response.
“I’m afraid that’s not going to happen, Bill.” Dillon hesitated, seeing the shocked expression on his face and in Callie’s eyes. She hid a grin behind her coffee cup. “Phyllis is already taken.”
All four broke out in laughter and were still chuckling when Phyllis added, “Don’t worry, Dillon. I’ve been giving your girl Callie pointers.”
The laughter died down. “Thank you, Phyllis, but Callie is doing just fine on her own.” She slid the Ray-Bans down her nose, locking eyes with a blushing Callie.
“Yes, we heard,” Phyllis added softly.
“Oh, God.” Callie looked like she wanted to curl up and die. What was Dillon supposed to say to that? If she denied that anything had happened, she would look childish, and if she said nothing…well. Well, something did happen last night. Something other than the giggles over airplanes. Callie had responded to caresses, ignited under her fingertips. Dillon had wanted her then and she wanted her now.
“I have to apologize for that. I said something stupid and Callie got the giggles. And once she starts, it’s hard for her to stop. She just has to get it all out and then she’s fine. I’m sorry if we disturbed you.” Dillon never took her eyes off Callie, who had buried her face in her hands.
“Think nothing of it, Callie. It’s good to hear the sound of love in the house again.” Bill squeezed his wife’s hand.
Love? Dillon no longer heard the waves crashing on the shoreline. The world disappeared except for Callie, who looked as shocked as Dillon felt.
Love? We’ve just met, for God’s sake.
*
Breakfast over, Dillon suggested a walk on the beach and caught a knowing glance between their hosts. Both Bill and Phyllis suddenly had something to do, leaving Callie to accompany her. The sand was soft under her feet and slid easily between her toes. Scattered along the shoreline were sunbathers, sun worshipers, and day-after sunburns. Several kids were building a sand castle while a wave chased a giggling toddler back to his mother.
Dillon tried to relax. She wasn’t comfortable with free time. She couldn’t remember when she had absolutely nothing to do. For years her days were planned out for her whether they included meetings, site visits, or investors. Work was her life, and when she wasn’t working, she was thinking about it. Right now she was thinking about what was on her desk when she left yesterday and what would be waiting for her when she returned.
But mostly she was mulling over what was not going to be on her desk Tuesday morning. Bill Franklin’s signature on a deed of sale. She had negotiated for hundreds of acres with less trouble than Bill was giving her now. What did he want? What did he really want from her? Obviously it wasn’t money; he had plenty of his own. What had Greg said? He wanted to see if there was something behind her business persona. Why in the hell did he care who she was? And what business of his was it anyway? Dillon shook her head, trying to get the pieces to fall into place. What in God’s name did she have to do for four stupid acres?
Callie matched her step for step. Occasionally she stopped and picked up a shell or scampered out of the way of an aggressive wave sweeping too far in. She hadn’t tried to engage Dillon in conversation, but walked quietly beside her. Callie was an interesting dichotomy. On the one hand she was shy and naïve, and on the other she had a level of sophistication Dillon didn’t expect.
From what she had gathered so far, Callie had spent her childhood on the lower end of middle class, and she was working toward a better life when her plans were derailed. She was totally unselfish when it came to her brother and clearly wouldn’t rest until he was free. She was kind, thoughtful, supportive, and self-confident. And she was attractive in a sensuous, subtle way. In some respects she was everything anyone could want in a wife.
Dillon stopped. Callie took several steps before she also stopped and glanced back with a question in her eyes. That’s it! That’s what I have to do. The realization of exactly how she would prove to Bill that she was worthy, or whatever he wanted from her before he sold her his land, was right before her eyes. It had been there all along, she just couldn’t see it. She hadn’t been looking for it, and if it was a wall, she would have walked right into it, bounced off, and kept going.
An overwhelming, almost oppressive cloud lifted from around her. She wouldn’t let Bill continue to string her along while she waited helplessly for him to give his approval. She hated not being in charge and she intended to end this situation today. Right here, right now. Everything she needed to clench this deal stood five feet in front of her
. Callie.
Chapter Eleven
“Dillon, are you all right?” Callie asked. Dillon hadn’t said a word or broken stride since they hit the beach twenty minutes ago. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, and Callie didn’t want to disturb her.
“I’m fine, now,” Dillon said. “I’m glad you were able to come.” She resumed her pace, this time walking near Callie.
Callie sensed a change in Dillon that she attributed to the sun, the sand, and the surf. “I’m glad I could too. Thank you for asking me.” She walked a few more steps before she posed the question that had been dancing on her lips for several days. “Why did you ask me? I mean, it’s kind of risky to invite someone you barely know to go away for the weekend. And this is really away.” The four hours on the plane was longer than she spent on her last date eons ago.
“You’re interesting and appear to be able to enjoy yourself without having to be entertained. You hit it off fabulously with Phyllis and she likes you.” Dillon removed her sunglasses and her eyes trailed a lazy path from head to toe, then slid back. “And I can think of worse things to look at for four days.” Dillon punctuated her reply by kicking water on Callie’s legs.
Dillon’s visual caress of her body sent such strong shock waves through Callie that she suddenly felt uncomfortable and needed some distance. “Last one to the pier has to buy the drinks.” She took off running in the direction they were headed.
Dillon was left flat-footed by the quick change of mood, and Callie was at least ten yards ahead of her before her body caught up with her brain. She ripped off her flip-flops and chased her. Callie turned around and did a little you-can’t-catch-me dance, and when she did she tripped and tumbled several times before coming to a stop on her back. Dillon was standing over her in an instant.
“Aha. That’s what you get when you act cocky.” Dillon’s breath caught in her throat. Callie’s chest was heaving from the exertion and the smile filling her face was breathtaking. Their positions in the sand reminded Dillon of the classic beach scene in From Here to Eternity when Burt Lancaster stood over Deborah Kerr. The waves were crashing around them when Burt’s character, Sergeant Milton Warden, dropped to his knees and took Karen Holmes in his arms and kissed her. The scene played in Dillon’s head until she could do nothing other than mimic the most powerful love scene of all time.
When their lips met, Callie responded instantly, and she wrapped her arms around Dillon’s neck. Dillon kissed her with so much skill and passion that she knew she had made Callie forget about everything. The water lapped around them and Callie didn’t indicate that she even noticed.
But Dillon did notice and her brain kicked in. As much as she wanted to continue kissing Callie, people were everywhere. It was still early and the beach wasn’t nearly as full as it would be in a few hours, but they still had to be careful. Against her will and definitely against her body’s protests, Dillon pulled back from Callie’s hot lips.
“I don’t think we should do this here.” Dillon had told herself earlier that it wasn’t in her best interest to have sex with Callie, but her recently formulated action plan changed all that. It was in her best interest not only to have sex with Callie this weekend, but to get her to fall in love with her. If that’s what Bill wanted to see, that’s what she’d give him.
Dillon’s voice was husky and Callie wanted to drown in it. She searched her face for any sign of rejection, but Dillon’s sunglasses hid her eyes. Callie wasn’t so far out of practice not to recognize when she was being kissed back, passionately. And then there was last night. If not for her stupid case of the giggles, they would have made love.
“What do you think we should do?” Dillon was still lying almost on top of her, their breasts touching through their now-wet clothes. Dillon’s body was hot, their legs intertwined. The flash of desire in Dillon’s eyes told Callie exactly what she wanted to do. Callie knew her eyes said the same thing.
“I suppose it would be rude to go back to the house and lock ourselves in the bedroom for the rest of the trip,” Dillon answered, with a charm and seductive gaze that Callie found much harder to resist than outright directness.
Callie had just started breathing normally again, but she almost panted when Dillon implied they would make love for the next four days. Now, there was a thought. Dillon’s lips were teasing her with their closeness, and she had to fight to keep from covering them once more. “At times like these I hate my mother for instilling good manners in me.” It was the only good thing she had done for her. Callie pushed against Dillon’s chest while she still had the strength. Dillon rolled off and pulled her up in one motion. “Okay, now where were we?” she asked, trying to regain some sense of control.
“I think we were racing to the pier,” Dillon answered, brushing the sand off her butt and legs. She even reached into her sports bra to brush off sand that had slipped inside. Callie watched every move and Dillon’s nipples tightened under her gaze. When Callie licked her lips, Dillon stopped. Callie couldn’t respond. “On second thought, I’ve got a better idea,” Dillon said. “Ever been on a Jet Ski?”
*
The water was cold, but Callie was shielded from most of the drenching by Dillon’s body in front of her. She was a good swimmer but had never been on a Jet Ski and opted to sit behind Dillon until she got the hang of how to handle the machine. When she first climbed on she was nervous but after a few minutes began to relax, and before she knew it, she was grateful for her place behind Dillon. She had to hang on so as not to be tossed off, which provided her the perfect opportunity to wrap her arms around Dillon’s strong body. Their bulky life vests prohibited any direct body contact, but she could touch Dillon’s arms whenever she wanted. She wanted to but stopped herself.
She wasn’t even in the same league as Dillon. Dillon was successful, sophisticated, shockingly good-looking, and horribly rich. She, on the other hand, barely had a pot to piss in, as her father used to say. At least when he was still around, he used to say it. Callie remembered a few things about her father, and they were usually smart-ass remarks like that one.
“Wanna take a turn?” Dillon asked, backing off the throttle. The craft bobbed up and down in the water, the rhythm seductive. Callie was spooned behind Dillon, who turned around and laid her hand on Callie’s leg. Dillon’s hand was slick from the salt water, and Callie’s leg tensed involuntarily under Dillon’s fingers as she caressed it gently, stroking up and down Callie’s thigh.
Callie’s stomach turned, and it wasn’t because of the rocking of the ocean. Dillon’s wandering fingers on her leg crept higher with each stroke, and Callie watched each move. Only when they stopped moving did Callie lift her head and meet hot, mischievous eyes. A drop of water snaked its way down Dillon’s forehead in the direction of her left eye, and Callie’s own hand shook when she reached up and intercepted it. Dillon caught her wrist and kissed her palm before she had a chance to stop the bead from dissolving into her eyebrow.
Dillon’s eyes never left hers as she first kissed, then seductively licked her palm. Flames shot up her arm, through her stomach, and landed squarely between her legs. What Dillon was doing tickled but was the most sensuous thing she had ever experienced. Dillon pulled her forward, and just before their lips met, the weight of both of them on one side of the Jet Ski was too much. They both toppled off into the water.
Dillon surfaced first, with Callie not far behind. “Shit, that water’s cold.” It was still early in the summer season, and even though the outside temperature was warm, the water was much colder.
“Are you all right?” Dillon asked, concerned. Callie had said she could swim, but the unexpected dump could be disorienting.
“I’m fine.” Callie laughed and glanced toward the Jet Ski, floating aimlessly nearby as if waiting for the next rider to buck off. “How do we get back on?”
Dillon laughed in relief. “Now that’s the tricky part.”
And tricky it was. After several attempts, most of which had them e
nding up back in the water, they were back on board, this time with Callie in the driver’s seat. She quickly acclimated to the throttle, and they were soon jumping waves and perfecting rooster tails under the midday sun.
Dillon took full advantage of sitting behind Callie. She wasn’t nearly as shy about caressing Callie’s arms and even let her hands wander over as much of her thighs as she could reach. Callie’s driving turned erratic when Dillon’s hands were anywhere other than clasped around the life vest turned chastity belt. She didn’t doubt that Callie was attracted to her, but was thrilled nonetheless.
With the help of Dillon’s outstretched hand, Callie climbed off the Jet Ski, careful not to spill again. The dock was crowded now with other people wanting a turn on the fast machines. Dillon turned over the key to the attendant with one hand and kept her grip on Callie’s with the other. They chatted about their water adventure and then nothing in particular as they walked along the shoreline back to the house, holding hands the entire way.
Phyllis was sitting on the patio reading a Harlequin romance. Dillon recognized the cover as one of the kind of paperbacks that filled several shelves in her sister Laura’s study. She used to tease Laura that it was totally uncool for a patent attorney to read romance novels. Once Laura was so frustrated at Dillon’s jibes that she shot back, “At least someone’s getting sex, because it certainly isn’t me.” They laughed about that remark the morning of Laura’s wedding to her husband Tim. A fleeting thought about Phyllis and Bill’s sex life flashed through her mind, and she just let it keep moving.
“You two have a good time?”
“Yes, we did. Except for the water being a little cold, it was absolutely beautiful. It’s so clear you can see all the way to the bottom. The color is amazing and the—” Callie stopped in mid-sentence and laughed. “I guess I don’t need to tell you any of this, do I, Phyllis?”
