by Rhian Cahill
“Which is why I get to see your pretty face so often. Want me to tell Riley to make your favorite?” Mr. Collins asked as he stood. “I’m heading that way to grab some supper myself.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Wait up, Pop Pop.” Caitlyn downed the last of her beer. “I think I’ll eat with you tonight. I’ll get one of the waiters to bring your dinner in here, Reena, that way you won’t have to worry about switching tables or waiting. Two of your usual?”
“I—”
“Sounds perfect, Caitlyn. Thank you.” Rush held out his hand for Mr. Collins. “It was a pleasure, sir. Maybe we could chat some more while I’m here visiting Reena.”
“Oh, you can bet your britches we will, Rush Whelan. You park your behind on one of those stools at the bar before you leave Baltimore and we’ll have ourselves a nice long chat.”
“I look forward to it,” Rush said with a smile.
Reena wasn’t sure if the two of them talking more was a good thing or not.
***
Rush leaned back, one arm slung across the back of Reena’s chair, the other cradling his bulging stomach, and groaned. He had to admit he’d just eaten the best meal of his entire life. And he’d eaten at some five-star places in his time. “Damn that was good.”
“It always is,” Reena said before popping the last bite of Irish stew in her mouth. She closed her eyes and hummed, the sound vibrating low in his belly.
She’d been making sexy little noises throughout dinner, and he wasn’t sure how he’d kept his hands off her.
Okay, so he hadn’t kept his hands off her completely.
He’d spent a lot of the time brushing against her—his thigh, his arm, his hand, his fingers—they’d all managed to touch her at some point since their food had been set down in front of them. At least he’d kept his mouth off her.
For an innocent, she had an inherent sexuality that got his blood boiling. He expected once they got in bed, she’d be wild. He’d been with enough women to know a natural sensualist when he saw one. She hadn’t discovered the depth of that part of herself yet. Rush couldn’t wait to be the man to help her find out how hedonistic she could be.
Maybe that was what had drawn him to Reena so quickly. She’d sat at his bar with a glass of wine and caressed it in a sensual manner. As though stroking the cool, smooth stem gave her as much pleasure as the fruity liquid she sipped and savored as if it were the most amazing thing she’d ever tasted.
That first night he’d wanted to lean over the bar and do some tasting of his own. And he’d been craving the same ever since.
No doubt about it. He needed to do some serious contemplating this week. He had six days to work out what he wanted, and if Reena wanted the same.
Six days. It didn’t seem enough.
He’d had two weeks with her before, and then hadn’t lasted one week without her. Rush had the sinking feeling that driving away on Saturday would be the hardest thing he’d ever done. It would be far more difficult than leaving home at seventeen without a penny to his name—and that had been rough.
No. He already knew where things between them were going. Walking away from Reena wasn’t an option. Whatever happened this week, when he hit the road Saturday morning, it wouldn’t be the end of them.
Chapter Five
Rush wanted to delay returning to Reena’s house for as long as possible because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his hands off her. It was easier while they were at Pat’s Pub, with all those eyes on them, he was able to behave in spite of the temptation she presented, but now they were heading home. Where it would be just the two of them.
The biggest thing in his favor to keeping his personal vow of taking things slow might be how exhausted she appeared. He saw it in the way her feet dragged. Felt it in the way she leaned against him as they strolled down the street.
Maybe she’d be so tired he could get her into bed without taking their clothes off. He’d be satisfied with having her sleep in his arms. Holding her close while she was vulnerable would give him something he’d never had with a woman before Reena. Their last night at the lodge had taught him something valuable. True intimacy had nothing to do with getting naked together.
He wanted that with Reena. Wanted to hold her close while she slept. Wanted to sleep beside her. In his mind, it would be the ultimate show of trust.
Tightening his grip around her waist, Rush picked up their pace. He had to think about Reena—what was best for her—not his overzealous libido. “The next street, right?”
“Yes. Fourth house from the corner,” she murmured, fatigue pulling on every word.
As they turned onto her street, he asked, “Are you working tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Good. We can sleep in before we hit the city.”
“Okay.”
They reached her front walk. “Keys?”
She fumbled in her bag and pulled out a small key ring, two keys attached, and handed it to him. “It’s the red one.”
Her keys were color-coded. “What’s the blue one for?”
“Blue one?”
Rush held up the key in question.
“Oh. Back door.”
He smiled as he switched keys and unlocked the front door. “No car?” he asked, ushering her inside.
Reena shook her head. “Don’t need one. I can walk to work and downtown is easily accessed by cab or bus or on foot, if I’m not in a hurry.”
And she had nowhere farther she wanted to go. He’d discovered her trip to the mountains was the farthest she’d been since moving to Baltimore. She’d told him a lot of her history, and it didn’t take a shrink to figure out she stuck close to home for fear of having it snatched away like it had been when she was a child.
In the two weeks she’d spent at the lodge, Rush had watched her change. It was slight, but it was there. She’d grown more confident in her adventures. The timid woman who hadn’t wanted to venture out of the resorts grounds when she’d first arrived hadn’t been there when she’d left.
But how bold had she become?
Would she want to continue a relationship with him?
One that would span hundreds of miles—hours of travel?
He had a week to convince her they were worth the effort.
“Let’s get you into bed,” he said after making sure the door deadlocked behind them.
Her face tipped up toward him and she grinned sleepily. “Hmm…I like the sound of that.”
He laughed. “I do too. C’mon.”
Supporting the majority of her weight, he walked down the hall he hoped would lead to her bedroom. Reena stumbled a little. Before she could trip again, Rush lifted her off her feet and swung her up into his arms. She snuggled into him and took a deep, shuddering breath, her body going lax against him.
“This is nice,” she murmured into his neck, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine. He clenched his jaw and ground his teeth in an attempt to ignore the lust simmering in his veins. Taking care of Reena might cost him his sanity at this rate.
“Ah…this looks like it.” He smiled and maneuvered them into the room with the unmade bed and clothes tossed in the corner.
So Reena wasn’t a neat freak. Good to know. Personally, he didn’t see the point of making a bed when you were just going to mess it up again. And while he had no intention of messing this one up the way he’d like tonight, he definitely had plans to do so in the future.
After he’d spent the next few days getting under Reena’s skin the way she’d gotten under his.
***
Reena woke sluggishly, the smell of fresh coffee drawing her out of slumber. Stretching her arms over her head, she moaned in pleasure as muscles grew taut with a satisfying ache.
“Morning, beautiful.”
“Argh!” She sprang upright and slapped a hand over her pounding heart. “Crap.”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Rush smiled as he sat on the edge of her bed.
Blinking rapidly, Reena wondered if it were possible she was still asleep, dreaming.
His smile widened. “Thought you might like some caffeine to help you wake up.”
Nope. Not a dream. She’d forgotten. How could she forget he was here?
“Thank you,” she murmured while wrapping her fingers around the cup he offered. She brought the fragrant brew to her lips and took a generous sip.
Sugared and creamed exactly the way she liked.
“You remember how I have my coffee?” she asked after another energy-boosting gulp.
“Just one of the many things about you I’ll never forget.” He brushed a finger down her nose and tapped the end. “There’s more where that came from. Meet you in the kitchen. I’ve got breakfast cooking.”
“You’re cooking?”
He nodded and got to his feet. “Can’t spend the morning exploring the city on empty stomachs.”
“The city?”
“You promised to be my tour guide. Thought we’d head down to Inner Harbor today. Visit the aquarium, walk the waterfront. Sound good?”
Reena could only nod. The man had spent the night in her house and they hadn’t had sex. Well, not that she could remember… “Which room did you take?”
Rush paused in the doorway and grinned. “This one.”
He left her bedroom before she could form another question.
He’d slept in here? With her?
Her gaze jerked to the other side of the bed.
Sure enough, there was a distinct indent in the pillow that wasn’t hers and the sheet had come untucked on the far side of the bed, the blanket rumpled.
He’d slept with her. Next to her.
And she’d been completely oblivious.
She sighed. “Damn.” Disappointed and pleased at the same time, she downed the rest of her coffee.
Banging and clattering filtered into the room. It sounded as though Rush was making himself at home in her kitchen. The level of noise meant he was either doing as promised—cooking breakfast—or demolishing the place.
Intrigued, Reena threw back the covers. Finding herself in her usual sleep shorts and shirt, she tried to recall getting into them the night before and couldn’t. Had Rush undressed and dressed her?
It appeared as though she’d missed an awful lot after leaving Pat’s last night. And she’d only had one beer.
Her exhaustion must have been greater than she thought. The only good thing about her lack of memory was her current rested state.
She hadn’t felt this relaxed, this energized, since before she’d left the lodge. Smiling, she jumped out of bed and headed for the kitchen and the racket Rush was making.
Stepping through the doorway, she stopped dead in her tracks. “Wow.”
“Hey. Wasn’t sure if you’d want bacon and eggs or pancakes, so I made both.” He grinned.
“I can see that.” There were bowls and pans and food everywhere. Well, the food was on plates, so it wasn’t everywhere everywhere, but there was enough of it to feed an army. “I usually settle for a bowl of cereal,” she murmured, her gaze traveling around the room.
“Not today. Today we need all the calories we can consume to make it through ’til lunchtime.”
Lunchtime? Lord, if she ate even a plateful of the amazing-smelling food spread out on her kitchen table, she wouldn’t eat another bite for a month.
“Sit down. I’ll grab you another cup of coffee. I know how much you need the stuff first thing in the morning.” Rush filled a clean mug, doctored it to her liking and placed it on the table. “C’mon, food’s getting cold.”
Reena moved forward in a bit of a daze. She slid into a seat, wondering where to start.
“So what will it be?” He held out a plate of pancakes. “They’re blueberry.”
“Blueberry pancakes?” Her mouth watered and her stomach rumbled.
Rush smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. I’ve got a weakness for anything blueberry. Pancakes, muffins, smoothies. Had a blueberry cheesecake once. Damn that was good. I haven’t mastered the art of cheesecake yet but my pancakes are to die for, even if I say so myself.”
She nodded and he forked a stack onto her plate. She’d never get through them all but she wasn’t about to disappoint him. He’d gone to so much trouble. Her gaze skimmed the countertops, the overloaded sink. Of yeah, lots of trouble.
“Eat up.” He offered her the bottle of syrup.
Shaking her head, Reena picked up her fork and cut a small section of pancake. The second the light, fluffy, blueberry-flavored fried batter hit her tongue, she knew she was in as much trouble as her kitchen. There wouldn’t be a hope in hell of resisting. She’d be gobbling down every last mouthful. Sugary and somehow creamy, it catered to her sweet tooth with pinpoint accuracy. Damn. The man could cook.
Swallowing, she grabbed her coffee and took a quick sip. “Are you some sort of kitchen ninja?”
Rush laughed. “No, but I know my way around.”
“I can’t believe I had all this in here.”
“You didn’t. I ducked out to the store before you woke up.”
“You went out and bought food?”
He shrugged. “I’m going to be here all week. I can’t sponge off you the whole time. Thought I’d pick up some essentials.”
“This is more than essentials. What else did you buy? And how much do I owe you?” she asked before scooping up another forkful.
“Nothing. You owe me nothing.”
She frowned and swallowed. “I can’t let you pay for all this food.”
“Sure you can. You’re letting me stay here, so I’m saving on accommodations. I thought I’d repay you by supplying some basic food items and cooking all the meals we eat at home.”
Reena liked the way he called her place home. Sure, he didn’t mean it was his home, but it gave her a jolt of satisfaction to hear the word come out of his mouth. It also delivered a burst of longing.
She wanted him to think of her house as home.
The thought brought her up short. What was happening here?
Three weeks ago she hadn’t known the man existed, and now she wanted him to call her house home?
“Hey. You’re thinking too hard again.” Rush pointed his fork at her plate. “Eat. Then shower. Then we’re out of here for a day of fun.”
She forced a smile and shoveled in another mouthful of delicious pancake. Nope. It wouldn’t be a hardship to eat the whole plate load.
Chewing slowly, Reena vowed to stop analyzing every second of their time or the connection between them and do what Rush had helped her do during her two week vacation in the mountains.
She’d soak up the world around her and enjoy every moment of it—of him.
Chapter Six
Reena broke the surface and spat out a mouthful dirty, salty water. “Oh my god!” Grabbing the bottom of the upturned paddleboat, she glanced around searching for Rush. “Rush!”
“Over here.” His wet head popped up on the other side of the plastic hull. “You all right?”
Wiping hair out of her eyes, she glared at him. “Seriously? I’m in Baltimore Harbor, which has god knows what floating in it, and you’re asking if I’m all right?”
As if to prove her point, a clump of indeterminate trash bobbed passed. Shuddering with revulsion, Reena used one hand to scoop water away from her, making sure her fingers didn’t touch the soggy mess.
“Help me tip this thing back over.”
A squeal burst from her throat as she spun around, spraying water everywhere. She wiped her face to discover Rush had come around the boat behind her. “Don’t do that!”
“Stop panicking. We’ll be fine. As soon as we get this right side up, I’ll hoist you in.”
A thought struck her. Something else could be in the water. Something far more terrifying than unidentified floating objects. “Oh my god. Do you think there are sharks in here?”
He laughed.
Totally not the thing to do when her n
erves were jangled and her mind was conjuring up all manner of horrible scenarios with her and a great white shark in the lead roles. “Rush!”
“Sorry. Sorry.” He got his mirth under control and said, “No. I doubt there are sharks in here.”
“Doubt? Doubt?” She glanced around, frantically searching the water’s surface for a big gray fin—and spotted a big gray runabout heading right for them at breakneck speed instead. “Oh my god, they’re going to hit us!”
Rush pulled her back against his chest. “It’s the guy from the hire place. He’ll stop before he hits us. He’s probably had to do this numerous times.”
Rush’s reassurances didn’t ease her mind. The only thing that would was getting her out of this water.
“You folks all right? Nobody got any injuries I should know about?” the crusty old man who’d rented them the paddleboat called over the outboard motor noise.
“I thought you said these things were unsinkable,” Reena yelled.
The motor cut out and the old guy leaned over the side of his boat with a wide grin on his face. “Well now, you aren’t exactly sunk there, are you? And they’re fine as long as you don’t crash them into a pylon.”
She spun around and glared at Rush. “I told you we shouldn’t get that close.”
Rush was trying to hold in more laughter and in spite of the fear tangling her nerve endings, Reena suddenly saw the funny side of their impromptu swim.
Lowering her head, she hid her smile and muttered, “Idiot.”
“Come on.” Rush nudged her with his knee beneath the water, causing her to start and squeal. Chuckling, he bumped her again. “Just me. Let go of the boat and take the guy’s hand, Reena. He’ll haul you up out of the water.”
Turning, she found the old guy looking at her with mild concern. “Are you sure you’re all right, miss?”
“I’m fine,” she grumbled. “A little wet but fine.”
Grabbing the man’s hand, she kicked her legs to try to assist him. Except all that did was nail Rush in the chest with her heel, because in spite of the old guy’s frail appearance, he was as strong as an ox—and she flew up out of the water and into the runabout in less than a second.
