12 Days (Hope Harbor)

by Karla Doyle

  Hands all over each other, he walked her backward, to the living room.

  “Not here,” she said, when he guided her toward the couch. “Take me to the bedroom.”

  The honorable voice inside him told him not to do it. Every other part of him wanted to smack the shit out of that voice. The majority won.

  He changed course and headed for the bedroom. Hers, because they’d be safer in there. His room had enough condoms to last the weekend without coming up for air or restocking. He couldn’t say for sure that Addie didn’t have any, but the odds were definitely lower. No condoms, no possibility of sex. Honorable voice appeased.

  The click of the lock might as well have been a starter pistol. Addie pulled her sweater off and flung it to the floor, rendering him speechless. Probably drooling, too, because, those tits. God, help him, those tits.

  Creamy skin, lots of it, looked ready to explode from her red, lacy bra.

  “Leave it on,” he said, when she reached for the light switch. “You’re too beautiful and sexy to hide in the dark.” Touch her, that’s all he’d do. Just a little bit. With kissing. A lot of kissing.

  She shivered as he skimmed his hands up her arms, over her shoulders. Shuddered again when he trailed his fingertips across her soft cleavage, then around to her back, and the clasp.

  He nuzzled her neck, kissing and gently nipping while he toyed with the bra’s hooks. Taking her bra off would be a mistake. Full access to her incredible tits would make it that much harder to resist her.

  “Do you need me to do it?”

  “No.” He knew his way around a bra. Had since he was seventeen years old. An easy bend and twist, that’s all it’d take.

  “Take it off. Take it all off.” Her soft voice tempted him as much as her soft skin. “Get me naked and make love to me. Or fuck me. I don’t care how you want it, I want to be with you.” She slipped her hands between their bodies and tugged at the button on his jeans. The button gave way, then the zipper, then her fingers were wrapped around his cock. “I’ve always wanted to be with you. Only you. I don’t know why you’re suddenly into me, but I’ve been in love with you since forever. That’s my real secret. Or, did you know all along?”

  Fuck. Fuckity fucking fuck. Confessions like that were more of a wakeup call than a bucket of ice water. Something he’d need after doing the right thing.

  “No, I had no idea.” Because he’d been blind to her feelings, in addition to his own. “Adeline, baby, we can’t do this.” As much as it killed him, he extracted her hand from his cock and took a step back. “I care about you way too much to let this go any further tonight.”

  “But, all the kissing. The touching and—” Her cheeks turned as red as the bra she covered by hugging herself. “Your mouth. You put your mouth on my—” She shook her head. Too hard, given the alcohol quotient, because she had to grab his arm to steady herself.

  Insensitive, horny jerk that he was, his gaze dropped to her gorgeous, jiggling tits. “Sorry,” he said, averting his eyes when she banded one arm across her chest.

  “You said I was hot. Beautiful and sexy. You said you were thinking about me all night.”

  “You are. I was.”

  “But you don’t want to have sex with me?”

  “That’s not it.”

  “I’m such an idiot.” She snatched her sweater from the floor, but the combination of tangled sleeves and alcohol-induced lack of coordination prevented her from getting it sorted.

  “Here, let me help.”

  “No.” She spun on wobbly legs, turning her back to him. “I wanted you to take my clothes off, not put them back on.” She fumbled with the sweater some more before chucking it into the corner. “Shit.”

  “Addie—” One step in her direction was all he got before she glared at him over her shoulder.

  “I don’t need your help.” Except, she did.

  “Want mine instead?” He grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and peeled it partway up. “It’ll be easier for you to put on. Then we can cuddle, or talk, or—”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t want to upset you.”

  “Well, you did. I don’t want you looking at me. God, just…go.” She sighed, the laser beams fading from her gaze, leaving only glassiness. “Please, just go. I want to be alone.”

  He’d really screwed this up. Leaving her alone was the last thing he wanted to do. But the only thing he could do right now. “If you need anything, text me. Or knock on the wall. I’ll be in here in two seconds.”

  “Not if I lock the door.”

  “I hope you don’t,” he said, moving to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  No reply as he exited her room, she simply watched him go. Then punctuated that silence with the click of the lock, as soon as the door was closed behind him.

  Shitty, but he deserved it. He shouldn’t have let things get as far as he had. He’d apologize tomorrow. Grovel, if necessary. But he’d done the right thing.

  In the sober light of day, she’d be glad he hadn’t taken advantage of the situation. She’d realize he’d put the brakes on because he wanted their first time together to be one they’d both remember.

  Right now, though, with the memory of her hurt expression fresh in his mind, he’d like nothing more than to forget.

  Chapter 7

  December 19

  KELLY

  She’d already left for the store by the time he got up. Since Sunny Daze didn’t open until nine o’clock, and he’d been out of bed by six-thirty, she’d definitely taken off early to avoid him.

  Knowing her store would be hopping busy today, he’d made sure to be there shortly after she opened. He always helped out during her busy times. Had since she bought the store five years ago. Fortunately, three of Addie’s busiest holidays—Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter—coincided with his business’ shutdown period.

  They’d discussed when and how he’d provide Christmas backup over a month ago. He was literally scheduled to pitch in today.

  Yet, when the door’s chime had announced his entrance, she’d appeared genuinely surprised. And not in a good way. She hadn’t even given him an opportunity to reach the counter before heading him off at the pass and saying she didn’t need him today.

  He’d wanted to call her on the bullshit claim. This being the last Saturday before Christmas, the shop would’ve buzzed like a hive all day long, with everyone wanting in on a limited amount of honey. There would’ve been constant transactions to ring in, phone calls to answer, planters to wrap, flowers to deliver.

  Yes, she had an employee on hand, but two people wouldn’t have been enough to handle today’s anticipated volume of activity. She’d known that when she turned him down. He’d known it when he’d changed direction and walked out.

  Man, he’d hated doing that. The sense that he’d abandoned her had eaten at him for the duration of the day.

  Twice, he’d enlisted spies. He’d sent his mom into the store shortly before noon, under the guise of picking up a bouquet for friends they’d be visiting. His mom had reported back that although the store had been busy, Addie hadn’t seemed overwhelmed.

  He’d bribed Rick to go into the store midafternoon. Rick had dropped off two gingerbread lattes from Addie’s favorite coffee shop, Sugar Bean. As instructed, Rick had lied and said the shop’s owner—one of Addie’s friends—had asked him to deliver the fancy coffees.

  The second mission had set Kelly back close to fifteen bucks for the drinks and another twenty to keep Rick on script. Worth every penny when Rick had reported back that Adeline’s sales counter was lined up three deep, and her Uncle Gord was on his way out to do deliveries as Rick arrived. She was busy, but seemed to have everything under control.

  She hadn’t needed Kelly, just like she’d said.

  Relieved as he was that her day hadn’t spiraled into chaos, he didn’t like the space between them. A space that felt bigger with every hour that had passed. Bigger yet when she’d tex
ted him half an hour before closing, instructing him not to come by for her bank deposit run. She had someone else to follow her. She didn’t need him.

  He wasn’t a fan of today’s theme.

  He made a conscious effort to be respectful and straight-up honest with every woman he’d dated. Because of that, he’d never felt the need to say sorry to any of them. As he checked his watch for what had to be the tenth time today, he couldn’t wait to apologize to Addie. Something he couldn’t do until she came home—which was something she should’ve done an hour ago. And that was if she’d gotten hung up at the store, rather than closing on time.

  He scooped his phone from its faceup position beside him and tapped out a text.

  Hey. Need any help getting things wrapped up, so you can come home and get some dinner before we head out to the pub crawl?

  I didn’t expect you to wait for me. I’m going to the crawl with Jenna and won’t be home for dinner. You should do whatever you want tonight.

  If that wasn’t a subtle “go fuck yourself,” he didn’t know what was. They’d gone to the annual get-together every year since high school graduation. It was their thing. One of their things.

  The more he’d thought about stuff recently, the more he’d realized they’d had one foot in couple-relationship territory for a long time. All they’d been missing was the sex.

  Now that they’d confirmed their physical chemistry, he was eager to keep going. For the sex that’d rock the house to its foundation, hell yes. But for more than that, too.

  She’d avoided him all day and he’d let it slide. But if she thought he’d let her slide out of what they’d become, she was wrong.

  Being respectful and being passive were two very different things. Tonight, he’d make sure she understood the difference.

  December 19

  ADELINE

  “Don’t turn around,” Jenna said, halting her drink’s ascent halfway to her mouth. “Kelly just walked in.”

  Addie followed the instruction and kept her back to the door. Not seeing Kelly didn’t prevent her from sensing him, though. Tingles of awareness reached every point of her body.

  “Oh, chickie, you should see the way he’s looking at you.”

  “You just told me not to turn around.”

  “Right. Don’t. But, wow, if you had eyes in the back of your head, they’d be bugging right now.”

  “Good bugging, or bad bugging?”

  “Wow, he is hyper-focused on you.”

  “In a good way or a bad way?”

  Jenna tipped drink number three to her lips and took a long swallow. “He looks like he’s on a mission.”

  “A good mission, or a bad mission?” She took a breath as Jenna chose to take another swig of Jack and Diet Coke, rather than answer the question she’d asked three times. “Jenna. Stop drinking and focus on the question.” Over the course of their first two drinks, she’d told her best cousin friend about last night’s humiliation. All the gory details…except for the part where she’d professed her endless love to the object of her lifelong affection. That was too much to admit, even to Jenna.

  “Details, Jenna,” she said, when her cousin failed to elaborate. “Or I’m going to turn around and see for myself.”

  “Yeah, you’re not going to have to turn around for that…”

  “Finally caught up to you.” Kelly’s voice slid into her ear as his arms circled her waist. “I looked for you at Catch of the Day, but I didn’t see you.”

  “Annnd, I’m going with ‘good’ as the answer to all three of your Kelly questions.”

  “Kelly questions?” he asked.

  Jenna winked at her, then looked at Kelly. “You didn’t see us at Catch of the Day because we skipped the last stop. There’s not much space in that tiny bar, and Addie didn’t want to bump into you.” She raised one professionally manicured eyebrow as her ruby-red lips curved into a sly smile. “Though I don’t know what she was worried about, since you obviously want to do more than bump into her.”

  “Oh, my God, Jenna.” Her face had to be as red as her cousin’s heavily painted lips. Thank goodness only her cousin could see it.

  Kelly laughed while pulling his wallet from his jeans pocket. He pulled a couple of bills from the worn leather and offered them to Jenna. “Would you get us all a drink from the bar while I talk to Addie alone for a few minutes?”

  “With pleasure.” Jenna pinched the bills between her fingers. “What’re you drinking?”

  “Any beer will be great.”

  “Have you had anything yet?” Jenna asked. “Or is this your first drink?”

  “First.”

  “Then you’re getting a shot of tequila, too. You’ve got catching up and loosening up to do. I don’t want another sad-sack story of you and Addie not getting into the sack.”

  A very audible gasp rushed from Addie’s lungs. “Traitor.”

  “It’s for your own good, Adeline.” Jenna tucked the cash into a pair of jeans that cost more than Addie’s entire outfit—bra, panties, and shoes included—then pointed at Kelly. “Yours too. If you’re even lucky enough to get another shot with my smart, sexy, fabulous cousin, you’d better take it. She won’t be on the market much longer.” Having said enough to embarrass Addie well into the New Year, Jenna turned on her impractically high heel and left them as alone as they could be amongst a crowd of their extended peers.

  Addie moved away from Kelly, to a position where she could face him. God, he looked good. He always did, but the green-plaid, button-up shirt and jeans that molded to several of his best parts really knocked it out of the park. She’d be happy to let him go around as many bases as he wanted. That wasn’t strictly a tonight thing, but it was a not-going-to-happen thing.

  She shook the pointless thoughts away and focused on getting through the present. “Jenna shouldn’t have said any of that.” A point she planned to hammer her cousin over the head with tomorrow, when they met for brunch.

  “You’re right. Because I’m sure whatever you told her, you told her in confidence. She had no business repeating it, even if it was stuff I already knew.”

  “After last night, you know too much stuff. I wish I could rewind and take it back.” She scanned the room, hoping Jenna would pop through one of the clusters of pub crawlers, and save her from further mortification.

  “Hey.” Kelly’s strong jaw and striking eyes filled her sightline as he stepped toward her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against his chest—and every other warm, firm part of his hot body. “The only thing I’d want to rewind and take back is the part where I upset you.”

  “I don’t blame you for shutting me down.” She disentangled from his embrace and put space between them. “I didn’t realize how super drunk I was while I was throwing myself at you. Your rejection was very kind, thanks for that.”

  His eyebrows drew together and dropped, forming a straight line that matched the current set of his lips. “I didn’t reject you. I postponed being naked with you. Very different things.” He closed the gap she’d created and claimed her with another hug, this one even tighter than the last. He slid one hand lower, onto the curve of her ass, cupping it possessively. His other hand moved upward to gently tug her hair, enough to tilt her face up. “I wanted to be with you. Believe me when I tell you that it took every drop of willpower I have to hold back.”

  God, could she be hearing this right? If only he’d been willing to share more information last night. Or now.

  Though, she didn’t really need him to explain why he was suddenly feeling more than friendly. The reason for his newfound desire was irrelevant, because it wouldn’t last. In their lifetime of honest conversations, he had never expressed an interest in settling down with one woman. Something she needed to keep in mind while they were in public.

  She could wallow in the inevitable heartbreak privately. And would, for as long as it took. Being the recipient of knowing, pitying stares and whispers around town was not on her
Christmas wish list.

  She pulled back as he dipped his head in what appeared to be an intent to kiss her. “You can’t do that here.”

  “Why? Because there’s a ‘No Smoking’ sign at the door, and you know we could bring this building down with the hotness when we kiss?” God, he was good. So, so good.

  She giggled while ducking his continued advances, until the goggling from a nearby group of pub crawl attendees snagged her peripheral vision. “Seriously,” she said, placing both palms on his chest and nudging. “People are looking at us. The way you’re touching me, and we’re behaving, they’re going to talk. They’ll think we’re getting together.”

  “We are getting together.”

  “I don’t want it to be public knowledge that we’re maybe trying to become more than friends.”

  “Maybe trying to become more than friends?” Accepting her gentle push, he stepped back, letting his hands fall to his sides. “That’s how you’d describe where we’re at?”

  She nodded to prevent her voice from wobbling and giving her away.

  To their onlookers, he probably continued to look like easygoing, fun-loving Kelly Horne. They weren’t getting the close-up view. They couldn’t see the intensity of his stare, or the frustration and confusion within it.

  She had to say something, so she chose the shortcut that led to nowhere. “It’s been a long day and I’m not really in a festive mood. I’m going to call it a night.”

  “I’ll go find Jenna and let her know that I’m taking you home.”

  “No.” She stopped him with a hand on his forearm, though the command might have worked on its own. “If I go home with you, there’ll end up being kissing—such great kissing—and I won’t be able to think straight.”

  A small smile relieved the tight set of his lips. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

  She could give in to that smile. She could run with it and enjoy kissing Kelly all night long. Incredible as that would be, she’d still be in the same predicament when it ended. Or a worse predicament, if the kissing led to more.