by Leanne Banks
“And what did you say?”
“‘Mom would die.’” Her lips twitched. “He said, ‘Mom doesn’t have to sleep with him.’ He used other, more colorful language, but you catch my drift.”
“I guess he had a point,” Benjamin said and chuckled.
“In retrospect, he did, but I was hoping things would turn out different.” She took another bite of hush puppy and glanced about him. “No temptations to walk down the aisle for you?”
“Once, but it just wasn’t right,” he said. “No regrets. It turned out for the best for everybody.”
“You never missed her?” Vivian asked.
He shrugged. “Maybe once or twice. I had other things to do. What about you? Do you miss your ex?”
“For a while, I missed the man I’d hoped he was, but he wasn’t that man. The bad thing is, it made me lose my trust in myself. You need to look at people for who they are, not who you want them to be.”
“True, but some of us make a few improvements along the way. If we’re determined. And lucky.”
“Maybe so,” she said. “I didn’t realize how profound you could be.”
“You just thought I was all good looks and muscle,” he said and winked at her.
“I knew you were smart, too,” she protested. “I already told you I was surprised you didn’t go pro and never look back at the town.”
“There are times when you have to step up. That was one of those times. But enough about me. I see you’ve cleaned your plate.”
“Yes, I did. Shame on you,” she said with a sexy little pout. “I’ll have to run up and down the mountain for three days to work that off.”
“You’re doing plenty of labor. How about a swim?” he asked, picking up the paper plates and taking them to the trash can.
“I’m not wearing a bathing suit,” she said.
“So?” he asked.
“It’s still daylight,” she told him. “I’m not swimming in the nude in broad daylight.”
“The sun will set soon enough. Meet me here at eight thirty. I’ll bring some wine. You can even wear a swimsuit if you’re a scaredy-cat.”
“The water is too cold. I won’t be goaded into skinny-dipping,” she said.
“I’m not goading,” he told her, extending his hand to her. “I’m just teasing a little.”
She shot him a distrustful glance, but accepted his hand and stood. He stared into her crystal-blue eyes and took in her creamy skin and inviting pink lips. Her T-shirt and jeans were casual, but he couldn’t help noticing the way her breasts stretched the gray cotton, and there was no denying the curve of her hips in the denim.
Benjamin sighed and lifted his hand to her chin. Vivian’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t pull back. “I wouldn’t have ever thought you’d get any prettier than you were when you were a teenager. But you’ve grown into yourself. You’ve turned into a beautiful woman, a smart one, too, with a good heart. Your father would kill me for what I’m thinking right now.”
Vivian swallowed and her eyelids fluttered downward, hiding her expression from him. “I guess it’s a good thing he doesn’t know.”
“I guess so,” Benjamin said. “I’ve got to make a quick trip into town. Don’t forget. Eight thirty here at the dock,” he said and headed up the hill.
“I didn’t say I was coming,” she called after him.
“Eight thirty,” he said over his shoulder and grinned to himself. He was going to reel this little beauty in, and she wouldn’t have any idea what hit her. He’d make sure of it.
* * *
She should just paint another room, Vivian told herself as she eyed the clock. Eight twenty-five. Or indulge in a television binge like Jilly. Or do some paperwork like Temple. None of the prospects appealed to her.
A bath, she suggested to herself. A nice, long bath, read a book, then go to sleep. That would be the best therapy in the world for her since her body was aching and her mind needed to settle down.
Vivian glanced at the clock again. Eight twenty-eight. Shutting down a dozen objections and warnings, she grabbed her swimsuit and jerked it on, then snagged a towel and flew out the door. Benjamin would mock her for the suit, but maybe a dip in lake water would do her some good. Oh, who was she fooling? She just wanted to see him again.
He stood on the dock and lifted the wineglasses as he watched her make her way toward him. She felt his gaze on her every step of the way, and it gave her a little thrill.
“Two glasses,” she said, accepting one. “You must have been confident I would join you.”
“I’d like to put your presence down to my irresistible manly charms. But you’ve come down to the dock more evenings than not,” he said. “However, this time you’re wearing a bathing suit. If I can get you in the water...”
“Don’t count on anything else,” she said.
He took a deep sip of his wine and set his glass on the dock, then pulled off his T-shirt. “Don’t worry.”
Then he proceeded to shuck his shorts and underwear with his pretty amazing backside to her and jumped in the lake.
Vivian choked on her wine. He bobbed to the surface and waved for her to join him.
“I thought I’d take it slow—sit down and dip in my feet, slide in a little bit at a time,” she said.
“That’ll take all night,” he said. “Jump in all at once. That’s the way to go.”
“It must be freezing,” she said, suspicious.
“It’s not freezing. I would be turning blue if it were,” he assured her. He lifted his hands. “Come on, Vivian. I’ll catch you.”
His words made something inside her soften. Since getting divorced over three years ago, she’d been hesitant in her relationships. She’d wondered if someone was going to pull the rug out from beneath her when she least expected it. Benjamin might be a charmer, but she suspected he meant it when he said he’d catch her.
After taking a couple of big gulps of wine, she set down the glass beside her towel, walked to the end of the dock and jumped. The temperature of the water shocked her down to her bones. She gasped at the cold that not even Benjamin’s arms could conceal.
“You lied,” she said to Benjamin. “It’s freezing.”
“Refreshing,” he corrected her.
“Freezing,” she said, shaking her head.
“All right, it’s a little brisk, but I’ll warm you up,” he said and tugged her along as he swam farther into the lake. “Tell the truth—this is nice. It’s quiet and peaceful, with stars up above.”
“I’ll tell you when I regain sensation. At the moment, I’m still numb from the cold.”
“Ah, so you’re cranky when you get a little chilly,” he said. “I’ll have to remember that.”
“It’s more than a little chilly,” she retorted, but his arms did feel nice, and his shoulders were so broad and strong. She took a deep breath and sighed. She might as well enjoy the moment.
“Listen,” he said. “Close your eyes and listen.”
Vivian did as he asked and heard the sound of a bird. “What kind?” she asked.
“Whip-poor-will.”
She opened her eyes and looked at him. With his tousled wet hair and drops of lake water on his face, he was ridiculously appealing to her. It was almost a sin for a man to be so sexy. There should have been something wrong with him. She should focus on finding out what that horrible quality was.
“Stop thinking,” he told her and spun her around in the water.
She laughed at the combination of his words and the sensation of spinning. “How do you know I’m thinking?”
“Your eyebrows pull down and you stop smiling,” he said and spun her around again.
“This is nicer than I thought it was going to be,” she said.
“I co
uld make it a lot nicer,” he suggested.
She gave him a sideways glance, but he lowered his head anyway and pressed his mouth against hers. She had the sensation of spinning even though she knew the only movement Benjamin made besides kissing and holding her was kicking his legs to keep them above water. He felt so good, so strong, so delicious. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she kissed him back. She wanted more.
His tongue slid over hers, and she noticed the way his strong chest felt against her breasts. Lower, she felt him between her legs. She couldn’t resist pressing against him.
He made a low groan that vibrated in her mouth and throughout her body. “I think we should get rid of this swimsuit,” he said.
“Hmm,” she said, wanting more of his kisses, wanting not to think. She took his mouth again and indulged herself with his lips. A few seconds later, he pulled off her bathing suit top tossed it on the dock, and she felt her bare nipples, taut and achy, rubbing against his chest.
He took one of her breasts in his hand. “So pretty,” he said and rubbed her nipple. “You feel so good.” He removed her bottoms and lifted her hips, urging her to straddle him, making her aware of his arousal.
Even though a combination of adrenaline and desire was raging through her, Vivian’s brain still worked. Sex in the lake? What if someone saw them? What about protection? What about—“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she managed breathlessly, tugging her mouth from his.
“Really?” he asked. “Why not? We’re adults.”
The look in his eyes made her mouth go dry. “Yes, but protection,” she said.
“Got it,” he said.
“What if someone sees us?”
“Not likely, but we can go to my room. Or yours.” He paused and gave a pained chuckle. “Unless you’re getting cold feet.”
“It’s not cold feet,” she said, then sighed. “Well, maybe a little. You’re just a lot of—” She broke off, thinking, You’re just a lot of man.
“That’s bad?”
“No,” she said. “I’m not sure how to handle you.”
“I can help you figure that out,” he said. “But no pressure. If you don’t want to go further, we won’t.”
A big part of her really wanted to go further. Conflicted, she bit her lip. “Okay. Thanks.”
He swam back to the dock, pulling her along with him, and lifted her to the dock, following after her. He returned the top of her swimsuit to her. Embarrassed because she’d forgotten about it, she struggled to tie it.
“I can help,” he said and took care of the task with steady hands.
Vivian climbed the ladder, darted for her towel and trained her gaze on the shore, away from Benjamin. She heard his feet on the dock as he put on his clothes. At least, she hoped he was getting dressed. She felt his hand on her shoulder and jumped.
“It’s safe. You can look now,” he said with a twinge of humor.
Vivian rolled her eyes, mostly at herself. She collected her wineglass and headed toward the house.
“No need to rush off,” he said.
She thought about denying that she was hurrying away, then decided it was time to be a grown-up. Turning around, she met his gaze. “I need to clear my head. You have muddled it.”
“I think that’s one of the nicest things I’ve ever been told,” he said. “See you tomorrow night on the dock.”
“I don’t know.”
“We can talk,” he said. “Or I can kiss you all night long. It might drive us both wild, but we will enjoy the ride.” He leaned toward her and brushed his mouth against her cheek. The caress made her feel weak all over again.
“’Night, Viv,” he said.
“G’night, Benjamin,” she said and stiffened her legs and her backbone. Lord help her, that man was distracting.
* * *
Vivian tossed and turned again that night. In the wee hours, she wondered again if she should just go ahead and share a night with Benjamin to get him out of her system. At the same time, she wasn’t at all sure the one-time tactic would work. But realistically, could he be that good?
By midmorning, she heard a hound dog howling in the distance. The mournful sound wafted through the open window, tugging at her heartstrings. She heard a few more howls and suddenly realized it was Jet.
She went into the hallway. Grayson appeared. “Jet?” she asked.
He nodded. “He sounds like he’s in trouble. I’ll go look for him, but someone needs to stay with Millicent.”
“No. I’ll go. I just need you to tell me where you think he might be.”
“Neighbor’s property. He got stuck in a barbed fence one other time. I hope he didn’t get into that again.”
“Should I drive?”
“You’ll have better luck walking. It’s past the cabins. You sure you don’t want me to go?” he asked, clearly worried.
“No. I’ll leave right now,” she said and wondered why neither of her sisters had heard the howling. Checking in on Jilly, she saw her sister moving her head in rhythm to whatever music she was playing on her iPod as she painted a guest room.
Vivian moved in front of her sister and waved her arms. Jilly removed her earbuds. “What up?”
“Jet ran off. He’s howling, so we’re afraid he’s hurt himself.”
“Oh, no,” Jilly said, crestfallen. Jilly was so tenderhearted about animals. “We need to find him.”
Vivian nodded. “I’ll get Temple. Grayson says Jet’s wails sound like they are coming from the neighboring property. Take your cell phone so we can stay in touch.”
Vivian also found Temple painting and wearing earbuds. She was told Temple had been listening to a podcast on corporate accounting. All three of them ran to the path past the cabins. As they approached the barbed wire fence, Vivian listened for Jet. “No howls,” she said.
“I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” Temple said. “And how are we supposed to get over that fence without ripping ourselves to shreds?”
Vivian pulled off her sweatshirt. It was a chilly morning, so she was wearing a tank top underneath. “I’ll donate my shirt to the cause. Unless we hear more from Jet, I think we need to split up to find him. Just keep your cell phone ready.”
“Even though the coverage up here may not be stellar,” Temple said, making the first move over the fence.
“Let’s just do our best,” Vivian muttered as she watched Jilly tackle the fence next.
Vivian followed, then headed up the hill. Since Jet hated baths, he could be stinky. She wondered if she could smell him if she couldn’t hear him. Climbing through the woods and leaves, she thought she heard the soft sound of a whine, but she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it. She moved in the direction of the sound. Breathless from rushing and climbing, she stepped over a series of fallen trees and branches and came upon Jet, whining, and Benjamin standing over the dog with his hands on his hips.
Relief flooded through her as she walked toward them. “Is he okay?”
“Not sure. He stepped into a trap. Looks like his leg is in bad shape.”
Jet gave a miserable little whine that tore at her. She put her hand on his head, and he turned to lick it as if he were saying, Please help me. “How do we get him out?”
“Without wire cutters, it’s a two-person job,” he said. “I’ve got a rope to fasten to Jet’s collar so he won’t run away. Not that he’ll be able to move too fast. I’ll hook it to my belt. Then I’ll pull this side of the trap, and you pull the other. If you think you can,” he added.
“Of course I can,” she said, at the same time wishing she’d done a little more strength training lately. Ideally all that painting would help.
“Okay. You may have to hold your side for thirty seconds. Warn me if you’re about to let it go,” he said.
>
“I will. I will,” she said and put her hands on one side of the steel trap, frowning at the unforgiving metal teeth. “I hate these things,” she muttered. “If they’re not catching snakes, they should be outlawed.”
“Countdown to pulling,” he said. “Three. Two. One.”
Vivian struggled to hold her side. Using all her strength, she was appalled to see that she’d separated her side by mere inches.
“It’s okay. Almost got him,” Benjamin said, holding one end of his side with his foot. He carefully pulled Jet’s paw free. The dog yelped and hobbled to a few feet away. “You can let go now,” Benjamin said. “Good job.”
Vivian let out the breath of air she’d been holding. Sweat trickled between her breasts and she had the oddest urge to cry.
Benjamin was checking Jet’s paw as much as the dog would allow. Vivian stepped closer. She saw quite a bit of matted fur and blood. “How bad is it?”
“I don’t know. He might lose the paw. We need to get him to the vet.”
“I’ll call Temple and Jilly.”
Her sisters met them at the bottom of the hill. “All of us don’t need to go to the vet,” Vivian said. “I’d like you two to stay at the house.” If something worse happened to Jet, then she wanted to soften the blow for her sisters.
Jilly pouted. “But what if something goes wrong with him?”
“I’ll call you. I promise,” Vivian said.
Temple gave Jet a quick pat on the head, but Jilly hugged him as if her and his lives depended on it. When she pulled back, she had tears in her eyes.
Vivian hugged her sister. “Go tell Grayson we found Jet and we’re taking him to the veterinarian. I’ll call you as soon as we know anything.”
Jilly nodded. “Thanks, Benjamin.”
“Glad I could help. We should get going,” he said.
Vivian and Benjamin walked quickly to his SUV. When Benjamin started to put Jet in the back, Vivian stopped him. “Don’t you think I should hold him?”
