by Lori Foster
“Enjoying the view, naturally.”
Her face went blank, her head lifted to see her naked body, and he expected her to scramble.
Of course, she surprised him.
She dropped back to the pillow and said in vague complaint, “Perv.”
“Come again?”
“I might.” She glanced at him, then stretched luxuriously—no doubt to make him react.
Which he did.
“First, though, I have to pee.”
He grinned. “Yeah, me, too.”
She came up on one elbow, leg bent in a classic pose as old as time. “And I’d prefer to brush my teeth.”
He liked this playful side of her. No surprise there. He pretty much liked everything about her. “If you insist.”
She leaned over him...but only to see the clock. “I have half an hour. How good are you at quickies?”
Baxter caught her hips. “You’ve yet to see my long game. Now hustle it up.”
The way she climbed over him was enough to stop his heart. He watched the sensual sway of her hips as she disappeared into the hall bath through the connecting door in the bedroom. While she was gone, he found his shorts and removed the small, clip-on sprayer he had attached to the belt.
He set it on the nightstand, then waited for her to leave the john.
She came out with her wild hair smoothed, her breath minty and a scorching anticipation in her eyes. Going in next, thinking it was the least-sexy morning after he’d ever experienced, he hastily took care of business, found mouthwash in her medicine cabinet and rejoined her in the bedroom.
“Ever hear of spontaneity?” he asked.
Her nose winkled. “Maybe when I was twenty. These days, comfort takes priority.”
Baxter soaked in the sight of her on the bed, propped on an elbow, her breasts soft and full, her legs long and lightly muscled. “You make yourself sound old when I know you’re not.”
“Twenty-eight.” She met his gaze with defiance. “Old enough to do what I want, the way I want it. And right now, I want you, here—” she pointed to the mattress beside her “—naked and willing.”
“All right,” he agreed as he stopped beside the bed. “But I have something for you first.”
With her gaze on his junk, she cooed in a silly voice, “Oh, I see what you have for me. Thank you.”
Knowing he was hard, Baxter laughed. “Actually, I meant this.” He lifted the spray bottle and held it out to her.
If he’d offered her a snake, she couldn’t have looked more wary. “What is it?”
“A personal sized, refillable, clip-on bug spray.” He showed her the flexible clip on the back. “It can go onto a belt or just the waistband of your jeans or shorts. Maybe even a purse, though I don’t think you carry one while working here.”
Silence.
Baxter looked at her face and found an expression he hadn’t seen before, sort of bemused and uncertain, and maybe...softened?
He cleared his throat. “With so many bugs around the park, I figured you could carry it on you. If another lands on you, just give it a zap and it’ll head the opposite direction real fast—”
Her body landing against his ended his explanation. He dropped the spray to the floor and closed his arms around her. “What’s this?”
She rained kisses all over his face. “That’s the nicest gift I’ve ever received.”
Frowning, Baxter tried to lean her away so he could see her face, but she clung to him. He felt her shudder, heard a sniff, and his heart damn near stopped.
“Are you crying?”
She bit his shoulder, not a gentle nip either, and said, “I’m not crying, you’re crying.” Then she laughed, and sure enough, when she leaned back to see him, tears swam in her eyes. “That really was sweet. Thank you.”
With more questions to ask, Baxter tumbled her backward into the bed and pinned her down with his body. Somehow, by the luck of fate, her legs were around him, his cock perfectly aligned with her soft, warm sex.
Maybe he didn’t have any questions after all—
“What?” Ridley smiled up at him. “You’re looking at me funny.”
So he looked funny while fighting the urge to thrust into her? Good to know.
“What?” she asked again, her hands stroking his shoulders, his neck.
Only because he thought this might be important, Baxter tamped down the lust—but it wasn’t easy. “You’re telling me that bug spray is a better gift than the usual, like flowers or dinner out?”
She snorted. “Clichéd crap. Who needs it?”
Was she wiggling against him on purpose? Maybe testing his willpower? Honest to God, it felt like he’d almost slipped into her just now.
He felt heat rising up his spine and had to concentrate hard to say, “Is that right?”
“A personal-sized defense against bugs, though...well, don’t freak out, but that’s personal. It’s for me, not just any woman, and I appreciate it.” Wearing the softest expression he’d ever seen on her, she leaned up to brush her lips over his. “And now we only have twenty minutes, so unless you plan to go bareback, how about finding a condom so we can get on with it?”
He smothered her teasing with a kiss, but damn, he was tempted. He was already right there, the head of his cock sliding back and forth against her wetness. No doubt she was on the pill, but there were other things to consider besides babies, so he did the responsible thing and moved off her, snagged his shorts, found a condom and rolled it on in record time.
When he turned back to her, she smiled, and he was on her like a marauder. Apparently, she loved it, because she opened her legs to him, then lifted to meet his first hard thrust.
Wet and hot and as ready as him.
Perfection.
He moved over her, in her, loving the clasp of her body on his erection, the way she tried to take him deeper, how she tilted her hips against him.
Every sound she made spurred him on. She was just as frantic, her hands grabbing him everywhere, her ankles crossed tight over his lower back.
“Baxter,” she demanded, panting.
He put his face in her neck, breathing her in, doing his best to hold off while ramping up the pace, the pressure.
“Baxter,” she cried again, gasping.
So close. So damn close. He ground against her.
“Baxter.” Her body bowed beneath him, her face twisted in her pleasure, muscles straining.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he growled, then he let himself go, a flood of pleasure crashing through him. He collapsed on her, but immediately flipped so she was sprawled over him.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to move for work now?”
He swatted her very sexy rump and said, “We both do.”
“Next time, we gotta wake up earlier. I haven’t even had coffee!”
Next time. Nice to know she was thinking along the same lines as him. While his hand was on her ass anyway, he cuddled and asked, “Do I have to wait until 8:00 tonight?”
He felt her grin against his chest, then she lifted her head. “No.”
He smiled, too. “Want me to go grab you some coffee while you get ready?”
That sweet but perplexed look flitted over her face again. “Just so we’re clear, I’m not a woman who turns down nice offers like that, so don’t say it unless you mean it.”
He bit her bottom lip. “I mean it.” Rolling again, he put her under him. “I always say what I mean.” With one last kiss, he pushed off the bed.
They hadn’t had the talk he’d planned, Baxter thought as he dragged on his wrinkled shorts and shirt, but getting that reaction—for bug spray, of all things—was probably better anyway. The sex was definitely better.
Ridley brushed past him on her way into the bathroom. “Thank you.” He heard the
shower start.
“Be back as quick as I can.” After stepping into his shoes, he headed out the door, finger-combing his hair as he walked. It was early enough that only a few people were up and about, but Maris would have the coffee ready.
They could talk anytime; tonight—or even tomorrow morning.
Thinking that, he decided he’d need to run home for a change of clothes and probably a razor.
He was just about to step into the store when the gravity of his thoughts hit him.
Mentally, he backpedaled. He couldn’t plan to stay over with her two nights in a row. He should be planning not to.
He knew where this path was headed and he didn’t want to go there. He’d already visited once, bought the T-shirt, and only sucky memories remained. Since he wasn’t a masochist, he’d decided to never head that way again. Hurt, humiliation...no thank you.
Love ’em and leave ’em. That was the safe road. The comfortable road.
He’d been coasting that way with no problems...until meeting Ridley.
Just sex, he insisted to himself as he stalked into the store, his mood taking a nosedive into bitter territory.
Sex in the evening, great.
And if they decided on sex in the morning, then he’d just arrive at the park a little earlier.
Never mind that holding her all night had been nice, she didn’t want things to get serious any more than he did.
“Good morning,” Maris said, swinging her long blond braid off her shoulder. “Coffee?”
“Two please. To go.” It struck him that Maris was always at the damn store, and she never seemed to be just arriving. No matter how early he rolled in, she was there, raring to go, never harried. “Do you sleep?”
She blinked at him. “Yes?”
“How, when you’re always here?”
“I’m not,” she protested, already filling the disposable mugs. “But time is money, you know, so I like to get here early.”
“And leave late?”
She shrugged, then indicated the cups. “Two, huh?”
Baxter shook his head at the way her big brown eyes widened in question. “To save you from asking, one is for Ridley.”
She eyed his unshaved face and rumpled clothes, then doctored one cup with cream and sugar, the way Ridley preferred it. “Since you commented on me being early, should I mention that you’re...late?”
Daron saved him by dragging in, looking worse than Baxter did as he said, “Maris, honey, I hope you made the coffee strong because after the night I had, I need it,” around a wide yawn.
Her teasing smile disappeared and those big brown eyes narrowed.
“Ass,” Baxter accused as he took the coffee and left.
He hadn’t been gone long, so he wasn’t surprised to hear the shower still going when he stepped into Ridley’s RV. He put one cup on her dinette table and then rapped on the bathroom door. “Hey, I have to run. Coffee is out here waiting for you.”
The shower shut off. “I’ll be out in two minutes.”
And I’ll have already left. “Don’t rush.” If she stepped out naked, he was a goner. He needed to split while his willpower held firm. “I’m already running late.” Damn, he sounded lame. “I’ll see you tonight.” Without waiting for her to answer, he hurried from the RV.
He’d see her again tonight because he couldn’t resist, but he’d make damn sure to keep things on an even keel. No more gifts. No more getting waylaid by her personality shifts.
And no more sleeping through the night.
* * *
Wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping, Ridley rushed out of the shower and looked around. A steaming cup of coffee sat on her dinette. Baxter, the coward, was nowhere to be seen.
Oh, but she’d known. She’d heard it in his voice, the miserable jerk. And to think she’d been feeling... Damn him, she’d felt connected.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Hadn’t she learned anything since her divorce?
Would he come back tonight? She gave it a quick thought and decided that yes, he most definitely would. He wanted sex, after all.
Well, he wouldn’t be disappointed. She’d give him that, but only that—and not a single thing more.
14
That afternoon, Phoenix texted Ridley to ask, Lunch? She needed to catch her up on what had happened. As it was, Ridley would be pissed that she hadn’t been told right away.
Ridley immediately messaged back, Yes! When?
I’m free in 5.
My place, Ridley returned.
Phoenix wondered if her sister actually had any food in her RV, but if not, they could walk down to the store. She wanted to talk to Ridley more than she wanted to eat, anyway.
Her sister was pacing under the canopy when Phoenix arrived. Ridley took one look at her, and grabbed her up close for a bruising hug.
“I swear,” she complained into Phoenix’s ear, “I see less of you now that I’m living yards away than I did when we each had our own houses.”
It said a lot, Phoenix thought, that Ridley could joke about that and neither of them winced. After all, neither of them had left their houses under ideal situations.
“What’s happened?” Phoenix asked, knowing there had to be a reason for Ridley to be so huggy.
“Baxter is still a dick.” Stepping away, she gestured for Phoenix to precede her into the RV. “He made me swoon with sex, then ran like the craven jerk he is.”
“Funny,” Phoenix remarked, “I heard he spent the night.”
“Right, he did. He also sexed me up good this morning—after he gave me a gift.”
“That all sounds really nice.” Phoenix dropped into a seat at the dinette table.
“It was—until he ran.”
“Ran?” Phoenix asked. “Or merely went to work?”
Ridley snorted. “He literally fled while I was in the shower.” Bending into the fridge, Ridley produced two loaded salads, just like Phoenix liked them. Blackened chicken, cranberries, pecans and lots of leafy greens.
“Mmm. Are we celebrating?”
Ridley put out two bottles of frosty raspberry tea next. “No.” She pulled the top off her salad bowl, then pointed her fork at Phoenix. “I can’t believe I was getting porked while some asshole was trying to terrorize you. And you didn’t tell me about it! I had to hear it from Maris, who heard it from Daron.”
Shrugging, Phoenix said, “I asked to have lunch so I could tell you now.” She dug into her salad. “Oh, man, so good.”
“You should have called me last night.”
“So you could do what?” She chewed and swallowed quickly before Ridley could argue. “I didn’t contact you because one, it was under control. Two, I wasn’t terrorized.” Much. “And three, you were getting porked.”
Ridley made a face, then conceded the point. “Fine. So give me the firsthand version. What exactly happened?”
Not a problem. Phoenix needed her sister to have the details anyway. She filled her in, only skimping on how afraid she’d really been, then summed it up with, “So of course Cooper thinks David might have had something to do with it.”
“Well, if Harry is ruled out—”
“He’s not. Cooper isn’t eliminating anyone yet, and he refuses to think it could have been a prank.”
Ridley raised a hand. “For the record, I agree with Cooper. I hate to say it, hon, but it feels like you’re being targeted.”
Yes, it did, but what to do about it, that was the big question. “Officer Clark suggested I contact David, so I tried. But he changed his number.”
Pausing in her attack on the salad, Ridley stared at her. “David changed his number?”
“It gets weirder.” She explained the plan, how she’d searched him on social media last night. “David is either off everything, or he’s set up his privacy so I can’t s
ee him.”
“No way.” Ridley produced her phone and started searching. After a minute, she said, “Huh. I can’t find him on Facebook.” She searched some more. “Not SnapChat, either.” She feverishly scrolled again. “Instagram is a nope.”
Phoenix sighed. “So it’s not just me. As my sister, he’s probably blocking you, too. Only...why would he? Especially after stopping by to say hi and wish me well?”
Ridley scowled. “Didn’t he mention the woman he’s with now?”
Nodding, Phoenix said, “Angie Perkins.”
“Right. Weren’t the two of you friends at one time?”
“We were friendly, but we were never close.”
Ridley gave her a level look. “Do you have her phone number?”
“I...” Phoenix blinked. “Yes, I think so.”
“Call her. Ask her what old David is up to, but be tactful. Sneaky even. Don’t let her know we’re suspicious of him.”
“I’m not all that suspicious.” Still, she had to admit that it was weird for him to disappear off social media.
“Well, I am,” Ridley said. “Call her.”
Phoenix bit her lip. “Now?”
“Why not now? Get it over with and then maybe you can put Cooper’s mind to rest on at least one dude.”
Actually, that seemed like a good idea. Her relationship with Cooper was new and she didn’t like these side distractions.
Plus there was the very real worry that it was his protective nature guiding things. If there was no threat to her, would he still ask her to stay over?
To give herself time to think on what to say, Phoenix ate the rest of her salad before picking up her phone.
As she sat there, procrastinating, Ridley, the jerk, started making chicken noises.
“I hope you lay an egg,” Phoenix grouched, then she called Angie.
On the third ring, Angie answered with a flat, almost antagonistic voice. “Phoenix.”
Just that, nothing more. Phoenix drew a breath. “Angie, hi. How’ve you been?”
“Really great, actually.”
A sneer? “I’m glad to hear it.” To end the awkwardness, Phoenix said, “Listen, the reason I’m calling—”
“You want to talk to David.”
