Every Move She Makes

by Jannine Gallant

  “Are we going someplace in particular?”

  “Just following the moon path.”

  Her teeth flashed in the darkness. “Kane Lafferty, I believe you’re a romantic.”

  “Promise not to tell. It’d ruin my tough-guy image.”

  “You’re about as tough as a marshmallow.”

  He dropped the paddle and held out a hand. “Come over here and say that.”

  “I would, but I have all the blankets.”

  “Good point.” Stepping carefully, he left his seat to settle with her in the bottom of the canoe. His arms came around her as he pulled her against his chest.

  Rachel unfurled a blanket to cover them. “This is cozy. I could stay out here all night.”

  “Suits me.”

  “Unfortunately, Jade and Ivy would worry.”

  His chin rested on her head. “Lark doesn’t worry about you?”

  “Not when she thinks she knows what I’m doing. She said this canoe ride was just an excuse to make out.”

  His laughter echoed across the lake. “That’s one smart girl you have.”

  “I know. It’s part of our problem.”

  “Right now I can’t remember any of mine.”

  He tilted her head to cover her lips with his. She responded with an eagerness that left him shaken.

  Drawing a ragged breath, she leaned against him. “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Make me feel like I can fly to the moon on a single kiss.”

  “Honey, I’m right there with you.” He kissed her again, his lips trailing down the side of her neck.

  Her eyes closed on a soft moan. “I’m ready to chuck those rules we made.”

  “You couldn’t have told me that while we were on dry land?” His palm stroked up the length of her arm. “If we chuck them right now, we’ll capsize the canoe.”

  “What if we bend them a little?”

  “We can bend them all you like, but first you’re going to have to turn around. I’m getting a kink in my neck.”

  The boat rocked dangerously as Rachel squirmed until she was lying half on top of him. “Better?”

  “So good it hurts.” His arms shook as he held her and poured all the frustration built over their days apart into another kiss. Taking a deep breath, he broke away. “Unless you’re willing to peel those pants off right now, I think we’d better stop.”

  One finger traced his mouth. When he drew it between his lips, she gasped.

  “I’m willing.”

  His heart stuttered then pounded in an erratic beat. “I’m not joking, Rachel.”

  “Neither am I. If I could just get my shoes off…”

  “Oh, Christ, I don’t have any protection.”

  “That’s okay. I’m on the pill.”

  “I promise I don’t have anything contagious. Are you sure about this? I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

  “I thought about you a lot while you were gone.” She touched his cheek. “I missed you. I thought I was making the smart choice by not getting involved, but life doesn’t come with guarantees. Putting your heart on the line is always a risk. You’re worth it.”

  He cradled her face in his hands. “I missed you, too. More than I thought I would. More than I felt comfortable missing any woman. It isn’t just about the sex. I hope you know that.”

  “I do. We may find a relationship between us is just too complicated in the long run, but at least we’ll have tonight.”

  His mouth covered hers, kissing her until she whimpered. With quick movements, she jerked off her shoes and pulled her legs free of her pants. His hand explored her wet readiness. Knowing she wanted him made him ache even more. With trembling fingers, he pushed down the waistband of his sweatpants. When her hand closed around him, he gently pulled it away.

  “I’m not going to last long as it is.”

  “That’s okay because neither am I. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.”

  Lifting her hips, he settled her on top of him. The breath left him in a whoosh, and it took a moment to find some control. When he urged her into motion, she slid up and down, up and down, tearing away his defenses. Gritting his teeth, he held on until her body quaked around him then let himself go. Rachel collapsed against his chest, her heart pounded in rhythm with his.

  He stroked her back as all his tension drained away.

  “If I wasn’t afraid of capsizing us, I’d prove I can last longer than a half a minute.”

  “You didn’t hear me complaining.” Her hair hung in tangles around her face as she gazed down at him. “I don’t know if I can move.”

  “You don’t have to.” Very carefully, he rolled them over.

  When they made love again, it was slow and sweet and lasted a lot longer than thirty seconds.

  An hour later, Kane docked the canoe and helped her ashore.

  She glanced back. “What about the blankets?”

  “I’ll get them in the morning.”

  Hand in hand, they walked to her cabin. Taking her face between his palms, he kissed her slowly and thoroughly before finally letting her go. She went inside, closing the door behind her, leaving him alone in the night.

  * * * *

  He rose from the shadows and walked down to the canoe. Pulling out a blanket, he buried his face in the soft folds. It smelled of sex. Jordan had betrayed him. After all these years of waiting, she’d betrayed him. His face crumpled.

  No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more waiting for her to realize they were meant to be together. Obviously, she wasn’t as sensitive as he’d thought if she believed Lafferty was the right man for her. Or maybe she didn’t care. Maybe she just wanted sex. If that were the case, he’d be the one to give it to her.

  He was through being patient. Jordan didn’t deserve such thoughtfulness. Obviously, his concern for her feelings had been misplaced. If she was going to act like a slut, he’d treat her like one.

  Chapter 8

  Their last morning at the lake, the girls swam while Rachel sunbathed with Mimi and Tiffany. The three women had formed a strong bond during their week together. Exchanging phone numbers, they promised to get together again before the summer was over.

  Ozzie outdid himself for lunch, serving delicious barbecue beef sandwiches. Rachel had just finished her meal when Dennis Olmstead cornered her.

  “Since you and I are both nature fans, I was wondering if you’d like to go hiking with me once we’re back home again. I know some great trails.”

  Rachel hesitated. She didn’t want to encourage the man, but she didn’t have the heart to issue a flat out rejection. His expression as he gazed into her eyes reminded her of Daisy begging for a treat.

  “Actually, Dennis, the girls and I aren’t going home yet. We’ll be spending some time in Tahoe with their grandparents. Afterward, I’ll be awfully busy catching up at work.”

  “I understand. Maybe sometime later in July?”

  “If not, I’m sure we’ll bump into each other once school starts. Jade will be in middle school this year.”

  “I’ll give you a call in a few weeks to see if you’re free. I don’t have a lot of commitments in the summer, so I can work around your schedule.”

  He hadn’t taken her hint. Rachel forced a half-hearted smile and backed away. Turning, she nearly ran into Tiffany and Curt.

  Tiffany pressed a hand to her mouth but couldn’t cover a broad smile. “Aren’t you Little Miss Popular? First a private canoe ride with Kane, and now Dennis is begging you for a date.”

  Rachel grimaced. “I tried to let him down easy.”

  “I bet you didn’t say no to Kane last night.”

  Her cheeks heated. “Uh, are you going down to the lake this afternoon?”

  “Maybe later.” She tucked her hand through Curt’s arm. “All this talk about dating has put me in the mood for a...nap. We’ll catch you later, Rachel.”

  “S
ure. Have fun.” Grinning, she turned and bumped into Kane. His hands came out to steady her then remained at her waist.

  “I guess I should look where I’m going. I keep running into people.”

  “You can run into me anytime.” His eyes twinkled. “Want to go for a walk?”

  She nodded. “Let me get Daisy and check on the girls first.”

  “They can come with us if they want. I’d like to get to know them better.”

  Warmth seeped through her. If Kane was interested in spending time with her girls, then maybe their evening together had been about more than sex. She’d lain awake half the night, shaken by her own audacity. Rachel Carpenter didn’t have one-night stands. The fact that she’d been willing to throw all her standards aside for this man she barely knew frightened her more than a little. She wanted—needed—normal, and a stroll by the lake was a good place to start.

  “Where were you this morning?” She let her arm rub against his as they walked toward the cabin.

  “I had a few phone calls to make, and the reception is better up above the camp. I talked to my lieutenant and told him I’d be gone for a couple more weeks. I’m not ready to go back to work yet.” He brushed a hand over his chest. “I’m not sure I ever will be. Truthfully, I’ve considered resigning.”

  After she untied Daisy and snapped on her leash, they turned down the path toward the water. “Have you thought about what you’d do instead?”

  “My options are limited. I’m not trained for anything but police work.”

  “There must be plenty of opportunities for someone with your experience. After all, you have some unique skills.”

  He grimaced. “I’d make a hell of a bodyguard. Seriously, though, I might look into security, or maybe I’ll get my PI’s license. I’m not ready to make any big decisions yet.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Right now I want to be like Jed and spend all my time outside playing. I think I’ll stick around here for a while longer.”

  “Then that’s exactly what you should do. Give yourself a break.” When they stopped at the lake’s edge, Rachel shaded her eyes against the glare off the water. “Do you see the girls?”

  He pointed. “They’re over on those rocks.”

  They walked down the shore to an outcropping of rocks that jutted into the lake. Jade and Ivy were hunched over a fishing line dangling in the water.

  Kane squatted. “What have you got there?”

  “Crawdads.” Jade held up a bucket. “The biggest one snapped the leg off a littler one. It was so cool.”

  Rachel made a face. “Are you planning on eating them?”

  “Eew! That’s gross.” Ivy poked one of the crawdads. “We’re just seeing how many we can catch. Ozzie gave us some leftover chicken to use as bait. When we’re done, we’ll dump them back in the lake.”

  “Kane and I are going for a walk. Would either of you like to join us?”

  Ivy shook her head. “We hiked too far yesterday. My legs are still tired.”

  “What about you, Jade?”

  “I’d rather catch crawdads.”

  “Then I guess we’ll go without you. Have you seen Lark?”

  “She went out in a canoe with Kevin.” Jade pointed toward the far side of the lake.

  “Lauren didn’t go with them?”

  “I think Lark and Kevin wanted to be alone. I saw him kiss her earlier.” Ivy giggled.

  Jade frowned. “You’re such a tattle-tale.”

  “I’m not tattling. I’m sharing an observation.”

  Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. “What your sister does with Kevin or any other boy isn’t your business, Ivy.”

  “Fine, but you might want to check her for hickeys when they get back.”

  Jade gave her a push. “I bet you don’t even know what a hickey is.”

  “I do, too. Grab the line. We’ve got another crawdad.”

  Rachel and Kane left the girls and continued their stroll along the lake. In the heat of the afternoon, sweat dampened her back. Kane took off his T-shirt and slung it over his shoulder.

  “Are they always like that?”

  Rachel rolled her eyes. “Frequently they’re worse.”

  “They seem like good kids. Are you worried about Lark being alone on the lake with a boy?”

  “After what we managed to do in a canoe, I can’t help being a little concerned. Still, I’m not going to overreact. Kevin’s a nice boy, and they’re in view of half the camp.”

  He draped an arm over her shoulders. “About that? When do we get to do it again?”

  She coughed and choked, but a laugh sputtered out.

  When he pulled her against him, her hands rested on his warm chest. The kiss they shared was long and lingering and full of promise.

  Taking a breath, she pulled away. “Now might not be the best time.”

  “You’re right.” He released her but reached for her hand as they resumed their walk. “When can I see you again?”

  “We’ll be in Tahoe through the weekend, and then we’ll be home. Why don’t you call me when you’re finished communing with nature. I’ll let you take me on a real date.”

  “Dinner and a movie, that kind of date?”

  She nodded. “This place is great, but it isn’t exactly real life. It’s like meeting on one of those reality TV shows.”

  “Except the poor suckers stuck on some deserted island don’t have Ozzie around to cook for them.”

  “Too bad I don’t have a couple dozen gorgeous bachelors throwing themselves at my feet.”

  “You have a half-dozen. There’s me and Olmstead. He may not be gorgeous, but he’d probably kiss your toes if you’d let him. Then there’s Chip and Bob and Curt.”

  “Curt, are you kidding? At this very moment, Curt and Tiffany are getting it on in their cabin.”

  “Well, I could be wrong about Curt, but old George would drop Rita in a heartbeat if you gave him a second glance. And don’t get me started on Jed. The only reason my brother isn’t actively pursuing you is because I can still whip his ass in a fight.”

  Rachel laughed so hard she had to sit down. “It’s nice to know I have such amazing power over men.”

  “As long as you use your power for good, I won’t hold it against you.” Kane sat next to her on the fallen log and wrapped his arms around her.

  “I thought you were the serious type, but deep down you’re as nutty as my sister.” Rachel leaned against his shoulder. “I’m going to miss your sense of humor.”

  “Is that all you’ll miss?”

  “Maybe not quite all.”

  He tilted her head and kissed her. His tongue stroked into her mouth, building her desire to flammable levels. When he released her, Rachel pressed a hand to her chest.

  “Do you have this effect on every woman you meet?”

  “Not that I’ve noticed.”

  “Then it must be me. My moral fiber is weak.”

  “Or maybe we’re just good together.” His hand covered hers.

  Rachel sighed. “We’d better stop. Lark and Kevin seem to be drifting in this direction, and I don’t want to give them any ideas.”

  “He’s a fifteen-year-old boy. He already has ideas.” Slowly Kane removed his hand. “We’d better keep walking, or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  Following the well-beaten path along the lakeshore, Rachel threw pinecones for Daisy and studied Kane’s profile. He had a strong nose and hard jaw, but there was kindness in the curve of his lips. Compassion—and caring—was reflected in his eyes. Her heart clenched as she searched for a neutral topic.

  “Tell me about your dad. I think it’s high time we got to know each other better.”

  Kane took her hand and swung it between them. “Well, you know he was a cop. He spent thirty-five years on the Reno police force. Now he’s retired and plays a lot of golf.”

  “You said your mom died?”

  “Yeah, bre
ast cancer. It’s been tough for Jed and me but worse for Dad. He comes up here fairly often, and I try to spend time with him during the holidays.”

  “What about you? Who do you socialize with?”

  “I have a beer with the boys every now and then, but I spend most of my time at work. It used to make Diana crazy.”

  “Do you and your ex get along?” Rachel tugged the pinecone out of Daisy’s jaws and tossed it into the woods.

  “Sure. I don’t blame her for leaving me. Maybe I wasn’t as forgiving in the beginning, but now I can admit it must have been hell living with me. She’s remarried and has a baby. Her husband’s a good guy. They have the whole life in suburbia thing going on, which is what Diana always wanted.”

  “When my marriage crashed, it was anything but civilized.” Rachel kicked a stick in the path. “Bryce didn’t allow failure in his professional or personal life. He hated that I walked away from our marriage.”

  “Why did you?”

  “He was cheating on me and had been for years. For a long time I fooled myself into believing he’d change. Then one day I snapped. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I packed up the girls and moved back home to Vine Haven.”

  “Sounds like he was a complete idiot.”

  “He was a spoiled boy who grew up to be a spoiled man. He always got what he wanted, and he thought he could have it all.”

  “Why’d you marry him?”

  “I was young and stupid and crazy in love. He was a god, the star college quarterback destined for greatness. And out of all the girls on campus, he chose me.”

  “Why wouldn’t he? Jesus, Rachel, you’re beautiful, not to mention funny and smart and sexy.”

  She smiled. “Bryce was always the one in the limelight, not me. Anyway, I got pregnant with Lark my senior year, so we got married.”

  “At least he did one thing right.”

  “I think it was his dad’s idea. Ford is the salt of the earth. I know his mother was against the marriage from the beginning. She never thought I was good enough for her son. Then again, no woman would have been.”