Feeling like she had just won Queen for the Day, Leila sat back in the leather seat, grinning as Callie checked out all the luxury features the limo provided. There was a TV, a stereo system, a refrigerator stocked with sodas, and a sunroof. Ryan pushed a button and the sunroof opened, so Callie could stand up and poke her head out. Leila knew it wasn’t safe, but she would allow it. There were times in a person’s life when it was worth breaking a few rules.
She smiled at Ryan who was holding her daughter by the waist, supporting her tiny frame as she rode the limo, hair blowing in the wind.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He nodded, grinning with delight. Leila couldn’t take her eyes off him. The image of him holding her daughter, the carefree smile on his face, the gleam in his eyes, made her feel weak and giddy inside. She wanted him. Badly.
He had come into their lives so unexpectedly, and he already meant so much to her and Callie. Whenever she thought of him leaving and going back to Australia, panic set in. She didn’t want to lose him. Perhaps her mother had been right when she'd cautioned her not to care too much. Ryan’s life was on the other side of the world.
Her life, and Callie’s, would not be the same without him, and she didn’t want to go back to the way it had been before. She had been lonely without realizing it, and she guessed Callie had been too. Ryan completed their little household.
But she had promised him that when the time came for him to leave, she’d happily wave him good-bye. It might be more difficult than she’d realized, but she wouldn’t go back on her word.
Callie laughed with joy, and now Ryan stood alongside her, laughing too. Watching the two of them, powerful sensations of happiness and love surged through her, and instead of fighting her feelings, she embraced them. She’d deal with the emotional crisis after he was gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Callie was disappointed when the limo pulled up to the Gurney’s Inn on Old Montauk Highway, and Ryan returned to his seat. She’d been having the time of her life, pretending to be some fabulous celebrity and waving to an imaginary crowd gathered in the street to watch her passing.
“Are we here already?” she asked, trying to look at the hotel with interest. “Maybe I should have the driver take me down the beach so that I don’t disappoint all my fans.”
Her mother laughed. “And who are you, may I ask?”
“I’m a rock star. Britney and Christine are so jealous of me, they can’t stand it.” She tossed her head, allowing her short hair to fly in the breeze. “Fame can be so trying at times.”
“Truly. Well, if your fans don’t mind, they can catch up with you later. Come on, sweetheart.” The driver opened the door, and they all stepped out. “Let’s go check out this awesome place and have a peek at the beach.”
“Uncle Ryan?” Callie grabbed his hand. “I know why you planned this, and I just want to say thanks. I’m having the time of my life already.”
“You’re welcome, luv.”
She loved when he called her that. Sometimes she missed her dad so much, she feared the emptiness inside her would swallow her completely. Uncle Ryan wasn’t her dad, but he was family. She hated that he’d been blamed for something he hadn't done and that he'd had a falling out with his entire family. She couldn’t believe her father had never mentioned him or talked to him. She didn’t want to be disrespectful to her dad, but he should have been nicer to his own brother.
She smiled at her uncle. “I’m so glad we met you. I feel like I’ve always known you.”
Her mother made a small sound, and Callie turned to her. “Don’t you feel like that, Mom? Like he’s a part of us now and we should always be together.” She grinned at him. “Of course, once I get your kidney, you’ll always be a part of me. We’ll be, like, cosmically connected.”
Ryan laughed and ruffled her hair. “I’d give you more than that if I could. Any part of me you need, kiddo.” His face turned serious, and he looked at both of them. “I love being with you guys too, but my home is in Australia, and once I’m fit to travel, I’m going to have to go back and take care of my business.”
Callie’s smile faded. “I know, but I wish you didn’t have too.”
Her mother spoke up. “If we are going to talk wishes, then I wish Uncle Ryan’s business was here instead of halfway around the world.” She smiled at him. “We’re going to miss you, but maybe next summer Callie will be well enough to travel and we can come for a few weeks.”
He nodded. “You might want to come for longer than that. It’s a big country and there’s plenty more to see than just the Barrier Reef. I bet Callie would like to see Ayers Rock and to ride a camel at Alice Springs. Wouldn’t you?"
“A camel? I thought they were only in Africa and India. Could I ride one, really?”
“Really.” He nodded solemnly. “They’re a bumpy ride though, not like a horse.”
The driver had their bags and was waiting to lead them inside, so that ended the conversation, but Callie wasn’t going to let it go. It might be this weekend or after the operation, but she’d be sure to bring it up again. With any luck she’d get her mother to promise a really long trip.
Maybe her mother could fall in love with her uncle and they could all live together. There might be a happy ending after all.
***
Ryan had booked a cottage for the weekend, since it was as close to the ocean as he could get. As he opened the door he breathed a sigh of relief. It was as nice as he’d remembered from his youth. The main room was homey looking with its beamed ceiling and wood paneling, and the windows with their spectacular view made the place bright and spacious.
Leila and Callie headed straight outside to the deck to enjoy the sea air and the splendid sight of the beach and ocean. The hotel was located on a bluff, and their cottage was well away from the highway.
He placed their bags in the larger of the two bedrooms, the one with the ocean view, and took the smaller bedroom for himself. It wasn’t the Ritz Carleton, but it was a wonderful beach resort for a nice weekend getaway.
He walked out onto the balcony. “So how does it look?” It was late morning and dozens of people were on the beach--kids splashing in the water, couples strolling hand in hand, and others lounging in beach chairs.
“It looks awesome,” Callie said. “I wish I could jump right into the water, or even just walk the beach. Maybe next year.”
“For sure next year,” he told her confidently.
“I might like to take a walk later," Leila said, looking at her daughter. “But I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“You go for your walk,” Ryan said. "Callie and I will have fun lying around on the beach. Exercise is highly overrated, and we don’t have to do anything physical. We’re here to relax, aren’t we, luv?”
Callie smiled at him, and it made his heart swell with pride. He’d never been adored before, and it was too damn bad that he had to donate a kidney to get someone to worship him like this. He’d take it just the same.
“Why don’t you two get settled in," he said, "while I go to the front desk and arrange for a car? The limo seemed like a good idea at the time, but we’re going to need something to drive around in.”
“Good idea.” Leila gave him a sweet smile, drawing his attention to her mouth. Heat flashed through him as he recalled the kisses they’d shared, and he wondered if the memories had the same effect on her. He hoped so, because later tonight when Callie was in bed and the moon had cast its magic spell over the ocean, he had serious plans to kiss her senseless. She needed some loving bad.
He dragged his gaze away from her and cleared his throat. “I’ll see if I can rustle up some food too," he said.
“Another excellent idea,” Leila said, the sparkle in her eyes indicating she knew exactly what he was thinking. And that she fully approved of his plans.
He stared at her, captivated by the change in her. He saw the woman he’d glimpsed in Australia, a woman unencumbered by the sort of traum
a no one should have to deal with alone. This woman was relaxed and smiling and almost joyful. This woman was damned hard to resist. He stood unmoving, reluctant to leave. If Callie hadn't been there… When Leila raised her eyebrows, silently questioning why he was still there, he turned and left.
When he returned Leila and Callie were back on the deck and wearing their swimsuits. He'd seen Leila in a swimsuit before, the same modest two piece she had on now, when she'd been on his boat in Australia. So why did he feel like he'd been punched in the stomach as he stared at her, stretched out on a deck chair, eyes closed and smiling as the sun bathed her in light and warmth? He already knew she had a spectacular body, so looking at it now should be easy. And he wasn't some green kid who'd never been attracted to a woman before.
He swallowed hard. Dammit, he was practically salivating.
Callie must have heard him, because she turned her head to look at him. He walked out on the deck, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun.
“Whew, it’s hot. You girls cooking?”
Callie sat up, but Leila didn't stir. He wondered if she had fallen asleep. "The sun’s warm,” Callie said, “but there's a nice sea breeze up here. You want to join us?”
“I’m waiting on the car. They're going to deliver it in about thirty, forty minutes. I found out there’s a couple of restaurants in the hotel. Want to eat there or should I go and pick something up for us?”
“Would you mind?” Leila asked, her voice sounding sleepy. “It’s so lovely out here and I was just dozing off.”
“Nope. Not at all. Put your requests in, and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Can I come with you, Uncle Ryan?”
He told her sure, he’d enjoy her company, and she headed inside for a cover-up to pull on over her bathing suit. Ryan couldn’t help but notice how terribly thin she was. Her ribcage stuck out, you could slice meat with her hipbones, and she looked like a strong wind would blow her down.
“You okay?” he said to Leila. She looked okay, better than okay, but he thought he’d ask.
“Uh-huh. This was a great idea, Ryan. It’s so relaxing out here. The tension is slipping right out of me.”
He sat down on Callie's chair. “I’m glad. You need a little backrub while I’m here? That would help with the tension.”
“I’m fine, but thanks.”
“Okay. Maybe when we get back. So, what do you want for lunch?”
“If they have lobster rolls, I’ll be in heaven.”
“I’ll do my best.” As he stood he advised her to turn over. She was already getting pink.
She frowned, looking down at herself, and asked if he could put lotion on her back before he left.
“Nothing would give me greater pleasure.”
He squirted suntan lotion onto his hand and spread it across her back. He thought he heard her purr. He felt like purring himself. Her skin was warm and enticingly soft, and he took care to cover all of her with the lotion. Even when he had thoroughly covered her back, he used more lotion and kept rubbing, feeling some of those tight muscles in her shoulders start to give way under his ministrations. She sighed and seemed to sink deeper into the chair, and he thought that this might be the first time he'd put a woman to sleep while he himself was getting dangerously aroused.
“I’m ready to go.”
He jerked his head around and saw Callie standing at the door watching them. He stood quickly, wiping his hands on Leila's towel.
“Catch you later, Leila,” he said.
She turned her head and smiled at him. She may have seemed half-asleep, but the look on her face told him she'd gotten just as aroused as he. "Thanks," she said.
“You’re welcome.”
Callie and Ryan walked along the beach, heading for the beachfront restaurant. “You like my mom, don’t you?” Callie asked abruptly.
“I do. My brother always had good taste, and so it’s no big surprise that I’d like his wife.”
“Does that mean you can’t get romantically involved? Is that like some kind of breach of honor or something?”
“Something like that.” He readjusted his sunglasses on his nose, staring straight ahead.
“That’s too bad, because I think Mom needs a new husband, and she really likes you. I haven’t seen her flirt with anyone before, and she gets kind of giggly and blushes a lot around you.”
“She does? I never noticed.”
“Watch next time.”
“I will. So what should I do about it? She’ll be okay when I leave, won’t she?”
“Uh-huh. She’s stronger than she looks.”
He decided it was time to change the subject before his big mouth got him into trouble. “Did you ever come here with your dad?”
“Mom and I would spend some time out here on the island in the summer, usually in South Hampton, and Dad would come on the weekends. But he was in and out too soon.”
“Did you go sailing with your dad?”
“Oh, yeah, lots. Dad kept a small boat on the Jersey shore near Point Pleasant. He and I would go out. Mom didn’t like it much.”
“Why not?”
“She thought the boat was too small.” Callie shrugged. “She gets claustrophobic.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I’m sure there’s lots of things you don’t know about us. Like, we just found out you could fly an airplane.” Callie giggled. “I bet this weekend we can learn all sorts of things about each other.”
“Tell me more about your mom. Why is she claustrophobic?”
“My great-grandfather owned a funeral home and they lived in a house back of it. Mom sometimes played in the funeral home with her sister, and one day they were playing hide-and-seek and she hid in a coffin. She couldn’t get out. She was locked in there for almost half an hour, and she was so freaked out that even now she can’t stand being in small spaces. I know I would be.”
“Me too.” Ryan rubbed a hand over his chin. “That’s a pretty scary story. I sure hope you never hid in dangerous places like that.”
“You kidding me? Mom warned me often enough, so I never hid anywhere that wasn’t in plain view.” Callie added, “I missed not having a brother or sister, though. Mom lost two babies after me.”
“That is a shame. I didn’t know.” They had reached the hotel’s restaurant, and he opened the door for her. “The weekend has only begun, but already we’re learning a lot about each other.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The car was delivered before Ryan and Callie returned with lunch. Leila tried to give the man who brought the key her credit card, but he told her it had already been taken care of.
She went back out on the deck with her book, wondering when they'd be back. Shading her eyes, she spotted them walking along the shoreline, Callie ankle deep in the water. Even from this distance she could see her daughter laughing as the waves rippled around her legs. Ryan was keeping his hand lightly on her arm, giving her needed support.
His thoughtfulness touched her heart.
His idea to come here had been so unexpected and so wonderful. Her daughter needed this, and so did she. During working hours she managed to keep her stress under control, or was at least too busy to think of it. But here, where she was able to relax, the tension was leaving her body, and all her worries were put on hold.
She went to the railing and waved to Ryan and Callie; they waved back. She tidied up the balcony, folding the towels so Ryan wouldn’t have a conniption fit, straightened the chairs, and set the outdoor table with the placemats she found in the kitchen.
A minute later Ryan and Callie entered the room, waving a bag that smelled awfully good.
“No lobster rolls, I’m afraid," Ryan said, "but I did get us some fried grouper sandwiches and sweet potato French fries.”
She grinned. “My stomach thanks you. We had such a light breakfast that I’m sure we’re all starved.”
After they demolished their lunch, they strolled down to the beach. Leila took
a long walk, leaving Ryan and Callie contentedly lazing in recliners.
It was a beautiful day, the sun beaming down from a cloudless sky and the temperature around eighty. The ocean breeze kept her cool, and she enjoyed her hike along the edge of the water. It was more difficult walking than she’d expected, as the white sand was soft and she kept sinking into it.
Good for the calf muscles, she figured, pushing on. An hour later she returned, and found the pair of them snoozing, snoring almost identical snores.
Smiling, she sat on the third recliner and watched Ryan as he slept, enjoying these few minutes when she could watch him without him knowing. He was definitely a fine looking specimen, with perfect six-pack abs, soft sun-bleached hair on his chest, square shoulders, and a narrow, trim waist. He had long, muscular legs that led her eyes to other areas of his delectable looking body.
“What are you staring at?” He opened his eyes, squinting at her.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“I was, but I felt your eyes on me.”
“You did not.”
“I did too.”
She smiled. “Okay, maybe they were—just a little. I was checking to make sure you weren’t getting too sun-burned.”
“So, what did you think? How’d I look?” He smiled a teasing, knowing grin.
“You’ll do.” She pushed her sunglasses down her nose and looked directly at him. “Ryan, thank you for this.”
“You’ve very welcome. I’m glad you agreed to come.”
“So am I.” She lay back, loving the feel of the sun caressing her face, her body, her legs. She was deliciously warm all over. “I forgot how good it feels to do nothing but lie at the beach.”
“If you moved to Australia, you’d have plenty of sunshine and the best beaches in the world. Nothing is better.”
She swallowed hard. The thought of moving to Australia was so out of the realm of possibility, it confused her for a moment. Myriad emotions rose in her, but she didn’t want anything to spoil this wonderful serenity she had going. “Yes, well, whatever," she answered vaguely.
“Not that you have any reason to move there, of course. I mean, I know your life is here.”
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE TRILOGY Page 14
