Designed for Love (11 page)

But how?

I looked at my watch. I'd been gone way
too long. I stood, looked in the mirror, grimaced and smoothed my skirt. Time
to put an end to this charade. That was the only way. Come clean. Explain to
Nick that Bill wasn't really my boyfriend and suffer the consequences. The way
Nick and Gladys were going at it, he probably wouldn't even care. I opened the
door and slowly made my way back to the table.

Chapter Fifteen

Bill stood up as I came near the table. He
held my chair out and kissed my cheek.

"Missed you," he whispered.

I tried to move away but his kiss made
contact. The look on Bill's face asked what was wrong. I swallowed hard. Nick
and Gladys were engaged in a spit-swapping kiss. I took a breath and let it out
slow. It was now or never.

"Don't do it." Bill leaned toward
me and whispered. "Trust me on this."

I looked at him. His eyes held
understanding and something else. Somehow, he knew what I wanted to do. I put
my face in my hands and almost laughed out loud. How did this man, who I only
met– what yesterday, it seemed like I knew him forever– know what I was
thinking? But he did. I had no doubt what so ever that he knew exactly what I
was about to do.

"Wendy," his voice brought me
back from my thoughts. "It's all an act, okay. Play along. Don't blow
this."

The waiter brought our food and saved me
from having to answer.

When he left, I looked at Bill. The warning
look in his eyes told me not to say anything. I looked at Nick and Gladys and
almost puked. Good grief, they each nibbled on a piece of shrimp held between
them. Their lips met, and I wasn't sure which one of them ended up with the
shrimp.

Not that it mattered because in a matter of
seconds their open mouths locked on each other. I looked at the ceiling. I had
to look anywhere but at them or I was going to lose it.

The delicious shrimp sat in front of me
untouched, my appetite ruined. No way was I going to make it through this
lunch. I had to get out of here. Now!

Bill took my hand under the table and
squeezed my fingers. "A few more minutes. At least make the appearance of
eating."

I glanced at him, and he smiled. I moved
the food around my plate. No way could I eat. Not while they sat there like
that. Nick picked up another piece of shrimp and put it between his lips,
leaned over and Gladys grabbed hold.

That did it. I started to stand.

"Listen, if you two don't mind. Wendy
and I have a date at the beach." Bill just about pulled me back into the
chair.

Nick didn't even look up. He waved his hand
as if to say go on, and I flew out of the chair. I couldn't get out of there
fast enough.

"Come on." Bill took my arm and
led me from the restaurant. "I'll buy you a hot dog on the beach."

I held back. "I'm not going to any
beach."

"You can't make a liar out of me. You
know Nick's going to ask about it at dinner."

I groaned. Dinner, I'd forgotten about
dinner. Crap, knowing Nick he would ask about it.

"So what? We'll lie."

"Nuh uh. Not this time. Besides, a
walk on the beach will do you good."

"But I'm not dressed for it." I
looked down at my skirt.

"You look fine to me. You're not
wearing hose are you?" He looked at my bare legs. "Nope. You can take
off your heels and we'll walk along the surf. Nothing I enjoy more."

I shrugged. "I'd rather not." I
pulled my car keys from my purse. "Besides I need to calm down."

"Exactly why I suggested it. Nothing
calms a person like a walk on the beach."

I thought about it for a minute. I really
didn't want to spend another minute with Bill.

"Besides, there's something I want to
talk to you about."

"What?"

"I'll tell you while we walk. Would
you like to go to the hotel and change? Then we could leave your car
there." He opened my car door after I hit the remote to unlock the door.

"Yeah, I think I would. Okay, I'll
meet you back at the hotel. Give me about ten minutes to change."

"Deal."

* * *

Bill stood outside, waiting for Wendy.
Finally, she opened her door. "Sorry, I didn't mean to take so long."

He found it difficult to take his gaze
off her long legs. He forced his eyes to her face and noticed the blush. What a
sexy lady. He liked the way she tied her hair back in a loose pony tail. A few
strands escaped and curled around her face.

"Ready?" He took her elbow and
guided her to his car. She stiffened under his touch, yet he didn't let go. He
liked touching her. Hell, if he had his way, they'd be in his room not going to
the beach. He held the door, and she slid in the car with the grace of a
ballerina.

 
First one long, slender leg, then the other.
Her shorts crawled up her thigh and he felt a twinge in his pants. Sexy, very,
very sexy. Down boy. He hurried around to the driver's side of the car before
she noticed the bulge. He wanted to lean over and kiss her, but knew better.

"We are going to get a hotdog or
something to eat aren't we? I'm starved."

"You're not the only one. Although I
did manage to eat a bit more than you at the restaurant." Bill chuckled.
"We wasted a perfectly good meal, you know. Not to mention we stuck Nick
with the check."

Wendy leaned back and buckled her seat
belt. "He deserved it."

Bill pulled the car onto the highway.

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk to me
about?" I shot him a sideways glance, not trusting myself to look directly
at him. He looked terrific in his white shorts and light blue shirt. I
remembered my hand on his muscular legs and liked the way my body smoldered.
Liked the quivering in my stomach. Even the moisture between my legs. I was
dead in the water and I knew it.

"We'll talk about it over
lunch."

I wanted him with all of my being, and I
wasn't going to be satisfied until I had him. My body betrayed me. No matter
how much my brain tried to shut off the feelings, they resurfaced. Hell, even
my heart wanted to give in. Wanted to throw caution to the wind and for once in
my life, let my hair down and just do what felt good.

Something inside said, go for it. Grab at
the brass ring and enjoy life. Who knew where it might lead? Maybe it was just
a whirlwind romance and by time we got back to Ohio, it might be over. In fact, I hoped it
would. I wasn't ready for a long term relationship.

Yet, I promised myself I wouldn't give in
to casual sex either. But I was fighting a losing battle if I spent much more
time alone with Bill. Best to stay among the crowds. Definitely not going to
his room, and I certainly wasn't about to invite him into mine.

Nope, as much as I liked him, I wasn't
about to give in to the cravings of my body.

Bill handled the traffic with ease. He
looked relaxed behind the wheel, like he didn't have a care in the world. I
studied his profile. Nice nose, straight and not too long. He glanced at me and
smiled. A mischievous smile that reached his eyes. I amused him. About what I
had no idea. I liked the dimple in his chin. God only knew why. His rustic good
looks made my heart flip. This wasn't the type of guy I was usually attracted
to.

But then I really wasn't attracted to
anyone. Most of the guys I dated were clean cut, intellectual types. And I
didn't much like them. Boring, that's what they were. Boring and safe. I picked
them because I knew they wouldn't attract me. A couple dates and that was the
end of it. No relationship, no sex.

Bill pulled into the parking lot, and I
looked out at the gulf. I loved it here, the water and the sand. I especially
liked to walk on the sand every morning with a cup of coffee like I did on my
vacations on Sanibel Island. Nothing was more
relaxing in my opinion. Bill was right a walk on the beach was peaceful. Just
looking at the water calmed me.

He came around the car and took my hand.
"Ready?"

"Yeah, but I'm still starved."

"Good, follow me. I know a place
that serves the best shrimp." Bill pulled me to a stop. "Unless you
really want a hotdog."

I laughed. "Actually, I wasn't
really looking forward to a hotdog. But at this point even that sounds
good."

After we ate, Bill suggested a walk. I
looked out at the water and agreed. It looked heavenly. Already I felt more
relaxed than I had in days. He put his arm around me as we walked toward the
water. I liked the feel of it.

It made me feel safe and secure. A feeling
I hadn't felt since I'd been out on my own. My parents used to make me feel
this way. Anytime something went wrong, my father put his arms around me and
assured me it would work out.

Yet, I felt something more with Bill. A
yearning deep inside. Not just a physical yearning, something different.
Something emotional. Lord, I didn't need this right now. I didn't want to fall
in love. Why couldn't I be like other girls and give into my physical needs and
ignore the emotional?

Part of it had to do with Bill. I enjoyed
his company. He made me laugh, yet he had a serious side. I liked the pride in
his voice when he talked about his family or his dog.

"So, tell me more about your dog,
Leo, is it? I mean how does one go about rescuing a greyhound?"

"You really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I
didn't." I stopped, slipped off my sandals, and picked them up. "So,
tell me."

Bill took my hand. "It's actually
quite involved. I mean you don't just go to a place, pick one out and take it
home. First you have to fill out an application. Then they call you and set up
an interview with you, after you read a book, Greyhounds for Dummies."

"What? Greyhounds for Dummies, what
kind of book is that?" I couldn't help but laugh. What a strange name.
"I mean I've heard of other books for dummies, but Greyhounds?"

"Yep, and you can't believe the
information that book has. Most of those poor dogs have never seen the inside
of a house. They're not pets. Their skin is sensitive, and you have to protect
them from cold as well as heat and sun."

"Wow. That's interesting. So tell me
more about the rescue process."

"After you read the book they come
to your home for an interview, and they bring a greyhound along. Gives you an
idea how the dog fits in your home. They're slender but they're big dogs. Leo
weighs about 75 pounds, and he can lay his head on my kitchen counter, standing
on all fours."

"I've never seen a greyhound close
up. I had no idea how big they were. So then what happens?" I liked the
way he swung my hand while we walked along the water's edge.

"Then I went to the shelter and
walked a few of them. I actually spent about an hour there. Finally I decided
on Leo. I could have taken him home right away, but he hadn't been neutered yet
so I had to wait a week."

"So, what's Leo like?"

Bill laughed. "What's Leo like?
Hmmm." He rubbed his chin. "He's a sweetheart. But what a time I had
training him. You have to remember no one ever paid attention to these dogs.
He's three years old and no one, until the shelter that is, ever petted him or
paid attention to him. I had to housebreak him just like you do a puppy. But
they learn fast, and it didn't take long. Teaching him the simple commands,
like sit, was something else. Luckily, he's a quick learner, and he figured it
out fairly fast. They love attention. Love to be petted. They just want to
please."

"So you said you're getting another
one, why?"

"Actually they recommend you take
more than one. These dogs are used to being in crates with other dogs next to
them. I figure he could use a companion."

"Sounds like a lot to handle."

"Not too bad. Now that Leo's trained
the other one won't be as difficult. Oh, here's something interesting. The
females are kept in the top crates and jump in and out of them. They can jump
up on the kitchen counter in one swoop."

"No way. Sounds more like a
cat." I stopped and picked up a shell. "So are you going to get a
female or another male?"

"Another male. I already have him
picked out. His name is Pharaoh. Beautiful dog, buff colored. Leo is what they
call brindle, tiger striped, but more subtle."

"So there's more to it than meets
the eye. Sounds exciting. I'd like to see Leo." I bit my tongue. What made
me say that? I didn't want to continue this relationship in Ohio. Or did I? Was that my subconscious
mind taking over?

"I'm glad you said that. Actually,
what I wanted to talk to you about was hiring you."

"Hiring me? For what?"

"I told you I'm renovating an old
Queen Anne Victorian, right?"

I nodded.