Just for the Summer (12 page)

Sam stirred. Matt moved him to the bed, covered him with the sheet, and placed a kiss
on his forehead.

Dani didn’t stir in the chair, only slept like the day had worn her down. The urge
to hold her, connect with her, was overwhelming. Without thinking twice, he scooped
her into his arms and held her close to his chest. He eased her through the doorway
and down the hall to his bedroom.

She snapped awake like she’d woken from a hypnotist’s count. “What are you doing,
Sheriff?” Her voice was low and husky.

“Taking you to bed.” An image of her sprawled across his mattress riled up his hormones.
But he wanted more than just a physical release. More than just a casual jump in the
sack. Despite all the reasons he should deny himself, he wanted her in his bed. Tonight.
Now. For as long as he could have her.

Dani huffed. “You wish.”

“Even half-asleep, you’ve got a smart mouth.”
God, that mouth.

Devour. The word flashed in his mind, then sailed to his groin. He knew firsthand
about her talented mouth. He’d pulled away from her before. He wouldn’t again if given
another chance.

When they reached his bedroom, he placed her on the bed.

“What’s going on?” Dani lay back on the pillow.

Matt dropped to the other side of the bed. “Accidents like the one tonight get to
me. I can’t help but imagine the victims are people I care about. A young boy and
his mother were killed. It could have been Sam.”
And you
.

Where did these feelings for Dani come from? The accident? Remembering life was fragile
and could change at any second? He sat next to Dani on the mattress.

She shifted up and leaned against the headboard. “But it wasn’t. You’re home. Sam’s
safe.”

He couldn’t resist. He pulled her close. “I can’t ever lose him.” His voice wavered.
“Not for any reason.”

“You won’t, Matt.” With her fingertip, Dani smoothed the lines between his brows.
“So many worries for one man.” She trailed her fingers along his hairline.

He heaved a satisfied sigh. Their gazes collided. In that instant, Matt had no desire
to be anywhere else. “It’s soothing to be around you.” Now it was his turn to touch.
His fingers coasted across her eyebrows. Her nose. Her lips. “I feel connected to
you.” He placed a hand in her soft curls and cupped the warm skin behind her neck.
“Can’t explain it.” Without effort, he pulled her in, her lips lowering to his in
a gentle kiss.

Soft. Warm. Wet.

Heat shot through his veins. He deepened the kiss until it became more intimate and
openmouthed and pushed her hair from her face, smelling her fresh-scented shampoo.

Dani groaned. With a gentle tug, she was on top of him. Her heart hammered against
his. Her softness molded to his body in all the right places. He put aside the internal
arguments he’d made, forgetting the reasons touching her was a bad idea. This was
about need. Not logic. He dealt with reason every day. Now he wanted to feel.

Apparently so did Ms. S.

He let her take charge. Whatever she wanted, he’d give her. She cradled his head in
her hands, stroked her tongue against his. Entranced by her lips and teeth and tongue,
his hands coasted down to her rear end. A groan tore from Matt’s throat.

He wanted to touch everywhere. Experience everything she had to offer. He slid his
hands under her shirt, smoothing them across her soft skin.

Matt broke the kiss. His breath was fast and choppy as if the thick night air was
stuck in his chest. She grasped his shoulders, curled her fingers into his muscles.
With her mouth, she tasted and teased, and made her way down his neck. She pushed
herself up. Poised over him, she focused on his face. Her espresso-colored eyes were
wide and glassy with arousal.

“I want to touch you. Everywhere.” He brushed the bottom swell of her breasts. “I
know I should stay away. Except I don’t seem to have much control around you.”

Dani pulled back, her breathing ragged. “Control.” She pushed her hair off her face.
“Right, control. I’m afraid we’d regret this if it went any further.” She scrambled
from him then took a few steps away from the bed. “Guess I’m the one that’s going
to have to stop us this time.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.

Chapter Twelve

Dani closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Her laser printer spit out the
few measly recipes she���d managed to complete in the week since she’d last been to
Matt’s house. He and his mother knew how to handle Sam’s diabetes, and Dani no longer
needed to be there.

She stretched her arms, moved her head from side to side, and rolled her shoulders.
Her heart heavy, she trekked out to the porch. She craved contact with people. Well,
two specific people. And while she’d seen Matt and Sam nearly every day since she’d
left the job of cooking to Elaine, it wasn’t enough. If she had this much trouble
staying away from their house for a week, what was going to happen when she left at
the end of summer?

The truth was…she yearned for it all. She was falling in love with Matt Reagan. She
wanted to be in his life on a full-time basis. Wanted to be a part of his family.
Wanted Sam to know and accept that she was his mother.

Because of those desires, she knew she’d done the right thing stopping the hot and
heavy scene in Matt’s bed the other night. The words “summer gig” had flashed in her
head like an old neon sign advertising a local diner.

She glanced at the wall clock. It was almost time for her lunch date with Rachel,
so Dani changed and headed out.

Tuesday afternoons at Rosie’s was Lovely Ladies Lunch day. Even though men weren’t
officially barred in the three-hour time period, no male had ever had the courage
to participate. It was a time for the women of Lake Bliss to gossip, swap recipes,
and talk with unfiltered tongues about the men—or lack thereof—in their lives.

Rachel met Dani at the door and headed for a six-top that only had two patrons. “You
don’t mind if we take these first two seats, right?” she asked the elderly women who’d
already claimed the table.

“Go right ahead, dear,” one of the women replied.

As Dani placed her purse at one of the seats, the other woman asked, “Aren’t you the
one writing that cookbook?”

At Dani’s nod, the woman continued. “I heard everyone’s coming up with titles.” She
sat a little straighter in her chair. “Here’s mine.
I Want To Hold Your Ham
.” She snickered. “My runner up was
Sauce and the City
.”

Dani smiled. The people of Lake Bliss sure loved their puns. “I’ll jot them down,
thanks.”

Rachel offered Dani a wink and ushered her to the buffet to fill their plates.

When they returned to their seats, Rachel wasted no time digging in. “So, give me
the low down on you and Matt.” She took a bite of her pizza-pie salad.

Dani darn near choked on her iced tea. “What exactly are you asking?” As if she didn’t
know. She just wanted to stall a few minutes to figure out how much info to share.

“Why aren’t you hitting the sack with him?”

“Jeez. Why don’t you stop being shy and come right out and ask me anything?”

“I can only stay for an hour and a half.” Rachel pointed her fork at Dani. “There’s
no time for dillydallying.”

It’d been a long time since Dani had a confidante. Way before her mother’s death.
She’d missed the closeness that having a female friend could offer.

Loud laughter followed by screeching came from the area near the salad bar. Guess
somebody liked the choice of croutons. “Okay. I’ll be blunt, too. Getting involved
with Matt wouldn’t lead to anything.”

Rachel snorted. “Just the opposite. I think having a summer fling would be a blast.”

“It could mean a lot of heartache.”

“Make some ground rules. Keep it simple.”

“I think it’s more complicated than that.”

“We could ask the ladies here their opinion.” Rachel scooted her chair back and stood.

“Are you nuts? I’m not asking the entire restaurant their take on my love life.”

When Rachel hesitated, Dani yanked on her arm to sit back down.

Rachel placed her napkin on her lap. “I just wanted to prove to you that there’s probably
not a woman here who wouldn’t take the chance of having a hot-and-heavy summer romance.”

“Makes me feel so much better that all these women,” Dani said, waving her arm at
the crowd, “want to bed the sheriff.”

“You’re missing the point.”

“Which is?”

“The beauty of a summer fling.” Rachel rattled off bullet points like she was making
a PowerPoint presentation. “Date and time has to be a joint decision. You don’t feel
like it, you don’t even have to come up with an excuse. There’s no caretaking. You
don’t have to feed the guy a meal, wash his socks, or even stick around to listen
to him snore. Plus, there’s that forbidden love malarkey, which guys eat up, and he’ll
do whatever it takes to please you. Repeatedly.”

Dani flashed her a skeptical look.

“It’s win-win, Dani.”

“I think you’re a few peas short of a casserole.”

Rachel sat back against the seat. “A little one-on-one fun peppered into the summer
is just what you both need.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t disappoint.” Matt would be the right man for the job. Dani trusted
him. He’d never hurt her. They’d definitely have a good time.

“Who knows?” Rachel leaned forward. “Maybe by the end of the summer you’ll change
your mind about leaving.
”

Dani was saved from responding by the approach of a young woman.

“I have a recipe I’d like you to consider for your cookbook.” She handed Dani a sheet
of notebook paper. “I created it myself. Whenever I make it, my boyfriend says it
makes him, um, hot.” Her face pinked up at the confession.

“Thanks, I’ll certainly consider it.”

When the woman left them alone, Dani peeked at the paper. “Holy crap. This recipe
calls for a cup of hot sauce and a fourth of a cup of cayenne. No wonder it’s called
Light My Fire
.”

Rachel giggled. “She might be misinterpreting her boyfriend’s meaning of
hot
.”

Dani stuffed the recipe in her purse with a smile. These people were really starting
to grow on her.

Late-afternoon light glinted off the lake, and a nice breeze filtered through the
porch screens. Dani sipped a glass of lemonade, staring out at the lake. She caught
sight of Matt’s boat coming to shore. After docking, Sam jumped out and took off in
her direction, Matt following at a slightly more reserved pace. Dani met him halfway
between her cottage and the beach with Larry close on her heels.

“I had a big fish on my line, but it got away.” He stood with hands on hips, head
down, not meeting her gaze.

“Darn. Maybe next time.” When she opened her arms, he didn’t hesitate to be pulled
into a hug. He smelled like earthworms and little-boy sweat, and she’d give up every
ounce of perfume she owned to bottle his scent and take it with her.

“Guess what?” Sam stepped out of her arms. His face was flushed, and he bounced from
one foot to another.

She couldn’t help but smile. So much for losing the fish. “What?”

“Know that camp you told me and Dad about?”

“For diabetic kids?”

“Yep, that one.” Sam’s eyes glittered with adventure. “I get to go.”

“Awesome.” Dani gave him a high five. “You’ll love it, honey. You can swim and hike.
They’ll probably have canoeing too.”

“I only get to go to the overnight one.” The excitement in his voice lowered a few
bars.

Matt reached them in time to chime in. “But what’d I say? If you like it, maybe next
year you could go for the three-day or weeklong camp.”

Sam threw Matt a variation of an adult’s knowing gaze. “You’re probably just afraid
you’re gonna miss me too much if I go for a whole week.”

“Absolutely.” Matt ruffled Sam’s hair.

He peered from one adult to the other. “Good thing Dani’s here, huh? You guys can
hang out when I’m gone. Then you won’t be lonely.”

Matt’s expression turned hungry and lustful.

The zing started in her chest and took a direct route to previously comatose body
parts. Parts that were now wide awake and begging for attention.

Before she could manage a reply, Matt said, “Bud, you come up with some really great
suggestions.”

“Just call me the good idea kid.” Sam shifted his attention to the dog. “Come on,
Larry, I’ll throw you the ball.” They dashed off across the lawn, leaving Dani and
Matt alone.

“Sam leaves for camp in the morning.” Matt slid his intense gaze down her body. It
was as if his hands skimmed over her to touch her mouth. Her breasts. Her legs. “I’m
on duty after that until seven.”

Which would mean he’d be alone tomorrow night. She was torn between hiding inside
her cottage and inviting the sexy lawman over for dinner…and right on through to breakfast.
Maybe brunch.

Rachel’s words filled Dani’s head.
Win-win.
In her lust-induced stupor, she managed to say, “Would you like to come to my place?
We can hang out and then you won’t be lonely. Just like Sam said.” Dani had never
smoked a cigarette in her life, but by the gravelly tone of her voice one would think
she’d been at it since birth.

He let loose with a lazy smile. “Uh-huh. And what will we do? Play video games? Make
a fort out of blankets?”

“I was thinking something more grown up.” She reached for his hand and brushed her
thumb across the backs of his knuckles. “I want you. I trust you.”

His hand closed around her wrist and pulled her close. Dani had to resist the urge
to fling her arms around him. She wanted to feel his hard body next to hers. Wanted
to act on her fierce desire to wrap her legs around his waist.

“What do you say, Sheriff? Feel like having a sleepless sleepover?”

…

With a soft knock, Matt let himself into Dani’s screened-in porch and continued through
to the kitchen. She stood at the counter barefoot, opening a bottle of wine. She wore
a short, red halter-style sundress whose straps hugged her breasts and bared her shoulders.
Soon, he’d find out how the material came untied.

When she’d finished pouring the wine, she looked up at him, enthusiasm shining in
her eyes. The air around him became charged like a storm was brewing.

He watched her expression as she took in his uniform, top to bottom. She flashed him
a flawless smile. “You here on official business, Sheriff?” She picked up two wineglasses,
heading in his direction.

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat to get rid of the hoarseness. “I’m going to officially
make you forget your name and learn how to scream mine.” He received a give-me-a-break
expression, which he probably deserved for his lame line.

“Just what I like. A shy man who doesn’t exaggerate his abilities.”

He set a brown grocery bag on the table and accepted the drink she offered.

She glanced to her right. “What’s in the bag?”

“I brought some…supplies.”

“Supplies? Like for what? Barbecuing?”

He barked out a laugh. “Take a look.”

With her index finger, she pulled at the top of the bag to peek over the edge. She
choked on her first sip of wine. Her eyes were wide with shock when she cast a glance
at him. “You brought six boxes of condoms?”

“Didn’t want to run out.”

“In your lifetime?”

“Tonight.” He flashed what he hoped was a seductive smile.

She licked her lips in what seemed like the slowest possible motion. He didn’t know
squat about heart rates, but he couldn’t recall his ever being so fast.

“I think I’m gonna need a blood-pressure cuff to get through the night.” He set down
his drink, reached over the bag, trailed a finger down her cheek, over her lips and
chin. When his gaze drifted lower, it got hung up on her breasts. His breathing was
ragged. “Might need oxygen too, Ms. Sullivan.”

Dani gave him a playful swat. “Might be time you call me Dani.” He grasped the backs
of her thighs and lifted her onto the table. Her hands clasped his upper arms. “Should
we talk about this?”

“I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say once I have you naked.” He slid his hands under
her dress, smoothed them up her thighs for some skin-on-skin contact.

She trailed her fingers across his chest, outlining his badge and name tag, stalling
on his buttons. Staring at his shirt, her indecision over whether she should work
on the buttons was obvious.

“Go ahead.”

She slipped the top button through its hole. The tips of her fingers brushed against
his chest. He closed his eyes. By the end of the night, he wanted to know the sensation
of her fingers discovering his entire body. She worked down the front of his shirt,
stopping when she reached his belt.

“Is this a good idea?”

He opened his eyes and focused on her. It’d been a while since a woman looked at him
with such desire. “Don’t know, but we’re going to do it. And I think it’ll be amazing.”
He tugged his shirt out of his pants, made quick work of the last few buttons, then
balled it up and tossed it aside. “Please. Tell me you’re ready this time. Say yes.”

Before he even had a chance to worry about her answer, she looked at him with a gleam
in her eyes. “I don’t care if tonight may be all we have. I want this.”

The pressure in his chest lessened. He was humbled at the amount of trust Dani had
for him.

He wrenched off his sleeveless undershirt and let it drop to the floor.

Her breath hitched. Where her gaze lingered, her fingers followed. His pecs. Over
his abs. She stopped when she made it to his belt buckle. He reached down to feel
the wild pulse at her wrist. “You either have a heart condition, Ms. Sullivan, or
you’re as turned on as I am.”

She mumbled something that sounded like, “Maybe more,” right before he covered her
mouth with his. Wet and warm, she tasted like wine. Like sex. He’d meant to go slow,
be tender. That plan was shot to hell as soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck
and touched her tongue to his. Heat shot straight to his groin.

“I’m going to discover every place on your body that makes you moan.”