Paradise (28 page)

She was breathless when he finally released her. “Did you just get up?”

“No, I’ve been up for a while, showered. Had a few problems getting dressed, though.”

“Oh, yeah. I guess I should explain.” He leaned back on his haunches, resting his hands on her thighs. “Well, I figured you’d been wearing the same clothes all week and you’d want to put on something clean. Right?”

Robbie raised an eyebrow.

“After all, you didn’t want to smell like yesterday’s bait. Right?”

He watched her try to hide a smile.

“I mean, I thought I was doing you a favor,” he cajoled, stifling a yawn.

“So, you thought you’d help me out and throw all my clothes in the laundry? And what am I supposed to wear in the meantime?”

“I dunno. My robe?” He slid his hands up and down her thighs. The soft fabric hummed against his palms. “I think it looks pretty good on you.”

“I think you’re trying to get back at me for tossing your backpack in the swamp.”

“No, I’d never do that, darlin’. Besides, if you hadn’t dropped it in the swamp,” he gave her his best lecherous grin, “I wouldn’t have taken off my shirt, and you wouldn’t have known how much you wanted me.”

“Oh really? Suddenly, this room seems awfully crowded. It’s pretty tight in here with you, me and your ego.”

Eddie laughed. “You win. Actually, I had to leave. I didn’t want to wake you, but I wanted to be sure you were here when I got back. Without any clothes, I was fairly confident you would be.”

“Well, Tarzan, I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere for quite a while. All of my clothes are drip-dry. I’ve already hung them in your laundry room.”

“So, you’re telling me I have a beautiful, naked woman in my house, and she’s libel to stay that way for a while? I can think of worse things.” He yawned.

“Does that thought bore you?”

“On the contrary,” he untied her belt, letting the robe fall open, “it very much excites me. Let’s go back to bed. This morning came much too early.” He spread her robe wider. “Are you okay?” He gently brushed her hair to the side, inspecting her neck and shoulder, then frowned on seeing the reddened area. His gaze and hands skimmed down to caress her breasts. “Does this hurt?”

She shook her head, her eyes closing as she shivered at his touch. His hands slid lower to stroke her naval and abdomen. Those abrasions seemed to have healed quickly. She gasped as his fingers feathered intimately across her silken hair.

Eddie stood and drew her up toward him. The robe hung open, and she made no attempt to close it. He appreciated that. He also appreciated her good humor at his prank. The end justified the means-she was still in his house.

He slid his hands under the robe, pulling her so she cradled his erection between her thighs. The rough fabric of his shorts grazed her soft mound. When her eyes narrowed to mere slits, he knew she was ready. He moved his hand lower, needing to hear her moan.

“Wait a minute,” he rasped, stepping back. “Two more minutes of this and I’m going to have you right here, right now on the kitchen table. Come on.” He grabbed her hand and strode through the living room, pulling her in his wake. “We can make it to the bedroom this time.”

He snatched the packages off the sofa as they passed.

“What’s that?”

“Something for later. Hurry up.”

Robbie ran up the stairs as he took them two at a time. When they reached the bedroom, she let the robe slide to the floor before curling up on the bed. He stripped off his clothes and fell on her. Finally, he had made it to the bedroom, but just barely.

* * * * *

Robbie leaned against the headboard and watched Eddie sleeping on his stomach. Shallow snores escaped while his head lay pillowed in her lap. She played with his hair, running her fingers through the silky strands.

“Oh, Eddie,” she whispered more to herself than him. “I wish it could be different. I would have liked this -- a lot.” She closed her eyes. It would be so easy to fall under his spell, to forget her goals, her future, but how long would that last?

Eddie was a player, a flirt and a sensational
Rebound
Man.
He may think he wanted a long term investment, but in reality he probably couldn’t change. Look how he’d flirted with Lou Ann and those women by the oak tree. She smirked, wondering if his refusal to start an affair was simply a ploy to make her more determined. It didn’t matter. She’d never regret this time with him, but she had to leave today.

It would take time to rework her presentation to Excelsior from “outsource your designs to me” to “hire me.” Wow.
New York City
. She’d finally hit the big time. She stroked Eddie’s cheek. The warm feeling of satisfaction that settled over her was tinged with regret.
Sorry, I can’t let you stop me.

A rumble from her stomach made him stir. A second rumble woke him completely.

“Didn’t you eat anything this morning?” he mumbled, covering her breast with a callused palm.

“I tried, but there was such a selection of gourmet delights in your fridge, I couldn’t make up my mind.”

He gave her stomach a quick kiss. “Huh?”

“At first, I thought I’d have some catsup, but then I saw the grape jelly with the fuzzy green topping. That looked very appealing. But, hey, the brown mayonnaise with the year old expiration date caught my eye. I couldn’t decide.”

Her stomach growled for emphasis. “See, even thinking about what’s in your kitchen is making me hungry.”

“All right, so I’m not Emeril. Let’s go out. I could use something more nourishing to eat.” He gave her a wicked grin. She grimaced and pulled his hair.

“Hey! What’s that for? I was referring to the coffee and danish Nick brought me out of pity. Woman, you have got to get your mind out of the gutter.” His smirk told her exactly whose mind was in the gutter.

He kissed her navel again, rolled over and stood up. She didn’t move.

“Uh,
Houston
, we have a problem.”

“Now what?” He picked up the bathrobe and handed it to her.

“I don’t know the dress code at Maisie’s, but I don’t think I can get in wearing your bathrobe. And don’t even think about it, I’m not putting on those wet clothes.”

“Picky, picky, picky.” He retrieved the packages they’d brought up in their frenzy to get to the bedroom and placed them on the bed. “I thought you might have some objections about playing Lady Godiva, so I picked up a few things this morning. There’s a mall just north of here off the interstate.”

Robbie opened the bags to find jeans, a green ribbed shell, a matching sweater, socks and Nikes.

“I got your sizes while I was doing the laundry. Oh, here’s one more.” He sat down next to her on the bed and handed her a small pink striped bag. She recognized the store immediately.

“This ought to be interesting,” she commented, pulling out the hot pink tissue paper. Nestled on the bottom of the bag were a lacy black bra and thong panties. She slanted him a sideways glance. “Very interesting.”

He gave her a dopey look before claiming a quick kiss. “What can I say, I like black underwear. Come on, get dressed and let’s get something to eat.”

He moved to get up and she touched his arm. “Aren’t you going to help me get dressed?”

He smiled that long, slow smile. The one that sent shivers up her spine and back down again. “You bet I am!”

* * * * *

“Are you ready?” Eddie called. “I’m starving.”

Robbie stood in the doorway of the bathroom. “Ready when you are, Tarzan.”

He turned and his lungs emptied in a rush. The woman had no idea how breathtaking she was. Without the pink baseball cap, her wavy red hair flowed over her shoulders. The green sweater and top matched her eyes perfectly. The top was in the latest style, too short to tuck into the low hip hugger jeans, leaving her belly bare to his gaze. No way would he buy her a baggy sweatshirt. Maybe he should tumble her back into bed and play with that delectable belly for a few more hours.

“I thought you said you were ready?” She rubbed her hands together and the scent of lavender greeted his nostrils.

Oh, he was ready, all right. Just the sight of her dressed like that made him ready real fast. God, he was worse than Pavlov’s dog. One whiff of lavender and he was hot and hard. He smiled, beating down his lascivious thoughts. Time enough for that later. They needed to come up for air.

The afternoon sun blinded him as they left the building. A warm breeze fluttered past, sending the branches of crape myrtle waving.

“Why don’t we take your car? It hasn’t been on the road for a week. I’d love to go for a spin in it.”

“Sure, I was going to suggest that myself. What a beautiful day after all that rain. Why don’t we put the top down?”

He helped her pull the cover from the car and stow it in the trunk. Looking wistfully at the vehicle, he sighed. “I always wanted one of these when I was a kid. I don’t supposed you’d let me drive it?”

She gave him a big smile and tossed him the keys. “Think you can handle it, fella?”

“Hi, Eddie!”

They turned in unison at the sound of the squealed greeting. Lou Ann’s stiletto sandals clicked on the hard pavement as she hurried to them. “You weren’t in for breakfast this morning, and I was worried about you. Are you okay? Nick said you got caught in that storm yesterday.” Her fingers smoothed over his shoulders as if looking for some imagined injury.

“Uh hi, Lou Ann. Aren’t you all gussied up for a Saturday afternoon!” He took in her black mini-skirt and low cut, lace blouse. Her black bra, clearly visible through the lace, barely contained her big boobs.

Robbie’s expression of annoyed amusement caught his eye as he stepped back to hold Lou Ann off, but she stuck to him like a fly to manure.

He returned to her original question. “Yeah, we got caught in the storm, but we’re both fine. You remember Robbie Miller, don’t you?”

Lou Ann turned, as if seeing Robbie for the first time. Robbie gave her a little finger wave. “Hi, Lou Ann.”

Lou Ann frowned and returned her attention to him. “I only stopped by to make sure you were all right. You are going to the lodge dance tonight, aren’t you?” She fingered the button of his shirt with her bright red nails, brushing her boobs against his chest.

Lou Ann sure showed up at the oddest times. Maybe there was something to Robbie’s speculation that Lou Ann wanted him. Nah, they’d known each other since they were kids. He’d teased and joked with her for years. There was nothing to it. She was just being friendly.

“Ya never know where I’ll turn up, now do ya darlin’? If you’ll excuse us, Robbie and I have to discuss our Channel Ten interview.”

Why did he lie? Why not tell Lou Ann they were going to lunch? He knew the reason. She’d invite herself along and he wanted to be alone with Robbie. With a nod of his head, he told Robbie to get in the car. She grinned and scrambled in.

“I’ll see you around, Lou Ann,” he said, putting her from him and climbing into the Camaro. “Take care, darlin’.”

He started the engine and pulled out of the lot. In the rearview mirror, he could have sworn he saw Lou Ann stamp her foot. What had gotten into her, anyway?

Fiddling with the radio dial, he found a country station.

“Oh, Pa-leese.”

“What’s the matter now? Don’t tell me you don’t like country music. I thought everybody liked country music.”