Second Chance Hero (29 page)

He hoped she didn’t hear the way he had to clear his throat before speaking.

She followed him to the nearly empty baggage turnstile and pointed at two sleek black cases monogrammed with her initials.

“Last time I talked to my sister, I seem to remember the words great neighbor, lawyer, driven and success. All important to her.” She paused, let her eyes flick over his body in what felt like slow motion. “But she left out killer smile.”

Oh yeah. The lady was definitely flirting. And he was definitely interested in seeing what happened next. “Killer smile, huh? So, is that a good thing?”

He felt her laugh radiate through him the same way her handshake had. “I’m still standing, so yeah, I guess it is.”

They climbed in his SUV and Joe turned to her as he started the ignition. “Last time I talked to Irene she told me you were a little on the shy side. Maybe you better not believe everything Irene’s told you about me.”

That secret smile played on Cordelia’s lips, and Joe resisted the urge to touch them with his thumb as she answered teasingly. “Oh, you never know. I might be shy.”

Right. Joe shook his head appreciatively as he put the truck in reverse and took advantage by placing his hand behind her neck. One thing he could say, Cordelia Lewis had learned her flirting from a master. And she’d perfected it to an art.

He was used to going after what he wanted. And right now he very much wanted Cordelia Lewis. The intensity of the desire shocked him. They’d only just met. She’d done nothing more than tease him, flirt some and hold his hand a little longer than normal when they’d said hello. She looked good, but this was Vegas. Lots of women looked good.

Something about the way her voice washed over him, the way her dress hugged her body, the way her hair fell in teasing little curls from the clip that was supposed to hold it back drove him crazy.

Maybe his subconscious had equated her with home. But that was nuts. He hated even remembering the stifling feeling of the small Oklahoma town he’d grown up in.
 

It was insane to even think about that when he had a gorgeous seductress sitting next to him with her eyes closed, her head tilted back, her soft hair brushing across his knuckles.

He resisted the reckless urge to run his thumb along the column of her neck as he checked the road behind them before backing out.

And then he decided what the heck? Might as well see how good a flirt she really was.

When his thumb stroked her neck she leaned into his hand. “Mmm. That feels good. You wouldn’t believe how stressful flying is these days.”

Well, that answered that. Cordelia Lewis just shot the top off the flirt scale. And she wasn’t even trying.

Against his every instinct, he pulled his hand back as he placed the car in drive. Still, he wasn’t about to let a statement like that pass without trying to work in a future angle.

“Maybe we can work on relieving that stress a little later.”

She smiled that secret smile again, even sexier with her eyes closed. “Maybe.” She stretched out the word, filling it with promise. And then she leaned against the headrest.

As she did, Joe couldn’t help but shake his head. If this was the shy girl who needed to be shown around town, Irene really needed to get home more often. She definitely didn’t know her sister as well as she thought.

When he’d planned the welcome party for tonight, he’d envisioned someone altogether different than this woman sitting next to him. A small town girl. A girl who’d need his protection. His help.
 

But this small town girl didn’t need either. Nope, he pretty much figured Cordelia Lewis could more than hold her own at the party. And then, who knew? If the current sizzle still sparked, the night promised to be more than a little eventful.

Cordelia kept her eyes closed lightly. She didn’t dare open them and look over at the sexy man driving her to her sister’s.

Killer smile! Maybe! She might as well have said, “Hey baby, let’s get naked.” At least that’s what it felt like. Her face was probably as red as her dress.

What was she doing?
 

Okay, stupid question. She was flirting. No, she was doing a heck of a lot more than flirting. She was teasing, engaging in verbal foreplay with a man she’d only just met. Trying out all the provocative lines she’d dreamed of saying.

And they were working. At least she thought they were.

Joe Sterling, with his short blonde hair and the sizzle in his dark chocolate eyes, made her feel wanton.

She, the very proper Cordelia Lewis. Teacher of the year. The woman who lived vicariously through action adventure spy novels and tales from Irene, was verbally seducing a dreamy man like Joe Sterling. And she was having fun doing it!

She’d even purposefully scooted the skirt of her dress up a little getting in the SUV, making sure he got a good look at her legs—a trick she’d caught on one of her favorite nighttime dramas. Or was it one of the old movie classics?

Who cared? It worked.

Irene had lied about Joe Sterling. He wasn’t just good looking. He was sexy and charming. He gave her tingles in all the right places.
 

And he responded to her. She could feel the air crackle between them. This was it. Fantasy man found. Now she just had to figure out what she wanted from the fantasy. And she only had a week to do it.

Who was she kidding? She knew exactly what she wanted.

But the last time she’d taken Irene up on a dare like this, she’d ended up dancing on tables in a pool hall after one Tequila shot too many. She still could remember her first and only hangover.

She didn’t even want to remember how that night had ended. Unfortunately, the tiny heart on the top of her left hip served as a constant reminder. Who was to say Joe Sterling wasn’t every bit as dangerous as the Tequila had been? He was certainly more tempting.

She repressed a delicious shiver at the thought. She’d bet anything that Joe’s brand would be a whole heck of a lot more exhilarating and enduring than that little heart.

If she dared.

That’s what this vacation was all about. No worries. No holding back. This week was about reclaiming life and finding adventure. She could climb back in her shell when she went home.

For now she was the beautiful, alluring, sexy Cordelia Lewis in the tiny red dress with the crimson lipstick and strappy sandals. Complete with the fantasy man beside her.

The car came to a stop and she opened her eyes. The white stucco condominium complex looked as chic as ever. Irene all the way.

The hundred-degree heat that blasted her when she stepped out was nothing compared to the heat of his hand on hers as he helped her out of the SUV.
 

A lifetime of training kicked in, overriding every bad girl impulse that bombarded her. No kiss, no teasing remark. Not even a look. “Thank you so much for the ride.” The words practically fell from her lips and she could’ve kicked herself.

But Joe didn’t seem to notice as he pulled her close and smiled in answer. For just a moment she wondered if—no hoped he would kiss her right here in the parking lot. She forced herself to stay beside him and not step back as he spoke.

“Not a problem. I guess you’re a little worn out from the trip, hmm?”

She nodded and inhaled softly. He smelled so good. Like pine and citrus and man all rolled into one. She stepped closer as he shut the door behind her, and then, instead of kissing her, instead of even touching her, he let her hand go and moved to the back of the truck to get her luggage.

A little disappointed, she followed close behind him as he swiped his entry card and walked to the elevator entryway before punching the fourth floor button.

Neighbors. She’d see him every day.

Oh good.

“I promised Irene I’d take you around town. Let you see some sights. But tonight, a few of us planned a welcome party if you’re up to it.”

A welcome party. That would keep her far away from the books she’d stuffed in the bottom of one of her suitcases along with the sweats and long skirts. “That sounds interesting...” She let the word hang, fade away with all its silent implications.

Not as interesting as the two of them. Alone. But interesting all the same. Hopefully he heard the same message.

When they reached their floor, Cordelia opened her purse and slid out Irene’s key card. Aware of Joe right behind her, she tried to keep her hands steady.
 

She was sexy and beautiful. She was alluring and daring. She kept repeating the words to herself as she opened the door. Joe followed her in, placing her suitcases in the entryway.

Cordelia usually would’ve paid attention to the changes in the apartment, checked to make sure she had everything she needed, but not now. Not when her fantasy man was looking at her with those deep brown eyes and those full lips. Not when she felt the soft silk of her fantasy dress brush across her hardened nipples as she looked at him and tried to decide what to say.

Oh lord. She could practically taste anticipation mixed with awareness.

She licked her lips, and he took care of the words for her.

“So you were saying something about stress.” His voice was low and soft and as perfect as every hero’s voice she’d ever imagined as she read her action adventure novels.

But this was better. This was a real life, honest to God, living, breathing fantasy. And he was all hers.

He stepped toward her, and she nodded. “Very stressful flight.”

He took another step forward. “And I was saying I might be able to take care of that later.”
 

He grinned, and she wondered why he didn’t give up law and go into acting. Every pause was driving her crazy.
 

“I believe you did say something along those lines.” Her voice was breathless. Not her own at all.

But he didn’t know that. He only knew the fun, flirtatious, wicked woman who wore high heels and painted her nails red to match her lipstick.

And because he didn’t know, she had a chance to live her own action adventure tale. No more boredom. No more lustful looks at the UPS man.

For one week, she could live her ultimate fantasy. If she dared. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Irene.
 

Cordelia practically held her breath as he took one more step forward, as his hands rested on her shoulders. Dear lord, would he ever get to it?

And then he did.

“Well, then, if you’re not too tired, I’d say this is later.”

When his lips touched hers, all thoughts of fantasies, dares and the real Cordelia Lewis who taught English and wanted to escape the boredom of every day dissolved into nothingness.

All that mattered was here and now and the soft, pliant feel of his mouth on hers. And Cordelia knew she wanted this kiss like nothing before.

Just as she put her arms around his neck, as her hands brushed the ends of his short blonde hair, he pulled his head back and smiled down at her. “Feeling less stressed?” His teasing question seemed to come from afar.
 

For a single second, Cordelia let disappointment at the short-lived kiss crowd out everything else. And then she decided if this was her fantasy, she wasn’t about to let the first kiss end like that.

Brushing her hands through the back of his hair, she smiled up at him and shook her head. “Not even close.” And then she drew his lips back to hers.

This time, she led, pressing her mouth to his, running her tongue along the edge of his soft bottom lip. He tasted like peppermint and when his tongue touched hers, Cordelia felt a minty shiver flash through her body from head to toe and pool in her center. She pressed closer to him in response.
 

She’d never appreciated silk so much. His hands ran down her back and cupped her bottom, pulling her even closer and when she heard herself answer his moan with her own, she knew she had a choice. Stop now or follow it through to the end.

The real Cordelia reminded her that making love with a stranger, even a stranger Irene had set her up with, was definitely a bad idea.

Besides what the heck did she know about seduction anyway?
 

Joe felt her lips leave his and wondered if she knew how that simple kiss left him hard and ready to strip to nothing in ten seconds flat.

“Now that was stress relief.” She laughed as she said the words and closed her eyes as he trailed his hands from her back to the top edge of her hips again. He couldn’t resist pulling her closer one more time. The feel of the silk dress and her hidden skin beneath it left him wanting more. Wanting everything. God this was crazy.

“That was white lightning.” He moved his hands to her shoulders and decided her bare skin was far more enticing than the silk dress. She smelled like vanilla and springtime and he wanted one more taste.

She was a siren and he was Ulysses. His response to her made no sense, but he wasn’t about to fight it.

One taste, that was all. He lowered his lips to her bare shoulder inhaling her scent as he kissed her one last time.

Joe felt her response in the way her pulse sped up, heard it in her soft intake of breath as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back to give him more access. Still it was nothing compared to his own racing heartbeat. He wanted more than anything to make love with this woman.
 

Instead he stepped back, but he couldn’t move away completely. Couldn’t quit touching her.

Goose bumps erupted in a trail as his fingers skimmed over her shoulders. As her breath caught again, he held his hands back from brushing across her breasts, from feeling her tight nipples under that soft silk.
 

And with his resistance, she opened her eyes and stepped back. “That was nice.”

“I’d say.” It was nice, but it sure as hell wasn’t stress relief. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been more stressed, more ripe for explosion after so little contact.

Cordelia stood across from him, her arms crossed, her lips swollen and he wanted to touch her more, taste her again, but something about the way she looked stopped him.