Suspended (38 page)

Disappointed but not surprised, she looked up at him. “Mom’s
doing the whole turkey deal. I’ll put a plate aside for you.”

He lifted the end of her braid and stroked the tail around
his finger. “Appreciate it.”

She swallowed. He smelled like snow and sawdust, and she
wanted to curl right into his chest. But she had a ton of things to do, and now
wasn’t the time to look for a cuddle. “I better get back.”

He set her braid against her jacket. “See ya, Sunshine.”

Kendall turned and forced one foot in front of the other.
Under two layers and a jacket, her nipples were so tight they were painful. The
man was driving her nuts.

She threw herself into the Christmas Eve preparation but
never did get back to her chair that day or that night. The Simmons family were
laid-back and fun. The house was filled with conversation and the wreckage of a
huge meal.

Micah and Abby kept wandering outside. Considering how many
times they checked out the barn, she figured they’d caught sight of Shane. No
matter how heavy his beard got, you couldn’t take away the slicing arch of his
cheekbones and the flash of amazing eyes.

The man was walking sin, and if she were fifteen, she’d be swooning
just like the girls. Hell, she was a moment away from a good sigh herself.
Especially when she’d brought the plate over to him only to hear him pounding
the holy hell out of his homemade bag.

She’d peeked around the back and glimpsed a sweat-soaked
back and fist-sized dents in the old canvas army bag. Already too keyed up,
she’d left before he’d seen her.

As tired as everyone was from their drive, they stayed up
well past two a.m. talking and laughing by the fire. She didn’t have anything
else in her but to check out for a few hours.

Christmas Day was filled with a quieter group. The girls
went exploring on the trails, the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. She
caught a rather randy Jennifer and Mark in the hallway, both of them sneaking
back into their room while everyone else was outside.

At least someone was getting laid.

She and her mother managed a quiet hour when the family went
out to drive around the neighborhood. They exchanged small gifts and ate
leftovers before putting in a quick cleanup.

By the time the family got back, they were filled with
laughter and excitement. Lake George was close and always put on a good
Christmas display. They’d also bought lift tickets for skiing close by.

Both her mother and Kendall were so busy with the family and
another unscheduled visit that every room save one at the B and B was filled
through the end of the month.

She didn’t know what magic Shane had put into the Web site,
but every time she remembered to look at it, she was too tired to open her laptop.

New Year’s Eve came before she was ready for it, and the
entire group had decided to throw an impromptu party. Her mother scrambled to
cook, and Kendall enlisted Bells to help decorate.

Thirty minutes later Kendall opened the door to find Bells
on the porch with two dress bags. “An excuse to wear a party dress in Bradley?
I’m there, sister.”

Kendall frowned. “I was just going to wear jeans.”

Bells pushed past her. “I’m definitely going to take away
your right to call yourself a girl if you don’t make at least an effort to glam
up tonight. You’ve been working like a dog for weeks now.”

Kendall flipped her braid over her shoulder and closed the
door. “I’m just happy we have customers.”

“Me too, babe. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take a little
time and gussy up. Especially when you have that hot piece of action in the
barn that needs to grow a clue.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have called you.”

“No, you definitely should have called me. I’m your best
defense. Besides, I wield a makeup brush better than anyone at the Macy’s
counter. And you have some serious circles that I need to correct.”

That was true. Only Bells could get away with saying it, but
it didn’t make it any less true. On both counts. “Okay, fairy godmother. I will
leave myself in your capable hands.”

Bells spun about her deep auburn corkscrew curls dancing
around her shoulders. Her makeup was already done, and her huge blue eyes were
even more pronounced thanks to her deft touch with smoky shadow. “Wait, I
didn’t have to talk you into it? Okay, it’s worse than I thought.”

Kendall turned her toward the stairs. “I’m just tired, and
if you have tricks in that huge trunk of makeup you call a to-go bag, then I’m
all for slapping on an artificial happy face.”

“All right, don’t get pushy. Throw yourself in the shower
and use the loofah until you’re pink. I brought a sexy lotion to go with your
sexy dress.”

“I like my lotion.”

“The girl-next-door thing works three hundred sixty-four
days out of the year. Tonight? I’m going with vamp and the scent to match. The
boy will be groveling by the time I’m done with him.”

Kendall nibbled on her lower lip. Any help in getting Shane
out of the let’s-play-it-safe mode was welcome. She wanted the hot, hard length
of him between her thighs tonight. Or that relentlessly patient tongue—she
wasn’t picky which one she got at the moment.

“Don’t blow up my bedroom.”

“Oh, honey. There’s no doubt that your room will be trashed.
It’s a freaking closet.”

She sighed and grabbed one of the fluffy towels from the
linen closet and allowed herself a ten-minute shower. And because it was a good
idea to use the loofah, she listened to her friend and exfoliated until her
skin buzzed.

Kendall wrapped her hair up in a towel and brought her hair
dryer with her. Bells was on a rampage. Might as well just let her take care of
everything. When she was in steamroller mode, there was no stopping her.

Bells had pulled her bed out into the middle of the tiny
room and left leg space to walk around. Two garment bags hung from the door,
and her best friend’s makeup bag had exploded across Kendall’s bed.

“Here.” Bells handed her a thin tube of lotion.

“That’s it?”

“It’s very special, very expensive lotion.”

“Then you should wear it.”

“Oh, I am. A different scent, of course, but I am.” She held
her wrist up to Kendall’s nose.

The rush of dark and exotic flowers and a hint of jasmine
wafted over her. “Oh, wow, how come you get the delicious one?”

“Smell yours.”

Kendall popped the cap and rubbed a little on her pulse
point. Orange blossoms and spice clung to her, leaving a light pearly sheen to
her skin. “No wonder it’s pricey.”

“Worth it for a special occasion. Now sit down and let me
make you a girl.”

“I am a girl. Just a busy one who doesn’t care about this
stuff.”

“New Year’s Eve is the night to get in the mood. Besides, I
have to keep my talents fresh.”

Kendall knew her friend was just trying to make her feel
better, so she sat down and let Bells fuss.

“Now tell me what’s been going on.”

“Lots of hostess stuff.”

“I don’t care about the Heron crap, Ken. I want to know
about the hunky carpenter dude. Why didn’t you tell me this guy was beautiful?
I had to find out when I walked up the drive.”

“He actually came out of his workshop?”

“Yeah, he was shoveling or something. I saw two girls
giggling from the window.”

Kendall laughed. “We’ve got a couple of teenagers who are
totally crushing on Shane. He’s so uncomfortable.”

“Not used to being objectified? Close your eyes.”

Kendall did as directed. “He’s not a fan of big crowds.
Especially when there’s a surplus of females. He’s gone out on the trails with
a couple of the husbands, but other than that, he likes to stay in the
background.”

“Is he shy?”

“No, more like antisocial. His nickname is Oscar for a
reason.”

“And you’re in love with him?”

“Afraid so.”

“I know I said he’s your match, and it’s obvious he
is—somehow. But he doesn’t sound like your type.”

“I know. He really isn’t. But I love that he’s so gruff.
It’s even better when I manage to get him to laugh or smile.”

“If you say so.”

The conversation dropped as Bells hit her hair with the
dryer and followed up with the curling iron. She swept the mass of curls over
her shoulder, leaving one side sleek.

A fat brush distributing powder over her cheeks was the last
step.

“Okay, now I don’t want you to say anything. Just put the
dress on.”

“Oh, God. What did you bring?”

Bells looked down at her more than ample chest. “Well, not
one of mine, obviously.”

Kendall snorted.

“Now don’t get all uppity. I got a ridiculous deal on it.
Not many people in Bradley are a size puny like you are.”

Bells was a bit on the lush side, but she embraced her body.
She liked being a bombshell and used every inch of her God-given curves to make
men beg. And they usually did.

Kendall opened the first bag and found a slinky teal number.

“That one’s mine.”

Thank God. She was sure that would just fall around her like
a tent. Kendall went to the next bag and unzipped. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

Shane smoothed his hand down the buttons of his white dress
shirt. The house was teeming with people, some guests and some friends from
town. He recognized people from his trips into the lumber store, market, and
diner.

Lily had nagged him and threatened to drag his butt over to
the house if he didn’t make an appearance. Because it was good business, for
both Avery Furniture and the Heron, he agreed to at least show up for a few
minutes.

He forced himself not to roll his eyes when the two girls
started giggling and watching his every move from the porch. For Christ’s sake,
he was way too old for them. He slipped in the open back door and grazed at the
assorted appetizers table.

He snagged a beer from one of the tubs under the table and
snicked the top off for a long sip only to choke.

Kendall came around the corner, a wineglass in her hand and
miles of pale flesh on display. One shoulder was completely bare. Some sort of
shimmery dress draped across her chest and arms. It was like liquid silver over
smoke. The dangerous part was the skirt that molded her hips and stopped a good
five inches above her goddamn knees.

Her legs were bare, and strappy black mile-high heels
tightened her calves. She’d done something to her face. Her dark eyes looked
like aged bourbon, and her lips were slick with gloss.

She was so fucking beautiful she made his brain slow to a
stop. She held out her hands to someone and leaned up to give him a kiss.

That Brandon guy.

Brandon’s hand landed on her lower back, and Shane snapped
the beer down on the table, wading into the half dozen people between them.
Brandon left his hand on her, and Shane bit back a growl.

Before he could make it to her, a commotion at the front of
the house brought him up short. Kendall’s friend was holding open the door, her
head tipped back and her hands on her hips.

“Well, son of a bitch,” Shane said.

A handful of people turned to Shane as he changed course and
went to the door. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Kain ducked inside the door, his mile-wide shoulders clad in
a custom-made pearl gray suit. Kain didn’t have a choice; whether he was
wealthy or not, his body was far too large for off-the-rack suits.

Kendall gave a happy laugh and zipped by Shane to throw her
hands up and around Kain’s shoulders.

“Hey there, `ânela.”

Bells stared at them both. “You know this guy?”

Kendall hopped down and dragged Bells over. “Belinda
Grayson, meet Kainoa N’ai.”

“Kain,” his friend said, his deep baritone cutting through
the chatter of the room. People started whispering among themselves.

Bells held out her hand and shook his best friend’s hand
quickly before tucking it behind her back. Kain frowned and dipped his hand
into his pocket.

Shane slapped Kain on the shoulder. “I didn’t know you were
coming.”

“It was a last-minute decision.”

Bells looked from Kain to Shane and back. “Do they grow them
all this good-looking in California?”

Kain grinned down at Bells. “They do in Hawaii anyway.”

“I have got to get out of Bradley more.”

Kain’s gaze slid over her bare shoulders. “Say the word, and
I’ll fuel up the jet.”

Bells sidled over to Kendall, her smile a little wicked and
a little uncertain at the same time. “I’ll remember that.”

“All right, Kain. Enough showing off for my best friend.”

“Who’s showing off?”

“Let’s get you a beer.” Shane steered Kain over to the table
full of food. He looked over his shoulder at Kendall again, but she was deep in
conversation with Bells.

“Nice digs,” Kain said mildly.

“We’re getting there.” Done with small talk, he handed his
friend a beer. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too, brother. Merry Christmas. Happy New
Year.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Kain chuckled, taking a drink. “Kendall told me to come out
for the holiday, so here I am.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I would have met you at the airport
or something.”

“I wasn’t sure I could get away. I had to make a few
appearances at some parties in the city. Then I took the chopper up here.”

“Oh yeah, just took the chopper. You’re such show-off.”

Kain belted back his beer and reached for another. “I needed
some time away from the home office.”

“Well, I’m glad to see you.”

“So how’s everything going with Kendall and the business?”

Shane shrugged. “There’s a lot of repairs that need to be
done. I’m still trying to decide if the place is worth working on or if we
should sell. A developer would love all this acreage.”

Kain nodded. “I know of at least three companies looking to
acquire land near the Adirondacks.”