What a Woman Wants (5 page)

“
If he was
that hot, I’m surprised you didn’t jump his bones when you had the chance,” Faith said, grinning after Shannon told her about the guy she’d met at the auto repair shop.

Shannon, sitting on the sofa, crossed her legs, at the very thought. She smiled. “The idea did cross my mind, but I decided to make this an adventure, work up my level of expertise before I go in for the kill. Besides that, I have to make sure the guy clearly understands this will be a summer fling and nothing more than that. I don’t want him to get any ideas.”

“Oh, and what kind of ideas are you talking about, Shannon?” Monique asked, coming to sit in one of the chairs in the room to join them. They had eaten dinner, each doing their own thing. Now Monique wished she’d had a salad like the one Faith had prepared instead of the hot dogs and fries she’d grabbed on the way back from town. She needed to purchase a few new jogging suits. She and Lyle had been meeting each morning, going jogging for almost a week, and if she was going to continue to do so, the least she could do was look good while getting all hot and sweaty.

“
Several ideas,”
Shannon answered.

“And of course the main one being that there’s no way Dr. Shannon Carmichael can even think about getting serious with a blue-collar worker. She only involves herself in relationships of intellectual compatibility,” Monique recited.

Shannon frowned, not liking the way Monique had talked to her but then having to admit that what she’d said was true. “So what’s wrong with that?”

“For you, nothing.”

Her eyebrows rose in obvious displeasure. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Monique glanced over at Faith, who gave her an eye that said,
Please, let’s not go there tonight,
but Monique ignored that look because she
wanted
to go there. Maybe it would be hopeless to try to make Shannon see just what a snob she could be when it came to dating, but still, it wasn’t a topic they hadn’t tangled with before. No one had been more passionate about it than Cely, but no matter what they’d said to Shannon, she refused even to consider that when it came to men, their annual income didn’t matter. Shannon’s defense had always been that her parents raised her in such a way as to eventually marry well, and falling for a guy—no matter how decent, honest, and attractive he might be—who didn’t make at least twice as much as what she made was not a good match, definitely a step down.

“It means, Shannon, that you still have a lot of growing up to do.”

“Why, because I’m selective when it comes to men?”

“No, I think we’re all selective. You just take the selection process to a whole other level. You have this stubborn assumption that a woman has to become seriously involved only with someone she considers her professional equal—or better yet, her superior. Knowing your parents, I’m sure from the time you could talk they drilled it into your mind to marry a doctor, a lawyer, or definitely someone who could keep you in all those name brands you like. I’d bet the money I have in my bank account that qualities like honesty, loyalty, integrity, and sensitivity in a man were never discussed. All I’m saying is that you should consider all options. Blue-collar working men should be given equal respect and not looked down upon.”

Monique could tell Shannon just didn’t get it, and she wondered if her friend ever would.

“I hear what you’re saying, Monique, but I have my own taste in men and you have yours—and I doubt my taste will change.”

“So what about this mechanic?” Faith butted in to ask, the look in her eyes expressing that she was more into making a point rather than indulging in idle curiosity.

“Like I said, he’ll be just a summer fling. When I leave here, it will be out of sight and out of mind.”

“And do you think it’s fair to him to be used that way?”

Shannon shook her head, smiling with audacious confidence. The hot mechanic would be a perfect summer lover. “Trust me, he’ll get his time’s worth as well. Don’t get me wrong, I believe this guy has some level of social skills and he can communicate well enough but his social and communication skills aren’t what I’m interested in.”

Neither Faith nor Monique had to ask just what she
was
interested in. Faith then turned to Monique. “I saw you jogging when I went to that shop on the beach to get my nails done early this morning. And the guy you were with looked good. Who is he?”

Shannon turned and stared at Monique, and before Monique could answer Faith’s question, Shannon asked, almost shocked, “
You were with a man?”

Monique shook her head, smiling with the knowledge that
with a man
to Shannon meant an entirely different thing. “No, I wasn’t ‘with’ a man. I was merely jogging with him. He’s someone I’ve known for awhile who I ran into a week ago, and we decided to jog together every morning.”

Faith couldn’t help but wonder why Monique hadn’t mentioned it if it was so innocent. “Who is he?”

“Lyle Montgomery.” Monique then watched both Shannon and Faith as they tried to recall where they’d heard that name before.

Of course it was Shannon who remembered. “Isn’t he the guy who was your brother’s roommate while in medical school?”

“Yes.”

A glitter of a smile touched Shannon lips. “I remember him coming to stay with your family one summer. When we saw you those two weeks, he was all you could talk about. You kept going on and on about how good-looking he was and stuff.”

Monique laughed. It was both warm and spontaneous. “Yes, I remember, and he’s still good-looking.”

“What’s he doing here?” Faith asked curiously. “Does he live on Hilton Head?”

“No, he’s a doctor and is here teaching a medical symposium. He’s into jogging and plans to compete in the triathlon as well. Since we’re both competing, we’ve decided to work out every day together.”

“Umm, that sounds
interesting,”
Shannon said.

“Please get your mind out of the gutter, Shannon. Unlike you, I don’t lust after every man I see.”

Shannon grinned. “And neither do I. I’m a very selective bitch, remember?”

Monique couldn’t help but smile. “There’s no way we can forget.”

Shannon had decided
to call it an early night, which left Faith and Monique up chatting. Faith could tell Monique was excited about seeing Lyle Montgomery again.

“Why didn’t you tell us you’d run into him and that the two of you were jogging together every morning, Monique?” Faith asked, studying her friend.

Monique shrugged. “Because I didn’t want a big deal made out of it.”

Faith nodded and then said, “I recall you had a crush on him.”

Monique drew in a full breath. “Yes, but just for that summer. The next summer I had a crush on Charles Moore.”

“Yeah, and let’s not forget Morris Potter.” Faith grinned.

Monique covered her face with her hands, wishing there was a way she
could
forget. “You have a long memory, Faith, and speaking of Morris, I ran into him a few years ago at an insurance convention—and he’s gay.”

“Umm, maybe I should try and get him and Virgil together.”

Monique glanced over at Faith and couldn’t help but laugh. Faith soon began laughing with her. “I’m glad you’ve put that ugly ordeal behind you and can finally laugh about it.”

“Well, yeah—what else can I do?” Faith said, smoothing her silk bathrobe across her knees. “I cried myself out when it happened,” she said. “I’m just so glad I had you, Cely, and Shannon to unload on. The three of you helped me to see it wasn’t about me but was about him.”

“Yes, it was and still is. I’m amazed that the two of you can still be friends.”

Faith could believe that. “Well, you’re not the only one,” she said. “My parents are amazed as well. If Dad had anything to do with it, Virgil would be a dead man. He fooled everyone, including me. Especially me.”

“Yeah, and the sad thing is that he’s not the only man doing it,” Monique interjected. “When I first heard about it I thought this
down-low brothers
thing was a guy’s vivid imagination whose aim was to sell books on
Oprah.
Now every way you turn you hear more and more about men having affairs on their wives with other men. The next man I become involved with I’m going to come right out and ask him.”

Faith couldn’t stop from rolling her eyes. “And you really expect him to tell you the truth?”

“No, but I bet I could learn a lot from his shocked expression,” Monique said, leaning back against the couch.

“Umm, speaking of learning a lot, I finally got around to meeting my parents’ neighbor today. I had promised Mom that I would go over and introduce myself while I was here. It seems the woman made a lasting impression on my parents when they came to sign the papers to buy this house.”

Monique raised a curious brow. “Who is she?”

“She’s an Amerasian who’s about our age and is a doctor at the trauma center at the hospital. Her name is Adrianna Ross-Fuller. I forgot to mention that I invited her to dinner tomorrow night.”

Monique couldn’t suppress her surprise. “Someone’s fixing dinner? I thought we all agreed it was a free-for-all while we’re here.”

“I know, but I like cooking every now and then and decided to spend some time in the kitchen tomorrow.”

“Hey, it’s plenty big enough, so knock yourself out. I plan to get up early for my jog with Lyle, and then later just hang out at the beach and do nothing.”

“Just be back by five.”

“Oh, I will. And you better let Shannon know about dinner tomorrow. I have a feeling she’s going to go after her mechanic then.”

Faith wasn’t sure she liked hearing that. “You think so?”

“Yeah. I think she’s been planning her strategy and is about ready to go in for the kill.”

“
It’s going to
be another beautiful day.”

Monique whirled around at the sound of the deep, masculine voice. She’d been doing her stretch exercises and hadn’t heard Lyle come up. He was leaning against a wooden post on the boardwalk and wearing a pair of running shorts. Usually he wore a T-shirt, but this particular morning his chest was bare.

She recalled the first time she’d seen his chest, back when he and Arnie had left to go swimming at the park. At sixteen she’d been dazzled by that bare chest; now at thirty-three she felt it razzling her mind. She appreciated a man who kept himself in shape, and Lyle was one who definitely did. She’d noticed that much from the first morning they had jogged together, although she kept trying not to stare. But there had always been something about his dark and hairy chest that had totally fascinated her. It was muscular, definitely well defined, and whereas before it had only been dusted with dark hair, now there was quite an abundance of it. His stomach was flat and lean, and the drawstring to his shorts clearly emphasized the path of hair that led to the waistband.

“Yes, I’m going to agree, Dr. Montgomery,” she said, moving her gaze from his chest to his face, forcing her mind to concentrate on their conversation and not on his body. “The weatherman said it’s going to be a great day on the beach, and I intend to spend my time on it.”

She forced herself to look out toward the Atlantic Ocean. “I love the ocean. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

He followed her gaze. “Sure is.” He looked back at her face. “Have you had your coffee yet?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t like dealing with caffeine in the morning. I’m an herbal tea person. It’s better for you.”

He chuckled. “Hey, you’re not going to get an argument out of me. It’s definitely better for your heart.” He then added, “Natural fruit juices aren’t so bad either.”

She grinned. “Yes, doctor.”

He glanced down at her feet. “Your shoelace is untied. Put your hand on my shoulder, lean in, and lift your foot up to me.”

“I can tie it.”

“It’s no problem for me to do it, Nicky.” Deciding they would be wasting time arguing about it, she placed her hand on his shoulder and lifted her foot up to him like he’d asked. “Umm, nice leg.”

She barely heard what he’d said. Her concentration was focusing on the feel of his skin underneath her fingertips. It felt warm as well as solid. And then there was the spicy male scent that clung to him. Lyle Montgomery was one enticing male.

“Okay, you’re good to go now.” His words snapped her back to attention. It made her realize where her thoughts had been. For crying out loud, this wasn’t just any other man. This was Lyle, the guy who used to be Arnie’s best friend, his ace-boon-koon, in college. What in the heck was wrong with her today? What had been wrong with her ever since they started jogging together?

“Thanks, Lyle,” she somehow managed to say, putting her foot back down.

“Don’t mention it.” He then looped his arm through hers. “The beach awaits us,” he said, pulling her down the steps to where their feet hit the sand.

By sheer effort, Monique made her body move as they jogged side by side, in perfect sync. Something was different this morning. Maybe it had been Faith’s reminding her last night of the crush she’d had on Lyle. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, which made him much too sexy.

As they continued running, she knew that in the end, about an hour from now, she would be all hot and bothered as well as hot and sweaty, but she couldn’t think of any other way she’d rather spend her mornings than with such a good-looking running partner.

Shannon yawned as
she pulled another outfit off the rack. If anyone had told her she would be shopping at the crack of dawn, she would have called them a liar. But here she was doing just that. She couldn’t believe she had actually walked out the door before Faith got up just to be at this shop when it opened at nine o’clock.

Monique had whipped by her on the way out to jog and had taken only the time to tell her that Faith was cooking dinner and had invited a guest—some woman who lived next door. That was fine with Shannon. Faith was a whiz in the kitchen, and if cooking rocked her boat and she wanted to impress her parents’ neighbor, then let her go for it.

Now back to the business at hand. She looked down at the outfits already slung over her arms, items meant to entice, arouse, and stimulate even the most resistant mind. For the past couple of days she had spent her time wondering what was there about Mr. Mechanic that pushed all her buttons. Just thinking about what she had planned sent a subtle shiver through her body. This would be the first fling that she herself had initiated. In the past, the men did all the work, and if they met with her extreme satisfaction then so be it. After a brief period, they would part ways. She was never left with a reason to ever look one of them up again and vice versa. A fling was just was it was meant to be, a fling.

“Do you want me to hold those for you, miss?”

Shannon’s thoughts were interrupted by the saleswoman’s question. “Yes, please. I intend to get a couple of more items.”

“Oh, take your time.”

Shannon smiled. And she intended to, even tonight when she showed up at the mechanic’s apartment over the garage she planned on taking her time. Boy, would he be surprised. But she had yet to know a man to turn down a thrilling and sensual rendezvous if it was presented to him in the right way—and as she pulled another outfit off the rack, she considered herself the mistress of innovations.

“
I’m glad to
see you weren’t a figment of my imagination that day.”

Faith turned to see if the statement had been directed to her, and when she saw that it was, she blinked. She’d never considered the produce section of any store as a place men would try to pick up women, but evidently she had underestimated the opposite sex— this was the second time in weeks that it had happened to her.

She sighed. All things considered, she was glad the person staring at her with intense dark eyes was not the young kid from that other day. No, this was a man in every sense of the word. He’d made the statement as if he’d seen her before, but she knew for a fact she had never seen him. He was not a man any woman would forget easily—or at all. To say he exhibited an overwhelming presence would be an understatement.

It had been a long time since her adrenaline was acting up to the point where she could actually feel the pulse beat in her neck. And when was the last time just looking at a man made heat pool in the area between her legs? He had to be over six feet tall and then some. His skin tone was the color of rich chocolate. He had a straight nose, lips you probably could die from kissing, and to top things off, there was a dimple in his chin.
Of all the nerve.
That in itself caught her attention when he smiled, and he was smiling ... at her.

Okay, she had a choice. She could ignore him or she could choose ... not to ignore him. The decision was quick and easy. She would not ignore him. She would go along with this game men liked to play whenever they thought they had an easy mark within their scope. In the end she would show him that although she was in awe of the package, she had a level head on her shoulders and wasn’t a woman easily swayed by a handsome face.

“Am I supposed to know you?” she asked, placing the bag of lemons for the lemonade she intended to serve with dinner in her buggy.

He leaned against the display of cabbage. “No, we haven’t officially met yet, but I saw you one day, a week or so ago. You were at this same store in the parking lot and were coming when I was leaving. I watched you get out of your car.”

“Oh.”

“Now, I’d like to introduce myself,” he said, straightening his form and coming to stand in front of her. At five-eight she wasn’t considered short by any means, and he did a job of towering over her. He held out his hand. “I’m Shane Masters.”

Shane Masters. For some reason she liked that name. It sounded... sexy. “And I’m Faith Gilmore,” she said, placing her hand in his and immediately feeling the warmth, the texture, the strength of his grip.

She thought about easing her hand back, but that was before she began drowning in the darkness of his gaze. Oh, he was good. If his smooth words didn’t get you, then those eyes of his definitely would. After Virgil she should be immune to the antics of a handsome man. Evidently she wasn’t. She swallowed hard. It wasn’t her fault she was a traditional girl and still wanted to hold on to those values.

Once upon a time she’d longed to be sexually liberated like Shannon, but that lifestyle wasn’t really for her. In her book, the ideal situation was when you met someone, got real close to him, then after a while had sex ... and maybe if the timing was right, fell in love and eventually got married.

Even though things hadn’t worked out with Virgil, she still wanted to believe in happily ever after. If she didn’t, she
would
turn into another Shannon, and the very thought of that was downright scary. That was probably the reason the men she went out with since she’d emerged back on the dating scene a few years ago were stable, serious-minded, with relationship potential. She tried staying away from those who were only looking for flings or had commitment issues. She had a feeling the man standing in front of her was only interested in a fling.

“So are you an islander?” she asked, deciding it was time to reclaim her hand, and so that it wouldn’t look so obvious she was doing so, she slid it out of his as she turned to study the squash—not that she was really interested in the yellow beastly things. They were her least-liked vegetable.

“For the time being. I recently purchased a vacation home here but still have a place in Michigan. What about you?”

“A couple of girlfriends and I decided this is the place we wanted to be this summer, since it’s where we met years ago in our early teens. Our families would come here for two weeks every year.”

He smiled. “Boy, weren’t you the lucky ones. But then I wasn’t too far away. My family is from Savannah.”

“That’s a beautiful city.”

“Thanks, and I would have to agree.” He leaned over and picked up a squash and Faith couldn’t help noticing how he held it in his hand: tight but not overly so. She then watched how his thumb rubbed against the hard rind surface, and she found herself staring, imagining. . . .

“You enjoy cooking, I see.”

His statement made her glance back into his face, where she was once again snagged by his eyes. She swallowed. “What makes you think that?”

He smiled again. “The amount of food in your buggy.”

He had her there. “I like cooking when the mood hits,” she explained.

“And the mood has hit?”

“Yes.” She wondered if he was hinting at an invite for dinner. If that was the case, then he could forget it. It was going to be an all-girls night with her parents’ neighbor. No males allowed, and definitely not one who was a total stranger.

Faith could feel his gaze on her when she bent over to check out the heads of iceberg lettuce. She wished to God she could ignore the man, but there was something about him that stirred all kinds of reactions in her. She was even feeling breathless, and no man, not even Virgil, had made her feel breathless before.

Deciding it was time to end their little chat, she glanced over at him and said, “Well, I don’t want to hold you up from doing your own shopping.”

“You’re not. I just came in to grab a six-pack.”

“What about dinner?” she regretted asking the moment the words tumbled from her mouth.

“I have a freezer full of those microwave dinners. That’s all I need.” When she didn’t say anything to that, he then asked, “So how long will you be on the island?” He fixed her with that deep, dark stare again.

After placing a head of lettuce in her buggy, she moved on to the tomatoes before saying, “Another three to four weeks.”

“Now isn’t that a coincidence, same here before I head back to Detroit for a while,” he said. “Since we’re both going to be here for almost another month, how about if we—?”

At that moment her cell phone rang and she quickly reached into her purse and pulled it out thinking,
Saved by the bell.
He’d been about to suggest that they hang out or something, and she wasn’t in the mood to do that. This was her summer to do what she wanted, and what she wanted didn’t include a man, at least not in the sense she knew he was interested. Men always thought below the belt.

“Hello,” she said in the phone.

“Where are you?” she could hear Shannon ask on the other end. “I need your opinion about something.”

“About what?”

“An outfit I plan to wear later this evening.”

Faith sighed. “Don’t tell me you’re still out shopping.”

“Yes, but I’m headed back to the beach house now.”

“All right, hang tight. I’ll be there in a minute.” Faith then clicked off the phone and looked over at Shane. “Well, grocery shopping must come to an end for now. It was nice meeting you, Shane.”

“Trust me when I say the pleasure was mine, Faith. Take care, and I hope you enjoy the remainder of your stay on the island.”

She smiled. “And I hope you enjoy the rest of yours as well.”

Gripping the handle of the buggy firmly in her hand, she pushed it past him and toward the checkout counter. And unlike the last time she had left a male in the produce section staring at her, she knew Shane Masters was one she wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.