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“How long have you known the Campbells?” he asked, trying to put the past aside.
“Ever since the accident.”
“Accident? What happened?”
She sighed, then looked at the ocean. “Eric, Ashley and their parents were driving home late at night when they were involved in a hit-and-run collision. Somebody sideswiped them, causing the car they were driving to spin out of control. It hit a concrete guardrail and burst into flames. The parents died upon impact, according to the coroner.”
The wind whipped a strand of hair across her face, and she brushed it from her cheek. “Eric was seriously injured, but instead of panicking, he released his baby sister from the car seat and carried her from the burning vehicle. A highway patrolman who came upon the scene found Eric holding Ashley on the side of the road, tears running down his face, trying his best to calm the crying baby. The city council proclaimed him a hero. It was in all the papers.”
Michael vaguely recalled reading about it, but lately, his mind had been on his own trials and tribulations. A small voice urged him to take care, to avoid rubbing elbows with anyone who might stir up media curiosity, but he pushed it aside. The accident had happened nearly a year ago, if he remembered correctly.
“Mrs. Campbell mentioned she had custody of her two grandchildren,” he said.
“Lizzie had to fight hard for it, though. She’s nearly seventy-five years old, and her health isn’t the best. A wave of public sentiment swayed the judge to grant her temporary custody. I help as much as I can, when I’m not working or in school.”
School? She had a youthful appearance, yet a wisdom in her eyes. He wondered how old she was. Yet what did it matter? So what if she was at least ten years his junior. She was just a woman he’d met while on vacation, certainly not a potential date. Still, she had tweaked his curiosity.
“Where do you go to school?” he asked, wanting to know more about her, about how she spent her time, what goals she had set.
“I graduated from Cal State San Marcos last June. I’ve been accepted into graduate school, so I’m working hard to save enough money to go.”
“What’s your major?”
“Liberal arts. I want to be a teacher and plan to get a master’s degree in education.” She flashed him another fey smile, and he had no doubt she would charm children and parents alike. He’d seen her with Eric. She’d make a great teacher.
“How about a student loan?” he asked. “Then you wouldn’t have to work at all.”
She sobered. “No. I’ve had enough public assistance in my life. I want to put myself through school, even if it means working at the Pacifica Bar and Grill until I can save enough for tuition.”
He missed the smile, the lighthearted tone of her voice. And he wondered where she’d hidden them. And why.
Be clinical and detached, he reminded himself. This woman is none of your business.
“Oh, look,” she said, pointing to a round piece of blue plastic up ahead. “A Frisbee.”
She darted toward the circular toy and bent at the waist to retrieve it, giving Michael a tantalizing glimpse of a perfectly rounded derriere and two shapely upper thighs that peeked through the flared hem of her shorts. He swallowed hard, trying to ignore a surge of desire. Kara might be small in stature, but she was woman through and through. An enticing woman, although he had the feeling she wasn’t aware of how striking she was.
“Want to play?” she asked, eyes bright.
Play? With her? In a heartbeat. But not Frisbee. Gulliver jerked on the leash, drawing Michael to reality. “I’m afraid I haven’t played on the beach in a long time. I doubt my aim is worth a darn.”
“We’ll just have to see about that,” Kara said, waving the blue toy as she carried it to him, all the while flashing him a dimpled smile.
A seagull cried overhead, then swooped toward the sand, pecking at a bag of potato chips left on the beach.
Spotting the gull, Gulliver yipped in excitement, then leaped up and jerked against the leash. In an effort to chase the bird, the fool dog circled Kara, throwing her into Michael. Then, as Michael reached to steady her, Gulliver wrapped the leash around their legs.
Off balance, Michael and Kara fell to the sand, while the dog slipped from the collar and ran down the beach, leaving the humans lying in the sand, arms wrapped around each other.
Michael couldn’t help but stroke her arm, soft and sleek from a peach-scented lotion that wafted and swirled around him. “Are you okay?” he asked, senses reeling from the feel of her, the sensation of lying next to her.
“I’m fine,” she said, her voice husky and velvety, unlike the lighthearted tone he’d found attractive before but far more mesmerizing.
Waves crashed upon the shore, and their hearts pounded in unison. His eyes caught hers and locked in a soul-piercing stare, a gaze that communicated something they both felt but couldn’t voice. A tingle of awareness, a jolt of hunger.
Afraid he could remain locked in her arms forever, Michael rose up on an elbow, unwrapped the leash from around his legs, then stood. “Let me help you up.”
Her hand gripped his, and he pulled her to her feet. Brushing sand from herself, she chuckled softly. When she glanced at him, eyes crinkling in mirth, he spotted a dried piece of seaweed dangling from her hair.
He removed it, slowly and gently, allowing himself to touch the soft, springy curls that intrigued him. Her breath caught, and he knew she felt the undercurrents of desire as he had, but she quickly laughed it off. In an effort to break the tension, he supposed.
He’d be wise to do the same, to let the awkward moment pass. “Your dog ran down the beach. Should we chase after him?”
“No,” she said. “He’ll come back home. He always does.”
She bent to retrieve the Frisbee she’d dropped in the melee, giving him another glimpse of a shapely backside. He raked a hand through his tangled, windswept hair and blew out the breath he’d been holding.
“Let’s play,” Kara said, taking the toy and loping down the sand. So unlike any of the socialites Michael had known, her playful spirit taunted him.
She sent the Frisbee flying toward him.
Michael snagged the circular toy and sent it back.
“Hey, not bad,” she said, flicking her wrist and shooting the blue disc in a wide arc.
For the first time since the scandal had disrupted his orderly world, Michael found himself laughing. Bertha had been right. What he needed was a vacation, something to take his mind off his troubles.
As Kara leaped to snag the blue plastic plate, her sweatshirt lifted, giving him a glimpse of a small, ivory-skinned waist. A waist his hands could easily encircle and his fingers ached to caress.
He’d never been one to take sexual relationships lightly, yet he couldn’t help but wonder whether a brief affair might help him shake the rejection he still felt after his ex-wife’s betrayal. It seemed like a logical prescription to him. And certainly more pleasant than allowing his emotional side to weigh him down.
“Hey,” he called to the bright-eyed pixie. “How about having dinner with me tonight. I’ll pick up a couple of swordfish fillets we can grill.” And a bottle of wine, he reminded himself.
“That sounds like fun,” she said. “I have to help Lizzie put the kids to bed. It’s kind of an evening ritual. Can we make it about eight?”
“Sure,” Michael said. That would give him time to run to the drugstore and purchase some condoms. Just in case.
It had been a long, long time since he’d tried to romance a woman. He wondered whether he still had the touch.
Kara stood before Michael’s door, her fist raised, ready to knock. She watched a moth frantically try to penetrate the yellow globe of the porch light.
Was the glow a welcome or warning? She couldn’t be sure. What was she doing here? Why had she agreed to have dinner with him? To be neighborly, she reminded herself. But good grief, Lizzie was a neighbor. Mr. Radcliff was a neighbor. Michael was a stranger.
Oh, sure, he had a warm smile and a gentle touch, but that was all the more reason she had no business having dinner with him. Just the two of them.
Alone.
Get a grip, she told herself. It’s only a friendly dinner. And certainly not a date, for goodness sake. Dates had always made her uneasy, but when the last one ended in humiliation and tears, she’d vowed to steer clear of men and romantic notions.
Her stomach knotted at the memory of the family dinner party Jason Baker had taken her to. When he’d first asked her, she’d declined, not wanting him to think she was serious about him. But he’d prodded her until she agreed. I want you to meet my family, he’d told her. You’ll like them.
But he’d been wrong.
When she arrived at the house, she’d been unprepared for the formality, the suspicious evaluations, the snide remarks.
You remember Kara, don’t you, Mom?
Oh, yes. The cocktail waitress.
At first, the accusations had been silent—a haughty grin, rolled eyes. Then a few heartless comments and innuendoes were made about Kara and her cunning attempt to snag a wealthy husband.
Marriage? To Jason Baker? She hadn’t given it any thought at all. And after she’d met his family, particularly his snobbish, sharp-tongued mother, she knew she’d rather die than have anything to do with the man or his family again.
The dinner had turned into a social inquisition, and Kara, nails clawing her palms, had excused herself and slipped out before dessert was served. No, she would never put herself in that position again. Nor would she date someone whose parents considered themselves socially and financially superior to her.
She’d probably date again. Someday. When she had Ashley and Eric living in her own home. Those precious children were her priority, not romance and glitter.
She placed a hand on the doorjamb of Michael’s cottage and closed her eyes, reminding herself of the precious good-night kisses she’d just given and received. The gentle sway of the old oak rocking chair, the scent of baby powder, a dribble of milk on baby Ashley’s tiny chin. A sleepy-eyed grin that sported two little white teeth had filled Kara’s heart with enough love to last a lifetime.
After laying the baby in the crib, Kara had sat on the edge of Eric’s bed and read him another chapter of Charlotte’s Web. She’d listened to his prayers, cupped his cheek and kissed him good-night. The ritual was as pleasant and restful for her as it was for the brave little boy she had come to love.
Kara slowly opened her eyes, then scanned Michael’s porch. Two lawn chairs flanked a small outdoor table. A beer can and a magazine rested upon the glass tabletop.
The Aviator. Why would Michael be reading that? Was he an aspiring pilot? She’d never been one to judge a man by the car he drove, but an old Ford didn’t seem like the kind of vehicle a pilot would drive. But what did she know about pilots? And what did she know about Michael?
She struggled with the urge to turn and go home, to call him with an excuse as to why she couldn’t come to his house tonight, but she’d agreed to join him for dinner. She couldn’t back out now. He was expecting her.
Once again, she reminded herself this wasn’t a date. And it certainly wouldn’t turn out like the dinner party at Jason Baker’s house. Garnering her courage, she knocked on the door.
Michael answered, wearing a pair of jeans, a crisply pressed white shirt and a smile that reached the golden hue of his eyes. He’d showered. And shaved.
She rather missed that salty, sea dog air he’d worn before.
His eyes swept her body in an appreciative caress. “Come in.”
He appeared genuinely glad to see her, and it both pleased and unnerved her. Impulsively, she turned and snatched the magazine and empty can from the table and thrust them toward him in an effort to put some distance between them, between him and her thoughts. “You left these outside.”
“Thanks.” He took them from her and stepped aside, holding the magazine and soda can against his chest.
Kara moved across the threshold and into the small but tastefully decorated cottage Lizzie had just refurbished. A fire crackled softly in the living room, and the easy sound of something classical played upon the stereo.
Just friends. Neighbors. Yet the romantic ambiance told her otherwise. As did the light, musky scent of aftershave. Her heart fluttered to a zip-a-dee-do-dah beat.
“Can I pour you a glass of wine?”
Wine? For a moment, Kara wondered if Michael’s expectations for the dinner were different than hers. She certainly hadn’t planned on a romantic encounter, and she quickly sought his eyes, hoping to see he hadn’t, either.
He flashed her a warm, friendly smile, and she wondered if she’d made more out of the offer than he’d intended.
She slowly ran her hands down the sides of her long, loose-fitting cotton skirt. We’re just newfound friends having dinner. And maybe a few laughs. What harm can there be in that?
“Sure,” she said. “Wine sounds great.”
Chapter Three
Michael stood like a starstruck teen as Kara entered his temporary home. Her simple cotton dress fit like a curtain flowing in the breeze. The soft peach fabric lay against ivory-colored skin blessed with a faint scatter of freckles, setting off that fiery shade of hair. When had plain cotton stood out as lovely, breathtaking?
Denise, his dark-haired, provocative ex-wife, had worn a lot of red and black, Lycra and silk. She’d chosen colors and tight-fitting material to make her stand out in a crowd. But had Michael been mingling in a banquet hall with elegant and notable guests, he wouldn’t have been able to keep his eyes from the petite redhead who smelled of peach blossoms and taunted his senses with a plain, wholesome appeal. Had she chosen a dress to match her scent in an attempt to tantalize him?
She cocked her head and looked at him in a strange and fidgety way. Had he made her nervous? He hadn’t meant to.
Wine. He’d asked her if she wanted some, and she’d said yes. “Why don’t you take a seat on the sofa? I’ll bring you a glass. Is chardonnay all right?”
“Sure.” She swept into the living room, the gentle sway of her hem brushing small but shapely calves, and took a seat.
Michael placed the magazine on the counter and tossed the empty can into the trash. He withdrew a bottle of chilled wine from the refrigerator, pulled the cork and poured two glasses. As he handed one to Kara, he noticed how close she sat to the armrest of the sofa.
He’d meant to wine and dine her, to provide a sensual evening. To suggest they see how far this attraction went. But he’d never intended anything that wasn’t completely mutual. That had never been his style, not even when he was an intern and a few of the other young doctors were intent upon hitting on every good-looking nurse—whether she was willing or not.
His studies and his job had been too important for him to take lightly. Not that he’d remained celibate. He hadn’t.
While he tried to conjure up a way to ease the awkward moment, she nodded toward the Formica countertop where he’d placed the magazine. “Are you interested in airplanes?”
Did he dare tell her he had thought about selling his Citation, maybe making another purchase? No need to prompt any personal questions. Yet the way she lifted an auburn brow, cocked her head to the side and flashed him an interested smile caused him to digress in a way he hadn’t intended. “Planes have always interested me, ever since I was a kid, but I never took the time to pursue any training.”
“I’ll bet it’s fun, seeing the world from high above the ground.” She sighed, then gave a wistful shrug. “I’ve never flown before, but I’ve always wanted to. I used to hang out in the library when I was a kid. I’d read travel magazines and imagine myself taking exotic trips. Reading has to be the most exciting thing in the world.”
More than actually experiencing the world? Kara seemed to enjoy life in a way most people never did. Playing soccer with a kid, finding a shell in the sand, throwing a forgotten Frisbee through the ocean air. If anyone deserved an exotic trip, it was the effervescent young woman sitting on his sofa. “Do you still read?”
“Every chance I get.” Imagination lit up her face and seemed to dispel her nervousness. “I’ve been to the far ends of the earth, by dogsled, biplane, clipper ship. You name it.”
He felt a compulsion to take her someplace she’d only read about but reeled in the urge. Her enthusiastic, playful nature was having an unusual effect on him. And God knew he was clinical, rational, certainly not a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants type. “I’ve got the grill on the back patio. Do you want to sit outside while I prepare the fish?”
“Sure.” She flashed him a dimpled smile, then stood. “Can I help?”
“You can keep me company.”
On the back patio, a harvest moon rose high in the evening sky, watching them with mystical intent. Ocean air, crisp and fragrant, mingled with the smell of grilled swordfish and charcoal. Michael stood over the barbecue, watching the fillets sizzle over the hot coals, yet he couldn’t keep his eyes from casually glancing at the woman who watched him work.
Kara sat in a plastic patio chair, her feet barely resting on the deck. He found it nearly impossible to keep his attention focused on the task at hand, which didn’t seem at all natural. Kara wasn’t his type, wasn’t of his world, yet it didn’t seem to matter tonight. She intrigued him. “Have you always lived in Harbor Haven?”
“No. I’ve lived here for nearly a year and a half. That’s about the longest I’ve been in any town, but I’m not a wanderer by nature. It’s just the way things worked out.”
“So why here? At Campbell’s Seaside Cottages?”
“One day, while having lunch at the Pacifica, Lizzie offered to rent me a cottage at a reduced rate if I would help her out with some of the more physically demanding chores. I’ve always been on a limited budget, so I jumped at the chance to save some money.” She smiled and shrugged. “But Lizzie became more of a friend than a landlord and, when the kids moved in, we became a family. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
He watched her, the way she tilted her head, the way the patio light sparkled like glitter on the auburn strands. “You don’t seem like a homebody to me,” he said, even though she didn’t seem to be an adventure-driven nomad, either. “You have a playful spirit.”
