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She looked away, out of the window toward the ocean. Not that she could actually see it from where she stood but she imagined the warm blue-green water gently lapping against the shore. The image did little to calm her.
“Carly?”
She wouldn’t look at him, and instead reclaimed the Bloody Mary off the top of the mini-bar. He hooked a finger under her chin and brought her face around to meet his. The hunger in his eyes sent a thrill of pleasure up her spine. She forgot for a moment that she held the glass, and it tilted, the liquid sloshing on her hand and wrist
“Let me help clean that up.” Then he picked up her hand and bent his head.
Mesmerized, she watched as his tongue made contact and he licked off the spilled liquid. Her breath caught at the velvet warmth of it, and she closed her eyes, knowing she should stop him, but helpless to do so.
He continued licking his way up her arm, until he got to the curve of her neck. He kissed her there and then worked his way up to her ear.
She let her head loll back. This was much better than anonymous. This was Rick. She knew him. She trusted him.
He made a low guttural sound and captured her mouth. She responded, holding nothing back, opening up to him, their tongues meeting in an erotic dance.
When his hand moved to the knot securing her sarong, she didn’t stop him. When he untied it, letting it fall to the floor, and then slid his palm down the curve of her hip, she still didn’t object. In fact, she did some of her own exploring, running her hand over his flat taut belly, and twirling a finger in the hair around his navel.
He was the one to finally break the kiss, his breathing ragged and heavy. “We’d be more comfortable in bed.”
She swallowed, her breathing not so steady either. “God, this is so hard.”
“Not as hard as I am,” he whispered, lightly biting her earlobe.
“You’re awful.” She smiled at the casual way he ran his hand up and down her side as they talked, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“And you love it.”
Carly bit her lip. That was the problem. She did love it. She loved Rick’s irreverence, his sense of adventure, and his go-for-it attitude. She remembered how much she’d learned that first summer with him. Oh, and the fun they’d had—even though she’d gotten into more trouble than ever before in her whole life. She’d also learned that it wasn’t so easy being the pastor’s good daughter.
“We have to take this slow,” she said firmly, straightening so he knew she meant business. “Really think about it.”
“I’ve hardly thought about anything else.”
“Rick.”
The pleading in her voice must have sunk in because the amusement faded from his face. “We’ll take it slow,” he said as he toyed with the elastic of her bikini bottom, slipping a finger inside, stroking her skin. “Did I ever ’fess up about the dreams I had about you?”
She shook her head, his mesmerizing gaze capturing hers. “Tell me now.”
He added another finger to his exploration, and yet another, and then followed the curve of her bottom, but not too far. Nothing threatening. Just enough to tease her. Make her wish he’d cup his palms over her flesh and pull her against him. Make her forget about going slow.
“I guess I wouldn’t have said anything then, especially at sixteen,” he said, watching her, his gaze locked onto hers. “Way too embarrassing.”
Mimicking him, she traced the top of his waistband, letting her fingernails dip under the elastic, pleased at his sharp intake of breath. “I hope you’re going to tell me now, since you brought it up.”
“It was the typical sex-crazed sixteen-year-old boy’s dream. I think I’ll leave it at that.”
Carly smiled. “Okay, then let’s talk about what you’ve been doing since then.”
“I thought that would be the kind of thing you would want to avoid on this vacation.”
Annoyed with herself, she lowered her hands. She was curious about him, about what he’d accomplished, but he was right, getting personal led to intimacy. Exactly what she wanted to stay away from.
He shifted away and reached for his beer. “Okay, what the hell…after high school I went on to USC. Stayed for two years of graduate school. Then headed for Kenya and the Ivory Coast.”
“To dig?”
“That, and to see the sights.” He brought the beer to his lips, drained it and opened the small refrigerator. “What about you?”
“That’s all?” She laughed, and he stared blankly at her. “Silly me. Everyone’s been to Kenya. Must make for very boring conversation.”
Ignoring her sarcasm, he got out another beer. “In school I did a lot of studying and an equal amount of partying. Just your average college Joe.”
“You’ve been everywhere. That’s hardly average.”
He shrugged. “I haven’t traveled much since. I’ve come here on vacation for the past three years.”
She frowned. He’d been dead set on studying archeology, on making his mark in the same field as his parents. That required travel. “I’m assuming you studied archeology.”
“Oh, yeah. Got my master’s and all that.” He gave her a pensive look. “You always wanted to teach. Is that what you’re doing?”
“I will when I go back to Oroville next week. Well, in two months when the school year starts.” She paused, hoping he’d continue. “You still haven’t told me what you’re doing.”
“Trying to seduce you.”
“Come on.” She gave him a playful jab, but her insides were already turning to butter. “I’m serious.”
He took a swig of beer, and faced her, determination and desire blatant in his eyes. “So am I. But—” He held up his hands in surrender. “We’ll take it slow.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice a breathless betrayal. “Let’s talk some more.”
“Oh, brother.”
She ignored his grumpy expression. “How are your parents?”
“Divorced.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Why the surprise? It happens to couples all the time.”
“So they don’t work together anymore?”
He gave her a mocking look. “That’s about the only thing they could do together without fighting.”
“I didn’t know,” she murmured. As a boy he’d told a different story. To him they were like gods.
“No big deal.” He set down the beer. “If we’re going to talk, sweetheart, it’s not going to be about the past.” And then he reached for her. “Let’s talk about what we’re going to do tonight….”
4
“IN CASE you’ve forgotten, this room has only one bathroom.” Disgusted, Carly pounded on the door for the third time. The lighting at the desk was too dim and she had only five minutes left to finish applying her makeup.
“Hold on.” Ginger’s impatient tone only made Carly more annoyed. “This humidity is doing a number on my hair.”
“Your frizzy hair will be the least of your worries if you don’t open this darn door.”
It opened suddenly. Ginger frowned at her. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
“We have only five minutes before we meet the guys for dinner.” Carly jabbed a finger at her watch. “You can do your hair out here. I need the bathroom light for my makeup.”
“No kidding. You look like a clown.” Ginger threw her a cool look as she pushed past, curling iron in hand.
Tempted to make a crack about her frizzy hair, Carly held her tongue. Ginger always hogged the bathroom and Carly seldom minded. But this evening she was in a strange mood. Edgy. Uncertain. Scared to death.
It was only dinner, she told herself as she set down her makeup bag, looked in the mirror and sighed. She did look like a clown. Too much blush. The unfortunate bluish eye shadow made her look eerily like her mother’s high-school graduation picture.
She loved her mom, but yuk… Carly was used to wearing a more natural shade when she bothered at all. So why was she making herself crazy? She knew in her heart that Rick wasn’t a candidate for her week of therapeutic debauchery. No, actually she knew intellectually he wasn’t the right one. Her heart foolishly wanted to jump in head-first.
“What are you scrubbing all that off for?” Ginger stared at her from the doorway. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it about you looking like a clown.”
“You were right. This isn’t me.”
“It’s going to be dark. You’ll want to wear more makeup than usual.”
“Mascara and blush will be enough.”
Ginger sighed. “Yeah, I guess he’s pretty much a sure thing.”
Carly slid her a sidelong glance. “What do you mean?”
“I saw the way Rick looked at you.”
“We’re friends. That’s all.” Carly turned back to the mirror and inspected her bald face before reapplying the tinted moisturizer.
“Friends?” Ginger chuckled. “Okay, but don’t tell me you’re not ready to jump his bones.”
“I am most certainly not ready to jump his bones. I haven’t decided yet.” Carly smoothed in some foundation to blot out several obnoxious freckles. “Are you ready?”
“Pretty much.” She reached around Carly for the hairspray. “I don’t understand you. The guy is gorgeous. He obviously wants you. You’ve been doing a little drooling yourself. What’s the problem?”
“You have to ask? This whole week was supposed to be about anonymity.”
“So? Isn’t it better that you know and like him, and who knows what could develop? You said yourself you’d eventually like to get married.”
“Nothing can develop. That’s the—” Carly cut herself short. She didn’t want to get into this discussion with Ginger. Or anyone. It was too hard to explain. Her longings were a mystery even to herself.
Yes, she eventually wanted to have a husband, start a family, and she wanted to do it in Oroville. She loved her home, and she wanted her children to have the same advantages she’d had growing up in a small loving community. The problem was, the guys who lived there were conservative and boring, with not much more ambition than to own a new pickup every three years.
Not like Rick. He’d been exciting and adventurous and had brought out a reckless streak in her she hadn’t known she possessed. The discovery had been both exhilarating and scary, and the careless behavior not always easy to suppress.
Even now she could clearly recall the time he’d suggested they explore the old Colby mine. Condemned since she’d learned how to talk, the mine had been strictly off limits and all the kids in Oroville knew it. None of them would even dream about ignoring the no trespassing sign. But all he’d had had to do was dare her…
She smiled. That was one of her best afternoons ever.
Darn it. She could really like Rick. Heck, she already did. But, at this point, it wasn’t like she’d go home and pine away for him. Intimacy could change that. Then where would she be?
“Damn it. Look at the time. We’re late.” Ginger squeezed her eyes shut and aimed the hairspray at her French braid.
Spray went everywhere, and Carly grabbed her makeup bag and exited the bathroom in a fit of coughing. She applied some blush with a far lighter touch this time and decided to forgo any eye pencil.
“Okay.” Ginger surfaced from the bathroom, and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Ready for action.” She adjusted the top of her turquoise sundress to get maximum cleavage. “I’m talking really ready.” She grinned. “Tony isn’t going to know what hit him.”
Carly laughed as she grabbed her own purse. She couldn’t help it. What a piece of work. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about coercing Tony.”
Ginger got to the door but stopped, her eyes sparkling. “Why? Did Rick say something?”
“Oh, please. He didn’t have to.” Carly made a shooing motion, trying to get her friend out the door. “Tony is definitely hot for you.”
A pleased smile curved Ginger’s lips as she walked out into the corridor. “I’m betting he just might get lucky tonight.”
“Might?” Carly pulled the door closed. “Yeah, right.”
Ginger laughed. “Which reminds me. How are we going to work the room thing?”
Carly frowned at first, and then she got it, petty envy taking a bite out of her. “Just put out the do not disturb sign and I’ll disappear for a while.”
“If he spends the night with me, you can spend it with Rick in their room, right?”
Carly swallowed her disappointment and jealousy. “Sure,” she said, ignoring the butterflies that had turned her stomach into a circus.
“WHAT LOOKS GOOD?” Tony stared at the menu. “Anybody ever have conch chowder?”
Carly had never even heard of the dish. She glanced at Ginger who was too busy making goo-goo eyes at Tony to notice.
“It’s okay,” Rick said. “I prefer abalone myself, but it’s a local favorite. You ought to try it once while we’re here.”
“You’re right. Try everything once is my motto.” Tony grinned at Ginger. “Go back for seconds if you like it.”
She giggled and gave his arm a playful punch.
Carly started to roll her eyes but caught herself. From her peripheral vision, she saw Rick watching her. Instead of acknowledging him, she buried her nose in the menu.
“What are you having, Carly?” He touched her hand and she jerked in surprise, nearly knocking over the pina colada he’d ordered for her before she and Ginger had arrived.
She set down the menu and clasped her hands in her lap. “I’m not sure.”
“Want me to make a couple of suggestions?”
