Fly Like You've Never Been Grounded (Summer Lake, #4) (13 page)

His mouth came down on hers and her arms came up around his neck. It was the sweetest kiss that deepened into something so much more as their tongues danced in some ritual of permission sought and granted. Eventually he lifted his head, his eyes serious now.

“I'm bigger than you, and I'm stronger than you, and like I just told you, I will never
ever
push you around.”

She knew he spoke the truth, but wasn't really sure what he was getting at. “I do trust you, Smoke.”

He smiled and brushed his lips over hers. “And I trust you, lady.” He sat up and pulled her into his arms. “So, say you'll have dinner with me?”

She frowned.

He tightened his arms around her, contradicting his words. “Of course, I'll let you go now, if you don't want to.”

“I want to, but I said I'd go over to Missy and Dan's.”

He grinned. “I bet they'd be happier to know you're with me.”

She laughed. “You have a pretty high opinion of yourself, don't you?”

“Yes, I do. But I've earned it. And before long, you'll have a higher opinion of me too. I'm a great guy once you get to know me.” His cocky smile was back to full beam as he swaggered his shoulders.

“Are you saying you're going to earn it?”

“Yep, right after you call Missy and tell her you're not coming, because I invited you for dinner and you couldn't resist.” He picked his phone up from the coffee table and handed it to her.

“I'm not calling her from your phone!”

“Why not? If you don't you'll have to go all the way next door for yours and I don't want to let go of you for that long.”

“You'll survive.” She tried to stand up, but he held her tight.

“I might not. And wouldn't you feel terrible if I didn't?”

Why was it that all her life she'd felt claustrophobic—or just plain creeped out when a guy tried to hold on to her in any way, yet now that Smoke was doing it, she was loving every minute of it? Was it just because between the two of them it was only a game? She looked at his face; there was still something much more serious lurking behind the laughter. She wasn't sure it even was a game anymore—to either of them.

“I'll have to risk it. I'm going next door, I'll call them and get changed. Where are we going for dinner?”

He released her and leaned back to look at her. “Okay, go call them, but don't get changed. You look so hot just the way you are.”

He wasn't playing. He meant it! The way he was looking at her proved it. She couldn't help but smile, knowing she was doing that to him. “I'm glad you think so. But I can hardly go out like this.”

“Who said anything about going out? We can have dinner right here. That way I can have you all to myself.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “How does that sound?”

She nodded. It sounded like the perfect evening. She stood up quickly, needing to break the spell. “It sounds wonderful, but I'm still going next door to call them. I'll be right back.”

***

S
moke watched her step out onto the deck and disappear around the screen.
Jesus
! What the hell was he doing? He lay back on the sofa and blew out a big sigh. Whatever it was, he couldn't help it! When she'd told him she hadn't been with Michael, the relief had been overwhelming. When she'd admitted that she'd thought he'd been
with
Rochelle—and that she'd been
jealous?
That had blown him away. How the hell could she have thought that? She was so damned hot—how could she ever think she'd have any competition? But knowing that she had had softened something inside of him. He'd felt some instinctive need to reassure her, to tell her,
show
her, that he wanted her and
only
her. That he wanted all of her, all for himself. And
that
was the dumbest thought he'd ever had! He couldn't ask her for anything, because he couldn't give her anything. Not any of the things that women wanted anyway.

Damn!
He'd come back in here to get away from her, knowing he shouldn't stick around too much. But all he'd done was make the few bookings he'd needed to for next week's travels, then sat trying to talk himself out of going back over there. He'd lost that battle as soon as he'd heard her step out on the deck. Then when he'd seen her sitting there looking abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous, he'd lost another battle with himself. No way was he going to be able to get out of here for the evening and stay away from her like he'd decided he needed to. He'd known the second he'd squatted down to look into her beautiful blue eyes that he was going to have dinner with her. Spend the whole evening with her—and the whole night too.

His phone rang—Jack!
No way!

“If you need to fly tomorrow, I'll find you a pilot. I'm taking the day off.”

Jack laughed. “Yo, bro. I take it that means you caught up with my little bitty cousin?”

“I'm saying nothing, Benson. What do you want?”

Jack laughed again. “Chill out Smokey! Em and I were talking about the fundraiser—our table is getting all kinds of crazy this year, and you never let me know if you're coming.”

Smoke thought about it. “Is Laura going?”

“Yes. Does that mean you're more likely to come—or to stay away?”

“It means I'm coming. And....” Smoke made a decision. “It means I'm not working it.”

“Huh? Now you're fucking with me, right? How are we supposed to get there?”

“I'll have another pilot on staff by then, Jason. He can fly.”

“Oookay. Want to tell me what's going on?”

“No.”

“Smoke! Talk to me, man? This is so not you, you're worrying me!”

He heard Laura coming out onto the deck. “I've got to go. We will talk soon, okay?”

“Is she with you now?”

“Yes. Not that it's any of your business.”

She was coming around the partition.

Jack sounded serious now. “Talk to her, Smoke. Get her to talk to you.”

“See ya, Jack.”

He hung up as Laura came in. She arched an eyebrow. “Jack?”

He nodded.

“At least he waited ’til afterwards this time!”

He let out a short laugh. “Yeah, listen, Laura. About that....” What could he say? How could he explain to her?

“That was last weekend,” she said. “This is this weekend. You just invited me to dinner. I just canceled my plans so I could accept. Clean slate, right?”

Wow! That was easy. “Thanks.” No point going there if she didn't want to. They had the evening ahead of them. Why spoil it by getting into heavy stuff? He grinned and patted the sofa beside him. “Sounds good to me. Clean slate it is.” As she sat down and he closed his arms around her, Jack's voice echoed in his mind.
Talk to her, Smoke. Get her to talk to you.

Right now, all he wanted to do was hold her. He raked his fingers through her hair, tipping her head back as he lowered his lips to her. She tasted so damned good. Her kiss was so sweet, intoxicating. Soon they were lying on the sofa, legs entwined, bodies pressed together. Lips telling each other everything, without any need for words. His mind vaguely registered that she could only mean trouble. But trouble had never tasted so good.

***

S
he smiled as he handed her a glass of wine. “Are you going to make me dinner, or are you just planning on getting me drunk and taking advantage of me again?”

They'd made out on the sofa like teenagers until his need to have her again had become too much. He'd broken away, suggested a drink. He wanted her badly, but they had the whole night. He didn't want this to be all about sex. It
wasn't,
for him—as strange as that felt. He needed to know that it wasn't for her either. He met her gaze. “I'm not making you dinner.”

She laughed. “So, just taking advantage of me, then? That's fine, as long as I know.”

He took her glass from her and set it down. Leaning back against the counter, he drew her to him so she was standing between his legs. “Remember I told you I will never push you around? I need you to know I will never take advantage of you either, in any way.”

She put her hands on his shoulders and planted a kiss on his lips. “Thank you, Smoke, but let's keep it light can we?”

Jesus!
Maybe she
was
only in it for the sex—and he was the one going all heavy on
her
! What was she doing to him? He recovered quickly and squeezed her ass, playfully. “Okay, but I'm still not making you dinner.”

A look of...something—what, panic, horror?—crossed her face. “You're not expecting
me
to make 
you
dinner?”

“I am not. I thought we could order from that Italian place. They deliver.”

“Oh, great.” She was smiling again, but he wondered why she'd reacted like that.

***

T
hey sat out at the table on the deck. The setting sun had turned the sky and the lake red and gold while they'd eaten. The food had been amazing. Giuseppe's had a wonderful menu once you got past all those pages of pizza.

Smoke went inside and returned with the Tiramisu, more wine and some candles. He lit the candles and refilled her glass.

She smiled at him. “Is this one of your standard moves? Do you do this with all the girls?” she teased.

“I do. I do it with every single girl I bring home.”

She covered the disappointment quickly, but he saw it before her smile was back in place. Good! He
was
getting to her. He was going into all kinds of dangerous territory for her—he needed to know he wasn't going alone.

“You must go through a lot of candles.”

“You'd be surprised.”

She shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Yep, definitely getting to her . She didn't like it. He didn't want to be an asshole about it though.

“Do you want to know how many candles I've used?'

She laughed, but it sounded too brittle. “You keep count? What do you do, buy them in bulk?”

He shook his head. “I have used a sum total of three.”

She looked at the three candles on the table, then back up at him. “Three each time, right?”

He shook his head again and reached for her hand—what was it about her that made him do that? He'd never been a hand holder, even with.... Laura's long slender fingers closed around his, reminding him of the very first time they'd met. Maybe that was it? She was looking at him, bringing him back to the moment, waiting for him to answer. “No. Three ever. I've never brought anyone home before.”

She laughed. “Now I do feel special. Don't worry, you haven’t been here long. I'm sure you'll put up some good numbers soon.”

He dug a spoon in the Tiramisu and brought it to her lips. She smiled and licked it seductively before taking it.
Jesus!
She was still playing with him! If her mouth was as talented as it seemed to be, she could win this game every time! He watched, transfixed, as he slid the spoon out of her mouth.

Damn, Smoke! Focus!

“I don't mean just here, Laura. I have
never
brought a woman home. Anywhere.”

She couldn't speak with her mouth full, but her eyes widened in shock.

“Apparently you are special.” He watched her swallow. “I keep breaking my own rules for you.”

“Why?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “I'll tell you when I figure it out.”

S
moke watched Laura step outside. She was so damned hot! Her hair was still damp from the shower—that had been fun. She was wearing one of his T-shirts and nothing else.

“Are you going to let me go next door now and get some clothes?” She put her hands on her hips and gave him that sexy smile.

She'd said she was going to get some earlier, but he'd blocked the bedroom door with his body—that's how they'd ended up in the shower.

“Nope.” He grinned. “I made us some coffee. Come join me.”

She took a step towards her side of the deck. “You can't stop me,” she teased.

He was up from the table. “We both know I can...
and I will!”
he added, as she made a break for it.

He caught her easily. Closing his arms around her waist and lifting her off her feet. She beat her hands against his chest. “Put me down, you big Neanderthal!”

He laughed and went to the sofa, keeping hold of her so that when he sat she was straddling his lap.  He was getting hard again. How did she do it to him? She'd ridden him hard before they got out of bed. He'd taken her against the wall in the shower not half an hour ago and now he wanted her again. He just could not get enough of her!

“I'll let you go soon,” he said and planted a kiss on her lips. “Have coffee with me first, though?”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a sweet little kiss on the end of his nose, making him smile. “Okay. Are you working today?”

He felt himself tense. He wasn't, but he didn't want to get into this one.

She took his silence as affirmation and planted another little kiss on his forehead. “Then we'd better make the most of the time we have. What time do you have to leave? Is it Jack?”

He felt the tension slip away. That wasn't the reaction he'd feared. No sulking, no pouting, no telling him it was the weekend and he shouldn't be working. He smiled. “I don't know yet. It's not Jack. The only flight on my schedule today is taking this hot chick back to San Francisco.”

Laura frowned, “I thought she was doing a one way car rental.”

“No. That got canceled. See, now she has her own private pilot at her disposal. So I'm just waiting for
her
to tell
me
what time. I'm hoping it won't be till tonight though.”

Damn!
That smile was making him harder.

“Oh. I see. Do you think she has plans here for today?” She arched an eyebrow.

Another game, huh? Well, he'd win this one. “Maybe. I understand she's met a guy here. She really likes him. She wants to spend the day with him and...she's hoping to get into his pants again before she has to leave.”

She threw her head back and laughed.

Man, he loved it when she did that. It was such a carefree sound. But. Was she laughing at him? Suddenly he felt like she might be. What was he doing? He'd told her she didn't like to make herself vulnerable. Truth was, neither did he. “But, I could be wrong.”