Just Like That (37 page)

Who knew she possessed this much nerve? Not her. Not anyone. She wasn’t a wimp, but in all truth, she was anything but a risk-taker. Nor was she the attention-grabbing type.

If anything, with her plain brown hair and boring brown eyes, she tended to blend into the background. She was the one everyone said had her feet planted firmly on the ground. A straight-forward, no-nonsense kind of girl, that was her. In point of fact, she was the last person anyone would ever expect to do anything the least bit daring or “out there”. Especially with regards to men. And not with a man she’d only seen around the office and never met. She was the very antithesis of a femme fatale.

But tonight was different. Tonight marked the coming of the New Year and the new her. Tonight she was going after what she wanted. And what she wanted most was Reese Cooper.

No more lying in bed all alone, fantasizing about what she would like to do to his super sexy body.

Fantasizing about what she wished he would do to hers. Fantasizing about what they could do to each other. No sirree. She’d made her New Year’s resolution and that resolution meant she was going to start
this
year with a bang.

Or more precisely, with a kiss. The kiss to end all kisses. Or maybe just the kiss that would bring an end to her fantasies about Reese. Because if things didn’t go the way she wanted, at least she’d finally know. And maybe, just maybe, she could move on and find a man who would give her what she wanted—a taste of what great sex was all about.

She really had nothing to lose. At the very least she’d find out what it was like to kiss Reese Cooper and that alone was a thrilling prospect. Heck, it already had her tingling down to her toes.

Besides, what else was New Year’s for? It was a time for change. For adventure. For new beginnings.

All the things she was determined to kick off right now.

After pushing her way through the crush of people, she reached her quarry and stopped just behind him. All six-foot-three-scrumptious inches of him. The place was so packed it was a wonder she was able to get this close to him, but at least the crowd and noise had helped in her quest. She was certain Reese hadn’t noticed her approach.

She looked around and quickly sized up her options. Now that she was in position, it was going to take a bit of maneuvering to accomplish what she’d come here to do. Because a man like Reese was too good looking and sought after to come to a party by himself.

His present arm candy was even now primping herself in expectation of getting his New Year’s kiss, and the countdown was about to begin. But Dana knew something the blow-up blonde didn’t—she was doomed to disappointment. Because, date or no date, in about ten seconds Reese was going to be kissing
her
, Dana Appleby. Not blissfully unaware, destined-to-fail, Cosmo girl.

All Dana had to do was get the timing right.

At that moment the music stopped and the host of the party called for everyone’s attention, announcing the countdown was about to commence.

This is it.
The moment of truth. The moment she’d been waiting for. She shored up her nerve and got into position.

“Ten…nine…eight…”

Steady. I can do this.

“Seven…six…five…”

Now.

Pretending she’d tripped, Dana very neatly fell into Reese’s very strong, very yummy arms.

I did it.

“Four…three…”

She looked into his surprised grey eyes and almost melted. She’d never seen them up close like this before and their impact was staggering. She could happily drown in those eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m such a klutz.”

“Two…one…”

He steadied her with his hands but didn’t remove them from around her. She took that as a good sign.

Now if she could just get rid of the damn blush making her complexion a bright, fire-engine red. It was hard to look sexy when you looked as if your head was going to catch fire at any second.

“You okay?” He seemed genuinely concerned. How sweet.

A chorus of “
Happy New Year
” being shouted from every corner of the room effectively interrupted her answer.

As the surrounding crowd whooped it up and kissed the one they loved, or whoever was convenient, Reese looked around, obviously trying to sort out his current dilemma. His gaze flitted between blow-up Barbie—who was frantically trying to shove Dana out of the way—to his armful of Dana.

Dana, however, didn’t have any such dilemma on her hands. She knew exactly what she was going to do. She ignored the bimbo, disregarded Reese’s shock when she grabbed his lapels, and tossed off what she hoped was an impishly sexy grin. Red face and all. Then she proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of him.

At least she hoped that’s what she was doing.

For an instant, he went perfectly still, no doubt taken aback and not quite sure what to do with her, and a feeling of panic fluttered in her stomach. Oh no, what if he pushed her away? Before that thought could fully take root, he relaxed and took the kiss over with an eagerness Dana would never have dared hope for.

Oh God, it was a million times better than she’d ever imagined.
This
was the stuff fantasies were made of.
This
was what a kiss was supposed to be.
This
was what it was like to be swept off your feet, and then some.

This
was what she’d been looking for.

Now all she had to do was hang onto it.

Even the deepest love needs an air supply…

Beyond Paradise

© 2010 Kathleen Mix

Dive shop manager Marina Hernandez is carrying a heavy load as she tries to save the family business. On one shoulder rides a bucket of red ink. On the other, her father’s age-old cultural belief that women belong in the kitchen.

Now that a cutthroat competitor has pushed her to the brink of bankruptcy, any chance she’ll ever win her father’s respect is fading fast. The last thing she can afford right now is the complication of a tempting man.

After years of building his practice, pediatrician Brett Sutherland has changed his focus. He seeks a more well-rounded life, including a woman who’ll devote herself to caring for a family. Workaholics need not apply. Then he signs up for scuba lessons, and Marina’s luminous eyes and spirited personality turn his neat, logical plan upside down.

Brett’s dazzling looks heat her blood, and his compassionate nature makes her yearn to build her own life—but not if it means letting the business collapse. A little harmless flirtation couldn’t hurt, though.

Yet with every kiss, she’s stretched thinner between the promise of Brett’s love and her father’s expectations. Until a critical decision pushes them both to the breaking point…

Warning: Contains a hunk in a swimsuit. May lead to spending your entire summer at a beach or pool
ogling the male scenery.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Beyond Paradise: At the first carnival booth, Marina hurled baseballs at buzzers mounted on a psychedelically patterned wall. With each wild pitch that ricocheted off the ceiling and floor, she howled with laughter and shoved Papa’s criticisms farther from her mind.

Brett took a turn and missed, and she giggled. “Your ball got closer than mine. You were only about a yard from the target.”

“Come on, let’s go to the next booth. They have darts. That’s more my game. You should have seen the back of my dorm room door.” He took her hand and tugged gently.

His warm hand felt wonderful wrapped around hers, and the sensation did funny things to her pulse.

When they reached the dart booth, he let go to take the fistful of darts the attendant handed him. She disliked the attendant immediately.

Brett seemed determined to stay at the dart booth until he succeeded in winning a prize. When he finally won, he chose a black and white stuffed whale from the display and turned to her.

“This is for you. I might not excel at pitching baseballs or fixing cars,” he said with a chuckle, “but I do have some redeeming qualities.”

She thought of the growing number of checks in his
virtues
columns and looked around. At another booth a man was aiming a rifle at a bull’s-eye target. Farther on, blindfolded bowlers were rolling balls toward wooden ducks. “Nothing here is going to make
me
look talented,” she said, her self-esteem still slightly bruised from seeing Papa. “Diving is my only skill.” They ambled down the dusty midway to a huge machine whirling people in circles and blaring out rock music. A food vendor’s cart was parked under the whirling people.

“How about some food?” Brett shouted. “I know you’re good at eating.” She nodded, pointed to the cart, and shouted back, “That looks interesting.” He winced. “Look out pancreas. Here comes a massive jolt of sugar.” Laughing, she slipped her arm through his and led him toward the cart. He was close to her side. And he felt good there. Her stomach fluttered, and she knew it had nothing to do with the anticipation of food.

After Brett paid the vendor, they strolled through the carnival, nipping at curls of strawberry-flavored cotton candy piled high on a paper cone. She licked the sticky residue from her fingers. Then they found a wagon steeped in irresistible aromas, and she ordered a foot-long hotdog smothered with chili. Brett grimaced and skipped the chili.

A half-hour later, the roller coaster car they were in turned upside-down, whipped around a loop, then bounced and jerked in a sudden downward plunge. Marina squeezed the safety bar tighter and screamed in delight.

Brett leaned toward her and yelled into her ear. “What do you think? Are you sick or should we do one more circuit?”

“I never get motion sickness, even after carnival food.” On the second circuit, she buried her face against his chest in mock terror.

He wrapped his hand around her head and gently held her close. “Lean the other way if you’re nauseous,” he shouted, his warm breath tickling her ear. Then he lowered his voice and stroked her hair.

“But you’re welcome to turn to me anytime if you’re afraid.” The caress of his strong hand and the tenderness of his softly spoken words gave her a strange spell of vertigo.

Afterward, they climbed aboard a whirling ride. The world seemed to keep spinning after they got off.

“More?” Brett motioned to another machine.

“No. I’m too dizzy. Let’s find someplace to sit.”

He slipped an arm around her waist. Her skin tingled beneath her dress, and she found herself wanting to press closer to him. Laughing and half supporting each other, they staggered to a bench and sat.

Marina felt lightheaded and breathless. She questioned whether any carnival ride was the cause. His steady arm looped behind her was inviting, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, savored his unique scent, listened to his heartbeat thump in her ear, and wished this moment would go on forever.

Half a minute later, she sat bolt upright. What was she doing melting into a man she hardly knew?

How could she have let herself get so intimate? “It’s time to go.”

“If you’re ready.”

The sun’s rays were slanting under low clouds in the west, and they’d ridden nearly every ride. She knew the day had to end, but disappointment weighed down her legs as they trudged to the parking lot.

She collapsed into Brett’s comfortable car, and he started toward the highway. Only the music of an acoustic guitar and a velvety voice from the stereo broke the silence and drifted through the car. Her thoughts drifted too. Content as a cream-fed cat, she closed her eyes and smiled.

After a few minutes, Brett asked, “Which exit should I take?”

“Palm Beach Boulevard. You’ll have to drop me at the shop.”

“It’s too late to work now. Why not let me take you home?” She drew in a breath. There was no way to avoid telling him. “The shop
is
my home, Brett. I gave up my apartment at the end of last month to save money. I’ve been sleeping in my office. Temporarily, of course, until business improves.”

“Oh.” He paused, then said softly. “Is there anything I can do to help?” She fidgeted. “No, thank you. It’s just going to take some time for our customers to come back.” Finding a graceful way to change the subject, she said, “That reminds me, I’ve been curious. Why did you choose Paradise for your lessons instead of the Ripley chain store?” He glanced at her and smiled. “When I called to inquire about your class schedule and heard your voice on the phone, I wanted to meet you.”

“I’m flattered. But I have to believe there was some more compelling reason.”

“Why? Your voice sparked my imagination. I conjured up an image of an exotic mermaid, and I wanted to see what you really looked like.”

“Suppose your mermaid turned out to be sixty-five years old, had scales and smelled like dead fish?” He leaned toward her and made an obvious show of sniffing the air. “She didn’t. Even if she had, I probably would have stayed for the introductory class out of curiosity.” He chuckled, then his tone turned serious. “But I would have signed up for classes anyway. Your place does have a family kind of atmosphere. I like that, and I feel comfortable there. And I’m sure your right and your former customers will come back because of it soon.”

He slowed in traffic then pulled into the parking lot at Paradise. “Anyway, here we are.”

Marina hesitated, wanting to prolong the day. But her office was too cramped and sparsely furnished to invite him in for coffee. “Thank you for everything. I’ve really enjoyed today.” His eyes met hers, and he leaned toward her. His hand slipped around the back of her neck, gently pulling her closer.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips. Her heart thumped wildly in anticipation.

With a tantalizing motion, he brushed his mouth softly over hers.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

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