She's Got a Way (27 page)

Oh, God. Had she just said that? Had she just practically set her ticking clock right on the table beside them like a huge flipping red flag? Had she even known she was
harboring
the damn clock?

“Sorry.” She started to pull back, knowing she'd just handed him the nails to the coffin of this fledgling relationship, such as it was. “That was
way
too much information.”

He smiled softly, reaching one hand up to slide it along her jaw while the other arm pulled her closer.

“It was definitely a lot of information. But it wasn't the kind that scares me.”

“Sure.”

“I'm serious.” He propped up her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “It might have, were you another woman, another place, another time … but … it doesn't.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he searched her face. “It really just … doesn't.”

And then his lips were on hers, and his arms were around her, pulling her close—but not nearly close enough—and she heard herself whimper as his hands slid downward and cupped her rear, lifting her against his body.

He walked them through a wide pine door into his bedroom, and before she had time to do more than register soft lights and that soapy, woodsy smell that was so him, he was lowering her gently onto the bed.

His tongue tangled with hers as he slid his hands under her shirt, groaning when he popped the buttons through their holes and found her lacy bra underneath.

“So beautiful,” he whispered as he pulled upward, tracing his fingers along the seams, then unhooking the front clasp and letting the cups slide slowly apart. She saw his pupils darken as he looked at her, as he took her in his hands, stroking his thumbs across her nipples.

And then he kissed her, harder this time, more insistent, before letting his lips trail down her neck, along her collarbone, to where his fingers played. She moaned as his lips touched her most sensitive spots, and she fisted her hands in his hair as he sucked gently, then moved to the other side, torturing her with his tongue.

Her body arched, aching for more, and his answered. He slid his hands up her thighs, under her silky skirt, meeting the elastic of her panties, and he groaned as he traced the lacy edges with his fingertips. She squirmed as he caressed her through the silk, then reached for him as he slid them slowly down her legs.

“Not yet, sweetheart,” he said, his voice low and almost playful. He pulled her gently toward the edge of the bed, using warm, sure hands to part her legs as he kneeled on the carpet. “Not yet.”

 

Chapter 26

Early the next afternoon, Gabi stood in the window of the dining hall, watching a completely chaotic scene unfold on the water as she tried to keep her eyes open. Luke had the girls out in kayaks, but this time, they were playing a game of bumper boats that had them spinning and crashing and flipping over.

She'd known him long enough to know that the game had purpose, and she recognized that every time they got dumped, they got practice getting out of the kayaks, flipping them back over, and getting back in, but there were moments when she wished they were maybe at a municipal pool, with six lifeguards at the ready. As deliciously tired as she was, there was no way
she'd
be able to stage a rescue this afternoon.

“Ah. Bumper boats.” Piper came up next to her. “My favorite. Girls, too, it sounds like.”

Gabi nodded. “Pretty sure they haven't laughed this hard since they got here.”

“He knows his stuff, that's for sure.”

“I know. But I have to say—I wish his
stuff
could be a little less dangerous at times.”

“You know they're in, like, four feet of water, right? And have life jackets on?”

“Yes, but every time one of those boats flips, my whole stomach does, too. What if somebody gets stuck upside down?”

“Then he'll help her.” Piper shrugged. “You know, if I didn't know better, I'd guess you actually love these girls just a little.”

“Don't tell them. It'll weaken my authority.”

Piper smiled back. “How about Luke? Falling for
him
yet? For real?”

“Nope. He's awful. Ugly, too, as I'm sure you've noticed.”

Piper laughed out loud. “I'll take that as a yes.”

“Don't tell him, either.”

Oh, she was falling for him, all right. Hook, line, sinker, and the whole damn fishing boat. After what she could only describe as a magical night in his cabin—in his
bed
—she'd woken at dawn, and since then, had been cycling the night through her head on high speed, then slo-mo.

He'd been generous. He'd been impossibly sweet. He'd been more than impossibly hot, and had she mentioned generous?

God, her body shivered, just thinking of the things he'd done with his hands, his lips, his tongue.

But this morning, in the light of day, she'd already started to freak out about the entire thing, because magic was awesome, but it wasn't reality. And the reality was that their time together was temporary, though they'd both claimed to each other that they didn't
do
temporary. So getting in deep with this man who made every cell in her body vibrate for him? It was bound to be a disaster in the end, when they both came to their senses.

She really hated how logic and reality bumped off fantasy rom-com every time.

“Huh.” Piper sipped her lemonade. “Not sure if you've noticed that your face is a complete giveaway, but given the shade of pink you just turned, I'm pretty much dead sure you guys have done the deed.”

“Piper!”

“Busted. When did it happen?”

Gabi didn't answer, which only made Piper laugh again. “Rocked your world, didn't he?”

Gabi sighed. There was no way she was going to avoid this conversation, apparently. “Yes. He did. And I have absolutely no idea what to do about it.”

Piper shrugged. “Well, if it was me, I guess I'd probably have him do it again.” She raised her eyebrows. “But maybe I'm less complicated than you.”

“I doubt it.”

“So what's the problem? You like him, he likes you, the sex was out of this world, and he's the best catch in the land now that Noah's officially off the market.” She winked. “Seems like a no-brainer to me.”

“Well, there's the small matter of me leaving in a couple of weeks—I mean, for one thing.” Gabi put up her hands like it was a rather obvious issue.

“Ah. The old summer-romance problem.”

“I had no intention of
having
a summer romance. Or
any
romance.” Gabi shook her head. “I didn't mean for this to happen.”

“So now you're not talking to him? Because that's logical and everything?”

“I'm not … not talking to him.” Gabi cringed, knowing full well she'd been avoiding him all day.

Piper nodded slowly, her eyes on the water. “You want some advice?”

“Depends what it is.”

“Stop being afraid of Luke. He's a good guy. A really, really good guy.” Piper's voice got serious. “He doesn't sleep with people, Gabi. It's like some kind of ironclad code with him. He'll flirt and he'll kiss and he'll rock the dinner-and-a-movie scene with the best of them, but he doesn't bring anyone home. Ever.”

*   *   *

“So you did the deed, and now she won't talk to you?” Noah took a slug of his beer later that night. “That's gotta hurt.”

“Funny.” Luke rolled his eyes. “Rack 'em.”

Desperate to get away from camp, where Gabriela seemed to be doing everything possible to avoid him, Luke had dragged Noah out for a couple of games of pool at Cooper's new place downtown. The bar area up front was hopping, but tonight, the pool tables out back were quiet. Everybody was out on the riverside patio drinking and flirting and making plans to hook up for the night.

Or maybe they were just drinking. In his frustrated state, he could be superimposing the rest.

Noah got the balls corralled in the triangle, then lifted it and hung it on the wall as Luke lined up his first shot.

Noah tapped on the table. “Just a quick question for you.”

Luke closed his eyes, hands on the cue stick. “Does it have something to do with why I pick rich women who have no intention of giving up their golden palaces to be with me? Because if you were going to ask
that
question, I might have to hurt you.”

“Nope. That one didn't enter my mind.”

Luke took his shot. Missed. “So what's your question?”

“Give me a minute.” Noah ducked out of range. “I have to think of another one.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “I think she's just scared.”

“Why?”

“I don't know.” Luke took a deep breath. “I have a feeling this was not in the playbook for her summer.”

“And she's a woman who really likes a playbook?”

“Pretty sure, yes.” He took a slug of his own beer while Noah lined up a shot. “Also pretty sure she realized she's on borrowed time, and then she's outta here. I imagine she's not the type who likes to leave strings hanging behind her.”

“Huh.” Noah took his shot. Nailed it, as usual. Playing pool in bars around the world for almost ten years had given him an unfair advantage. “So what are you going to do about it?”

“Do about what?” Piper sidled over, picking up a cue stick. “Can I play the winner?”

Noah smiled. “No. You clean my clock every time. Play Luke after I smoke him.”

“Oh, no way.” Luke shook his head. “She's all yours.”

“Damn right.” Noah slung an arm around Piper's shoulders, kissing her soundly on the lips.

Luke looked away. Just last night he'd shared the same sort of kiss with Gabriela, only—if he had to be honest—it wasn't the same at all. Noah and Piper's relationship was rock solid, born of long years loving each other from afar, then finally getting smart and finding each other again.

Luke and Gabriela's relationship, on the other hand, was—well, what was it, really? Anything? A series of hot kisses that had led to the most passionate night of his life, yes, but a relationship? Even he wasn't stupid enough to believe one night gave him any right to feel like he was due a commitment. Maybe
he
didn't go in lightly, but he guessed maybe he didn't know Gabriela enough to know whether
she
did.

He sighed. Oh, who was he kidding? He knew damn well she didn't, either … which was why the poor woman was suddenly running scared.

“So what were you talking about when I barged in?” Piper backed away from Noah and lifted her beer to her lips.

“Nothing,” Luke replied.

“Gabi,” Noah said at the same time.

“Oh, really?” Piper raised her eyebrows. “And how's it going with her?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Like you don't already know. I saw you two talking up in the dining hall this morning. I'm sure she told you everything.”

“Because we're girls and that's what we do, you mean?” Piper's eyebrows went even higher. “Maybe we were talking about the latest in aerospace-engineering research, or that new drug for multiple sclerosis, or—heck, I don't know—weighing the international-relations records of the presidential candidates.”

Luke laughed. “Fine. Sorry. Just thought
maybe
you were talking about … things.”

Piper took another sip. “Well, we were. But we
could
have been talking about all that other stuff.”

“Of course.”

Noah finished his shot. “So did she happen to talk about why she slept with Luke, but now won't talk to him?”

She shook her head. “No-o, not really.”

Luke shot, missed, swore. “Jesus, Piper. I have no idea what happened, and every time I tried to get near her today, she invented some reason to be elsewhere. I know it was good—
we
were good. I know it's not that. But I don't know
what
it is, and it's driving me nuts.”

Piper scanned his face, a tiny smile bending the corners of her mouth. “Huh.”

“Don't
huh
me, Piper.”

She elbowed Noah. “You see what I'm seeing, right?”

“Oh, hell, yeah.” Noah grinned.

Luke looked from one of them to the other. “You know, sometimes I hate you both.”

“I think she's scared, Luke.” Piper bit her bottom lip. “And I think she's not sure what to do about it.”

“Want some advice?” Noah asked.

“From you? Nope.”

Noah laughed. “Sure you do. Here's what I'd do if I were you.”

“Oh, boy.” Luke picked up his cue and set it on its end.

“Do you happen to remember a guy who came around a couple of years ago, trying not to stay? And then he reconnected with this fireball Italian girl and couldn't get her out of his head? And
then
he moved here, even though it meant giving up his entire career and everything he knew?”

Piper elbowed Noah. “Hey.”

Luke shook his head again, rolling his eyes. “Doesn't sound familiar.”

“Uh-huh.” Noah thwacked him on the back of the head. “Well, that's my advice.”

“That was
not
advice.”

“Sure it was.” Noah lined up a shot, sank three balls, and set his cue stick down. “Just do what Piper did to me. Make her want to stay, Luke. Simple.”

 

Chapter 27

Simple,
his ass
.
Later that night, Luke closed the truck door as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb Gabi and the girls. In truth, he
really
wanted to disturb her. He wanted to march into the dining hall, take her by the hand, and pull her to his cabin so he could show her that last night had meant more than she could possibly believe.