Sweet Promise (14 page)

Hell, you'd think they'd be tired by now,
Sean thought as he watched the blond singer sway to the dreamy music with Joanna locked tightly in his arms.
They've been out therefor the past half hour. And he's holding her so close they look like they're glued together.

Beneath the table Sean's hand closed into a tight fist as he watched Joanna lean back in Doug's embrace and smile seductively. All day he had watched her flirt with Longworth and Farrell and several others. Whenever he had tried to approach her she always managed to slip away. This was the closest he'd been to her since she'd left the volleyball game that morning.

Watching Longworth grin at something Joanna said, Sean's eyes narrowed ominously. When the little creep's hand slid down her spine and brazenly cupped her bottom, something inside Sean snapped. He made a harsh sound and slammed his glass down on the table with a thud. The others jumped and stared in astonishment as he lunged out of his chair and headed for the dance, floor with long purposeful strides.

Reaching around, Joanna grasped Doug's hand and returned it to its former position at her waist. "Uh-uh, none of that," she scolded lightly. Her tone was teasing, but her hazel eyes flashed a steely warning.

The corners of Doug's mouth twitched upward in cynical amusement, "Sure, baby, sure." He pulled her closer and whispered in his sexiest voice, "I can wait."

Joanna sighed. It was her own fault. She shouldn't have agreed to accompany him to the beach, much less flirt with him the way she'd done. Doug Longworth was accustomed to having his pick of women. That the evening would end any way other than the two of them going to bed together would simply never occur to him. And why should it? She certainly hadn't done anything to make him think otherwise.

Joanna knew her behavior had been reckless and totally out of character, but darn it! She had
felt
reckless. Reckless and angry and insulted. Sean couldn't have made it clearer; he didn't want her, nor could he imagine that anyone else would. Did he have any idea how much that had hurt? It had been foolish, perhaps even childish, to encourage Doug, but she had needed to feel desired, to feel that someone found her attractive, no matter how fleeting or shallow that attraction.

Joanna sighed again and gazed sadly over Doug's shoulder. Lord, it was awful to be attracted to someone who didn't want you. Unrequited feelings made you do the dumbest things.

Worrying over how she was going to handle the scene that was sure to take place later, she didn't see Sean until the instant before he tapped Doug on the shoulder.

The expression on his face caused her heart to give a little leap, but there was no time to head off the confrontation.

"I'm cutting in, Longworth," he announced flatly.

Doug looked at him as if he had lost his mind, then grinned nastily. "Not a chance."

"Let her go, Longworth, or in three seconds you're going to be eating those pretty capped teeth."

Surprise, then anger flashed across Doug's face. For an instant it appeared as though he were about to argue, but a closer look at Sean's smoldering eyes changed his mind.

"Now, look here. Who do you think you are?" Joanna protested as Sean pulled her from Doug's slackened embrace.

"Shut up, Joanna." Placing both her hands on his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and brought her tightly against him. When she tried to wedge some space between them he gave her a painful squeeze and commanded sharply, "Stop that!"

Joanna was so astounded by his harsh tone she stopped struggling and lapsed into silence, automatically moving with him to the romantic music. This time she had pushed him beyond mere anger. He was incensed. Absolutely furious. She could feel it in the coiled spring tension of his body, the thunderous beat of his heart against her palm. Though he held her in a loverlike embrace she had the disquieting feeling that what he really wanted to do was throttle her.

She could hardly believe it. Sean, laid-back, devil may-care Sean, was so enraged he was about to blow apart. It was frightening... and thrilling. Joanna stared over his shoulder, intensely aware of his freshly shaved jaw against her temple, the strength of the arms that surrounded her, the scent and the heat and the feel of his body, pressed so intimately to hers. Her insides were quivering wildly, and she didn't know if it was due to fear or his nearness.

They danced in strained silence, and when the music ended Sean clamped his hand around her upper arm and marched her toward the exit. Joanna started to protest, but one glance at his set face and those burning black eyes changed her mind. Out on deck he led her to a secluded spot by the rail and turned her to face him. Joanna braced herself and raised wary eyes.

"Just what the devil is the matter with you?" he demanded. "Don't you have any better sense than to get involved with a creep like Longworth? Lord, I'm beginning to think you need a keeper."

Joanna sucked in her breath. Trepidation gave way to shock, then anger. "Now wait just a min—"

"And as if that weren't bad enough, you were flirting with half the men on the beach. They were following you around with their tongues practically dragging in the sand."

"So what?" she shot back. "It's none of your business."

Sean's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Joanna's angry defiance fizzled as a shiver rippled its way down her spine. She took a step backward. "Now, Sean," she cautioned nervously when be matched it, and backed away another step.

"Then I guess I have to make it my business," he said in a low, purring voice that made the fine hairs on her arms stand on end.

"Sean, please, this is—"

He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her up against him. With his other hand he cupped her jaw and tilted her face up. Beneath half-lowered lids, fire smoldered in the dark depths of his eyes as they fastened on her mouth.

"Shut up, Joanna."

Chapter Eight

H
is mouth closed over hers with the firm demand and possessiveness of a man staking his claim. This time there was no tentative seeking. It was a bold kiss, an explosive release of frustrated desire, an admission of needs too long denied. His lips were warm and devouring, almost brutal.

For a moment Joanna was too stunned to react, or even move. She just stood there with her heart booming, her hands clutching his shirt,' while her knees threatened to give way beneath her. But soon exquisite sensations began to penetrate the barrier of shock, and she responded to the rough embrace with a matching hunger. She felt as though her body was suffused with heat, glowing like a molten ingot. Pressed against the hard wall of his chest, her breasts were achingly tight and tender.

In some remote corner of her mind Joanna knew that this was foolish, futile, that she should end it before she was hurt more, but it was no use. The feelings she had tried so hard to deny burst free, and her yearning heart overflowed with love—a love that craved this moment of bliss at all cost, that recklessly welcomed the passion that flamed between them.

She was aquiver with longing, greedy in her need. Straining closer, she ran her palms up over his chest and shoulders and buried her hands in the thick ebony strands above his collar, her spread fingers learning the shape of his head, urging him even closer. Her mouth opened to eagerly accept the deep bold thrusts of his tongue as her own darted and entwined, luring him to taste his fill.

A growl rumbled from Sean's throat. He wrapped both arms around her, tightening his hold. Shifting his stance, he thrust one of his legs between hers. Joanna caught her breath.

He was hard. And warm. So very warm. His heat seared her, melted her, made her burn. As his tongue embedded itself in her mouth once more, his hands cupped her buttocks and held her tightly to him. Joanna felt his hard virility pressing against her, felt her body flower and throb, and a soft moan sighed from her mouth into his. The desperate little sound brought an answering groan from Sean.

The last thing Joanna expected was for him to stop, but suddenly he thrust her from him and turned away. Dazed, she found herself swaying unsteadily on legs that felt like rubber, shaking uncontrollably, and she groped for the rail. The cool breeze off the ocean felt icy against her aroused body. She stared at Sean's stiff back, confused ... frightened... hurting.

"Wh—why did you stop?"

"I'm sorry, Joanna. That shouldn't have happened."

"What is this, Sean?" she demanded in a voice raw with hurt. "Some kind of game you're playing? Are you trying to teach me a lesson? Punish me? What?"

Sean spun around, his face a tight mask of anguish. "No! I'm trying my best to see that you don't get hurt." Raking a hand through his hair, he sighed heavily. A look of self-disgust made his expression grim. "And not doing a very good job of it, I'm afraid."

"But... but I don't understand. If you..." Joanna paused and swallowed around the painful constriction in her throat. "... if you aren't... attracted to me, then why... why did you kiss me?"

"Not attracted!" Sean snorted, his mouth twisting in a bitter little grimace. "Good Lord, Joanna! How could you think I'm not attracted to you? Oh, I've tried to deny it. I even had myself halfway convinced that I was merely looking out for a friend's daughter... until today." His face hardened as he remembered the sheer torment of the past twelve hours. "I've been eaten alive with jealousy, watching you with that creep, Longworth," he admitted with angry resentment. "Every time he touched you I wanted to smash his face in."

A great uprush of joy and hope filled Joanna's chest.
Sean cares. He really cares.
She wanted to throw herself into his arms but an inner voice urged caution. Something was wrong. She could see it in the grim look on his face. "If... if you feel that way, then what's the problem," she asked shakily.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm too old for you, Joanna."

"Too
old?"
Joanna gave an astonished little laugh. "You call thirty-six too old?"

"For you, yes."

"Oh, Sean, please. Be reasonable. So there's almost fourteen years between us? So what? It's not that big a gap. And it's not as though you're old enough to be my father."

"No. I'm not," he agreed. Watching her, he added softly, "Nor do I intend to be a father substitute."

"What's that supposed to mean?''

"Look, Joanna, everyone knows that you were the apple of your father's eye. He doted on you, spoiled you rotten, and you adored him. And now he's gone, and you miss him. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're unconsciously seeking an older man to take his place." Reaching out, Sean ran the backs of his knuckles down her jaw. His voice lowered and softened. "It's understandable, honey, but that's not a role I want to play."

Hurt and wounded pride shone from Joanna's eyes. She tilted her head back, freeing herself from his touch. Turning away, she grasped the rail and stared out at the phosphorescent glow of the white-capped waves. Her chin was high, her expression closed. "You don't have to worry about that, I assure you," she informed him coolly, though not quite able to control the quaver in her voice. "I've been through that once already. I admit that I usually have to learn life's lessons the hard way, but once they're learned, I never make the same mistake twice."

Sensing the distress behind her words, Sean stared at her proud profile, and after a moment asked softly, "Would it help to talk about it?"

Joanna sent him a sidelong glance, then looked back at the sea. For a moment he thought she wasn't going to answer.

"It... was while I was in college," she began finally in a diffident little voice. "Shortly after Mother married Matt. I had just found out some things about my father. Not... very complimentary things." She bit her lower lip and glanced at him again. ''I guess... I guess I was feeling cheated. I wanted what I had lost; someone to idolize, to look up to. Someone to whom I would be...I don't know...special, I guess. Of course, I didn't realize that at the time." Her self-derisive chuckle floated out over the ocean. "I thought I was madly in love."

"Who was he?"

"Arthur Spelling, one of my college professors. He was in his forties—sophisticated, intelligent, distinguished. All the females on campus, students
and
faculty, were wild about him. When he singled me out I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. I gave him my innocence and my heart, and for six months I lived in a daze of sheer happiness." A bitter little smile tilted Joanna's mouth, and she looked at Sean with sad, world-weary eyes. "You know what they say: ignorance is bliss. One day I caught him with another girl and I thought I would die. Later I found out that he was known as the campus Don Juan. While he was haying an affair with me he was also seeing two other girls."

Sean spat out a vivid curse and gripped the rail tightly. All the while her tale had been unfolding he had felt a growing sense of outrage. Now he was filled with anger and an aching sympathy for the disillusioned, vulnerable girl she had been. But most of all, he was filled with a searing jealousy.
Damn that bastard to hell,
Sean thought venomously.
If I could get my hands on him I'd break him in two.