Читать книгу: «Bring It On», страница 3

It was sensual, wide. The dip in the center of his top lip flared out in a way that made her want to close the gap between them and suck it into her own mouth.

Something flared in the back of his eyes. An awareness and intensity she’d only ever seen him focus on someone else.

She leaned closer. The candle burning between them flickered with the breeze from their joined breaths.

What was she doing?

Her teeth clinked together and she pulled back. He reluctantly let her hand go. His palm scraped slowly against hers. Her nerve endings pulsed and flared, sending unwanted signals all through her body.

Lena put her hands in her lap and rubbed her palm, trying to stop the ripple effect. It didn’t work. The damage was already done. She blinked, feeling sluggish, disoriented and sorely out of her element.

“Better?” he asked in a low rumbling voice that sent shivers down her spine.

Without thought, Lena nodded, and then realized Colt was no longer looking at her but up at Marcy.

“Uh-huh,” Marcy uttered before clearing her throat and jerking her gaze away. “Mikhail, we’ll try the candid shots tonight.”

Marcy flicked them one more calculating glance before melting away from their table. Lena thought she heard the other woman whisper, “Wine. Lots of wine,” to their sommelier as she passed, but she couldn’t be certain.

Lena looked across at Colt and for the first time in their friendship had no idea what to say. Luckily, the salad course arrived and saved her from having to come up with something.

Her mouth watered at the crisp greens, strawberries, candied nuts and light citrus dressing their waiter placed before her. She was grateful for something to occupy her hands … and her mouth.

But apparently Colt wasn’t as desperate for the distraction. He took a few bites and then set his fork down. Instead of eating, he watched her. Several times she picked up her napkin and blotted her lips for fear that the dressing was dribbling down her chin. She was already on edge and he wasn’t helping any. She was about to tell him to knock it off, but he spoke before her.

“Why did you want to marry Wyn?”

Surprised by his question, she sputtered for a few seconds, unsure what to say. They’d never really talked about her relationship with Wyn before. She didn’t know why, but there was some tacit agreement between them. He didn’t tell her about the women who flitted through his life and she rarely mentioned Wyn when they spoke.

It felt weird to be talking with Colt about him now, but he’d asked. She tried to remember exactly what it was about Wyn that had mattered. Her brain felt fuzzy and the only thing she could come up with was, “Because … he was good to me.”

“Not because you loved him.”

“Of course I loved him,” Lena protested.

Colt shook his head. “I don’t think there’s any ‘of course’ about it. You haven’t even cried.”

“I hate crying in front of people. You know that,” she scoffed, dismissing his statement without really even thinking about it.

“Maybe. But I watched you up on that altar. You were so pale I was worried you might faint. Right up until the minute your cousin objected and then color flooded your cheeks. You were shocked, possibly angry, but that was relief I saw all over your face.”

Lena looked at him, the pleasant buzz that had entered her blood lessening just a little. Was he right?

“You’re upset because things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to. Maybe you’re even embarrassed that it fell apart in front of so many people.” Colt paused. “But you aren’t heartbroken.”

He was wrong. Wasn’t he? “How is heartbroken supposed to look, Colt? Am I supposed to be inconsolable? Sobbing in my bed surrounded by spent tissues? Please. I’ve seen that scene before, more times than I care to count.”

Her tongue felt loose, unhinged. Even as she said the words, she realized she was sharing more with him than she meant to. More than she’d ever said before. To anyone. “Do you know how often I scraped together the pieces of my mother and tried to put them back together? How many times I had to beg and plead with her just to get out of bed? After every man—there were plenty and they all left—she’d spend days, weeks, sometimes months inconsolable and incapable of doing anything. Especially taking care of a child.”

She glared across at him, years of conviction radiating from her eyes. “I refuse to be like her. I will not let a relationship devastate or control me like that. So, yes, I’m upset. Wyn and I were supposed to have a life together. He betrayed me in the worst possible way. With my cousin. Excuse me if I’m not handling the situation the way you expected me to.”

Colt’s eyes were round with shock. His silence slammed down between them and the minute it did Lena regretted her words. It was obvious that he’d gotten way more than he’d bargained for.

Their food hadn’t even arrived, but that didn’t matter. Lena wasn’t hungry anymore. In fact, she needed to get out of there before she said even more. Lena scraped her chair against the stone floor and walked toward the exit.

Colt called her name. The photographer cursed.

She ignored them both.

4

COLT HEARD THE MAN CURSE, too, and couldn’t have agreed more. How was he to know his question would hit a sore spot? They were supposed to be friends, right?

Lena had seen him at his absolute worst. When he’d crashed his car, she’d been the one to sit by him in the hospital. He’d told her things about his life that he’d never shared with anyone else. She’d seen him cry, moan with pain and had supported him even when she thought he was making unwise decisions.

How could there be part of her life he knew nothing about? Why had she never told him how bad her mother had been?

Thinking back on those months she’d lived next door, he realized they’d rarely gone to her house. When he’d asked, she’d almost always had an excuse. Sure, he’d only been ten, but why hadn’t he picked up on that? And why, in all the times that they’d talked since then, had she not shared her pain? Heaven knew he’d dumped plenty of his own worries on her small, capable shoulders.

The table teetered, silverware, china and glass clinking ominously, as he bolted after her.

Tropical heat and guilt slapped him in the face as he pushed outside. Colt ripped at the buttons on his shirt, trying to release the noose that had apparently slipped around his throat.

He found her halfway across the resort, standing alone on the deserted beach. Moonlight streamed over her, making her look fragile. Her body curved in on itself, her arms hugging her waist. She shouldn’t be sad. Not here. Not because of him. This was a place for fun and adventure. For laughter and the excitement of discovering something new.

He touched her arm, and she turned around, looking up at him with sad eyes that glistened with unshed tears. Another shock of guilt kicked through his system.

He hadn’t meant to make her cry.

With a sigh, Colt gathered her into his arms and pulled her tight against him. Something deep inside him stirred at the press of her soft curves into his hard body. He ignored it.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into the crown of her hair.

Her body was stiff, her muscles tight. After several minutes, she relaxed. The emotion that had been swirling within her subsided, he could feel it slip away.

Melting into him, Lena let him take the weight of her body. His own muscles relaxed, the tension that had whipped through him easing as he realized she wouldn’t hold his careless comments against him.

After several minutes she pulled away and Colt let her. She looked up at him again, calm and collected, the Lena he recognized and remembered. He was glad to see the sadness gone.

“It’s not your fault,” she said.

“Maybe not, but I didn’t help.”

Lena’s lips twisted. “No, but I can’t fault you for telling the truth. I knew something was wrong. Deep down, I knew. I just didn’t want to admit it. Everyone was so excited. Jealous. Everyone told me how perfect Wyn was. What a wonderful husband he’d be. How lucky I was to find a great man who just happened to be heir to a fortune.”

“But it didn’t feel right.”

Lena turned away. Reaching down, she flicked off the sandals protecting her feet. They fell to the sand with a muted plop. She walked a few steps barefoot. Colt did the same, letting his own shoes topple crookedly beside hers.

The sound of crashing waves shushed gently between them. In the distance Colt could hear the rumblings of laughter and dance music from somewhere on the island. Sometimes, like now, it was hard to remember they weren’t the only people here.

“It felt right at first,” she finally responded. “Wyn was sweet. We worked together for at least six months before he asked me out. I’d look up from my notes during company meetings to find him watching me instead of paying attention.”

“You don’t have to toe the line when daddy’s in charge.”

Lena reached over and shoved him. The unexpected reaction had him teetering sideways for a moment before regaining his balance.

“That isn’t nice, Colt. Wyn’s very good at his job.”

“Yeah, so good he managed to weasel his way into a free vacation with a client.”

“I was flattered.”

“You were hunted, like a lion stalks an antelope. I only met the man a few times, but it was enough to realize he was charming and focused and untrustworthy.”

Lena twisted, the heel of her foot grinding into the sand with the force of her motion. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“Because it wasn’t my place.” Colt had thought about it, once, but realized he had nothing to back up his gut instinct. “I thought maybe you’d just think I was being overprotective. Playing the big-brother card or something.”

A strangled sound that could have been anything from incredulity to embarrassment burst from Lena’s mouth. “You’re hardly my big brother.”

“True. You were serious about Wyn though, and I figured he must have some qualities I couldn’t see. If he’d loved you, I could have lived with it.”

“But, obviously, he didn’t.”

The question he still had was whether she’d ever loved Wyn. Colt didn’t think so, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, so he wouldn’t ask again.

“So, yes, in the beginning it felt right. And by the time it didn’t I was in too deep. The wedding was months away and I convinced myself that it was just jitters.”

Silence stretched between them. Colt had no idea what the right response was and he was afraid to say the wrong thing again.

After a few minutes Lena said, “Jeez, we’re a pair. I stay in a relationship I shouldn’t, and you can’t stay in one more than five minutes.”

“Hey, I last a hell of a lot longer than five minutes,” he joked. “But I don’t want to have a relationship longer than two weeks,” he argued. “Too much work. Besides, I like variety in my life.”

Lena grimaced. “So try a different cereal in the morning. Seriously, Colt, you need to grow up.”

“When did this turn into a discussion of my shortcomings?”

“I like talking about yours better than analyzing mine.”

Colt laughed.

Silence stretched between them, only this time there was comfort and familiarity to it. Colt reached for her again, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his body. Together they stared out across the Caribbean Sea.

The jungle far behind them rustled. An animal howled in the distance. And Lena groaned quietly. “What does it say about me that I’m more upset at losing my job than my fiancé?”

“It says that you’re practical,” Colt said, unable to hold back a smile. Because that described Lena to a T.

“I actually think it says I’m a coward. But, dammit, I liked my job. I was good at it and I put several hard years in at Rand Marketing.”

“You are good at your job, which is why you’ll be able to find something else. Graphic designers are in demand. You’ll land on your feet.”

“I’m pissed that I have to land at all.”

“Think of it as an opportunity then. To find something better. Or maybe to work on your jewelry for a while.”

He’d been upset when she’d told him she’d given up her craft. Especially because that decision had come months after she’d started dating Wyn, and Colt couldn’t help but think the man was partly responsible for Lena’s decision. He couldn’t remember how many nights he’d watched her string together beads, bend gold wire and produce the most breathtaking and original pieces.

“You know, my sister-in-law still tells me that the earrings I gave her are the best birthday present she’s ever gotten. She wears them all the time.”

“I’m glad she likes them.”

Colt stared up into the night sky. Stars twinkled down on them, so bright and yet too far away to touch. This conversation was beginning to feel the same way. They’d had it before, but nothing ever changed. “You’re an artist, Lena, don’t you long for an outlet?”

“I have an outlet. Graphic design is art.”

Colt held in a snort. Maybe, but it wasn’t her passion. He dropped the subject though because he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere.

“The sand’s still warm.” Lena looked down at her feet, wiggling her toes in deeper. Her dark red toenails peeked out, making him want to join her in the childish gesture. Playing in the sand was something he hadn’t done in a very long time. Not since his parents had died five years ago and he’d stopped joining his brother’s family at the beach house.

At first, the memories had been too painful. And then it had just gotten easier to make excuses. He was out of the country. Working. Tired. Standing there with his feet pressed deep into the sand, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually seen his brother, sister-in-law and niece. He talked to them on the phone occasionally, but he was slowly coming to realize that might not be enough.

Even the few days or weeks he’d managed to see Lena over the past couple of years had left chinks in their relationship he hadn’t even been aware of. If he’d been home more, seen what was happening with Wyn, maybe he could have helped Lena avoid this mistake.

She looked over at him, a calculating expression on her face. Her eyes narrowed, and for a second he thought she was going to bring up something else he wouldn’t like. Instead, she said, “Wanna race?”

He blinked, his mind trying to swiftly change gears.

Without waiting for his answer, Lena bolted for the edge of the water, leaving nothing but a spray of sand in her wake. Her happy chuckle as the waves rolled across her toes was a heck of a lot better than the sadness she’d been fighting a little while ago.

Walking slowly behind her, Colt enjoyed watching as she played in the surf. Wispy clouds passed slowly across the moon, playing peek-a-boo with the light. She twirled, her dress floating out around her body and a spray of water splashing across his face.

He thought it was an accident—until she did it again. And he couldn’t let that go without retaliation. High-stepping out into the surf, Colt scooped water with both hands and threw it in her direction.

He could hear her sharp intake of breath as it rained over her. Her dress was quickly soaked, sticking to her skin. Colt had seen her body before. She’d lain out in the sun at his pool. Often enough for him to know she preferred bikinis to anything else. He’d always known she was beautiful.

But tonight, she was more than that. She was sensual and seductive without even realizing it. Her eyes sparkled. Her skin glowed. She darted in and out of the surf, taunting him, the only problem was the game he suddenly wanted to play with her had nothing to do with innocent fun.

Her foot twisted on something beneath the surface of the water. Colt watched as the expression on her face went from pleasure to panic in the space of a heartbeat. Lunging forward, he caught her, picking her up and turning toward shore.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her body, wet and warm, pressed against his. She looked up at him, licking stray droplets of water off her lips. His groin tightened and an answering need burst open inside him.

He growled deep in his throat, unable to stop himself. He leaned forward to claim the lips that she’d left open in invitation—intentional or not, he didn’t care.

Lena’s eyes went round. He felt her breath stutter against his chest. Before he could follow through, she twisted in his arms, struggling against him.

What was he doing?

Ripping his hold open, Lena dropped to the ground. The spray of her feet touching the surf landed halfway up his chest. Before he could say anything—apologize yet again—she was darting away. She didn’t even stop to pick up her sandals, instead bypassing them for the fastest route back to the resort.

Some beast inside told him to run after her, to pursue her and catch her and have her right now. He ignored it, choosing instead to turn his back on the temptation. A flash of light caught Colt’s attention.

Mikhail, standing several feet away, partially hidden by the jungle, stared at him with one eye. The upraised lens of his camera covered the other.

Colt’s hands clenched into fists. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” Mikhail said, lowering his camera to let it settle heavily around his neck.

Colt wanted to make some biting retort, to expend the bubbling energy rushing through his blood. Mikhail seemed as handy a target as any.

But he didn’t. Rationally, he knew the other man was simply doing his job. If the roles had been reversed, he probably would have done the same. Work was everything, and the final product held priority. He was simply not used to being on this side of the camera.

Colt had to admit that he wasn’t sure he liked it. Especially if the camera—and the man wielding it—were going to be capturing things he didn’t want recorded. It was one thing to pretend an attraction in front of the camera because they’d agreed to do it. It was entirely another for the camera to capture a real attraction that Colt didn’t want and had no idea what to do with.

The camera didn’t lie. For once, Colt wished that it would.

LENA FEIGNED SLEEP, screwing her eyes tight and burying her head into the mound of pillows when Colt returned. He’d stayed away long enough for her to rush through her nightly routine. She’d had to dig past the honeymoon negligees at the top of her suitcase for the pair of yoga pants and a tank top buried beneath. Seeing those tiny scraps of silk and lace on the heels of what had happened on the beach didn’t do much for her peace of mind.

While Colt sorted quietly through his own bag, Lena fought another flash of desire. Clamping her thighs together to lessen the awakened tingle, she tried not to move beneath the covers. She had no idea what to say to Colt.

Had no idea what had really happened.

Well, obviously he’d almost kissed her. Or had she almost kissed him? She couldn’t be certain. The first one, in front of Marcy, had meant nothing—for her or for him. It was playacting, and she was adult enough to go with the flow. The fact that her body had reacted was her issue to deal with. It was chemistry. Nothing more.

Now that she thought about it, she and Wyn hadn’t exactly been burning up the sheets over the past several months. Initially, she’d chalked up their lack of sex to the pressure of the wedding. They were both busy, at home and at work. Perhaps it should have been her first clue that things weren’t quite right. Either way, when Colt kissed her she’d thought her dormant libido had simply chosen a bad time to rear its head.

But tonight was different. It wasn’t for show. The need pulsing through her body had nothing to do with biological functions and everything to do with Colt. She’d wanted him, not just a male body.

It had been real. And if she wasn’t mistaken, he’d felt the zing too. Which almost made it worse. How long had he wanted her? she wondered. Always? Or was this as new for him as it was for her?

What if it was simply biological for him? Romantic setting, candlelit dinner, wet clothes and close bodies.

It scared her, this unexpected reaction to Colt.

She came close to jumping in surprise when the far side of the bed dipped down with the weight of his body. She wanted to protest. The words were on her lips, although something inside her swallowed them instead of letting them out. She was supposed to be asleep.

Besides, objecting to him sleeping beside her would reveal too much. She’d have to explain why they—two grown adults, friends—couldn’t share a bed without it turning sexual.

Settling on his side, his back to her, Colt let out a tiny sigh. His body rubbed against the sheets. The rasping sound suddenly seemed very intimate.

Lena lay there, listening to the steady rise and fall of his breathing. She felt her own lungs synchronize with his. The sheets that had minutes before seemed cool and comforting were suddenly smothering, cocooning them together. She wanted to fling them off, but couldn’t. His heat melted into her. Her body twitched, fighting to snuggle closer.

Colt dropped off within minutes. She envied him that ability to sleep wherever. She also resented that he wasn’t fighting the same urges that kept her tossing and turning.

She was going to look awesome in the morning. She knew the camera added ten pounds. She wondered what it did with bags beneath the eyes.

Several times during the night Lena awoke to find her body curled tightly against Colt’s. Once her leg had been thrown across his thighs. She’d quickly rolled back onto her side of the bed only to wake again with her derriere snuggled into the cradle of his thighs and his hand cupped possessively around her breast.

As if the physical contact wasn’t bad enough, the dreams that had interrupted her sleep in the first place were almost worse—filled with frustrating shadows and tempting heat. Her mind certainly had no problems conjuring up exotic and tantalizing ways Colt could pleasure her.

Even now, close to dawn, her body hummed with a level of sexual frustration she hadn’t felt since her teenage years. She didn’t like it. It made her feel out of control, possessed by her own desire.

She would not let it rule her. Especially with Colt. They had too much history to throw everything away on a fling. He was important to her, which also made the whole thing more complicated. She already loved him. Add sex and there was the strong possibility she would fall in love with him.

And that would be terrible. Their friendship worked because they didn’t have expectations. Colt called when he called. He came into town when it was convenient. He was a nomad and liked it that way.

She just couldn’t live like that. The thought alone made her want to break out in hives. She’d moved enough in her life and didn’t want to do it again. In fact, she’d been dreading moving from her apartment into Wyn’s. She’d put it off until the last possible second. Her apartment had been the first home she’d ever had. She’d bought it with her own hard-earned money and could admit she’d been reluctant to give up that sanctuary.

No, bottom line was that she and Colt would make a terrible couple. They might enjoy a few days rolling through a sexual fog, but when it cleared they’d both realize it was a mistake.

They hadn’t done anything that couldn’t be forgotten. Better to stop things now before they went further.