Best Laid Plans (18 page)

"What is the big
attraction?" she persisted, liking the melodic timbre of his voice.
"Housing, office complexes, industrial plants?"

"Pick one." Wade laughed,
his shoulders gave a curious shrug. "Real estate is an ambiguous field,
Amanda. Interest rates may vary, but, here at least, there are developers
willing to invest in the future. Right now, big business seems to be moving to
the Sun Belt, and Texas is very attractive, lots of land, no state income tax,
good work force."

"How did you happen to become a
broker?"

Wade cleared his throat and rubbed
his jaw. "You're looking at a former systems analyst." He gave her a
crooked smile. "When the space program was cut, I singlehandedly saved the
economy by going off unemployment and getting into real estate." His
bright eyes were laughing. "I was twenty-six and very cocky. I remember
sitting with my calculator figuring out my commission on all these
multimillion-dollar transactions I was planning."

Amanda found his honesty appealing
and his story fascinating. She coaxed Wade to continue. His low, vibrant voice
stirred her senses. Her eyes savored his features: the shaggy haircut that
looked well groomed but not too perfect; firm chin and rugged jawline;
well-shaped ear lobes; the small mole by his sideburns; and the laugh lines
deeply etched around his blue eyes.

Above all, she liked the excitement
he fed into the conversation. Amanda was made to feel as if she had been there,
with him, every step of the way. Wade enjoyed making life an adventure, and she
found that stimulating. Her own energy source seemed to be refueling and so did
the hidden fires that had been dormant for so long.

Wade drew a deep breath, interrupting
his own monologue. "Damn, I can't believe I've been going on like this.
Amanda, I apologize." He rubbed the back of his neck. "There's
nothing more boring than being regaled with a stranger's life story." He
reached for his drink, trying to ease his discomfort. "I can't believe
that I've just admitted getting a rash from tomatoes and preferring Chinese
food over Texas beef. You must have been bored. I -"

Amanda's finger gently stilled his
lips. "Not bored. Fascinated."

He focused on her mouth. "That
makes two of us." Wade leaned closer, his hand trailed the length of her
slender arm to her collarbone. "Amanda, why don't we make our escape
and…"

"This is quite a coup."
Kitty's slightly shrill voice invaded their intimate tete-a-te'te.
"Usually my anti-party boss is the first one to leave. Tonight he's the
last."

Both Amanda and Wade cast a surprised
glance around the empty, well-littered room. "This was one of your better
get-togethers, Kitty," came Wade's wry comment. He stood to shake hands
with Lucas. "Nice to see you again. You have excellent taste in
friends."

Lucas cast a jaundiced eye at
Amanda's glowing face. "I've always thought so." He settled his tall
frame in the adjoining modular two-seat unit.

Amanda shifted uncomfortably in the
ensuing silence. "Kitty, why don't I help you clean up." She smiled
the offer. "There's nothing worse than waking up the morning after to face
the night before."

Kitty gave a dismissing gesture,
collapsing next to Lucas. "Someone's coming in tomorrow." She
surveyed the dregs of the party that blanketed the living room and closed her
eyes. "I think I'll just sleep through all the cleaning."

Slipping out of her purple satin
heels, she added, "Can I get anyone anything?" The invitation was
unanimously refused. "So, Amanda," Kitty lifted her long fall of
blond hair, "Luke has been telling me that he finally has furniture. I
envy your decorating skills. I wouldn't know where to start."

Amanda frowned. "Your place is
lovely. I -" She was interrupted by the other woman's laughter.

"I bought the model. The condo
came completely furnished. It made everything so much easier." Kitty
snuggled against Lucas' side, her small chin resting on his shoulder. "I
could never understand why Luke wanted to waste his money on that dilapidated
old house when there were plenty of modern, new condos right in town and
…"

"Lucas bought a lovely piece of
property, Kitty," Wade's deep voice interjected. "I've seen your
land." He turned toward Lucas. "It's quite valuable."

Lucas gave a negligent shrug.
"Value wasn't my prime concern. I liked the area, the pond, the
tranquility. The basic lay of the house was attractive."

"Now, it's stunning,"
Amanda supplied. "Lucas had been sending me photos of all the remodeling,
but seeing it in the flesh, so to speak, really took my breath away."

Kitty's lips formed a childish pout.
"Well, maybe I just better see for myself what this big love affair with
your place is all about, Luke."

"Not tonight." He gave her
a tired smile, his eyes narrowing on his watch. "I'm beat. It's been a
long two days. Shall we head home, Amanda?"

Wade stood up, insinuating his
broad-shouldered frame in front of Lucas'. Extending his hand to Amanda, his
fingers threaded between hers as she rose. "I'll be calling you."

Her eyes radiated with pleasure.
"Please do."

Amanda's tired anatomy melted into
the comfortable confines of the Jaguar's white leather bucket seat. "I
think all the painting is finally catching up to me." She shook off her
third yawn. "I'm sorry I didn't get your room finished."

"No one asked you to kill
yourself."

She grimaced in the dark, attributing
his brusque tone to fatigue. "Kitty is darling. Very friendly, very
outgoing, very affectionate. I like her."

Lucas merely grunted. His fingers
began punching the buttons on the radio. Not finding anything that appealed, he
switched it off. He coughed and cleared his throat. "It seems you made the
same impression on Wade Lloyd." Hands that gripped the steering wheel were
damp with sweat despite the car's comfortable climate.

She twisted in the seat. "I hope
so. Wade's very attractive. I liked him."

"You seem to have a distinct
talent for seduction," came his curt retort.

"Really? And here I was afraid I
had lost the knack." Her voice was a sinuous purr.

"Well, you haven't. If anything,
it's been perfected with age." He overemphasized the last word.

Amanda arched a well-shaped brow.
"Well, Lucas," her hand curved against his upper arm, giving a little
warning squeeze, "you know, a woman doesn't really reach her prime until
she's in her thirties. I've only just begun!"

"Thank you, Masters and
Johnson." He ignored her laughter at his childish outburst. "I'm sure
Wade Lloyd would be only too happy to prime your pump."

"I just may let him."

"What happened to the prim
Victorian attitude you're always so proud of?" he said, sneering.

Amanda's mouth twisted in a wry grin.
Lucas was certainly taking her to task just because she found a new man interesting.
"I didn't attack Wade, did I? For all I know he may not even call. Maybe
that's just his line."

"You know damn well he'll call.
You have that effect."

"Effect? Me? Lucas, you know I'm
always the same. I don't become a different person when I'm with a man. Either
they like Amanda Wyatt or they don't."

"There's no doubt that Wade
liked you, Amanda." Lucas reached over and snapped the radio back to life.
Willie Nelson managed to fill in the silence.

***

Amanda inhaled a luxurious breath of
morning air, bare feet wriggling in the dew-washed grass. She reached into the
plastic laundry basket and shook out another shirt. The rope strung between two
trees was rapidly filling with clothes. Only towels went in the dryer today,
the rest of the laundry was enjoying fresh crisp air.

Her gaze roamed the length of the
line where shirts and sheets billowed like miniature sails and where masculine
and feminine articles rippled in the gusty breeze. Shirts were clipped to blouses,
slacks hung next to jeans, but Lucas' collection of colorful briefs rivaled
Amanda's more moderate pastel panties.

Two yellow plastic clothespins opened
their jaws to grip red briefs trimmed in navy. Amanda remembered something her
mother had once said. "The way to tell if you're really in love with a man
is to ask yourself if you could wash his underwear." Shaking her head, she
dismissed the silly thought and reached in the basket for her sleep shirt.

"You're up early this
morning." Lucas' sleep-graveled voice interrupted Amanda's cheery humming.

Peering between two chocolate sheets,
she smiled at him. "I saw the sun shining and decided to tackle the
laundry." His brown hair was tousled, cheeks and jaw darkened by an
overnight growth of beard. Well-worn jeans and a sleeveless gray sweat shirt
clothed his tall athletic frame. "I made French toast. It's warming in
the oven."

He grunted and cleared his throat.
"Why the fuss? Coffee and plain toast are just fine."

"I wanted to give your day a
happy start." One gray eye winked. "I knew you went to bed on the
wrong side; I just wanted to make sure you didn't wake up in the same
humor."

At Lucas' unintelligible reply,
Amanda laughed, linked her arm through his and guided him back into the house.
"I don't know why I even bother to talk to you. You're not fit for man nor
beast until ten." She tapped the stove clock before picking up the coffee
pot. "You still have thirty minutes to go."

Through half-closed hazel eyes, Lucas
watched her organize his breakfast. Coffee filled his oversized mug, one scoop
of sugar and a dollop of milk were added; a plate of French toast dripping with
maple syrup was placed on the breakfast bar along with utensils and a napkin.

He had always envied Amanda's ability
to function at full volume early in the morning. Laundry done, an excellent
breakfast prepared and she was dressed to paint. Today's white T-shirt was
scripted in red:
Parts of me are nearly perfect
. Lucas had to smile,
that slogan was so appropriate.

Her ancient cut-offs emphasized
rounded buttocks and long, slender legs; the sleeveless cotton shirt was tied
under full breasts to reveal a flat midriff and the delicate muscles that
rippled along graceful, bare arms.

"Lucas-" Amanda's voice
jarred his musings, his fork skidded against the syrup-slick plate, sending two
squares of golden toast bread slopping onto the counter.

"Sorry," she said and
grimaced, turning her attention back to loading the dishwasher.

Her busy figure drew him like a
magnet. His dark gaze flowed along her erogenous terrain, devouring each curve
and soft swell. Hazel eyes traced the sinuous sweep of spine, the arched
derriere and the firm thighs.

The pulse in his throat began to
pound and grow, his breathing came rapid and shallow. The erotic atmosphere
created by his mind began building tension again. His cock pushed hard against
the zipper on his jeans. He desired her as a man desires a woman. While Lucas
knew Amanda's mind, he had little knowledge of her body. Suddenly that was what
he craved most. He wanted more. More than holiday kisses. More than casual
hand-holding and brother-sister tussles.

He was anxious to taste and explore
every inch of her. His tongue wanted to start its sensual tasting by outlining
her full lips then dipping inside her mouth. From there he would blaze a slow
nibbling trail down her neck, across her gorgeous breasts to suck the hardened
peaks that were highlighted by the light cotton covering of her T-shirt. Oh,
yeah, he knew he could spend hours lightly biting, licking, sucking those
nipples. Before moving lower to taste and torment her clit with both tongue and
fingers.

He'd take his time. It would be all
about her. He'd make her forget any other man. And he knew there had been damn
few. But he was determined to be the last. He'd make sure of that.
He'd…confusion and shame fused into guilt. Lucas swallowed his thoughts as
quickly as the hot coffee gelded his cock.

What in hell was he thinking? Maybe
all this was from years of their look-but-don't-touch relationship. What he
needed was physical labor - some good, old-fashioned exercise to sweat out his
troublesome hormones.

Amanda moved to take his empty plate.
"What's on your schedule for today?"

He stood up. "I thought I'd go
out and mow the back forty." Lucas was surprised how normal his voice
sounded.

She laughed and shook her head.
"With that riding tractor, it's almost an insult to call mowing the lawn
work."

"Hey, we can switch," came
his amiable offer. "I'll stay inside and paint, you can sit and ride while
the sun broils your skin and melts your bones."

Pretending to ponder his suggestion,
Amanda's eyes grew wide and serious. "I don't think so, Lucas. I'll stay
indoors and acquire a latex glow."

They met again, four hours later. Two
tired, sweat-drenched bodies stumbled into the kitchen in search of a cool
drink.

Lucas twisted off a cap and handed
Amanda a cold beer. "Here. This is the only thing that will take the taste
of paint out of your mouth."