Harlequin Superromance January 2014 - Bundle 2 of 2: A Ranch for His Family\Cowgirl in High Heels\A Man to Believe In (67 page)

“Goes over the head.”

“Nice.”

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

He kissed her cheek. “Not tonight, love. You need to rest. Trust me.”

She tilted her head, a lock of hair falling over her shoulder. “There you go again.”

He reached for the hem of her dress. “See how much you don't know me yet?”

She lifted her arms. “I'm learning fast.”

He pulled the dress over her head, doing everything in his power not to simply stare at Cassie's perfect body. The nude lace bra and thong panties that had managed to look invisible under the crochet dress enhanced the feminine curves of her creamy skin and practically undid him. How had he forgotten the sexy mole next to her belly button? Or the spray of freckles in the valley of her breasts? Ahh, God. He would revisit each of those spots the next time he had her in his arms. Exploring Cassie could be a full-time job for the rest of his days—especially with the number of freckles peppering her skin. He pushed the thought from his mind. Tonight was all about caring for this woman who was rapidly growing in importance in his life. He wanted her to feel secure. Loved. Cherished—especially now before the bomb dropped from her pathology report.

A shy look rose in her eyes. “You've only seen me naked once. And a bath is rather...”

“Intimate?”

She grinned. “Personal.”

“We're both nurses here. Let's be medical about this process.”

She laughed. The melodic sound had him wondering if she should be trusting him. Exhaling a long breath, Nurse Chapman kicked in. He laid her dress over the bench at the foot of the bed. Giving her a gentle push at the small of her back, he said, “Okay, gorgeous. Into the bathroom you go.”

The tub was filled enough to stay below her neckline. He turned off the water. Tested it. Perfect.

Using the hair clip on the vanity, Peter twisted her hair into a knot and caught it on the crown of her head. When she tilted her head forward, he released her bra hooks. Slid the lacy fabric off her arms. Helped her step out of her thong.

Heaven above, his own personal angel was magnificent. She wasn't trying to seduce him or be seduced. She had warmed to his promise of only bathing her, and in true nurse mode, had become comfortable standing before him in the nude with tendrils falling around her face like threads of gold.

Like a hammer hit, he fell deeper in love with her. Even in a quiet moment like this with no agenda on either of their parts, being together seemed comfortable. Flawless. An order of nature. Now, he wanted her drowsy and sleeping as soon as possible. The hot bath would accomplish that goal. Cassie had had a tough week. He wanted to remedy that.

Letting him support her with one hand, she tested the water. “Wow.”

“Hope you like your water hot.”

“I do. It'll just take me a second to get used to it.”

Cassie eased herself into the tub, hissing lightly at the heat.

“Want me to add some cold water?”

“And ruin this wonderful temperature? No. No. No.”

She shook her head, smiling. Once submerged, she rested her head against the edge of the tub. “Ahhh. This is wonderful.”

He crossed his arms, enjoying the sight of her all stretched out, a smile of contentment curving her lips, her bandage dry, her legs looking long and shapely, the water rippling over her flat stomach and the mounds of her perfect breasts. Cassie Michaels could put Venus to shame.

She shot him a mischievous glance. “Not fair that I'm naked and you're fully clothed.”

He sat precariously on the edge of the tub. “Okay.”

He pulled off his boots and socks. Pulled his shirt over his head. Standing, he unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. He wasn't going any further than his underwear.

Cassie was grinning.

“What?”

“Your boxers. Sexy. Every woman should have a nurse like you in her life.”

“No flirting with the help, now. We have to get you to bed.” He put his clothes next to the towels on the cabinet. “Where's your makeup remover and face wash?”

“Really?”

“No kidding.”

She pointed to the vanity drawer. “There. Cotton balls are in the jar on the top.”

“Do you use moisturizer on your face?”

She nodded. “In the same drawer.”

He retrieved the products and the soft facecloth. On his knees next to the tub he soaked the cloth and squeezed out excess water.

“Close your eyes.”

She did.

He laid the cloth over her face, pressing lightly along her forehead, cheeks and chin to moisten the skin. When he removed the cloth, she smiled. “That felt good.”

“Shh. No talking. Just enjoy this.”

“No guy has ever—”

He pressed a finger to her lips. “Well, let me be the first.”

“Wait. I've never met a man who knows how to clean a woman's face. How do you know?”

“I had a girlfriend who was an aesthetician. She used to give my mother facials. Really helped when Mom was stressed. I watched enough to learn. When we broke up, I picked up where she left off.” He chuckled at the surprise in her eyes. “What?”

“You did that for your mom?”

He shrugged. “What else could I do? I didn't dare try to bathe her. That was just wrong. So cleaning up her face was the next best thing. Sure beat seeing her all makeup-streaked in the morning. She'd walk around like that for hours if I didn't.”

“You are an amazing man, Peter.”

He frowned, not sure how to handle her compliment because he had done what he did out of necessity. He needed his chaotic life to seem normal instead of like a three-ring circus. “No, honey. I am a survivor.”

He dabbed the makeup remover onto a cotton ball. “Now, close your eyes again. Let's get that goop off.”

She chuckled. “Carmen calls makeup
la mentira.
”

“The lie? That's rich!” Carmen was the woman of Latin American descent in charge of the registration desk in the E.R. She'd told Peter how she'd sailed to Montauk as a cook on a yacht from Miami and decided to stay. He could understand why. Montauk had a draw that was hard to explain.

“You understand Spanish?”

He shrugged. “A little. It helps to know living in Southern California.”

“You are full of surprises.”

“Be still now. I don't want to get any of this in your eyes.”

Even though Cassie used makeup sparingly, he felt as if the remover was revealing a precious portrait beneath grime as the soft mauve powder and dark mascara dissolved onto the cotton balls.

He poured face cleanser onto the cloth. “Now for the rest of your face.”

She squirmed a little in the water. “I'm not used to this.”

“That can change. Now, humor me. Close your eyes.”

With her eyes closed, he was able to drink in every inch of her face as he traced the smooth contours with the sudsy cloth. A soft sigh rose in her throat as if the emotional storm from the week was washing away as he cleansed her skin and her neck, being careful of the bandage and her chest. This was exactly what he wanted. For her to forget the challenges. Relax in the moment. Stress drained from her face with each rinse of the cloth.

He dabbed the eye cream around her eyes, using his ring finger as he'd been instructed years ago, gently smoothing the emollient cream along her face and neck. Moving to the head of the tub, he massaged the lotion into her skin, concentrating along her brow, temples, cheekbones and jawline, then moving his hands along her shoulders and upper chest, using just enough pressure to massage the tightened muscles. He wanted his woman drowsy like a baby by the time she exited the water.

His woman. Hot damn. He was hooked.

When he moved back to the side of the tub, she opened her half-lidded eyes. Sleepy.

“You ready for bed?”

She nodded. “I hadn't realized how bone-tired I am.”

“Come on, honey. Let's get you dry.”

His jaw almost dropped seeing her naked body dripping wet. He wrapped the towel around her shoulders. Thinking about her conversation with Bobby tonight helped keep his mind off every inch of her. He watched her step from the tub—he was fully intent on putting the woman he was falling in love with to bed.

Cassie tucked the towel around her torso. He grabbed the other towel and started drying her from the feet up. “You think I give a good facial? Wait 'til I wash your hair.”

Looking down at him, she brushed his hair back from his forehead. “I've never met anyone like you, Peter.”

He stood. “That's good. Now, where are your pajamas?”

“There's a nightgown on the hook inside my closet door.”

He blew out the candles. “Are you ready?”

She motioned to the door. “You go ahead. I'll finish up and be right out.”

By the time he collected the nightgown and pulled down the covers, she was standing behind him wrapped in the towel. Her skin was flushed from the hot bath. Her hair spilled over her shoulders. He gathered her nightgown. “Okay, baby. Arms up.”

Cassie obeyed and he slipped the silky gray-and-white lace number over her head. He undid the towel as the gown fell over her form. Every nerve in his body pulsed at the sight of her. Oh, yeah. He could go to sleep with this woman every night and die a happy man.

She rested a hand on his chest. “Peter, this was wonderful. Thank you. It's probably a good idea for you to leave now. I really need sleep.”

He pulled back the covers. “Climb in. I'm not going anywhere.”

“No. I'm telling you. It's time for you to go.”

He retraced his steps to the bathroom and turned off the lights.

“How about you let me hold you for a while? When you fall asleep, I'll go.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Do you really have to ask?”

“We barely know each other, Peter.”

He grinned. “Yeah. Which is why I'm here. I want you to know me really, really well.”

When she didn't reply, he said, “Look. You've had a difficult few days and handled them like you were simply going to a picnic. You're a strong, beautiful woman, Cassie. I know you have your family and friends, but they expect you to behave a certain way. Me? I have no expectations of you. Like you said, we hardly know each other. So, I'm inviting you to let me do nothing but care for you for these few short hours so that you can just be yourself.”

He lifted the covers and moved into the bed. Patting the mattress, he said, “Come on, beautiful. Time's a wasting.”

“You should go home.”

“I will. Come on.”

She grinned. “You look hot in your boxers.”

“Stop talking like that. This is not seduction.”

Shaking her head, she climbed in next to him. “This is crazy.”

He pulled her into his arms, leaning over her to pull the cord on the stained-glass lamp. “I know. I love it.”

In the dark, she nestled against him. She felt perfect in his arms. Warm. Soft. He inhaled a deep breath against her hair. “You smell so good.”

“Just had the bath of a lifetime.”

“No. I'm saving that for when we bathe together.”

She shivered, and he felt it through her body. “You okay?” he asked.

Her mouth against his neck, she said, “I'm visualizing us bathing together.”

“Mmm. Nice, eh?”

“You'll have to let me wash your hair.”

Peter ran a hand through her curls. “Only after I wash yours.”

“Deal.” After a moment, a soft hum rose in her throat. “You're so warm.”

He squeezed her tighter. “So are you.”

“I could sleep like this all night.”

“I'll hold you while you dream, sweet Cassie.” He kissed her forehead. “Now, sleep.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

C
ASSIE
AWOKE
JUST
before dawn entwined in the warmth of Peter's body. He'd fallen asleep holding her, and he still held her, though they had turned into each other, his arm around her shoulder, her legs tangled with his. Completely and totally meshed.

She watched him sleep. He was as handsome in repose as he was awake. The bruising was all but gone from his eye. The angry red faded from around his remaining sutures. She wanted to trace the line of his brow with her fingers then down the plane of his nose to his nicely shaped lips slightly parted in sleep. She wanted to press kisses along his jaw, down his neck, and use her hands to explore the rest of his body. He looked too good to be true. Was he as splendid as he seemed? Sensitive. Caring. Selfless.

Lord in heaven, was she falling for him harder than she should?

Bathing her last night then holding her while she slept had a twofold effect on her. First, he'd burrowed his way into her heart as no lovemaking could have done. He hadn't wanted anything from their intimate encounter for himself. It had been all about making her feel safe.

Which he had. Like she'd never felt before.

Second, all the close contact between them had her aching to finish off the erotic sensations that he'd triggered last night. Yes, he was caring for her, but to have a man as sensual as Peter remove her clothes, wash her, dry her, put her to bed? More erotic than she'd expected. Given the predawn light, Peter had almost three hours before he had to go to work. He'd taken a twelve-hour shift, which meant she wouldn't see him until tomorrow. She didn't want to rob him of precious sleep, but she craved to have him all over her.

Now.

She couldn't wait until tomorrow.

She sighed. How would she manage her growing feelings for this man? No one, especially not a lover, had ever been so selfless in attending to her needs as Peter had been last night. Now, lying next to her, he was stoking the fires of a different need in her. The smell of his skin, the easy weight of his arm around her. The heat from his body mingling with hers beneath the sheets. Oh, Lord. Unable to help herself she slowly arched against him, her body straining to connect with this remarkable man.

Peter moved when she stirred, slowly waking, responding to her body by sliding his hand to the small of her back to press her closer. Opening his eyes, he smiled when he saw her watching him.

“Hi.”

“Morning, nurse. I see you fell asleep.”

“Mmm. Sorry. You were so serene last night I didn't want to move. Told myself I'd stay one more minute.”

She chuckled. “Longest minute ever.”

“Do you mind?”

“That you were so generous with your time last night? No, Peter. I don't mind. I'm grateful.”

His mouth twisted into the sexy grin that wreaked havoc on her insides. “The pleasure was entirely mine.”

“I could fall in love with a man like you. Would you mind if I returned the pleasure?”

Fire lit his eyes. “I guess that means I can kiss you now?”

She pushed him onto his back, following with her body until she was on top of him. Hair spilling about her face, she gazed down into his eyes, still sleepy, but awake with desire. “Only if I can kiss you in return.”

He sighed. “Do you know what you do to me, Cassie?”

She smiled. “Oh, I can feel what I do to you. And, I must say, it feels rather spectacular.”

A groan escaped his throat as he rolled her over and trapped her beneath him, pulling the sheets with them. Trailing kisses up her neck, he captured her lips, kissing her softly. “Well, then, let's finish last night's therapy by making you feel the same.”

* * *

T
HE
NEXT
MORNING
, Cassie smiled when her phone pinged and the text from Peter said he was headed out surfing with Brian and would she want to meet him at his house around noon?

Heck, yes. She'd hadn't been to his house since the first night they'd made love. Spending the afternoon with her boyfriend sounded like a great idea.

Her boyfriend. After yesterday there was no other way to look at how she felt about Peter. Her intention to keep it casual between them became lost when she found him constantly occupying her thoughts. She couldn't get him out of her mind.

Peter had taken her by storm. He won her heart hook, line and sinker by staying with her Friday night. No one had ever been so attentive and genuinely concerned for her comfort as Peter had. She just hoped his attention wouldn't become too much of a good thing. She'd maintained her independence for so long, she'd have to recalibrate her thinking to accommodate “we” instead of “me.” For now, she was willing to give it a go. Truthfully, she couldn't stop herself if she tried.

Peter was also taking Montauk by storm. Making friends quickly seemed to be second nature for him. He already learned the names of the local deli owner, grocery store clerks, most of the staff around the hospital, Joe and Mike at the gas station. Now, Brian was introducing him to the surf spots, which meant he'd be meeting the local surfers. Once welcomed there, he'd definitely feel like he had found home. Most Montauk residents their age either surfed or fished. Between Brian and Cassie, Peter would end up meeting everyone that mattered in her world.

When she arrived at Peter's apartment, his truck was already in the driveway. So was Brian's BMW.

She knocked on the door. “Anybody want lunch?”

“We're in here.”

Peter's voice came from the back of the house, but he charged to the front door to meet her. In a T-shirt, board shorts and flip-flops, his hair still damp from surfing, he looked like he had come straight from the beach. Still smiling, he kissed her. She tasted salt and sunscreen on his skin. His smile was infectious. She handed him the bag of subs.

Brian joined them. “Hey, Cassie. So what's with your boyfriend? He hasn't done anything to this place yet.”

“I need time off, man.”

Brian laughed. “You'd think he'd spring for a bed, at least.”

Cassie liked that they were bantering.

Peter pulled the sandwiches out of the bag, handing one to Cassie, the other to Brian.

“What did you get?”

“Italian subs.”

“Excellent!”

Peter took a bite. “I need a bed.”

Cassie shrugged. “So let's go shopping.”

Brian gulped down his food in a matter of minutes. “I hate to eat and run, but I have errands before heading to work.” He kissed Cassie on the cheek and shook Peter's hand. “Later, man. Glad you're enjoying the home.”

Peter pulled Cassie into his arms within seconds after the screen door closed. “God, I missed you!”

She laughed. “No, you didn't. You went surfing with your new friend.”

He looked hurt. “Doesn't mean you weren't on my mind.” He inspected her neck. “How's the sore spot?”

“Feeling fine, and I missed you, too, silly.” She reached up for his face and kissed him. “Did I thank you again for yesterday morning and even better, Friday night?”

He shook his head. “If you did, I don't remember. You'll have to thank me again. Right here. Right now.” He opened the pantry door, mischief filling his eyes. “Here's a great place to start.”

She laughed. He took her hand. “Okay, so the pantry doesn't work for you. We'll revisit it another day. I'm all for exploring options.”

“You are such a hound dog!”

He wrapped an arm around her waist. “Oh, no, honey. I just can't keep my hands off you. I see us making love on every inch of these floors, in every corner, closet, counter, and luckily for you, we don't have stairs.”

She laughed out loud. He was always making her laugh. She loved that. “Sounds to me like you need furniture.”

Peter led her from the kitchen to his bedroom in the back. The big yellow room stood empty except for the trunk she remembered from the back of his pickup; it served as the only piece of furniture in the room. The trunk made a convenient seat under the window opening to the backyard. The woods at the back of the property that bordered the adjoining house guaranteed privacy. Peter's place was not only charming, but a sense of relaxation also seemed to emanate from its walls.

Cassie squeezed Peter's hand. “I love this house. It's just what you need.”

He pulled her close. “I can see you living here with me.”

She met his gaze. He was dead serious. “That's jumping a bit further into the future. Don't you think?”

He shook his head. “I could go to sleep and wake up with you every morning and think I died and went to heaven.”

She was speechless. His words smacked of permanency. Was she ready for a commitment of such depth?

He tapped her chin. “Wow. You should see your face. Like a deer in headlights.”

She felt like bolting. In all fairness, she loved the idea of being his girlfriend, was reveling in these new feelings, but moving in? “Does everyone in California move as fast as you do in relationships?”

He searched her face as if wondering what he'd said or done wrong. He eventually gave a small shrug. “Can't answer that, Cassie. I have a habit of going after what I want when I see it. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable about me.”

She wound her arms around his neck. “Listen, Peter. I'm so intrigued by you. Calling you
boyfriend
is exciting for me. Let me get used to that for now.”

That knee-melting grin played along his mouth. “Yeah? You'll tell everyone I'm your boyfriend?”

She nodded. “I like the idea a whole lot.”

He lifted and twirled her around. “I'm good with that.” He planted her on her feet once more. “So, do you have plans for the next few hours? Looks like I need some bedroom furniture.”

“You need lots of furniture. Do you want new? Antique?”

“First I need a mattress and box spring. We can figure out the rest from there.”

“I know the place. Let's go to East Hampton.”

An hour later, they were moseying down the mattress aisles. The sales guy, a most accommodating young gay man who seemed more than eager to help Cassie find a mattress for her handsome partner, had her laughing out loud since he was making no effort to hide his delight in the idea of bedding Peter.

He tapped the pillow top of a king-size mattress. “Don't go by the sparseness of this showroom. Imagine this with six-hundred-count satin sheets, lots of down pillows, mosquito netting and candles lit all over the room—then lie on it.”

Peter held up a hand. “Okay, Enrique. You can stop with the visuals. We'll take it from here.”

Enrique immediately deflated, but perked up and did one of those two-finger gestures from his eyes to Peter's and Cassie's. “Okay, then, but I'll be watching you two. Just wave when I can answer any questions. I'll give you our best price.”

Peter chuckled when they walked away. “If Gil and Rudy lived here I'd send them to this place for a bed. They'd get along great.”

“Your brother must be a hoot.”

“He's the best. I miss him.”

Peter tossed himself onto a fancy, body-contour mattress. “I always wanted one of these.” Lying flat on his back, he opened his arms. “Come on, darlin'. Hop on. Let's see what both our weights do to this one.”

Cassie glanced back at Enrique, who was watching them with a huge grin on his face. She figured, what the heck? And dove right on top of her boyfriend.

Two hours later, Cassie helped Peter unload the new bed from the back of the pickup. They had borrowed a dolly to help wheel it in because there was no way she could help lift that mattress. Those dense foam beds were heavy suckers!

On the way home, they'd stopped for Japanese takeout, which she'd tucked into the kitchen for safe keeping until they unloaded the truck. They placed the bed on the wall opposite the windows. Cassie opened the windows and turned the overhead fan on high. “Let's air the mattress a bit before making the bed.” She turned to Peter. “Do you have bedding?”

He opened the trunk beneath the window. “Sheets. Comforter. Favorite pillow.” He tossed them one by one onto the bed. He shot her an embarrassed glance. “Going to need more pillows.”

She grinned. “Next run into town.”

“I think the bed aired pretty well driving home in the truck bed. That's why I removed the plastic from the top. Let's throw it together.”

Helping him make the bed felt so...domestic. The ease with which they interacted seemed to be second nature with them both. They didn't bump into each other, or take up each other's personal space, and they chatted easily and endlessly with each other. Even in the sporadic silences that fell between them, the comfort level was huge. She'd become acutely aware of each moment they spent together, as if her excitement at being in his company was some fantasy. It couldn't be real. Peter Chapman and everything about him felt way too good. And, look here. He made hospital corners with the bedsheets just like she did. She couldn't help but grin as she fluffed the pillow in its case and placed it at the head of the bed.

“Definitely need more pillows.”

He came up behind her and kissed her neck, careful of the small bandage covering the swollen node. “You smell so good.”

She turned in his arms. “Nothing like perspiration after a long afternoon to turn a guy on.”

“How did you know?”

Oh, God. That smile. “I was kidding.”

He stole a kiss. Short but sweet. “Everything about you turns me on.”

His whispered words slid down her back in little erotic tingles that tickled her senses to life—as if they weren't already on full alert. She recognized the emotions pooled in his dark eyes. Part disbelief, part enchantment. She understood exactly how he felt. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”