Nothing But Trouble (9 page)

“More than likely you’ve just started a war.”

“There’s something between those two.”

“Yes, indeedy. Complete animosity.”

Stuffing his wal et back into his jeans, Brandon commented, “And, apparently, greed.”

Laura laughed, and it took his breath away. It was such a lovely sound, husky and lilting at once. And it transformed her face. She was truly a beautiful woman.

Ali came rushing into the main room from the back, ducked under the counter and came hustling over to them, her face flushed. “Oh, no, where’d Hannah go?”

“She went to supper,” Laura said, laughter giving away to a worried frown. “What’s wrong, Ali?”

“I was washing my hands, and I had the strongest premonition about her. I just know it’s right.”

“What’s that?” Laura and Brandon said at once.

“Tonight’s the night she fal s in love with the man she’s going to marry.”

Again, they spoke simultaneously, both staring at Ali.

“Uh-oh.”

“LET’S NOT PANIC,” Laura said quietly, once Ali raced off to serve more drinks. “After all, Ali’s never right.”

“She was right about you meeting me,” Brandon pointed out. Laura crossed her arms beligerently. “Are you trying to say you’re my prince?”

“I’d love to be.”

“Well, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t look now, but you’re not from around these parts.”

“I am for the next couple of weeks. Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to explore what’s between us?”

“There isn’t—” She cut herself short. “Well, okay, there is, but I think it’s just”—she waved vaguely—“you know, chemistry.”

“There’s a lot to be said for chemistry.”

“Right,” she retorted, leaning toward him until he could pick up the scent of her perfume. “For instance, it could blow up in our faces.”

“Wel , I would definitely hope it’s explosive, but not in the least painful.”

She glanced around the room to make sure, he decided, no one could hear her. “I’m considering it.”

Those three words had a power over his body that was almost embarrassing. Good thing he was sitting down. “You are?” “Wel, maybe. But I have to tel you, I’m not real happy about having to do al the taking.”

“Real y? Why?”

She surveyed the room again. “Because,” she said in a whisper, “I haven’t done the taking before. And I think it’s real rude of you to make me. You should know I want to give, and then you be a gentleman and act on it, that’s why.”

“I want to hear you tel me.”

“Well, that’s just plain dumb.”

“No, that’s just plain erotic as hell.”

She grabbed his shirt and yanked him forward, glaring at him. “Fine. I want you to touch me, al right? So do it already next time, and don’t play games about it.” She began to march away, but then turned back and pointed a finger at his nose.

“And I owe you another kiss, so start figuring out when I have to pay it off.”

With that she stalked away, anger in every step.

Wel now, that was the sexiest come-on he’d ever been subjected to. The woman was completely irritated because she wanted him.

This was going to be fun.

“She goes on vacation after tomorrow night,” Ali whispered in his ear.

Brandon turned to dig for more information, but Ali was already gone. He waited a good ten minutes before he could get Laura’s attention again. He called her over. “Sunday.”

“Sunday, what?”

“I want the kiss and a date Sunday.”

“How do you know I don’t already have plans?”

“Do you?”

“No.” 

“Then I want you al day Sunday. And I want that kiss.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay, but only because I owe you.” He nodded. “Yes, only because.”

“What are we going to do?”

“First, we’re going to roam bookstores. Then we’re going to have supper on my parents’ yacht.”

* * *

BRANDON HAD disappeared soon after that intriguing invitation and didn’t show up at al Saturday night, which had both agitated and relieved Laura. She’d caught herself looking far too often toward the front door and getting mad at herself for being disappointed when a certain person wasn’t walking through it.

He
had
called early Saturday evening to get her address and to fix the time of their date, but that cal had lasted all of five minutes. What had he been doing the rest of Saturday night?

She couldn’t help but worry that he and Ned had gone to a more exciting bar. That he’d found another woman who wouldn’t force him to play pool just to get a kiss. Or more.

It wasn’t as if it was any of her business. She just didn’t like getting leftovers. Or so she kept tel ing herself Sunday as she tore through her closet in search of something to wear.

Who’d ever heard of a date where you went roaming bookstores? That sounded like a jeans and T-shirt type date. But then supper on a yacht? That sounded like a glittery evening gown type of date. How was a person to decide?

Leave it to that infuriating man to make it ambiguous. In fact, al of her feelings had become ambiguous since meeting Brandon Prince. And she didn’t care for that at al . She liked being opinionated and stubborn, and she hated being confused.

And from the git-go, al the man had ever done was confuse her.

Laura final y gave up on the wardrobe decision. He could just show up and darn wel wait while she dressed, once she saw what he was wearing.

She glanced at the clock and saw she had fifteen minutes,
if
he was on time and
if
he hadn’t met another woman last night and forgotten al about her and their kissing date.

Picking up her cel phone, she punched in Hannah’s number. Hannah was another concern. She hadn’t shown up last night either, which really wasn’t unusual since it wasn’t a workday, and her co-op was about twenty-five blocks from Nothing But Trouble. What worried Laura was that Hannah had never returned from dinner with Ned. And the way those two went at it, Laura wanted to make sure Hannah was okay.

Of course, Hannah was one woman who could take care of herself. Still . . .

“Yeah?” Hannah’s groggy voice answered after four rings.

“You’re stil in bed?” Laura asked. “It’s almost one o’clock!”

“What time is it?” Hannah muttered.

A muffled male voice answered her.

“Oh. My. You have a man over there?”

There was a long pause and the definite rustling of bed sheets. “Umm, wel —”

“Who is it?”

“Who is it?” she heard the male whisper.

“Umm, well?”

“Wow, let me circle this date on my calendar,” Laura said.

In al the years she’d known Hannah, the woman hadn’t even had a date, much less a fling. Unless you counted the dinner the other— “Ned!” she shrieked.

“Umm, wel —”

“Holy cow.”

“Can I call you back?”

“You darn wel better call me back! But wait, I’m going to be gone all day.”

“Where are you going?”

She didn’t think she wanted to disclose that she was going on a kissing date. “Bookstores.”

“Jeez, Laura, you’re on vacation.”

“What better way to spend it?”

“Well, umm—”

Laura laughed. “Yes, I guess you might have other ideas. Ali predicted this, you know.”

“She did?” Hannah said with a gasp.

“She did. Right after you and Ned left Friday night.” Laura didn’t think Hannah would appreciate knowing she was going to end up marrying Ned, so she kept that bit of news to herself.

“Wel , she probably saw us leave.”

“Nope,” Laura said.

Just then Laura’s front door buzzer sounded. “I’ve got to go, but I want a full report tomorrow.”

“All the details?”

“Well, not every single one.”

“Damn. They’re really good details.”

“I’m sure.”

Laura disconnected the cal and grabbed her robe, putting it on over her bra and panties. Then she walked to her door, tying the sash. Hitting the button, she said, “Yes?”

“Ready, beautiful?”

“Get your butt up here and check the baloney at the door,”

she snapped, then buzzed him into the building.

She stood there with arms crossed, ready to scold him for any number of reasons, but when she opened the door to his knock, they all flew out of her ears.

He was just plain gorgeous. Those dimples were kil ers.

And it didn’t hurt that he was holding a bouquet of white roses in his hands.

His smile vanished, though, when he took in her appearance. “Are you sick?”

“Of course I’m not sick,” she said, trying hard not to stare at those flowers. No one had ever given her roses before. “I just didn’t know what the heck you wanted me to wear.”

“What do you have on under that robe?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, forget it.”

“Can I come in, or do you want me to sit on the steps and wait?”

“Oh! Well, yes, okay, come in.”

She noted his attire. He was wearing casual blue navy slacks and a white oxford shirt. Okay, so not too casual, but not too dressy, either. He could have told her.

“These are for you, by the way,” he said, holding out the flowers.

Laura wanted to hug them to herself but didn’t consider that too dignified. “Oh . . . thank you. But I don’t have a vase.”

“Do you have a pitcher? Or maybe a large glass?” 

“Yes.” She handed the roses back to him. “Left hand cabinet. You can stick them in water while I get dressed.”

He looked her over, and then he opened his mouth, a wicked light in his eyes. Laura quel ed any potential smart remark with a look. She whirled and stalked down the hal way to her bedroom.

She dug through the mound of clothes on her bed and pulled out a calf-length denim skirt and a lime-colored blouse.

Just to show him she didn’t consider this a particularly special event, she wore sneakers.

Emerging from her bedroom, she found Brandon setting her glass water pitcher on her small dining table, the flowers arranged beautifully. Was there nothing this guy couldn’t do?

“They’re wonderful,” Laura said, horrified there was a catch in her voice. She cleared her throat and added, “Thank you.”

He straightened, smiling. “I would have bought red, but I didn’t want to jinx anything.”

She didn’t know al that much about flower colors and their meaning, but she was almost certain that red was reserved for lovers. Which made his comment crystal clear. He ful y intended for them to become lovers. But it would have to be at her request.

But somehow she had the feeling he had a persuasive argument in mind, and that it was going to come from his lips.

But not necessarily with words.

A shiver raced up her spine. And not the dreaded kind, either.

Brandon strolled over to her jammed bookcases and began to peruse the titles. “It’s a darn shame you don’t like to read,” he commented dryly.

She bristled at that. Her father had always made her feel like reading was a waste of time. A whimsy. She’d actually had to fib about her whereabouts whenever she’d made a trip to the library. “Everyone has a vice or two.”

“A vice?” he said, looking puzzled. “I think it’s wonderful.”

“You do?”

“Sure. I love to read.” He pulled out a Grisham novel.

“Legal thril ers are my favorite.”

“I’m partial to mysteries myself.”

“Wel , then, let’s go find some mysteries.” He put the book back then held out his hand. “Ready?”

“As ready as I’l ever be.”

* * *

THEY’D ACTUALLY had to drive to New Jersey to board Brandon’s boat. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he said they were going to have dinner on a yacht. Laura wasn’t real up on her boats, but this one—which had been christened
Cloud
Nine
—couldn’t be classified as anything but a yacht. It wasn’t huge, but everything on it was first class al the way. And Laura understood immediately that she and Brandon were as different as night and day.

He was actual y used to this lifestyle, had grown up this way.

He’d never had to hustle pool to get spending money for books.

Or shoes, for that matter.

They had absolutely nothing in common. Except maybe a love for books. The day had been wonderful. They’d haunted just about every bookstore on the Lower West Side.

And no matter how much she’d protested, he’d insisted on buying her a rare early edition of
Huckleberry Finn.
She didn’t even want to think about how much that had cost him.

At first she’d been worried he was trying to buy his way into intimacy with her. But he’d taken one look at her face and said, “No strings. I mean it. I just want you to have it,” and she’d given in.

Besides, now that she saw this yacht, she figured the man could probably afford to buy Manhattan.

“Nice place,” she said as she looked around what he called the salon.

“Glad you like it.”

“You were born with about fifty silver spoons in your mouth, weren’t you?”

“Guilty.”

She wanted to be disgusted by that, but found herself not resenting his privileged upbringing, which came as a real shock.

“Wel , you’re not too much of a snob about it.”

“Gee, I get all tingly when you compliment me like that.”

Laura couldn’t hold back a grin. The man was just so cute.

“I’m real generous that way.”

“I’ve noticed.” He lifted his hand and ran the tip of one finger down her cheek. “Can I get you something? Wine? Soda?”

She was
so
ready for that second kiss. It took effort to keep from dragging his mouth down to hers. Having to make al the first moves was for the birds. Still, it was also exciting in a scary sort of way. She liked the idea of being in charge. She just didn’t quite know how to go about it. “Yes, please. Wine.”

She roamed the room while he went to get wine from what he called the galley. She scoped out family pictures that made her smile and feel a sense of loss at the same time. They looked so happy in all of them. The perfect, intact, happy family.

He returned while she was holding a picture of him smiling widely, wearing a graduation cap and gown, surrounded by his parents and a bunch of younger girls, presumably relatives.