Read, Write, Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons, Book 5) Contemporary Romance (14 page)

LEANNA AWOKE EARLY Friday morning and peeled her arm from Kurt’s chest carefully, trying not to wake him or Pepper, who was curled up at his feet. After barbequing with the girls last night and celebrating her first big decision with margaritas, they’d stayed at her cottage. She worried about how much writing time Kurt was giving up to be with her, but he assured her that he was capable of managing his time and his deadline.

She loved seeing him in her bed, and waking up to him now felt like something she expected, rather than hoped for.
How the hell did that happen so fast?
They’d closed the windows last night when they made love so the others wouldn’t use their sounds as entertainment—and tease her about it later. She wasn’t exactly a quiet lover, but Kurt didn’t seem to mind. Last night he’d whispered everything he was going to do to her before he did it, and hearing those naughty things in his gravelly whisper aroused her almost as much as the dirty things they’d done.

She lifted up on one elbow and whispered, “I’ve fallen hard for you, Kurt Remington.” She lay back down and closed her eyes. “Yup. I feel it in my crazy-ass heart. I love you.”

Leanna got out of bed and padded quietly into the kitchen in her cami and boy shorts skivvies and sent an email to Daisy Chain, requesting to reschedule their meeting. She needed time to prepare so she didn’t blow that meeting, too.
A hobby
. She thought about the comment Leslie had made and realized now that he’d seen right through her. She
had
been thinking of the business as a hobby, even if she’d been verbalizing something else. She knew the minute the rebuttal left her mouth that a hobby was not what she was looking for, and she was determined to make this business work.

She took a deep breath and began typing a list of the things she needed to do in order to move forward with her plans.

Figure out where I want to live in the fall! Cape?

Kurt?

Product list

Ingredient list

Delivery timetable

Backup generator? Cost? Facility cost? Share space? Check out bakeries?

Talk to an attorney about contracts and insurance liabilities

Employees?

Then she began another list, a list she’d never before contemplated, a list that she’d made fun of other women for creating. Nonetheless, she began typing.

What I want in a boyfriend:

Kind, considerate, empathetic, fun, interesting, careful, smart! Has to be willing to listen to me talk. A lot. Can’t get mad about my awkwardness in bed. Good in bed. Really good. Maybe even helpful. Encourage me in every way. Sexy. Very sexy. Good body. Likes my friends.

She pulled back from the computer and realized that she wasn’t just creating a list of what she wanted in a man. She was describing Kurt. With pinpoint accuracy.

She sighed.
I’ve got it bad
.

“You’re up early.”

Startled, she closed the laptop and spun around. Kurt’s hands were stretched above his head as he used the doorframe for support and arched his broad chest forward in a stretch as slow and graceful as a Cheshire cat, wearing nothing but his boxer briefs and a morning woody.

“You should have a warning sign on that body.” She rose, and he folded her into his arms.

“If I had a warning sign, you might not come near me. That was nice last night. I love being close to you.” He kissed the top of her head.

She pressed her cheek to his warm chest. “Me too.”
And, by the way, I think I’m falling in love with you
. “Would you like some coffee?”

“No, thanks. I know you have to go to the flea market today, so I’m going to head home and go for a run. You know my morning routine. Hopefully, I can make up for the writing that I skipped last night. My deadline is coming up fast, and I need to catch up to meet it.”

“I’m sorry that I’m such a distraction.”

He pulled back from their embrace and kissed her. “You are the best distraction I could ever imagine and worth every moment away from my writing. Want to come by after you’re done at the flea market?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Kurt pulled on his shorts and picked up Pepper’s leash. “Come on, Pep.”

“Where are you taking him?”

“I was going to walk him since you’re not really dressed for it.” He ran his eyes down her body with a hint of appreciation—but his offer was more than sweet assistance; it held a flavor of possessiveness.

It was so different from what she’d seen from him that it took her by surprise. And she liked it.

“I can do it. He’s used to waiting for me to throw on shorts and a top. Besides, the last thing you need is more time away from your writing.” She reached for the leash.

“Would you mind if I walked him? We’ve sort of bonded.”

Pepper whimpered.

“I can’t even believe you’re the same guy who scowled at him when we met.”

Kurt paused on his way out the door. “I’m not sure I even know who that guy is anymore.”

KURT PULLED INTO his driveway still thinking about Leanna. He seemed to always be thinking about Leanna. When he stepped from the car, he looked for Pepper out of habit, then reminded himself that Pepper was with her at the flea market. He never understood how his siblings had fallen in love with their significant others so quickly, but now he was beginning to understand. He couldn’t deny his feelings for Leanna if he had a gun to his head, and hearing her whisper that she loved him when she thought he was sleeping had sent a chill right through him. Fear and happiness had collided, paralyzing him for a minute or two, until he’d been able to breathe again with the relief that she had the same strong feelings for him as he had for her.

He walked around the cottage and crossed the grass to the studio. It was surrounded by an umbrella of trees. The real estate agent he’d bought the property from had told him that the previous owner had planted the trees, as he preferred natural cooling to air-conditioning, although the studio as well as the cottage had central air, which was uncommon on the Cape.  He hadn’t been in the studio since he’d arrived a few weeks earlier, and he’d been thinking about it since Leanna mentioned needing a larger place to work. He unlocked the heavy wooden door and pushed it open. The inside was cool despite the warm summer days. An industrial-sized sink and built-in cabinetry lined the wall to the right. The ceramic floor was in good shape, and the cathedral ceiling allowed most of the heat to rise away from the living space. He crossed the floor to what had been a supply closet in the back of the building. It was cool and dry, and the deep wooden shelves would be perfect for Leanna to store her products. There were three windows on either side of the studio as well as a skylight in the roof, allowing for plenty of natural light. He contemplated adding stovetops, cooling racks, and whatever else Leanna might need.

I’m getting ahead of myself.

Her voice sailed through his mind, bringing another chill down his back.
I feel it in my crazy-ass heart. I love you.
Maybe he wasn’t getting ahead of himself after all.

LEANNA HAD BEEN worried about how Carey would treat her after she’d turned down his advances, but he had acted no differently all day, and she was relieved. She’d brought her laptop with her and worked on creating product and ingredient lists when she had a few minutes without customers. It had been a productive day, and even Pepper had been better behaved, allowing her to walk him instead of taking off running as soon as he was untethered from the table.

As she climbed into her van at the end of the day, Carey came to the open window.

“Wanna hit the beach?” Carey asked.

“Thanks, but I can’t.”

He ran his hand through his hair and looked away, then drew his eyes back to Leanna. “So, it’s cool that you weren’t into me, but I’m wondering. Was it because you’re into the writer? I’d totally understand. I’m just curious.”

He looked so sincere, and for some reason, vulnerable. She hoped she hadn’t hurt his feelings. “I wasn’t dating him the night you and I went to the Beachcomber, but I’m seeing him now.”

Carey nodded. “That’s cool. He’s a nice guy. If you guys don’t work out and you want to hang, you know where I am.”

“Thanks, Carey. I really enjoyed the time we spent together, and you made the flea market a lot more fun.”

He smiled in that easy way of his. “So did you. Your dancing? Priceless.”

She watched him walk away and breathed a sigh of relief. Her stomach fluttered again as she drove toward Kurt’s cottage.  It had been doing that a lot, fluttering, tightening. Her entire body reacted to Kurt—his touch, his voice, his facial expressions, his scent—in ways it hadn’t reacted to any other man. She was a little frightened by how fast she felt her heart becoming his, but at the same time, she’d never known anything to feel so right.

When she arrived, she didn’t bother going to the front door. Instead, she followed Pepper down the path to the back deck, where she found Kurt, shirtless again and typing a mile a minute.

“Hey, babe. I’m glad you’re here. I missed you.” He didn’t shift his eyes from the computer screen as his fingers sailed across the keyboard. Pepper lay down at his feet with a loud sigh. “I’ll be done in a few minutes. This has been an incredible day for my writing. How was your day?”

She kissed his shoulder as she walked by and sat at the table. “I missed you, too. My day was surprising. I had three people come by and place orders. Orders! I never saw that coming. One was for a bridal shower, and the other two were for families. They were customers who had bought from me earlier in the summer. You know what that means.”

He kept his eyes trained on the computer. “They loved it?”

“Yup. That’s got to be a good sign.”

“Mm-hm.” He saved his work, and in one swift move, he cupped the back of her head, then met her in a sensuous kiss. “I really missed you.”

“Me too.” She settled back in the chair and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She was getting used to being there with him, and she took comfort in the familiarity that had settled in between them.

“I’m excited for you. That’s really good news.”

“Yeah. And you know what? I’ve never felt so excited about anything in my life.”
Except you
. “I have no idea what’s changed, but this feels like what I’ve been searching for. I can control who I work with and how many clients I take on. If I decide to work with only one grocer, or none, then that’s fine, as long as I can make rent or whatever, depending on where I end up living.”

Kurt pulled her onto his lap. “Talk to me. I know you’re not a planner, but where are you heading in your mind with all of this?”

I want the business and you.
She didn’t want to put Kurt on the spot, so instead she swallowed her thoughts and shrugged.

“Are you thinking you’ll stay in your parents’ cottage for a while and plant your business roots here at the Cape?” He tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I’m not sure. I do love it here, but here on the lower Cape, everything is so expensive. I’m not sure I’d make enough money to be able to afford a bigger place in the first year or two, and I don’t want to use my great-grandparents’ money.”

“I don’t blame you, and I love that you feel that way.”

“So I have some thinking to do.”

“I want to show you something. I don’t know much about your business, but I was doing a little research today, and I found this drawing. Is this what you have in mind for your facility?” Kurt pulled up a picture of the interior of what looked like an enormous kitchen. There were four stainless-steel stoves against the west wall and a sink and counter space along the east wall. Large stainless-steel tables formed a U-shaped workspace in the center of the room. He clicked on another image that showed an open door. The walls beside the door were lined with stainless-steel shelves. He pulled up a third picture, which showed a large storage area with deep wooden shelves. There were plenty of windows and what looked like ceramic or tiled floors. Easy to clean. Even for her.

“I hadn’t really thought about it in detail, but that’s amazing. The only things that are missing are freezers and refrigerators. Other than that, that’s a dream workspace for any jam maker. Or baker, really.” She searched the images and realized they were individual photos, not a website. “Where is that place?”

He shrugged. “Found it online. I just thought I’d see if it was similar to what you had in mind.”

“Amazing, and way too expensive.” She closed the laptop. “Did you catch up on your writing?”

“Yeah, and then some. My muse was sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear.”

“Thank God. I was so worried that I was ruining your career. I thought for sure you’d want to break up with me when you realized I was not a quiet girlfriend but an annoyingly loud one.”

“Annoyingly loud?” He laughed.

“Yeah. Don’t you think so? I mean, I talk a lot. And I’m a little mouthy, and I question everything. And now I’m running down a career path I didn’t really see coming. I mean, I hoped, but...”
And I’m in love with a man I didn’t see coming
. “In a week I’ve turned your very organized and well-planned life upside down.”

“Upside down?”

“Yeah. Think about it. You dragged me from the sea, saved my dog, you’ve written less this week than you probably have any other week of your professional life, and—”

He covered her mouth with his, her words muffled against his tongue as he stroked her worry away. She closed her eyes and melted against him, and when he drew back, she was breathless.

“Wow.”

“I’ve written less, but I’ve never enjoyed my life more than I have this past week with you, Leanna. If this is what it feels like to live in an upside-down world, then I never want to be right-side up.”

ON THE WAY into town, they dropped Leanna’s van at her cottage. “
That way you have to drive me home tomorrow and I get more time with you,”
she’d said. He loved the way her mind worked, and he couldn’t have agreed more. With Pepper in tow, they had dinner at Mac’s Seafood by the Wellfleet Pier. Leanna’s hair whipped across her cheeks, and Pepper’s fur flattened against the wind. She zipped her hoodie and curled her shoulders forward to ward off the breeze.

“Let’s walk down to the park.” Kurt draped an arm over her shoulder as they walked away from the water, leaving the gustier wind behind.

Every summer an awning was constructed across from Wellfleet Harbor, where community plays and local bands put on free shows. Tonight there was a blues band playing. There were several rows of metal chairs beneath the awning, most of the seats taken. They claimed two free seats in the back row, and Pepper settled in between their feet. Beside the awning were tennis courts, and beyond that a small, colorful park. Children played on the metal playground equipment while parents stood nearby, enjoying the music. The scene reminded Kurt of his college days. He’d spent time with friends, hanging out at bars and going to concerts at local parks. Before he’d focused on writing as a full-time endeavor, he’d been more relaxed about how he spent his time. During summers and school breaks, he’d worked at a literary agent’s office, learning about the publishing industry and penning his first novel in the evenings and on weekends. After graduation he’d attended a writer’s conference, where Jackie Tolson asked to see his work. He never expected to be signed two weeks later, or to have a six-figure, two-book deal five months after that. His father was the driving force behind his determination to be the best damn thriller writer imaginable, and he would never stop trying to outwrite other authors or his own last novel.
Do more than you think you can; be better than everyone else
—his father’s words had served him well. What he’d never learned was how to apply the same standards and determination to a relationship, and in the days since he’d been with Leanna, he realized that he needed, and wanted, to find a way to strike a balance.

Leanna moved to the beat of the music, a contented smile on her lips. Her shoulders swayed sexily, and as he watched her, Kurt hoped that he was doing enough. That, as Siena mentioned, he was giving her enough attention, thinking about her enough, letting her know how much he cared for her. How could he be sure he was? His mother was the yin to his father’s yang. She softened the rough edges of his father’s lessons with unconditional love and understanding. She wasn’t a pushover. No, Joanie Remington believed that children needed to learn from their mistakes and take responsibilities for their actions, but she also exuded warmth and love like others exuded confidence or insecurity. He hoped that he’d learned enough from her to allow Leanna to feel the same emotional comfort from him.

He reached for Leanna’s hand as the band played a slower song.

“Dance with me.”

“Here?”

He pointed to the grassy area between the tent and the tennis courts. “There.”

He held her close and closed his eyes against the discomfort of feeling like a spectacle. He wanted to hold Leanna, to dance with her, and he’d learned from watching her that there were some urges a person should just give in to. This was one of them, and it felt damn good, even with Pepper’s leash around his wrist and Pepper looking up at them with wondrous eyes.

An elderly couple joined them on the grass and danced a few feet away.

Kurt focused on Leanna’s heart beating against his, her arms around his neck, and the feminine, sweet, scent of her skin. Her fingers ran lightly over the back of his neck. He felt the curve of her lower back, right above her hips, the dip at the center of her spine as he pressed his palms to hold her closer. He brought one hand up and buried his hand in her silky hair, and without thought, he lowered his mouth to hers. He didn’t notice when the music stopped, or when the elderly couple returned to their seats. He didn’t notice the fast beat of the band’s next song or the child who was pointing at them as they kissed. His focus was only cocooning Leanna in his love until she couldn’t help but feel how much he adored her, until she felt it with every breath and trusted it would be in every touch. As he held her with the bay breeze at his back, he realized that Leanna had become his
more
.

“Come to my brother’s wedding with me.”

Leanna looked up at him and crinkled her nose. “Now?”

She was so damn cute. He felt a soft laugh slip from his lips and quickly covered it with a cough. “It’s next week in Colorado. I’ll take care of the flight arrangements and everything.”

“But it’s a wedding. There are invitations and place settings, and your brother might not want me there.” She ran her finger in circles on the back of his neck.

“I want you there, and Jack wants me there. He won’t mind. They’re getting married at Savannah’s father’s ranch, so it’s not like there’s a formal seating chart or anything. Please go with me. I leave straight from Colorado to go back to New York, and I want every second with you that I can get.” He hadn’t realized how quickly his time at the Cape was coming to an end. A sharp pain seared his heart at the thought of not being with Leanna.

“Okay. Yes. I will. I want to. But promise me you’ll ask Savannah and Jack if they’d mind before we make arrangements.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “I’m so glad you asked me to go with you.”

“You are?”

She nodded. “You’re really leaving next week? I didn’t realize…” Her eyes filled with sadness.

“Neither did I until just now. I hate the thought of going anywhere without you. I know that makes me sound weak, or wimpy, or something bad, but…” He shrugged.

Her lips spread into a wide smile. “I think it makes you even hotter.”

“Hotter? Well, there’s more where that came from.” He took her hand, and they headed back toward the car. Pepper hurried along beside them.

They stopped every few steps to kiss, and by the time they reached the car, Kurt’s body was thick with desire. Leanna wrapped her arms around his neck and rocked her hips into him. She drew his mouth to hers and moaned seductively.

He narrowed his eyes. “You make me crazy when you do that.”

“That’s the point.” She rocked into him again and settled her mouth over his neck, sucking and licking until he was ready to explode.

He reached behind her and opened the car door. “In.”

She slid into the seat, and Pepper jumped in at her feet. Kurt climbed into the driver’s seat, and as he started the car, Leanna reached between his legs and rubbed his hard length, hungrily licking her lips.
Dear Lord
. He threw the car into drive and drove directly to the darkest corner of the lot. By the time he put the car in park, Leanna was halfway across the center console.

Pepper jumped onto the passenger seat and cocked his head, watching them with his big, dark eyes.

“God, I want you.” He tangled his hands in her hair and tilted her head back, then teased her the same way she’d teased him, sensually sucking on her neck until she climbed right onto his lap and began working his zipper.

Their lips never parted and the strokes of their tongues never slowed as Kurt reclined the seat, drew his pants down, and pushed Leanna’s panties to the side. She gazed deeply into his eyes as her body swallowed every inch of his hard length and drew another moan from her lungs. At six foot two, Kurt didn’t have much room to play in the front seat of the Mercedes. He held tightly to Leanna’s hips and helped her efforts, but his cock was throbbing and he needed to move, to drive into her, to feel her body against his. He drew her close.