The Fairest of Them All (7 page)

With good-natured bickering, they finished setting up the scarecrows. She swatted him when he lamented her puny biceps. They caught sight of a cormorant, its black body flying in a silent V. The bird did a surface dive, preparing to catch a fish. Russ shot off a flare, and the bird quickly veered up and away.

They drove back to his house then. In spite of the work waiting for her at home, she found herself reluctant to go.

Russ leaned against the truck. “No cruises tonight?”

“No. Sunday nights are slow, so I try to catch up on paperwork and bookkeeping.” Carly stretched. “I must be out of shape. I’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”

His gaze flicked over her, making her feel unclothed. Her stomach fluttered.

“Want a massage?”

Lord. How did he manage to make her feel as though she were stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel? “You have only one good hand,” she reminded him.

“But it’s very good.”

Her heart thumped in her chest. She’d just bet his hand was very good. Good enough to send a woman into permanent oblivious ecstasy.

Russ moved closer. She instinctively stepped backward and bumped into the truck. Russ put his hand on her shoulder, and she was trapped by the look in his eyes.

“Last night you said you wished you knew what my mouth felt like. Today you say it was just too much wine and too much curiosity. Well, I haven’t had a sip of wine, and I gotta tell you I’m burning up with curiosity.”

He lowered his head, and her breath stopped. His lips grazed hers once, twice, then settled warmly against her mouth. His tongue toyed with her while his thumb began a tantalizing motion on her throat.

She felt a sinking sensation so strong, she clutched his shoulders, needing something solid to hold on to. Russ muttered her name against her lips, then slid his hand down her neck. He brushed his fingers over her breast, missing the nipple that strained against her T-shirt for his attention.

Carly’s breasts ached. As if he’d read her mind, he flicked his thumb over her puckered nipple. She closed her eyes. His touch seemed to make the wanting spread deeper. He nuzzled her head, inviting her to see the hunger in his eyes. In a sexy kind of lethargy, Carly looked up and felt a disconcerting weakness in her knees. She stiffened them.

Russ’s hands slid to her waist. He pulled the shirt from her jeans. Reaching down, he kissed her thoroughly as he raised the bottom of her shirt inch by devastating inch until her breasts were bared. He molded a naked, swollen breast with one of his callused hands and pressed his hard thighs against her. Her knees buckled.

“Oh,” she gasped, her mouth open against his.

Wrapping his hands around her waist, he propped her on the hood of the truck, then moved between her thighs. Carly stared into his eyes, unable to look away.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he said.

Carly began to tremble. “What?”

He didn’t repeat himself. He just lifted her legs around his waist so that his hardness nudged her. If they were naked, she thought, he’d be inside her. Her mouth went dry.

His gaze held hers until finally he lowered his eyes to her breasts. Carly had never felt more beautiful or more erotically aware than she did now with the noonday sun beating down on her and Russ Bradford’s mouth lowering to her tight, sensitive nipples. His tongue and teeth teased her deliciously. When he sucked her breast deep into his mouth, she arched her back. The heaviness in her intensified, and she felt a moist melting sensation where his erection rubbed against her.

He switched breasts, and Carly moaned in frustration. She wished she were naked. She wished he were naked.

She wished he were inside her.

“Russ,” she cried, tangling her fingers in his dark red hair.

Russ looked up and saw the flush of arousal on her face. Leaning forward, he kept his eyes open as he licked her lips with his tongue. His gaze traveled from her mouth to her nipples, glistening from his ministrations. “You’re wet,” he muttered with approval. Carly’s eyes were hazy with desire. His loins were ready to burst from the intensity of his arousal. He moved his hands to the button of her jeans and tugged.

Lost in the moment, he barely heard anything but Carly’s soft gasp and moan. A bunch of dogs barked in the distance. At first the sound didn't penetrate his sensual fog. Finally, Russ comprehended it. He blinked and glanced around, shaking his head. He stopped fooling with the button of her jeans and lifted his hands from her body.

In that instant, his eyes changed. Carly saw the moment he realized the precariousness of their situation. He cursed and closed his eyes. Carly stiffened, feeling an instant surge of shame. With bare breasts and spread thighs she must appear as she was, totally wanton. Awkward and confused, she pulled her hands from his hair and fumbled with her shirt. Russ stopped her with a grip of steel.

Carly looked away, unwilling to reveal her feelings. She knew her eyes wouldn’t hide a thing, and there was no reasonable explanation for her actions. Except, perhaps temporary insanity.

“Don’t look away,” he pleaded roughly. “Please don’t look away. Come on, baby,” he coaxed, tenderly guiding her chin.

She opened her eyes and saw the honest, savage need in his and didn’t feel quite so humiliated anymore.

“Talk to me,” Russ whispered.

“I don’t know what to say.” She looked at him, still feeling his pulsating hardness pressed against her. “Why did you stop?”

Russ groaned and lowered her shirt with unsteady hands. “I was so far gone, I was ready to take you on the hood of this pickup truck, Carly.” He kissed her mouth, then gave a wry grin. “That’s not exactly the best place for a first-timer to shed her . . .”

“Virginity,” she finished bluntly. She drew back from him. “Did it show that much?”

His gaze darkened. “Don’t even think it.”

Feeling the threat of tears, Carly blinked fiercely and looked away. She saw a cardinal perching on the large oak tree. “Does it bother you that I’m a virgin?” She heard the hoarseness in her voice, but couldn’t do a thing about it. Her emotions were in an uproar.

Russ took her palm and pressed it against his throbbing hardness. “Look at me.”

Carly fought against the seductive huskiness in his voice. She tried to pull back her hand, but he held firm. She finally looked at him.

“Feel me, Carly.” His eyes blazed with arousal as he molded her hand around him.

He was hot and hard as steel, and she found herself resenting the jeans he wore. She wanted to touch him there, where he was most vulnerable, most needy, and most male.

“I’ll probably be in this state for the rest of the day.” He moved her hand in a stroking motion and let out a long hiss of breath. “I think it’s fair to say I’m gonna be
bothered
until we go to bed.”

Russ didn’t hide the extent of his desire for her. His need was honest and irresistibly compelling, and she was amazed at the power she seemed to hold over him. He was such a big, powerful man.

With visible reluctance, he pulled her hand from his jeans and pressed his lips to her palm. “You name the time, lady,” he said. “But think it over, because one time isn’t going to do it for me. One night won’t do it.”

Carly heard the warning in his voice. She looked at him with his ruffled auburn hair glinting in the sun, his eyes completely serious. This was not the Russ from her childhood. This was the man. And he wanted her badly.

The image of long, hot nights, cool, cotton sheets, and tangled bodies filled her mind. A breathtaking excitement seized her. This would be no easy coupling, she realized. It would be hot and hard and strong like Russ. And God help her, she didn’t know how to handle it.

Carly made it home without wrecking the car. Even though she turned the air conditioner on high (and closed all the windows,) she was still hot by the time she climbed the steps to her apartment. She was almost as stunned by Russ as she was by her own feelings. The only element in this entire situation that comforted her was the fact that Russ had given her ultimate control. “You name the time,” he’d said. Carly knew she wasn’t ready. Physically, yes. Emotionally, no.

When she thought about making love with Russ, her chest tightened with apprehension. Or was it anticipation? She went into her apartment and slammed the door behind her. Maybe she should just do it and get it over with, she thought irritably as she stomped to the bathroom to run a cool bath. Maybe if she did it, her curiosity would be satisfied.

She might even be disappointed, she thought doubtfully.

Maybe she’d fall madly in love with Russ and make a complete fool of herself.

What would happen to their friendship afterward? Carly threw some bath salts into the tub. The nature of their friendship had changed, she admitted. Part of her longed for the uncomplicated relationship she used to share with Russ. In spite of the fact that he’d been best friends with her brothers, she’d grown to count on him as an ally.

She swirled the water around with her fingers and sighed. Something inside her had changed irrevocably. The feeling was so intense, it frightened her. Would she ever be able to look at Russ again and not feel a quickening inside her? And what if this wasn’t just lust? she asked herself in horror.

One thing at a time
. The lust was overwhelming enough without her worrying about other more serious possibilities. The question, she knew, was if—or when? The idea of actually going through with it brought a rush of heat to her entire body. She groaned, then stripped off her clothes and tried to ignore the way she still tingled from Russ’s touch. She stepped into the tub and completely immersed herself in the cool, fragrant water in hopes of erasing Russ’s devastating effect on her. Closing her eyes, she decided she simply wasn’t ready to decide.

After a busy week, Carly sat in her riverboat, listening to her brothers’ arguments, and wondered if they had any seats available on the next space shuttle.

Daniel shook his head. “I don’t like the second guy’s voice. And if I don’t like it, you know the customers won’t either.”

Troy argued. “He wasn’t as bad as the first one.” Carly pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt a headache coming on. They were discussing the wait- staff applicants. Her brothers had tiptoed around their apologies to Carly, then proceeded to interfere with business instead of her social life. She didn’t know which was worse.

“Which do you like better, Carly?” Garth asked.

Carly blinked. It was the first time she’d been asked. “I like them both, but we need a tenor if they’re going to do four-part harmony.”

Troy opened his mouth to argue.

“We need another male waiter ready by next weekend,” she interjected before he could get started. “I’ll give you five minutes to reach a decision. I’ve got too much to do to get ready for those travel agents coming next week.”

“And that’s another thing,” Troy said. “I still don’t think you oughta be giving all those people a complimentary cruise. How do you know they’re gonna send any business your way?”

Carly pressed her lips together. Troy made a valid point. She should take a harder line on offering reduced rates, except with charities. But her instincts rebelled at the notion, and she refused to get off track. She glanced at her watch. “Four minutes.”

She leaned back, mentally extricating herself from the argument.

“How’s Russ?” Garth asked.

“I haven’t talked to him lately, but I think his hand should be better by now.”

Garth narrowed his eyes. “He hasn’t called you?”

Carly shifted in her seat. Garth didn’t intrude as much as her other brothers. He was quiet, but extremely perceptive. He always remembered her birthday and sent Carly her favorite flowers. She’d heard more than one woman gush over his dark, brooding good looks. At the moment, however, Carly found his perceptiveness and attention to detail unnerving.

“Well, you know I’ve been real busy this week,” Carly said. “He might have left a message or two.” Or three or four, she thought. Her busyness was the superficial reason she hadn’t returned his calls. Her confusion was the deeper reason.

“We’ve decided,” Daniel announced. “Take the first guy on a trial basis.”

Troy grumbled, “If I can find somebody else, I’ll send him over.”

Carly smiled in relief. “There. I knew you could come to some kind of agreement. I’ll call the applicant tomorrow.” She stood and took Daniel by the arm and led him to the door. “Thanks for coming. Go ahead and set up your dates for the travel agents’ cruise.”

Troy and Garth automatically shuffled behind Daniel.

“Who’s your date?” Garth asked as Carly opened the door.

“No one. I’ll be too busy taking care of the guests.”

“What about Russ?” Garth continued.

Carly inhaled quickly.

Daniel laughed. “Russ is just relying on Carly for camouflage this summer. The Ladies Auxiliary is after him.”

Garth frowned. “Is that what he said?”

“Hell, yes,” Troy answered. “He knows we wouldn’t let him near Carly.”

“Don’t stay out long, Carly,” Daniel reminded her.

Carly reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Same to you. Good night.” She gave a quick peck to her other brothers and tried to ignore the thoughtful expression on Garth’s face.

After closing the door behind them, she walked back in the room and sank into a chair. It was just one more reason why an affair with Russ would never work. Her brothers were worse than the FBI. They’d find out and send her to a convent. Russ’s fate would be easier. They’d just shoot him.

Her elbows planted on the table, Carly rested her head on her hands and closed her eyes. Lord help her, what was she going to do? At the same time that she’d avoided Russ, she’d missed him. What a mess. She could use a fairy godmother right now, she thought. Or at least a friend.

As if her secret wish had been granted, she heard a familiar low voice. “Rough week, lady?”