Читать книгу Wild Child - Cindi Myers - Страница 6

1

THE SAD TRUTH was, Sara Montgomery did not set out to be a corporate drone—one of those blue-suited types chained to a computer and cell phone. But somewhere between her wild-child past and her twenty-sixth birthday, that’s exactly what she’d become. Even now, on vacation at a Malibu beach house, when she’d taken her pals Ellie and Candy’s dare and vowed to leave work behind her for the week, she hadn’t been able to leave her laptop at home.

“It’s sick, I tell you,” Candy Calder said as she watched Sara unpack the iBook. A diminutive brunette with violet eyes who worked at a software firm in the same office building as Sara and Ellie, Candy was the life of every party—an expert at leaving work at work. “You’re supposed to be relaxing, not working.”

“I only brought it to check e-mail,” Sara said. “Just in case there’s an emergency.” Of course, with Uncle Spence, everything was an emergency. But what if he really needed her while she was away? “I’ll only check it once a day.”

“Come walking on the beach with us.” The third member of the group, Ellie Rockwell, a glam-goth chick who owned the coffee shop on the ground floor of their building, rubbed sunscreen on her arms, her long dark fingernails standing out against her pale skin. “It’s a gorgeous day. I hear the surf’s up and that means lots of beautiful bronzed bodies to admire.”

Sara set the laptop on the table and stashed the case behind the sofa. “And of course, your walk will just happen to take you past a certain beach house not far from here where a certain good-looking man is staying?”

Candy blushed. “Ellie wants to say hello to her brother. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Ellie’s brother, Matt, worked with Candy and was conveniently vacationing at a bungalow down the beach.

“And there’s nothing wrong with you talking with a coworker.” Sara grinned. “Maybe even flirting a little. I mean, that’s one of the big reasons for this vacation, right? So that you can get the man you’ve been not-so-secretly lusting after?”

Candy rolled her eyes. “That is not why we’re here. I’m going to prove to Matt—who is my boss, not my potential bed partner—that I can be serious about work. I’m not just a party girl.”

“And you’re on this vacation to learn how to loosen up,” Ellie reminded Sara. “To forget about work for a while—” she eyed the laptop “—and have some fun. Find a gorgeous guy and get laid.” Her eyes sparkled with laughter.

Sara ignored the tickle in her belly at the idea of handsome men and sex—things that had been missing from her life for too long now. “I know why I’m here,” she said. “And I promise, I am going to have fun. I just have to check in with the office….”

When the others raised their voices in protest, she changed the subject. “Let’s not forget why Ellie is here,” she said. “It’s not only to look after the rest of us.”

Ellie fluffed her dead-black locks and avoided looking either of them in the eye. “I’m here because I’m a big fan of Sin on the Beach. And I got us a great deal on the beach house…and I thought it would be fun.”

“And you need to take a break from looking after everyone else and do something for you,” Sara said.

Ellie nodded. “Right. And I intend to do that…as soon as I know that you two are all set for killer vacations on your own. Which means no computer for you—” she pointed to Sara “—and more time with my good-looking but lonely brother for you.” She wagged a finger at Candy.

Candy made a face. “I know you have your heart set on the two of us hooking up, but honestly, Matt isn’t interested in me that way. And I don’t see him that way, either. I only want to impress him with my work skills.”

Ellie’s grin didn’t fade. “I think you impress him all right,” she said. “You just don’t realize how much.” She shouldered her beach bag. “Come on, let’s go. And Sara—put away that laptop now. Before I hide the power cord.”

“I’ll relax as soon as I finish a few last-minute details.” Sara tried to ignore the guilt pinching at her. “I promised Uncle Spence.” She’d log on for a few minutes, make sure no catastrophes had struck in the few hours she’d been away from the office, then she’d be free to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

“Your Uncle Spence is so nice,” Ellie said. “He always leaves a tip for his double-shot espressos. I’m sure he’d understand if you didn’t work on your vacation.”

“Uncle Spence is a nice man.” All the more reason not to let him down. She shooed her two friends toward the door. “You two go on. I promise I’ll change into my swimsuit, take a quick look at my e-mail, then I’ll catch up with you.”

“All right then.” Candy lingered in the doorway. “If you’re going to be here for a few minutes longer, can you do me a favor?”

“Sure.” Favors she could handle—obligations were the real bitches these days.

“Call me on my cell in a minute?”

“Okay. Any particular reason why?”

“Pretend you’re a business colleague. But wait until we’ve had time to get to Matt’s place. I want him to see that I can be serious about work.”

“Even when you’re on vacation?” She nodded, holding back a smile. “Gotcha.” Apparently Candy didn’t see the irony in pretending to do exactly what she’d lectured Sara against. Maybe because her fun-loving friend was a pro at mixing business and pleasure, while Sara had never been able to figure out how to juggle the two.

When they were out the door, Sara fished a brand-new bright-orange bikini from her suitcase and slipped it on. Her reflection in the bathroom mirror made her flinch. Her fish-belly white complexion was not a pretty sight. Why hadn’t she thought to buy a bottle of fake bake when she was out shopping for the bikini? The glare off her white skin was liable to interfere with satellite transmission or something.

Grabbing a bottle of sunscreen and the laptop, she went out onto the beach house’s broad veranda and settled into a cushioned lounge chair. At least here she could see the beach and enjoy the sound of waves crashing on the sand. Even if she was at her computer, lounging in a bikini with the ocean as a backdrop didn’t exactly count as work, did it?

She looked down the shoreline for some sign of Candy and Ellie, but staggered rows of beach houses blocked her view of them. She’d give them a few more minutes to reach Matt’s place before she called.

She signed on to her e-mail and waded through half a dozen spam messages, all promising extreme outcomes in the subject line. As if she needed increased anatomy or free designer knock-offs. When she spied a message marked with the word Urgent! she didn’t even have to check the sender to know this was from Uncle Spence. Stomach fluttering with dread, she opened the e-mail and read through a message completely in caps and heavily punctuated with exclamation marks. Maybe she should ask Ellie to switch Spence to decaf.

While she was composing her reply, her cell phone chirped. She retrieved it from her tote bag and checked the number. Frowning, she hit the answer button. “Hello, Uncle Spence.”

“Sara, why haven’t you answered my messages?” Spence’s Southern gentleman’s drawl was laced with tension. “I’m leaving for the golf course to play eighteen holes with Benton Granger. He’s going to want to know about that deal you’ve been working on for him.”

“Tell him everything’s on schedule for his closing next Thursday.” She logged off her e-mail.

“Are you sure? We haven’t heard back from the title company yet, have we? And what about the survey?”

“The survey came in Friday. It’s in the file. And the title company is supposed to call tomorrow.”

“You should call them today.” In the background she heard the hushed, reverent commentary of the Golf Channel announcers on TV. “If there’s anything I’ve learned in my years in this business, it’s that you have to stay on people to get them to complete tasks in a timely manner.”

She rolled her eyes. Spence Montgomery’s business philosophy in a nutshell: management by nagging. “Everything will be fine,” she said. “Don’t worry.”

“It’s my job to worry. And yours, too. It takes worry—and a great deal of hard work—to stay on top in this business. I’d have thought you’d have learned that from me, if nothing else.”

She had learned it all right. Since she was seventeen and her uncle had given her a job as a clerk at his business, Anderson Title, he had taught her the importance of hard work. And she’d been a good pupil; once she’d graduated college, he’d promoted her and she’d taken on more and more responsibility every year. The business had blossomed into a multimillion-dollar concern, processing over a hundred mortgage loans a month.

Sara loved the business. And she loved Uncle Spence. She owed all her current success to him. But he really did worry too much. “When you see Mr. Granger, tell him everything is going great.”

“It would be better if you were here to make sure of that.”

“I’ll be back in the office next week. I’ll take care of his account then.”

“I think you should call the title company today. Just to make sure they haven’t run into any snags.”

“Uncle Spence, I’m on vacation.”

“One brief call won’t make that much of a difference. And it would set Granger’s mind at ease—and mine as well.”

She checked her watch. It was a little after one o’clock. She could phone Marsha, then hit the beach. “Okay. I’ll call. And I’ll e-mail you to let you know everything’s okay. But then I’m turning my phone off.”

“Don’t do that! What if I need you?”

There had been a time when she’d been flattered by Spence saying he needed her. But the warm fuzzies had worn off some time ago. “You’ve been in this business a lot longer than I have. I’m sure you can handle anything that comes up.”

“You’re responsible for your own clients, Sara. Remember, at Anderson Title we pride ourselves on our customer service.” The implication that he would be disappointed if she provided anything less than the best hung heavy in the air.

She sighed. She couldn’t say no to Uncle Spence. “All right. But please promise not to call me unless it’s an emergency.”

“That’s my girl.” The cheerfulness was back in his voice. “I promise. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Goodbye. And don’t worry.” She might as well tell the waves to stop moving.

She checked her watch again. Candy and Ellie ought to have reached Matt’s beach house by now. She punched in Candy’s number. The line rang and rang, but there was no response. Odd. Maybe Candy was too involved in a conversation with Matt to answer.

Sara shrugged and set aside the phone, then clicked on the address book on her computer to retrieve Marsha’s number. While she waited for the program to open, she stared out at the ocean.

A figure appeared on the horizon—the dark outline of a surfer against an expanse of blue sky and foaming white water. As she watched, he moved closer. She could tell it was a man now, broad-shoul-dered, wearing Hawaiian print board shorts.

She leaned forward, holding her breath as he rode the crest of a perfect curl. Knees slightly bent, arms held a little apart from his body, he was precisely balanced on the board, a picture of grace and strength.

Her heart twisted with longing as she watched the man. Oh, to be able to tame the ocean that way. To have such command over the waves and your own body. When she was a girl, she’d spent a lot of time on the beach, mooning after various surfing gods. She’d never gotten farther than being “allowed” to hold surfboards while her crushes headed off with some other bikini-clad babe.

Of course she’d also been skipping school, experimenting with drugs and hanging out with the wrong crowd. She was one short step away from juvenile delinquency when her mother’s brother, Spence, had reined her in.

But she hadn’t been all bad in those days. She smiled, remembering. Sure, she’d been a little reckless. A little wild. But she’d also been fun and spontaneous. Words that didn’t play a big part in her life these days.

Wasn’t that part of the reason she’d come on this vacation—to get in touch with that inner wild child again? To rediscover the fun of being a little reckless?

She stood and leaned over the railing to watch the surfer more closely. He was tall and muscular, bronzed from hours in the sun. Exactly the kind of guy she’d panted after years ago.

Okay, so she could admit to herself that he was the kind of guy who still made her feel a little out of breath. Just because she’d been too busy working these past few years to have time for a relationship with the opposite sex didn’t mean she was dead.

That was the whole point of this vacation, wasn’t it? She was here to prove to Ellie and Candy—and most importantly, to herself—that she still had what it took to have fun and really live.

She checked the surfer again. Great abs. Great legs. Great tan. Her lips curved in a smile. Exactly the kind of man she could go for.

So why not go for him? The idea sent a thrill of anticipation through her and she stood up straighter. What better way to wake up her dormant libido and rev up her inner party girl than a fling with a hot surfer?

The surfer rode the wave until it died in the shallows, then came ashore, pulling the board behind him by its leash. She couldn’t tear her gaze away as he emerged from the water like some mythical sea god. Or maybe the star in one of her more vivid sexual fantasies…

“Hello!”

With a start, she realized he’d spotted her. He moved closer, waving.

She smiled and waved back, her heart galloping in her chest.

“Come on down! The waves are great!” he called.

She hesitated. Here was the opening she’d been looking for. “I’ll be right there!” she called. She started toward the stairs leading down from the deck to the beach, hesitated, then did an about-face and grabbed the cell phone. Candy would give her a hard time if she saw, but what could Sara say? She wasn’t ready to go cold turkey yet. Besides, it wasn’t as if she expected another call or anything. She just felt kind of…naked…without it.

DREW LEANED his board against the deck pilings and waited for the young woman to join him. She was wearing a bright-orange bikini that showed off her very sexy curves. He was glad she’d agreed to join him. When he’d spotted her she’d been watching him with a wistful look on her face. As if she really didn’t want to be on that deck by herself.

Since he’d started off the day feeling lonely himself, he figured maybe the two of them could help each other out. And it didn’t hurt that she looked hot in that bikini. “Hi, I’m Drew Jamison.” He stood at the top of the steps and held out his hand. “Welcome to Malibu.”

“Hello. I’m Sara.” She hesitated, then stepped forward and took his hand. She had a firm, businesslike grip, but her hand was cold. He cupped it in his and rubbed back and forth. “You ought to get out into the sun and warm up.”

She pulled away and turned to look out over the ocean, her cheeks a becoming pink. Obviously, she wasn’t used to strangers rubbing her hand. Way to go, Drew, he thought. Scare her off, first thing.

He struck a casual pose next to his board, pretending to look out at the waves while watching her out of the corner of his eye. He kept a good three feet of space between them. He didn’t want her to think he was the type to come on too strong.

“How long have you been surfing?”

Her voice was soft, with a slight Southern drawl that sent heat through him that had nothing to do with the Malibu sun. “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid,” he said. “Almost twenty-five years.”

“You’re very good.” She glanced at him, a shy smile transforming her face.

There went another heat wave. If she was flirting with him she was keeping it low key, but his body was responding as if she’d turned on the charm one hundred percent. Guess he was lonelier than he’d thought. He grinned. “Thanks. I run the surf shop down the way, the Surf Shack. My grandpa owns the place, so I’ve been hanging out there for years. I give lessons too, if you’re interested in learning how to surf while you’re here.”

Her smile brightened. “I’d like that. Though we only have the cottage for a week.”

His grin evaporated. “We?” Just his luck, she had a burly boyfriend or husband lurking somewhere.

“I’m here with two girlfriends. We came down from L.A. for a few days’ break.”

Ah. Two friends. That sounded better. “Where are you from originally?” he asked. “That doesn’t sound like an L.A. accent.”

She laughed. “No, that always gives me away.” She faced him. “I’m originally from Georgia. I moved here with my mom when I was in high school, after my dad died. Her brother—my Uncle Spence—was living in L.A. and he sort of helped her raise me. What about you? Are you a native?”

“Yep. Lived here all my life.”

“No wonder you’re such a good surfer.”

He shrugged. “I don’t do it as much as I’d like. Running a business takes a lot of time. That and family obligations.”

“Don’t I know it.” She motioned to the phone in her other hand. “I can’t even get away from the business when I’m on vacation. And my Uncle Spence, bless his heart, expects me to do everything.”

“Then it sounds to me like you really need a vacation.” He moved closer. “And I’d really love some company this afternoon.”

The thought of going back into the water, or back to work, by himself held no appeal now that he’d met Sara. If she was only going to be here a week, he didn’t want to waste any time getting to know her better.

She looked out at the waves again. “I’ll admit it’s tempting.” She glanced back at her phone. “I could always finish my work later….”

He was congratulating himself on saying the right thing when her phone rang. He silently willed her not to answer it, but he had the feeling she wasn’t the type to ignore a ringing phone.

She gave him an apologetic look then took the call. “Hello? Oh, hi, Candy. Are you at Matt’s already?”

He walked a short distance away so she’d have a little privacy and tried not to listen to the “uh-huhs” and “oh reallys” that punctuated her half of the conversation. He hoped she didn’t get sidetracked by work and decide she couldn’t come with him.

Timing was everything, in surfing as well as life. Five years ago, his grandfather, Gus, had suffered a massive heart attack. He’d recovered, but last year a second coronary had laid him low. He’d been in danger of losing the Surf Shack when Drew had stepped in to help. He’d been behind the counter at the Shack ever since, while Gus helped out as he could. Now that his doctors had declared surfing off-limits, Gus mostly played the role of local surfing “character,” sharing stories of his heyday as a surfing king to anyone who cared to hang around.

Drew hadn’t really minded returning to the place where he’d grown up, but between living with his grandfather and running the Surf Shack, surfing was something he could never get away from. He loved it, but he felt pressured by it, too. Last night after Gus was in bed, Drew had stayed up to balance the Shack accounts. Midway through reviewing inventory records, he’d realized this was no way for a twenty-nine-year-old guy to spend Sunday night.

The sudden loneliness had hit him in the gut, and this morning he’d vowed to change things. He’d get out more, meet women and find someone to share his life with.

So was it mere coincidence that the first woman he’d met seemed to want the same thing for herself? Maybe he was reading too much into a wistful look and a few words of conversation, but something in him sensed that Sara was a woman who wanted more.

Maybe he could be the one to give her what she wanted.

“Sorry about that.” She walked up behind him, tote bag slung over her shoulder. “I was afraid that would be my Uncle Spence calling with some urgent business problem, but it was just one of my roommates.”

“So you’re free to come with me now?”

She smiled. “I’m free. At least for a little while. And I’d better take advantage of that.”