Читать книгу Wild And Willing - Joanne Rock - Страница 10

A MAN COULD PASS OUT over that kind of invitation.

Seth knew this firsthand, because Mia’s erotic proposal sent every drop of his blood on a heated southbound tidal wave, leaving him damn near light-headed and too turned-on to think straight.

All he had to do was nod.

Instead, some dying part of his conscience rasped out a gravelly, “What?”

Mia’s hand curled around him, assuring him he’d understood the message. “Payback can be very satisfying.”

There could be no mistaking how much he wanted to. She couldn’t help but realize the full extent of his hunger for her.

Unfortunately, something about the word “payback” on her lips niggled his numbed brain cells, reminding him that he expected more from his relationships than just an even exchange of pleasure.

Cursed principles.

He edged away from her, prying himself up off the couch. Was it his imagination, or was there a hint of disappointment in her eyes that went beyond sexual frustration? “I’d give my eyeteeth to take you up on that offer, Mia, but I made a promise to myself a long time ago not to indulge in this kind of thing lightly.”

She bit her lip, broadcasting an uncertainty he hadn’t expected from her. “I guess I misinterpreted your kiss. I thought you wanted this, too.”

The flash of self-doubt in her eyes lashed at his stupid conscience, making him feel like a total heel.

“I do want this, Mia. I want it so much it’s damned well about to kill me.” Still, he backed up a step as he said it, knowing if he let himself get too close to her again, any promises from his past would be incinerated to ashes. “I just didn’t plan for this and I don’t have any way to protect you….” He’d be lying if he let her think that was the only reason why. She didn’t even know his true identity. “But mostly I just don’t let myself get involved with any woman I’m not fully committed to.”

Assuming a live-in relationship constituted a full commitment, anyway. He wasn’t his father, damn it. At least he offered something beyond sex to the women he slept with.

Her mouth curved into a perfectly round O though no sound came forth. Her cheeks tinged pink for a few seconds, confirming his fear that he’d embarrassed her.

“You’ve got to know it’s not you,” he rushed to assure her, guilt nipping at his heels. “Hell, look at me. I’m a walking advertisement for how much I’d like to take you up on that offer.”

Her green eyes slid downward to linger just below his waist.

His temperature spiked a few more degrees, making him wonder why he found it necessary to reassure a woman who was leading him around by the…nose.

A slow smile curled her lips, her feminine pride apparently soothed by his obvious arousal. “Then I suppose the polite thing for me to do would be to leave you alone so I don’t tempt you any further.”

His wayward libido already protested the move. “That would be helpful, yes.”

“Okay.” Her green cat eyes met his again, alight with mischief. “I’ll let you go about your business and I’ll go about mine as if you weren’t even here.”

He nodded, half-hating that plan, but knowing his promise not to get involved with any woman on a casual basis wouldn’t survive the rest of the trip without her cooperation.

“Okay, then.” He backed himself right into the staircase, his heel colliding with the first step. “I’d better start up the boat and get us underway again. It’s too dark to see much of anything on the island now, but we can at least circle the key before we head back to Gasparilla.”

She nodded a bit too agreeably. How could she be taking this so well when his body cursed volumes at him?

“Okay. If you don’t mind, I’ll go up on deck too, but I promise to sit on the other side of the boat.”

He was about to tell her that wasn’t necessary, but judging from the way his pulse kicked into overdrive at her approach, she was probably better off out of reach.

“Of course.” He turned to take the stairs two at a time. “It’s a great night to see the stars,” he called to her as he hit the deck. Maybe a little sky gazing would keep them both distracted.

“Don’t worry about me,” she replied, heading for the bow while he slid into the helm seat. “I don’t even know you’re here.”

Seth frowned, his ego taking another hit that she could write him off with such ease. He should be patting himself on the back that he’d averted a crisis, but instead, he could only think about how much he’d cost himself by rejecting Mia’s tantalizing offer.

With an oath, he turned the key in the boat’s ignition, dragging his gaze from her curvy silhouette outlined in moonlight.

Lost in the contemplation of those curves, it took Seth a minute to realize that noting had happened when he’d turned the key. No throaty growl of twin engines greeted his ears. The only sound he could hear was the incessant undulation of waves against the boat.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

He clicked off the ignition and tried again.

Nothing.

Recognition slid over him. This had happened to him once before, his first year with the boat. After keeping a vessel in storage, sometimes condensation could flood the fuel cell and corrupt both engines. No doubt, that accounted for the silence, the darkness on the water.

A silence broken only by the smooth lap of the waves. A darkness interrupted only by the outline of sexy Mia Quentin slowly peeling off her skirt.

NO SELF-RESPECTING Floridian would ever dream of jumping into the middle of the Gulf in February. Spring Breakers and snowbirds didn’t mind, but she wouldn’t normally venture so much as a toe in the surf until at least April.

Thing is, she was smarting just a little from Seth’s continued rejection. She’d put so much effort into today’s pirate seduction that she couldn’t imagine returning to endless days of hawking seashell necklaces in Twin Palms without at least making it to second base with her quarry.

What more could she do to capture the man’s attention, other than rip off her clothes? As a final resort she was willing to fake the urge for an evening swim. In truth, she didn’t want to get anywhere near that water. Not only because of the cold, but because she knew better than to swim in strange waters at night.

But he didn’t have to know that.

She had the feeling she’d succeeded in catching his eye when a strangled expletive shot across the deck.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Seth stormed right across the bow right behind his words.

Mia’s skirt already lay pooled at her feet. Her silk blouse just barely covered the red lace bikini bottoms that looked more like panties than swimwear.

“I thought I’d go for a dip to clear my head once we get to the shallow waters around Egmont Key.” She hoped he wouldn’t notice the goose bumps populating both her bare legs.

“A dip?” He reached for her sarong and held it in between them like a shield. “Jesus, woman, are you crazy? There could be sharks in there for all you know.”

She hoped the dark would hide the blood blanching right out of her face. She hadn’t even thought of the sharks. But did he have to stare at her like she’d just lost her mind along with half her outfit?

Reaching for the hem of her shirt, she flashed him what she hoped was a nonchalant smile. “Then maybe I’ll settle for letting the back spray of the water cool me off once we get underway again.”

With a quick prayer for a little more nerve to carry her through, Mia whipped the silk blouse over her head and flung it into the night breeze.

Seth didn’t look turned on so much as he looked like he’d just swallowed a frog or something equally uncomfortable. She wondered if she’d overestimated her appeal in this high-octane, red lace swimsuit and cursed herself for dropping three figures on a getup she’d most likely never wear again.

She could have had an all-out spree at the art supply store for what she’d spent.

By now, Mia only wished she could crawl back into her clothes and forget her stupid wish for adventure. Seth’s expression remained as horrified as if she’d told him he had to walk the plank. His lips moved, but so far, no sound issued forth from his mouth.

“Put. This. On.” Finally, he eked out that much, handing her the sarong.

Defeated, she yanked the gauzy floral fabric out of his hand and shook out the wrinkles. “Fine. I will. But you were supposed to pretend I wasn’t even here, remember?”

“I could scarcely function when you had your clothes on. I’m supposed to ignore you when you’re almost naked?”

Despite the fact that he was practically yelling at her, Mia’s mood improved considerably. Maybe her efforts hadn’t been wasted after all.

“Sorry.” She wrapped the sarong around her waist and tied the knot with slow deliberation. “I thought you were going to be concentrating on driving the boat and you wouldn’t even notice me.”

His gaze narrowed, communicating his suspicion quite effectively. Still, he didn’t comment on her blatant lie. “That’s where we have a little problem.”

“We do?”

“The boat won’t start.” The grimace on his face made him look dangerous enough to sport the eye patch and dagger he’d long ago ditched.

Mia realized she didn’t experience the slightest qualm at the thought of being stuck out here alone with Seth, however. After seeing him play noble with her one too many times tonight, she figured he must be a pretty upstanding, trustworthy guy.

“The boat won’t start? It sounds like a tried and true ploy to fool around with your date.” She sidled closer, just in case Seth had changed his mind about testing out the bed below deck. “Remember on Happy Days when Richie would conveniently run out of gas so he could score with his girlfriend?”

“Do you think that’s what I’m doing? Not starting up my boat to angle for more time with you when I’ve just admitted you’ve got me tied up in so many damned knots I can’t think straight?” The rippling water below them cast constantly moving shadows over Seth’s face. The moonlight that would have seemed pale on dry land now lit their whole world.

“Spoilsport.” Mia shivered and tried to hide it. If ever she’d been worried she’d inherited her mother’s wild ways with men, Seth’s reaction to her tonight had put that fear to rest in a hurry. “Care to at least tell me how we’re going to get home then?”

Seth’s jaw clenched as he bent to pick up her blouse off the deck. “I’m sure we could signal someone for a tow, but if you don’t mind waiting a little longer to be rescued, I’d prefer to have my uncle come get us. He’ll be able to fix the boat tomorrow if I can get it to him tonight.” He handed her the shirt, keeping his eyes trained on her face.

“I’m in no hurry.” She shrugged into the halter top, disappointed to see Seth pulling a cell phone out of his pants pocket rather than watching her. “Even though you’re determined to thwart all my adventures, at least I’m getting to spend some time out on the water tonight. That’s sort of fun.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a boat. She didn’t own one, and she would never rent one given her run-ins with Frankie the marina guy.

“Sorry about this, Mia.” He started punching numbers into the keypad, pointing the antenna back toward St. Petersburg.

“Not a problem.” Time to grow up and pack away her fantasy. “I should be thanking you instead of trying to lead you astray. This is more adventure than I’ve had in ages.”

He rolled his eyes. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after you’ve been stuck out here another hour and—” He held up his finger as he listened to whatever was going on at the other end of his phone call, then spoke into the receiver. “Hey Uncle Brock, it’s Seth…”

Mia slipped away from his conversation and headed toward the back of the boat, unwilling to cause the guy any more grief tonight. She wasn’t sure whether to applaud his noble efforts not to dally with a woman he wasn’t seeing, or to curse his incredible restraint for not making a move on her since the oh-so-startling orgasm incident.

The night air held a slight chill, but not enough to give her goose bumps even without Seth next to her. She smoothed her hands up and down her bare arms, wishing for Seth’s touch instead of her own.

Why hadn’t she paid more attention to her mother’s seductive moves around men? Maybe she’d be rolling around in the pirate’s cabin being treated to a mind-blowing ravishing instead of haunting the shadows while Seth tied up the details with his uncle.

But she’d given it her best shot, damn it. She didn’t want a relationship in her life—she’d seen firsthand from her mother how men could distort a woman’s priorities and make her forget what was important in life.

She’d only wanted a weekend to play, and somehow she had managed to get herself kidnapped by a sexy pirate. Even if the story ended right there, it was more excitement than she’d been treated to since her mother had surprised her with an offer to work a few hours in the tourist shop last week.

Of course, tonight’s adventure would be just as fleeting as that offer would probably turn out to be.

Mia just wasn’t the kind of woman to live on the edge, and sooner or later she was going to have to resign herself to that. She was going to leave Seth far behind once they hit dry land.

Right after she stole one more kiss.

SETH WAITED as long as he could to approach her. He’d tried calling his brother umpteen times to discuss the boat problems but got no answer. He’d checked and double-checked the engines, hoping he overlooked some glitch in the mechanics he could fix after all.

Now, he couldn’t put off spending a few more minutes with her before his uncle arrived. He was supposed to be showing her a good time tonight. Instead he’d spent the entire night running from her.

He regarded Mia sprawled out along the cushions at the back of the boat. She lay on one side, propped on an elbow and looking out over the moonlit water.

Her resemblance to Carmen had faded since she’d lost her flower and she no longer flaunted her very appealing self in front of him. Now, her long hair trailed down over her shoulders and snaked around her body at intriguing intervals.

She gave the impression of a sea nymph washed up out of the water, and Seth suddenly envisioned exactly what he wanted painted on that blank wall below deck. Her. Irrepressible Mia Quentin, possibly clad in nothing but red lace.

He’d barely recovered from that most recent assault on his senses. He was lucky he hadn’t gone into cardiac arrest at that little stunt.

He’d dated his share of beautiful women. But they all sort of blended together in his memory now, a chain of failed relationships with women who’d been all wrong for him, women who left citing the same catalog of his shortcomings.

Of course, the possibility loomed that he sucked at relationships and that every one of those women had been right. Given his high rate of failure, that seemed fairly likely.

But maybe, just maybe, he’d made a mistake in choosing the kinds of women to get involved with. One day, instead of finding women who were as cynical about dating as him, he would be with someone more passionate, someone who hadn’t lost her sense of optimism for romance.

Someone like Mia.

The idea teased the edges of his brain, tempting him with a mental picture every bit as enticing as the one of Mia in red lace. He’d been running from her because he didn’t get involved with any woman lightly. But what if he initiated something more committed with Mia? Would she go for a relationship, or was she such a wild child that one-night encounters and pirate abductions were more her speed?

Too bad he’d started the night off by lying to her about his ties to the Gasparilla fest. Would she resent his evasion of the truth? Or would she be all the more tempted to give up her wild child ways if she knew his bottom line?

The thought grated.

“Are you going to join me, Blackbeard, or am I going to have to stargaze by myself all night?” Mia twisted on the cushions to glance back at him, her smile beckoning him.

Damn it. He wanted her. Wanted more from her than just this night. But telling her who he was might irrevocably shift their relationship into the same territory that always got him into trouble with women. He never knew if they wanted him for himself.

“Come on, Chandler. I promise I won’t bite.” Mia sat up and patted the vacated space beside her. “This time, anyway.”

Seth weighed his options as he moved closer. Edgy from wanting this woman, he couldn’t afford to make rash decisions based on sexual attraction. He would feel out the situation a bit, maybe get a handle on how receptive she would be to exploring things a little more slowly.

Mia folded her arms and propped her feet on the low rail ringing the edge of the deck. “I don’t suppose you came over here for one last kiss?”

He slid into place beside her, wondering how he could ever move slowly, even if he could convince her they should take their time. “That depends. What if I didn’t want this to be the last kiss, but the first of many more?”

She lifted one delicate brow in surprise. “I think I made it perfectly clear I was willing to engage in the sensual activities of your choice tonight.” She started to smile, but midway up, her lips did a U-turn, curving into a definite frown. “But don’t you think your uncle will be arriving soon?”

It took him a minute to recover from thinking about the sensual activity of his choice. “That’s not what I meant. I was thinking more along the lines of one kiss tonight, and another kiss tomorrow. Maybe a few more next weekend.”

Her frown downgraded to an outright scowl. He wouldn’t have thought the woman who had practically jumped him two hours ago could all but recoil in horror from him now.

“Are you implying we should see each other again?”

“Don’t you think that’s a more natural progression after a few shared kisses than fast forwarding straight to sheet tangling?”

“No!” She blurted the word, but blushed in its aftermath. “I mean, maybe for some people that’s a reasonable way to go about things, but I’m not in the market for a relationship right now.”

Didn’t women always want to be in a relationship? Seth had never encountered any problems selling women on monogamy before. But then, he’d never met a woman as wild and willing as Mia.

The idea that she would turn him down niggled the competitive streak in him. His stubborn refusal to lose had cemented his rise to the top of his profession.

And damn it, he didn’t want her trying out all that wild and willing energy on anyone but him.

“Why not? You have more pirates to run off with next week?”

She hugged her knees to her body, green eyes fixed at a point far out in the water. “I have to get back to real life next week. That means no more pirates, pleasure cruises or undulating. I’ve got a business to run, a dysfunctional family to manage and about ten doctors’ appointments to drag my grandparents to. Besides, even if Grandpa didn’t go into a downward health spiral every time a man came near me, I would be too mired in work to sneak in any kisses next weekend.” She tipped her head sideways to glance at him. “Thanks for offering though. It helps soothe my stinging feminine pride a bit to think you might have been interested if we’d had more time.”