A slender leg entered his peripheral vision. He tracked that sleek, lightly tanned skin upward, past a shapely thigh, a hip, the indenture of her waist and the swell of her breast. Tara stood beside him carrying a Weed Eater and wearing safety goggles on her brim-shadowed face. She looked like a model from the pages of a handyman’s sexy calendar—the kind a guy would hide in his gym locker or his garage. Any red-blooded male would want to roll in the grass with her in that getup.
“Have you ever used a lawnmower?” she asked, her eyes raking over his bare chest.
“No. But I can handle it,” he said through clenched teeth.
She smiled and squeezed the two handles together. “Safety feature. If you let go and the handles separate, the mower shuts off. Now pull the cord.”
He did, conscious of her nearly nak*d body beside him and of those blue eyes tracking his every move. The engine roared to life. He fastened his fingers around the vibrating bar. Tara nodded and leaned forward until her breast bumped his elbow and her lips touched his ear. Fire sparked in Rand’s groin. His hand slipped and silence once again descended on the yard as the engine died.
She dropped back on her heels. “Stick to the grass and stay out of the flower beds. I’ll get the hard to reach stuff.”
And then she sashayed away, leaving him to master the machine. She fired up the Weed Eater. The alluring play of muscles beneath her skin as she whirred her way along the fence enclosing the yard held him captive. She hadn’t had those muscles five years ago. He knew, because there wasn’t an inch of her he hadn’t explored. With his hands. His lips. His tongue.
Rand blinked and pivoted away from her distracting presence. He restarted the mower and shoved it forward, focusing on plowing straight lines through the thick emerald carpet of grass. If he didn’t pay attention, he’d probably cut off his foot.
The contradictions in Tara’s behavior nagged him as he worked. She still drove the same car she’d owned when they dated. She wore old clothing better suited to a rag bag, did her own yard work and paid her mother’s bills.
He glanced once more at the woman who’d blackmailed him into being her house and bedmate. Had he been wrong about Tara in the past?
No, dammit. He’d seen her coming out of his father’s bedroom with a hickey on her neck, a flushed face and messed-up clothing. Regardless of what lie she’d concocted, she’d been intimate with his father.
Add in that she hadn’t accepted the KCL job until Rand offered a salary that was quadruple the industry standard and agreed to play house, and it was clear Tara Anthony was up to something. The question was what?
She had to be looking for a sugar daddy.
But she wouldn’t find one in him.
For Mitch’s and Nadia’s sakes Rand would be smarter this time around. Because he had a hell of a lot more to lose.
“Good morning, Rand.”Tara caught the almost imperceptible hitch in Rand’s step and the brief flash of surprise in his eyes when he turned the corner into their office suite and realized she’d beaten him to work Monday morning.
Mouth tight, he nodded and resumed his course. He had to pass her desk to get to his office. “You’re in early.”
He’d hibernated in his room for most of the weekend. She’d barely seen him except for the time he’d mowed her grass Saturday evening. They couldn’t build a relationship that way.
He looked delicious in a taupe suit and light blue shirt. A fresh tan from that hour of yard work darkened his lean face, and the memory of how he’d looked shirtless and sweaty made her temperature spike.
She rose. His pace faltered again as his hazel eyes roved over her new wraparound dress. She loved the way the fuchsia fabric hugged her br**sts and waist and floated just above her knees. But she loved his nostril-flaring reaction even more.
Working primarily from home since she’d left KCL meant she had an extremely limited professional wardrobe. Most of that was too big. She’d spent Sunday afternoon shopping because she needed both work and cruise wear. By the time she’d returned from the outlet mall last night Rand’s door had been securely shut. He’d left a note in the kitchen telling her he’d already eaten dinner.
He snapped his head forward and stalked toward his inner sanctum, but not before Tara noted the appreciative expansion of his pupils. Encouraged, she gathered her notepad and followed him.
“We have a ton of stuff to get through before we leave for the cruise on Friday. The first brand’s most recent financials are waiting on your desk, and the president and VP are due at eight-thirty.”
Four more nights and she’d have him all to herself…along with 2800 people on the ship, that is. She almost danced in her new d’Orsay pumps with anticipation.
Rand stopped so quickly she plowed into his back. His heat and scent enfolded her, but she righted herself and smoothed the spot where her pen had touched his suit coat, checking for a stain. None. Good.
He stiffened and stepped out of reach. “What is that?”
She tracked his gaze and stated the obvious, “A coffeepot. When you’re not using it the roll-down door will conceal it.”
He turned his thin-lipped frown from the new addition on the shelving unit to her. “Where did it come from? And why is it here?”
“I picked it up this morning at your favorite coffee shop, along with a pound of freshly ground beans. The pot has a timer. I’ll set it up so your coffee will be ready each morning when you arrive, and since you insist on leaving home without breakfast, I’m having it delivered from the KCL cafeteria every day at eight because you’re cranky when you’re hungry.”
Her announcement earned her a darker scowl.
“I’ve chosen this week’s menu, but you’re welcome to make adjustments if you like. Here are the chef’s suggestions for next week after we return from our cruise. Of course, I didn’t tell him why we’d be out of the office since that would defeat the purpose of an incognito inspection.”
She offered him the list of choices. When one of his hands clenched the handles of his leather laptop bag and the other remained fisted by his side, she put the paper in his in-box.
“Tara—”
“You’re welcome,” she interrupted. She’d learned by his growls that he didn’t like her doing things for him such as his laundry or preparing meals and leaving them in the refrigerator. But she had to cook and clean for herself. Doing so for one more wasn’t a bother. In fact, after a year of silence and solitude she liked having someone else to look after.
She crossed to the pot and filled a mug, which she then set on his blotter. “I’ve already dealt with most of your e-mail, but I flagged a couple for your attention. Do you need anything else before you tackle your in-box?”
She could almost hear him grinding his teeth as he opened his bag and withdrew his computer. “No.”
“I’ll bring in your breakfast as soon as it’s brought up, and I’ll let you know when the first management team arrives.”
She turned on her heel and retreated to her office.
“Tara, it won’t work.”
She pivoted and examined his hard face. “What won’t?”
“Buttering me up.”
She frowned. “Buttering you up implies I want something.”
He closed the distance between them in two long strides, not stopping until he was so close she could see the gleam on his freshly shaven jaw and smell his cologne and a hint of mint toothpaste. “You’re after a wedding ring.”
Her breath caught and her heart skipped. He didn’t know that for sure. He was only guessing. What would he do if she confirmed his suspicions? He couldn’t fire her without jeopardizing his part of the will. But he might fortify the walls barricading his heart, and she had a formidable battle on her hands already.
“I’m after a mutually satisfying relationship. That’s it.” And it was everything. Five years ago he’d been her playmate and her bedmate. She wanted both back. And she wanted more. Much more.
His intense gaze made her want to squirm, but she’d told nothing but the truth.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well…that’s certainly honest. My mother always claimed trust was built on actions, not words. So I guess I’ll have to prove to you that I’m not after anything that you won’t willingly give.”
The trick was convincing him to give willingly.
Tara had given Rand space this past week and he’d used it to avoid her. That ended now.Excitement and anticipation quickened her pulse and dampened her skin late Friday afternoon. She had three nights at sea with Rand to look forward to. Three nights and four days of sharing a cabin. And a bed.
She could hardly wait. The Miami-to-the-Bahamas Rendezvous trip would be her first cruise and her first real vacation in six years, but neither was the main attraction. The man ahead of her held that honor. She wanted to get Rand to relax with her, to leave the world of work, tailored suits and tightly knotted ties behind. His current navy twill pants, white polo shirt and baseball cap were a good start.
She followed him into their assigned cabin, mimicking his moves of inspecting the closet and the tiny lavatory, which contained a sink, toilet and compact shower/bath stall. Definitely not large enough for two.
Reserving a middle-of-the-road cabin—not the cheapest, nor one of the luxury suites—had seemed the best way to blend in. The room was smaller than she’d expected. But then what did she know about cruising? Nothing. And the cabin’s limited size could work to her advantage. There was literally nowhere for Rand to hide.
Besides the bed, there was a love seat, two tiny bedside tables and coffee table, as well as a wall unit with drawers, a minifridge and a television quietly playing a show about the proper use of life jackets. Seeing those life jackets in the center of the bed reminded her that she’d soon be out of her depth. In more ways than one.
Rand set his cap on a shelf, snapped off the TV and inspected the narrow rectangular space with his hands on his hips. He crossed the carpet and slid open the glass door. Warm sea-scented air flooded the air-conditioned room. Tara joined him on a private balcony about the size of a single bed and looked over the railing. Lifeboats hung from the sides of the ship just below their balconies.
The theme song from Titanic launched in her brain. But even that chilling intrusion couldn’t dampen her enthusiasm. She wanted to bounce and giggle. Instead, she trailed Rand back inside. He didn’t look happy.
“Is there a problem?”
His gaze landed on the bed they’d soon be sharing before returning to hers. “The room is clean, uncluttered and suitably equipped for the price point. The textiles could be fresher.”
He seemed more tense than usual despite his casual attire. “Are you worried about being out of the office? Mitch’s PA assured me your brother could handle everything until Tuesday when we return.”
“I’m sure he can.”
“Rand? Are you okay?”
He looked at her, his gaze running over the flirty strapless apricot sundress that left her shoulders and most of her legs bare. “Why wouldn’t I be?”