Instant Enticement Page 2

  “Driving from Virginia, showing up at my place late at night . . . Sounds like I’m your only friend.”

  She punched him.

  “That’s better.”

  Kelly took a step back. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at nothing in particular. “He’s married. I can’t believe I let myself be used like that.”

  “Want to tell me what happened?”

  “Hmm, later,” she said as she shoved a stray curl behind one ear. “I hope you don’t mind a surprise visit. I didn’t exactly have time to call.”

  “You have the equipment for a hands-free phone in your car. Somewhere in the three hours it took to get here, you’d think you could have found a moment.”

  “I had other things on my mind.”

  “So it would seem.”

  “Is it okay I’m here?”

  “You know you’re welcome anytime. I’m glad to see you, too. C ‘mere.” He gathered her into his arms again. He held her for several moments, his hands rubbing the tension from her back. “I’ve missed you.”

  She’d been in a tizzy for hours and absorbed his welcoming strength. Dennis was the one man she could count on, even if he did leave a string of broken hearts behind him. Finally, her muscles relaxed and she released a sigh.

  “Feeling better?”

  “You know you can make any girl feel better . . . Casanova.”

  Dennis laughed like he always did when she called him by that nickname. She’d given him the title in high school because of his reputation with the girls. His exploits on campus only made him more of a womanizer. Six feet of finely chiseled man with rich blond hair, green devil-may-care eyes, and being the star of the football team, girls pursued him by the dozens.

  Six years after college, he still had the body of an athlete. And judging from their phone conversations, he still merited the label.

  “I’ll make some coffee.” He removed his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. “Or would you rather have a beer?”

  “I’m already wired. A glass of wine would be nice.” Kelly pulled out a chair and sat at the table. With her elbows propped on the edge, she held her head in her hands. How could she have been such a fool?

  “Did I hear you correctly? You’re the last person in the world who’d get mixed up with a married man.”

  Her fingers tightened, squeezing her scalp. She had morals. She’d never knowingly date a married man. She flung her hair out of her face and turned to him. “I feel so stupid. I really didn’t know.”

  He removed a bottle from the wine rack and two goblets from the cupboard. “How did you find out?”

  “Do you really want to hear this?”

  “Since you’re here, I doubt I have a choice,” he said as he twisted off the cork.

  “You did ask.” He shrugged without comment, so she went on. “I know you don’t like gibbering females. Look at it this way, at least I’m not crying.”

  “If you were crying, I’d have to go after this guy.” Dennis placed a finger under her chin and searched her eyes. “I still might.” He slid one glass to her and kept one for himself, then sat down on the chair next to her. “I’m used to your long-winded stories.”

  “Long winded—”

  “Constant chatter, relentless prattle— Ouch!” He rubbed his arm where she’d punched him.

  “I barely hit you.”

  “You still pack a wallop.”

  “Which I’m sure you barely felt.” She took a sip of wine and ran her tongue over her bottom lip, appreciating the strong berry flavor. “I can see you still work out.” Even in his dress shirt, Kelly noticed his tight stomach and the ripple of muscle on his arms.

  “I joined a boxing club.”

  “A boxing club?”

  “I starred in the sport at college. Last year, I found a club here. It’s a great way to stay in shape.”

  She tilted her head and looked at him under her lashes. “You take the risk of marring your pretty-boy face?”

  He gave her a playful wink. “Haven’t heard that in quite a while.”

  “No one calls you Pretty Boy anymore?” For a while, his friends called him ‘Baby Face’. He’d always looked younger than his age, and before he grew some fuzz, his face was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Not now. Kelly could see a shadow from where he’d probably shaved that morning.

  “What do you think of the scruffy look?” He rubbed the side of one jaw. Perhaps he’d had the same thought. “A couple days growth of beard seems to be popular these days.”

  Business tycoon or surfer buff, the man was drop-dead gorgeous, and his blond hair only made his brown eyes more attractive. “You? Not shave? Hide that pretty-boy face?”

  Dennis gave her an annoying glare. “You just made my decision.”

  Kelly laughed, glad that she’d driven to Charlotte. She so needed to joke with her friend right now. “I didn’t know how you had the time for boxing while you were in college.” At his raised brow, she continued. “From what I heard, you had a revolving door with a parade of girls to your dorm and barely had time for classes.”

  A corner of his mouth lifted as he sat back, crossing his arms over his chest. And there it was. The heartbreaker smile that had felled many a female.

  “I dare to say Casanova still lives,” she said and sipped her wine. Funny how the two of them had never hooked up. Somehow, they had remained the best of friends. “I don’t want to cramp your style, but would you let me hang out at your place for a while?”

  “Contrary to what you may think, I don’t have a string of women lined up outside my door. You can stay as long as you like.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Did you take vacation or put in for a leave of absence?” Heat filled her cheeks and his eyes narrowed.

  “I, uh, I just got in my car and drove straight here.”

  He settled back in his chair and lifted his glass to his lips. “Pack a bag?”

  “Not sure you could call it that.” She thought back to the restaurant and the shock of Robert’s betrayal, seeing the stunned expression on his wife’s face, suffering the humiliation of a public scene.

  “Kelly?”

  She wrenched her mind back to the present. “I grabbed a few things.” She didn’t remember much about her bolt home. Somehow, she’d managed to drive her car back to her apartment with tears blurring her vision. Not from the devastation of Robert’s infidelity, but the humiliation of airing their affair in public. Kelly made a mad dash about her apartment, grabbing things she’d been totally unaware of. The only thing she knew for sure was that she had to flee. To safety. To Dennis.

  She glanced up to find his gaze boring into hers. His brow arched to his hairline, causing his forehead to crease. Dennis had a way of loosening her tongue with his imperious scrutiny. At the moment, she felt too raw, too much like a fool, to let her runaway tongue render her more exposed.

  “It’s not like I loved the guy or anything.” But she had considered accepting a ring. She hated being made a fool and she wasn’t about to hang around her apartment. Robert would have shown up at some point, or he could have been right behind her. Ditching his wife.

  Affair.

  Her heart clenched at the word. Family was a number one priority. She hated thinking she’d had any part in hurting a family.

  But then, Robert had done the hurting. He’d been the one to cheat on his partner. And he’d used her. Kelly’s anger flared again. The bite of remembrance made her stronger. She refused to fall apart.

  “Are you hiding?” Dennis’s voice dropped lower, intimating a suspicious tone.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can understand the need to get away. But, running this far? It’s not like I live next door. I assume you plan to stay longer
than a weekend.”

  “I didn’t think.”

  “Of course not. However, I’m glad you came.” His eyes narrowed, probing hers. “Is there a reason you need to hide from this guy?”

  “He didn’t abuse me if that’s what you’re asking.” If Dennis thought she’d been abused or was in danger, he’d go charging off with a vengeance. “Although, the last time I saw him, he looked ready to kill.”

  “What do you mean?” She noted the tightening muscles in Dennis’s arms.

  Her hand clenched and her wine threatened to spill as she clanked the glass on the table. “Come on, Dennis. Wouldn’t you be pissed if your girlfriend just exposed your affair to your wife?”

  “I don’t have a wife. And I’d never have an affair if I did have one. That’s not the issue.”

  “I know what you mean.” She stared into the burgundy liquid in her glass. No answers hiding there. “I just don’t want to see him ever again. For now, I need a change of scenery. If I disappear, he’ll get the message.”

  “I’ll give him my own message.” He roughly shoved his chair back and stood.

  Kelly jumped up, grabbing Dennis’s arm before he could get away. “There’s no need. I’m not worried. I didn’t get my heart broken or anything like that. I’m irritated. You taught me to use my head and check guys out.” She glanced toward the window. “I missed this one.”

  Dennis bent into her line of vision, studying her face. “Hmmm. You don’t look exactly shattered. At least you absorbed a few things I said. But if that asshole bothers you—”

  “Are you going to let me stay here or not?”

  “Need you ask? I don’t have anything planned for the weekend, but if I did, it wouldn’t matter. Glad you’re here, even if a fiasco did bring you to my door. You’ll be staying for a while, so tomorrow I’ll go to the office and clear my schedule for next week. We can use that time to get your mind off your troubles. And if that cheating bastard comes nosing around—”

  “He won’t.”

  “Let him. He’ll get more than he bargained for.”

  “My hero,” she said with a dramatic sigh.

  “Come on. I’ll get your bag and you can take a shower.”

  “It’s the blue Mustang convertible.”

  “You got a new car?” Dennis gave a whistle. “Nice ride. How fast does that baby go?”

  “I’ll let you see for yourself in the morning, when you go get me donuts for breakfast.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Craig directed his SUV into a parking space and wondered why Dennis preferred the high-rise apartments closer to town. His buddy liked living lavishly and had more than likely chosen this particular building due to his prestigious lifestyle.

  Craig put the car into ‘park’ as he took in his surroundings. He worked in a fast-paced, high-profile world, too, but he loved the idea of a home in the middle of the mountains, with lots of space. And lots of quiet. Things that were unobtainable in his corporate world.

  One of these days his life might slow down. Maybe he’d take that long vacation he’d promised himself. For now, he’d settle for the weekend. Needing a break from endless pressing matters at the Charleston office, he’d jumped in his truck and hit the road. Lucky for him his business dealings were on the East Coast this week.

  Delegation. His mother constantly reminded him being the owner and CEO meant he should delegate. Still, he had a hard time relinquishing control. With companies scattered around the US, he recognized the significance of keeping abreast of each one and made a point to be seen at each location. He spent more time traveling than he did behind a desk. So, he traveled in comfort. But he loved driving through the mountains in a pickup, with crisp air blowing in an open window.

  With the hassle of the last few days, he’d forced himself to take a breather. At first, he’d thought about his cabin in the mountains. Secluded, but lonely. His second thought had been his good buddy Dennis who always let him crash at his place. Although, a weekend with his college roommate would be anything but relaxing.

  He climbed out of his new Tundra and spotted his buddy’s wheels two spaces over. Good, he’s home.

  Craig headed inside and stopped at the elevator, thinking of the apartments on the twentieth floor. He’d hit the road at six a.m. and missed his normal five-mile-run workout. A guy needed to stay in shape. He headed for the stairwell.

  At the top of the twentieth floor, his pulse thrummed vigorously but his breathing remained steady. Anxious to see his friend, he stepped to the door and leaned on the doorbell. After a few minutes, he rang again. When no one answered, he knocked. A little late in the day for Dennis to still be in bed. Craig tried the door. It opened.

  He stepped inside, glancing about the room. “Dennis? Hey, buddy.” Just as Craig closed the door, he heard a noise he recognized. The shower.

  In college, the guys were constantly playing pranks on one another. Dennis had been the biggest prankster on campus. Now, he was about to get some of his own back.

  Craig scrounged around the kitchen and found a bucket. Whistling, he opened the freezer door then grabbed the ice container and dumped ice cubes into the bucket, running cold water over the ice. While he slipped down the hallway and stepped into the master bedroom, he held in a chuckle and swallowed to keep laughter from tumbling out. Carefully, he eased the bathroom door open.

  Fog filled the room and steam floated to the ceiling above the shower door. The sound of running water covered any noise he might make. He could barely make out an image through the textured glass door. The tile wall was high, but being tall himself, he had no problem reaching over the top. With an evil grin, he dumped the ice water.

  A high-pitched, feminine scream shattered his ears. His shoulders tensed as a laugh died in his throat. The shower door flew open, banging against his elbows, and a naked woman leaped from inside. Mesmerized, he devoured her voluptuous form. Blond hair hung in thick strands plastered to her shoulders and clung to her firm breasts. Her nipples puckered from the cool air outside the steamy shower, or the ice he’d just dumped on her head. His eyes scanned curves of slick, gleaming skin with riveting beads of water trickling over plush hills and valleys. Her waist dipped to a flat stomach, drawing his gaze to the triangle between her legs. Yep. A natural blonde.

  “Damn you, Dennis!” The lovely goddess squealed while flipping her hair out of her face.

  Craig’s gaze locked on amber-gold eyes. They stared at each other in shocked silence. He couldn’t help but gape at the enchanting creature. Long moments passed before he could find his voice.

  “I’m sorry . . . I thought . . . Dennis . . . Hell.” Craig tried to gather his thoughts but found them scattered all over the place with a hot naked woman standing there. He backed out of the room and slammed the door. But not before he’d taken another quick peek.

  The door behind him, he dropped his head back against the wood and closed his eyes. Who the hell was that stunning creature?

  He huffed out a breath, got his bearings, and made his way to the living room. Glancing around, he searched for signs to confirm he’d landed in the correct apartment. Everything he recognized assured him this was Dennis’s place. Craig realized he still held an empty bucket. He strode to the kitchen and tossed it into the sink.

  Damn. Where the hell was Dennis? He should have been the one in the shower. Craig balled his fists and braced his arms on the counter.

  When had his buddy allowed a woman to move in? Things must be serious if Dennis asked his lady-love to share his meticulously ordered space. The guy’s house could be featured in a home magazine the way he fussed. Everything had to be in its place.

  The image of the naked woman flashed in Craig’s mind. He silently groaned. A woman with a body like that . . . he couldn’t blame Dennis for wanting her by his side.

  Cr
aig brushed a hand over his face as if to scrub her erotic image away. He’d seen the woman in all her naked glory. Of course he’d looked. Feasted, like a man starving for his next taste of temptation. Hell. He was a full-blooded American male. And he had a bulge in his pants to prove it. But, shit. Dennis’s girlfriend.

  He’ll kill me.

  How was he supposed to know a woman bathed in the shower instead of Dennis? His car was in the parking lot. The door was unlocked. He’d never mentioned anyone special. Like an exquisite goddess with dazzling beads of water glistening all over her curvaceous body.

  Craig groaned.

  Now what was he to do? There were unspoken lines friends did not cross. Putting moves on your best friend’s girl had to be one of them.

  Chapter 2

  Kelly held on to the glass panel and stared at the closed bathroom door. Her heart pounded and her skin tingled with heat. She blinked.

  A man she didn’t know had just seen her naked.

  The air still sizzled with electricity. Her blood hummed from his blistering blue gaze, which had traveled over her as if caressing every inch with his eyes. She released a breath, one she’d been holding the entire time, and tried to wrap her mind around the last few moments. Dennis was famous for practical jokes and she’d thought him up to his usual pranks. She’d been stunned when she saw the man who dumped ice water on her was a complete stranger.

  The guy, probably six one or two, had coal black hair that shined like silk. And those eyes. So blue, you’d think you were looking at the water off one of the shores in Hawaii. She giggled, wondering who had been more surprised. He’d been thunderstruck to find a woman when he had obviously expected Dennis.

  Who was he?

  With Dennis gone, she’d decided to use his shower and saw no need to lock the door. Guess it was too late now. Still, she padded to the door and turned the bolt.

  She stepped back into the stall feeling the tension leave her body as the water raced over her tingling skin. Even with her eyes closed, the stranger’s image stayed sharp in her mind. His eyes had lingered. His gazed had burned. At first, she’d been mad, outraged. The sting of the ice, the shock of a strange man, her standing there naked. Her breath had caught at his unconcealed interest. Good Lord. He could have been a burglar or a rapist, and all she could think about were his arresting blue eyes.