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‘You’re right.’ Did properly mean more kisses? If so, bring it on.
I am toast. Burnt toast.
Falling for Mac is a huge mistake. He’s been married, is still grieving the first one. And those are only his points against a relationship. She hadn’t the energy to drag up all hers. They’d spoil the weekend—if she hadn’t already done that by kissing Mac within moments of walking in here. ‘I’ll change out of my heels. That sand isn’t going to be as forgiving as the promenade at Darling Harbour.’
Mac became busy, unzipping his suit bag and withdrawing two suits to hang in the wardrobe. Shirts followed, jeans and chinos. He hadn’t skimped when it came to packing. ‘Better hang that dress up,’ he commented.
‘Good thinking.’ She hadn’t gone to the trouble of getting it pressed to just leave it lying over the back of a chair in a full-length carry bag. Like Mac, she’d unpack everything now. Anything to keep her distracted from Mr Diversion who was quickly becoming Mr Attraction. Ah ha, could be why he was so intent on emptying his bag too. ‘Did you leave anything behind?’ she asked when he began to fill a drawer with tee shirts and a jersey and everything a man could need when isolated on an island for a month.
Mac shrugged. ‘There was room in my bag so I kept putting clothes in until I couldn’t any more.’
‘You weren’t a Boy Scout, then?’
‘No. I don’t like being caught short and having to make do.’ He looked over at her bag, nearly as large as his, and shook his head at her. ‘You weren’t one either?’
‘As if. Did you leave any hangers for me?’ Hotels never provided enough.
‘One or two.’ Mac grinned. ‘Want a water before we hit the beach?’ Obviously over that awkward moment.
‘I’d better.’ Once they reached the bar it wouldn’t be water she’d be drinking. Her brothers would make a beeline for the drinks department and line them up as soon as they’d dumped their bags in their rooms. No fussing about hanging clothes for them, though these days their wives didn’t let them get away with such behaviour quite so easily.
Mac was opening two small bottles from the fridge, looking relaxed. Looking as if he were on holiday, not in the middle of a family occasion where he knew no one. She’d be uptight and fearful of making mistakes if it were her. Taking a closer look at him, Kelli couldn’t find any hint of stress or worry. No, that heart-stopping face was open and happy, so unlike the doctor she worked with. Yes, her heart was doing the stop-start thing as she gazed at him.
Snatching up a light jersey to sling around her shoulders in case the breeze turned chilly, Kelli slugged back some water and aimed for the door. ‘Let’s go.’ The room had become airless and small. At least the beach was wide and long and there’d be lots of fresh air coming in on the light sou’wester.
* * *
Mac strolled along the beach, his hands jammed into his pockets, his stance relaxed, his mind anything but quiet. Kelli did this to him. Stirred him up something shocking, tossing possibilities of happiness at him, then knocking reality back in place with her honesty.
Beside him she was chirping away non-stop about incidentals: one of her brothers’ passion for rugby, the colour of her outfit for tonight’s dinner, her mother’s penchant for arriving exactly on time for everything. Kelli was nervous, and it was becoming contagious. Trying to lighten the atmosphere, he said, ‘I am house-trained: don’t pee on the carpet or hoick my food back up under the table.’
She flipped around so she was walking backwards, annoyance fighting with laughter in her expression. ‘I am acting over the top, aren’t I?’
‘Totally. Why the nerves? You were okay up until we got here.’
And you kissed me in our suite.
Was that the cause of her jumpiness? That kiss had been unexpected, and the perfect antidote to his nervousness. It had loosened the tension that had begun gripping him since they’d gathered with her brothers at the helipad. Not that he had any difficulty with meeting new people and sharing a weekend at a special occasion with them, but the lie he and Kelli were living had hit home when he saw Andy wrap his sister up in a bear hug and get swiped for crushing her new blouse. Family stuff that spoke volumes about love and understanding and didn’t need a lie sitting bang in the middle.
As a kid he’d never minded being the only child because it had meant he’d got all his mother’s attention. Not that there was a lot going spare after she’d seen to his father’s demands. Watching Kelli with her lot, he felt a pang of envy. If he’d had siblings he might’ve coped a little better with losing Cherie. Not gone off into solitude in an attempt to shut down his feelings. Something he’d achieved all too well. Now it was difficult letting go of the restraints he’d placed on those emotions.
Not when you’re around Kelli.
And that was the problem with being here.
Impervious to where his thoughts had gone, Kelli was answering his question in some depth. He focused and tried to catch up.
She was saying, ‘You’re already fitting in. It’s like they’ve always known you, but don’t be fooled. The boys will test you, make sure you’re good enough for me. Hardly fair, considering.’
‘You want my take on that?’ When she nodded, her teeth nibbling her bottom lip, he ignored the cuteness and continued. ‘It’s good they do that, shows how much they care. And for the record, I can handle whatever they throw at me.’
‘You’re as cocky as them.’
He winced. Bad word. While his body might appear relaxed there was a lot of tension in certain areas that needed relief—and that wasn’t going to happen any time soon, if at all. He hadn’t come here with the intention of becoming intimate with Kelli. But if it was on offer how would he be able to turn her down? ‘You reckon?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘Watch out!’
Too late. Still walking backwards, she hadn’t seen the piece of driftwood in the sand. Mac grabbed her before she could trip and fall to the ground. Holding her again. Twice since they’d arrived. His hands burned from the feel of her skin under his palms. Other parts of his anatomy tightened. ‘I’m going to sleep on the deck tonight.’
‘What?’ Cobalt eyes locked on him.
Showed how thrown he was, saying that out loud. Now that he had, he might as well put it all out there. ‘If you think I can share that huge bed with you and not touch you, then, lady, you ain’t got a clue.’
Kelli stared and stared. The air cracked with heat between them. And still she stared. Then she did that lifting-up-on-her-toes thing and he knew what was coming, and was incapable of stopping her. Didn’t even want to.
Those full lips he pretended not to fantasise about brushed his mouth softly, left to right, and her tongue did a slow lap of his lips. A groan ripped out of him. He had to hold her close, to kiss her senseless, to feel her body pulsing against his.
His hands found the edge of her blouse and tugged to make room to slide up underneath, to caress that hot, silky skin. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples pebbles against his pecs. Driving him insane with need. Tipping him further into the mire he did not want to be in. Yet had to be in. It was unavoidable. Kelli did that to him.
Her arms were around his neck, keeping him close as that sweet, tormenting mouth worked magic on him. Kisses weren’t meant to knock your knees out from under you.
‘Oi, you two, this is a public beach,’ Phil called out from a balcony nearby.
Kelli spun out of his hold, her hands caressing as they slid from his neck. ‘Great. Now there’ll be no end to the teasing.’ Her forefinger ran slowly over her lips, touching where his lips had been, as though sealing in the kiss.
Mac fought the urge to take her hand and draw that finger into his mouth, to brush his tongue up and down the length. He won, but only just. His hands remained at his sides in tight fists as he st
rived for nonchalance. To be seen in a horny state in front of Kelli’s brothers would only give her more grief and lead to a weekend of hell. In the nicest possible way.
He ground his teeth and banged on a smile. False, fake, whatever; it was a smile that hopefully said, ‘I’m here for your sister and don’t dare interfere,’ in case Phil could read him across the fifty metres of sand that separated them. Mac nudged Kelli. ‘Game face, remember. We’ve got to act the part or everyone will know.’
Kelli flipped her head back to glare at him, a big, fat question in her eyes. ‘That kiss wasn’t genuine? You were role playing?’ Hurt darkened her words.
Say yes, and he wouldn’t even get the deck to sleep on. Say no, and there was a possibility he’d be raising hope in Kelli for something he wasn’t prepared to contemplate. Rock or hard place? Try honesty. Then buy a shovel to get out of the mess that’d get him into. ‘I only do genuine kisses.’
The glare softened, but didn’t completely vanish.
Mac leapt further into the mire. ‘When we kiss I forget everything sane and sensible.’
Her mouth dropped open. ‘Oh.’ That familiar red shade coloured her cheeks and she looked away, out to sea.
Bet she wasn’t noticing the water or the boats buzzing past.
Why had he told her she distracted him so much? Because he’d been distracted. Why else? Thing was, what would she do with that gem of information? Toss him off the deck, or send him home when the helicopter returned shortly?
