Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon #2) (8 page)

“I’m your landlord.” He lowered his face to hers stopping just a millimeter above her fully, rosy lips.

“Our parents are —”

He cut off her reply by bringing his lips to hers. Softly, sweetly, he felt her mouth come to life under his. Experimenting, tasting, teasing.

Beckett brought his fingertips to her neck, cupping her face he tilted her head back. She opened her mouth for him on a sigh and he took advantage of the invitation. His tongue swept in to taste her and the second it touched hers, the playfulness disintegrated.

He was hungry for her. Starving. Beckett didn’t realize he was shoving her back against the plywood wall, didn’t know that the hands that gripped her slim, strong arms were bruising.

Those sexy little whimpers Gianna was making had him fully hard in the space of a heartbeat. She tasted exotic, dangerous. Addicting. He flexed his hips into her, and groaned as she instinctively pressed back against him.

Beckett felt a growl rumble low in his throat and pulled back. He had to hold Gianna against the wall to keep her from following his mouth. Her hands were fisted in his jacket. Her lips were swollen from the aggressive assault on her mouth. And those eyes with all the depths of the oceans were glassy and dazed. Even more tendrils had escaped the hair band to hang down, tempting him.

He was honest enough to admit that he wanted her more than he could ever remember wanting any woman.

“What was that?” she whispered, trying to catch her breath.

“That was a mistake,” he said, dropping his forehead to hers. A shed. He’d kissed her in a shed. Where had his moves gone? He was king of the seduction. But with Gianna he was dissolved into a man with a hard-on in a garden shed.

A man with a hard-on in a garden shed kissing a woman he had no intention of seducing,
he reminded himself.

“We can’t do this,” Gianna said, shaking her head to clear it.

“No. We can’t.”

He would have stepped back, would have released her from his grip, but she brought her mouth to his. Again, twin passions ignited and flared. His hands traveled from her shoulders to her hips. Cruising over those dangerous curves, they moved higher, skimming her ribs to rest under her soft breasts.

He was losing himself in the heat. “Baby,” he whispered against her busy lips. “We have to stop.”

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured, stealing his breath without backing off.

“Gianna.” Beckett brought his hands to her face and gently forced her back.

“I’m sorry. What were we talking about again?” she asked breathlessly.

Beckett yanked her against him for a hug, crushing her to him. “We were talking about how we aren’t going to do this.”

“Right. I forgot,” she said, snuggling into his chest. “I have kids that I need to think about. I’ve made too many mistakes already and they’re depending on me to make this work.”

“Too many complications for both of us,” Beckett agreed, dropping a soft kiss on the top of her head. Her hair smelled like eucalyptus and lavender. “I’m not looking for anything serious.”

“And two kids means serious. They’d get attached.”

“The town would be booking wedding space if we started dating. Blue Moon would take it harder than the kids if we didn’t work out,” Beckett sighed.

“And it wouldn’t work out. I’d do something stupid or —”

“I would say something stupid and then we’d end up seeing each other all the time and it would be horribly awkward and —”

“I’d have to break my lease with you so I wouldn’t have to watch you mow the lawn shirtless, because that’s what you do in my fantasies. Plus, you don’t like my father and that’s a deal breaker.”

“I may have slightly misjudged your father, but that doesn’t mean I like him dating my mother.”

“That makes us practically brother and sister,” Gianna said. “That’s gross.”

“Really gross,” Beckett agreed.

She sighed and tilted her head back to look at him. “This doesn’t mean I’m not insanely attracted to you,” Gianna clarified.

“Right back at you, Red. If those two kids weren’t next door, you’d already be naked.”

“Well, that’ll keep me up tonight.”

Beckett leaned down and gently kissed the tip of her nose. “You should probably get back in there before they decide to see who can fit in the microwave. They looked pretty miserable when I stopped in.”

“It’s a trick. Don’t fall for the puppy eyes. Especially Rora’s. She’s got them down to a science.”

“I’ll say. I felt like my guts had been ripped out and then trampled.”

“I’m suddenly in a much better mood,” she said with a slow grin.

“Happy to help. I’d say anytime, but if we do this again it won’t stop at kissing.” It was a dark promise.

He turned her around and pushed her through the door in front of him.

“What’s this?” she asked, spotting the glass globe on the ground.

“I forgot. It’s your housewarming slash apology-for-being-an-asshole gift,” Beckett said, picking it up and handing it over.

“Beckett!” She peered through the glass. “It’s a fairy garden. I’ve always wanted one — how did you know?” She looked up at him, wonder and surprise written all over her beautiful face.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he said gruffly.

“Like what?”

“Like you want to go back in the shed.”

Her face transformed to a wicked temptress. “Oh, but I do,” she said with a slow wink.

“Gianna, get in your house, now,” he ordered.

“Thank you, Beckett. For everything.”

“Bring the kids over in half an hour. And for God’s sake, please wear something baggy.”

G
ia decided not
to tempt fate, or Beckett, and wore yoga pants and a long sleeve wrap sweater in a safe, bland gray to dinner.

When she announced they were having dinner at Beckett’s, Evan had shot her a skeptical look while Aurora immediately ran upstairs to find her shoes.

They trooped across the stretch of grass from their front door to Beckett’s back. He was waiting for them in the kitchen and let them in before Gia had a chance to knock. He’d changed too, she noticed. Gone was the dark suit she’d been tempted to wrestle him out of and in its place he’d donned a pair of chinos and a lightweight sweater with the sleeves shoved up to his elbows.

He sent her a warning look when he caught her studying the way the soft navy fabric stretched across his broad chest and shoulders. Gia gave him an embarrassed smile and slipped off her shoes inside the door.

“Thank you for having us over for dinner,” she said, politely. As her lips quirked, she was painfully aware of what her mouth had been doing half an hour earlier.

Beckett sent her another smoldering glance before answering. “Thanks for coming over. I needed help eating all this pizza.”

Evan perked up. “Pepperoni?” he asked.

Beckett’s eyebrows winged up. “Is there any other kind?”

“There’s cheese,” Evan reminded him, toying with the dishtowel on the counter he leaned against.

“I got one of those, too.”

“I want cheese, Bucket,” Aurora said, wrapping her sweet little arms around his legs.

Beckett leaned down and picked her up. “Are you vegetarian?” he frowned.

Evan snorted and Gia let Beckett explain an admittedly slanted view of vegetarianism while she scoped out his kitchen. The daughter of a restaurateur was required by DNA to place great value on that particular room in the home. Gia considered herself to be a creative, reliable cook. The kids only really complained when she went too far toward the creative side. Like with last week’s Thai coconut soup.

It was a large, airy kitchen, most of which had been modernized, but one wall of original glass-fronted cabinetry stoically stood the test of time. He’d gone with dark cabinets and glossy marble everywhere else. The upper cabinets, that at one time flanked the sink, had been removed to allow for a large window overlooking the backyard.

A worn butcher-block island, lit by a pair of oil-rubbed lanterns that hung from the tin tiled ceiling, dominated the center of the room. Judging from the stack of law journals and other mail, she imagined it was where Beckett took most of his meals.

The mosaic tile floor extended into a cozy breakfast nook on the other side of the back door. There he’d chosen a round pedestal table in black surrounded by armless chairs covered in a creamy white upholstery.

Gia made a mental note not to let Aurora and her pizza fingers anywhere near those chairs.

Beckett enlisted their help in carting plates, glasses, and utensils into the dining room. Gia tried not to gape, but every room she walked into was more magnificent than the last. The dining room had high ceilings and glass-front built-ins in two corners. A small fireplace with marble surround occupied the space between the room’s two windows. An honest to goodness chandelier hung over the long, rectangular table.

“How many fireplaces do you have?” Gia asked.

“A lot. Would you like a tour?” Beckett offered.

“Yes, please,” she said, clasping her hands together.

As he led the way from the dining room into a parlor at the front of the house, Gia tried not to admire how well his pants fit from the back or remember how solid his chest felt under her hands.

The parlor had tall windows with built-in seats on two walls. There was another fireplace in the same marble. The spectacular wood trim here was painted a dark navy and complemented by blue and gold fleur de lis wallpaper. Beckett had filled it with small, comfortable couches that flanked the fireplace. A wide, cozy chair was tucked into the round turret in the front corner. Several houseplants took up residence on shelves and tables.

It was a romantic room. One she could imagine whiling away the hours with a good book and hot chocolate while snow fell outside.

They wound their way through the first floor, moving on to the three-story staircase in the foyer and then the main living room, a mirror of the parlor. Yet another fireplace here, but Beckett’s big screen TV and entertainment center were the focal point. Through the door on the far wall, Beckett showed them his office area with library and waiting room.

Gia could tell this was the heart of his home. In these rooms he served his community and his clients day in and day out, hoping to make all their lives a bit better. It was part of her attraction to him, she admitted. The pure goodness in him was turning out to be as intriguing as the bad boy vibe she’d fallen for years before.

“Pizza should be here in a minute, but I have something else I can show you upstairs,” Beckett offered. “It’s kind of awesome,” he warned Evan.

Gia bit the inside of her cheek. Going anywhere near Beckett’s bedroom would spell disaster. “How about I wait down here for the pizza and you can take the kids up?” she suggested.

Beckett’s heated gaze bored into her. He knew exactly what she was avoiding.

“Money’s on the table by the door,” he said with a wink. “You guys want to see what’s upstairs?”

Evan was already halfway up the stairs. “Is it an arcade?”

“Do you have a room for me, Bucket?” Aurora asked, grasping his hand as she took the stairs one at a time.

Right on cue the doorbell rang. Gia was surprised to find one of her yoga students clutching a tower of pizza boxes and bags.

Ruby was a gangly seventeen with choppy auburn bangs and a tiny stud in her nose. She helped out on her family’s farm in the mornings before school and could nail some incredibly advanced yoga poses.

Ruby’s brown eyes widened. “So you’re the reason Beckett ordered enough food to feed an army,” she said. “We thought he was having his brothers over.”

Gia grinned. It was probably a bit of a disappointment for Ruby to not be delivering to three of the best-looking men in Blue Moon. “Beckett’s feeding me and my troops tonight.”

“Interesting,” Ruby said, raising both eyebrows.

“Are you coming to class Saturday?” Gia asked, sensing the interest and changing the subject. “I’m thinking about throwing in some forearm stands.”

“I’m so there!” Ruby said, trading food for cash. She started for the porch steps. “Have a good time with Beckett tonight,” she called over her shoulder and winked.

Gia sighed and wondered what kind of gossip tornado had just been stirred up. Juggling the tower of food, she shut the door behind her and headed into the dining room.

“Gia!” Evan called excitedly from the stairs. “You’ve gotta come see this.”

She put the food down on the table and jogged up the stairs. “Marco?” she called when she reached the second floor.

“Polo!” Evan and Aurora’s voices sang from a bedroom at the front of the house.

Gia found them standing with Beckett in front of a bookcase. A few dusty volumes took up residence on the otherwise empty shelves. She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not usually so excited about reading, Evan,” she commented.

Evan rolled his eyes. “Not the books. Show her Beckett!”

Beckett grinned and shook his head. “Go for it, kid.”

With gleeful enthusiasm, Evan pressed a knob that was carved into the molding around the shelves. She heard a metallic click and the entire bookcase silently opened out.

“It’s a secret passage!” Evan announced.

Aurora grabbed Gia’s hand and dragged her toward the dark opening. “Come on, Mama! Let’s hide!”

“Here,” Beckett said, handing Evan a flashlight. “Let your brother go first and we’ll follow him.”

Evan grabbed the light and ducked behind the shelves. “Come on, Gia!”

Aurora slipped her hand out of Gia’s and hurried ahead. “I walk with Van,” she announced and danced after her brother.

The passageway was narrow and black as night once Beckett pulled the shelves back into place behind them, the beam of Evan’s flashlight was the only sliver of light cutting through the darkness.

Gia saw the light climb higher in front of them. “Watch your step,” Evan warned, from above.

“It’s a staircase,” Beckett said softly, coming up behind her.

He wasn’t touching her, but she was so aware of his presence she felt him as distinctly as if he had his hands on her.

The stairs were steep and narrow, only wide enough for one person at a time. As if she conjured them, she felt Beckett’s hands come to rest on her hips. A low hum escaped her throat and his fingers flexed into her hips.

“We’ll wait for you outside,” Evan called down.

“Wait! You have the light,” Gia yelped.

“Beckett’s got another flashlight,” Evan assured her. “Come on, Rora. We’ll surprise them on the other side.”

Above them, Gia heard a click and saw fading daylight filter into the passageway and then it was gone. The darkness stopped her dead in her tracks. Beckett came to a halt on the step below hers. He was still taller than she was. She could feel his breath in her hair.

“Tell me you really do have another flashlight,” she whispered.

“I do.”

His lips brushed her ear and Gia let out a little gasp. She was so aware of him, so ready to be touched.

“The things I want to do to you right now,” Beckett whispered grimly against her neck.

Gia leaned her head back against his shoulder to give him better access. The scrape of his teeth behind her ear drew a purr from her. “Forbidden fruit,” she whispered. It was a reminder to them both.

“Gianna, I need you to get up these stairs before I take you right here.”

“Beckett.” She breathed his name as if it belonged to a deity.

His hands came around her, palms to her shoulders. And while his mouth delicately dined on the skin of her neck, he stroked down to cup her breasts through her sweater. Through the layers of fabric, Gia felt her sensitive peaks harden. Boldly, she grasped his hand and led it under the neckline of her sweater. His palm slid over the thin lace of her bra and she gasped at the pleasure that erupted when his fingers gently tugged at her hardened nipple.

“Red,” he growled in her ear. “Move. Now.” His hand slid out from her sweater and slapped her on the butt.

Gia sprang to life, taking the rest of the stairs quickly even as Beckett fumbled with the flashlight.

She pushed through the door at the top of the staircase and found a grinning Evan and Aurora.

“How cool is this?” Evan asked. “We’re on the third floor!”

Gia barely spared the cavernous room a glance. Guiltily, she put on a cheerful face. “That was pretty cool. Are you guys hungry? The food’s here.”

At her insistence, they trooped back downstairs using the actual staircase instead of the passageway. Gia pointedly refused to look at Beckett until her racing heart beat was under control again.

They dove into the food in the dining room, talking and laughing and staging a mock fight over breadsticks.

She was impressed with how relaxed Evan seemed here. Rather than the sullen, quiet kid who’d moved to Blue Moon Bend, here was the chatty, carefree boy of old. He and Beckett compared teachers at Blue Moon Middle School, finding a number that they had in common. Evan’s comments of “he must be like a hundred years old” were punctuated by Beckett’s advice on how to stay on the good sides of certain faculty.

She hoped it was a sign of things to come with Evan. The reemergence of the happy boy with boundless curiosity.

So many mistakes had brought them to this point
, she thought.

But perhaps, in the long run, they wouldn’t be considered mistakes. After all, falling for Paul had brought her Evan and Aurora and she couldn’t imagine her life without either of them.

She hoped she could teach the kids the lessons she had learned from her own mistakes. She would help Aurora grow strong and confident. She wouldn’t get swept away by the thrill of attention from a man who could never fully commit. Instead, she would teach her daughter to wait for someone with a beautiful soul who wanted the same things out of life. A partner.

And Evan. How many times could a child be disappointed and let down before it permanently dimmed his spirit? Evan’s father loved like he lived, carelessly. He had assumed that Gia would take the kids. She’d been prepared to fight for Evan in the divorce. Late night shows in dive bars were no life for a kid, but she’d still been sadly surprised when Paul didn’t even try to change his life to maintain custody of Evan. Instead he’d helped them pack and waved them off.

Gia’s heart broke for Evan, but she was determined to make things right for him. Two shitty biological parents didn’t mean he didn’t deserve a wonderful life.

After the divorce, he’d stopped calling her mom. Now, she was Gia, his ex-stepmother. She understood his need to push her away, just as she understood that it was only to make sure she stuck. And stick she would. Blood or no blood, Evan was her son.

Gia mopped Aurora’s face with a napkin and tuned back into the conversation. Beckett and Evan were hotly debating The Rolling Stones versus The Grateful Dead. After a particularly impassioned exchange, Beckett frowned. “You ever think of law school?” he asked Evan.

The boy grinned and reached for another slice of pizza. “It’s nice to have a logical discussion for a change,” Evan said, nodding in Gia’s direction.

Gia winged a piece of breadstick at him.

“Freeze!” she ordered Aurora, who had just picked up her crust to throw. “Only people over the age of twelve can throw food.”

“Mama! That’s not fair! What can I do?”

Gia looked thoughtful. “Hmm, how old are you again?”

Aurora giggled, but didn’t release the pizza crust. “Five!”

“Five? Wow, you are getting old. Five-year-olds are allowed to eat an entire piece of pizza without using their hands.”

Evan feigned skepticism. “I don’t know, Roar. Think you can do it?”

Aurora nodded seriously, accepting the challenge.

Gia cut a slice of cheese into bite-sized pieces and slid it onto Aurora’s plate. She grinned at Beckett as her little girl squished her face into the plate like a champ at a pie-eating contest.