Fly Like You've Never Been Grounded (Summer Lake, #4) (17 page)

***

L
aura looked up when Maria popped her head around the door to her workroom. “Sorry to disturb you, but there's someone out front to see you.”

“Who is it?”

“She said she wanted to surprise you.”

Laura frowned. She'd been really getting into these designs and had hoped to have a good run at it this afternoon. She wanted to have something good to show Colin next week. “Okay. I'll be right out.” She checked herself in the mirror, yep she looked good. It bothered her that she still worried about Dale's family catching her unawares, finding her looking like the untamed Texas girl she really was, instead of the demure, well groomed fiancée they'd wanted for their boy. It could only be one of them. Who else would stop by for a surprise visit?

“Leanne!”

“Hey, Laura! I hope you don't mind a little surprise?”

“Mind? This is wonderful! How are you? What you doing here?”

“I had to come over to see some clients and I realized I was only a couple of blocks from you, so I thought I'd come say hi. I haven't seen you for ages, and since Dan moved out to the boonies it's going to be down to us to keep in touch all by ourselves.”

Laura smiled. Leanne had gone to college with Dan, and Laura adored her. In the beginning she'd hoped that Leanne and Dan would get together, but with time she'd realized that the two of them really were just good friends. “I'm so glad you made the first move. I've been meaning to call you ever since the party. I wish you'd been there, Lee. You would have been so proud of him! He made this whole big speech in front of everyone about how he knows what love is, and how much he loves Missy. How he's found his family, and his home, and she's his perfect. There wasn't a dry eye in the place! He totally shot Olivia down in flames! And then he went down on one knee! Our Danny! With a whole crowd watching him!”

“Aww, bless him!” Leanne grinned. “I do wish I'd been there to see that. It was so cool to see him all starry-eyed, even while the bitch was trying to sell his business out from under him. He was too head-over-heels to even care. I swear he would have sold to Steven for peanuts if I hadn't ridden his ass so hard. The only way I got him to accept Corey's bid instead was to tell him to think what it could mean for the kid's future. What's his name? Scot?”

Laura laughed. “Yes, Scot. And you want to see them together. It's like he's got a little mini-me!”

Leanne laughed with her. “Now that I really do need to see. I can't imagine him even knowing what to say to a kid.”

“Oh, you have to see them. They're so cute. They chatter away together, though of course no-one else has a clue what they're talking about, cos it's all geek-speak.”

“I really should get up there to visit them. I haven't even met Missy yet.”

“Well, are you going to the Phoenix fundraiser?”

“I am. So I will meet her then. Oh, and...Dan is supposed to be setting me up with a guy from Summer Lake as a date too.”

“Oh, my God! Who?”

“The good looking one, of course!”

Laura laughed. “You really do need to visit Summer Lake, Lee. The place is overrun with good looking men. It's like there's a magnet that draws hot men to the place and once they get there, they stay. So you'll have to be more specific. What's his name?”

“Ben.”

“Yay!” Laura clasped her hands together. “Ben
is
gorgeous! Inside and out, he is such a good guy. Oh, Lee! You'll love him! I can't wait, now!”

Leanne grinned, “So you're going this year? Who's your date?”

Laura bit her lip. “Have you got time for a cup of coffee?”

“I do now. Come on. Save it ’til we get there. The look on your face says this may be a sit down story. Am I right, or am I right?”

Laura grinned and waved at Maria, who was with a customer on the other side of the store. Her designs could wait. Talking to Leanne would no doubt be much more productive.

***

T
hey settled in to a booth in a coffee shop just around the corner from the store. “Okay, out with it.” Leanne grinned at her. “Who are you going with? Your face was the perfect mix of fear and lust when I asked. And your description of the men in Summer Lake makes me think he's someone you met up there. So which one is he? Have I even heard of him?”

“Oh, Lee. You've seen him. You remember that time you picked me up at the airport after Jack's wedding?”

Leanne's eyes were wide. “Not the pilot?'

“Yes, the pilot!”

“Oh. My. God. Laura! He is smoking hot!”

Laura had to laugh. “Yes, he is. So much so, that's his name. Smoke!”

“I can see why! Damn girl!” Leanne's raunchy grin turned serious. “Be careful, he struck me as a predator.”

Laura nodded. “He is.”

“As long as you know. So, you're just taking him as arm candy and for the sex afterwards, right?”

Laura bit her lip.

“Don't look at me like that! He just wants into your panties! If you hadn't seen me pull up, he would have made a move on you right there in the airport that night. I could tell. But you ran out when you saw me. The way he watched you walk away? It was like watching a starving man have a feast snatched away from him before he got chance to stick his fork in!”

Laura started to giggle, remembering why she enjoyed Leanne's company so much. She
had
thought Smoke was going to kiss her that night, but she'd pulled her usual stunt and run as soon as she'd spotted Leanne's car.

Leanne wasn't laughing. “Do. Not. Fall for him! You know that type. You're smarter than that.”

“I think I already am, Lee, and I think he's falling for me too.”

“Laura! Don't give me that shit! That's what guys like that say to get you into bed, you know that!”

“It's not like that, Lee. Honestly.”

“Jesus, Laura! Is that what he told you? That he's falling for you and his days of screwing around are over now he's met you?”

“No.”

“Then what? What's he said that's gotten to you? Because
you,
my friend are smarter than this.”

“Honestly, it's not like that. We've seen each other a couple of times now....”

“And how many of those times have you
not
had sex?”

Laura thought about it.

Leanne shook her head. “None of them, right? Every time you're with him, you screw like bunnies, don't you?”

Laura laughed. It was true. She hadn't ever seen him and not had sex with him. Well, apart from the time she'd seen him in town—and then he'd been walking arm in arm with another woman. A happily married woman, who was just a friend, she reminded herself quickly.

“Listen, I'm not judging, you know that. Damn, with his looks and that body? I'd be all over him myself given half a chance. All I'm saying is that he would probably be all over me too, and any other woman he sets his charm to. Enjoy the sex, but don't turn it into something it's not, okay?”

Laura nodded. Maybe Leanne was right? No. He couldn't have faked his struggle over whether to stay or go on Sunday night. Or so many other things. He'd no doubt been what Leanne thought he was, but he was genuine about whatever was going on between the two of them. She was convinced of it. But she knew she wouldn't be able to convince Leanne.

“Just don't get your heart broken. I'd hate that.”

“So would I, but Lee I have to see where it goes. I can always run.”

“Well, don't say I didn't warn you, and don't let this conversation stop you from coming to me for a shoulder to cry on when it all blows up in your face. I hope for your sake I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.”

Laura smiled. “Thank you, I'll remember that.” She just hoped she wouldn't need to.

A
s she checked her apartment one last time, Laura wondered again whether she should just wait here for Smoke to show up. She hadn't heard from him since their texts on Monday night. He'd said he would come get her. But that was just so they could have sex before they left, wasn't it? Not that she didn't want that, in fact she couldn't wait, but Leanne's certainty that that was all he was in it for had stuck with her all week. And as each day ended with no word from him, her own conviction had gotten a little shaky. The little seeds of doubt Leanne had planted in her mind were starting to take root. If she wanted to weed out those doubts, she could hardly do it by sitting around here waiting for him to come and take her to bed. She had everything packed and ready to go, everything for the weekend and everything for London next week, too. He'd said in his text that he'd have her back to the San Francisco airport in time for her flight on Sunday, so she was ready to go straight there.

She picked up her phone.

I'll be at the airport at 5.

Hopefully he'd see her text when he landed.

He must have landed already because by the time she'd put her bags in the back of the car her phone buzzed.

I thought I was coming to SEE you before we go?

Her heart sank a little at that. Was that really all this was about? She needed to know.

I want to 'see' you. You can SEE any woman you want.

Do you want to 'see' me – or just SEE me?

She stood next to the car, waiting for his response to tell her whether there was any point getting in.

I missed you. I want to 'see' you.

We can stop SEEING each other if u want?

But you are the only one I want to SEE.

She stared at her phone, wondering how, or if she should respond. It buzzed again.

Come to the airport? Let's talk about it? Please?

That made her smile.

On my way.

***

S
moke sat on one of the benches outside the FBO, wondering what was bothering her. He had been in a cab, on his way to her place when he'd got her text. Twenty minutes ago he'd been on his way to SEE her, he'd had a major hard-on, and had thought he was about to put it to very good use. Now he was sitting out here. He wasn't angry, he had no desire to turn around and fly away. What he was feeling was concern. He was concerned that something must have rattled her, and concerned that
she
might have decided to run. Now that he understood she was just as likely to do that as he had always been, it made him nervous. He didn't want to do or say anything that would make her feel trapped—make her feel the need to escape from him. What Pete had told him had helped him understand some of her reactions—and left him mystified about others. He hadn't called her all week, even though he'd had his phone in his hand ready to—several times a day, every day. He'd thought it best to give her space; she'd call him if she wanted to, but she hadn't. And now this. He shrugged, he'd find out soon enough.

He watched her Audi pull into the parking lot and his throat went dry. Such a strange reaction, but he was getting used to it. It couldn't be purely physical. He already knew she didn't want to have sex with him. The pressure was back in his pants, begging to differ with him on that one. He pursed his lips as he stood to go meet her. For once he was prepared to do some serious thinking about a woman—using the head on his shoulders.

She was getting her bag out of the back of the car by the time he reached her. Damn, did she really have to present him with that ass, and those legs, and yet another pair of sexy heels? He adjusted his pants, unable to tear his eyes away. She turned around and smiled at him. Now it was her face he couldn't tear his eyes away from. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

“Hey.”

Hmm. This could be serious. There was none of the fun or laughter in her eyes that he'd grown to love. Grown to
what?
Not going anywhere near that thought. He may as well dive in and find out what the score was. She might not even be coming back with him. No. He wasn't prepared to accept that as an option.

“Can I least get a hug?” he asked cautiously. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and kiss her, pick up right where they'd left off on Monday morning. But for the first time he felt uncertain about whether she would want him to.

She nodded and stepped into his outstretched arms. He felt her relax as he closed them around her. He relaxed a little himself. Whatever was going on in her mind, her body felt happy to be next his again. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. Some of the light was coming back. He smiled; it was going to be okay. Her arms came up around his neck, her hands on the back of his head, pulling him to her. She nipped his bottom lip, then laughed, the sound of it chasing away the last of his caution. Backing her up against the car, he took her face between his hands and bit her lips before tilting her head back, slanting his mouth over hers to give him full access. Their tongues danced together, asking questions, giving answers, challenging and conceding. Her body melted against him when he stepped it up, demanding, possessing, because there was something about her that did that to him. He had to know she was
his
and only his, and her kiss gave him the answer he needed, surrendering to him. The last of his tension ebbed away as he kissed her. This was what had had him concerned; now he had his answer. Whatever was in her head, she was still his and, on some instinctive level, they both knew it.

He chose when that kiss ended, and it wasn't until he was sure that they'd told each other everything they needed to that way. The conversation would happen, he had no doubt, but words tended to get complicated, the heavy stuff made him shut down. This kiss, however, would see him through that, because whatever words might be exchanged, he already had his answers. She was confused, but she wanted him. She was scared, but she wasn't ready, or able, to walk away. They were still on the same page.

She looked dazed when he smiled down at her.

“Was there something you wanted to talk about?” he asked,

“I think we just did.”

He smiled. “I got almost all the answers I need.”

The laughter was back in her eyes. “What do you still need to know, Smoke?”

“I need to know what happens now. Do you still want to come with me? Would you rather I take you for dinner here and then go home and leave you to your weekend? Or....”