No One Like You (25 page)

Cora and Lana got to their feet. They opened their arms to Rylan and Beth. It became a group hug. A heartfelt moment that Beth would never forget.

She was the first to ease back and looked on as the ladies continued to hug Ry. He had an arm wrapped around each one, looking uncertain as to when to let go. They didn’t release him until George and one of his employees came to retrieve the rockers. They took the chairs to the storeroom, readied them for the ride to the retirement village.

Forty minutes later, they were on their way. “Flea market or Budget Buy?” he asked the ladies.

Lana and Cora put their heads together and softly conversed.

Lana spoke for them both. “All that rocking made us tired. Budget Buy and then home. We’ll save the flea market for another day.”

The dollar store was located in a small plaza. They found the parking lot nearly empty. They had the shop to themselves.

Beth loved a bargain. She had fifty dollars left from her payday after buying the rocking chair. She knew how to stretch a buck. She wandered the aisles, browsing with Rylan close behind her.

The ladies shared a shopping basket, filling it with toiletries. They spent five dollars each. Cora chose a bar of lavender soap, hand lotion, a comb, a compact with face powder, and sugar plum lipstick. Lana picked up a tooth brush, paste, and dental floss, a packet of ink pens and a small box of stationery. The ladies were thrilled by their purchases.

They disappeared toward the back of the store, then met up with Beth and Rylan at the cash register. They were smiling ear to ear when they each chipped in a dollar for two final items.

“A gift for you, Rylan,” Cora said, handing him a small picture frame. The border was designed with different breeds of dogs. A Great Dane was in the mix.

Ry thanked them.

Beth’s present came next. The ladies gave her a pair of white women’s socks patterned with red baseballs. She loved their choice and gave them a hug. Her heart was happy.

Rylan was fortunate to find a parking place close to the ladies’ condominium, east of the main entrance. Beth assisted them from the SUV while Ry carefully removed a rocker from the rear of the Range Rover. He hefted it easily and followed the women inside.

Beth remained by the door while Rylan unwrapped the chair. Cora requested he move their short sofa off to the side, then place the new rockers before the TV. Lana immediately sat down and set it in motion. Her eyelids drooped.

Ry left quickly to retrieve the other chair.

Cora took Beth’s hand, squeezed it. “I won’t be sitting in the lobby any longer. It was too depressing. My daughter can find me in my room should she come for a visit.”

Beth leaned down, gently kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you again, soon,” she promised. She could easily pop in on the same day she played cards with Frank.

Rylan returned with the second rocker and set it next to Lana in front of the TV. Cora sat down and yawned.

Beth and Rylan took their leave. Beth picked up her PT Cruiser, and they headed home in separate vehicles. The dogs greeted them as if they’d been gone for a year. Atlas brought Rylan two tennis ball. They bulged in his cheeks. He wanted to play. Right then, right there.

Beth chuckled. “He looks like he’s got the mumps.”

“Or a big squirrel storing nuts,” said Ry.

Everyone headed to the yard. She dropped down on the grass near the fence. Leaned back. Oscar and Nathan climbed onto her lap. Rue lay close, too.

The game began. “Nice throw, Rylan,” she said after he tossed one of the balls.

“Nice catch, Atlas,” she complimented the Dane when he caught it. Atlas wagged his tail, brought the ball to her. Dropped it by her feet.

“Bring it to me, buddy,” Ry called out.

The dog nudged Beth with his nose. Twice. She took his hint and gently moved the dachsies off her lap, then pushed to her feet. She picked up the tennis ball and tossed it in the air. Atlas jumped, grabbed it with ease. He returned the ball to her once again.

“What’s the deal?” Ry asked. “Can’t I play, too?”

She shot him a challenging look. “We’re playing keep-away. From you.”

“From me?” Rylan was on her in a heartbeat.

He tried to block her throw to Atlas, but she managed to lob the ball over his head. The Dane took off toward the far end of the yard. He barked around the ball in his mouth.

Running back toward them, Atlas did his best to avoid letting Rylan steal his toy. Ry gave chase, but couldn’t catch him. Atlas was crafty. For a big dog, he could zigzag like a running back. Ry slipped and fell while trying to grab his tail. Atlas looped around and jumped over Rylan while he was facedown in the grass.

Their antics had Beth laughing. So hard, her stomach hurt. She could barely catch her breath.

Ry pushed up and stalked her. Slow, steady steps, coming her way with intent and purpose. She tried to sidestep him, but he was quick and athletic. He tackled her, taking her down, protecting her fall with his body. She landed atop him. The scent of grass, sunshine, and man surrounded her. Potent and arousing.

His arms closed around her so she couldn’t escape. Not that she wanted to. He felt solid and strong beneath her. Her breasts pressed into his chest, her belly into his six-pack, her thigh rubbed his groin with each twist of her body.

“You’re killing me,” Ry breathed against her mouth. “Stop moving.”

She teased him unmercifully, rotating her hips until he could take it no more. She kissed him lightly, teasingly, in contrast to the deeper sexual pleasure of her pelvis. Flush against him, she felt the erratic beat of his heart against her breast. The tightening of his stomach muscles as he held himself together. The flex of his groin as he pushed his sex between her thighs.

“Too many clothes,” he growled near her ear.

Rylan didn’t have neighbors. Still, there were no further moves to be made in the yard. They were dry humping on the grass, which wasn’t terribly satisfying. What if someone showed up out of the blue? The furniture delivery truck could arrive early.

Thump.
A tennis ball dropped near Rylan’s head. Atlas stood beside them, and if a dog could grin, he was wearing a smile. A big old, toothy, drooling smile.

The heat of the moment was doused with reality.

“We’ve got company,” she said on a sigh.

“Way to kill the mood, boy,” Ry said.

Atlas woofed. He wanted to continue to play.

Beth slipped off Rylan and got to her feet. Her breasts ached and her body pulsed. She wished they had time to sneak upstairs, to make love, but time was not on their side. The rumbling of a truck came down the street, brakes grinding as it pulled into the driveway.

Rylan pushed up, the bulge in his jeans significantly large. Painful, too, from the look on his face. He shifted. “I need a minute. You get the door.”

Atlas went with her. He sniffed the strangers before allowing them entry. It took three men to lift the turquoise couch up the outside steps, onto the porch, and into the living room. They were careful not to scrape or scratch the leather.

Once the new sofa was placed, Atlas stared it down. He then settled on the old couch, claiming it as his. Head to tail, he stretched the full length. His tail thumped.

The massaging leisure chair came next. Beth had the men angle it before the television. Rylan liked his shows. There’d be no better way for him to relax. Her, too, when she snuggled against him.

The men departed just as Rylan and the remaining three dogs entered. “My living room looks like someone actually lives here,” he said, admiring the setup.

“It’s definitely taking shape,” she agreed.

“Should you stay on after spring training, start your business here, you’d be quite comfortable. Don’t you think?”

Her heart squeezed at his question. She hadn’t thought beyond the moment. The idea of his leaving and her staying behind gave her pause. She bit down on her bottom lip, tried to remain positive. She’d taken the job knowing it was for eight weeks. Nothing more, nothing less.

What she hadn’t planned on was becoming attached to his dogs. Atlas was a big kid at heart. She adored sweet Rue and the dachshunds, too. And Rylan Cates. She admired the man. She loved working for him. Having sex with him. Yet there’d been no mention of a future together. Not even a hint.

She wasn’t in a position to commit to anyone. Not yet anyway. Her life was unsettled. She had unfinished business to resolve—which included her stepmother and stepsister. She was almost strong enough to face them again. Once her past was cleared, she could breathe easier.

“Beth?” Ry came to stand beside her. “You like my cottage, don’t you?” He sounded uncertain. He realized she hadn’t answered his initial question.

“I love it here,” she assured him.

Atlas rolled off his sofa, stretched. He gave Beth his
I’m hungry
look.

She realized it was his dinnertime. “Hamburgers?” she offered, thinking of the container of organic ground sirloin in the refrigerator.

Atlas had a big vocabulary when it came to food. He understood
hamburger
. He trotted to the kitchen. Sat before the stove.

“You should try your massage chair,” she said to Rylan as she followed the Dane.

He shook his head, held her gaze. Grinned. “I’ll wait until we can vibrate together.”

Something to look forward to. Her heart lightened. She would enjoy her time with this man, take one day at a time. There was no point in worrying about tomorrow or the end of the month. Her life would take care of itself. It always had. Somehow.

Ry joined her in the kitchen. “Supper or junk food at the movies?” He grinned, already knowing her answer.

She told him anyway. “Junk food.”

He made himself a natural peanut butter sandwich on rye, pulled up a stool, and sat at the island while she cooked the dogs’ meal.

“I could’ve made that for you,” she said.

“Atlas would’ve never let you feed me first,” he joked.

“Probably not,” she agreed. She and the Dane were joined at the hip. He allowed her to shift an inch, but was then back beside her.

She and Rylan took the dogs for a long walk afterward. They’d be leaving for the movie shortly, and wanted to tire the gang out. Returning home, Rue, Oscar, and Nathan dragged themselves up the front steps, but Atlas got his second wind. He was bouncing off the porch railings.

Ry raised an eyebrow. “What did you put in the hamburger?” he asked, as he let the other dogs in the house.

“Cookbook ingredients only. The other dogs weren’t affected.”

“My big boy’s restless.”

“Yeah, he’s wound pretty tight.” She tugged on Atlas’s leash. “We’ll walk a little longer. Maybe that will calm him.”

“He needs to run.”

“I’m not a runner, but I can walk really fast.”

He smiled at her. “I bet you can.” He took Atlas’s leash from her. “You get ready for the movie, and I’ll race the boy around the block.”

Beth watched as they took off. She heard Rylan say, “Stay close,” when he unclipped the leash from the dog’s harness. Atlas had the freedom to run flat out.

Ry’s concept of
stay close
and Atlas’s own were miles apart. The Dane rounded the corner a half block ahead of Rylan. Atlas was speeding.

Concerned, she walked down the driveway, continued on toward the corner. She would catch him as he came charging toward the cottage. What she hadn’t expected was not only Atlas, but a group of neighborhood kids on bicycles joining his race. He’d picked up friends on the street. The young boys were bringing him home.

Atlas ran right to her, sliding into her as a baseball player would a base. He knocked her down, though not hard, then tried to sit on her. Way too uncomfortable! She pushed him off. Having delivered Atlas, his entourage turned their bikes around and pedaled off.

Rylan made an appearance moments later. He jogged toward them, all hot, sweaty, and frowning. Atlas took his look for what it was. He was about to get a reprimand. He ducked behind Beth.

“Can’t hide behind her, guy. I can still see your tail.”

Beth looked behind her. “Just his tail?” She was short and slender. Atlas was a horse.

“Teasing you only,” he assured her. His voice was deep, stern when he addressed Atlas. “You took off and didn’t mind me. I don’t like that.”

The Great Dane stuck his head around Beth, talked back, grumbling low, arguing.

“I heard Billie whistle for you,” Ry acknowledged. “You shouldn’t have responded. No discipline.”

Full out grousing came from Atlas—which Ry didn’t tolerate. “Inside.
Move it.
”

Atlas looked at Beth in hopes she’d take his side.

“In.” She stood by Rylan.

The Dane hung his head, slumped his shoulders, dragged his butt all the way to the door.

“I feel bad for him,” Beth said. “Besides, you were the one who let him off his leash.”

Ry came to a dead stop, cut her a look. “Are you siding with Atlas?”

She picked up her pace. “Maybe . . .”

“Don’t make me chase you, too.”

“I’ll let you catch me.”

He did so on the porch. She turned the doorknob, let Atlas slip in before Rylan shut the door on her. He trapped her between the cottage and his body. She felt the wooden siding at her back, and his erection at her front.

He claimed her mouth with an instant wanting that weakened her knees. He skimmed his hand up her middle, cupped a breast. Left her nipple hard. He worked his knee between her thighs. Making her wet.

She clung to him. Humped him. Her breathing heavy.

He wrung out her passion. Only to step back.

Dazed, her vision blurry, she stared up at him. “That’s it?” she managed.

“For now.” She hadn’t expected his grin, but there it was, satisfied and wicked. “Side with Atlas, and I’ll leave you panting. Side with me, and I’ll make you come.”