Perfect for the Beach (7 page)

“Nora!”

Axel took swift advantage of her presence. “What the hell is wrong—” Cary’s hand clamped over his mouth. It wasn’t an easy thing, holding Axel down. He was thicker, more muscular than Cary.

She looked at all three men and felt like she’d fallen into the rabbit hole. “Um … what are you doing?”

Axel thrashed about, mumbling urgently from behind Cary’s hand. Cary scowled and pressed a knee into his ribs. “Nothing.”

Booker grinned. “Typical male bonding stuff. That’s all.” He stepped over the fallen men and held out his hand. “I’m Booker, Axel’s brother and Cary’s friend by association. You’re really Nora?”

“Yes.” She shook his hand—then found out he wouldn’t let go.

“You’re here to see Cary?”

“Yes.” Nervously, she glanced toward Cary and Axel. They were no longer struggling, but neither were they getting up. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to intrude …”

Cary scowled. “You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

He shoved to his feet, managing to kick Axel twice on his way up. “Say something besides yes, damn it.”

Nora lifted her chin. “All right. I did eavesdrop but you did it first. And stop cursing at me. And while you’re at it, you look like an idiot rolling around on the ground.”

That startled Cary, and he grinned—until he noticed Booker still had her hand. “What the hell are you doing, Booker?” He strode forward. “Turn her loose.”

Now that he was free, Axel bounded up. “Why don’t you want to marry Cary? Hell, he’s a good catch. All the women want him.”

Nora blinked while watching Cary’s face go blank. His left eye twitched, then he jerked around with a snarl, but Booker caught him before he could reach Axel.

To avoid more physical conflict, Nora rushed to answer. “I don’t want him to feel coerced.”

“Why would he feel coerced?” Booker asked.

“Because I told him I wanted to get married.”

“But not to
me.”
Cary looked very aggressive again, making her frown.

“You didn’t give me a chance to explain.”

“Explain now,” Axel suggested. He was busy dusting himself off, so he didn’t see Cary reach for him. He got shoved a good two feet and barely stayed upright. “What?” Axel said. “I’m curious, too, you know.”

Nora couldn’t help it—she laughed. When all three men stared at her, she laughed some more. Misunderstanding, Cary started to turn away, but she caught his arm, pulled him around, and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry. But it’s funny, seeing grown men, doctors, grappling like little boys.”

Cary stood frozen for only a moment before his arms came around her. With his mouth touching her ear, he whispered, “That’s all most men are—little boys at heart.”

“I love you.”

Cary froze again. He started to push her back so he could see her face, but Nora held on.

Behind them, Axel whispered, “What’d she say?”

And Booker replied, “Shh.”

“You love me?”

Nora nodded against his chest. “And I want to marry you, too, if the offer still stands.”

“Why’d you tell me no the first time then? Not to belabor the point, but I’d never proposed before. It sort of took it out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to feel that you had to marry me just because we … you know.”

She could hear the grin in his voice when he whispered, “Sex had nothing to do with it. Especially considering I blew it.”

“You did not!”

Axel said, “What’s that?”

Cary turned to him with a scowl. “Booker, if you want your brother alive and well, you better drag him out of here.”

Booker chuckled. “Promise to invite us to the wedding and we’ll both go.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“I had to leave anyway,” Axel announced. “All things considered, Patti’s probably out of the question.”

Nora flashed him an angry look. “She’s
definitely
out.”

“That’s what I figured. So I better go, uh, let her down easy.” He winked, and together he and Booker went through the house. Seconds later, Cary and Nora heard the front door close.

Cary turned back to her, and this time Nora could see the love in his beautiful green eyes. She laughed again and squeezed him tighter. “I’ve been in love with you for months. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“You were more than worth the chase, Nora.” He tilted her back. “Now, about my substandard performance Friday.”

“You were wonderful,” she insisted yet again.

“Care to give me another shot at proving how wonderful
we
can be? Like … right now maybe?”

Her heart started racing at just the suggestion. “Yes.”

“I’ll wear a rubber this time.”

Nora smiled. “I doubt one time will do the deed, but you did say you wanted children.”

Cary bent to kiss her, long and slow and deep. “With you, honey, I want everything.”

So happy she felt ready to burst, Nora cupped his face and sighed. “With me, you have it.”

ONE WILDE WEEKEND

Janelle Denison

Chapter One

I’m not wearing any panties.

Alex Wilde shifted in his small, cramped seat next to Dana, those wicked words she’d whispered in his ear moments before they’d boarded the plane still echoing through his mind. Leave it to her to play such a seductive game with him, and make him horny as hell in the process—with no immediate relief in sight. They’d been together exclusively for one year and she knew how to get to him. This weekend getaway to Amelia Island in Florida was a celebration of their first date, and he hoped the beginning of their future together.

The lights in the cabin had been dimmed in deference to the passengers watching the in-flight movie playing on the overhead TV screen. Others were engrossed in a book or other reading material, or were catching a bit of shut-eye like the older man occupying the window seat next to Dana.

Resting his head back against his seat, Alex drew in a deep breath in an attempt to relax since they still had a little over two hours left until they touched down in Florida. But instead of the tension easing from his body, his mind raced to the weekend ahead.

No doubt about it, Dana was going to be surprised when he popped the big question and asked her to marry him.

Surprised. Shocked. Maybe even panic-stricken, Alex thought with an inward grimace. Especially since she had no idea what he had planned.

He thought of the small velvet-textured box he’d been carrying with him for the past two days. Tucked inside was a diamond ring, a symbol of promises and love and a future together—if Dana accepted the piece of jewelry and all it stood for.

Without reservation, he was ready to permanently commit himself to the one woman who finally made his life so full and rich, in so many ways. At age thirty-five, Dana might be four years his senior, but she was sophisticated and sexy and intelligent—she certainly hadn’t become a senior account executive for one of Chicago’s top imaging firms without having a whole lot of brains behind her incredible beauty. She was warm and genuine and everything he wanted in a lifelong mate.

Ultimately, he was ready to settle down and start a family of his own—with Dana. He wished he could say that she wanted the same, but the truth was, he wasn’t altogether certain she was prepared to take that next step in their relationship, or ever would be.

This weekend he’d find out.

Alex couldn’t really predict Dana’s reaction to his proposal, but he’d learned enough about her to know she was skittish when it came to the subject of love and marriage. And though she’d gradually opened herself up to him on an emotional level over the past few months, she still harbored insecurities and deeper fears that kept her from trusting in what they shared—completely and unconditionally.

This weekend they were going to deal with those issues once and for all. And confronting her fears would either make their relationship stronger than ever, or tear them apart forever.

His senses were given a jolt as he inhaled the exotic scent of the perfume Dana deliberately dabbed on the strongest pulse points on her body—a provocative fragrance that intensified to a warm, sultry scent when she was aroused. Or thinking about sex. With him.

I’m not wearing any panties.

He nearly groaned as the risqué thought dislodged his emotional upheaval and heightened his physical discomfort. There was no escaping the heat and feminine musk radiating off her skin. No escaping the way that familiar, irresistible scent of hers mingled into a darker, alluring fragrance that stimulated his mind, his thoughts, and his libido. It was like a powerful pheromone he couldn’t resist, and despite the innocent look on her face as she casually flipped through the women’s magazine she’d brought along for the flight, he had no doubt she knew the effect she was having on him. The minx.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she slowly, purposefully uncrossed then recrossed her legs, then released a shivery little sigh—the same exact kind of soft, sensual sound she made when he was buried deep inside her. Her fingers touched the base of her throat and absently slid down the open vee of her silky blouse, until a fastened button impeded her descent. He noticed her breathing had deepened, noticed the heavy rise and fall of her breasts, as well as the erect nipples pressing against her top.

A hot ache settled low, in his belly, along his thighs, and in his groin. She was turned on, unmistakably hot and bothered, and all her touching and sighing and the scent of her was making him hard and crazy with wanting her. It was all he could do to keep from turning toward her, slipping his hand beneath the hem of her skirt, and making her just as wild.

Needing some kind of distraction, he shifted his glance to the open magazine in her lap, and he swallowed hard as he read the title of the article she was reading: “Unpredictable, Spontaneous Sex Acts Designed to Blow His Mind.” As if Dana needed any help coming up with innovative ways to keep things exciting in the bedroom, or even out of it!

Sexually, she was more adventurous and uninhibited than any woman he’d ever met before her, her level of desire perfectly matching his own. She was passionate and daring and loved to take risks, except when it came to her emotions. When it came to her feelings and what was in her heart, she guarded those secrets just as fiercely as she clung to her determination to always be in control of her actions, as well as depending on no one but herself.

Those issues were the sticking points in their relationship, areas which she avoided talking about with him in depth. They were issues he was driven to resolve one way or another this weekend.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Dana’s hand on his thigh. She gave him an affectionate, caressing squeeze, one that was underscored with a wealth of sensual possibilities. Unable to believe she’d be
that
brazen in plain sight of so many passengers, his gaze darted to her face to gauge her intent.

Her thick, rich brown hair was tumbled around her shoulders in that naturally tousled style he loved. A mischievous smile curved her mouth, and her sea green eyes glittered with a reckless kind of dare. She wet her lips with her tongue and leaned up close to his side, so that her soft breasts pressed against his arm and her mouth was right up against his ear.