The Summer House (3 page)

“So was I.” She shrugged. “I guess that was part of the problem. I always thought that liking each other, as well as loving each other, should have been enough. But it wasn’t.”

“From this distance, it’s a lot easier to see what went wrong. But back then, it was complicated and confusing.”

Mandy nodded.

Rick hadn’t thought about their marriage in forever. For the first time in years, he had a twinge of regret. Mandy was right. Liking and loving each other should have been enough.

“Okay, no long faces,” she said firmly. “If this conversation turns serious again, I’m going to torment you with my vast knowledge of knock-knock jokes. They’re very popular with the elementary school set.”

“That will keep me in line.”

She grinned. “Don’t mess with me, mister, or I’ll give you a time-out.”

“You have to realize I know next to nothing about robots,” Rick was saying an hour later. “However we all give input on large projects. The philosophy is that even if it’s not an area of expertise, we can all see the big picture.”

“I get that part,” Mandy said. “But what I don’t understand is the whole housecleaning robot thing. The guy can’t have been serious.”

“He was. His company had already invested every penny they had. They needed more funding to take it to the next level, and we were their best option for a source. The foundation offers all kinds of grants and loans for innovation.”

He pushed away his salad. Neither of them had eaten much. It was far more interesting to talk. Mandy kept thinking that if she and Rick had had this much fun together while they’d been married, they would never have split up.

“So we built a mock-up of a house. Just the interior—a few basic rooms. We furnished it, added some dust and let the robot go.”

“And?”

He shrugged. “It did great. Dusted, vacuumed, even moved a glass vase without breaking it.”

“So when can I expect this wonder at my local discount store?”

“You can’t. I got the bright idea to add a dog to the equation.”

Mandy blinked at him. “Why?”

“Many households have a pet. Dogs and cats are the most common. Plus the dog was handy. One of the guys on our staff brings one to work with him every day. What I really wanted was a kid, but we didn’t have one of those hanging around.”

“Pity,” she said, managing not to smile. “You could have tried at one of the local schools.”

“Naw. That would have taken too long. So I put the dog in the house with the robot.”

“Why do I have a feeling this didn’t go well?”

“Let’s just say Mr. Robot didn’t like pets. He started chasing the poor dog from room to room, trying to vacuum it. I finally rescued the dog and we had to pass on the robot project.”

“So that guy really hates you.”

“Probably,” Rick said cheerfully. “I doubt that he’s alone. I pass on far more projects than I approve.”

He spoke with a confidence that had been missing all those years ago, Mandy thought. Being in charge looked good on him. But based on his new and improved body, she would guess that just about anything would look good on him.

“What happened to laser physics?” she asked. “I thought that was your life.”

“It was…for a while. I enjoyed my work. I’d been smart enough to insist on patent ownership as part of my employment contract. I invented a fair amount while I was with the company. They have an exclusive license on more than half of my inventions, which makes them happy.”

“And they pay well for the privilege, which makes you happy,” she said. “Am I right?”

He nodded. “I’ve licensed the other patents out to different companies. The government is using a couple.”

“Jo mentioned you were doing well financially.”

“Mom likes to brag. I do okay. For now my work at the foundation is interesting. Eventually I’m probably going to go back into research, but only when I’m ready to head up my own facility.”

“Still don’t like being told what to do?”

“Does anyone?”

“Some people like being followers.”

He eyed her. “Not you. As I recall, you were very big on being in charge.”

“That’s because I always knew best.”

He chuckled. The waitress appeared and cleared their plates. After giving each of them a pointed look, she placed the check in the center of the table.

Rick grabbed it. Mandy held up her hands. “You’ve just finished telling me about your incredi
ble success. I get by on a teacher’s salary, with the occasional expensive gift from my father. Don’t expect me to fight you for the check.”

“Fair enough.”

He leaned toward her, resting his forearms on the table. “This is nice,” he told her.

She knew what he meant—them sitting together and talking. She didn’t know what he was feeling, but she’d been all tingly ever since spotting him. As reunions went, this one was darned nice.

“I’m glad we got together,” she said. “We should have done it a long time ago.”

He nodded, then stunned her by stretching out his arm and resting his hand on top of hers. “I’m sorry, Mandy. About the way we parted and how the marriage ended. It wasn’t my finest hour.”

“Mine, either. But let’s not spoil the afternoon by talking about that.” She glanced at her watch and was stunned to see they’d been sitting there for over two hours. “It’s getting late. What time do you have to be back at the office?”

“I don’t.”

“Really?” She shifted her attention to the ocean below. It would be a pity for this to end so quickly. “What I would really like to do is walk along the beach by the edge of the water. Get my toes wet. Want to join me?”

He turned to study the crowded beach. “Sure, but I have a modification to make on your suggestion.”

She pretended to shiver. “Oh, honey, I just love when you talk like a scientist.”

He laughed. “Okay. How would you feel about taking your toe-wetting walk along a private beach instead of this one?”

She groaned. “Let me guess. The private beach is all yours, compliments of the patent licenses we just talked about.”

“You game?”

Spend more time with Rick on a private beach that he owned? Gee, what a tough decision.

“Lead the way.”

After paying the bill, Rick escorted Mandy out to the parking lot. He gave her cursory instructions, his cell number and promised to drive slow.

Ten minutes later they were on Highway 101, heading north. Mandy kept her Volvo—a gift from her father two years ago—a safe distance behind Rick’s flashy sports car. No doubt he could have driven circles around her, but he didn’t show off. Although he had taken the time to lower the convertible top.

She figured his car cost more than she’d made in the past two years combined. Laser physics paid well when one was at the top of one’s game.

They exited north of Santa Barbara, circling under the highway and heading toward the ocean. The two-lane road offered occasional glimpses of the water. A mile later, they turned onto a private drive, which led to another. By the fifth turn, Mandy was completely confused.

Rick drove into a brick driveway, passing a tall stucco fence surrounding what looked like a massive estate. They drove for nearly a minute before she saw the house.

The three-story structure took her breath away. She had a brief impression of elegance and a remodeling
project in progress, then the driveway curved and she had a perfect view of the ocean.

Rick pulled up in front of the house, and Mandy stopped behind him. Tall trees offered shade, while lush plants blossomed and trailed over the grounds. Talk about paradise.

She stepped out of her car, not sure where to look first. The house was compelling, but so was the ocean.

“Okay,” she said, walking toward him. “I’m impressed. It’s amazing.”

“Thanks.”

She hoped he would offer to show her the house, but he didn’t, instead turning toward the water and leading the way to a worn path. It led to a low bluff, which in turn had stairs down to the beach.

Mandy followed him to the sand, where she paused to slip off her sandals. As she lifted one foot, she nearly lost her balance. He put out an arm to steady her. When she was barefoot, he pulled off his shoes and socks, then took her hand in his and started for the water.

Their fingers laced together in a familiar embrace. Mandy stumbled slightly, but not because the ground was uneven. Instead she found herself oddly confused and wondering why, after all this time, holding Rick’s hand felt so very right.

“H
ow long have you lived here?” Mandy asked.

“About a year. It’s a great house, but it’s old and the previous owners didn’t do much to keep it updated, or even in good repair. I’ve been having some work done, and doing some myself.”

She glanced at him and smiled. “Ooh, a handyman. My personal fantasy.”

He knew she was teasing, and that her words didn’t mean anything, but her saying “fantasy” made his blood pressure spike. What was it about being with Mandy? Why did his body react so strongly to her?

On a purely intellectual basis he could appreciate that she was attractive. She was a nice person, funny, passionate. These were generic qualities that always appealed to him. He had also already been physically intimate with Mandy. He knew what she looked like
naked, and how she responded. Perhaps that knowledge fueled his already active imagination.

All good information, he told himself wryly, but for once his brain couldn’t explain exactly why he was acting the way he was. There was just some…chemistry between them. He should enjoy it and stop trying to analyze it.

The sand was warm under his bare feet. The light breeze teased at his clothes. Blue, blue ocean stretched out for as far as the eye could see. While he knew all the reasons the water was the color it was, and why that color changed so many times during a day, right now he didn’t want to think about light, refraction, current, or even electrons. He just wanted to be.

“I don’t do this enough,” he said, gazing at the view and enjoying the feel of Mandy’s hand pressed against his own. “I promised myself, when I bought the place, that I would spend time down here by the water. Somehow that got lost.”

She sighed. “Isn’t that always the way? I live on a little hill with a minor view. When I was first in the house, I would sit on the balcony and watch the sunset, followed by the lights in town coming on. It was pretty and very relaxing. But in a matter of weeks, it became commonplace. Why does that always happen?”

He glanced at her, momentarily caught up in her green eyes. “Do you really want the psychological explanation or are you just making conversation?”

She laughed. “What do you think?”

“That you are more lovely than I remember. I’m trying to figure out if I have a faulty memory, or if you’ve become more beautiful.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Wow. That was really good. You used to fumble over telling me my dress looked nice. You’ve been practicing your compliments.”

“I’ve learned to say what I think,” he corrected, angling himself so he stood in front of her.

Slowly, so she could pull away if she wanted to, he brought up his free hand and lightly traced the curve of her cheek. Soft skin, he thought. Soft, warm and very appealing. He tucked her hair behind her ear and stared into her eyes.

This close he could see the different shades of green that made up her irises. Her pupils dilated slightly.

His overdeveloped intellect instantly began pumping out information about the possible causes of that dilation. As the sun continued to shine brightly in the sky, the most likely cause was sexual arousal. Scientifically—

Shut up,
Rick told his brain, turning his attention to Mandy’s full mouth. Her breathing had increased, but then so had his. Doing what he was thinking of doing was several different kinds of crazy. It was also irresistible.

He lowered his head until he could press his mouth against hers. The soft kiss should have been pleasant. He didn’t remember much about what had happened before when he’d kissed her, so he had only minor expectations. He was unprepared to be swept away.

The instant skin contacted skin, his body heat flared. Need roared through him with the subtlety of a laser beam cutting through metal. Blood bubbled, boiled, then pooled in points south, and all this with the lightest of pressure.

He angled his head slightly and pressed a little more firmly. She responded by leaning into him. Somehow they weren’t holding hands anymore. His were on her waist and hers rested on his shoulders. He took a step closer, or maybe she did, he wasn’t sure. There was too much data for him to…

The hell with it, he thought, consciously turning off his brain and feeling the moment. They pressed together, straining slightly, both greedy for more. He was intimately aware of her soft breasts pressing into his chest. His fingers twitched slightly as he thought of sliding higher and touching her there. Cupping her, teasing her nipples until they were as hard and ridged as he was.

Instead he concentrated on her mouth. He licked her lower lip. The sweet taste of her stunned him into licking it again, then gently drawing her lip into his mouth and sucking. Pulsing need grew with each nanosecond of contact. When she parted, he didn’t need a second invitation to sweep inside.

At the first brush of her tongue, a thrill shot through him. His arousal throbbed as more and more blood rushed into already engorged flesh. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer still, wanting them to meld into one symbiotic being.

He felt her hands on his back. They moved up and down, making him wish she touched bare skin. The kiss deepened and became more frantic. The impulse to lower her to the ground and take her right there nearly overwhelmed him. He was as sexually out of control as he’d ever been.

The realization stunned him, then brought with it a measure of control. He eased away from her and broke the kiss. Slowly he opened his eyes.

The flush of arousal on her face nearly did him in. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, her lips damp, parted and swollen. He could see the fluttering pulse at the base of her neck and didn’t doubt that he displayed all the same symptoms. Plus one more that was damn painful.

The rush of the ocean drowned out the sound of their rapid breathing, but he could see the rise and fall of her chest, along with the hint of tight nipples under her dress and bra.

She blinked a couple of times, then asked, “Who are you?”

He chuckled. She didn’t.

“I’m serious, Rick. That was incredible. I don’t remember passion like that before, do you?”

“No.”

“I wonder what’s different.”

His brain kicked back in, offering several logical, scientific explanations. He ignored them. “
We’re
different.”

She drew in a deep breath. “I guess so. At least you are. You’re polished and charming, a great kisser.”

She lowered her arms to her side and stepped back, forcing him to release her waist.

Her gaze narrowed. “You’re also smart, rich and successful. Why are you still single?”

He’d heard the compliments before. But somehow they meant more coming from Mandy. He shrugged.

A boat moved through the ocean, the loud engine causing them both to turn and watch the craft’s progress. They were close and somehow it seemed right to slip his arm around Mandy’s waist. She leaned against him.

Need still filled him, but he had a little more control now. However, a distraction would be nice. He eyed the ocean. A
cold
distraction would be best.

“What about putting your toes in the water? There it is.” He swept out his arm to include the whole beach.

“No splashing,” she insisted as they walked toward the shore.

“You’re such a girl.”

She smiled up at him. “It’s one of my best qualities.”

He thought about holding her in his arms and kissing her. “I’d have to agree.”

Talk about a pretty darned perfect moment, Mandy thought as they joined hands and walked down to the edge of the water. Every single cell in her body was still on full alert after Rick’s amazing kiss. Just recalling the feel of his hard body against her was enough to get her heart thumping at about a hundred miles an hour. No one had ever made her feel so alive and aware with just a simple kiss.

They stepped into the surf. The cold water raced over her feet and up to her ankles. The contrast from the warm air and sand made her shriek, but it did nothing to quell the lingering heat inside her. It was as if her body temperature had been cranked up a few degrees. Her skin felt tight, her thighs ached, as did other more…
private
areas.

“Mandy?”

“Yes?”

“Does Cassie’s beach house have a view?”

She blinked at him. From the tone of his voice, he’d asked the question before, but she hadn’t heard
him. It actually took her a second to put it all together. Her first instinct was to say “Cassie who?”

Then she remembered. Cassie Brightwell—her best friend for over fifteen years.

Rick pulled her out of the water. “Come on. We need to go sit down.”

“You think?”

They walked up to the patio at the rear of the house. The weathered redwood deck held a white wrought-iron table-and-chair set, with a freestanding umbrella. There was a built-in brick BBQ in the corner, along with a gas grill. Tile countertops connected the two, and on the far end was a space to drop in a cooler. Talk about a nice setup.

“I thought Cassie’s family’s summer house was nice, but it’s nothing compared to this.”

Rick shrugged but didn’t say anything. Mandy wasn’t surprised. He might be content to enjoy his success, but he would never brag about it. Add that to his list of good qualities, which brought her back to her earlier question. Why wasn’t he married?

She didn’t have an answer and he hadn’t been prepared to offer one. To be honest, she found herself not really minding that he wasn’t married.

That realization made her uncomfortable so she plopped down on one of the chairs and shifted to a more neutral topic.

“Cassie needs a vacation as much as I do,” she said.

Rick sat next to her. She gazed at him. The man was sure easy on the eyes.

“Why? Is she all right?”

Mandy waved a hand. “She was engaged. One day
she came home from work early and found Mr. Right in bed with her roommate. It was pretty horrible.”

Rick frowned. “How’s she handling it?”

“Better than I would. She’s been in Arizona for a while. She quit her job and is moving back to L.A. She’s joining me my last two weeks at the house and we’re committed to some serious recreation. You know, reading trashy novels, eating plenty of chocolate, going to the latest chick flicks.”

“Sounds like fun.” He practically winced as he spoke.

“You’re not much of a liar, are you?”

“No. I’ve never been good at that.”

It was, she considered, yet another quality to put in the plus column.

“I haven’t seen Cassie since the wedding,” he said. “I remember you and I would double-date with her when we visited here.”

Mandy nodded. Back when they’d all been a lot younger. “She went to college here while I went up north.”

Stanford, she thought. Where her father had gone. Where she’d met Rick. “I remember thinking it was so cool how we got together. That it would make a good story when we were old.”

“I ran into you. Literally.”

“I know. I thought it was cute.”

He frowned. “I was a klutz.”

“You were charming and very into your work. I liked that.”

“At first.”

She sighed. “Yeah. At first.” She didn’t want to think about that. Instead she turned her attention to
the house rising up behind them. “This place is huge. Does it echo when you walk around?”

His frown faded. “Sometimes. I’m thinking of hiring some people to stay here with me. To make the place more lived in.”

“If I worked closer, I’d volunteer. It’s beautiful.”

“Come on. I’ll give you the nickel tour.”

He started to stand up, then fell back into his seat with an exasperated shake of his head. “Excuse me,” he said, and pulled a small pager out of his pocket. He read the screen. The frown returned. “I have to make a quick call to the office. Give me a second.”

After pulling a tiny cell phone from his pocket, he hit a single button and leaned back in his chair. “Benson,” he said curtly.

He listened for a minute, then glanced at his watch. “I’m not making the meeting, Clara. You’ll have to reschedule it.” He looked at Mandy and winked. “No. I’m not coming back to the office today. Please reschedule everything for me.”

He held the phone away from his ear. Mandy could hear someone talking very fast. Rick waited it out.

“You’re right. I should have called. Uh-huh. Yes. You can punish me when next you see me. Talk to you later.”

With that he pushed another button and tucked the small cell phone back into his shirt pocket.

Mandy sprang to her feet. “I’ve been keeping you.”

“And I’ve enjoyed being kept.” He rose and moved close. “Don’t go there,” he told her. “I’m a big boy and I made the decision to stay with you because I wanted to. I work about a sixty-hour week. I’ve more than earned an afternoon off.”

“But your meeting.”

“They’ll survive without me.”

She wasn’t completely convinced, but his work schedule wasn’t her problem. “If you work such long hours, when do you find time to practice your scuba diving?”

“I work hard, then I play hard. I’ve learned to focus on whatever the task is at hand and not worry about anything else.”

Intensity radiated from him. She thought about his focus when he’d kissed her. Yet another trait for the plus column.

“Do you need to get back for anything?” he asked.

“No.”

Somehow nothing else seemed very important just now.

“Then let’s take that tour,” he said, holding out his hand.

The house was amazing. High ceilings and large windows added a feeling of light and space to every room. Old, worn pavers covered the main floor. Rick rubbed at a tile with his bare foot.

“I should probably replace these,” he said. “But I like how the color has faded with time. You can see where people have walked before.”

They crossed into a formal dining room. “This table was originally built for the house. I bought it from the previous owners.”

The table in question was huge, made of thick planks of worn oak. It could easily seat fourteen. Two of the walls held arched glass doors that opened out into a walled garden. Mandy walked to the closest one and pushed it open. Instantly she was enchanted
by the strong scent of honeysuckle. Vines trailed over the walls and down to the garden. Small benches offered seating area, and the same reddish pavers covered the whole garden.