“It sounds as if you and your mother were a lot alike,” he commented.
Katie looked surprised by the suggestion. “I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but, yeah, maybe so. We were the two who never seemed to fit in with the Winfields.”
“Tell me more about your family.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re the kind of guy who hates to lose and you’ve seen what a whiz I am on the lanes. No more stalling. It’s your turn. Get out there.”
“But I’m enjoying getting to know you better.” He patted the hard vinyl seat next to him.
“What’s the matter?” she taunted. “Are you afraid you can’t live up to my strike?”
“Absolutely.”
“Get up.” She reached out, took him by the hand and hauled him to his reluctant feet.
“Bowling’s really not my strong suit.”
“I promise, I won’t gloat when I beat your pants off.”
“I don’t believe you. You seem like the type who would gloat over her prowess,” he teased.
She raised two fingers. “Promise.”
“Here’s the deal. I’ve got a confession to make,” he said as she tugged him toward the lane.
“Oh?”
“I can’t bowl.”
She canted her head. “Quit stalling and get out there.”
“No, honestly, I can’t bowl.”
“Really?”
He shrugged.
She rested her hands on her hips. “Then why did you suggest we come here?”
“I was hoping to surprise you with a fun activity you wouldn’t expect me to suggest.”
“And you did.”
“I had no clue you had the makings of a pro bowler. I thought we could look silly together. Now you’re just going to mop the floor with me.”
Katie giggled. “Don’t be afraid to look silly. No one cares, honestly. Just pick up your ball and take your best shot.”
He walked to the ball carousel, stopped, turned back to look at her. Damn, but she seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of glee in his ineptitude.
“Come on, where’s the fearless attitude that propelled you to king of the heap of Boston real estate? I know you’ve got a risk-taking gene in there somewhere.”
“It only applies to business.”
“I don’t believe that.”
He couldn’t fight her infectious smile. “All right,” he conceded, “I’ll try.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Liam picked up the ball, figured out where to slip his fingers into the holes and then walked to the edge of the lane. How exactly did this thing work? He sneaked a peek at the bowlers on the next lane over.
“Use the arrows on the floor to line up your shot,” Katie called out.
He looked over his shoulder. “I don’t-”
“What? You don’t ask for help?”
“Not until I’ve exhausted all other options.” He grinned.
She sat back against the plastic seating, knees crossed, one leg bouncing provocatively and sent him a wicked grin. “Stubborn.”
“A man likes to do things his own way.”
“Even if it’s the hard way?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Tough guy going it alone, huh? No need to be part of the pack. Lone wolf Liam.”
“Something like that.”
“Sounds desolate to me.”
“Yeah,” he admitted with a cheerful shake of his head, “maybe a little.”
“Fine. Go it alone.” She chuckled. “I’ll keep my advice to myself.”
“Thank you,” he said, and promptly threw a gutter ball.
Katie hooted.
He sauntered toward her. “I suppose I deserved that.”
“Darn right.”
One look into her eyes and nothing mattered except keeping that wide smile on her face. He kept forgetting he’d hired her to advertise his condos, that she was essentially his employee. As they bowled frame after frame-or rather, she bowled and he pitched balls down the gutter-Liam found himself wanting her more and more. And by the time they ended up at her front door, he couldn’t keep his hands off her.
All evening her laughter had pealed like wind chimes in his imagination, light and free. Whenever she brushed against him, an uncontrollable surge of hormones deployed straight to his loins. And when he drew close to her, he smelled the exotic scent of her shampoo-a piquant blend of lotus blossoms and crystal ginger. It was all he could do to keep himself from burying his nose in her shimmering hair.
“Thanks for a wonderful time,” she said. “I know this was supposed to be a business meeting, not a real date, but I had more fun than I’ve had in a long while.”
“Me, too,” he said huskily.
She turned to slip her key into the lock.
He put his arm on the doorjamb over her head. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted a woman this badly. “You’re not going to invite me in?”
“On our first date, which wasn’t even really a date?” She turned back, eyes dancing. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”
“I didn’t…that wasn’t…um…”
“Lighten up, silly,” she said, “I was just yanking your chain.”
“Oh.”
“But I’m not inviting you in.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” she said, “I’ve got something better in mind.”
His curiosity was piqued. “What’s that?”
She wagged a finger. “If I told you, it would take all the fun out of it.”
“You are a tease.” He couldn’t stop looking at her sweet mouth. At his perusal, her lips parted like petals opening.
“Guilty as charged.”
“And remorseless in what you’re doing to me.”
“Where’s the fun in remorse?”
She winked. He loved the way her conspiratorial winks made him feel as they shared a gigantic secret. She looked adorable-grinning up at him, hair tousled, dimples dug deep in her cheeks.
To hell with self-control, to hell with restraint. He’d spent too many years holding back where his love life was concerned. He took a step closer.
She reached up to tuck a hank of hair behind one ear.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he announced.
She placed her index fingers to her lips. “No, not tonight. Wait.”
“Wait for what?” Impatience tugged at him. He didn’t want to wait. He wanted her now.
“Our secret rendezvous.”
“What secret rendezvous?”
“The one we’re going to have on Monday afternoon during your lunch hour.”
“I usually work on my lunch hour.”
“But you won’t,” she said. “Not this Monday.”
“And why not?”
“Because I have something totally erotic in store for you.” She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip and arched against his body. “You’re going to meet me in front of the Town Crier Theatre in the historical district at noon.”
He was hard for her instantly, mindless with desire. He could barely take in air, much less swallow past the cast-iron lump in his throat. “And what,” he croaked, “will we be doing?”
“Come prepared-” she said the word soft and slow “-to do the forbidden.”
8
COME PREPARED to do the forbidden.
Katie’s scintillating parting comment echoed in his head. Did she have any idea how totally provocative those words were? Liam had lain awake all night, his brain conjuring a myriad of tantalizing possibilities. His curiosity was aroused, his blood stirred, his dormant sense of adventured stoked. His body prickled with heightened anticipation.
The woman had one hell of a creative imagination.
Just before noon on Monday afternoon, Liam paced the sidewalk outside the Town Crier Theatre wondering what delicious treats she had in store for him.
The theatre was running a weeklong retrospective of Clark Gable films. The movie du jour, according to the marquee, was It Happened One Night.
Fitting.
The title made him think of the one night he’d spent in the cloak closet with Katie. His mouth was dry from the memory. His hip pocket was stuffed with condoms and his anxiety was off the charts. She had him crazed with lust for her.