Anything Goes.... Debbi Rawlins
she deny the incredible chemistry that had made the entire room sizzle. She’d relived the touching and kissing the rest of the afternoon, but in the end apprehension nailed her. If she did anything with Rick, she was going to think back to it forever and ever. Think about the carefree person she was with him, and about what could have been. Sad, but true.
Which left her starting to panic over her vacation. How could she possibly enjoy herself wondering if he was watching her? She would have to think of something quickly or spend the rest of the week watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
She blinked at the stunning blond waitress who smiled at Rick as she served them another round of pina coladas. Maybe the week was still salvageable, after all. If Rick hooked up with someone, he’d be too busy to pay attention to what Carly was doing….
The sudden thought stirred mixed emotions. Jealousy clawed at her just thinking about him being with another woman. Ridiculous, of course, but there it was. Yet there was also relief in knowing she wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder constantly.
“Would you like anything else?” the blond waitress asked them, although her attention was mostly directed at Rick.
“I’m fine,” he said. “What about the rest of you? Want some dessert?”
Tony and Ginger promptly shook their heads. No big surprise. They were clearly anxious to be off on their own.
“Okay, I guess that’s it.” Rick reached into his pocket. “How many beads do I owe you?”
“I’d like some dessert,” Carly said.
Tony and Ginger had already gotten up from the table, but they hesitated.
“Go ahead.” She waved them off. “Rick will keep me company, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, we’ll see you guys later.” Tony exchanged a knowing look with Rick, and then steered Ginger toward the door.
“Would you like to see the menu again?” the waitress asked, perky and braless beneath her pink T-shirt.
Rick had given her a couple of glances, but nothing more than Carly herself had done. The woman’s brief white shorts showed an extraordinary amount of well-defined leg as she leaned across the table to remove dishes, but, again, Rick didn’t seem overly interested.
Carly shook her head. “I know what I want. A hot fudge sundae with extra whipped cream.”
Rick chuckled, one eyebrow lifting in surprise. “Better make that two,” he said to the waitress, his gaze staying on Carly.
“Coming right up.” The blonde picked up a couple of more plates and then drifted to the next table.
Still, Rick’s interest remained solely on Carly. She felt a stupid thrill that she could hold his rapt attention. Which was crazy. She was supposed to be trying to get rid of him.
“I need help trying to figure something out here.” Rick pursed his lips, looking suspiciously as if he were trying not to laugh.
“Yes?” She forced herself to hold his gaze.
“Why you’re stalling.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Either you’re thinking of a way to get rid of me, or figuring out how to get me in the sack. Which of course would be a no-brainer.”
“Why does this have to be about you?” Carly bristled and didn’t care that it showed. “I simply would like a hot fudge sundae, okay?”
He laughed. “Okay.”
Anxious to busy herself, she started digging in her purse for her beads. And then she realized that, like a good girl, she’d put them around her neck, just as they’d instructed her to do at check-in. “How much do I owe you for dinner?”
“Forget it.”
She removed a string from around her neck. “No, we all were given a certain allotment of beads, and it wouldn’t be fair for you to run out.”
“You can pay the tab next time.”
“What if there isn’t a next time?”
He narrowed his gaze and studied her face.
The silence grew uncomfortable, and she stared down at the cocktail napkin she’d been shredding. “You know, you might hook up with someone else and I won’t see much of you.”
“Carly,” he said, as if scolding a child, and then he took the string of beads out of her other hand, “I thought we’d already settled that.”
She slid a glance at the beads, wondering what he had planned for them. He leaned close and then slipped them over her head and kissed her briefly on the lips. He pulled back slightly to smile at her.
“Here you go.” The waitress appeared with their sundaes. “I put extra whipped cream on both,” she said as she set a huge glass bowl in front of each of them.
“Thanks,” Carly said.
The server smiled. “Anything else?”
Rick raised a questioning brow at Carly. She shook her head and picked up her spoon, no longer interested in dessert. What she wanted was for Rick to kiss her again.
She also wanted him to go away and leave her alone.
What a mess.
The waitress gave Rick the total, and he dropped the appropriate number of beads in her hand. Although she remained pleasant, she didn’t seem nearly as interested in Rick as before, and Carly realized the kiss must have warned her off.
Foolish pleasure warmed her, and when Rick dipped his spoon into his sundae and brought the offering to her lips, she didn’t hesitate. He smiled and brushed some stray whipped cream off her top lip. She had the nearly irresistible urge to draw his thumb into her mouth. She stopped herself, but when she met his gaze she knew she was busted.
He knew how turned on she was. It was there in the golden flecks in his eyes, like liquid flames of desire, matching her own wants and needs.
God, she wanted him. Wanted to go back to her room and strip him naked. Explore every nuance of his body. What would be so terrible about being with Rick? She couldn’t possibly get too attached in just one week, could she? And then she’d never see him again. Equally important, he had no reason to go to Oroville.
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