Kyle watched a baseball game while Rianna curled up on the sofa with a book. He divided his attention between the TV and her, until the hunger in him reared its ugly head again.
By the time the rain stopped around
ten o'clock
, he was more than ready to escape the confines of the cabin. The sky had cleared, so he wanted a last look around the area.
"I'm going up on deck for a while."
Rianna glanced up from her book. Then she closed it and laid it aside. "I'm getting tired, but I'd like to sit outside for a few minutes before I call it a night."
"Grab a towel for your chair. It'll be wet."
He followed her up the ladder, trying hard to ignore the gentle sway of her behind and the legs that were driving him crazy. As soon as they reached the deck, he distanced himself and flopped down in one of the lounge chairs. Rianna sat in the one she'd used earlier in the day.
A silent groan rumbled in his chest at the sight of her. She appealed to him even more than she had earlier. Her cautious reserve made her all the more alluring.
"Do you have a headache?" he asked.
Rianna glanced at him with a quizzical expression. "No, why do you ask?"
"You're rubbing the back of your neck again. I've seen you do it several times in the past few days. I thought maybe you suffer from tension headaches."
"No, I just have a sore spot on my neck."
She hesitated, making him wonder if she intended to explain or leave him in the dark. Then she continued.
"I had a weird little accident while I was at Gregory's estate. I'm still not sure how it happened. I guess Gregory and I bumped into each other at the bottom of the stairs. I cracked the back of my head on the corner of the newel. It bled so much that it needed stitches."
"He took you to the hospital?"
Rianna laughed softly. "When you have the kind of money and clout Gregory has, they bring the hospital to you. Some doctor friend of his rushed to the house. He administered a local anesthetic, put a couple of stitches in the back of my neck, and went on his way again. I hardly felt a thing."
"You were never unconscious? You're sure Haroldson wasn't somehow responsible?"
"At first I wondered if I'd blown my cover; and he was planning to drug me or something, but he seemed genuinely concerned. He and the doctor were very solicitous."
"Don't you need to have the stitches removed?"
"He said they'd dissolve naturally."
"And the cut is still hurting?"
"It doesn't hurt, it just throbs once in a while."
"Maybe it's infected. Lake water is full of bacteria."
"It's not that sensitive. I meant to have Paulo check it when he did my hair. I forgot, but he'd have noticed if it looked red or irritated."
"I can take a look at it in the morning if you want," Kyle offered, knowing she wasn't likely to ask.
"Thanks, I'll let you know if it starts to bother me again."
He doubted that, but let the subject drop. Looking at her and thinking about her was distracting enough. So much so that he forced himself to focus on their surroundings.
The inky sky was brilliant with its canopy of stars. Water lapped lazily against the shore, the waves rocking them in their wake. Breathing deeply, he let the warm, rain-washed freshness of the air seep into his senses.
It soothed, while arousing, creating a sensual delight and bringing his body to full, aching awareness. The kind of awareness that no amount of moonlight would soothe. He wondered if she felt it as strongly as he did.
The night was meant for loving, for oh-so-slow caresses, hot, tangled bodies, and deep, drugging kisses. But making love wasn't on their agenda. The woman he lusted after didn't want involvement, and had ruthlessly reminded him of that.
It might be a very long night.
----
Chapter 6
« ^ »
T he next morning dawned clear and bright. Rianna heard Kyle moving around the galley as soon as the sun had peaked over the horizon. She'd slept fitfully and knew he'd been restless, too. It didn't help to be sleeping within a few feet, wanting
By the time the rain stopped around
ten o'clock
, he was more than ready to escape the confines of the cabin. The sky had cleared, so he wanted a last look around the area.
"I'm going up on deck for a while."
Rianna glanced up from her book. Then she closed it and laid it aside. "I'm getting tired, but I'd like to sit outside for a few minutes before I call it a night."
"Grab a towel for your chair. It'll be wet."
He followed her up the ladder, trying hard to ignore the gentle sway of her behind and the legs that were driving him crazy. As soon as they reached the deck, he distanced himself and flopped down in one of the lounge chairs. Rianna sat in the one she'd used earlier in the day.
A silent groan rumbled in his chest at the sight of her. She appealed to him even more than she had earlier. Her cautious reserve made her all the more alluring.
"Do you have a headache?" he asked.
Rianna glanced at him with a quizzical expression. "No, why do you ask?"
"You're rubbing the back of your neck again. I've seen you do it several times in the past few days. I thought maybe you suffer from tension headaches."
"No, I just have a sore spot on my neck."
She hesitated, making him wonder if she intended to explain or leave him in the dark. Then she continued.
"I had a weird little accident while I was at Gregory's estate. I'm still not sure how it happened. I guess Gregory and I bumped into each other at the bottom of the stairs. I cracked the back of my head on the corner of the newel. It bled so much that it needed stitches."
"He took you to the hospital?"
Rianna laughed softly. "When you have the kind of money and clout Gregory has, they bring the hospital to you. Some doctor friend of his rushed to the house. He administered a local anesthetic, put a couple of stitches in the back of my neck, and went on his way again. I hardly felt a thing."
"You were never unconscious? You're sure Haroldson wasn't somehow responsible?"
"At first I wondered if I'd blown my cover; and he was planning to drug me or something, but he seemed genuinely concerned. He and the doctor were very solicitous."
"Don't you need to have the stitches removed?"
"He said they'd dissolve naturally."
"And the cut is still hurting?"
"It doesn't hurt, it just throbs once in a while."
"Maybe it's infected. Lake water is full of bacteria."
"It's not that sensitive. I meant to have Paulo check it when he did my hair. I forgot, but he'd have noticed if it looked red or irritated."
"I can take a look at it in the morning if you want," Kyle offered, knowing she wasn't likely to ask.
"Thanks, I'll let you know if it starts to bother me again."
He doubted that, but let the subject drop. Looking at her and thinking about her was distracting enough. So much so that he forced himself to focus on their surroundings.
The inky sky was brilliant with its canopy of stars. Water lapped lazily against the shore, the waves rocking them in their wake. Breathing deeply, he let the warm, rain-washed freshness of the air seep into his senses.
It soothed, while arousing, creating a sensual delight and bringing his body to full, aching awareness. The kind of awareness that no amount of moonlight would soothe. He wondered if she felt it as strongly as he did.
The night was meant for loving, for oh-so-slow caresses, hot, tangled bodies, and deep, drugging kisses. But making love wasn't on their agenda. The woman he lusted after didn't want involvement, and had ruthlessly reminded him of that.
It might be a very long night.
----
Chapter 6
« ^ »
T he next morning dawned clear and bright. Rianna heard Kyle moving around the galley as soon as the sun had peaked over the horizon. She'd slept fitfully and knew he'd been restless, too. It didn't help to be sleeping within a few feet, wanting
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