Against the Wall (Stoddard Art School Series Book 3) Read online

  “It does, doesn’t it?” He caught up to her in two strides. “What I mean is, you put so much of yourself into your painting. It practically screams your name.”

  “Well then, when I leave, you won’t miss me.”

  “Could be I’ll miss you more.” That stopped her. The teasing was past. He was serious.

  Bear closed the space between them. The hand at her elbow slipped up her arm to rest at the curve of her neck. His gaze seemed to be taking in every aspect of her face as if he were trying to memorize its features.

  “You can’t,” Kay whispered.

  His eyes met and held hers for a long moment before returning his attention to her mouth. “I can’t what? Miss you? Or kiss you?”

  His fingers trailed up the side of her neck and slipped behind her head while his thumb swept along the line of her jaw. A rush spread through her as the world tipped beneath her feet. She reached a hand out to steady herself, grasping his other arm.

  “Neither.”

  The man was solid muscle beneath her touch. He angled his head and brought his mouth to within a hair’s breadth of hers. Her heart was doing its best to pound its way out of her chest. His breath fanned her cheek while she held hers.

  “Seems I can’t help myself.”

  His lips captured hers, easily shattering the feeble defense of her words. He claimed her mouth. This was not a teasing timid kiss. Nor was it punishing. It was Bear. Strong, powerful, confident. In other words, breathtaking.

  The arm she held slipped behind her waist drawing her even closer as the kiss deepened. Opening her mouth, she welcomed him in. Losing herself to the feeling of being surrounded by the strength of him. Before she knew it, Kay had a hand tangled in the softness of his hair and was pressed tight against the wall of his chest. She returned the fervor of his lips and tongue until the cold wave of sanity made her push away.

  Wide eyed, they both stood panting. Her lips felt swollen, and she covered them with shaky fingertips. Her body hummed. After the heat of his body, the cool air raised goosebumps on her arms and tightened her nipples.

  “Kay…”

  “No.” Kay turned and ran back to the cottage.

  Chapter Nine

  Sweat rolled into Bear’s eyes. Three more bed frames to move and assemble and he’d be done. He’d split a knuckle that refused to stop bleeding and continued to sting like a bugger every time he bent his finger, but thank goodness he had some manual labor to keep him moving.

  Returning to the inn, he’d chopped half a cord of firewood before the furniture delivery arrived. It beat the hell out of some of the other things he’d considered while trying to make sense out of what happened on the point—banging his head on a rock, punching a wall.

  He’d kissed her. All the fantasizing and days of wanting and wondering paled to the mind-blowing reality of that one kiss.

  Her tiny gasp of surprise when he slipped his tongue between her lips had almost stopped him, but then she softened beneath his hands. She kissed him back. Held on to his hair, leaned her body along his, and kissed him senseless. The sweet taste of her mouth only made him want more. Another few seconds and he would have picked her up and carried her into the house.

  He could have held her forever, but the kiss ended as abruptly as it had begun. He’d been stunned when she bolted. Part of him wanted to chase after her. The other part wanted to throw himself off the point.

  Dammit!

  Since when did a simple kiss throw him? No, Kay was anything but simple. This had nothing to do with monsoons or drought—there was more heat to her than rain. It was true, it’d been a long time since he’d wanted to kiss someone, and he sure as hell had wanted to kiss Kay. He had the singed lips to prove it.

  He couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was everywhere and nowhere. Her essence surrounded him at the inn, at home on the point. He tripped over Shadow the other morning on their run all because he was trying to catch a glimpse of her as they passed her cottage.

  And now he’d kissed her. He knew how she tasted. How she felt in his arms. In those few maddening seconds, he’d only intensified the desire to know her better. He wanted her even more. All he had to do is get her to speak to him again.

  When he returned to the inn later that evening, he was relieved to see her funny little car parked out front. Either she was working—or she was here to quit, quit.

  Shadow was happy with his new rawhide bone bribe when Bear left him outside in the back kennel. The dog wasn’t a fan of his new digs, so dig he did. Bear had already filled in three holes, but if Shadow got his favorite toy or a new bone, he tolerated the short time he was left alone. “Let’s see if we’re both relegated to the dog house.” Shadow whined once in sympathy, and then carried his prize off for some serious gnawing.

  As soon as Bear saw Kay’s drop cloths spread along the sidewall, he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She was working. Thank you!

  He leaned against the doorframe leading into the lobby, staying quiet as he watched. The earbuds in her ears meant she hadn’t heard him come in. What song was she humming?

  She was adding a line of pine trees into the background. Tipping her brush, she tapped the paint to the wall. She double loaded the square-tipped brush with two separate colors, which magically mixed beneath her touch. It was as if the trees simply appeared off the end of her brush. One after another, after another.

  Kay caught sight of him and gasped. She pulled the buds from her ears. “Jeez, Bear, you scared the hell out of me!”

  “Sorry.” He pushed away from the doorframe and held up his hands in surrender.

  She turned her back on him. Her shoulders set as she added more paint to her palette. Loading her brush, she stood poised to continue, but didn’t.

  A full ten seconds crawled by. The tension in the room was neon green. He had to say something to make everything right with her, but what?

  “Kay, about what happened earlier, I—”

  “You scared the hell out of me,” she repeated, speaking to the wall.

  Bear moved toward her and stopped. “That was the last thing I wanted to do. I’m a big clumsy idiot. I had no right to grab you. I lost my head. I get close to you and…it’s no excuse, but I don’t want to scare you.”

  He watched her shoulders rise and fall as she took a deep breath. “It’s not you I’m afraid of.” Her voice sounded small.

  “I don’t understand.”

  She set aside her paints and turned around. “I kissed you back.”

  “Yes, you did.” A warm rush ran through him at the memory of her body tight against his, her tongue gliding into his mouth while she tugged at the back of his hair. “I started it though.”

  “You did. And may I just say for the record, it was epic in that whole Wow, what a first kiss kind of thing.” She ran a quick finger over her lower lip.

  “Epic?”

  Kay pressed her lips together and nodded. “Not one hint of slobbering. On a scale of one to ten, it was a rock-solid twelve.” Her quick smile disappeared. “That’s what scares me. I just got through a really ugly breakup. My feet are barely back on firm ground.” She looked away. “Let’s not even mention I’m under contract with you, or that I’ve known you all of five minutes.”

  “It was one kiss.” He shrugged a shoulder. “One mind-blowing, epic, please-God-let-her-kiss-me-again kiss.”

  Kay gave a quick laugh and sighed. “I’ve got no business kissing you. We shouldn’t be kissing at all.”

  He took a step closer, fighting the urge to gather her in his arms, hold her, and convince her of all the reasons why she should give them a chance. “Listen, what if you weren’t working for me?”

  “Are you firing me?” She looked worried.

  “Hell, no.” She frowned at him and he rushed to explain. “What if we met at the grocery store picking out…peaches?” He shrugged. “We strike up a conversation, you know, about peaches. I invite you for coffee. We hit it off, and I ask y
ou to dinner at the place down by the water because I heard they have amazing peach cobbler. We have a great time. I take you home, walk you to your door, and we kiss good night—just like we kissed out there on the point. Would you still be afraid?”

  “Only if I was allergic to peaches.”

  He laughed. “Exactly my point. Would the possibility of us still scare you?

  She shook her head. “That’s a whole lot of what ifs.”

  “Kay…” Her name slipped from his mouth in a whisper. “The only what if scaring the hell out of me, is what if the best thing to ever happen to me never gets the chance to happen? I want to spend more time with you, get to know you, take you out, walk you to your door.”

  Kay closed her eyes.

  He continued, “I’m going to leave. Shadow is in his pen. He’s got a new bone, so he won’t try to break out, but you can bring him in to keep you company if you’d like. I’ll be back in the morning, and I’d really like to take you to breakfast. The Muffin Tin Café has great food.”

  She looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Do they have peaches?”

  “If they don’t, we can stop and get some.”

  ****

  The Muffin Tin had been crowded. Kay insisted they take Shadow along, to chaperone, which was fine with Mindy the owner so long as they sat at one of the umbrella tables outside. The morning was clear and warm. As if the dog hadn’t already been in love with Kay, after she generously shared her bacon with him, they were definite BFFs.

  They talked about the inn, the mural, how Dottie and Walter had become her surrogate aunt and uncle, and the quality of Mindy’s peach pancakes.

  After, Bear walked Kay back to her car. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

  “It was delicious. I’m completely stuffed. I should just make it home before the carb coma hits.” She ruffled Shadow’s ears and kissed the top of his head before laying a hand on Bear’s arm. “Thank you for feeding me, again.”

  Bear covered her hand with his. “Next time you can feed me.”

  “Next time?”

  “Yeah, how about taking a day off?”

  “I can’t.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip.

  “Sure you can. You said yourself you’re ahead of schedule. I’ll clear it with the boss.”

  Kay raised an eyebrow as she considered. “If I say yes, what did you have in mind?”

  “A quiet day on the cove. You, me, sunshine, the mutt.”

  “My favorite place.”

  “Convenient, too.” He ran a thumb over her knuckles.

  “A bit cliché, don’t you think?” She kept her gaze on their joined hands.

  “Cliché?”

  “Having a thing for the girl next door.”

  “Who says I have a thing?”

  She looked up and smiled. “Don’t try to deny it. Even Shadow knows you have a thing.”

  “I’m not denying it.” Bear held her gaze. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. That kiss had thrown her as much as it had him, but she was still unsure. She didn’t trust him. “Come on. Tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be perfect. Spend the day with me.” He lifted her hand and kissed the backs of her fingers. “I’ll come by at ten.”

  After a long, agonizing minute, the corner of her mouth tipped. “Make it eleven. I’ll meet you on the beach.”

  “I’ll wear a red rose pinned to my swimsuit so you can find me in the crowd?” he teased.

  “No roses.” Something flittered across her eyes, but it was gone so quickly, Bear had little time to try to figure it out. “I’m sure I’ll find you.” She pulled her hand from his, gave him a small smile, and was in her car and away from the curb before he could say good-bye.

  She took off in such a hurry, he was surprised she didn’t leave rubber on the street.

  He was standing on the sidewalk in front of the inn watching her car disappear up the road when Walter came down the path.

  “There you are, Yogi.” He followed his line of sight. “Was that Kay?”

  “Yep. The girl can sure leave in a hurry.”

  “What’d ya say to chase her off?”

  Bear shrugged and shook his head. “Beats the hell out of me.”

  “She’s a professional skedaddler.” Walter clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Not to worry none, she’s never run from a responsibility. She’ll get your job done.”

  “I’m not worried about the mural.”

  “Then what’s got ya in a twist?”

  Bear looked him square in the eye. “What happens when the job’s done?”

  Walter gave him a hard look. “So that’s the way things are, are they?”

  Bear’d broken the first cardinal rule of men. Never let on you’ve got feelings. You’re just opening yourself up to grief and busted balls. He tried to brush it off and headed back toward the inn. “What are you going on about now?”

  “I’m old, but I ain’t blind. You’re fallin’ for her. Don’t be trying to deny it either. Not blind. Not stupid.”

  “If you’re so damn smart, then answer my question.”

  Walter fell in step with him. “Son, I’m gonna level with ya. I know nothin’ about women. Hell, I’ve been with Dottie more than thirty years, and I still don’t have that damn fool woman figured out. But Kay’s my girl. She’s not had a smooth road of it. Never has. Not since day one. I can count on this finger”—he held up his pinkie—“the men who’ve not let her down. Still don’t know what happened with her and her fella back in Stoddard. She’s not talkin’. The look on her face when she showed up here a few weeks back told me all I needed to know.”

  Walter stopped walking. “I like ya, Yogi, I do, but if you’re thinking about havin’ yer fun and sendin’ her on her way, I’m telling ya, you’ll have me to deal with. I may be old, but I figure I could still knock your dick in the dirt. Or die trying.”

  Bear laughed and looked back at Walter. He outweighed him by a good sixty pounds less thirty years, but the man’s loyalty to his family trumped all. “I’m not taking you on. You think I’m nuts?”

  Chapter Ten

  Kay waited until the sun dried the morning’s dew off the beach stones before setting her blanket and things out for her date with Bear. A date with Bear. The idea of it triggered a host of emotions. After all her protests—to Dottie, to Bear, to herself—the kiss on the point changed everything. Was it too soon to be feeling what she was feeling? Was she fooling herself into believing he was somehow different from the rest?

  That damn kiss. It made her skittish. Like Hope, the cat. The wee beast had to be tempted to the bowl each morning. The first few days, she would creep up the stairs, grab a hunk of food, and dash back to safety. Her eyes wide with fear, taking in the movement of every leaf. Ears poised and listening for any threat until hunger overruled her fear.

  Was that what Kay was doing? Grabbing a morsel of happiness and rushing back behind her protective walls to savor it? Going out to breakfast, agreeing to this date. Was her desire for Bear superseding the rest?

  Hope had relaxed enough to come up on the deck for her food and eat as long as Kay stayed a fair distance away. Perhaps it was time for Kay to relax as well, but keeping Bear at a safe distance didn’t seem like an option anymore. The man was catnip.

  Shadow raced past her, surprising her as he circled and danced around her legs. His excitement at seeing her always made her laugh. Bear grabbed at his collar. “Easy, boy. We talked about this.”

  “Good morning, both of you.” She scratched Shadow behind the ears. “What did you two talk about?”

  “Guy stuff.” Bear lowered his sunglasses. “You look great.”

  Her bathing suit was modest by any standard, black, one-piece, and she’d tied a bright, stained-glass print scarf around her waist as a cover up. But there was something kicking up the I’m almost naked level as if she were standing there in her underwear.

  “Thanks, so do you.” Bear wore a worn USC T-shirt over his s
horts. He had great guy legs. Tanned. Muscular.

  He let Shadow go off to chase seagulls down the beach, and replaced his sunglasses. “Perfect day.”

  “It’s beautiful.” Kay scanned the sky.

  “I brought some wine.” He held a bag aloft before adding it to the small collection of beach bags and the cooler Kay had spread out on a colorful blanket.

  She nodded. A flood of nerves had her fumbling for words. “I ran into town this morning and grabbed a couple sandwiches…and some beer.”

  “Great.” He gave an enthusiastic clap.

  She frowned. “Great…” They stood looking at the waves. Silence opened like a chasm between them. Say something else. Anything. Her mind couldn’t come up with a single thing. So much for clever banter. This was going to be a very long day.

  “Why the hell is this so awkward?” He laughed, looking at her in shocked amazement.

  Kay threw up her hands. “I have no idea.”

  “We discussed the weather, food, and our mutual appreciation of each other’s attire.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “That took all of ten seconds.”

  She shook her head and shrugged. “This is why I don’t date.”

  “We didn’t have any trouble with conversation at breakfast yesterday.”

  “It wasn’t a date.”

  “Sure it was. I shaved. I walked you to your door. Car door, but a door’s a door. Would have kissed you good night, but it was nine o’clock in the morning, and you practically ran over my foot getting away.”

  Kay grimaced. “Sorry.”

  “Was it something I said?”

  “No…” Yes. But how do you explain you’re a neurotic lunatic without sounding like one? She studied the rocks by her toes. “No.”

  Bear leaned closer and spoke in a soft voice. “Maybe if I kiss you good night now—you know, get it out of the way.” He gave a small shrug. “Then we can relax and enjoy our day.”

  Catnip. A shiver ran through her that had nothing to do with the cool breeze coming off the water. “Sounds very… practical.”

  “Practical?” He lowered his sunglasses and peered over the rim. “I’ve been called many things, but never practical, not when it comes to my kissing.”