Her knees almost buckled at the figure. “That’s enough for a DC-9!”
“It’s a bit high,” Jack admitted without shame. “You must’ve really made a hit with him. What’d you do to get him to pay that much?”
Rage burned inside Marilee as she bit her lip in furious silence. Along with her anger was a sickening lurch as she calculated swiftly what it would take to earn the amount of the new balloon. It was difficult to grind out her next words.
“Send me the bill.”
“Oh, forget it. Marilee. Chandler can afford it and he wants to. It’s too late anyway. He already has the bill.”
“Jack, I can’t turn in an insurance claim if he pays it.”
“Don’t yell at me. The whole thing’s your fault.” His voice deepened. “I’ve got a beauty of a balloon. A real beauty.”
“Don’t you think you should’ve purchased something in line with what you owned before? That’s almost twice as much as your old one! It’s an astronomical figure.” Why had she ever been friendly with such a jerk?
“You know he can afford any kind of balloon he wants. Is he in love with you?”
“No.”
“He’s sure willing to hand over a lot of money for you.”
“Dammit!”
“Want to go out tonight? I’ll treat.”
She held the receiver away from her and glared at it. When she pulled it back to speak, each word was clipped and precise. “Jack, I’ll pay him for the balloon. You’re costing me and I can’t afford it. I didn’t wreck an expensive one and you know it!”
“Chandler offered to pay. I’ve sent him the bill. That’s all there is to it. I’ll see you around.”
The phone clicked. She lowered the receiver, muttering darkly about Jack’s principles.
She pulled out her checkbook and wrote out a check for Cole. As large as it was, it didn’t cover a third of the cost of the new balloon. And it would take her within fifty dollars of her savings, but she was determined that Cole wouldn’t pay.
For a moment she toyed with the idea of canceling her cruise. It had lost the magic it had held for so long. It meant separation from Cole. She brushed away the worry, knowing she couldn’t cancel. She had already paid for half of it and she would lose a hefty portion of her money. She had planned and saved for two years to go on this cruise with Karen and Gina. It would ruin their plans if she backed out now. She stared at the check. Why would Cole spend so much on her? Something warm unfolded inside her, a feeling that was so good when she thought of her moments with Cole. And with her memories came a longing that only he could meet.
She called her insurance company, but the agent was out so she left her number and pushed away worry about the expensive balloon.
The next day, while she was standing high on the ladder with the hot Kansas sun beating down on her, the black Thunderbird whipped into the garage and she heard a car door slam. Nothing changed outwardly, but inside everything quickened, her awareness of her surroundings heightened. She leaned against the house and continued to slide her scraper calmly along the boards, chipping off the white paint. When the patio gate banged open she slowly swiveled her head and looked down.
Cole stood below, one fist on his hip, a suitcase in his other hand, dark glasses hiding his eyes. His white shirt was open at the throat, his tie loosened, and his shirt sleeves turned back. His pale blue suit coat was draped over his shoulder. The lurch of her heart told Marilee how effectively she had her feelings under control, despite her casual demeanor.
“Hi,” she said.
“I had to go to Tulsa. How’s the scraping?”
“It’s fine. Coming right along.”
“Want a drink of ice water?”
“No, thanks. I have a thermos.”
He smiled and went inside. She climbed down, moved her ladder a few inches to the left, climbed back up, and continued scraping. Why did everything seem different now that he was back? She was conscious of her appearance—her faded cutoffs, ratty sandals, blue shirt and floppy straw
hat—of the hot sun, the gentle breeze. All of her senses were sharpened now that Cole was back. Forcing her attention back to the scraping, she moved the ladder again and continued to work as the sun climbed higher and the summer heat intensified.
She had scraped to the edge of a window when it suddenly opened and Cole appeared. His wet hair was plastered to his head and his coppery shoulders were bare. Only inches away, he grinned at her. “Hi again, beautiful.”
Glancing at his bare shoulders, she remembered too much about him—his long tanned body, muscular legs, hard thighs. She scrutinized the board she was scraping. “Careful,” she said, “I may flick specks of old paint in your eyes.”
“I’ll take that chance. Want to swim?”
“Sony, I’m working.”
“I asked your partners. They want to.”
Startled, she paused. “They do?”
He nodded. “And by the way, thanks, but I tore up your check.”
She stared at him. “You can’t.”
“I already have.”
“If you do, there’s only one reason. Do you know what that makes me,” she whispered, teasingly, “if you pay for sex with me?”
“You know better than that! I paid for the balloon because the guy was giving you a hard time, I can afford it, and I wanted to.”
She turned back to her scraping.
“Jack asked me what I did to get you to pay.”
“Jack’s a real peach.”
“I know. I don’t see film anymore.” She stopped scraping and looked at him seriously. “You can’t buy his new balloon, Cole. Let me turn in an insurance claim. I’m licensed and insured. It’ll be covered.”
“I told him to buy whatever he wanted,” Cole said stubbornly, “so I brought some of the expense on myself.” He smiled coaxingly. “It’s too hot to argue about it right now. Stop scraping and come swim.”
“I don’t have a suit.”
The corners of his mouth tugged higher. “I suspected you might use that excuse. I brought you one.”
“You’re joking!”
He rose and she saw the ends of a white towel and the top of his brown legs. She shifted her weight as she watched him cross the room to a suitcase on the bed. He opened it and rummaged through it, dropping clothes on the floor. The sight of his almost naked body weakened Marilee’s knees and she tightened her hold on the ladder.
He snatched up something triumphantly and returned to the window. He leaned out and presented some scraps of brightly colored material.
“See. Here it is.”
“How did …”
He grinned. “Come on. Knock off for a while. It’ll be lunch time soon. Swim and eat, then you can go back to work.”
“It may not fit.”
“But it might. Give it a try. Here, I can lift you in through the window.”
He stretched out his tanned arms and his hands closed on her waist.
“I’ll fall,” she said, tightening her grip on the ladder again as electric shocks ran through her at his touch. “I’ll come in through the kitchen.”
“This is easier.” She started to climb down, but he tugged her toward him. “Throw your leg over the sill. I won’t drop you.”
Holding her hat on her head, she did as he instructed and climbed safely through the window.
As soon as she was inside, his arms closed around her and pulled her close.
She chuckled. “This feels familiar. You, me, and a towel.”
“Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”
“You couldn’t have,” she said, resisting the urge to melt against him. How good his words sounded! How much she hoped he meant what he said. “Where’s the swimsuit?”
He smiled at her obvious change of subject and released her. “Right here. I’ll help.” He started unbuttoning her blouse.
“Oh, no!” she gasped, but it was an effort to move out of his reach. Something started churning inside, a motor that sent her pulse thumping.
His hands dropped. “I forgot all your hang-ups!” he teased as he handed her the suit. “You know where you can change and just take a towel out of the bathroom.”
She started across the room, but paused at the door. “I meant it about the balloon. You’re not to pay.”
“That’s between Jack Wilson and me and has nothing to do with you anymore. Forget it.”
“I can’t. It makes me feel like a … a floozy.”
“Oh, yeah?” He started toward her, his blue eyes dancing. “If that’s the case, you’ll do whatever I want for a price, how about …”
“Stuff it! You know what I mean.”
He chuckled. “Go change and let’s swim.”
“All right, but this isn’t the end of the matter.”
She crossed the hall to the pink bedroom, closing the door behind her. The overhead ceiling fan revolved slowly, stirring a delicious breeze. Tossing away her straw hat, she stripped off her clothes and quickly showered in the adjoining bathroom. After she’d dried off she looked skeptically at the
two tiny pieces of red, green, yellow, and blue material she was supposed to wear to swim.
Who had sold him that suit? She wished she had her simple one-piece black one.
Sighing, she picked up the halter and tied it on. It was too big and she wondered what size he thought she was until she pulled on the bikini bottom, which was too small.
Tugging it into place, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror while she tried to tie the halter more securely around her. Too big on top and too small on the bottom. At least his concept of her was flattering.
Too much bare midriff showed. She twisted and made a face at the gaudy stripes stretched tightly across her bottom. The suit barely covered the necessary regions and she didn’t want to parade herself in front of the three men in it. But the thought of swimming in cool water was too inviting to pass up. She crossed the hall and rapped on Cole’s open door.
When no one answered, she looked inside. “Cole?”
The room was empty and she walked over to the window. From there she could see the pool. Cole was standing at its edge, Grant was poised on the end of the divingboard, and Ted’s red hair glistened in the pool.
Looking back at Cole she felt that familiar twist the. sight of him could stir. From his gorgeous blue eyes, down his lean body and long, muscular legs, the man was too handsome! And too much fun.
“Watch it, O’Neil,” she muttered and turned to his closet. Inside a row of shirts hung together, organized and neat. She pulled down a long-sleeved blue cotton dress shirt and slipping into it, stepped in front of the full-length mirror.
It hung to mid-thigh, the cuffs draped over her wrists, and it covered everything she wanted covered. Satisfied, she left to join the men.
The moment she stepped through the gate and closed it behind her, she suspected Cole had been waiting for her. He sat at the deep end of the pool, his fingers curled over the edge, legs dangling in the water. Ted and Grant were both swimming.
She saw Cole’s quick appraisal of her as she walked toward a chair. The setting was very familiar—the chaise Cole had been sunbathing on on that fateful day, the blue cordless phone on a small table beside it.
She put her towel down carefully, avoiding looking at Cole. She knew he was waiting for her to take off his shirt. A movement caught her attention and she turned to find him standing only a few feet away, his arms folded over his chest. It was just as much effort to keep her gaze from straying from his face to the rest of his tantalizing body as it had been during their first meeting.
“How does the suit fit?” he asked.
She waggled her fingers. “So-so.”
They stared at each other in silence.
“You’re blushing,” Cole remarked after a minute.
“Well, you’re embarrassing me. Don’t study me that way.”
His blue eyes danced with glee. “I can’t wait! I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I handed over the money for the suit.”
“I may go back and dress.”
He laughed. “Come on, take off my shirt.”
“All right, but stop staring.” She shrugged out of his shirt, ignoring his low whistle.
“It fits, doesn’t it?”
“A little tight over the nether regions …” She walked to the pool, and stepped off the edge, dropping straight into the cold, refreshing water.
Within seconds she found Cole swimming beside her, his long strokes matching hers as she swam the length of the pool. After eight laps, as they faced each other momentarily, he grinned. “How long can you keep up this pace?”
“Until I’m exhausted. I love to swim.”
His grin widened and he swam alongside her as they continued the laps. When her muscles began to ache, she slowed, struggling to finish the lap until finally, inches away from the diving board, she caught the edge of the pool and stopped, panting for breath.
Cole treaded water beside her. “I thought maybe you hoped to drown me.”
He didn’t sound winded at all. She gulped for air. “You didn’t have to swim with me.”
“I wanted to. That’s why I bought the suit.”
“I want to pay for it.”
“It’s a gift.”
“Thank you.”
“Stay and have dinner. I’ll take you home.”
“I can’t.” Be positive, she reminded herself. Firm. “I’m racing to get my text done this summer. I hav
e to make my July deadline. School
starts again in August, so I can’t be late getting this finished. I hope to have this new text out to follow my first one, go a step farther.”
He swam closer, his leg brushing hers while he rested both hands on the edge of the pool, on either side of her. “You must have quite a bit of faith in your method.”
She hardly heard what he said. “I’ve seen the results of it,” she answered, more breathless than before. “I think everyone should be able to read. If they don’t like it or don’t care to—that’s each person’s decision, but they should have that choice. You’re getting too close.”
“If we were alone, I’d be closer,” he said in a low drawl that started shivers up and down her spine.
Grant splashed noisily nearby. “This is fantastic!” he shouted.
“Good,” Cole answered over his shoulder. “Feel free to use the pool anytime you’re here.”
“Thanks!”
Grant ducked beneath the surface and swam away. Cole’s attention returned to Marilee.
“One evening shouldn’t put a kink in your schedule,” he said in a low, seductive voice.
“Thanks, no.” She was determined not to give in again. “I have to meet my deadline or I won’t get to go on the cruise and I won’t have my second book ready for the fall term a year from now.” She couldn’t think of anything with him inches away, with his leg brushing between hers. “It’s imperative … umm, you’re too close.”
“What’s imperative?”
She couldn’t remember. “Where’s your nephew?”
“Henry’ll be here this afternoon.” A warm note entered his voice. “He’s something else. He attracts dirt like a magnet does metal filings. If he gives you a hard time, let me know.”
“He won’t.”
“He’s had some problems at home. Besides moving so much, his mother has had two divorces. Henry’s father lives in Wyoming.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Want to see who can touch bottom first?”
“It might be safer than what we’re doing now.”
“Oh? We’re not doing anything.”
“Let’s touch the bottom of the pool.” She took a deep breath and sank. Cole went with her, his arms closing around her while he pulled her close for one moment. The touch of his almost nude body, wet and warm against hers, exploded longing in Marilee.
Wriggling free, she shot to the surface. Cole’s head broke water a few feet away. “Chicken. You didn’t touch.”
“Oh, yes, I did.” And her heart still pounded from the contact with him.
Ted climbed out of the pool and called to them, “I’m eating lunch now. Anyone want to join me?”
“Yes,” Marilee said thankfully. “Soon it’ll be time to get back to scraping.” Anything to fight the wild longing for Cole.
Cole grinned at her. “Don’t you know all work and no play made Jack a dull boy?”
“But not Marilee. I thrive on it. That’s my life.” She slipped below the surface, shutting out his retort as she swam past him under water to the side of the pool. Climbing out, she ignored all three men while she hurried to the chair and pulled on Cole’s shirt.
Ted munched a sandwich, and pointed to a brown sack on the table. “There’s your lunch, Marilee. I brought all the bags from the car.”
“Thanks.”
Grant toweled off and moved to sit in the shade on the concrete beside them, pulling his black metal lunchbox in front of him.
Cole came up swiftly at the end of the pool, water splashing off his brown body. For an instant, Marilee felt a lurch in the middle of her stomach. Cole’s hard body glistened in the sunlight, muscles rippling, the tight black trunks molding his trim hips.
She dropped her gaze to her brown paper sack, not even looking up when Cole offered them cold drinks. Grant and Ted asked for beer, and she asked for a soda. Cole went into the house and when he returned, dressed in jeans, he was carrying a tray with the cans of cold drinks, a large plate of deviled eggs, a mound of potato chips, and warm chocolate brownies.
He placed the tray on a blue wrought-iron table within reach of everyone, then dropped down to sit cross-legged beside Marilee. The men chatted while Marilee ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, trying to ignore the light pressure of Cole’s knee against hers.
When he was through eating, Grant rose and stretched. His golden body was fit and strong from wrestling. Glancing at him, Marilee wondered again why she could study him without a tremor, yet a mere glimpse of the lean hard torso beside her sent her pulse into high gear.