His Kind of Wonderful (Sugar Bay #2) (13 page)

Dylan got a knowing look in her eyes and grinned. “Oh, I think he notices you, Dani.” Dylan snickered and brushed past her. “He practically inhales you with his eyes,” she muttered so only Dani could hear.

“What’s that mean, mommy?” Curious Alex had ears like bats. She could detect the barest whisper.

Dylan sighed. “I’ll explain when you’re older, Alex.”

“I want to push him to the next level. I want to make him wild.”

“Okay.” Dylan looked at her oldest child. “Janie, I think you can handle this, can’t you?

“Easy.”

“Good. Alex, let’s get out of their way.”

“But I want to stay.”

“I’m making white chocolate chip cookies—your favorite.” She started out the door. “Knock him dead, Dani.”

“For my purposes, I need him very much alive.”

Dylan laughed.

Alex looked torn between staying and finding out more big girl gossip or making her favorite cookies.

Dylan called out from the hall. “You can lick the bowl!”

“See ya.” Alex was still eight but she had her priorities.

Janie looked thoughtful as she studied Dani. She walked around her aunt pulling her shirt and lifting her hair.

“You’re making me nervous, kid. Tell me it’s not impossible.”

“It’s not impossible, Aunt Dani, I know just what we’ll do.”

***

Dani tasted the salt air as she pulled Thelma into the drive. She killed the engine and took a deep breath. She tucked her hair behind her ear and pulled the mass of brown waves to stream over a single shoulder. Janie swore the hair product she’d put in Dani’s hair would work despite the salt air. She hoped so. She had no desire to look like an overdressed poodle for her big seduction.

The slamming of the front door caught her attention and she saw Joe amble down the porch steps. She got out of the car and heard him curse under his breath. She glanced his way but his expression had cleared. Dani moved to the back of the Wagoneer and opened the door.

“Let me get that.”

“That’s alright. I just brought a few bags. I can handle it.”

He sent her a sharp look. “I know you can, Dani, but let me help you.” Joe took the heavy bags and left her with the smaller ones.

“Derek and Anabelle are on their way.”

She made a face. “Sorry about that.”

Joe shrugged. “What are you going to do? He loves you. He doesn’t trust me with his little sister. I wouldn’t trust me either.” His eyes remained on her face, almost like he didn’t want to look below her neck.

Hell no.

She hadn’t suffered through Janie’s critique and spent hours planning the perfect outfit for him to ignore her. While most people would question taking fashion advice from a preteen, Dani knew Janie wouldn’t lead her astray. Between studying, Janie poured through the contents of Vogue and InStyle magazine. She knew what was hot and what was not whereas Dani studied Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. While Austen was classic reading, her knowledge of Pride and Prejudice didn’t tell her how to dress sexy so she’d gone straight to her niece for fashion advice.

She lowered her voice and channeled a sultry and seductive sex kitten. “What Derek doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Joe’s gaze snapped to her. “Are you feeling, okay?”

Damn. Instead of sultry, she’d sounded like a dying bullfrog. The blog she’d read swore men found a lowered voice to be seductive. She needed more practice but not today. Dani cleared her voice. She’d try again another time.

“Yes. I’m fine. I wanted to remind you, I’m an adult. That’s all.”

Joe looked in pain
.
He mumbled something about soccer and stats.

“Joe?” She placed her hand on his forearm and he stiffened.

He stepped back. “Wait, Dani. Derek is my best friend.”

“I know that.”

“Okay.” His eyes dropped to her outfit at last. She stood still and tried not to fidget like she usually did when she was nervous. The slouchy cream sweater slipped down her arm a little and his eyes widened. Who knew the sight of her shoulder and collarbone would command such a reaction. His eyes skimmed past the loose sweater and lingered on the length of her bare legs exposed by her short sequined skirt. Dani resisted the urge to pull the skirt down. Although many of her jean shorts exposed the same amount of leg, being in a skirt was a different matter—especially the brief skirt she had on. Maybe it was the elevated heels she wore—very different than her usual flats. The combination of the skirt and the heels made her legs look very long and Joe was transfixed.

She shifted her weight to the other leg and watched his legs widen. Joe must be a leg man.

“Okay,” she said while he stared. Her voice seemed to catch his attention and prompt him to speak again.

He cleared his throat and looked into her eyes. “Good. You need to remember that. Because as much as I’m aware that you’re an adult, I
cannot—I will not
, jeopardize his trust.”

“Well this weekend is going to be hard then.”

“You’re telling me,” Joe muttered, probably to himself but she heard him. The frustration in his tone gave her a secret thrill.

“By the way, I’ve decided on your payment for my extra cooperation.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Okay.” He stood arms akimbo. “What are your terms?”

“Besides the research assist, I’ve decided upon extended kissing.”

His eyes widened and he shook his head. “Come again?”

“Think of it as an all you can eat buffet—except exchange food for kisses. I want unlimited kissing to go along with the sexual research. I want to get every detail, every nuance of the varying stages from deep kisses to heavy petting to explosive orgasms. And since you don’t plan to see it all the way through to actual intercourse, I want extra on the front end, so to speak.”

“I’m not sure about this.”

“It’s either you or Higgins.”

Joe’s expression was fierce. She knew she had him.

“No.”

That surprised her. “No? You won’t grant me unlimited kissing and extended foreplay?”

“No, I mean yes. I meant, no, you will not be kissing Higgins.”

Of course she wasn’t. She didn’t want to climb Higgins the way she did Joe. If there was anyone she wanted to complete her research with, it was Joe.

“But Derek can’t know. Ever.”

“Don’t worry, Joe. He won’t hear it from me.”

Dani opened the bathroom door and checked the hemline of her nightie. It wasn’t the one she would have chosen for a night of seduction but she couldn’t risk her brother catching her. She could already hear the blistering lecture she’d get if he saw her in a revealing nightie.

The white eyelet baby doll nightie had ribbon straps and wasn’t sheer at all—completely tame in comparison to the revealing ones at the bottom of her drawer. The door to Anabelle and Derek’s room was closed. No light flickered under the door, for which she was glad. It wouldn’t do for her brother to catch her trying to seduce Joe.

The evening had crawled by. Joe did his best imitation of a seething furnace and Derek shot her suspicious looks while she’d channeled her inner angel.

Dinner had been awkward. The men had been mostly silent with the occasional grunt while Anabelle and Dani had carried the bulk of the conversation. Poor Anabelle hadn’t known what to make of the group. At one point Anabelle had asked Joe if he was ill. As an answer, he’d glared at Dani but Anabelle’s innocent question seemed to snap him out of his man period mood.

From that point on, the conversation had improved, but still, he was by no means the charmer she’d grown used to. His mood puzzled her. He’d claimed he wanted her yet at the cusp of their experiment, his mood was dark and full of doom.

It didn’t help that Derek played big brother to the hilt, eyeing Joe as if he were a stranger rather than his best friend. After dinner, the boys had disappeared while Dani and Anabelle had cleared and washed the dishes.

The house had settled into silence punctuated by the occasional waves that rolled in. She’d been assigned Joe’s room for the night but headed in the opposite direction towards the living room. She assumed Joe would be there since Anabelle and Derek had taken the remaining bedroom.

There was no sign of Joe. She was about to turn and head back when a shadow moved outside. The deck sliding glass doors were open and she moved to investigate when Derek opened his bedroom door and poked his nosy head out.

“Good night, Dani,” he said pointedly.

She gave him a tight smile and shifted her towel so it shielded her body. “Night Derek.”

His sport shorts hung low on his hips as he stood outside his temporary room. He looked prepared to grow roots as he watched her hover. Joe appeared at the deck threshold and took in the scene. Dani felt a distinct zing at the way his eyes took in her short nightie. She shifted the towel so he could get a better view.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” There was something incredibly delicious about a man fresh from his shower wearing nothing but a pair of low hung boxers. He gripped the doorframe and leaned forward. Her eyes caressed his impressive chest and well defined abs.

The man was beautiful.

He had the sort of perfection where she wasn’t afraid he was starving. There was definition without emaciation. She licked her lips, eager for playtime. But as she shifted her eyes lower Derek cleared his throat, reminding her of his presence, and killed the mood dead. She sighed and turned towards her assigned room, contemplating the logistics of selling her brother on eBay.

***

“Derek, what are you doing?” The fan churned rhythmically above them as Anabelle adjusted to the strange new bed. Her husband lay unmoving beside her with his arms crossed behind his head.

“Hush, sweetheart. I’m listening.”

“Listening for what?”

“For any telltale squeaking.”

“What kind?”

“The kind humans make when they’re sneaking around or up to no good—like doing the horizontal mambo, playing hide the salami, vertical jogging—that kind of squeaking.”

Anabelle chuckled. “Joe’s a good guy. Dani is perfectly safe.”

“Yeah, I know that. But I also know he wants Dani.”

“Did he tell you?”

“Not in so many words. Guys don’t dish about our feelings, sweetheart. We’ll talk about how hot a girl is but that’s about it. And frankly I’d rather eat dirt than hear my best buddy talk about how hot my sister is, so I don’t see that conversation happening anytime soon, but I know there’s something going on.”

“You don’t sound bothered by that possibility.”

“Nope.”

“I don’t get it. If you wanted them to get together, why are we here?”

“Because my sister is a pain in the ass stubborn mule, that’s why. If I say black, she’ll say white. If I say yes, she’ll say no. I know she likes him but if I say yes, I’m afraid she’ll—“

“Got it, but you have to know if he has plans of that nature, he won’t do anything with you around.”

“I know.” His grin was wickedly mischievous. “I’m just having a little fun with them.

Anabelle shook her head and sat beside her husband in silence for a few moments, then snorted. “Hide the salami? What are you—Italian all of the sudden?

Derek flashed his dimples—the same ones that brought her to her knees all the time. “Nope, but I’ll pretend if you want me to.” He wagged his eyebrows. “How’s about it baby? Up for a little role play with Tony?”

“Tony?”

“Yeah baby, Call me Tony. It’s a good Italian name.” He gave her his best ‘Joey’ head nod. “How you doing?”

Anabelle giggled.

“Whatcha think, sweetheart? Wanna play hide the salami with me?”

Anabelle covered her mouth to silence her laughter but when he playfully leered at her she rolled away clutching her stomach.

“Hey, pretty lady, don’t turn away. I got a little something to show you.”

“Little?” She turned her head to meet his lecherous gaze.

“Wrong word. I take that back. Mammoth. Gargantuan.” He half crawled, half lumbered over to her side of the bed. “How’s about it, pretty lady? Want to play with my gargantuan salami?”

“Stop. My stomach hurts.” Tears of laughter seeped from her eyes.

“Oh pretty lady. Let old Tony see where it hurts.” He rolled her towards him and cocked his head, as if contemplating a starting point. “Here?” He palmed her breast, massaging them. He plumped one then leaned down to nibble the tip. “Or here?” He slid a hand between her legs to the delta that melted at his touch.

Anabelle’s giggles turned into sighs then quiet moans, and then loud moans. Before long the two of them lost the desire to be nosy and became occupied with a hot game of hide the salami.

***

Dani covered her head with a pillow but the sounds of her brother getting it on with his wife still reached her. She tried another pillow, but it still didn’t help. If she added more, she increased the possibility of smothering herself, which defeated the point.

Didn’t Derek know how thin the walls were?

She threw her blankets off and stalked to the sliding glass door that led to the back deck. As quiet as she could, she unlocked the latch. Holding her breath, she slid the door open inch-by-inch. Based on the noises the newlyweds made, her brother wasn’t coming to bust her anytime soon. The gulf breeze raised goose bumps along her arms. She rubbed them for additional heat. Moonlight gave everything a pale glow and she made out Joe’s form in the middle of the swinging porch bed.

“Go back to bed, Dani.” His voice was gruff and slightly muffled.

“I can’t.”

He pushed aside his blanket and leaned against a propped arm. “Why not?”

“The walls are thin.”

Joe gave her a questioning look, which she returned with a meaningful glare. Understanding finally dawned on him and he chuckled. “Guess your guard is taking a break for some personal time.”

“Apparently.”

She moved closer and he half sat up. The speed in which he moved startled her.

“Don’t come any closer, Dani.”

She ignored him and stepped closer. She gasped at the sight of his near naked body wrapped in a thin blanket. As if propelled by a magnetic charge she moved closer.