Truth or Dare (18 page)

He was definitely getting to her.  She wanted him.  She could freely admit that now, at least to herself.

Physically wasn't the only way she wanted him, however.

They could laugh with each other now, as well as work.  When they disagreed on something, there was no pouting or petty insults or anger.  There was only simple argument.  They got along so well, despite the mounting sexual tension that practically sizzled around them, that Rachel began to long for more than just physical things.

She wanted to lean on him and cry on his shoulder when Mike left home a year or two from now.  She wanted to sit beside him and watch as their daughters became women.  She wanted to let him catch her beneath the mistletoe at Christmas, when her hair was gray and her skin wrinkled.  She wanted to watch his face light with joy when their grandchildren came to visit.

Grandchildren?  Good grief, Rachel.

She shook her thoughts away with a frown and poked a pencil into the electric pencil sharpener on her desk.  At least Jared had kept his promise to not rush her.  In fact, he'd been "not rushing" her so much, they hadn't even been alone together since that night Caro and Mike had both been gone.  The night of the slumber party.  The night she had lain awake after Jared left and wondered if maybe, just maybe, if they made love, he wouldn't think she was a disappointment.

There was another Bluejay slumber party planned for Saturday night after the game, but she and Jared certainly wouldn't be getting together during this one.  Deb was hosting it.  Jared Morgan's home was about to be invaded by twelve
–
year
–
old girls.

Jared walked in just then and caught her laughing.  "What's so funny?"

"I was just wondering how you're going to survive tomorrow night's invasion.  Think you can handle it?"

"My dear madam," he said.  "You are looking at a veteran of several such invasions, I'll have you know."

"Oh, well, pardon me," she said, trying to achieve a straight face, and failing.  "I should have known."

"Actually," he said, "Nora's handling the kitchen, and I'm the combination outdoor chef and lifeguard.  I could possibly use a little help in that area," he added, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.  Then he narrowed his eyes.  "Any volunteers?"

"What?" she said, feigning shock.  "You mean you're actually admitting you might need help?"

They bantered back and forth for several minutes, then Jared stopped laughing and said, "How about it?  Will you come?  If you'll help me keep an eye on them in the pool, after I throw them out we could swim for a while.  You wouldn't really have to do any work."

Rachel accepted without hesitation.  After all, it wasn't like they'd be alone.  How out of hand could things get, with an entire softball team to chaperon them?

*  *  *  *

Rachel spent half of Saturday trying on swimsuits she hadn't worn in years, trying to decide on one.  Maybe she should buy a new one?  She was tempted to do just that until she ran across the maillot she'd bought in Acapulco one year.  It stretched over her body like a second skin, swirling from turquoise to royal blue to navy to black, and was cut high at the hips.  Tiny straps draped her shoulders, then crisscrossed down her back to tie near the base of her spine.

A bikini would be more revealing, and for that reason, she chose the maillot.  Her bikinis barely covered the essentials, and made no attempt at all to cover anything else.  Lord!  She'd actually worn those things in public.

She chose a black, loose
–
weave coverup that had short sleeves and ended at mid thigh.  Suit and coverup were so flimsy, they both rolled up and fit into her purse with hardly a bulge.

*  *  *  *

One adult volunteer and a dozen screaming Bluejays bouncing off the walls over their unbroken winning streak descended on Jared Morgan's single
–
parent household that night.

How all twelve girls managed to cram themselves into Deb's room, and change into their swimsuits while there, was beyond Rachel.

Nora, Jared's middle
–
aged, matronly housekeeper, showed Rachel to an upstairs guest room, one of several, so Rachel could change clothes.  She put on the suit, coverup and sandals, then studied herself in the full
–
length mirror on the closet door.

Her face and arms were tanned just from going to the softball games.  But her legs were pale.  No help for it.

She'd expected to be nervous about this evening, but, oddly enough, she wasn't.  She looked forward to spending time away from work with Jared, yet not alone with him.

Although, she had to admit she did want to be alone with him.  Every day she fell a little further under his spell.  Every day, under his warmth, Hank's vicious taunt lost a little more power.

Where it was all leading, she didn't know.  She only knew Jared made her feel alive, for the first time in years.  He made her want things she thought she'd never want again, and he filled her with promise that he would fill those wants.  All she had to do was let him.  And she was tempted.  Oh, so tempted.

But not here, and not tonight.  Tonight was for the girls.  For fun.

Rachel followed the sounds of giggles and girl
–
talk down the stairs, through a comfortable looking den, and out the sliding glass doors to the patio and pool.

Hickory smoke drifted on the light summer breeze.  She turned to find it's source, and found more.  Jared stood at the grill, spatula in hand, his eyes moving deliberately over every square inch of her.

She returned his perusal and felt a fluttering in her chest.  He wore nothing but black, revealing, swim trunks.  It was only the second time she'd seen him other than fully clothed, and the sight of all that sleek, tanned skin stretched taut over the curves and dips of his muscles took her breath away.  Her fingers tingled, wanted to thread themselves through the dark furring on his chest.

Finally their eyes met, and Rachel found herself standing directly before him, having no idea how she got there.

"Hello," they said in unison.  Then they smiled at each other.

Jared tore his gaze away and cleared his throat.  He turned two hamburger patties on the grill before looking back at her.  "I thought you and I could eat while the girls swim.  Once they eat, they're out of the pool for the night."

"Where's Nora?" Rachel asked, glancing around.

Jared chuckled.  "She's in the kitchen making the rest of the patties."

"I should probably go help her."

As she stepped away, he grasped her arm, smiling.  "No way, lady.  You agreed to help me, not my housekeeper.  You wouldn't really leave me alone with all these girls, would you?"

A few minutes later they sat at a glass
–
topped wicker table near the grill, out of normal splashing range, and kept an eye on the swimmers while they ate and tried to talk over the shrieking and laughing of young girls and the blare of rock music
. 
Jared's eyes kept skimming down, trying to see through the loose weave of Rachel's coverup.

Two other sets of eyes, youthful, mischievous, were also looking at that coverup.  "We've got to do something," one girl whispered.

"Yeah," the other answered.  "If we don't, she'll wear that thing all night."

Around sundown, the Bluejays decided they were ready to eat.  Jared and Rachel covered the grill with hamburger patties and lined the table with paper plates, mustard, catsup, mayon
naise, sliced cheese, sliced pickles, and sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, three kinds of chips and four kinds of dip.  An ice chest next to the table overflowed with soft drinks.

When all the meat was cooked, Jared flipped on the pool and yard lights, then led Rachel to the other end of the patio, where they stretched out side by side on matching chaise lounges.

A few girls sat on lawn chairs, but most simply sat on towels spread out on the hot concrete.

"Hey Dad," Deb hollered.  "We need more chips."

When Jared didn't move, Rachel started to get up.

"Sit still," he warned.  "They'll have us waiting on them hand and foot all night."  To Deb, he called, "There's more in the kitchen.  Ask Nora."

"I thought I came here to help," Rachel said.

"You did.  But if you're determined to indulge someone's every whim, indulge mine."  He threaded his fingers through hers and brought their joined hands to his chest.  "The girls can take care of themselves."

"Jared."  She tugged to free her hand, even though she wanted to hold on.  "Let go.  The girls are watching."

He looked across the corner of the pool and met several direct stares, two in particular more intent than the others.  Deb and Caro were grinning from ear to ear.

"Let them," he said with a shrug.  "I don't think the sight of a man and woman holding hands will do any irreparable harm."

When she refused to relax, he released her hand.  She glanced back at the girls.  Deb and Caro were frowning.

Soon the girls got up and started tossing empty paper plates into the trash can and headed indoors, taking their music with them.  There was a moment of silence, then a different tune blasted the air when Deb turned on MTV.

Through the sliding glass doors, Rachel and Jared watched the girls shove aside coffee tables, chairs, and footstools, so they could dance.

Surprisingly, Deb and Caro came back outside to help their parents clean up.

"You girls go on back in," Jared said.  "We can handle this."

"That's okay, Dad.  We want to help."

Jared shrugged at the two earnest faces.  "Suit your
selves."

When everything was neat and orderly, Caro picked up the last remaining, open, jar of mustard and started past Rachel.  In a neatly executed maneuver, Caro managed to trip and fall against her mother.  Rachel staggered back, then caught Caro by the shoulders.

"Oh, Mom, look what I've done," Caro wailed dramatically.

Rachel followed her daughter's gaze and sighed as a large glob of mustard slid down the front of her coverup, dribbled onto her knee, then splattered between her toes.

"Oh, Mom.  I'm sorry.  Here," Caro said, yanking black buttons through crocheted loops.  "I'll go rinse it out before it stains.  And I'll clean your sandals, too."

Rachel tried to back away from the eager fingers, but Deb came to help.  "Really, girls, it's
—
"  Too late.  Coverup and sandals were stripped from her in seconds.  "Uh, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Deb said, backing away.  "I mean, it's the least we could do, right Caro?"

"Right.  Oh Deb!  Look out!"

Deb spun around and tripped.  She put her hands out, caught her balance for a moment, then stumbled into Jared.  His cry of surprise was cut off the instant he hit the water and went under.

When he came up sputtering for air, Rachel stood at the edge of the pool laughing, the two girls behind her.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you," he growled.  He glanced past Rachel, then grinned at her.

Behind her, she heard a giggle.  Hands thrust against her back.  She sailed through the air to land with a big splash, right square in Jared's arms.  Her shriek ended in a gurgle.

She came up shouting.  "Caroline Marie!"

"You're too late," Jared said between bursts of laughter.

Rachel pushed away from his chest, shaken by the feel of his wet, slippery skin, and turned toward the house while treading water.  They could have at least pushed them into the shallow end!

She was just in time to see the two culprits step through the sliding door.  One of them said something about cupid.  A duet of giggles floated back, then the glass doors slid shut, followed immediately by heavy, lined drapes swishing closed.

Behind her, Jared was still laughing.

"'Oh, Mom, look what I've done,'" she mimicked.  "I'll murder the little devil."

"No you won't," Jared said, still laughing.  "You've got to admit, the whole thing was pretty clever on their part."

Rachel chuckled, then sucked in her breath when his warm hands slid around her waist from behind and pulled her back against his chest.  Hot lips nuzzled behind her ear as hair
–
roughen
ed thighs slid against her smooth ones
beneath the water.

She gasped.  "Jared."

"God, but you feel good," he whispered, trailing his lips down her neck.  "I've been wanting to put my arms around you, feel you next to me, all night."

His lips, his hands and legs, and the warm, sensuous feel of the water, robbed Rachel of all thought, except more.  She wanted more.  "Oh, Jared," she moaned.

An instant later the pool and patio lights went out, leaving Rachel and Jared with nothing more than starshine and the glow from the nearby windows.  Jared threw his head back and laughed.

"Those little devils," Rachel muttered.

"Relax."  His deep voice rumbled in his chest and vibrated right through Rachel's back, sending shivers down her spine.