Too Hot to Handle: A Boys of Summer Novel (5 page)

“What are you doing here?” Nikki pulled the collar of her robe self-consciously around her neck and eyed the flowers suspiciously.

He was dressed in a loose cotton shirt and khaki shorts, the blue wig now gone, and he looked exactly like what he was: a hot baseball player trying to impress a girl. The little-boy smile tantalized her as he held out the roses.

“Thought you might be hungry. A picnic would be a lot more fun than ordering pizza and drinking hotel wine.”

It was as if he’d read her thoughts, for ordering takeout was going to be exactly the next thing she did. “I’m sorry, but I’m busy. So if you don’t mind—”

But he’d already walked past her and into the kitchen. After placing the basket on the counter, he began to riffle through the cabinets. He found a glass and put the flowers inside with some water, while Nikki gazed at him indignantly.

“Look, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot.” The smile deepened. “I know you’ve had a rough day. I’ve got fried chicken, corn on the cob, and fresh strawberries for dessert. The moon’s going to be full and the beach is spectacular when the stars come out.” His eyes dared her.

She gazed at him, fighting an internal battle, her body at war with her mind. “You know I can’t do this.”

“Do what?” Blue eyes twinkled at her.

“This.” She indicated the flowers, the picnic basket, and him. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean.”

“I don’t,” he said innocently and hefted the basket. “Dinner. You have to eat, right? I assumed you didn’t know anyone here in Clearwater, and hotel rooms can start to close in on you.”

In truth, his offer was tempting. A picnic on the beach. With Jake. She could smell something delicious emanating from the basket, and could see the wine bottle protruding from beneath a red-checkered napkin. It would be a hell of a lot better than Tony’s pizza, and yet as enticing as it sounded, it was just a little too…romantic.

He took her silence as a no. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’ll be the guy alone on the beach having a picnic all by myself.”

He turned and walked out the door, carrying his basket.

Nikki leaned against the wall, finally able to breathe. What the hell had just happened? Nothing, she reminded herself. Other than the fact that the man she was secretly drooling over had just stopped by and invited her to a romantic dinner on the beach.

Her gaze switched to the roses. This guy had all the moves. He hadn’t touched her, but it hardly mattered. The same delicious desire she’d felt in the shower had come back tenfold after having him in her room when she was practically naked. The terry-cloth robe seemed entirely too tight and chafed against her sensitive skin. Worse, the blood still moved thickly through her veins, and every cell of her body seemed alive and quivering with sensation.

Sex.

It pooled in her breasts, burned in her belly and between her legs, where she still throbbed…

Nikki groaned. What the hell was she going to do? She couldn’t go out with him. Jake was cocky enough as it was without her adding any fuel to that fire. Yet she couldn’t deny the sexual chemistry that sparked between them. Never had she experienced anything like it: the simplest touch or even a glance turned her on.

She wanted him. It was as simple and complicated as that.

Agitated, Nikki began pacing the room. She couldn’t let this happen. Whatever it took, she was going to get this attraction under control. She wasn’t some lovesick teenager having her first crush. She was a woman, a powerful, successful woman, and wasn’t about to jeopardize everything for a night of sex.

Even hot, blind, unthinking, bang-the-hell-out-of-me-into-oblivion sex.

That thought made her hesitate. Maybe it was the moon, or hormones, or pure insanity. Maybe he really was too hot to handle. Or maybe the loneliness was beginning to get to her. Totally confused, she did what she always did when she felt that way.

She called her sister.

“This had better be important,” Natalie said, snatching up her cell phone as she climbed out of the tub. “Marcus is out of town, the kids are at a sleepover, and I was enjoying a soak.”

Nikki could just picture her sister in her fabulous gray-and-white marble bathroom, splashing water all over the floor. She was married to a famous real-estate developer in Miami and enjoying the fruits of his labor.

She and her sister had been polar opposites ever since she could remember. Natalie was blond, flirtatious, and beautiful. High school had been a blast for her, and she never sat home alone on a Saturday night. Predictably, she got married right after graduation to a diamond in the rough who had gone on to make a fortune. Nikki was the focused one, the one who got straight A’s, the one who excelled in soccer. Yet she’d always felt like a geek around guys, stammering over her words, uncertain how this game was played.

Natalie had tried to warn her about Jack, but Nikki couldn’t hear her at the time. She hadn’t been able to see past his good looks to the lack of character underneath. He was a jock, handsome, and all the girls wanted to be with him. The slick façade hid a self-centered, narcissistic man.

And she was desperately afraid of making the same mistake again.

“So what’s up?”

“I think I’m losing my mind,” Nikki admitted ruefully.

“I seriously doubt that.” Natalie couldn’t hide the amusement in her voice. “Wait until I get a towel.”

She heard her sister rustling around in her fabulous bathroom. “Okay, spill. Is it a guy?”

Damned if her sister didn’t nail it.

“It’s a client, but he’s a baseball player.” Nikki winced as she confessed this. “It’s bad.”

“Oh my God. So tell me, what did the bastard do?”

“It’s not like that.” Nikki sighed. “Jake Baldwin is a flirt, a playboy. He’s dated everyone including his chiropractor. He embodies everything I’m against except—”

“You have the hots for him.” Natalie giggled. “Oh, Nikki, I’m so glad.”

“What?” she asked, incredulous. “This is the worst possible thing that could happen! He is part of the team I’m representing. You know I don’t get romantically involved where business is concerned. And he’s a
baseball player
!”

“I know it’s not ideal,” her sister said sympatheti
cally. “But Nikki, how awful is it really? You’re young, and so is this guy. He’d have to be to be playing in MLB. But I haven’t heard you sound so excited in years. Is it so terrible to have some fun?” Her voice lowered. “Are you afraid he’s a kiss-and-tell type?”

“I don’t think so.” She cringed. “He would be very reluctant to admit to his teammates that he was involved with me.”

“Perfect. If the guy’s a player, then he knows what he’s doing. He’s not looking for anything serious, probably just a fling. You spent enough time with that loser husband of yours, and you paid your dues. You were the responsible one; you cleaned up his mess, just like you always do. It’s your turn now.”

“But it could cost me this job! The director of communications hates me already. I’m sure he’d love to use something like this to get me thrown out.”

“So what?” Natalie snorted. “You have more business than you know what to do with. You’ve made your name at this point. If this doesn’t work out, you move on to the next gig. It’s not like you’re in some big corporation and work for this guy. What else?”

“But what if it’s…awesome?” She finally said what she feared the most.

Natalie laughed. “Then you have a great memory. In my previous experience, when you feel this way about a guy you have to act on it sooner or later. And if you do and it’s not so great? Then you can put him out of your mind and get him out of your system. Chances are it’s the latter.”

Nikki seriously doubted it. “But I’ve never been the type to just sleep around. I always fall in love when I get physically involved.”

“That would be adorable if you were sixteen,” her sister said shrewdly. “At twenty-eight, with a divorce under your belt? Naïve doesn’t begin to address it. Come on, Nick, what are you waiting for? Your hymen to grow back? Can you imagine that all over again?”

Nikki dissolved into laughter. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“Anytime,” Natalie said brightly. “Just remember, don’t fall for him. That’s the only way you could get hurt. Think of this as a massage with benefits. Men have been doing that forever.”

Nikki hung up the phone. Natalie had been the type who always lived in the moment. She drove Nikki insane when they were teenagers, for she couldn’t understand her sister’s thought process. Natalie never thought about sacrificing in the present to plan for the future; indeed, she had almost a fatalistic attitude that tomorrow would never come. But Nikki had to admit her own decisions hadn’t exactly worked out that well either.

And physically, a hot one-night stand would do her good. She hadn’t been with a man in three years, and at her age, that was a long time. It wasn’t that she didn’t think about sex, or miss the feel of being in a man’s arms. It was just that she was so focused on becoming financially stable that the thought of a relationship was simply too much to wrap her brain around.

In truth, she still wasn’t ready for the emotional part. She couldn’t bring herself to even think the “L” word. The loss of her marriage had meant not just the loss of Jack Case, but her dreams about the future, having her own children, creating a family. She was still recovering from the damage the divorce had caused her. She couldn’t risk that kind of pain again so soon.

So maybe this was a solution. Jake was not the kind of guy looking to settle down. He wanted to have fun, enjoy himself, and would move on once the flame between them died. And while she didn’t know much about him yet, from the way Pete talked and the obvious admiration his teammates had for him, she didn’t think he’d be a jerk about it once it was over.

Could she do it? Could she have a fling just for fun?

Jake Baldwin had practically dared her. As Nikki gazed out the window, she made a decision.

She was going to call his bluff.

God help them both.

She saw him as soon as she stepped out of the hotel room and ran across the sand. Jake had spread the checkered cloth on the beach and was, as promised, sitting by himself. When she approached, he rose and gave her a surprised smile.

“I was just trying to decide whether to hang out for a while or pack up my picnic and go home.” His appreciative gaze fell lower, and he smoothed the collar of the white shirt she wore tied over her red bikini. “Kinda glad I didn’t.”

“I’m here.” He saw a spark of mischief in her eyes. “So what are you going to do with me?”

He started to reach for her, but to his utter surprise, she beat him to it. Nikki threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Jake groaned, and pulled her up against his hard-muscled body.
Damn,
but she tasted good, hot and sweet, with a touch of salt from the ocean.

He wanted this girl. Wanted her with an intensity that he hadn’t imagined until now. It seemed every cell in his body cried out for him to make her his own. Feverishly, he kissed her neck and her throat, hearing her moan as she clutched his shirt and tore at the buttons as if she couldn’t get it off him quickly enough. Eagerly, he shrugged it off his shoulders and let it drop to the sand.

Her blouse had come loose and he saw that her hot red swimsuit barely covered the essentials. A spike of male testosterone shot through him and urged him to strip those tiny pieces of fabric from her until she lay naked and writhing beneath him in the sand. Blood pounded through his body and his erection was rock hard. He couldn’t wait to get inside her, to feel her warm wetness close around him as her body rose up against him…

But something was wrong. Through a haze of red heat, he realized she was kissing him too hard, too fast, her hands clutching at his pants as if trying to lose herself in oblivion.

“Come on, hotshot. Let’s see what you’ve got.” Frantically, she tore at his belt buckle, almost ordering him out of his trousers.

“Whoa,” he said, stepping back. It was as if she had thrown a bucket of ice water over his head. The frantic urge to take her faded as he became aware that her eyes were tightly closed, and reality intruded as he realized the meaning of that:

She was fantasizing.

He could be anyone.

Male outrage overwhelmed him. She was using him just to satisfy a sexual need, as if he were a hired escort! To Nikki, he was nothing more than a warm body. Her hand was traveling dangerously lower, and he caught her wrist before she could get any farther. He was already on the verge of totally losing control.

“What’s wrong?” Her eyes blinked and she appeared totally baffled.

“You tell me.” His voice was harsh even in his own ears.

“I don’t know what you mean.” She gazed at him in confusion.

“I’m not some piece of ass that you can just use for the night,” Jake said, surprised at his own outrage.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” The sexual haze that had been surrounding her seemed to dissipate quickly. She stared at him in disbelief, her head cocked to one side, her eyebrows arched.

“No, I’m not. Get dressed,” Jake ordered abruptly. He grabbed his shirt and shrugged it on, grateful for something to do in order to gain a modicum of control. “Here.” He handed her the blouse, careful not to look too closely at her and change his mind.

Her gaze switched to his and she frowned even as she put on the top. “Okay, so what is it really? You’re not…attracted to me?”

“God no. I mean yes. I mean…
damn,
” Jake gritted. “I
am
attracted.
Too
attracted.” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. When his gaze shifted back to her, to his relief, she was covered by her shirt. But she was still gazing at him with those huge, crystal-blue eyes…

“Look, let’s slow things down a bit,” he said, the blood still throbbing in his brain. “I’d like to get to know you better.”

She knotted her shirt around her waist and her eyes narrowed speculatively, as if she was trying to figure out his game.

“You want to get to know me.” She sounded like she thought it was a joke.

“Yes,” Jake managed. He was still fighting the urge to kiss her senseless, to take what she was offering and the hell with the consequences. But he forced himself to slow down. “I don’t know anything about you,” he managed. “You know, normal things like where are you from? Do you have any siblings? What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this? And most of all, why did you agree to come out?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?” It was his turn to be baffled.

“This.” She waved a hand, gesturing toward the picnic, the blanket, the ocean. “The whole romantic setup. I get it. It’s your style, the whole seduction scene. But let’s be real. You are a serial dater, never serious with any girl. And we have this…attra
ction between us.”

“And?”

“I don’t need the roses, the beachside picnic. I think we both know what we want to get out of this. So why pretend?”

Her eyes seemed to look right through him and her meaning was clear. She wanted a fuck buddy. That was all.

Most guys would have been thrilled at the prospect. Beautiful girl. Hot sex. No strings attached. He felt as though he were in a poker game, and his hand had been called by a much more knowledgeable player.

He decided to put his cards on the table. At least some of them. “Look, one-night stands are a dime a dozen. Either one of us could go out to a bar right now, pick somebody out, and satisfy our sexual needs. That’s not what I want. I don’t think it’s what you want, either. You are worth so much more than that. I want to get to know the real Nikki Case.”

“Why am I having such a hard time believing that?” Her arms were crossed and she looked him up and down appraisingly.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. He was surprised himself. But it was true. He continued from the heart. “From where I stand, I think you are one hell of a woman. You intrigue me, and not just on a physical level. Is that so hard to accept?”

That seemed to set her back on her heels. For a moment she looked flustered as she considered his words. Apparently, it
was
hard for her to believe.

Jake took a seat on the checkered tablecloth and extended his hand, inviting her. Dubiously, she joined him, and he poured her some wine.

“Peace offering?” He extended the glass.

She accepted the wine, her fingers brushing his, making him fully aware that he had let her go when he had her right where he wanted her. He could tell that she was trying to make sense of it all. His body still sent conquering signals, but he vowed to stay firm.

Even if it killed him in the meantime.

“So where are you from?” He managed to sound conversati
onal.

“South Jersey.” She did a little eye roll, as if struggling to digest the fact that they were going to talk. “I currently live in Marlton.”

“I know where that is. Just outside Cherry Hill. Any siblings?”

“One sister. You’d like her—she’s not at all like me. Blond and beautiful, and a whole lot more fun.”

He refilled her cup, and then topped off his own. “For the record, I don’t prefer blondes.” That got him a smile. “So how did you wind up here?”

“When my marriage fell apart, I got a job in public relations. I used to have a pet shop, but found out my ex hadn’t paid the taxes so I couldn’t keep it. This kind of work pays a lot more.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. About your marriage, I mean.” He saw the shadow of pain in her eyes. Up close, the color was even more fascinating, sort of a periwinkle blue deepened with purple.

Strangely enough, he felt an urge to beat the crap out of the guy who had caused her grief. Surprised at the surge of protective instinct she aroused, he distracted himself by taking strawberries out of the basket, and placed the dish between them.

“It was a long time ago.” Nikki accepted a berry. “I guess we were both too young. But it all worked out. I love what I do, even if the ballplayers don’t.”

“I think your talent and passion for your work is very sexy.”

She picked up the glass quickly and swallowed the wine. He was pleased to see her color deepen even as she averted her eyes. He could tell that she liked what he said, even though she’d never admit it.

And that was more telling than if she had responded.

They enjoyed the food and each other’s company. With sex off the table, they focused on the little things. What movies they both loved. Bars they favored. Restaurants they enjoyed, and sports they played. Nikki appeared surprised to learn that baseball wasn’t Jake’s first choice in college; he played football first, then switched when their high school baseball team needed players.

“That’s amazing,” she said, finishing her dinner. “Most guys wouldn’t make the major leagues no matter how hard they tried. Yet for you it was your second choice.”

He shrugged. “My father died when I was young, and our high school didn’t have a lot of money to invest in sports. Baseball is easy; all you need is a sandlot, a bat, a glove and a ball. Most of the people in my family are athletes, so I think it just comes easily to us. What you do is second nature to you. You know how to write, communicate, can envision a story from whatever’s happening around you. Do you know how many people would struggle to do that?”

Strangely enough, she seemed much more disconcerted by a compliment than the prospect of having wild sex on the beach. Idly, Jake wondered what had transpired between her and her ex-husband. It couldn’t have been good to have left her so black and white, and so unsure of herself.

The first stars began to emerge in the darkening sky and she rose to her knees. “I have to go. After all, I don’t know what I’m going to face next week when the team returns to New Jersey.”

“I’ll walk you back.” He reached for her hand and helped her to her feet. Together they picked up the cloth and the picnic basket.

She was pensive on the way to the hotel, and Jake knew better than to try and draw her out. He knew she didn’t understand his choice tonight, but he couldn’t explain it to her. It wasn’t about the bet. At least not entirely. What he had said to her was true.

He wanted to know her.

“Good night.” Placing a kiss on her forehead, he walked away only after she had inserted her key and was safe inside.

Over the next few weeks, he was certain she would do everything within her power to put as much distance between them as possible. Given the time to think, she’d decide that since he was not willing to be her personal Chippendale, it was time to move on. Nikki would fight him every step of the way, and herself just as much.

Damned if he wasn’t looking forward to it.

The hotel room seemed very quiet when she closed the door. Nikki changed into a tee shirt and bikini bottoms, and then ventured to the balcony.

The moon had risen, painting the ocean with silver as the stars twinkled overhead. A lush breeze blew, enveloping her with the scent of spring flowers and salt air, and she envisioned her erotic kiss on the beach. Yet the conclusion, or lack of it, left her far from satisfied.

He didn’t want her. There was no other explanation. An embarrassed flush stained her cheeks as she realized that she’d let him know in no uncertain terms that she was his. And yet he passed her up as easily as if choosing the salmon over the steak.

Why? Wasn’t she good enough? Pretty enough? Sexy enough? The moon didn’t answer her, and the music of the insects wasn’t enough to soothe her ragged nerves. Her body, aroused for the first time in a long time by a man, was as tightly wound as a spool of thread.

Her eyes fell on the flowers and she frowned. If he wasn’t interested, why all the attention, the roses, and the romantic picnic on the beach? A mortified possibility came to her. Maybe he just wanted to know he could. Maybe he’d had so many women to choose from that it was all just a game.

She grew more embarrassed by the moment, but then reality returned. A man didn’t kiss a woman the way he’d kissed her unless he wanted her. And she remembered how hard and hot he was when he held her close. That wasn’t something any man could fake. Not even Jake.