What a Woman Wants (7 page)

‘So,” he said slowly, reaching out and letting his fingertips stroke up and down her arms, feeling the goose bumps appear on every area he touched. “Since you’re here, I think there’s a few things we need to get out of the way, don’t you?”

He watched her swallow, and the movement of her throat gave him an adrenaline rush that made his body harden even more. He was taken back by the force of his reaction to her. He didn’t know a woman alive who could shoot his libido up sky-high.

“Things like what?”

The sexy tone of her voice, filled with feminine curiosity, sent more adrenaline shooting through his body. If he didn’t get in control of things—and fast—he would be putty in her hands in no time.

“This, for starters,” he said, and before she could react, he grabbed her elbow and brought her closer to the fit of him before lowering his head and capturing her mouth.

Whenever he worked on a car, his body seemed to be filled with excessive energy, which he suspected was the reason he was plunging into this kiss, lapping her up like there was no tomorrow. And he was beginning to feel weak in the knees when he realized she was lapping him back.

Kissing, when you really thought about it, required no degree of experience or skill. All you needed were willing mouths and greedy tongues, and the two of them had both. It seemed they had this segment of lovemaking down to a science. There was no way this could have been a simple kiss, not by the way he was tangling with her tongue like it rightly belonged to him. Mating his mouth with hers was as intense as it could get, and the more he thought about it, the greedier he became and the more he wanted to devour her in a way he had never done with another woman. He bet she would make one hell of a sex partner and knew that in time he would find out just how good she was in bed. He had a feeling they were as sexually compatible as any two people could get.

When he felt himself losing control, he broke off the kiss and pulled back, but thought, “Oh, hell,” and leaned in for another sweep of his tongue across her lips before diving that same tongue right back into her mouth.

Moments later he pulled back and stared down at her. The intensity of his gaze had to be setting her on edge, but he didn’t care. The woman was a witch. She had to be one to have trapped him, the elusive Adam Corbain, this quick and easy.

“So, what’s next?” she asked when he leaned forward and zoomed in for her mouth again.

He blinked, knew he needed to get a grip. “What’s next?”

“Yes. You said there were a couple of things that we needed to get out of the way. So, what’s next?”

Adam breathed in easily. He was tempted to whip her luscious body around, flip her naughty-looking dress up, unzip his jeans, and take her against his car by plunging into her, giving her just what she came for. But he ripped that tempting notion from his mind. No woman had the upper hand when it came to him, especially not this one, who thought she could just breeze into his world—the one she assumed was his—and call the shots. This good ole Tennessee attorney was about to teach the good doctor a lesson about judging a book by its cover. And he would enjoy every minute while doing so.

His lips tilted into a smile when he reached out and handed her a clean rag. When he saw the look of total bemusement on her face, he held back a chuckle when he said, “Next, you can make yourself useful by helping me work on this car.”

“
I must have
misunderstood you,” Shannon said, after finally recovering her voice to speak.

“No, you didn’t misunderstand me,” Adam replied, leaning against a fender of the car and crossing his arms over his chest.

She glared at him. “Don’t be ridiculous. Do I look like I’m dressed to work on a car?”

Adam glanced at her up and down, and the power of his gaze actually made her panties—the skimpy lacey ones she was wearing— wet. He seemed to linger on the strappy sandals on her feet, and she couldn’t help wondering why. She knew some men had a fetish for women’s feet and wondered if perhaps he were one of those kind.

“I’m very well aware of how you’re dressed, Shannon,” he said, breaking into her thoughts by using her given name for the first time. “I also know why,” he added. “But it has come to my attention that you and I need to get a few things straight, right off the bat.”

Shannon’s thoughts whirred. What the hell was he doing, or trying to do? She was the one calling the shots, not him. She tossed down the rag he’d given her and tilted her head slightly to establish perspective. “Look, I think I’m the one who needs to get a few things straight with you,” she said, as if he was one of her students at the university. “When it comes to affairs, I go about handling them a lot different from most women. The only thing I’m looking for is a good time. I’ve never been married nor do I ever plan to marry And I’m not looking at life through any rose-colored glasses. I know the real deal when it comes to relationships, even the supposedly committed kind. When it comes to bed partners, I’m very selective, so consider yourself one of the fortunate ones. You’re not exactly the type of man I’m usually attracted to, but there’s nothing I can do about that since I am attracted to you. But to get the record straight, to get you straight, all I want from you is a summer fling for a couple of weeks. Nothing more, nothing less. When it’s over, I’ll go my way and you can continue to tinker with cars.”

She took a deep breath and with a graceful toss of her head then said, “Now, is there anything you would like to say?”

Adam had to fight to keep from laughing out loud at Shannon’s saucy, I’m-the-one-in-charge, my-way-or-the-highway spiel. With her hands braced on her hips, she looked absolutely luscious, and a part of him longed to give in to her terms and bestow upon her every single thing she wanted, while taking joy in every pleasant thrust. But he had no intentions of doing that, and before he sent her on her merry way, he would teach her one thing. That sassy mouth of hers was better used for kissing.

Pushing away from the car, he slowly closed the distance between them until he was standing directly in front of her. Later to-night he would probably call himself all kinds of fool for sending her away, but she had a lesson to learn that there was more to life than just great sex. Respecting those she had a tendency to look down her snooty nose at would also be nice.

“Yes, there’s something I’d like to say.”

“What?” she all but snapped.

“You talk too damn much.” And before she could utter what he knew would be a blistering response, he leaned in and took claim of that sassy mouth.

Shannon gave up
trying to deny she wanted this kiss and simply... gave in to it, participated in hopeless desperation. The will to pull away was lost within all the sensations she was feeling. When he released her mouth for a brief moment, she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent surrounding them. Oil, gas, fumes ... man. Adam.

And when he took her mouth with finesse, she couldn’t help but moan in irresistible pleasure. She felt herself being lifted into strong arms and placed on the fender of the car. She felt her pulse race uncontrollably when he stepped between her open thighs but he didn’t make a move to get her out of her clothing. Instead he slid a hand between her legs and with a guttural moan he ripped the flimsy material of her panties apart and off her. And then his hand was there, at her wet entrance, the very heat of her. She shivered at the touch, moaned out loud at his strokes, and then groaned at the invasion of his fingers that filled her body with a sexual intensity she didn’t know was possible. Those fingers that he used to work on cars were definitely working on her, flickering to life a fire that she did not know could burn so hot.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and when an orgasm struck, she let out one sultry cry followed by one high-pitched scream as sensations hit her like a shot from cannon. They pulled everything from her while at the same time giving everything to her. The world around her seemed to be spinning on its axis; she was afraid if she opened her eyes, she would see that the moon had actually fallen from the sky. Never had she experienced anything so starkly sexual and so mind-blowingly good. Moments later, like a rag doll she fell forward onto his chest, moaning and breathing in the scent of grease, oil, and sex from a miraculous finger job. And then he tilted her chin and was kissing her again while moving his hand slowly over her hips and belly.

Without any warning, he broke off the kiss and stepped back. Pulling her dress down, he closed her legs and placing his hands beneath her butt, he lifted her off the car. Her body wanted to scream that although what he’d done had been spectacular, wonderful, out-of-this-world brilliant, she wanted everything else that came with it. She wanted an invasion of the most profound kind. She wanted him inside her.

The sound of keys made her eyes open, and she looked at him. He was handing her purse and her car keys to her. “Good night, Dr. Carmichael. If you decide to stop by again, please come dressed to work.”

A few minutes
later Shannon was driving away, fuming.
How dare he!
No man had ever denied her what she’d wanted before. Who in the hell did that two-bit mechanic think he was, anyway?

Her body began humming a tune that said, “Umm, for starters, he’s an expert kisser, and those fingers weren’t so bad either. He made you scream, break loose your impeccable sophistication, and give in to an uninhibited nature where if he’d just said the word, you would have placed yourself on a platter just for his taking. No man has ever made you go that far. No man ...”

And although she didn’t like the thought of being mere putty in any man’s hands, especially the one who had given her an orgasm on the fender of some damn car, she refused to give up on him just yet. Just before walking out the garage door, she had glanced back at him and the look in his eyes had turned just as cold as the metal her butt had rested up against while on that fender.

But still, the man had a lot to learn when it came to the handling of a refined woman. Oh, she would be back, and she, not he, would decide how she would be dressed.

“
So, how did
your date go tonight?”

Shannon wasn’t surprised to find Faith and Monique still up, waiting on her. She knew they hadn’t approved of her going to the repair garage to see Adam. They thought it was a bad and thoughtless move on her part, but they’d also known once she made her mind up about something, there was no talking her out of it.

She threw her purse down on the coffee table and joined them on the sofa. They were her closest friends, and she loved them to death, but a night like tonight was one you just didn’t share. Not in full details, anyway. So she decided to give them the watered-down version. “It went fine and he was a perfect gentleman.”

Monique gave her a smug smile. “And I bet that surprised you since you think men who use their hands for a living lack a level of fine grooming and social skills.”

Shannon frowned. “I never said that.”

“No, but your actions speak louder than words, Shannon. I hate to say this, but one day you’re going to meet your match.”

I might already have,
she thought to herself, remembering just how her night had gone, down to each finest detail. Her missing panties, the ones he’d ripped off her, were a definite reminder. “Keep your predictions to yourself, Monique,” she said, standing and yawning. The magnitude of that orgasm had taken a lot out of her. “I’m turning in, so I’ll see you ladies in the morning.”

“Not me, remember?” Monique said. “I go jogging with Lyle every morning.”

“What’s with you and this Lyle guy?” Faith asked before biting into another large pretzel.

Monique smiled. “He’s nothing but an old family friend. I told you guys that. No big deal.”

“And if it is a big deal, no sweat. You don’t owe us any explanations,” Shannon said, and took the pretzel bag from Faith to start munching on a few. “You’re a woman. He’s a man.”

Monique lifted a brow. “Meaning?”

“Sex. You’re going to eventually do it sometime.”

“Why do you think that everything dealing with a man and woman always equates to sex, Shannon?” Monique asked, clearly frustrated.

“Because it does. You’ll see.” Then without saying anything else, she left the room with Faith and Monique staring after her.

Almost a week
later and Monique was still trying to forget what Shannon had said, but she couldn’t. Why did everything have to boil down to sex with her?

Monique shook her head; she knew the answer. They hadn’t just met Shannon yesterday. They were her closest friends, her confidantes. They’d recognized as teens how her mind had begun to work after finding out about her parents’ sham of a marriage. As far as Shannon was concerned, she didn’t believe in love and wanted no part of it. The love-forever-after bit was meant for only a select few, and she wasn’t one of them. Cely had been the one to make it her goal in life to try and rid Shannon of such foolish notions, and with Cely gone, she guessed the task now fell on her and Faith. Lord knows they would try but...

“Been waiting long?”

Monique glanced up and met Lyle’s heart-stopping smile. He was leaning against a light pole, dressed in a T-shirt and jogging shorts, and he looked a lot more relaxed than she felt. She tried not to notice all those things about him today that she had every day; his fine body, his muscular physique, and his all-too-handsome face. Those were all sexual things, and she refused to give in to Shannon’s theory that when it came to a man and woman, it was all about sex. But then, inwardly she would be the first to admit that she
had
been thinking more about it lately since running into Lyle and jogging with him every morning.

“No, I haven’t been waiting long. You’re right on time.”

“Good.” He began walking toward her, and once again she tried not to notice how good he looked. Even his walk had a certain suaveness to it. When he came to stand in front of her, his lips hinted at another smile. “Hey, you’re okay?”

She nodded. “Sure. Why do you ask?”

He studied her for a moment. “You seem nervous about something this morning. Are you sure you’re all right?”

No, I’m not all right,
her mind wanted to scream.
I
’
m beginning to see you as a man
—
a very desirable man
—
and I don’t want to. “
Yes, Lyle, I’m fine. Really,” she said, as a way to convince him.

No one, except for Cely, knew that she hadn’t slept with a man since losing Paul three years ago. She’d had the time but not the inclination. Cely had known and understood and had taken Monique’s secret to the grave with her. She knew if she were to confide in Faith that she, too, would understand. But Shannon wouldn’t get it. She would snatch her off to a shrink and then they would leave there and go to the nearest “toy” store.

Monique inwardly smiled. They all knew about Shannon’s “toy” collection, but Monique hadn’t needed or wanted any toys. The memories of what she and Paul had shared had sustained her.

Until now.

Seeing Lyle as a man in the flesh starkly reminded her of what she’d not been sharing with a male, which only confirmed Shannon’s sordid theory on relationships. Her and Lyle’s relationship was based on friendship and nothing more, but that didn’t mean she was wrong to notice him as a good-looking man, was it?

“I don’t have to report to class until later today. Would you like to have breakfast with me?”

Lyle’s statement interrupted her musings. She glanced up at him. “Breakfast?”

“At my place after we finish our jog. If you recall, I can cook.”

Yes, she did recall that. Their parents were convinced that if it hadn’t been for Lyle’s expertise in the kitchen, Arnie would have starved to death in med school. To say her brother would have tried to survive on chips and sodas would have been an understatement.

“And you’re willing to go out of your way and do something like that for me?” she asked, sending him a smile. She knew his time had to be tight while teaching those classes at the hospital each day. They had been around Shannon enough to know that preparing to teach a class was time consuming.

“Sure I am. Besides, although we’ve been jogging together for a couple of weeks, we’ve talked about a lot of things but not anything personal, and I want to bring you up to date on what’s been going on in the Montgomery family. There have been two weddings that I haven’t had the time to tell Arnie about.”

She knew he was right. While jogging they barely had time to talk, and afterwards he usually had to rush off for the class he was teaching. But she was enjoying the time they did share together. “In that case, yes, I don’t have anything planned for the rest of the morning, so having breakfast with you would be nice. But first I want to go home and shower and change. Usually I’m all hot and sweaty after running.”

His smile widened. “That’s fine. Now let’s get our jog out of the way so I can feed you.”

Faith glanced around
the prestigious-looking clubhouse. Sea Pines was the site of the island’s best-known landmark, a maroon-and-white-striped lighthouse at the Harbour Town Yacht Basin. That was where the New England-style village was located that contained shops, restaurants, and places for all sorts of water sports. She and Shannon were making one of the cafes there their favorite place for breakfast.

Her mind was pulled back to the clubhouse. From where she was standing in the lobby, she saw that one side of the building was the site of an eighteen-hole golf course and the other side were the eight tennis courts. She also took note of the Olympic-size pool, a smaller kiddie pool, and a playground for children.

Children.

For a brief moment she allowed the thought, the question of whether or not she would ever have any children to form in her mind. That had always been her dream; to grow up, get married, and have babies. Unfortunately, the latter part of that dream never came to pass because of Virgil. For a long while she had thought about adopting, but then had decided to just wait. If she could, she wanted to experience bringing a child into the world. She wouldn’t take such drastic actions like Shannon had once suggested before denying herself the full experience of motherhood.

“We meet again, I see.”

Faith whirled around, recognizing that deep, masculine voice. It was the man from the grocery store a week or so ago. She really should not have been surprised at seeing him again. After all, the island was small. Besides that, when she’d left the store she had an inkling their paths would cross again. Somehow she had known it.

The first thing she noticed was that he was as handsome as her eyesight had led her to believe. The second was that he was holding a racket and was dressed for a game of tennis.

“Yes, and I see you’re about to play tennis.”

He smiled. “That’s right, I am. This island has the best tennis courts.”

“Sounds like you’re an expert player.”

“I do okay. In fact, I teach tennis to the kids in my community when I have the time. If it was left up to me, every child in this country would own a pair of jogging shoes and a tennis racket before they turn twelve. What about you? Do you play?”

She shook her head sadly. “No, I didn’t get to participate in a lot of sports as a child. I suffered from a severe case of asthma, and to say my parents were overprotective would be an understatement. Now that I’ve grown out of the condition, I’m trying to make up for lost time. I learned how to swim a couple of years ago, and now I want to learn how to play tennis. I’m here to sign up for a class. I hear they offer several.”

Shane nodded. “They do, but actually they are tennis clinics and not classes. Beginners need one-on-one instruction. You can inquire, but I think you’ll have to visit another clubhouse for the individual teachings, and I understand they’re rather expensive. However, I’d like to make a suggestion, if I may.”

“And what suggestion is that?”

“That you let me teach you.”

Faith quickly shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than to spend it teaching me to play tennis.”

He smiled. “I can’t think of a better way to spend my time other than with you.” He’d lowered his voice a little, and the provocative and sexy sound sent shivers all through her. Although he was only offering tennis lessons, somehow it seemed her body didn’t understand that.

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch on as fast as you’d want me to,” she said, fishing for any excuse. This man did things to her. Things she wasn’t sure she was ready for. Shannon was the one dead set on having a summer affair. She wasn’t.

Faith watched as Shane took a slow step to stand directly in front of her. “May I ask you something?” he inquired, his tone of voice a notch lower than before.

She swallowed. “Yes.”

“Do I make you nervous?”

The question for some reason gave him even more physical appeal. Yes, he made her nervous because around him she was starkly reminded that she was a woman with needs, needs that hadn’t been taken care of for some time. But to him she said, “No, you don’t make me nervous. What makes you think that you do?”

He shrugged. “Umm, no reason.”

She met his gaze. There was a reason or he would not have brought it up. She then decided to ask a question of her own, one she’d been wondering about since first meeting him. “Are you here with someone?” She couldn’t imagine a man who looked like him vacationing alone.

“No, I’m not here with anyone. Like I told you that day we met, I own a summer home here, but I live in Detroit. After enduring a hellishly cold winter, I was ready to head south for the summer.”

She understood the feeling. Minnesota’s winters were just as bad, which was why her parents had always come to Hilton Head each summer. She felt a rush of relief knowing she was not extremely attracted to someone else’s husband or significant other.

“So, if I don’t make you nervous, and you know I’m here on the island alone, can you think of any reason why I can’t teach you to play tennis?”

Shane’s words recaptured Faith’s attention. Oh, she could think of plenty of reasons, but none she wanted to share with him. So she answered his question the only way she could. “No, there’s no reason as long as we maintain a professional relationship.”

A smile tilted his lips and made that dimple in his chin definitely noticeable. Too noticeable. “We will, while on the courts. Beyond that I won’t make any promises.”

She knew she had found a loophole and that now was the time to say
Thanks, but no thanks,
that she didn’t need their professional relationship extended beyond the courts. But for some reason she couldn’t make herself say any of that. Around him she had no will to fight or deny what she really wanted. “Okay, fair enough,” she heard herself saying.

“Great. We can get those lessons started today and can meet again tomorrow. After the first week, once you get the swing of things, then we can meet twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. Will that work for you?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Good and I reserved a court earlier that we can use today, and you’re dressed to play, so we—”

“But I don’t have a tennis racket.”

“We can rent one at the front desk. Besides, I don’t recommend that you go out and purchase one until it’s determined what kind is best for you. That will be decided by your stroke form.”

Faith nodded. He certainly
seemed
knowledgeable about tennis, and a part of her believed that he was. Her only misgiving was what being around him each day could and would do to her.

And she had an unfortunate feeling that she would find out. Starting today.