Chapter 4
Warm sand heated the back of her thighs as Dylan slowly trailed kisses across her jaw and down her neck. Without warning, he sat up, yanking her shirt up and over her head. His own shirt followed. “You’re beautiful,” he said in a whisper before covering her body with his.
Water tickled their feet as Dylan kissed her. Before she realized it, he managed to finish undressing them both. The fact that they were outside completely naked about to make love should have bothered her, but it didn’t. Instead, she eagerly anticipated the joining of their bodies.
The lyrics of her favorite classic Bon Jovi hit “Bad Medicine” jarred Callie awake. Reaching for the cell phone, she switched off the alarm. “Eight o’clock already,” she groaned. Normally, she would consider eight late, but she had trouble sleeping the night before. Instead of falling asleep right away as she usually did, she stared at the ceiling for hours thinking about Dylan. She couldn’t figure him out no matter how hard she tried. When she’d finally fallen asleep, he’d invaded all her dreams. Her face burned at the memory of the dream her alarm had interrupted.
Despite the late start, she wasn’t going to waste the day in some motel room. According to the weather forecast, it was going to be a gorgeous day. A perfect day made for sightseeing and reading on the beach. Unfortunately, the water would still be a little too cold for a swim, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the view. If her father felt well enough to fly and arrived in Newport, it’d be easy enough to change her plans and scoot over to Cliff House.
Armed with everything she’d need to spend time outdoors, Callie closed her motel room door behind her and headed toward her car. Popping open the trunk, she tossed in her bag and started to close it when she heard someone call out her name. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Though they hadn’t spent that much time in each other’s company, his voice with its sexy English accent was permanently stored in her memory.
Waving to acknowledge she’d heard him, Callie leaned against her car, her arms by her sides, and watched Dylan approach. He moved with an athletic grace and carried himself in such a way that told the world he was confident and sure. Watching him approach made her pulse flutter.
Annoyed by her body’s reaction to him, Callie silently cursed herself for sleeping late. If she’d left even just a few minutes sooner, she would’ve been able to avoid seeing him this morning.
For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine why he was here. If Warren arrived at Cliff House, a phone call or a text message would’ve been sufficient. She’d given Dylan her cell phone number again for that very reason.
Had he lost her number and come to tell her Warren had arrived? Although possible, it didn’t make a lot of sense. He knew where she was staying and could have gotten in contact with her through the motel’s front desk.
Maybe he’d been on his way out of town and stopped by to tell her Warren wasn’t going to make it this weekend because he still didn’t feel well enough to travel. It was a reasonable explanation, Callie thought. It was a polite gesture, and so far, Dylan Talbot had acted the part of the polite gentleman. If that were the case, she’d spend her day sightseeing and leave first thing in the morning. It didn’t make sense to leave immediately just because things had not gone as planned.
Perhaps it was for the best if Warren wasn’t going to make it this weekend. Now that she was here, Callie didn’t know if she wanted to meet her father and the rest of his family just yet, especially if they were anything like Sara. Some extra time to consider things would be nice. She had felt a little pressured into this meeting in the first place.
But if you had to be pressured into anything, having Dylan Talbot do the pressuring certainly made it more enjoyable. He really was a sight to behold.
Back to Earth, Callie Taylor. He’s only here because of Warren. If it wasn’t for that connection, he’d never look twice at me. Don’t forget that.
Unexpected desire ripped through Dylan as he approached Callie. Instantly, an image of her sprawled out beneath him on the beach sprang to mind.
Back it up there. This is Warren’s daughter, remember.
Dylan slowed his pace and reined in his thoughts. Stay focused, he reminded himself. My job is to keep her company until Warren arrives. That doesn’t require getting naked and horizontal.
It would, hopefully, only be another day until his mother and Warren arrived. Once they got here, he could minimize the amount of time he spent with Callie. If he wanted to, he could arrange it so they were never in each other’s company again. That way he wouldn’t have to deal with this inconvenient desire that continued to plague him.
Assuming things did work out and she saw her father on a regular basis, Dylan didn’t need to be around. While he did try to see his family regularly, it would be simple enough to make certain his visits didn’t coincide with Callie’s.
Oddly, he didn’t like the thought of not seeing Callie again after this weekend. Now wasn’t the time to be wondering why though. Right now, he had a job to do, play host again in Warren’s absence.
“Warren called this morning. He said the doctors will let him fly tomorrow, so he and my mum should be here in the morning,” Dylan said after they exchanged greetings. “So I thought you might like to do some sightseeing today.”
“It’s on my list of things to do,” she answered, her voice friendly.
Before leaving Cliff House, he’d mentally mapped out an entire itinerary for their day. He liked to be prepared. Yet, if she wanted to see something specific, things could be changed.
“Good. I thought we could head over to Fort Adams first. Then stop at the Old Stone Mill before lunch if there’s time.” She mentioned during dinner how much she loved history, so he made sure to add some historical landmarks to their day.
Callie’s eyebrows knitted together. “We? Mr. Talbot, you don’t need to escort me around. I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine on my own.”
She was turning him down again? If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was playing hard to get.
Slightly exasperated, Dylan placed a hand on her shoulder. “Unless you want me to address you as Miss Taylor all the time, you need to stop calling me Mr. Talbot.”
A faint blush crept up her cheeks, making Callie appear much younger than her thirty-one years. “I’m familiar with the area, so I should be fine, Dylan.”
It was the first time since they’d met that she’d said his name. The sound of it on her lips made his heart skip a beat.
“You probably have things you want to do today. I promise not to get lost.”
Dylan took a few steps closer into her personal space. He could tell she felt a little uncomfortable, and knew he should keep more distance between them. Still he didn’t move. Instead, he searched her face for some hint of what she was really thinking. Perhaps she sensed his intentions because she quickly looked away when he made eye contact with her, but not before he saw the brief flash of desire in her eyes.
Maybe you haven’t completely lost your touch, Talbot.
Using two fingers, he gently nudged her head up so she was looking him directly in the eye. “Trust me. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. I can’t remember the last time I relaxed and enjoyed Newport, and I’d like to do that with you.”
He should move his hand. The part of his brain still functioning properly kept telling him that. Yet he didn’t do it. Instead, he allowed it to linger as his thumb moved slowly along her jaw. Her skin was smooth and flawless, just as he thought it would be.
The corner of his mouth lifted in a lopsided smile. “Say you’ll come.” When was the last time he’d wanted to spend time with a woman so badly?
Never.
But there was something about Callie that was different. Something made him crave her company. Maybe it was because she didn’t seem to want anything from him like so many women did.
He wasn’t the only one who felt the chemistry between them either. Dylan was su
re of it. He’d even bet a good portion of his fortune that she felt something as well.
“As long as you’re up for some sightseeing before an hour or two at the beach?” Callie said, her voice once again light and friendly.
He didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. Grabbing the bag she’d put in the trunk, he gave her a full-blown smile. “I came prepared for anything.” Slamming closed the empty trunk, he took her by the hand and led her to his car.
“Your chariot awaits.” He opened the Aston Martin’s passenger door for her.
The morning proceeded so smoothly that Callie almost forgot who she was with and why she was in Newport. The first stop on Dylan’s itinerary was Fort Adams. Now a popular tourist attraction, the fort had been built in the late 1700’s. She’d always wanted to visit the fort and the state park that surrounded it, but never had the opportunity for one reason or another.
Though the fort offered a guided tour, Dylan suggested they skip it, insisting it wasn’t necessary. At first, Callie was disappointed. She’d been looking forward to hearing about the structure’s centuries of history. However, her disappointment vanished almost right away when Dylan awed her with his knowledge of the fort and its role in defending the city. During dinner, he had mentioned he enjoyed history, too. At the time, she’d assumed he was being polite. Now she realized he’d been serious.
Newport’s beaches were well-known. In fact, a person didn’t need to travel far to find one. That was precisely where Callie planned to spend a few hours that day, and where she assumed they were heading now.
Since leaving the parking area at the restaurant where they’d eaten lunch, she’d had trouble keeping her eyes off Dylan. She was rapidly learning he wasn’t only good-looking, but also friendly and easy to be around. Being with him wasn’t any more difficult than being with any other man she knew. Well, except for the fact that being around him set her heart racing and sent every rational thought from her brain.
He’s not like any other man, Callie reminded herself as she stared out the car window. He’s filthy rich and only wants to keep me company until Warren arrives. He’s just playing the role of host again. Lucky him.
She didn’t believe for one minute he wanted to spend time with her for any other reason.
For the first time since getting in the car, Callie really took note of the landscape they were passing. “I thought we were going to the beach?”
She kept looking for a familiar landmark to tell her where they were. When her grandparents and uncle lived in the area, they’d taken her to the beach every summer. However, nothing around them jogged any memories.
“We’re going to a tiny beach near Black Point,” Dylan answered, referring to a private and very exclusive beach club. “It isn’t part of the club. I don’t think anybody ever goes there. I stumbled on it accidentally one day.”
After parking in an empty corner of the Black Point lot, Dylan got out and opened Callie’s door as he had the night before. Unable to do anything else, she accepted his outstretched hand. The moment her butt cleared the seat, she released his hand and followed him around to the back of the car.
After popping open the trunk, Dylan dropped his keys back into his pocket and pulled out the bags.
“I can take that,” she said as Dylan slipped the straps of her bag over his shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it; I’ll carry it for you.”
“Mr. Talbot, really, I can handle it.”
“Dylan remember, Miss Taylor.” He smiled at her and Callie resisted the urge to fan herself.
“Sorry. Really, I can take it, Dylan.”
Dylan shook his head. “I already have it. Come on, let’s go.”
Rather than start a full-blown argument, Callie nodded and walked along side him across the parking lot.
Breaking through a natural barrier of tall grass and reeds, Dylan stopped and looked over his shoulder. “What do you think? Will it do for today?”
Although no larger than the postage stamp sized backyard she had growing up, Callie loved the beach. The sand was smooth and free of any debris. Dense overgrown grass and reeds provided ample privacy from the parking lot, and the view of the water was fantastic.
“Absolutely.”
Callie spread out the large blanket she’d brought along and then removed the denim shorts and t-shirt she’d worn over her bathing suit. Grabbing a bottle of sunscreen from her bag, she quickly covered her arms, legs, face, and as much of her back as she could reach.
She looked over at Dylan, intending to ask him if he wanted to borrow some sunscreen, when he pulled his t-shirt off. The second his shirt hit the sand, she made a valiant effort not to stare and ogle. She honestly did. But how could she not? Any woman in her position would. She just hoped her tongue wasn’t hanging out too far.
She’d already known he was in good shape. She could tell by the way his clothes fit him. Still, she hadn’t been prepared for the view she had now.
Obviously Mr. CEO didn’t spend all his time in the office. Even though she should, Callie just couldn’t look away.
Dylan’s shoulders were wide, but his torso narrowed to a lean waist. With an incredibly developed chest and six-pack, she could imagine him doing underwear ads. A set of powerful legs completed the package.
After spreading a blanket alongside hers, Dylan dropped down next to her. “Mind if I borrow some of that?” he asked, pointing to the bottle of sunscreen.
“I thought you said you came prepared for anything?” Callie teased him before handing him the bottle.
“Don’t tell anyone. It would ruin my image.”
“My lips are sealed.”
Rather than pull out her book and read like she should do, Callie watched as he spread sunscreen across his skin. Her hands practically tingled with longing to be moving across his shoulders and chest. At one point, she opened her mouth ready to ask him if he wanted her to do his back for him. Luckily, her common sense stepped in right on time.
What the heck is wrong with me? she wondered, burying her nose in her book. Did I really almost ask him if he needed help putting on sunscreen?
She hardly knew him. How could she even consider doing something so personal for a stranger?
“Did you get your back?” he asked, as if reading her mind.
“Uh...not completely, but it’s good enough.”
Dylan moved a little closer. “Lean forward. I’ll get it for you.” Without waiting for a response, he squeezed sunscreen into his hand. “Don’t want you to get burned today.”
I’d rather get burned by the sun than you. Callie wasn’t sure her body could handle having his hands on it. “Really, it’s no big—”
“I think you like arguing with me.” Dylan positioned himself behind her. “Do you really want a sunburn? I promise I won’t bite.”
Callie took in a deep breath, and then blew it out before she leaned forward so he had access to her back and shoulders. The rough callouses on his palms caught her attention as his hands glided across her skin and sent warmth throughout her body.
Wonder how he got those. Not from sitting behind his desk all day. Perhaps at the gym, he obviously spent plenty of time there.
Slowly, his hands moved from her shoulders and down her spine. The intimate contact was sweet torture. She found herself longing for a quick dip in the ocean to cool her skin. She could just picture herself jumping in and steam rising up around her like it did when a blacksmith dropped a piece of red hot iron in cold water to cool it. The image made her laugh before she could stop herself.
“What’s so funny?” Dylan asked. His voice contained a hint of amusement, and his accent sounded more pronounced than usual.
“Nothing. You just hit a ticklish spot,” she answered, thinking fast. She needed his hands off her before she melted into a puddle. “Thanks. I’m good now.” Callie pulled away, putting some much needed space between them. Picking up her book again, she looked for the page where she’d left off on since
the bookmark had fallen out.
Dylan leaned back and used his arms to prop himself up. “What are you reading?”
“Emma.” Callie shrugged. “It’s one of my favorites.”
“I could never get into Jane Austen. Prefer Dickens myself.”
For some reason, she couldn’t picture Dylan reading anything but the Wall Street Journal or some other business related publication.
Don’t judge, Callie reminded herself. She’d been the victim of that enough times to know how unfair it could be.
“I like some of his stories, but I’ll take a copy of Pride and Prejudice first any day. Austen is probably my favorite classical author.”
“My mum really likes Austen too.” Dylan slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. “She has a few first editions of her work.”
Though she had yet to meet the woman, she couldn’t imagine having anything in common with Elizabeth Sherbrooke. From the little she’d read about the woman, she knew Elizabeth was the epitome of elegance and wealth. In fact, if Callie looked the word elegance up in a dictionary, she wouldn’t be shocked to see a picture of Elizabeth Sherbrooke smiling back up at her. Callie was more likely to find a picture of herself near the words unsophisticated and working middle class.
“What other authors do you like to read?” Dylan asked.
“Depends somewhat on my mood. If I want something older, I’ll grab something by Austen and Hawthorne. I like Gone With The Wind too, but that isn’t as old. I never really cared for reading Shakespeare, although I like seeing his plays performed on stage. I don’t care for Twain; I had to read him in school.” She slipped sunglasses onto her face and looked toward the rolling waves. “When it comes to more modern writers, I like King and Patterson.” Callie named some of the writers she liked and who she thought Dylan may know. Since she doubted he liked reading romance novels, she didn’t bother naming any of those authors.
“I read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and hated them both. I’ve never tried Gone With The Wind, but I think I’ve read all of King’s books.”
“All of them?”
“Maybe I’ve missed one or two, but that’s about it.” Dylan took two bottles of water from his bag and handed Callie one. “Any favorite movies?”
For the rest of the afternoon, they talked about everything from books and movies to favorite foods. With each tidbit of information he shared with her, the more she looked as him as just another guy rather than the wealthy CEO he was. Somehow, she sensed that was not a good thing either.