The simple gesture of kindness touched her. “You’ve got a real soft touch.” At his frown she smiled and added. “For a tough guy.”
His mouth curved. “You’ll rethink that once you taste my coffee.”
“Lethal, huh?”
She wandered the small office while Drew scooped and measured and poured. It was a large room. Mini-blinds covered the windows, but still let in a good bit of natural light. An old laminate desk stood adjacent to the door. A computer, phone and several manila folders lay on the desk. In the corner, several fishing trophies from area tournaments decorated a display case. A small closet contained what she assumed were office supplies, an array of tools and several orange traffic cones. The other door led to a smaller room that had been transformed into a tiny, but functional bathroom, complete with a standup shower and a framed caricature of The Big One that Got Away on the wall.
“Coffee’s ready.”
She turned to find Drew standing behind her with two cups in his hands. “Thanks.” She took the cup from him and sipped. “It’s good.”
“Yeah, I make terrific engine sludge.”
She tried not to stare as he sipped, but it was difficult. Drew Evans had a commanding presence and was damn easy on the eye, even if he was just a friend. He might stand only an inch or two over six feet, but the man definitely had a way of filling up a room.
But despite the fact that he was attractive, Alison didn’t miss the signs that all was not well. Signs that worried her more than she wanted to admit. From the bloodshot eyes, to the weight loss, to the tension she saw in his shoulders, she knew Drew was a troubled man. She wondered about its source, wondered if the shadows in his eyes had anything to do with what had happened four years ago.
Taking his coffee with him, he crossed to the desk and sat down. She took the sled chair opposite his desk, studying him as he opened a manila folder and began to read. “I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Kevin so excited,” she said. “He really had a great time.”
“He deserves it. He’s a great kid.”
She glanced over where her son slept, felt a layer of warmth settle over her at the sight of him snuggled beneath the beach towel. “He had a pretty severe asthma attack last night right before bedtime.”
Drew set the file down, his eyes narrowing. “He’s all right?”
“He’s fine. I think he was just tired. The medication we’re using—an inhaler—is very effective and he was resting comfortably within ten minutes.”
“I’m glad.” He glanced at the little boy and grimaced. “Asthma’s a tough break.”
“He manages amazingly well. He’s a real go-getter.”
“Maybe he takes after his mom.”
The compliment shouldn’t have meant so much, but it did.
“So, are things going well for you?” She tried to make the question sound as innocuous as possible, but she could tell by the caution that rose in his eyes that he knew it was not.
“Things are terrific,” he said.
“It’s obvious you’re doing well professionally.” She looked around the office, then shot him a direct look. “This is a great place you’ve got. I’m glad you didn’t give up flying.”
He rolled his shoulder. “I thought about it. I mean, after...the accident. But I couldn’t do it.”
“You love it too much to ever give it up. It’s part of who you are.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I guess it is.”
She studied him for a moment. “How are you doing on a personal level?”
The walls went up even before she’d gotten the question out. “Alison...”
“Come on, Drew. It’s me. I can see all is not well. Talk to me.”
“Hey, we’ve covered this already, haven’t we?”
She shook her head. “We’ve talked. We’ve covered all the topical stuff. But we haven’t really talked. I mean, like we used to. About the things that really matter.”
“Things have changed since we were...friends. I mean, since...Rick. We’re not the same people we were before...” He let his voice trail. “I’ve changed, and so have you. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
“It is if you’re unhappy.”
“I’m not unhappy, okay?” As if realizing he’d snapped, he sighed, then cursed under his breath. “Sorry. I’m not very good at this.”
“I guess that’s your way of telling me your personal life is none of my concern?” She softened the question with a smile.
He shrugged, looking uncomfortable and adorable and very male. “That means my personal life is personal. I’d like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.”
She regarded him thoughtfully, realizing that the dynamics of their relationship had, indeed, changed since she’d last seen him. Back when Rick was alive, she and Drew had shared an easy, comfortable friendship. He’d been like a brother to her, and she’d considered him a very good friend. She wasn’t quite sure how things had changed, but they had and she found herself missing the old Drew.
“Are you seeing anyone?” she asked after a moment.
He looked up from the file and frowned at her. “What kind of question is that?”
“One from a concerned friend.”
“Look, I’m single,” he said. “I’m fine with that. A guy can be single and still be happy, can’t he?”
“You don’t have to snap.”
“I’m not—” He cut the denial short and laughed outright. “You always were good at prying.”
“Only because I care about you.”
He shifted in the chair, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m a big boy, Alison. Don’t push. I’m fine.”
“Rick’s mom seems to think you’re still troubled by what happened. I mean, the accident.”
He threw up his hands. “Oh, for chrissake!”
“Are you?”
“Marybeth needs to find something to do besides gossip about me.”
“She’s concerned because she cares for you.” Reaching across the desk, Alison touched his hand gently. “So do I.”
Leaning forward, he put his other hand over hers and grinned at her the way he used to a lifetime ago. For an instant, he looked very much like the Drew she’d always known. Only this time Alison saw through the bravado to the very troubled man beneath.
“Marybeth Myers is the biggest mother hen in the coop,” he said. “Next time you talk to her, be sure to tell her that for me, okay?”
Since he seemed so determined not to discuss the state of his life, she let it go. At least for now. “You should call her yourself, Drew. I’m sure she’d like to hear from you. It’s been almost a year since she’s heard from you. She’s afraid you think she blames you for what happened to Rick.”
Drew looked away at the mention of Rick.
“She doesn’t,” Alison added quickly.
“I know she doesn’t. I just didn’t realize it had been so long. I guess I’m a little behind on my calls. I’ll call them tonight. Satisfied?”
“Promise?”
“Scout’s honor.” He raised his right hand.
She tried to frown at him, but couldn’t hold back the smile because for an instant, the old Drew was back and he was pouring on the charm.
“So are you going to tell me your good news or are you going to sit there and psychoanalyze me all morning?” he asked after a moment.
She’d been so excited about the tour—and so intent on making sure he was all right—she’d forgotten about her news. “Oh, well...I just wanted to let you know...I had lunch with Seth and Emma.”
“Seth and Emma? I didn’t even know you knew them.”
“I met Seth once through Rick years ago.”
Drew stared at her blankly, and she could see that he was wondering where she was going with this.
“Seth offered me a job at Evans Yachts.”
His face went from incredulous to angry in a matter of seconds. “He what?”
“Seth offered—”
??
?I heard you the first time,” he snapped. “I just don’t understand why he would do that.”
Alison gaped at him, flabbergasted that he would be against the idea of her working for his cousin. “Why on earth wouldn’t he hire me? I’m more than qualified. Not to mention the money—”
“That’s not the point.”
“Look, if it’s about the trouble he’s had with the boat—”
“I’m glad he filled you in on that little detail.”
“I know about the explosion,” she said.
“In that case, you know it’s not safe for you to work there.”
“It was an isolated incident, Drew. He doesn’t expect any more trouble.”
“Yeah, well, drawing from my own experience, I can tell you trouble has a habit of showing up when you least expect it.”
“He’s hired extra security—”
“He had no right to involve you.”
She glared at him, aware that her heart rate was up, that she was angry, that she didn’t understand why he’d reacted so negatively. “You’re overreacting.”
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“Yeah? Well why don’t you fill me in?”
“I can’t. Damn it.” He reached for the phone. “I’m not going to let him do this.”
“It’s not your decision,” she said.
Ignoring her, he punched in numbers. She set her hand over his.
He gazed steadily at her from across the span of his desk, his eyes hard, his nostrils flaring slightly. “Alison, it’s not a good idea for you to work there.”
“I’m sorry you disapprove, but unless you can give me a good reason why I shouldn’t, I’m going to take the job.”
He stared at her for an interminable moment, then eased his hand from beneath hers. “Did he tell you what happened to the previous administrative assistant?”
“If I recall, he married her.”
That shut him up, but it didn’t soften the lines of worry etched into his face. All she could think was that he was too young to have such old eyes.
“Look,” she said, “it’s only a couple of days a week.”
“At the Evans Yachts Building?”
“At the boat building in the marina, so I wouldn’t be anywhere near the corporate offices.”
“Alison, I don’t know about this...”
“Seth’s foreman is going nuts with administrative work. I mean, the man’s a whiz at building yachts, but you put him at a desk and he’s a walking disaster.”
“I’m not saying he doesn’t need help. All I’m saying is that you’re not the right person to do it.”
“It’s the perfect position for me, Drew. The hours are flexible. The money is good. I’ll have the freedom to take Kevin to his appointments. Not to mention the fact that I really like Laura and Seth and Emma.”
He finally looked at her. “You’re exponentially overqualified.”
“So I’ll hit him up for a higher wage.”
He didn’t look convinced. “Alison—”
“Drew, I need to work. I want this job.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face, then scowled at her. “When do you start?”
“Tomorrow.”
When he groaned, she felt a smile emerge.
“What are you smiling at?” he growled.
“You.”
“I’m a barrel of laughs, huh?”
“Just a little overprotective. It’s adorable.”
“Adorable?” He choked out the word as if it were a shard of glass. “A guy doesn’t want to be adorable.”
She threw her head back and laughed—something she hadn’t done much of lately. It felt good. “Be happy for me.”
He gave her a reluctant smile. “I’m still going to talk to him about adding extra security.”
Before she even realized she was going to move, Alison was out of the chair and rounding the desk. She heard his chair scrape across the tile floor as he rose. An instant later she reached him and was surprised by a moment of awkwardness. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For caring. For being such a good friend. Both of those things mean a lot to me.”
“Hey, you’re not going to go all misty-eyed on me, are you?”
“Probably. That okay?”
“I was just judging the distance to the door in case I need to make a run for it.”
“Too late.”
“I’m pretty fast.”
“Be quiet, silly.” Leaning close, she put her arms around his broad shoulders the way she had a dozen times in the years past. He felt solid and rock-hard against her. Ignoring an uncomfortable flutter in her stomach, she stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his cheek. His jaw was firm and slightly stubbled against her lips. The swift rise of pleasure stunned her. Inexplicably, her heart began to race so hard, she could hear the pound of it in her ears.
“Alison...”
She heard her name as if through a tunnel. His voice echoed in her ears. In a small corner of her mind she knew all the things that were happening to her weren’t supposed to be happening. He wasn’t supposed to feel so good against her. After all, this was just a simple hug between old friends.
But by the time she realized the situation was out of control, it was too late. His hands went to either side of her face, rough palms scraping over her cheeks. She caught a glimpse of eyes the color of a summer storm, dangerous and unpredictable and moving rapidly toward her. She saw intent in those eyes, and the knowledge shook her even as her body responded.
His mouth came down on hers like a waterfall crashing down. She could hear the roar of it in her ears. Feel the power of it in the way the floor trembled beneath her feet. Alison felt as if she were standing beneath the crashing spray, paralyzed by its awesome force, the water drenching her, drowning her, and she absorbed it like drought-stricken earth. The pleasure of the kiss shocked her system, shorted out her brain, made her legs go weak.
It had been a long time since she’d been kissed by a man. She’d forgotten the heady power of it. The intensity. The thrill. Most of all, she’d forgotten just how sharp the razor edge of need could be. She felt those things with stark clarity as Drew’s mouth possessed hers. She was keenly aware of the hard plane of his body against hers. The hot rush of his breath against her cheek. Restless hands moving over her back, pulling her inexorably closer.
Her intellect ordered her to stop the madness before things went too far. But dear God, how was she supposed to be smart about this when her reasoning powers lay in a puddle at her feet?
But in some small corner of her mind, she knew the situation had already gone too far. She knew there was no stopping it, like a train careering wildly down rickety tracks toward an inevitable crash. All she could do was hang on for the ride and hope she survived the impact.
CHAPTER FIVE
It wasn’t often that Drew completely lost his head. He was neither impulsive nor reckless. He didn’t get off on adrenaline or court disaster just for the thrill of it. He had a code of honor and a steely discipline, and he maintained both at all costs. He supposed he was going to make an exception today because kissing Alison Myers broke every rule in the book.
There had always been a certain amount of electricity between them. Drew had accepted it, convinced himself it was one-sided and handled it because he’d known they were too smart to venture down that shadowy trail. Alison was too decent. He respected her too much. He had respected Rick too much.
But the instant his mouth touched hers it was as if something primal had been unleashed inside him. A long-buried need that had been abruptly unearthed. He knew better than to give it free rein, but the need to hold her, to possess her was like an unruly beast tugging against a tenuous cord. A cord that was dangerously close to snapping.
Closing his eyes against the hot burst of pleasure, he drank in the essence of her. The taste of her mouth. The feel of her in his arms. It seemed as if he’d wanted to kiss her f
orever. Intellectually, he knew Alison Myers was off-limits for too many reasons to name. She was the widow of his best friend. A man Drew had seen die. A death Drew had played a role in. The irony that she would want him after that burned. The burden of guilt was crushing.
Drew’s body didn’t give a damn about either of those things.
Her body was small and curvy and incredibly soft. He was aware of her breasts against his chest. His senses were so heightened, he could feel the hard nubs of her nipples through their clothes. The warmth of her sigh against his cheek. The sweet taste of her mouth mingling with the bitter knowledge that he was making a very big mistake.
He knew better than to take the kiss to the next level. Not with a thousand warnings blaring in his head and her little boy sleeping just a few feet away. But his intellect relinquished its hold. The beast gained a foothold, dug in with spindly claws and slowly took control. Drew had neither the discipline nor the will to fight it.
He tested her with his tongue. She hesitated, but her uncertainty didn’t deter him. He didn’t slow down, didn’t stop, and he didn’t ask nicely when he tilted her head back and went in deep.
The earth shifted beneath his feet when she opened to him. Her mouth was like warm, wet silk. He marveled at her taste, let it intoxicate him like an exotic wine. He wanted to guzzle. He wanted to drink in every inch of her, every dark corner, consume every last drop.
Vaguely he was aware that he’d backed her against the wall, that her body was flush against his. His breaths rushed in and out as if he’d just run a marathon. Blood pulsed like lava through his veins. His thoughts were scattered, his focus centered completely on her mouth, on the contact of their bodies, the fire burning low and hot.
His hands trembled when he laced them with hers and drew her arms over her head. He felt her go slack against the wall. Her head went back, exposing the column of her throat. Bending his head, he kissed her there, tasting her, his tongue leaving wet trails on her soft flesh. She shivered against him, her back arching. Need coiled and snapped inside him. A short fuse connected to a keg of dynamite that was ready to blow.