Defiant, she whispered, “I don’t look that great in a bathing suit.”
His imagination went into hyperdrive. “I find that very hard to believe.”
At his inadvertent husky tone, pleasure colored her cheeks. “I’m...” She gestured. “You know. Maybe a little thick?”
Coop nearly choked on a laugh, but he knew she wouldn’t understand so he turned it into a cough. Here he was, getting semihard thinking of her stripped down a little, and she thought he might be disappointed.
His gaze went unerringly to her breasts. “That’s not how I’d describe you.”
A little breathless, she said, “No?”
He looked at her closely, watchful for fear or anxiety. Instead, he saw interest in her eyes.
“Can I be frank?” On the heels of that, he explained, “I don’t want to overstep or...make you nervous.”
Pride lifted her chin. “I’m not nervous.”
Though she didn’t say it, he heard the unspoken qualifier: Not with you.
Pleased that some of the barriers were crumbling, he smiled. “All right then. I’d say soft, curvy.” His gaze moved over her body. “Sexy.” As he looked at her, her breathing hitched and her color intensified.
She blinked, nodded and let out a breath. “Thank you.”
He was probably pushing too fast, way too fast, but he heard himself say low, “You don’t ever have to be afraid of me, Phoenix. I swear, there’s no reason.”
Her eyes flared, then narrowed in defensive annoyance. “I’m not.”
Hoping that wasn’t a lie, he said, “Good. Then we can swim sometime?”
She shook her head. “I’m not afraid, it’s just—” With an agitated huff, she reached back to flip up her ponytail, letting the humid summer air kiss her nape. After a quick peek up at the sun, she put clip-on sunglasses over her lenses. “I’m sometimes uneasy. That’s all.”
“With me?”
Immediately, she shook her head. “No.” Her frown deepened, this time, he suspected, with confusion. “No, not with you.” As if realizing what she’d said, she rushed into new conversation. “It’s going to be crazy hot today. I better get to work before the sun starts roasting everything in sight.” She turned away, taking two fast steps.
“Phoenix.”
She stopped, waited and finally glanced back.
With the sunglasses in place, he couldn’t tell if she looked at his face or his naked upper body. Either was okay with him. “You’re doing a great job.”
“Thanks.” A small smile came and went. “For the compliments and the nice visit.”
“Anytime.” Coop watched her leave with a long, purposeful stride. He thought of everything she’d gone through.
The bruises had healed, but some of the wounds remained.
Still, they’d gotten to a first-name basis. She’d smiled. She’d chatted.
She’d more or less admitted that she felt differently with him.
He’d call that progress.
*
I saw his wife.
Phoenix sent the text to Ridley, then waited for a reply.
Her phone rang instead. She was alone in the maintenance building, so she answered. “Hey, Ridley.”
“What wife? When did he get a wife? All this time I thought we were discussing a single guy!”
“He is single, but he’s widowed.” She thought of the image on his desk area and grew wistful. “She was beautiful.”
“I didn’t know,” Ridley said. “How long ago did she die?”
“Maris told me about her. You know, the woman—”
“Who runs the camp store, yup. I have all the characters clear in my head.”
Phoenix laughed. “They’re not characters.”
“Well, I’ve never met them because someone won’t invite me to visit, so for me, they’re not yet three-dimensional, regardless of your great descriptions.”
Ridley had been using that sarcastic tone since Phoenix was four years old. It stopped working on her when she’d turned twelve or so, but Ridley, three years older, had never given it up.
Now, it merely seemed a part of her sister’s personality of snark tempered with love.
Giving a credible snort, Phoenix said, “It’s beautiful here, and loads of fun, but you know it’s not your style.”
“My style is ever evolving,” she said in lofty tones. “So when did he lose his wife?”
“Maris said it was six years ago, before he bought the park.”
“Do you know how she died?”
Phoenix tucked the phone against her shoulder so she could continue prepping for work. “No. Maris isn’t really the gossipy type.”
“And neither are you, so I suppose you didn’t ask?”
“Of course not. It makes me feel so bad for him, though. He’s a great guy. Can you imagine going through something like that?” As soon as she said it, Phoenix cringed. “I mean—”
“No worries, sis.” Ridley adopted her best I don’t give a shit tone. “My situation was entirely different and I know it. I may have lost a man, but he’s still living.”
True, but Ridley’s ex had been so cruel in how he’d left her and the reasons he’d given...
“Stop it,” Ridley commanded. “I’m loaded, thanks to that dick, so I get to live the life I love. That is, the life I love minus seeing my sister who won’t let me visit.”
Phoenix rolled her eyes. “I’ll visit you on my next day off.”
“Now where’s the fun in that? I want to ogle the man candy.”
Phoenix choked. She definitely didn’t want Ridley doing that. “Daron is too young for you. Heck, he’s too young for me and he’s my age!”
“I wasn’t talking about our studly repairman, fun as that sounds. It’s the head honcho I want to see. The way you’ve described him... Rowrrrr.”
Phoenix felt her face go hot. In a low whisper, she said, “I haven’t!”
“Oh, it comes through, sis. Pure lust.”
“It’s not!”
“You’re screeching. That’s a telltale sign of lust, you know.”
Phoenix exhaled a deep breath and said more calmly, “I’m not lusting.”
“I hope you’re fibbing, because I was totally jazzed over the possibility.”
“Ridley,” she warned. Was she lusting? Maybe a little bit. And that was a huge deal. For a while there, she’d only been able to see men as threats first, and once that faded, with indifference.
There were so many other priorities that required her focus...
“Men and sex and all the good stuff in between are things you should be enjoying,” Ridley said. “I know you think you can’t right now, but I promise, it’s just like riding a bike. Once you’ve learned it, you never forget. It all comes back in an instant.”
Phoenix burst out laughing.
“Let me guess,” Ridley said, her voice deadpan. “You’re imagining pedals and those narrow seats?”
Sputtering with her hilarity, Phoenix added, “And ten-speeds!”
Ridley laughed too, then snuck in, “So you do like him, huh?”
Sudden caution washed away her humor. Ridley was like a bloodhound on the scent. “Who, Daron? Yes, he’s nice and he’s good at what he does.”
“I’m not dumb and you’re not dumb, so give over already.”
She sighed. “Yes, I like Cooper, but like is not lust, Ridley. And I don’t know when...or rather if, I’ll ever again be comfortable with that.”
“You will be.” Ridley said it with conviction. “I think you’re almost there already, and I have that resort owner to thank for it.”
“Rather than debate it,” she said, “I have to get to work.”
“Okay, sorry for calling. I just needed to hear your voice.”
Phoenix softened. What would she have done without her sister? Ridley was more than a sibling, more than a best friend.
Sometimes, Ridley was everything.
Smiling, Phoenix said softly, “It was nice to hear yours, too.”
“Smooches.”
“Smooches back atcha.” As Phoenix slipped the phone into her back pocket, she heard a sound and whirled.
Daron stood at the entrance to the maintenance building, his not-quite-six-foot frame lounged against the opening. He wore a ball cap backward over his shaggy brown hair, loose board shorts, an unbuttoned shirt and a playfully leering smile. “Did I just hear you making kissing sounds with a guy?”