Tempted by Trouble

chapter EIGHT


Her fingers shook as she buttoned her shirt. She gazed into the mirror. Her pupils were dilated and her cheeks were flushed.

This was madness. Matt drove her to the brink with his words and his body and she didn’t fight being out of control. This was more than a simple infatuation and girlhood flights of fantasy. She didn’t need to think; it was in the absence of rational thought that he delivered her, into a place where she was free.

Her body and mind raced with electrical bursts, charges of energy, and in the aftermath, her body discharged her desire in quivers dancing in her belly and between her legs, from her breasts and nipples. Pleasure and ache.

They’d gone the distance — almost. Anticipation shaped her breath, drenched her panties, and hung in the air around her. For a second, her expression of unveiled want and need took her back. She was powerless. What if this was Matt’s thing? Explosive sex. This wasn’t much different from a woman blowing him in the church parking lot. Hard, fast sex.

Geography differed. This time, they were in his office on top of his desk. How many other woman ended up doing his biding wherever he happened to be? Hotel lobbies seemed to be his specialty but maybe he was a magnet, regardless of place. All he needed was a willing woman.

Matt was GQ-stunning, powerfully built. From her mere touch, she’d learned from running her fingers all over his perfect body, he was constructed of muscular angles and cuts, a gorgeous grooved network of sinew and smooth skin, almost hairless except for wisps sprinkled across his chest, and a fine line running down his belly.

His cock was long and thick. She bet he was just the type of man who totally alpha-dominated and had sex with the regularity of the tides. His testosterone levels were more than likely off the charts. In bed, she bet he pleased his guests. This type of man she imagined could please several woman at the same time, the kind of man who had experienced every type of sexual gambit and had a little black book that ran to volumes, not pages.

Jesus, she didn’t want this to end in regret. A storm of passion left wreckage, carnal but no less damaging. She didn’t want to be a classified as a survivor.

If this was going to be short-lived, it was at this moment that she needed to consider exactly what she wanted and needed. The feel of Matt and how her body responded to him went cellular. Something animalistic. Ageless. And all the more reason to take care.

She took a towel and wet it, running it across her face and neck. The water cooled her skin and helped relax her tangled thoughts. She emerged from the bathroom and surveyed the room. The faint musky scent remained and reminded her of them on top of the desk. She tingled all over.

Carolina bent down, reached for a pen and then another, collecting the items scattered along the carpet.

The door opened. He stood for a second in the doorway, and then shut the door behind him. The snick of the metal latch bolt in the doorjamb unlocked a shiver in her body.

She moved on all fours to pick up a crystal cube, glanced up and saw Matt was coming closer. The air inside the room was thick, charged, and she didn’t know if she possessed the strength to stand up and meet his fiery gaze. She didn’t have to think. He bent down, on an eye level with her and gently touched the side of her face.

“We’d better go,” he softly commanded. He picked up several paperclips and then his hands tugged her upward.

“The shipper is in Clarkesville.” He kissed her once before picking up the shipping boxes. “You have what you need?”

“Everything,” she said trying to sound like her head was on straight. “Should I go and say something to your father? I feel like I’m hiding out, first from your brother and now your family.”

“I told my father you had a headache. Not to worry. There are plenty of women around here and the men don’t argue with any type of feminine complaint. They’ve been schooled far too long.”

They walked out of the building, he slipped on his sunglasses again and she was saved from his scorching stare. She braided her hair and held onto the seat as he tore down the road, clouds of dust following. He stopped in front of a set of outbuildings on the far side of his parents’ house.

“We’ll switch cars,” he murmured as he helped her from the Jeep. He pulled a key fob and clicked. The lights on a low black sports car blinked.

“My Jeep’s a farm car.” He held her door open.

The slam of car door was solid. This car was equipped with every imaginable gadget.

“Does this drive itself?” she asked when he got in.

“Almost,” he laughed. He keyed in information into the GPS and handed her an iPod. “Whatever your tastes are, there is plenty of music to choose from or go to the Apple store and surprise me.”

The engine revved and she gripped the armrest, preparing for the movement of the car backwards. He handled the car well, smoothly shifting between gears. A powerful man in a powerful car and she closed her eyes struggling to stop the runaway beat of her heart. She wanted to let this man in and at the same time, she wanted to run. Far away.

The iPod was cold in her palm. She swirled her thump around the control icon, opening the music menu. “You’ve got a lot of songs.”

“I travel and the radio stations out here are few; mostly country and they stick to playing the same old songs. How about something new? What do you listen to down in Miami when you get hot and bothered?” He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

“Ah, let me see what you’ve got. Maybe there’s already something worth replaying.”

He arched a brow. “Will you always challenge whatever I suggest?”

“I’m not.” Was she?

She pressed play and sat back as the music filled her headrest. Even the speakers were perfect in delivering sparkling musical notes, separating the piece into layers and currents. She floated inside the car, adrift on bouncing rhythms, a refuge away from confusing emotions with physical desire.

The sky was littered with clouds starting to swim in late afternoon shadows.

He smiled at her. The turn signal flickered on and off. Up ahead was the overnight courier. He parked outside the building, leaving the engine idling.

“Do you want to come inside?”

She shook her head, unable to say anything. Instead of staying relaxed, she rocketed into emotional orbit sitting in front of their stop. This was the last step before they resumed where they’d left off.

She watched him open the door. A simple movement and his body held her rapt attention. The girl inside laughed at something he said. Another female enthralled. She pressed her lips together, realizing she’d not come up with any sort of plan.

Diving headlong into a pool of desire was insane because she already knew what it would be like to break the surface gasping for breath. No. This time it felt like she wore cement blocks and the possibility of drowning loomed as he opened the car door. Her heartbeat sped up and loudly hammered.

He sat and inhaled as his gaze swept across her face. “Are you always such a mystery?”

“I’m not the only puzzle. You’ve constantly changed from the moment we met.”

“Me? Carolina, I’m not hiding anything from you. Turn down the music for a moment. Please.”

She clicked the volume on mute. Her heart was louder without competing sounds.

“Are you hungry … thirsty?” he asked.

She swallowed. Was she supposed to just go with the flow and push aside her worry? Clingy and sexy were never popular bedmates.

She said the first thing that came to mind. “Look, I just don’t want this to turn into something that becomes complicated.”

That didn’t sound over-the-top and pathetic. She played a Cool-Hand-Luke variation of it’s not you, it’s me without naming herself as prime suspect.

“What do you mean? Elaborate.” He stared at her blankly.

“We just overnighted your samples. Results are due back in a week … or less. You’ll know all I can tell you in two weeks, tops, and then I’m flying back home.” Did she have to spell it out for him?

“What are you telling me? It sounds like you want assurances.” His eyes widened.

She laughed nervously. He sounded like he was about to drop her at the nearest hotel. “Matt, don’t make it seem like I’m being unreasonable. I’m not looking to be part of something painful … someone getting hurt.”

“Why? Because you’re not certain about your future? We don’t need to define the terms this very moment, if that’s what you’re saying. Or are you telling you’re not interested in anything long-term?”

He had boxed her in and her back was against the wall. She wasn’t going to do what she’d always done and be vulnerable. That never worked out. This time she’d wait, relish, and savor before pouring out her feelings.

“Everything might ring true. I don’t want to rush into anything,” she whispered. The sound of sincerity in his voice made her almost believe he was different from most of the men she’d met. Except, he was a man and she’d already lost a few too many hands trusting blindly in love and lady luck. This time she wasn’t going to be the first to fold. “I just mean, I’m here on business. Short-term. Isn’t that right?”

“Really. I’m glad to find out before we made a mistake.”

This time he pulled out of the space so fast her head lurched forward and slammed backward with the force he executed into downshifting. The engine revved up and tires screeched, loud enough to turn heads.

His profile became chiseled marble, his mouth a hard line.

She didn’t know what to say to bridge this gorge that lay between them. Instead of playing it right back as she’d expected, he was angry. She didn’t understand his response until he pulled up in front of his parents’ house.

He got out, walked around the car, and held open her door. His fingers grasped her hand, helped her up and let go. A muscle spasmed along his jaw.

“Just follow me.” He handed her the keys to his SUV. He held the driver’s door open on the SUV without another word exchanged. She watched him walk toward his car.

The drive wound around the ranch over a section toward the west. Pine trees dotted the landscape and a wide river rushed along intersecting the road under a cement bridge. He pulled off going up over a hill. His house sat on a ridge overlooking a pasture and valley. Without waiting for him to open her door, she got out and met him at the rear of the car.

“I’ll get your bags from the car.”

She nodded, unable to speak, fearing if she wedged open that gate a rush of tears would follow.

“This is it?” he asked looking around as if she’d forgotten something.

“Same bags from before. Was I supposed to bring more?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t notice before how little you’d brought. I guess it adds up. Traveling light.” His voiced sounded hard and forced. “Let’s go.”

His fingers on her elbow tightened going up the stone steps. Unlike his parents’ home, Matt’s house was something she’d expect to see in a lush almost tropical oasis back home. They walked along a paved driveway with a fountain on one side. A wide-open porch adorned the front of the house along an arched doorway and tall double doors flanked on either side by ornately landscaped areas. Various species of palms and colorful bromeliads in bloom framed the porch.

He opened the door and they were met by a young woman with fiery red hair, wearing cutoffs and a tight T-shirt coming into the foyer. Carolina’s nerves were already stretched too tight and at the sight of the young woman, Carolina faltered, stopping dead in her tracks.

“Hey, I didn’t expect you to be here,” he said.

The young woman’s face beamed. She continued staring at Matt’s face and didn’t even attempt to meet Carolina’s gaze.

“Carolina, this Becca Sheridan, my housekeeper.”

“Good evening, Matt, I didn’t expect you back so soon,” she called, coming forward.

The floors were polished ivory marble that gleamed. Inside was a golden yellow and the colors were muted earth tones.

“Welcome back, Matt.” The second greeting came from an older woman standing at the side of the foyer.

“Aunt Shawna, what are you doing here?” Matt asked.

“You hired me to do your window treatments. The orders came in and I’m installing the wooden blinds. Is that alright ?”

“Yes. For the den. Great. The room has an eastern exposure and it’s too bright in the morning. You were right about the blinds.”

“Becca and Aunt Shawna, may I introduce Carolina Rodriguez. She’s my … friend and will be staying with me for a while.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Carolina warmed immediately to Aunt Shawna, who hugged her. The older woman stepped back, laughing.

Becca nodded as if she’d been given a long chore list, while his aunt’s jaw-dropping expression was still evident. “Really. How nice. A friend. I take it you’re not from around here.”

“No. I’m from Florida … Miami.”

“Gracious. Coming all the way from Miami. My husband and I once took the kids to Disney World. We never made it all the way down to Miami … no, I take it back. We did take a cruise from the port in Miami, but we didn’t get out to see the city.”

“Maybe someday you’ll come and visit.” Carolina noticed that Becca went back to watching Matt’s every movement.

“One never knows,” his aunt agreed. “I’d better finish up.” She pulled two straight pins from her shirtsleeve, put them into her mouth and bit down.

“I was thinking the guest suite down the hall. Yellow corner.” Becca turned to Carolina, “It’s off the pool and has a private garden and sitting area. A favorite for guests.”

“Sounds divine,” she said, wondering why Becca took the position of lady of the house.

“Just follow me, Carolina,” Becca said.

Matt came up behind his Carolina. “Are you tired? How are you doing? I thought we’d stop here and get your things put away and decide what to do. I didn’t realize anyone would be here.”

“Would you rather I stay up at your parent’s house?”

“No. Why?”

“Never mind. Did you want to go to your parents’ for dinner?”

“Is that what you want to do?”

“Matt, did you want me to stick around? Do anything for ya?” Becca interrupted.

“You’d better go see what Becca wants. I can take care of myself.”