“No one makes me breathe like that,” he admitted.
Pepper barked at them, and this time Kurt didn’t give him a harsh stare or a command for quiet. Kurt lowered his mouth toward Leanna’s lips as she pushed away from him.
“I’d worry if your sister made you breathe like that,” she said as if she had no idea that she’d just driven him out of his mind or that he’d been about to kiss her. She picked up the towel and draped it over her shoulder. “I’ll help you clean up.”
He couldn’t move. He could barely breathe. She went inside, and he heard her opening and closing doors. He tried to force his legs to function and cringed thinking about the sand trail she was leaving on his floors. She returned a few minutes later with a broom and a dustpan.
“Finally found them hanging up behind the laundry room door. You are so organized.” She stood on her tiptoes and swept the broom back and forth fast and undirected, sending sand all over the deck. “If you didn’t kill someone, what did you write?” Sweep, sweep. Sand flew into the air and landed on his chair.
He took the broom from her hands and began sweeping to keep from taking her in his arms and kissing that never-quiet mouth of hers.
“My villain was making his way to the victim, mentally obsessing over her.” Like me at this very moment.
“Look how pretty the sky is over there.” Leanna pointed over the ocean. “I love the way it goes all purply pink.”
All purply pink. He smiled. “It’s pretty, all right.” He noticed that while she sometimes spoke simply, her eyes held knowledge. She didn’t come across as a ditzy brunette. Cute, yes. Ditzy? No way. Smart and happy, though simple, were perfect words to describe Leanna.
She knelt and held the dustpan while he swept the sandy mess into it. When she stood, she turned and knocked into the table, dumping the sand all over his chair and the deck again. “I’m such a klutz. I’m sorry.” She reached for the broom and Kurt reached for her.
Okay, maybe klutzy, but not ditzy—and adorably attractive.
They were chest to chest again, and he wanted to feel her lips against his more than he wanted to write his next chapter, but he didn’t need distractions. He was behind on his word count, and he had a deadline looming. He reluctantly guided her into a chair and swept the mess off the deck, buying himself time to figure out what he should do. When he was done, he leaned against the table, crossed his arms, and looked at Leanna.
She drew her feet up on the chair, knees to chest, and smiled up at him. She was always smiling. “Sorry.”
Pepper barked at him again, and he glared at the dog. “Hush.”
Pepper plopped onto his butt, and Kurt wished he could command himself to do the right thing as easily.
“I need to write.”
“I know. I really just came to bring you the basket.” Worry flashed in her eyes.
He picked up the basket and rifled through it. There were two jars of jam, a loaf of homemade bread, and dried flowers.
“Did you make all of this?”
“Mm-hm.” She traced her kneecap with her index finger.
He’d noticed that she did that often and wondered if she was nervous or bored. He couldn’t be sure, but it endeared her to him even more.
“That was really sweet. You’re really sweet, Leanna.” And sexy and wickedly distracting.
She pushed to her feet and stood between his legs. “I’m nice, but I’m not sweet.”
Leanna’s lips were a breath away, close enough that an inch would bring them together, but the determined tone of her voice and the feisty look in her beautiful eyes told Kurt that she was stating a fact. Defending her strength. And that made him want her even more.
“And I’ve overstayed my welcome.” She traced his tattoo again. “Go write. I’m really glad you let me stay. I had fun.”
“You did?” Kurt considered himself anything but fun.
“Are you kidding? Playing with Pepper on the beach and then having the added bonus of seeing you all flustered and shirtless…and sexy? Priceless.” She stepped back. “Do you want me to take the towel and blanket inside?”
He was still hung up on shirtless and sexy. No, but I’d like to take you inside.
“I’ve got it. Thanks. And thanks for the basket.”
She swatted the air. “Pfft. Have fun writing, but you should really get out sometime. There’s a world of temptation out there that you might enjoy. I mean, sand between your toes? Come on.”
“I walk on the beach every night, and I enjoy plenty of temptations.” He walked her to her van with Pepper at their heels, thinking about the temptation that was less than a foot away.
She narrowed her gaze. “Somehow I think your idea of temptation and mine are a little different.”
Which is exactly why you have to leave. He eyed her colorful van. “Nice wheels.”
“My dad refurbished it for me when I graduated from college, and I can’t imagine driving anything but my happy mobile.”
“Happy mobile?”
“Yeah.” She opened the door and Pepper jumped in; then she climbed into the driver’s seat. “I mean, look at the thing. Can you really look at it and not smile?”
He couldn’t look at her without smiling. “No, I guess I can’t.”
Chapter Four
SEASIDE WAS A small community of one-, two-, and three-bedroom cottages, most of which had been owned by the same families for decades. Leanna’s grandfather had purchased their cottage before she was born. Her family had spent a few weeks each summer at the cottage, and during their visits, her parents kept them on the go. Between afternoons at the beach, walking through quaint nearby towns, and evening family-oriented concerts, it left little downtime, and the downtime they’d enjoyed had been spent at Seaside. She was glad for the friendships she’d fostered in the community and even more pleased that they’d lasted this long. She couldn’t imagine her summers without her Seaside friends.
Leanna was cooking hamburgers on the grill when she heard Bella talking with their friend Amy Maples in the area behind her cottage. A minute later Bella peered over the gate.
“Hey, chicky. Is Mr. Sexy here?”
Leanna laughed. “No. Mr. Sexy isn’t here.”
Bella and Amy joined her on the deck in their typical summer outfits, sundresses worn over their bathing suits. Amy had straight, short blond hair and was about as big around as a pencil, with expressive green eyes and a big heart. Pepper ran circles around them, barking at Amy, his favorite female human. Leanna sometimes wondered if Pepper was more attached to Amy than to her. Amy crouched, and Pepper rolled onto his back so Amy could rub his belly.