Secrets Under the Sun, page 10
“You don’t have to bribe me with anything.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “I like doing things that make you happy, Eleni. You’ve made my time here so much better than I ever imagined.”
She was about to respond when his thumb grazed her bottom lip, freezing any words before they could slip out. His head lowered, and she watched mesmerized. Waiting for his lips to touch hers. Oh, please.
“Your wish is my command.”
Had she said her plea aloud? It didn’t matter, because he finally kissed her. Soft, gentle, and over too quickly. She skimmed her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders. Firm, rugged, and perfect for holding onto.
When she rose on her toes, he met her halfway and pressed his lips to her again. It had been too long since she’d felt like this, swept away with longing and desire.
He drew her tighter to his chest, and she deepened the kiss. It didn’t take much coaxing before he joined in just as fiercely. His hand skated up her back, stopping to hold her neck as they continued the dance.
A dog barking in the distance grew louder. It got her attention, so she eased back. “I don’t think we’re alone.”
“Unfortunately.” It was the only word he spoke. He draped his arm around her shoulder and started walking again. It was a companionable silence. She wished she could ask him to kiss her again.
When they returned to the party, many of the guests had left. Thea and Xander both whined when she told them it was time to go. The thought of not being with Dean had a similar effect on her.
Dean instructed her to go straight home. He’d walk to his place once he’d helped her unload her car, which worked out when Thea fell asleep on the ride and needed to be carried inside.
Once the kids and Georgie were in the house and the car unloaded, Dean wished them all good night. Eleni escorted him to the porch.
“Can I walk you home?” She wanted to spend more time with him.
Dean smiled, that sexy one that drove her crazy. “Then, I’d just have to walk you back here.’
“Okay, sounds good.”
Dean laughed. “I’ll say good night now.”
She stepped into his arms, and he immediately enveloped her in his embrace. It was heaven.
“You did a great job tonight. I know lots of people aren’t your thing, but you got through it.”
He framed her face with his rough hands. “Because of you. You have a way of making everything all right. Thank you.”
His head lowered, and she held her breath waiting for another dazzling kiss. But his lips merely brushed across hers, once, then swiftly a second time. Straightening, he spun and strode away.
At the bottom of the stairs, he peeked over his shoulder. “I’ll see you Sunday.”
After that kiss, Eleni wasn’t sure she’d make it until Sunday.
Dean pulled his old pick up in front of Eleni’s house and beeped. As he exited the vehicle, Xander and Thea flew out of the house, straight for him. He braced himself on his good leg and waited, arms out. They both jumped, and he swung them around for a rotation, then set them down again.
“Ready to go pick some pumpkins?”
“I’m gonna get one that’s bigger than me.” Xander held out his arms wide.
Thea threw him a sister look. “Mom said we could each get a medium-sized one and one big one for the porch.”
Her brother scrunched up his face. “Well, the big one can be bigger than me.”
“I don’t know.” Dean placed his hand on the boy’s head. “I think you’ve grown just since I saw you Friday night. What have you been eating?”
“I had broccoli for supper last night. Two helpings. And apples. Apples are excellent for you.”
Thea laughed. “You had apple pie. I don’t think that counts as good for you.”
Dean snickered, too. “If it’s your mom’s apple pie, it’s very good for you.”
“See.” Xander stuck his tongue out at his sister.
Eleni bustled down the stairs, her arms piled high with pie boxes. He hurried to take them from her.
“Oh, thank you. I have a few more in the house.”
Dean carefully placed the pies in the back of his truck. “Do you have an old box? Something we can put these in, so they don’t rattle around.”
Eleni glanced toward the house, then back. “I have the big cooler. We might be able to fit two next to each other and stack them.”
“I’ll get it from the shed. I know where I put it Friday night. Are you sure Georgie doesn’t want to come with us?”
Eleni waved him off. “She’s been knitting up a storm lately. It doesn’t get that cold here in the winter, but we do have a few chilly days in January and February. She wants the kids to have hats and scarves. I think she’s making some for you, too.”
As Dean retrieved the cooler, he thought about how long he’d be here. He’d narrowed down the search to a handful of people, but still didn’t have any clue further than that. Truthfully, he wasn’t in a big rush to find out. The holiday promotion had gone through without a hitch, so he might have to wait until Valentine’s Day packages. Marketing would be working on those now in order to get advertisements out in time.
Of course, being able to run the company from his tiny apartment on the island had kept him from needing to run back home. He’d always been remote, but prior to this, he’d put in ten or twelve-hour days. Lately, he’d found, with enough delegating, he could get the same work done in just a few. Could he stay here on the island for a little longer? Really get to know the staff and help restructure the resort?
The idea of staying around here permanently entered his head as he watched Eleni carry more pies to the truck. Hoisting the cooler in his hands, he trotted over to the truck and placed it in. Once Eleni had the dozen pies inside, he wrapped a bungee cord around it, securing it to the side of the truck bed.
Luckily, the older model truck had a bench seat with three seat belts. “We’ll need to double buckle the kids, but together they don’t even weigh that of a grown adult.”
“It’s okay. Just for today and because we aren’t going far.” Eleni helped the kids with their seat belt, then buckled herself in the middle. When Dean got in, the fit was snug and cozy. Having Eleni’s thigh pressed against his was nothing to complain about.
“Secondhand Antiques is just a short way past Nadine and Marek’s house. That same beach road, before you reach the lighthouse.”
“I drove by yesterday. Since I had the day off, I figured I’d explore the island a little.”
Eleni sighed. “I’d love to get two days off in a row sometime.”
“Don’t you get vacation time?”
“I do, but I haven’t taken any in years. I’m always worried some emergency will come up and I’ll need the time. Luckily, the resort lets you roll over vacation time.”
Dean wondered if maybe Eleni needed someone to push her to take some time off. The woman worked far too hard between her job and her family. Even today, which was supposed to be a fun family outing, she was delivering pies she’d probably slaved over once she’d gotten home from work yesterday.
“Up ahead. That big red barn behind the white farmhouse. That’s Sandpiper Bed and Breakfast. Just pull off the road near the shell driveway next to the barn.”
“Is that where the pies go?”
Eleni nodded as he parked the truck. The kids unbuckled and jumped out of the vehicle.
“You can look for pumpkins, but make sure not to bother other people,” she called after them.
“Are they safe being on their own over there?” He pointed to the large yard. Wheelbarrows were loaded with pumpkins, and wooden crates were filled with gourds. More pumpkins, corn stalks, and other decorations littered the area, all lined with hay bales.
After releasing the cord for the cooler, Eleni glanced sideways at him. “You lived in a city, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe in the summer, when we’re in full tourist mode, I might keep a tighter rein on the twins, but now…they’re fine.”
“Let me get that cooler. It’s heavy.”
Her eyes twinkled. “That’s why I brought you along, my friend.”
As she showed him where to set the pies, Dean rolled that word friend over in his mind. Truthfully, he’d like to be more with Eleni. There was no way he’d ever become like his brother with a lady in every port. Not that Dean had lots of ports. He was a homebody through and through.
An older woman made her way to the doorway and greeted them. “Eleni, dear, you are so sweet to make these for us. I’ve had so many requests already. Kat told me you’d be bringing some today. I have a feeling they’ll be gone by the time we close.”
“I can make more for next weekend if you think they’ll sell. I’ll try to get them here earlier, so you can put them out on Saturday, too. Let me introduce you to my muscle today. Dean Peters. Haddie Marshall. This is Kat’s grandmother.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Marshall.”
Haddie waved her hands in the air like she was shooing a fly. “Oh, none of that. Everyone around here calls me Gran. Plain and simple.”
“Gran. Nice place you’ve got here.”
Eleni’s smile grew huge. “You should see some of the antiques she’s got inside the barn. If I was ever able to afford a larger house, I’d probably buy out the place.”
As Gran meandered away, he asked Eleni, “You like antiques?” Most of the stuff in her house was a mishmash of different styles, but knowing what she’d been through, he figured what she had was what she could afford.
Eleni’s shoulders rose and fell as a sigh escaped her mouth. “Mmhmm. I love antiques and the history behind them. Plus, they’re just so beautiful.”
Like her. He had a feeling Eleni didn’t hear that enough. He’d have to tell her again when they weren’t in a public place with the kids running all around. With a dog.
“Is that Boomer with Thea and Xander?”
Peeking over her shoulder, Eleni nodded. “Ben’s over there helping Gran, and I’m sure Kat’s inside the antique barn ringing up sales and helping customers. They’ll be fine.”
The teenager manning the stand with the other treats handed them each a cup of warm apple cider. Eleni cocked her head toward a low stack of hay bales. “Let’s go sit for a few minutes while the kids get their energy out.”
He followed her to two hay bales set aside from the others. Perching next to Eleni, he noticed more stacks of bales across the yard. The dog kept disappearing behind them.
“That’s a small hay maze Ben created for the kids. It’ll only last until the bales are all sold. He put these two aside for me, so I can decorate the house.”
“You really get into this Halloween thing, huh?”
Eleni kept her gaze on Thea and Xander. “I’ve got two children. It’s kind of a prerequisite. Didn’t you do Halloween up big when you were a kid?”
“Maybe when I was younger, but after the accident, it was just too hard to get around door to door. The houses in our neighborhood were pretty spread out, and it was difficult walking for a few years.”
She swiveled toward him and patted his knee. “You never did tell me what kind of accident it was. Is it something you don’t like talking about?”
He shrugged. He hadn’t spoken about it in a long time, but he didn’t hang around people often and none of his employees would dare ask him. “It was a bike accident.”
“Bicycle or motorcycle?”
“I was ten. Bicycle. An angry dog chased me and tried to bite me.”
“Which is why Boomer makes you nervous.”
“I won’t lie. I’m not exactly comfortable around dogs. I suppose I should make it a point to get over that fear.”
Her hand clenched on his thigh. “So you fell off the bike?”
“More like flew off the bike and tumbled down a rocky ravine. Tore open my leg, cut my face, fractured a number of bones. I was in the hospital for a month while they tried to repair everything. One of the fractures in my leg was so bad it caused that leg to be half an inch shorter than the other. It’s why I limp.”
The smile she flashed his way made him warmer than the cider he was drinking. “It doesn’t detract from your ability to do your job. I’ve seen you do some stuff I know I wouldn’t be able to do. Does it still hurt?”
“The leg itself doesn’t hurt, but when I’m on my feet all day, the discrepancy in height can make my hip ache.”
“And you haven’t thought of getting a job where you can sit once in a while?”
“I like staying active.” Surprisingly, he’d found that true. Being stagnant in his office all day wasn’t healthy, even if he spent an hour in his home gym after. “I have a shoe lift the doctor gave me. I had to push aside my pride and actually wear it. It’s been better since.”
“That’s good. Otherwise, you could get really grumpy.”
He laughed. “Aren’t I always grumpy?”
She pressed her face closer to his. “That’s all an act, so people don’t bother you while you’re working. You can’t fool me.”
“I can’t, huh?” If she only knew.
“What I don’t understand is why a nice guy like you isn’t married.”
“Not many women want a guy with a limp and a scar.”
“That’s a cop out. You’re still one of the most handsome men I’ve ever met, scars and all. I’m surprised you don’t have women flinging themselves at you left and right.”
“No flinging. Left, right, or center.” Unless you counted the gold diggers. Staying out of the limelight helped to eliminate those. “Don’t forget, I can’t have kids.”
“There are women who don’t want kids. Or women who already have some, like me. I’m very happy with my two little rug rats. Did you want children?”
He stared off across the street to the ocean beyond. “I knew early on I couldn’t have them, so I made myself believe I didn’t want them.”
“That’s what turned you into a Scrooge. You didn’t need any ghosts of Christmas past or future. You just needed to hang out with my brood.”
He tipped his head next to hers, pressing their foreheads together. “I like your brood. I like you, Eleni.”
He’d been dying to kiss her again since he’d done it Friday night. He wouldn’t wait any longer. As his lips skimmed hers, shouts from across the yard interrupted them.
“Mom, I found the biggest pumpkin! We have to get it.”
Eleni sighed. “Okay. Maybe I’m not always happy with my rug rats.”
Chapter Eleven
Eleni and Dean sprang apart as the twins rushed over and bounced up and down, waving their arms. Her kids must have kiss radar.
“It’s over here. You need to come see,” Thea yelled, her eyes wide.
Xander, not to be outdone by his sister, grabbed her hand and tugged. “We have to get it before someone else buys it!”
Dean sighed loudly, but his grin was mischievous. “Guess we need to take a look at this great pumpkin. If it’s as good as they say, we might have to buy it.”
He really was great with the kids. It was a shame he didn’t have any of his own. Would he ever consider taking on someone else’s? It was probably too soon to be thinking along those lines.
Thea led the way as Xander bubbled on about it. “It’s huge and perfectly round, with almost no weird spots. Well, it has a few but not as many as some of the other big ones.”
Dean tipped his head as he stared at her. “No weird spots? Sounds like we might have a winner.”
The pumpkin was indeed huge. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to get that in the car.”
“Mom, that’s why we brought Mr. Dean’s truck,” Xander whined.
Thea bobbed her head. “And he’s super strong. He can get it in the back.”
She had no doubt Dean was strong, but this was massive. Where had Haddie gotten it? “It’s got to weigh close to a hundred pounds. That’s very heavy.”
Xander stared at the man, his face scrunched up. “Can you do it, Mr. Dean?”
“Hmm.” Dean tapped his chin with his forefinger. “A hundred pounds, you say.” He glanced at her, away, then back again.
In seconds, he scooped her off the ground and twirled in a circle. The kids danced and squealed as Eleni held on for dear life.
“What are you doing?”
After setting her back on her feet and holding her steady until her head stopped spinning, he grinned at the twins. “I reckon your mom weighs a little over a hundred pounds, and I can pick her up.”
Laughing, she bit her lip. “Yeah, slightly over a hundred pounds.” She’d never say how slight.
“Then, the pumpkin is doable. But it’ll be the one for the porch.”
Eleni glared at the large orange fruit and sized it up. “It may have to stay at the bottom of the stairs. I don’t need the porch collapsing under the weight.”
Dean waved at the kids. “You still each need a smaller pumpkin. Go find them.”
“You have to be able to carry it yourself, Xander, Thea.”
As the kids toddled off, Dean slung his arm over her shoulder. “I’d guess the weight is more around fifty pounds. Doubtful it’ll break the porch. And once you carve it—”
“Oh, you don’t carve pumpkins here until the day before or of Halloween. It’s too warm, and they’ll get mushy and completely cave in. Usually, we draw a face on it until the day, then we carve.”
“Huh. I never thought of that. Good thing I didn’t try and get my own pumpkin. I would have failed dismally.”
Pressing herself against him, she said, “You’re welcome to share our pumpkins.”
Dean squinted down at her. “If I’m hauling that huge thing back to the house, I’d better be able to share it.”
They both laughed, and Eleni didn’t remember the last time she’d felt so light with someone other than the kids. The warmth from his body heated her up, and she wanted to kiss him again. Here, in a public venue, was hardly the place.
Gathering her courage, she took a chance and glanced up at him. “Once the pumpkins are back and the kids are busy, do you think you might like to take a walk to the beach?”
