She raised her eyebrows. “I would’ve thought you’d have figured that out by now.”
“The coffee will help.”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to get woke up. If she was awake, she’d have to think about everything Cal had told her last night and she wasn’t sure she was ready to face the truth. Maybe it would be better if she left, went back to Fort Worth. That was the only way she would be able to get over Cal.
“I think I have enough for my story,” she said. “I should probably leave so I can finish the book.”
“I’d like to help you out, but Tornado picked up a stone and is favoring her leg. She should probably rest it today. We can head back in the morning.”
But she didn’t want to spend another day in his company. That would only make it harder for her to leave even knowing what she did about him.
It would seem she didn’t have a choice in the matter. She looked up at him then and realized maybe she didn’t want to leave. God, she was such a fool and that was one thing she’d never been, at least not over a man. She guessed there was a first time for everyone, but it didn’t mean she had to like the situation!
Chapter 25
For just a moment, Celeste thought about sneaking back inside the therapy room when she saw Brian at the reception desk talking to Rhonda. Drat, she had to face him sooner or later. That knowledge didn’t make her feel any better.
What had gotten into her yesterday? She couldn’t believe she’d told him anything, let alone spilling her whole sordid family history. She never talked about her past to anyone.
But then to make love with him…no, there had been nothing wrong about what they’d shared. Maybe it was the most right thing that had happened in her life in a very long time, and she refused to feel regret.
A whole lot embarrassed, but she figured that was only natural. But, damn, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.
He turned from the reception desk and saw her at the door of the massage room. There was nothing for her to do but walk to the front desk. It wasn’t as if she wouldn’t run into him sooner or later.
“Hello,” she said.
His gaze slowly swept over her. Tingles spread down her body in the wake of his heated gaze, but then, she knew he wanted her. That had been evident last night. There was definitely a mutual attraction going on here.
“Have lunch with me,” he said.
She twined her fingers together and glanced at Rhonda. The receptionist quickly looked down at the desk and began to thumb through the pages of the appointment book.
Celeste could feel the heat rise up her face. “I can’t,” she blurted as she silently wished for him to go away. She needed time to think about what was going on between them. Things were happening way too fast for her.
“Actually,” Rhonda said, “you don’t have another appointment until two. You can take a nice long, leisurely lunch.” She was smiling when she raised her head but apparently noted Celeste’s not so pleased expression and downed her head again.
“Good. I’ll drop by around noon and we can walk over together.”
Brian didn’t wait for her to protest. He strode to the door and left her to wonder how she was going to get out of having lunch with the boss.
“I think he likes you,” Rhonda said.
“I think you need to mind your own business.”
“Are you really mad at me?” Rhonda looked genuinely worried as she fiddled with the top button on her blouse.
“No, I guess not.” She had to work with her and she was more mad at herself than she was at Rhonda.
Rhonda smiled brightly. “You like him, don’t you?”
“He’s the boss.”
“And he’s still a man.”
Oh yeah, that he was, and she couldn’t stop the thrill that swept over her as she remembered just how much of a man he was.
But she had a feeling no good would come out of their relationship. Her past experiences should be enough warning that nothing would work out between them.
Nikki glared at Cal’s back as she sacrificed a worm on the sharp hook. What she wouldn’t give to jab him in the butt with the barbed piece of metal. Cal had used her. Made love to her all the time he planned to dump her. No, not dump, just have other women. He probably expected her to make appointments for his time.
Not that she even remotely thought their relationship stood a chance, but did he have to be so blunt about not being able to stay true to just one woman?
It was a good thing she’d chosen to fish downstream from him or she’d be tempted to whack him over the head with her pole!
“I bet the town loves having their star football player back in town,” she said sarcastically as she tossed the line out. It whistled through the air, and then the sinker plopped into the water, sending out ripples.
“They like making a big deal. I don’t see the harm.” He glanced over his shoulder and winked. “Especially the ladies. They trip all over themselves trying to get to me.”
Anger coursed through her.
He suddenly frowned. “But I won’t mess around while we’re having so much fun. I’ll wait until I start getting bored.”
“How nice,” she said between gritted teeth.
He was thoughtful for a minute. “I’ll probably wait until you leave town.”
“How generous.”
“I’m really trying to do better.” He turned back around, throwing out his line.
She glared at him. There was a tug on her line. She quickly reeled it in but there wasn’t anything on the hook, including the damned worm.
“You missed that one,” he told her, then went back to his own fishing.
Ohh, she’d like to…to…How could she ever have thought she might love him? She needed to have her head examined.
She threaded another worm on the hook and flung her line out, except it didn’t go anywhere. She whipped it back and forth-still nothing.
His laughter filled the air. “You have to let some of your line out-give it a little slack-and don’t forget to push the button.” He turned his back to her, but she could tell he was still laughing. He’d probably been laughing at her every time she came on to him.
She released some of her line.
“But I will say that I’ve never had such good sex as what I’ve had with you.”
Oh, now he was comparing her to his other women! That was just great.
She whipped the fishing pole at the same time she released the line. It sailed through the air, but not toward the water.
“Ow!” Cal jumped, grabbing his butt.
“Oh, crap.” She threw her pole down. He jumped again when the line tightened. “I’m sorry.” She scooped the rod back up and ran toward him but stumbled and jerked the line tight again as she tried to catch her balance.
“Just walk, don’t run,” Cal said between gritted teeth.
Nikki immediately slowed. Dammit, she might have been thinking about jabbing her hook in his butt, but that was all she’d been doing-just thinking it. Oh, maybe she was telekinetic. Darn it, she hadn’t meant to hook him. She stopped beside him, carefully laying the pole down.
“There’s a knife in my pocket,” he said. “Get it and cut the line.”
“I’m so sorry. I would never…”
“Just cut the line.”
“Okay, okay, you don’t have to bite my head off.” She stuck her hand in his pocket and dug around. Her fingers encountered two hard objects. A frown turned her lips downward. How could he get a hard-on with a hook in his ass? She had a feeling the knife was the smaller of the two.
She was right.
She quickly opened it and cut the line. “Now what? Do you want me to pull the hook out?”
“No!”
Sheesh! “I was just asking. How the hell do I know what you want me to do if you don’t tell me?”
“Help me back to camp.”
He put his arm around her shoulder, his hand landing on her breast. On purpose? Probably. She was not going to be the next girl in the Cal Braxton harem. She moved his hand to a safer place as they made their way back to camp.