Chapter 17

Richie resisted the urge to leave the kitchen. Something told him that leaving her to her own devices was a dangerous thing, but he needed a moment to center himself, to push down the errant thoughts the vision of those legs and eyes kept sending him. Alex already had 'bolt now' in her eyes. He was interested to see how they'd get on in an intimate setting. Of course you couldn't get much more intimate than the beach in the near winter. The raging sea suited his mood. The wind off the coast was restless--very much like he was right now.

He brought the tray back into the living room, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. A fat, sweating carafe of sweet tea and two tall glasses with lemon wedges jammed on top of the ice cubes was in his hands. He had enough salty snacks to guarantee that she'd drink the tea and a small notebook in case he got the urge to write. He had them stashed all over his house. This one was in the kitchen junk drawer.

He turned as she opened the bathroom door. She stood in the doorway, hesitant as she pulled the oversized sleeves over her palms. Long, pretty feet with purple polish on the elegant toes curled into his plush carpet. His sweats bunched at her ankles and hips, but otherwise seemed to fit. The shirt showed a surprising swell of breasts that she hid under her suit coats. Her hair was twisted into a low ponytail, the thick shades of blonde stood out starkly off his black sweats. Her gold eyes were wary as she walked into the living room.

He poured a glass for her and held it out. "A little big, but they fit. We can head out to the shops if you want, get some dinner or something."

She settled her folded clothing on the arm of a chair and took the tea, nodding a thankful smile his way as his words sank in. "Shops? dinner?" Why's he wanting to take me shopping? You'd think we were going to be here awhile. "I'm sure we can um, find something to eat here."

She slowly slid into a chair, watching him carefully as she sipped at the tea. "Tea is very refreshing."

"My mom filched it from Aunt Nancy down in South Carolina." He sipped. "Ahhh...nothing better." He palmed his glass, holding it against his knee. "Well, I figured we could get some work in while we're here. You've got your laptop. I'll get you some clothes, we'll get some groceries and bunker in for three or four days. Maybe longer."

Her brow arched, her body curling further back into the chair as she pulled her feet up under her. "YOU’LL get me some clothes." Her voice went quiet as she leaned forward to settle her tea on the coaster. "Bunker in three or four days?"

She closed her eyes, her heart skittering into an unrecognized rapid beat. She couldn't stay bunkered in anywhere with him, he wasn't flaky, he wasn't shallow, she couldn't afford that risk, he was too alluring away from work... "I can buy my own clothes ya know."

"Sure you can, just consider it a business expense." He sat back, watching her eyes flick around the room, anywhere but on him. Hmm. "Besides, you wanted to know the real me. This is as real as it gets. The ocean is part of me, has been as soon as I got enough money to buy a house near the ocean."

The client is always right, always, always right. The client gets what the client wants.. Jesus he had to want this? Taking a deep breath she managed a nod, as it hit her, maybe here he'd let go of that stupid guilt and recrimination he had going on and she'd see the redemption part of this whole thing.

"If that’s what you want. I'll need to call in though."

He dug out his cell and flipped it her way. Watching her eyes widen as she snatched it out of the air, he grinned. "Call it in then." He said in a voice like a dare. He had her off balance, he knew that and yet he kept pushing. This was as real as he'd ever seen Lex. And it galled him that he wanted more...but he did.

She heard the challenge in his voice and let the curiosity rise. What could he want other than a cover? She smiled and flipped the phone open, her finger quickly punching in the numbers; then paused before hitting call, as a thought occurred. Two could play at this game; he wanted things, so did she. "I’ll call in on one condition."

"Depends on the condition, darlin'." He didn't like ultimatums, but he was willing to see what she was about.

She leaned forward, a slight grin on her face, "You drop the guilt shit while here. Albums called Redemption, I can't design that part if you keep playing the guilt game. Deal?" Her brows waggled as she lifted the tea and leaned back to await his reply. She was pretty damned sure she'd found her way out. He'd shuttle her home before she blinked. She just knew it.

He slowly sipped his tea, his thumb sliding over the sweat of the glass. He lifted his chin. He had a reason to feel guilty about everything. It was simply a part of who he was now. "All right," he agreed. "You get the old Richie," he leaned forward, placing the glass in the center of the tray. "Are you sure you can handle that?"

She took a sip of tea then flipped the phone open, connecting the call to her office. With short quick sentences she set her self for a few days off. Ending the call, she closed the phone and flipped it back towards him. She'd handled clients harder than him, she just had to keep the glasses on, the armor high. She could handle him and then some. "Sure I can." What do ya think you are Sex on legs or something? She could handle him, he was just a musician.

He stood up, held his hand out to her. "Well then, let's get the heck outta here. The beach is calling."

She stood up, staring at his hand a moment. Well she'd asked for this, she'd have to at least go along with it part way. Laying her hand in his she kept herself stiff, chanting internally about his client status. "Lead the way."

He led her out the back sliding door, his fingers loosely laced in hers as he drew her down the soft dunes held together by beach grass and stones. He left his own shoes behind, happy to have the cool sand sifting beneath his feet again. The timing was right, the sun at just the right spot in the sky to make his little slice of heaven shine. He held her in front of him, pointing out the curve of beach that ended in a rocky pier. "That pier is man made. This view is exactly why I bought this house." His arm brushed against her as he shifted her to see the coastline melt into the sun as it set into the water. "Fire and water meeting. My very favorite thing."

She watched as the reds, golds and dark blues met in a dance of day ending glory. "I can see why. It's beautiful." She kept her mind on the view, her body tense even as the beauty of the fire on water relaxed her soul. She had to stay stiff, he had to not see her relax, She couldn't afford to let him see the real her, especially now that she was stuck here for a few days.

He looked down at her slim shoulders pulled tight. His fingers grasped her upper arms shaking her playfully. "C'mon darlin', this is the beach and the weather is unseasonably warm. Let the water relax you." He rounded her, snatching her hand again as he pulled her toward the surf. "Pull up those pants unless you want cold, soaked legs." He rolled up his own jeans above his ankles and splashed his way into the water. "Time to cool off."

She tried to bend over and roll her pants up, only to have the next wave douse her. God damn that was cold ass water, of course it would be. It was New Jersey on the edge of winter. She straightened and frowned, he'd done it on purpose she just knew it. No one got by with getting one over on her. Stopping she leaned back over, as if to adjust clothing only so scoop up water and splash hard.

He roared with laughter and his foot caught a large conch shell as he tipped ass backwards into the surf. Her eyes were round with alarm, but he just kept laughing as the light surf broke over his shoulders pushing his hair forward into his eyes with a boatload of seaweed.

She shook her head, unable to restrain the laugh that had threatened once the fear of him being hurt had passed. "Green hair suits you. Ever thought of doing punk music?"

One style of music I haven't tried," he said and flicked off the stringy plastic-like greens. He tried to stand up, but the surf pushed him back down. He held out his hand. "Help."

She leaned forward, her hand stretching out to grasp his. "Not sure how I can help, you're bigger."

He jerked her into his lap as the seaweed and breakers swirled between them. Her yelp of surprise had him laughing all over again. "I can't be the only one that's soaking wet." He said when she pushed at him, the waves sucking her back into him. He opened his legs and let her settle there between his thighs, a tangle of sea and blonde goddess, with crooked glasses. He plucked them off her nose and tucked them in his pocket with a zip. "Don't want to lose these."

.

She blinked the salt water from her eyes, her hands ineffectively pushing back at hair that had fallen from its place in the hair clasp. Glancing up at him, one eye closed, she muttered, "I so owe you for that."

He laughed again, pushing off until he was in a kneeling position. He caught her around the waist, dragging her onto the beach. They landed on the quickly eroding sand as the surf came in. Her legs tangled in his as her hands pressed on his chest for space. "Sorry about that," he said between breath stealing laughter. He flopped onto his back, trying not to notice how nice she felt in his arms.

The heat of his skin, even after that unexpected dip in the cold water, seeped through his clothing to wrap around her, her eyes widening as she started pushing up. Jesus god, she was all over him. She went to push her glasses back up on her nose, only to realize they were gone, her eyes were bare to the world. God, her glasses, he'd taken them too.What more will he take before I can stop him? Pushing back she managed to roll quickly and settled into a crouch next to him, not quite sure what to say.

He looked up at her, catching the wide awareness of her golden eyes. The usual mask of her glasses missing made her even more striking. "Well c'mon, my artsy girl. Let's get you inside." He laughed, when she simply stayed there crouched. "We'll have to be on our best behavior next time," he said and stood up, pulling her with him. "We'll end up naked if we keep plowing through my clothes."

Her too fertile mind scattered to the wind as the artist in her rose, easily able to picture him minus clothes thanks to the way everything clung to him wet. She shivered, her eyes closing as she took a deep breath.

Standing up she bit her lip before muttering, "I wasn't the one misbehaving."

"Well you wanted the real me," he said with a grin. "Misbehaving was my favorite past time." He walked backwards up the incline, his feet sure now that he was out of the surf. His fingers waggled, motioning her closer. "Come and I shall dress you," he teased.

Her brow arched at the come hither suggestion, her feet starting to move towards the house even as her head shook. "Why does that sound extremely dangerous to me?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Scared?"

She tilted her head, drew in a deep breath and forced back the quivers that naughtiness in his voice inspired. She straightened, shrugged then took off, zipping past him easily as she called out, "Nope!"

"Oh, you little..." he chased after her, surprised at the husky laugh that trailed behind her as she dashed into the house and up the stairs. He pounded after her, scooping her up under his arm as he made his way into his room. He dropped her in front of his wardrobe. "See what you can find in there Lex." He grabbed his bathrobe and headed into his bathroom. "I'll be right out."