“YOU DID WELL.”
Relief made him shaky. Slowly, Quin sank down onto the park bench. If only she could have made it tonight…waiting was hell. Worse than hell.
Tomorrow seemed a very, very long time away.
“Quin, Quin. Don’t look so worried. This is all working out beautifully. Better than I had hoped, even.”
Quin nodded. Actually, it had been easier than he had expected, too. Candy was either very foolish or foolishly brave. He didn’t know which.
“She’s perfect and you know it. Perfect! You saw her.”
Yes, he had seen her. Very different from the others. Somehow…stronger. Almost defiant.
But she would not be strong enough or defiant enough for what would happen.
Impatience cramped his muscles. He put his head back and closed his eyes. Tomorrow.
He would wait, and tomorrow would come.
And then it would all be over.
* * *
SPENCER PEELED Marla’s hand away from his chest. Again. “Did you try calling someone?” Someone else. Someone other than him.
“Who?” She appealed to him with big eyes and a lost expression. “The storms caused so much of a mess all over, everyone is busy.”
Cocking a brow, Spencer stepped around her and out to the porch. Humid air washed over his bare chest. Dark clouds continued to roll across the sky.
Well, hell. Trees were down, branches and debris everywhere. And sure enough, a massive limb lay across Marla’s driveway and the path to her porch.
He ran a hand over his head. He’d heard the rainfall in the middle of the night, but he’d been so enthralled watching Arizona sleep, so caught up in the pleasure of having her close, in his bed, that he hadn’t realized…
As if she’d read his mind, Marla said, “I guess you were too busy to notice?”
Ignoring the innuendo, he turned back to her. “Actually, yeah. Late night and all.” He stepped out of reach when she leaned toward him. “It was barely raining when I got to bed.”
Jealousy sharpened her tone. “Not alone?”
“Not your business,” he corrected as gently as he could. But hell, he’d slept with her, more than once, so he felt like a complete bastard for being so brusque with her now. “Marla, listen—”
She went all tearful in a heartbeat. “I’m sorry, Spencer.” Bordering on desperate, she leaned closer to him. “I don’t know what I did to turn you away.”
God, he hated these types of confrontations. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I thought we were getting along great. I thought things were good between us.”
“It was never like that.” His own frustration ripened. “I made that clear up front.”
From the doorway, Arizona said, “Yeah, well, apparently not clear enough.”
Both he and Marla swiveled around to see Arizona lounging in the door frame, dressed in her shirt and shorts, tangled hair around her face, her gaze direct, challenging and a little…sympathetic.
For Marla.
It surprised Spencer, seeing that level of compassion; such a contrast to her balls-to-the-wall, take-no-prisoners attitude about most issues.
It also pleased him.
Arizona had such capacity for caring, and that had probably made her past abuse that much worse.
Right now, though, her presence would only complicate the awkward situation even more. “Back inside, Arizona.”
“Screw you, too,” she replied with no animus at all and stepped farther out to the porch. She sent him a sardonic smile. “You don’t give me orders.”
Wide-eyed and uncertain, Marla edged closer to Spencer’s side. “I, ah…”
“Men can be such dicks, huh?”
Since Marla appeared ready to faint over the easy way Arizona insulted him, Spencer said, “You’re not helping, Arizona.”
“Was I supposed to help?” She made a rude sound—and stopped directly in front of Marla. “Why are you here?”
Arm limp, Marla pointed at her house. “Tree limb.”
“Yeah? What tree limb?”
Spencer scrubbed both hands over his face. “There were storms last night. You,” he said, stressing the word, “were too hammered to hear them.” He didn’t bother telling her that he’d been oblivious, as well. “They blew half the damn tree into her yard and one really big limb is blocking her driveway and front walkway.”
“I was pretty drunk,” she confirmed to Marla, then she went to the edge of the porch to survey the damage.
In her short shorts and the soft T-shirt, she made a real sight leaning there on his railing. A breeze lifted her silky ebony hair. It tumbled down her back toward that perfect rear.
He was staring at her ass, a little lost, when she whistled.
“Holy cow. You can’t even get your car out with that blocking the way, can you?”
“Ah…no.”
Arizona turned back to Marla. “So what’d you want Spencer to do about it?”
Poor Marla looked from Arizona to Spencer and back again. “Help move it?”
“You aren’t sure?”
Still uneasy, Marla swallowed. “I really don’t know. I’ve never had it happen before. But I know it’s too big for me to take care of on my own.”
Evaluating things, Arizona eyed Marla up and down, then looked at the limb again. “Probably.” She cocked a brow. “You got a chain saw, Spence?”
So now he was Spence again? “Sure.” He strolled over to join her at the railing. “Doesn’t every guy?”
That made her laugh. “Every guy with a house and big trees in his yard.” Close to his side, aligning herself with him, Arizona leaned back on the railing and addressed Marla. “We were just about to grab some cake and coffee. And in a few hours we have to head out to see friends.”
“Friends?”
“I know, right? Seems odd to me, too, but somehow, I have them.”
Marla blanched. “Oh, I didn’t mean anything insulting—”
Arizona waved that off. “Give us a few minutes, and we’ll come over and help clean it up.”
“We?” Surprised and somewhat desperate, Marla looked to Spencer for help.
Knowing Arizona well enough to know he’d have a fight on his hands if he tried to exclude her, he shrugged. Once she’d made her mind up about something, she could be pretty stubborn.
“You might want to change clothes,” Arizona told her. “Looks like messy work.” She turned to Spencer with a gaze full of challenge. “You ready for that coffee?”
Amazing. Was there any situation—other than having a guy over her—that unnerved Arizona? She grabbed control of a socially awkward, uncomfortable scene and just played it out like it was nothing.
“Yeah,” he said slowly, doing his best to figure her out, “I’m ready.” He gave Marla a salute. “An hour or so ought to do it.”
“Oh. Okay.” She stood there, befuddled. “Thank you.”
Once inside, Spencer shut the door and snagged the back of Arizona’s shirt, halting her stiff stride toward the kitchen. “Hold up.”
Silent, strangely distant, she kept her back to him.
Undeterred, Spencer again eyed her backside. “Care to tell me what that was all about?”
She shrugged. “Neighbors are supposed to lend a hand to their neighbors, right?”
Using his hold on her shirt, he reeled her in, then wrapped his arms around her from behind. She stayed stiff—until he nuzzled the side of her neck. “You know I’m not interested in Marla, right?”
“I heard you tell her so.”
“I wouldn’t lie about it.”
While she thought about that, she rested her hands over his. Finally she nodded. “Okay.”
And yet she still sounded somehow distraught. “So what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said too fast.
Something—but pressing her now would get him nowhere. She’d share her thoughts in her own sweet time. “Want to know what I think?”
“If it has anything to do with admiring Marla, no.”
God, keeping up with her would be a challenge. “Why would I— No, forget that.” He propped his chin on top of her head. “I was admiring you, actually.”
“Me?” She twisted to see him. “Why?”
Too many reasons to count, but he said, “You sympathized with her.”
“Pffft.” As an invitation to nuzzle her neck more, she tilted her head.
“You did.” He obliged with a soft, openmouthed kiss. “And it was very kind of you.”
“She’s probably an okay person.”
Spencer hid his grin against her. “She’s nice enough.” But too manipulative, and too damn clingy. “It was wrong of me to let her think—”
She bolted away. “Cake, Spencer. And coffee.”
In one deft move, he caught her again and tossed her over his shoulder. “Sex, Arizona.” Already anxious to have her again, he smoothed a hand over her ass, then up and inside the leg of her shorts so he could fondle one firm cheek. “And maybe, after that, cake and coffee.”
Hanging over his shoulder, Arizona stiffened, and then she relaxed. “Yeah, okay.” Her hands smoothed down his spine. “That works just fine for me.”
* * *
UNABLE TO WAIT, Spencer got her into his bedroom and pressed her up to the wall, his body against hers, his mouth almost touching hers. “Does this bother you?”
“No.” She tried to kiss him.
“Arizona. Wait.” He held her face. “I need to know if this is okay.”
“It’s great.” She wiggled free so she could kiss him. “Awesome.” Her tongue moved over his lips. “Just don’t crawl on top of me and we’re good to go, so…go.”
Always in such a rush. He brushed back her hair. “If you feel even a twinge of—”
“I’m not shy, Spencer. I don’t like something, you’re going to hear about it, scout’s honor.” Pressing him back, she grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and jerked it off over her head. “So let’s move on.”
Lord have mercy. Her breasts were so large and firm for her slender frame. He reached for her.
She deflected him. “How about you play catch-up first?” She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of those skimpy shorts. “I’m pretty sure this’ll work better if we’re both naked.”
“Agreed.” In record time, he shucked off his clothes—just as Arizona straightened from doing the same.
“There.” Beautifully bare, she kicked her shorts to the side. “What do you want to bet this’ll be better than the cake?”
His gaze went all over her. “It already is.” He put a hand to her narrow waist and soaked up the incredible sight of her. How long would it take for him to get used to the impact of her body? “Stand still, okay?”
“No way.” She spread her hands out over his chest, and started to trail them down his body.
Drawing a quick breath, he caught her wrists. “Let me taste you.” His voice roughened. “This time without your panties in the way.”
Their gazes held; her pulse visibly quickened as the seconds ticked by—and she braced back against the wall. “Yeah, okay.”
“I love it when you’re agreeable, honey.” But because the L-word made him feel too much, even when used in banter, he quickly took her mouth.
Kissing her offered a unique pleasure, especially when she arched up against him, naked flesh to naked flesh, her soft curves touching him everywhere.
He had to cup her behind, had to cuddle her heavy breasts. Every single part of her tempted him.
While exploring her body with his hands, he kissed her for a long time, deeper and hotter. He stroked over her skin, the supple curves of her waist, her hips.
Her thighs.
He teased his fingertips down her spine, down, down, and then inward to her moist sex.
She went to her tiptoes against him.
Trailing damp kisses down her throat to her collarbone and then to her breasts, he took his time enjoying her until she became fevered, until he knew she neared her limit.
That meant he’d almost reached his limit, too.
Going to his knees, Spencer hugged her hips and rubbed his face over her belly.
She drifted her fingers through his hair and whispered his name.
When he teased her hip bone with his tongue, she twitched. Was she ticklish? He smiled as he said, “Hmm?”
“I think we need to get on with it.”
“Not yet.” And then with a growl, “You smell so good.”
Her hand fisted in his hair. “You keep teasing me and I don’t like it. Or maybe I like it too much.”
“You’ll enjoy this, I promise. Not as much as I will, but still…” He nudged her legs open wider, then looked up at her. “Lean back on the wall for support, then bend your knees a little.”
She hesitated—and finally did as he asked, stepping her feet apart, flexing her knees.
Heat washed over him. “That’s it.” He opened her with his fingertips, teasing more, stroking over—into—slick, hot places, before leaning forward for the most intimate of kisses.
Her long, vibrating moan turned him on as much as her taste.
Licking his tongue over her, in her, he gave them both what they wanted. She grew wetter, her breathing more ragged. He teased her clitoris and heard her loud gasp.
Cupping her hips to help support her, he kept her upright and slowly drew her in, rasped his tongue over her, sucked.
In less than two minutes, she couldn’t hold back her escalating cries.
As she came, she called out his name. Spencer clenched his fingers on her luscious behind, holding her still, relishing her honest reactions and how quickly she came for him.
Not until she knotted her fingers in his hair again did he let up. He stood and lifted her in one smooth move, taking her to the bed and putting her on her back.
She quickened, but he said, “Shh. It’s okay,” and moved back for a condom before she could get too wired about their positioning.
Soon as he had that covered, he turned back to her and pulled her to the edge of the bed, her legs open around him.
She eyed him with uncertainty. “I’m not riding this time?”
He shook his head, words beyond him. Putting her ankles up to his shoulders, he bent his knees, guided himself into her, and pressed deep in one long, smooth, slick thrust.
She arched up. “Ah, God.”
“I know. It’s deep this way.” He locked his arms around her raised thighs, keeping her from retreating. She was already so wet, but still he worried. “I’m not hurting you?”
“No. No, it’s…” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and she groaned harshly. “Don’t you dare stop.”
“I won’t.” He pulled back, then hammered in again and again.
He watched the bounce of her lush breasts, the hollowing of her flat belly as she tightened her muscles, the way her face drew taut in harsh pleasure.
She grabbed fistfuls of the sheet to anchor herself and shouted, her back bowing as she already came again.
That was enough for Spencer. Hell, it was almost too much. He joined her with a guttural groan, and it was so mind-numbing, he barely had enough wits left to sprawl beside her, instead of over her.
But that was too much space between them, so he rid himself of the condom and pulled her over to his chest.
His whole body still buzzed, his brain at rest, when Arizona muttered, “I have to tell you, Spencer, that was way better than cake.”
* * *
MARLA PACED THE YARD, wondering if Arizona had spoken code with her “cake and coffee” nonsense. Were they having sex right now, while she waited on them?
Was Spencer, even at this moment, doing all those awesomely wonderful, carnal things to Arizona that he once did with her?
She hated herself for being so jealous.
Arizona, damn her, had surprised her with her willingness to help with the fallen tree. Who did that? What woman willingly put her man in contact with another woman who openly lusted for him?
But of course she knew: a confident woman.
A woman with no fear of losing the man.
Damn them both.
Things had been going along so nicely before Arizona had shown up. Okay, so Spencer had been clear that he didn’t want involvement.
He looked plenty involved with the little half-breed.
Marla bit her lip, guilty over the unkind thought. But how could she compete with Arizona’s exotic looks? The younger woman had that smooth as coffee with cream skin, silky dark hair, and sharply contrasting pale blue eyes.
And her body? God, she detested comparisons. She wasn’t a troll, and she knew it. She had generous curves that men enjoyed, she had no doubts about that.
But Arizona was sleek and strong and still very shapely as only the young could be. Not that Marla considered herself old at thirty. But standing next to Arizona aged her dramatically.
Why didn’t the little twit just go away? Spencer would come back to her then, she was sure of it.
And if he did…then what? She just didn’t know. But she disliked having her ego trampled, and that’s how she felt—trampled into the ground.
Wondering what took them so long, Marla walked across the yard—and the driver of a passing car, forced to slow around the debris, whistled at her with bold admiration.
Well. Very nice. That little tease went a long way toward soothing her self-esteem.
So she still had it? Of course she did.
She didn’t acknowledge the admirer, but she added a little swing to her step as she went to investigate the tree limb.
Then Spencer’s front door opened, and Arizona strolled out and the stupid driver almost hit a tree.
Furious, Marla heard the squealing breaks and glanced up long enough to witness the driver’s admiration. Arizona showed no interest. Spencer came out right behind her.
They were both smiling.
The car sat there a moment longer, the driver no doubt staring at Arizona, and then finally drove away. Face tight, eyes burning with animosity, Marla considered what to do.
Arizona approached. “I’m going to cut off the smaller branches. We’ll let Spencer do the heavy work. Sound like a plan?”
Knowing she couldn’t keep giving her the cold shoulder, Marla shook her head. “This was a bad idea. I’ve rethought it. Maybe I can hire someone—”
Arizona laughed.
Spencer said nothing. He just walked past them to his garage while pulling on thick gloves.
For only a brief moment the sun came out, sending a blinding reflection off every wet surface. Steam rose around them.
Marla lifted a hand to shield her eyes. With Spencer otherwise occupied, she shored up her courage and said to Arizona, “When are you leaving?”
As if the question didn’t throw her at all, Arizona said, “Not sure yet. Guess it depends on Spencer, you know?”
Such honesty floored Marla. She licked her lips. “So, when he asks you to go, you will?”
“He won’t have to ask,” Arizona assured her. “I don’t hang around where I’m not welcome.” Curious, she met Marla’s gaze. “My visit bothers you?”
Considering what Arizona said, Marla shook her head.
A visit.
Not a permanent, move-in situation.
Hmm. Since Arizona sounded sincere, Marla thought she just might be able to advise her, to perhaps hurry her along on her way. She ventured forth carefully. “Spencer doesn’t want to settle down, you know.”
“Yeah, no kidding.” Laughing, Arizona took a cloth-covered rubber band off her wrist and used it to tie back her hair. “He’s been as up front with me as he was with you.”
That left Marla floundering.
“You realize that he’s still in love with his deceased wife, right?” With her hair contained, Arizona put her hands on her hips. “He’s got some real issues with that. Even if I split, I’m not sure it’ll matter for you.”
Good God, did Arizona feel…sorry for her? Was she trying to prepare her for disappointment?
How dare she?
“I can help him get over the loss!”
“You think so? Well, I’ll concede the possibility,” Arizona told her with a flat smile. She studied Marla a moment longer. “Can you be trusted?”
“With what?”
“The context matters, huh?” Sardonic, Arizona waved a hand. “Never mind. Trust comes in layers. I get it. I just meant with Spencer, with having his best interests in mind.”
“Of course.” Especially since she believed Spencer’s best interests were also her own. “Why?”
“I need to know if you’ll be working tomorrow morning.”
Marla shook her head. “I’m off until midafternoon.”
“Okay.” Arizona thought about it a little more. “That might work, then. Thanks.”
“That’s it?” She wasn’t going to explain?
“For now, yeah. See, Spencer’s coming back, so we should wrap up this little chat. He wouldn’t like us gabbing about him. But honestly, Marla, when I do bounce—because I’m pretty sure that I’ll have to eventually, maybe even sooner than I’d hoped—I wish you luck with him. But only if you can make him happy.” She leaned in closer, her gaze direct, even threatening. “If you can’t, then stay the hell away from him. Got it?”
Marla leaned back from the intensity of Arizona’s stare—and she nodded.
And then Spencer was there, shoving oversize lawn bags toward Marla and giving Arizona a level look while handing her a bow saw. “Everything okay?”
“Just dandy.”
He watched her a few seconds more. “If you want to cut off the smaller branches at the top there, I’ll start on the other end.”
“Got it.”
“You know how to use that?”
She eyed the tool with a smirk. “Put it to the branch and…start sawing? Easy peasy.”
Spencer shook his head. “Don’t give yourself blisters, okay?”
Irate over their intimate chitchat, Marla loudly shook out a bag. “Shouldn’t we get started?”
“We should,” Arizona agreed, and she walked away from Spencer—leaving Marla there with him.
The humidity was such that already his shirt stuck to his wide chest and broad shoulders. “Thank you for doing this.” The big branch trembled as Arizona began sawing away.
“No problem.” He surveyed the branch, which was more like a small tree. “I just hope we can get it all done before we need to take off.”
As he went to the largest section of the branch and knelt down to prime the chain saw, Marla followed him.
“She’s a peculiar girl.”
“I’d say unique.” He dismissed her to pull on safety goggles.
Marla touched his shoulder to regain his attention, then couldn’t stop herself from rubbing her fingertips over the sensual feel of soft cotton covering solid muscles.
No one wore a T-shirt like Spencer. He was so deliciously big and solid and…hard.
Going still, Spencer glanced toward Arizona—who literally paid them no mind at all—then looked up. “What are you doing, Marla?”
He truly had no interest in her. None. Not a spec. He didn’t enjoy her attention now, not even to spur Arizona’s jealousy.
When she forced herself to be honest, she had to admit that he’d never been all that interested. Willing on occasion, sure, because she’d thrown herself at him every chance she got. But he’d never been in hot pursuit.
Mostly her success at getting into bed with him had been based on catching him at moments of weakness. Not that a man like him had any real weakness. But Arizona was right: he still loved his deceased wife—and she’d played on that.
God, that made her sound awful. Like an opportunist. Like a user.
Her pride saved her. She dropped her hand and lifted her chin. “I just wanted to ask if you put on sunscreen? The clouds are parting finally. It’s going to be a scorcher.”
He squinted up at the sun, then turned toward Arizona. “Do you need sunscreen?” he called over to her.
Arizona smirked and, without looking at them, said, “Not if you two stop playing around over there, so we can get done with this sooner rather than later.”
Ah. So she hadn’t been so oblivious after all. Marla forced a smile. “I’ll start picking up the debris.” She hated yard work, but she couldn’t very well ask for Spencer’s help, then go off to her air-conditioned living room.
Once the chain saw started, there was no more talking, and they made quick work of it. Arizona finished with the smaller branches and, beaded with sweat, went straight into helping Marla fill the bags.
Wilted, Marla used her wrist to brush her hair away from her face.
“I’m dying of thirst,” Arizona said. “You got anything cold to drink?”
“Colas or iced tea.”
“Iced tea sounds great. Why don’t I finish up here while you go get some glasses for everyone?”
Marla eyed the remaining work. “If that’s what you want.” She’d be thrilled for any reason to get out of the heat, even one fabricated by Arizona.
“Thanks. Take your time. We’re just about done here.” While Spencer stacked the wood in her side yard, Arizona went one further and found a rake to get up the rest of the mess. She even whistled while sweating, as if physical work in the hot sun was a pleasure.
So very peculiar.
And damn it, almost likable. Almost. More disturbed than ever, Marla went inside to fetch the tea. God willing, they would be done with all the dirty, heavy lifting before she returned.