Double Exposure. Vicki Thompson Lewis
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you do have things to take care of.” His gaze was clearly regretful.
“Nothing earth-shattering, but I thought—”
“For all I know some guy’s tapping his foot, wondering when you’re going to show up for dinner.”
Her pulse rate moved up a notch. He wanted to know if she had a boyfriend. “No,” she said carefully. “Nobody’s waiting for me.” She looked into his eyes. “But maybe you need to call someone to let her know you arrived safely?”
He held her gaze as he shook his head.
“Oh.” Her pulse raced at the unspoken messages zinging back and forth.
“I can hold off on the whirlpool, if you’re free for dinner.”
“I’m free for dinner, but I think you need to do something for those stiff muscles.”
He shrugged. “I will, eventually.” Then he gestured toward the suitcases. “Let me put these away.”
“Okay.” She waited in the sitting room while he carried both suitcases into the bedroom. Wow. This was turning into a fantasy event.
After he’d disappeared from view, a low whistle of appreciation filtered back to her. “Some whirlpool.”
She remembered it well. Set into a bay window, the marble tub was big enough for at least two people. By day the windows looked out on more rose bushes. By night, translucent shades provided complete privacy.
“And I look like a street person,” he added.
“You look fine,” she called to him. More than fine. Awesome. Hot.
“I need a shave.” He came back out, rolling his shoulders. “Have you seen that whirlpool?”
She nodded. “Kim and I had the full tour when we booked the rooms for the wedding party.” Watching him work the kinks from his shoulders made her long to go over and massage those knots out for him. That’s what he really needed. A whirlpool wouldn’t necessarily help his neck and shoulders.
“Well, I can tell you one thing. Before I take you out to dinner, I’m going to shave and clean up a little.”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble. We can just—”
“Nope, I’ll feel a lot better if I do. Give me five minutes.”
“That’s silly.” The last thing she wanted to do was create more complications for him. “Listen, there’s a submarine sandwich place a block away. I’ll go pick up some food and bring it back. That way you can stay and relax.”
“Look, I’m really fine. A quick shave and shower and I’ll be good to go.”
“You don’t like subs?”
“I love them.”
“Then it’s settled.” She started for the door. This evening was becoming more exciting by the minute. Now they’d be able to have their meal in total privacy. “What kind of sandwich do you want?”
“I eat anything. Surprise me.”
She gave him a quick grin. “That’s what I like, a man with a sense of adventure.”
He smiled back. “Then I’m your guy.”
3
KATE DECIDED THAT WALKING to the sub shop would be faster than trying to maneuver her car through the dense traffic, not to mention the challenge of finding a parking spot once she got there. She set out at a brisk pace, enjoying the salty air and the cry of the seagulls overhead. Walking also gave her a chance to consider the idea that had lodged in her brain and wouldn’t leave.
Harry needed a massage. She had a basic knowledge of massage techniques. They’d have to work with the bed instead of using a massage table, but she’d had a little practice at that. She was no professional, but she was better than nothing. Besides, she’d had a massage nearly every week for the past five years, and then there was the crash course she and her ex-boyfriend Jonathan had taken last summer.
Although Jonathan hadn’t thrived in that class, she’d had a great time. Come to think of it, his lack of interest in the massage class had marked the beginning of the end, although she’d never thought Jonathan was the answer to her prayers in the first place.
But Harry…Harry had definite possibilities. She had only one quibble. A stupid and superficial quibble it was, too, and she was a little ashamed of herself. She wished he had a different name. A guy named Harry would be the kind who remembered to take out the garbage and put air in the tires, a nice enough fellow, but not the sort she’d associate with grand passion and undying love.
Yet everything else about this man seemed totally perfect. Maybe she’d avoid using his name for the time being, and if everything worked out between them she’d create her own special name for him later on. Maybe he had a great middle name she could convince him to use.
After reaching the sub shop, she had to stand in line for a few minutes before placing her order for two eight-inchers, one hot pastrami and one Italian meatball, and a couple of large Cokes. The twenty-minute wait for the order gave her enough time to run back to the combination souvenir shop and drugstore that she’d noticed on the way here. If she couldn’t find what she needed there, she’d take it as a sign that she was on the wrong track with this massage plan.
Inside the store, she stood and surveyed the display of T-shirts, miniature lighthouses and shell jewelry. The place was crowded, like everywhere else in Newport on this June evening. She glanced at her watch and waited with more than a little impatience for browsers to move out of the way so she could continue her search. She’d never meandered in her life, and it made her crazy when confronted with such a random waste of time.
Just when she was about to give up, the woman blocking a particular glass shelving unit walked to the far side of the shop. Sure enough, the top shelf held a set of three scented oils. Kate only needed the bottle of almond, but she didn’t mind paying for the other two.
As she took the shrink-wrapped basket containing the oils to the front of the store and handed them to the woman standing at the register, she glanced behind the counter and noticed a tube of antiseptic cream. That would be good for the cut on Harry’s forehead. Kate asked the clerk to add that to her purchase.
Then another item on the rack behind the counter caught Kate’s eye. She didn’t usually keep such an item with her, yet, under the circumstances, it might become essential. Still, buying it in advance seemed…weird. Of course, she considered herself a sexually liberated woman, so it shouldn’t seem weird. Yet she’d never bought this particular item before.
“Will that be all?” the dark-haired woman asked with a smile.
“Um….” Kate hesitated as she quickly reviewed the situation. She was about to give Harry a massage, assuming he agreed to that. She thought he would. Secondly, he was attracted to her, or else he wouldn’t have been fishing around trying to find out if she had a boyfriend.
If that attraction led to something more, she was open to that possibility. Yes, it was all happening fast, but Harry wasn’t some stranger she’d picked up in a bar. He was Stuart’s best friend, a respected medical professional, and a certified hero. He’d only be in Rhode Island for the weekend, so she didn’t have a lot of time to play the dating game. And she was dying to be swept away.
Yet she was unprepared in one very important way to be swept away, and she had to assume he was, too. Now was her chance to remedy that, if she had the nerve. Was she willing to lose a golden opportunity out of a stupid sense of false modesty? So what if she was buying massage oil at the same time?
The clerk waited expectantly.
Kate took a deep breath. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “I’ll take a package of those.” She pointed toward the display.
The clerk turned