Bad Karma (5 page)

“
And the ceiling fan. Thanks for putting it up for me. I’m afraid Cassie might have electrocuted herself rather than admit she didn’t know what she was doing.”

“
I hope it helps you sleep. See you tomorrow morning. Wear a swimsuit and some shorts over it. We might get in the water if you’re up to it.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

The softness of his kiss left a tingling on her skin. She felt a pang of longing, wondered how his lips would feel pressed against hers. She forced that thought from her head and nodded shyly, ducking her head as she escaped inside.

Idiot! If I’d raised my chin, Zach would have kissed me. Is that what I want? Yes. No. I don’t know.

She drew back the curtain and watched him walk back to his house with his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his cargo shorts. Sky huffed out a little sigh and let the curtain fall.

CHAPTER THREE

Initiation

In the morning, Zach loped up the stairs of the house next door and raised his hand to knock, but before he could do so, Skyler slid the glass door open. She was dressed and waiting, clad in a sleek, one-piece black bathing suit with a pair of nylon shorts over it.

"Morning," he said, trying not to ogle her trim figure.

A faint blush colored her cheeks as she smiled up at him. "I'm ready," she said, her voice low, almost a whisper. She glanced both ways down the beach and stepped quickly outside the sliding glass door, locking it behind her.

He wondered what demons made both women so edgy. “You can leave it unlocked. People around here won’t bother you.”

She gave him a nervous glance. “Habit. I wouldn’t want to leave Cassie alone with the door unlocked.”

Zach nodded. He held her arm as she took the stairs one at a time. He sensed that she found it difficult to allow him to help her, but he hoped that she saw the wisdom in preventing another accident when she was unsteady on her feet. “How did the ceiling fan work out for you? Did you sleep well?”

She smiled up at him. “I was so stuffed after the delicious dinner you prepared for us, I fell asleep right away. Slept like a dead thing, thank you very much.”

He felt a warm tingle spiraling in his stomach as he gazed into the depths of her Caribbean blue eyes. “
De nada
.”

“
What does that mean?”

“
Sorry. Everyone born around here speaks Spanish as well as English. It just means that no thanks are necessary.”

“
De nada
,” she repeated. “I guess I’ll have to brush up. Cassie took a year of Spanish in high school and another in her undergraduate program. She used to try to practice on me but I ignored her as all big sisters do.”

“
Too bad you didn’t apply yourself. It’ll come in handy for her down here. Shall we get started?”

“
Might as well. I hope I can keep up with you.”

“
It’s not a race. We’re just going for a walk on the beach. We can look for shells. Fill our lungs with the fresh offshore breeze. Enjoy the sunrise.” Zach gave her a smile and pointed to her sneakers. “You might want to leave those behind. Walking in the soft sand is part of the therapy.”

She looked doubtful. An attractive tinge of color crept up her pale cheeks.

“
Trust me. The beach will give you what you need. Athletes train by running in the sand. If you don’t like it, I’ll carry you home piggyback.” He squatted down to untie her shoes and she held onto his shoulder to slide out of them. He saw a long scrape on top of her foot and ankle. “What happened here? Was this part of the injury from your car accident?”

Skyler bit her lip. “No. Someone tried to run over me with a car a week ago. I jumped out of the way, but...he killed my dog.” Her lips quivered and she quickly blinked away the tears that gathered.

He pulled himself erect, frowning. “You seem to be experiencing a run of bad luck. Didn’t the driver see you?”

Sky dropped her gaze. “He saw me all right. He sped up and left skid marks, but I jumped behind a parked car. My dog wasn’t so lucky.” Her face had taken on a flushed tone and tears rolled down her cheeks in twin rivulets. She brushed them away with the backs of her hands.

A twisting in his gut stirred some emotion within Zach. He recognized it and took a deep breath. Too soon after his doomed relationship with Chloe to take on the role of protector to another damsel in distress. “Sorry about your dog. I’m glad the driver missed you.” Zach picked up her sneakers and placed them neatly on the lowest step of the wooden stairs leading up to the front door, handy for their return.

She nodded and looked up and down the beach once more.

Zach stepped onto the sand and led Skyler toward the water. “If we stay near the shore line, the sand is more packed, but it still has some resilience.”

They began walking close to the water line. Waves lapped at the shore and frizzled out in the soft sand.

A grin played around her mouth as the water frothed over her feet. “Oh, my! Is that a real sand dollar?”

Zach smiled down at her. “It’s your lucky day.” He picked it up and placed it in her palm.

Sky straightened her shoulders and lifted her head. “I need a lucky day.”

He allowed her to set the pace, glancing down from time to time to see her smiling.

The streaks of salmon and gold faded as the sky overhead turned to an azure blue almost as intense as the color of Skyler’s eyes.

They walked for some time until Sky reached out to Zach, stopping him with her hand on his arm. “I need to rest. I’m having a foot drop now.”

Zach slipped off his faded cotton shirt and spread it on the sand. “Let’s sit here.” He held out his hand and helped her lower herself and then knelt beside her.

She looked up at him with her incredible blue eyes. “Thanks, Zach...for everything.” She looked around and took a deep breath.

He felt a squeezing in his chest as the breeze picked up a strand of her hair and blew it across her face. She blinked as, by reflex he reached out to brush the strand away. The slight tinge of color in her cheeks again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a woman blush. Clearing his throat, he struggled with the urge to stroke her silky mane again.

“
I brought some sunscreen. You’ll need it soon.” He reached into the pocket of his shorts and brought out a tube of number seventy-five SPF. He squirted a little in his palm and handed her the tube. “I’ll get your back.”

She nodded and turned away from him, pulling her hair over her shoulder.

Zach rubbed his palms together to warm the lotion, hesitating before stroking his fingers across her skin. He shook his head
. I knew this was a mistake.
Her soft, smooth flesh elicited a desire to touch more of her. He carefully worked the sunscreen over her shoulders and around the edges of the scooped back of her suit. Swallowing, he lifted her hair and grazed the back of her neck with the waterproof protective cream.

“
Thanks,” she whispered. Zach’s touch seemed to be affecting her as well.

He smiled at that, watching as she studiously bent her head to apply the sunscreen to her legs and arms.

“
See that shrimp boat? That’s my friend Mack. He’s a local character, but he has a heart as big as the ocean.”

She followed in the direction he was pointing. “You know everyone around here?”

“
Most of the locals. I’ve lived here all my life.”

“
And you never thought about leaving?” She gazed up at him curiously.

He shrugged. “I left when I got my education. But I’m a water dog. I have to be in the water somewhere.”

“
And you have your research project.” She smiled up at him, her perfect white teeth and dimples complimenting the full pink lips.

He didn’t like the way she made him feel. Some visceral sensation clutched at his chest every time their eyes met. He tried to stem the tide of emotions welling up inside him.

It’s because she’s been injured
. He swallowed hard.
And because she’s beautiful
. He glanced out over the water, then back at her.
And because she has that shy, wrapped too tight thing going for her.

The sun sparkled on the water, sending little glints echoing off its still surface.

Skyler wrapped her arms around her knees and stared out at the horizon. “Your friend, Mack, has some company.” Several bay boats chugged across the glassy plane of the Laguna Madre.

He nodded. Sitting this close to her made him want to touch her, to stroke his fingertips over her smooth skin. He cleared his throat. “Want to go in for a swim?”

She flashed a grin at him. “Yes, but I’m not the best swimmer.”

“
Then this is a good time to test the water. Hardly any waves and I’m here to protect you if you get in trouble.” He cringed as he spoke the words.
Do not become the knight in shining armor for another damsel in distress. The rescuer does not get the girl.

But the eager expression on her face sent another twinge of guilt to his heart
. Don’t be such a selfish bastard. Skyler didn’t do anything to hurt you.
He stood and held his hands out to her, pulling her to her feet much too close to him. He took a step back as she slipped off the shorts and dropped them on his shirt.

He massaged the sudden tightness at the back of his neck.
I am such a sad case. Why does the sight of her shorts on top of my shirt turn me on?
He shook his head and tossed his sunglasses on top of her shorts.
It’s her sweet body in that suit that turns me on
. He expelled a long breath of air.
Down boy
. He cleared his throat. “I’ll race you.”

“
Beast!” Skyler’s laughter was a treat. She’d been so guarded, but, at least for the moment, she threw her head back and laughed without looking around for whatever demon haunted her.

“
Okay, pokey. Come on.” Zach held out his hand and they waded into the surf together. He pulled her out into the water, watching to make sure she hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew.

She ducked under the surface and popped back up, the water spangled on her eyelashes.

Zach kept close to her, responding to some strong signal she kept giving off.
Save me!

He snorted and ducked under the water, bobbing back up with a clearer head.

He was reading her signals as something personal when, in fact, her neediness was something she’d brought to the island with her. It came along as part of her personal property, like a bed or table. It had nothing to do with him. Skyler Danforth didn’t need Zachary Bailey.

But she did need saving. From what, he didn’t know.

Zach set out swimming with long easy strokes, leaving the beach behind. He kept glancing back to make sure she stayed close. Sky did better in the water than on dry land. She swam in his wake, her slender arms slicing through the water with grace.

He had to admire her style, or maybe he just had to admire her. Zach drew to a stop and she paused beside him, treading water.

Sky laughed; the sound echoing off the water with the chug of shrimp boats as counterpoint. “This is wonderful,” she gasped.

A gentle swell lifted them, pushed them apart, brought them back together. Sky reached out toward Zach and he responded. It was probably reflex, but Zach drew her into his arms, aware that the atmosphere between them suddenly changed.