Designed for Love (7 page)

Conceited oaf. "I already told you,
I'm not here for fun. And I don't need to be wined and dined. Thank you very
much."

"Come on, Wendy, loosen up. All work
and no play made Jack a dull boy, and honey, you look even less like a boy
today." He chuckled. "Very far from it. In fact, in those shorts you
look sexy as hell. Almost good enough to eat."

The grin that spread over his face told
me he'd do just that if I'd let him. "Funny. Are we going to lunch or
what?" I stared at him. Or was glared the better word? I swore he looked
like he was about to burst out laughing. Glad he thought it was funny.

"Okay, neighbor. Lunch it is."
Bill took my arm and led me toward the car. "What are the chances we'd be
next door neighbors?"

"I never would have bet on it."
Bet on it, in a million years, I wouldn't have believed it. Heat rose to my
face at the way Bill was looking at me, taking me in. Obviously, he liked the
look.

He reached up and flipped a curl. "I
like the way the curls frame your face and hang down your back in
ringlets."

Even that slight touch sent waves of heat
through me. What I'd give to for him to run his fingers through those curls.
Lord, I needed to control myself. "So are you ready for lunch?" That
was brilliant. Obviously we were ready, we were standing here, weren't we?

"You don't mind if I drive, do
you?" Bill turned toward his car, and I followed.

For the first time in my life, I found
myself totally speechless. How the hell could he have gotten a room next to
mine? What was going on here? I was beginning to feel like I was being stalked.

But he checked in first. God, I hoped he
didn't think I asked for that room. I wished I could get out of lunch, out of
this hotel. Away from him. Far, far away. I'd better settle my hormones down
real quick, or I was going to be in trouble.

Big trouble.

My face burned, all the way from my neck
to my head. I hated blushing every time I saw him.

I suddenly felt awkward. I hadn't missed
the way he looked me over and obviously approved. Heck, he certainly didn't
make a secret of it with those comments. The look in his soft gray eyes went
from appreciation to desire in a matter of seconds. Never had a man looked at
me that way. Well, none that I ever noticed anyway. I'd never reacted like this
to anyone before. Even as a child, I'd never been shy. In fact my mother used
to yell at me for being too friendly.

Bill stopped next to his car. A sleek,
red Ford Mustang convertible. Very impressive. Sure, it was just a rental car
but it suited him.

I got in and buckled my seat belt, glad
the top was up. I could just picture my hair if it was down once the wind got a
hold of it. It'd be a wild, tangled mess in no time. I'd look like a mop head.

I leaned back against the seat. May as
well relax and enjoy the lunch. The warm, sunny weather helped. I remembered my
poor friends freezing in Ohio
and smiled. Not that I minded the snow, or the cold for that matter. If I had
my druthers I'd just as soon be back there than sitting next to Bill.

Or would I?

I moved my head just enough to catch him
out of the corner of my eye. Damned sexy, that's for sure. He buckled his seat
belt and turned to look at me. For some unknown reason, he reached his hand out
and brushed it across my cheek. Something pierced my body like a bolt of
lightning. My insides felt like someone lit a fire and the heat rose to my
face.

"A smudge." Bill said.

But the look in his eyes told me he
noticed the affect he had on me and my face burned even hotter. I knew without
looking, it was bright red. I had always blushed easy, ever since I was a
child. I wondered if there was a way to control it. If there was, nothing I'd
ever tried stopped it. I turned away to try to hide it.

"You're pretty when you blush,"
Bill said. "Almost as pretty when you're angry."

I knew my cheeks turned crimson. The heat
they emitted could probably cook an egg. I ignored Bill's comment. Answering it
would only intensify the blush. I'd found from experience it was better to
ignore comments about my blushing.

Now my anger on the other hand...well
that was a different story. Yet, I figured it was better to ignore that comment
too. Pretty– he thought I was pretty. No man had ever told me that before.

Maybe because I'd never gave a man a
chance. So, why now? Why was I letting Bill break through the wall that I never
allowed anyone else near? I didn't have an answer. Maybe because he was
different? Maybe because I enjoyed his company? Maybe because he was unlike any
man I'd ever met before? He seemed genuine. He listened when I talked. He
didn't act like he couldn't wait to get into my pants.

Oh, sure, I'd seen the desire in his
eyes, but he hadn't acted on it like other men. He didn't have his hands all
over me, hadn't even tried to kiss me. Heck, he hardly touched me. Okay, a few
times. But not like other men touched me. He was considerate.

"Here we are." Bill's voice broke
into my thoughts and I looked up to see we were in front of Hurricane Harry's.
Bill eased the car into a parking space and put it in park. "Hope you like
it."

I took in the restaurant. "It looks
like a Tiki Hut. Hopefully the food's as good as the décor."

Bill was out of the car and opened my
door before I had a chance to unbuckle my seat belt. Attentive and a gentleman–
can't say I wasn't impressed.

"Have you eaten here before?" I
slid out of the car and caught his appreciative look at my legs.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, a few times over the
years."

Tingles of excitement shot through me
when Bill put his hand on my back and guided me into the restaurant.

"Would you like to eat inside or
out?"

I looked around. What a neat atmosphere.
"What do you prefer?"

"I like outside. I enjoy the water
and watching the boats."

"Then outside it is." I liked
the idea too. I loved the water. "Besides, why sit inside on a beautiful
day like today?"

I followed the waiter to the table,
conscious of Bill's eyes on me from behind. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious. I
glanced back at him and noticed the look of approval on his face. So, he liked
what he saw. A flicker of excitement surged through me. I shouldn't be having
these feelings. I had to get through lunch and hopefully make a quick exit. Too
bad I hadn't brought my own car. The thought of riding home with him didn't
excite me. Well, it did, but not in the right way. I didn't like these
feelings.

The waiter pulled out my chair, and I
sat. I stared out at the river and the boats. Boats, ha, yachts were more like
it. I couldn't imagine being able to afford a canoe let alone one of these. But
who knew, maybe someday. Boating, swimming, and water skiing were a few of the
outdoor activities I enjoyed. Summer sports. Well, excluding hiking and
camping, that is. No rustic activities for me.

"So tell me about your family."
I turned back to Bill and picked up the menu.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Brothers, sisters?
Nieces, nephews?"

Bill laughed. "Okay, you asked for
it. I have three brothers and a sister. All married and none of them can
understand why I haven't taken the plunge."

I liked the sound of his voice. Liked the
way he leaned back in that easy manner that looked so relaxed and
self-confident.

"I have five nieces and seven
nephews aging between fifteen and six months. My parents live in Middleburg Heights and
needless to say family get-togethers are quite an event."

The pride in his voice did something to
me. I'd never met a man like him before. Most of the men I dated only thought
of one thing. None of them liked talking about personal things. Bill seemed to
enjoy it.

"So why haven't you?" I
couldn't resist asking. I wanted to know if he had any attachments.

"Why haven't I what?"

The puzzled look on his face made me
laugh. "Why haven't you taken the plunge?"

For the first time since I met him, he
looked uncomfortable. I leaned forward and put my elbows on the table, resting
my chin in my hands. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear his answer, yet every
sense of my being couldn't wait. Had someone hurt him? Left him at the altar?
Something caused his discomfort. Or was it that he was a confirmed bachelor and
had no desire to marry? Whatever it was, he didn't seem to want to answer.

I watched his face go from discomfort to
amusement in a matter of seconds. Seconds that felt like minutes.

"Truth be told, I guess I never
found anyone to put up with me."

"Oh?" From what I knew of him,
I wasn't sure what there was to put up with. Not only was he attractive, he
seemed attentive, gentlemanly, and just downright considerate. Okay, he did
have an annoying habit of showing up everywhere I happened to be, but that had
to be coincidence.

"Oh, what?" He picked up his
menu and studied it. Obviously, avoiding my eyes.

"What's to put up with? I mean
you're not an alcoholic or anything like that, are you? You seem like a pretty
nice guy."

Bill straightened up and leaned forward.
"I'm opinionated, egotistical, and downright unbearable to be
around." He whispered.

I burst out laughing. "Well, I can't
attest to the first two, but I don't find you unbearable." In fact I found
him way too bearable. I'd never enjoyed being around anyone as much as I
enjoyed him.

He rubbed his hands together and grinned.
"Ah, but my dear, you haven't really been around me that much." He
leaned back and looked at me as if a thought just hit him. "How about we
spend the day together tomorrow and you can find out first hand?"

Oh, crap, now I did it. I hadn't meant to
look like I was interested. Still, the idea appealed to me. "I'm sorry.
Work." I wasn't lying, I did have to work.

"After work?" He reached over
and flipped a curl. "Come on, even you have to play sometimes."

I leaned back out of his reach. His touch
awakened something in me that I hadn't realized had been sleeping. Sleeping,
hell, I hadn't realized it had been there at all. He aroused feelings I never
knew existed. Sure, I'd been attracted to a few men in the past. But never in
my wildest imagination, had I been this physically attracted. This captivated.
I shrugged. "We'll see."

Dare I take the plunge? Let my hair down,
so to speak? Part of me wanted to. A big part of me.

Somehow, I got through lunch without the
subject coming up again. Bill either accepted my answer or was giving me the
time I needed, or maybe he lost interest. I wasn't sure, but I was darn
grateful that he hadn't pushed me.

We arrived back at the hotel, and I
jumped out of the car before he had it in park. I saw the look of
disappointment cross his face. I couldn't help it. Right now I needed to put
some space between us. Lots of space. These feelings were too new to me, and I
wasn't anywhere ready for them.

Bill caught up with me just before I put
the key card in the door. "Hey, did I say or do something to offend
you?"

Heat rushed to me face, and I turned to
face him. "Look, I had a nice time, but I have work to do. I'm sorry. No,
you didn't say or do anything." Anything but stir up feelings that I
didn't want stirred up. I needed to sort things out. "I have to get ready
for dinner with my boss, and I need to go over some notes. Thanks for a great
lunch." I held my hand out to him.

Take it or leave it, buddy, that's all
you're getting. Bill licked his lips and smiled. He took my hand and raised it
to his lips. "I had a great time too. Until tomorrow."

He touched his mouth to my hand and
lingered a minute. Long enough for heat to radiate from his lips and surge up
my arm and through my body. I trembled and pulled my hand away. Taking a step
backwards, I turned back to my room. I didn't trust myself to speak. I knew my
voice would sound quivery like my knees felt. I pushed open the door and went
inside, closing it quickly behind me. I didn't dare look at him. The
irresistible urge to pull him to me and feel his lips on my mouth overwhelmed
me.

I leaned against the door and put my hand
to my lips. It still burned from his kiss. Things were happening way too fast.
Things I didn't intend to happen at all. Why couldn't I ignore him the way I
had all the others?

* * *

Bill stood outside Wendy's room for a
minute. Now what had he done? He couldn't quite figure her out. All through
lunch, she joked and laughed with him. Actually acted like she enjoyed herself.
He shook his head. He'd say one thing for sure, she confused him. He took his key
from his pocket and opened his door. He'd never met anyone quite like her. If
he had any brains, he'd steer clear of her.

Chapter Eleven

I waited inside the doorway until I felt
sure Bill had gone inside. I needed to find a store to buy a flat iron and a
few other things I still needed. I opened the door and peeked out. Good, he was
nowhere in sight. I grabbed my purse and car keys, slid the room key into my
purse and hurried out to my car.