Real Women Don't Wear Size 2 (28 page)

She quirked her mouth to the side. She believed he’d felt the connection between them. How could he not? Particularly last night. Folding the paper, she returned it to the dresser, then wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. What if he
hadn’t
felt it? Silently, she crossed the room and gazed at the sleeping man on the bed. His sandy waves were tousled, and his mouth relaxed, forming an easy smile. The whiteness of the soft sheet provided a stark contrast to the tan, muscled firmness of Ethan Eubanks. Was he dreaming? And if he was, was he dreaming about her?

Running her fingers along the edge of her shirt, she slid it up and off her body, then dropped it to the floor. Then she shimmied out of the gym shorts she’d worn downstairs and quickly discarded panties and bra. If she only had two more days of feeling Ethan’s body completely aligned with hers, she didn’t want to miss one moment. She lifted the covers and crawled in, snuggled against him. The scent of their lovemaking lingered in the sheets and on their flesh, and she inhaled it thoroughly as he wrapped an arm around her.

Ethan brushed a tender kiss on the top of her head. “Morning,” he said, his voice sleep-sexy.

“Morning.”

“Time is it?”

“Seven.”

His body tensed, then relaxed, and he kissed her head again, chuckling low in the back of his throat. “See what you do to me, Clarise? I never sleep until seven.”

She grinned against his chest. He’d been so soundly asleep, in fact, that he hadn’t realized she’d left. “Maybe you should.”

Another soft kiss moved against her hair. “Maybe I should.” Then he pulled her against him and rubbed his palm up and down her spine until Clarise surrendered once more to the euphoric bliss of sleeping in the arms of the man she loved.

Chapter 18

E
than had two reasons for the activities he’d planned for Monday. One, he needed to fulfill Clarise’s sex on the beach fantasy, and two, he believed a more family-oriented setting, the kiddie parade, would lead her to see the two of them taking what they have into the real world and making it last. Thank goodness the parade was scheduled for late afternoon. He’d slept until noon.
Noon.
As far as he could remember, Ethan had never let a day pass when he wasn’t up by daybreak and ready to work by eight. However, even after he’d roused momentarily early this morning, with Clarise nestled by his side, he’d returned to sleep, without one thought of the day’s itinerary until she nudged him awake and said she was hungry. Hungry for food this time, since Ethan had no doubt her sexual appetite had been thoroughly satisfied.

They shared a muffaletta from an Italian sandwich shop for lunch, and he’d been totally infatuated watching Clarise get her first taste of the unique sandwich. She’d never had one of the plate-sized monstrosities before, but, unsurprising, she’d been game to try. Her eyes rolled heavenward during each bite of seasoned salami, pastrami, olive paste and cheese, and she blissfully moaned her contentment. That moan nearly caused Ethan to give up his noble plan for the day, since the sound was nearly identical to the sweet sound she produced when her climax neared. It’d been damn near intoxicating watching her chew, swallow and dig back in, as if she couldn’t get enough. The same way she reacted to making love. And the same way he felt about her. He couldn’t get enough.

“Look, it’s starting,” she said, stepping off the sidewalk and peering down the street to see the beginning of the children’s parade. This parade was smaller than the main invasion parade, but just as much fun. And since it was geared to kids, Clarise had dressed appropriately. She looked like a young girl, ready to have a day filled with fun, exactly what he had planned.

Ethan didn’t recall ever seeing her in jeans before, but she wore them today. And hell if they didn’t showcase the luscious curves he’d been exploring all weekend . . . and wanted to explore again. If he’d been any less inclined to have her in a family setting, he’d have suggested they spend yet another day within the confines of their room, which would have totally defeated his purpose, showing Clarise they could incorporate the friendship they’d shared for years into the sexual dynamic they’d developed over the weekend. Thank goodness they left the condo in search of lunch. If they’d ordered room service again, he might not have withstood temptation.

“You ever been to this parade before, lady?” a boy who appeared to be around ten asked Clarise. He wore a Tampa Bay T-shirt and well-worn jeans. So well-worn, in fact, the fabric on both knees was missing in action. He clutched a big burgundy mesh bag, also emblazoned with the local team’s logo, in one tightly fisted hand, and Ethan noticed it already held a few strands of beads.

“No, I haven’t. Is there something I should know about it? Because I could really use someone to show me the ropes if you’re willing,” Clarise said, smiling at the kid.

Ethan grinned. Tons of children bunched around them on the sidewalk, and she was having a ball. This was the kind of woman he wanted, a girl willing to let herself go and have fun. Some of the too-pretty-to-have-their-hair-touched women he’d dated in the past would’ve cringed at all the shoving and pushing, and with all the kids, but Clarise Robinson was completely at ease conversing with the four-feet-and-under crowd.

“Yeah, I got something that’ll help ya.” The boy dug in his pocket and pulled out a pair of red plastic sunglasses, warped and scratched from the jaunt in his pants. “You’ll need these.”

“Why do I need—” she started, but halted when the first float paused in front of them and thoroughly bombed the crowd with candy, beads and plastic toys.
Bombed
was the appropriate word for the action. Buckets, literally, of Gasparilla treasures were flung from both sides of the apparatus, as though the crew members were attacking the crowd rather than giving them exactly what they wanted.

“Because Mom says the stuff’ll put your eye out!” the kid yelled, scooping up his treasures and dumping them in his goodie bag as fast as his hands could move.

“Oh!” Clarise quickly attempted to shove the glasses on, but before they reached their destination, a parachute toy and two gold doubloons sailed against one side of her face. “Your mom’s right.” She pushed the glasses up her nose then scrambled with him, and all the rest of the kids, for loot. “Come on and help us,” she ordered Ethan, who, blessedly, wore his sunglasses.

“Yeah,” the boy urged, “Help us, mister!”

For the majority of the parade, Clarise and Ethan stayed at knee level, gathering treats for the kids, then distributing the coveted loot among all the youngsters. Ethan couldn’t remember the last time he’d had more fun, or the last time anything had felt more
right.

When the parade ended, in spite of all the candy and toys that had been hurled their way, Clarise and Ethan had nary a stick of gum in their pockets, but they had face-splitting grins. The kids were abundantly grateful for the extra candy and toys they obtained due to the couple’s efforts and in the end, every child within a ten-foot radius distributed hugs to their new adult friends. As they headed back toward the rental car, Ethan’s arm encircled Clarise, snuggling against him in her postparade elation.

“That was wonderful,” she said, squeezing him while they walked, as if she couldn’t get close enough, which was exactly how Ethan felt. He wanted her even closer, and he’d have her that way soon.

“Yes, it was.”

“Seeing the parade from a kid’s perspective—how neat is that? I’d say the floats here were as pretty as the ones at the grown-up parades, don’t you think?”

“Actually, most of those floats are used in the adult parades,” he informed. “They run them again here to get more use out of them and to let the kids enjoy them.”

“They enjoyed them, all right.”

“Yeah,” he said, grinning. “They sure did.”

Other parade goers passed them, children giggling and exclaiming about what they’d caught. A couple of little girls, their necks draped in beads and their faces painted like clowns, ran past them. Pigtails waved at Ethan and Clarise as they chased each other down the sidewalk.

Clarise audibly sighed. “I love kids,” she said, then her body tensed. It was only a slight bristle of tension, but since they were pressed against each other, Ethan felt it. Did she regret letting him in on this little tidbit, or was she wondering how he’d respond? In any case, he didn’t want her to have any doubts where he stood in that respect.

“I love them too.”

“Really?” Her body eased at once, and her face tilted up to peer at his. “You seemed to enjoy yourself today, but I didn’t know if it were because of the parade, or if—”

“I love kids,” he repeated. “They’re fun.”

“I’ll say.” She laughed, and the sound of that laugh warmed his heart. Then she stopped walking and placed a finger to the bridge of her nose, where the red plastic glasses rested. “Oh dear, his glasses.” She turned to scan the crowd, but there were so many kids she had no way to spot the boy who had scrambled beside her for goods during the parade.

“I think he meant for you to keep them. Besides, you gave him a few pairs, didn’t you?” Ethan had witnessed loads of cheap sunglasses flung from a beach-themed float, and he’d also seen Clarise scooping them up and happily distributing them to each child.

“I guess I did, didn’t I?”

Nodding, he unlocked the car, opened the passenger’s door and waited for her to climb in. Then he rounded the front and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Where to now?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise. Rather, it would be a surprise, for a woman who hadn’t generated a list of specific activities to be covered this weekend.”

“It’s still a surprise,” she countered. “I’m banking on the beach instead of the grass, but I still don’t know the location you have in mind, so it’s definitely a surprise. And one I’m ready for, by the way.”

He had no doubt of that. She was always ready. Ethan held her hand as he drove toward Indian Rocks Beach, a short drive from Tampa, but far enough away to provide the privacy they needed. Her eyes widened when he slowly steered the car toward a small parking area in the midst of several beach cottages.

“This isn’t exactly vacated,” she pointed out.

“It’s the beach,” he said. “You didn’t specify which beach, or that you wanted it to be secluded. This okay with you?”

She turned in the seat, peered at the road curving along the beach property. Cars and trucks traveled sporadically down the ribbon of asphalt. Her mouth crooked in a half frown. “It’s not quite dark.”

“Not yet.”

“And there’s a good deal of traffic. Right there.” She pointed toward the road. But Ethan had been here before, and although he’d never had sex on the beach, he knew of several areas completely enclosed by the tall sea grass native to the Gulf. They’d have their own private room, with sand on the floor, a blanket of starlit sky for a ceiling, and the Gulf for a wall. It’d be perfect. He parked the car and turned toward Clarise. She left her hair down today, its straight length resting on her bare shoulders. A ring of the fabric composing her top circled her biceps. The pale pink-and-white-checked cloth with puckered gathers seemed more befitting a little girl than a tempting, curvaceous woman, which made her even more tempting, in Ethan’s opinion.

“Are you afraid someone will see us, Clarise?”

She ran her palms down her jeans-clad thighs and bit her lower lip. “No. Well, yeah, maybe.” She shot another glance at the traffic, watched a car pass, then looked back at him, her eyes wide and fearful.

“Do you trust me?” His question caused another quick dart of her eyes toward the street, where a rattling rusty pickup now made its way down the road. But, despite her obvious apprehension, she turned back to Ethan and forced a smile.

“I’m a little nervous about this,” she admitted, “but yes, I trust you.”

“You weren’t nervous at the football stadium,” he reminded.

“It was pitch-black, and there wasn’t a soul in sight,” she said. “But I did list sex on the beach.”

“Yes, you did.”

“And I guess that involves a bit of risk, right?”

“The elevator involved risk too,” he reminded.

Her face burst into a brilliant smile, and she laughed. “When that buzzer went off, I thought I was going to die right there.”

He leaned forward, pressed his lips to hers, then softly sucked on her lower lip. “But you didn’t want to stop, did you, Clarise?”

“No,” she whispered breathily.

“And you trusted me.”

“Yes.” The darkness of her eyes intensified. “Completely.”

He suspected she was remembering watching herself lose control in the elevator’s mirror. It pleased him enormously to visibly see her reminisce and realize how turned on she was by the memory. Today’s activities would undoubtedly do the same.

“I trust you, Ethan,” she repeated, her tone whispery and erotic.

“Good.” He knew she trusted him physically, but today he wanted to learn whether she trusted him emotionally as well. Would she trust him enough to talk to him, open up to him, without holding back? Would she share her body
and
her heart? “Then let’s go for a walk.”

“A walk?” Her genuine surprise made him grin. Did she actually think he would throw her on the ground for down-and-dirty sex in front of a train of spectators?

“A walk down the beach, since we have a little time before dark.”

She smiled, relief sparkling in those big brown eyes.

“By the way, we
will
have sex on the beach before we return to the condo, before we return to the car, in fact, just in case you’re wondering. But I swear, I won’t do anything to embarrass you.”

“I believe you.”

“Then let’s go.” He withdrew a soft blanket from the backseat. “We’ll need this.”

They exited the car and walked down a short side street leading between the majority of beach cottages. Two couples sat at a white picnic table near the edge of the beach. They were chatting and playing cards, but paused to nod and smile at Clarise and Ethan as they passed.

“Do you think they know what we’re planning?” Ethan asked.

Clarise blushed fiercely. “Lord, I hope not.”