Suddenly Sexy (10 page)

Linda shrugged. "You are a nerd."

Maddie didn't bother glaring at her because it would go unnoticed. Besides, her sister didn't really mean it. Not anymore. Ten years ago she had, and Maddie had taken the teasing to heart, but now Linda only called her a nerd when they disagreed. It had almost become a term of affection between them.

"But I don't want Sam thinking I'm a nerd. Calling each other names is not a healthy way to begin a relationship."

"Unless that name is Sweet Cheeks."

Maddie held up her hands and cringed. "I don't want to know what Pete calls you."

"It's not. It's what I call him."

"Eeew."

Linda smoothed down Ronan's hair, a smile on her lips. "Kidding aside, tell me what he said, Mad. We need to get to the bottom of this before, um, Ronan's nap time."

Maddie recounted the previous day's events, explaining that she didn't want to go in the water because she was wearing too-thin underwear, and he'd called her a nerd because of it. Linda roared with laughter when she got to the part where she'd ended up in the lake anyway, giving Sam and everyone else an eyeful.

When she stopped laughing, Linda said, "So that's why Pete and Sam used to bump us off the boats. I always wondered about that." A smirk crossed her lips. "Now I know why Mary Ellen got so many dates. I thought it was because she had a swimming pool."

"Linda! Forget about Mary Ellen and tell me what I should do."

Linda sighed but ended it with a giggle. "Okay," she said, "so you broke up because he sort of called you a nerd—which he didn't really."

Maddie rolled her eyes. Semantics. "Well?"

"I love you, Maddie, because you're my sister, but you fit the Aunt Mad title perfectly." She threw up one hand, the other still wrapped around Ronan, and let it fall on her knee with a slap. "You just dumped Sam Hennessy because you
think
he called you a nerd. You're insane!"

Maddie chewed her lip. Maybe she should come clean. It was only Linda after all. If she couldn't confide in her sister, who could she trust? "It's not just that. It's the tip of the iceberg. Sam has never looked at me like, you know, he
wanted
me. Until the other day. All those years and he barely even spoke to me except to call me a nerd."

"He did that once, Maddie, don't exaggerate."

"Fine, it was only once, but that's enough. It just proves that we're entirely different people. I'm a nerd and he's Sam Hennessy for God’s sake. He's the bad boy and I'm the good girl. He shouldn't be attracted to me. Then or now. I haven't changed
that
much in fifteen years."

"You're right, he is Sam Hennessy, bad boy, so make the most of it. To hell with what might or might not happen later. Nothing you've said so far is convincing me."

"Then maybe this will. He only likes me now because of Pheramour."

"The love potion you're working on?"

Maddie nodded. "I tried it on myself before he came over Friday night, then again yesterday morning. It worked."

"Crap." Linda frowned down at Ronan then jerked her head up, her face brighter. "You weren't wearing any on Thursday night, and he liked you enough then to visit you on Friday."

"You sent him round on a stupid errand. And thanks for the shoes, by the way, but next time deodorize anything you've worn on your feet before you give them back."

"Sam wouldn't have taken the shoes to you if he wasn't interested."

"He's too polite to say no. Besides, he wasn't really
that
interested until Friday night."

"What happened on Friday night?" She leaned forward. "Did he kiss you? Was it good? I want details."

"Linda! I'm having a nervous breakdown. Be supportive."

Linda pouted. "So you think Pheramour is the reason for his sudden interest?" A slow smile crept across her lips. Maddie knew that smile. She'd seen it many times right before Linda convinced their parents to let her stay out late. It was the I'm-going-to-get-my-own-way smile.

"So wear Pheramour forever," Linda said.

Maddie sighed and slumped further into her chair. "That's what I thought too. But I can't."

"Why not? This is Sam Hennessy. He's worth a bath every day in that stuff. He'll never know."

Maddie shook her head. At least she'd been drunk when she thought wearing Pheramour forever was a good idea. Her sister was sober, and completely nuts.

"I can't. It's not right. It's not fair. Besides, I've noticed other men are falling for it too."

"Really? Like who? I want details."

"Remember Justin?"

"The man-boy?"

Maddie nodded. "We bumped into him yesterday. He said I looked good. He never used to give me complements."

"That's because he's a jerk. So do you think he wants you back? I hope so. I hope he wants you bad. Make him suffer, he deserves it." She licked her fingers and smoothed Ronan's hair down at the front where it had a habit of curling up into a 'C'. "But that's not enough, Mad. Two men don't make Pheramour a raging success."

"It was happening all day. Men kept looking at me. I thought I had something hanging from my nose, but I didn't. Once, when Sam wasn't around, a guy asked me on a date. Just like that! It took him two minutes."

"Wow. I guess it
is
working then."

Maddie didn't know whether to agree with her or be annoyed that her sister didn't think she could earn that much interest without chemical assistance.

"Wait a minute. Pete doesn't think you're attractive." She frowned. "I hope."

"It doesn't work on all men. I’m not sure why. It must have something to do with the unique chemical make-up that—"

"Enough of the science talk," Linda said with finality.

Maddie sighed and thunked her head on the table. So much for Linda convincing her Pheramour wasn't working. She'd only confirmed her own fears. If those who knew Maddie best couldn't believe she'd be attractive to so many men, including Sam—especially Sam—what hope was there?

It hurt to admit, but she had to agree with Linda, she'd never been a sex kitten. She was barely even an alley cat.

"I think I'm going to cry," she said on another sigh.

But Linda was looking at her son trying to blow bubbles. "This is terrible."

"I know."

"This could be the end of society as we know it. Morals, human sexuality and behavior, everything's going to change."

Maddie cocked an eyebrow. Her sister was scaring her. She sounded...sensible. "You're not talking about Sam and me are you?"

"No. Pheramour. What if people start wearing it and other people—complete strangers, people's husbands—fall for it? There'll be total sexual chaos."

Chaos. Maddie's least favorite word. One she hadn't associated with Pheramour until now. Despite putting her utmost into her work, she hadn't expected it to be this successful. She'd thought it might work on a small percentage of the population, and perhaps only marginally increase the wearer's attractiveness to the opposite sex, but it had turned out to be incredibly powerful stuff.

BioDerma and Fleur Elise were about to unleash a monster on an innocent public.

"I think I need to talk to Miles," she said weakly.

Pete lurched through the kitchen door, gulping in air, his face redder than an outback sunset. He wore a T-shirt with dark sweat stains back and front, running shorts a size too small, and running shoes with matching holes at the big toes. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water then drank the lot in one gulp.

"Hey Maddie," he wheezed, "how's things?"

"Oh, fine, except I'm about to create total sexual chaos."

Emily and David, who'd come in behind their father, sniggered behind their hands.

"Yeah? Cool. Give me a few days warning so I can stock up on c-o-n-d-o-m-s." He bent to kiss Linda on her forehead but she smacked him in the arm. "I was kidding!"

"Yeah, well it's not funny. And you're all sweaty. Where's...?" Linda glanced at Maddie then at her husband, eyebrows raised.

"Sam? He's coming. He wanted to do an extra lap of the street."

"Sam's coming here?" Oh great,
now
they tell her, when it's too late to run home to change into something sexier than a grungy old pair of jeans. "Linda, why didn't you say something?"

"I thought it would be a nice surprise. He rang Pete this morning and asked him to go for a run." Her gaze shifted to her husband, sagging against the kitchen sink. "Don't worry," she said in a voice low enough that only Maddie and Ronan could hear. "It looks like it was a tough run. Probably Sam'll look awful too."

Pete looked beat. Trickles of sweat lined his ruddy face and he sucked in air like there wasn't enough of it going round. Hopefully Sam would look just as unattractive.

"Hey, Mad," Pete said between wheezes, "Sam couldn't stop talking about you. He said he had a good time yesterday, but you went cold on him after you fell in the water." He dragged in two breaths before continuing. "He wants to know what the problem is."

"And what did you say?" Linda asked.

"That she probably had PMS."

"Pete!" both women cried.

"What? What's wrong with that? Besides, what other explanation is there? It's Sam Hennessy for crying out loud. Why else would you give him the cold shoulder?"

Maddie groaned. She loved Pete, in a sister-in-law way, but he could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. He and Linda were made for each other. "I have to go." She stood.

The kitchen door swung open and Sam stopped dead. "Maddie!"

He looked amazing. Not like Pete at all. He didn't wheeze, his face was its usual tanned color, and there wasn't a single sweat stain on his sleeveless T-shirt. A few beads collected around his hair line and his hair was a little damp but that just made him look sexy. His naked, powerful thighs made him look sexier. He was all masculinity with energy oozing from every pore, vibrating across the air and smacking Maddie between her thighs.

"I didn't think you were going to be here," he said, coming further into the kitchen. He accepted a glass of water from Pete.

She managed to tear her gaze from his legs. He had great calves—a perfect arch of granite-hard muscle. "And I didn't know you were coming. If I had..." She glanced around at their audience and closed her mouth. "Anyway, I was just leaving."

"No you weren't," said Linda. "You were staying for lunch, remember." She gave Maddie a glare. Maddie knew that look. It was the look Linda used to give her when she was telling their parents a lie and warned Maddie that she'd better shut up or she'd get a Chinese burn later. Maddie always shut up.

She sat back heavily in her seat. "Yeah, I'm staying."

"Great." Linda stood and handed Ronan to her. "Sam, go take a shower. Pete, take the kids outside to play until Sam gets out and then it's your turn. Maddie, you can change Ronan while I prepare lunch."

Maddie made a face at her nephew. "I thought I smelled something."

When everyone had done as they were told, they ate sandwiches outside on the porch. Emily and David found playing in the garden more fun than eating their crusts and Emily found falling over easier than walking. The four adults took it in turns picking her up, dusting her down and sending her on her way again.

"Pete, help me with the dishes," said Linda, standing. "Maddie, will you watch Ronan?"

"Why do I have to help?" asked Pete. "Can't Maddie? Isn't that what you girls do, go into the kitchen and discuss the meaning of life?"

"Not today," Linda said with a wink that only Sam couldn't see.

"Why are you winking?" Pete stood. "Have you got something in your eye?"

Linda grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, leaving the dirty dishes behind.

"Subtle," said Sam, leaning back in his chair. He'd changed into jeans and a clean T-shirt. His hair was still damp but from the shower this time. Maddie liked the way the jagged edges fell above his eyes, framing his face and making him look like a brooding teen again. "I'm glad they left us on our own. We need to talk."

Emily fell over and squealed at the top of her lungs. Grateful for the distraction, Maddie got up to rub the grazed knee and returned to Sam. Slowly. How many more times could her niece help her avoid the awkward discussion she knew was coming?

"Maddie, about yesterday." He leaned forward. "I'm sorry."

"Oh," she said innocently, "what for?"

He lifted one big shoulder. "For being a jerk?"

She gave him points for trying. But he wasn't a jerk and she didn't want him blaming himself for her issues. She was the one with doubts, not him. He was just acting under the influence of some very powerful hormonal urges induced by Pheramour.

"It's not you, it's me," she said.

"Gee, where have I heard that before?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "I think I've used that one in half my relationship breakups." He grunted and focused on David and Emily chasing each other round the back yard. Tension zapped across the space between them. "So this is what it feels like to be on the other end?"

She bit her lip.
You've got to do this.
"It happens to be true on this occasion. Look, it's nobody's fault—"

"Aha," he pointed at her, "there's another one. Also on my list of favorite breakup lines." He smiled but the humor didn’t reach his blue eyes. "How about 'I need to find myself', that's a good one. I used that on a spiritualist and she totally fell for it. And then there's 'We want different things' which I wish I'd used on my ex. She wanted my money and I wanted her out of my life. For a year after my father died I found 'I need some time' went down a treat. Follow that up with 'You're so sweet for understanding' and you're on a winner." One corner of his top lip curled and a muscle worked in his cheek. "Any of those suit? Feel free to borrow one."

Maddie felt like crawling into a small dark space and staying there until winter 2050. By then she might be over Sam and he might have forgiven her. Maybe.

"Sam, I'm sorry, but you'll thank me one day." Like next time she saw him and Pheramour had completely worn off.

"There's another good one. Can't recall ever using it myself though."

"Sam, please."

He stood and looked like he was going to leave but didn't. He ran a hand across his five o'clock shadow and sighed, then sat again. "Maddie, against my better judgment, I'm going to lay it on the table. I like you. A lot." He held his palm up when she opened her mouth to protest. "I know we're not really in a relationship, but we have known each other forever, so I think we can skip all the dating crap. So here's the thing." He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his thighs, his hands dangling between his knees. "I want to see more of you. I have no idea what I said to upset you yesterday, but I apologize for it." He shrugged. "I confess, I'm just a dumb guy when it comes to figuring out women, but-"

"Stop it, Sam. Please."

"I'm not finished." He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "I can't remember ever being attracted to someone the way I'm attracted to you. I can't get enough of you. It feels like I'm on a drug."

If only he knew.

"That's got to account for something, don't you think?"

Oh hell. Maddie focused on the children pushing each other in the garden, arguing over Emily's Barbie. She got up to separate them, her mind only half on the job, but Sam caught her hand and stopped her.

"Maddie, I want to see more of you."

She snatched her hand away, regretting the loss of touch more than she liked to admit. "No, Sam. We can't. End of story." She strode down to the lawn, snatched Barbie off David who was holding the doll out of Emily's reach, and pulled the legs and arms from their sockets. She gave the torso to Emily and the limbs to David.

"There, now you can both play with her."

When she straightened and turned round, Sam was gone.