No Fooling Around: Lennox Brothers Romantic Comedy Read online

  And how dumb was that?

  I’d just escaped my terrible marriage, and now I was swooning over a guy who was determined never to fall in love? How self-sabotaging must I be?

  Asher hauled me to my feet, and I wobbled a moment before forcing my limbs to stop being ridiculous.

  “You okay?” He dusted me off. “That was an impressive dive. Would have gotten any high school quarterback laid.”

  Ruff trotted back over to me and dropped the saliva-covered ball at my feet. Tail wagging, he gazed up at me with his enormous pink tongue dangling, almost hidden by his huge hanging jowls.

  “Oh no,” I told him. “I’m not falling for your tricks again. I’m sitting down and you can run around without me.”

  There was a bench in a shady corner of the park, and Asher and I sat down together while Ruff ambled around, exploring the park on his own. He had to sniff every fence post, and watching him made me smile. Maybe there were some men I couldn’t trust, but I could count on Ruff. During my marriage he’d been one of the only good things in my life.

  “When I was with Benedict, Ruff saved my sanity,” I said. “I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had him to take care of.”

  “I’m glad you had him.”

  I let out a sigh, leaning back on the bench. “What I’m trying to say is that Ruff means everything to me. No matter what Benedict does, I won’t give him back. He’s my family.”

  “When did you move to England?” Asher asked.

  “I met Benedict when I was in my last year of boarding school. He was on vacation here, visiting one of my teachers. When he told me about his life in England, it sounded like a fairy tale. He proposed a few months after I’d finished school, and I thought I was so lucky.” I shook my head. “What a fool.”

  “You’re as far from a fool as it’s possible to get.”

  “I was dumb enough to marry Benedict.”

  “When I was fourteen, our mother took Kade, Mason, and me to Mexico,” he said, speaking down as though he were talking to the toe of his sneaker. “She used to have mood swings. Now it’s easier to see she was probably bipolar and a prisoner to the chemical imbalances in her brain. At the time, all we knew was that sometimes she was our regular, loving mother, but if something triggered her she’d turn monstrous. And whenever she was herself again, I walked on eggshells, desperate not to do anything to ruin it. I tried to be the perfect son and when it didn’t work, I used to blame myself.”

  His eyes lifted and I was caught in his gaze. He had the most curious, intelligent eyes I’d ever seen. If only he hadn’t just warned me against it, I’d be in serious danger of losing my heart to the power of those eyes.

  “Making mistakes is the easy part,” he said. “Not beating ourselves up for them is the bit that’s almost impossible.”

  “Where’s your mom now?”

  “She died.”

  “I’m sorry.” Before I could think better of it, I covered his hand with mine.

  He flipped his hand over, linking our fingers together. “I was with my brothers. We looked out for each other.”

  “No wonder you’re close.”

  “But you had nobody.”

  “No,” I agreed with a sigh. “My uncle was supposed to be our guardian, but he didn’t want two kids. He sent me to boarding school and Santino ran away. My brother was the last person in the world who really cared about me, and one day he just vanished. I had no idea where he went or how to find him.” Though it was an old, familiar pain, remembering my brother’s disappearance still made my heart ache.

  “Santino found you again recently?”

  I nodded. “I have no idea how he tracked me down in England, but I’m very glad Benedict wasn’t around when he called. I was looking for somewhere to escape to, and my brother handed me the perfect place. I didn’t think Benedict would know where I’d gone, let alone be able to follow me.”

  “I’m happy you’re here.” Asher’s eyes were so warm I could have sunbathed in their glow.

  I gave him a grateful smile, both for his words and the comfort of his strong, capable hand holding mine. “Me too. I used to dream about running away and joining the circus, but being here is way better.” I wrinkled my nose. “At least I think it is. I’ve never actually been to the circus.”

  “They don’t have a circus in England?”

  “According to Benedict, those sorts of things were for commoners. He’d never let me lower myself. I have a whole list of things I’ve never done.”

  “Like what?”

  “Um.” There were so many things, it was almost too hard to pick examples. “I’ve never been to a drive-through movie theater. I’ve never shot a water gun like the ones your father and his neighbor were using. I’ve never—”

  “You’ve never fired a water gun?” he interrupted. “Not even as a kid?”

  “Nope. And I’ve never thrown a snowball, or even danced in the rain.” I winced as I heard the words leave my mouth. “Uh-oh.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I sound like an eighties song. What was it again, the one about liking Piña Colada?” I laughed, feeling silly. “I’m twenty-eight years old, and I’ve never made love at midnight, driven through Paris in a sports car, had the time of my life, or been the wind under anyone’s wings.”

  His hand tightened around mine for a moment before he let go. “Then you need to do all those things. In fact, you can tick one off right now.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He got up from the bench. “Put Ruff on his leash. I need to make a phone call.”

  I did what he asked, though I was mystified as to what he was doing, especially when he walked away to make his call so I couldn’t even eavesdrop.

  “Okay, we’re all set,” he said when he got back. “Come on. We only have five minutes.”

  “Five minutes for what?”

  “You’ll see.” He grabbed my hand, leading me out of the off-leash area with Ruff padding happily beside us. “This way.” We were angling toward the deserted ball park instead of toward the car.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’ve never danced in the rain, and it’s something you need to do.”

  I looked up at the blue sky and frowned. “What rain?”

  There was a sputtering sound, then the park’s sprinkler system came on, water spraying all over the grass.

  “See.” Asher sounded smug. “Rain.”

  “But how—?”

  “San Dante’s a small town. I called a friend and asked for a favor.”

  “You’re crazy!”

  “Incorrect. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I’m reserved and serious, and the last person who’d ever do anything crazy.” He motioned to the sprinklers. “There. Rain. Dance.” Taking Ruff’s leash out of my hand, he added, “Ruff and I can turn our backs if you’d like some privacy.”

  I widened my eyes at him. “Oh no, there’s no way I’m doing this alone. You have to dance with me.”

  “That wasn’t the deal.”

  “Come to think of it, I don’t actually need you to agree.” Stepping backwards into the spray, I shrieked then laughed as the cold water rained down on me.

  He smiled at me, a dizzying real smile that made the shrieks die in my suddenly thick throat. If I did something reckless after a smile like that, he only had himself to blame.

  Standing still, I let the water soak me while I met his gaze. “Last chance.” My voice was a little hoarse. “Either you dance with me of your own free will, or…”

  “Or what?”

  I looked down at Ruff, sitting quietly at Asher’s feet. “Here boy.”

  Ruff surged forward at once. Asher yelped as my giant dog dragged him into the cascade of water so fast, he tore his leash right out of Asher’s hand. I’d been a little afraid Asher might get angry at me for forcing him under the sprinklers, especially seeing as Benedict would have been beyond furious. But Asher let out a laugh.

  “Clever
.” He lifted his hands, letting the water soak him. “And tricky.”

  “Do you know how to waltz?” I flicked my wet hair out of my eyes. “We waltzed at school, and I also learned to rhumba, tango, and foxtrot.”

  “Foxtrot? Where did you go to boarding school, the nineteen twenties?” He slid his hands around my waist. “I’m pretty sure I can waltz, though it’s been a long time.”

  He led and I followed while the rain fell and Ruff lumbered around us. Our dance sped up, and Asher spun me then dipped me. When he lifted me, I grabbed hold of his shoulders. Water trickled over the angles of his face, slicking down his hair. Somehow he managed to look even more gorgeous wet, especially because his T-shirt was sticking to his chest. His good looks made me dizzy, even before he twirled me again. And it was a good thing the water was cold, otherwise my skin might have caught fire in all the places he was touching me.

  Pulling me closer, he dropped his face next to mine. The rough skin on his jaw tickled my cheek in the nicest way, and I leaned into him. His hands were firm around my waist, his chest wide, his scent all male. He danced with serious intensity, guiding me effortlessly, as though he’d practiced this dance every day of his life.

  He was so sure, so confident, that in his arms I felt completely safe.

  When he dipped me again, supporting me with his powerful arms while he gazed into my eyes, his lips pulled up into that incredible smile. I couldn’t help laughing with joy, which made him smile even wider.

  We only had five precious minutes in the water, but I wanted it to last forever.

  And when the sprinklers finally sputtered to a stop, my mind had gone clear and I knew two things beyond a doubt.

  The first thing was that there’d never been any other woman in the world as lucky as I was, getting to dance with Asher in the rain.

  The second was that I wanted to do a lot more with him than dance.

  Chapter Eleven

  Asher

  After getting wet under the sprinklers, I went to my own place to shower, change, and feed Nemesis.

  I was still sleeping on Iola’s uncomfortable couch in case her ex came back, but I was afraid we were getting too close, which would only make things worse when I told her the truth about her brother. So I ate dinner alone and waited until it was dark to go next door.

  When she opened the door, Iola was leggy and stunning in a simple shift dress, her hair pulled back.

  “You’re gorgeous,” I blurted, because apparently her stunning appearance had dissolved the normally efficient series of filters between my brain and mouth.

  When she smiled, the lift of her lips had a corresponding effect on my heart.

  No other woman had ever made my breath vanish from my lungs. How could I tear my eyes away from her when she could light up entire rooms with one smile?

  I barely had the willpower not to kiss her. The only thing that stopped me was knowing she could find out about my role in Santino’s incarceration at any time.

  I couldn’t protect her from her ex-husband if she wasn’t talking to me. The worst possible situation would be to live next door to her if she needed my help but wouldn’t allow me to give it. That would be unacceptable.

  Once she was back on her feet, with money coming in and her ex-husband dealt with, then I’d tell her my secrets. That’s when she’d tell me to get lost and I’d never get to kiss her at all. A steep price to pay, but knowing our relationship had a built-in expiration date would make it easier not to get too attached.

  Theoretically speaking.

  “I was just about to let Ruff out for a last pee before bed,” she said as I followed her inside. She went to the side door and opened it for Ruff. I watched her hips sway, mesmerized by her movements.

  A picture of her laughing as she danced under the sprinklers flashed through my mind. I’d never seen anyone so breathtaking.

  I couldn’t trust myself around her. What was I doing putting myself in this position? I should hire guards to protect her so I could stay well away.

  Putting the pajamas I was carrying down on the couch, I prowled around the house, looking in every room to check all the windows were locked. I’d change once she was in bed.

  When I went back into the living room, Iola had moved my pajamas onto the side table, and was sitting on the couch with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.

  “Drink?” she asked, already pouring. “Don’t say no or I’ll have to drink them both. Actually, that’s a balanced diet, keeping a glass of wine in each hand.”

  I sat next to her and took the glass she offered, though being so close to her wasn’t good for my willpower. Especially not when her dress had ridden up her thighs, revealing three new freckles I hadn’t previously noticed.

  “Thank you for today.” She clinked her glass against mine. “You’re wine in a million.” Taking a sip, she added, “I always say, why have mer-little when you can have a merlot?” Her cheeks flushed. “I hope you don’t think wine puns are in pour taste. Shall I put a cork in it and keep them bottled up? Or do grape minds think alike?”

  I put my glass on the coffee table. “What’s wrong? Why are you nervous?”

  She swallowed. “Because of what you did today and how it made me feel.” When she leaned closer, our knees pressed together. Some hair tumbled over her face and I had to clench my fist to keep from brushing it back. “I like you, Asher. I mean, in a strongly physical way.” She flushed. “I’m not asking for anything more.”

  I sucked in a breath, fighting the urge to tell her I liked her too. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I said instead.

  “You don’t like me that way?” She put her glass next to mine. “If I’ve misread things, I’m sorry. I just thought…”

  “There are things you don’t know.”

  “What things?”

  “I can’t get serious with you, Iola.”

  “You think that’s what I want?” She shook her head, her cheeks still red but her voice strong. “My marriage was more serious than a North Korean state funeral. So serious, my PTSD has taken the form of uncontrollable joke cracking. I’d like to give serious a wedgie. It’s the opposite of what I want.”

  She bit her lip, looking up into my face with her clear, bright eyes, and all I could think about was how her courage put me to shame. I’d given her so little, pushed her away, and she still wasn’t afraid to tell me what she wanted.

  I couldn’t keep hurting her like this.

  My choices were clear. I could either give in, and let her know exactly how amazing I thought she was. Or I could leave.

  So, no choice at all.

  I shifted closer on the couch. Finally allowing myself to brush the hair back from her face, I let the side of my hand caress her cheek. Her soft freckles were so light, they all but faded into her skin. They were impossible to count, which seemed just right. Everything about her was an enticing mystery, drawing me in.

  Then I took her lips with mine, and I was lost.

  They were soft and opened eagerly. She kissed the way she did everything, with energy and enthusiasm. Like she’d been in training for this moment and was determined to ace the test.

  I smiled against her mouth, but when she made an eager breathy sound, my body responded instantly. I pulled her closer, needing more contact. Needing more of her.

  Her scent was intoxicating. Her hair tickled my face, her curls brushing my cheek. I ran both hands through it, twisting my fingers into it, and she responded instantly, pulling herself into my lap.

  Her hands tugged at my jeans trying to fight them off. She was impatient for the end game. But it wouldn’t be fair to let that happen, no matter how irresistible she was or how much she turned me on.

  “Wait.” With self-restraint a monk would be jealous of, I gripped her waist and lifted her out of my lap, setting her on the couch.

  “What?” Her eyes were wide and worried. “Am I doing something wrong?”

  I took her hand in mine. “You’re perfect. But we’re mov
ing too quickly.”

  “Too quickly?” She frowned. “I don’t get it.”

  “I don’t want to rush things.”

  I’d resolved not to go too far with her for a very good reason.

  Only… what was that reason again?

  All I could think about was how much my mouth was missing the feel of hers. Especially when she pulled her lower lip between her teeth and chewed on it, as though trying to figure out why I was holding back.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I murmured, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers. “I’m trying to keep control, but you make it too difficult.”

  “Why keep control? I’m finally free after being stuck in marriage prison, and I want to do all the things I’ve never done.” She dropped her gaze as though suddenly embarrassed. “I’ve only ever slept with Benedict, and that stopped after the first couple of years. I didn’t enjoy it.”

  I leaned in to kiss her softly, needing to hide a surge of raw anger. I wanted to pull off every one of the fingers Benedict had used to touch her. I didn’t like violence, but in his case I’d make an exception.

  “When you kiss me it feels amazing,” she murmured against my mouth.

  I dropped my mouth to her jaw, running my lips to her ear. She shivered as I kissed the sensitive spot under her lobe.

  “I really like that.” Her breathy voice made me throb with want. She had no idea what she was doing to me. I might seem calm, but inside I was the battle scene from Braveheart, with my lust and protective instincts charging into war against each other, swinging broadswords and yelling “Freedom” at the top of their lungs.

  “I feel like I’ve never done anything,” she added. “Now I want to do everything.”

  I groaned silently, closing my eyes for a moment to dredge up my self-control. But the one thing I’d always prided myself on seemed to have taken a vacation.

  This woman was too much. Too gorgeous, too sexy, too tempting to resist. Every part of my body needed to touch her. Needed to own her.