Heat Wave Read online

  He shrugged slightly. “Enough to say hello, chat from time to time.” He paused a beat. “How well do you know her?”

  “She’s my best friend since high school.”

  He grinned. “Guess that’s pretty well. How long will you be staying?”

  “Most of the summer.”

  He nodded.

  “And you?”

  “I own a small lounge in town. I’ll be here for the summer business. It opens for the season day after tomorrow. You should stop by.”

  “A lounge? Really?”

  “Yeah. Basic menu. Bar. Entertainment.” His gaze moved slowly over her face.

  “Sounds great.”

  The corner of his full mouth curved. “We open at seven.”

  She nodded.

  “Harrison’s on Market and Seaview.”

  “Okay.”

  “So I’ll see you then?”

  “I’ll try to fit it into my very busy vacation schedule,” she teased.

  He laughed. “I’ll save you a seat if you tell me your name.”

  “I was wondering when you were going to ask. My name is Nina. Nina Forbes.”

  He held out his hand and she placed hers in it.

  “Pleasure to meet you, Nina. I mean that. And my offer is still good.”

  She frowned slightly. “Offer?”

  “If you need anything.”

  She raised her chin. A slow smile moved across her mouth. “I’ll definitely remember that.”

  “Good. Good.” He backed up as he spoke, then turned and walked away. “I was planning on grilling some steaks tonight. Stop by if you want,” he said over his shoulder. He walked to his car and opened the door.

  “Maybe I will.”

  He offered her a hint of a smile and got back in his car.

  Nina walked inside. Steak for dinner.

  Chapter 3

  Nina unpacked her shopping bags and put her things away. Ian Harrison. His name and the picture of him kept running through her head. The man was simply gorgeous and she had a hard time believing that there wasn’t some lady friend waiting in the wings. But if there was, would he invite her over for steaks and to his club as his guest?

  Men have been known to do worse, she concluded as she undressed for a shower. She could testify to that. After the disastrous relationship with Randy McKnight, she’d backed off getting serious with anyone. He’d done a real number on her that left her angry, resentful, and wary.

  She turned the shower on full blast and stepped in under the pulsing spray. Randy was what most women would consider a dream come true. He had a solid job as the communications director for Councilman Harris. He was educated, dressed well, drove a Jag, was easy on the eyes, and was great in bed. Unfortunately, he felt compelled to share himself equally with any woman who thought the same thing that she did. A fact she may never have known had she not gotten a phone call from his “fiancée.”

  Nina turned her face up to the water. It took her a while to shake off the effects of that humiliation. But from that point on, she was determined that whatever relationship she entered would be on her terms. She would start and stop when she got good and ready. And Ian Harrison had pressed her ready button.

  She smiled to herself as she lathered her body and massaged it with a loofah sponge. A few weeks of a summer fling was just what she needed. Ian Harrison had no idea what he’d gotten himself into.

  “Sure, about eight,” Ian was saying into the phone. “Grilling some steaks . . . a bottle of wine is good. See you then. And bring some music,” he added.

  He hung up and continued seasoning the steaks. He took out some potatoes and the fixings for a salad, checked to make sure there was enough beer in the fridge, then went out back to start up the grill.

  The light was on across the way. Based on what he imagined the layout of the house to be, he guessed it was a bedroom. He wondered if Nina was in there and, if so, what she was doing.

  He shook his head. It was simply crazy the way this woman, whom he’d barely had a real conversation with, had invaded his head, which is exactly why he had invited Keith and his wife for dinner as well. Although she hadn’t exactly said yes, she hadn’t said no either, and he couldn’t take the chance of being alone with Nina all night. Not yet, anyway. Besides, he didn’t want her to get the wrong impression. He was quite sure that given the opportunity, he would have to see for himself if her skin was as soft as it looked and if her mouth was as sweet and her breasts were as lush.

  “Get a grip, old boy,” he said aloud, blinking away the taunting images. He poured lighter fluid on the coals and lit them. He watched the flames rush up, then simmer among the chunks of coal. Satisfied, he closed the lid, took one more look up at the window next door, and returned to his house to change.

  Nina watched him until he walked inside, thankful for the one-way glass. He was alone. She smiled and wondered if it was too soon to “stop by.” He never actually said what time, but since he’d already gotten the grill started, maybe she could offer her services to help out with dinner.

  She hung up her robe and looked for something to put on.

  Ian wrapped a towel around his waist and draped one around his neck. He was pulling open his dresser drawer when he heard the front doorbell. He took a pair of boxers out of the drawer, put them on under the towel, and trotted downstairs. Keith was early as usual. Anytime the man heard “free meal,” that wasn’t his wife’s cooking, he was there.

  “Hang on,” he called out and opened the door. “Oh. . . Hey.” He flashed a crooked grin.

  Nina swallowed and tried not to stare at his bare chest. She focused on his eyes and that wasn’t much better. “I’m sorry. Obviously, I’m early.”

  “Not a problem. I was getting out of the shower.” His gaze stroked her. “Thought you were someone else,” he said absently as the subtle fragrance she was wearing messed with his head.

  They stood in the threshold, neither of them moving.

  “I can come back if . . .”

  He snapped back to attention. “No.” He gently took her hand. “Come in. Please.”

  She forced herself to concentrate on moving one foot in front of the other and not on the idea that he may be naked under that towel or her overwhelming desire to run her hands across his broad, hard chocolate back or the jolts of electricity that kept running through her fingers and up her arm, but she didn’t want to let his hand go. And she didn’t.

  He shut the door behind her and led her inside.

  “Have a seat. I’m going to run up and, uh . . . put on something more presentable.”

  Don’t change on my account, she thought but didn’t say. “Take your time. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Nope. Got everything under control. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

  Ian turned and went up the stairs and it took all of Nina’s self-control not to try to peek under the towel. She put her small purse down on the sectional couch and walked around the open space. She ran her hand along the sleek stereo system that was so high tech it looked like something from NASA. She didn’t dare press a button. The living room opened onto the eat-in kitchen. Nice and neat, she noted. Turning the other way, she crossed the room to the sliding glass doors that opened onto the back deck. She slid the doors open and stepped out.

  From where she stood, she could see her bedroom window and was immensely relieved to confirm that you really couldn’t see inside. She walked farther out on the deck and saw the smoke curling from the grill. She opened the lid and stirred the coals just a bit. They’d already begun to turn white with the heat. She lifted the cover of the big tray that sat on a table next to the grill. At least eight steaks were marinating in seasonings and a sauce that made her mouth water.

  Eight steaks? Quite a lot of food for two people. Obviously two was not the magic number. Then it hit her. When he’d opened the door, he’d said he thought she was someone else. At the time she paid it no attention, simply figuring that he must h
ave meant a delivery. Apparently he meant other guests. A twinge of disappointment settled in her stomach. She’d been looking forward to some alone time with her next-door neighbor.

  She turned at the sound of the glass door opening behind her.

  Ian had put on a black T-shirt, a pair of black cargo shorts, and sandals. A quick flash of heat shot from her center straight to her head. Her face was on fire. She blinked and looked away.

  “I was going to be ambitious and get the steaks started, but I didn’t want to be one of those kinds of neighbors.” She smiled sweetly.

  He stepped fully onto the patio deck and crossed the space to where she stood. His bottomless eyes slowly rolled down her body from head to toe, setting off tiny pings of electricity beneath her skin. He opened the lid of the grill. Heat engulfed them, clouding their images for a moment in smoke and dancing flames. It was like watching each other in a sensual dream.

  Ian picked up the long fork, jabbed it into a piece of the succulent meat, and almost reverently laid it down onto the hot grill. Nina watched him, mesmerized, imagining all manner of things that had nothing to do with grilling steaks. He did it again and again, until the rack was lined with thick beef that simmered and sizzled. She never thought watching someone grill steaks could be such a turn-on.

  Nina ran her tongue across her bottom lip just as Ian closed the lid, and he wondered what her tongue would feel like running across his chest, down his neck, along his . . .

  They both jumped at the sound of the doorbell as if they’d been caught doing something very naughty.

  Ian cleared his throat. “Must be Keith and his wife. Be right back.” He dropped the fork on the countertop and hurried out.

  Nina’s legs felt weak. She sat down in the closest available seat. Whoa. What was that all about? Her body hummed and her heart was racing as if she’d run around the block a half dozen times. On second thought, it probably was a good idea that Ian was having guests. She needed a drink.

  The sound of voices drew closer. Nina hoped she didn’t look as shaken as she still felt. No man had ever had that kind of visceral effect on her before. He hadn’t touched her, yet she felt as if he’d been over every square inch of her body and branded her with his intentions.

  “Nina, this is Keith and Lauren Jackson.”

  Nina pushed up from her seat. “Nice to meet you.” She shook Lauren’s hand and then Keith’s.

  “So you’re house-sitting, Ian told us,” Lauren said in a faint accent that Nina couldn’t quite place—one of the Caribbean islands to be sure.

  “Yes. My friend Rita usually does it, but she had to go away. She offered it to me.”

  “And who could say no,” Keith said with a smile.

  “Exactly.”

  “Can I get you all a brew?” Ian asked, looking from one guest to another and stopping with Nina.

  A hot flash zapped her. “I’d love something cold.”

  “Sounds good,” Keith said.

  “I’ll help you,” Nina offered. She followed Ian over to the cooler.

  “You can grab that tray,” he said with a lift of his chin in the direction of a serving tray on the food cart. “Bottom shelf.”

  Nina bent down to reach for the tray and Ian zeroed in on each curve. His gaze turned into radar and tracked every movement—the angle of her hips, the soft rise of her behind, the muscles in her thighs down to the dynamite dancer’s legs.

  She stood and Ian’s groin tightened. Damn, she was beautiful.

  “This it?” She held out a rectangular wooden tray.

  His throat was incredibly dry. “Thanks.” He took the tray and placed the icy-cold bottles of beer on top.

  “Anything else?”

  To Ian her words sounded like a soft plea that he wished he could satisfy. “Not now.”

  Nina purred under the soft caress of his response and the warm invitation of his eyes.

  “We’re dying of thirst over here,” Keith called out.

  Ian swallowed over the tight knot in his throat while he undressed Nina with his gaze one more time before returning to his guests.

  Nina drew in a slow, steadying breath before joining the others.

  Keith was putting some CDs in the player and Ian was opening Lauren’s beer. Nina eased into a seat next to Lauren. Ian held out a bottle of beer to her with a raised brow.

  “Thanks. Yes.”

  He popped open the cap and handed it to her.

  She took a quick sip to cool the fire in her belly. This was going to be a long night.

  “So what do you do when you don’t get a wonderful house-sitting gig?” Lauren asked. She turned sideways in her chair to face Nina, resting her weight on her hip. She drew up her knees.

  Nina laughed lightly. “I’m a high school English teacher.”

  “Really? So am I.”

  “You’re kidding. Where do you teach?”

  “In Harlem. What about you?”

  “I teach in Brooklyn.”

  Lauren shook her head in amazement. “Small world. Do you live in Brooklyn also?”

  “Yep, all my life. What about you?”

  “We moved to Harlem about fifteen years ago, when it was actually Harlem.” They both gave each other knowing looks. “It’s pretty much unrecognizable now.”

  Nina nodded in total understanding. “Where were you before you came to Harlem?”

  “I lived in England. A transplant from Barbados,” she added. “That’s where we met Ian.”

  “In England?”

  Lauren nodded. “He was working on designing an art gallery.”

  Nina’s finely arched brows rose in surprise.

  Lauren glanced briefly over her shoulder at the two men, who were deep in conversation, then turned back to Nina. “He’s extremely talented and”—she paused for a beat—“passionate.” Her eyes sparkled in the light. Her smile wrapped around the mouth of her beer bottle and she took a long swallow.

  Nina felt as if she’d been stuck with something sharp. What was this woman trying to infer? Had something gone on between them? Her heart began to pound.

  “When Ian gets in his zone, there’s no tearing him away. He becomes totally immersed in whatever it is that he’s doing. Pours all of himself into it. He becomes . . . consumed. Like a man totally in love.” She took another sip and set the bottle down. “But for Ian, it’s always work, work. He says he doesn’t have time for anything else.” She shrugged her left shoulder. “I can’t tell you how many women I’ve tried to set him up with.” She laughed and waved her hand. “He’s left many a broken heart in his wake. I can tell you that.”

  Nina’s racing heart began to slow. She stole a glance at Ian and felt as if someone were slowly stirring her insides.

  “Sounds like a very complicated man,” Nina said wistfully.

  Lauren appraised her. “How well do you actually know him?”

  Nina’s gaze skipped over to Lauren and back to Ian. “We’ve only just met.”

  A slow smile moved across Lauren’s mouth as she watched Nina study Ian. From the vibe she was getting from Nina and the caressing way Ian had said Nina’s name during the introductions, she was pretty sure that having just met was only a technicality.

  Chapter 4

  The two couples had a fun-filled evening, with Keith and Lauren filling in a lot of blanks about Ian and how they’d met, kept in touch throughout the years, and reconnected again in the States.

  The steaks were incredible and Ian humbly took his bows—literally—and swore that he would never give up his secret ingredients no matter how much they begged.

  The music was just right, the night was perfect, and the company was intelligent, funny, and worldly. Nina was enthralled by their vignettes about Europe and the Caribbean, their take on world affairs, and their knowledge of art and music.

  She’d always considered herself well versed in life, but among them, she felt lacking, yet they never made her feel as if she was an outsider. She definitely needed to get out mor
e, she thought to herself as Keith and Lauren prepared to go.

  “Please call me,” Lauren said. “We could do something during the days.” She squeezed Nina’s hand and moved closer. She lowered her voice. “He has his eye on you. Haven’t seen that in our Ian in a very long time.” She kissed Nina’s cheek and stepped back. “Lovely to meet you.”

  “You too . . . and I will.”

  Ian walked Keith and Lauren to the front door. Nina made herself busy picking up plates and cups, consolidating leftover food. She was putting a beer bottle into the recycle bin when two strong arms snaked around her waist. A hot kiss was dropped on the back of her neck. A shiver shimmied up her spine.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.” He turned her around.

  “Have you?” she was barely able to ask when she fell into the bottomless well of his eyes.

  His thumb gently rubbed her waist. “Yes.”

  If he kissed her she would let him. She wanted to know the pressure of his lips against hers, experience the taste of him. She held her breath.

  “It’s late. You must be tired.”

  Everything shifted. She felt unsteady, unsure of herself and his intentions. Was he telling her the night was over?

  “A little.” She forced herself to smile, determined not to exhibit the mortification she felt.

  “I’ll walk you home.”

  His thumb still brushed along her waist as he spoke, but now it annoyed her more than teased. She wanted to give him a good shove, but manners prevailed. Was he messing with her head and libido, or was her imagination on overdrive? She took a step back. “Ready when you are.”

  Ian opened the gate that enclosed his backyard and they walked over to her deck and up the steps to the rear door.

  Nina fumbled in her purse for the key, wanting to tell him to beat it and leave her the hell alone. She didn’t have time for . . .

  “What would you say if I told you I wanted to make love to you?”

  Her bag clattered to the hardwood deck, spilling the contents. Her tube of lip gloss rolled one way, her compact went another, and a mint, a pack of tissues, the keys, and a tightly sealed condom in a gold and red package landed near her feet. If she was mortified before, she didn’t have a word for what she felt now.