Cypress Corners Boxed Set (Books 1-3) Read online

  He’d have to make up some ground. He’d been a clod out there at the site. No wonder she’d taken such an instant dislike to him. He’d acted like an ass.

  He thought of how she’d eased his fire-ant bites, her delicate hands on his skin, her gorgeous eyes showing her concern and compassion. She was strong and gentle at the same time. A contradiction as well as a complication. The most compelling woman he’d met in years.

  He smiled. Maybe staying in Cypress Corners wouldn’t be such a hardship after all.

  Chapter 3

  The next morning Rick checked out of the hotel and headed back to Cypress Corners. He made a quick stop at the Sales Office. Tammy pressed a key into his hand and her breasts against his arm, but he ignored the calculated move. He wasn’t going there. He thanked her and drove to the address she gave him.

  All the houses in the development were charming and old-fashioned-looking, but he knew they were state-of-the-art modern at their guts. His temporary nest was a two-story deal, smooth stucco painted a soft gray and trimmed with white. A deep covered porch stretched across the front of the house, with two white rattan rockers sitting at the ready. It was all so neat and comfortable and Rick didn’t really care for it. But it wasn’t far from the golf course, and after he spoke to his father last night he’d called the Welcome Center and arranged a round with some of the Cypress executives.

  He parked the SUV in the garage at the back of the house and carried his luggage and briefcase through the kitchen door. More hominess met him here. The interior was decorated with a country feel but without the flowers and baskets he’d expected. He found clean-lined furniture and buffed wood floors, leather couches and a widescreen TV. Cool.

  A large basket filled with fruit, cheese and crackers sat on the kitchen counter. He read the card. A special welcome, signed by Tammy. Her cell phone number was hand-written below. He shook his head and took an apple from the basket, his mind on his coming meeting with the execs.

  Yeah, they’d play golf. But more was at stake than strokes.

  ***

  Harmony stepped out of the Institute later that morning. She’d taken plenty of pictures of the wild scrub buckwheat and uploaded them to the Institute’s database, and now had nothing to do but think. Dr. Robbins had stunned her with his simple words of faith. He trusted her to keep the habitat secure. She was the one to keep Chapman’s field man from infringing on the site. She’d given her word. Her parents taught her to say only the things you feel are true. Pity that didn’t always work both ways. That kind of honesty could leave you open to manipulation from those less truthful.

  Ariel and Max Brooks had raised her among tofu and organic fruit, crystals and incense. Their small circle of friends were all the exposure she’d had to outsiders until she’d gone away to college. Everyone she’d known before was honest and upfront, which was the big reason Adam had so easily snowed both her and her parents.

  He’d promised them a string of organic food stores to expand their own little shop, confusing them with investment-to-earnings and requests from fake investors. In a few short months their savings were gone and their dream dead and buried.

  She still felt sick when she thought about what her parents went through because of her. Adam left her with nothing but guilt for getting her parents mixed up with such a snake. Oh, Adam had been more dangerous than a cottonmouth. The guy from Chapman probably hid the same slithery scales under his pricey clothes.

  She knew Dr. Robbins was authentic. He’d hired her while she was still in grad school and she wouldn’t do anything to make him regret it. The position paid well and she’d make sure she earned every penny she owed her parents. If she had to go head to head with the guy from Chapman, she would. She’d protect the buckwheat and her job. She had to.

  She turned and found him standing beside her scooter, dressed casually but looking just as starched in a navy golf shirt and khaki shorts. He did have nice legs. She’d seen that as she’d tended his ant bites.

  She brought her gaze higher. His hair was curled from the humidity and made him look less menacing than he had at the work site. He smiled and her insides flipped.

  “Hello,” he said.

  She nodded. “Hello.”

  He stepped toward her. “I want to apologize for the other day. I was out of line.”

  “Yes, you were.”

  His smile widened, surprising her with the effect it had on his features. He looked much younger with that grin.

  “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”

  She felt her own lips curve. “All right. Say what you want to say.”

  “I’m sorry…” He raised his brows in question.

  “Harmony,” she said. “Harmony Brooks.”

  “Harmony? Pretty name.”

  She liked the way his lovely mouth shaped the sounds. Her cheeks flushed hot. “Thank you. My parents are a little eccentric.”

  He chuckled and held out his hand. “Rick Chapman.”

  She took his hand. It was big and strong, the grip firm. Just as she’d expected. This was the hand of a man who went after what he wanted and usually got it.

  “Nice to meet you, Rick. Wait.” She withdrew her hand. “Chapman?”

  He stared at her evenly. “Yeah. Of Chapman Financial.”

  “Oh, hell.” She covered her mouth. “I didn’t mean…”

  He waved a hand. “It’s all right. My father owns the company. I’m just the lackey who makes sure the money comes in on time.”

  The words were flip but she heard something odd in his tone. Maybe resignation, maybe resentment.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Rick.”

  “Likewise.” He tilted his head toward the Institute. “I’m meeting with the director of the Institute this afternoon, but do you want to grab a bite to eat tonight?”

  Her heartbeat skittered. Dinner? With him? He’d been so forceful the other day, and taken with the attraction she felt today? No way. “I’m pretty busy.”

  “Oh, come on. Let me make it up to you.” His gray eyes sparkled silver, like sunlight dancing across the lake. “I owe you for saving me from those ants. Twice.”

  She blinked. There was the charm to go along with those looks. It was an amazing thing to be the recipient of his attention. She thought for a moment, Lettie’s words coming back to her. There were other things than plants to occupy her time, and where was the harm in one dinner? “Okay.”

  He smiled again. “You know this place. You pick the restaurant and I’ll meet you in front of the Welcome Center. Seven o’clock okay?”

  She nodded and watched as he turned and walked back toward the golf club. So she’d agreed to have dinner with him. Because of Lettie’s comment? No, that wasn’t the only reason. It was because he was the first guy to pique her interest in years. When he’d pinned her with those I-know-what-I-want eyes she couldn’t resist. He was all charm and magnetism and determination.

  Oh, she was still weak where his type was concerned. All she had to do was remember Adam to bring that point home. But this was only dinner. She’d keep her guard up and do her best to see to the task at hand. Staying informed of Chapman’s plans could only help her keep her promise to the director.

  She got on her scooter and thought for a moment. He wanted her to pick the restaurant, huh? She knew just the place to show Mr. Rick Chapman just what Cypress was about. The Boathouse.

  Lettie waved from her usual table as she rode past, dropping a wink. That woman didn’t miss a trick.

  She smiled as she thought of The Boathouse. Mr. Charming Chapman would learn more about Cypress Corners than he bargained for.

  ***

  That evening Rick drove his SUV to the Welcome Center. His golf match hadn’t yielded any help with the Institute, but he’d managed to shave a couple of strokes off his game. At least he had learned something from his meeting with the director. Through a special agreement, the Cypress developers couldn’t infringe on any lands deemed protected. That includ
ed the café site right now, and the recreation center next year until it was cleared.

  He had to get Harmony Brooks on his side. It was obvious the director held her in high esteem, if the glowing words he’d used to describe her knowledge and persistence was any indication. Rick could guess she had more power in those delicate hands than even she realized.

  Keeping her close would give him information he couldn’t get any other way, especially if the tree-huggers dragged their feet on the matter. Any delays could put their stake in the development in jeopardy. If it turned out that Chapman had to find another spot before the deadline, he could sure use her help. His father’s words struck him. Time was money, all right. That was the only “time” Bill ever had for his kids.

  Dinner with her wouldn’t be a hardship. He bet she cleaned up nice, not that she wasn’t beautiful all flushed and rumpled from the heat, her hair wild as it escaped that ponytail. Harmony. The name was a little flaky but somehow it fit her. She seemed to blend right in with the nature around her out at the building site—her clothes, her skin, her hair. All green, tan and gold.

  As he parked he saw her scooter sat out front and she stood waiting beside it. She wore shorts again, he was happy to see, with those little hiking boots, dressed up with a gauzy top. And her hair… It was loose and flowed down her back in silky curls. He shut off the engine and got out.

  “Hello,” he said as he walked over to her.

  “Hello.”

  She lowered her eyes and he saw her lashes were thick and long. Was she blushing? No, she was probably just sun-kissed on her nose and cheeks. Man, her skin looked smooth.

  “So where are we headed?” he asked.

  She glanced up at him again. Now her eyes sparkled and she looked like she was holding back a laugh. “There’s a great little restaurant on the other side of the lake, Mr. Chapman.”

  “Rick,” he corrected.

  She blinked those long lashes for a moment. “Rick,” she said with a nod. “You can sample some of the local cuisine.”

  He deliberately ran his eyes over her. Oh, he’d like to sample something and soon. He tamped down his libido and held the passenger door open for her. She climbed up to settle on the wide leather seat and he stared at the curve of her leg for a moment before closing the door. She was a pretty tempting package, but he was always the one in control. No woman tempted him to do anything he didn’t want them to, even if he let them believe it was their idea. He’d just focus on the game if he was to see to Chapman’s concerns.

  He got in, started the engine and headed toward the perimeter road. “Where to?”

  “Just follow this road around the lake, Rick.”

  Damn but he liked the way she said his name. Clear like a bell with a touch of huskiness. He shifted in his seat. Suddenly the supple leather upholstery wasn’t so comfortable. Jeez, they were only talking and his body reacted. He could smell her. A subtle blend of citrus and flowers, either perfume or the soap she’d used. The scent was light but potent. Man.

  After about ten minutes she pointed out a turn-off to the right. They followed a winding road which led through the woody growth toward what looked like little more than a sprawling shack by the lakeside.

  He stopped the SUV next to a rusty beat-up truck and turned to her. “Here?”

  She nodded. “This is The Boathouse.”

  He eyed the building and its surroundings. A restaurant with a name like that in Boston would be pricey and surrounded by expensive yachts. This one boasted a lone dock to the rear with a few small boats tethered to it. But lights shone inside the shack and he could hear music on the warm air as he stepped out of the car. Before he could reach Harmony’s door she opened it and jumped out. He waved her in front of him and locked the SUV with a click of his key chain while he followed her. Walking behind her wasn’t a hardship, either. She had a sweet behind he could look at all night.

  The Boathouse was loud and crowded and filled with wooden picnic tables. The hostess showed them to one near the wide screened windows and he sat on the bench across from Harmony. It felt like they were still outside; the chirps and croaks of whatever lived in the woods were loud through the screen and the air was still thick. The fans above did little to cool the place. A waitress stopped by the table and handed Harmony a menu.

  Harmony paused and glanced at him. “Trust me?”

  He felt a stab of guilt at her simple question. Yeah, he knew she had an agenda. But at least hers wasn’t a hidden one like his. “Sure.”

  She smiled, a sly expression that did amazing things to her mouth. “We’ll start with two of the specials,” she told the waitress.

  The waitress nodded. “And to drink?”

  “A beer.” Harmony raised her brows and looked at him.

  He grinned. “Make that two.”

  She didn’t say much as they waited for their food. Their beer was soon served, cold and frosty in the bottle, and he drank deeply. He didn’t know what the special was, but the aromas filling the place made his stomach growl. Spices and salt and the smells of frying grease made his mouth water. Well that, and the girl sitting across from him.

  “Do you come here a lot?” he asked.

  “That sounds like a line.”

  He tilted his head. “A lame one.”

  She laughed softly. “Yes, I do. You haven’t been here before?”

  He shook his head. “No. Last year when The Clubhouse was built we stayed over at the beach. It was easier to grab a bite on the way out there.”

  Harmony nodded and drank some more of her beer. A drop of foam decorated the little indent on her upper lip and he pointed to his own. “You have a little…”

  She touched her mouth and he swallowed a groan as she licked the foam off her finger. He shifted again. God, this bench was hard.

  The food soon came, sparing him any more embarrassment over his extreme response to her mouth. The dish held pieces of meat that looked like chicken nuggets, batter-fried and served with a trio of sauces.

  Harmony popped a piece into her mouth and chewed. “Mmm.” She looked at him. “Aren’t you going to try it?”

  He watched her mouth again. Her lips were rosy in the dim light of the place, full and moist as she licked them.

  He stabbed at the food with his fork and dipped it in the orange sauce. The sauce was good, like spicy marmalade. The chicken or whatever was terrific. It was kind of chewy but very moist and flavorful. He ate few more pieces as she watched him with a small smile.

  “All right, I admit it,” he said. “This is pretty good. Is it chicken?”

  “Nope.”

  He stopped in mid-chew, a sense of foreboding coming over him. “What is it?”

  “It’s alligator.”

  He stared at her. “Alligator?” he asked around a mouthful of the stuff.

  She nodded and he managed to swallow. She laughed as he drank deeply of his beer, a contagious, joyous sound. He laughed with her and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

  “Alligator, huh?” he asked at last. “At least it wasn’t one those grasshoppers.”

  She laughed harder, reaching out to touch his hand. He looked at her fingers dancing over his flesh. She stilled and he stared into her hazel eyes. Her skin was flushed in the light from the stubby candle on the table, and her luscious lips parted. Laughing Harmony was even better looking than arguing Harmony.

  She seemed to realize she was touching him and quickly withdrew. He felt a chill where her hand had been. They returned to their meal, the alligator bits followed by a big juicy burger she promised was local beef, and when she offered to order him dessert he didn’t argue. He’d just make sure she tried hers first.

  “So how long have you worked for the Institute?” he asked as they dug in.

  She blinked at him, then shrugged. “I’ve worked for the Institute for nearly six months.”

  Brr. Her tone was chilly. He just nodded at her terse answer. He wouldn’t push her tonight. Damn, but he was usually able to g
et whatever he wanted from a woman. Information, a kiss, a lay. Harmony Brooks wasn’t like the women he dated in Boston. Nope. He was having the damnedest time maneuvering around her.

  Some sort of berry tart followed for dessert. It wasn’t fancy but very delicious. A lot like the girl across from him. He noticed she took pains to keep from touching him again, but that didn’t stop him from feeling the pull between them.

  They returned to the Welcome Center and this time she waited for him to come around and open her door. She stepped out and gasped, looking up at the sky. He followed her gaze, seeing a purple-blue sky filled with stars. Some were bright but others were mere twinkles on the canvas. There seemed to be thousands of them.

  “I’ve never seen so many stars,” he said.

  “It’s because of the lights,” she said, her voice lowered as if in awe.

  “The lights?”

  “They’re dark-sky lights,” she said. “Special street lights that shine downward and don’t throw up any light pollution. They’re more expensive than conventional lighting but they let all the stars shine.”

  He nodded and continued to stare up at a sky filled with more stars than he’d ever seen. “It’s worth it.”

  “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  He glanced at her then, at the starlight dancing over her hair, her skin. At the pleasure etched on her face as she drank in that night sky. “Yeah.”

  “I had a nice time tonight, Rick.” She faced him. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “My pleasure,” he managed to say.

  He stared at her, at those pretty lips, and let out a breath. Unable to resist he leaned forward, drawing her scent deep into his lungs. She gasped and he felt it to his soul. He was so close, he could almost taste her. He could feel the gentle puff of her breath on his face.

  “Harmony…”

  His lips barely brushed hers when she turned away and hurried to her scooter.