Page 16 of Only for the Moment
Chapter Seven
The knock on the door was almost a relief. For the past hour Kennedy had fought with herself, with thoughts of Isaac she knew had to be banished before they latched on and couldn’t be forgotten, and yet everything she did turned her attention his way. The caress of the water on her skin reminded her of his eyes gliding over her, the rich scent of coffee reminded her of theirdecadent dessert and his pleasure at the glide of cheesecake across his tongue. Need shivered over her skin continually, tempting her to walk the path she’d forbidden herself to walk. No more thinking about Isaac, no more dreaming about him, and absolutely no fantasies allowed.
Period.
If she could make it to work, she could immerse herself, escape like she needed to. And if someone was rappingon her door at seven thirty in the morning, work was likely coming to her.
She unlocked the door and pulled it open. “What’s the— Oh.”
It wasn’t Cooper or her secretary, Jeanne, in the hall. It was her nemesis, staring down at her with an intensity she couldn’t deal with this early. “Isaac. May I help you?”
He leaned one broad shoulder against the doorjamb. “I hope so.”
This man was Trouble—andyes, definitely with a capital T. “Oh?”
His body was casual, but his eyes…they held something dark, something not good. “Was wondering if you could fit a little drive around town into your schedule this morning.”
“Now?” Her treacherous mind was already running scenarios, shuffling tasks despite the fact that saying no was the only sane solution. “Is there something you need?”
“Just to get outo’ here.”
A shuffle behind Isaac drew her attention to Nick where he leaned against the opposite wall of the hallway. The big man kept his eyes trained on his boss, a worried vee creasing his brow. Nick could drive him anywhere he wanted to go; he didn’t need her. What she needed was to avoid time in this man’s presence. So why was she hesitating over thenothat rested on the tip of her tongue?
She took a deep breath—and held it as Isaac’s eyes dropped to her chest. When he raised them again, the darkness had been replaced with a different kind of need. And just like that, she was lost.
“I think I could fit you in.”
He pushed upright, shoulders relaxing as he shoved his fists into the front pockets of his faded jeans. “Great. Let’s go.”
“Whoa, cowboy!” She glanced down at the businesssuit she currently wore. “Give me five minutes to change. Want me to call the valet to bring your car around?”
Nick straightened from his slouch against the wall. “Already done.”
She turned to go inside. Isaac stepped forward, but a firm hand on his chest stopped him. How did a single touch generate so much heat? “You wait here. Five minutes.”
She caught a glimpse of Nick winking at her asshe closed the door to her suite. The man obviously found it amusing to watch her stand up to his boss. Knowing the industry, she imagined it didn’t happen often, but she wasn’t intimidated by mega stars. They needed reminders that they were human just like everyone else, and she knew how to dish those reminders out with a sweet smile that made people like them. Isaac’s snort as her door clicked shutproved her point very well.
Five minutes later she was back in the hall, leading the two men toward the elevators. Heat trailed along her backside, and she knew without a doubt that Isaac was checking out her ass, revealed in the tight jeans and casual shirt she’d changed into. If she put a little extra sway into her step, well, so what? Just pleasing her guest, right?
Right, Ken.The mentaleye roll accompanying her snarky conscience had her choking back a laugh as they descended to the valet level. Nick led the way from there, though when it was time to pile into the dark SUV, the bodyguard stayed behind. Isaac took the wheel, rolling his window down to let his friend lean in as they got settled.
“What’s the number one rule?” Nick demanded, a frown on his face.
“No getting outof the car, I promise.” Isaac shook Nick’s hand. “Now go take a break, dickhead.”
A laugh broke through Nick’s serious demeanor as they pulled away from him.
Isaac glanced her way before guiding the SUV up the ramp to exit onto the street. “Let’s go.”
“Let’s go,” she agreed.
Early morning traffic slowed them only slightly as they hit the Strip. Kennedy called Jeanne, leaving a message to movea couple of her appointments to later in the day, then tapped the phone in her palm. “Have you had breakfast?”
“No.” The word held surprise, as if he’d just realized he hadn’t eaten. She turned back to her phone to remedy that problem.
After stopping to pick up their to-go orders at Egg Works, she directed Isaac to hit I-95 and head west. The silence between them was easy, content, the tensionthat had filled him when he knocked on her door dissipating as the minutes passed. When they arrived at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a smile actually tugged at his lips.
She pointed Isaac onto the scenic drive, and about a third of the way around, they stopped at an overlook. Breakfast with the desert canyon spread out before them in all its glory. Isaac sat and stared outat the view, his sensual mouth forming an awedO.
