Kate Hoffmann - Declan

“You’re a professor,” he said.

“But not tenured,” she said. “And my parents have never really approved of my field of study. They don’t consider it very serious or important. I think they hoped I might find a cure for the common cold or discover a new source of energy.”

“Why did you choose sex?” Declan asked.

“Human relationships fascinate me,” she said. “Especially the battle between intellect and instinct. I started studying animals, but then gradually, I realized that humans were much more interesting.”

“So I suppose you hear some pretty crazy things?” Dec asked.

Rachel shook her head. “Some people just look at sex in a different way. Outside the norm. Which doesn’t mean they’re abnormal, just different.”

“You can’t tell me a guy obsessed with women’s feet is normal.”

Rachel shrugged. “You like breasts, he likes feet. What’s the difference?”

“Breasts are…breasts,” Dec said. “They’re sexy and fun to touch.”

Rachel slipped her foot out of her sandal, then twisted in her seat, resting her ankle across his thigh. “Go ahead,” she teased.

He took her foot in one hand and gently began to massage it. His thumbs worked at the muscles in the ball of her foot, then rubbed at each of her toes. Rachel moaned softly and tipped her head back. “That’s very nice,” she whispered as she set her other foot on his lap. “Oh, yeah, that feels good. Do the other.”

Dec chuckled. “Is this arousing you?” he asked.

“Yes,” she teased, tipping her head back again and moaning softly. “Is it arousing you?”

He paused and Rachel opened her eyes, watching him with a playful look. “Yeah, a little,” he admitted.

She let her left foot rest between his legs, gently rubbing against his crotch. “How about now?”

He growled softly. “I think you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“Feet can be very sexual,” she said. “The next time you look at my foot, you’re going to remember what I did. It will be imprinted on your brain and because it was pleasurable, you’ll want me to do it again. And you’ll look at women’s feet in a whole different way.”

He picked her right foot up and pressed a kiss to her instep. “If this is how our little vacation is going to go, maybe we ought to go home right now.”

“I think maybe I need to open up your mind a bit more,” Rachel said. “Not every paraphilia is strange or dangerous. Some are fun to explore.”

“You learn something new every day.” Dec smiled, then turned his attention back to the road. Once they reached Wiscasset, they drove over the bridge and turned south, toward Boothbay. Rachel watched for the road marked on the map that would lead to the cabin.

“Whose place is this?” she asked.

“A client’s,” Dec said. “I installed the security system for him. He lives over in Europe for most of the year, but he said I could come out and use the place whenever I want.”

Rachel hadn’t had a vacation for years, beyond attending professional symposiums and conferences in the major capitals of the world. She hadn’t seen the point of traveling without anyone to share the experience with. Last summer she’d spent her time in Paris sitting alone at cafés, drinking coffee and reading rather than seeing the sights and enjoying the romantic atmosphere.

“So what is there to do around here?” she asked.

“I’m sure we can fish. Jack says there’s a small boat we can use. We can swim, though I’m not sure how warm the water will be. The cabin is built on a saltwater inlet. The shore is slab rock, but there’s a pier. And it’s pretty secluded. We can hike, too.”

“I probably should tell you that I’m not very outdoorsy,” she said.

“Indoorsy can be good,” he said, glancing over at her. Dec steered the car down a narrow dirt drive and slowly, the woods opened up to reveal a rustic log cabin. It had obviously been built recently, but everything had been done to make it look as if it had been a part of the landscape for years.

Rachel gasped. “Wow, this is nice.”

He pulled the car to a stop, then jumped out and circled around to open her door. She expected him to pull her along to the cabin, but the first thing he did was yank her into his arms and kiss her. He pressed her back against the car and took his time, exploring her mouth with his tongue, teasing and tasting until Rachel’s heart was pounding in her chest.

When he finally drew away, she was breathless and dizzy. “How long have you been waiting to do that?” she asked.

“It was a long drive,” Dec said, dropping a kiss at the base of her neck. He grabbed her bag from the backseat, then took her hand and walked along the path to the front porch.

As they climbed the steps, Rachel felt her nerves begin to flutter. There was no going back now. Whatever was going to happen between them, would probably happen here. Now that they were away from her stalker, he didn’t have to focus on protecting her. What else was there to do but let their attraction run its natural course? But was she ready to indulge in an affair with this man? She’d known him less than twenty-four hours and all she could think about was seducing him.

He punched a code into the keypad and the door clicked, then Declan swung it open in front of her. Rachel stepped inside and groaned softly as she scanned the interior. It was perfectly quaint and romantic, rustic yet modern, exactly the kind of place she’d picture for a romantic weekend getaway with a handsome man.

“I think we’ll be comfortable here,” he said.

She wandered around the cabin, then followed a short hallway down to a luxurious bathroom and two large bedrooms. The first bedroom contained a pair of bunk beds and the second had a king-size bed.

Dec rested his head on her shoulder as she stared at the huge bed. “I’ll take one of the bunks,” he murmured.

“Thanks,” she replied, her voice wavering slightly. If they slept together, it would have to be her choice. Dec was a gentleman, that much was clear. But when Rachel was around him, she didn’t feel much like being a lady.

He set her bag down at the foot of the bed, then walked back to the large main room. Rachel followed and joined him in the kitchen. “We should run into town and get groceries,” he said. “There’s a decent grocery store in Boothbay Harbor.”

“I think I’d like to take a shower,” Rachel replied. She hadn’t realized it until now, but she really hadn’t had a full night’s sleep for a few weeks. And this morning, she’d been up before dawn. “Would you mind if I stayed here?”

“I think you’re safe here alone,” he said. “Just don’t wander off into the woods and get eaten by a bear.”

“Would you save me if I did?”

He chuckled. “That’s my job, ma’am.”

They put together a grocery list, Rachel requesting good coffee, fresh fruit and chocolate. Dec made sure to add beer and wine to the list as well as ice cream. When he was ready to go, he gave her a quick kiss, then headed for the door.

Rachel followed him outside, the screen door slamming behind her, then waved as he drove back toward the main road. When the car had disappeared through the trees, she sighed softly.

The sun was beginning to set over the water and she watched until it dipped below the horizon, then walked back into the cabin. She turned on the lamps on her way to the bedroom, then stripped off her clothes before slipping into her silk robe. Grabbing a pillow, Rachel curled up on the bed and closed her eyes.

If she allowed herself to indulge, this could be a wonderfully satisfying stay. Taking that next step with Declan seemed like the most natural thing in the world. An image of him swirled in her mind, Declan naked, standing behind the glass door of the shower, his body visible but the details blurred. That body had been haunting her thoughts all day long and she couldn’t help but lose herself in detailed fantasies. What would it be like to have the chance to touch him, to explore every muscled limb and masculine angle?