Elizabeth Neff Walker - Puppy Love Read online

  Molly tried not to look at him, but she couldn't resist. There was enough underwater light for her to see him fairly clearly. Her heart started hammering in her chest.

  "Now you," he said, smiling gently.

  She knew very well that she didn't have to do it. She could zip up her suit, climb the stairs at the corner of the pool, and leave him there. Molly told herself that's what she should do.

  But what she did was lower the straps of the aqua suit and slide it down over her hips. Before he could react, she swam away from him.

  This is nuts, she told herself.

  But naked, the water felt like silk against her body. Rob swam after her, but lazily, not pressing her. He did a somersault that revealed all of him. A lump formed in Molly's throat.

  Rob was like a porpoise, diving around her and playfully reappearing. He teased her with little splashes of water. His body passed close, lightly gliding against her flesh. She reached out to touch him.

  Under water his skin was slick. The coarse hair on his arms and chest was rough under her fingers. She felt his firm hands on her buttocks and splashed water in his face, moving away.

  He swam behind her, pressing his body to hers. She could feel his shoulders, his chest, his legs. And she could feel his desire, hard against her. Molly's body arched back toward him.

  His hands stroked her breasts. Molly felt the tide of desire sweep through her. She twisted in his arms so that she could face him. "I want you," she said, kissing his lips. "Here. Now."

  Rob laughed. "You're asking a lot of me, sweetheart. This is deep water. Wouldn't my bed be more comfortable?"

  She ducked her head. "Yeah, I guess."

  They quickly wrapped themselves in large towels. Rob took her hand and tugged her toward the door into the ranchhouse. Their suits lay forgotten at the bottom of the pool.

  To Molly's relief they met no one on the way to Rob's room. She had left the door open, with the lamp on the side table turned on. Rob closed the door behind them and turned to her.

  Molly clutched her towel tightly against her, suddenly uncertain. Rob gently drew her into his arms. When his lips met hers, desire swelled in her again.

  Both towels slid to the floor. Their bodies pressed eagerly together, warm damp flesh to warm damp flesh. Molly sighed and wrapped her arms around Rob's waist.

  Outside, the calm night was shattered by a fierce snarling and loud barking. "Damn," Rob groaned, as he released Molly and hurried to the window.

  After a quick glance, he turned and said, "Jasper, of course. I'll have to get him. He's got a raccoon treed and he's not going to shut up until I bring him in."

  Rob wrestled himself into a pair of jeans and came to give Molly a quick kiss. "Don't go away. I'll be right back."

  Chapter Seven

  Because he thought Molly might be watching, Rob grabbed Jasper's training collar from the table in the hall. He slid it over the unsuspecting dog's head and gave him a stern "Off!" command. When Jasper didn't respond, Rob gave him a corrective tug.

  He'd caught Jasper's attention. This was just how it was supposed to be, catching your dog in the midst of bad behavior and correcting him. Much to Rob's surprise, Jasper obeyed his command to "Come," leaving the raccoon up the tree.

  Proud of his dog, Rob glanced up to his bedroom window, but there was no sign of Molly. She was probably in bed, he thought. So he took the dog around to the back and locked him in the kitchen. Rob wanted no more interruptions that night.

  In all it took him fifteen minutes to handle the dog problem. By the time he opened his bedroom door, he was more than ready to be warmed by Molly's lovely body.

  But Molly wasn't there.

  For a second, Rob didn't believe it. He checked in the bathroom, and, foolishly, under the bed. Only the two towels were left, slung over the back of the rocking chair.

  He groaned and dropped down onto the bed. He knew why she'd left. She didn't trust him. And she had no way of knowing that he'd come to trust her.

  Despite her aching head, Molly got up early to take care of the dogs. Then she carried her cup of coffee to the front steps and sat down. When she heard Rob's truck turn into her drive, she sighed.

  He brought the truck to a stop in a cloud of dust. Jasper wasn't with him when he climbed down. Instead, Rob held her swimming suit in his hand.

  Molly felt a flush rise to her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just couldn't stay."

  Rob surprised her by nodding. "I know. There are some things we need to clear up."

  Molly made room for him on the step beside her. The morning sun flooded the spot with a golden autumn glow. Molly held her coffee cup tightly between her hands.

  Rob cleared his throat. "Would you tell me how Joel came to leave his cabin to you?"

  "I wish you'd asked me a year ago."

  "I should have." Rob ran a hand through his shaggy, sandy hair. "I've wasted a lot of time."

  "My mom was in the same hospice as Joel." Molly bit her lower lip. "They talked a lot. That happens, when you don't have much time left."

  "God, I'm sorry, Molly." Rob removed the coffee cup from her grip and clasped her hand firmly.

  Molly looked down at their joined hands. "Mom told him that I'd sold pretty much everything I had to pay for her care. Her insurance had been canceled even before her cancer came back."

  Rob winced. "I didn't know. Joel never said anything."

  "Did you expect him to leave the property to you?" Molly asked softly.

  He shook his head. "No. Years ago he'd told me he was leaving it to his sister if he didn't marry. But she's married with kids now and lives in Ohio."

  "If she'd inherited it, you could have bought it from her."

  "Probably." Rob raised their joined hands to his lips. "But I wouldn't have met you."

  Molly hesitantly met his steady gaze. "I fell in love with the cabin and the valley when I came here. I couldn't sell it, even to you."

  "Even to me?" he asked, puzzled.

  "Joel told me about you," she said.

  Rob's brows rose. "What did he say?"

  "That you were his best friend. That you were impulsive and quick temepred, but a good man." Molly shifted uneasily on the stair. "That you'd look after me."

  He groaned. "Damn. And all I did was cause you trouble."

  Molly smiled. "I realized, after a while, that he must not have had a chance to tell you. He died rather suddenly in the end."

  "I know." Rob leaned back and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "I missed a call from him the day he died. When I phoned back it was too late."

  Molly could see the pain in his eyes. "He knew how much you cared about him, Rob. And I didn't really need looking after."

  "No, you didn't." Rob smiled the smile that made Molly feel all shaken inside. "But I'd like to look after you, if you'll let me."

  The warmth and tension within her increased. Molly moistened her lips. "There are certain ways I'd like you to look after me," she said.

  Rob bent to kiss her. When they were both breathless, he drew back and said, "Good. I want to make you happy."

  Molly felt her throat tighten. "I feel sure you can. And I hope I have a lot to give you, Rob."

  He hugged her tightly to his chest. "You've given me a lot already, Molly. Can you trust me to learn the rest?"

  "I trust all my pupils. Even Jasper," she said with a grin.

  "I don't think I'd be as hard a case as Jasper."

  Molly looked up at him with mischievous eyes. "Oh, I imagine you will be. But I'm a patient woman."

  As Rob bent to kiss her again, he said, "Thank heaven for that."

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