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He cursed under his breath.
“I’ll be gentle, I promise.” Kat’s whisper made him want to laugh. She was in over her head.
Tony heard Lorraine—or was it Lola?—giggle nervously as she was blindfolded. Then tell her partner she’d loved to swing as a child.
“Lorraine, you’re making it too easy.” Linda’s tone was patient. “The idea is to give ambiguous clues. And when your partner guesses correctly or gives up, you may lead him to the appropriate equipment.”
Tony was glad he could screen out Lorraine’s conversation now, since she’d been paired with the older man. It was time to work on his cover and get into the spirit of competition. “What was your favorite, Kat? I have you pegged for a tomboy doing death-defying stunts on the monkey bars, showing all the boys you were better than them.”
“Nice guess. My favorite required more imagination, though it was generally a solo endeavor.”
“You were a loner, huh? Your clue’s still too general. That could be anything on this playground, with the exception of the teeter-totter.”
“Okay, my mind whirled with possibilities.”
“The merry-go-round.”
“Wrong again.” Her voice became thoughtful, almost soft. “I could fly through the air…climb the Himilayas….”
“Swings?”
“You’re not concentrating.” Now it sounded as if she was smiling.
He was distracted from his purpose for a moment. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he accused.
“Immensely.”
“Just remember, paybacks are a killer.”
Her sigh brushed his cheek, smelling of peppermint.
Tony dropped his arms to his sides. “Go ahead, toy with me all you want.” He had to admit she had his complete attention, and he was enjoying himself more than he’d anticipated. It wasn’t just the mystery the blindfold provided. It was her in-your-face attitude.
Fingers snapped near his ear. “Pay attention. All the other partners are already changing blindfolds. Did your mother ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?” she asked.
“Yes, but I didn’t listen to much she said back then. Now I’m more willing to admit she’s a truly wise woman. How about your mom? Is she wise?”
When there was no response, he asked, “Kat?”
“I heard you. My mother has nothing to do with this. Stay on topic, please, and listen closely. You know, you could take a page from your mother right now.”
“Huh?”
Kat let out a huff of exasperation. “Those were clues, Einstein. Now concentrate—covers, pages, imagination…”
Irritating her was fun. She was like a pesky younger sister. Maybe Linda had something here with the play ground theme.
“Do I need to draw you a picture?”
“It would hardly be helpful, since I’m blindfolded.” He could almost imagine Kat tapping the toe of her turquoise sandal. “Besides, you cheated. There are no books on this playground.”
“I never promised to fight fair.”
That’s when he realized she was every bit as competitive as he was. Her laughter taunted him. But his hearing was acute and the sound revealed her location. He stepped to the right, grabbed her arm and hauled her close. Removing his blindfold, he stared into her startled eyes.
“Neither did I.” He had no idea what to do now that she was so near. After sixteen years of marriage, he had little experience with flirtation.
Kat licked her lips nervously.
Reflex took over and he kissed her quickly on the mouth to give his cover some credibility. And to let her know who had really won.
She spun away and tromped a few steps across the sand before he caught up with her, grasping her shoulder. “Now who’s the chicken?”
The breeze blew her hair across her eyes, but not before he saw a trace of…defeat.
He brushed the curls back from her face. “Hey, I thought we were just playing.”
“That’s the problem. The rules of the game always end up changing with guys like you.”
She pulled free, turned and followed the path to the casitas.
He started after her, but Linda called to him.
“Let her go.” She moved to his side. “I’m guessing she needs to sort some things out. Things that have nothing to do with you or that kiss.”
“I didn’t mean to—”
Linda snorted. “It looked deliberate to me. Now that you know Kat’s not as strong as she pretends, consider very carefully how you treat her.”
Tony glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone else had noticed. They all seemed to be immersed in their own games. Though there was plenty of laughter, none seemed remotely romantic. Even Will seemed to be dividing his time equally among the sisters and the older guy, Howard.
“That was one hell of an icebreaker, lady,” Tony said to Linda. “It ought to come with a warning.”
She tilted her head. “In the five years we’ve been holding these exercises, I’ve never seen things transpire quite like that. You guys ought to be very interesting new additions to our guest list.”
WILL GLANCED UP as Lola settled herself on the swing.
He noticed the young redhead, Kat, stalk off the playground. Her partner, Tony, started to follow, but Linda stopped him.
Odd.
Will’s first impression of Kat had been that she was a nice, energetic woman. He frowned, wondering what had upset her. His instinct was to see if there was anything he could do to help, but just then Lola said, “Push me.”
Her carefree, girlish tone reminded him why he did what he did. It made him feel like king of the world to bring joy to a woman. And there were so many neglected women needing his attention.
He put Kat out of his mind and focused on Lola. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he gently pushed to propel the tiny woman on the swing.
She rewarded him with a wide smile.
With the sun warm on his face and Lola’s approval, Will thought it was a very good day.
AFTER LEAVING THE playground, Kat took a long walk around the grounds, avoiding the other guests. She considered leaving the resort and turning the rest of her break into a staycation at home.
But her hefty deposit was nonrefundable and the accountant in her protested the waste, despite her recent six figure lottery windfall. Especially since meals were included in the package. If she left now, she’d have to fill her empty refrigerator at home, essentially incurring food costs twice.
Besides, Tony had been out of line. She shouldn’t give up her well-earned trip because he was being a jerk. Truth be told, she didn’t really want to leave, because she’d so looked forward to her time at the resort. Leaving now smacked of defeat.
She returned to her casita determined to stick it out for at least the rest of the week. But how was she going to face the guests who had been in her group at dinner? How was she going to face Tony? By holding her head high, just as she did every other time she screwed up. At least she would never see these people again.
Cheered by the thought, she unpacked her suitcases, hastily arranging her clothing on hangers in the small closet.
The very act of unpacking brought her dad to mind, because of the hundreds of times she’d watched him unpack after a business trip. He would usually bring back a trinket for her, something he’d purchased at an airport gift shop. Kat could still recall the beautiful bottle of Chanel perfume he’d brought home when she was about eight. She had found it in his suitcase before he’d had the opportunity to unpack. She’d squealed with delight, but her mother had been furious at him for buying Kat such an expensive, grown-up gift.
Shaking her head, she realized she hadn’t heard from her father recently. She opened her laptop and booted it up. Checking her sent mail folder, she saw that her last correspondence with him had been nearly a month ago. Her In folder revealed nothing new from him. Frowning, she started to worry. It wasn’t like her dad to be out of touch that long. She relied on their contact, superficial as it was. In the excitement of her lottery win and vacation plans, she’d pushed it to the back of her mind.
Wazzup? The subject header for the message she composed was intentionally lighthearted. Her dad had always been particularly sensitive to anything he construed as an effort to keep tabs on him. Particularly after his divorce from her mom.
Kat constructed a few casual lines that belied her unease. After she sent the message, she wrote a quick e-mail to her mother.
There was a knock at the door, and Kat spied Will through the security peephole.
Reluctantly, she opened the door.
His grin was warm and friendly, without any underlying subtext. “I saw you leave the playground and you looked kind of upset.”
It was a relief to be around an attractive man who wasn’t trying to manipulate her into bed. Kat tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Thank you. It was sweet of you to check on me. I’m fine. Just…tired, I guess.”
“That’s what I figured. But I didn’t want you to miss out on all the fun, so I thought I’d let you in on my favorite dorky playground toy. You know, kind of level the playing field, so to speak.”
Kat returned his grin. “Would you like to come in?”
“No, I can’t stay. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
He hesitated.
“What was your favorite playground toy, Will?”
“The monkey bars.”
“I imagine most boys liked that one best.” A trace of sarcasm had crept into her voice. She distinctly remembered Adam Reynolds standing below and teasing her about her pink panties in the first grade.
“Probably. But for me, I wanted to help the girls who weren’t strong enough to get across on their own.” His eyes shone with sincerity. “I enjoyed feeling part of their sense of accomplishment.”
A boy that sensitive might have been considered girlish back in the day. Probably the same logic that had Kat chasing bad boys later. She was sorry for having misjudged him. “Wow, that’s really perceptive for a kid. I give you credit for being so selfless at that age.”
“No, not selfless. I got satisfaction out of it.” He touched her elbow lightly. “I’d better go. Maybe I’ll see you at dinner tonight?”
Kat opened her mouth to say she was eating in her room, but then changed her mind. There really were good guys out there, and she couldn’t allow a few bad apples like Zach and Tony to color her perception of all men. She needed to broaden her horizons, change her way of thinking.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Smiling, she closed the door and leaned against it for a moment. Maybe she could have a relationship with a nice guy like Will. Anything was possible, right?
She’d just returned to unpacking when there was another knock at her door. Kat was still smiling when she opened it. “Will—”
“Will I what?” Tony leaned in the doorway, his hands tucked in the front pockets of his jeans.
“I thought you were Will Sterling,” she snapped.
He raised an eyebrow. “It appears you’re recovered from your emotional outburst earlier.”
Kat’s hackles rose. He might as well have said she’d had an attack of the vapors. Or the ever-popular “female problems.”
“Yes, I’ve recovered.” She started to close the door, but he stopped it with his hand.
“I came to apologize. I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was…unacceptable that I acted on an impulse. I guess I didn’t realize you’d be so upset.”
Kat should have been relieved by his apology, but it simply made her angry. Why did the macho guys always think she was just waiting for their attention? Not that Tony was strictly macho. He was also confident, good-looking and charismatic. The kind of man who didn’t need a woman.
Frowning, he said, “I was out of line. I guess I got too caught up in the spirit of fun. I hope you’ll let me make it up to you later.”
“Not hardly. Why should I? You made me sound like a hysterical female.”
“Because you’re intrigued, even though you won’t admit it.”
He winked and walked away, whistling as he went.
CHAPTER THREE
TONY SHOOK HIS HEAD as he walked the perimeter of the buildings. Glancing around as if enjoying the desert landscaping, he located casita number eighteen, right next door to Kat. He’d overheard Will tell Lola his suite number as he’d pushed her on the swing.
Tony didn’t like Sterling being close to the mercurial Kat Monroe, but he doubted she was the con man’s mark. Too young, too sharp and not nearly as liquid in assets as beer heiresses Lola and Lorraine.
He nodded at a middle-aged couple strolling hand-in-hand in the opposite direction. After glancing over his shoulder to make sure they’d walked around the bend, he veered off the path and went behind the casitas to check egress. Yes, there was a glass Arcadia door leading to a private patio, bordered by a three-foot stucco wall. Several large windows also faced the back. If worse came to worst, Sterling’s suite could be accessed without much trouble.
Quickly returning to the path, Tony was relieved to find no one in sight.
He categorized the flora and fauna as he walked, noting many plants similar to those in Texas. A few minutes later, he came upon two large stucco buildings. One had a discreet bronze marker saying Art Studio, the second Athletic Facilities.
As he approached, he saw a familiar redhead jog around a curve in the path. Tony stepped off into a stand of brush so she wouldn’t see him.
When she entered the gym, he headed back to his casita by the most direct path, grateful he’d brought plenty of workout clothes.
What better time than now to check out the exercise facilities?
KAT STARTED TO SWEAT in the short run from her casita to the gym. The higher elevation made her work harder.
Good. She intended to sweat Zach and Tony right out of her system. Exercise had a habit of taking the edge off her anger, too. Hadn’t she sworn off drama for the duration of her trip? Hopefully, she would return home in two weeks reenergized, with a whole new attitude. She was so tired of being mad. And even worse, feeling like a victim.
The blast of air-conditioning was a welcome reprieve when she entered the gym. The large, open space was light and airy, with state-of-the-art equipment. Nothing shabby here, and enough variety for the average fitness enthusiast. Since the resort was small—around fifty casitas and rooms—she wondered if the owners used Phoenix Rising as a tax write-off. Though the rates were steep, it would still be difficult to turn a profit. Especially since Phoenix Rising hosted a camp for at-risk kids for a month during the off season.
Her breathing slowed as she checked out the white-board for class information. Tai chi might be relaxing, but Pilates was probably more in line with what she needed to keep her butt from sliding down her thighs.
“Hi, I’m Brooke.” A svelte blonde with rock-hard abs and toned biceps extended her hand. She looked to be all of twenty. “I’m the fitness instructor and also provide personal training.”
“I’m Kat.” She’d already established a workout that suited her, though the blonde would probably think it wimpy. “Looks like you’ve got a pretty good setup.”
“My mom and dad believe in a balanced lifestyle, and we try to provide that to our guests while they’re here.”
“Your mom and dad? Linda and Garth Fremont?”
“Yes. I’m working for them while I finish up my bachelor’s degree online.”
“Linda doesn’t look old enough to have a daughter your age.”
Brooke laughed, showing off straight white teeth and a dimple.
Kat wanted to hate her, but couldn’t.
“I’ll tell Mom you said that. It’ll make her day. Do you want me to show you around?”
“You have some of the machines and weights I’ve worked with at my neighborhood gym. I may touch base with you later, if that’s okay?”
“Absolutely. Enjoy your workout.”
“I will,” she murmured, trying not to notice that everything on Brooke was perky. Kat decided to spend a little extra time on her glutes today.
Inserting her earbuds, she lost herself in the routine of warming up on the treadmill, then moving on to the weight machines. She switched her music to a favorite heavy metal track as motivation. As Green Day’s latest hit energized her, she focused on her breathing and her reps.
When she opened her eyes several minutes later, she was startled to see Tony looming over her. He was every bit as ruggedly handsome upside down as right side up.
She reluctantly removed her ear buds. “How long have you been watching me?”
“Not long,” he drawled in a Tommy Lee Jones way, probably aware it was sexy as hell.
“You’re breaking my concentration.”
“Sorry.” He seemed anything but sorry as he handed her a sheet of paper. “Brooke asked me to give you this revised class schedule. She said the testosterone’s getting thick in the kickboxing class and she’d love for you to attend. I hear it really works the glutes.”
Kat couldn’t decipher his deadpan tone. Was that a lame come-on? Or was her butt genuinely that saggy? Then a truly horrifying thought occurred to her. What if he was drumming up business as a way to curry favor with the svelte Brooke?
He grinned, sauntering off.
Glaring daggers at his retreating back, Kat was determined about one thing. No kickboxing for her. Unless it meant kicking his ass…
AFTER SHOWERING AND shaving, Tony arrived at the dining room a few minutes late, a fact that irked him. He prided himself on being early.
Linda smiled as she came around the hostess stand. “Even though you’re now in the main dining room, I’ve taken the liberty of assigning seating one last time. Howard’s great-grandchild was born today and he’s cutting his stay short to return home. I thought the guests who’d met him might want to wish him well. Lola and Lorraine in particular seemed quite attached to him. I’m afraid he’s the only single man in his age group here right now.”
“Sure, no problem.” And it wasn’t. Tony would be seated at the same table as Sterling.
“Follow me.” Linda led him to the appropriate table. The Southwestern decor was the same as in the Copper Dining Room, but this space was much larger, with round tables and crisp white tablecloths. He figured it probably maxed out at a hundred people, though not all the tables were occupied.
Gesturing at an empty chair, she said, “Right over there between Lola and Lorraine.”
He raised an eyebrow.
Leaning close, she whispered, “I split them up to encourage them to mingle more with other guests. They spend plenty of time together as it is. Bicker like crazy, but seem devoted all the same.”
Nodding, Tony took his seat. He located Sterling, sitting on the other side of Lola. And on Sterling’s right, Kat.
She nodded, her gaze frosty.
Her ambivalence would work perfectly for Tony. He could pursue her without having to worry about actually catching her. He had his ethical limits.
The waiter served his salad, which Tony, never a fan of green leafy stuff, moved around with his fork. Vegetables had their place, but he preferred something more…substantial.
He felt someone come up behind him and he turned his head to find Brooke leaning close. “Thank you for helping me out today,” she murmured.
“It was nothing.” He felt the tips of his ears burn, and hoped no one noticed. It wasn’t as if he was unaccustomed to women hitting on him. They did, fairly regularly. Not that Brooke was hitting on him. She’d told him about her boyfriend, who wanted to become a cop, and Tony had given her some Web sites to help him prepare for the exams.
No, his discomfort had more to do with Kat’s smirk, as if he’d confirmed some suspicion she had.
Sterling complimented Lola on her dress, and she preened like a junior high girl at her first dance. Lorraine, however, was unusually quiet, studying Sterling when he wasn’t looking.
Tony wondered if one of the older women would become Sterling’s next victim. He would have to find out more about them.
Howard leaned close to Lorraine. “My granddaughter’s husband sent me this picture of the baby.” He opened his phone and fiddled with the buttons for a minute or so, until he pulled up the photo. “See? Strapping boy.”
“He’s gorgeous,” Lorraine gushed.
“Beautiful,” Lola concurred, passing the phone to Sterling.
“Um, great kid.” Will handed it on to Kat.
Tony watched her eyes cloud for a moment before she smiled. “He’s great, Howard. You have every right to be proud.”
She slid the phone toward Tony, past the two empty spaces where the elusive newlyweds were supposed to sit.
Picking it up, Tony saw a newborn with eyes squeezed tightly shut and brown fuzz for hair. “Handsome boy, just like his great-grandpa.”
“Always nice to know,” Sterling said, “there’s family to carry on after we’re gone.”
“Our father would have dearly loved for Lorraine and I to have lots of children, but it wasn’t to be.” Lola’s lips trembled, but Will smiled at her and she rallied.
Tony sipped from his water glass, acting unconcerned with the interplay.
A waiter brought bread baskets and set them on the table, before moving on to the next.
Sterling grabbed one, peeling back the napkin to present the rolls to Lola with a flourish. “Ladies first.”
“Why, thank you, Will. You’re a lovely boy.”
“You’re a lovely woman.” When she had chosen her roll, he selected one for himself. “Your husband must be very proud.”
“I’ve never married. I had a fiancé once, but he left me at the altar for another woman.”
Sterling touched her arm. “I’m sure he was sorry later. He had to have been an idiot.”
“He was killed during a thunderstorm, drowned in a flash flood. His wife was left a penniless widow. Of course, I would not have been penniless. And I might have had children to carry on the family business.”
Tony watched Sterling closely, but the only emotion he saw was concern for his dinner companion as Will said, “Your father probably appreciated having two daughters. I’m sure he knew you would take care of the business. Didn’t you say you’re in the restaurant trade?”
“We own Nash Brewery.”
“Oh, yes, that’s it.” Will turned to Howard. “And you were a postal carrier, weren’t you?”
“For forty years. I invested well before I retired.”
“And what is it you do, Will?” Kat asked.
“I’m a life coach. I help people develop positive patterns to become more successful in life and relationships.”
“That sounds fascinating,” she said. “Much more interesting than the number crunching I do. I’m a CPA.”
Tony almost did a double take. Kat seemed more the wild, artistic type.
“Kat, dear, tell them about your lottery win. I’m sure everyone will be most entertained. It’s such a cute story,” Lorraine said.
Everyone turned to Kat and waited expectantly.
She hesitated.
“Come on, Kat. You’ve got to tell us now,” Sterling prodded.
“Well, it happened about a month ago. I’d…broken up with my boyfriend and I have this breakup tradition. I buy lottery tickets, and the numbers I use are all the special numbers from the relationship. Our first date, his birthday, my birthday, things like that.”
Lola sighed, obviously a dreamer. “How tragic. And romantic.”
“It gets better,” said Lorraine. “Tell them the rest.”
“I bought tickets the day Zach moved out. And, well, I won with our special numbers.”
Clapping her hands, Lola pronounced, “Then Zach will come back to you. It was meant to be.”
From the way Kat had said her boyfriend’s name, Tony suspected she was well rid of him.
“More likely it means you did the right thing to kick the guy to the curb. Kind of like the universe smiling on your decision,” he said.
Kat selected a roll, taking her time tearing off a piece and slathering it with butter. “Fate is overrated. I think it means the little white balls simply dropped in that order.”
“Lorraine was right, it’s a great story.” Sterling beamed at Kat, his gaze warm. “We’re honored to have a millionaire in our midst.”