Penn hiccupped. Too much champagne. If she could have slapped her face without looking like an idiot, she would have. This whole scenario was just asking for trouble.
For once, she had been looking forward to the Foster Family Fun-cation because it meant a break from temptation. But here it was, temptation with a capital T in the living, breathing, all-too-tempting flesh.
She’d touched that flesh. Practically humped that flesh back in her bathroom. Her insides heated just thinking about that kiss, but she tamped it down.
Don’t go there. He stepped away from you, remember?
Cole returned to the bar, tucking his cell phone in the pocket of his cargo shorts. He’d left her alone for a few minutes to let his brothers know he’d arrived safe.
“How are your brothers?” she asked, spinning the champagne flute between her fingers.
“Good.” He settled into the seat beside her. “Keeping busy. Lots to do even without launching the club.”
“Right.” She tried to act casual. This was the first segue she’d had since she’d found out the spot on the board was vacant. And this was exactly where her head should be, in business, not analyzing a heated moment that they both knew was a mistake.
“You’ll have to fill the board seat now that Gloria has decided to step down.”
He nodded, then sipped his beer, refusing to look her in the eye.
“Any ideas who you might get to replace her?” She downed the rest of her drink in hopes her face didn’t give away her interest, or her poor attempt at fishing for information.
“We haven’t formally discussed anything yet.” His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn’t bother looking. Instead, he smiled. “Finn wanted me to tell you that you’re in charge of showing me a good time.”
I’ll show you a good time, cowboy.
No, no she would not. Funny how she’d changed gears from career plans to sex in one-point-five seconds. She seemed to be good at that since she’d let him maul her mouth only a few hours ago in the middle of talking about his family.
But his words solved the mystery she’d been struggling with since he’d shown up at the pool.
“They sent you here, didn’t they?” She cocked her head, waiting for an answer.
He’d been running himself ragged trying to get the club up and running. She knew an impromptu vacation wasn’t his idea.
When he nodded, she smiled. “Nothing’s going to happen while you’re gone,” she said.
“I know.”
She remembered t
he day he pitched the idea for the Madewood Boys and Girls Club to his brothers. He’d shown up at Bistro just as she was leaving. But she couldn’t very well leave while he was so flustered. And it had broken her heart. She’d seen the pain in his eyes. Seen the tears he refused to cry. And she’d spent all night in his office, just sitting silently with him. She knew the kid being stabbed to death weighed heavy on his shoulders. For some reason, he blamed himself.
She’d decided right then and there that she’d do whatever she could to back his idea. Because she knew that if she ever needed him, he’d do the same for her.
Case in point—spending an entire week with her crazy family just so she could try and get her name on a dumb trophy.
He sat facing forward, his feet on the lower rung of the high stool, his legs wide open, taking up way too much space for her liking. He always crowded the area around her. Even when he was twenty feet away.
The bartender, an attractive man in his twenties with piercing blue eyes and golden skin, wiped the wood bar in front of them, cleaning up the condensation from their drinks.
She pushed out a breath. Damn, he wasn’t the only one who needed to relax. Let loose. She’d felt stifled all day. Unlike her usual self. He’d wanted to take a walk on the beach with her family, but she’d made him choose. She’d had enough of the Foster clan for one day. She wanted some me-time. As a bonus, she was also getting some Cole-time in the process.
“Let’s do something.” Now that she was separated from her family, she felt like herself again, and the anticipation of trying something new danced in her stomach.
“I’m a little tired from the flight.” He slumped in his seat, that so-sad face taking up residence once again.
“You would think growing up with Jack Vaughn, you’d know how to have fun.”
From what she’d heard, and read on the internet, Jack had been the wild Madewood brother. The love-em-and-leave-em type who had women all over the world and VIP status at every party. Present-day Jack was happily married to her best friend, Sterling Andrews.