Something to Talk About(16)

Yeah, like she could think of anything but the hard muscles of Rip's chest beneath her fingertips and the way Rip smelled of woodsy aftershave.

She leaned her cheek against his chest and inhaled. Wow. The man was as intoxicating as her drink. And his heart was beating nearly as quickly as hers. Maybe tonight wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Boy, was she wrong.





8





Everything about the "date" seemed to be going better than Rip could have expected. And once he got Casey onto the dance floor, he was sure he'd cracked a chink in her armor and was working his way past all of the barriers she'd thrown up since the Dodi incident.

Her body moved with his like it was meant to be. She fit against him perfectly. The starched trousers and crisp white blouse did nothing to hide the sensuous woman beneath.

He rested his cheek against the top of her pretty blond head and sighed. Why couldn't it be this perfect always? 

For the next three slow dances he'd played on the jukebox, he held Casey, barely moving his feet, not wanting the songs to end. This was the woman for him. He knew it without a doubt. He vowed that he'd ask her to marry him before the month was over. He couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with the feisty and beautiful talk show hostess.

Even after the last song ended, he continued to sway with Casey.

She stopped and glanced up at him. "The music stopped," she said, her voice throaty and as smooth as a shot of Baileys crème liqueur.

"Does it matter?" he whispered.

"People are staring."

"Let them." He pivoted with her in his arms.

Casey laughed. "Is this all part of the show?"

"Not at all. I like dancing with you." He dipped her low over his arm and leaned close, his lips a breath away from hers.

She blinked up at him. "Don't."

He chuckled. "Don't what?"

"Don't kiss me."

He wanted to, more than he wanted to take his next breath. After a long moment, he set her up straight.

A round of applause erupted from around the edges of the dance floor.

Casey glanced around the room. "Wow, the place is filling up."

For the first time since Rip had started his campaign to garner more listeners, he regretted his ability to draw them in and encourage them to attend whatever event he manned. If he could, he'd whisk Casey away from them all and take her somewhere private where he could kiss her all he wanted and no one would interrupt them.

He took her hand, gave the crowd a mock bow then led Casey toward the corner of the bar where Brent was busy setting up the sound equipment.

Brent finished attaching cables and tested the system before straightening. "All ready to go." He smiled at Casey. "You two looked good out on the dance floor. The crowd is already in love with you two."

His pulse kicking up a notch at Brent's words, Rip waved a hand toward the tools of their trade. "Shall we?"

Casey nodded and stepped past him, the scent of her shampoo making Rip's insides burn with longing.

Brent fitted the headset over her ears and then Rip's. A rock and roll tune was just winding down.

Brent held up his finger and counted down. Three … two … one … and he pointed to Casey.

"This is Casey Cramer of K-YAK 102.5 live from the Piki Tiki bar. If you're not already here, head on over to join us for a night of fun and dancing."

Rip nodded toward her, ready to pick up his cue. "And this is Rip O'Rourke, here with the incredibly sassy Casey Cramer, ready to par-tay! If you aren't here, you aren't where the action's at. Head on over to the Piki Tiki and join the excitement. My man Brent is a rockin' DJ and is taking requests. So, bring it on."

A pop rock song blared through the speaker system, the beat perfect for dancing. But no one made a move toward the dance floor.

Rip shot a glance at his watch. It was still early, but they had to get the fun started or the night would drag and they'd lose their audience. He smiled across at Casey, shucked his headset and held out a hand. "I guess it's up to us to get the party started.

Casey shook her head. "I'm good for a slow dance, but I'm not very good at the rest."

"I'll bet you're great. And any movement is better than standing here waiting for something to happen. Follow my lead, I can make anyone look good." He waggled his brows, snatched her headset from her hair and dragged her into to middle of the floor.

Casey's face reddened, and she swayed from one foot to the other, barely moving her hips. "I told you, I wasn't good at this. I took ballroom dancing. It doesn't translate well."



       
         
       
        

Rip gave her one of his killer smiles, took her hand in his and twirled her away from him and back into the crook of his arm. "I bet it does."

She laughed, her eyes wide, her mouth open on a laugh. "How'd you do that?"

"Like this." Again, he spun her out and back, only this time, when he caught her in his other arm, he dipped her low and stole a kiss before she could protest. Pulling her upright he took both hands. "Watch my feet." He stepped back and stepped forward in time with the music. "Now, you do it."

Casey did just like he did.

"Great! Now, together." He moved.

Casey moved and stepped on his toes. "I'm sorry." She jumped back dropping his hands. "I told you I wasn't good at this. I wasn't very good at ballroom dancing, either."

He smiled, his toe smarting, but he wouldn't tell her that. "I have ten toes. I can spare a few." With a wink, he twirled her out and back into his arms. "You'll get the hang of it." He leaned close, gave her a conspiratorial smile and said in a low tone, "And while you weren't looking, others joined us on the dance floor."

Instead of perusing the room, her gaze dropped to somewhere around his mouth.

Heat blasted through his system like a volcanic vent. Before he could think, he dipped his head, his lips coming to within a breath of hers. "You're amazing."

Her hands rose to rest on his chest. "This is insane."

"Oh, sweet Casey." He drew in a breath, inhaling her scent, and let it out. Pulling her up against him, he nudged her belly with the hardness of his erection. "Wanna blow this joint and get crazy together?" he said against her cheek.

She shook her head, her gaze still steady on his lips, her fingers curling into his gaudy shirt. "I-We-"

His heart hammered in his chest. He could feel the tension in her body, feel the desire roiling to the surface and see the heat in her eyes. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He'd bet his entire bank account on it. All he had to do was get her alone and show her how much he cared. For Casey, it couldn't all be about the lust. She was the kind of woman who craved commitment and loyalty. He had to show her that the other women who'd been in his life before her meant nothing, and that Casey Cramer was all he wanted.

A screech rent the air from across the room.

Casey gasped, pushed against his chest and took a step back, her gaze swinging toward the entrance.

That was all the warning Rip got. He didn't even have time to brace himself.

"Rip!" A blur of blond hair and tanned skin-lots of it displayed between her miniscule bikini top and grass skirt-pushed past Casey, launched herself into Rip's arms and bussed him soundly on the mouth. 

His lips still puckered, and sensing he now wore more red lipstick than the woman he held, Rip's heart sank to his knees. Peeling away the arms that gripped his neck, he set the woman on her feet and turned to begin damage control, "Uh, Casey-"

Her eyes were wide, her lips parted. Then she closed them. Tight.

The woman squealed. "So, you're Casey! You look exactly like I pictured you. Oh, I so love your show-the one with Rip, that is. I don't have a garden, so I don't listen to the 'Home Show'. I tried to grow ivy once, but I kept forgetting to water it, and it just up and lost all its leaves. I love the way you give Rip what for on your show."

Rip blinked. Brandy, he recalled now, had at last stopped to take a breath. He remembered why he'd never asked her out.

Brandy looked over her shoulder. "Oops! Gotta go, sweetie. I expect one dance while I'm on my break. Great to meet you, Casey." With that, she hurried to bar, grabbed an order pad and went to work waiting tables.

Clearing his throat, Rip dared to look at Casey. Her expression was dazed, and possibly angry. "Want to sit at a table or here at the bar? We have a few minutes before we have to be on the air again."

"Table." Without another word, he cupped her elbow and led her to an empty table, then hurried to the bar and back with another fruity drink for his girl. His girl. He liked the sound of it.

Strains of "Blue Hawaii" blared as Rip settled in the seat next to Casey.

She sucked on the straw of her Maui Wowie, downing the entire drink in less than thirty seconds, a frown furrowing her forehead. When her gaze rose to meet his, she blinked and turned in her chair to watch the dancers already moving toward the dance floor. He grinned at her fierce expression and the stiffness of her spine. Could she be jealous of Brandy?

When she was sucking air through the straw, she pushed the glass toward him. "May I have another?"

"In a little bit. You might want to let that one sink in, first."