Free Picture Perfect (Butler Island) by Nikki Rittenberry Page A

disbelief.
    “I’ve got a dry change of clothes you
can put on. Unless, of course, you want to sit out here naked…”
    Olivia smiled. “No, I don’t suppose
that would be a good idea.” After rising from the lounge chair she started
toward the sliding glass door.
    “Down the hall, first door on your
left. By the time you get back the coffee should be ready.”
    “Okay, thank you.”
    While the coffee brewed, Grant
removed his wet clothes and changed into a dry pair of jeans and a plain white
t-shirt. Before heading back to the deck, he stopped in front of the guest
bathroom and knocked on the door. “Everything okay?” he asked.
    “I’m fine”, she responded from the
other side.
    “How do you take your coffee?”
    “Plenty of cream; a lil’ sugar.”
    Olivia took off her water-logged
wardrobe and lifted a flannel shirt off the counter that he’d left. She slipped
her arms into the soft material, inhaling the aroma from his laundry soap, and
then quickly fastened the garment.
    What are you doing, girl?
    Wasn’t that the million dollar
question? The truth was, she didn’t have a clue. Staying here was probably the
worst idea ever. She needed to go. They’d
had their fun on the beach and now she needed to get far, far away from
him. This friendship, this—whatever it was—was supposed to be all in the name
of fun .
    An adventure. Something light and
easy and… well, fun. Watching him chase after her was fun.
    But what would happen when he finally
caught her…?
     After glancing in the mirror, she
tousled her hair with her fingertips and then retraced her steps back to the deck. Her intention: explain that she really needed to head home. But one look at the arrangement he’d set-up changed
everything. Grant was standing with his back turned, tending to the fire in the
portable black fire pit. He’d already hauled the outdoor patio loveseat closer
to the flames, and had even draped a large Afghan over the cushion for added
warmth.
    Okay, so maybe she could stay for
just one cup of coffee…
    Olivia opened
the sliding glass door and stepped onto the wooden deck. “I think somebody
has a guilty conscience.”
    “Wow!” he uttered as he glanced over
his shoulder. The flannel shirt fell just below mid-thigh, revealing the
sexiest pair of legs he’d ever seen. “You look… wow”, he repeated. “I
had no idea a flannel shirt could look so good.”
    Taking a seat, she covered her bare
legs with the Afghan and reached for the cup of coffee sitting next to her on
the adjacent table. “Flatterin’ will get you nowhere, Womack.”
    Grant laughed softly, revealing that
trademark grin he’d perfected. After he was comfortable with the size of the
flames, he joined her on the loveseat.
    “This is really nice. You sit out
here a lot?” she asked.
    “Yeah, I spend most of my time out
here.”
    “Well, I can see why.” Olivia palmed
the side of her coffee mug with both hands, her icy fingers slowly absorbing
the residual heat.
    The wind was gaining momentum, gently
blowing her blonde locks and before he could stop himself, his fingers twirled
around a small segment near her ear. Shifting in his seat, he turned toward
her. It was still slightly damp from their earlier plunge. “Your hair is so
soft.”
    Uh-oh. “Thank you.”
    “You’re so beautiful—everything about
you”, he murmured, his gravelly voice
saturated with desire.
    Olivia swallowed hard. “I’m sure you
say that to all the girls you bring home.”
    “Huh-uh”, he uttered. “I don’t
usually bring dates back to my place.” He released her hair and cupped the back
of her neck, his other hand grazing the afghan over her lap. Pressing his warm
lips against the soft skin along her neck, he mumbled, “What are your plans
tomorrow night?”
    God he felt good. It was like he
owned the instruction manual to her body. He knew where she wanted to be
touched; how she wanted to be touched. Her eyes drifted shut as his lips
migrated toward the