Shore to Please Page 12

  “I’m beginning to. No wonder you find it difficult to let loose and have fun. Your parents never taught you how.”

  “They were well-meaning but very serious people.”

  “You mentioned a while back that you have a brother. What’s he like?”

  Regret washed over her. “I don’t really know him that well. He left home when I was thirteen to ‘find himself,’ and my parents were so upset that he’d refused to go to college, they cut off all communications with him for quite a while. He went into the Air Force and learned how to work on aircraft engines, and now he makes a good living with one of the airlines.”

  “When’s the last time you saw or heard from him?”

  “We e-mail occasionally, and his wife always sends cards at Christmas and on my birthday. They flew in with their two precious little girls about two years ago to go to Disney. I spent a couple days with them at the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, which was a rare treat for me. My brother is determined to give his daughters the kind of childhood he missed. They enjoy dressing up like princesses and playing with dolls and watching cartoons and just being children.”

  “Your brother sounds like a wise man.”

  “He is. I have more formal education than he does, but in a lot of ways he’s much smarter than I am.”

  Flipper stood up and held out his hand. “C’mon, let’s go.” She let him pull her to her feet.

  “Where?”

  “We’ll start with mini golf and hit the arcade there afterward. And then we’ll see where our imagination takes us.”

  *

  Flipper laughed so hard he had to sit down on a rock inside one of the caves. Tara had to be the most unathletic, uncoordinated person he’d ever met, not that miniature golf took much skill. But luck wasn’t on her side, either, and at some point she apparently realized she didn’t have a prayer of getting the ball to go where she tried to aim it. So she started whacking it indiscriminately and actually scored better, which wasn’t to say she did well. But she was a good sport about it, even when Flipper padded his hefty lead by making an unlikely hole-in-one down a slope past a couple of tiki huts and around a dogleg.

  After they finished their round, they stepped into the arcade and were assailed with the sounds of electronic beeps, blips, buzzes, and bangs, jaunty but monotonous tunes, revving engines, and the slap of plastic pucks.

  “Look, they have air hockey,” Flipper enthused. “I haven’t played that in forever.”

  As they stood watching the action at one table for a few moments, he realized Tara didn’t have the rapid reflexes to give him much of a game. Rather than take a chance she’d become discouraged and balk at trying anything else new, he led her to a pinball machine—he actually found one with an undersea theme—inserted two quarters, and then stepped back.

  “Aren’t you going to play?” she asked.

  “You can go first.”

  “But I’ve never done this before.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I think we’ve already established that. Why don’t you show me how it’s done?”

  Flipper pulled back the spring-powered plunger and sent the silver ball sailing into the brightly lit playfield decked out with dolphins, sharks, and colorful coral reef fish. For almost ten minutes he kept his game alive, flipping the ball up ramps, into the spinner lane, and off the plastic bumpers as the machine dinged and flashed. Tara watched with rapt attention, clearly trying to memorize his movements.

  “Okay,” he said when the game ended, “your turn. Keep your eyes on the ball and your fingers on the flipper buttons. And don’t hold your shoulders too tight. Ready?”

  “I guess so.”

  She lost the first two balls almost immediately but then surprised him by keeping the third in play for more than a minute.

  “Very good,” he encouraged. “You’re getting the hang of it.”

  She tried again. And then again. Flipper keep feeding quarters into the machine, and the longer her games lasted, the wider her smile grew and the more enthused she became. He exhausted ten dollars’ worth before she called it quits.

  “Want to grab some lunch?” he asked.

  “Yes. What are you hungry for?”

  “Something dripping with grease and totally bad for us. Big, sloppy cheeseburgers and fries.”

  “My arteries are hardening just thinking about it. Might as well go all the way and have root beer floats, too.”

  “Now you’re talking. Take me someplace decadent, baby.”

  * * * *

  They stuffed themselves until their pants nearly cut off their circulation and then groaned and slumped back in their chairs. When the server tried to tempt them with gooey chocolate lava cake and cheesecake smothered in strawberries for dessert, Tara almost had to dash to the bathroom.

  “I’m not sure I can hoist my considerable bulk off this seat,” she moaned. “We might have to stay here for a bit while I digest some of my meal. And I use that term loosely.”

  “Considerable bulk, my ass,” Flipper scoffed. “I bet you’re one of those disgusting people who can shovel food down their throat until they explode and never gain a pound.”

  “Such a flattering observation, but no. I keep my weight off the old-fashioned way, by counting calories and exercising.”

  “Well, it’s obviously working because you look terrific.”

  “Thank you. So do you. You’re strong and toned but not muscle-bound.”

  “What about Steven? Is he an athlete?”

  “He never went out for team sports, which should have given me an insight into his personality, but he plays golf several times a month, or at least he did, and is quite proficient at tennis.”

  Flipper smirked. “Figures. I had him pegged as the country club type.”

  “Actually, he’s a country club wanna-be. He never came close to affording that lifestyle, although he liked to pretend he could. Steven is a classic BS artist. He certainly had me fooled.”

  “I’ll bet he’s never worn board shorts and flip-flops in his life. Or a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off.”

  “Uh, no. Why so many questions about Steven?”

  “Just curious. What about jeans?”

  “Not usually, although he did buy a few pairs of those skinny jeans. I didn’t think they flattered him, although he’s always had a trim physique.”

  “How’d he dress when you went out for a casual dinner?”

  “Dockers and either a button-down or a polo shirt.”

  Flipper glanced down at his clothing and frowned.

  “Now I know why you had such a pained expression when you answered the door today. I didn’t mean to remind you of Steven. I just thought you might appreciate seeing me in something other than jeans or a wet suit.”

  “You look very handsome, but my attraction to you has nothing to do with your wardrobe.”

  “Are you telling me it wouldn’t impress you if I had a closet full of suits and ties?”

  “Clothes don’t necessarily make the man. I think Steven is living proof of that.”

  “Well, just so you know, I did clean up pretty well the night GSA had the premiere for my buddy Evan’s documentary on Trident, the rescued dolphin calf. I narrated the film so I got to walk the red carpet. I think those pictures are still on our Web site.”

  Flipper pulled them up on his phone and handed it to Tara. She looked at the screen and her eyes widened.

  “If I could whistle I would. You look very sexy in that tux.” She made a mental note to study the image at length later. “Let’s see the rest of these. Oh my goodness, is that Kelsey Kramer? She looks so sophisticated in that dress. And Detective Tompkins cut quite a dashing figure in her tux.”

  Tara turned the phone toward Flipper. “Is that Evan and Dani?”

  He nodded.

  “They look so good together, so right. And who’s this?”

  “Monica Sims, one of our marine biologists.”

  “She’s gorgeous, a
dead ringer for that actress from In the Valley of Elah and The Italian Job.”

  “Don’t forget Prometheus and A Million Ways to Die in the West. Charlize Theron and Monica could be twins, or at least sisters.”

  Tara exclaimed over a dozen other photos before handing Flipper’s phone back to him.

  “I must say, you people are a very attractive bunch. And Wesley obviously knows how to host a first-class event. That must’ve been quite a night.”

  “It was. Have you ever seen the documentary? It’s a terrific piece of work.”

  “I keep meaning to watch it every time I visit the aquarium, but I always get sidetracked.”

  “I’ve got a few extra copies at home. I’ll mail you one.”

  “Thank you, Flipper. That would be very sweet of you.”

  Her heart somersaulted when he offered a lopsided grin.

  “I’ll bet you never thought the day would come when you’d describe me as sweet.”

  “And I’ll wager you never expected to spend three days with me.”

  “I never figured I’d enjoy your company so much. Well, actually, that’s not true. I have a confession to make. Even after I found out you were with SWADS, I couldn’t get you out of my head. It aggravated the hell out of me.”

  “I have a confession, too. The day we had lunch? I came to the aquarium hoping I’d see you again.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned. You really were undressing me with your eyes when we first met at Dolphin Inlet, weren’t you?”

  “You’re an outrageous flirt, and for some odd reason I find that appealing.”

  “C’mon, admit it. You were checking me out big time.”

  “What do you expect when you parade around in such form-fitting attire? I’m only human. And don’t tell me you didn’t have an ulterior motive when you approached me after you finished working with Fins and Flukes.”

  “When I saw you standing there by the railing, I was nearly dumbstruck. This may sound corny, but the sun shining on your hair cast a fiery halo around your head. I would’ve been very disappointed if you’d left before I had a chance to say hello.”

  “This certainly has been a day for revelations, hasn’t it? First I discover I’m a pinball magician, and then I find out you’ve been lusting after me since the beginning,” she teased.

  “First of all, the term is pinball wizard. As for lusting after you…well, that part’s true. Although it’s a very déclassé way to describe my feelings.”

  She laughed, her mood as light as a ball of cotton. “I suppose I deserve that.”

  “I can think of something else you deserve.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  “Here? Let’s at least wait until we get in the car.”

  “Where else would we do it?”

  “Well…”

  “It’s too far to walk.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Going to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! What are you talking about?”

  “Never mind. You want to go to the Odditorium?”

  “Have you ever been? I hear the building gives the illusion it’s falling into a sinkhole.”

  “No, I haven’t, but I’m game if that’s what you want to do.”

  Flipper stood and reached for her hand. “Then let’s go. No time to waste when there’s more fun to be had.”

  They spent the next several hours wandering around inside the ten thousand-square-foot building filled with six hundred exhibits and artifacts, including shrunken heads, an “authentic” vampire killing kit, a shooting gallery, and a spinning vortex tunnel. When they came to the fertility statues, hyped as having helped more than two thousand women get pregnant, Flipper stopped Tara with a hand on her arm.

  “Are you ready to be a mom?” When she gave him a quizzical look, he added, “Make sure you don’t touch those things unless you want to change diapers in nine months.”

  “You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

  “No, but why tempt fate?”

  Because he’d brought up babies, she decided the question swirling in her brain wasn’t inappropriate.

  “Do you want to be a father?”

  “Right now?”

  “No, silly.”

  He grinned, and her panties felt wet.

  “Yes. I’ve always liked kids and figured I’d have my own someday. With so many of my friends pairing up and potentially starting families in the next few years, I’ve felt lately like I might be missing something important. That’s not to say I’m in a huge hurry. It’ll happen when it’s supposed to. I have to find the right woman first.”

  Tara’s nerves did a cartwheel, and she found herself thinking, what if I’m the one? As she stared at the statues, she imagined a home life with Flipper filled with laughter, spontaneity, passion, and purpose. But when she tried to reconcile his career with her mission and fit them together, she drew a blank. That made her sad, so she dismissed that line of thinking and turned her attention back to the man beside her, who lit up like a ten-year-old and said, “Let’s go see the decorated Tibetan skull.”

  “Sure,” she replied. “Why not?”

  Chapter 13

  After they left Ripley’s, Flipper headed back to Tara’s condo complex. They’d had a full day but he didn’t want it to end yet. He didn’t expect her to invite him to stay overnight, but maybe she’d ask him in for dessert or a drink. Or something. He believed in keeping his options open.

  “I’m still full from our late lunch, early dinner, whatever that was, but if you’re hungry I can make you a sandwich,” she told him when he pulled into a parking space. “And I still have some pumpkin bread I made the other day. I can brew a pot of coffee or pour you a glass of wine.”

  “I could go for some pumpkin bread and then maybe wine later.”

  She led him inside and had just placed the bread pan on the kitchen counter when he came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent.

  “I had a really good time today,” he murmured in her ear. “Anything special you want to do tomorrow?”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it. Did you have something in mind?”

  “How about a picnic in Lake Eola Park? We can feed the ducks and the turtles, take a ride in a swan boat, spread a blanket under a tree, and just have a relaxing time. This time of year it’ll be nice to be outside.”

  He turned her to face him so he had better access to her mouth and then pinned her between his body and the counter. He felt a little shiver go through her as he pressed closer and outlined her lips with the tip of his tongue.

  “What do you say?” He coaxed her mouth open and sucked on her tongue until he felt her tremble. When he pulled back and looked at her, waiting for an answer, he chuckled to himself at the dazed look on her face.

  “Huh? About what?”

  “Going on a picnic.” He kissed a trail across her silky skin to her ear and nibbled.

  “Oh. Ooooh. I, ah, I can’t remember the last time I went on a picnic.” She giggled. “That tickles. Yes, that’s the spot. Right there. Mmmm. And I’d enjoy pedaling a swan boat with you.”

  “That’s not the only thing I want to do with you.”

  “Is that so? What else?” Anticipation tinged her voice.

  “Well, there’s this.” He settled in for a lingering kiss. “And don’t forget this.” He ran his hand down her side, barely grazing the side of her breast. “And, oh yeah, this.” He cupped her behind and dove in for another kiss. “And that’s just for starters.”

  She reached around to the seat of his pants and squeezed his cheeks. His body, already on high alert, reacted as she nestled against the growing bulge in his slacks.

  “I think it’s ready,” Tara announced.

  “Not quite, but if you keep doing that it will be.”

  “I meant the coffee.”

  “Right. The coffee.” He let go of her and immediately missed the contact. “Which cabinet are your cups in?” She pointed a
nd he reached up to retrieve two. His irritation sparked when he saw the mugs were decorated with swimming and breaching dolphins beneath the slogan, “Dolphins belong in the wild. Just say no to captivity.” He stared at them for a long minute and then at her. She met his challenging gaze for several heartbeats before averting her eyes.

  “I have others if you don’t want to use those.”

  “These are fine,” he replied in a curt tone, then regretted it. Still, couldn’t they get through a complete day without the reality of their opposing circumstances intruding?

  She poured the coffee as an uncomfortable silence settled over the kitchen. She reached over, kneaded the tight muscles of his shoulder, and offered him a conciliatory smile.

  “Tomorrow evening I’d like to cook you dinner.”

  “I don’t want you to go to any trouble, Tara. This is a time to have fun, remember? I’d planned to take you out.”

  “We can do that if you really want to, but I’ve already bought steaks, corn on the cob, and salad fixings. And Dutch apple pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.”

  “Mmm. That sounds delicious.”

  “So I take it that’s a yes.”

  “It’s a very enthusiastic yes. Do you know what else I’m excited about?” She raised an eyebrow and he added, “Your pumpkin bread. Can I cut you a piece, too?”

  She nodded and he sliced them both a healthy helping. They gathered their coffee cups and bread plates and took them to the living room couch.

  “Want to watch TV or a movie or something?” she asked as she sat beside him.

  “Sure. What are you in the mood for?”

  “I recorded a few documentaries you might be interested in. There’s one on ocean reefs, one on whales, and a couple on Alaska. That’s on my bucket list of places to visit.”

  “You’re too young to have a bucket list.”

  “You’re never too young to pursue your dreams.”

  “Good point. Let’s see the ones on Alaska.”

  They sat in companionable silence watching both shows, Tara cuddled against him, and then turned on a MonsterQuest episode on sharks that lurk in freshwater lakes and rivers, sometimes hundreds of miles from the sea. When that was over, he cleared the dishes from the coffee table and took them into the kitchen.