Chapter 14

"Morning."
Cilla was glad she was able to speak. She put the pan from the scones in the sink and turned around, almost afraid of what she would see. Did he regret last night? Well, he wouldn't have greeted her this way if he had, right? Slowly, she turned around. When she did, he was so close to her only a sheet of paper could have slid between them. The same heat she'd seen in his eyes last night was there today, flaming in his melted-chocolate irises.
He studied her face for a moment, as if striving to read her state of mind. Then he cradled her cheeks in his palms and lowered his head to press a kiss to her mouth. The contact was even more scorching, if that was possible. He used the tip of his tongue to part her lips, sweeping inside when she did. Her temperature gauge went from zero to one thousand in seconds. How did he do this to her?
Everything fell away as she lost herself in the kiss. Every nerve sparked, her blood raced through her veins, and that same pulse low in her core began to beat like a jungle drum. She was glad when Kyle finally lifted his head because she had totally forgotten where she was. She had to tear her eyes away from the look in his, a look so sensuous it immediately brought back intense memories of the night before.
The sound of a throat clearing drew her attention to the other side of the kitchen. Cilla was sitting on one of the high stools, a knowing expression on her face. Pepper glared at her, trying to send her signals, but Cilla just grinned and kept watching them.
"Don't mind me," she said. "I'm just enjoying the show."
Kyle grinned. "Stare all you want, Cilla. I enjoy kissing my fiancé."
Pepper wished she knew how much was real and how much was part of the roles they were playing. She extricated herself from Kyle's arms, aware she was probably blushing, and moved over to the espresso machine.
"How about coffee while I fix you some breakfast?"
"I'd offer to help," he told her, "but you know what you're doing, which is more than I can say. And, yes. An espresso would be great."
Pepper tried not to be self-conscious as she went about preparing the meal. She fixed Kyle's coffee first, pulling the levers on the awesome espresso machine that she'd finally managed to order. Coffee, steamed milk, a little froth on top, and it was ready.
"That looks better than the espresso I got in San Francisco."
Pepper glanced up at him, curious. "You go to San Francisco a lot?"
He shrugged. "Um, sometimes on business."
"Ah, yes." She grinned. "The mysterious 'business.' Why don't you take this into the dining room," she suggested, opening the fridge and scanning the shelves for what she needed. "There are fresh scones and muffins in there."
"I'd rather watch you work." He brushed a kiss over her ear and gently nipped the lobe.
She nearly dropped the eggs she was holding, forcing herself to concentrate as she took the rest of her supplies out of the fridge. The last of the couples came downstairs, so she fixed breakfast for everyone, carefully plating each meal so it looked its most appetizing. She managed to convince Kyle to eat in the dining room, introducing him to the other guests seated there.
"I'm Pepper's fiancé." He nodded at everyone. "Nice to meet you all. Have you been coming here long?"
The two women taking their time over breakfast studied him with renewed interest. The older couple smiled at her indulgently. She was sure Kyle could charm the pants off a scarecrow. It made it all that much harder for her to tell how much of what he said to her was real and how much was playacting.
Quit it! In a few days he'll be gone, so what difference does it make?
Maybe because the fact he might be someone she could really care for shocked her. She knew nothing about him, nothing about who he really was, and was well aware that when his reservation was up he'd be leaving. Her hormones must really be going haywire. Either that or she'd lost her mind.
But last night was real. There was no faking it then.
Okay, she needed to get her head screwed on straight and do what she'd set out to when he said he'd go along with the charade. She'd enjoy it for the time they had, they'd have a polite breakup, and she'd get on with her life.
Kyle was taking his time, drinking coffee and nibbling on a muffin and talking to the older couple when the back door opened and slammed closed. Pepper looked up from her place at the sink, startled. Then she swallowed a sigh of irritation. Did she have no peace?
"Pepper, honey." Maggie Thornton pulled Pepper in for a tight hug. "Oh lordy. I am just so excited."
Pepper dug for her patience and did her best to extricate herself from her mother's tight grip.
"About what, Mama?" She managed to move a step or two away.
Maggie stared at her, excitement dancing in her eyes. "About what? Why about the wedding, of course." She fanned herself with her hand. "I must admit, when you said you and Kyle had met on the Internet, I had my reservations. But, honey, he's the catch of the year. Truly. We need to pick the date and book the venue before everything is taken."
Pepper felt her stomach contract. "Mama, can you please slow down? Kyle hasn't been here more than a couple of days. We've hardly had a lot of time together. Remember. This was our first time to meet in person."
"Oh, so what?" Maggie flipped a hand in the air. "I know what I see, and that's a handsome, eligible man who wants to marry my daughter. I say, let's get it on."
"Mama, ssh." Pepper held her fingers to her lips. "He can hear you. Can we please try to do this in a somewhat normal fashion?"
"Oh, normal?" Maggie gave her a chastising look. "Is normal meeting your fiancé on the Internet and then throwing yourself on him when he gets here?"
Was she going to regret that impulsive hot kiss forever? No, only that too many people had seen it.
"Morning, Maggie." Kyle wandered in with his empty cup and plate. "Pepper, what's all happening today?"
Pepper appreciated the fact he was trying to put some semblance of a normal face on things, but she figured they were already well past this. Besides, this was all still just playacting. She needed to slow her mama down so she wasn't signing contracts, hiring photographers and a band, and setting up tastings. She supposed she hadn't realized until this moment exactly how focused and obsessed the woman was with getting her married off.
For a moment, her heart pinched. Married. It wouldn't be to Kyle, for sure, although, as she fell asleep in his arms last night, the notion had insistently wiggled its way into her brain. Even now, she couldn't manage to put it in its place, in the box labeled make-believe. He'd slammed into her like a tidal wave of heat and emotion, and she was hung by her own stupidity. She didn't even want to think of the fallout after he left. Without her.
Then Mama would be all over her again like white on rice. Maybe even dragging that obnoxious Judd Wallace into it again. Nope, not marrying him even if she died an old maid. Besides, whoever it was, they'd want her to give up Hibiscus House and that would be like losing a piece of her heart. Why couldn't her parents see that?
"Pepper?" Maggie's voice snapped her back to the present. "Kyle's talking to you. It's not nice to ignore him."
"What?" She blinked. "Oh, sorry. Um, today?"
"Why don't you get Captain Jim to take y'all out on that boat of his today," Maggie suggested. "Kyle, have you ever been out on the water?"
"I'm sure he has, Mama," Pepper spat out, then regretted snapping at her mother. "I mean, he might not even like it."
"He is right here." Kyle moved to stand beside her, his arms curling around her shoulders in a lazy hug. "And he has been out on the water before, but not on Hibiscus Bay. Who's this Captain Jim?"
"One of our colorful retired senior citizens," Cilla explained. She'd hitched herself up on one of the stools at the island, her face alight with curiosity and humor. "He hangs out at the Coffee Cup at the marina. When he's not piddling around with his boat, that is. He loves to take tourists out and give them his spiel."
"That's for sure." Pepper grunted. "If you want to know anything about Bayview, he's the man to ask. Even if you don't want to know, he'll find a way to tell you."
"Sounds interesting. How long is the boat trip?"
"Oh, you have to tell him ahead of time." Pepper laughed. "Otherwise, he'll have you out there until after sunset."
"That sounds good to me. What do you have to take care of here?"
"Nothing." Cilla answered for her. "I can handle it all. You know I can, Pepper. Go enjoy your time with your fiancé."
Pepper didn't know whether to hug her or kill her.
"And you can show him some of the other tourist spots around here," Maggie added. "Get him to take you to the Lighthouse for dinner later." She looked from one to the other. And go pack your bathing suits. You can get some sun and swimming out there."
"Maybe Kyle doesn't want to spend the whole day on the boat," she pointed out.
But Kyle just curved his lips in a lopsided grin and said, "That sounds great to me."
"Fine." She threw up her hands. "Fine, fine, fine." Then, realizing she wasn't acting quite the part of an engaged person, she grinned up at Kyle. "It will be fun."
"Good. I'm all for fun."
"I'll call Captain Jim and then order a lunch basket." Maggie grabbed her cell phone. "Go get ready."