Tapped: A Love on the Rocks Novella (5 page)

B
y the time
Will made it back to Georgia, only five minutes had passed. But instead of setting up an impromptu picnic like he wanted, he set the leftovers on the dresser and pulled the comforter over a deliciously naked and very much asleep Georgia.

Without a doubt, Will knew he was in serious danger here. Georgia was the whole package, smart, funny, and smoking hot.

Will glanced at the clock on his nightstand and started calculating how much sleep he could fit in before his work day started. He grabbed the food and headed back to the kitchen. There was enough time in his schedule to devour a piece of pie and a quick shower, but little else if he wanted to function for his meeting in the morning.

He took a few minutes to clean up the kitchen and pull the clothes scattered around into a neat stack on the edge of the couch. Will never spent long in the shower, but wasn't in any particular hurry and took a few minutes longer than normal, but in the end, it was just enough time to come out and find Georgia gone.

He knew as soon as he left the bathroom and the bed was empty.

"Damn, woman." Even though she was missing, he couldn't help but mutter aloud.

Will pulled on a pair of boxer briefs before walking through the house, checking on Rowe and locking the doors as he went. He entered the kitchen to find a hastily scribbled phone number on the back of a receipt.

Nothing more, but Will took it as a very good sign. A very good sign, indeed.

Not that she was getting away from him. She hadn't put it together yet, but she was going to be in for a big surprise tomorrow morning when he showed up for the job. At her brother's house.

* * *

G
eorgia felt
like a total asshole for running out on Will last night. But when she'd woken up with him in the shower, she'd panicked. That damn forehead kiss.

Will Calder was dangerous. And she had no business falling for her one night stand.

So she'd bailed, literally ran out on him in record time. She'd even left her panties and bra in his coffee table with the hidden compartment. Not that Georgia cared as she was trying not to get busted running down the street barefoot.

Thankfully she'd made it to her car without being caught, and the Drunken Duck was still in full swing. Hopefully that meant her brother wouldn't be any the wiser when it was all said and done. A little sister could dream.

She had about fifteen minutes before the architect and builder were supposed to be here to discuss the work schedule and plans for the next few weeks. Dane had finalized most of the details but was happy to include Georgia in some of the decisions. The plan was to convert the walk-up attic into a guest room that would really just be Georgia's when she visited.

It was a not-so-subtle ploy to get her to visit more. Something she'd been meaning to do since Dane had moved to North Carolina almost ten years prior. But, she'd let her ex's schedule dictate her own for the last two years, and her visits had been non-existent.

When Georgia had called Dane last month to let him know how everything had gone down with her ex and her former best friend, all he'd requested was she come visit and stay for the summer. They'd already planned for her to visit, but much later in the summer before she went back to school.

So, she'd been grateful for the excuse to leave Chicago and everything behind for a reprieve from real life. Georgia had packed only the most important things in her car, put the rest of what belonged to her in storage, and left the day after classes ended for the summer break. Her ex could keep the apartment and the former best friend.

And here she was. Hooking up with hot men at the lake and feeling unabashedly happy about it. Well, one hot man.

Just the memory of Will and their blazing hot night made Georgia's girl parts tingle again. Fuck. It was entirely too early in the morning to be thinking about hot sex with Will.

There was a sharp knock on the front door before she'd even poured her first cup of coffee. She looked forlornly at the full pot of freshly brewed heaven, but forced herself to walk away and answer the door.

She opened the door to find a very pretty man on the other side. He was dressed casually in worn jeans and a light jacket with a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his dark hair. Was every man at Fox Lake this good looking?

"Hi, Georgia?" The blindingly pretty boy stuck his hand out and she took it in a quick greeting. "I'm Chris Harper. I'm the architect for the attic project."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Harper. Please come in."

"Call me Chris. My father is Mr. Harper." He winked, a true flirt, this one.

Georgia smiled. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee, Chris? I've got a fresh pot waiting."

"Georgia, we're going to be fast friends, you and I."

She laughed, liking the easy camaraderie Chris was offering. He followed her to the kitchen while making polite small talk. Georgia pulled up short and Chris plowed into her back.

"Will? What are you doing here?"

Chris came around and shook Will's hand. "Glad you made it, man. I know you don't usually work Saturdays."

"No worries. I know Lainey had that tattoo convention this week and you guys were out of town. How'd she do in the contest?"

"She took first in a couple of categories and I couldn't be happier for her."

Georgia just stood there gaping at the two men. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Will was the builder on this job. So, she ran out on her one night stand five minutes after having the best fucking sex of her life, and here he stood in her brother's kitchen ready to start the job Dane had hired him for. She was so fucked.

Oh, he was enjoying this. Will had that half smile on his face that tied her up in knots but raised one eyebrow waiting for her to stop staring at them.

"Georgia?"

"Will Calder." She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know you probably could've mentioned that I'd be seeing you today. On the job."

H
e might be enjoying
Georgia's bewilderment just a touch too much. After all, she had bolted on him last night without a word. And he'd really wanted to wake up next to her this morning.

Chris stepped back and looked from one to the other before saying, "You two know each other?"

Will took pity on Georgia when her eyes rounded and she started to panic. "We had our first date last night."

Chris whistled. "Dane is going to punch you in the face, brother."

Georgia let a startled laugh slip through before throwing a hand up in front of her mouth. Will knew they were going to be okay. And Dane would just have to get on board.

"I think he'll be fine with it. Eventually."

"Dude. I've been dating Cal's sister for two years and that man still threatens my life at least once a week. And he likes me."

"Georgia met Molly last night while we were at the pub."

"Oh, I met Cal, too! He's," she paused for a moment before saying, "kind of intimidating."

Both Will and Chris laughed, but it was Chris who said, "He's actually a really nice guy, but never tell him I said that. I will deny it to my dying breath."

Chris had a knack for bringing the tension in any situation down, and Will was grateful to see Georgia relax.

"Deal. I am supposed to stop in at the pub later this week to chat with Molly, I'll be sure to never mention it."

"Definitely never mention it to that tiny little barracuda. Don't let her size fool you, she's far more dangerous than Cal will ever be."

"Really? I mean she did handle a situation for me." She looked over at Will. "Before you...showed up. But Cal's the one who really physically handled it."

Will laughed. "Cal's a protector, it's innate. But Molly is a natural born killer. She's got balls of steel and a wicked left hook."

"God, I love that woman." Chris turned to pour himself coffee. "Those two make a great team." He slanted a look over at Georgia now. "And never repeat those words either."

Georgia's face lit in a dazzling smile and she nodded her head.

"Come on, let's take a look at this attic space and lay out the plans."

Over several cups of coffee, and a few hours the three of them had hammered out the details of the job. Dane had left specific instructions that Georgia could have whatever she wanted in the space. Fortunately for Dane, she didn't have any crazy demands. Basically she wanted a nice space for visiting, but absolutely nothing fancy or expensive.

There was a nice space in one corner that Will thought would make a great closet, but she vetoed him saying a dresser would work just fine. Will shot off a quick text to Dane to ask about moving forward with it anyway. It would be great for resale and wouldn't be a massive expense. Plus, Will thought Dane was angling to get his kid sister down to North Carolina permanently, something Will had no problem encouraging in any way he could.

Chris left with a promise to have the final plans in place by Tuesday. That gave Will the rest of the day free. He found Georgia in the kitchen washing up the coffee mugs and looking out the window with a dreamy expression on her face.

She turned when he set his clipboard and notes down on the counter. "You know, it's absolutely gorgeous here. I think I forgot how nice Fox Lake was while I was away."

"It is a great place. But Dane's backyard isn't really the nicest part of the area."

"Oh, I know," she smiled. "But the neighbors have a puppy and some heavily tattooed man is attempting to teach it how to fetch."

"Ah, that would be Gabe. His girlfriend is the local dog whisperer." Will moved to the window and pushed the curtain out of his way. "Emma Rae runs a rescue and has the softest heart you've ever met, but she's got a backbone of steel. And that's Gabe Ryan. You met his sister last night at the pub."

"Molly?"

Will smiled down at Georgia. "Yeah."

"She mentioned Dane's neighbors. And I can see the family resemblance between them."

"You can?" Will looked out the window again at the hulking man. Gabe had enough tattoos to look more than a little intimidating, a prosthetic leg from a war injury, and the kind of build that said he spent several hours a day working on it.

"You don't?"

Will let the curtain fall back into place. "Not even a little bit."

"There's something in the way they carry themselves, a kind of inherent intensity."

"Okay."

"Whatever. You don't have to see it for it to be true."

"Woman, I agreed with you!"

"You may have said the words, but your tone definitely did
not
agree with me."

Will smiled, charmed at the simplest of things when it was Georgia. "Want to go argue at my family's cookout now?"

He could only laugh when she jerked back at his words and snarled, "No!"

"If you don't come with me, my momma will just grill me about where you are. Hell, she might set me up with someone from her book club."

Georgia narrowed her eyes at him. "Your momma wants to set you up with her friends from her book club? Are they all old enough to be your mother, then?"

Now it was Will's turn to jerk back at her words. "Yeah, no. She belongs to a romance book club, so it's a diverse group of ladies."

Her pout was adorable. "Fine. But I need to change. I'm not at all ready to meet your family en masse while wearing scrubby weekend clothes."

"You do know we are going to the lake? There will be cut off jeans and swimsuits, dirty bare feet and messy kids. It's a barbeque."

"Will Calder. You expect me to rush out the door right now and meet your
entire
family dressed like I couldn't be bothered to put in any effort? Your southern belle momma would fall over dead."

Oh, his momma would just be ecstatic he'd actually brought someone she obviously liked to a family cookout. She might be in the same book club as his ex, but there had been no love lost between those two women.

"Tell you what. Not that I agree that my momma would care, but I'll run home and get changed as well. I'll pick you up in a half hour?"

"An hour."

"Woman," he gave her his best stern look, "you are lovely and gorgeous. Wear something comfortable and bring your suit. You've got thirty minutes or I'm dragging you out the door when I get back."

Georgia was trying not to smile. "But what if I'm naked?"

"Then momma will just have to do without us, won't she?"

G
eorgia wasn't going
to risk Will making good on his threat, and she was waiting on the porch, purse in hand, when he pulled up exactly thirty minutes later. Not that she minded the thought of spending the rest of the day in bed with him, but that certainly wasn't going to win her any points with his mother.

Inwardly she cringed. She shouldn't even be worried about what anyone's mother thought, let alone the guy she followed home for a one night stand. Georgia was so far in over her head. Damn it.

Will came up the walk and couldn't take his eyes off her. Georgia remembered why she'd picked out her favorite sundress and sandals and took a few extra minutes to style her hair. That look. The one that said he was all in and he felt lucky to be the one picking her up for a date.

That look with the sexy half smile and intense eyes.

"Georgia, I've changed my mind. I think we should just stay in and tear each other's clothes off." He leaned in for a quick kiss. "But I texted my brother to pick us up on the dock, so I've got about fifteen minutes to get us there."

Her brow knitted in a frown. "I'm confused. I thought we were going to a family cookout?"

"We are, darling. I just didn't tell you where it's at."

"You'd better start talking then."

That devastating smile appeared again. "My parents own the island on the other side of the lake."

"Your parents own Fox Lake Island? The whole thing?"

"They do."

Georgia could feel her eyebrows climbing up and attempting to leave her face. Will Calder was rich. Like founding fathers of the town rich.

"No. I can't go with you. Your rich mother caught us in the middle of our one night stand while I was nearly naked! I can't ever face her again."

She was backing up, attempting to distance herself from Will, but he was too quick. He gripped her wrist, gently, but without letting her pull away.

"They run the campground out on the island, and she's probably barefoot and eating fried chicken as we speak. Besides that, she invited you last night. You already have Maribel Calder's stamp of approval." He tugged her close and planted a firm kiss on her lips. "And Georgia Burke, I'm not letting you run out on me again. So, buck up, darling. We've got a date to get started."

* * *

T
hey'd met
his younger brother on the dock right on time. Georgia was still quiet, but had greeted his brother with a warm smile. The ride across the lake was uneventful and fairly quick. It was a beautiful day on the water with the warm summer sun beating down and people out enjoying the fine weather.

Summer at the lake was the reason he'd come home right after college. He'd done the big city living for the four years he was away, but there was nothing like a North Carolina day on the lake. Except maybe Georgia.

Will's mother had swooped in and ran off with Georgia the minute they'd hit the dock, so he knew his brother had ratted them out. He stayed close enough to keep an eye on her, but not close enough to get sucked into his mother's tornado of energy.

Currently, his mom was holding court with Georgia next to the pie table and was introducing her to his dad. That was Will's cue to get in there and rescue his date.

He closed the distance in a moment. "Momma, what's this about running off with
my
date?"

His mother was no fool and gave him her patented narrow-eyed glare. "You're just worried your daddy is about to embarrass you."

Georgia chuckled and he took her hand. "So much truth in that statement."

"Now, boy. Anything I've got to say to the delightful Georgia would just be the God's-honest truth."

"And that's exactly what I'm worried about. Now, if you'll excuse us, I'd like to show Georgia around the island before it gets too late."

His dad was not fooled, because it wasn't even three in the afternoon, but he winked at Will and slapped him on the back. "Don't forget about the fireworks later tonight."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Calder."

"Georgia, darling, you call me Abe."

His parents walked off with a small wave each and Georgia gripped his hand tighter. "William James Calder, if you ever want in my pants again, you will
not
leave me alone with your mother ever again."

"But my momma just adores you."

Georgia dropped his hand with a laugh. "You heard me. I thought this was our second date. And for the last hour you left me to fend for myself."

"Fair enough. Come on. I'll make it up to you."

"Don't even think about trying to get me naked somewhere in the wilds of this island. I'm not interested in getting back to nature."

Will only smiled and held a hand out for Georgia to take. After a long moment where she just stared him down, she finally took his hand, and he tugged her along. He paused at a table full of sunscreen and grabbed a tube before leading her down a dirt trail.

"You brought a suit, right?"

"Why?"

"Because if you didn't, I'm going to expect you to get naked and skinny dip instead."

"Like hell."

Will laughed. Georgia was the perfect mix of ladylike and ball buster rolled into one mouth-watering package. "You really know how to ruin a guy's fun."

"That's what us feminist killjoys sit around and plot."

"Good to know."

They walked for a few minutes longer, leaving the bustle of the family behind, just holding hands and enjoying each other's company. It was perfect.

The trail eventually led them to a small rocky beach that had always been his favorite as a kid. It was far enough away from the crowds that few people knew about it, and he didn't expect to be interrupted.

Will stripped off his shirt and was ready for the water. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited expectantly for Georgia to follow suit. She laughed and pulled off the pretty summer dress, exposing the most delightful red bikini Will had ever laid eyes on.

"I came prepared."

"I see that, and I approve wholeheartedly."