Smooth Sailing (Lake House Love #2)

Chapter One

July 12th, 12:15 a.m.

The willowy woman with short red hair stalked toward the entrance of The Hill and yanked the door open. Deep, sensual vocals from a local band filled the night air as the door of the restaurant-turned-nightclub opened. When it shut, the crickets and frogs took over singing. Neither calmed Paloma Wagner’s boiling anger.

She whirled back to the man she was in a situationship with and pointed over her shoulder to his pretty neighbor. “Are you sleeping with Lilith?”

Asher wasn’t her boyfriend, but Paloma had insisted at the start of their orgasm arrangement that they’d tell each other if they wanted more. Or less. And yes, lately, a tiny part of her had hoped he’d eventually want more. But above all, she wanted honesty.

“No.” His voice was firm, but he looked away as if guilt made her gaze too heavy to hold.

She was so damn tired of men lying to her.

Heat spread from her chest, down her arms, and to her fingers that curled into fists. The warmth had little to do with the muggy Michigan night, and all to do with blooming disappointment. She shook her head. “Then what the hell is going on?”

He crossed his arms. “Nothing. I’m just worried about my neighbor.”

“Because she’s with me?” A man snarled.

Paloma jolted, forgetting Asher’s friend Max was in the parking lot with them. He’d been leaving with Lilith. It seemed Lilith was in hot demand. Scorching jealousy flared in Paloma, but she smothered it, refusing to let it burn her.

“Fuck,” Asher sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Listen, man, I’m sorry. You know how I get with crowds, especially when there’s drinking. I saw her leave, and I panicked. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“No shit,” Max grumbled, but his tense stance fell away. “But listen, if it’ll ease your mind and she doesn’t mind, you give her a ride home instead of me.”

His acquiescence annoyed the shit out of Paloma. Asher shouldn’t get a free pass because his past made him an overprotective ass.

“It would, but swear, it’s nothing against you,” Asher said.

“Whatever, man. I’m going back inside.” Max turned, heading toward The Hill.

She’d always found him handsome with his broad shoulders and lean, ropey muscles, even better looking than Asher. But Max was a nice guy—like a real one, not the assholes who pretend to be decent men.

And true good guys always found her to be too much.

Her jaw clenched and her gaze snapped back to Asher, who was still avoiding eye contact. He wasn’t the love of her life, not even close, so it wasn’t that he might be interested in Lilith that truly bothered her. It was the lying that got under her skin .

She’d dealt with enough deception to last a lifetime. And here was Asher, a man she’d trusted enough to let into her bed, into her life, lying to her. Pretending he wasn’t into his neighbor when it was painfully obvious.

The anger that had been simmering now threatened to boil over. But beneath it was a sharp sting of hurt. Why couldn’t he just be honest with her? Did he think she was too fragile to handle the truth? Or did he simply not respect her enough to give it to her straight?

She took a deep breath, refusing to let him see how much this affected her. Instead, she focused on the lie. The betrayal of trust cut deeper than any potential attraction to another woman.

“This isn’t about your normal controlling tendencies—”

“I’m not controlling.” He had the nerve to sound offended.

“Fine. We’ll call it your hero complex. I see the way you watch her. You don’t look at her like she’s a friend.” She took a small step away from him. “Don’t be that guy who wants to fuck someone else but is too much of a ball sack to ‘fess up.”

“I swear that’s not what I’m doing.” He ran his fingers through his hair, pulled at the ends, then let his hands fall to his side. “But we should take a break.”

“And you’re telling me this has nothing to do with your neighbor?” she asked, relieved her voice didn’t shake.

“It has to do with you wanting more than I can give you,” Asher said.

Paloma crossed her arms, pressing against the gentle throbbing in her heart. She was an idiot. Asher wasn’t even her boyfriend. Hell, that’s why she’d first hit on him—because he didn’t have girlfriends. But of course, her dumb ass had to go and catch feelings for him. They might be small, but it still stung.

“Like I said before, I’m not in a position to be in a relationship,” he finished.

Ah, yes, his daughter. Maybe there was some truth to it, but she was also his excuse.

“You use Raven as a shield. A justification not to get close to any woman because you’re afraid of getting hurt.”

“No, I don’t.”

She held up a hand. “It’s true. I do feel more than simple lust for you, so it’s better to break it off now if you don’t feel the same. I’m not interested in being with a guy who can’t give me what I need.”

“You deserve more than I can give you,” he repeated.

“Saying it once was enough, thanks,” she snapped.

His words were a cop-out and total bullshit. But she should be used to it. She was always too much. Or not enough. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin high enough that the sting in her eyes couldn’t spill over.

Kissing his cheek, she curved her lips into the smile she’d perfected after a lifetime of goodbyes. “I’ll see you around.”

She sauntered toward The Hill, refusing to look back. One foot in front of the other, away from another failed relationship. Forward was the only direction that mattered.

Her steps slowed. But what if there was nothing to look forward to in her future?

She rolled her shoulders and shook out her hands. It was time to stop with her pity pary for one. Dating wasn’t everything. She was rebuilding her career and was almost out of the red. And Asher? It was her own damn fault for thinking those lazy Sunday mornings and midnight tacos meant anything more than convenience. Hell, she’d been the one to suggest keeping it casual. She’d practically bragged about her no-strings philosophy. Turns out she was just another woman who couldn’t keep sex from getting complicated.

Pulling open the door to The Hill, music washed over her, a gentle caress on her sore heart. The daytime dinner tables were shoved against the wall, and gyrating bodies filled the makeshift dance floor with the usual last call hopefuls lining the outskirts and bar. The crowd parted for half a second, and she spotted two friends in a booth on the far side of the restaurant. They were chatting and nursing martinis. She’d grab a drink and join them.

Heading that way, she sighed. The bar was as packed as the dance floor. A man on a stool stood. Finally, a sliver of luck. She rushed forward and slid into the empty seat, nodding a thank you and signaling the bartender.

She glanced at the man on the adjacent stool and smiled. It was none other than sweet and sexy Max. Although right now, he looked more sour than sweet. No surprise. They’d both expected their nights to go very differently. She thought Asher would be coming home with her, and Max had probably assumed he was spending the night with Lilith. Instead, those two were riding off into the night together toward their happily ever after. Jerks.

Sitting straight, she ran a palm down her fitted red dress, subtly adjusting the plunging neckline. She and Max could use each other to forget about the night’s disappointments. As the wise adage said, “The best way to get over a man is to get under another one.”