Chapter Fourteen
Ray left the barn just in time to see Eli and another man leading the new mare away. Jane was with them, walking close to Eli, brushing up against him. Eli stayed busy talking to the man and seemed to be ignoring her.
Several other men were now loitering around the fence, probably done working for the day. They boldly stared when Ray walked into view.
Not understanding their rudeness, Ray started to frown. Then she saw Jeremy striding toward her. When he reached her, he stepped between her and the other men.
“Could I talk to you a minute?”
Ray took in his anxious expression. “About what?”
“Actually . . . I wanted to apologize.”
Ray just waited, not bothering to make it easier on him.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve been a jerk. Being rescued by a woman . . .” He rubbed the back of his neck. His unease was almost palpable, but he continued. “It’s not a good excuse, but I was scared half to death and you came in like an avenging angel and it made me feel like a coward. You aren’t afraid of anyone or anything—”
Ray cut him off there. “I wasn’t afraid of that situation because it’s familiar to me. It wasn’t familiar to you. But Jeremy, everyone is afraid of something.”
“Not you.”
“You don’t think so?” She made a face and found herself confiding to the most unlikely ally. “I’m scared to death of having this baby.”
His eyes widened. “But I’m sure it’ll be fine! You’re as healthy as a horse—” She slanted him an amused look and he winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that as an insult. It’s just that you’re in such great shape, and Eli can afford the best medical care.”
“I don’t mean that part of it. I mean . . . trying to be a good mother.”
He blinked at her twice, then his shoulders relaxed and he smiled. “Every kid in the world would consider you the coolest mom around. Like Wonder Woman or one of Charlie’s Angels. And hey, being afraid of that is at least understandable. It’s a big responsibility. But I was afraid of a bug.”
Wonder Woman? Ray grinned. “Tarantulas are not mere bugs. It took me a while to get used to them, too.”
Jeremy twisted his mouth. “They’re . . . hairy.”
Ray shuddered. “I know. Nasty, huh?”
Someone laughed behind them, interrupting their new camaraderie. Ray looked over her shoulder and saw that the men who’d been ogling her earlier had come closer. One in particular leaned arrogantly against the fence, eyeing her up and down.
Jeremy said, “Oh, hell.”
“Ignore them,” Ray said, loud enough for the men to hear.
“Better listen to the lady, Jeremy, or she just might whoop up on you.”
Jeremy turned fully to face the man taunting him. In a low voice, he said to Ray, “Mike and the other two came along with the new mare. They’ll be out of here soon enough.”
Mike asked, “Isn’t she the lady soldier you’ve been talking about? I see what you mean now, Jeremy. She looks real mean.” A round of laughter followed that observation, and Ray felt herself stiffen in indignation.
Mike stepped closer. “Honey, you can toss me around any time you want.”
Jeremy looked ready to expire. Ray put her hand on his shoulder. “They’ll get tired of acting like fools pretty soon.”
Jeremy shook his head. “Eli is going to kill me if he hears what they’re saying.”
He looked genuinely upset now, glancing around to see if Eli was coming back. Ray sighed, feeling totally put upon. “Why would Eli be mad at you?”
Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Because I’m the one who told them about you.”
Suspicions rose. “You didn’t tell some far-fetched lies about me, did you?”
Jeremy gave her an incredulous look. “Why would I need to? The truth is outrageous enough.”
Ray laughed derisively. “So it is.” Then she took Jeremy’s arm in an iron grip, smiling maliciously. “Why don’t we go inside now, Jeremy? If we’re not here to harass, they’ll probably find something else to amuse themselves with.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve never murdered anyone yet. Though I’ll admit you give the idea new appeal.”
“I know I’ve got a lot to apologize for.”
“No big deal.”
“Then you don’t care that they know?”
“I’m not ashamed of what I do, Jeremy.” She peered up at him. “But I have a feeling you didn’t exactly paint me in a fair light.”
He looked embarrassed. “No. Probably not,” he admitted. “At the time, I was still stinging from being rescued by you.”
“Now, don’t go looking so long in the face. I’m not going to—”
Ray didn’t get to finish. Mike latched onto her arm. “Jeremy says you’re real talented. If you wanted to jump me, I promise to hold still.”
He was laughing at his own jest. Jeremy started to step forward, but Ray stopped him.
As she always did, she considered the situation and how best to handle it. The big, muscled oaf in front of her wouldn’t be any problem at all. And to avoid further harassment, she should probably teach him, and the onlookers, a lesson. Otherwise, she’d be putting up with the gibes for years.
Assuming she’d be here for years.
She took a step back.
“Now, honey, don’t go hiding from me. I just wanted to tussle with you a little.”
“Hide?” Ray grinned, already enjoying herself. “I’m just clearing a spot.”
“For what?”
“For you to fall.”
Mike blinked at her, then roared with laughter, looking to his friends and including them in his humor.
Ray shook her hands, getting loose. “You ready?”
“Baby, I was born ready.”
“Good.” So fast that Mike didn’t have a chance to react, Ray hit his shoulder, his chest, and his stomach—then kicked his legs out from under him.
As she’d planned, he went down.
His friends really found that hilarious. Mike didn’t. He jumped back up, and again Ray hit him three times, dodging his big hands when he reached for her. After several stinging blows, one an insulting slap to his forehead, she ended up behind him, and this time she planted a foot in the seat of his pants, sending him face first into the dirt.
“Holy shit, she’s good,” one of the men said.
“I can’t wait to tell everyone else.”
Mike cursed and jumped back up to his feet.
Still grinning, Ray asked, “Had enough?”
He curled his lip, swiping dust off his chest and seat. “You damned bitch.”
At the insult, Jeremy barked, “That’s enough. You better back off right now.”
As if sensing an easier victory, Mike rounded on Jeremy. “Who says? You?”
Jeremy took an aggressive step forward. Ray sincerely hoped she wouldn’t end up having to defend him. But he proved a little smarter than she’d first suspected.
He threatened the man with Eli.
“You’re talking to my future sister-in-law. How do you think Eli will feel about you bothering her?”
Mike looked stunned. “Eli is marrying her?”
“He is.”
“Well, you never told us that.” He glanced around the yard in a rush. “How was I supposed to know?”
“You know now.”
Mike turned to Ray. “No offense intended.”
“None taken.” Seeing the man’s unease, Ray started to wonder what Eli’s reaction would be toward her.
She’d only been at his house a day and she was already making mincemeat of his friends. The more she considered it, the more apprehensive she became. She’d been wrong to goad the man into a confrontation and she knew it. She was pregnant, and pregnant women surely had to show more restraint.
That thought brought another—of her fat and round and unable to fight. The image wasn’t a pleasant one.
As Mike started to walk away, taking his friends with him, Jeremy let out a sigh of relief. “Look, Ray Jean—”
The day’s anxiety had taken its toll.
Jeremy only had time to gasp before he found himself caught in Ray’s grip. She grabbed his arm and brought her leg up behind his knee. He landed on the ground, flat on his back, dust billowing around him and Ray looming over him. She came down quickly, her knee landing on his chest.
“Never, absolutely never, call me Ray Jean. I’ve taken a lot off you, Jeremy. But enough is enough.”
Jeremy nodded while doing his best not to chuckle.
Provoked, Ray pushed down with her weight on her knee, making Jeremy gasp. “You think this is funny?”
He shook his head, nearly choking on his humor. “No.” The word was strangled and Ray let up a little. Then Jeremy smiled. “I was just wondering if you’d ever done this to Eli. You have, haven’t you?” A murmur rose from the onlookers, but Ray and Jeremy both ignored it. “That’s probably why he fell in love with you.”
Ray sat back on her heels, totally bemused. “You Connors men are a strange breed, do you know that?”
Jeremy laughed while rubbing his chest. “Ah, can I get up now?”
Disgusted, Ray said, “Yeah, all right.”
He sat up beside her. “Before I can ask if all’s forgiven, I’m afraid I have something else to apologize for, too.”
Ray dropped her head forward. “I don’t want to hear this.”
“I was the one who invited Jane here. I, uh, sort of suggested she try to seduce Eli. You know, make him see what a mistake he was making.”
Ray turned her face away.
“Of course, that was before I realized it wasn’t a mistake at all.”
Suspiciously, Ray asked, “You don’t want him and Jane to get together after all?”
“Are you kidding? Who would teach me how to fight like you do?”
Matt said from behind them, “I will.”
There was a definite touch of menace in his tone.
Leaning on one arm, Ray twisted in his direction. She discovered that not only had Matt joined them, so had the man who’d brought the mare, Eli, and Jane. Oh hell. She had a damned audience.
Slowly, Ray came to her feet.
Eli wasn’t just looking at her. No, he was staring at Mike, at the dirt on his clothes and the red handprint on his head. “What the hell is going on?”
As if to exonerate himself, Mike held up his hands. “I was just teasing her.”
Eli’s eyes went cold. In a deadly whisper, he asked, “Did you touch her?”
“No!” Looking around for help and not finding any, Mike stammered, “She . . . well, she sort of—”
“Kicked your ass?” Matt supplied.
Eli looked so furious, Ray rushed to reassure him. “I didn’t hurt him, Eli.”
Eli barely spared her a glance. “I’ve warned you before, Mike. This is the last time.”
He’d had trouble with Mike before? Well, that made her feel better.
The man who’d accompanied Eli to the barn appeared furious. “All of you, get in the truck.” And then to Eli, “I’m sorry. He can be such an obnoxious ass, but he’s good with horses.”
“He won’t be if I see him again.”
The man nodded. “Understood. I’ll keep him away.” Then he, too, left.
With the day deteriorating, Ray felt guilty and defensive. “There’s no reason for all the fuss. I didn’t hurt him.”
Eli raised a brow. “He might disagree.”
Watching Mike limp away, Ray couldn’t argue.
“Don’t worry about it. He’s a bully and a jerk and I don’t like him.” Eli turned to Jeremy, still sitting on the dusty ground. “And what happened to you?”
Jeremy cleared his throat. “Uh, Ray and I had a little disagreement.”
Incredulous, Eli said, “You were fighting with her, too?”
Ray stepped in front of Jeremy. Damn it, she was starting to feel protective of the twerp. “There was no fight to it.” Then she shifted the blame. “You’ve done a lousy job of teaching your brother, Eli.”
Matt said, “I’ll be glad, even eager, to instruct him.” There was blood in his eyes.
“He didn’t touch me, Matt, so knock it off.”
Jane gave a snicker of amusement. “You really have been out here brawling in the dirt with men?” She managed to squeeze closer to Eli, pressing her breasts into his arm. “Unbelievable. But then, you are some sort of . . . well, mercenary, aren’t you?”
She made it sound like a dirty word and Ray decided she’d had enough. Very slowly, with measured movements, she started forward. Her eyes never left Jane’s face.
Eli sighed in vexation, then, while trying to pry Jane loose, he softly warned, “Ray, you’re grinning.”
“So?”
“So that means you want to fight.” He said it as if she should have already known that. “But I don’t think—”
She cut him off. “Forget it, Eli. You wanted me. You dragged me here and wouldn’t let up for a single minute, even though I told you it wouldn’t work out. Well, now you’ve got me. For good. And that means you’re hands-off to other women. And most especially to her.”
Chuckling, Jeremy hauled himself upright to stand next to Matt. “Will you really teach me to fight like Ray does?”
Matt shrugged, but his eyes never left his sister. “Why not?”
Eli sighed. “There isn’t going to be any fighting.”
“You don’t think so?” Ray took another step forward, which sent Jane into a panic.
Harassed, Eli said, “Jane, for God’s sake . . . Ray, stop terrorizing her . . . Matt, will you stop laughing.” He was doing his best to get away from Jane and still give his attention to Ray. “You know you’re not going to hurt her, Ray.”
“And why not?”
“Because you’re honorable and you fight fair.”
“Wrong. I fight to win.”
“But you’ve already won me,” he reminded her with a smile.
Ray wasn’t appeased. “Maybe you should have informed your girlfriend of that.” She nodded her head at Jane. “She could have been spared this little scene.”
“I did tell her.”
“Then she’s only got herself to blame.” Ray reached for Jane, the gesture as far from friendly as she could make it.
Jane screamed bloody murder.
Wincing, Eli said, “Damn it to hell . . .” He bent, scooped Ray into his arms, and deposited her over his shoulder.
Bemused by how fast he’d moved and how he’d once again taken her by surprise, Ray hung still in his hold.
“I think we’ll finish this conversation in private.” Eli patted her butt. His other hand held her legs firmly pressed to his body so she couldn’t kick him.
Coming out of her stupor, Ray twisted to see him. “Put me down, Eli.”
“Patience, sweetheart. We’ll be alone in just a minute.” He started up the porch steps, but stopped when a loud wail came from the yard, followed by another burst of laughter. He turned. Ray lifted her head.
Jane was twisting in circles with Precious hanging from her tailored skirt, his growls as loud and ferocious as a six-pound dog could manage. Hank, who had turned the dog loose, stood off to the side, his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. Jeremy and Matt both tried to help her, but she kept scurrying around, making it impossible for them to catch hold of the dog.
Eli heaved a sigh of exasperation.
From her odd upside-down position, Ray said, “Will this ruin your business dealings with her?”
“Jane doesn’t let anything get in the way of business. She may not look it, but she’s a shark.”
“Eli?”
He hugged her legs and pressed his cheek to her hip. “Yeah?”
“I could get away from you if I wanted to. You know that, don’t you?”
With a laugh, he said, “Yeah, I know.” He went into the house and upstairs, taking the steps two at time. Ray was surprised he hadn’t jarred her teeth from her head. But then, from the day she’d met him, Eli had always been so careful with her, treating her like a woman first, a soldier last.
He went straight into his own room, then shoved the door shut with his foot. He didn’t toss Ray onto the bed, but rather laid her gently upon it, coming down next to her and half-covering her to keep her still. Not that she had any intentions of moving.
“So,” he said, his fingertips touching her cheek, smoothing her hair. “Am I in trouble now?”
She should probably be mad, Ray thought. Under normal circumstances she would be. She’d only wanted to scare Jane, as Eli had guessed. And she’d succeeded, if the woman’s ridiculous scream was any indication.
“That depends. Why’d you run off with me? Did you think I was going to commit murder after all?”
He touched the tip of her nose. “No. Jeremy looked fine, and if you didn’t kill him, you wouldn’t hurt anyone.” Eli kissed her, soft and easy, on the mouth. “I brought you here so we could be alone, of course.”
Oh.
“Did you mean what you said? I’ve got you for good?”
“Yes.”
“Because you love me?”
She looked at his mouth. “Yeah, I do.”
He pulled back in surprise. “You mean that?”
Ray fought a smile. “I said so, didn’t I?”
His voice deepened in that oh too familiar way. “You’re going to have to say it a lot over the next sixty years or so.” He leaned down to kiss her. “So now we know you love me, and you don’t want to get away from me, so . . . will you marry me?”
“On one condition.”
He gathered her closer, making her feel nurtured and protected and loved. “Anything.”
Ray grinned at his fervent reply. “Teach me some of your moves. I don’t like it that I always end up on the bottom with you.”
Eli stared into her eyes a moment, then caught her shoulders in his hands and rolled so that Ray was on top, lying all along his length. “I promise to show you all my best moves, Ray.” His hands settled on her hips, pulling her against him.
“Mmm. This is definitely one of your better moves.”
“Yes. Now pay attention while I instruct you.” He leaned up to take her mouth.
The bedroom door opened and Lily waltzed in. She was humming.
Ray shot away from Eli, then scrambled to sit upright, almost knocking Eli off the other side of the mattress. She quickly straightened her clothes.
“Lily.” Good God, she’d been caught. “I—” How did you apologize for romping in a respected woman’s house?
Ray wasn’t given time to worry about it. Lily, arms loaded down with three fat photo albums, sat down next to her on the bed. “I’ve brought you something to look at.”
Eli straightened himself, trying for some aplomb. “Gram. What do you have there?”
“Baby albums.” Her smile was wistful. “Oh, how I wish I had some baby photos of you, Eli. But I do have them of your father, and I thought Ray would like to see.”
Ray put a hand to her throat. She couldn’t get a single word out. Not that Lily noticed. She spread the first album open to a photo of a fat baby lying on a blue blanket with his bare butt showing.
“Eli has his daddy’s smile,” Lily claimed.
Reluctantly, Ray accepted the album. The baby staring up at the camera did, in fact, resemble Eli. “Amazing. It’s so small.”
“He, dear, not it. And believe me, he didn’t feel small being born. He weighed a good eight and a half pounds.”
While Eli settled beside his grandmother, Ray began turning pages. Each and every picture seemed more adorable than the last.
“That’s his first tooth. Oh, and look at that. His first black eye. He was almost three when he fell off the front step.” Lily smiled, but said, “Oh, how I cried.”
Ray glanced at her. “Why’d you cry?”
“Why, because I felt wretched! I’d let my baby fall and get hurt.” She patted Ray’s hand. “Having a baby is the most wonderful and the most fearful thing in the world.”
Fearful? Yeah, she knew all about that.
“I remember being so scared when I carried, I cried almost every night. Hank thought it was just the pregnancy, and it might have been in part due to that.”
Ray swallowed hard. “What was the other part?”
Lily sighed. “You’ll think I’m silly.”
“No,” Ray promised her, “I won’t.” She was dying to hear what fears this kind, gentle woman could have had.
Embarrassed, Lily admitted, “I was a little country bumpkin who could barely stand up for herself, and yet I knew I’d soon be responsible for protecting a child. Me! All I knew about babies was that they were expensive and needed a lot of care. It was a terrible and overwhelming thought. Not that I didn’t want the baby! From the moment I knew I was expecting, I loved that child with all my heart.”
Ray laid her hand over her belly. She was aware of Eli watching her, his expression tender. “I love my baby, too.”
“Of course you do. And you and Eli are in a much better position than Hank and I were. We’d been through the Depression. Plenty of times we had to struggle just to get by. I kept wondering how I could make my baby’s life better, what kind of mother I’d be.” She pulled out a hanky to dab at the tears swimming in her eyes.
Eli put his arm around his grandmother, smiling indulgently.
Shaken, Ray said, “So how’d you learn what to do?”
“Learn?” Lily laughed and patted Ray’s knee. “Trial and error, honey. Trial and error. It wasn’t until I had my second child that I realized there are no experts. Every mother comes into this with she same blank slate because it’s such a . . . a miracle. There aren’t any books or experiences to prepare you for how you feel when that tiny baby is handed to you to love and protect for the rest of his life.” She dabbed her eyes again, still smiling. “But oh, do you protect him. I’d have fought lions for either of my children.” She cupped Eli’s face. “I felt that way when I met Eli. He was such a challenge, so defensive and hurt, and I loved him the minute I saw him.”
Seeing the two of them filled Ray with hope. “Was it easier the second time around?”
“No, because each child is so different, it’s like starting from scratch. You make as many mistakes, just different ones. No mother is perfect. All any of us can do is our best, and it never feels like enough. To us anyway. To the children, it’s plenty. They need to feel loved and nurtured. They need to know that home is safe and that you care enough to set rules that are in their best interest.”
“Does the fear ever go away?”
Eli glanced sharply at Ray. She didn’t look at him. Not that it mattered. Eli could always see right in to her soul.
“It comes and goes in spurts.” Lily took her hand, emphasizing that with a squeeze. “Like when they cry and you can’t figure out why. Oh, that’s just awful and it tears at your heart. Or when they get sick or fall. My daughter was an overachiever, much like you, but with academics. That girl would have a fit if she didn’t get straight As. But she almost never got hurt.
“Now Eli’s father was just the opposite. He was happy if he got a C. He was smart, he just had a different focus. And injuries? He kept me buried in doctor bills. He was fearless, always willing to be the first to try something dangerous.”
“Like what?” Eli asked.
“Oh, there was the time when he was ten and he and his friends tried diving into the pond out of a tree.” Lily covered her heart. “What a terror. I grounded him for two weeks, then got down on my hands and knees and thanked the good Lord that he hadn’t broken his neck instead of his arm.”
Trying to picture Eli as that little boy, Ray asked, “Where is this tree?”
“Oh no, you don’t.” Eli tweaked her hair. “I won’t have you diving out of trees, Ray.”
She reached past Lily to punch him, but she was laughing—and feeling much more confident about impending motherhood. Love she could give in spades. With Lily’s influence and Eli at her side, the rest would hopefully fall in line.
“I still miss him,” Lily whispered, staring at the photo in the book. “But I have Eli, and soon a great-grandson.” She touched Ray’s cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Ray’s nodded. “I’m glad, too.”
“Hank worked extra hard back then, making sure we’d have everything we need. He never wanted us to do without. That’s a worry neither of you will have.”
“He’s a good man,” Ray said, and meant it.
“Yes, he is.” Lily stood. “Take your time with the albums. There are years and years’ worth of pictures in there. And Ray?”
Ray tucked the books close to her heart. “Yes?”
“If you want to talk more later, I’d be glad to oblige. There’s little an old woman enjoys more than reminiscing, especially about her children.”
“Thank you, I’d like that.”
Eli sat stiff and proper until his grandmother’s footsteps had faded down the hall. Then he fell back on the bed with a laugh. “I feel sixteen again, caught sneaking a girl into my room. Not that my mother would have cared, if she’d even noticed. But the girl’s folks might have.”
Ray looked at him over her shoulder. “What would you do if our son tried that?”
“At my age? I’d give him privacy.” He grinned.
Ray turned back to the pictures. There were so many to enjoy. In some of them, Hank and Lily were included, young and vibrant and smiling. A loving, happy family.
“Eli?”
“Hmm?”
“I didn’t want to go back, anyway.”
Silence fell like a dead weight before Eli sat up beside her. He took the photo albums and laid them aside, then pulled Ray into his lap. “Where, sweetheart?”
“To Central America.” She snuggled close, liking the way he held her. “I’m not hardened enough anymore for the job. I got distracted too many times during this last trip. That can be dangerous.”
Nuzzling the top of her head, Eli said, “I distracted you.”
“Right from the start.”
Ray felt his smile against her temple. “So you’re telling me that, at least this once, I’ll get my way?”
Ray lifted herself to look at him. “I can’t see me as some happy housewife, content to stay home every day.”
“I hope not. After I told Granddad how handy you are with a hammer, he’s been planning a lot of repairs.”
“You’re making that up.”
“Am not. You can ask him yourself. But it’s up to you what you do, Ray.”
“What about my house?”
“I don’t know. I thought about that, too.” He put his forehead to hers. “We can keep it if you want, maybe live there part-time. I’m sorry, but I need to be near here as much as possible. Granddad has more health problems now and Gram—”
“Shh. I can be happy here.”
“You’re sure?” Eli cupped her face. “I love you, Ray. I want you happy.”
It was ridiculous how easy tears came. She dashed them away, laughing. “I didn’t want to fall in love with you. But I couldn’t seem to stop myself.”
“You never stood a chance.”
“Yeah, right.” Ray pushed him flat on his back and propped her elbows on his chest. “Because you’re bigger and stronger?”
“No.” He touched her mouth. “Just more determined. Your mission may have been to save people. But I had a mission, too. I had to accomplish what Central America couldn’t.”
“And what was that?”
“I had to capture a soldier. And she was the meanest son of a—”
Laughing, Ray clapped her hand over his mouth. She remembered Eli’s request at the onset of their meeting. She’d bragged that she was the best the agency had to offer. And the meanest. It seemed like a lifetime ago, now.
Eli kissed her palm and tugged her hand away. “You succeeded in your mission. You saved my brother. But you got me in the bargain. I’d say we were both damned successful.”
Ray thought to tell him that he’d saved her, too, saved her from her own wayward responsibilities to the world. He gave her the love she’d never thought to have, and the acceptance. But then Eli was kissing her, his tongue sliding deep, taking control as usual, and all she could do was hold on tight.
Her life was definitely going to undergo some changes. She looked forward to each and every one.
Keep reading for a
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Never Too Much,
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That’s when Ben saw her.
She came out of the shadows and started across the street toward him. Spellbound, Ben watched as fog seemed to part around her, giving her an ethereal appearance. Somehow her steps, slow and rhythmic, matched the beat of the music, and the beat of his heart.
The reflection of a streetlamp glinted off her reddish-brown hair. It was tied into a high ponytail that might have been neat at one point during the day but now straggled loose and sloppy around her face. A fringe of bangs, stringy with sweat, hung half in her eyes. She wore a dusty white sleeveless shirt under a pair of coverall shorts with unraveled hems and a pair of brown lace-up work boots over rolled gray socks.
Ben wouldn’t call it feminine attire, but maybe fetish attire? Whatever. She sure got his attention.
He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of panties a woman wore under a getup like that.
Despite being midnight and hotter than Hades, her stride was long and sure and fluid, matching that provocative music—“Bad to the Bone.”
She had the walk of a satisfied woman, and it turned Ben on. He’d always found confidence to be very sexy.
Because he stood in the shadows, she didn’t notice him until the last moment, when she was a mere three feet away. Their eyes met; their gazes caught and held. She faltered, then slowly, intently, surveyed him. Her lips parted in surprise.
Ben didn’t move, didn’t alter his relaxed pose against the building. But inside, interest roiled, kicked up his heartbeat and sent his senses—and his equipment—on full alert.
Knowing he looked too enthralled, Ben managed a more casual nod.
At his acknowledgment, the woman inched closer, but now her every step seemed weighted with caution and curiosity, as if she didn’t want to look at him, but couldn’t quite help herself. When she was directly in front of Ben, her wide lush mouth tilted and her eyes smiled. She shook her head, as if bemused.
Or disbelieving.
“You ought to be illegal.” Her laughing comment, low and throaty, broke the spell. “It’s a good thing I have a stout heart.”
With that strange, yet provocative remark, she strode on past and into the building.
A little amazed at his aberrant reaction, Ben realized he hadn’t said a single word, hadn’t taken advantage of the situation or her comment, hadn’t even introduced himself. He turned to view the back of her and his interest expanded. Her ass looked great in the coveralls, soft and cuddly and rounded just right. A nice handful. Her legs were strong, shapely with smooth muscles, lightly tanned.
The rousing music faded away, but the scent of heated woman touched by the damp outdoors remained. Ben grinned in acute anticipation.
Oh yeah, this was what he’d been looking for. She was what he’d been looking for.
The chase was on.
Feeling like a bull in rut, he trailed into the bar after her. Impatiently, he waited while she looked around, located a booth at the back of the room, and headed in that direction.
With one nod, Ben let the waitress know he’d take care of this particular customer. He followed along and when she slid into the bench seat, Ben propped his hip on the table. He tried for a nonchalant smile of welcome, but he knew his eyes were glittering, that his smile was more wolfish than not. He couldn’t help that; he hadn’t felt this sexually alert in a long time. “Hi.”
She glanced up, saw it was him, and pinched off her automatic smile in an effort to keep her expression impassive. “A Coke, please. Plenty of ice.”
The interior lights this time of night were dim to accommodate all the drinkers. Ben couldn’t see the color of her eyes, but the shape was exotic, tilting up on the outsides, heavily fringed with dark lashes. Ben studied her face and attempted to determine what it was about her that lured him.
Her mouth looked sinful, and very soft.
Her freckles looked playful, a bit impish.
Her body . . . Well, it was hard to tell in her sloppy clothes, but he sure as hell intended to find out.
Even with his obvious perusal, she looked away, reached for the menu, and effectively dismissed him.
Ben’s interest escalated. Oh yeah, she was good at this, at playing the game. So, she wouldn’t make it easy for him? Good. He nearly rubbed his hands together in anticipation of the coming night.
Feeling challenged and loving it, he straightened away from the table. “I’ll be right back with your drink.”
She didn’t reply.
Taking her at her word, Ben filled a glass with crushed ice and then poured in the soda. She had her head propped up on a fist, her exotic eyes closed tiredly when Ben returned.
Her nails weren’t painted. They weren’t even clean. Wherever she’d worked today, it had been a dirty job, and the stains on her fingers proved it. But that didn’t bother Ben. He was too pleased to make note of the lack of a ring. Not married, not engaged.
Perfect.
He set the drink down and waited.
Very slowly, her eyes opened. She had a sexy, full mouth, which stretched wide in a yawn before she mumbled through her hand, “Thank you.”
Her voice was smoky and deep, her expression orgasmic. Or maybe exhausted. Hard to tell when he was so aroused.
Rather than take a drink, she lifted the icy glass to her forehead and sighed at the cool touch. “It’s so hot outside tonight.”
It was hotter than hell inside, too.
A drip of condensation rolled down the frosty glass, fell onto her upper chest, and trickled down between her breasts. Ben held his breath.
Damn, everything about her seemed devised to push his buttons. Only he couldn’t ever recall a bedraggled, sweaty woman in work clothes turning him on before now.
In an effort to diminish the lust and further his association, Ben cleared his throat. “You work next door?”
A proud, friendly smile lit up her eyes. “Yeah. I’m the new owner. We’ve spent the past couple of weeks getting the place into shape. But today we finally started business.”
She owned the business. She’d be close by.
Damn. Any woman who would constantly be so close could be trouble. Starting something that would be difficult to end due to proximity would be plain foolish. He had to be cautious, to consider all the possible problems . . .
Using two fingers, she fished an ice cube out of the glass and sucked on it.
Ben drew in his breath. To hell with caution.
He held out a hand, anxious to touch her even in a platonic way. “Welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Ben Badwin, and I own this motel.”
She looked at his extended hand. “Is that right? Wow, great place.” She swiped her fingers across the top of her thigh, on the coveralls to dry them, then took his hand and pumped twice in a mannish way. “Sierra Murphy. It’s nice to meet you, Ben.”
Sierra—an unusual name for an unusual woman. Her hand was small, slim, warm. And callused. She looked far too young to own a business, and far too appealing to be working in the dirt. Reluctantly, Ben released her. “You’re out late.”