Chapter Three
The day started out pretty darned good when she was downtown picking up ingredients for the banana bread.
Distracted as she shopped for baking supplies, Maggie was walking down Main Street when she literally bumped into Shane.
“Sheriff Chase, you seem to make a habit of knocking into me.” Her flirtatious laugh died in her throat as she looked up his body and into his face. Try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the tightening in her stomach at the sight of his khaki-colored uniform stretched tight across his muscles.
“You’re a menace, Miz Wright.” He laughed back. “Tell you what? To make up for crashing into me, yet again, why don’t you buy me a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll?”
Unreality slid into her. Did the man just ask her for coffee? Still, she managed to hang on to her flirty tone. “All right, if it’s that or go to jail, I suppose I’d better bribe you.”
They walked the two blocks to the Honey Bear Bakery. “Why don’t you grab a table and I’ll get the drinks and cinnamon rolls?” Maggie waved at an open corner table.
Shane blushed. “Oh no! I was just kidding. I’ll buy.”
“Nope, not this time. It’s my treat. Now go on, get a table, I’ll be over in a sec.” Maggie made shoo motions with her hands.
He hesitated for a moment and she could see him wrestling with how he could wrangle his way into paying but he soon gave up and sighed. “Fine. I’ll get us a table.”
At least being alone at the counter and getting the giant rolls and steaming cups of coffee to the table without spilling gave her the chance to concentrate on something other than the fit of his uniform and why in the world he’d be interested in her to begin with. But eventually, she arrived at their table and had to unload the tray and sit down.
“You know, when I went away to school, my dad would mail me these cinnamon rolls at my birthday and holidays.” The pleasant memory of her father cut into the happiness she’d been feeling.
“That was nice. Sounds like something my mom would do.”
“Your mother would bring them herself.” She laughed, thinking about Polly Chase and that mile-long car of hers.
He chuckled. “You know her pretty well then.”
“I happen to think your mother is an amazing woman. So old-world in many ways but she always surprises me with how modern she is. I have to laugh every time I hear the click clack of those heels coming down the hall when the Historical Society meets. Everyone stops messing around and waits patiently and quietly until she comes in. Every time she does the same thing—slams that massive purse of hers down on the table, gives her hair a primp and flops into the chair.”
“According to my father, she started out with a tiny purse back before she had me and it’s gotten bigger over the years. We all thought that when all of us moved out and it was just her and Dad again, it would get smaller.” He shook his head. “But I swear she needs the car just to cart the purse around.”
Maggie burst out laughing. “She came to my house you know—to apologize for you.”
“She’s the ultimate meddler but her heart is in the right place.”
“Hey, don’t complain, you could have Cecelia Wright as your mother.” She winced as it came out, more bitter than she expected. “Oh God, never mind, that just sounded awful.”
“How about this? Why don’t you let me take you to dinner tonight and you can tell me the whole story?”
Her eyebrow went up and a smile played at the corner of her mouth. If she’d been watching herself from a distance she wouldn’t even have suspected her stomach had just run riot with butterflies and she had a mental picture of herself doing the somersault of joy.
“Hmm, well, I’d love to do dinner but I’ll skip the whole my-mother-doesn’t-understand-me story.”
“How about a movie afterward?”
“Okay.” Okay? Yeah, soooo casual. She snickered mentally.
“I’ll pick you up at say, seven? Do you like Italian? We could go to Vincent’s and then, um, I’ve seen the action flick at the Orpheum but there’s a double feature at the drive-in, would that be all right?”
“Are you trying to get me to make out with you at the drive-in, Shane Chase?” Apparently, aliens had taken over her body. Flirty aliens with nerves of steel. She hoped they’d stay until he left or she’d die on the spot.
He turned pink and laughed. “You’ve caught me!” He gave her a grin, white teeth making him look a bit wolfish. “But of course you know I’m a total gentleman now that I took that civility class you recommended.”
She threw back her head and laughed at that. “Okay. I live on the corner of Fourth and Magnolia.” She stood up. “I need to finish my errands. It was nice sharing a cup of coffee and this nine-thousand-calorie cinnamon roll with you. I’ll see you tonight.” He walked with her to the sidewalk and they each headed opposite ways. She hoped the smile he had on was half as big as hers.
Still, she continued to grin like a fool back at home and mixing the bread. She was pretty impressed with the way she’d held it together and stopped herself from jumping up and down squealing with delight.
Her good mood held on until she noticed that she had some messages. Playing them back, a sick feeling replaced her happiness. There were six from Alex. And he’d already called twice before she left the house to start with. Each message she listened to got more intense. The way his voice had started off calm and friendly but turned into something like a sharp snarl on the last message sent a cold chill down her spine. Especially the part where he ordered her to call him immediately and chided her for being gone without letting him know her whereabouts.
It had to end. She’d decided that the night before but she wanted to do it face-to-face. Freaked as she was, she didn’t want to stop seeing him via voice mail, that seemed cruel. Picking up the phone with trembling hands, Maggie called him back but ended up leaving a message that she wanted to talk to him.
She ran the loaves of bread over to the retirement home. She sucked it up and stopped by her parents’ house and Janie’s as well. Best to just get that out of the way. As it happened, she had enough of an emotional high from her afternoon and upcoming date that the visits weren’t too bad and she escaped as quickly as she could.
Back at home, she called Liv and begged for her help to get ready for her big date.
Liv showed up breathless and eager less than five minutes later. “I can’t believe you didn’t call me immediately! Let’s go and get you an outfit while you tell me every last detail.”
Liv pushed Maggie upstairs and made all the right noises as Maggie told her about the afternoon coffee with Shane as she got dressed.
With her usually curly hair blown out straight and captured in a headband, the pleated skirt and sweater made Maggie feel vibrant and sexy too.
“Very collegiate and sassy. Damn I’m good.” Liv looked her work over with a critical eye.
“I know, without this I wouldn’t be going out with a man like Shane Chase at all.”
“Maggie, you need to stop this. You’re still you. I told you before, it’s not like I turned you into something you weren’t. So I added a bit of sparkle. Shane Chase has been mooning after you since that night at The Pumphouse. A night you were covered in chili cheese fries and had your hair in a bun.”
Ducking her head, Maggie hid her blush. She knew it was true but it was hard to overcome what she’d been told all her life. But she was too old to let her mother still make her feel inadequate. Taking a deep breath she stood up straight and held her head up. “You’re right. Thank you. He’s going to be here any minute. I’d better go downstairs. You going out with Shaun tonight?”
“No, I’m going out with Tom Maddox, he’s picking me up in an hour. I should get home now. Speaking of Shaun, what’s up with Alex? What crawled up his ass last night?”
“Oh my God! I forgot that I hadn’t told you about this yet.” Maggie related the whole story of how Alex had acted the evening before as they went downstairs.
“Major red flags are waving with this guy, Liv. He’s seriously creeping me out. He called me eight times today! This guy is seriously not right.”
“No shit. Why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have even let him bring you home last night. You could have slept at my place.”
“I know. It just kept getting worse and worse and it wasn’t until I was sitting here in the dark, wondering if all my locks were working that I realized how truly freaked out I was. Anyway, the little voice said get away and so I am.”
“Well, that’s a good idea, Maggie.” Liv frowned. “Never ignore the little voice. Be extra careful around him, okay? You call 911 and then me if he comes around. You know you can come over any time if you’re feeling scared, too. You have a key for a reason.” Liv kissed Maggie’s cheek. “But for now, have a good time and I’ll see you at brunch tomorrow. I expect a full report!”
Grinning as she watched Liv jog down the block that separated their two houses, Maggie saw Shane’s truck pull onto her street. She ducked back into the house to check her hair and lipstick and grab her coat.
She opened the door as he walked up onto the porch and she wasn’t quite sure where her breath went. He seemed to steal all the oxygen from the area where he stood.
While she tried not to gawk, he looked her up and down and smiled. “Wow. You look beautiful.” He reached out to touch her hair. “I like the curls but this is nice, too. You can see all of the different colors of red better this way.”
She blushed. “You’re really good at that. Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself, Sheriff.” Dark denim jeans hugged his long muscled legs. A black-and-gray sweater brought out the blue in his eyes and contrasted the color of his hair. Man, he looked so good she wanted to grab him and jump on him.
One corner of his mouth rose. “Thank you, Maggie. Shall we then?” He indicated his truck with a tip of his head and she nodded. He helped her into his ridiculously large truck and they drove to Vincent’s. They shared small talk on the way over. Maggie was surprised by how easy he was to talk to.
Heads turned as Shane led Maggie to a dark table in the back. But she soon forgot the scrutiny as they ordered. Dinner was good, conversation came easy and they finished and took off to get to the drive-in before the show started.
Shane parked toward the back as his truck was so high and big it would have blocked the view. He pushed the bench seat all the way back and moved away from the steering wheel and into the center. Bringing him very close to her.
“I brought a blanket. It’s been getting so cold in the last few days. I would have brought beer but you know, being the sheriff means I can’t do illegal things, even when they’d be fun. I did bring snacks, though.” Reaching behind the seat into the rear cab, he pulled out a sack of chocolate, Red Vines and some bottled water.
“You think of everything, Shane Chase.” Maggie moved in a bit closer. It was very nice to be there beside him.
The double feature, two action movies with Bruce Willis, was entertaining. It didn’t matter that the audio wasn’t that good if you could see things blowing up. It was easy enough to follow the plot. By the middle of the second movie Maggie had snuggled up against Shane’s body. Her feet curled under her, his arm around her shoulders, she felt utterly lazy and warm—and very turned on by the way he felt against her. It had been a year since she’d slept with anyone. She’d dated but none of them were people she’d wanted to sleep with. Shane Chase brought a level of physical desire into her life that she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt before.
“Shane?”
“Hmm?”
“I do believe you promised something regarding making out?”
He looked down at her, surprise on his face. She blushed as the surprise heated into something more. “Never mind. I can’t believe I said that out loud. It’s the sugar. I need to stop eating sugar, that’s all there is to it.”
“No way. You said it,” he murmured, moving his head down to her, “and I aim to hold you to it.” A gentle hand at her chin tipped her face to his just as his lips reached hers. Electricity sparked between them, firing her nerve endings to life.
He tasted so good she had to have more. Coming up to her knees, she moved to get better access to his lips. His growl of approval vibrated down her spine and he pulled her to him tightly.
The kiss deepened as his tongue swept out, tracing the curve of her bottom lip before taking it between his teeth and nipping it. She sighed into his mouth as desire roared through her. She didn’t recognize the sound of need that came from deep inside her but he matched it when she sucked on his tongue.
Those big hands caressed her back, leaving tingling, heated flesh in their wake. She wanted them on her thighs, sliding higher, wanted them palming the nipples that throbbed to be touched.
When one of his hands slid up into her hair and fisted, violent shivers racked her. So much need, she felt like she was drowning in it.
He’d been moving his hands down her back to her ass when his phone rang. Stiffening, he pulled back from her lips ever so reluctantly. “I’m sorry, that’s my work phone. I have to get it.”
Too desire-stunned to speak, she nodded her understanding.
“Chase,” he grunted as he answered.
She watched as he went into work mode and the gentle, sexy face turned serious. Straightening her clothes, she sat back down on the seat and reached to turn off the audio so he could hear better.
“Hang on, let me get something to write on.” He grabbed a pad and pen from his overhead visor. “Go,” he ordered and began to scribble information down on the pad. “Yeah, I’ll do it.” Sighing, he snapped the phone shut.
“I’m sorry, Maggie, but I have to go on a call. I’ll drop you home on the way.” Apology was clear on his face as he moved the seat back into place and slid back behind the wheel.
“Don’t be sorry. It’s your job.” She admired her ability to not sound disappointed. She certainly didn’t want the man to feel guilty about being a cop. “I had a really good time tonight. Thanks for dinner and the movies.”
“How about the making out?” He gave her that wolfishly wicked grin—the one that sent a ball of heat straight to her gut—and she laughed.
Before too long they’d navigated out of the parking lot and were on their way back toward her house.
“That too.” She tried not to grin so wide her face would split open. He made her feel giddy.
“So, did I pass?”
“Pass what?”
“Muster. As in, am I second-date material?”
“Ask me and find out.”
“Maggie, can I take you out again? Like say, for ice cream on Tuesday night?”
“Ice cream, huh? It seems you’ve found out my secret. Throw something sweet at me and I’m putty.”
He pulled up in her driveway and started to get out but she patted his arm. “No, go on your call, I can walk to the door.”
He rolled his eyes at her before getting out and walking around the car to help her down. “It’s not so urgent that I’d just throw you at your door.” At her door he kissed her quickly. “I’ll see you Tuesday then? I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Okay, be safe,” she called out and waved at him as he drove away.
* * *
Maggie walked into the restaurant where she met Dee and Liv for brunch every Sunday and her smile was apparent from across the room.
“So?” Liv asked before Maggie had even finished sitting down.
Maggie looked at both her friends. “So, it was great. We had a lovely dinner and then we went to the drive-in. We watched most of both movies, had a major, major kiss but then he got a work call and had to go. He did ask me out again. We’re having ice cream on Tuesday.”
“Oh my God! Of course you said yes.” Dee grinned back at Maggie.
“Of course she did!” Liv waved her hand as if it were a done deal. “So, is he a good kisser or what? Details, Maggie, we want details.”
“Duh! I tell you I’ve been dreaming about kissing Shane Chase since I was in the fifth grade and he was in the seventh. It was better than any of the times I kissed my pillow, I can tell you that.”
“Dreamy. It’s so romantic, Maggie. You’ve got the man you’ve always wanted.” Dee sighed.
“I don’t have him. I’m dating him. Big difference, especially to a man like Shane Chase. I need to remember that superhot lust is not the same as love.” Maggie shrugged. She had a tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve and she knew Shane Chase had warning signs all over his very delicious body.
Liv nodded. “I’m glad you said it. It’s good to remember that, Maggie. Sam was a dolt but Shane is big-league because he’s a player. Not in a bad way, he’s not a mimbo, but he’s not a one-woman man either. And he’s one of those men who’s sort of overwhelming with all that testosterone rolling off him. It’s really hot, but heck, it would fry my circuits, too!”
“I know. And I feel like a total hoochie for saying this, but I want to have sex with him. I don’t think I’ve been this horny. Ever.”
“You’re the farthest thing from a hoochie that I can think of. Jeez, woman, you haven’t had sex in a year! And this big old hard-bodied studmuffin strolls into your life. What woman wouldn’t want to have sex with Shane Chase?”
“Hey, if I didn’t have Arthur, I’d totally agree. But I do agree with the assessment that Shane is a nice boy to play with but he’s not the kind to set up housekeeping. You’re old enough to eat dessert first every once in a while, Maggie.” Dee laughed and turned to Liv. “And how was your date with Tom?”
“It was all right. I’d give the date a six and a half out of ten. Speaking of Chase brothers, I bumped into Matt this morning. He’s gotten even better looking since high school.”
“Yes indeed. He’s grown into his looks.” Dee waggled her eyebrows.
“Certainly doesn’t hurt that he works with his body a lot as a firefighter.”
“I’ve contemplated setting my back deck on fire to get him over to my place,” Liv said around a mouthful of waffle.
They all laughed at the idea of Liv in her backyard with lighter fluid and a negligee on, waiting for Matt Chase to arrive.
“Why don’t you just ask him out?”
“Nah, he’s the kind of guy that needs to be in the lead.”
“Hmm, well, I’ll have to think of something to bring the two of you together,” Maggie said thoughtfully.
“Don’t you dare mention this to Shane!” Liv actually colored at the idea.
“Why not? Oh my God, did you just blush?”
“Because! Jeez, I’m not desperate, Maggie! I can trap a man without having you tell Matt’s brother that I like him. That’s so eighth grade.”
“I guess a Halloween party at my house and a game of spin the bottle is out then?”
They all laughed at the memory of the Halloween party that Dee had at her house when they were in the ninth grade. “That was my first official French kiss. Andrew Johnson, in Dee’s mom’s broom closet. Good times,” Liv said dreamily.
“Yeah well look what you did to him, Liv, he’s gay.” Maggie laughed. “Clearly you were too much woman for him and it spoiled him forever for the rest of us.
“Seriously, Liv, I’m on it. I’m going to think of something because let me attest that a taste of Chase is worth the work.” Maggie waggled her brows suggestively and the laughter started anew.
Across the room, Matt and Kyle Chase ate their brunch while they watched the women laughing at their table. “What do you suppose all of that is about?” Kyle couldn’t stop himself from looking at Maggie Wright. Damn, he liked the way she looked when she laughed. But his brother liked her first and so he backed off. There were rules about this sort of thing.
“Looks like trouble but the kind of trouble a man enjoys in the end.” Matt sipped his coffee.
“So what did Shane say about their date last night?”
“I haven’t seen him yet. Maggie looks pretty glowing though.”
Maggie looked over and saw them. Smiling, she waved. The other two looked around and waved hello as well before huddling together, the laughter starting again.
“Hmm.” Kyle grinned. “I do believe we’re the object of some female giggling, Matt. I think I like it.”
“Hell, Kyle, I know I like it.”
When the women left they waved again. Kyle enjoyed the view through the big front windows as the three women walked together down the street.
* * *
Alex melted back into the doorway of the hardware store so he wouldn’t be seen. Someone had to watch over her.
He’d wanted to get Maggie alone but she was always with her damned friends. Or with that jerk Shane Chase. Oh he’d seen the man pick up his fiancée the night before. Saw the kiss when Maggie returned. But she did not let Shane in. His Maggie was still saving herself just for him. And Shane Chase was just a momentary distraction. Alex would make sure of that.
* * *
Olivia and Maggie decided to grab a bite at The Pumphouse before Maggie’s ice cream date with Shane.
Arriving a bit early, Maggie saw Matt Chase across the street with Johnny Prentice. She gave a friendly wave hello and they returned the greeting with a few shouted hellos.
Still smiling as she turned back toward the door, she bumped into Alex. Fear slithered through her as she realized she hadn’t even seen his approach.
Shit. She really hadn’t wanted to deal with him that night. She’d tried to call him to arrange to see him face-to-face to break things off. But he hadn’t returned any of her calls. It wasn’t like she was avoiding the issue but she certainly didn’t want to have the discussion in public in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Hi, Alex.” She gave him a wary smile, not at all liking the look on his face.
He grabbed her arm in a grip so tight she winced. “Hi, Alex? Is that all you’ve got to say?”
“What the heck are you talking about?” Her voice rose as she struggled to get free.
“The way you can’t help but talk to every man you see. I told you, you’re with me. You don’t need to talk to any other man. Are you trying to make me jealous, Maggie? You don’t need to play games. All it’s doing is really pissing me off. I don’t like my woman to act that way.”
Still keeping a tight grip on her arm, he steered her into The Pumphouse. That grip was the only thing that prevented him from getting slapped as she tried to get free and keep her balance.
“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t need to talk to other men?” she demanded through clenched teeth. “Let me go this instant!”
“You heard me, Maggie. You’re my girl, I don’t want you all over other men like a slut.” He hissed and his grip on her arm tightened and caused her to gasp in pain.
Hearing the words, she stilled for a moment. Fury replaced the fear. “You did not just call me a slut!” Her eyes narrowed at him. “And I said—Let. Me. Go. Now or I’m going to kick you in the junk!”
By that point, the conversations around them had gotten quiet and for the second time in a few weeks, she was the subject of attention at The Pumphouse.
Noting that they were being watched, he let go and she took the opportunity to move away from him. But he stepped closer, filling the space between them. “You don’t need to be hanging all over other men.”
“I waved at them. I didn’t flash my boobs at them or blow a kiss. I waved hello. But even if I had, you don’t get to decide what I need to be doing, Alex.”
He grabbed her arm again and moved her toward her usual table. “You’re making a scene. Sit down.” He shoved her into the booth.
Her eyes widened at that. “In the first place, you will not touch me ever again or you’ll draw back a stump. In the second place, you need to get a hold of yourself right now, Alex. No one talks to me this way. You don’t own me. Hell, we’ve only gone on three dates.”
“You don’t tell me to get a hold of myself when you’re the one acting like a whore!” he said in a stage whisper.
“What?” Grasping the water glass on the table, she dashed it in his face, taking his moment of surprise to push him back and scoot out of the booth. “I know you didn’t just call me a whore! How dare you!” She pushed up into his face, seemingly undaunted by the fact that he was several inches taller than she was.
Liv and Dee came rushing in with the Chase boys right behind them. For a moment, they all stood and looked in the direction of the fracas. Kyle’s face turned so red it was purple. He and his brothers together with Arthur stalked over.
“How dare I? You’re a tease, Maggie Wright. You come on to every man you meet and now you don’t like it when you get called what you really are.” The viciousness in his voice made her skin crawl. He was like a completely different person. Reaching out, he grabbed her arm and yanked her to sit back down.
Shane stalked forward and grabbed Alex’s wrist, squeezing tightly until he blanched and let go of Maggie. “You need to let the lady go now, Alex,” he said in a voice that was low and threatening.
“Are you all right, Maggie?” Kyle had moved around Shane so he could kneel in front of her. Slowly, he reached out and took her hand.
“That asshole called me a whore!” Maggie fumed but she knew her trembling was so bad that anyone looking could see it.
“I think you need to leave the premises, Alex, before I have to arrest you for assault.” Shane moved so that he stood between Alex and Maggie.
“Oh, so you can fuck her then? This is all about you getting into her bed isn’t it?” Alex’s voice broke, he screamed it so loud. Incensed, Maggie jumped up to get in his face but Kyle grabbed her, his arms around her waist, murmuring into her ear.
“You bastard! Don’t you ever call me or contact me again.”
Shane dragged Alex to the door and tossed him bodily outside. “You’re lucky I’m here as the sheriff today, Alex. If I was just here as Shane Chase you’d be spitting out teeth right now. Now you leave her alone just as she’s asked or you’ll be asking for a world of hurt.” Shane glowered at Alex and turned back into The Pumphouse.
Olivia and Dee spoke softly to Maggie, trying to calm her down. Shane approached and put a hand on her shoulder. “Maggie, are you all right?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Kyle looked at the staring crowd. “Okay, folks, I’m sure we don’t want to upset Maggie any more so let’s just get back to our beers and burgers.”
“Thank God you came in when you did. What made you come in?” Maggie asked them gratefully.
“Matt saw you bump into Alex. He thought it looked like Alex had grabbed you. I was walking up the street with Kyle, Matt called out to us and we all came over. I’m sorry I didn’t stop him sooner. What happened, Maggie?”
“I don’t even know really. I was walking in here and saw Matt and John across the way and I waved. I turned around and bumped into Alex. I said hello and for whatever reason, it set him off. He started freaking out about me waving at Matt and John. He said I was acting like a slut, that I was his girl.” She rubbed her arm where he’d grabbed it. “Then he grabbed me, twice, and shoved me into the booth and called me a whore. That creep called me, Margaret Elizabeth Wright, a whore! I should kick his sorry ass for that.” On the outside she was livid but she burned with humiliation.
Kyle’s face darkened. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “I might have a bruise on my arm but other than that I’m just pissed off.”
“Would you like to press charges, Maggie? It’s assault you know.” Shane knelt on his haunches in front of her.
“No, I don’t ever want to deal with him again.” Her bottom lip was trembling.
“Come on, let’s get you home. I have some time left on my shift.” He looked to Kyle. “Can you run her home? Just go through her place?”
“It’s not a problem. Really, don’t go out of your way.” Maggie chewed on her lip.
Kyle smiled gently at her. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not out of my way at all. And it’s certainly not a chore to ferry a beautiful woman around town.” He reached out to her to give her a hand that she took gratefully.
Liv and Dee hugged her and told her they’d call her the next day. “Do you want to stay with me?” Liv asked.
“No, Liv, I’ll see you tomorrow, I just want to go home and take a bath and go to sleep.”
With a gentle guiding hand, Kyle nodded to everyone and took her out to his car.
On the way to her house he stayed quiet, letting her pull herself together. She appreciated that space. She wasn’t ready to talk about it any further at that point.
When he pulled into her driveway he got out and came around to help her get out. “I’m going to come in, Maggie. Just to do a quick check. I don’t think there’s a problem but let’s just be safe. All right?” He took the key from her and unlocked the door.
“You think he might be here?” Nausea rolled over her at the idea. She’d always felt safe living alone, now she didn’t.
“No, darlin’, I just want to be safe.” His voice was soothing as he reached in to turn on the light before walking into the foyer. “I’m just going to look around. I want you to stay here while I do. I’ll be right back.”
Leaving her there, trying to set aside how scared she looked, he walked through each room of the house. He checked window seals and locks, closets, doors and under beds. No one else was there or had tried to get in and he was pleased to note that her locks and other security were in good shape.
“It’s all right,” he called out, coming down the stairs. The scent of her bedroom was burned into his memory. Rain and vanilla. And the sight of her panties, folded in silky piles on her dresser, had made him clutch his chest. The knowledge that the woman wore silky, lacy thong underwear in every color of the rainbow haunted him.
The woman was involved with his brother. His brother who hadn’t bothered to call yet to check in.
“I know it sounds weird but I’m suddenly hungry. Care to see what I’ve got in my fridge? I know I need some food to go with that scotch I’m going to drink.”
He didn’t want to leave. “Sure. Sounds good.” Following her into the large kitchen, he sat at her comfortable, worn table.
On her tiptoes, she reached up into a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of scotch. “Why don’t you do the honors?” She put the bottle on the counter. “I’m going to see what we’ve got to choose from.” Turning quickly, she opened the fridge and began to examine the contents.
In companionable silence, Kyle poured them both two fingers of scotch, breathing in the smoky scent. He handed her a glass that she quickly drained and held the glass out to be refilled. With one eyebrow raised, he poured more but she merely took a sip and put the glass down and continued to work.
He went back to his place at the table and watched her as she moved through her kitchen. She pulled out vegetables, rice, some chicken and started preparing things. “How does chicken and rice sound?” She poked her head around the refrigerator door to ask.
“It sounds really good. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather get takeout? Or be alone? I don’t want to impose.”
She grinned at him. “Hey, it’s no problem now that the scotch has kicked in. I’d love to cook for you as a thank-you for coming home with me.”
He laughed. “Okay then, lay it on me. Can I help?”
“Nah, I’ve got it down to a science.”
And so he watched her as she moved with efficiency around her kitchen, chopping and sautéing. They made small talk but he let her lead, not pushing her to fill in every moment of the silence. He could tell she was still processing the events from earlier.
With a start, he realized he wanted to know her more. Wanted to spend time with her. And God, did he ever want to kiss her. He’d known he had an attraction to her but this was more.
Kyle knew in his gut that Shane would fuck up. He was of two minds about it. The mercenary side of him wanted Shane out of the way so he could take her out. Freely express to her just how much he enjoyed her company. But he also knew a woman as sweet as Maggie would be hurt when the inevitable happened and he hated the thought.
So he put his feelings away and decided that fate would out in the end. He had to step back. He didn’t like it, but brothers had rules and he would not betray that.
After dinner he walked to her front door. “Are you going to be all right? He’s wrong, you know,” Kyle said quietly, touching her chin.
A lump formed in Maggie’s throat, words couldn’t get past it.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re a good person, Maggie. A kind, beautiful woman. Alex is twisted, broken. This is about him, not you.”
Swallowing her tears she nodded. “Thank you. Thank you so much for saying it. I’ll be fine. My doors will be locked up tight and I have no problem calling 911 if I have to.”
He smiled and leaned in, kissing her forehead. “If you need anything, you can call me. I’ll talk you through or come over, whatever.”
“That’s very sweet. I appreciate it.”
“Good night, Maggie Wright.”
“Good night, Kyle Chase.”
* * *
Maggie cleaned up the kitchen, grateful to have something to do. Leaving a few lights on downstairs, she trudged toward her bathroom and took a long hot shower. With a butcher knife, her cell phone and a baseball bat all within reach.
It might have been an overreaction but she was alone and you got to overreact when some creep attacked you.
Clean and warm, she crawled between her sheets and left her bedside lamp burning. But as she lay there, it wasn’t Alex she thought of, or Shane, it was Kyle.
He’d been so gentle with her, so kind and funny and considerate. On top of being marvelously handsome, he was such a beautiful person on the inside. She really liked his company.
For long moments, there with her eyes closed, she imagined that his attentions that evening had been more than a man helping out a woman in distress. He’d seemed attracted to her but that couldn’t be right. It was absurd enough that Shane was attracted to her, there was simply no way that two Chases were interested in her. And anyway, she was dating Shane, she should be thinking about that.
Yeah.
* * *
Maggie had to admit that she was slightly bothered by the fact that Shane hadn’t really checked in with her after the incident at The Pumphouse. Not that night when he was supposed to have taken her out and only one brief phone call in the week after. It was an effort but she reminded herself that they were just casual and that she’d be a brokenhearted fool to get attached. That way lay pain and anguish.
So she’d told herself until Friday night. She and her friends sat at their normal Friday night table, drinking beers and talking when she saw Shane walk in the front door. Her heart skipped a beat and she smiled at him. A smile that quickly faded when she saw he was with Kendra Fosse. Tall, blonde, regal Kendra. Maggie turned back to the table quickly.
“What?” Liv looked toward the door. A frown marred her face when she sighted Shane and Kendra. “Maggie, I’m sorry, hon. Don’t worry about it. I was thinking that we should go and kick up our heels at the Honky Tonk tonight. What do you say?”
Dee nodded, standing up and throwing some money on the table. “Sounds good, I haven’t danced in forever. Let’s go!” She tugged on Maggie’s arm and got a smile and an eye roll. Still, she thought it best to leave and allowed them to pull her out the front door.
In the back room, Kyle saw Shane’s entrance with Kendra and Maggie’s reaction and subsequent retreat. “You are some piece of work, Shane,” he murmured as Kendra walked past them to hit the ladies’ room, probably to apply more hair spray.
“What?”
“What? Jeez, you said you were going out with Maggie, right?”
“Yeah? So? It’s not like we’re serious. I like her and all but I’m not planning to marry the girl.” Shane’s voice was gruff. Kyle knew it was just to hide how freaked his brother was about being hurt again like he’d been with Sandra. But at the same time, it was bullshit that his brother protected his heart by being an asshole.
“I never made promises, Kyle. Stop making me out to be the bad guy here. I honestly didn’t remember about her being in here on Fridays until I was already through the door. I’m not trying to hurt her.”
“Oh, okay. I was under the impression you had a thing for Maggie. My bad. I didn’t know she was just the next in a long line of women you toy with and move past because, God forbid, you actually allow yourself feelings about any of them.” Scowling, Kyle took his shot.
Matt snorted in disgust at his oldest brother. “I think I’m going to go. I’m meeting the guys over at the Honky Tonk.” He finished his soda and stalked out.
“Wait, I’ll come too. Friday night’s a good night at the Tonk. Lots of lovely ladies to dance with.” Marc followed with a laugh, pointedly ignoring his oldest brother.
Kendra came back and draped herself over Shane’s arm, looking bored. “Are you going to play pool?” she asked, a tiny bit of a whine in her voice.
“Yeah, you want to play?”
She looked horrified at the very idea. “No, why would I want to do that? The sticks are used by everyone. Eww.”
“They’re called cues,” Kyle said under his breath and shot yet another ball into the pocket. He couldn’t help but think that Maggie would have jumped at the chance to play with them. He imagined those big whiskey eyes glittering with delight after she’d sunk a ball.
Kyle cleared the table of the solids and put the cue back into the slot on the rack. “I think I’m for the Tonk, too. Nice seeing you, Kendra. Shane.”
“You want to hit the Honky Tonk, too?” Shane asked her.
“Sure,” she said, looking bored still. “At least they have a better quality of mixed drinks there.”
* * *
Maggie was glad she’d let them drag her to the Tonk. Instead of moping about Shane and gorgeous Kendra, she was kicking her heels up and dancing the night away. The Dixie Chicks were coming over the sound system and she had Ryan Jackson’s fine body guiding her along the floor effortlessly. Okay, so he was as married as the day is long and his wife put him up to dancing with Maggie so she could rest her feet but he made her laugh and she was having fun.
“Maggie, do you want a drink, sugar?” Ryan asked, having to yell in her ear.
“That sounds good, my legs are tired!” She laughed as he spun her off the floor and back toward their table and his wife who had her shoes off and her feet up.
It took a few seconds to register that Matt and Marc were there with Darla as well. “Oh hi.”
“Hey, Maggie. You sure were tearing it up out there.” Matt said it with an easy smile and she relaxed a bit.
“Nah, it was all Ryan. Darla let me borrow him a bit.”
Drinks had arrived and they’d all fallen into an easy back and forth, talking and laughing, when Kyle, Shane and Kendra came in. Marc waved at them and they started toward the table.
“Uh, I should go and find Liv and Dee.” She moved to stand but Matt put his hand on her elbow to stay her.
“They’re both out there dancing.” He nodded with his head and waved at the other women who saw and waved back.
“Oh.”
“Stay awhile and visit, Maggie. Chuck’s not showing any sign of letting Liv get away anyway.” Darla laughed, not knowing why Maggie wanted to run and hide.
Kyle came and sat down next to her, giving her a warm hello. “Hey there, shug. You owe me a dance tonight.” He stood up again. “In fact, why don’t we hit it now?” He bowed slightly and extended a hand and after a brief hesitation she took it, never once looking at Shane.
“All right then. But remember excessively tall men have much longer legs than small women. Which means you’ll be dragging me all over the place if you go too fast.”
“Do I look like I don’t know how to take it slow with the right woman?” he said with cheeky innuendo in his voice and she rolled her eyes.
“One of these days I need to meet your father to see if he’s as full of it as you four are.”
Kyle laughed as he led her down the steps and onto the floor. He twirled her once and into a slow two-step as the tempo of the Martina McBride song came on and slowed the dancers down.
“You all right?” he asked her when they were away from the table.
“What do you mean?” He was so close to her it was hard to concentrate.
“Shane isn’t a bad guy you know. He just got screwed over pretty severely a year and a half ago by his fiancée. Turns out she was sleeping with his best friend. Ran off with him a week before the wedding. Ever since, he’s guarded his feelings with women—never goes out with them for longer than a few weeks.”
“I really don’t care. I have no say in what Shane does. I just went out with him officially once and chatted with him a few times. I’m just dating him casually, I know that. It’s not like I have a vested interest in him or anything.” Even she didn’t believe it as she said it.
She liked Shane Chase, thought she might have been the one to settle him down. But okay, she knew it now. Knew it truly was just a casual dating relationship and she could do that. She was an adult woman after all. Liv did it all the time. There was no reason why she couldn’t enjoy herself with people and date around casually.
Kyle smiled. God, she was so genuine and in way over her head. “Ah, Maggie, you’re too sweet for this game. You’re a wonderful woman but don’t count on him coming around to that. He’s not ready to let himself really care about anyone just yet. I’d hate to see you get hurt. I just want you to know this up front, to protect yourself.”
“I appreciate the advice, Kyle.” She ruthlessly tamped down the sinking feeling that he was right. At the same time, Kyle’s arms around her made her feel warm and relaxed. The flesh just under his hand at her back tingled a bit. Maybe Alex was right, maybe she was a slut.
“If he wasn’t my brother, I’d ask you out myself.” He tried to sound lighthearted but it was the truth.
“Please don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
She stopped and pulled away, turning to escape him and the dance floor. He followed, catching up quickly. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand to stay her but she jerked it away and ran for the back deck. Sighing, he followed, catching up with her in the much quieter, much cooler, night air.
“You want to tell me what the heck you’re talking about? Don’t what?” He hoisted himself up to sit on the wooden railing of the deck so that he could face her.
Throwing one hand up in frustration she sighed. “Don’t pity me and throw a few false compliments my way because you feel sorry for me.”
He was still confused. “I don’t pity you and they aren’t false compliments.”
“Please! My God, you don’t think I have mirrors at my house? I know what I am and I know what I’m not. I’m not Jane Marie, I’m not Kendra. I can’t compete with that. But I sure as hell don’t want some kind of pity thrown at me because Shane has gone back to his regular diet of tall, gorgeous women. It’s okay that I was an aberration. I shouldn’t have expected more, it’s my own damned fault.”
Kyle sat in stunned silence for a few moments. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This woman was so beautiful and so special and yet, she thought a vapid, shallow woman like Kendra, or worse, her own sister, was better than she was.
Grabbing her hand, he brought it to his lips. “Sugar, I can’t believe you think you have to compete with any other woman. I don’t believe you do have mirrors in your house. If you did, you’d see a beautiful woman looking back at you and it’s clear you don’t. Honey, take it from me—a lover of women—you are absolutely, positively gorgeous. I am not throwing pity at you. Honestly, the only thing that’s keeping me from grabbing you and kissing those beautiful lips is the fact that Shane is my brother.”
Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair and over her face. “I can see you need an example. I was a virgin until I was twenty-two. My first year of graduate school. I went out on dates sure, but no one ever showed any passion toward me. Like a lot of grad students I had an advisor. He was so nice, so attentive. He loved to read what I wrote. Praised my work, paid attention to me as a person.” She hesitated and then continued. “No, as a woman. He made me feel sexy and desirable. The first time he made love to me was in a hotel room in Atlanta. We were there at a symposium. He was gentle and sweet and he took his time. We continued to see each other throughout that entire year.
“My family came out to see me, my mom and dad and Jane Marie. It was a pretty big deal. The first and only time they ever visited me, actually. Anyway, I’d invited Charles over to dinner at my apartment to meet them all. He came and was his charming self. My mother and dad went out for a walk and I thought I would too. Janie and Charles said they would stay back and have coffee. It was a lovely early spring day but at the last minute, I decided that I’d skip the walk and go back home. When I let myself back into the apartment, I saw that Jane Marie and Charles were on the couch.”
Her eyes blurred, lost in the memory. “They were having sex. Her perfect pleated skirt up around her waist and his slacks on the floor. I just stood there for a moment, not understanding at all, you know? My mind just wasn’t registering what the hell was happening. Anyway, I stood there until I felt sick and then I quietly and slowly backed out of the room like I was never there.
“I confronted him later about it and he told me that he’d never imagined that a girl like me would have a stunning sister like that and what did I expect? I never said anything to anyone else about it. It was a good lesson for me about things. And you know? I was a fool to ever pretend that any Chase brother would think I was worth more than a few amusing dates and maybe a quick fuck.” She hugged her arms around herself.
“My God, Maggie. What a bitch your sister is! What a calculating bastard your professor was.” He moved toward her but she backed up.
“I have to go. Please don’t say anything, I’ve never told that story to another soul.” She spun on her heel and stalked back inside to the table. Still refusing to look in Shane’s direction, she grabbed her coat and purse, pleaded sick and pretty much dashed out the door.
Kyle started to follow her out but Shane came up behind him, grabbing his arm. “What is going on?”
Shaking Shane off Kyle glared at him. “It’s none of your business, Shane.” But it was too late, as Maggie sped out of the parking lot.
* * *
Shane showed up after school on the next Wednesday. “Hey, Maggie, you have time for dinner?” he asked smiling.
Maggie looked at him, dumbstruck. Fine, if he wanted a casual thing she’d give it a try but there was no way she’d be some last-minute drop-in date. “Hi, Shane. No, I’m sorry, I have plans. Perhaps another time,” she said casually.
“Oh. How about tomorrow night then?”
“Fine. Pick me up at seven.” Keeping a smile on her face, she walked past him to her car.
She didn’t have plans of course so she stopped by the bank and asked Dee to have dinner with her.
“Honey, what do you think you’re doing?” Dee asked as they munched on pizza at Maggie’s house.
“What do you mean?”
Dee made a disapproving sound and frowned. “Margaret Wright, being dishonest is not who you are. Don’t lie to me and don’t lie to yourself. I know you and Liv think I’m some silly virgin but I know enough to see you’re in over your head with Shane Chase.”
“What do you mean!” Maggie challenged. The truth stung.
“Oh, don’t be stupid! Honey, you are more than good enough for him. He’s the one who isn’t good enough for you. You know what I mean. You are not the kind of woman who can do a casual affair. It’s not part of your makeup. I’m not talking down about women who can do it. But I’ve known you your whole life—you’re not one of them. Your heart and head are too connected. You’re only going to end up hurt because Shane Chase cannot give you what you want and deserve. Listen, it’s still early, I can tell you like him but it’s not that deep yet. But this is a dead-end street. Shane Chase is a dead-end man. You cannot save him.”
The eyes she turned to Dee made Dee’s heart ache. “I’m fine, Dee. I can handle it, I promise.”
Dee sighed and squeezed her hand. “You know where to find me when you need me.”
* * *
Shane knocked on her door precisely at seven and looked delicious as usual. He looked up and back down her body, with a slow sexy smile. “You look gorgeous, Maggie.” He bent down and stole a quick kiss. “Ready?”
“Sure.”
They went to The Sands, just a normal small-town diner. She felt so comfortable with him. He was attentive and charming but neither mentioned the incident with Kendra.
“Hey!” She slapped at his hand as he attempted to steal a fry off her plate. “Get your own fries, buster.”
“You won’t share them? Not even with the sheriff?”
“Hell no!” she said, eating the last fry with relish.
He leaned over and placed his mouth over her ear. “Can we go back to your house, Maggie? I’d really like to be alone with you.”
His warm breath on her ear and his confession sent shivers down her spine. “I’d like that.” No sooner had the soft words left her lips than he’d yanked her up, thrown money on the table and they hurried out to his truck.
Once they were inside her house and on the couch he looked down at her with a grin. “I’ve wanted this since you spun around and started getting in my face at The Pumphouse that night. And definitely since I had to leave you on your doorstep after the movies.”
Leaning up, she nuzzled his neck. He smelled good, his skin was warm. His head fell back against the couch. She really liked the moan he made when she nibbled his earlobe and then down to the hollow of his throat.
“But you never noticed me before. Back in high school you dated girls with flashy bodies and perfect clothes.” She looked up at him with a grin.
“I think we established that I was a dumbass. I’m an idiot for not noticing you but your attitude is what turned me on first.” With a low growl, he brought his hands down her back and around to cup her breasts. Her breath caught as his thumbs moved up to flick over her nipples.
Her head tipped back for a moment as she enjoyed his touch. After a bit she moved so that she was looking into his eyes again. Slowly, he leaned her back onto the couch, settling himself into the cradle of her thighs.
His lips found the hollow of her throat and she arched, grinding into him.
“God, I love this,” she sighed.
And he froze.
He sat up quickly and reached for his coat. “I have to go. Thanks.” He rushed toward the front door.
“Wait! You’re leaving?” she asked, incredulous.
“I have to get to work first thing.” She barely understood his words he said them so fast, not meeting her eyes.
She wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear.
“I’ll call you,” he mumbled as he let himself out.
“Don’t bother, asshole!” she yelled out, but heard the door slam as he scurried out like the rat he was.