by Lori Wilde
“That rat,” Delia huffed. “Someone should have taught that boy a lesson.”
Erin looked Delia directly in the eye. “I agree. What Billy did was horrible. That’s why I would never, ever take something that didn’t belong to me. As you can tell, I still to this day remember the Scooby-Doo lunch box incident.”
Delia patted her arm again. “You poor thing.”
Trent cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but, Ms. Weber, do you have any idea who might have left Pookie outside your store?”
Delia spun around and glared at him, her hands on her wide hips. “Trent Barrett, have you no manners?”
Both Trent and Erin looked at each other. He seemed as baffled by Delia’s comment as she was.
Trent explained. “Delia, I’m trying to find out about Pookie. I thought that was what you wanted me to do.”
Delia pointed one finger at him. “You should have sympathized about the lunch box first. Then you can ask about Pookie.”
Trent turned to Erin, his deep-blue eyes sparkling with humor. She could tell he was trying hard not to smile. To his credit, he managed to look sincere when he said, “My deepest apologies,” he said. “I’m so sorry to hear about your loss.”
“Thank you.” Now Erin had to keep from smiling at the mischievous look in Trent’s eyes. The man was a flirt, plain and simple. She could tell from the way he was looking at her that he found her attractive.
“Now that I’ve paid my respects to your lost Scooby-Doo lunch box, do you have any idea how Pookie came to be outside your store?” he asked.
“None at all,” she admitted and glanced at Delia. “I really am sorry this happened to you.”
Delia patted her arm yet again. “I appreciate your concern. And I realize now that you couldn’t possibly have had anything to do with Pookie’s disappearance. Not when you’ve suffered yourself. Trent will have to figure out who really did it.”
Erin was relieved the other woman believed her. Not only would she hate to think someone blamed her for a theft, but it wouldn’t do Precious Pets any good if everyone started thinking badly of her.
“I’m not done asking questions,” Trent said to Delia.
Delia shook her head. “No more questions. She didn’t do it. Enough said. Go on back to your office and arrest someone else. I’m going to visit with Erin for a bit.” She glanced at the store. “Do you let the local shelters list dogs and cats so they can find forever homes? I didn’t pay that much attention when I was here with my grandson last Saturday. You remember Zach, don’t you?”
Erin smiled. It would be difficult to forget the eight-year-old. He’d asked a million questions while Delia had visited with the mayor and his wife.
“Yes, I remember Zach. Yes, I help the local animal shelter find homes for the strays. A couple times a month, they bring a few of their pets here to see if my customers are interested in adopting. And then sometimes, I act as a foster home to a kitten or a puppy. Right now, I’m taking care of a puppy named Brutus. He’s a sweetie and needs a good home.”
“Let me take a look at him. Also, do you sell birdseed? I have a new bird feeder that looks like the Tower of Pisa. I need to stock it.”
Erin smiled, relaxing for the first time since this whole mess had started. Even though she knew all along that she hadn’t done a thing wrong, just the threat of being arrested made her jittery and jumpy. She was used to always being the good girl. The good daughter. The good student. The good fiancée.
She wouldn’t know how to be bad if someone gave her lessons.
“I have several types of birdseed,” Erin told Delia, thrilled the woman was now being friendly. “I’m certain I have something that will work for you.”
She turned to look at the handsome chief of police. Her pulse rate picked up, but she ignored it. Even Pookie, the plastic bunny rabbit statue, was smart enough to know a man like Trent Barrett was trouble.
“Are we done?” she asked him.
He grinned, his look downright flirtatious. His blue eyes sparkled once again with mischief, and Erin’s first instinct was to smile back at him. Thankfully, her common sense kicked in, and she stopped herself. Smiling at Trent struck her as an activity only a tiny bit less dangerous than carrying around a lit stick of dynamite. The man was a handsome devil all right.
When she didn’t return his smile, he only grinned bigger. She could tell he found her amusing, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to flirt with this man no matter how tempting it might be.
“You’re no longer a suspect in Pookie’s kidnapping,” Trent finally said. “But I’d say we’re far from done.”
With that and a goodbye to Delia, he walked away. Erin frowned. What did he mean by that crack that they were far from done?
“Woo-wee, that boy is a charmer. All of those Barrett boys are,” Delia said as they watched Trent Barrett leave. “But that one, he’s a flirt through and through. A mighty fine-looking man, but a flirt, that’s for sure.”
“Mmm.” Erin didn’t want to discuss Trent Barrett. The man made her...pensive. And pensive could be bad for her emotional health.
Delia yanked open the door to the shop and headed straight for the birdseed. “You have a wonderful selection.”
“Thanks.” Erin helped her pick just the right type for the birds she wanted to attract. Then after introducing Delia to Brutus, she rang up the older woman’s order.
“Sure you don’t want to adopt this puppy? He’s a great little fellow,” Erin tried, even though Delia had already made it clear she thought Brutus was way too active.
“Brutus isn’t right for me. Does he have any sisters?”
Erin hid her disappointment. Delia wasn’t the first person to ask that. So far, Erin had sent three people to the county animal shelter to see Brutus’ sisters.
Well, an adopted animal was one more with a home, so Erin told Delia, “Yes. The shelter has several females left from the litter.”
Delia eyed Brutus, who was now gnawing on Erin’s sneaker. “Yes, I think one of the girls might suit me better. I’ll go over there this afternoon.”
Erin reached down and detached Brutus from her shoe, telling him firmly, “No, Brutus.” Then she said to Delia, “I’m sure you’ll find a wonderful dog to love.”
“I’m sure I will, too.” Just as the older woman was about to leave, she said, “Hon, before I go, I wanted to say I’m so sorry about the mix-up this morning. I only hope Trent finds the people who stole Pookie. They deserve to be in jail.”
“I’m sure the chief will do a thorough investigation,” Erin assured her.
“You’re probably right. Even though he’s something of a rogue, Trent’s good at his job. He keeps this town running smoothly.” She leaned forward a little and added, “But just so you know, be very careful if you decide to go out with him. That man breaks hearts as easily as I crack eggs.”
Erin handed Delia the bag with the birdseed and said as much to herself as to the other woman, “I’m not worried. My heart is unbreakable.”
Excerpt: Handsome Rancher
Don’t miss the first book in the Handsome Devil series. Order now.
As she studied him, standing near the entrance to the city council room, Megan Kendall couldn’t help thinking what a handsome devil Chase Barrett was.
Everyone in the small town of Honey, Texas, thought so as well. With his drop-dead gorgeous looks and his handsome-devil smile, women fell for him like pine trees knocked down by a powerful tornado.
Even Megan couldn’t claim to be immune. She and Chase had been good friends for over twenty years, and he still didn’t know she was madly in love with him.
Yep, he was a handsome devil all right.
“Picture him naked,” Leigh Barrett whispered to Megan.
Stunned, Megan turned to stare at Chase’s younger sister. “Excuse me?”
Thankfully, Leigh nodded toward the front of the room instead of in her brother’s direction. “The mayor. When you’re giving your presentat
ion, if you get nervous, picture him naked.”
Megan slipped her glasses down her nose and studied Earl Guthrie, the seventy-three-year-old mayor of Honey. When Earl caught her gaze, he gave Megan a benign, vague smile.
“I don’t think so,” Megan said to Leigh. “I prefer to think of Earl as fully clothed.”
Leigh giggled. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t such a hot idea after all. Let me see if I can find someone else for you to think of naked.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m not nervous.” Megan flipped through her index cards.
Her argument was flawless, her plan foolproof. She had nothing to be nervous about. Besides, as the head librarian of the Honey Library, she knew every person in the room. This presentation would be a snap.
But with puppy-like enthusiasm, Leigh had already stood and was looking around. She hadn’t spotted her oldest brother yet, but Megan knew it was only a matter of time before she did.
“Leigh, I’m fine,” Megan tried, but Leigh finally saw Chase and yelled at him to come over and join them.
Chase made his way through the crowded room. The city council meetings usually drew a big audience, but Megan was happy to see even more people than usual had turned out to listen to her presentation of fundraiser ideas for new playground equipment.
When Chase got even with Megan and Leigh, he leaned across Megan to ruffle his sister’s dark hair. Then he dropped into the folding chair next to Megan and winked at her. “Ladies, how are you tonight?”
Megan tried to keep her expression pleasant, but it wasn’t easy. Ever since she’d moved back to Honey last year, pretending her feelings for Chase were platonic was proving harder and harder. At six-two, with deep black hair and even deeper blue eyes, he made her heart race and her palms sweat.
“Don’t ruffle my hair, bozo.” Leigh huffed at Megan’s right, smoothing her hair. “I’m in college. I’m too old to have my hair ruffled.”
To Megan’s left, Chase chuckled. “Squirt, you’re never going to be too old for me to ruffle your hair. When you’re eighty, I’m going to totter up to you and do it.”
“You and what orderly?” Leigh teased. “And just for the record, I like Nathan and Trent much better than I like you.”
“Oh, please.” Megan rolled her eyes at that one. Leigh loved all of her brothers, but everyone knew Chase was her favorite. When she was home from college, she always stayed with Chase.
“I love you, too, squirt,” Chase said, not rising to his sister’s taunt. Instead, he nudged Megan. “You okay?”
“I told her to imagine the mayor naked if she got nervous, but she doesn’t want to do that,” Leigh supplied.
“I can see why not,” Chase said. “Earl’s not exactly stud-muffin material.”
“Oooh, I know what she should do.” Leigh practically bounced in her chair. “Megan, if you get nervous, picture Chase naked.”
Megan froze and willed herself to stay calm. The absolute last thing she wanted to think about was Chase naked. Okay, maybe she did want to think of him naked, but not right now. Not right before she had to speak in front of a large portion of the entire town.
“I don’t think so,” Megan muttered, shooting a glare at Leigh.
The younger woman knew how Megan felt about her brother, and this was simply one more not-so-subtle attempt to get the two of them together. In the past few months, Leigh’s matchmaking maneuvers had grown more extreme.
“I don’t think I’ll need to picture anyone naked,” Megan stated.
On her other side, Chase offered, “Well, if you get flustered and it will make things easier for you, you go ahead and think of me naked, Megan. Whatever I can do to help.”
Megan knew Chase was teasing her, but suddenly she realized how many years she’d wasted waiting for him to take her seriously.
She’d fallen for him when she’d moved to town at eight. Dreamed about him since she’d turned sixteen. And tried like the dickens to forget him when she’d been away at college and then later working at a library in Dallas for five years.
But nothing had helped. Not even seriously dating a man in Dallas had helped. In her soul, Megan believed she and Chase were meant to be together.
If only she could get him to notice her.
“Hey there, Chase,” a smooth, feline voice fairly purred over their shoulders. “You’re looking yummy. Like an especially luscious dessert, and I positively love dessert.”
Oh, great. Megan glanced behind her. Janet Defries. Just what she needed tonight.
Chase smiled at the woman half leaning on his chair. “Hey, Janet. Do you plan on helping Megan with her committee?”
From the look on Janet’s face, the only thing she planned on helping herself to was Chase, served on a platter.
She leaned toward Chase, the position no doubt deliberate since a generous amount of cleavage was exposed. “Are you going to help with this committee, Chase? Because if you are, I might be able to pry free a few hours.”
Yeah, right. Megan shared a glance with Leigh. They both knew Janet would no more help with the committee than dogs would sing.
“I’d like to help, but it’s a busy time on the ranch,” Chase said.
“Shame.” Janet slipped into the chair directly behind him. “I think you and I should figure out a way to spend some quality time together.”
Her message couldn’t have been clearer if she’d plastered it on a billboard. Megan hated herself for wanting to know, but she couldn’t not look. She turned to see what Chase’s reaction was to the woman’s blatant come-on.
Mild interest. Megan repressed a sigh. Of course. Janet was exactly the type of woman Chase favored. One with a high-octane body and zero interest in a lasting relationship.
“Maybe we’ll figure it out one of these days,” Chase said, and Megan felt her temperature climb.
Okay, so she didn’t have a drawer at home full of D-cups, but Megan knew she could make Chase happy. She could make him believe in love again.
If the dimwit would give her the chance.
Janet placed one hand on Chase’s arm and licked her lips. “Well, you hurry up, else I might decide to go after Nathan or Trent instead. You’re not the only handsome fella in your family.”
Chase chuckled as he faced forward in his chair once again. “I sure am being threatened with my brothers tonight. But I’d like to point out that neither of them stopped by to lend their support, and I’m sitting here like an angel.”
Leigh snorted. “Angel? You? Give me a break. You could make the devil himself blush, Chase Barrett.”
Chase’s grin was pure male satisfaction. “I do my best.”
As Megan knew only too well. She’d watched him beguile a large percentage of the females in this part of Texas. Why couldn’t he throw a little of that wickedness her way? Just once, she’d like to show him how combustible they could be together.
But even though she’d been back in Honey for almost a year, the man still treated her like a teenager. She’d just celebrated her twenty-ninth birthday. She wasn’t a sheltered virgin with fairy-tale dreams of romance. She was a flesh and blood woman who knew what she wanted out of life.
She wanted Chase.
After a great deal of commotion getting the microphone to the right level, the mayor finally started the meeting. Within a few minutes, it was time for her presentation. Megan stood, adjusting her glasses.
“Remember, picture Chase naked if you get nervous,” Leigh whispered but not very softly.
Megan was in the process of scooting past Chase, who had stood to let her by. She froze, standing directly in front of the man who consumed her dreams and starred in her fantasies.
He grinned.
“You know, I think I just may do that,” Megan said. “And if he gets nervous, he can picture me naked, too.”
Had to be the heat, Chase decided as he settled back in the wobbly folding chair. Or maybe the water. Either way, something was weird because Megan Kendall had just flirted with him.
Leigh moved over to sit in the chair next to Chase. “You talk to Nathan or Trent today?”
Chase glanced at Megan, who was straightening her notes, so he had a couple of seconds to answer his sister. “Nathan and all of his employees are working overtime trying to get that computer program done. Trent has a new officer who joined the force today, so he’s busy, too. You’re stuck with me.”
Rather than looking upset, Leigh’s expression was downright blissful. “Megan and I are thrilled you’re here.”
Through narrowed eyes, Chase studied his sister. She was up to something as sure as the sun rose in the east, and he’d bet his prize bull it had something to do with him breaking up her necking session with Billy Joe Tate last night.
“Whatever you’re doing, stop it,” Chase told her. “It won’t work.”
Leigh fluttered her eyelashes at him, feigning innocence. “Who, me? I’m not up to anything. How could I be with you and Nathan and Trent on me every second of every day? I’m almost twenty-two, Chase.”
“Spare me the melodrama. Just because I don’t want my baby sister having wild sex in a classic Trans Am in front of my house doesn’t make me a meddler.”
Leigh snorted loud enough to make some of the ladies in the row in front of them turn to see what was happening. But Leigh, as usual, ignored everyone around her and barreled on.
“If it were up to my brothers, I’d still be a virgin,” she actually hissed at him. “Thank goodness I decided to go away for college. No one in Austin has ever heard of the Barrett brothers.”
Chase opened his mouth to say something but ended up gaping at his sister like a dead fish. He was still formulating what to say to Leigh’s pronouncement when Megan started her presentation.
Good manners, drilled into him over the years, forced him to remain silent and listen to the speaker. But what in the blue bejesus was up with the women tonight? And why was he the lucky man who got to be trapped in the middle of it?
