by Mia Dymond
“I’m not convinced that’s possible. These people are the nosiest damn people I’ve ever seen.”
“Piss ant town,” he grumbled. “They all know each other. That’s why she ran here.” He had to give her props. “Smart lady.”
“I don’t know, maybe we should go back to Los Angeles and wait. Nobody gives a damn there.”
“You gonna tell Ricci we can’t make the delivery?”
His partner’s face paled. “Hey, I’m just the muscle. This is your operation.”
“Okay then, we wait. We stalk her like a tiger hunts his prey. Sooner or later she’ll end up alone.”
“I’ll get the car.”
“No, dumbass!” Now he knew why he was in charge. “We can’t follow her in the car. There’s an exit out the back. We go on foot.”
***
Annessa stomped all the way back home, racking her brain for answers. The phone call to Dorie confirmed Marcelli was now looking for her and logic told her it was only a matter of time before he found her. Seaside Point was small, but was it small enough to hide her? She stole a quick glance over her shoulder, relieved when the street remained free of traffic. She snorted at her fear. A long black Cadillac with tinted, smoked-out windows and a license plate engraved with Gun for Hire would stand out like a sore thumb.
Funny thing was, the men at the diner still struck her curiosity. They just seemed out of place. Damn Casey and his never-take-anything-at-face-value speech; she’d heard it at least a thousand times since the age of thirteen. Yet, this time she couldn’t help but take it to heart. Tourists in Seaside Point were as common as wind in the surf; strangers were the man-eating sharks hidden in the depths of the waves.
It wasn’t until she stood on the welcome mat that she managed to put that particular worry out of her mind. She exhaled hard and reached for the doorknob. The locked one.
She knew before she reached into her pocket that her keys were not in the depths. Calling for help was now officially her only option and her cell phone was her only lifeline.
She exhaled again and dialed the fire department, relieved that Travis answered.
“Travis, it’s me.” Annessa bit her bottom lip. “I need you to come let me back into the house.”
The curiosity in her brother’s voice was obvious. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“Uh … no.” Annessa squeezed her eyes closed. “I locked my keys inside.”
A long silence crossed the line. “Annessa, since when do you lock the door? This is Seaside Point for Christ’s sake.”
“I live in Los Angeles remember?” Annessa held her breath and hoped for once her brother would accept her excuse.
Travis exhaled a long breath. A family trait, obviously. “Okay, hang tight.”
Annessa pocketed her phone and glanced around the front yard, now enveloped in darkness. Tree leaves shook in the slight night wind. Street lamps decorated the neighborhood. There was a time she ran every street in town under a blanket of stars. Nightfall in Seaside Point never bothered her. Until now.
She stuck one hand in her pocket and caressed the thin vial before she turned her back to the street and jiggled the doorknob one more time, just in case she’d been mistaken. Stupid thing wouldn’t budge.
The sound of footsteps behind her caused her to freeze. She allowed herself a cursory glance at the street in her peripheral vision. Her brother’s truck wasn’t parked at the curb. Her mouth went dry at the unusual silence. Where were the locusts? And the neighbors? Mrs. Peters, with her supersonic hearing and unique brand of neighborhood watch, had lived next door all of Annessa’s twenty-four years. Normally, no one crossed the yard without an interrogation. In fact, any one in town would speak as they approached. Now extremely uneasy, she eased the vial from her pocket.
With a sharp intake of breath, she spun around while her index finger pressed the spray nozzle of the liquid weapon and released a rush of the toxic substance. Right into the gorgeous eyes of Casey McIntyre.
“Damn! Point that thing somewhere else, Annessa!”
It was then she realized her finger was still positioned over the trigger. As her hand shook, the steady stream of poison doused him from eyebrows to thighs.
Casey fell to his knees, coughing and retching into the nearby bushes.
“Oh God.” Annessa descended the steps with her feet barely touching. She tossed the vial to the ground, rushed to his side, and began to unbutton his uniform shirt.
“Stop,” he spat.
She ignored him while she slid the shirt from his wide shoulders and off his bulky arms. Tears streamed from his eyes as she mopped them from his cheeks.
“Sonuvabitch!” Casey lifted his hands toward his face.
“No!” Annessa swatted away his hands while she unclipped his cell phone from his belt and dialed.
“Travis,” she said into the phone, “where are you?”
“I sent Casey. He’s not there?”
Annessa balled her fists and willed herself not to scream. “He’s here, but I need you too.”
“What the hell is going on, Annessa?”
“I sprayed him with pepper spray!”
“You what?”
“He snuck up on me. Consider this an emergency and bring whatever you need to treat him.”
“I’m on my way. Drag the hose from the side of the house and rinse him off.”
Annessa disconnected and fastened the phone back to Casey’s belt. “Don’t rub your eyes,” she told him as she stood. “I’ll be right back.”
She returned in seconds, garden hose in hand. She lowered herself to her knees and pointed the running water at his face.
“I’m so sorry, Casey.” Annessa fought tears as she used her thumb and forefinger to open his left eye. Water coated the surface and he hissed. “One more.”
She repeated the process and then tossed the hose to the side. “Better?”
“Much,” he grunted.
Red and blue lights flashed in the darkness as Travis parked an ambulance in front of the house.
“Oh hell.” Casey squeezed his eyes shut.
“No, leave them open.” She allowed herself to relax somewhat when her brother bent next to him with a bottle.
“What’s in there?”
Travis pried Casey’s eyes open one at a time. “Liquid antacid and water.” Travis blotted the skin underneath with a gauze pad. “She got you good. Stings like a bitch, huh?”
Casey answered with another grunt.
Travis cocked his head to one side and frowned at her. “What the hell possessed you to spray him?”
Although extremely guilty, she couldn’t help but be a little defensive. “You didn’t tell me you sent him, Travis. I expected you.”
“Since when do you carry pepper spray?”
“Since I started locking the door,” she snapped.
“At least it’s not a gun,” Casey croaked.
Travis helped Casey to stand. “Take him inside, Annessa. He needs a cold shower to remove the oil.”
She nodded and followed them to the front door. Travis unlocked the knob and motioned inside. “Watch him for the next couple hours. He’ll have to stay here. No way can he drive.” He flipped on the lights and then turned to Casey. “Can you radio in or do I need to?”
Casey lifted his reddened eyes. “Not sure I can explain this, but I will.”
Travis handed him the radio from his own belt. Casey reported to dispatch and then leaned one hip against the couch. “Thanks, Dupree, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
Travis shook his head and then glanced at her. “Never a dull moment around you two.”
Annessa rolled her eyes, ready to throw her brother out, when he grabbed her arm. “What happened?”
She stifled a groan and attempted to dismiss his concern. “Just a scratch, Trav. I tripped and fell outside the bakery.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “The gauze is wet.” His eyes narrowed when he moved the saturated cotton. “Stitches? W
hat the hell cut your arm?”
She stole a glance at Casey, who attempted to widen his eyes but failed. He squinted instead.
“A rock, I think,” she answered. “I’m fine. Verity took care of me.”
Travis hesitated another few seconds and then seemed to accept her explanation. “You two play nice.”
Annessa waited until Travis left and the door closed completely before she re-locked the knob and threw the deadbolt.
“Was that really necessary?” Casey’s husky toned warmed her blood.
She took a deep breath before she turned to face him, somewhat concerned that his skin was now reddening. “Habit I guess.”
He folded his muscled arms across his chest and nodded. “You’ve picked up quite a few new habits.”
She simply shrugged.
He picked up her key ring and shook the attached canister. “Your vial is empty.”
“I have several others.”
“Why?”
Determined to distract him, she attempted to lighten the conversation. “A single girl can never be too careful these days.”
“I noticed you used my cell phone. Yours dead?” He braced himself on one hip against the back of the sofa.
Thank you, Sheriff McIntyre, for that convenient excuse. “Yes.”
He eyed her for a moment, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. She found herself sorely tempted to brace her palms against the smooth surface and count each breath. Maybe match each beat with a kiss on his lips. And then her gaze moved downward.
“Take off your pants,” she murmured.
“Nice try, Ness, but no.”
She snapped her gaze from his groin and rolled her eyes in an attempt to explain away her blatant interest. “Your clothes are soaked. You need to keep the oil off your skin.”
His eyes flashed. “Your top is wet.”
She glanced at her chest, nipples peaked and reaching for Casey’s touch. Although she knew she should at least fold her arms across them to block his view, she didn’t want to. It was high time the sexy sheriff realized just exactly what he did to her. No wet t-shirt on earth could’ve caused a reaction this severe. And the water hadn’t dampened her panties either.
“Maybe I need that cold shower worse than you.”
He remained propped against the sofa, still silent. Taking advantage, she stepped in front of him and placed her palms against his bare shoulders. His muscles jumped beneath her touch when she leaned to press her lips against his, lingering for only a second before lifting them.
“I really am sorry, Casey.”
Her lips tingled from the short contact and her body threatened to combust. Yet, she left him standing there and headed to her bedroom to change clothes. That, and scream bloody murder from sexual frustration.
Casey waited until Annessa swayed up the stairs and disappeared around the corner before he released a hard breath and popped the top button of his pants. His hard-on stretched and he reached to make an adjustment.
Her kiss had caught him completely off guard. Well, not completely. The chemistry between them was enough to burn down the house and sooner or later one of them would’ve given in. And, Annessa wasn’t one to let an opportunity pass. The crafty little vixen knew exactly what she wanted and never hesitated to go after it.
Casey dragged a hand across his forehead and fought the temptation to rub his burning eyes. Years ago he swore a silent, personal oath he wouldn’t act on his urge to have her but now there was no possible way to deny himself. He wanted her too badly. Craved her touch. Loved her.
The only thing in his way now was Annessa herself.
The history between them remained complicated. Hell, he threatened several of Annessa’s past boyfriends with bodily harm for even thinking about doing the things to her he planned. Yet, he trusted his reasons. Not for an easy lay, not for a cheap thrill, but because he ached to hold her, to love her, to prove she needed him as much as he needed her.
Casey pushed himself off the sofa. Convincing Annessa to give him a chance wouldn’t be easy. In fact, she would make it ten times harder.
He lowered his zipper and climbed the stairs. Maybe a cold shower would offer a solution.
By the time several gallons of cold water doused his body, Casey felt a little better about the night’s events. His vision had gone from blurry to slightly cloudy and his skin now stung like a light sunburn. And, as long as Annessa didn’t so much as lay one tiny little finger on him, he might be able to control himself. Might being the operative word.
Casey descended the stairs and headed for the kitchen, leaning on one hip against the wall next to the door when he stood outside. Annessa stood at the stove in the kitchen, her back to the doorway, her feminine curves covered only by a snug tank top and a pair of shorts. Although short, her legs did their part to taunt him. Very distracting, those legs.
His mouth watered as her California tan crept from beneath her clothing to color her in a healthy, sexy glow. His thoughts jumped back to the bar. Most likely, Annessa sunbathed nude.
Her hips swiveled while she stirred the pot on the stove and he fought to stay put. His cock jumped at the primal urge to bend her over the counter and mimic that motion. After several seconds of pure torture, he finally managed to push off the door frame, determined to focus on food.
“Smells good.”
She screeched and her spoon hit the floor with a heavy splat. He picked it up and tossed it into the sink.
“You sure are jumpy tonight.”
She gave a half smile and shrugged. “I’m usually alone.” She opened a nearby drawer and grabbed another spoon. “Tomato soup and grilled cheese. Are you hungry?”
Casey smiled as he nodded and sat at the kitchen table. “Your mom called that comfort food.”
“Yeah,” she agreed softly.
“That’s why you’re home, for comfort?”
Her back straightened and the softness disappeared from her face. “No, I’m home to celebrate my sister’s engagement.”
He nodded again and then allowed her to turn away before he dropped the next bomb.
“You used to let me comfort you, Ness.”
He waited patiently while she stirred the soup a couple more times and then placed the spoon next to the stove. She gave the stove knob a twist and then sat opposite him.
“Spit it out, Casey.”
“You haven’t been home much.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“And now you’re not.”
“I told you. I wanted to be with Vanessa.”
“I’ll buy that.”
“Good.”
“Except, you left something out.”
“What?”
“You’ve avoided me.”
“No I haven’t.”
“Yes you have. Since the night I turned you away.”
Annessa swallowed hard, extremely careful to guard her reaction to Casey’s accusation. Partly to convince him she wasn’t hurt by his rejection, but mostly to protect her heart.
“We were so close,” she said finally.
Like brother and sister, yet not. The spark between them developed early and by the age of seventeen Annessa was head over heels in love. Once he enlisted, she tracked his leave, counting down days until he came home. They spent every waking minute together, talking, laughing, arguing until they were both exhausted. And, most nights she fell asleep to the sound of his voice. Always the knight in shining armor, Casey wrapped her in a blanket and carried her to bed, placing a soft kiss in the middle of her forehead as he tucked her in.
He sighed. “And then I screwed up.”
She cringed at the memory.
Desperate to let him in on her secret, she planned the whole evening. Travis and Vanessa both had dates, leaving Annessa and Casey alone. After shopping the whole day, Annessa arrived home to an empty house and put her plan in action. She slid a silk, jade negligee onto her body, placed several strategically-lit candles around the bedroom and then s
lipped between the cool cotton sheets with her heart beating a jungle rhythm to wait for Casey. As soon as he opened the bedroom door and saw her in his bed, her world exploded. Rather than the steamy seduction she planned, he wrapped her in a blanket, kissed her forehead, and sent her to her own bed. Alone.
Two days later, he left Seaside Point. He had crucified her when he stopped coming home.
“Maybe it was for the best,” she said finally.
“I won’t apologize for what didn’t happen between us. You were seventeen years old.”
“So?” Annessa snorted. “First, I didn’t ask you to rape me. Second, seventeen is legal. I just wanted to know you felt the same about me. A simple kiss, a soft touch – anything would’ve been better than goodbye.”
“I couldn’t, Ness, I knew better. Once I put my hands on you, I never would’ve let go. You deserved your freedom to decide what you wanted.”
“I was so humiliated. I handed myself to you on silver platter and you tossed me to the side.”
“I wanted better for you.”
“What about what I wanted?”
Casey paused, almost ready to cave. He just couldn’t argue with those beautifully sparkling eyes, even though she almost had him backed into a corner. Her question didn’t surprise him. She had every right to expect him to give in. He always gave in. Except that once. “Travis would’ve killed me.”
“That is complete and utter bull, Casey.” She stood and pushed the chair back against the table, her desire to bolt readily apparent. “You were scared.”
“No.”
“Yes. Scared of commitment, scared of what you might actually feel for me.”
He stood and walked her backwards until her back pressed against the wall and his elbows rested on both sides of her head. “You’re absolutely right. I was terrified of how possessive I would become once I had you.”
“And now you’ve had a change of heart.”
“I wanted you then and I want you now. You’re mine, Annessa.” He lowered one hand to slide his fingers beneath her shorts and trace the lacy trim of material over one hip. “Your tattoo says so.”
