Wanted: Wife

by Stella Bagwell

  Closing her eyes, she covered her face with her hands. Her cheeks were hot and her heart was pounding. And she was furious with herself. It was stupid—pure foolishness to let Lucas affect her like this.

  Dear Lord, she thought with a sudden sinking realization. She was already thinking of him as Lucas!

  “I don’t know why you had to run off mad like that.”

  Jenny’s heart stopped at the sound of his voice. Slowly she looked up to see him standing a step or two in front of her.

  His hands were jammed in the back pockets of his jeans, causing the thin jersey of his turtleneck to stretch tautly across his chest. Jenny unconsciously swallowed at the sight of the wall of muscles bulging against the fabric.

  “I—” Why had he followed her? It was crazy to think he wanted her company. The man probably had a whole bevy of women stashed across the state. Why bother with someone like her? Drawing in a bracing breath, she said, “I wasn’t mad.”

  “Oh. I see. You were just a little irritated.”

  She glanced at his face. Amusement crinkled his eyes and curved the corners of his mouth. Jenny couldn’t ever remember the sight of a man affecting her as much as this one was doing.

  “No—well, yes,” she stuttered.

  Amused by her flustered attitude, Lucas chuckled as he took a seat beside her on the narrow bench. “You know, you really shouldn’t be so touchy about your age. You look very young.”

  The sincerity in his voice melted her irritation and she slanted her eyes over to him.

  “I’m thirty-four,” she admitted. “And I’m not touchy about my age. I just don’t like telling it to—”

  “A stranger?” he finished for her.

  Surprised by his insight, she nodded.

  “Well, I don’t mind telling a beautiful redheaded stranger that I’m thirty-five.”

  She grimaced. “Of course you don’t mind. You knew I’d already read your age on your driver’s license.”

  With a contented sigh, he stretched out his long legs and folded his arms across his chest. “I didn’t expect you’d remember anything about me. I must have left more of an impression than I thought.”

  Wishing she could bite off her tongue, Jenny retorted, “Oh, you definitely left an impression. Believe me. I was desperately trying to think of some reason to give you another ticket. One that would hold up in court,” she added.

  He laughed and Jenny wondered why the sound sent little curls of longing shooting through her. She was always sharing jokes with her male friends, and she heard their laughter all the time. Why should Lucas be any different? Because when he laughed, it was warm and intimate and made her believe it was just for her, she realized.

  “At least you’re honest,” he said.

  Suddenly she shot him a daring glance. “Are you?”

  “I try to be.”

  Turning her gaze over the empty lawn, Jenny let out a long breath. “Then why did you really come here tonight, Lucas? You could have mailed your contribution check. And I’m sure you have plenty of—things to keep you busy.”

  Lucas hadn’t expected such a blunt question from her. But then, he supposed he should have. She wasn’t a teenager. She was a mature woman, one who obviously didn’t dance around the issue.

  “I always have plenty of things to occupy my time. But I wanted to find you,” he conceded.

  Even though Jenny had suspected as much, just hearing him confirm it out loud very nearly knocked the wind from her. It had been months—no, years—since a man had pursued her in any fashion. She wasn’t ready for it. She’d never be ready for it. He might as well know that right now.

  “To tell me you’ve been working on your defensive driving?” she asked in the lightest voice she could muster.

  “No. To ask you out to dinner.”

  “And what if I hadn’t been here?”

  He chuckled again as though he was enjoying himself immensely. “I would have gone back to my old speeding habits, and you and your little metal clipboard would have found me.”

  She snorted. “Well, you wasted your time. I usually work nights.”

  “There is a noonday meal called lunch,” he suggested.

  Jenny forced her eyes to meet his. “Look, Lucas, I don’t go out with men. It’s that simple.”

  He didn’t look surprised. Intrigued was more like it.

  “I’m not going to bother asking you why. I’m just going to tell you that you might as well get ready for that to change.”

  The pure male arrogance of his words sent fury flashing through Jenny like a streak of hot lightning. Her green eyes blazed with fire as she jumped to her feet and looked at him.

  “I do have to follow orders on the job,” she said quietly, “but I’ll be damned before I do it anywhere else. Good night, Mr. Lowrimore.”

  Lucas watched her stalk angrily across the brown lawn and disappear into the crowd of partygoers. This time he didn’t intend to go after her. He’d let her think she’d won tonight. But tomorrow, well, that was a whole different thing.

  Lucas Lowrimore wasn’t a quitter. He went after what he wanted and he usually got it. Officer Jenny Prescott was soon going to learn that.

  Chapter Three

  A bouquet of red roses was on Jenny’s cluttered desk when she arrived at work the next afternoon. Jenny never received flowers. She couldn’t imagine why she was getting them now, unless Ruby had experienced a change of heart and decided to say a belated happy birthday in an extravagant way. But hell freezing over would be more likely than that, Jenny thought ruefully.

  Easing down on the heavy wooden chair at her desk, she pulled out the small square envelope attached to the flowers, then gasped as her eyes scanned the note she discovered inside.

  Red and prickly, these roses are just like you, Jenny. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did your company last night.

  Lucas

  Jenny read the words through three times before she finally lifted her head and looked at the two dozen rose buds arranged in a cut crystal vase.

  The man was incredible! What had she done to deserve this unwanted attention? What was she going to do to stop it?

  “Wow! What beautiful roses. Did you get those for your birthday?”

  Jenny glanced at the female officer who worked as Captain Morgan’s secretary. “Uh—yes, Glenda, these are from a…friend of mine.”

  Quickly Jenny slipped the card into the front pocket of her trousers. “Did you need me for something?”

  The petite blonde nodded. “Captain Morgan wants to see you before you leave on patrol duty.”

  “About what? Do you know?”

  Shaking her head, Glenda gave her a sly smile. “I’m sure it’s not to give you more roses like those.”

  Jenny sighed and got to her feet. She might as well see her boss before she started doing her daily reports.

  Captain Morgan was on the telephone when Jenny stepped into his office. He motioned for her to take a seat, then ended the call with a hard bang on the receiver.

  “I hope that wasn’t Valerie’s eardrum you just busted,” she said.

  The older man chuckled ruefully. “No, the mayor’s. And I hope he got the message. He thinks every person brought before a judge should be found guilty, and if they’re not, it’s our fault.” The weary, gray-haired captain waved dismissively. “Enough about that. I wanted to tell you that I’ve assigned you a speaking engagement for Friday afternoon. Don’t worry about Orville, I’ll send Donald Coleman out with him.”

  The news made Jenny’s mouth drop open, and she scooted to the edge of her seat. “A speaking engagement? I haven’t done anything like that in—it’s probably been a year or more. Captain, I really don’t—”

  “I don’t want any arguments about this, Jenny. It’s only giving a safety lesson to a group of truck drivers. And you know how important these things are. The more drivers we can reach, the safer our public highways are.”

  Jenny knew her boss was right, but she’d neve
r felt comfortable speaking to a group of any sort. “Why me? Jim Everly is the one who does all those things. Send him.”

  Captain Morgan shook his head. “The owner of the trucking firm asked specifically for you.”

  A puzzled frown creased her face. “He did?”

  The older officer nodded. “Yes. And when you’re talking about a man with that much clout in the trucking business and our city, I don’t want to disappoint him just because you’re reluctant to do your job.”

  “Who are you talking about?” she asked, as wariness began to creep over her like a dark cloud.

  “Lucas Lowrimore. L.L. Freight Company. He said you gave him a ticket and a lecture that he’d never forget. And he thinks his men will respond and listen to you better than they would a man.”

  Jenny was suddenly seething. How dare Lucas Lowrimore use her job to get to her! It was indecent! Underhanded! And she was certainly going to tell him about it.

  “I see,” she said, her mind spinning with thoughts of retaliation. “So where and when do I give this lecture?”

  He pushed a piece of paper toward her. “There’s all the details you’ll need. His secretary’s name is Lilah, and she’ll be available to assist you in any way.”

  Jenny rose to her feet. “I’ll do my best, Captain.”

  He smiled at her. “I’m sure you will, Jenny. It’s not in you to do anything else.”

  * * *

  The large house was dark when Jenny pulled into the driveway and parked beside Lucas’s black sports car. Glancing at her watch, she decided the man surely didn’t go to bed before ten. And if he did, that was too bad. She had something to say to him.

  A footlight illuminated the small alcove sheltering the front entrance of the house. Jenny ran through the steady drizzle, then shook the water droplets from her hair as she stepped up to the door and punched the doorbell. Inside she could hear the muted sound of the chimes, and eventually footsteps.

  Jenny rubbed her palms against her hips, then moistened her lips as she waited for him to open the door.

  “Well, it’s Officer Jenny Prescott,” he said, his voice full of pleasure. “What a nice surprise.”

  He didn’t look a bit surprised, Jenny thought, making her wonder if her being here was just what he’d planned. “I want to talk to you,” she said bluntly.

  A grin on his face, he pushed the door wide. “Please come in. I was just making myself a snack. Want to join me?”

  She followed him through a large dark room that she assumed was the living room, then down a short hallway and into a brightly lit kitchen.

  “No, thank you,” she told him.

  He glanced at her, then went to the counter where several food items sat near a wooden cutting board. “That’s too bad. I just bought some great summer sausage.”

  Didn’t he know she wanted to yell and scream at him, not eat summer sausage? “I’ve already eaten this afternoon.”

  He picked up a small butcher knife, then looked over his shoulder at her. “Are you off duty now?”

  “A few minutes ago,” she told him.

  His dark eyes traveled up and down the length of her. “And you didn’t even take time to go home and change before you came to see me. I wouldn’t have expected such eagerness from you.”

  She knew he was teasing, but Jenny was hardly in a joking mood. Glancing at her rain-splotched uniform, she said, “This isn’t a social call. And you know it.”

  He groaned as he whacked off a huge hunk from the roll of summer sausage. “Don’t tell me you’re here to write me up again.”

  “I’m here to tell you what a despicable swine you are!” She took a step toward him.

  He turned and held up both arms in a gesture of surrender. “That weapon of yours isn’t loaded, is it?”

  Jenny looked pointedly at her revolver, then at him. “It would hardly be any good to me if it wasn’t loaded,” she retorted.

  “Then I’m sorry. Whatever I’ve done, I’m sorry.”

  Her green eyes blazing, she quickly closed the distance between them. “You know what you’ve done. And you’re not one bit sorry.”

  “If you’re talking about the safety meeting, well—”

  “Well, what? Do you go around getting back at every woman who turns you down?”

  He shot her a wounded look. “I don’t ever feel I have to get back at anyone. And what makes you think I have that many women turning me down?”

  She rolled her eyes, and her breath came in short, angry spurts. “I have never encountered such arrogance in my life,” she muttered, more to herself than to him.

  Chuckling, he dropped his arms and reached behind him for the hunk of sausage. “And I’ve never seen a woman who riled as easily as you,” he said, then held the food up to her lips. “Here, take a bite. I guarantee it’ll soothe that redheaded temper of yours.”

  The man was crazy! Or was she, for thinking she could come here and put him in his place?

  “I don’t want to eat! I want to—”

  “Kill me?” He bit off a piece of the spicy meat and began to chew with relish. “Okay, go ahead. My will is up to date. And there’s not really anyone around who’ll grieve over me that much, anyway. I only hate that I’ll miss reading about it all in the papers. I wonder how it will read? Police Officer murders trucking mogul because he requested her to speak at safety meeting.” Lucas shook his head. “I hate to tell you this, Jenny, but that motive sounds damn flimsy. Everyone will think we really had a lovers’ quarrel and you shot me in a fit of passion.”

  “It’s a tempting thought,” she muttered.

  He threw back his head and laughed. As Jenny watched him, she felt her fury drain away like muddy water. She couldn’t stay angry with him. Not when he was being so affable, so completely amused by her fit of temper.

  “Jenny, you’re one of the most humorous women I’ve ever met.”

  She wasn’t sure that was a compliment. “You think I’m funny? I’m not trying to be.”

  He chuckled again, then his expression sobered. He reached out and touched the wave of hair near her right eye.

  “I know. That’s why you are.” His finger gently moved up and down the silky strand of hair. “I’ve never known a redhead, either. At least, not a redheaded woman. I thought that old saying about redheads and temper was just an old wives’ tale. You’ve proved that wrong.”

  Jenny’s breathing was suddenly shallow. So much so that she found it difficult to reply.

  “I don’t normally have a-temper,” she said. “I just don’t like it when a man—” She drew in a deep breath, then let it out with relief as he pulled his hand away from her hair. “When a man tries to manipulate me,” she finished.

  Surprise swept over his features. “You think that’s what I was trying to do when I talked to your captain about the safety meeting?”

  “I certainly do.”

  His face suddenly stoic, he turned to the cutting board and a block of Colby cheese. “If you’ll call my secretary, she’ll confirm that I already had that safety meeting scheduled, but the person who was going to be there to speak had a family emergency and had to cancel. Naturally you came to mind as a replacement.”

  Naturally, Jenny repeated to herself. Then she remembered his story about the football game, and a thread of doubt wove its way into her thoughts. Maybe she had jumped the gun. Maybe, God help her, she was being presumptuous in thinking he’d go to that much trouble just to see her again.

  “Is that really true?”

  Doubt wavered in her voice, and something else, Lucas thought. Something that made her sound terribly vulnerable and utterly feminine. It got to him far more than anything she could have said.

  Turning to her, he said, “It is true. And I’ll go a step further and admit that asking you to speak at the meeting was my way of killing two birds with one stone. I wanted to see you again. And I also knew that you’d do a good job with the safety lecture.”

  She opened her mouth to speak,
but he went on before she could put up any sort of protest.

  “However, if you’re so against talking to my men about safety, then I’ll understand perfectly if you don’t want to do it. I’ll tell your captain that I had to cancel the meeting for some reason and that I won’t be needing you.”

  Jenny couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Yet he looked and sounded perfectly sincere. With a brief shake of her head, she asked, “You’d do that? For me?”

  Doubt was still in her voice, and Lucas wondered why she found his gesture so hard to accept. Had she never had people change their plans simply to suit her wishes before?

  “Of course I would. I wouldn’t get any pleasure in forcing you to be there.”

  Why not? she wondered. Marcus had enjoyed forcing her to do his bidding. Why should this man be any different?

  “That does seem like what you were trying to do,” she said after a moment.

  He smiled at her, then turned to the cheese. After he’d whittled off a hunk that equaled the size of the sausage, he tossed it onto a dessert plate. “Maybe I was. But only because I was afraid you’d turn down my invitation. Now you’re going to turn it down anyway, aren’t you?”

  Without waiting for her to answer, he crossed to a large refrigerator, pulled out a jar of green olives and another of kosher pickles, then carried both to the counter.

  As Jenny watched him spear the condiments onto the small plate, her mind whirled in total confusion. She’d come to Lucas Lowrimore’s house to tell him he could take his safety meeting and jump off a cliff with it. But now she didn’t know what she wanted!

  “I didn’t say that.” Shaking her head, Jenny reached up and smoothed her hands over her rain-damp hair. The action caused the twisted bun at the back of her head to loosen. Before she could jam the hairpins in place, the red mass came tumbling down around her shoulders.

  “Damn it!” she muttered.

  Lucas glanced at her, then grinned at the sight of her hair. “I don’t have a special requirement for hairstyles in my house. As far as I’m concerned you can leave it loose.”