Security Risk

by MEGAN MATTHEWS

  “Absolutely not.” My response is fast and concrete. Mario called me Tabby, and I wanted to strangle him every time. I am not a cat.

  “Okay…” she drawls out her response. I might have been a little strong with the no, but I want no association with Mario to seep into this life.

  Ridge stands next to our booth. “Focus, ladies. Katy, don’t get her in any trouble. Tabitha, don’t talk to Pierce.” He pulls on a few strands of my hair. “Like the new color. It’s a good look on you.”

  With those final words he smiles, turns, and walks out the door without a glance back. I, on the other hand, stare at his ass. It’s a fine ass. Round and pert. Manly… for an ass.

  “I swear to god I did not poison my math teacher. He’s exaggerating.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  I’m ready for Ridge today. I’ve washed the paint from my hair and put on a pair of jeans and a baby pink long sleeve shirt with the Oklahoma State University logo on the front. No short pants and tank tops today. I also spent a few minutes post wakeup making sure my hair looks nice.

  Okay, fine. I woke up at six, did my hair, and put on make-up. Yes, I’m trying to look good for a man. Shoot me. I don’t care.

  He’s hot.

  I won’t be in the market for a new boyfriend any time soon thanks to Mario, but no one wants a hot guy to see them looking shitty. There’s nothing wrong with that.

  Ridge’s knock on my back door comes later than yesterday. I’ve spent the last ten minutes thumbing through a book I found in the bottom of the master bedroom closet. Turns out Aunt Gertie liked her smut as much as the rest of us.

  The doorbell rings in the living room and another short knock follows. I wait for another ten seconds, counting quickly in my head, and then walk to the kitchen in a hurried fashion. The little window next to the back door gives me a perfect view of Ridge as he leans forward to knock again.

  I open the door and smile. “Hi,” I try to say as seductively as possible, but it sounds more like a bashful school girl with more syllables than a two letter word requires. Is it even possible to make hi sound sexy?

  “I brought you breakfast.” Once again his body’s covered by too many clothes. I want one tiny little peek at what he’s hidden under his thick navy blue sweater or the pair of stone washed jeans.

  “Coffee.” I hold my hand out gratefully. I haven’t purchased a coffeemaker yet although having a morning cup delivered by a hot neighbor isn’t the inconvenience you’d think.

  He laughs. “Not just coffee, but food too.”

  I open the door the rest of the way and see the small brown bag he carries in his other hand. Ridge hands me the coffee mug and pulls out a long chocolate covered doughnut.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d had time to buy groceries, so I made a quick stop and picked up a snack.”

  “Wow. Thank you.” I take the chocolaty goodness from him and take a bite. There is food in my cupboards and fridge. We shopped last night after dinner, but this is much better.

  Ridge pulls out another doughnut. “They’re from the gas station. Don’t get too excited.” But it’s too late. I’ve already eaten half of mine. He could have brought me a rice cake, and I’d probably consider it tiramisu.

  “Katy and I bought groceries last night. And I’m here, in one piece, and there were no problems… mostly.”

  “Mostly?” he asks, his eyebrow tilted.

  I blow on the top of my coffee cup to buy myself time. “Well…. Katy’s an… interesting driver.”

  “You got in a car with her?” Shock mars his handsome face.

  I shrug. Not letting her drive wasn’t on his list of warnings. I’ve waited for him to hand over the second doughnut, but with one large bite Ridge devours half the éclair I thought he’d brought for me.

  “I can’t believe you’re eating a doughnut.” First, I had my eyes set on another doughnut and second, how does he maintain his body with his horrid diet? Chinese and now a sugar log? I thought these muscular types only ate plain chicken and salad.

  He lifts his sweater up a few inches exposing his stomach. A well-toned section of abs lingers before me, forcing me to put both hands on the counter separating us so I don’t reach out and smooth my palm across it.

  All too soon he drops the sweater covering my view. At least I got one good look to use in my fantasies later.

  “What’s on your mind?” he asks me, finishing the rest of what should have been my doughnut.

  “Nothing.” Not you without a shirt on chopping wood in the yard or hanging a picture on a high section of the wall. Definitely not.

  He grins like he doesn’t believe me, but thankfully doesn’t press. “What are your plans for the day?”

  “I’m painting this afternoon, and then Katy and I are going shopping at three.”

  Ridge crumbles up the bag and throws it in the trash against the wall. The whole scene slows down and as he leans against the sink sticking one foot in front of the other. I’ve known him two days, but somehow he fits in my kitchen. In my life.

  Ridge is the hottest piece of man meat I’ve ever laid eyes on, but he’s given no direct signals he feels the same. What if I’m reading the whole situation wrong? What if he’s still helping out the pitiful girl next door. Are we friends? Only friends? Have I been friend-zoned? Can a girl even be in the friend zone?

  “And tonight?” he asks.

  “Hmm?” I’m still lost in my worries about an external friend area I’ll never pull myself out of and haven’t paid proper attention. Although, I can’t decide why I care. Like Aunt Gertie, the last thing I need right now is a guy.

  “Do you have plans for tonight?”

  Oh. “Um, not that I’m aware of.” I pick up the coffee cup as casually and calmly as possible while sending him silent brain waves with permission to ravish me after the sun sets.

  “Would you like to go to dinner?” He leans closer as he asks and I get a straight shot into his deep blue eyes. He blinks and I use the short reprieve to answer.

  “Sure.” I hurry and stick my mug back on the counter, my hands shaking.

  “Great. It’s a date. I’ll pick you up around six?” He closes the distance. His hand cradles my jaw in his palm, his fingers snagging in my hair behind my ear.

  I am so not in the friend-zone. Yes!

  “Tabitha?”

  “Yes?” My eyes lock on his, but regardless of the saying, they aren’t a window to his soul. I tense waiting to hear his next question.

  “Can I kiss you?”

  A grin sweeps over my face and I tilt my head. “Yes.”

  He pulls it higher until I’m standing on my tip toes, leaning against the counter to meet him half way. Ridge’s lips trail against mine, the slightest touch before he pulls away. I exhale, asking for more. This time we meet more forcefully. I stretch on my toes as high as possible and brace a hand on the counter for balance.

  This kiss is the kiss to end all first kisses. I’ve kissed my fair share of guys. I mean, I’ve been kissing since thirteen when Greg Holiday planted one on me in the middle of the hallway and then ran away. But this kiss… it blows every other single kiss out of the water.

  If I can expect this every time with Ridge, I never want to put my lips on anyone else. And there are a lot of other places I’d like use my lips on his body. I’m seconds away from climbing over the counter and pulling him into the bedroom when he steps back.

  Feeling a little dazed, I lower myself back to the floor, my hand still braced on the counter. I’d worry I’m making a fool of myself with my obvious reaction, but Ridge stares at me with a tiny smirk curling up the side of one lip.

  “Will there be more of that tonight?” I ask like a completely smitten moron. At least I know he doesn’t consider me pitiful anymore. That was definitely not a pity kiss.

  His satisfied smirk turns into a full out grin. “Oh definitely,” he promises.

  Ridge walks out, the door closing quietly behind him, but I’m still too stunned to move.<
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  **

  “I can’t believe you kissed Ridge Jefferson and won’t tell me, in detail, about it,” Katy complains as she swipes her credit card through the reader at Bed Bath and Beyond.

  When she mentioned shopping for cute household towels and such to brighten my place and bring it into this decade, I expected a visit to the mall. Turns out the only mall within driving distance from Pelican Bay is a strip mall right outside of town in West Pelican Bay. Katy spent the entire twenty-four-minute drive here complaining about how Pierce bought up the land and then developed it into a shopping center. The woman acts like having shopping close by is a bad thing.

  “I told you what it was like.” I pick up my already purchased bag from the floor and wait for us to leave.

  Rather than walk out, Katy stands at the end of the register with a hand on her hip. “Tabs, telling me ‘it was magical, like all the stars aligned for one moment’ is not what I’m looking for here.”

  “Well that’s what you’re getting.” My head shakes as we walk out to the parking lot.

  Katy stops on the sidewalk. “Do you have anywhere else you need to go?”

  This “shopping mall” consist of one outdoor block of stores — what we’d barely call a strip mall back home. A meager five shops open for business. I can’t think of anything I need at the Dress Barn or Dollar-Rama. “Nope. Want me to drop you off at home?”

  “That’d be great.”

  I click the remote to unlock the doors of my white Malibu and pop the trunk for our bags. There’s a folded over white piece of paper stuck under one of my wiper blades and I pluck it off. It’s good to know even out here in BFE they take the time to advertise on car windows. With one hand I flip open the top expecting an advertisement for the local pizza place.

  It’s not. What the hell?

  Someone has handwritten the number seventy-two in big black lettering. Odd. I crumble the note up and shove it in the bag on my arm.

  “Wanna stop and grab food on the way home? I love being close to take out.” Katy throws her bags in the trunk and closes the door while I stick mine in the back seat.

  A chill runs up my spine. “Don’t be late, Tabitha,” is whispered against my ear.

  I tense and then turn. “What?” A tall man with black hair and too much gel wearing a suit walks away from me at a clipped pace.

  At my question he takes his sweet time turning back. “Seventy-two hours,” Benny says as he walks away.

  That’s right, fucking Benny Romano. Mario’s right-hand man. What the hell is he doing in Pelican Bay? And more importantly seventy-two hours until what? The man’s always quiet, a bit allusive, but we’ve hit a new level of scary.

  I slam the back door of the Malibu and practically run to the driver’s side. Two minutes later Katy joins me acting like we have all the time in the world. Her seat belt clicks and I throw the car in gear to leave

  Don’t let her ask me about the guy. Don’t let her ask me about the guy.

  “Who was that guy, Tabs? Did he talk to you?”

  Of course.

  “What? No. Someone I thought I knew… but it wasn’t.” It’s the quickest lie I come up with on such short notice.

  The road dead ends ahead and I check each mirror and wait for the light to change. My tires squeal as I turn to the left, ready to get the hell out of this town and far away from Benny and whatever shit he brought with him.

  “Food?” Katy breaks into my thoughts with her question.

  “What?”

  “Can I grab a burger before we head back?”

  “Oh yeah, right, food. Sure.” The thumb drive burns a hole through my jeans pocket and I rub my hand over it. I need the confirmation it’s there.

  I slow the car down as we drive down the road with the fast food places lined up one after the other. Katy picks a place and eats her burger and fries during the drive home. She tries to chat with me a few times but finally decides I’m bad company and spends the rest of our trip on her cell phone. I continue to check the side windows and mirrors for any sign we were followed, but the road back to Pelican Bay is empty.

  I’m being a bad friend but I need the time to formulate a plan, stash the thumb drive somewhere, split up the money more, and get ready for my date with Ridge. Plenty of time. No problem.

  The days are getting longer, but it’s still darkening when I pull the Malibu into my driveway. I shut the car off and tense. My front porch light shines out into the yard. A man sits in the rocker next to the front door. Why the hell is my front porch Grand Central Station?

  “Stay in the car, Katy.” I mentally run through my options of how to get her back home where I was supposed to drop her off and me somewhere else. How stupid am I? If Benny found me at the fucking shopping mall he must know where I’m staying. It’s a guess, but I’m quite sure this visitor isn’t here to help me paint.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “It’s Ridge. I texted him.” Katy opens her door and waves.

  I pop the trunk and follow her out of the car. “You texted him?”

  We meet at the back as she unloads her bags. “Yeah. Look, Tabitha. I’m not sure who the guy at the mall was, but he upset you. Trust me when I say if it’s something big, Ridge is the guy to help you out.”

  “Ridge?” I guess he could hook me up with a nice security alarm.

  Katy holds her bags in two hands and turns with sympathy. “You don’t have to share whatever freaked you out, but know I’ve got your back.”

  She slams the trunk down and starts the short walk to her house leaving me to discreetly wipe away the water that’s gathered in my eyes. I’ve never had a friend be so understanding and well… friendly — especially one I’ve known two days. The unexpected kindness throws me for a loop, but it doesn’t last long.

  Ridge stands on the end of the porch, his thick arms ramrod straight holding himself up on the rail. “Everything okay?”

  “Er…. Yeah. It’s fine.” It’s possible I’m the crazy one in this town. I want to tell Ridge what’s happened, but I’ve known him for two days.

  And he’s hot.

  And I like him.

  I’d prefer if we had at least a repeat of our kiss from this morning before I scared him away with my boyfriend history.

  “Are you sure? Katy said someone in the mall parking lot upset you.” He keeps pushing. Why can’t Ridge be like other guys out there who never ask for more details?

  I laugh. “You going to beat him up for me?”

  “Babe, I’d do a lot more than beat him up for you.” Ridge isn’t laughing when he answers.

  The porch light behind him casts shadows across his face, and for a moment he looks sinister. Darker. Meaner. A different side of Ridge. A scary one. I approach the porch and take the first step giving myself a new angle until his features return to normal.

  “It was nothing,” I say more to help calm my own fears than Ridge.

  “If you’re sure.”

  “Positive.” I do my best to assure him and me. “I’m not ready for our date though. Will you give me time to change?” I ask opening the front door.

  He stops me with a hand wrapped around my upper arm and pulls me back to him. “You look fine. You’ll want to dress warm for where we’re going.”

  One of his arms wraps around my body drawing me closer while the other slides through my hair tilting my head up to meet his. God, he smells amazing. Outdoorsy with a hint of musk, but in a hot works-with-his-hands young guy way, not a reminds-me-of-my-grandpa way. Who knew I even found that sexy. Maybe it’s a Ridge thing.

  We stare at each other for a few beats. “Are you going to kiss me?”

  He smirks. “Wanted to give you time to finish smelling me.”

  “I was not.” I smack him on the arm, but there’s not much room and it comes out a tap.

  “Shhh. Now we kiss.” Ridge closes the distance between us. His lips float across mine slowly and gently before I smash our faces closer together. With his hands on my
ass, he squeezes, raising me a few inches. I moan into his open mouth. I’ve never had a guy palm my ass.

  Minutes or hours later — I lose track of time — we pull apart, both of us panting for air. “We need to leave now.” Ridge places a quick kiss to my forehead and then leads me off the front porch.

  **

  “The beach?” I ask as Ridge pulls into the same space I used a few days ago on my first night in Pelican Bay.

  He puts his black Ford truck in park, but doesn’t shut it off or make a move to leave. “You said it was your favorite place to visit when you were here for summers.”

  “Yeah… in June.”

  “Lean back and enjoy the view.” Ridge turns on the radio, a rock ballad comes out from the speakers… loudly. “Sorry.” He adjusts the dial until I no longer worry my ears may bleed.

  “I like Def Leppard.”

  Ridge grabs at the material of his dark sweater near his heart like he’s clutching it from a heart attack. “A women sent after my soul.”

  I’m not sure what to do with that comment, so I pretend like I didn’t hear it. “What are we doing?”

  “Watching the sun set,” Ridge answers back with confidence.

  Ummm. I stare out the front window at the darkening sky.

  Like they taught us back in grade school, I visualize a compass and map.

  I silently hum the entire Christopher Columbus song.

  Yup.

  The sun still sets in the West and we’re looking out on the water of the East coast.

  Another minute passes, but Ridge doesn’t move. His eyes cast out to the Atlantic.

  I can’t handle it anymore. “You realize we’re facing the wrong way, right?”

  “Yeah.” He laughs. “I’ve found that often when you least expect it you’ll find exactly who you’ve been looking for.”

  “Who?”

  “I mean what. Exactly what you’ve been looking for.”

  “And I needed a sunset?”

  “Well sure, we all need time at the beach on occasion.”

  I laugh and Ridge’s attention goes back out through the front window. I give up, turning to admire the un-sunset. The sky darkens, the sweep of clouds off shore retaining a blue shade, lighter than everything else as the darkness closes in around them. Slowly, starting from one edge and then moving across, the colors change. Pink, orange, and yellow slide across the sky highlighted by the wispy clouds. It’s beautiful.