by Tara Rose
“Well, that’s what I’m going to find out. So now that you know the truth about me, do you want me to walk you home and never bother you again, or will you show me more of this charming town?”
She studied his face for a few moments, but it was difficult to see past his good looks and charisma. He didn’t seem to mean them any harm, and all he was apparently here to do was gather information. That was benign enough. He’d given no indication how long he would be in town, even if he did find what he was looking for. So why shouldn’t she enjoy his company while he was here?
Now that he knew she didn’t know anything that could help him, he must want to be with her simply because he enjoyed it, and not because she could help his quest. Felicity couldn’t help but be flattered by that. She gave his hand a squeeze. “Come on. There are still two more schools on this street.”
Chapter Thirteen
Kane wasn’t disappointed in the fact that Felicity knew no more than anyone else in town, and that surprised him. He was in trouble here, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. How long had it been since he’d walked down a normal street in a small town, just admiring the gorgeous view of the mountains in the background and listening to a charming, pretty girl describe a school that looked like every other school in the country? He had no idea.
She was unassuming, protective of her town and its residents, and she probably had no clue just how sexy and alluring she truly was. Her hand was warm in his, and as she walked, he inhaled the scent of her flowery shampoo, wondering if the rest of her would smell that sweet up close. What would those lips taste like? How would her full breasts feel in his hands? And what would it be like to hold her in his arms and make love to her?
Maverick probably knew. She’d been discreet but not aloof in describing their short-lived relationship. That meant she wasn’t a gossip, and it also meant she valued her friends and their privacy. She’d asked him about his life, but hadn’t pushed to know where he was from or what he’d done before coming here. Most women he let get this close would try to pin him down about every tiny detail until his head ached from the effort of keeping them at a comfortable distance.
Felicity hadn’t belabored the point, and that made Kane want to tell her anyway. He wanted to divulge every detail of his life to this beautiful girl with the flaming red hair. It sparkled like rubies in the sunlight, and he ached to run his fingers through it.
“This is the middle school. It’s grades six through nine.” He glanced at the two story brick building, but one school looked the same as another to him. “Do you see that window up there with the banner in it? The one with cougar on it? That’s the band room. It’s on the second floor because they used to have it in the basement, but this area floods when it rains, and one day the band room had over a foot of water in it. A lot of the instruments were ruined.”
“Why won’t the county do something about that?”
“I’m not sure. Something about it being a problem with old pipes and stuff. So, they moved it to the second floor, and now the area in the basement that floods is empty.”
“Were you in band?”
She laughed softly, and the sound washed over him like spring rain, gentle and cleansing. “Me? No. I can’t play an instrument or march in time to a beat, or anything like that.”
He stopped walking again and faced her. “So, what are your talents then? Everyone has them.”
“I cook.”
“Duh, of course. I knew that. Do you cook other kinds of foods, or just pastries and fabulous bread?”
“I can make anything. I love to cook.”
“Well, that sounds like the perfect opening to me inviting myself over for dinner.”
She hesitated, and he struggled to find a way to save face, but she spoke again before he could. “My next day off is Thursday but I’ve already committed to spending that day with Maverick. We’re going hiking up the side of the peaks.”
Kane forced a neutral expression to his face and hoped his voice came out that way as well. “Really? Which peak?”
“Oh, I guess technically it’s Passion Peak that has the trail up the side leading from Rio Blanco Lake. It’s a well-marked trail, so we won’t be wandering off the course or anything.”
“Do people do that? Wander off course, I mean.”
“Sometimes, but the woods are really thick and they have so many marked trails that most people stick to them. It’s hard to get help from the park rangers if they can’t find you.”
“But surely the foothills aren’t dangerous.”
“Not for climbing, but we do have a lot of cougars in the area. I’m sure you’ve heard the coyotes at night. The cougars keep the population in check.”
“I’ll have to remember that.”
“Oh, it’s not dangerous unless you’re walking through the woods and one pounces on you from a tree. That’s what they do. The cougars I mean. They hide in trees and look down.”
He frowned. “Do you mean to tell me that people have actually been attacked by them?”
“No, not all the time or anything. But every so often you do hear about an incident. And usually it happens where someone has wandered off the marked trails and into the thicker woods. Out at Rio Blanco Lake State Park, they have all sorts of warning signs posted, advising people to stay on the marked trails. But you know how it is. Some kid or even an adult thinks they’re immune from wild animals doing what instinct tells them to do, and off they go.”
“Sounds like you’d never do anything like that.”
“Well, no. It’s not like you have a lot of time to react if a big cat jumps down on you from a tree.”
“That’s true.”
“So anyway, you asked about dinner. I’m off again on Monday. I’d love to cook for you if you want to come over.”
He stared into her eyes for a few seconds, wishing his heart wasn’t fluttering quite so much. His dick getting hard—that was to be expected. But this stirring in his soul was trouble. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one little bit. So it was probably the worst reaction right now to kiss her, but that’s exactly what he did. He let go of her hand, cupped her heart-shaped face in both hands, and kissed her.
* * * *
Felicity parted her lips to let Kane’s tongue inside, unable to stop the moan that followed. How could someone kiss this well? It wasn’t better than the way Maverick kissed, it was simply different. But that difference was just as arousing, and it sent tiny tingles to her already swollen, throbbing clit. The same fireworks danced behind her eyes as the ones Maverick’s kisses had elicited, and it didn’t surprise her one bit that she immediately stepped closer to Kane and wrapped her arms around his torso.
The thick plaid shirt he wore couldn’t hide his rippling muscles, and when she pushed closer, an impressive bulge grazed her lower abdomen. As his tongue and lips swept over hers, snatches of conversation from last night came back to her. Conversation where she’d confessed her fantasy of having sex with two men at once to Maverick. What would he say if he could see her right now? Would he go along with it?
On the heels of that thought came Maverick’s words. Words which had made it sound as though he wouldn’t be opposed to sharing that fantasy with her. Would he do so with Kane? And was that even a possibility? Did things like that happen in real life? That was a silly question. She knew they did. She had two friends who were living it right now. Three, if you counted Carma Mandanici, who also now lived with two Doms.
When Kane released the kiss, he stared into her eyes with a guarded expression, almost as if he were waiting to see her reaction. She didn’t want him to think she was upset, so she smiled. “Wow. You sure know how to kiss, Kane Easton.”
His grin sent fresh waves of desire coursing through her. “So do you, Felicity Featherstone. I don’t know why I did that, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“I’m not sorry you did.”
“The thing is, I’m at a disadvantage here. Maverick is homespun. So are you. I�
��m the stranger passing through town, and now you know my deep, dark secret.”
“I won’t tell.”
“But what must you think of me?”
Was he fishing for compliments or sincerely afraid that she might be upset or confused? It was difficult to tell. “I think you’re a very charming, charismatic man. And I hope I’m not your prey, like the shapeshifters and ghosts are.” There. She’d said it. And the earth was still turning. No thunderheads suddenly appeared. Her girlfriends would be proud of her right now. Plus, he was still grinning, and his hands still cupped her face. A gesture that she found very, very sexy.
“You’re not. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to get to know you better. Much better.”
“And what happens when you find what you’re looking for and leave town?” Had she really just asked him that? What was up with her this morning?
He nodded slightly. “Good questions. I don’t have answers. So instead of feeding you a line of bullshit, may I instead ask for one thing, and one thing only?”
“All right.”
“Can we simply enjoy each other’s company while I’m here, without empty promises or pretense?”
She stared into those deep blue eyes for long, luscious moments, admiring the sincerity she saw in them. His words weren’t spoken in a tone that implied he was teasing her or that he was merely telling her what she wanted to hear. He meant what he said. How could she ask for anything more from this handsome, elusive stranger? “I can do that, Kane.”
He let out a sigh, relaxing his shoulders as he exhaled. “Thank you. I won’t ask anything more of you. And in that case, I would love to come to your house for dinner on Monday. I’ll even bring the wine, if you’ll allow me.”
“Okay. It’s a date. The high school is just over that rise. Would you like to see it?”
“I’d love to.”
They spent the next hour walking along mostly residential streets of Passion Peak. Felicity showed him the high school, and then they made their way past the Write Stuff bookstore, which Felicity explained used to carry school supplies. But now, since all most kids needed for school was a flash drive or an iPad, they carried computers and printing supplies as well as more traditional items like folders, notebooks and pens.
“iPads in grade school?” He looked skeptical.
She nodded. “I don’t know about grade school, but my sister is a senior in high school, and she needed an iPad last year. Set my parents back a bit.”
He gave her an odd look she couldn’t interpret. “Does you sister hang out with three other teens at Doli’s Diner on Sunday mornings?”
“How did you know that?” What had Harmony done now? Her parents didn’t need more grief.
“I was in there for breakfast and I saw a teen about that age who looked a lot like you. She had the same color hair. I wondered at the time if you might be related, but then I realized the age difference.”
She breathed a mental sigh of relief. “She was born when my mom was in her early forties. She’s a bit of a wild child, but I’m trying to talk her into going to college, even if it’s just a community college in Grand Junction.”
His smile was almost thoughtful. “You’re a good big sister.”
“She’s family. I have an older sister named Brittani who was very much like Harmony is now when she was in school. But she turned her life around and now she has a good job at Notus.”
“And you think Harmony can do the same?”
“I know she can. Any of us can, if we really want to.”
He stared at her for so long that she actually became uncomfortable. When they finally began to walk again, she realized he’d never really answered her questions about his past. She wondered if that was because he didn’t have good memories to share. Maybe if they walked a bit more he’d want to talk about it?
On the heels of that thought, she questioned why it mattered so much to her. She barely knew him. Why the sudden urge to peel back the layers of protection he’d built around himself? There were deep secrets behind the mask he wore. She was certain of it. But she needed to move slowly. Most people weren’t comfortable sharing everything about their lives with a stranger.
And there was Maverick to consider. She’d only just begun to get to know him as well. Kane would leave town one day, but she and Maverick were here to stay. She didn’t want to fuck things up with him before they’d even had a chance to begin. It was time to get a grip on her emotions, and her hormones, before she wound up hurting both men, and herself.
Chapter Fourteen
Since Maverick hadn’t said anything about driving her to work this afternoon, Felicity walked, which was what she usually did anyway. After she and Kane had enjoyed lunch at Doli’s Diner, he’d driven her home and left her with another hot kiss and a promise to call or text her later. She liked that he hadn’t pushed the issue of seeing her before Monday, but by the time she walked onto the employee parking lot at The Cranberry Roost, she almost wished he had. And since Maverick hadn’t called or texted all day, she was left wondering if things were okay between them.
She was early for her shift, so she sat at an unoccupied picnic table and sent a text to Eve Rydell, asking if she wanted to have lunch the next day. She had nothing else to do anyway, as far as she knew right now, and she certainly didn’t want to lose touch with her friends while she tried to figure out how to juggle two men.
Just the thought of doing that sent her heart racing and her stomach contracting. How had this happened? Before she lost her nerve, she called Maverick. He answered on the second ring. “I was just about to call you. I realized you might need a ride to work.”
Felicity was certain that the people sitting at the next table, at least one hundred yards away, could see her bright smile. “I’m already here. I walked. It’s such a gorgeous day.” She didn’t want to tell him that she’d been waiting for him to call and offer.
“Oh? Your date with Kane ended that early?”
“He drove me home after lunch. He had things to do.”
“He must be chasing down criminals.” She laughed at the humor in Maverick’s voice, wishing he were here right now. She missed his bear hugs and the light in his dark eyes.
“Actually, he told me what he’s chasing, but he also swore me to secrecy.”
“Felicity Featherstone, you sound exactly like my sister Ava, right before she reveals something that she’d already sworn never to tell another living soul.”
“Don’t you know that’s code for ‘I’ll only tell my very best friends and close relatives’?”
“I do now. So, spill it. What’s the big mystery surrounding Kane Easton?”
She glanced around. “Not here. Too many ears.”
“Well, that sucks. I have to wait.”
“Can you pick me up from work? I’m off at nine tonight.”
“I’ll be there.”
She smiled all through her shift, even when a customer sent back the tiramisu, saying that it didn’t have enough nutmeg on it. Since she’d never used nutmeg in a tiramisu recipe, she asked the server to suggest something else to the customer, because she certainly wasn’t going to ruin a perfectly good piece of tiramisu by sprinkling nutmeg on it.
By the time she climbed into Maverick’s truck, inhaling his musky scent, she was ready to sit in a warm bath and then tell him anything he wanted to know. He kissed her with as much passion as he’d shown the night before, and the ten minute ride to her house felt like ten hours instead. “Do you want to come inside?”
“Should I?”
She turned to face him as icy cold tendrils of fear raced through her veins. “Why are you asking that? Did I miss something?” If he was upset about her having spent the day with Kane, she’d break it off with that man, right now. She couldn’t lose Maverick over someone who’d pretty much made it clear that he wasn’t sticking around for long.
“I wasn’t sure you’d want me to.”
She brushed a hand across his fo
rearm. “Maverick, nothing has changed since this morning. Why don’t you come inside so we can talk? Or, is it too late for you to be up? I always forget that most people work normal hours.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s not it. I know I said I was fine with you spending the day with Kane, but the truth is that I couldn’t think about anything else. I kept wondering what you were talking about, and whether or not he was going to charm you away from me.”
“He didn’t do that, and he won’t. Come inside. Please? Just for an hour. Let me tell you what he said today. Then you’ll realize that you have nothing to fear.”
Once inside, she left him in front of her big screen TV and took a very quick shower. When she came downstairs, she had on her favorite PJ bottoms and a tank top. She sat next to him and tucked her legs underneath her body. “What are you watching?”
“Doctor Who.”
“Oh, I have to catch up on those. I love that show. Would you rather just watch TV?”
“No.” He turned off the TV. “I want to hear about your day.”
“Okay. So you know how he told you, Van, and Van’s crew that his reason for coming here was to out Trace Coleman, but that he was also interested in the Ruiz family and shapeshifters?”
“He didn’t exactly tell us that he’d come here to out Trace Coleman. What he said was that he knew about him, but when we asked him if that’s why he’d come here, he changed the subject. Oh, and he told us he was passing through on his way to Salt Lake City.”
Felicity didn’t know what to say about that. Kane hadn’t said anything to her about going to Utah.
“Don’t tell me he lied about that.”
“What? No. He said the same thing today about Trace, but he added another layer.”
“So it’s not like you’re telling me something I didn’t already know.”
