by Unknown
“What did I walk into here?” Nick asked, teasing his friend and winking at Audra, who blushed furiously.
Her lips clamped down and did that thing that Scott loved.
Damn. Nick had lousy timing.
“Ms. Leone was testing out these shackles and the key she had made doesn’t work.”
Scott handed the key to Nick, who studied it for a moment. “Yeah, this is all wrong. I can remake it for you. I’ll get you out of here in a slick minute. Who made this one? You should get a refund.”
Nick smiled easily at Audra, and Scott saw her relax a little and smile back.
“I’m afraid I ordered it online.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Locksmithing is something you should have done in person.”
“I know. This is very embarrassing. It was stupid of me not to be more careful.”
“Ah, this is nothing. You should see some of the messes people get themselves into these days. I’ve seen stuff I can’t ever unsee, you know?”
They laughed, and while Scott knew that Nick was only putting her at ease, his friend’s flirting rankled. Nick was closer to her age. He was in good shape, Scott knew, because they often played community hockey together—but Audra had never laughed that easily with him.
Before he could think about it more, Audra was pulling her hand from the counter and stretching both arms over her head with a sigh of relief.
Scott swallowed hard, watching her. Nick grinned widely, watching him.
Audra was clearly relieved as she lowered her arms. “Thank you very much. I know you’re professional, and I know I probably don’t even have to ask, but—”
“Client-locksmith confidentiality. No worries, sweetheart,” Nick said with another one of those smiles that made Scott want to trip him the next time they were out on the ice.
Wasn’t Nick seeing someone? He wasn’t sure.
“Drive safely, Nick. Send me the bill.”
“Ah, for this? No charge. My pleasure. Nice to meet you, Ms. Leone.”
“Audra, please. And I’ll be sure to call your shop from now on for anything I need done,” she said.
There was nothing flirtatious in her manner or her tone, but as she shook Nick’s hand and walked past the two men toward the front of the store, Nick whistled under his breath.
“Whoa. Nice score, Beckett. And shackles. Check the key next time.”
“Not like that, Nick. She really did get herself locked up there, total accident.”
“There was nothing going on? Maybe I should give her a call, since she said—”
“Watch yourself, now.”
Nick laughed and slapped Scott on the shoulder. “Just yankin’ ya, Scott. You might not have locked her up, but any idiot can see you want to. Good luck with that—she’s class.”
Scott grimaced. “Yeah, she is.”
“Think she’s too good for you? Probably, but you know, nothing ventured…”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Anyway, really, thanks for coming out here in this weather—beers on the house next time you’re in.”
“Wings?”
“You got it.”
“It’s a deal.”
Nick walked out with him to the front and left. Scott wasn’t sure where Audra had gone. The store was silent and she wasn’t anywhere in sight. He heard a door shut at the back, in the warehouse behind her store, and walked in that direction.
Audra was there, dressed in a puffy parka that swallowed her, head and all.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting my coat and snow pants on.” The look she sent him said duh.
“I don’t think you need that gear to walk over to the bar.”
“Huh?”
“Dinner. Remember? I set you free, now you come to dinner.”
She frowned, shaking her head. Cool and composed—and distant—again.
“Can we have a rain check? I need to get my car dug out and head home. It’s a mess out there. I didn’t realize when I was locked up in the back how nasty it was getting.”
“It is bad. Bad enough that you probably shouldn’t go out on the roads, period.”
She didn’t respond as she struggled with the zipper of the bubbly down coat she was wearing. The ridiculous garment was bright blue. With faux fur around the hood. He closed the distance and pushed her hands away, finishing the zipper himself.
“There. That’s quite the parka.”
“It’s warm, which is what I care about.”
He pulled the hood up and zipped it, just for kicks. She looked like Eskimo Smurf.
“Be careful out there. And remember, you owe me.”
Before she could say anything else, he cut off her objections with a kiss, sating a curiosity that had been with him for years. He knew that she was never going to keep their dinner date, so he’d settle for this instead. One kiss.
Her mouth was soft, and her lips warmed very quickly, parting and pliant under his. He’d only meant for it to be a casual, friendly kiss, but it didn’t go that way. Almost five years of curiosity wasn’t about to be sated in five seconds. Especially when he could feel her hunger and her struggle to hold back. He didn’t want her to hold back.
When she didn’t back away and didn’t object, Scott went in for more, pulling her up against him and forgetting about everything except that she felt damned good—even in her crazy, puffy coat and snow pants that blocked everything he wanted to feel—and she tasted even better. Amazingly, she melted for him, opening and meeting his tongue with light, inquiring little licks of her own.
By the way the fire was building between them and how hard he was, Scott thought maybe they were both plenty hungry. Starving, even. She broke the kiss, breathless. He couldn’t think straight for a moment. His knees were actually a little wobbly.
“Scott, I don’t know why I… I-I have to go.”
He watched her head for the door like an escaped fugitive with the law on her tail. He wanted to call out to her, but before he could, she was gone. Snow puffed inside the door where she closed it. He stood there for a few minutes feeling like an idiot. A very horny idiot.
He’d kissed Audra Leone. It was probably a mistake, for every reason she’d stated earlier. Maybe she was right to leave. However, as he reset the security code and left through the front, he couldn’t help but think that walking away from that kiss didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel right at all.
Chapter Two
Audra had made a terrible mistake. Another one. It sure seemed to be her day for it. Somehow, the snow hadn’t looked quite this vicious from her shop, but the little car she drove was well and truly buried. Though she fought the wind and the continuing barrage of white in her attempts to unbury it, she finally had to face reality. No way she could get it out of the lot.
She was stuck. Again.
Turning off the car, she banged her forehead softly against the steering wheel in frustration. As soon as she could, she was trading this tiny gas-saving miracle in on an SUV with huge ground clearance that could get her out of an apocalypse, if necessary.
There was a cot in her office. There might be a candy bar or two in there, as well. As she walked back to the store, something smelled so good it made her mouth water. It was coming from Scott’s kitchen vent, which regularly filled the lot behind Score! with the alluring aromas of Buffalo wings and other kinds of tempting, greasy food. Hot food.
Her fingers were freezing, but she could still recall the warmth of Scott’s mouth. She leaned back against the building for a moment, cursing her situation. A hard wind howled, and a ledge of snow from the roof fell from above, landing directly on her. It stuck to her face, and she shook it off like a dog, unsure what she’d done to deserve this. It was as if life was going to dump on her until she got the hint.
Hint about what?
One chunk of snow slid down her cheek and down the back of her neck.
Lovely.
Suddenly she knew. It was all very clear.
Sco
tt wasn’t the wrong man for her—he was exactly the right guy.
Maybe it was the cold drizzle working its way down her back, but Audra realized that what had seemed like a warning to stay away was really an invitation on silver platter.
How could she have missed it?
She’d been looking at this all wrong. She was too used to thinking with her heart—about permanence and being married—and being hurt. She hadn’t wanted to set herself up again. She wanted to be smart. Protect her heart and her life.
But that assumed she was thinking long term. What she needed from Scott—and very likely what he was offering—was sex. Pure and simple. One night. One really hot night.
She knew, instinctively, that he could give her that. Whenever he came on to her, she huffed and blushed like a virgin. No wonder she hadn’t gotten laid in a while. There had been a few guys after her divorce, but she’d been too focused on love, and the sex had been barely adequate. She’d decided that life was easier without both.
But her attitude had been askew. She didn’t need a relationship. She needed orgasms.
Her mission was suddenly defined by her epiphany, and she made her way, with some difficulty, around the building to the front walk. Scott’s door displayed the CLOSED sign, but peering inside, she saw him at the back, wiping down some tables. The music was still playing.
She rapped on the glass, though her mitten muted the sound.
“Scott?” she called, but he continued wiping tables.
Taking off her mittens, she knocked harder, calling again.
No luck. He probably couldn’t hear over the noise. She knocked again but he walked out of sight, back to the kitchen.
Was it a sign? Was she crazy? Was this her last chance to back out?
She thought of that kiss again and shook her head.
“Screw signs, I’m freezing.” Pulling her cell phone out, she called his number.
Luckily, he heard that and answered immediately.
“Audra?”
“Hi, Scott.”
“Where are you?”
“Outside your front door. I couldn’t get my car out, and I tried knocking, but—”
“Damn, sorry. Hold on.”
Two seconds later he was at the door, letting her in.
He leaned in close, and she held her breath, but all he did was brush snow off of her head.
“How long were you out there? You had a mountain of snow piled on you.”
“Oh, not long. A bunch fell on me from the roof when I was walking along the edge of the building.”
She looked around and noted how cozy the place was. She’d never really looked before—it was a bar, much like any bar—but right now, it felt like heaven. It was also different when it was empty except for the two of them. Crowded with shouting, drinking patrons, it never seemed that charming. Now, it seemed very intimate.
Warm, golden hues saturated the place, the walls solid brick. There was a huge fireplace at one end, where the tables were situated for people to sit, eat and talk. It would have been lovely if not for the huge flat-screen TVs that were hung everywhere. They were turned off now, all but the main one over the bar. Audra just focused on the warmth. And Scott.
“Something smelled pretty good out in the alley. Please tell me you haven’t closed the kitchen.”
“Nope. I have plenty to share.”
She watched him walk to the bar to get some tape and attach a note to the door. “What are you doing?”
“You never know, in a storm like this people can get stranded. I posted our business number to call if anyone else comes by needing help.”
Audra was taken aback for a second by his generosity and concern. “That’s very kind of you.”
He shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “You’re melting.”
“What?”
She followed his gaze down to where snow melting off her clothes had left a little puddle around her.
“Oh, I’m sorry! The floors—”
“Don’t worry. This tile can take a beating. Let’s get you out of those wet things,” he said, grinning. “Did that sound as porny as I think it did?”
Audra had to laugh. He was funny as well as generous. The combination was hard to resist. And now she didn’t have to.
“Nah. More big brother-ish, I think.”
He frowned in mock consternation. “I’ll have to try harder next time.”
“I hope you might.”
There it was. Her first return parlay.
He paused, as if registering what she’d said, before he took her coat and put it on a hook by the door. Awkwardness swamped her as she worked the snow pants down over her legs, which didn’t feel very sexy. She felt about twelve. Then she realized she should have taken her boots off first, and as she reached down to do so, she nearly fell over.
Scott was there to catch her, of course.
“Are you generally this accident prone?”
He asked the question with no criticism, only gentle humor. He didn’t let go of her, either. Audra leaned into him, holding on to his arm as she worked her boots and snow pants off.
When she looked up and saw the heat in his eyes, her fingers tightened on his forearm when they should have let go.
“Not usually, no. Today must be one of those days where everything seems to be going wrong.”
“I guess that depends on your perspective.”
Warmth chased away any chill that lingered from the cold. Audra wished she could play it cool and back away with a laugh and a smile, but words clogged in her throat instead. Her eyes went to his mouth as her heart slammed in her chest. Okay, he was still in the game, it seemed. Maybe he was turned on by older women with no sense of style or good balance.
They stayed like that, staring at each other for several long moments until hard blast of wind rattled the windows and made them both snap out of their fugue.
“Wow, it’s getting really bad out there,” she said.
Brilliant.
“It is. I’m glad you came here instead of driving home.”
“Me too.” She let go of him and stepped backwards into a wet puddle in her stocking feet. Closing her eyes, she groaned. “Yes. Driving would have been a disaster waiting to happen.”
Scott chuckled. “Come on back. I have some chili on the stove. I also have a pair of wool socks you can borrow.”
Audra wasn’t going to argue. The chili sounded fantastic, and her feet were now wet and cold. She watched him walk back to the kitchen, paying particular attention to his very nice form, and regained her sense of mission. She wanted to have sex with Scott Beckett, but she wasn’t going to throw herself at him. If she was reading him right, she wouldn’t have to. She only had to let him know she was ready to take him up on his offer.
First, though, she was ready to eat.
Audra followed him into the huge kitchen behind the bar. The bright lighting was cheerful, and the rich aromas made her take a deep breath that she exhaled on a smile.
“This is very nice, for a commercial kitchen.”
“It’s my personal kitchen as well—I didn’t see the point in putting in a whole kitchen in the apartment upstairs when I have this here.”
“I wondered why you live here? Why not some fancy place on the bay, like other star athletes?”
She thought the question might have sounded obnoxious, but he didn’t seem fazed by it.
“When I opened the place, I decided I wasn’t going to be an absentee owner. I wanted to run the place myself. People come in to see me, to talk with me, you know? Not to sound conceited, but it’s how it is. I also like being downtown. What do I need a huge house for when it’s only me?”
Audra nodded as she took two huge bowls from him. He didn’t sound conceited, but realistic. Genuine.
She admired that he was committed to his business, as she was to hers.
“Chili’s over there. Do you mind filling these? I’ll run upstairs to get you something for your feet.”
“Sure.”
She shut the burner off and grabbed a ladle from the counter where Scott had left it. She inhaled again as she lifted off the lid—it was possibly the best thing she’d ever smelled.
Except for Scott himself, of course.
Her rumbling stomach agreed. She doled out a few large portions and went searching around the kitchen for some bread or crackers. Finding them, she carried everything over to a counter where some stools were arranged—probably where the staff ate during their shift—and put everything there.
Scott walked back in a second later and presented her with a huge pair of socks that she stared at.
“Are those socks or a scarf?”
“I have really big feet.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made her laugh out loud as she took the socks from him.
“I guess. Thank you. Is this spot okay?”
“Actually, let’s take dinner out by the fireplace.”
“Sounds lovely.” A suitably romantic setting for pre-orgasmic activities, she thought with a secret smile as she followed him out.
When they sat, she started to pull one of the socks on over her cold feet.
“Shouldn’t you take off those wet stockings first?”
Audra paused. That probably made more sense.
“I’ll go grab us a couple beers—you okay with a beer?”
“Definitely. Something dark, though. A stout or a porter if you have it.”
“We do, and you’ve surprised me yet again. In fact, I have something I think you’ll really enjoy.”
Audra bit back a comment about betting he had several things she could enjoy as he walked back to the bar. He was still within sight, but he wasn’t paying attention to her. She tugged her skirt up a little, finding the clips that held her stockings up and undoing them, rolling the soft material down her leg and off.
She heard Scott curse behind the bar—it sounded like he’d dropped something. When she looked, he was wiping up something he’d apparently spilled.
Damn, she’d hoped he was peeking at her little display.
She quickly removed the other stocking and pulled on the soft wool-blend socks. They came up to her mid-thigh and probably looked ridiculous, but they were warm. Scott returned and handed her a large beer glass that caught her attention.
