by Calista Fox
* * * * *
Ryan spent most of Saturday and the better part of Sunday with the sheriff and, oftentimes, his deputies. He passed all his written and physical assessment tests with flying colors and managed to impress the other men at the shooting range. When they dove into identifying the criminals who’d robbed Ginger, Sheriff Johnson was so taken with his dedication and enthusiasm, he offered Ryan the job. By the time they’d knocked off for the day, they had a few leads and Ryan was due at the uniform shop in Austin the next morning.
Psyched over his new career, he was feeling damn good as he strode into Jess Mills’ flower shop and selected a delicate pink rose for Ginger.
“You must be Ryan Bain,” the attractive, chestnut-haired woman behind the counter said.
“I am.” It wasn’t Jess who’d greeted him, but he wasn’t surprised this stranger knew who he was. Word always spread akin to wildfire in this town, as the sheriff had mentioned.
“I’m Liza Brooks.” They shook hands as she happily added, “About to become Mrs. Jack Wade, actually.”
“Congratulations. Jack is a great guy.” He was a year older than Ryan’s aunt, who was thirty-one, and she’d been friends with him growing up. Ryan remembered Jack as being a bit on the wild side in his younger years, but Miller Parks had told him just today Jack was now on the City Council and owned Wade’s Saloon. Ryan could only imagine how that sat with his Aunt Lydia.
“I’m ridiculously giddy over the whole thing,” Liza told him with a self-deprecating laugh. “Obviously, since I tell complete strangers I’m engaged.”
“I’d say Jack’s a lucky man.” He smiled at her as he handed over cash for the rose. Then he glanced around the shop and added, “There was a robbery on this street Friday night. You might want to be on the lookout for a tall man with dark-brown hair and a short, stockier redhead.”
Liza’s eyes widened. “Who was robbed?”
“I can’t say just yet. But the sheriff’s office is going to get word out tomorrow and post some signs around town. I thought you should know, since you’re in here all by yourself.”
“Yeah, thanks for the warning. That’s alarming news.”
“Well, they’re likely long gone by now. We suspect they were here for the rodeo.”
“I’ll certainly keep my eyes open—and the phone close at hand.”
With a nod, he said, “The sheriff intends to increase the downtown patrol this week, so someone will be stopping in from time to time.”
“Good to know. Thanks again.”
He took the flower and headed out. Back at Reese Middleton’s B&B, he stripped down and stepped into a hot shower. Then he towel-dried his hair and selected a pair of pewter-colored dress pants and a button-down shirt in a slightly paler hue. He would’ve donned a tie were it not overkill in Wilder.
Six o’clock neared and he drove downtown again, parking his truck in the public lot a couple blocks from Pietro’s. He walked in the opposite direction, though, to Ginger’s boutique.
As he came through the door, she jumped and the bank deposit bag she held slipped from her fingers and dropped to the cashier’s desk.
Placing a hand over her heart, she said, “I swear, every time that bell over the door rings these days, I practically jump out of my skin.”
Ryan frowned. “You’re worried those guys are going to come back.”
Despite the sheriff thinking they’d taken the money and moved on, the thought of the robbers returning to the lingerie shop had crossed his mind more than once since Friday night. Especially if they considered Ginger an easy target, given her size and the fact she worked alone. Had she been open past six last night, he would have stopped in after he’d wrapped up his business. But the store’s lights had been off when he’d walked to his truck.
Admittedly, he’d beaten himself up a bit for letting the dark-haired culprit get away. True, Ryan hadn’t known at that point he’d robbed Ginger. He’d initially thought they were harassing her, which was all it’d taken to make Ryan tackle the bastard. In the end, though, it was unfortunate the thief had slipped through his fingers.
“I can’t imagine they’d come back,” Ginger mused, breaking into his thoughts. “We get a lot of tourists during the rodeo, and now that it’s over, I’m sure they’ve gone home.”
“It’s a possibility. You should be on the lookout for anything suspicious, regardless. And having some pepper spray handy wouldn’t hurt, either.”
That would certainly ease his mind a bit, since he knew she was here alone all day long. He’d also be on patrol, and that made him feel a little better. It was news he intended to share with her over dinner.
Handing her the long-stemmed rose, he asked, “You ready to go?”
She smiled as she took the flower from him. “This is lovely.” She sniffed the bud, then said, “Yes, I’m ready.”
After she collected her purse, she seemed to debate whether or not to bring the rose with her, as she stared skeptically at it.
“Everyone’s going to know we’re on a date, Ginger,” he told her. “Bring the flower.”
“Right.” The apprehension in her bright green eyes was unmistakable. But she didn’t hesitate further.
Ryan followed her out, admiring the gentle sway of her hips and the bit of bare legs she showed. Her black dress had the same modest hem as the skirt she’d worn the first time he’d seen her. The material pulled in tight around her narrow waist and it dipped low in the back, partially revealing her shoulder blades and the delicate line of her spine. The neckline, however, was conservative, not that she needed to show off her cleavage. With the dress hugging her enticing chest, it was a more sophisticated, alluring visual than anything blatantly put on display. Her tanned arms were bare and she carried with her a light wrap, also in black.
Her heels were higher than the others she’d worn, and Ryan wondered if she’d changed clothes prior to their date. She certainly looked fresh and vibrant with her long, plump blonde curls and the makeup she’d applied, once again wearing the red lipstick that made it difficult for him to take his eyes off her tempting mouth.
He held her belongings as she locked the door. Then she dropped the keys in the small clutch that she tucked under her arm. She carried the rose and the wrap in one hand as she linked her arm with his.
Ryan’s groin tightened at her nearness. The woman did crazy-wicked things to his body without really doing anything at all.
Glancing down at her, he said, “You look great. If anyone’s staring at us tonight, it’s because you’re a knockout.”
She let out a soft laugh that made his gut twist. Damn, he had it bad for her.
“I doubt that’s what anyone will be thinking. They’ll all be wondering who’s going to break the news to Lydia.”
“Already did that, sweetheart.”
Ginger stopped dead in her tracks, tugging on his arm and then releasing it. Alarm flashed in her eyes as he spun around to face her. “You told her?”
“You can’t keep this a secret. Besides, I don’t mind her knowing. You shouldn’t, either.”
She looked distressed as she said, “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”
Ryan eyed her curiously. “What is going on between you two?”
Ginger sighed. She seemed reluctant to tell him, but caved anyway and gave him the scoop. “She adamantly opposes my shop, as I’d mentioned the night I was robbed. What I didn’t tell you is that she burned it down last summer. Different location. Cooper Denton moved me into this space.”
“What?” Ryan stared at her, incredulous.
“It was an accident,” she was quick to say, though she didn’t sound wholly convinced of that. “One of my ‘risqué’ displays startled her and she knocked over some lit candles. I was in the attic with my friend Liza. Jack Wade had to rescue us.”
Ryan raked a hand through his hair as he let out a long breath. “Okay, I get where you’re coming from now. That must have been some ordeal.”
“Yes, it wa
s quite terrifying. There was a lot of drama in town last year. And while Lydia backed off for a while after the fire, she’s been at it full steam again lately.”
“I sort of got that sense when I spoke with her Friday night,” Ryan admitted. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t see each other. Unless, of course, you didn’t feel the spark I did the other night.”
Her pretty smile chased away the tension between them. “Oh I felt it all right. Everywhere.”
He chuckled, relieved and delighted. “Yeah, me too. And that’s what matters, sweetheart.”
She stared up at him, still tentative, but clearly pleased.
“I’ve got a pretty strong constitution,” he told her. “And even before I saw the bigger picture with you and my aunt, I didn’t allow her to bulldoze me with her personal opinions of you. I can make my own judgment calls.”
“I don’t understand how someone could dislike another person just because they sell lingerie. I mean, I’ve always contributed to the collection plate at church, even when times were tough at the store. She just has it in for me. And if she knew about the other night…” Ginger groaned. “She’d make it sound as though I asked for trouble.”
Offering his arm to her again, Ryan said, “I seriously could’ve pummeled both of those guys for what they did to you.” He still felt a hot flicker of rage over someone having laid a hand on Ginger against her will. And that they’d taken her money.
“I wouldn’t have protested,” she said. “Believe me. But now you can understand why I didn’t want anyone to know it was me who was robbed, right? I mean, this thing with Lydia is just hideous. Her knowing we’re out together tonight is horrific enough. I don’t want to give more and more reasons for her to talk about me.”
“That’s gonna happen anyway,” Ryan told her. “Because of me. But we’ll just have to deal with it. I have no intention of being disrespectful toward my aunt, but I know sometimes she goes too far.”
“Seems like lately, it’s even giving the reverend pause.”
Ryan was silent on the subject as he pulled the door open and they stepped into Pietro’s. The tangy, spicy aroma that assaulted his senses temporarily derailed him from their conversation. He’d missed this place.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Ruby cooed as she stepped around her hostess stand. She hadn’t changed much in seven years. Still wore her crazy aprons, this one inquiring, “Got Sausage?”
Ryan grinned at her as he gave her a quick hug. “Good to see you, Ruby.”
“I heard you were back in town. Sounds as though you’ll be sticking around a while too.”
“That’s the plan.”
Her gaze slid to Ginger and an auburn eyebrow lifted. “You two make one gorgeous-looking couple, but you’re going to do more than turn heads.”
“Yes, tongues will be wagging,” Ginger said on a sigh. “But Lydia already knows, so…” She stole a glance at Ryan and added, “We’ve agreed to suck it up.”
Ruby whistled under her breath. “More power to ya. How about a table by the window, so no one thinks you’re trying to hide anything by sittin’ in a corner?”
Ryan nodded. “Good point. May as well get it out in the open.”
Regardless of how things panned out between him and Ginger, he didn’t want anyone to think they’d been sneaking around. He didn’t want anyone making the mistake that Ryan might be ashamed to be seen with her, because that was most definitely not the case. In fact, he liked having her on his arm, to hell with the shocked looks the preacher’s nephew and the lingerie princess evoked as they followed Ruby to a table.
As they settled into their chairs, Ruby said, “The special is linguine with clams, white wine or red sauce, your choice. But Mike’s got a mean manicotti on the menu as well, for those of you who haven’t checked it lately. Any takers?”
“Special,” Ginger immediately said. “White wine sauce.”
Ruby grumbled, “Of course.” Her gaze shifted to Ryan as she handed him a menu. “Humor me and look at it. No one ever does.”
He didn’t bother. “Sorry. You sold me on the manicotti.”
“Me and my big mouth. Fine.”
They each ordered a glass of wine, then Ruby wandered off to attend to the hostess stand while her servers worked the dining room.
“Nice ambience,” Ryan said of the soft illumination from the warm yellow globes on the walls, the votives on the table and the tiny white twinkle lights framing the large picture window.
“Yes, I love it here. I generally skip lunch when I know I’m coming. And you can’t beat the smell.”
“Oh I beg to differ.” He scooted his chair closer to hers. Leaning toward her, he said in an intimate tone, “You smell as enticing as a summer breeze. Warm and sultry, with a hint of something exotic.”
“Jasmine,” she told him in a breathy voice that drove him wild.
He grinned at her. “Okay, I’m no good at pegging floral scents. But it’s damn sexy, whatever it is.”
She studied him a moment, then asked, “Do you always say what’s on your mind? No holding back?”
“Pretty much. Is that a problem?”
Ginger pressed her lips together as Ruby delivered their wine, offering them personalized service instead of sending one of her servers over. When they were alone again, she said, “Absolutely not. I like it.”
His hand covered hers as it rested on the table. “I don’t want to make things more difficult for you with my aunt. I keep telling you not to worry about what she says, yet I understand how you’re affected. But when it comes right down to it, I just want you to take a chance on us. Maybe that’s being selfish, given that I haven’t been here in a long time and I have less to lose.”
She seemed to give this consideration as she sipped her wine with her free hand. Finally, she set aside her glass and said, “My friends and I have had this discussion many times. The best way to deal with Lydia is to stand our ground. I can do that.”
Ryan brought her hand to his lips as he murmured, “Because you want to see what this is too? Whatever it is that’s happening between us?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation, a hopeful look on her face, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
Ryan’s own excitement flared. Above the adrenaline pumping through his veins, he felt a strong emotional pull. Something about this woman did things to his heart and soul he’d never felt before. Plain and simple, he was nuts about her.
He was more than willing to tell her that, but she suddenly ripped her hand from his and shot to her feet, nearly knocking over her chair.
“What is it?” he demanded, thinking she’d gotten a glimpse of Lydia in the window and had freaked out.
“Reese just ran by. Didn’t you see her?”
“Hard to see much of anything else when I’m looking at you,” he told her.
Ginger’s tense expression softened for a moment. “That’s sweet.” The tension quickly returned, though. “That was very odd,” she said as she glanced out the window. “I just want to check on her.”
She left him and rushed out of the restaurant. Ryan wondered if she’d needed an escape to process what he’d said, but his concern about whether he’d overwhelmed her vanished when he saw her in the window, calling out to Reese. A few seconds later, Reese came jogging back, grasping Ginger’s hands and talking rapidly with a distressed look on her face.
Ryan had a bad feeling about the exchange.
Chapter Three
Ginger’s heart sank as Reese said, “I’m on my way to see the sheriff. Two guys cornered me in the parking lot and stole my purse.”
“Oh no,” she muttered. Then asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. When they caught a glimpse of Bill Horton on the way to his car, they just snatched my bag and ran.”
Hating like hell to pose her next question, Ginger ventured, “Was one a tall, dark-haired guy and the other a shorter redheaded one?”
Reese’s big, tawny-colored eyes
lit up under the glow of the lampposts. “Yes. How’d you know?”
Ginger groaned. “They stole all the cash I had in the store Friday night. Damn it.” She stomped her heel on the sidewalk.
Ryan suddenly appeared and Ginger had to tell him the criminals had struck again.
He said, “You two go speak with the sheriff. I’ll square up with Ruby and then meet you there.”
“Come on,” Ginger said to Reese. “Lydia will have a field day with this, but I’ve got to give my side of the story too.”
They rushed down the street and into the sheriff’s office. His head snapped up at the after-hours intrusion. He sat behind a large desk in a glass-enclosed office. His deputies had apparently left for the evening or were on patrol.
Pushing his chair back, he stood and came out of his office, eyeing both Ginger and Reese with concern in his warm brown eyes.
“Ladies, what can I do for you this evening?”
Reese said, “I was just mugged.”
“And I was the one robbed on Friday night.” Her spirits dipped at the admission. “I begged Ryan Bain not to tell you it was me.”
Both women recapped their incidences. Ryan came through the door with Ginger’s belongings and two Styrofoam containers holding their dinner as Reese was answering questions Sheriff Johnson posed.
After writing up his reports, the sheriff said, “I’m concerned about you returning to the B&B tonight, Reese. The thieves have your purse with your driver’s license that has your address on it and your keys.” Another thought seemed to occur to him and he asked, “Do you have any guests?”
“Just me,” Ryan said, which Reese confirmed with a nod. “I took the room with the private entrance, so I’ve got an extra key to the B&B, but you’ll still want to have all the locks changed as soon as possible, Reese.”
The sheriff asked her, “Is there somewhere you can stay tonight? I don’t want you alone there and I think Ryan ought to look after Ginger.”
Reese said, “Liza will be gracious enough to put me up. And it’d be good for her to have someone else in the cottage, since she hasn’t moved in with Jack yet and he’s at the saloon late into the night.”
