01 - The Heartbreaker

by Carly Phillips

  Charlotte’s father had abandoned his wife and child for Hollywood years before. With Roman’s declaration, she’d immediately recognized the devastation he could leave in his wake.

  She had only to look to her mother’s lonely life to find the nerve to act on her conviction. She’d walked away from Roman that same night, lying that he didn’t “do it” for her. And she hadn’t let herself look back, no matter how badly she hurt—and she had hurt.

  Look, don’t touch. Smart rules for a girl who wanted her heart and soul intact. She might not feel like dating now, but when the right man showed himself, she would. Until then, she’d abide by her rules. She had no intention of following the same path her mother had taken, waiting for the wanderer to sporadically return, so she wouldn’t involve herself with a restless soul like Roman Chandler. Not that she had to worry about such a thing. No way was he in town, and if he were, he’d steer clear of her.

  Beth’s hand on her shoulder caught her by surprise and she jumped.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  “Fine. I just got distracted.”

  Beth flicked her blond hair out from beneath her collar, then opened the door to the street. “Okay, then. I’ll grab a table and see you in a few minutes.” She let the door close behind her and Charlotte turned back to the mannequin, determined to finish the job—and calm down—before heading out to dinner.

  There was no way Roman was back in town, she told herself. No way at all.

  THE PLAYBOY

  CARLY PHILLIPS

  An AOL Time Warner Company

  CHAPTER ONE

  Officer Rick Chandler brought his patrol car to a stop in front of a quiet house on Fulton Street and exited with caution. Yorkshire Falls was a small upstate New York town, population approximately 1,725. The crime rate was low in comparison to the big cities and folks possessed vivid imaginations. Case in point, the last major crime spree had centered around a panty thief with Rick’s younger brother Roman as the town’s most popular, if absurd, suspect.

  Lisa Burton, the woman who’d placed the 911 call this afternoon, was a middle school teacher not prone to exaggeration or fright and though Rick didn’t anticipate trouble now, he took nothing for granted. A preliminary check of the grounds told him everything was secure so he approached the front yard and strode up the bluestone steps. The door was shut tight and he knocked loudly. The shades on the side window ruffled as wary eyes peered out.

  “Police.” He announced his presence. The sound of unlatching locks followed until the door opened a crack. “It’s Officer Chandler,” he said, keeping his hand on his gun as an instinctive precautionary measure.

  “Thank God.” He recognized the home owner’s voice. “I thought you’d never get here.”

  Lisa’s breathless, husky tone didn’t come as a shock. For all her schoolteacher conservativism, Lisa, he’d learned, had the hots for him. She’d made sexual overtures before and though Rick didn’t want to think she’d call the police unnecessarily, her seductive voice had him clenching his jaw. “You reported a disturbance?” he asked.

  The door swung open wide. He stepped inside—with caution at first—because she still hadn’t come out from behind the protection of the solid oak door.

  “I reported a need for police presence.” She kicked the door closed behind him. “I reported a need for you.”

  His gut told him there was no cause for procedural safeguards and he released his hold on his holstered gun. But he remained wary and as he inhaled, his instincts were proven right. A heavy perfumed odor surrounded him and every male defense mechanism he possessed kicked in. He coughed, gagging on what he assumed was meant to be a potent aphrodisiac. It was potent all right but the woman who’d made the phone call was doomed to disappointment. The only thing that was going to be turned on were the lights.

  He hit the switch on the wall at the same time Lisa stepped into view. He ought to be surprised by her appearance but figured he was too jaded by recent events. The plain-looking schoolteacher had transformed herself into a daring dominatrix. From her thigh-high black leather boots to her fitted leather bustier, up to her wild, dark, kinky hair, her getup shouted take me now, on the floor, against the wall, it didn’t matter.

  Rick shook his head. Though he already knew the answer, he asked anyway, “What the hell’s going on?”

  She propped her shoulder against the wall and assumed a sultry pose. “That should be obvious by now. You’ve turned down every ordinary woman’s offer in town, including mine. I’m about to change that. Despite my day job and normal appearance, I can be most untraditional.” She crooked a red painted fingernail his way. “Come let me show you my props.”

  A raised eyebrow was the most Rick could manage in response. Then he heaved a healthy sigh, certain of only one thing. His meddling mother, Raina, was behind Lisa’s continued, less-than-subtle attacks.

  Raina had vested every woman with the notion that her middle son would settle down if only he found someone special, someone who’d keep him entertained. Lisa, like many other females in town, had obviously taken his mother’s words to heart. Though Raina was right in thinking Rick appreciated uniqueness, she was wrong believing he’d ever marry again, let alone have children. Given his past experience at the altar, his mother ought to know better.

  Why put his heart on the line to be trampled when he could enjoy the vast array of women out there with no hurt involved? Though his playboy reputation was highly overrated, it was a fact he enjoyed women. Or he had until the Yorkshire Falls female population had launched their all-out attack on his bachelorhood.

  “So are you ready to tie me up?” Lisa dangled a pair of fur-lined handcuffs his way.

  Another time, another place, hell another woman and he might be interested in her charms. But with Lisa, the chemistry didn’t exist and he preferred her friendship to her feminine wiles. He folded his arms across his chest and told her what he’d said the last two times she’d propositioned him, though not as overtly as this. “Sorry. I’m not biting.”

  She blinked, a sudden hint of vulnerability in her eyes. “That’s fine. I can do all the nibbling necessary for us both.” She smiled, baring her white teeth, her words dispelling any illusion of softness he thought he’d seen.

  “Not now, Lisa.” He rubbed his aching temples. “To be honest, not ever.” The words didn’t come easily. Rick worried about her feelings despite her predatory actions. After all, his mother had raised him to be a gentleman. But he’d bet even Raina, for all her pushing, hadn’t anticipated how far the women of Yorkshire Falls would go to get his attention.

  If Lisa favored leather over lace, she probably had a tough hide. Besides, she had to know with a blatant gesture like this, she was risking rejection. Just as he knew that if he softened toward her at all, he risked a repeat episode. It had happened before, not just with Lisa. Other women, other outrageous stunts. This was the third attempted seduction this week.

  She shrugged and glanced away, obviously more fazed than she wanted to admit. Yet once again she recovered, this time by licking her tongue over glossed lips. “One day I will strike the right chord.”

  He doubted it. Rick started for the door, but turned back. “You might want to take note of the fact that it’s illegal to call 911 unless you’re truly in distress.” He ought to take out a reminder ad in the paper, but why waste trees and ink when the women wouldn’t listen? Why should they when his determined mother wanted grandchildren and didn’t care which son provided one first.

  “I’ll see you at the teacher DARE training program,” Lisa said before he shut the door behind him.

  “Swell,” he muttered.

  An hour later, his shift nearly over, Rick used the time to fill out a report, omitting select details of his last stop. He couldn’t see causing Lisa any trouble by reporting the incident as anything other than a false alarm. But he hoped this latest rejection had taught the teacher a new lesson about calling the police unnecessarily.

  He p
icked up a rubber band and aimed it across the squad room. At one time he’d found his mother and her myriad women amusing, but no longer. He had to find a way to get them all to back off but damned if he knew how. He narrowed his gaze and fired away. The rubber band hit his target, a torn magazine photo of a sappy-looking bride and groom hanging against the backdrop of the dingy beige wall. “Bull’s-eye.”

  “Better not let Mom see that.”

  Rick turned as Chase, his oldest brother, walked up behind him, joining him at his desk.

  Chase laughed but Rick wasn’t amused. Raina’s determination was legendary. Not even her heart condition had slowed her down. It wasn’t enough that his mother had married off their youngest brother, Roman. No, now in her quest for grandchildren she’d set her sights on Rick.

  Chase was the ultimate bachelor who’d already helped Raina raise his younger siblings after their father’s death twenty years ago. Having done his familial duty, he’d been exempt from most of their mother’s matchmaking schemes—so far.

  Rick wasn’t as fortunate. “You’d think Mom had her hands too full with her renewed social life to bother with mine.”

  After years of being a widow, his mother had begun dating. Weird term for a woman of her age, Rick thought. But that’s what she was doing, dating Dr. Eric Fallon. Her loneliness had been a concern to all three sons and Rick couldn’t be happier that she’d finally moved on. He’d just hoped she’d be too absorbed in her new life to bother digging into his.

  Chase shrugged. “Mom’s never too busy to meddle. Look at what she’s juggling now: the good doctor, angling to get a baby from Roman and Charlotte,” he said, speaking of their youngest brother and his new wife. “And being director of your social life.” He picked up a pencil and twirled it between his palms.

  Rick rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the tightness from too much time spent on patrol. In their small town, hierarchy didn’t mean squat, and the guys all pitched in for shift duty.

  “At least Eric’s keeping her busy,” Chase said.

  “Not busy enough. Maybe it’s time to give her a job. You ought to offer her employment.”

  “As what?” Chase’s tone didn’t hide his shock.

  “Gossip columnist seems appropriate to me,” Rick cracked, getting a smile out of his brother too.

  But Chase sobered quickly. “No way am I bringing her into the office. Next thing I know she’ll be interfering with my social life too.”

  “What social life?” Rick asked with a grin. Chase was so damn private Rick couldn’t help but give his more serious sibling a hard time.

  Chase shook his head. “The things you don’t know about me.” A wry smile twisted his lips as he folded his arms across his chest. “For a cop, you’re awfully dense.”

  “Because you keep everything to yourself.”

  “Exactly right.” Chase nodded, satisfaction glittering in his blue eyes. “I like my privacy so I vote we let Mom focus on your love life for a while longer.”

  “Gee thanks.” Speaking of Raina reminded Rick of her meddling and took him back to his last stop of the day. “You seen Lisa Burton lately?” he asked his brother.

  “In Norman’s this morning, eating breakfast. Why?”

  He shrugged. “Just wondering. I had a false alarm at her house this afternoon.”

  Chase perked up, his journalistic instincts obviously kicking in. “What kind of false alarm?”

  “The usual kind.” No point in telling Chase the school teacher was into S&M with her scrambled eggs now. She was probably embarrassed enough and Rick wasn’t the type to kiss and tell. Chase had taught him to respect women whether they’d earned it or not. “Unfounded noises outside.” He shrugged. “The place was secure.”

  “Probably just an animal of some kind.”

  Rick nodded. “Did she seem keyed up to you?”

  Chase shook his head. “Not at all.”

  “Good.”

  “Speaking of dinner—” Chase rose from his seat.

  “I didn’t.”

  “Well I am. You ready to head over to Mom’s?”

  Rick’s stomach grumbled, reminding him he was just as hungry as his brother.

  “Sounds like a good plan to me. Let’s go.”

  “Rick, wait.” Felicia, the on-call dispatcher, walked into the room. “There’s a woman in a vehicle stopped on Route 10 leading into town. Phillips came in late. Can you handle it while he’s briefed for his shift?”

  Rick nodded. “Why not?” It would delay dealing with his mother and her pointed questions about his social life. He turned to his brother. “Tell Mom I’m sorry and I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

  “I won’t mention that smirk on your face or the relief you’re obviously feeling at being given a reprieve. But if she’s got a woman there waiting, you’re going to pay,” Chase said.

  Felicia strode up to Chase, confident and feminine even in her blue uniform. “I get off in five minutes. Take me with you to your mother’s and I’ll save you from her matchmaking clutches.” She batted her lashes over her hazel eyes.

  Rick watched, amused. Felicia had a good heart and an even better body, all rounded curves and femininity beneath her clothes. A blind man couldn’t miss the fact that she was a knockout.

  “So what do you say?” she asked Chase.

  He grinned and lay an arm around Felicia’s shoulders, his fingers dangling precariously close to those curves Rick had noticed before.

  “Now you know I can’t take you home with me, sweetheart. Tongues would be wagging and by tomorrow we’d be front page of The Gazette,” Chase said, speaking of his newspaper.

  Felicia let out an exaggerated sigh. “You’re right. One night with the oldest Chandler and my reputation would be ruined.” She lay a hand on her forehead in an obviously dramatic gesture. “What was I thinking?” She laughed, then stood up straight, smoothing her blouse. “Besides, I have a date. We’d better let Rick get to that stranded car,” Felicia said. “See you around, Chase.”

  “See you,” he said, then turned to Rick. “And you’d better hightail it over to Mom’s as soon as you can.”

  Rick shook his head. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Mom considers home neutral territory. She wouldn’t set you up while she’s around to suffer the consequences.” He grabbed for his car keys.

  “Where Mom’s concerned, I wouldn’t get too complacent,” Chase warned.

  Rick acknowledged his brother had a damned good point when ten minutes later he realized he was on his way to another emergency call to rescue yet another damsel in distress. Based on prior experience, Rick had his doubts this was a routine stop, but rather a mother-initiated setup.

  Despite the annoyance building inside him, he had to admit this time he was disappointed in the lack of creativity. Until now, the predicaments had been fresh innovative ways to get Officer Rick Chandler’s attention. Running out of gas, if that’s what had happened, ranked way down on the originality scale.

  He drove to the outskirts of town and walked to where the driver of the fire-engine-red car awaited help. As he neared, he caught sight of frilly white lace that couldn’t be anything other than a wedding veil dangling over the door. He rolled his eyes heavenward. First a dominatrix and now a bride. The dress backed up his suspicion that he was probably in for a setup. Brides didn’t just happen through Yorkshire Falls and there was no wedding scheduled in town today. The nearest costume shop was located in Harrington, the next town over, and Rick wouldn’t be surprised if this woman had stopped there first.

  Apparently she had more creativity than he’d given her credit for, but she hadn’t done her research. Rick Chandler loved rescuing women but a bride of any kind rated last on his list. Last time he’d responded to a similar S.O.S., he’d been home from college and on the force about two years. One of his best friends and a girl he’d had deep feelings for, Jillian Frank, had dropped out of college because she’d gotten pregnant and her parents had thrown her out of the house. Rick
had stepped in without thinking twice. He had those damn Chandler genes. Loyalty ran strong, the need to protect even stronger.

  He’d started by giving Jillian a place to live but ended up marrying her too. He’d planned to give the baby a name and he’d provided Jillian with a home. He thought they’d be a family. Considering he’d always been attracted to her before she went away to school, doing a good deed for a friend hadn’t been too much of a hardship.

  Falling in love had been a natural progression—for him. As they’d lived together during her pregnancy, he’d let down his guard and given his heart—only to have it trampled when the baby’s father returned a few weeks prior to her due date. His once-grateful wife walked out, leaving Rick with divorce papers and wiser for the experience.

  He’d decided then, he’d never again lose his heart, but he’d definitely have fun and enjoy his life. After all, he was a man who liked women. His brief marriage hadn’t changed that. Short of taking out a billboard to announce his intent to never wed again, he’d always made his feelings to the women he got involved with perfectly clear. This so-called bride might as well proposition a brick wall for all the response she’d get from Rick Chandler.

  One hand on his gun, the other on the open window, he leaned down. “Can I help you, miss?”

  The woman turned to face him. She had a unique shade of red hair and the hugest green eyes he’d ever seen. Maybe at one time her makeup had been bridal perfect but tears had smudged the mascara and streaked her blush.

  Something about her rang familiar, but Rick couldn’t say what. In a small town, he recognized most people, but every once in a while someone surprised him. “I take it you’re having car problems?”