by Ryanne Corey
Why not?
Three
“This is so strange,” Anna said softly, her voice unnaturally husky. “When I stop and think—”
“The sad end to all waking dreams—thinking. Why do we have to stop and think? Haven’t you ever wanted to do anything risky?” Even as he spoke, Zack’s pulse continued to accelerate. He wondered if she had any idea of the beguiling, bewitching picture she made. Her small face was draped with gold and honey-colored hair that curled in looping question marks over her shoulders. So sweet.
Her beautiful eyes remained solemn. “Are you telling me you’re risky?”
“Some people think so.” His body moved infinitesimally closer to hers, drawn by something he couldn’t see or explain. She was a hypnotizing contradiction of darkness and light, uncertainty and daring. With all his experience, Zack felt like a newborn, amazed that a situation that had begun so innocently could feel so sharply, aggressively sexual.
Thoughtfully she tilted her head to one side, unable to stem her curiosity about this man. “Should I be careful, then?”
“No. Please, no.” His hand slipped beneath her hair, warm on the delicate nape of her neck. Even as he lowered his face to hers, he was aware of an uncharacteristic trembling in his body. He saw her eyes grow wider, brighter, the dark rings of her irises visibly expanding. Then her face blurred, his attention fiercely riveted on her parted lips. The first tentative touch of his mouth on hers was the merest caress, a fluttering, barely there butterfly kiss. Still, the resulting shiver that coursed through his body was hard and unexpected. He heard the sharp intake of her breath, and a stark urgency flared to life within him. Whatever was happening here was happening to them both.
And he wanted more.
The second kiss went much deeper and demanded far more than the featherlight touch of butterfly wings. Zack slanted his head to capture her lips fully, his palms framing her face while he drank with a hunger that startled even him. At the same time Anna’s hands closed over fistfuls of his T-shirt, clinging for dear life. She could feel steel in his muscles.
The fact that Zack was a virtual stranger sharpened the fiery sensations sparkling through her like champagne bubbles. And the way he made magic with his warm lips and cool tongue added the most delicious, sinfully wicked pleasure. She felt a curling heat deep in her stomach, a connection to this man and this moment that somehow went beyond a simple kiss. In an instant she somehow knew she had changed, never to be quite the same again.
When Anna finally pulled back from the kiss, she was feeling light-headed and weak all over. Her eyes had an endless depth as she studied his expression, hot and hectic with emotion. Like a dreamer she raised her hand to smooth back his hair, the silky strands flowing like cool water through her fingers. So soft, like she was playing with clouds. Her body had transformed into warm butter, barely holding its shape. One more second in his arms and she would have been pooled around his feet on the floor.
“I wonder why I did that,” she said hoarsely.
“I know why I did,” Zack replied, sounding a bit hoarse himself. “Do you have any idea what you do to a man? What just looking at you does to me?”
At that, she shook her head and smiled faintly. Obviously her own incredible looks didn’t figure whatsoever in her value system. “You don’t need to flatter me. For the moment there’s no competition.”
“I wasn’t trying to—”
And then the real world tapped them on the shoulder.
From out in the hallway a door slammed, followed by a loud commotion of male voices. Zack said a four-letter word, then closed his eyes and took a heavy, sustaining breath. It was hard to go from sensual to sensible in the space of three seconds.
“We are about to be rescued,” he growled, his eyes still closed tight. “And in my opinion the timing really sucks.”
Anna was both relieved and disappointed. This was her safety hatch, her opportunity to run from this beguiling stranger before things got out of control. This was why she had allowed herself to be carried away, knowing that nothing about this night was real. She tried to smile, but she was overwhelmed by the confusing emotions shuddering through her. She dropped her hands awkwardly to her sides and stepped away from him. The air between them felt instantly cool, the fluorescent lights harsher and the atmosphere thick and uncomfortable. “I guess we should be grateful for the interruption. We’re a very bad influence on each other.”
The voices grew louder. Zack’s eyes flew from Anna to the door and back to Anna again. “The last thing I am is grateful. Look, this whole thing wasn’t—”
The door flew open, framing two uniformed policemen and an amazingly short, triple-chinned man who had “Owner of Appleton’s General Store” stamped all over him. Before either policeman had time to speak, he marched into the storeroom, obviously emboldened by his gun-toting companions. “Ha! I knew something fishy was going on the moment I spotted the car and the Jeep parked out front. What the devil do you think you’re doing, breaking into my store?”
Zack scowled at him, feeling an overwhelming urge to pop the blowhard in the nose. However, since he was an officer of the law, he shoved his hands in his pockets and contented himself with speaking his mind. “I don’t like you.”
The man turned red, puffing out his barrel chest. “What? As a criminal, you are in no position to like or dislike anyone. In case you haven’t noticed, you and your partner in crime have been apprehended.”
Zack wasn’t impressed. “Oh, put a cork in it. We’re trying to break out of your store, buddy, not into it. We made the mistake of visiting the bathrooms around closing time and got locked in. You should have a sign posted at that door at the top of the stairs: Run Like Hell if the Clock Strikes Ten.”
Looking acutely uncomfortable, one of the policemen politely cleared his throat. “Like I told you upstairs, Dad, I think you might be overreacting.”
“Dad?” Zack asked incredulously. “This guy is your father?”
The young man nodded almost shamefacedly. “I’m afraid so. I mean, yes.”
“Afraid?” the owner spouted, turning his indignant gaze on his son. “Afraid? Are you trying to say you’re not proud to call me father? Is that what you’re trying to say?”
The second policeman raised a calming hand. “Now, let’s all cool down. Nothing has been disturbed upstairs, and these people would hardly leave their getaway vehicles in full view in the parking lot for any passerby to see. I’m sure this is nothing more than an unfortunate accident, Dad.”
“Dad?” Zack blurted again, his eyes growing wider by the second. “Good Lord, is everyone in this town an Appleton? If we were criminals, we’d be in big trouble here. Talk about having the cards stacked against you.”
Anna’s shoulders jumped with a half-born giggle, which was quickly stifled by her hand. She couldn’t help it; she had a vivid imagination and this whole scene had the feel of a Three Stooges movie. Curly and Moe were bumbling policemen, and Larry was the befuddled villain.
“We don’t get many criminal types through here, anyway,” son number one replied with a regretful sigh. “Being a cop in Providence can be kind of boring, actually. Still, hope on and hope ever, as our captain says. Are you both all right?”
The older man again took offense. “I don’t believe you! You’re asking these trespassers if they’re all right? You’re supposed to be the law around here, damn it! Why aren’t you arresting them? Do I have to slap the cuffs on them myself?”
“They didn’t do anything,” son number two pointed out in a long-suffering voice. “And I told you before, I called in the license plates on both cars. No problems. Besides, this guy is a cop, Dad. Remember? They told me when I ran the plates. I think you should take one of your nitroglycerin pills and go home.”
Anna looked at Zack. “So that’s what you do for a living. You’re a cop. That’s perfect. It really does fit you much better than being a lawyer.”
“There’s something fishy going on here,
” Appleton Sr. muttered. “It’s a trick, I tell you.”
“There are way too many policemen in this room,” Zack announced. Not only had a beautiful moment had been cut short, but he was growing increasingly irritated with the short guy’s testosterone tantrum. “I think it’s time for the lady and me to take our leave.”
Anna gave the Appleton boys a dazzling smile. “Can we please leave now, Mr. Policemen?”
The officers bobbed their heads like two dashboard puppies, obviously pleased to grant this stunning lady’s wish. Their outraged father sputtered and coughed, but both Zack and Anna ignored him. They collected their coats and took the stairs two at a time, leaving a family argument boiling over in the basement of Appleton’s General Store.
Anna found herself avoiding Zack’s eyes as he escorted her to her forest-green Jeep in the parking lot. Somehow, what had seemed so natural and enticing while locked in a basement now felt rather embarrassing. Apparently even a brief stolen moment could have consequences. “What a night,” she said, anxious to fill the thick silence. Every second that ticked by seemed to increase her feeling of awkwardness. Kissing a stranger while they were locked up in a basement together was one thing. Facing him as they returned to reality was a bit sticky. “I thought we’d never get out of there.”
“Will you slow down a little? This isn’t the fifty-yard dash. Anna—”
“I can’t believe it’s nearly one in the morning. I didn’t plan on my visit to the store to last half the night. All I wanted was some Tums.” She unlocked her car, tossing him a tight little smile over her shoulder. “I’ve been under a little stress lately, and my stomach doesn’t like stress. I remember once when—”
“Look, hang on a minute. You’re talking faster than a trained parrot. What on earth is wrong with you?”
“Not a thing, not a single thing. I was just…just…” She was suddenly distracted by the car parked very near to hers. Obviously his car, since they were the only two in the parking lot. It was a Lotus, a sleek, silvery work of art. A terribly expensive work of art. This was the sort of car she found mention of in magazines like Fortune and Forbes. “That isn’t…that isn’t your car, is it? That thing has to cost more money than I’ll make in my lifetime.”
“Uh…maybe I’m a very good cop,” Zack mumbled, momentarily caught off guard. Apparently his rapid-fire intellect was adversely affected by a pair of big blue eyes. It was a humbling moment.
Anna giggled nervously. “Policemen don’t make that kind of salary, do they? Because if they do, I’m off to the police academy first thing tomorrow.”
With a sinking heart, Zack saw a new expression on her face, a combination of confusion, curiosity and distance. This was the same expression he had feared he would one day see on his friends’ faces should they ever discover he was such an oddity—a rich cop. Besides, how would he explain to Anna how he amassed his fortune? Actually, I’m a genius. I played the stock market for a couple of months just for fun and ended up with several million dollars. Go figure.
“I’m just teasing you,” he said after an almost imperceptible pause. “It’s not my car. You’re right about cops’ salaries, we barely make enough to pay for our donuts. The Lotus…an inheritance from my father. Can we talk about something extremely pertinent to this moment? Like where the devil you’re going in such a rush?”
“You know…places to go, things to do when I get there. Well, it’s been an unforgettable experience.” She turned to face him, sticking out her hand. “Nice meeting you, Zack. You’ve been an entertaining companion.”
Entertaining? Zack could have sworn that something more went on in that basement than simple entertainment. Again, a humbling moment. “What is this? Do you have a split personality or what? Unless I miss my guess, about ten minutes ago we were lip-locked and loving it.”
Anna turned her back on him, fumbling for the Jeep’s door handle. Her face felt as if it was on fire. If nothing else, she’d learned a little lesson about the awkward consequences of giving in to one’s base desires. Sooner or later you had to face reality. “Sure. It was fun.”
“Fun?” In the past being tagged as “fun” hadn’t bothered Zack at all. Tonight, however, the innocent little word felt like a slap in the face. He reached out and took hold of Anna’s shoulders, firmly turning her to face him. “I didn’t notice you laughing hysterically. I did notice your breathing getting out of control and your hands trembling when I kissed you. Was that part fun, too?”
“Yes,” Anna said stubbornly. “When my fingers are trembling, I know I’m having fun. Fun, fun, fun.”
Zack wasn’t amused. “Why do you need to run off like this?”
“I’m late.”
“Late for what?”
“I’m late for arriving at the place where I’m going.” Wherever that was. Anna deftly twisted free of his touch, opening the car door and climbing inside. She knew she was acting like a schizophrenic, but she couldn’t seem to control herself tonight. As good old Frank would say, she was reacting instead of acting. “I’m a very punctual person.”
“That’s wonderful,” Zack snapped childishly. “Fine. It’s been real, kiddo.”
Biting down hard on her lip, she looked up at him, her lavish blue eyes briefly giving away her confusion. She knew this was the point where she should start the car and drive away, but her fingers simply weren’t cooperating. Strange. A couple of hours ago she had found comfort in the thought that he would soon disappear from her life. Now that knowledge was oddly depressing. “Well…”
Zack looked at the ground, scuffing the toe of his sneaker on the asphalt. “Don’t let me keep you.”
“I’ll be seeing you.”
At that his head snapped up, staring hard into her eyes. “No, you won’t. You don’t even know where I live, and I don’t know where you live. And obviously you’re content to leave it that way.”
Anna was silent for a long moment, though she never broke eye contact. “I think it’s better this way,” she said finally. “I’m not…I don’t usually do this kind of thing. I’m a pretty humdrum kind of person.”
“What kind of thing?” Zack demanded. “Kissing men? Are you a nun or something? Nuns don’t usually wear black leather coats.”
She smiled faintly. “Maybe I’m a trendsetting nun.”
“You’re really going,” Zack said, more to himself than to her. He’d dated his last girlfriend for six months, but it hadn’t really bothered him when they’d parted ways. After only a couple of hours, letting Anna Smith disappear from his life was surprisingly difficult. Besides, his pride was killing him. He didn’t have much experience in not making an impression on a woman. “And I can’t make you change your mind?”
“I can’t afford to change my mind,” Anna replied with a wistful smile. “I’m not very good at complications. I’m one of those weird people who like predictability. I have my life all organized and cozy, waiting to welcome me home. Nothing remarkable, but it suits me perfectly. Besides, tonight was…” Her voice trailed off. She looked down at her lap, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.
“Tonight was…?” Zack prompted.
“Perfect just the way it was.” She sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. “The rain has finally stopped. Can you smell how fresh the air is? I love it when the world is all fresh and clean like this.”
Obviously the subject had been changed. Since he truly didn’t know what else to do, Zack bent down, pressing his lips softly to her forehead. Then he stepped back, closing the Jeep’s door. “So be it. At least I tried.”
She gave him one last look, feeling the strange tug of unfamiliar emotions. Then, because she hadn’t really left herself any choice, she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
Immediately Zack pulled a pen out of his pocket and wrote her license plate number on the palm of his hand. He wasn’t through trying…not by a long shot.
Alpha males never gave up.
The motel Zack had seen
earlier was managed by a middle-aged woman with a Santa Claus figure and a headful of pink foam curlers. She didn’t like being roused from her sleep, judging by the expression on her face. Zack threw her a preoccupied smile, and she started to blush and fiddle with the rick-rack collar of her pink-and-white seersucker robe. Wonderful. Now the nuclear weapon worked. Immediately he whipped out his poker face and asked if he could pay half price for only using the room half the night. He had discovered long ago that businesswomen didn’t mind being friendly—unless it cost them money. This lady was no exception: “A pretty face won’t get you any special treatment here,” she snapped, abandoning her flirtatious air.
Climbing the metal-grate stairs to his room on the second floor, Zack brooded on his unhappy existence, feeling deeply sorry for himself. A stout woman with curlers in her hair had just called him pretty. Before that, an irresistible woman had resisted him with no trouble at all. He’d kissed her and she’d kissed him back, which was probably a good thing, except for the fact that he now knew exactly what he was missing. Yes, he had Anna Smith’s license plate number, but that didn’t guarantee he’d ever see her again. The Jeep could be borrowed or rented for all he knew. He’d call in the license plate number first thing in the morning and discover just how depressed he should be. He knew that Anna wasn’t going to be easy to track down. And why?
Because he was on vacation and bad things happened to people when they were on vacation.
Though Zack had supposedly been given a nonsmoking room, it smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. He had quit smoking five years earlier, a monumental achievement for a man who had been smoking since he was sixteen. But suddenly he was itching for a cigarette. Naturally he blamed his renewed cravings on his burdensome vacation. The dripping faucet in the bathroom, the air conditioner that refused to turn off and the mattress that seemed to be made out of cement he also blamed on his vacation. It was a fine scapegoat.
