Cocking a hip, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Really.”
“Really.”
“So you’ll win me the teddy bear.”
“Just said so, didn’t I?”
She studied him, then let out a little laugh. “Okay, cocky man, what happens then? After you win?”
“I hand you the prize.”
“And?”
“And…” He let out a slow, wicked grin, both because he could taste victory and because she was so incredibly hot. And fun. That was the shocker. He was having fun with her. “And in return, you give me a prize.”
Her eyes narrowed to little slits. “Which would be what exactly?”
“I don’t know yet. I’ll think about it.” He slapped down a buck, accepted his three darts. Aimed.
And was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked into deep green eyes that held a world of knowledge. “I don’t want the teddy bear.”
“Liar,” he said softly, and hit the first balloon. “But that’s okay. The bear will look good on my bed.” He hit the second balloon.
Pop.
She tossed back her hair. Looked at him with fire-spitting eyes. Then caved. “Okay, damn you, I want the bear.” Her fingers dug into his arm. “Name your price.”
They weren’t touching—other than her fingernails digging into his biceps, that is—but their mouths were only a fraction apart. Hers was all glossy and smelled like peaches.
He loved peaches.
Their breath comingled, and with a sharp stab of lust he remembered exactly how good those lips tasted. He wanted another taste. “My price?” He lifted the third remaining dart. Weighed it in his hand. “A kiss.”
A laugh escaped her. “Just a kiss? You don’t aim very high for yourself, do you?”
“On the contrary…” He narrowed his gaze, studied the distance to the remaining balloon. Hefted the dart. “I know exactly what I want. And I’m not afraid to get it.” Turning his head, he shot her a last look. “How about you?”
“I know what I want.”
“The teddy bear.” He smiled. “But I’ve discovered I want it, too.” He aimed, but before he could throw the dart she stopped him.
“Fine,” she said.
He set down the dart. “Fine what?”
“You want me to say it?”
“Yep.”
That earned him a roll of her eyes. “If you win the bear, I’ll give you a kiss for it. Okay? Right here, right now.”
“Oh, no,” he said with a shake of his head. “Not right here.”
“Where then?”
“Where I say.”
She looked him over. Wanted to tell him to go to hell, he could tell. “You have twenty-four hours to claim it, big boy, or all bets are off.”
“Deal.” He leaned close and she tilted her head back, away from him. Lifting a finger, she wagged it in his face. “Gotta win it first, ace.”
He arched a brow, then showed her he was just leaning in to grab the dart.
She crossed her arms and didn’t offer another word.
He smiled and tossed the dart.
And won the girl the bear.
Handing it to her, he grinned and said, “You’re welcome.” He watched as she turned away and buried her face into the bear’s neck, her arms hugging the thing tight. Because suddenly his throat was tight as well, he cleared it. “So…Are we going steady now?”
“In your dreams.” She huffed off, a vision in her little sundress, her blond hair flying everywhere, arms wrapped around the huge bear.
The kid running the booth watched her go. “That was amazing, dude.”
“Yeah.” But all Tag could think about was his prize. And it was walking away.
So he did what any red-blooded, aroused man would do. He followed her.
* * *
CASSIE STALKED through the carnival, glaring at any man who so much as looked at her. And there were plenty. Women looked, too, if her itchy shoulder blades were any indication. Good. Let them look at bad-ass, no-good, trouble-seeking Cassie Tremaine.
The high-heeled sandals had been a mistake, she thought now, because she couldn’t really motor in the them. Should have worn tennis shoes.
Had she even packed tennis shoes?
“Cassie.”
Oh, that voice.
“Cassie, wait up.”
Nope. She kept walking, smiling as though she was the queen of the ball, as if the sexiest, most obnoxious man she’d ever met wasn’t striding behind her.
He’d won her the teddy bear. Not only that, her heart had gone all pitter-pattery watching him do it. Unacceptable, really. She had no need for a man doing something she was capable of doing for herself. She wasn’t like her mother, damn it.
She had no need for a man, period. Never had. Not knowing who her father was, having never had a positive male role model, having never had men do anything but drool when they looked at her, she supposed she had a rather low view of men in general, but not one had ever proven her wrong. Not yet anyway.
At least Tag wasn’t wearing his uniform. Maybe that was the trouble, she thought now. Because without the uniform she obviously couldn’t be trusted to remember she didn’t like him.
The carnival wasn’t that big, and before she knew it she was in the parking lot. Good thing she’d gone and dunked Stacie before going for the teddy bear, because she was good and ready to leave now.
But not to go home. Home was dark and lonely, with only a grumpy cat waiting for her. And nightmares of Pete finding her.
The night was still and hot. She’d give just about anything for a cool breeze. And that’s when she decided.
The lake.
It wasn’t a very far walk, and her feet were tougher than they looked. She wanted to see the lake by moonlight, and what she wanted, she got. She started off, hugging the teddy bear, not listening in the least for Tag’s footsteps. But even if she had been, they weren’t there to hear.
Good. He’d gone away. Just as she wanted.
Bastard.
The moment she stepped off the road and onto the little sandy beach, she set down the teddy bear—careful that it didn’t get covered in sand—and kicked off her sandals. Her toes dug into the wet sand and she nearly moaned at the cool pleasure of it. This. This is what she’d needed. She walked to the water, letting it lap at her ankles.
Alone. “His loss,” she told the moon.
“Not yet, it’s not.”
She was not going to scream, jump, or give any sign that he’d nearly scared her right out of her skin. Again. Calmly, with a little smile on her lips, she turned. “What are you doing?”
“Collecting my prize.” He stepped close, so very close that she could see the moonlight dancing in his eyes. Could feel the heat of his big, tough body.
Tensing, Cassie waited, because she wouldn’t welsh on her promise. She’d pay the price. She held very still, waiting to be grabbed. Groped. Conquered.
But he did none of the above, just stepped even closer, careful not to smash her toes.
“What—”
“Shh,” he said before sliding his arms around her and putting his mouth to hers. She should have known from their earlier encounter he was different. There was no grabbing, no groping, no conquering. Nothing even close. Yes, his arms were strong and firm, but also loose enough she could wriggle free if she wanted to.
She thought about it for all of one second. He was tall, powerfully built, and smelled like heaven. It wasn’t often she stood in a man’s embrace with every thought draining out of her head, but it happened now as his hands cupped her face, almost reverently, tipping her head for better access.
Oh, yes, better access was good. So good she arched against him. The sound he made low in his throat caused a mirroring one in hers.
At that, the kiss went instantly explosive. His tongue slid home. He hauled her body up against his. And still, she didn’t want to be free. The opposite, she realized dimly, snaking her arms around his neck to hold on t
ight.
With the touch of her fingers on the back of his neck, he groaned, a very erotic sound, and nibbled at her lower lip.
Ohmigod, was all Cassie could think, and then she couldn’t have repeated even that. Her knees wobbled; her heart rammed against her ribs as they practically ate each other alive. This…this—whatever it was they were doing to each other—was far more than she had bargained for, and still it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She, a woman who never wanted more from a man. Never.
It took her a moment to realize he’d released her, and that she stood there weaving like a drunk.
“Thank you,” he said very politely, in direct contrast to the way he was breathing as if he’d run five miles. Uphill. “That was…”
“Yeah.” She licked her lips, tasting him on her. “That was…” Craving his mouth back on hers, she licked her lips again.
He made another rough sound, almost a growl. “Unless you want to extend that price you negotiated, don’t.”
“Don’t…?”
“Don’t look at me as if I’m the first one who’s ever kissed you stupid. Don’t stand there weaving weakly with lust…Ah, hell. Don’t even breathe. Yeah, that should do it.” He turned from her, shoved his hands through his hair and stared out at the lake.
Shocked, she looked at him. Really looked at him—at his stiff shoulders, his rough breathing—and knew he was as out of control as she was.
And how annoying was it that she no longer wanted him just so that she could cross another item off her revenge list. She wanted him because…well, just because. “It got a little out of hand, that’s all.”
He shot her a look of disgust over his shoulder. “You think?”
“Yeah.”
Before she knew what he was about, he turned, lifted a hand and caressed her cheek. “So it wouldn’t, couldn’t, happen again, right?”
She barely caught herself from closing her eyes and sighing at the surprising tenderness of his big, warm hand. “Of course not.”
“Liar,” he whispered softly. Before she could snarl at him for that, he walked away.
5
TWO DAYS LATER Tag still couldn’t get that kiss out of his head. It went with him to work, to play, to bed…and that’s where it was the worst. Bed.
He wanted Cassie there with him, he couldn’t deny that. He wanted her badly.
But why? She was bad attitude personified. She hated everything about him, his life, his job.
So what did that say about him, being so undeniably attracted to her?
That he was sick, very sick.
But knowing it didn’t stop the desire, so that when he walked into his office after a day from hell, desperately in need of coffee and some time off, and saw her standing there in front of his receptionist, his gut took a hungry leap.
He told himself it was simply because she exuded sex appeal and it had been…well, longer than it should have since his last sexual experience.
It was the outfit, he decided. She wore a microskirt the color of a field of daffodils, and a matching zippered crop-top, out of which came two spaghetti straps from what he assumed was a bathing suit worn beneath. Her hair had been piled on top of her head, with strands tumbling free to her shoulders. And then there were her legs—long and toned and bare except for a pair of strappy sandals.
“I was just wondering if the restraining order I took out in New York protects me here,” she was saying, and all Tag’s lusty thoughts flew right out the window. “Because I’ve received some more threatening mail and—”
“What restraining order?” Tag asked, moving close. “What threatening mail?” She smelled like coconut oil. He loved coconut oil. Ordering himself not to notice her scent, or to picture what she was obviously dressed for—sunbathing—he looked into her green, green eyes.
“If you don’t mind, I’m having a conversation with your receptionist,” she said. “A private conversation.”
Roxy, who’d been working at the station since his father had been sheriff, shot him a sympathetic look, then turned back to Cassie. “You do have a restraining order already in place? In New York, you said, right? Can you give us the details?”
Cassie glance sideways at Tag. “Us?”
“Well, the sheriff here is really good at what he does,” Roxy assured her. “He can help protect you—we just need to know what’s going on. We’ll need to know who the restraining order is for, what specifically, and any other pertinent details for our records.”
“Such as why you didn’t tell me when you first hit town,” Tag said lightly, not feeling light at all.
Cassie picked up the purse she’d set on the counter. “You know what? Never mind.”
“But—” Roxy made a frustrated sound when Cassie pivoted away and headed toward the door.
“Thanks anyway,” Cassie called over her shoulder.
Not even her curvy little ass could sidetrack him now. With one last glance at Roxy, who lifted her shoulders to indicate she knew as much as he did, he followed Cassie.
Who gave no indication that she even noticed.
“Cassie,” he said as she strode out of the station and into the early evening.
Her heels clicked on the asphalt. Everyone she passed took a good long second look, both men and women. Some started talking. Cassie didn’t so much as look at a single one of them.
“Cassie,” he said again, but as she was having no part of him, it left him following her like some damn puppy dog. But she’d tweaked his curiosity—and concern—and if there was anything more dogged than a curious, concerned cop, he didn’t know what it was.
At her car, she opened her purse. Slid on sunglasses.
“Cassie.”
Pulling out her keys, she opened her door, and would have slid inside if he hadn’t put a hand on her waist.
Going still, she stared down at his hand, which looked large and imposing on the paler, softer skin of her very tantalizing middle. “I paid the debt the other night,” she said very quietly. “We’re even, remember?”
With a rather unprofessional oath, he dropped his hand. “Do you think I care about that?”
“You’ve got a penis, don’t you?”
He sucked in a slow careful breath because something about her stoked his temper every time. “You wanted the teddy bear, I won it for you.”
“Thank you, Mr. He-Man. And I paid your price.”
“That’s right,” he said, keeping his voice even with effort. “End of story.”
“Then why are we still talking about it?”
“Because you brought it up!” Lord, she could try the patience of a saint. He took a deep breath. “I want to hear about the restraining order. About your threatening mail.”
“Yeah, well that was a private conversation and you were eavesdropping.” But she seemed less hostile now and he forced himself to relax.
Forced himself to be the calm cop he knew he was. And once he did that, he had to admit it bugged the hell out of him that she thought he’d insist on more “payment” for that damn teddy bear.
Had she really never met a guy who didn’t want something from her? He knew she didn’t have a father around—never had. He knew what Biff had wanted from her. But what about others? Hadn’t there been others? Anyone who’d just been there for her? Given her attitude, he had to doubt it. That thought unsettled him to the core, and if the kiss hadn’t so rocked his world, he might have spared a moment to feel guilty he’d asked her for that much.
Then he realized something else, that she was avoiding looking at him, and when he took a good look, he saw why.
She was uncomfortable around him. Interesting. If she’d paid the debt, and it was as over as she’d said, why wouldn’t she look at him? “Cassie, talk to me.” He paused. “Please.”
With an exaggerated sigh, she tipped her head and looked skyward. “You know me. Wild Cassie Tremaine. I go looking for trouble. Just ask anyone.”
“Pleasantville isn’t Mayberry,” Tag said. �
��We have our fair share of village idiots.” With his cousin leading the pack.
“Surely you’ve heard the stories.”
“And I sincerely doubt any of them are true.”
Her gaze jerked up to his. Oh, yeah, he’d managed to surprise her. Had no one ever believed in her?
“I’m just having some trouble with an obsessed guy, that’s all,” she said finally.
“A fan?”
“Sort of.”
This he didn’t like. He imagined, given her chosen occupation, she faced similar problems all the time. That she actually needed a restraining order was deeply disturbing. “How serious is the trouble?”
She lifted a shoulder and didn’t look at him.
“Serious enough for a restraining order.” He turned her to face him, left his hands on her bare upper arms because he wanted her unsettled enough to talk. “I can find out with or without you, but I’d rather you tell me.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.” She shrugged him off. “I’m safe here. Nothing bad can happen in Pleasantville, right…Sheriff?”
“Do you have a thing against all cops or just me?”
“Oh, definitely all cops, but especially second generation ones.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d wondered. “You know my father.”
“I grew up here, didn’t I? Right here in good old Pleasantville, where, like I said, nothing bad could ever happen.” Her laugh didn’t convince him, but mostly because it wasn’t humor in her eyes now but…hurt? If he had to guess, he’d have said plenty of bad things had happened to her, right here in Pleasantville.
“Look, I just…had a long night last night and got a little spooked. Okay?”
“I can’t imagine you being spooked for anything less than a good reason.”
“I know. I’m so tough I’d scare away the mob.”
She didn’t look so tough right now. “Cassie. You’re scaring me.”
“Look, Pete’s just a typical guy. He thought he could have something I didn’t want to give him, and he’s pissed. He’ll get over it.”
“Pete. A…lover?”
She ripped off her sunglasses, her eyes gleaming. “None of your damn business. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m headed to the lake for some time alone.”
Bare Essentials Page 7
