Handle with Care (Saddler Cove)

by Nina Croft

  Naked, he’d been beyond anything she had ever imagined. All long, thick muscles and golden skin. She’d never thought of men as beautiful before, but Tanner was stunning.

  All the same, she reckoned she’d lost her mind there for a while. Sex with Tanner O’Connor. How? Why?

  “I can’t believe we did that,” she murmured.

  “Are you sorry?” He sounded genuinely interested.

  She nibbled on her lower lip. She’d always found it almost pathologically impossible to lie. “No. It was good. Are you? Sorry, I mean.”

  “Hell no. Best lay I’ve ever had.”

  Was that a compliment? Or something he told all his one-night stands? Send them away happy?

  “But, maybe we’ll keep this between ourselves, huh?”

  She frowned while she thought about that. She twisted around on his lap, so she could look into his face. And then wished she hadn’t, because he was so beautiful something twisted inside her. This close, his eyes had a black circle around the iris. She turned away quickly. “Are you ashamed of me?” she asked.

  “Let’s just say that I don’t think it would do either of our reputations any good if the nice folk of Saddler Cove found out their Goody-Two-Shoes teacher lady got down and dirty with the town bad boy.”

  She wasn’t a Goody-Two-Shoes. Hadn’t she just proved that? She twisted again to tell him so when something nudged her in the ass. She’d stirred the sleeping monster. His penis was getting bigger.

  Already?

  Time to move.

  She shot to her feet and made a straight line for where she could see her tan dress in a crumpled heap on the floor. She’d just about done a striptease. The poor man hadn’t stood a chance.

  Without bothering with underwear, she wriggled into the dress, twisting her arm behind her to tug up the zipper. Only when she was covered did she turn back. And again, wished she hadn’t. He was still on the floor, long legs stretched out in front of him, his hand fisted around a truly impressive erection.

  He grinned when he caught her gaze. “You look sexy as hell from the back.”

  She stood transfixed, couldn’t drag her eyes from him, as he rose to his feet, hand still around himself. He was huge, and she had a sudden rush of heat and wetness between her thighs. That thing had been inside her. And it had felt so good.

  “I’d suggest a round two,” he said. “But no more condoms.” He contemplated her for a second. “I don’t suppose you’d consider a blow job?”

  Her mouth dropped open.

  “I take it that’s a no.”

  He released himself and strolled toward her, totally unconcerned that he was naked with an erection sticking out in front of him. She envied him his insouciance. He stopped only inches away. He was so tall, she had to tilt her neck to look into his face. She couldn’t seem to move as he lowered his head and kissed her. Just a brief touch of his lips.

  “Goodbye, Emily Towson. Tonight has been surreal, and I’ll never forget it. But maybe best if you don’t come back.”

  When she still didn’t move, he placed his hands on her shoulders, turned her around, and gently urged her to the door. Once she was through it, and into the yard, he released her, stepped back, and the door closed behind her.

  He’d thrown her out.

  How dare he?

  And he still had her grandmother’s check. But as she turned around, she heard the lock click.

  He’d locked her out.

  She glared at the door. Raised her fist to bang on it, then changed her mind. She would leave with what little dignity she had left. Mimi would just have to cancel the check.

  But things could be worse. At least it sounded like he was no more eager for anyone to know about their little meeting than she was. That was good. Wasn’t it? But she couldn’t help thinking—what the hell was wrong with her?

  Chapter Six

  A week later and Tanner was still suffering the after-effects of his visit from Emily. He couldn’t pick up a tool from that goddamn table without getting a hard-on. It was distracting as hell.

  He hadn’t seen her around town. They didn’t exactly move in the same circles, so it wasn’t surprising. And if he’d driven past the school a couple of times, then it was pure coincidence.

  But God, she’d been hot. He wondered if she’d had any fantasies about him since that night.

  He’d jerked himself off so many times his dick was sore. Was she the same? Lying in her bed at night, touching herself, her fingers all slippery and—

  “Tanner, get your ass in here. Aiden’s arrived.”

  He rubbed a hand through his hair and straightened from the bike he’d been working on. Reese stood in the doorway leading to the office. It was their monthly strategy meeting where they discussed anything to do with the business. And there was a lot going on right now—some difficult decisions to make.

  They were doing well. It had been a gamble setting up the business in Saddler Cove. Both Aiden and Reese had wanted to open the shop in Richmond. It had been Tanner who had persuaded them to stay here. He hadn’t wanted to leave. Despite everything, he loved Saddler Cove. During his time away, he’d longed for home, the fresh air, the sea. A small part of him knew that if he moved away, he would leave a whole load of baggage behind. Start afresh where people didn’t look at him like he was a murderer. But he was too stubborn and ornery to let people drive him away. And maybe a little part of him believed he deserved whatever they could throw in his direction.

  Anyway, he’d argued that their money would go a lot further here in Saddler Cove. They’d bought the place and still had cash left over for advertising, building a name for themselves. And for setting Aiden up on the racing circuit. He was bringing in a lot of business, and their reputation was growing. Tanner loved the work—it was his fantasy job—tinkering about with bikes all day long and people paying him to do it. Enough so he could indulge in his Harley obsession—as a kid he’d dreamed of owning a hog, and now he had three.

  Most of their work came from outside Saddler Cove. People came a long way to buy from them, get the bikes customized. Then bringing them back for servicing. They employed three other mechanics now.

  All the same, if it hadn’t been for Keira, Reese’s daughter, he didn’t think his brother would have stayed. Hell, he would never have left the Navy and come back if it hadn’t been for Keira. Reese managed the business side of things. He’d always been good with numbers, but there hadn’t been the money for college. He’d joined the Navy when he was eighteen, a year before Tanner had gone to prison. He’d done well, seen a lot of action, been a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy SEALs when Keira’s mother had died. Reese hadn’t even known he had a daughter. But he’d come back as soon as he could and made a home for her.

  Reese wanted the business to grow. Not so much for the money, but because he was bored and needed more of a challenge.

  Aiden straightened from where he was leaning against the wall, and Tanner crossed to him, grabbed him in a bear hug. “Hey, bro. Great fucking race yesterday.”

  “Yeah. You got her running like a dream.”

  “I fucking did. It was all down to me.” It was the goddamn truth—Aiden loved the racing but wasn’t too keen on the work. Tanner kept the bikes running perfectly, giving Aiden an edge over his competitors.

  He went to the big upright fridge in the corner of the office and got himself a cold beer, tossed one to Reese where he sat behind his desk. Didn’t bother with one for Aiden—his little brother hadn’t had a drink in six years. Not since Tanner had come home and talked some sense into him. He’d been drinking—among other things—himself into an early grave.

  Tanner twisted the top off his beer and slumped on the sofa. Meetings were not his thing, but they were partners, so apparently his input was necessary.

  Both Reese and Aiden took after their dad—black Irish. With dark hair and blue eyes. Aiden’s hair was as long as Tanner’s and pulled back in a ponytail. He looked totally badass. He’d gone a li
ttle crazy when Tanner had been sent away. Then their father had died in an accident at work, and Aiden, still only seventeen and in high school, had ended up in the foster system. He’d gotten mixed up with some bad people. Drink, drugs—you name it and Aiden had tried it. Tanner had made him see the error of his ways, and he was clean now and doing well on the race circuit.

  Tanner had gotten his coloring from his mother. He could vaguely remember her. He’d been six when she had died. In childbirth. They’d lost the baby as well. That’s when his father had gone to pieces, taken to drink, and never really recovered. He’d still managed to make sure they were fed and clothed, but only just enough to keep them out of the hands of social services.

  But they’d grown up as kids of the town drunk.

  “So what’s happening?” he asked.

  “I’ve found us a site in Richmond.”

  Reese wanted to expand. Tanner had known this was coming. And he was happy to go along with it, as long as they didn’t expect him to move to Richmond. He hated cities and all the people crammed in together.

  He listened while Reese went through the details. “You plan to move there?”

  Reese shrugged. “Not yet. Keira likes it here. I don’t want her unsettled. I’ll commute for now, see how it goes. Probably put a manager in there, and I’ll oversee both places from here.”

  Tanner could understand that. Keira hadn’t had the easiest of childhoods, and she was only just beginning to come out of her shell. She was a sweet kid, but more than a little screwed up—which meant she fit right into this family. She was six and had started school this year. Which meant she was in first grade. Which meant Emily was her teacher.

  He wouldn’t mind teaching Emily a thing or two. He had a flashback to her expression when he’d suggested the blow job. From her look of shock, he doubted she’d ever had that pretty mouth around a dick. She hadn’t been a virgin, but she’d seemed surprised at her own response. She’d probably only fucked in bed. With the lights off. The way she’d stared at his dick… He shifted in his seat as his jeans got a little snug.

  “Tanner!”

  He jumped. “What?”

  “You said you had something you wanted to discuss?”

  He rubbed at his scalp, getting his mind away from where it wasn’t supposed to go. But the fact was he was back to fantasizing about Emily with a vengeance. It was doing his head in. Now he’d had the real thing, he couldn’t get the feel of her, the taste of her, out of his mind.

  Maybe he needed to go out, let off some steam, find himself a different type of woman. One who knew the score. The idea didn’t appeal.

  “Tanner? Are you with us or off in some fucking dream world?”

  More like off in some dream world fucking. “Piss off,” he said, swallowing the last of his beer. But there was something he needed to talk about. “Remember I told you about Josh? He needed a job and a place to stay if he had any chance of getting parole?”

  “Yeah,” Reese said. “You also said it was a formality, would never come to anything as it was unlikely he’d get parole.”

  Tanner had met Josh his first night in prison. He hadn’t realized back then how lucky he was. He might not have survived without Josh telling him how things worked. Of course, that had taken a little time. Josh was essentially a loner and hadn’t been happy sharing with anyone, let alone a crappy eighteen-year-old kid who didn’t know his ass from his elbow. But somehow, they’d become unlikely friends. He owed his sanity, if not even his life, to Josh. And now he had the chance to repay some of what he owed the man.

  “Well, he has. And he’ll be here next week.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Reese asked. “How old is this guy, anyway? I got the impression he was pretty old.”

  He didn’t actually know. It wasn’t something they’d discussed. They tended to steer clear of personal stuff, though they’d talked about most everything else. He had to be close to seventy. He’d done forty years of a life sentence, and he’d been twenty-eight when he went inside. “Sixty-eight, I think.”

  “Can he work?”

  “We’ll find out, because he’s getting a job. It’s not negotiable.”

  But Josh didn’t act like an old guy. He worked out a lot. Not much else to do inside, and Josh had said it kept the dark thoughts at bay. That and reading. He’d taught Tanner to love books. He didn’t think he’d ever voluntarily read a book before he’d gone inside. But in two years, he reckoned he’d read just about every book in the prison library—some more than once.

  “I suppose he can help out in the workshop,” Reese said. “We’re a man down with Danny leaving. Where’s he going to stay?”

  “I’m giving him the apartment.”

  “What?”

  “He’s been inside for forty years. He’ll need some space and somewhere he can be alone.” It was what Tanner had craved when he’d first come out. Still did, occasionally, though he was getting better. And he’d only been inside for two years. How the hell did someone stay sane for forty?

  “And where are you going?”

  “I thought I’d move back home for a little while.”

  “You’re not fucking sharing with me,” Aiden said. “You snore.”

  “It’s his house as much as ours,” Reese pointed out—always the sensible one. “But Keira’s got your old room, and I’m not moving her out of it.”

  “I wouldn’t ask you to. There’s the attic room. I thought I’d clear that out and put a bed in there. It’s all I need.”

  Anyway, it wouldn’t be for too long. He was thinking of buying his own place. He could afford it now. Somewhere out of town. With a big yard and a view. And he’d maybe buy himself a piano and be able to play it where no one could hear him.

  “Okay, but you’re responsible for this guy.” Reese frowned. “What was he in for, anyway?”

  “Murder.”

  “Great,” Reese said. “I don’t suppose he was innocent.”

  “Nope.” While the vast majority of prison inmates would swear they were innocent, Josh had never denied his guilt. Though he’d never spoken about the crime that had locked him away. And Tanner hadn’t asked.

  “If word gets out, there’s going to be a few unhappy townsfolk. Why do I get the idea you’re not too bothered about that?”

  “The townsfolk can go fuck themselves.” Except Emily. She could fuck him. Except he’d told her never again, and that was still good advice.

  Emily was the white picket fence, happily-ever-after type. And that was as far from what he was as you could possibly get.

  He still hadn’t told her grandmother that he’d torn up her check and cancelled the order. Did he secretly hope Emily would come and chew him out about it again? Was that why he’d worked late every night for the last week?

  Never going to happen.

  He reckoned she’d stay as far away as she could.

  And he’d do the same.

  Which meant no loitering by the school gates or following her into the hardware store.

  All he needed was a little willpower.

  If only he believed it was going to be that easy. Willpower was one thing he was seriously lacking when it came to Emily.

  Chapter Seven

  Josh couldn’t shift the sense of unreality that had enveloped him since he’d stepped through the gates that morning. The clothes they’d given him felt all wrong, and he rubbed at the collar of his shirt—he’d taken the tie off as he’d walked away, hearing the gate clang shut behind him. What the hell did someone like him need with a goddamn tie?

  It was late spring, but the bus was air-conditioned and cool, though out the window the sky was a deep blue and the sun bright. The bus was pretty full, but the seat next to him was empty. You’d think no one wanted to sit by him. Maybe he was giving fuck-off vibes. He’d perfected the art a long time ago.

  There were still a couple of hours to go, and he forced himself to relax, watch the passing scenery, and accept that the lump in
his stomach was fear.

  Fear of being free.

  He was a goddamn prison cliché.

  Institutionalized.

  That’s what they called it.

  So many years, he’d slept when he was told to sleep, eaten when he was told to eat, pissed when he was told to piss. His whole life had been ordered for him. Now there was no one to tell him anything. And he felt like he had vertigo, that he was falling, tumbling through the sky with the Earth nowhere in sight.

  He was on his way to Saddler Cove. Tanner’s hometown. The place that had screwed that boy up good and proper. Because they thought he wasn’t good enough.

  What the hell were the inhabitants of Saddler Cove going to make of a sixty-eight-year-old black ex-con who’d spent forty years inside for a murder he’d definitely committed? While the actual memory of the act had always been blurred, he’d never had any doubt of his guilt.

  He’d read a lot in prison, and he’d come to realize that murder had been inevitable—he’d been a ticking bomb waiting to explode. He was just glad that when the explosion had finally happened, the man in front of him had deserved to die. Even if the judge and jury hadn’t exactly seen it that way.

  He’d worked in the workshop at the prison for the last twenty years. He knew his way around and might even be able to do something useful. But that wasn’t why Tanner had offered him the job.

  Tanner was one of the good guys, whatever he thought. He’d visited Josh once a month without fail over the past six years, bringing him new books, talking about what was going on on the outside, staying away from anything personal. His only visitor—Josh’s family were long gone, dead, or vanished.

  Forty fucking years.

  The world had moved on without him, and he didn’t think he could run fast enough to catch up. Even if he wanted to try. Those forty years had broken him in some indefinable way. Left him a shell.

  He pulled a battered copy of The Count of Monte Cristo out of the duffel bag between his legs and tried to concentrate on the words. Otherwise, he was in danger of doing Tanner a favor, getting out at the next stop, and just walking till he dropped. But he’d promised he’d see Tanner first, give this thing a chance. If it didn’t work out, then walking was still an option.