by Rita Herron
"My laptop, a printer, new cell phone. Hadn't even taken the things out of the danged box."
Gabe jotted the information down. "Anything else?"
Carla nodded. "Ipod, speakers, and a few personals."
"Personals?"
"Yeah, can't find my girdle. Turned this place upside down looking for it."
Gabe smothered a laugh.
"Weirdest thing, too. Robber left me this here little magnetic letter as if that'd make up for taking off with my stuff."
"A magnetic letter?"
"Yeah, like those go on your refrigerator." Carla held up the letter G.
It was exactly like the ones found at the other robberies, just like the ones most kids played with, just like the ones strewn across Casey's floor.
"Gotta get ready for my date," the old man said. "Georgelina'll be here any second. Still got to get my eyelashes on."
Gabe nodded and ducked out the door. He tried to be an open-minded kind of guy. But he had a feeling he didn't want to meet Georgelina.
* * *
Casey punched the T.V. off and snorted at the six o'clock rehash of the morning news. Watching the dark-headed mayor's daughter drape herself over Gabe Thornton turned her stomach. And right on television! So, the man wasn't exactly pining over her. What did she expect?
Brick poked his head in, a giggling Henry S. chasing him.
"Now, Brick, no X-rated movies. Henry S. is only two."
"Yes, ma'am." Brick gave Casey a mock salute. "The book's coming along nicely, Casey. I've already got some ideas to enhance your art projects on the page."
Casey smiled. "Great. I think I should meet the deadline on this one with no problem. Having my little helper here speeds things up." Casey ruffled her hand through her son's thick hair.
"He helps?" Brick pointed to the toddler as he bounded by and tossed a handful of cereal onto the floor. The dog raced after it, lapped it up, and flopped his big furry body down. Rolling to his stomach, Dog whimpered in pleasure as Henry S. gave him a belly rub.
Casey laughed. "Well, sometimes it feels like two steps forward and one back. He does make a mess, but he's built-in research for me. He shows me how kids respond to my art ideas for kids."
Henry S. rolled to his back, stuck out his tongue and started panting like the dog. Brick leaned over and tickled him until Henry S. squealed.
"Brick, are you sure you don't mind staying with him for a while? I don't really have to go out."
Slinging Henry S. on his powerful shoulders, Brick raced around the room, pretending he was the horse and Henry S. a bronco rider. If it wasn't for his massive frame, she'd think there were two kids instead of one.
"You know I don't, Casey," Brick said. "Sheila and I are on the outs right now. It'll be our Friday night with the guys."
Henry S. giggled. "Giddy up, horsy."
Brick raced faster, his long blondish hair fluttering around his collar and reminding Casey of a palomino.
"Let's go out back, buckaroo," Brick said.
Casey laughed and slipped her feet into a pair of sandals. "Just remember this little boy is under age—no seedy bars!"
Brick waved her off and dashed outside.
Why she'd accepted this date, she didn't know.
Still, Casey checked her outfit. Yes, she did know. She had to take her mind off Gabe Thornton.
Plus, she'd promised Jenna she wouldn't give up. She still needed a date for her awards dinner. Her ad would run for one more week, so why not take advantage of the replies?
Maybe she'd meet someone nice. Someone stable. Someone safe. Someone the opposite of Gabe Thornton. Then she could forget about his smoldering looks and passion-drugging kisses.
Gabe Thornton was a threat to her peace of mind. He wasn't nice, stable, or safe. He was sexy, arrogant, and one man she intended to avoid.
The doorbell rang. Casey hurried to answer it, expecting to find her date, Mike. To her surprise, Gabe Thornton stood in her doorway. His gaze raked over her body from the top of her head to her red painted toes. The smile he flashed her made her pulse accelerate. He was dressed in pressed khaki pants, a button-down navy shirt with the sleeves rolled up and sleek Italian loafers. A patch of whiskey-colored hair peeked through the opening of his shirt where he'd left the top button undone. His freshly shaven face tempted Casey to caress his jaw.
Darn the man. He wasn't supposed to show up at her house looking like this!
Gabe clutched a small box in his hand and Casey's palms began to sweat.
"Hi." He whistled as his gaze raked over her. "You look great."
Casey's mouth went dry. "Hi." She wished she'd worn slacks instead of this short denim skirt. If that mischievous gleam in his eyes meant anything, his thoughts bordered on pornography.
"I guess you're curious about why I'm here."
Casey nodded, not trusting her voice yet. The image of the moonlit oak tree flashed in her mind, and she fought the urge to drag him to the backyard.
"I brought you something. A gift to apologize."
She studied Gabe through wary eyes. "You didn't have to do that."
"I know. I wanted to." Gabe shifted, leaning against the doorway. "Please open it."
Once again, the sexy man's large size struck Casey. She took the package and traced the delicate Victorian gift paper as if she needed to memorize the details.
"It's too pretty to open," Casey said in a quiet voice. Memories of being homeless, of foster homes, of past Christmases with no tree and empty stockings taunted her, resurrecting painful feelings she'd struggled to overcome.
Gabe gave her a charming grin. "Go ahead. I think you'll like it."
Drat. His dimples made him look even sexier.
And she couldn't very well be rude.
Resigned, she gently pulled away the paper away, taking great care not to tear it. When she finished, she folded the paper and neatly laid it on the counter. Words stalled in her throat at the sight of the delicate wooden box.
"It's beautiful," Casey said in a choked voice. She pulled the box out, tracing her fingers over the ornate carving.
"It's an antique keepsake box," Gabe said.
A tear trickled down her cheek. Gabe hadn't bought just any present. He'd bought something very special. Something she'd specifically mentioned in her ad.
"I filled it with something for now. Of course, you can take it out and put whatever you want inside."
Casey lifted the lid and removed a small tin of potpourri and decorative soaps. The warm cozy scent enveloped her like an aphrodisiac.
"It's apples and cinnamon. I smelled it when I came in your house last night. It reminded me of my mom's homemade pies."
Casey forced herself to look at him. If he didn't leave soon, she'd probably blubber like a baby.
Sincerity softened his angular features, and his dimple appeared again. He reminded her of Henry S. when he was trying to make amends for misbehaving.
"I don't know what to say, Gabe. The box... it's beautiful."
Gabe slanted a grin, shifting his weight onto his other foot. "You could invite me inside."
Casey tightened her fingers around the gift and glanced at her driveway. A motorcycle buzzed by and whipped in behind her car. Oh, Lord, was this Mike?
Her date was here to pick her up on a motorcycle?
"I can't, Gabe. I'm sorry. I already have plans with Mike."
Gabe's smile disappeared. "With whom?" He glanced at the motorcycle and back at Casey. "Not that guy?"
Casey gritted her teeth. She had a sinking feeling he was her date, and she wanted Gabe to leave before the man made it to the door.
Biker guy shut off the cycle, taking his time removing his helmet. Brick chose that moment to come racing around the house with Henry S.
"Who's he?" Gabe asked.
A tremor ran through her at Gabe's almost possessive expression. "That's... that's Brick."
Too late, Casey remembered about the condoms. Gabe's brows flew up as if he rememb
ered, too.
How in the world had she gotten herself in this awkward situation?
Then his gaze locked with hers. If his eyes weren't considered lethal weapons, they should be.
With the condemning look he shot her, she would already be dead.
Chapter 4
Gabe Thornton had a mission. A mission named Casey McIntyre.
A mission that didn't involve one Mr. Brick studman or Mike the motorcycle maniac.
Dammit. He'd never had a jealous bone in his body. Not until now. Now he had two hundred and six.
While Gabe fought the urge to pound somebody, Brick bounced little Henry S. up and down. Exactly who the hell was Brick? The owner of the triple extra-large, neon green condoms slung Casey's son onto his shoulders like he was part of the family and looked at Casey as if he knew her intimately.
Gabe seethed.
Was Brick Henry S.' father?
Casey's lover?
"Hey, Casey, is this your date?" Brick asked. His hulking form finally stopped bouncing Henry S., and he stood beside Casey, scrutinizing Gabe.
Casey's smile seemed forced. "Uh, no. This is Gabe Thornton. Gabe, this is Brick Dazzleton."
Motorcycle guy sauntered up the driveway.
Gabe's jaw ached as he forced a polite smile and extended his hand to Brick. If Brick and Casey were lovers, why was she going out with someone else? Didn't studman care? Did they have one of those strange, open relationships?
"Oh, you're the guy who helped Casey out with the toilet. Pleased to meet you, Gabe," Brick said. "Our little fellow here gets into some real situations, if you know what I mean." Brick twirled Henry S. around and dropped him feet first to the ground.
Henry S. giggled and tugged at Brick's leg. "Again, again."
A wide grin encased Brick's face as he ruffled Henry S.' hair. "In a minute, partner." Brick turned back to Gabe. "I should have known better than to leave those condoms where Henry S. could get them. He's a little young yet." Brick laughed, draping his arm loosely around Casey's shoulders. Casey rolled her eyes and started to explain, but Henry S. began to spin in circles and make airplane noises distracting her.
Gabe's smile tightened another notch. Maybe Brick didn't mind sharing, but he did. He hadn't done well with it in kindergarten. In fact, he'd failed the subject, and he refused to start now.
Thinking about Brick, condoms, and Casey all in one sentence made his stomach cramp. Casey quickly glanced away from his dark look. Had he frightened her? Was she embarrassed to have her lover and date here at the same time? Motorcycle guy lumbered up, his helmet slung over his shoulder, his long dark hair drawn into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck.
"Cycle," Henry S. squealed.
"Yes, sweetie, that's a motorcycle," Casey said.
"Hey, I'm Mike." The guy's all-encompassing look roved over Casey, his dark eyes practically devouring her. The man obviously liked what he saw on a very primal level. Moving closer to Casey, Gate squared his shoulders, unashamed that the other men recognized the gesture.
He was staking a claim.
How had he gotten himself into this situation? He wasn't her date or her lover. He was making a fool of himself over a woman who didn't want to date him because he separated his vegetables.
"Hi, Mike, I'm Casey." She smiled at Mike, intentionally ignoring Gabe's move. That irked him even more.
"These guys your brothers?" Mike asked, a frown making his dark eyes look beady.
Gabe bit his jaw. Casey's face paled. Good, she felt uncomfortable, too, Gabe thought. He sure as hell felt awkward, and he didn't want to be in this thing alone.
"No, friends. And this is my little boy, Henry S."
Henry S. pointed to the motorcycle. "Wide?"
Mike shook Henry S.' hand, making the little boy giggle. "That's up to your mom, sport."
Casey hesitated. If she let Henry S. ride with that maniac, he would have to speak up. The little fellow could get killed!
"This is my friend, Brick," Casey stammered. "He's watching my son tonight. And this is... Gabe Thornton. He's... he's a reporter."
Gabe ground his teeth. He wasn't here as a damn reporter and she knew it. She could have at least introduced him as last night's personal ad date. Single and Searching...
She had to have found this creature, Mike, out of the paper, too. What the hell was she doing? Dating a different guy every night?
Mike's thick, bushy eyebrows formed a straight line. "You doing a story here, man?"
"No," Gabe said. "I'm here for Casey."
Mike's expression hardened as he glanced at Casey. "You've got a date with me tonight, right, baby?"
A nervous expression flitted across Casey's face. "Right," Casey said in a weak voice.
"Then come on, let's go." Mike glared at Gabe and took Casey's hand. "You'll have to wait in line, man."
Gabe grabbed her other hand. "Casey, don't go," he said in a quiet voice.
Casey pulled her hand free and sighed. "Listen, Gabe, I told you this afternoon—it won't work."
Henry S. tugged at Casey's skirt. "Mommy, bye-bye?"
Casey shook Mike's paw off, then leaned down and kissed Henry S. "Yes, little buddy. Now you be good for Brick, okay?"
"Watch Superman!" Henry S. raced across the yard flapping his arms as if he could fly. Dog trotted by. The toddler grabbed his fur, then attempted to climb on top of him and ride him like a horse.
The kid was mischievous, but definitely all boy. He wondered if he liked baseball. Would Henry S. like to go to a game?
"Have fun," Brick said. "I'll have him in bed by two."
"You'd better not let him stay up that late." Casey wagged a finger at Brick. "And if you let him watch one of those horror shows, you can get up with him during the night."
Brick's easy laugh made Gabe dig the toe of his shoe into the ground. Was Brick spending the night? Would he have Henry S. all tucked in for the night and be waiting in Casey's bed when she got home?
Dammit. The two of them were practically flaunting their intimacy in front of him and Casey's date.
Brick and Casey exchanged hugs. "Thanks, Brick, I owe you."
Red colored Gabe's vision. How did Casey repay her debts to Brick? Their relationship was too strange for him to even think about.
Hell. When he got Casey in bed, her relationship with Brick would be finished.
"If you go somewhere, take my station wagon," Casey told Brick. "It's already got the carseat inside."
Mike cleared his throat, impatience evident in his rigid stance.
"Casey?" Gabe's voice thundered with emotion. What could he do? Beg her not to go? Club her over the head and tell her she belonged to him?
Casey's violet eyes brimmed with sweetness as she glanced at him. Her peaches and cream skin glowed with a faint blush. And he realized at that moment that this woman had an incredible power over him.
The power to hurt him.
Never before had anyone affected him this way. Never before had he cared about a female. His past experiences involved fly-by-night kind of women. Although on first appearance, Casey appeared to be flighty, she definitely didn't strike him as a one-night-stand type. But her strange relationship with Brick puzzled him.
Still she drove a little station wagon and her house screamed of hominess. He was totally confused.
Casey's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Gabe, thank you for the gift. It... it'll always be special to me."
He swallowed hard against his emotions. Even if Casey walked away from him, he was glad he'd brought her the present. Her face had lit up like a child's, and the surprise in her eyes made him wonder about her past.
Had someone hurt her? Henry S.'s father? But if Henry S. was Brick's son and he'd hurt Casey, how could Casey stand here and act so civil to him?
It didn't make sense. Of course, nothing had since he'd met Casey. For the life of him, he didn't have a clue as to why he'd decided to pursue her with a vengeance. She didn't fit any of the character
istics on his list for the ideal woman. So much for his neat, organized list.
"Goodbye," Casey said.
Words lodged in Gabe's throat. He had no idea how to stop her. He didn't even have a right to stop her. She'd made it clear she wanted him to leave her alone, but something in her eyes said otherwise.
Mike tugged at Casey's hand. "Come on, baby."
Gabe broke out in a sweat as she followed Mike, and he cursed when Mike brushed her hair away from her face to strap the helmet on. Before climbing on the bike, Casey hiked up her skirt, revealing her luscious, creamy thighs. That was the final straw.
Mike's eyes lingered on Casey's exposed legs, then he rested the palm of his hand on her leg.
Gabe's hands fisted by his side and he silently willed Casey to get off the bike and come back to him.
She didn't.
In fact, Casey looked everywhere in the yard but at him. She waved to Brick and Henry S., then blew her son a kiss. She even waved to her monster dog and blew him a kiss.
But Gabe received nothing. She purposely avoided looking at him, fueling his anger more.
Then she wrapped her dainty little hands around Mike's hulking waist and they roared off on their adventure.
Was she crazy? She didn't even know this man. What if he was a mass murderer? The damn guy probably belonged to one of those motorcycle gangs. He probably had ten tattoos on his butt. He probably knew the tattoo artist intimately.
Hell, he probably stirred all his vegetables into one big mountain and wolfed them down in one gulp like an animal. Casey would probably like that.
Sullen, he stalked to his car and climbed inside. His stomach rolled. He'd have to stop and get some antacids. Casey was giving him an ulcer.
What if the guy tried to seduce Casey? His stomach rolled again. Worse yet, what if Casey let him?
* * *
A motorcycle ride.
Chili dogs.
And mud wrestling.
Mike's idea of a fun date differed considerably from Casey's. One hour into the evening, and she'd contemplated a dozen different excuses to go home. Ever since Henry S. had come to live with her, she'd used him as her reason not to date. What a crock. Now she remembered the real reason.
As Jenna had said, most men were scumbags.
