He settled into a wing chair, while she took the sofa. Gage drank some of his beer, then put the bottle on a crocheted coaster and leaned back. He should have looked awkward and out of place in this fussy, feminine room, but he didn’t. Perhaps because he’d always been comfortable anywhere.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“That you look at home in my grandmother’s house.”
“I spent a lot of time here,” he reminded her. “Even after you left, she and I stayed close.”
She didn’t want to think about that…about the confidences that might have been shared.
Gage studied her face. “You’ve changed.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant the comment in a good way or a bad way. “It’s been a long time.”
“I never thought you’d come back.”
It was the second time in less than three hours that someone had mentioned her being back. “I’m not back,” she clarified. “At least, not for anything permanent.”
Gage didn’t look surprised by her statement, nor did he seem to take issue with her defensive tone. “So why are you suddenly here? It’s been seven years since your grandmother died.”
Her temper faded as quickly as it had flared. She sighed. “I want to fix up the house so I can sell it. I’m just here for the summer while I do that.”
He nodded without saying anything. She had the uncomfortable sense of having been judged and found wanting. Which wasn’t fair. Gage wasn’t the type of man to judge people without just cause. So her need to squirm in her seat had nothing to do with him and everything to do with her own state of mind.
Rather than deal with personal inadequacies that were probably better left unexplored in public, she changed the subject. “I can’t believe there was a bank robbery right here in Possum Landing. It’s going to be the talk of the town for weeks.”
“Probably. But it wasn’t that much of a surprise.”
“I can’t believe that. Things couldn’t have changed that much.”
He nodded. “We’re still just a bump in the road, with plenty of small-town problems, but nothing even close to big-city crime. These boys were working their way across the state, robbing hometown banks. I’d been keeping track of their progress, figuring they’d get here sooner or later. Four days ago, the feds came calling. They wanted to set up a sting. I didn’t have a problem with that. We talked to everyone at the bank, marked a drawer full of money, then waited for the hit to take place.”
Kari couldn’t believe it. “All that excitement right here, and I was in the thick of it.”
Gage narrowed his eyes. “As you saw, things got out of hand. I don’t know if those robbers got lazy or cocky, but this time, they decided to hold up the bank while there were still customers inside. Previously they’d waited until just before the doors were locked for the day, to go in.”
“So you weren’t expecting to deal with a hostage situation?”
“No one was. The feds wanted to wait it out, but those were my people inside. Someone had to do something.”
She turned that thought over in her mind. “So you just waltzed inside to distract them?”
“It seemed like the easiest way to get the job done. Plus, I wanted to be there to make sure no one went crazy and got shot. At least, no one from here. I don’t much care about the criminals.”
Of course. In Gage’s mind, they had brought the situation upon themselves. He wouldn’t take responsibility for their coming to Possum Landing to hold up a bank in the first place.
“I have to agree with the federal officer,” she said. “I don’t know if you were brave or stupid.”
He smiled. “You could probably make a case for either point of view.” He took another drink of his beer. “You know that I wasn’t really mad at you. I was trying to distract that one guy so he didn’t take you hostage.”
She shivered at the memory of the gun held to her head. “It took me a few minutes to catch on to what you were doing.”
But that didn’t stop her from wondering how much of what he had said was true. Did Gage really think she was the one who got away?
Did she want to be?
Once she easily would have said yes. Back before she’d left town, Gage had been her entire world. She would have thrown herself in front of a moving train if he’d asked. She’d loved him with all the crazy devotion a teenager was capable of. That had been the trouble—she’d loved him too much. When she’d figured out there were problems, she hadn’t known how to deal with them. So she’d run. When he hadn’t come after her, he’d confirmed her greatest fear in the world…that he hadn’t loved her at all.
They spent all of dinner talking about mutual friends. Gage brought her up to date on various weddings, divorces and births.
“I can’t believe Sally has twins,” Kari said, as they moved to the porch and sat on the wooden swing.
“Two girls. I told Bob he has his work cut out for him once they become teenagers.”
“Fortunately that’s a long way off.”
Kari set her glass of wine on the dusty, peeling table beside the swing and leaned back to look up at the sky. It might be after dark, but it was still plenty hot and humid. She could feel her dress sticking to her skin. Her head felt funny—fuzzy, heavy and more than a little out of sync. No doubt it was due to the combination of the fear she’d experienced earlier in the day and a little too much wine with dinner. She didn’t normally allow herself more than half a glass on special occasions, but tonight she and Gage had nearly split the bottle.
Gage stretched out his long legs. He didn’t seem bothered by the wine. No doubt his additional body mass helped, not to mention the fact that he wouldn’t have spent the past several years trying to maintain an unnaturally thin body.
“Tell me about life in New York,” he said.
“There isn’t much to tell,” she admitted, wondering if she should be pleased or worried that he’d finally asked her a vaguely personal question. “When I arrived, I found out that small-town girls who had been told they were pretty enough to be a model were spilling out of every modeling agency within a thirty-mile radius. The competition was tough and the odds of making it into the big time were close to zero.”
“You did okay.”
She glanced at him, not sure if he was assuming or if he actually knew. “After the first year or so, I got work. Eventually I made enough to support myself and pay for college. As of last month, I have teaching credentials, which is what I always wanted.”
Gage glanced at her. “You’re still too skinny to be a PE teacher.”
She laughed. “I know. I sure won’t miss all those years of dieting. I’m proud to tell you that I’ve worked my way up from a size two to a six. My goal is to be a size ten and even eat chocolate now and then.”
He swept his gaze over her. She half expected a comment on her body, but instead he only asked, “So what kind of teacher are you?”
“Math at the middle-school level,” she said.
“A lot of those boys are going to have a crush on you.”
“They’ll get over it.”
“I don’t know. I still get a hankering for Ms. Rosens. She taught eighth grade social studies. I don’t think I’d bothered to notice girls before. Then she walked into the room and I was a goner. She married the high school football coach. It took me a year to get over it.”
She laughed.
They rocked in silence for a few minutes. Life was so normal here, Kari thought, enjoying the quiet of the evening. Instead of sirens and tire screeches, there were only the calls of the night critters. All around Possum Landing people would be out on their porches, enjoying the stars and visiting with neighbors. No one would worry about half a glass of wine causing facial puffiness, or being too bloated for a lingerie shoot. No one would lose a job for gaining three pounds.
This was normal, she reminded herself. She’d nearly been gone long enough to forget what that was like.
“Why teaching?” Gage asked unex
pectedly.
“It’s what I always wanted.”
“After the modeling.”
“Right.”
She didn’t want to go there—not now. Maybe later they would rehash their past and hurl accusations at each other, but not tonight.
“Where are you applying?”
“To schools around Texas. There are a couple of openings in the Dallas area and in Abilene. I have some interviews scheduled. That’s why this seemed like the perfect time to come back and fix up the house. Then I can move on.”
She paused, expecting him to respond. But he didn’t.
Which was just as well, because she suddenly found that sitting next to him on the old swing where he’d kissed her for the first time was more difficult than she would have thought. Her chest felt tight and her skin tingled all over.
It was just the wine, she told herself. Or it was the old memories, swimming around them like so many ghosts. The past was a powerful influence. No doubt she would need a little time to get used to being back in Possum Landing.
“Did you apply locally?” Gage asked.
“No.”
She waited, but he didn’t ask why.
“Enough about me,” she said, shifting in her seat and angling toward him. “What about your life? Last I heard, you were still a deputy. When did you run for sheriff?”
“Last year. I wasn’t sure I’d make it my first time out, but I did.”
She wasn’t surprised. Gage had always been good at his job and well liked by the community. “So you got what you always wanted.”
“Uh-huh.” He glanced at her. “I was always real clear about my goals. I grew up here. I’m a fifth-generation resident of Possum Landing. I knew I wanted to see the world, then come back home and make my life here. So I did.”
She admired his ability to know what he wanted and go after it. She had never been quite that focused. There had been the occasional powerful distraction. One of them was sitting right next to her.
“I’m glad you’re where you want to be,” she said. Then, because she wasn’t always as bright as she looked, she said, “But you never married.”
Gage smiled. “There have been a few close calls.”
“You always were a favorite with the ladies.”
His smile faded. “I never gave you cause to worry when we were together. I didn’t fool around on you, Kari.”
“I never thought you did.” She shrugged. “But there were plenty of women eager to see if they could capture your attention. The fact that you and I were going out didn’t seem to impress them.”
“It impressed me.”
His voice seemed to scrape along her skin like a rough caress. She shivered slightly.
“Yes, well, I…” Her voice trailed off. So much for being sophisticated, she thought wryly. Yup, her time in the big city had sure polished her.
“It’s getting late,” Gage said.
He rose, and she wasn’t sure if she was sad or relieved that he was going. Part of her didn’t want the evening to end, but another part of her was grateful that she wouldn’t have another chance to say something stupid. As much as she’d grown and matured, she’d never quite been able to kick that particular habit.
She stood as well, noticing again how tall he was. Especially in his worn cowboy boots. Barefoot, he only had four inches on her. Now she had to tilt her head slightly to meet his gaze.
The look in his eyes nearly took her breath away. There was a combination of confidence and fire that made her insides sort of melt and her breathing turn ragged.
What on earth was wrong with her? She couldn’t possibly be feeling anything like anticipation. That would be crazy. That would be—
“You’re still the prettiest girl in Possum Landing,” he said as he took a step toward her.
She suddenly felt overwhelmed by the Texas heat. “I, um, I’m not really a girl anymore.”
He smiled a slow, easy, “I’m in charge here and don’t you forget it” kind of smile that didn’t do anything positive for her equilibrium. She seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.
“I know,” he murmured as he put his hand on the back of her neck and drew her close. “Did I mention I like your hair short?”
She opened her mouth to answer. Big mistake. Or not, depending on one’s point of view.
Because just at that moment, he lowered his mouth to hers. She didn’t have time to prepare…which was probably a good thing. Because the second his lips touched hers, protesting seemed like a really silly idea—when Gage could kiss this good.
Kari wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing that was so special. Sure there was soft, firm pressure and plenty of passion. As if the night wasn’t warm enough, they were generating enough heat between them to boil water on contact. But there was something else, some chemistry that left her desperate and longing. Something that urged her to wrap her arms around him so that when he pulled her close, they were touching everywhere it mattered.
He moved his mouth against hers, then lightly licked her lower lip. Pleasure shot through her like lightning. She clutched at his strong shoulders, savoring the hardness of his body against hers, liking the feel of his hands on her hips and his chest flattening her breasts.
Her head tilted slightly, as did his, in preparation for the kiss to deepen. Because there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that they were taking this to the next level.
So when he stroked her lower lip again, she parted her mouth for him. And when he slowly eased his tongue inside, she was ready and very willing to dance this particular dance.
He tasted sweet and sexy. He was a man who enjoyed women and knew enough to make sure they enjoyed him. Kari had a hazy recollection of her first kiss with Gage, when he’d been so sure and she’d felt like a dolt. Right up until he’d touched his tongue to hers and she’d melted like butter on a hot griddle.
Now that same trickling sensation started deep inside. Her body was more than ready for a trip down memory lane. She wasn’t so sure the rest of her could play catch-up that fast…even if the passion threatened to overwhelm her.
He moved his hand up from her hips to her sides, then around to her back, moving higher and higher until he cupped her head. He slid his fingers into her short hair and softly whispered her name.
She continued to hold on to him because the alternative was to fall on her rear end right there on the porch. When he broke the kiss and began to nibble along the line of her jaw, she didn’t care where she fell as long as he caught her. And when he sucked on her earlobe, every cell in her body screamed out that sex with Gage Reynolds would be a perfect homecoming.
Fortunately, the choice wasn’t hers. Just when she was starting to think they were wearing too many layers, he stepped back. His eyes were bright, his mouth damp with their kisses. She was pleased to see that his breathing was a tad too fast and that parts of him were not as…modest as they had been a few moments before.
They stared at each other. Kari didn’t know what to say. Finding out that Gage kissed better than she remembered meant one of three things: her memory was faulty, he’d been practicing while she’d been gone, or the chemistry between them was more powerful than it had been eight years ago. She wasn’t sure which she wanted it to be.
He didn’t speak, either. Instead, he leaned close, gave her one last hot, hard kiss, and walked down the porch steps, into the night.
Kari was left staring after him. Restlessness seized her, making her want to follow him and…and…
She sucked in a breath before slowly turning and heading back into the house. Obviously, coming back to Possum Landing was going to be a whole lot more complicated than she’d first realized.
Chapter Three
Gage ambled toward the offices of the Possum Landing Gazette the following morning. Under normal circumstances, he would have put off this meeting for as long as possible. But ever since the previous evening, he hadn’t been able to concentrate on his work, so he figured this was a better use of his
time than staring out the window and remembering.
He’d always known that Kari would come back to Possum Landing one day. He’d felt it in his bones. From time to time he’d considered what his reaction to that event would be, assuming he would be little more than mildly interested in how she’d changed and only slightly curious as to her future plans. He hadn’t thought there would still be any chemistry between them. He wasn’t sure if that made him a fool, or an optimist.
The chemistry was there in spades. As were a lot of old feelings he didn’t want to acknowledge. Being around her made him remember what it was like to want her…and not just in bed. There had been a time when he’d longed to spend his whole life with her, making babies and creating a past they could both be proud of. Instead, she’d gone away and he’d found contentment in his present life. While the kiss the previous evening had shown him that parts of him were still very interested in the woman she’d become, the rest of him couldn’t afford to be.
Kari was a beautiful woman. Wanting her in bed made sense. Expecting anything else would take him down a road he refused to travel. He’d been there once and he hadn’t liked the destination.
So, for however long she stayed in Possum Landing, he would be a good neighbor and enjoy her company. If that led to something between the sheets, that was just fine with him. He hadn’t had much interest in the fairer sex these past few months. Instead, a restlessness had seized him, making him want something he couldn’t define. If nothing else, Kari could prove to be a welcome distraction.
Gage entered the newspaper office and nodded at the receptionist. “I know my way,” he called as he headed down a long corridor. “I’d be obliged if you’d tell Daisy I’m here.”
The woman picked up the phone to call back to the reporter. Gage pulled off his cowboy hat and slapped it against his thigh.
He didn’t much want to be here, but experience had taught him that it was safer to show up for interviews than to allow Daisy to come to him. This way, he was in charge and could head out when he felt the need to escape. He’d figured out that by leaning against the conference room chairs just so, he could activate the test button on his pager. It went off, and he could glance down at the screen and pretend something had come up, forcing him to leave. He was also sure to seem real regretful about having to head out unexpectedly. He was just as sure to ignore Daisy’s not-so-subtle hints that they should get together sometime soon.
Good Husband Material Page 3
