Please, oh please, let there have been a new sheriff in the past ten years, she thought as she finally located her wallet in the oversize purse that carried everything including her still-secret vicea historical romance. Pirates, rogues, Vikingsthe lustier the better. She hadnt yet cracked the spine on this latest book, but if the sheriff saw it shedwell, shed have to kill him.
Damn it.
No drivers license in the wallet. Oh, boy. Her own fault, though. In getting ready for the club shed gone to several nights ago with friends, shed pulled out her license and stuck it in her pocket so she wouldnt be hampered by her heavy purse.
And she hadnt returned it, not then, and not in the shocking events since. Damn it.
You said that already.
Lurching up, Cassie smacked her head on the sun visor, dislodging her sunglasses. Narrowing her eyes at the low, very male laugh, she focused in onnot Sheriff Richard Taggart, thank God.
No, Richard Taggart would be in his late fifties by now. Probably gray with a paunch and a mean-looking mouth from all the glowering hed done.
The man standing in front of her wearing mirrored sunglasses and a uniform wasnt old, wasnt gray and certainly didnt have a paunch. In fact, as her eyes traveled up, up, up his very long, very mouthwatering body, she doubted he had a single ounce of fat on his tall, lean, superbly conditioned form.
Not that she was noticing. She worked with men all the time. Fellow models, photographers, directorsand while she definitely liked to look, and sometimes even liked to touchon her terms thank you very muchthis man would never interest her.
He wore a cops uniform and a sheriffs badge, and ever since prom night she had a serious aversion to both.
Not to mention her aversion to authority period. I dont have my license, she said, dismissing him by not looking into his face. Rude, yes, but it was nothing personal. She might have even told him so, if she cared what he thought, which she didnt.
No license, he repeated.
What a voice. Each word sent a zing of awareness tingling through her every nerve ending. He could have made a fortune as a voice talent. His low, slightly rough tone easily conjured up erotic fantasies out of thin air.
Thats a problem, the no-license thing, he said. Having clearly decided she was no threat, he removed his sunglasses, stuck them in his shirt pocket and leaned on her car with casual ease, his big body far too close andmale.
She took back the whole voice-talent thing; he should go bigger and hit the big screen. She didnt need her vivid imagination to picture him up there as a romantic action-adventure hero.
Without the uniform, of course.
Obviously unaware of the direction her thoughts had taken, he nodded agreeably at her lack of inclination to apologize over not having a license. But one look at that firm mouth, hard jaw and unforgiving gaze, and Cassie knew this man was agreeable only when it suited him.
A car raced past them, a blue sedan with a little old lady behind the wheel. Hey, Cassie said, straightening and craning her neck to catch the car vanish around the corner. That lady was going way faster than me!
Mrs. Spelling? He shrugged and tapped his pen on his ticket book. Shes late picking up her grandkids.
Shes speeding, Cassie said through clenched teeth.
Well, you were speeding first. He cocked his head all friendly-like. And youre not carrying your ID because?
Because shed left New York in a hurry. That was what happened when three incredibly shocking things occurred all at the same time.
One, she was being stalked. The man doing so had been a friend. That is, until shed declined to sleep with himwhich is when itd turned ugly. Seems that if he couldnt have her, he wanted her dead.
Her agent, her friends and her fiercely worried cousin had all insisted she get the hell out of Dodgeand since Cassie was rather fond of living, she had agreed. What better place to disappear than in a town that had never seen her in the first place?
Two, her mother had decided to sail around the world with her latest boyfriend. She would be away indefinitely, which meant shed left Cassie a surprising and early inheritance. That Cassie had been forced to come back to Pleasantville to take care of that inheritance coincided with her need to vacate New York for a while.
The third shocking thing wasnt life-altering, but had bothered her enough that shed dreamed of it for the past several days. Kate had found their high school diaries and the ridiculous lists theyd each made that fateful night in the tree house after their disastrous prom. Lists that included their childish wish for revenge on a town that had always spurned them. Cassies was inspired, if a bit immature, and she eyed the sheriff again, remembering what shed written.
1 Drive a fancy car, preferably sunshine-yellow because thats a good color for me.
2 Get the sheriffsomehow, some way, but make it good.
3 Live in the biggest house on Lilac Hill.
4 Open a porn shopKates idea, but its a good one.
5 Become someone. Note: this should have been number one.
Amusing. Childish. And damn tempting, given that she had already nailed number one. Maybe thats all shed ever accomplish, driving a fancy yellow car, but one thing shed come to realize in her most interesting career, she had a zest for life.
She wanted to live.
But if anyone thought she wanted to live here, they needed to think again. Shed rather have an impacted wisdom tooth removed. Without drugs.
She took off her sunglasses and immediately wished she hadnt. The glare of the sun made her squint, and she hated to squint. She also feltexposed. The way she hadnt felt since her very first day of kindergarten, walking in with a big smile that slowly faded when all the other kids and their mean moms had stopped to whisper.
Tremaine.
White trash.
Daughter of a tramp.
Wild child.
At age five, shed had no idea what those whispered words meant. But even then shed recognized the judgment, so shed simply lifted her chin to take the verbal knocks. She did the same now. I dont have my license because its not in my purse, she said, refusing to explain herself to anyone in this town. Including a cop. Especially a cop.
Hmm. I hadnt realized Cassie Tremaine Montgomery was famous enough to not need ID.
You know who I am.
His lips curved. Ive seen the catalogs. Interesting work youve gotten for yourself.
Those catalogs are for women.
With you in silk and lace on page after page? He shook his head, that small smile looking quite at home on his very generous mouth. Dont fool yourself. Those catalogs are scoured from front to back by men all across the country.
Is that why you pulled me over? You wanted to meet me in person? Disdain came easily for any man with authority, especially this one. Or is it because Im driving an expensive and brightly colored sports car?
Contrary to popular belief, he said conversationally, cops dont necessarily have an attraction to all cars painted red or yellow. What we do have, however, is an attraction to speeding vehicles.
And this has to do with me because?
Because you were speeding, he said in that patientand incrediblevoice that told her he thought she was the village idiot, not the other way around. Then he straightened and waved his ticket book. The question now is, were you going fast enough to warrant reckless driving.
And this has to do with me because?
Because you were speeding, he said in that patientand incrediblevoice that told her he thought she was the village idiot, not the other way around. Then he straightened and waved his ticket book. The question now is, were you going fast enough to warrant reckless driving.
Cassie never gaped, it went against the grain, but she did so now. Youve got to be kidding me.
As he had before, he leaned in, resting his weight on his arm, which lay across her open window. It wasnt a beefy arm, or a scrawny one, but somewhere in between, more on the side of tough and sinewy.
Again, not that she was noticing. He was probably a jackass, as Richard Taggart had been. He was probably prejudiced against anything different from his small-town norm. He was probably mean-spirited and stupid, as wellmost men that good-looking were. For the second time she considered going the batting-the-eyelashes route. It would work. Shed been rendering men stupid with her looks for a very long time now.
In that spirit, she put her saucy smile in place to butter him up. His slate-blue eyes went as sharp as stone. He wasnt going to fall for the saucy smile, damn it, so she let it fade. Look, I wasnt reckless driving. And you already know who I am so the license isnt really necessary.
In front of them, an older couple started to cross the street. Cassie ignored them until they stopped and stared at her, then started whispering furiously to themselves. Recognition came sharply to Cassietheyd run the drugstore years ago, where shed done her best to prove to the town she was just as wild as they thought by purchasing condoms regularly. Oh, forget it, she said on a sigh. Just do what you have to do.
Which would be what, do you think?
Well, hopefully it wouldnt be to make her get out of the car so he could try to feel her up. You could let me go.
He smiled at that. A slow, wide smile that had her heart skipping a beat. But you were speeding.
Maybe Im in a hurry to get out of here.
Wouldnt be the first time, so I hear.
Now what would he know about her fast exit after graduation? She took another long look at him, squinting through the bright sun to see his name. Taggart. Oh, my God. Youre
Sheriff Sean Taggart. You can call me Tag, most do.
Suddenly she could hardly breathe. She couldnt have managed a smile to save her life. Pulling back, she stared straight ahead out her windshield. Youre Richards son.
That would be correct.
It wasnt bad enough shed had to put her entire life on hold because some jerk had decided if he couldnt have her, hed terrorize her. Or that she had to be here while her life was on hold. No, she had to run into her old nightmares to boot. That, added to her current nightmaresGod, she needed a cigarette.
Too bad shed quit smoking five years ago. Just give me my ticket then.
He was silent for so long she broke her own code and turned to look at him. Silentstill, evenbut not idle. His eyes reflected all sorts of interesting things, mostly curiosity. You know my father.
No. Her mother had known him. Cassie had just hated and feared him. The ticket?
Now youre in a hurry to get your ticket? Whats up, Cassie?
The sound of her first name in his incredibly sensuous voice seemed sointimate. Like I said, Im in a hurry to get out of here.
Are you on your way out then? Already?
She opened her mouth to remind him that was none of his business but her cell phone rang. It was Kate.
Did you get there yet? came her worried voice across the line. Are you okay? How is it? You run into anyone we know? Talk to me.
Cassie stared up at the tall, dark and intensely handsome sheriff. Kate, your timing is something.
Oh, honey. Who is it? That mean old Mrs. McIntyre? Mrs. Wilkens? Because if it is
As a matter of fact, Cassie said, slowly smiling as her and Tags gazes locked. Its Sheriff Taggart.
Is that old fart still sheriff?
No, Tag here is Richards son. When her gaze ran down the front of him, slowly, across his broad shoulders and what looked like a very promising chest and flat belly, over his trousers, which lovingly cupped powerful thighs and everything in between, then back up again, he lifted a daring brow, then gave her the same slow perusal.
Good, she thought in triumph. He was just a man after all, a man run by the equipment between his legs. A man whod possibly forget to write that ticket due to the fact her little yellow sundress not only matched the car shed bought herself last year but also accented the body shed been well paid for over the years.
Cassie, Kate said into her ear. I worry about you there, all alone.
Im used to being alone. Funny how that worked. She was surrounded by people all day long and yet it was true. She was utterly alone.
I mean because of your stalker.
Cassies stomach tightened with the fear she pretended not to feel and glanced at Tag, who was unabashedly eavesdropping. Im safe enough here. She hoped.
The guy slashed all your tires in the hopes of leaving you stranded, remember?
I do.
And then he ruined two photo shoots
I remember all of it, Kate.
Im sorry, of course you do. Okay, subject change. You going to be okay facing what Flo left you?
That had been a shocker. That her mother had actually come out on the winning side after all, after always being considered the town joke. Seems the men in her life had come through, over the years gifting her a prime piece of real estate downtown, an amazing turn-of-the-century house on Lilac Hill overlooking town, and supposedly some other equally valuable things she needed Cassie to take care of. Cassie still couldnt believe it.
Cassie?
Im okay, Mom, she said, and accomplished what shed wanted. Kate laughed.
Call me back.
Oh, I will. She clicked off and tossed the phone into the back seat. Then looked at Tag. So
Tag looked right back. What do you mean, youre safe enough here?
Its considered rude to eavesdrop.
Talk to me, Cassie.
Oh, right. Terrified as she might be in the deep dark of night, shed rather face the boogeyman bare-ass naked before asking this man for help. If I do, can we skip the ticket?
Now he laughed and, good Lord, she hoped that wasnt a weapon he used often because just the sound could make a grown woman quiver with delight. She was fighting doing just thatuniform or notwhen he flipped open the ticket book and started writing.
2
TAG ACTUALLY MANAGED a night of uninterrupted sleep, mostly due to the fact that hed turned off the ringer on his phone and had shoved his pager beneath the couch pillows.
Not being on call did wonders for his mental health. What hadnt done wonders for that same mental health had been his dreams.
X-rated dreams about Pleasantvilles latest visitor. He doubted theyd sprung from the photographs in the lingerie catalog hed received in the mail and had perused over dinner. Photographs that showed every perfect inch of the body that belonged to one Cassie Tremaine Montgomery.