Caleb didnt move. Didnt bat an eyelash. But his entire being snapped to attention.
Thanks to Pandora and her little concoctions, the sheriff continued, Black Oak is seeing more sex than a teenager with his daddys credit card and a link to online porn.
Geez, Kendall. Cant you score your own credit card yet?
The sheriff glared, then jerked his head toward the store again. You must be in the market for a little bedroom boost. Theres nothing else in there for you.
It took a second before that sunk in. Calebs grin was just this side of a smirk as he raised his brows to the other man. You warning me off?
Im just saying you need to watch your step. Kendall rested one hand on the gun at his hip and tilted his head. This isnt your town. Its mine. Crime is low and trouble is rare. Im not going to like it if you sweep in here, stir up a bunch of problems, then make me kick you out.
Low crime and rare trouble? Was the guy really that bad at his job? Calebs eyes slashed to the corner where the drug deal had gone down. Good thing Hunter had sent him here, since Kendall clearly had no clue what was going on.
Do you watch John Wayne movies on your nights off and practice that shit in front of the mirror? was all he said, though.
Kendalls red face tightened, right along with his fist. Im a sworn officer of the law. That makes me in charge of this town, Black. So watch your ass.
The guys delusional self-importance amused Caleb enough that he could easily ignore the jabs.
Besides, he was pretty sure hed just seen the first break in this case. And hed much rather follow that up than exchange insults with this dipwad.
Tell you what. Youve piqued my interest, Caleb said, straightening for the first time and stepping toward the curb. Ill head on over and see if the ladys interested in fielding a hit or two.
I warned you, Black-
Caleb just grinned and offered a jaunty salute before crossing the street.
The only thing better than having an excuse to flirt with Pandora handed to him on a silver platter was knowing how much it pissed Jeff the jerk off.
He was still grinning when he walked through the heavy brass door of Moonspun Dreams. Not seeing Pandora among the dozen or so people milling about the store, he made his way toward the back.
The café is closed, the airy blonde said, tearing herself away from a shaggy-haired guy by the counter.
Im here to see Pandora.
Oh. Her look was speculative, but she just shrugged and went back to helping her client.
Caleb swept the beads aside and stepped through the door.
Then he almost tripped over his own size thirteens.
And grinned at the sight before him.
Holiday music playing loud enough to inspire a little swing of the hips as she arranged a bunch of green Christmas stuff, glittery bows and Caleb squinted, were those blown-glass suns and moons? Pandora stood at the top of a tall ladder before the wall by the door to the kitchen.
Her arms stretched high, her purple sweater pulled away from her jeans, showing off the pale silkiness of the small of her back. His gaze traced the tight fit of the denim, noting the hint, maybe, of a tattoo on her left hip.
Nah. She wasnt the tattoo type. She was the good-girl type.
Wasnt she?
Damned if he wasnt tempted to find out.
Whichever she was, she was one sweet sight.
Calebs grin turned contemplative as he studied the curve of her butt, noting how perfectly those hips would fit in his hands.
A man who rarely tempered his impulses outside of work, Caleb figured why not find out. He glanced around, noting that there werent any customers, or drug dealers, lurking about. Striding forward, he stepped behind the counter and planted a hand on either side of the ladder.
Just in time for Pandoras descent.
One step down, and her butt was level with his face. Right there within nibbling distance. Another step and he could push aside that nubby purple sweater and slide his lips along the small of her back. One more and, oh, yeah, baby
Pandora gasped, her head swiveling to give him a wide-eyed look of shock.
What the?
Hi, he said, his voice low with more desire than he should be feeling for a woman he hadnt even groped yet.
A woman who was staring at him as if he was a combination of the Grinch and the Ghost of Christmas Future. The one who pushed poor Scrooge McDuck into his grave. In other words, she looked just as thrilled as dipwad Kendall had.
He shouldnt tease her. She was obviously on the shy and quiet side. Caleb didnt bother to move, though.
What are you? I mean, why? She stopped, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened those hazel eyes again and offered a stiff smile. What are you doing?
He shouldnt tease her. She was obviously on the shy and quiet side. Caleb didnt bother to move, though.
What are you? I mean, why? She stopped, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened those hazel eyes again and offered a stiff smile. What are you doing?
Making sure you dont fall off the ladder.
She looked down at the five inches between her feet and the ground, then met his gaze again with an arched brow. She had a little more makeup on today than she had earlier in the week. Something was smudged around her eyes, darkening those lush lashes. Her lips, though, those soft, soft lips, were temptingly bare.
Arent you the hero.
Caleb barked out a laugh. So much for shy and quiet. Hed expected her to get a little huffy. But no, she was a lot more fun than that.
And then she blew his mind. She slowly turned on the ladder, her hip brushing against his chest as she did. Awareness spiked through his body, hot and needy.
She licked her lips, the sensual move at odds with the nerves shimmering in her golden-green eyes. And she stepped down. They were so close, the tips of her breasts skimmed, just barely, a path down his chest, leaving behind a fiery trail.
Calebs smile slowly faded.
Hed pegged Pandora as a sweet, small-town girl, maybe a bit naive but with an open, curious mind. Hed figured on having a little fun flirting while he gathered info.
He definitely hadnt counted on a hard-on within the first three minutes of seeing her again.
Had he underestimated the sweet Pandora?
Are you looking for a hero? he asked, mentally rolling his eyes. At the question, because wasnt that what all women were looking for? A mythical guy to sweep them away and make all their dreams come true? And at the idea of him being hero material.
Nah, Id rather take care of things myself, she said with a smile and a tiny shrug. Her shoulder brushed against his wrist. The term hero always makes me think of perfection. Since I cant live up to it, why would I want to have to deal with it?
So What? Youre looking for an antihero? he joked, his gaze wandering over the soft, round curve of her face, noting the tiniest of dimples just there, to the left of her mouth.
More like Im not looking for anything, she said.
Yeah, right.
He looked closer, noting the stubborn set of her chin and the hint of anger in her eyes. Something, or someone, had burned her. Which meant she might be serious. A not-anything relationship, short and sweet, was right up his alley.
Besides, she had info he needed.
You might not be looking for a hero, but from what I hear, youre exactly what Im looking for, he told her.
And what do you hear? she asked, leaning back against the ladder, apparently not bothered at all that he was still holding her there, trapped by his arms. He didnt know if he liked that. He was used to making women nervous.
So he leaned in a little closer. Close enough that the scent of her perfume wrapped around him like a sensual fog. Close enough to see her heart beating a fast tattoo against the silky flesh at the base of her throat. Close enough to feel the tempting heat of her body.
His voice husky with need, his grin just a little strained, he said, Rumor has it youre the lady to see if Im looking for some really hot sex.
5
PANDORAS MOUTH DROPPED, and with it all her bravado. Color washed, hot and wicked, over her cheeks as she blinked fast to try to clear her desire-blurred vision.
She stared at him, desperately trying to read him. Was this for real? Was he asking her for sex? Without even a bite of Foreplay cake or a nibble of an Orgasmic Oatmeal cookie? Did she say yes? Or ask him to wait until after her shift? The back room was empty, but still
God, was she crazy? She gave herself a mental smack upside the head and tried to pull herself together. Control, girl. Grab some control.
But all she could think of was what hed taste like naked and whether his chest was as tanned as his face under that tight black T-shirt.
Calebs laughter washed over her, breaking the shocked spell. As soon as it did, color slid from her cheeks, leaving behind icy-cold humiliation.
I guess thats what I get for listening to rumors, he said, still chortling. Crazy, huh? That youd be selling sex in here.
She frowned, his easy dismissal taking the edge off her embarrassment. What? He didnt think she could sell sex? He didnt think she was hot enough, wild enough, savvy enough? Was she so dismissible that he didnt think of sex after kissing her? Even now, when he had her trapped between his body and a ladder?
What the hell?
Shed put makeup on. Shed bought perfume, something sexy and inviting. Shed worn her tightest freaking jeans. And he dismissed her? Shoulders hunching, Pandora felt herself withdrawing. Pulling inside, where she could pretend it didnt hurt that, yet again, she didnt measure up. Or in this case, was so easily dismissible.
Here shed spent the past three days in a state of horny anticipation, acting like a teenage girl wishing and wondering when her crush would reenter her sphere of existence. And what happened when he did?
He laughed at the idea of her and sex.
Before she could duck under his arm and scurry off, back to the obscurity of the kitchen or storage room, she caught sight of Bonnie the cat staring at her from the window seat with her pretty black-and-white head tilted to one side as if she was waiting for Pandora to find her spine.
The spine Sean had damaged with his lies, betrayal and oh-too-believable charm.
Then she thought of her vow to Kathy. Sure, itd mostly been bravado, but still, she wanted to taste him. To feel his tongue on hers. To experience, at least one more time, hot and sexy Caleb kisses. She pressed her lips together, remembering. Then she squared her shoulders and gave him an arch look.