Thats about how he felt at this moment.
Pandora
Easton, Hunter confirmed. Twenty-seven, resident of Black Oak and employed at a store there. Her mother, Cassiopeia Easton, has a file. Ill send that, too.
A part of Calebs brain heard and filed away the details of Hunters words. The rest of it was in shock.
Pandora? The sweetest woman hed ever met? The one whod shown him heaven by the lights of her Christmas tree, blown his control all to hell while giving him the best orgasm of his life? With his damn boots on?
Suddenly, busting his father for running a drug ring held a sort of appeal.
Hed spent hours in that store. Days watching it. He hadnt suspected her for one second. Now this? Unless hed seriously lost his edge, this was all bullshit. Or was it?
Ive gotta go, he said, cutting off whatever Hunter was saying. He flicked the cell phone closed, shoved it in his pocket and grabbed his jacket. It wasnt until he had the door to his hotel room open he remembered that he didnt have any damn boots on.
There was irony in there somewhere.
Five minutes later, he was on his way. To do what, he wasnt sure. Something with Pandora. He wasnt sure if that something was along the lines of the naked, intense pleasure that hed been contemplating an hour ago, or if it was because he didnt like being lied to. Zipping his jacket, the leather minimal defense against the cold, Caleb stepped out of the hotel lobby and onto the wide porch steps and almost ran into the body coming up the stairs.
Excuse me, he muttered, sidestepping and patting his pockets for his bike keys.
I was coming in to look for you.
Could this damn day get any worse?
Caleb glanced at the keys in his hand, briefly wishing they were his gun. He shoved the keys back in his pocket, eyeing the railing and the drop. Whether it was to jump or to toss someone over, he wasnt sure.
Dad, he returned, his tone resigned. He kept one eye on the railing, though. Just in case.
Hed been unprepared that first day when hed seen his father. Since then, hed spent every minute prepared for this second encounter. Now, he could study the old man with objective eyes. Or at least without the resentment and irritation hed been sporting.
Tobias Black stood straight and tall, like his sons. His black hair was showing a little gray in the sideburns, but was still as thick and unruly as ever. As a kid, Caleb had seen his father in everything from a three-piece suit with an ascot, to a repairmans coveralls, to surgical scrubs. A chameleon, Tobias had obviously taken to this new role as custom-bike shop owner like a fish to water. Biker boots, similar to Calebs own, jeans and a leather jacket made up his work uniform.
Ive been waiting for you to come by the house. Or the shop. Either one, Tobias said, shifting to the left and blocking the stairs leading to escape. Caleb smirked, knowing he could take the railing at any time he wanted.
Ive been busy.
Doing?
Leaning against one of the porch columns, his arms crossed over his chest, Calebs smirk widened.
Tell me, son, whyd you come home? Clearly not to see family, so whats up?
I stopped by to see Aunt Cynthia yesterday.
How is that old bat?
She had a lot of great things to say about you.
Tobiass smirk was an exact replica of his sons.
Ill just bet she did. The woman is still trying to run me out of town. Youd think shed give up after all this time, but no. Thats why she ran for mayor, you know. To make my life hell.
If anyone else had said that, Caleb would have rolled his eyes and called them on their whiny persecution complex. But in this case, he knew Tobias was right. Cynthia Parker had made it her mission to make her late sisters husbands life hell whenever possible. His kids, she tolerated. But Tobias? Not even a little bit.
I gotta say, even for a harpy, I had higher expectations of her, though, Tobias continued. Shes too busy glad-handing rich donors and getting her picture taken to take care of business, I guess.
Caleb knew the game. If he asked what business, hed be agreeing to play. Con 101, get the mark to agree. To anything, even if it was only to agree to talk about the weather. And for a master like Tobias, all he needed was that agreement, and hed win. Always.
So Caleb waited.
Tobias clearly knew what his oldest son was doing.
I dont suppose youre interested in coming by the bike shop this evening? Big holiday bash, all the vendors, customers, hell, even a few strangers. Probably a few of your old school pals. Good times, food provided by that little sweetheart at Moonspun, booze from Micks bar.
Caleb saw the trap. Hell, it had a big neon sign flashing a warning at him. But he couldnt stop himself.
Youre tight with Pandora, are you? he asked.
Tight? Whatre you implying? The girls young enough to be my daughter.
Youre tight with Pandora, are you? he asked.
Tight? Whatre you implying? The girls young enough to be my daughter.
Sos Lilah Gomez.
Tobiass grin widened. Nope, this was his game and he was setting the traps, not stepping in them.
Girls gonna be at the party, he said.
Lilah? Caleb returned, even though he knew who his father meant.
Pandora. I heard you had dinner with her the other night. Hope youre not taking on more than you can handle there.
Calebs stare was bland. He hadnt discussed his sex life with his father since he was twelve and the old man had shown him the hall closet where the supply of condoms was kept. He was hardly going to start now.
Theres a lot of interestingstuff coming out of that store, Tobias continued. His blue eyes were intense, the same look Caleb often saw when he looked in the mirror. Define interesting, Caleb invited. He knew Tobias wouldnt-after all, why waste bait? But he wanted to see where his father was taking this.
Come by tonight, Tobias invited with a nod. Apparently Caleb had done something right-who the hell knew what-in the old mans eyes. You might learn a few things.
With that and a jaunty salute, Tobias turned on his heel and sauntered down the stairs.
9
BY SEVEN-THIRTY IN THE evening, Pandora was closing up the store and about ready to scream.
Shed thought she was having a little fun with the most incredible sex of her life. But according to popular thought in the store today, she was actually making a social statement that was quite possibly going to cast her as a pariah in town and ruin her reputation. Having played that role recently, she knew she pretty much hated it.
And, apparently the cherry on top of public opinion was that by choosing Caleb over Sheriff Hottie, she was rejecting all that was good and right in the world for the lure of the bad.
It was enough to make a girls head explode right off her shoulders. But she knew from experience that obsessing didnt help, so she forced herself to start her closing routine.
It was just as well that Caleb hadnt come by. Or called. Or expressed any interest in a repeat performance. If one night together had the potential to ruin everything shed built here, what would two nights do? Ruin it twice as much?
And how pathetic was she to stop and consider whether twice as ruined wasnt worth it. Because, dammit, the sex had been incredible. Mind-boggling. So awesome that she got damp just thinking about it.
And she knew hed been just as blown away.
Why the hell hasnt he called, then? she muttered as she wheeled the dolly with its precariously balanced crate into the showroom.
She stopped just short of Paulie, who was splayed over the floor like a cat-skin rug, and wheeled the dolly to the right instead.
Im crazy for being upset. I should be grateful he isnt coming around, right? This way I dont have to worry about trying to resist him.
This time she directed her comment to Bonnie, who was sitting on one of the display counters next to a three-foot-high cluster of amethyst, her head tilted to the side as if contemplating Pandoras whining.
Bonnie meowed her support. But Paulie just rolled onto his side, shot one leg into the air and started licking himself. There was nothing like the male perspective.
Sure, I guess he could take that route, she agreed with the cat as she started wiggling the five-foot-tall statue of Eros from the box, careful not to nick his wings. But lovin is never as fun by oneself.
Pandoras lower lip jutted out, but before she could get a real pout on, there was a tap at the door.
She and the cats all turned their heads. Her heart leaped, giddy excitement filling her tummy. Dread filtered in, too. Shed had no idea she was making a public statement last night. But now she was fully informed. Upset, confused and a little intimidatedbut still fully informed.
Oh, joy.
Giving Eross butt a quick pat in the hopes hed help her choose well, she unwrapped herself from the statue and hurried across the store to unlock the door.
Caleb, she greeted, her smile a little shaky at the corners. She wiped her hands on the heavy velvet of her skirt and gave her voile blouse a quick tug to make sure the lace was straight at the bodice.
Should she ask him in? Or ask him to leave? Her stomach churned as she tried to decide. Did she go with her instincts and intuition, which said that despite the towns opinion, he was a good man? Or did she accept that her intuition sucked and listen to public opinion?
Thankfully, Caleb took the decision out of her hands by walking right in.
Hey, he greeted. He didnt kiss her, though. Instead, he gave her a long, searching look, then, hands still shoved in his pockets instead of groping her the way they should be, he stepped into the store.
Whats up? she asked. She bit her lip. Had he heard the rumors about the two of them? Was he regretting it now, too? You look a little stressed.
Nah. I just had a full day, thats all.
Full of what? He wasnt working, was avoiding his family as if they were carriers of the seventh plague and didnt seem like a holiday-partying kind of guy.
Maybe hed been looking for a job. Or a place to live. Something thatd keep him in Black Oak past the first of the year? Maybe hed spent the day in bed, recovering in exhaustion from his wild night with her.
And maybe shed been inhaling too many oyster fumes. Pandora gave herself a quick mental forehead smack, followed by an even quicker get-a-freaking-clue-hes-not-for-you lecture.