“I’m not!” Appalled, Lori stopped.
“But Matt-”
“He’s my neighbour!”
“Who jumps your back fence,” Mrs Hubble said. “Shirley told me.”
Lori’s anger, normally slow to start, was beginning to heat up. “Maybe Shirley should mind her own damned business for a change!”
Mrs Hubble’s mouth fell open.
“Oh dear,” Mrs Swanson murmured. “Clair, if Lori wants to keep her liaisons private-”
“Then she shouldn’t be kissing Tommy in public,” Old Man Parker pointed out. “Bad way to keep things private, Lori.”
Her temper slipped another notch. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know what we see.”
“What you saw was Tommy kissing me, sure-”
“Maybe, dear, you should lower your voice,” Mrs Hubble advised, leaning forward. “Really, for someone trying to keep this public, you’re not being very discreet. Now, I can give you lessons on discretion.”
This was so damned maddening!
Old Man Parker snorted.
Mrs Swanson clucked her tongue. “Far be it from me to advise you on your affairs, Lori, but really, you do surprise me.”
“I’m not having an affair!” Her temper snapped. “Tommy kissed me, not the other way around!”
There was a gasp behind her and she swung around to see Harriet glaring at her, tears in her eyes, her jaw clenched. “You slut!”
That was so bloody unfair.
The combination of sadness over the loss of her beloved Minx, the unfairness of the verbal attack by Harriet, and now the ridiculous gossiping broke every bit of Lori’s normal constraints and good humour. For the first time in her life, she lost it.
“Are you freakin’ kidding me? I’m not having a bloody affair! And even if I was, it’s no one’s business but my own!” Swinging around, she stabbed her finger in the direction of Old Man Parker, Mrs Hubble and Mrs Swanson. “I could be bedding three men for all you know, and it’s not your business!”
Their mouths hung open. Unfortunately, Mrs Hubble’s eyes held a gleam and Lori just knew her fingers were aching to whip out her mobile phone. For God’s sake, she was surprised she didn’t have it out recording Lori to put up on YouTube.
“Oh, dear, do you think you should be hanging out your dirty linen in public?” Mrs Swanson asked, genuinely concerned.
“There’s no dirty bloody linen!” Lori yelled. This time her glare encompassed not only the three elderly gossips, but also the two people who had just come out of the supermarket and Hallie, who chewed and popped her gum while leaning against the door watching with interest.
Really upset now at how far out of hand everything had gotten in so short a time, frustrated beyond belief, Lori glared Harriet. “Who I kiss or don’t is my business, so back off, lady! As for the rest of you, you know what? I’m shagging so many men that it’s a surprise I’m not walking bow-legged! Yeah!” At the shock on all their faces, she could only nod, hands on her hips, the outrageous lies spilling out. “Yeah. You know how I sprained my ankle? It happened while I was swinging from the chandelier pleasuring myself with a fifteen inch long vibrator!”
She had no idea where the words were coming from, they were just spilling out. It was as though every gaping face pulled the worst from her. She couldn’t help it, she was so angry with the gossiping, the judgements, and no one listening. And she was even sicker of having been drawn into something not of her doing and having her friendship with Matt almost destroyed because of it.
Hell, their friendship had been destroyed, it wouldn’t be the same, there was no going back. There would always be a slight difference now, a strain.
All of it none of her personal doing.
It was the friendship with Matt that hurt the most though. That and her beloved Minx dying, and the only thing everyone was concerned with was her love life and sticking their noses into it. All for their own enjoyment.
Harriet took a step forward.
“Back off, lady!” Lori barked.
Now everyone was looking at each other, no one knowing quite what to do.
“Lori?” Adam’s voice came from behind her.
Swinging around, she saw the cop car pulled in behind her. Great, just great. “What?” she yelled. “Come to arrest the town slut?”
His mouth fell open.
Normally that would have been a sight for sore eyes, the normally unflappable, calm Adam Moor struck dumb, but right then she didn’t see any humour in it. Especially not when she glimpsed a green uniform out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to see Matt and Hamish, another ambulance volunteer, standing beside Hamish’s car.
Oh, that was even better. Matt was staring at her, Hamish didn’t know where to look, Adam was gob-smacked and she’d just made a huge spectacle of herself.
Even worse, Matt had started walking towards her, concern etched in every strong line of his handsome face. That she couldn’t handle, not right now.
If she didn’t get out of everyone’s gazes, she was going to fall apart.
Not happening, hell no. She might be hysterical, she might be losing the plot, but damned if she, a Mackay, was going to do it in front of everyone.
Running around the front of the cop car, she ripped open the door and almost fell inside. “Drive!”
Chapter 5
Adam eyed her warily as though wondering if he should put her in handcuffs.
“Drive!” she practically yelled at him.
“Lori!” Matt’s voice called.
“Please!” She begged Adam
After one quick glance in his rear-view mirror, he said, “Put your seatbelt on.” Putting the car into gear, he pulled out of the parking lot.
Lori risked one glance back to see Matt running after the car, but he stopped as the car turned onto the road and drove away.
Heart pounding, she turned back to face the front, slumping in the seat.
Obviously having regained his composure, Adam asked calmly, “What was all that about?”
“Nothing.” Folding her arms, she stared out the window.
Oh God, she couldn’t believe she’d actually done it. She’d made a total fool of herself, lost the plot, did everything but…did everything.
Matt would never come near her again.
She almost burst into tears. Instead, she took refuge in anger, an emotion not normal for her but very welcome right then. It was as though once loose it had a mind of its own. Right now it wanted to keep churning. Fine by her.
Adam pulled up in her driveway but before she could even unbuckle her seatbelt, he caught her arm. “Look at me.”
Biting her lip, cheeks flaring in shame, she turned her head and met his gaze.
The calmness of his expression helped her regain some equilibrium. Well, until she saw the concern in his eyes.
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” he asked.
“The looney bin, you mean?”
“No, Lori. The hospital.”
“I’m not a nutter.”
“I never said you were. Do you need something to calm you down?”
Jaw clenched, she glared at him. Fury still roiled through her and combined with her horror at her own actions and words, it made a potent mix. “Right now I’m within inches of punching someone, anyone, so if you don’t want it to be you, Adam, you’ll leave me here.”
“Oh yes,” he said dryly, “because that statement fills me with such confidence.”
“Are you going to charge me with disturbing the peace?”
“No, but threatening a police officer might be in the cards.”
“Then do it.” She thrust out her wrists. “Because I’m going to get out of this car right now and the only way you’re going to stop me is by arresting me. Got it?”
His eyebrows shot up.
“I’m not kidding, Adam!”
Nodding slowly, he looked away, studying the road for several seconds before
getting out of the car and walking around to her side. Opening the door, he motioned for her to get out.
Still riding on adrenaline, she jumped out. “What do you want me to do? Go face first against the car and spread my legs?”
“Not quite what I had in mind.” He held out his hand. “Give me your keys.”
“Searching my house for the drugs that I’ve apparently been using that have made me lose my mind?”
Plucking them from her hand, he slung one heavy arm around her shoulders and steered her up to the veranda. “No, I’m going to unlock this door and see you inside safely.” The key clicked in the lock and he opened the door, but before releasing her, he turned to look down at her. “You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you?”
“I’m treading a fine line right now, Adam, but the only one going to get hurt is not me, understand?”
That obviously didn’t convince him of anything. The only thing Lori wanted was everyone out of her sight and that included Adam. Taking a deep breath, she shoved one had through her hair, dislodging the lackey holding her ponytail in place. “I’m fine. I just…lost it for a minute, okay? Things got on top of me, I… Look, I’ll be fine. All right?” When he just continued to watch her, she repeated, “I’m fine, really.”
He still didn’t look convinced.
“Adam, either arrest me and take me away, or leave me here to calm down and wallow in my own embarrassment.”
That seemed to ease his mind a little, for he relaxed, stepping away from her. “You need anything, you ring me, all right?”
“Yes.”
His look was steady, searching. “I’ve heard rumours, Lori. I don’t know what exactly is going on for real, but if you need someone to talk to you can ring me. I won’t judge.”
Like hell she was talking to anyone. “Thank you. Really.”
He nodded before turning and walking back to the cop car, getting in and casting her one last concerned look.
She waved to him.
He waved back and drove off.
Opening the door, she straightened her shoulders and walked inside, shutting the door carefully behind her and locking it with deliberation. Only then did she slump against the wall and slap her forehead with her palm.
Freakin’ hell! What have I done?
The phone chose that precise moment to ring. Lori froze. Oh, surely not. Surely freakin’ not!
“Are you kidding me?” she ground out from between clenched teeth.
The phone peeled out, an incessant ringing that was so annoying, even more so because she suspected someone had heard of her meltdown and they were seeking details under the guise of solace.
She’d give them details, all right!
Storming through into the kitchen, she yanked the hand piece off the wall bracket and placed it to her ear. “What?”
“Lori?” Tommy asked.
“Yes, it’s the freakin’ crazy woman here! What do you want?”
“Uh - you okay?”
“Do I sound okay?” She sucked in a ragged breath. “What do you want?”
“Why did Matt come to me and suggest I go around to you?”
Lori froze. “What?”
“Yeah. He came around about an hour ago, said your cat had died and you needed comfort. Apparently I’m the best bloke to do it. What’s that about?”
“Oh my God!” She couldn’t have heard correctly. “Tommy, do not ring me again - ever!” She slammed the phone back up on the wall so hard it was a wonder the bracket didn’t fall off.
Standing in the middle of the kitchen, Lori fumed. How dare Matt.
The doorbell rang. Another bloody gossip collector, no doubt. They were doing her head in! They’d drive her to drink! One last time she was going to verbally blast them to hell, pound one last nail in her coffin before she locked the door on the world and fell into a whimpering pile of self-pity and sorrow on the floor.
One last satisfying, shocking, verbal blasting.
“You are so dead!” she yelled, storming down the hallway and ripping the front door open.
Matt stood there, his expression both wary and concerned. “Tommy isn’t here yet?”
She slammed the door so hard in his face it actually shook in the frame.
~*~
Now he was worried. He’d never seen Lori lose it, not in all the months he’d known her. She’d never once raised her voice, never once said anything in anger. But at the supermarket she’d let rip and some of those things were, well, from her they were shocking.
From anyone else they’d have been hilarious.
But coming from Lori and in such a way, it was cause for concern.
Was she having a breakdown? Where was that idiot, Tommy? Damn it, at times like this a woman needed her boyfriend. That thought had him scowling. Shit, Whatever. Matt rang the doorbell. No answer. He knocked. No answer. He knocked harder. No answer.
“Open up, Lori!” he called.
No answer.
Right, there were other ways to enter the house.
Up over his fence, into his backyard, over to the Mackay fence and over it. No sooner had his booted feet hit the grass than he was already striding for the back door.
Through the window he saw Lori enter the kitchen. She took one look at him through the window, he took one look at her, and they both ran for the back door.
She got there first, slamming the wooden door and locking it just as he yanked the security screen open.
Curses, he’d just missed gaining entrance.
“Lori, let me in,” he demanded.
No answer.
He knocked, rattled the door knob. “Lori!”
Now it wasn’t only concern tugging at him but annoyance as well. Damn it, she’d lost control at the supermarket and he was only trying to help her.
Something bloody Tommy should have been here doing.
That thought just made him a little madder. “Lori, unlock the damned door and let me in.”
No answer.
Fine. Stepping back, he placed his hands on his hips, trying to breathe deeply, evenly, controlling his temper.
Hell, he didn’t really have much of a temper at the best of times, but this was the second time it had flared. Oddly enough, both times had been because of Lori Mackay.
Okay, take it easy. Settle down. Closing his eyes he sought for control, found it, pulled it up. Better. Opening his eyes, he knocked slowly and deliberately on the door. “Open the door, Lori. I need to check that you’re okay.”
No answer.
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Lori.”
No answer.
“Damn it, woman, open the bloody door!”
“Bugger off!”
The reply had his eyes widening. “I beg your pardon?”
No answer.
“This is your last warning, Mackay, open the door!”
No answer.
“If you don’t open this door I’m going to-”
The back door yanked open and Lori stood there, green eyes blazing, apple cheeks flushed, her magnificent breasts rising and falling with temper.
Christ, he shouldn’t be thinking of her magnificent breasts, shouldn’t be noticing her beautiful eyes, but-
“You’ll what, Matt Winters?” One hand on her curvy hip.
Man, she was spitting fire.
Hot.
No! No, she belongs to someone else. Goddamn it!
“You’ll what?” Her small chin stuck out defiantly.
Keep calm. You’ve been in volatile situations before, just use your training. “It’s all right, Lori. I’m only here to-”
“Stick your nose in my business?” she snarled.
“Now, love,” he began soothingly, gently crowding her back into the house.
She was having none of it. His chest smacked up against her breasts - oh Christ, what breasts! - as she barred his way. Head tilted back, all that glorious brown hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her back.
“Stick that calming c
rap up your arse!”
Keep calm. His emotions were starting to fire. Concern, annoyance, worry, and…uh-oh. Was that a flare of desire?
“And get out of my house!” she yelled.
Oh yeah. How hot was she when her dander was up? Those beautiful eyes like pools of green fire, those lush lips just begging to be kissed, those heaving breasts screaming at him to palm them, cup them. Taste them. His mouth actually watered.
He was hanging on by a thread. “Lori, calm down.”
“Calm down?” she spoke between clenched teeth.
“Yes.”
“Are you telling me what to do, Matt?”
“Bloody oath,” he ground back.
The atmosphere in the kitchen was dark, anger sparking with something more, something carnal that curled around Matt, surged into him.
God, he wanted her. So hot, so fiery, so beautiful.
Tommy be damned.
He grabbed Lori in the same instant she grabbed him, her hand curling around his nape, pulling him down fast and hard, his hand grabbing a thick swathe of her hair, holding her in place.
Their lips met in a hard, clashing, hungry kiss.
Heat surged through Matt, his shaft almost instantly rigid, throbbing. Lori’s lips on his, her tongue demanding entrance, was an aphrodisiac on its own. Her taste swept through him, her scent filled him, the heat of her body making his blood hot, heavy, surging thickly.
Wresting back control, he twined both hands in her hair, using his body to crowd her backwards, the screen door slamming shut behind him as he pushed her back into the kitchen.
Her ferocity almost matched his, her hands grasping at his clothes, pulling and yanking. The buttons popped off his uniform shirt as she wrenched it open, her palms a contradiction of coolness against his skin when she drank from his mouth so hotly.
So erotically.
He tore her blouse right down the front, ripped it down the back, and yanked it down her arms as he wrenched his mouth from hers, leaning down to latch onto the side of her throat, sucking hungrily of the silky skin as her blouse dropped in rags to the floor.
She arched into him, crying out, nails raking down his back, down further, scraping over his spine and into the small of his back, ripping a growl of approval from his throat.
Lean on Me (The Mackay Sisters) Page 12