Jackson stood and leaned against the fridge. “You weren’t the first person to use that bear suit inappropriately. I made out with Bernice Cabot one night after a pep rally while she was still wearing it.” The result of a stupid dare to kiss Brace-Face Bernice.
Hayley studied her toes. “It’s a wonder that newsflash didn’t make it into the high school newspaper.”
“Tell me about it.” Not even Matt or Josh had believed he’d gone through with it since Bernice hadn’t blabbed to a single person.
Now that he thought about it, it was a wonder Bernice hadn’t mentioned it when she’d run over to say hi to him at Stone’s last night. The former-school-mascot-turned-real-estate-agent hadn’t stopped talking until Allie had coaxed her back to the girls’ corner.
That kiss should have been worth at least a mention given the rest of the high school stories she’d launched into that night. Christ, she’d yammered on about everything from getting her braces off to his old hockey records and the ten-year reunion he’d skipped a couple years back.
Something tugged at his memory, something to do with the stupid braces…
Maybe it was just nerves left over from the failed cigarette attempt that made Hayley almost squirm in place when he looked her way. Or maybe it was something else…something…
No fucking way.
“It was you.”
“Me?” Her neutral expression didn’t slip even a little.
“Yes, you. You in the bear suit that night.”
That’s why he couldn’t remember kissing Hayley. It had been dark inside the janitor’s closet when he’d led Bernice—or so he’d thought—inside after they’d left the gym. He’d tugged that ridiculous bear head off and kissed her before he could think about it, wanting the whole damn thing over with.
“You kissed me back.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want you giving me away.”
“No, you kissed me back.”
“Should I have given you a demonstration of proper mop use instead?”
“You held on to me.” He grinned, knowing he’d just recalled a very important detail. Almost as important as the fact he hadn’t been kissing a girl with braces at all—and how in the hell had he let himself forget that detail?
It probably had something to do with the embarrassment of getting a hard-on kissing Bernice, or so he’d thought at the time.
But it hadn’t been Bernice at all, and the second his tongue had slid into Hayley’s mouth, she’d made the most perfect sound and wound her bulky bear arms around his neck.
One quick kiss had lasted nearly five full minutes, ending when he’d tripped over a broom trying to figure out how to get her out of that bear suit. They’d both been breathing heavy until he realized how turned on he was. Then he’d plunked that bear head back in place and gotten the hell out of there.
“You liked kissing me,” he insisted, half annoyed he hadn’t figured it out back then.
“You’re full of yourself.”
He took a step toward her, smiling when she scrambled back a step. “Really? Then how come I’m making you nervous?”
“Cautious, not nervous. And you would be, too, if you had tased six-feet-plus of glory seeker with fists tougher than titanium.”
He scoffed. “Glory seeker?”
“All those fights on the ice were about something.”
“I liked to think of it as doing my job. Sound familiar?”
Hayley frowned, and it only made him want to get closer to her. The kind of closer that would have her flush against him, his hands on her hips, fingers skimming beneath that Superman T-shirt.
He took the first steps to make it happen, crowding her against the counter.
“How’s Josh holding up?”
“I’m sure he and Devon are fine.”
Her eyes, which had been half-shuttered, flew open. “Him and Devon?”
“They went to Greenbush Island to look for Gavin and Allie.” He set his hands on her hips, gaze locked on the sexy curve above her collarbone.
“Together? You don’t find that odd?”
He nodded. “Almost as odd as the bride running off with her ex.”
“Point taken. Gavin wouldn’t have taken Allie to Greenbush Island. He’d want to make her forget Josh, not take her to the one place they were headed after they were married.”
Jackson didn’t let the sensitive subject sway him from touching her. Not this time. He ran his hand down her arm, his thumb brushing the inside of her wrist. Her breath hitched, and some of the tension left her shoulders.
Better, but not quite good enough. He followed the lines of her palm, tracing the soft skin until she closed her hand around his, lacing their fingers together.
“I’m not some—”
“Flavor of the week?” he guessed. “I know.”
The slow smile that curved her lips was nothing short of gorgeous. “Stop reading my mind.”
“I’ll make a mental note.” He hooked a finger through the belt loop on her jeans and tugged until she bumped against him.
“Not sure I can trust that with the number of concussions you’ve had.”
“Probably not as damaging as fifty thousand volts.”
She cocked her head, her eyes full of trouble. “Are you still whining about that?”
He nipped her bottom lip, her answering moan sending a rush of heat straight to his groin. “I don’t whine.” His lips found a sweet spot below her ear.
“That wasn’t what it sounded like in the shed. I didn’t know you could hit those kinds of high notes, actually.”
He sighed, but continued to explore the curve of her neck, right down to where it met her shoulder. “Are you trying to kill the mood here?”
Her eyes drifted shut. “Just trying not to make any more mistakes tonight.”
“So you admit that tasing me was a mistake?”
“Maybe I’m talking about our kiss.”
“Which one?” When she remained silent, he smiled into her skin, the scent of her filling his head.
“Jackson,” she murmured, turning her face toward his. Her mouth skimmed the edge of his jaw, moving way too slow.
He sank his hand into the hair at her nape, guiding her so much closer. Close enough to feel her breath whisper across his lips. Close enough to—
Bang!
Jackson spun around, one arm blocking Hayley in as he scanned the area.
Amused, she glanced at the arm he was using to shield her, then motioned toward the hallway. “Just a door. It slams all the time.”
Some of the tension left his body. “Is there a window open or something?”
“Upstairs, but it does that anyway.” At his raised eyebrow, she shrugged. “Didn’t know the place was haunted, huh?”
“Maybe I should check it out anyway.”
“You?” She crossed her arms, waiting.
Right. She was the cop.
Hayley rolled her eyes. “How about we check it out?”
It wasn’t the first time she had given him the impression she was just humoring him, but not until they were down the hall and at the front door did he realize she was trying to get rid of him.
“It’s late.” She gripped the door handle.
“You know, I think I could use a ride.”
“I’ll call you a taxi.”
“Aren’t you a little bit worried I might pass out in a ditch on the way?”
She nudged him across the threshold. “You can call me when you get home so I know not to send out search and rescue.”
“I don’t have your number,” he pointed out.
“Then I’ll call you. Good night.” She closed the door on him.
He stared at the wood, trying to puzzle out how he’d gone from being half an inch from her mouth to nearly eating the peeling paint off the front door.
“Jackson?”
“Yeah?”
“Go home unless you want me to tase you again.”
Chapter Six
; Hayley hadn’t slept much. Between tossing and turning, wondering how Gavin was doing and staring at the ceiling with a stupid grin on her face, she’d opened her eyes feeling like she hadn’t slept in weeks.
Trudging into the shower had been a chore she’d passed on in favor of soaking in the claw-foot tub. Adding the bubbles was an indulgence strictly to satisfy the part of her content to stay curled up in bed all day, and that wasn’t happening.
She sighed as the hot water soothed aches from the fall that were more noticeable this morning. The next time Copernicus decided to run up a tree, she was calling the fire department. If she was smart she’d call the fire department the next time she crossed paths with Jackson. Maybe then she could avoid another disaster in the making.
She’d waited until he disappeared down the lane and onto the main road before getting into her truck and following to make sure he got back to his parents’ place in one piece. She had enough weighing on her without something serious happening to the harbor’s golden boy.
The same golden boy who kissed even better than he played hockey.
Hayley could just imagine what he’d think if she told him that. The man’s ego was big enough without him knowing she’d lain awake half the night thinking of that sinful mouth of his.
She let out a breath, determined to put him and that kiss out of her head. Jackson was leaving. Maybe he’d stick around another day or two for Josh, if that long. He had left town the second he knew he had a shot of getting in to the NHL and had hardly looked back as far as she knew, returning only a few times since high school graduation.
Nothing good could come from giving in to a silly crush on a guy itching to leave Promise Harbor behind all over again.
Creak.
Her eyes flew open, but she didn’t bother to move an inch. “Another felony to add to the list, I see.”
Lounging against the doorframe, Jackson propped one arm overhead, a key in his hand. “Coach still hides his spare key under the mat. Didn’t think people still did that.”
“So you decided to let yourself in?”
“Well, I knocked first.” He crossed to the radio on the ledge by the window, and turned the volume down. “Guess you didn’t hear me. Funny how that works.” His gaze roamed the bubbles barely hiding her from view.
She resisted the urge to sink lower in the tub. Barely.
“Plus,” he continued, “I had hoped to catch you in the shower. This is actually much better.” He grinned.
“Out.”
Grabbing a chair, he turned it around backward and straddled it. “I have a proposition for you.”
“Do the words time and place mean anything to you?”
His only response was a lazy once-over, his attention lingering just a beat longer at where her breasts were buried in bubbles.
“You need to go.” It was a pointless demand, and she knew it. Everything about the plain white T-shirt, faded jeans—the knees almost worn out—and the arms crossed over the top of the chair said, When I’m good and ready.
“We need to stay together.”
“No.”
“It’s a mutually beneficial situation.”
Hayley snorted.
“Just while I’m still in Promise Harbor.”
“Absolutely not.” When his gaze fell to her chest, she realized she’d risen a few inches above the bubbles. She slid back down, sloshing water over the edge of the tub. “No,” she repeated, more firmly this time. God, she had enough on her plate without throwing a fake boyfriend into the mix.
“Would you reconsider if I told you two women harassed me on the way over this morning?”
“That’s just awful,” she said in mock sympathy. She looked over the side of the tub in search of a towel.
“C’mon, Hayls. You owe me after last night.”
“Shit. I really did fry a few of your brain cells, didn’t I?”
“Are you going to make me beg?”
Her cell phone rang, saving her from answering Jackson. Unfortunately for her, there was a hockey-pro-turned-pain-in-the-ass in the way.
He nodded to the phone. “Want me to hand that to you?”
“Please.”
“No problem.” He grabbed the phone and offered it, withdrawing it the second she reached for it. “Have lunch with me.”
“Can’t.” Even though it was Sunday, she had a lot to do.
“Work.” Jackson read the screen on her phone.
She shrugged. “I’ll call them back.”
The phone continued to ring in his hand. “Could be important. Didn’t you say something about already being on your captain’s shit list?”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Just lunch. That’s it.” He waved the phone at her.
Sticking to the promise she’d made herself not to get roped into anything she didn’t have time for, Hayley put an end to Jackson’s negotiations.
She stood up, water sliding down her body and taking with it the protective camouflage of bubbles. She had both the towel and her phone in her hand by the time Jackson managed to get his jaw off the floor.
Cell phone clutched between her teeth, she left the bathroom, wrapping the towel around herself as she went. With her back to him, she didn’t need to worry about him noticing the flush of red heating her face.
“Detective Stone,” she answered, tucking the phone to her ear. She kept her bedroom door ajar, listening as Jackson’s steps thunked down the stairs. Instead of stopping at the front door, though, he walked deeper into the house.
Of course it wouldn’t have been that easy to send him on his way.
“We’ve got a missing bridesmaid, Hayley.” Mabel Standish, dispatcher, sounded almost giddy at the news.
“What bridesmaid?”
“Sophie Brewster’s girl, Greta. Seems she vanished like the bride. Sophie asked specifically for you.”
Hayley thought of the work that needed to be done around the house, and inwardly groaned. So much for a day off.
“Tell her I’ll be by to talk to her as soon as I can get there.”
“No problem.”
Hanging up, Hayley tossed her phone on the bed and got dressed. Her hair was still damp when she ran her comb through it and tugged it back into a ponytail. Once she’d finished getting ready, she jogged down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to put on her shoes.
Perched on a stool at the covered island, Jackson glanced her way when she walked into the kitchen.
“Still here?”
“Wanted to see which superhero T-shirt was on the agenda for today.”
She glanced down at the plain red one she wore. “The disappointment must be crushing.”
He laughed and stood, but she skirted the end of the island in case he had plans to corner her again. Too easily she recalled every tantalizing moment of how things had played out last night, and while she could admit part of her wanted to pick things up right where they left off, she knew better.
Knew that even pretending to date Jackson for another day would come back to bite her in the butt. Look at where that complication had landed her yesterday. As incredible as that kiss had been, she didn’t have time to deal with more Jackson chaos, and she really didn’t want any more pictures of them circulating.
Plus work, renovations and Gramps were enough to worry about without contemplating the fallout of a fake relationship. Jackson would leave town and she’d be stuck dealing with the questions and speculations. Not to mention what impact it would have on her job. Crush or not, getting any more involved with Jackson just wasn’t worth it. Right?
“Would you mind if I grabbed my old stick out of the shed before I take off?”
“Now you’re asking?”
All he offered was a lazy smile that succeeded in warming her insides more than the tub had.
“Check the den. Gramps kept the important stuff close.” She turned to go, then paused. “He’s really proud of you, you know.”
He nodded, his face somber. She thought
he was going to say something, but he fiddled with the cans of paint on the island instead.
“You can leave the key on the counter when you let yourself out,” she added. She could do without any more surprise visits.
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Whatever you say, Detective.”
Sophie Brewster’s beautifully landscaped home was as no-nonsense and straightforward as the woman herself. Hayley couldn’t remember how long ago her husband had died, but her friendship with Allie’s mom had brought Josh and Allie’s families together from the start.
It was Allie’s father, Owen, who let Hayley into the Brewster home and motioned for her to follow him.
Keeping her voice lowered so as not to upset Josh’s mom, she asked if he’d heard from Allie. When he shook his head, Hayley promised herself that if she didn’t hear from Gavin today, she’d be calling the police station closest to his home in Alaska. She’d beg them to check Gavin’s place if she had to.
Sophie Brewster stood at the window in the large front room. Worried blue eyes met Hayley’s as she walked into the room—eyes that had once excelled at silencing an entire classroom in under two-point-two seconds. Mrs. Brewster hadn’t taken crap from anyone, and every student at Promise Harbor High had known it.
Allie’s father, Mr. Ralston, on the other hand, had been the most likable teacher at school, even when he’d pushed students to run more laps, jump higher or yell louder than the visiting team at a game.
He and Mrs. Brewster had always been friends as far as Hayley knew, but had grown much closer when Allie’s mom had died. Losing her best friend had stolen some of the fire from Mrs. Brewster’s eyes.
The marriage between Josh and Allie had undoubtedly started to fill some of the holes left by the death of their loved one, and Hayley could only imagine that the disaster yesterday had hurt both of them.
Keeping her chin up when all three of them knew Gavin’s appearance at the wedding had changed everything was much harder than she expected.
Mrs. Brewster gestured for her to take a seat and filled her in Greta’s disappearance with. She made a few notes, waiting until Mrs. Brewster finished before asking any questions.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. Greta drove off after the wedding.” She paused, half expecting one of them to blame Gavin for bursting into the church. “She sent you a text that said, ‘I’m all right, don’t worry.’ And you haven’t heard from her since. Is that the gist of it?” She glanced from Mrs. Brewster to Mr. Ralston.
Busted (Promise Harbor Wedding) Page 10