Call Me, Irresistible

by Jess Bryant

  Lemon smiled at him, “Okay.”

  He scoffed, “Just okay?”

  “Yep. I didn’t think you really meant it the way it sounded anyway but that was a nice little speech.” She winked and took off jogging again, “Come on, keep up old man.”

  “You really are a brat.” Her laughter trailed back to him as he jogged to catch up to her again, “Turning on the next street.”

  She flipped him off over her shoulder but made the turn and he caught up to her a few paces later. She’d gone quiet again so he let her jog in peace and worked to steady his own breathing. He shouldn’t be out of breath. He ran this circuit all the time. But all the talking and the sexual tension and the emotional rollercoaster of running it with Lemon at his side was wreaking havoc on him and she was right, he was having a tough time keeping up.

  A while later, she broke the silence with another random question, “You and Holly got divorced what, four years ago?”

  “Yeah.” He shot a wary look at her, unsure where she was going with this new line of questioning.

  “And you’re good? Still friends?”

  “Yeah, she’s still my best friend even if we fell out of love.” He realized then that Lemon had been asking all the questions and dropped his own in before she could ask another one, “You and your ex aren’t close?”

  “Nope.”

  “Do you still see or talk to him at all?”

  “Nope.” Lemon snapped out.

  “So it’s like he never even existed in your life?”

  She snorted, “If only.”

  Shane frowned at her short, clipped, indecipherable responses. She knew so much about his family already. She knew Holly and she knew when and why they’d split up. She knew his kids and what they were like and how old they were and what they were into. But he knew next to nothing about the man she’d been married to.

  Alec… Something. She hadn’t taken his name. They’d only been together a handful of years. He was a music executive or producer or something and they’d met when he worked on one of their albums. He’d come home to Fate with her for exactly one Christmas and had barely spoken to anyone if Shane remembered correctly.

  He hadn’t liked the guy. He remembered that. He’d seemed stiff, starchy, smarmy… the complete opposite of Lemon. But Shane had no idea why she’d divorced him, or if it had even been her idea.

  Was she still in love with her ex-husband? Still recovering from a broken heart? Or had it been a clean break? Was she happy to be done with him? And why did he suddenly care so much when he’d never given it a thought before?

  “What happened with you two anyway?” He pushed a little just to see if she’d respond and earned a shrug.

  “Nothing really. We just… weren’t compatible.” She dodged a crack in the sidewalk and followed him around the next turn.

  “And you didn’t figure that out until after you married him?”

  She glared at him, “Something like that.”

  “Something like that?” He shot back, confused by her evasiveness.

  Lemon was usually so open about everything that he found himself wanting to pry this information out of her. Just like the night before, when he’d suspected she wasn’t being completely honest about her reasons for the impromptu homecoming. He couldn’t help but wonder if the two topics were related and his cop brain started trying to piece together what few clues she’d given him.

  “We wanted different things.” She shrugged though the strain in her voice told him the topic wasn’t as easy as she wanted him to believe, “He wanted things I couldn’t give him or some bullshit like that. It didn’t end well and I don’t have anything nice to say about him so you can change the subject or I can.”

  He held his hands up innocently, “Sorry to pry, I was just curious if you were still holding a torch for your ex.”

  Lemon shot him a skeptical look, “Unless the torch is to set him on fire, nope.”

  “Good to know.” He smirked, “So there’s nobody else in your life then?”

  That earned him a knowing smile, “Why, Shane Lowry, are you checking to make sure I don’t have a boyfriend waiting on me back in Nashville?”

  “I… uh…”

  She laughed as he fumbled for words because yeah, he thought maybe he had been asking for that reason. He liked Lemon. He was attracted to Lemon. He wanted Lemon even if he didn’t intend to let himself have her. But if she had a boyfriend, if she was already spoken for, ignoring what he wanted would be a damn sight easier.

  “The answer is no. There’s nobody in my life.”

  “Really?” He was the one that sounded skeptical this time and she snorted.

  “Don’t believe me?”

  “Just find it hard to believe a beautiful woman like you doesn’t have a horde of men ready and willing to ask how high when you say jump.”

  “Jump.” She grinned and when he only rolled his eyes she laughed, “See, doesn’t work like that.”

  “Funny.”

  “Nah, not really. This…” She sighed as she motioned down her body, “Comes with a shit ton of baggage that most guys aren’t willing to help carry. The fame and the media and all that only makes it more impossible to find anything real. So I don’t really date or go out. I haven’t since the divorce.”

  He tried to remember how long ago that had been. Two years he thought. He couldn’t imagine Lemon going two weeks alone let alone two years. She was such a bubbly, lively, happy person. She must attract men like flies to honey. God knew he’d been interested from the moment he saw her bent over in that garden yesterday. But he supposed that was the point. He was attracted to her. That was straight up lust. That didn’t make it real.

  Shane cleared his throat, “I get that. I haven’t dated since the divorce either.”

  Lemon’s head whipped towards him, “What?”

  “I don’t date either.”

  “But it’s been four years.” She blinked at him like he’d grown a second head.

  “Yeah?”

  “Are you not over Holly?”

  “No, it’s not that. I wasn’t in love with Holly anymore by the time we agreed to separate. I’ll always love her because she’s the mother of my kids and my best friend and we shared something amazing for a lot of years. But I’m not hung up on her.”

  “But you haven’t moved on?”

  “I moved on, Lemon. I don’t need another woman in my life to move on. I’ve got three of them aged 6, 8 and 16 and my entire world revolves around them. Adding another one to the mix has always just seemed like a bad idea.”

  “So you really don’t date? Like, at all?”

  He shook his head, “Nope.”

  “Oh God.” Lemon giggled, “I bet that drives all those single mama’s crazy that they can’t get their hooks in you.”

  He laughed, “What makes you say that?”

  “Look at you.” She motioned up and down his body this time and pretended to drool, “You’re a catch, Shane Lowry. A single dad with a steady job, all his hair and a body like that? I bet you have to beat them off with a stick whenever you walk through the playground.”

  It was impossible not to feel a hint of pride when she called him a catch. He knew Lemon was attracted to him. He’d caught her staring too many times not to catch on to that. She flirted and winked and wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. But still, something about hearing her say he was a catch for more than his body made him want to kiss her even more than he already did.

  He resisted that urge and tried to play it nonchalant, “You think I’m a catch?”

  “I think you’re a big fish in this tiny little pond and every single woman in this place has probably racked up speeding tickets just trying to get your attention. That’s what I’d be doing.”

  He laughed when she waggled her brows again, “Not every woman in this town is a troublemaker like you are.”

  “You say troublemaker. I say attention getter. I mean, what’s a little B&E if it gets the hot d
eputy’s attention right?”

  “You’re impossible.” He grinned.

  “Oh come on! You have a much higher ticketing percentage than your dad or any of the other deputies. Right?” Her smile widened when he shrugged and she realized she was right, “Oh my God, I am right! I knew it. I’m not the only one that dreams of your handcuffs, Deputy Do-Right. Admit it.”

  “I admit to nothing.”

  That made her laugh again and he joined her as they jogged the last few blocks. That was the fastest three miles he’d ever run. Not literally. He knew their pace had probably left something to be desired on his app that tracked his heartrate and blood pressure and activity level. But he hadn’t been taking in his surroundings or counting off his steps to the last mile and then the last block and then the last literal step.

  He’d known Lemon would be a distraction but he hadn’t known how much he would enjoy having her at his side. She talked, incessantly, something he remembered driving him crazy when she’d been a kid but it didn’t bother him now. He liked the sound of her voice, liked how open and honest she was, liked learning more about her because despite the fact he’d known her all of her life he realized there was still a lot about her that he didn’t know. But he wanted to.

  He almost wished he’d said he was running ten miles today. That would give him another three laps with her. Somehow even that didn’t seem like it would be enough and he hated when she slowed as they neared their houses, preparing to stop, which meant he would have to wave goodbye to her and get on with his business as usual day.

  “Wow, was that three miles already?” She huffed slightly.

  “Yeah.”

  “That went fast right?” She put her hands on her hips as she slowed to a walk and he pulled up beside her, “Or is that just me?”

  “No, it went fast. Barely felt like work.”

  “I guess the secret is good company.” She smiled up at him and he barely resisted the urge to brush a loose strand of hair off her sweaty forehead.

  Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright. She was breathing hard, causing her breasts to push against the spandex bra she was wearing. She licked her lips and he had to force his gaze away from her mouth.

  Jesus, she was sweaty and panting and all he could think about was how she’d look the same way naked and in his bed after he satisfied the urge to drive into her sweet little body over and over and over again. There was something wrong with him. His libido hadn’t been this overwhelming since he was a horny, teenage boy that just figured out what his dick was for.

  Shane forced himself to step back and put some more space between them, “I guess it is. That was fun.”

  “It was fun. Thanks for inviting me.”

  “Thanks for making it interesting.”

  She grinned, “Want to do it again tomorrow?”

  Tomorrow. Yes. He tried not to immediately nod his head like an overeager puppy. Yes. He’d told her that he ran every day before work. She could join him every morning while she was here. It would be hell on his dick and his showers would have to be cold afterwards but he’d get the pleasure of her company all to himself for a little while and he’d get to start his day on a high note.

  “Sure.” He shrugged, “You’ll have to get up a little earlier if you plan to start with me. I do ten miles on Saturdays.”

  “But it’s the weekend, shouldn’t you do less or something?” She whined, “Even God rested on the weekend right?”

  “He rested on Sunday and so do I. On Saturday, I run ten. Are you in?”

  “Yeah, sure fine.” She shrugged, “My trainer would love you, making me run on my vacation.”

  “I’m not making you do anything. You don’t have to run with me. I only offered.”

  “Like I’m gonna turn down all of that.” She motioned to his chest again, “Speaking of shirts, don’t wear one, like ever. You should never, ever, cover that chest.”

  He laughed and stepped back again, “Go inside, Lemon. We’re done here.”

  “Bossy bastard.”

  “Incurable flirt.”

  She grinned, “You stop flirting with me and I’ll stop flirting with you.”

  She had him there and they both knew it. He couldn’t seem to help himself. It was just like with their arguments. It had always been the same way, even when they were kids. She volleyed and he had to serve it back. Vice versa, she always had a comeback for him. And it was fun.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” He started walking backwards towards his house.

  “See you, Shane.” She rolled a finger wave at him, “Have a good day at work.”

  “Thanks. You have a good day… doing whatever it is you’re doing here.”

  “Resting.” She shrugged, “I’m just taking a few days to rest.”

  “Then rest, because we’re doing ten miles tomorrow.”

  “Nazi.”

  “Tease.”

  She giggled, “Bye Shane.”

  “See you later, Lemon.” He grinned before forcing himself to turn and jog back to his house.

  He didn’t look back but it took every ounce of energy he had left in him not to take one last look at her. Gorgeous, ridiculous, impossible girl. He should have just stayed the hell away from her like he originally planned. Now not only would he likely run into her all over town while she was here visiting but he’d set up actual, recurring dates to see her. Well, it was exercise, running, so he wasn’t sure it could count as a date. He didn’t date. She apparently didn’t date. But somehow, this morning, had felt like a date and he was going to see her tomorrow to do it all over again.

  Shane retreated to his bathroom and flipped the shower on. He didn’t bother leaving it cold. Not even a cold shower was going to help his hard-on at this point. Only one thing would. Getting off. And if he imagined the frustratingly beautiful blonde across the street in that tiny pink spandex bra and nothing else while he took matters into his own hands, well then that was his little secret.

  Chapter Five

  Lemon was having trouble remembering to smile. After so many years in the spotlight, she would have thought smiling when she didn’t feel like it should come easy. But it didn’t. She kept forgetting to keep the easy, casually happy smile on her face, and she knew that more than one of her family members had noticed as they all sat gathered around the dinner table earlier.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy her sister’s family. She did. She loved Lydia. Her little sister was one of her best friends. She even liked Lydia’s husband, Tony. He was a nice guy, funny, and he doted on her sister as if she were the center of his universe. Their kids were dolls. Toby and Milo were six and two and total handfuls that meant every adult in the house was constantly seeing to their wants and needs. Lemon had hugged and kissed and held and played with her nephews and all the while she’d tried to ignore that sting of loss that ached in her stomach when she thought about never having this for herself.

  That was the thing about family. She’d come home to see them, to spend time with them, because they were familiar and comforting. Because she’d known they would welcome her back in and hug her close and hold her tight without forcing her to fess up what was wrong. But seeing all of them, being around them like this, it made her ache too.

  She wanted this for herself. She wanted the doting husband that refilled her glass for her and kissed her whenever he thought nobody was looking. She wanted the kind of man that loved her so much he couldn’t stand not to be touching her the same way that Tony always seemed to keep a hand on Lydia’s leg or shoulder or back. She wanted sweet, tiny, screaming little terrors of her own. She wanted messy high-chaired meals with silly airplane noises and songs to get her kids to eat. She wanted to see her parents holding her children and smiling that knowing smile at each other that said they had done this, made this big, loud, messy family together.

  She wanted to feel like she was a real part of this family again because even standing in the middle of it all, she felt a million m
iles away.

  She was nowhere near getting those things. She and Alec had been divorced for years now. The reason for their divorce had been haunting her ever since. She didn’t see any future doting husband on the horizon and that meant kids were even further away from becoming a reality in her life. That situation was dire to say the least. She’d have to start looking into other options, and soon, because as her own mother liked to point out, Lemon wasn’t getting any younger.

  Adoption was something she’d looked into years ago. Back when she’d thought Alec might be open to it. As it turned out, he’d shut her down cold on that front and their relationship had never recovered. She supposed that was something they should have talked about before the wedding but she hadn’t known it would be an issue then. She’d been madly in love, crazy in love, and she’d wanted to spend her life with Alec. Anything else would have just been icing on the cake for her. As it turned out, her husband had been tasting cakes all over Nashville and probably the country while she was home planning for their future.

  Now, if she wanted to adopt she’d be doing it on her own. She’d be a single mother. And she knew how hard that would be not just on her but on any child she took in. That thought inevitably conjured another, making her wonder if that was even fair to a child, to deprive them of a loving home with both a mother and a father, a home like the one Lydia and Tony had made for their boys.

  Lemon watched from the doorway as the adults huddled around the children after dinner. Her father was in his usual rocking chair but he had little Milo in his lap and was talking to Tony over the toddler’s head as they rocked back and forth. Toby was in the floor with a train set and her mother and sister were helping him put together the tracks in a big circle around the coffee table.

  They had a whole routine to family dinners now that she wasn’t a part of. Her mother had cooked the main course and sides. Lydia had brought dessert and drinks. And as per usual, nobody had asked Lemon to do a thing but show up. She knew she shouldn’t take offense to it. She was never here. Of course she didn’t have a normal job. But she was here now and she could have helped but instead she’d been pushed aside with pats and hugs and kind words about her being the guest of honor.