by T. J. Kline
It might be nothing more than a stupid high-school crush, but Bailey had never been able to stop her heart from doing somersaults, cartwheels, and cheerleading round-offs whenever Chase came around. Luckily, her smart mouth didn’t completely stop working, so no one else had any clue about this stupid girlish fantasy. The reality was that he would never, ever get involved with someone like her. He was the town’s golden boy.
Hell, he might be a local hero, but if he’d had any decency at all, Chase wouldn’t have screwed her with that damn ticket. It was going to take almost a month for her to save up enough to pay it.
Maybe you should call JD and see if he can stall the band a few more weeks.
As tempting as the voice of her doubts made the idea sound, she couldn’t wait any longer to tell her cousins. And, if everything went according to plan and the album did well, she wouldn’t be returning for some time since they’d be touring.
She didn’t even want to think about how much flak Justin was going to give her when he found out she was staying with the band, a group of four men. He’d rip her sideways from Sunday about how irresponsible he thought it was. The last thing she needed to worry about right now was Justin going overboard with his ridiculously outdated ideas. Alyssa hadn’t quite been able to completely cure him of his annoying desire to protect them, even if they disagreed whether they needed it.
Bailey pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned on her playlist, slipping her earbuds in and letting the music carry her away. She twirled and danced as she cleaned, dust motes floating in the sunlight streaming through the windows. She grabbed the vacuum cleaner and swept it over the floors, pausing to use the machine as her dance partner, belting out a complex run in the song. Twirling, she spun with the vacuum, to see Chase standing with his shoulder against the doorway, his arms crossed and a shit-eating grin on his lips. Gracie, his shepherd, sat at his feet with her tongue lolling out, wearing a goofy grin all her own. Bailey stutter-stepped, tripping over the cord and tumbling onto the couch. Her fingers caught in the headphone cord and jerked them from her ears.
“Hey, Hot Stuff.” He chuckled. “If I’d known you needed a partner, I’d have gladly volunteered.” He jerked his chin at the vacuum lying on its side on the floor, still humming and whirring. “I don’t think he appreciates your fancy footwork the way I would.”
CHASE HOPED HIS laughter hid the fact that he was so frickin’ turned on right now he was ready to explode. Watching Bailey swinging her hips, belting out the song at the top of her lungs, with that voice—husky, rich, and so damn seductive. He knew her voice could be as smooth as honey, like when she was trying to convince Justin to let her con him as kids—or trying to con him out of a speeding ticket—but he’d never expected she could sing like that. And that growl thing she did had him thinking about how he might make her do it again.
Just what he needed, one more thing about her to keep him awake at night, wishing things were different between them.
Gracie let out a sharp bark and trotted to the couch, pressing her nose against Bailey’s neck. Chase moved to the edge of the sofa and held a hand out to help her up, but she brushed him off. “I can manage just fine.”
“I see that.” He laughed but took a step back, tucking his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans. Bailey had an independent streak a mile wide and was twice as exasperating. He turned off the vacuum cleaner and lifted it upright, moving it away from the couch as she tangled her feet in the cord again. “Watch yourself.”
She sighed loudly and shot him a death glare. “I said, I’ve got it.” She sat up on the couch and Gracie jumped up beside her, licking her chin. “You think you could call off your mutt?”
She sounded irritated, but Chase didn’t miss the smile tugging the corners of her mouth up or the way her eyes shimmered playfully as she ran her hand over Gracie’s head, rubbing her favorite spot behind her right ear.
“What can I say? She likes you.” He couldn’t help himself from pressing his luck. “But not as much as she loves me. Isn’t that right, Gracie?”
When he’d originally had the idea to become her handler, he’d never expected her to become his best friend and, these days, the closest thing he had to a woman in his life. The dog jumped down from the couch and sat at his feet, staring up at him with dark eyes filled with pure adoration.
“At least someone does,” she shot back. “Why are you here again?”
“I came by to talk to Jessie about a couple boys in foster care right now. My dad thinks they might be a good fit for her program.”
“Then you should probably head back to the house to talk to her and let me finish cleaning so I can get to Julia’s in time to make dinner.”
“She’s evaluating a couple horses so I’ve got to wait a few minutes. I saw your bike and thought I’d come say hi and make sure you hadn’t killed yourself on it yet.”
“Hi and, as you can see, I’m fine, so good-bye.”
“I can . . . ”
She bent over and untangled the knots she’d tied in the vacuum cord while she’d been spinning. The sight of her firm, rounded rear pointed his direction was enough to send his thoughts spiraling into the cosmos. She glanced back at him over her shoulder and caught him staring at her butt.
“Anything else you need?” She let her eyes skim over him, from the top of his short hair to his work boots, as she stood upright. “Or maybe you need a few more minutes to check out my ass?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk and he took a step closer. “What can I say, Bailey? Those jeans make your ass look great.”
Her eyes sparked with fire but a smile caressed her lips. He took another step toward her, standing only a few inches away, close enough that he could see the pulse racing at her throat and could hear the intake of her breath. He only had to bend his head slightly.
Move another inch and Justin will kill you.
Instead of kissing her the way he wanted to, he bent over and wound the vacuum cord around the pegs on the machine, giving her the opportunity to look at his rear. “There, your turn.”
Bailey’s frown flitted over her face so quickly he barely noticed it before she rolled her eyes at him. “Thanks, but I think I’d rather finish cleaning.”
“Nothing’s stopping you, unless you can’t force yourself to stop looking,” he teased. A blush rose, coloring her cheeks.
“I . . . ”
He’d never seen Bailey at a loss for words. She always had some smart-ass comment and to see her flustered, even for a moment, surprised him. He stood up and watched as Gracie followed her into the breakfast nook, where she slid the cleaners back into a small carryall tote.
“Sorry to be the one to break it to you, Chase, but those slacks do nothing for you.” That’s the Bailey I know.
Any other guy might have taken her at face value or been insulted by her comment, but he felt his heart pound harder in his chest at her words. He’d always been a “glass is half-full” kind of guy.
“So you have been checking out my butt?”
The color crept over her cheeks again, turning them pink, but she shrugged nonchalantly. “You wiggled it enough at the bachelor auction. I think it’s burned into everyone’s brains whether we want it there or not.”
Chase tried to ignore the disappointment that sank into the pit of his stomach. For a second, he’d thought . . .
It was better this way, better that she thought he was just being ornery and harmlessly flirting, the way they always did, always had. “Someday, Bailey, you’ll admit you want me.”
“And someday, Chase,” she said as she turned back toward him with her hand on her hip, “hell will freeze over.”
Her words said one thing, but her eyes glimmered with delight. He knew it was an emotional tightrope he was walking, but he’d sworn to Justin a long time ago that Bailey and his sisters would be off-limits. If he was to start treating her any differently after all these years, Justin would figure out something was up. He was to
o good of a friend to lose for a fling, and she wasn’t the kind of woman likely to settle down.
There wasn’t a guy in town who’d been able to capture her attention for more than a few dates. Several of the men in town had tried to “tame the shrew,” but none had managed to escape unscathed. Michael Walker was the most recent victim when he’d taken her out to dinner just the other night and ended up, according to his side of the story, with a black eye for trying to kiss her. Chase was sure there was far more to Bailey’s side of the story, but she’d proved to everyone, except perhaps Justin, that she was more than capable of taking care of herself.
Bailey was known for her smart mouth and the quickest wit Chase had ever known. She operated in one mode—on all cylinders—whether it was hating or loving, and it was that passion he’d watched grow and blossom over the years. It was a trait that most people chose to view as a flaw while they were busy spreading gossip about her, but for those she loved and trusted, such as her cousins, she offered a devotion and adoration that was unparalleled.
“Woman, you could crush a man’s ego, talking like that. I knew you were feisty, but I didn’t know you were heartless.” He winked at her, stepping up to grab the cleaning supplies from her hand. When his fingers brushed over hers, he felt the vibration of desire travel all the way to his toes.
“Then I guess there’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
Like what your lips taste like, how your eyes would darken with desire, or what it would be like to feel your breasts pressed against my chest and feel your skin under my fingertips.
His mind was busy filling in the blanks when her hand moved under his, sliding the cleaning tote back onto the table. Her blue eyes were dark, and he wanted to believe he was seeing the same hunger he knew was in his. Then she rolled her eyes, pursing her lips, and moved away from him. His fingers burned where they’d held hers only seconds before and turned cold where her warmth had just been.
She reached for the handle of the vacuum, rolling it toward the doorway. “You know, you could wait for Jessie outside.”
He almost laughed as she eyed him suspiciously. “What? Can’t trust yourself alone with me?”
“Yes, of course, that’s it.” She nodded, the mound of hair piled on her head bobbing forward. It took every bit of self-control for him to keep from brushing back the loose wisps that had fallen forward and were stuck against her cheek. “There’s just something about a man in a dingy khaki shirt that makes a girl’s heart beat fast. I think I’ll pass.”
“You invited me to Julia’s for dinner, remember?”
“I was joking.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Then it must have been temporary insanity,” she offered.
He couldn’t help but laugh, opening the door to the cabin. Gracie ran out into the yard ahead of him. “I’ll have you know, there are plenty of women around here who’d love to have dinner with me.” He smiled as she turned back to him, skepticism clearly written on her face.
“Well, you know what they say. We women have to kiss a few frogs to find Prince Charming, so . . . ”
Chase arched his brows as a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Bailey, are you offering to kiss me?”
“I’d rather kiss—”
“Ah-ah,” he warned with a laugh. “You should be careful. With all the animals your cousins have around here, whichever one you pick could probably be arranged.”
Chapter Three
WHAT THE HELL was that?
There had been times when they seemed to be close to crossing the lines of friendship, but he was always the one to stop short. Never once had he mentioned her rear or suggested she kiss him. Now Bailey wasn’t sure what to think of Chase’s teasing, especially since he’d just given her a ticket that was likely to cost her a pretty penny. And what about the way his eyes had practically undressed her? Every inch of her body felt like it had been caressed, and he hadn’t laid a hand on her.
Unfortunately.
She quickly realigned the path her thoughts were taking. She was only causing herself more heartache. If he realized that she had this high-school crush on him, she had no doubt he’d laugh her all the way to LA. They were too different. He was the one who upheld the law; she broke it. He was the person people loved; she was the one they loved to talk about. He was prime marriage material, and to her, marriage was practically a death sentence for her future. As much as it pained her to admit, she and Chase were on opposite paths and they would never intersect.
Bailey finished gathering the cleaning supplies and took one last look around the cabin, trying not to think about Chase any longer, or the way his hand had jolted her like electricity through her system when he touched her. She wouldn’t have been surprised to find her hair standing on end. She had to get this stupid lust under control again.
She certainly didn’t want anyone else to suspect. Kristen had guessed right, but she could easily be put off. However, Jessie and Julia were a different story. Bailey didn’t want to imagine the way those two would try to coordinate a strategy to get them together. And the can of worms it would open with Justin. He voiced his opinion of her love life far too often as it was. The last thing she needed was him getting involved in her relationship with Chase, not that there was a “relationship” between them.
But what if there was?
It was a pipe dream and she knew it. Besides the obvious differences, she was leaving in just a few weeks, so there was no need to even imagine it, she argued with herself.
In all the years that she’d known him, Chase had dated only the “perfect” girls in town, such as Kristen. The ones who had perfect hair and perfect makeup, and who went to church every Sunday. He didn’t date women who rode Harleys, sported leather jackets with studs, or drank and cussed like a sailor. There was no use starting something she’d be forced to try to forget in a few weeks. Although she expected a few nights with Chase would be a send-off she’d never be able to forget.
What if you didn’t go? Or waited a few more weeks to see what might happen?
Bailey pursed her lips, twisting them to the side thoughtfully. She couldn’t put this off again. Tucker, their drummer, had left her a strange message that mentioned his concern that JD might be up to something and, if that was the case, she needed to be ready to go sooner rather than later. The band was expecting her; they were already setting up gigs and scheduling studio time. If she continued to waffle about when she was arriving, they would find someone else and she’d be stuck in this one-horse dirt town, working at Justin’s clinic forever. She wanted to make her mark as something more than “Wild Hart.”
She couldn’t give up this opportunity just because Chase was being a little more flirtatious than usual with her. It didn’t mean anything.
BAILEY SWEPT HER forearm over her face, wiping away perspiration from the exertion of cleaning as her stomach growled angrily. She was still starving, but who had time to eat? She was too busy picking up the slack for everyone else.
And I’m the irresponsible one?
She scolded herself for being judgmental. Jess and Jules were practically her sisters and would do the same for her. How many times had they stood up for her when her mouth got her into trouble in school? How many times had they stepped in and filled the big-sister role, helping her get ready for her prom or being her designated driver when she’d had a few drinks too many? And how many times had they jumped to her defense against Justin? Being hot, hungry, and tired was making her grouchy. What she needed was a bite to eat and a shower before heading to Julia’s.
“You finished?” Chase’s voice surprised her and she looked up to see him leaning against his truck with the ever-present Gracie at his feet.
Bailey stopped short and planted her fists at her hips. “I thought you’d have left by now.”
A crooked smile curved his lips, making her heart immediately pick up a staccato beat, but he shrugged, oblivious to her racing pulse. “I thought we had dinner plans
.”
“You thought wrong.”
“What burr got up your butt?” He crossed his arms, making his chest look even more muscular, and Bailey felt her mouth dry up, any smart-aleck retort disappearing. “What if I drive us over?”
She narrowed her eyes and studied him, wondering what he was up to. Chase went out of his way to visit with Justin, not her. “No, thanks. I’m taking my bike.”
He chuckled quietly. “I’ve seen your driving. You’re lucky I didn’t take your license just to protect everyone else on the roads.”
She scowled at his reminder of the ticket he’d issued her. “Very funny, Deputy.” She jerked her chin toward the dirt path worn between Jessie’s and Julia’s houses. “I think I can manage to stay under the speed limit on the private road.”
“I might have to follow you just to make sure,” he teased, his green eyes gleaming mischievously.
“No patrol car?” She glanced at his big, beautiful midnight blue 4x4 pickup. The color, her favorite, matched her motorcycle. “I thought you came over here to talk business with Jessie.”
He shrugged. “I got this great invitation earlier to have dinner with some friends, so I planned ahead.”
“Right.” She regretted her earlier invitation. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with any more teasing today. One of these days she’d learn to keep her mouth shut. She waved her hand at him, moving past him and heading up the porch steps to the front door. “Feel free to head over without me. I’m going to take a shower and clean up.”
“Need some help?”
Her heart plummeted to her toes and her entire body tingled with hot anticipation. She wasn’t about to turn around, but she would bet money that playboy grin of his was spread from ear to ear. No wonder most of the women in town had begun calling him Deputy Casanova. Chase didn’t play fair. And since when had he started playing with her at all?