‘‘Maybe somebody still holds a grudge about the Miss Dairy Queen contest.’’
‘‘After ten years? Nah. More likely it’s the Click-or -Treat crowd trying to wreck my evening for the hell of it.’’ The cork came out with a loud pop.
‘‘I just can’t believe someone could arrange all that on such short notice. It would take days, if not weeks, to build that head and neck. Then there was the thing that flew overhead.’’
‘‘What thing?’’ He set a plastic goblet in the sand and managed to pour wine into it without knocking it over or flashing Annie. ‘‘You didn’t say anything about a flyover.’’
‘‘We were kinda busy. And I was afraid you’d think I was crazy. At first I thought it was an owl, but it was too big for that. And it hovered.’’
‘‘I’d say it was probably a kite.’’ He handed her the wine.
‘‘Thanks.’’ She held her blanket closed with one hand and took the goblet with her other. ‘‘No, it wasn’t a kite. I thought of that. No wind.’’
‘‘Then a radio-controlled plane of some sort.’’ He poured himself some wine and placed it carefully beside him. This blanket was a pain.
‘‘I suppose it could have been remote controlled. Again, I don’t see how the whole deal was arranged so quickly. We didn’t plan our trip until this morning.’’
‘‘So maybe it wasn’t aimed at us.’’ Wedging the cork back in, he rotated the bottle, screwing it into the sand so it wouldn’t tip over. ‘‘Maybe some kids dreamed up the prank weeks ago and were waiting for their first victims to come along.’’
‘‘That’s possible.’’ She glanced at him. ‘‘I want to get to the bottom of this. If it’s a trick, then I can write a story about small-town teenagers finding unusual ways to get their kicks. If it’s not a trick . . .’’
‘‘Don’t worry. It’s a trick. But at least it didn’t completely ruin the evening.’’
‘‘No, it didn’t.’’ She smiled. ‘‘I’m having a great time, Jeremy, in spite of everything. Maybe even because of everything. It’s not every day a girl gets rescued from sudden death.’’
He knew she was joking, but the comment made his stomach clench. ‘‘I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you. And for the record, I always believed you saw something. I’m just not into the monster theory.’’
She glanced at him. ‘‘I wish you’d seen it. That might have changed that logical mind of yours.’’
‘‘I wish I had, too.’’ If only she knew what was going on in his mind right now. It wasn’t logical at all. All he could think about was kissing her.
They were tantalizingly close. He could lean over right now and make contact, but that would be a predictable move. The new Jeremy didn’t make predictable moves.
Still, here they were, sitting together in the sand in front of a cozy fire. They were drinking wine and had nothing more than blankets covering them. The time was right for him to do something.
Ambrose had promised he could pluck coins from behind people’s ears, even if he had no coin on him, just as he’d been able to manufacture a rose from thin air. These things made no sense, yet when Jeremy contemplated doing a magic trick, he had the strangest feeling that he had special powers.
As a kid he’d believed in superheroes, and maybe a part of him still did. What if Ambrose and Dorcas were not what they seemed? What if they were space aliens?
Whoa. If he was willing to believe that, he should have no trouble believing in a lake monster. And he did not buy that. Still, the magic tricks were very cool, however he was able to do them.
He set down his wine. ‘‘Hold still a minute.’’ Brushing back her damp hair, he reached behind her ear. ‘‘Abracadabra.’’ Sure enough, a quarter slipped into his fingers. It was warm, as if someone had been holding it.
‘‘Found something,’’ he murmured, and held up the shiny coin.
Her eyes widened. ‘‘You’re amazing.’’
‘‘So are you.’’ This time he did kiss her, just touching her lips in tribute. Her mouth felt as he’d always imagined it would—like warm velvet. If Ambrose’s magic tricks had given Jeremy the chance to kiss Annie for the first time, then Ambrose could be from Krypton for all he cared.
Her lips moved in response, settling more securely against his. And she sighed, her soft breath tickling his mouth. That sigh alone was enough to kick his libido into overdrive. He imagined holding the back of her head and thrusting home with his tongue. God, he wanted to do that.
But instead he controlled the impulse. This was a first kiss, not an all-out assault. His fevered brain had trouble remembering that, but he held on to his sanity with steady determination. He wouldn’t overstay his welcome. Better to quit while he was ahead. Gradually he backed away from a mouth so plump and inviting, it could star in every lipstick commercial ever made.
Her eyes fluttered open and her gaze was dreamy. ‘‘You’re one of the nice guys, Jeremy.’’
‘‘You know what they say about nice guys.’’
Her answering smile turned slightly wicked. ‘‘I can think of one case in which finishing last would be a bonus.’’
Okay, now things were getting intense. He was having a tougher time staying James Bond suave. ‘‘Interesting thought.’’
‘‘Interesting activity.’’ Still smiling, she ducked her head and took a drink of her wine.
If she was trying to rattle him, she was succeeding. He fought the urge to throw her down on the sand— not classy. Instead he picked up his wineglass without fumbling. He’d never been that smooth. ‘‘I propose a toast.’’
She glanced up, her blue eyes warm. ‘‘Great idea.’’
‘‘To Melody and Bruce.’’
She looked surprised, but she touched her goblet to his. ‘‘Practicing for the rehearsal dinner?’’
‘‘Nope. Thanking them for getting married and bringing you back to town.’’
‘‘That’s a lovely thing to say.’’ Her voice was low and sweet. ‘‘Now I’m glad I did, but I was dreading it.’’
He hadn’t expected her to say that. He hadn’t meant to change the mood, either, but he just had. ‘‘Dreading it? Really?’’
‘‘Silly, huh?’’ She took another swallow of her wine. ‘‘This is great wine. Did you get it here?’’
She obviously wanted to change the subject, so he went along with her. ‘‘In a way. Dorcas and Ambrose gave it to me out of their private stash.’’
Now that she’d admitted not wanting to come back, he thought about how she’d acted since she’d arrived. Although he’d been dazzled by her, maybe she hadn’t been sparkling with the same bright confidence as before, and he’d been too smitten to notice.
If she was less sure of herself these days, he wanted to know who or what had taken the starch out of her. And then he wanted to fix the situation. He had a pretty good idea how to do it, too.
Chapter 8
Whoops. Annie hadn’t intended to be so honest. She’d meant to flirt with Jeremy and tease him with possibilities. He looked cute and amazingly sexy wrapped in that blanket, despite the pink flowers. She had arousing visions of what was under that blanket, and she bet he had similar thoughts about her.
Telling him she’d dreaded coming home hadn’t been part of her plan. Talk about a buzz kill. Whew.
She’d just have to keep the conversation light from here on. Wine was a neutral subject, so she’d go with that. ‘‘What’s the wine label say?’’ she asked.
Setting his goblet in the sand, he turned the bottle so she could see the label. ‘‘Mystic Hills Winery. It’s bottled in Sedona, which is where they used to live. It’s even possible they owned the winery.’’
‘‘I definitely need to interview them before I leave. There are more stories here than I thought. I suppose you know about Abe Danbury and his petition to ban canned laughter from all sitcoms.’’ Good. She’d made it back to safe territory.
Jeremy seemed willing to follow her lead.
‘‘Everybody in town knows. Abe’s obsessed with the subject. People avoid him like the plague.’’ He took a drink of his wine. ‘‘If Abe keeps pushing that petition, he’s liable to lose his bid to get reelected in the fall.’’
She laughed. ‘‘Politics are fun in a small town. I’d forgotten that.’’
‘‘Don’t let Abe hear you say so. He takes his job as mayor very seriously.’’
‘‘That’s part of what makes it fun. People are earnest instead of cynical.’’ She was surprised to discover she’d finished off her wine.
‘‘More?’’ He set down his goblet and picked up the bottle.
‘‘Why not?’’ She held out her goblet for a refill. The evening was getting back on track, and she was feeling more mellow by the minute.
‘‘I’m glad you like it.’’ Jeremy poured her wine and topped off his own.
‘‘I noticed Abe’s wife, Madeline, is still waitressing over at the Hob Knob,’’ Annie said.
‘‘Yeah. I think she’ll be there forever.’’
‘‘And she’s still pushing sugar.’’ Annie shook her head. ‘‘She was determined to supply Melody and me with enough cinnamon rolls to feed an army. I had to get out of there fast.’’ She glanced at her wineglass. ‘‘I shouldn’t be drinking this, either, but it’s so good.’’
Jeremy looked worried. ‘‘You’re not diabetic, are you?’’
‘‘Oh, no. Just watching my calories.’’ She hadn’t meant to say that, either. Damn. Jeremy seemed to bring out all her hidden issues.
‘‘You’re kidding, right?’’
‘‘No, but that look of disbelief makes my ego do the happy dance. Thanks.’’
‘‘By what anorexic measuring system are you fat?’’ She took another sip of wine. Oh, what the heck. He was making her feel better about something that had bothered her for months, so where was the harm in that? ‘‘I’m twenty pounds over what I weighed when I married Zach. Two months ago I was thirty pounds over.’’
‘‘I don’t know where you’re putting it. You look great.’’
What a nice guy. ‘‘I shouldn’t be telling you any of this. Body issues are not a fit topic for a first date.’’
‘‘Annie, if that’s what an extra twenty pounds does for you, then you should have gained it years ago.’’
Bless him. He was saying exactly what she needed to hear. ‘‘Ah, Jeremy, you can’t imagine how soothing that sounds, especially compared to the way Zach—’’ She stopped abruptly. Someone needed to give her a muzzle. ‘‘So how about those Cubbies? Think they’re gonna win the pennant this year?’’
Jeremy’s expression was stormy. ‘‘Ask me if I give a damn. Annie, what about Zach?’’
‘‘Ancient history.’’
‘‘One of my favorite subjects.’’
Well, she’d done it now. She might as well tell him. ‘‘He had a thing about women gaining weight after they got married. I didn’t dare order dessert in a restaurant or he’d make a big deal out of it. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons I ate everything in sight after he left. Hence the weight gain. I’ll get it all off eventually.’’
‘‘He left you?’’
‘‘Uh-huh.’’ She drained her wine. ‘‘Not too many people know that, so I’d appreciate it if you’d keep it to yourself.’’
‘‘I can’t believe a guy would be stupid enough to give you up.’’
‘‘I can’t believe I was stupid enough to try and hang on to such a loser. I booked a skiing trip in a misguided attempt to rekindle our love. Instead I managed to break my ankle. He told me in the emergency room that he was leaving me for another woman, someone cuter and blonder. More adoring, too, I’ll bet.’’
‘‘What a gold-plated asshole.’’
‘‘Thanks.’’ Her heart warmed. The rest of her was feeling pretty receptive to him, too. She’d needed someone to say that, and so far, no one had. To be fair, she hadn’t given anyone the opportunity.
She and Zach had been the golden couple, the envy of all their friends in Chicago. But the pressures at work and worry about her marriage had kept Annie from forging any deep friendships. When the breakup had come, she hadn’t trusted any of those casual acquaintances not to gossip about the humiliating details, so she hadn’t revealed them.
She’d had no confidants in Big Knob, either. Even her mother, Joy, didn’t know the whole story, although she might suspect some of it. But Joy was still on friendly terms with Zach’s mom, who was a good customer at Joy’s shop. Annie saw no reason to poison that relationship.
So Jeremy was the first person who’d heard the naked truth about the breakup. For six months she’d been too afraid of what people might think or what they might say. But Jeremy made her feel safe. Maybe that was because he’d saved her from drowning not long ago.
She thought it was more than that, though. Jeremy was trustworthy. After dealing with a man who hadn’t been, she had become better at figuring out who a girl could count on and who she couldn’t. Jeremy had count on me written all over him. That made him very appealing.
Besides that, he was a magician. And more than a little good-looking. And brave. And strong. Yep, Jeremy had it going on.
‘‘Zach didn’t deserve you, Annie.’’
She gazed at him silently for a long time. Then she put her wine goblet in the sand. ‘‘What about you, Jeremy?’’ she said softly. ‘‘Do you deserve me?’’
‘‘I . . .’’ He swallowed. ‘‘I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give.’’
She took hold of the edges of the blanket and slid it down over her creamy shoulders. ‘‘It just so happens . . . I’m in a giving mood.’’ She let the blanket go.
Jeremy’s goblet dropped from his suddenly slack fingers, spilling red wine all over the pink flowered blanket. She didn’t think he even noticed. How gratifying.
Usually she thought things through before she acted. But tonight she didn’t feel like thinking. Warmed by the fire and Jeremy’s adoration, she wanted to reclaim her sexuality.
With any other man, she would have worried about her body. Zach had demanded perfection and had quickly pointed out any developing flaw. The mental assault had been gradual and insidious. Then his warnings that she’d get fat had become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Intellectually she knew she wasn’t horribly overweight. But for someone who had been the hometown beauty queen, these extra pounds were humiliating. Thankfully, Jeremy didn’t see it. He only saw the woman he wanted desperately.
For a moment she sat very still, sinking into his hot stare. Beside them the fire crackled and the scent of wood smoke filled the air. From now on she’d always associate that scent with Jeremy, who surprised her more with every minute they were together.
There was something to be said for a man who thought she was a goddess. She’d made the mistake of loving a guy who thought he was a god. She wouldn’t be doing that again.
She held out her hand. ‘‘So far, you’ve been the best part of coming home.’’
His blanket fell to his waist as he reached out and wove his fingers through hers. His grip was surprisingly strong. ‘‘That’s all I need to hear.’’
She had a couple of seconds to admire his broad chest and the jet-black hair sprinkled over it before he wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer. Meeting him in the middle, she steadied herself by putting a hand on his bare shoulder. Her fingers encountered hard muscle. Yum. This could turn out way better than she’d expected.
No tentative kiss this time. He laid claim to her mouth with the enthusiasm of a man who knew what he was after. She tasted wine and pent-up frustration. She had the flattering thought that he’d been waiting more than a decade for this moment. What a rush to finally give him what he wanted as she opened to the eager thrust of his tongue.
When he released her hand and cupped her breast, she moaned. She’d missed a lover’s touch more than she’d allowed herself to know. And Jeremy, praise heaven, knew how to touch
a woman. He stroked and kneaded until she squirmed closer, wanting more contact.
He responded by easing her onto her back. How he managed to get the blanket under her at the same time, she had no idea. But after all, he was a magician.
Then he began kissing his way down her body, making magic happen everywhere his lips touched. She’d never responded like this, but Zach had never treated her this way, either, as if she were the most sensual creature in the universe. She writhed against the blanket, relishing every tactile pleasure—the warmth of the fire, the rub of soft fabric underneath her, the slide of his tongue along her rib cage.
She could guess where this journey would end, and that was more than fine with her. Modesty was highly overrated, especially when a man had the tongue of a magician. He wouldn’t need to say any magic words to bring about the result he had in mind. All he had to do was . . . oh, yeah. Just like that.
Her hips lifted of their own accord as he zeroed in. Annie didn’t have a lot of experience to guide her, but she had a hunch this was a blue-ribbon effort on Jeremy’s part. In any case, she was slowly, gloriously, losing her mind.
One by one her other senses faded. The snap of the fire, the tang of smoke, the rustle of the blanket, even the exotic, liquid sound of Jeremy loving her— everything disappeared except the sensation building between her thighs. She trembled as her climax stalked her like a jungle cat.
Just there, so close, crouching, ready to spring. She groaned, wanting . . . wanting . . . and at last it was upon her, contorting her body and forcing cries of release from her throat. She was helpless before an onslaught so strong she was left gasping for breath.
Jeremy held her thrusting hips and drew out the pleasure until she was so filled with it that she begged him to let her go. He didn’t. Instead he kissed the inside of her quivering thighs and told her how beautiful she was.
She felt beautiful, too, for the first time in months, maybe years. To think she’d dreaded her return to Big Knob. Yet Jeremy had been here all along— Jeremy and his talented hands, his supple mouth, his wicked tongue . . . she’d been missing out on nirvana without even knowing it.
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