The Bachelor

by Carly Phillips

  And all of a sudden he knew—he couldn’t say good-bye any more than he could choose another woman as his wife to bear his children. Before he could process that thought, a loud knock sounded at the door, startling them both.

  She jumped back and reality returned along with a banging that wouldn’t cease.

  Roman expelled a frustrated groan. “Tell me you’re not expecting company.”

  “I’m not.” She averted her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. “I wasn’t expecting you either, and there’s no one else who’d come by this time of night without calling first.”

  “Good.” He wasn’t in the mood to deal with other human beings. “Go away,” he called out and got one of her elbows in his ribs.

  “I said I wasn’t expecting anyone, but it could be important.”

  He let her go, shock still rippling through him at the conclusion he’d come to after that kiss.

  “Open up, Roman. It’s the police.” Rick’s voice traveled to them.

  Despite the somber mood that had settled between them, Charlotte failed to stifle a laugh and Roman wasn’t amused. Rick was the last person he wanted to see. Especially when just the thought of his brother and Charlotte still managed to charge him up.

  As she walked to the door, she smoothed her wrinkled dress and ran a shaking hand through her messed hair. It was impossible to hide what they’d been doing.

  Nor did he want to. Her well-kissed lips branded her, and damn if Roman didn’t like it that way.

  So much for good intentions. He’d barged in to apologize for sending out those mixed signals. He’d intended to say good-bye and put an end to any illusions either of them held about each other. But with Charlotte, nothing was ever final or finished, no matter how hard he tried.

  Realization dawned, taking him off guard. Good-bye wasn’t possible. Not with Charlotte. He couldn’t walk away from this woman and turn to another, no matter what his reasons.

  He shook his head, knowing he’d had a shock just now. Knowing he’d give her one too. Instead of freeing himself for his potential wife hunt, Roman already had his candidate. One who didn’t want to play the stay-at-home wife to the long-distance, globe-trotting husband. There’d have to be compromises there. But that was okay. Even the best-laid plans often changed along the way. And when it came to Charlotte, he’d alter accordingly. He had no choice.

  But first he had to convince her to give them a chance after his whole speech about walking away. He let out a groan. Roman knew she wouldn’t slam doors in his face. Given the chance, she’d sleep with him in an attempt to get him out of her system. And all the while she’d be trying to convince herself she could walk away in the end.

  He had no choice but to convince her she was wrong. He’d have to take her there slowly, that much he knew. But this time there was no turning back.

  His stomach churned with the conclusions he’d drawn, but dammit, they felt right. He rolled his shoulders, attempting to ease the tension, and before he could contemplate further, Charlotte had let Rick inside. Chase followed close behind.

  Roman wondered what was up, to bring both his brothers to her apartment.

  “Is Beth okay?” Charlotte met Rick’s gaze, concern for her friend obvious.

  “She’s fine. I left her when I got an emergency call, but she was doing okay.”

  “Then what’s going on?” She eyed Rick warily. “Roman doesn’t need a chaperone, so to what do I owe this visit?”

  Roman wanted an answer to that as well.

  “Let’s sit,” Rick said.

  “Let’s not,” Roman muttered. He didn’t want to prolong their visit.

  “It’s the panty thief, isn’t?” Charlotte asked, her voice rising. “He’s struck again?”

  “She’s smart,” Rick said. “Did you know she was smart, Roman?”

  “Smart aleck.” Charlotte laughed.

  Roman rolled his eyes, turned, and headed for the living area. Apparently he was in for a sit-down with his cop brother, his other sibling, and Charlotte, not his lover or even his ex-lover … but his future wife. He refused to consider the ramifications if she refused him. Roman’s adrenaline began a steady pumping, nerves and acceptance warring for dominance. He could only imagine her reaction to his thoughts—but no way could he clue her in. Not yet. Not until he’d made her his in a way she couldn’t deny.

  He lowered himself onto the butter-soft flowered couch. “What’s up?” he asked when they were all seated.

  “Charlotte’s right. We’ve had another break-in.” Rick broke the silence first.

  “And I’m going to press on it in the morning,” Chase said.

  Roman nodded. He knew his older brother couldn’t keep another theft under wraps. That he’d done it at all was out of respect for the police and their need to investigate without tipping their hand.

  Charlotte leaned forward. “Please tell me they didn’t steal the exact same brand.”

  Rick nodded. “Jack Whitehall isn’t too thrilled about the brand choice either.”

  “Frieda’s pair?” Charlotte placed her head in her hands and groaned. “I only just finished making them. We mailed those to her house a few days ago.”

  Roman picked up on something Rick had said. “What’s got Whitehall so upset, other than the obvious fact that his house was robbed?” Why would the older man give a damn what brand had been taken?

  “Well, as far as Jack knew, his wife favored plain, utilitarian white,” Rick said.

  “Frieda’s pair was white,” Charlotte said, in obvious defense of her customer.

  “White and sexy,” Chase clarified. “We left them arguing over who she planned to wear the panties for.”

  “She bought them for her husband’s seventieth birthday surprise,” Charlotte muttered. “Leave it to a man to draw all sorts of wrong conclusions.”

  “Hey, go easy on the gender, babe,” Roman said and she slugged him in the gut with her elbow. He let out a grunt. At least the pain gave his body something to focus on other than his desire. And when the pain subsided, Roman turned to taking in his surroundings as a distraction from her luscious scent. He ran his hand over a glossy coffee table book that had seen better days.

  “So that’s three robberies total …” she said.

  “Five.”

  That number caught Roman’s attention.

  “Five?” he and Charlotte asked at the same time.

  “Three occurred tonight alone. While the entire town was at the St. Patrick’s Day dance, some guy was out stealing women’s panties.”

  “Who would do something so … so …” Charlotte rose from her seat, and, sensing her frustration, Roman didn’t try to stop her. “So juvenile? So stupid? So perverted?” she asked.

  Rick snickered. Roman had no desire to relive his youth in front of Charlotte. “Well, we can narrow down the list of suspects by knowing who we all saw at the dance.”

  “There’s one problem,” Rick said.

  “What’s that?”

  “The timing won’t work. The last robbery took place around ten-thirty. Whitehall chased the guy into his backyard, but he was slick and made for the small stretch of woods. Then Whitehall’s asthma kicked in and the old man collapsed.”

  “Damn,” Roman muttered.

  “Exactly. We know it’s someone with good stamina. And if he hit two houses before ten-thirty, on different streets, far apart, he had plenty of time. Collectively we don’t know a damn thing. I left the party around nine forty-five, Chase never made it because he was working, and according to witnesses, you, little brother, took off by nine forty-eight.”

  “Something Whitehall made certain we knew,” Chase said.

  Apprehension settled in Roman’s gut. “Why?”

  Charlotte stopped her pacing in front of where Chase sat in her oversized club chair. “Yes, why?”

  Chase pinched the bridge of his nose and Roman knew he was in deep shit. “The old man was reminded of a certain prank Roman played a long time ago.” />
  “A long, long time ago,” Roman muttered.

  “When he was juvenile and stupid,” Rick said, picking up on Charlotte’s chosen words.

  “But not perverted,” Chase said with a grin.

  “The panty raid,” Charlotte murmured. “It’s been so long I’d forgotten.”

  “I wish everyone had.” Roman shot his brothers a nasty look.

  “Still, why would Whitehall dig up an old stunt like that now?” she asked.

  Roman rubbed his hands over his eyes. “Because the sleepover was at Jeannette Barker’s, but the panties I snagged—”

  “And hung from the rearview mirror,” Rick supplied ever so helpfully.

  “Belonged to Terrie Whitehall,” Chase finished. “Who came racing into her parents’ home tonight just as we were leaving.”

  Damn, how had Roman forgotten that? All the while he’d been talking to the prissy bank teller tonight and it’d never crossed his mind that he’d once stolen her underwear. “So when Terrie heard what was taken from her mother, she decided I had to be the culprit?” Roman asked with a disbelieving shake of his head.

  “No, she just mentioned she’d seen you storm out of town hall. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one who saw you leave.” Rick rose and folded his arms over his chest. “Jack Whitehall fingered you as a possible suspect.”

  Roman couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “That’s a crock of—”

  “I agree, but once an accusation’s been made, I have to investigate.” In his best law enforcement stance, marred only by the half grin on his face, Rick turned to Roman and said, “Mind if I ask where you went after leaving town hall tonight? And if anyone can vouch for your whereabouts?”

  Charlotte opened and closed her mouth in disbelief. Chase burst out laughing.

  This night had been full of surprises, Charlotte thought as she walked Rick and Chase to the door. With Roman standing behind her, she had a hunch they weren’t over yet. “Thanks for stopping by to let me know there’d been another robbery.”

  Rick paused in his tracks. “All kidding aside, we stopped by to warn you. There’s been five break-ins with one link and one link only—you. Not only do you sell the items that have been stolen, you make them.”

  Roman’s eyebrows raised in surprise, but he didn’t ask questions, just took over. “Which is why I’m not leaving her alone.”

  She shook her head and remained silent. She’d already anticipated Roman’s protective streak kicking in, but she planned to save the argument against his staying until they were alone.

  She appreciated his concern, but it was unwarranted. The panty thief had struck homes of customers and no one had been hurt. She’d be careful, but she trusted she was safe. She couldn’t have him staying the night. With gossip as the town’s favorite pastime, she had no intention of her neighbors waking up to find him sneaking out the door—or fire escape—at the first crack of dawn.

  “You’re safe enough when you’re home,” Rick said, eyeing Roman and helpfully giving her an out if she wanted one. “With neighbors on either side of you, no one would be foolish enough to break in here—but I suggest you keep that window shut tight and locked. At this point, you don’t want to take chances by giving any sleazeball who wants in an open invitation.”

  She met Roman’s gaze out of the corner of her eye and somehow managed to stifle a laugh. They both knew he was the last sleazeball who’d climbed through her window tonight, but she saw no reason to give his brothers any more ammunition.

  They were lovingly hassling him enough already— something she’d never experienced in her lifetime. She was an only child who’d matured too quickly after her father left, while despite it all, the Chandler brothers had been able to grow up in due time and still be kids. Sibling rivalry, one-upsmanship, and love were so apparent among the brothers that being with them brought a lump to Charlotte’s throat. She hadn’t had any kind of true family unit and realized now how much she’d missed.

  She glanced back at the open window. “I’ll take care of it, I promise.”

  “We’re working overtime, but I can’t promise anything until we catch the guy, so watch out.”

  She nodded once more.

  Chase placed a brotherly hand on her shoulder. “Once I print the article, you can bet you’ll have a town full of people watching your back too.”

  “Just what I needed, the spotlight on me and my life.” She sighed. “I hope this doesn’t kill my business. I can’t afford for people to be afraid to buy my goods.”

  Rick shook his head. “The way I figure it, the worst-case scenario will mean a decline in sales in the garment of choice.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Because she couldn’t afford a drop in overall sales and still pay her rent. Her savings from her days in New York wouldn’t last much longer and she was just beginning to see a positive cash flow.

  “We’ll have someone patrolling the neighborhood, okay?”

  She nodded and finally shut the door behind Rick and Chase. Then she steeled herself and turned to face Roman. He leaned one shoulder against the wall, sexy in his stance and confident in his expression.

  If she didn’t know better, she’d say something had shifted between them. Again.

  “What’s so different about the underwear that’s being stolen?” he asked.

  “You tell me. You saw it yourself firsthand.” She swallowed hard. “In the dressing room the other day.”

  The memory darkened his eyes to a stormy blue hue. “You handmade those?”

  She nodded. He laced his hand through hers, his callused fingertips wreaking havoc with her nerve endings and sending white-hot darts of fire throughout her body. At last he held her hands up for further inspection. “I didn’t realize I was dealing with an artist.”

  She let out a shaky laugh, unnerved by his touch and the longing he always inspired. “Let’s not get carried away.”

  “Sweetheart, I saw those panties and I saw you in them. I’m definitely not exaggerating. In fact, I can see why a man would go to extreme lengths to get his hands on a pair. Especially if you were wearing them.” His voice lowered to a husky, seductive level.

  He turned her wrist out and placed a strategic kiss, followed by a nip of his teeth on one fingertip. Her nipples hardened with the first soft bite and as he moved on to each successive fingertip, her entire body raged with burning need.

  She wondered where this was headed, why he’d started seducing her now, instead of saying good-bye. She didn’t understand his sudden change in mood. She had no doubt that kiss earlier had been intended as a final farewell.

  “Did you know I couldn’t take my eyes off you tonight?” Roman laved the inside of her wrist and blew cool air onto her dampened skin.

  She stifled a delighted moan. “You could have fooled me.”

  “I was trying to fool us both. Even tonight when I barged in here with the deluded notion I could walk away from you, I was trying to fool us both.”

  Her heart caught in her throat and she listened carefully.

  “Over the years I’ve perfected the art of watching without being caught. It’s a necessity in my line of work.” His mouth traveled up her arm, arousing her with the feather-light touch of his lips. “I was watching you.”

  “Mmm. Then you definitely managed to fool me.”

  “But I don’t think I fooled Terrie Whitehall,” he said when he’d reached her shoulder, then stopped to nuzzle the sensitive skin on Charlotte’s neck.

  Her knees buckled and she leaned back against the wall for support. “So Terrie turned on you out of jealousy?”

  “Sounds like it,” he said, his breath hot on Charlotte’s flesh.

  He braced his hands on the wall behind her and sandwiched her with his lean, hard body. She struggled for even breaths as his erection, full and solid, came to rest between her legs. She tried to remember what they’d been discussing, but words failed her. “I can’t concentrate,” she murmured.

  “That�
�s the point.” He threaded his hands through her hair. “Let me stay tonight, Charlotte. Let me take care of you.”

  She’d expected this attempt to play bodyguard. “Your staying is not a good idea.” Much as she would have enjoyed it. She braced both her hands against his shoulders, but instead of pushing him away, she savored the heat and strength of his body against hers.

  “Then why does it feel like one?” His hips jerked forward, thrusting his hard length against her feminine mound.

  Waves of sensation rose to life. Her lashes fell and she savored the feeling. “It feels good because there’s nothing rational about sex. But I’m being rational now. You can’t stay because you came over here to say good-bye. You said as much earlier.” She recalled his words, the pain lodging in her throat.

  “And then I kissed you and I realized there’s no way in hell I can walk away.”

  “What?” Excitement and hope unlike any she’d known sizzled to life inside as she contemplated his words. “What are you saying?” she asked, because she had to be sure.

  “There’s always been something between us. Something that won’t go away. If you’ve got the guts to take the risk and see where it leads, then so do I.” His blue eyes stared into hers.

  Her pulse began an unsteady beat. He’d taken her by surprise. Apparently he’d shocked himself too. She understood the push and pull between them as well as he did.

  But despite the fact that he’d taken her off guard, she’d already thought this possibility through. An affair with Roman wasn’t only what she wanted, but what she needed as well. Because by giving in to the desire that had been brewing for years, she’d give it a chance to run its course.

  Without a doubt, Charlotte knew she’d be risking her heart. She’d walked away from him once before, and though she never admitted it, even to herself, she’d regretted it deep inside. She needed to experience making love with him. Needed the memories to cherish for a lifetime without him.

  But she’d have closure. Unlike her mother, who subjected herself to an endless stretch of waiting ahead of her, Charlotte would be strong and come out whole.

  “So can I stay?” he asked with that charming grin on his face.