“Hey.”
“Ahhhh!”
Rachel screeched at the sudden sound of a deep masculine voice. She started so hard she fell right off the hood and went crashing into the uneven ground. With the momentum of her fall, she rolled down the small embankment she’d gotten her car stuck in and came to a stop as a heap of limbs. Pain shot up her ankle, and the screech turned into a scream of pain.
“Oh, damn.”
That voice came from right over her head, but the hands that appeared to help get her back on her feet came straight from the right. They were disembodied, and for a moment, she didn’t care. She didn’t intend on going anywhere. It just hurt too damn much.
“Will you look what you did?”
“I didn’t mean to scare her like that.”
“What the hell did you think was going to happen?”
“Oh, yeah. I planned this whole thing, Adam.” An oversized set of hands cupped her cheeks gently, brushing the hair out of her face so she could see as he tilted her head up to meet his. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
Oh, crap. Killian. This really wasn’t her lucky night. How could a man look so devastating in the cloak of the night’s shadows? The darkness clung to the hard planes of his features, carving them out like elegant stonework. Even the bright glow of the full moon made his amazing eyes devastating. She remembered the color, blue-green. They were light, multifaceted, like crystalline orbs designed to entrance and mesmerize any woman stupid enough to directly look into their mysterious depths.
“Did you hit your head?”
He might as well have been speaking French because the only thing Rachel understood was that he had the gentlest of touches. Big hands with slightly callused fingertips traced around the edge of her hair line in an almost ticklish caress. She definitely tingled from the sensation.
That tingle merged with the warmth of her previous musings. A flash sparked over the volatile mix of hormones in her body. His touch ignited her brimming imagination, and scenes, those dirty, dark, erotic images of woman as bitch and man as beast, snapped through her mind as still-life possibilities of Killian and her.
“She hurt her ankle, moron. Can’t you see it’s swelling already?”
“Doesn’t mean she couldn’t have hurt her head. If you hadn’t noticed, she isn’t speaking.”
Say something before you look like a moron, or more of one.
Before she could get all the parts in her body to work together on that plan, another set of hands tilted her face in the opposite direction.
Oh. Double damn.
Rachel swore she’d never have thought the kind of dirty things that popped into her mind at the sight of Killian’s buddy if it hadn’t been for all the perverts up at the Cattleman’s club. They’d filled her head with all sorts of naughty ideas, like how the perfect complement to Killian’s black-haired, light-eyed bad-boy look was this hunk of chocolate goodness. From the mocha locks to the dark gaze trying to enthrall her, the man had the kind of soulfulness that made a woman know he’d spread her legs wide and hold her gaze while he drove her insane with his kiss.
“I don’t think she hurt her head. Her eyes don’t look dilated.”
That statement followed his thumb and finger wrenching open her lids as he held her head straight up into the moonlight. Instinctively, she jerked her head back and glared. Handsome or not, that had been rude.
“Maybe she’s drunk,” Killian offered.
“I am not drunk.” Finally, she said something, and it felt good to come out of her stupor.
“Oh, look. She speaks.”
“Yes, I speak, and it is extremely rude of you talk about me as if I can’t hear you, Killian.”
Rachel turned her head back toward the guy with starlight in his eyes. To avoid being distracted by his mesmerizing gaze, she kept her eyes planted on his chest, his wide, hard, muscular-looking chest. His T-shirt looked so soft. It molded perfectly to the smooth planes and cut ridges of every single one of his mouthwatering muscles.
“Rachel?” She could hear the confusion in his tone. It irked her. He didn’t have to sound so shocked. “Rachel Allen?”
I recognized him. You think he could recognize me. It’s only been a month, after all.
“Rachel Allen?” The other one repeated slowly. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”
“Because you see it in the paper every Sunday. She’s a reporter for the Pittsview Press.”
Uh-oh.
She could feel the tension thicken in the air as they all recognized the ramifications of that statement. Hopefully before they could come to the conclusion that she had been doing just what she’d been doing, Rachel grabbed for her ankle to create a desperate distraction.
“Ow! My ankle hurts. Are either one of you going to help me with this?”
“Not until you tell us what you are doing out here.” He might have the eyes of a sweetheart, but Killian’s friend also had the bark of a pit bull. Rachel was really not liking him any more than she had Killian.
Irritated that neither man appeared the least bit concerned or sympathetic to her injury, Rachel moaned and groaned with more zest this time. “Oh, but it hurts. I don’t think I can stand the pain.”
“Your ankle is fine.”
Deputy Kregor was really the most annoying man alive with all his attitude. “It is not! I twisted it. It’s already swelling. It could be broken. This is all your fault.”
Rachel really enjoyed the way that made Killian growl. “My fault?”
The man looked indignant, like the idea had never occurred to him. Rachel wouldn’t dignify his response with an answer but pushed ahead with her plan to irritate him as much as he did her. “You broke my ankle.”
“It’s not broken.”
“Oh?” Rachel didn’t like being tag-teamed by Killian’s friend. “Like you know anything.”
His chin up, he studied her in a way that made Rachel worry. He was considering something, and her gut told her she wouldn’t like whatever thoughts ran through his mind. “I know about broken bones.”
“What? Are you a doctor?” She should just shut up, but her mouth kept forming words without authorization.
“I spent twelve years in the Marine Corps. I’ve seen enough broken bones to know one.”
“You can’t tell a broken bone by looking.”
“Sometimes you can.”
“Yeah, if it’s sticking out!”
“You don’t have any bones sticking out, do you?”
“That doesn’t mean my ankle isn’t broken.”
“It’s not broken.”
“It is broken if I say it is. It’s my goddamn bone, and I know when it’s broken. Not you. I don’t care how many years you spent in the Marines. I wasn’t there. You haven’t seen my ankle before. So you don’t know anything about it!”
“Enough! I swear, woman.”
Rachel just loved the way Killian bit out that “woman,” so full of frustration and masculine pique that she couldn’t help but smile. The small gesture only lasted a second as he continued on, bitching and ruining her moment.
“You have a mouth on you that just makes a man want to—”
“—make you purr.”
Rachel’s eyes rounded on Killian’s friend. She knew in an instant that she was in very deep trouble. Whatever thoughts had clouded his gaze a moment before, they’d cleared up and hardened over into a look that could only be described as predatory.
“I’m betting she doesn’t purr.”
Killian’s offhanded response felt like one line too many had just been crossed, and she snapped at him without thought. “Maybe that’s because you haven’t got the skills to make me purr.”
It was both an invitation and a challenge, neither of which should ever be issued to a man like Killian. In a moment of frozen horror, Rachel tried to fathom what kind of response she had coming to her. Wet, sweaty, hot…God did she want to be punished.
“Definitely a biter,” Adam commented.
“Would you just shut up?” Rachel didn’t even spare a look at Killian’s amused buddy, still too concerned with anticipating Killian’s response.
“I bet she even snarls and cusses, making all sorts of demands.”
“I do not!”
“Be kind of hot if you did.”
Rachel clenched her jaw and held back on her need to give back for that one. It wouldn’t do her any good. They were playing with her. The fact that Killian didn’t have her hauled up to her feet for her last reckless shot went to prove they weren’t taking a single thing seriously, least of all her.
She would not be toyed with. Nor would she be held hostage by these two jugheads’ bad sense of humor. Intentionally dramatizing the moment, Rachel let out a wail and clutched at her ankle before threatening Killian with the only weapon she had.
“My ankle is killing me, and if you don’t start doing something about that now, I swear I’m going to have a private word with the sheriff about your sexist, insensitive, and outright insulting ways, Deputy Kregor.”
“Go on and tell him, honey,” Killian encouraged her. “That way the bastard will know we were actually out here on patrol like he told us to be.”
“And did he tell you to go around assaulting defenseless women?”
There went Killian’s cheeks, flushed red in under a second. She’d gotten him good with that one. Then again, he had the advantage of having a friend to help him harass her. “Yeah and how is that ankle? Still broken?”
“I am in pain.”
“If that’s true, you can see the wisdom in answering my questions promptly. If you would rather waste time and delay medical treatment, please, continue on with your tantrum.”
“I am not having a tantrum. Why do men always say that? I am annoyed and in pain, and I am allowed to—”
“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Rachel shot back instantly, not about to take any crap from this man.
Towering over her, he tried to intimidate her by speaking in sharp, short words. “Answer my question.”
“I’m not going to be bullied by you. I don’t have to answer anything. I’m the one who has been wronged in all this. I’m the one who was out here minding my own business when you two assaulted me. I don’t—”
“Assaulted you?” Killian choked on that one. “You fell off your own car all by yourself, sweetheart.”
Intentionally tossing her hair over her shoulder and right into his face, Rachel felt nothing but satisfaction when he cussed and shoved up to his feet. That’s right, he’d better back off or she’d pull the lowest stunt she could think of. Hell, she might as well give him a little smile and threaten him with it. It would be fun to watch him squirm for a change.
“Who is to say what happened?”
“I am. I’m a cop, unless you forgot.”
“Cops go bad all the time.”
“I can go bad.”
Killian lowered not only his voice, but his face. When they were nose-to-nose and she could feel the warm brush of his breath, smell the intoxicating scent of man and soap, and see all of her erotic fantasies promised in the wicked depths of his eyes, he growled again.
“You want to see how bad, Rachel?”
Oh, God, yes.
Chapter 2
Rachel wisely kept her answer to herself and counted it as a victory. Later on, she’d worry about being disgraced by her desires, or maybe she wouldn’t. As long as nobody knew about them and nothing was acted on, having a few wild fantasies about Killian and his bedroom-eyes buddy wouldn’t hurt.
“You don’t scare me, Deputy. Do your worst.”
Instead of throwing himself on her and ravishing her like Fantasy Killian would have, the dumb lug just glared at her and wimped out. “Answer Adam’s question. What are you doing here?”
Well, shit. Rachel blinked. It took her all of a second to consider the changed circumstances and come up with a big, obnoxious, fake smile. “I was going down the road when a deer ran out. I lost control trying to avoid the poor thing and ended up in the ditch.”
“What do you think, Adam?”
What a wuss. Silently, Rachel booed Killian’s performance. Shifting her gaze toward the more civilized-looking man, she wondered if perhaps he’d be her hero.
“That must have been one hell of a spin out.”
Nope. “Are you doubting me?”
“I’m just saying.” The man shrugged, appearing completely unaware of her antagonizing tone. “Given the way your car is in the ditch, it doesn’t really look like it spun into it.”
“And you would know that?”
Being questioned got to him, though she gave him points for keeping his calm. It must have been hard given the threat that narrowed his gaze for too long a second. “Considering the number of traffic accidents I’ve investigated, yeah. I would know that.”
“Oh, you’re a cop, too.” She really should have seen that coming.
“That’s right, sweetheart,” Killian gloated. “Rachel Adams, let me introduce you to Deputy Adam Whendon. Now why don’t you start over your tale and let’s try hearing the truth this time.”
They already knew the truth, and making her say it was just being petty. Rachel wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. “Just because you’re cops and don’t believe what I say doesn’t mean I’m lying. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”
“Given your car is pointing out of the ditch, like it drove through it matching the tracks, and not pointed into the ditch, as it would be with the non-existent tracks you left in your imaginary spin out, it’s a scientific fact that you are lying.”
Adam had spent some time in court, apparently. “Fine. I didn’t spin out, but that doesn’t mean you have to treat me like a criminal. I was out here to…look at the stars. Got to get away from the city lights and all that, you know?”
“City lights and all that?” Adam raised an eyebrow as he repeated her own lame words back to her. Pittsview didn’t have city lights. Hell, most of the town didn’t even have street lights. “I take it that’s why you are dressed all in black, because you’re afraid bright-colored clothes would interfere with your viewing.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Does that mean you’re tapped out?” Killian almost sounded amused now. “We’re not moving on to lie number four?”
Defeated, that’s what she was. Why Rachel had bothered to try and play along with the deputies, she didn’t know. All she’d accomplished was amusing them. That burned, but not nearly as much as waking up alone would if she actually did the dumbest thing ever and got into their bed tonight.
Rachel had no doubt that no matter how this night ended, tomorrow would be guaranteed to begin only one way—depressed.
Given the way her life always went, tonight would probably end with another “I’m so horny” hand therapy session in the shower. That certainly appeared much more likely than either rascally deputy choosing to go home with her plump butt instead of hightailing it back to their party full of lipo-sucked tummies and silicone-plumped boobies.
“Rachel?”
The humor in Killian’s voice annoyed her. Feeling like the butt of some joke only added to her foul mood. But she wasn’t so addled she couldn’t remember the question. “I like wearing black.”
There, she’d remembered. Killian had wanted her to lie. She just couldn’t do it fast enough to keep the deputy from snickering. “All black?”
“I’m grieving.”
“Grieving?”
“Yes, that’s why I came out here. I was hoping for some peace and solitude during my time of sadness.” Rachel lifted her chin and silently dared him to tell her she didn’t know any dead people.
“Uh-huh. You’re not too good at lying, you know that?”
“I’m not lying.” Despite the absurdity of her claim, Rachel managed to make it sound indignant.
“That’s all right, sweetheart.” Killian waved away the performance. “I t
hink I know what this is all about.”
“Really?” Deputy Difficult. Rachel remembered that smile and braced herself to be insulted in some horrible fashion.
“I don’t know if I mentioned this to you, Adam,” Killian began as he looked up toward his partner. “Rachel came by the station a few weeks back to do an interview with the Chief. He wasn’t there, so I did her a favor.”
What? Was that how he described the disaster of their first meeting? The only thing that could be said for that day was that it had gone better than this night.
“I showed her around and even took her out to lunch to answer her questions.” Not fooled by his conversational tone, Rachel waited for the bait, swearing she wouldn’t jump. “It soon became obvious that she had kind of a crush on me.”
It took clenching every single muscle in her body to keep from leaping up at his absurd claim. He’d been the one all over her, and he damn well knew it. Hell, he’d been the one to suggest going out for a late lunch and then asking if she might like to go out for a dinner sometime.
Rachel had turned him down. She’d regretted it every minute since until now.
“I tried to be as nice as I could when she asked me out.” Killian overplayed his hand with a sigh, making it just that much easier for her to hold her peace and not give the arrogant bastard the satisfaction of even dignifying his absurd claims with a response. “I let her down as easy as possible, but I got to tell you she was quite upset. I’m afraid she really has it bad for me.”
Of all the—
“Listen, honey.” Killian turned to her, looking as concerned as an angel. “You got to let it go. You can’t continue to pursue me with this obsessive infatuation. I don’t want to be rude, but you’re leaving me no option here. I’m sorry. I’m just not that into you.”
She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Rachel burst with the need to defend herself, snarling at him as her annoyance released itself in the single sound. “I don’t like you right now, either.”
“Oh, come on,” Killian cajoled with smirky smugness carved into every inch of his smile. “We both know you came out here tonight to try and find me.”
Rachel snorted at that bit of bullshit. “I didn’t even know you were going to be out here.”
Penn, Jenny - Rachel's Seduction [Cattleman's Club] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3