Don't Tempt Me

by Lori Foster

  He loved confident women.

  On temporary occasions.

  His still somewhat new business and his dedication to the kids didn’t allow for any serious entanglements. And even if he had the time or inclination, which he didn’t, Lexie was the opposite type of woman he’d be after. She was about the here and now, not the long haul.

  Tonight that suited him just fine.

  She suited him—except that she was his neighbor’s best friend, and she’d already proven to be scheming. Not a great combo when what he wanted, what he needed, was that “one and done” attitude they’d already discussed.

  Prior to setting the date, he’d weighed the pros and cons at length, but finally decided the cons didn’t matter. Not enough anyway.

  She wasn’t his neighbor, so proximity didn’t have to factor in. How often could she visit Honor anyway? And with the hours he worked, even if she was there every day, odds were he wouldn’t see her. Today was an aberration, given he’d taken off early and left the last class with an employee. He never did that—the work he did with at-risk kids was too important to him.

  But for Lexie he’d made an exception.

  He needed a woman.

  Lexie was a party girl, not at all clingy. He wouldn’t have to worry about her making an issue of things. A good thing, since he wouldn’t let any woman, especially a cunning, carefree flirt, mess with his long-term plans. The school was his priority. Helping kids to avoid his mistakes was a priority.

  Chasing tail was not.

  Luckily, with this particular woman, he hadn’t had to do any chasing at all.

  Watching Lexie now, he damn near throbbed with lust. From the second she’d stepped out of her car in that second-skin dress, he’d been on edge. Lust, pure and simple.

  Easy to sate.

  Her short pale blond hair, curling around her face, only emphasized her golden-hazel eyes—eyes that repeatedly ate him up.

  Slender arms, a narrow waist and gorgeous, shapely legs, paired with that beautiful face and her innate confidence, had every guy in the restaurant checking her out. Luckily the hour was early enough that the place wasn’t as packed as usual. He hadn’t been joking about the riot.

  Propping an elbow on the table, Lexie leaned forward and gave him a mouthwatering view of her cleavage.

  No way could she be wearing a bra. He wasn’t even certain about panties, given the smooth line of the dress.

  Smiling lazily, she said, “Penny for your thoughts.”

  “Probably the same as yours.”

  The smile turned into a sly grin. “You think?”

  She’d been as up front as possible, but to be sure, Sullivan teased one fingertip on the back of her hand. “I’m thinking this meal is taking too long and I need to see you naked.”

  After a sharp inhale, she sat back, tipped up her wineglass to finish it off and then met his gaze again. “You’re actually better at this than I am, and that’s a compliment because I consider myself more than adequate at the whole back-and-forth sexual banter.”

  “More than adequate,” he agreed. Hell, she had him on the ragged edge.

  “How about,” she murmured, “we wrap this up, and then you can follow me to my place? It’s closer.”

  That suited him. He’d prefer her apartment over his house. He didn’t need anyone knowing his personal business, especially since Jason had a thing for Honor.

  As an answer, Sullivan raised his hand and summoned the waiter.

  Less than five minutes later they were on the road, and ten minutes after that he walked into her apartment. After looking around, he said, “Classy place.”

  She kicked off her shoes by the front door, dropped her purse on a foyer table and turned to him with hot expectation. Taking both his hands, she began back-stepping. “I’ll give you the tour later.”

  “And now?”

  “Now we go to my room.”

  Such a rush. He was used to women going a little slower, needing a little more attention. Not Lexie.

  Knowing she had high windows that overlooked the city and the river, he wanted to take in the view, but he couldn’t get his gaze off her. In his peripheral vision he noted sleek, modern furniture and minimal clutter.

  Sullivan let her pull him down a short hall, past a small bathroom done in silver and cream, then into a lavishly decorated bedroom, mostly white but with accents of silver, black and sapphire.

  Before she could head to the bed, Sullivan pinned her to the wall and slowly lifted her hands above her head.

  She shivered, her golden eyes molten, her lips parted.

  Ready.

  He got that. He was so hard he hurt, burning up with need. He could take her right here, standing, but as bad as he wanted to be inside her, he wanted to taste her, too.

  And he definitely wanted to watch her come.

  Slowly he leaned in, detouring from her mouth to her throat. Lexie tipped her head back wantonly, making it easier on him. With open-mouth, damp kisses, he left a trail from her fragrant, silky neck to the bend of her shoulder, down her chest to one firm breast, where he nuzzled, then lightly bit the taut nipple straining through the thin material of her dress.

  On a vibrating groan, she arched into him.

  He transferred both her hands into one of his and stroked her body. His turn to groan. “No underwear at all?”

  She looked at him through heavy, heated eyes. “See for yourself.”

  Damn, he loved her brazenness. “I think I will.” He inched the dress up, caressing her skin along the way. Her thigh was smooth and warm and soft, and at the top of her hip he encountered one thin string.

  Leaning away, he looked down and saw the skimpiest of thongs, barely covering her. Nostrils flaring, he stroked over her hip to her naked ass. Firm, satiny.

  While palming one bare cheek, he took her mouth in a ravenous kiss. She stayed with him, her hips snuggling into his, stroking him through his khakis. Dangerously close to losing his control, Sullivan made himself slow, made himself think of Lexie, her need, and what he ultimately wanted—her out of control.

  He released her wrists, stepped back and whisked that cock-teasing dress up and over her head. Breathing heavily, he took in the sight of her, flushed with desire, naked except for the tiny scrap of material hiding her sex.

  “Damn.” She had beautiful breasts. Not big, but round and firm, pale, her nipples a dusky pink. With both hands he cupped her, teased her with his thumbs, tugged gently.

  The second he drew her into his mouth, her compliance shattered, gone in a rush of lust.

  Pushing him back, she attacked his belt buckle, then yanked down his zipper and freed his cock. Sullivan breathed deeply, his arms at his sides, letting her touch him, stroke him as she pleased.

  “You’re ready,” she murmured with satisfaction.

  “Did you doubt it?”

  “Protection?”

  He quickly fished out his wallet and retrieved a lone condom. “One.”

  She smiled up at him. “If you do it right, one will be enough.”

  Laughing, he said, “I’ll try my best.”

  Seconds later they were on the bed, both of them naked, entwined, and Sullivan got lost in the feel and taste of her. He found her boldness and confidence even more exciting when it applied to sex.

  If he had more room in his life, if he wanted different things, she’d be the perfect woman.

  Given the way she stirred him, she was perfect—for now.

  After some frenzied foreplay, she sat astride him and carefully eased him inside her.

  They both went still, breath held, bodies tight.

  Sullivan moved first, gripping her hips and easing her up, then bringing her down slowly again.

  “Sorry,” she whispered, the words broken, “but I can’t wait.”

  He stared into her eyes. “Then don’t.”

  Needing no more encouragement than that, she proceeded to ride him hard while he enjoyed her breasts until suddenly, far too soon, sh
e broke, her head back, a long, ragged groan tearing from her throat.

  So fucking perfect.

  Seeing her, hearing her, feeling her clamped around him, wet and hot, sent Sullivan over the edge, too. And it was so powerful it left him reeling.

  Sometime later, his heart still hammering, with Lexie as a warm blanket over him, he heard her murmur, “You did it right, and then some.”

  Smiling, far too content, he thought, What now?

  He should start making moves to go—but he didn’t want to.

  He should ensure that she knew this was a onetime shot—but he suddenly hated that thought. No way had he gotten his fill. Not even close.

  Hell, if anything, he wanted her even more now. Crazy.

  Impossible.

  He had to stop thinking about taking her again, right now, even though neither of them was yet breathing right. But he had no idea how to block those thoughts when the sex had been so spectacular.

  When she’d been spectacular.

  He turned her under him, took in her slumberous eyes and sated smile—and the cell phone in his pants pocket rang.

  They stared at each other.

  “No,” she insisted softly.

  He wanted to ignore it, he really did, but as a businessman he couldn’t. It probably wasn’t even seven yet, and it could be his employee with an issue. Something could have happened with a pupil. “One second. I promise.” He stretched out an arm, snagged his pants, found the phone and saw it was Nathan calling.

  He got a very bad feeling.

  Swiping his thumb over the screen to answer, he sat up and away from Lexie, saying, “Hey, Nathan. I’m a little busy right—”

  “Someone put a pipe bomb in your new neighbor’s mailbox. Jason’s not around, and she’s apparently not home. Don’t suppose you have a number for her?”

  Shit. Just...shit. He looked at Lexie, so ripe, so anxious for him. They were out of condoms, but there were so many other things he could do to and with her.

  Unfortunately, if he kept this from her, if Honor got home to a crime scene...

  The decision made, he gave Lexie one last apologetic look, then said, “I don’t, but her best friend is right here, and I’m sure she does.”

  * * *

  Despite the way the day had gotten away from her, Honor pulled onto her street in a fairly good mood. It was barely seven-thirty, later than she would have liked, but she’d orchestrated the craziness to the best of her ability so that she’d have the rest of the night free. She’d already done her hair and makeup at the salon, taken care of an early visit and as soon as she changed into prettier clothes, she’d check with Jason to see if he had a few hours to visit.

  Finally they’d have that date.

  Just a date, she told herself. No reason to panic, no reason to worry. It wouldn’t interfere with her impossible schedule, and there was no reason it had to be more than one date...right? Never mind what she wanted, what she wished could be.

  She was a realist. Etching out time this evening hadn’t been easy. Fitting in anything more than this one night would be damn near impossible.

  So she’d take it, make the most of it and then she’d get back to her daily routine.

  It had been so long since she’d been on a real date she wasn’t sure she remembered how to behave. She hoped Jason was free, because she honestly didn’t know when she’d get another opportunity.

  She was lost in daydreams of kissing him again, maybe more, when the sight before her registered. Alarm shot through her bloodstream. Jason was there, wearing a button-up shirt with his jeans, talking to another man she didn’t recognize. Sullivan and Lexie stood next to them. Gray smoke hung in the air and...

  Ohmigod. Her mailbox was a smoldering pile of unrecognizable wood and plastic. Because the small crowd blocked her driveway, she pulled over to the curb in front of Jason’s house. He glanced at her as she left the car, looked away dismissively, but a second later his gaze shot back for a longer look.

  Eyes narrowed with puzzlement, he took a step toward her. “Honor?”

  “What happened?” Heart in her throat and a sick feeling churning in her stomach, Honor stared at the ruins before her.

  Jason stared at her.

  She remembered that this was the first time he’d seen her not a mess. She wrinkled her nose and pushed past him.

  “Hey.” Lexie embraced her. “I hate to take you by surprise, but I tried calling twice with no answer.”

  Brows up, Sullivan stared at her, too.

  Good grief. Had the men assumed she never wore makeup? That the only hairstyle she had was a sloppy ponytail? She was a salon stylist, after all.

  In a rush, she dug her cell phone from her purse and saw she had two missed calls. “Must have been when I was...” Doing a preemptive run on her responsibilities. She swallowed back that explanation. Not that an explanation was needed.

  Lexie hugged her. “I’m sorry.”

  “What happened?”

  Another man stepped up to her. Tall, sandy brown hair, eyes hidden by dark sunglasses and shoulders broad enough to block her view of the chaos. He took off the glasses and hooked them to the front of his blue, button-up shirt. “You’re Honor Brown?”

  With his whole face revealed, she saw the thin scar cutting across his right cheek from his temple to the corner of his mouth. Rather than detract from his good looks, it gave him a rugged, dangerous appearance that was also very sexy.

  She blinked twice and nodded dumbly.

  Expression dark, Jason moved over beside her, so close that they touched. “Honor, this is Nathan Hawley, our sheriff and neighbor.”

  Holy smokes. She was starting to agree with Lexie; there must be something in the water to grow the men so fine in Clearbrook.

  Looking past the guys to her friend, Honor watched Lexie theatrically fan her face in agreement.

  Silently Honor agreed—times ten.

  Studiously ignoring Lexie, Sullivan pointed at her mailbox. “Someone blew it up.”

  “Pipe bomb,” Nathan explained.

  But...she’d only recently changed out the old rusted mailbox for a nice new shiny one! “Why would anyone do that?”

  “Vandalism,” Nathan said. “We get that around here. I’m guessing it was no more than that—”

  Finally regaining her senses, Honor said, “That’s more than enough!”

  “I agree.” Calm personified, Nathan looked at her house. “To be on the safe side, though, I’d like to check your house, too.”

  Her throat tightened and she squeaked, “Check it for what?”

  “I just want to make sure everything is still secure.”

  Secure? Horrified by the thought of an intruder, Honor stared toward the dark windows at the front.

  Jason put his arm around her. “The mailbox was intact when you left? Still closed? You didn’t notice anything around your property?”

  She hadn’t really been paying attention, but surely she would have noticed otherwise. “Yes... I think so.”

  “When exactly did you leave this morning?” Nathan asked her.

  Honor stepped around the men to look at the destruction. She didn’t want to meet Lexie’s gaze, and she was too rattled to look at the hunks surrounding her. “Before five.”

  “A.m.?” Jason asked.

  Ignoring his disbelief, she nodded. “I had to run a few...errands before work.” To hopefully clear a path for our date.

  Nathan propped his hand on a holster.

  A holster with a gun that she hadn’t even noticed until now.

  “We’ve had other mailboxes destroyed in the area.”

  “Today?”

  “Recently.”

  “So.” Honor tried a deep, cleansing breath to help her calm down, then asked with hope, “Random vandalism?”

  “It’s possible.” Nathan’s gaze cut to Sullivan’s and then Jason’s. “But we’ve also had some burglaries.”

  As if she’d been struck, Honor sucked in more air—t
hen turned and ran for her house.

  “Honor.” Jason’s hand caught her arm before she’d reached the porch. He pulled her up short, holding her securely. “Let Nathan do his thing.”

  “His thing?” All she cared about at the moment was her home. Had she been robbed? Her possessions destroyed?

  Nathan stepped around her. “Let me see if the door and windows are locked, and we’ll go from there.”

  Oh God. Fear robbed her voice of strength. “What if someone is still inside?” The words emerged so quietly it surprised her that Jason heard.

  He drew her closer. “Odds are, if anyone even attempted to get inside, they’d be long gone now.”

  “You have those security lights, especially around the garage,” Sullivan pointed out to Jason. “They light up half of Honor’s yard, too, at least on this side. I can’t see anyone risking it.”

  Stepping back off the porch, Nathan said, “The front’s still locked up.”

  When he started toward the back, Honor pushed away from Jason to follow. Everyone else fell into step behind them. The side of her house closest to Jason’s was undisturbed. The back windows, too, remained locked.

  Unfortunately, on the farthest side near the woods, where no neighbors existed, they found an open window.

  Honor’s knees wobbled.

  It took Jason no time at all to say, “It was pried open.”

  “Yup,” Nathan agreed. “The lock is broken.”

  She’d been so lighthearted and happy, looking forward to the evening, to a possible date with Jason.

  She’d styled her hair!

  Even painted her fingernails.

  Now her throat felt thick and her eyes burned. She’d been invaded.

  Nathan went into bossy sheriff mode. Holding out his hand, his green eyes direct, he said, “Your keys?”

  He spoke with such quiet command that Honor automatically gave them to him. Lexie scooted up to her side, physically offering her moral support.

  “I doubt anyone’s hanging around, but I don’t like taking chances.”

  Nodding, Honor agreed with him. “I’m not about to go back in there until I know it’s safe.” And even then...she shivered.