But he never did so without thoroughly investigating them. Tony might have money now but not so much he could waste it. Plus, he enjoyed his time in the Book Nook. He picked up the stack and watched Randa sashay up to the counter. She dropped two more books on her stack.
“Seven books. Surely that will keep me.” She looked over her shoulder and flashed a sparkling smile at Tony.
Roy calculated her total and before he could tell her, Randa pulled a credit card out of what must be the world’s smallest pocket and slid it across the counter. “Not bad for less than fifteen minutes. Am I right?”
Roy blinked three times and then the corners of his lips tilted up in a creepy, dusty smile. He put Randa’s books in a bag and slid it across the counter. “You have a nice day. And make sure you come back. Get new books every week.”
Randa patted his hand and Tony nearly laughed out loud at the wonder on Roy’s face as he looked down at her hand on his. “I’m just visiting, Roy, but if I’m ever in Memphis, I’ll stop back in, I promise. This place is great.”
Instead of prowling, Randa nearly skipped over to where Tony sat with his pile of books. He had no idea what they were. He hadn’t cracked one open yet. He spared one second to worry about her snapping an ankle in the heels she was wearing, but mostly he just enjoyed how her high spirits gave her steps extra bounce. And her breasts. He could feel his weak control slipping again.
He wanted to smile at her enthusiasm. Rich girl or not, she loved a good book. And this Randa, the happy one with no other thought in her head but celebration, she was the kind of girl who could make every day better, every minute brighter. He liked having this Randa in his favorite place.
She wagged her bag at him. “Quick draw, that’s me.” She pointed outside. “You don’t mind if I check out…”
Tony shook his head. “Nope. Leave your books. I’ll carry ’em out to the truck and meet you there when I’m done.”
She clapped and bent down to drop the bag at his feet. When she straightened, she rested one hand on his knee and then kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Tony. New books and a shopping trip. I’m pretty sure I’m going to survive now.” And before he could think about what she might be flashing at Roy as she leaned over or even give himself a stern talking to about keeping his hands off, she was gone. She paused at the door and inhaled deeply with a huge smile of joy on her face. Then she waved and left. Tony had lost track of where he was, and it took the jangle of the bells over the door as it thumped closed behind her to bring him back to his senses. Roy ambled over and they both watched her bounce down to the discount store on the corner.
“Got yourself a firecracker there, Tony.”
Tony glanced over at him and sighed. “Wish I knew what to do with her.”
Roy bugged his eyes out and tilted his head. “Ain’t you got no ideas?” He snorted and shuffled back to the counter. “I’ll just be ringing you up. You’ll take ’em all. Why y’all are readin’ when you could be doin’ all manner of other things, I have no idea.”
For some reason, he’d never expected Roy to turn into a life coach. The man made an excellent point. The list of things he could be doing with Randa that would be better than reading even the best book was lengthy. Tony shook his head and pulled out his wallet to pay for the five new books. Usually this was the highlight of his week. On his list of favorite things, nothing topped a brand new book. Hadn’t for a very long time.
He had a bad feeling kissing Randa Whitmore would go straight to the top of the list. Getting her naked would probably explode the damn list into small pieces with one massive confetti bomb. And as soon as he’d seen the beautiful, genuine smile of pleasure as she inhaled the perfume of books, he’d made up his mind to find out.
He rubbed his chest as he decided he also wanted to find out what it was she was surviving. That didn’t sound like something someone at the top of the money heap would say. She didn’t fit. There was another puzzle piece to study. He had a feeling the answer to this question would be the hardest one of all to find.
A kiss should be much easier.
Now all he had to do was remember what it took to steal a kiss from a pretty girl.
Chapter Six
* * *
RANDA FELT TEN years younger and at least twenty pounds lighter when she stepped through the automatic sliding glass doors of the discount store to the sidewalk in front. She had new books, new shoes, and a handsome man waiting for her. That was a very good day.
When he’d made the transition to handsome, Randa wasn’t exactly sure. It was either when she’d gotten a load of his abs or when she’d walked into that tiny, lovely bookstore. One or the other. Possibly both had tangled up into some fuzzy warm haze.
Not that it really mattered. All that was important was the restless tumble of… something in her abdomen when she saw him get out of the truck where he’d been waiting. He was tall and strong and healthy. His jeans and shirt had no designer labels but they fit Tony well. And she wanted them off. Gone. Now. Or very soon. In fact, she wanted someone to make a law that Tony Ortega should be shirtless at all times.
“That was fast.” He walked beside her to open her door. “Truck hasn’t had much time to cool off.”
“My father says I spend money faster than the United States government.” Randa slid into the seat. “And it’s not a compliment to either of us.” She wrapped her arms around the yellow plastic bag and squeezed it. “I can only hope defense spending makes politicians happy the same way books and shoes do me.”
Tony smiled and Randa watched his face closely to see if his eyes were locked on her legs. She fought off the twinge of doubt when Tony quickly glanced away from her. She yanked out the seat belt and clicked it while she told herself to think about books. Handsome men might be hard to understand, but books would never let her down. “Tony, I’m in. You can close the door.”
He muttered something that sounded like “No guts, no glory.” Then he straightened his shoulders and stepped closer. “You were too fast in the bookstore. I wanted to do this.”
His face was determined as he leaned towards her, and she lost her breath because it looked like he was going to kiss her.
Then he did, his lips a warm shock against hers.
This kiss was a sweet hello. His lips settled on hers in an easy slide. When she gripped his shoulders and tried to pull him closer, he smiled against her lips and his tongue was a quick tease over her bottom lip before he rested his forehead against hers. Randa didn’t move. She was afraid to. He was going to step back, and she didn’t want him to. She wanted to stay right here with him. Finally he took a deep breath and leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. “There’s this one other thing I’ve been dying to do.”
“Yes.” Randa nodded her head. She had no idea what it was, but she was ready.
Tony squeezed his eyes shut for just a second. The sound he made when he opened them again was somewhere between a laugh and a moan. Maybe it was both. Randa understood exactly what that felt like.
He pressed forward to kiss her again, his hand a hot support against the back of her head and his lips aggressively seductive. This time he coaxed her lips open and teased her tongue with his. Each tentative touch sent a shiver of awareness through her. She wanted to press her breasts against his chest, get closer, so much closer, but the seat belt pinned her down. Her breath was long gone when Tony ended the kiss, his breath coming in quiet pants as he stared into her eyes, but when his hand rested on her knee she tried to gasp. And when he touched her thigh, lightly rubbing his hand on bare skin, she lost her mind.
She actually bit her lip to keep from moaning like a porn star. Because a man touched her thigh. It was a little like she was back in high school but so much hotter.
Seduced in front of a bookstore. Did it get any better? More private, certainly. But better, no way. Tony’s eyes were hot as he stared down at her.
Randa squeezed the hand on her thigh and said, “Satisfied?”
The look in his eyes was predatory. Tony shook his head. “No way. Not even close.”
Randa licked her lips. “Good. Me either.”
Tony cursed under his breath, stepped back, and slammed the door. Randa leaned her head back against the headrest and tried frantically to figure out where they were going from this point. Without the stupid acquisition report, she’d have had no trouble finding her way. Straight into a hotel bed.
Tony leaned his hands against the hood of the truck, stretched, and… it looked like he counted to twenty before he straightened and slid into the driver’s seat. He buckled his seat belt and rolled his shoulders before he said, “Shoes, huh? Let me see.”
In the list of things she’d thought he’d say, that would have been pretty low on this list. “So you don’t want to talk about that kiss?”
Tony reversed out of the parking spot and then headed back out into Memphis rush hour traffic before he answered. “Not now.”
Randa bit her lip and watched the cars in front of them jockey for position while she tried to decide whether she was going to push the issue. One glance at his face, which showed absolutely nothing of what he thought about that kiss, convinced her to wait.
She opened the plastic bag and pulled out three sets of flip-flops. “Look. Three dollars each. Aren’t they cute?” She waved them and when they stopped at a stoplight, she held up the black pair that had glittery silver sparkles glued along the sides. “These are for formal occasions.” She waved a green pair with plastic seahorses on the straps. “And for the pool.” She kicked off her heels and pointed to the final pair, which were blazing orange with giant hot pink silk gerbera daisies attached to the straps. “And these are just for fun.” She slid them on her feet and wiggled them around to watch the flower petals move. They looked especially amazing against the pedicure she’d gotten just before she came. The red on her toes clashed spectacularly with the orange and pink. And she loved them all the more for it.
Just before the light turned green, she glanced over at Tony. He was watching her feet but when he looked up at her face, she felt her smile slip. He still looked so . . . hungry. Only multiple honks drew Tony’s attention back to the road.
He waved a hand in the rear view mirror and accelerated. Randa looked out the window and tried to imagine a better date. She just couldn’t.
“So, what else did you buy? Magazine? Candy? More unicorn blood?” Tony didn’t look at her as he made his way onto the interstate but she could see the hint of a smile on his face.
“Can you believe it? They were all out of unicorn blood.” She rattled around in the bag. “I did by myself some more glasses. They had these bright green ones. And I just love green.”
Tony glanced over at her quickly. “Glasses? You wear glasses?” He frowned. “You wear glasses without diamond chips on platinum frames and some designer’s name on the side?”
Randa wrinkled her nose. “Only when I’m reading. And you tell anybody else that and I’ll have to find someplace to dispose of your body, got it?”
“Think you can take a Marine, do you?” His voice was rough but she was happy to see a real smile on his face.
“I have my ways.” She rummaged around in the first bag of books she picked up. “Hm, fantasy… mystery… fantasy… science fiction and…” She stacked up the books and turned the last one over to read the back copy. After she slid on the green-framed glasses. She’d gone from sex on a stick to someone’s kooky grandma in two easy, neon-bright steps, but she had to make sure that her somewhat nearsighted eyes weren’t deceiving her. “Um, Tony, did you know you got a romance?”
Tony took the exit marked “Graceland” and slowed to a stop behind a long line of traffic. “Um, yes. Did you know those were my books?” He glanced over at her and tweaked her glasses. “Those are hot, Randa.”
She snorted. “Uh-huh. Haven’t you ever heard that guys don’t make passes at girls who wear acid-green glasses?” She dropped his books back in the bag and then picked hers up. “If you haven’t, my mother has a lecture all prepared. I can probably recite pieces of it for you, if you like.”
Randa rolled her eyes at herself. She was doing it again. Poor little rich girl complaining to the foster kid about her mean parents who’d bought her whatever it took to keep her quiet. He ought to push her out on the curb and let her walk home. She wiggled her toes in her cheap flip-flops. At least she’d be more comfortable. And possibly safer in traffic wearing colors like these.
“No offense to your mother, but she’s got no idea what she’s talking about.”
Randa studied her stack of books. Seven adventures just waiting for her. She owed Tony big for that.
She opened the first cover. “Yeah, well, if you knew her, you might reconsider. Miss Illinois, second runner-up in the Miss USA pageant of 1968, knows a thing or three about men and their passes, buddy. Along with swimsuits, talent competitions, and world peace. Imagine her disappointment that the best I ever managed was Miss Congeniality.”
Tony shook his head as he turned into the parking lot of the Rock’n’Rolla. “Your mom’s a pageant queen. I sorta get the…”
“Vanity? Yeah. She was a model. My dad’s got money. All of my brothers graduated from Harvard at the top of their classes, one was a Rhodes Scholar, and another modeled for Ralph Lauren.” She appreciated his look of complete amazement. “I know. It’s like I’m the black sheep of the family, never won a single pageant or contest, but wrinkles . . . that might be the very last straw. My mother might disown me. The very least I can do is wear a hat to the pool, you know?”
She unbuckled her seat belt and picked up her bags. Tony stopped her from sliding out with one hand on her arm.
“What’s your list of accomplishments look like, black sheep?” He rubbed his thumb up and down her arm and she lost track of what they were talking about.
She looked down at his hand and then blinked up at him. “What?”
Tony laughed. “I know you’ve got a list. Hit me with it.”
Randa took a deep breath. “Tried pageants. Never placed in the top five. No talent. Graduated valedictorian from high school, basically just completing the run my oldest brother started and meeting expectations. Graduated with honors from Harvard, just like the second brother. Never got a modeling contract, although I totally could have for my best friend’s dad. He owned a grocery store and needed someone for the circular. My mother would have died, come back to life, murdered me, and then died again in righteous grief. So I didn’t do that. And I started in the business the Monday after I graduated where I was buried in accounting until…”
Tony tangled his fingers with hers and squeezed her hand. “Go ahead. Hit me with it. I can handle the cold, hard truth, even if it means you were late to work three days in a row.”
Randa laughed and shook her head. “I know. It’s ridiculous, right?”
Tony just waited for her answer.
“Until I broke an engagement my father had set up with a business crony. Then I ended up in Fargo. And I did such a good job at that project, I got more.”
“So I’m glad you’re the black sheep. I don’t think I could like you otherwise.”
Randa shrugged a shoulder. “I guess I have all these unreasonable expectations.”
“Like love?” Tony said.
Randa had to think about the answer. If he was asking about her parents, she had no answer. Maybe those expectations kept her on the road, doing her best to excel at her job and earn their respect. Surely they loved her, but she was a lot clearer about what she expected from a fiancé. “No, like… basic respect or loyalty or maybe just… I don’t know, expecting a man to try not to have sex with other women while he’s engaged to me.” Randa sighed. “And then I did it again. Broke another engagement and here I am…” She wanted to tell him all of it. “You know, for a little vacation time at Graceland.”
Tony didn’t answer but she didn’t see pity in his face either, so that was something.
She nee
ded to see the rest of the rooms, get an idea of the square footage, finish her report, and then… she had no idea. Maybe she needed to take a look at her options. She had no doubt that her father was on the hunt for the next future Mr. Randa Whitmore. Eventually she’d have to either find her own husband, one chosen on suitable criteria, or marry her father’s choice.
Tony’s question about whether her expectations included love made her think. Shouldn’t she expect love? And if she didn’t really hold out much hope of getting what she wanted from her parents, why not make a change, and go for what she wanted? She could take a risk, rely on herself and the background her father’s money had given her, and do what she really wanted to do. Whatever that was. She could find another job. The idea of having no family to fall back on, even one that made her feel like the screw-up, that was harder.
She looked at Tony and tried to imagine coming from nothing like he had.
“Don’t encourage me.” Randa was sorry she’d let him start this. She was hovering on the edge of confessing too much. Tony was dangerous. He made her think about what she really wanted and who she wanted to be. Worse, he made her wonder if she could actually take a chance on herself, try standing on her own, no matter how scary it was. She had to make a quick escape. Her commitment to her father’s plan was wavering. And this feeling of confidence and hope was seductive. If she spent too much time with Tony, she might never recover.
Tony frowned at her. “Encourage you?”
The only way to get this back on track was to return to character. Randa batted her eyelashes at him and licked her lips. “To be bad.”
He pursed his lips. “Well, back to my original point… bad girls in glasses are the best kind.” He ticked off points on his fingers. “Sexy librarian. Hot for teacher. Boss and the secretary. Dirty doctor… I mean, the list of possibilities for girls in glasses is pretty solid.”
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