“Oh, she’s a beauty,” he said. “Saw it the other day when you were in to Sally’s. Yes, ma’am, I surely can deliver this for you.”
“Tonight?”
He checked his watch and nodded slowly. “I’ve got a truck out back and a son and his friend with strong, young backs. I’m figurin’ you must be the gal rented Dottie’s place.”
Her body stiffened in surprise. Small towns and their gossip mills. People here seemed to know what she was going to do before she did. But at least it wasn’t splashed in full-color in the tabloids for the entire world’s viewing. And most of all, no one judged her or told her what she could and couldn’t do.
“Yes, LeRoy, I am.” She forced herself to relax. “You know, then, where all this has to go?”
“Yep, sure do.”
“One more thing. If I buy some paint, would you throw that on your truck, too, and deliver it with the furniture and things?”
“Be more than happy to.”
She paid him and then walked down the street to Sadler’s, color chips in hand. Once inside the eclectic store, she arranged for the paint to be mixed and delivered to LeRoy’s. Maybe she’d eat at Sally’s Place as long as she was here. Tomorrow would be soon enough to tackle the kitchen.
Besides, once she got back to Dottie’s, she had homework to do. It was way past time to get back to her search for her long-lost relative. No doubt Ron would turn up something, but in the meantime, she intended to do some cyberspace snooping of her own.
And while she was at Sally’s, she could ask around a bit. She’d tried with LeRoy, but he’d been a dead end. It was like walking a tightrope. If she was too subtle, she couldn’t unearth anything. Too specific, and she’d have the paparazzi swarming the town.
They were almost an inevitability at some point. But not yet.
She swung through Sally’s door. Who knew? She might get lucky.
*
Two hours later, Annelise stood in the center of her living room, a huge grin on her face. Dottie, bless her heart, had been true to her word. When Annelise arrived with the furniture truck, her apartment had been emptied of all the old pieces. Curtis, Dottie’s neighbor, had stored everything in the shed.
Now, the new-to-her pieces were scattered around the rooms, bringing some much needed color and pizzazz to the space. Her mother would have a fit that she’d bought secondhand furniture, but, really, when you thought about it, what were antiques except really, really old used furniture?
She’d chosen Tiffany-blue for her walls and wanted to start painting in the worst way, but her body simply refused. She’d used muscles today she hadn’t known existed.
Instead, dressed in a pair of soft, white cotton shorts and a pale yellow ribbed tank top, she grabbed a cold soda from the fridge, popped the top, and plopped down on her new sofa with one of Dottie’s cookies and her laptop. She’d opened the windows when she came home, and a breeze wafted in, fluttering the white gauze drapes she’d found at Sadler’s. LeRoy’d hung them for her before he and the boys left. The scent of roses drifted up from Dottie’s garden.
And all was well with the world.
Well, almost. She hadn’t turned up any clues about her aunt, but she would.
She deleted four unread e-mails from Doug and lost herself in her research.
A knock sounded at the door.
Startled, she jerked upright, nearly spilling the last of her drink. It was dark. Who in the world would be visiting this late? Had she locked up when the guys left?
Setting the can on the kitchen counter, pulse racing, she moved to the door and flicked on the porch light.
Cash.
Her heart started its own Texas two-step.
She threw open the door. “Is everything okay?”
“Yep.” His gaze traveled over her. “It is now.”
“Did your parents have a good flight?”
He nodded. “They did.”
She grinned. “Would you like to come in?”
“I would.” He stepped inside, then hesitated. “Something I’ve got to get out of the way first, though. And I want it perfectly clear that neither of us is on the clock, right?”
“Right.”
“Good.” He thumbed back his cowboy hat. Then his arms snaked around her, drawing her close. Very slowly, green eyes intent, he lowered his head, sniffed her neck, and sent a shiver to her core.
“Nice,” he murmured.
Her hands fisted in his shirt.
His lips met hers for the briefest of moments, lightly, softly. He started to pull away, stopped, slanted his lips across hers again. This time the kiss was that of a starving man, demanding, taking, his tongue tasting hers, dancing with it. Hot and wet.
She trembled. She wanted more. Oh, so much more.
When he lifted his head this time, she ran her tongue over her swollen lips, stared into his desire-darkened eyes, and realized he looked as shaken as she felt.
As he released her, she reached out to steady herself. “Whew.”
“I’ll second that.” Cash’s voice was husky. “I had to know if that kiss last night, as brief as it was, was really as potent as I remembered.”
“Cash—”
He laid a finger over her lips. “No, don’t say anything. Let’s leave it alone for now. I actually came by to see if you wanted to go for a ride. It’s a beautiful evening.”
“A ride? Now?”
“Yeah. You ever take your Harley out at night?”
She shook her head.
“Then, darlin’, you don’t know what you’re missing. The cool wind in your face, the single beam of light slashing through the dark, lighting a narrow path. Everything else hidden. Just you and your machine.” He showed his dimples. “I brought my own helmet.”
“That was presumptuous.”
“Huh-uh. That was being prepared.”
She shouldn’t. She knew she shouldn’t. She had work to do. But, oh, she wanted to give in to the temptation. She played tug-of-war with herself and lost. Her grandpa’s sister had been lost for over half a century. One more night wouldn’t hurt.
“Let’s do it.” She reached for the key she’d laid on the small table by the door.
“You got some new furniture.” Then he let out a long laugh and crossed to the sofa. “I don’t believe it.”
“What?”
He ran a hand over the back of the soft, brown sofa. “This was my grandpa’s. It’s one of the things Vivi dumped when she redid the place. I love this couch.” He dropped onto it.
“So do I.”
“I’m glad it’s here with you. Gramps would be happy, too. He’d have liked you.”
In some small pocket of Cash’s brain, a warning bell sounded. His grandpa would have liked Annie. The same grandpa that wanted him married. Now his sofa had ended up here. If Cash was a superstitious kind of a guy, he’d be worried.
Luckily, he wasn’t.
“So change into some jeans and let’s go.” He sprang up from the couch. “You’re gonna let me drive, right?”
“Wrong.”
Chapter Eight
Annie, I’m the guy. The guy drives.”
“Not always.”
“In Texas he does.”
She rolled her eyes. “That is so male!”
“There you go. I’m a male.”
“It’s about control. You’re used to being in control.”
Hands on his hips, he thought about that. “Yeah, guess I am.”
“Well, so am I. And it’s my bike.” She dangled the keys in front of him. “My keys mean I drive.”
“But you don’t know where we’re going,” he argued.
“So you’ll be my co-pilot. Direct me. How else am I going to learn my way around?”
He scowled, not at all comfortable with the way this was going down. “Tell you what. Why don’t we take the Caddy? Top’s down, and it’s an amazing night. It’ll be nice.”
She laughed, the sound curling itself in his belly. “Nice
try, but uh-uh. No way. You talked me into a night bike ride, Cash, and that’s what I intend to have.”
“You might want to think about this.”
“Oh, I have.” A quick grin lit her face. Then, mimicking his stance, she rested her hands on those curvy hips and tilted her head. “You’re not afraid to ride with me, are you?”
His eyes narrowed. “Afraid? Me? Not in this lifetime.”
“Good.”
After he stepped onto the stair landing, she closed and locked the door behind her. Then she headed down the stairs and hopped on her Harley. In the driver’s seat. He felt unbelievably silly as he slowly swung his leg and slid behind her. He sure as hell hoped nobody saw him sitting in the sissy seat. “Annie—”
“Hold on, big boy.” The bike rumbled to life. She spurted out of the drive so fast he barely had time to wrap his arms around her slender waist.
He held himself stiffly as she navigated her way through the side streets, fuming that she didn’t trust him to drive her motorcycle. But then, as they headed out of town along the dark road, the night air wrapped around him, and he began to relax.
Not half-bad. Rather than hands on the controls, his arms were free to slide around Annie. His palms rested on her taut stomach, imagined the soft, warm skin beneath that butter-colored tank. He leaned into her, breathed in her purely feminine scent. Nuzzled her neck just below her helmet.
The bike wobbled and he pulled back, laughing.
Throwing caution to the wind, they wound through narrow back roads as he directed her across his grandfather’s land to his little place by the lake. His sanctuary. He didn’t often take anyone there.
As it came into view, she slowed. “Oh, Cash. This is incredible.”
It was, he thought. The moon hung low, glimmered in the lake. The stately pines that rimmed the far side reflected in the smooth-as-glass dark water. And his house, with its cedar siding and high-pitched cedar-shingled roof, looked like every man’s dream. He’d worried when his mother had insisted on planting those daisies flanking the porch and walk. But their white heads glistened in the moonlight and actually added to the place’s charm.
He cleared his throat. “I like it.”
She turned off her bike, and the two of them sat listening to the bullfrogs, the cicadas, the hoot of an owl off in the distance.
His fingers itched to run along her moon-gilded arms and shoulders, and he found himself wishing he hadn’t suggested she change out of those little white shorts before hopping on the bike. His hands itched to tangle themselves in the mass of curls that tumbled free when she removed her helmet.
Instead, he said, “Come on. Let me show you around.”
They left the helmets on the bike and walked across the yard to stand by the lake. Before they reached the water’s edge, Staubach came barreling toward them, whimpering and shaking with delight.
“I thought you were locked in the house, pal.” Cash snagged his collar, and the dog dropped to the ground.
Annie crouched beside him, and the dog wriggled loose from Cash and rolled onto his back. With a laugh, she gave in. “You like this, don’t you, you silly thing.”
“Nothing silly ’bout having a woman’s hands on you.”
Their eyes met in the pale light, and he had to remind himself to go slow. To resist the urge to join her on the grass. To fight the almost overwhelming need to put his own hands all over her.
“Up for another ride?” he asked impulsively, spotting the canoe he’d left tethered to his dock.
“Now?”
“Sure, why not?”
She grinned. “Why not?”
“You’re staying here, Staubach.”
The dog, happy to have his person home, sat on his haunches, tail wagging.
Cash helped her in, then settled himself on the center bench. This time he was driving, by God. His paddle dipped almost silently into the water as they glided toward the middle of the lake.
Overhead, stars winked, and the moon scattered soft light. Not a single cloud drifted by to mar the sky’s obsidian perfection.
Totally relaxed, she leaned back, dipping her hand in the cool water, letting her fingers trail as they slipped smoothly along.
“Look,” she whispered. Fireflies winked and darted across the water.
Cash angled the paddle back into the canoe and leaned forward. His arm slid around Annie and drew her close. She yipped when the boat rocked.
“Shhh. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
Still, she held on to the sides.
He pried her fingers loose and put her hands on his arms. “Here. Hold on to me.”
Before she could protest, he lowered his mouth to hers.
Annie’s grip tightened on his biceps. With a sigh, she leaned closer still, seeming unconcerned when the canoe listed, then righted itself. Her mouth opened, and she gave him everything. He changed the angle and deepened the kiss.
Heart hammering in his chest, Cash finally broke the mind-staggering connection. “Annie—”
She shook her head, laid a finger over his lips. “Don’t say anything, Cash. Kiss me again.”
With a groan, he did just that. One kiss led to another and another. His hand worked beneath her shirt, ran over skin as soft as dandelion down. The woman smelled like sin and tasted twice as good.
A gust of wind created a small wave, and their canoe rode up and over it.
“Maybe we should take this onshore,” he managed.
“Yes.” Annie ran a hand through those long, black curls, tucking them behind her ears.
He smiled, noticing her voice wasn’t steady. Good thing, ’cause his sure wasn’t.
He paddled toward the house, his strokes not nearly as clean now, the ride less smooth as he chopped through the water. He wanted this woman. In his arms. In his bed. Now.
Then what?
Damned if he knew, but he’d worry about that come sunup.
He hopped onto the dock, slipped the knotted rope around the piling, and reached down to help Annie up. Those big, beautiful eyes of hers looked sleepy, heavy-lidded, and sexy as hell. He wondered if they’d make it past the hammock on the porch.
They did. Barely. Staubach whined as Cash closed the door, barring him entry.
Once inside, he drew Annie to him again, his lips hungry to taste her, his hands ravenous to touch. He craved every delicious inch of her. Together, they fell onto the sofa. It wasn’t long, though, till they rolled off the cushions onto the soft rug he’d thrown in front of the stone fireplace.
He pulled off his shirt, desperate to feel her hands on him. He hesitated, looked at her for permission. She smiled slowly and, with one quick tug, pulled her own shirt over her head.
God, she was more beautiful than he could have imagined. Her skin glowed in the silver light. Her breasts spilled over the cups of the tiny scrap of lace she wore. On some level, his brain registered that no way in hell had she bought that bra at Sadler’s.
His body thrummed. He wanted to bury himself in her and let go. Wanted to make love to her all night long.
Breath ragged, he whispered against her lips. “Annie, I need to get protection. I hadn’t planned, hadn’t thought— It’s upstairs in my nightstand.”
He pulled away, leaned back in to drop kisses along her midriff, up her neck. His lips met hers for one last smoldering kiss before he drew away, taking his body heat with him, leaving her chilled despite the sweltering Texas night.
“I’ll be one minute.” His eyes met hers. “Don’t go anywhere.”
*
Annelise lay where she was, watched him take the stairs two at a time, heard his footsteps overhead. Then a drawer opened, but didn’t close.
She ran her fingers through already mussed hair. Hair Cash had mussed. She closed her eyes. What had she done? She’d never gone this far. Caught up in the moment, in those killer kisses, she’d forgotten who she was. What was at stake. Why she’d come.
He raced down the stairs and dropped onto the rug be
side her. Then he tipped his head, eyeing her warily. “You’ve changed your mind.”
“It’s not—”
“You’ve changed your mind,” he repeated.
She reached out and laid her hand on his leg. “We need to talk.”
He gave a half laugh and drew away from her touch. “Right now?”
“Right now.”
He rolled away from her, onto his back, and threw an arm over his eyes. “All this time, I’ve been asking questions and you’ve been avoiding them.” Slowly, he pulled his arm away and looked at her. “Now you want to talk?”
She swallowed. What little courage she had began to slip away. “I can’t do this, Cash. I have reasons, but—”
He threw her a sharp look. “You said you weren’t married.”
“No. I most certainly am not.” She wrung her hands. “That’s definitely not the reason. I’m…I’m sorry. So sorry. And I’m not a tease. Please, believe me. That’s not what’s going on here.”
He said nothing, simply kept those dark green eyes steady on hers.
“I can’t do this.” She rubbed her temples. “I thought I could, but I can’t. And I can’t explain. Not now.”
“Give me one reason.” He held up a finger. “Just one.”
“We have to work together.” She was grasping at straws and knew it.
“We’re not working tonight. We’re simply two people who want each other.”
“But tomorrow…and the next day…” She averted her eyes.
“That’s an excuse. What’s the real reason, Annie?” His voice sounded tired. Deflated. “I’ve asked you before. What are you running away from?”
She stiffened.
“Shit, Annie. Don’t do that. Don’t pull away from me. Don’t shut down.”
He reached for her, but she twisted, avoiding his hands. This was the time. The time to come clean. To tell him everything. It would never be more perfect.
She couldn’t. Couldn’t admit she was a fraud, an imposter. Couldn’t face the betrayal, the disillusionment that would cloud his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I want to go home, Cash. I bought my paint and stuff today, and I really need to pull my apartment together. I have tomorrow off, and I want to get an early start.”
Somebody Like You Page 9