Things had been tense there for a while, but now, Patrick was back in Jamesville and had joined the local sheriff's office. Then two months ago, when Sheriff Tucker had retired, Patrick had taken over as sheriff of Jamesville.
It was good to have his brother back home again. They'd grown apart during the years Patrick had lived and worked in New York, but in the year he'd been back, they'd regained the closeness they'd shared as boys.
His sister Dani was still happily married to Burke Black after all these years. She loved being a mother and a wife, but had still found time to carve out a career for herself writing children's books. Over the years, she'd published more than a dozen.
Life was good. He had a family he loved and was close to, a job that challenged and satisfied him, and as of yesterday, he had a woman who had more than piqued his interest.
Shamus picked up his coffee and sipped, allowing the mellow liquid to flow down his throat. There was nothing quite like the first cup of coffee of the day. He needed the kick if he was going to get much work done today. He hadn't slept well last night. Dreams of a woman with tousled, brown hair and clear blue eyes had kept him tossing and turning for hours.
He groaned as his body responded. Within seconds, he had an erection and had to shift in his seat to get comfortable. He hadn't reacted this quickly to a woman since he was in his teens.
He'd had a series of dreams last night. The most vivid had started innocently enough. Much like yesterday, he'd stopped to help her with a flat tire.
"Trouble, ma'am?” He leaned in through the open window of her car, catching a glimpse of cleavage as she leaned forward to turn off the ignition. The tight, red sweater she was wearing accentuated her lush curves.
"Just a flat tire. I can handle it.” Her full lips were as red as her sweater, ripe for kissing.
"I figure you can handle just about anything."
She gave him a coy smile, tilting her head to one side. Her bangs fell over one eye and he had to fight the urge to push the lock of light brown hair away.
He cleared his throat. “I'll take care of this for you.” Hurrying around to the trunk, he got jack, tire iron, and spare and carried them all to the front of the car.
The car door opened and one long, stocking-clad leg came into view, quickly followed by another one. He swallowed hard, his jeans uncomfortably tight as the rest of her followed. Lord have mercy. He began to sweat as she shut the door with a bump of her hip and closed the gap between them. She was wearing a short, tight, black skirt made of some stretchy material that clung to her hips and thighs like a second skin.
"You sure there isn't anything I can do to help?” Her voice was a sexy purr as she walked her fingers over his chest. The muscles jumped and tightened as he barely swallowed back a groan of desire. He was so hot right now, he could explode any moment.
"No, ma'am.” The words came out as a hoarse whisper.
"You sure?” She laughed as she wiggled closer, the soft weight of her breasts brushing against his chest. His erection pressed against her belly and this time he groaned when she gave her hips a sexy, little shimmy. “I think that you have a very large problem that you need help with."
There was no mistaking her invitation. “Maybe I do.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her, setting her on the hood of the car. As he shifted in closer, her legs parted to accommodate him. The short, black skirt rode upward, revealing the fact that she was wearing thigh-high stockings and not panty hose. Shamus reached down and brushed his fingers over the exposed flesh.
She gasped and then murmured her approval as his fingers moved higher. Her skin was incredibly soft. He wanted to touch her everywhere. Her hands floated up his arms and wrapped around his neck. “More,” she whispered.
Shamus shifted his hands to the front of her sweater. There were pearly white buttons running down the front and he took his time, opening them one by one until they were all undone. As he worked, a dark blue bra was exposed. The scrap of lace showed more than it hid, pushing the mounds of her breasts upward. The material of her bra was so sheer he could see her dark nipples outlined beneath it. The tips were puckered tight, pushing against the cups. Unable to resist the temptation, he bent his head downward and nuzzled them.
Her fingers tightened around him, her nails digging into his flesh. His cock jerked, urging him to hurry. But he didn't want to. He wanted to savor the moment.
He traced the edge of lace with his tongue. Opening his mouth over one tight nipple, he took it into his mouth and sucked her through the fabric. She moaned, and the soft sound sank into his bones. He wanted her to come apart in his arms, wanted to feel her body against his as she climaxed. Shamus was filled with the sudden and overwhelming urge to be the man who brought her fulfillment and pleasure.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him closer. He shifted his hips so that his erection pressed against her pelvis. The skirt rode upward, making way for him.
Her hips tilted toward him. Shamus pressed harder, grinding their lower bodies together. He gritted his teeth to keep from coming in his pants. He was poised on the edge. His testicles were tight to his body in warning.
"Cyndi.” His voice was rough with need as he tore himself away from her breasts. Her lips were moist, as if she'd licked them, and parted as she gasped for air. Her head was thrown back, exposing the long, slender arch of her neck. He wanted to see her eyes, but they were closed, her long lashes brushing against her cheekbones.
He needed to stop, needed to slow down before it was too late. And they were on the side of a public road and anyone could come along at any moment. Of course, that just added to the excitement of the moment.
He had to kiss her. Had to taste those ruby red lips. Lowering his mouth to hers, he felt her breath against his face. It smelled of peppermint and promise.
Groaning, he touched his lips to hers.
"There you go."
Shamus jerked, his hand hitting the edge of his coffee mug and sending it sideways. The heavy, ceramic mug hit the table with a thud and coffee spilled everywhere.
"Shit!” Ignoring Shannon's gasp of alarm, he grabbed the mug, righting it as he dragged napkins out of the metal dispenser. He busied himself cleaning up the mess while he tried to will his hard-on into submission. He couldn't believe he'd gotten lost in an erotic fantasy while sitting in the middle of the diner. Talk about stupid. He was just glad that he was sitting in a booth and the table was covering his lap as he mopped up the mess he made.
"Let me get a cloth."
"No, I've got it. Wasn't much left in the mug anyway.” He wadded up the napkins and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly before he turned to Shannon. She looked concerned, so he gave her a sheepish smile. “Not quite awake yet this morning."
As he'd hoped, she smiled back, the concern fading from her face. “I've had mornings like that myself.” She slid a plate piled high with pancakes onto the table in front of him. “Let me take those.” She held out her hand and he gave her the soggy napkins. “I'll get you some more coffee."
"If you think I can be trusted with it."
Shannon laughed as she turned away. Shamus just shook his head at himself. He still couldn't believe he'd done that. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. Last night had been like that too. His dreams always stopped just before he'd reached completion. He'd awakened hard and frustrated. Serves him right, fantasizing about a woman he just met.
He thanked Shannon when she returned, coffee pot in hand, to refill his mug. She admonished him to be careful this time before hurrying off to see to her other customers. Even though it was still early, there was a steady traffic in and out of the diner. A lot of folks stopped in to pick up coffee and a muffin to take to work with them.
The aroma of Jessie's pancakes wafted upward and his stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet this morning. As he'd figured, Jessie had put an extra pancake and a few strips of bacon on his plate. He'd have to remember to drop by the kitchen an
d thank her on his way out.
Picking up his fork and knife, he dug in. Damn, Jessie made the best pancakes. The batter was light and fluffy and packed with blueberries. Jessie never skimped when she cooked, which was why the diner was so successful. Several restaurant chains had tried to move into Jamesville over the years, but almost all of them had failed. They couldn't top the food or the service at Jessie's.
He was halfway through his breakfast when the hair on the back of his neck stirred and his groin tightened. He almost groaned aloud. He'd finally gotten his unruly body back under control and it was going to give him trouble again. He knew even without looking that Cyndi had entered the diner.
He raised his head, and sure enough, there she was, poised hesitantly inside the front door, her fingers wrapped tight around the strap of her purse.
He laid his fork carefully on the side of his plate and pushed it aside. Coming to his feet, he stepped away from the table and strode toward her. Her eyes met his and he saw a flash of pleasure before it hid behind a mask of politeness. Aha! The lady was glad to see him even if she didn't want to be.
"Decided to check out the local hot spot this morning?” She looked tired, he thought as he got closer. The dark circles he'd seen beneath her eyes yesterday were even more pronounced this morning.
She brushed her fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs off her face. “Yeah. I didn't have much in the way of food where I'm staying."
"Great. Now you can buy me breakfast to repay me for yesterday.” As he'd hoped, she cracked a smile.
"You don't ever give up, do you?” The shadows in her eyes lightened as she gave him a mock glare.
"Nope.” He placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her toward his table. He held his breath until she began to move with him. “You might as well give in gracefully."
"I thought you said I didn't owe you for yesterday?” She looked at him from beneath her lashes as she slid into the seat.
"So I did. Then I guess I'm buying you breakfast."
She tensed then and started to rise. “I can't let you buy me breakfast."
Shamus didn't know what was going on inside her mind, but something he'd said had pushed an emotional hot button. He kept his expression smooth. “Then how about we each pick up our own tab and simply enjoy each others company as we eat?"
Slowly, she subsided back into her seat and placed her purse next to her. Shamus breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath. He really wanted her to stay, wanted to get to know her better.
Shannon made her way toward their table, a friendly smile on her face. Shamus could sense her curiosity. He liked women and had dated his fair share over the years, but he hadn't been out on a date in over six months and he'd certainly never had breakfast at Jessie's with any of them.
"Coffee?” Shannon placed a menu in front of Cyndi, who seemed incredibly uneasy.
"Please.” Cyndi nodded. “And an order of whole wheat toast."
"Sure thing. What would you like on your toast? We have marmalade, honey, peanut butter, raspberry jam, strawberry jam, and peach conserve.” Shannon filled a mug with coffee and set it back on the table.
"Umm, I'll have honey. Thank you.” Cyndi picked up the menu and handed it back to Shannon.
"You're welcome.” His sister-in-law looked at him expectantly.
Shamus barely suppressed his grin. Shannon looked as if she might burst if she didn't find out who the woman across from his was. “Shannon, this is Cyndi Marks, I helped her with a flat tire yesterday outside of town.” He turned to Cyndi. “Cyndi, this is my sister-in-law Shannon O'Rourke; she and her Aunt Jessie run the diner."
Cyndi stuck out her hand. “Pleased to meet you."
Shannon took her hand and gave it a shake. “A flat tire, huh?"
Cyndi's chin tilted upward. “I told him I could handle it, but he insisted."
Shannon laughed. “That sounds like our Shamus. You visiting Jamesville or just passing through?"
Panic flashed across Cyndi's face, but was quickly hidden. “I have business here."
When no more information was forthcoming, Shannon nodded. “I'll be back in a couple minutes with your order."
And probably on the phone to her husband too. Shamus figured he had a half hour tops before his brother showed up to check out Cyndi. Sighing, Shamus sat back and picked up his coffee mug. He loved his family to death, but sometimes he wished they would mind their own business. Cyndi was skittish enough as it was. The last thing he wanted was for his family to frighten her off.
Cyndi wrapped both hands around her mug and brought it to her lips. The woman sitting across from him was a far cry from the one he'd fantasized about. There was no lipstick on the lips that sipped from the mug. Like yesterday, they shone as if she were wearing some kind of gloss. And if he wasn't mistaken, she'd tried to conceal the circles beneath her eyes. She looked pale to him.
Today, she was wearing a pair of brown corduroys, low-heeled brown boots, and a brown, fitted jacket that fell to her waist. Beneath the jacket was a light beige, scooped-neck T-shirt. It was a far cry from the black mini skirt and tight, red sweater from his fantasy. But he liked this woman better. She was more real, less practiced.
"Bad night?"
She started and took a sip of coffee to hide it. “You could say that.” She laid her mug in front of her, but didn't release it. “It's strange being back after all these years."
Shamus picked up his fork and knife and began to eat again. His breakfast was cold, but it was still tasty. Plus, he thought it might help put Cyndi at ease if she felt he wasn't staring at her. “I imagine it is."
"I didn't get to the garage yesterday. It was too late by the time I finished...” She hesitated. “My business."
Shamus didn't push. He was pleased she was talking to him at all. If she was going to be here a while, he'd find out everything about her before too long. “You headed there this morning?"
She nodded as she traced her finger over the rim of her mug. Shamus's body tightened at the innocent movement. He'd love to have her fingers touching him.
He cleared his throat. “I can go with you if you'd like and give you a ride to wherever you're staying after you drop off your car."
"There's no need, I can walk home."
Before he could argue further, Shannon returned and popped a plate of toast in front of Cyndi, placing two packages of honey next to it. She topped up both their mugs without asking. “Anything else I can get for you two?"
"No, thank you.” Cyndi opened a pack of the honey and picked up her knife.
"I'm good,” he replied. Shannon nodded and went back to serving her other customers. He knew someone in his family would grill him later.
He finished his meal and let Cyndi finish a full slice of toast before he brought up the topic of him giving her a ride again. “It's no trouble to give you a ride before I head to work."
She bit off a piece of toast and chewed. A bead of honey glistened on her upper lip before she licked it off. Shamus swallowed, his erection stirring once again. Cursing silently, he struggled not to squirm in his seat.
"What do you do for a living?"
"My brother-in-law and I are partners in a construction company."
Cyndi dropped the piece of toast in her hand back onto the plate. Her face had lost all color. He reached across the table, his hand grazing her cheek. “You okay?"
"Fine. This was a mistake. I have to go.” She jumped up from the table and grabbed her purse. Rummaging around inside, she hauled out five dollars and laid it on the table. “That should more than cover my bill."
"Wait,” he called, but Cyndi was already hurrying toward the door. Shamus leapt to his feet and dug into his pocket, dropping a ten on the table. “Money's on the table, Shannon,” he told her as he passed her. He could see the concern on her face, but he didn't stop.
Cyndi was already in her car by the time he caught up with her. He thought she might drive of
f without speaking to him, but she rolled down her window a crack. It reminded him of yesterday. She was back to being skittish around him, and he didn't quite know why.
"Look, I'm sorry. I just don't think it's a good idea for you to be around me."
He frowned. “Why?"
"Trust me, okay?” She started the car and he reluctantly stepped away. “Thank you for everything.” As he watched, she pulled away.
He was moving before she'd gone more than a couple of feet. He knew where she was going, and he wasn't about to let her give him the brush-off without a good reason. He knew people and he knew women. She was attracted to him and had been enjoying breakfast as much as him. Until he'd mentioned he was in construction with his brother-in-law. Maybe she didn't like blue-collar workers? He heard his name being called as he got to his truck. He thought about ignoring it, but knew his brother would simply follow him if he didn't answer.
He opened the door and swung into the driver's seat of his truck. Jamming his key into the ignition, he turned it and the engine roared to life. “I don't have time to talk right now. I'll catch you later."
Patrick strode to the open door, his eyes curious. “You okay?"
"Fine, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Go talk to your wife. I'm sure she'll give you all the details."
One of Patrick's eyebrows rose questioningly, but he nodded. “I'll be talking to you later.” With that pronouncement, he shut the door with a bang.
Shamus knew that he wasn't acting like himself this morning. Usually, he was laid-back and relaxed. This morning he was tense, ready to fight, except he didn't quite know what he was fighting with or for.
None of this made any sense. He was always calm and rational, but not, it seemed, when it came to this woman he'd met only yesterday. Deep in his gut, he knew Cyndi was special and right now, it felt as if she was slipping through his fingers. If he let her go without a fight, he knew that he'd always regret it.
The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke j-4 Page 3