Goose bumps broke out along her arm. With a yank, she freed herself from his grip and pressed her hand against her chest, using the other one to rub the spot where he’d kissed.
I’m not the guy for you, honey? Think again.
“I can check in Jude and Brock today, but afterward I have a few errands to run before I can officially start my duties.” Namely, he had to buy supplies for Princess and print flyers about her, just in case her owner lived nearby. Oh, and he had to beat his friends bloody.
“Okay. All right.” She pulled at the collar of her shirt. “I’ll take you on our first date…tomorrow. After work. I’ll be in charge.”
Resolved and hoping to get their first romantic interlude over with as soon as possible? Her mistake. He’d gained a tactical advantage today, and he would utilize it to his full advantage.
He unveiled his wickedest smile. “Shall we seal our deal with a kiss?”
She bristled, saying, “Sure. If you want to kiss my butt.”
“Yes.” He fought a grin. “I accept. Bend over.”
Her jaw dropped, and she leaped away from him, pointing a finger at him. “You stay away from me, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am. For now.” He withdrew the small bottle of nail polish from his pocket. “This is for you. A new color.”
The starch drained from her, and she looked up at him through the thick fan of her lashes. “White with glitter?”
“To represent passion. Soon you’re going to lust for me, and you need to be prepared.”
A sharp intake of breath, her bee-stung lips parted. He leaned closer, intending to kiss her. Can’t resist a second more. Just a peck. A precursor for the things to come. Without another word, she spun and darted down the hall, disappearing around the corner. A door slammed.
“I won’t count this as a retreat,” he called. Since he’d already solidified their dates. “I’m pretty sure you’re running away so you can prepare for tomorrow. You know I like to be wined, dined and sixty—”
Her screech echoed down the hall. “Shut your piehole, Porter!”
He laughed with genuine amusement. And it felt good. Odd, but good. They needed to discuss her tendency to bail on him. Or maybe he should give her a reason to stick around?
Yeah. That one.
As good as done.
Whistling like a carefree boy he couldn’t remember being, he headed to the lobby to deal with his asshole friends.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DOROTHEA STAYED UP all night watching online radar, hoping an F-1 or F-2 would blow through the barren fields on the outskirts of town. No one would be hurt and nothing would be damaged, but she’d have a legit distraction from thoughts of Daniel.
Alas. The storm passed without dropping a single piece of the predicted hail.
When finally she lay down, thoughts of her tormentor continued to, well, torment her. Why had she agreed to his negotiation? She should have cultivated discord instead of welcoming him closer.
Face it. I’m about as sharp as a marble.
Nowadays the only person she could count on was herself, but even she was unreliable.
Could she really blame herself, though? The lure of free labor had tantalized her. Almost as much as Daniel.
Thou shalt help when needed.
Today, when Daniel had looked at her, she’d felt like the most beautiful woman on earth. She’d felt desired. Heck, she was desired. The man was coming at her guns blazing, determined to seduce her into his bed. He was working to win her, as if she were a prize. It was a first for her.
Sighing dreamily, she clutched a pillow to her chest and rolled to her side.
Before the bare-her-body-and-soul incident, she would have accepted whatever he offered with a please and thank you, grateful for his attention, no negotiation necessary. But no matter what she’d told him—or herself—she would have crumpled like a tin can when they parted.
He wouldn’t have been a memory to cherish but another nightmare to add to her collection. The newest guy to take what he wanted from her and leave. Unfortunately, such an abysmal outcome wasn’t a proper deterrent for her hormones; they hungered; they wanted to devour him.
They said: Sleep with Daniel once, as originally planned. Or twice. Probably three times. He can be your guilty pleasure. The first you’ve ever had. You’ll enjoy nights of ecstasy. What do consequences matter?
All she had to lose was her pride. No big deal, right? Been there, done that.
Except, Daniel planned to hide his association with her, as if he were ashamed of her. So really, more than her pride was at stake. He could destroy the entirety of her self-worth.
Yes, he wanted to protect his father from disappointment when the relationship ended. When it ended, she reiterated. Not if. Daniel believed the relationship would end, and what he believed would influence every decision he made, dictating the course of his life. Meaning everything he did and said would serve a single purpose: the perpetration of the expected end.
They would be doomed from the start.
When the end ultimately came, she would be alone…would feel like a woman without worth.
I’m worth something, dang it! Her heart was bigger than her thighs. And she might not have a college degree, but she owned a business. Maybe not a successful business, but one with great potential.
Besides, she wanted to be more than a challenge to a man. She wanted to be special, beloved even. A treasure worth fighting for. Finally! She hadn’t been special to her husband, and she certainly hadn’t been special to her father.
Joe Mathis had remarried as soon as the ink dried on his divorce papers. Dorothea and Holly hadn’t been invited to the wedding. Certain there’d been some kind of mistake, she’d driven Holly into the city; her sister had been so eager to see their dad and excited to meet their new stepsiblings. His new wife had a son and a daughter of her own, both close to Holly’s age.
Neither Dorothea nor Holly had a chance to even get out of the car. Dad and the kids had been playing a game on the front lawn. He’d laughed and tossed a ball with the boy before twirling the girl through the air. When he’d spotted his girls in the rust bucket, he’d sent the other kids inside a pretty house with white shutters over the windows, closed the distance and crouched beside Holly’s open window.
“Go home, girls,” he’d said. “I’ve started over, and so should you. I don’t need reminders of my past.”
No I love you. No I miss you. Just a basic I’m done with you.
That day was forever branded in Dorothea’s mind. It was the last time she’d seen her sister cry. Because, the moment her dad said Go home, girls, all hope had died in Holly. The color had faded from her cheeks. Her lips had pressed together, and her eyes—so like my own—had hardened.
It was as if Holly’s tender side had been cleaved from her soul, leaving her cold inside.
Remembering, Dorothea fought a sob.
Men sucked. Why did she even want one?
She didn’t! So. She would continue to resist Daniel. But…if a miracle happened and someone worthy of her came along, she would pursue a relationship with him. Because, dang it, she did want one.
Sharp as a marble.
Her alarm screeched to life. Ugh—5:00 a.m. Dorothea groaned, rubbed her dry, burning eyes and stretched her arms over her head. This was a new day. A new opportunity to succeed in areas she had previously failed. Today, her nails would be solid yellow.
She brushed her teeth and checked her radar apps. A cold front had moved in. She dressed in warm clothes and hooked her iPod to her bicep before heading outside to start her morning run.
The sun hadn’t yet risen, the sky filled with stratus and nimbus clouds. Rain clouds. The stratus were flat and spread out, while the nimbus were puffy and dark. A hint of moisture suggested a n
ew storm system brewed.
By the time she hit her sixth mile, a crack of thunder boomed. She should return to the inn before she experienced an outdoor shower, but Daniel would be working in the lobby today, and she slowed her pace. Not yet ready to see him.
Wait. Hold up. What the heck was she doing? Daniel Porter wasn’t going to chase her away from her own business. Well, not again. Not ever again. On principle, she increased her speed.
About two blocks away from the inn, a truck pulled up beside her, the breaks squeaking. A squeak she’d heard before. Don’t be Daniel. Don’t be—
“Hey, Thea.” The vehicle remained at her side, the window rolled down. Daniel hooked an arm over the door, a little tricolored Chihuahua nestled against his chest.
He had a dog? A tiny creature he nurtured and loved? Be still my heart.
No, no. Stay strong! “Hi, Daniel.” Her heart thumped against her ribs. Because she’d overexerted herself, no other reason. “Headed to the inn to report for your he-ceptionist duties?”
When she stopped to catch her breath, the truck stopped. Intending to tell him to mosey on, she faced him…but no words escaped. The sun was in the process of rising at last—directly behind him. Of course! The storm clouds hid most of the golden rays, but a few managed to escape and frame Daniel, as if drawn to him.
This just in: the sun is female.
“You mean my assistant duties. And the answer is yes. But what are you doin’, darlin’?”
His exaggerated Southern drawl was sexy as heck.
I’m huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf, sweating and generally looking like crap. “Take a wild guess.”
His grin was slow and wicked, making her shiver. “This isn’t a guess so much as a statement of fact, but you are definitely turning me on.”
No way. Just no way. “You are not turned on,” she blurted out.
His grin only widened. “I’ll stop the truck and show you. Just say the word.”
“No!” Thankfully, there were no other cars on the road to witness her mini heatstroke. “I’ll pass.”
“You sure? My you know would love to show off.”
She hesitated. She actually hesitated. “Very sure,” she finally said with a nod. No reason to throw the ultimate temptation into her influx of problems.
“You sure you’re sure? I’m sensing doubt.”
Rather than answer him—and possibly lie—she focused on trudging uphill. When she reached the top, the town square would be visible. The real world. Daniel would stop flirting. Anything to keep his secret, right?
“Do you jog every morning?” he asked.
“Yes.” Changing the subject before he could invite himself along, she said, “Cute dog.”
“I found her. Something or someone mauled her back legs. I couldn’t leave her alone in a strange house, especially while I’m searching for her owners.”
A big strong guy taking care of a poor, injured dog. Was there anything sweeter? “What’s her name?”
“Princess.” One of his brows winged up. “Animals are allowed at the inn, right?”
Her mom had always issued a No Pets Allowed policy, but Dorothea overrode it, effective immediately. “Princess will be a welcome addition to the staff.”
He began to protest, only to shut his beautiful mouth. Expected a completely different answer, had he? “You aren’t worried about your desk being used as a chew toy, or finding poop in your filing cabinets?”
“Why would I worry? One can be fixed and the other cleaned. By you. My he-ceptionist.” And now, they’d reached the top of the hill. She picked up the pace, and this time, he let her move ahead.
In fact, he never accelerated past her but remained on her tail. Looking out for her, without publically associating with her.
Great! They weren’t even dating, and he’d already made her feel worthless.
When she reached Main Street, she moved to the sidewalk. She passed Daniel’s dad and Mr. Rodriguez, who were setting up the table and chairs they used for their daily round of checkers. Both men hollered out a greeting, and she waved without looking over. The last time she’d come across them, they’d done nothing but praise Daniel.
He’s grown into a handsome man, hasn’t he?
His wife will be a lucky lady. There’s no man more faithful. Bet his kids will be cute as buttons.
Oh, there’d been one bit of hinting/leading, too.
He’s troubled and needs a woman to soothe him. (nudge, nudge)
Troubled? Daniel? Ha! Except…
The night she’d propositioned him, there’d been a haunted glaze in his eyes when he’d opened his door. A glaze she’d overlooked in her panic but hadn’t forgotten in her thousand and one mental replays. Sweat had beaded over his brow and upper lip, and his breathing had been accelerated.
Every morning for the past week she’d jogged past his dad’s house. Because it was located along the best route, no other reason. Daniel had been up while the rest of the town had slept. He’d paced back and forth in front of the window.
Considering his military background, he’d probably seen and endured horrors she couldn’t even imagine. Did memories plague him?
He idled his truck in front of the salon, chatting with his dad, taking the focus off her, and she gratefully raced around the corner, soared inside the inn and—
Stopped, incredulous. Holly sat at the reception desk, ignoring the ringing phone while playing on her cell. She should have been getting ready for school.
Dorothea’s temper—utterly—exploded. She stomped over and pushed Holly out of the chair. As her sister crashed to the floor—then jumped to her feet—Dorothea pointed to the hallway. “Go! Gather your school supplies and get your butt to class. Now!”
Defiance crackled in Holly’s eyes. A look Dorothea had never seen in her own. “I won’t, and you can’t make me.”
“I can drag you kicking and screaming, and I’ll do it without a qualm. Go!”
“You think you’re stronger than me?” Holly actually drew back a fist, intending to…punch Dorothea in the face?
She braced, ready to take the blow. Maybe, after hitting her, Holly would finally feel vindicated. They could start fresh.
The bell over the front door tinkled just before her sister struck. A second later, Daniel stood between them, his arms extended to hold them at a distance, Princess barking at his feet.
“We use our words, ladies, not our fists.” His hard tone demanded immediate submission. “Back away, Holly.”
“Whatever. I’m out of here.” Holly flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and flounced out of the room. The back of her T-shirt had two bold letters: F and U.
Nice.
A scowling Daniel focused on Dorothea. “Tell me what that was about before I blow a gasket.”
He was mad at her? He had no right! “That was private business and—” Dorothea deflated with disappointment as questions raced through her mind. Would Holly ever speak to her again? Or would her sister spend the day building stronger walls? “You shouldn’t have interfered.”
“Are you freaking kidding me? She was going to hit you, Thea.” The words lashed from him, his anger only seeming to grow.
“Afterward she might have talked to me. Thanks to you, I’ll never know.”
Oh, yes. His anger was definitely growing. Steam practically wafted from his nostrils. “Let’s get one thing very clear. No one hits you. No one. Not for any reason. Ever.”
His vehemence thrilled her to the core. Which ticked her off! He was military, the need to protect branded in his bones. This wasn’t romance; this was White Knight Syndrome.
“Don’t act as if you care,” she said. “I’m too tired to sift through—”
His big hands framed her cheeks in a tight grip, silencing
her. He leaned down, getting in her face. “You’re the woman I want in my bed. Of course I care.”
Her knees shook to the same rhythm as her jacked-up heart rate. Resist him!
This was a practiced move, had to be. And after Jazz, she was immune to moves. She was! “You need to let me go, Daniel. Anyone could walk in. If we’re seen like this, gossip will spread. Your dad—”
“Thinks we’re friends, nothing more.” His thumbs caressed the rise of her cheekbones. “Tonight’s our first date. The one you’re planning. Where are you taking me?”
Oh…crap. Their date! Yesterday she’d thought, Get it over with. Today she thought, I’m in trouble. He’d brought his A game.
Well, she would just have to ensure they were never alone. On tonight’s menu? The Scratching Post. And maybe Dorothea would use him. Not for pleasure, but for practice. Maybe she would attempt a few flirting techniques so that, when her Mr. Right finally came along, she would be ready.
Yeah, talk about a foolproof plan with zero flaws, she thought drily.
“I, uh, need to shower.” She hated the breathless quality to her voice. “And you need to get to work.”
He crossed his arms over his wide chest. “Before you go, tell me about my new duties.”
Right. She moved around him, careful not to touch him, and tapped the keyboard to wake up the computer. “Whenever a customer checks out, you do a quick survey. Like any good he-ceptionist would. Ask how they enjoyed their stay, how likely they are to return and, most important, what type of theme room they’d find most exciting.” Something Holly was supposed to have done.
“You considering doing theme rooms?” Daniel looked around, as if seeing the inn through new eyes. “That’s a brilliant idea. Both SV residents and out-of-towners will stay for the experience as much as the convenience.”
She tried not to flush with pleasure. Yeah, she tried. “One day, yes. Every room will have a different theme.”
“What’s stopping you today?”
“What else? Money.”
“You don’t need money to get started, sweetheart. Not much, anyway.” As she sputtered with incredulity, and secret pleasure that he’d called her sweetheart, he added, “What’s your favorite theme?”
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