Her Sexy Beast

by Karin Shah

  He stood abruptly, his grin a bit hard around the edges. “Another time.” He tramped off, marching down the midway like he owned the world.

  No, she wanted to yell after him. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever, but though he might not own the world. He owned her world. He held the carnival’s continued existence in his hands.

  She glared at his retreating back. Not for the first time, she wished she’d never heard the name Guy North.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Whoaaa!” The word slipped from Sofia’s lips without conscious thought as the ladder she was standing on tilted sideways. She grappled for the side of the cash office and her fingers caught the rough shingles. Her other hand was partially supporting the brightly painted wooden sign that perched on the roof of the cash office . . . normally. The ladder teetered on one leg.

  In such moments, your life was supposed to flash through your mind, but all she experienced as fear stabbed through her chest, time slowed, and her fingers burned at maintaining her current, precarious situation, was regret for tackling the repair.

  The brilliant idea had been to show everyone she was approachable, and grounded enough to get her hands dirty, not kill herself.

  Should she risk a jump to the weedy gravel? That might be the wise move under other circumstances, but the unwieldy sign, heavy with water damage and age, was hanging on by a thread and might tear free and strike her.

  All her weight was on one leg to keep the remaining ladder support from losing contact with the ground and her thigh muscle ached, trembling with the strain. Finally, the fatigued muscle gave way.

  The ladder rocked and her fingers slipped. She was falling in slow-motion. She scrabbling at the ladder with the now empty hand, searching the rapidly approaching ground for the best place to land. This was going to hurt.

  Suddenly, the ladder righted. Two strong arms bracketed her from behind against the shingles. A muscled chest pressed against her back. The bronze tattoos covering the arms on either side of her identified her savior. Roan.

  Despite the bruising on her pride left over from their last meeting, relief prickled through her, but the feeling evaporated as he steadied her.

  His body heat and strength surrounded her. A shiver zinged down the back of her neck and arms. Her heart do-si-doed from drumming in fear to a frantic, hormone-fueled jive.

  She needed to speak, to thank him for his rescue, but all the moisture in her mouth had evaporated.

  He reached around her and hoisted the dangling sign. His hard, muscled chest brushed against her back. His thighs cradled her butt, the creases of his shorts searing through the fabric of her jeans to stimulate the sensitive nerve-endings beneath. A coil of desire tightened in her stomach. Pressed together as they were, breathing forced her closer to him, but she couldn’t seem to slow the rapid-fire workings of her lungs. She should inch away, but with his hands up to fix the sign, the slightest movement could send them toppling.

  He took the hammer and nails from their abandoned location on the roof and lifted the sign back into position, securing it with several strikes of the hammer. His scent, clean and masculine, wrapped around her as he worked.

  She pressed her lips together to hold in a moan as he finished and slowly descended. Their positions on the ladder forced his sinewy frame to rub against her sensitized flesh. For all the armor they gave her, her flimsy, cotton T-shirt and jeans might as well have been non-existent. On the ground he held the ladder steady so she could come down.

  Unsteady, she dismounted cautiously. She needed to make sure he understood how grateful she was. With Tia so frail, Sofia couldn’t afford to get injured.

  Safely on the ground, she paused, still clinging to the rails of the ladder. The rapid meter of her pulse banged in her ears. She inhaled slow and long. Time to face him. She was an adult woman. How hard could it be? Pep talk over, she wheeled to thank him, and faced empty air.

  He was gone.

  ~ ~ ~

  The next afternoon, Sofia glared across the mess tent at Guy, adding yet another Guy-related wish—that he’d never existed—to her repertoire. He’d called this sudden meeting without consulting her, despite the fact that she was the business manager and part owner of the outfit.

  She’d been rushing around and her hairline was soaked, but though the massive fans near the roof cooled the space, making it pleasant and airy, she couldn’t enjoy the respite. Today was their final evening in Roman county. Tomorrow, at “oh, my God it’s early” they would pack up and travel West to the more populous coastal areas like Tallahassee and Panama City while it was still dark.

  The carnival was due to open in an hour and everyone had tasks to accomplish. Unexpected delays were not welcome. Especially, delays caused by the man who currently stood in the center of the assembled crowd, smiling and rubbing his hands together as if about to dispense largesse to one and all.

  As soon as the last sweaty stragglers had ducked inside, Guy waved his hands for quiet. “Good afternoon! I have some exciting news.”

  The carnies, sitting, standing, and leaning around the tables, shared glances with each other, and the financier raised his hands again as if to forestall a wave of noise that didn’t come. “Times are tough for carnivals, as you all know, but since Señora Flores was smart enough to diversify into the sideshow—” He bowed toward the elderly woman, who sat in a chair to his right, both hands propped on top of the cane in between her skirt-draped legs. She nodded, every inch the Doña, despite the fact she’d probably been spawned directly from the gutters of Bogotá.

  Sofia kept her inward eye-rolling to herself. Tia was crafty, no doubt about it, but she’d only taken advantage of an opportunity that had dropped into her lap. The way Sofia had heard it from Slim, Roan had shown up and Tia had seized on returning to an old-fashioned sideshow.

  It shouldn’t have worked. People could see all kind of oddities on the Internet, but now that so much could be faked, seeing something with your own eyes was suddenly back in vogue.

  The sideshow cast was here too. They’d piled into the right side of the tent, leaving the left side to the carnies. Furthest from the center, Roan loomed near a post, close to the exit. The light appearing to bounce off the fantastically painted bronze scales plating his biceps. His dark hair shone blue-black. He kept his chin lowered, letting his hair shield his face.

  A twinge of something sharp pierced her chest. What was it about him that commanded her attention? Memories of the electric moments on the ladder made her swallow and blow out a breath to keep her breathing steady. The impulse to move closer to him seized her, but she brushed it off.

  Lu Mirayeva stood beside him, her body turned toward his, ready to whisper something sarcastic in his ear. Despite Sofia’s short acquaintance with the fire eater, she knew the redhead always had something smart-ass to add.

  Sofia tuned back into Guy’s speech. He liked the sound of his own voice, no doubt she hadn’t missed much.

  “Since acrobatic and musical circus acts have become so popular lately. I’ve taken the opportunity to bring in a consultant to evaluate what strengths the sideshow cast have and choreograph a twice nightly show.”

  That did cause an uproar.

  Guy lifted his hands again and the ruckus quieted, though not by much. Sofia waited a moment. When they didn’t settle, she put her fingers in her mouth and whistled.

  The tent silenced. Guy’s lips twisted almost imperceptibly, then smoothed. “There’s no need for discord. We’ll be splitting the two sections for about a month. The carnival will continue with Sofia and me on to our original stops and Señora Flores will stay here. I’ve arranged to move the sideshow to private property.” He seemed to sense a wave of objections and hastened to add, “There will be water and electricity hookups. We’ll discuss the reallocation of roustabouts tonight after hours. Dismissed.”


  Dismissed. As if they were an army and he their general.

  Asshole. A frustrated huff disappeared unheard under the noise of chatting, shuffling, and footsteps as people left.

  Guy should have consulted her first, but there was nothing she could do now, and grudgingly she had to admit, if he’d asked her, she would have agreed with this idea. A carnival needed to draw bodies to the ticket booth and, if it worked, a choreographed show would definitely do that. Still, she should have been included in the discussion. And as for how he’d decided to allocate her and Tia? Not cool.

  With time before opening short, the group dispersed as quickly as sand through a sieve. Tia struggled to her feet. Worried, Sofia hustled across the tent to help her aunt. The older woman was looking slightly ashen beneath her dark skin. “Tia? Are you okay?”

  Tia tutted and batted a gaunt hand in the air. “Just a bit tired.”

  Sofia frowned. “You never used to get tired.”

  Tia laughed, but it was more like a wheeze. “Age gets us all, m’ija.”

  “Maybe.” Sofia finished helping Tia to her feet. The older woman teetered a little. Apprehension squeezed Sofia’s throat. Could she leave Tia alone for a month in this extremely rural area? The rest of their circuit took them near state-of-the art medical centers. If she took a turn for the worse, a couple hours delay in getting to the hospital could be deadly.

  Sofia helped Tia to her feet and went to find Guy. She clutched her fingers, twisting them as she pushed through the midway to find him. God, don’t let him be a jerk about this.

  He guzzled from a bottled water in the cash office as Carlita counted out the change. Sofia ducked inside. “Guy, we need to talk.”

  He took her elbow and guided her back outside. “What can I do for you, my lady.” He slid his hand to hers, picked it up and slimed the back in an imitation of a courtly kiss.

  Ew. Sofia tamped down the urge to snatch her hand away, wipe it on her jeans, and inform him she was not “his” anything. “Tia isn’t doing well. I think I’d better stay with the sideshow performers. That way she’ll be near better medical care.”

  His jaw stiffened, but his smile didn’t budge. “You have a point, but I don’t think you need to stay. You can temporarily promote one of the performers. That way you’ll be with your aunt if anything happens.”

  Sofia folded her arms. As much as she hated to agree with him, he had a point. Still, who could she trust to take over for her? She ran through the performers in her head. Lu was certainly intelligent enough and her powerful personality made her a good leader, but according to Tia, the fire eater’s biting tongue had ruffled feathers in the past. Enough to win her enemies.

  As for the rest, most were like children. They were here because they liked the freewheeling nature of the job. All they cared about was beer, cigarettes, and having fun. Contrary to popular belief, however, her aunt never hired current addicts and held regular drug testing. The last thing she needed was a lawsuit or for the carnival to get a reputation for hiring thieves and troublemakers. They’d been traveling this same circuit in the winter and the northern route in the summer too long to risk fouling the nest.

  From things her tia had said, Roan was the only other person conscientious enough to trust with the responsibility, but except for Lu, he was a loner. He was intimidating enough. They might listen to him, but he wasn’t well-liked and she hated to add to people’s resentments. Besides, Tia said Roan had a temper. You couldn’t please everybody, so when a disagreement arose, she had to know the person she put in charge could keep their cool.

  No. It would have to be her or Tia.

  Here at least, it was in Guy’s best interest to keep an eye on Tia and Sofia could ask Carlita to monitor her as well.

  Finally, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Guy. I can’t think of anyone who can keep the others in line. I’m relying on you to keep an eye on Tia.”

  Chapter 5

  Two days later, Sofia fiddled with the plastic wrap on a plate of brownies, then took a deep breath and knocked on Roan’s trailer door.

  He popped it open and leaned out, his tattooed skin gleaming with water in a few places over the painted scales. His inky hair lay in damp ribbons past his shoulders. He wore shorts, but held his T-shirt in his hand as if he’d been about to tug it on.

  The broad expanse of his bronze chest begged for a hand— her hand—and she had to tear her eyes away from the lean perfection.

  Damn, how had she ever thought him less than beautiful? Before he could speak, or she could make any more of a fool of herself, she held up the plate. “I wanted to say thank you for your timely rescue the other day. I’m sorry it took so long. I didn’t have any baking things in the RV, because well”—she speared her curves with an accusatory gaze—“you can see why. So I had to go out and buy some.”

  He stared at her, his piecing green eyes dark under a creased brow. “What am I supposed to see?”

  She heaved an exasperated sigh. “You know.”

  He studied her again, taking more time, as if drinking her in.

  His stare sent a rush of heat through her, and she licked her suddenly dry lips. She should drop the topic, for both their sakes, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from saying, “You know, because of my weight.”

  “You look healthy to me.”

  She buried a disbelieving chuff. For a baby cow. If her hands hadn’t been full, she would have slapped herself for the nasty thought. As her counselor had always said, “There are plenty of people to run you down in the world. Don’t be one of them.”

  Roan was being nice. She should just let him, but that seemed to be beyond her at the moment. “Smooth.”

  His forehead puckered further and she shook her head. “Never mind.”

  She stuffed the plate of chocolatey goodness in his hands and stepped down onto the ground. “Thanks for the save.”

  She wiggled her fingers in a tiny wave and strode away from the trailer as if she had important things to do instead of running away to save what was left of her dignity. Between practically drooling all over him, babbling, and insulting herself before someone else could, she’d made quite a hash out of a simple thank you errand.

  When she was out of sight of Roan’s trailer, Sofia sighed and braced her hands on her hips. She was a businesswoman, not an insecure teenager, and she had actual work to do. She skimmed her gaze over the small tents and RVs filling the campground and lingered on the big tent in the adjacent field. The consultant had requested theatrical lighting, and Sofia had set some roustabouts to painting the heavy canvas to block out the light.

  The formally off-white tent now gleamed like stone in the late-afternoon light.

  She stretched. Despite her dislike of Guy, he’d been as good as his word. The campground he’d leased was fully functional. Shaken out of their well-oiled routine, it had taken hours longer than usual to dismantle the carnival and sideshow, relocate, and erect the sideshow tent. They’d finished just before dark the night before.

  She felt strangely uneasy with the carnival journeying to another town without her, but this was a good opportunity to connect with the sideshow cast. Aside from Tia’s introduction tour a little more than a week ago, she really hadn’t spent any time with them since she’d arrived.

  Her thoughts circled back to Roan. Who was she kidding? That thank-you gift might have been common courtesy, but there was no denying she’d hoped it might give her a chance to chat with him.

  She put her hands over her face. God, how transparent had she been? The desperate woman making sweets for her crush.

  She probably wasn’t the only one. Half the women who came through the sideshow probably felt the same. Women were no doubt littering his trailer with baked goods—and more. A growl buzzed in her throat.

  What the hell? She’d n
ever growled in her life.

  She was acting possessive over a man she’d only had seconds long encounters with. She forced herself to pivot and return to her RV. She had paperwork. Time to stop thinking with her hormones.

  ~ ~ ~

  Several hours later, Sofia lifted her head from her laptop and stretched her sore neck, peering at the time. The outfit was on an earlier schedule here. The consultant had been working with the performers, evaluating their talents since ten a.m. It was coming up on five.

  Did Roan have a talent? Besides getting stuck in her brain that was.

  She threw her stylus down and stood, groaning at muscles stiff from sitting hunched over too long.

  If a friend had described such an unnatural focus on some guy she barely knew, who didn’t even seem interested, Sofia would have told her it was an unhealthy obsession and tried to talk the fool down.

  Now she was the fool.

  Roan hadn’t shown any interest in getting to know her, but something inside her continued to compel her to go to him, to try to engage with him.

  And even as she acknowledged the folly of her actions, she moved to her door.

  ~ ~ ~

  Because of the paint, the interior of the tent was darker than usual. Spotlights, as well as the rigging to suspend and control them, were en route, but it would be a few days. They were making do with existing lighting until they arrived.

  She’d heard the loud voices before she even entered the tent. The consultant shouted orders at the performers on the makeshift stage. Roan had Lu balanced on one arm and shoulder and Shea the wolf woman on the other.

  A gasp snagged in Sofia’s throat. Tia had said he was strong, and lord knew, she’d seen it herself when he’d helped her with the sign, but this?