But no way would he let Wallace pay for his damn lunch.
Life was peaceful again. No more discussion about his love life and well-meaning aunts and cousins trying to fix him up with the love of his life. And hey, just maybe he’d be interested in finding this woman if everyone in his family would lay off. He had some decisions to make about the rest of his life right now, and he wasn’t sure he needed the complication of a woman involved.
He had to decide whether he would renew his contract. Soon. His buddy Quinn had phoned again last night, dangling more carrots. He wanted Liam to hurry up and say yes, because he needed his help at the ski resort he’d taken over outside of Telluride in a little town called Pine Gulch. He was already prepping for their opening day in February. The idea of being a partner and running a resort sounded like a permanent paid vacation to Liam. Too good to be true. But he couldn’t get past thinking about all the men he’d left behind. The conflict was winding down in one place, and starting up in another part of the sandbox. Sometimes it seemed it would never be over.
He unbuckled his tool belt and headed towards the door. He set the belt on one of the pallets and when he glanced up, he saw Mallory come whipping around the corner and slide to a grinding halt in front of the store. She was carrying a sack from Mama’s Diner with her. She wore a short dress, a short sleeved crop top over it, and sexy ankle boots. Hair loose and wild around her shoulders. His basic wet dream, in other words. Good timing. He’d been thinking about her. Thinking about walking a few storefronts down and asking her to lunch. He’d be seeing her for dinner at Aunt Eileen’s Friday night and the Festival on Saturday. Not long after that, he’d be long gone. But not before he got to the bottom of what had happened to Mallory and fixed it. He didn’t like leaving anything undone.
He observed as she looked above, backing up and standing on her tiptoes, then swiveled her head right and left. Her face was drawn in disappointment and a little bit of hurt and confusion. He was out the door in two seconds flat.
“There you are.” She held out a bag. “I brought you lunch. And an iced lemonade.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“But you’re working so hard. I don’t want you to be hungry.”
He accepted the bag and lemonade. “Thanks. But what about you? You eating lunch?”
“I need to get back to the store.”
“Is this about Tuesday night? Because you don’t have any reason to apologize to me for that. You shouldn’t be sorry.”
“I’m just trying to be nice to my date.”
“Good thinking.” He untwisted the bottle cap. “Tell me. Are Wallace and Genevieve watching us?”
She looked past him to the store and after a second, waved and smiled. “Yes. They are.”
“Good. That’s good.” He took a swig of lemonade, then eyed her. “My girlfriends usually give me a kiss when they bring me lunch. At least a hug.”
She slid him a look through narrowed eyes. “Really.”
“A suggestion.” He lifted a shoulder as if he didn’t care one way or the other.
She broke out in a smile, which kicked his heart rate up. It also kicked another organ into overdrive that had no business even walking right now, much less driving.
“Okay. Only because they’re watching, and I want this to be good.”
He didn’t move. Just stood like a statue in the town square when she took a step toward him. Then another one. Close enough that he could smell the light flowery scent that was all her. He didn’t say a word as she put one hand on each shoulder. Rose to her tiptoes on those kickass boots. She was so much smaller that he had to stoop a little so she could reach him. Her mouth, that gorgeous sensual mouth, would be on his in seconds. The anticipation was killing him.
Slow. Slow. I can do this. Let it be her idea.
But when she bypassed his mouth entirely and aimed for his cheek he almost couldn’t contain the disappointment. Still, he didn’t change the direction. Didn’t pull her closer like every inch of him wanted to do and take over the kiss. No, instead he would let her kiss his stubbled cheek because that’s all she wanted.
She lightly bussed his cheek. “There!”
A peck. That’s what she gave him. “Uh-uh.”
“What?”
He saw the twinkle in her eyes and didn’t appreciate it. Seemed someone was having a little fun at his expense. Then again, he’d been the one to announce his condom size to a girl he’d just met. But hell, he liked teasing her and she made it easy.
“I’m sure I deserve that.”
“Wasn’t it good for you, Mr. Turlock? Because it was good for me.”
Yeah, she was definitely having her fun with him. He scowled to keep from grinning. “That’s how you kiss your boyfriend?”
“For now.” Then she turned on her fuck me heels and headed back across the street. “Eat your sandwich, big boy.”
He grinned. For now. Oh yeah. “Hey.”
She stopped in the middle of the street and turned to him.
“Good answer.”
*
Friday night came around quickly, and tonight Mallory would go with Liam to dinner at Eileen and Giancarlo’s home. She hadn’t been over to dinner there for a while, but when Mallory had first arrived in Starlight Hill, Eileen had gone over the top with her welcome. Not only had she given Mallory a job, but she’d wanted Mallory over for dinner every other night. To Mallory, it was a little like having dinner with Mama every other night. She was certain, too, that Eileen was also reporting Mallory’s every word back to Mama. Finally, Mallory had tactfully declined the invitations, explaining that she had to find her own way.
The food, though, was always amazing. Anytime Eileen Turlock brought an Italian dish to any event, it was usually consumed before everyone in line could get a sample. That was because, rumor had it, Angie, Giancarlo’s head chef, prepared all the food Eileen served.
Not that food was Mallory’s biggest worry. She didn’t want anyone, least of all Eileen, to think she had designs on Liam. His family probably wanted him to wind up with a nice girl they’d chosen for him. Obviously, Liam wasn’t playing. And she understood, on one level. He was definitely the kind of man who made his own decisions. Called the shots. Everything he did had to be his idea. With her level of experience with men, she could read Liam Turlock easily enough.
He’d wanted more than the kiss she’d given him yesterday afternoon. The one she’d planted on that unbelievably sexy stubbled cheek. She wanted more, too. But that wasn’t the point. This was practice for a healthy relationship. He didn’t seem to be the settling down type, which suited Mallory fine. She wasn’t looking for a man, anyway. When she did find a man, she wanted him to be her best friend. To have her back and always be there for her. Just like Sophia and Riley were for each other.
Not like before.
She’d left Texas because of Todd, a quarterback at Texas U. They’d been exclusive since senior year. She’d suspected he cheated on her, but never found any evidence. Her girlfriends thought she was the luckiest girl alive because Todd was headed straight to the NFL and a life of fame and money. But Mallory didn’t care about the money or fame. She wanted love and romance. True love. The flirting and the constant gossip about Todd and other girls she had tried to ignore.
And, as it turned out, she could take a lot of shit, but she could not take a man hitting her.
Todd, it turned out, wasn’t any team’s first draft pick. He’d lashed out at her, hitting her hard enough to knock her down. And she’d run. Left her dream behind of auditioning for the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders while Todd played pro ball. All her Kappa Delta friends took Todd’s side. They wouldn’t believe he’d hit her. Didn’t sound like Todd to them.
They’d never been her friends to begin with. It had been time to start over. Somewhere, anywhere else. Mama had spent summers in Starlight Hill as a child, and she had an old friend there. Mallory packed her bags and ran straight into a new life in California wine
country.
Only she’d brought some baggage with her.
Men who hurt would no longer be around her. Same with fair-weather friends. And as long as Liam didn’t make sudden moves around her, Mallory wouldn’t flinch again. She was strong and capable. She’d been a Texas debutante, just like her mother. Of course, no one other than Eileen knew that, nor did she want them to. They were going to have to accept her, get to know her, and, hopefully love her for who she was.
Or rather, for who she wanted to be.
Tonight, she intended to present her best self to both Liam and Eileen. And whoever else happened to be at dinner. They weren’t going to see Mallory the co-ed, or Mallory the collector of Parisian Peek A Boos and every plunging demi bra on the market. They were going to see Brand New Mallory. Good Girl Mallory. The girl she knew she could be if someone gave her half a chance. Tonight, she would be the good girlfriend to Liam.
It took hours of trying on different outfits and rummaging through the back of her closet to find the right dress. She’d bought it as a joke for a party with her sorority sisters one year. It was her librarian look. A black jumper style dress so plain it could be a uniform. She paired it with a cropped pink cardigan and pulled her hair into a bun. Of course, the time she’d worn it to the party she’d coupled it with fishnet stockings and four-inch heels but not tonight. No. The outfit was complete with the most unimaginative shoes she owned, a pair of black low-heeled pumps she wore so rarely they were actually dusty.
She took one look in the mirror and declared victory. This outfit was by far the strongest male repellant she’d ever worn. Liam would take her seriously and so would everyone else. They’d understand she had a lot more to offer than what showed on the outside. When she opened the door for Liam, he took one look at her and then glanced past her.
“Hi, I’m here for Mallory. Have you seen her?”
“Ha, ha.”
He quirked a brow. “Seriously. Where is she? Will she be meeting me there?”
She went hands on hips. “I’m your date to dinner with your Aunt. Don’t you want a girlfriend you can be proud of?”
“I do. That’s why I came up with this idea to date you.”
Well, then. That was a super sweet thing to say. He looked fantastic, wearing a midnight blue button up shirt untucked over black jeans. He’d shaved, but that didn’t detract any from the absolute gobs of testosterone that poured out of him like water from a fountain. He was her walking, talking, fantasy Alpha man.
Fantasy. Don’t forget that part.
She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. “We better hurry or we’ll be late.”
“Okay, Miss. Since Mallory isn’t here I’d be happy to take you instead.”
“Stop it.” She bit her lower lip in order not to smile.
“Only you, Mallory. Only you could pull off this spinster look.”
A tingle went down her spine when Liam led her by the small of her back to his truck. This outfit wasn’t a Liam repellant either. She was beginning to wonder if there was one in existence that would make him stop touching her, and help her stop thinking about kissing him. Wondering what his lips would feel like on hers. Whether his tongue would be as hot and wet as she pictured it would be. Whoa, girl! Under this outfit she wore her red satin matching panty and bra set. They were seeping through the repellant and reminding her that she thought Liam was sex on a stick. If she wanted to stop feeling lusty around Liam, she might have to get drastic and resort to granny panties. Okay, too far.
She shuddered at the thought.
At Eileen’s home, they were treated to bruschetta for appetizers, wine, pasta carbonara, wine, focaccia bread, wine, gelato and…did she mention wine? Mallory wished she’d worn her stretchy yoga pants instead. As she’d expected, everyone present at dinner was a Turlock, whether by marriage or birth. Wallace and Genevieve, Billy and Brooke, Scott and Diana. And, of course, Sophia Jacobs who was Giancarlo’s daughter from his first marriage and as close as a blood sister to both Eileen and the Turlock men. Chief Riley was working tonight so he wasn’t present at the dinner.
“Mallory, did you know that my nephew here is a bonafide American hero?” Eileen said.
“Aunt Eileen, please don’t.” Liam scowled. “I’m no hero.”
“Army Ranger, that’s what!”
Eileen showed no signs of backing off on the hero worship. Not that Mallory blamed her.
“So was Scott, you know,” Liam protested.
Scott leaned back in his chair and scowled. “This is about you, dude. Keep me out of it.”
“Here’s to both Turlock heroes!” Eileen raised a glass.
“A la familia,” Giancarlo added, one of only two Italians in the room.
“I’ll drink to that!” Billy Turlock lifted a wine glass filled with some of the family’s new line and everyone toasted.
Everyone but Liam, who rolled his eyes. “Remember, I might not be going back.”
Mallory hadn’t known that about him. She’d had so little time to know Liam. It didn’t feel like she had to get to know him, since he’d be gone and out of her life in a matter of days. Right now, it became painfully obvious that there was a whole lot she didn’t know about her temporary boyfriend. He was funny, too, sprinkled in heavy doses along with all the sexy, and made her feel and want things she hadn’t let herself feel or want in a long time. She wished he’d run into the lingerie store to hide from Diana sooner, then wondered what the heck was wrong with her. She definitely wasn’t drunk, but maybe it was the wine getting to her head. She’d almost forgotten about the off-men thingy.
“What are you going to do instead?” Mallory asked him.
“I don’t know yet, but being a ski bum sounds good.” Liam grinned. “One of my buddies opened up a resort outside of Telluride. He wants me to come on board as a partner.”
“Hey, wait. A Turlock in the ski resort business?” Wallace laughed.
“Why not?” Eileen said. “You boys need to spread all the goodness around. All the professions need a little bit of Turlock in them.”
“And all the states,” Brooke laughed. “California, Oregon, and Colorado. What’s next? Conquer the world?”
“Why not? We can start with Italy,” Eileen said.
“Si,” Giancarlo said. “We’re due for a visit.”
After dinner and dessert there were several rounds of Scrabble, women against the men. The score was close, but then Mallory won it all for the women with one word: balconette.
“Cheating!” Billy stood up. “That’s not a word.”
“It is so!” Mallory stood up, hands on hips, ready to go toe to toe with Billy Turlock. She didn’t care how much land he owned or how many awards his vintage had won.
“How’s that a word?” Liam grinned. “It’s spelled b-a-l-c-o-n-y.”
“Google it!” Mallory pointed to Liam.
“I sure in the hell will, babe.”
And there were at least four phones pulled out at once. Fingers flew across screens.
“Balconette,” Genevieve shouted out a moment later. “Another name for a demi cup bra. A balconette bra has more of a horizontal line going across the top of the bustline. Most of the time, the cups are seamed for an upward boost to give the breasts the look as if corseted. A balconette bra can also have push-up pads as well. The name balconette comes from men in the balcony of a theater looking down upon women. A balconette bra could not be seen from above. Ha! It’s a word.”
“Woohoo, Mallory!” Sophia danced around the room and ended by hip checking Mallory. “I thought that sounded familiar.”
“They beat us with lingerie!” Wallace shook his fist. “Why, God, why?”
Mallory twitched her finger. “I know my lingerie. You do not want to question me on this.”
She did a little victory jig and when she stopped she caught Liam staring at her. Not smiling. She met and held his heated gaze and neither one of them broke away for a long moment.
And Mallory real
ized three things:
She was a virtual encyclopedia of all things lingerie;
There was no repellant in the world strong enough to keep her away from Liam Turlock;
She was in a lot of trouble.
6
Turned out, Liam Turlock was a sick man.
He had a competitive streak in him a mile wide, oh, no doubt. Always had. He was a Turlock, after all. But ever since Mallory had helped bring the women a win at Scrabble with balconette, of all words in the English language, he couldn’t stop thinking about lingerie. Her lingerie, specifically. As in what she wore underneath that nun’s habit. He might not know any rare names for lingerie, much less how to spell them, but he knew what he liked. Women who cared about what they wore underneath, like it was a special gift to their lover. He’d just bet that Mallory had a lot of gifts.
But one thing irritated the hell out of him, and it wasn’t losing at scrabble to the women. Once Mallory had clicked her seat belt into place, he turned to her.
“Don’t ever do that again.”
“Beat you at Scrabble? Seriously, Liam, I thought you were more of a grown-up than that.”
“No,” he said, tipping her chin to meet his eyes. “Only you could win with a word like balconette. I meant don’t think you have to hide who you are. Not with me.”
“I’m not.” But she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Yeah. Listen, I heard about the Lingerie Incident.”
He’d pressed Diana for details, and she’d unloaded on him. Mallory, caught giving some duded a private show after hours. Fired from the Tatas by a pissed-off Sophia. She’d been on her best behavior since then. Most everyone liked her, but no one really knew Mallory “Baby” Gilham. He intended to fix that.
“I figured that would happen sooner rather than later. You can take me home now.” She wrenched her body away from him, and faced forward.
“Is that why you dressed like that tonight? What makes you think I’m going to judge you?”
She didn’t say anything, so he kept talking.
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