Authors: Calista Fox
“Well, they’re likely long gone by now. We suspect they were
here for the rodeo.”
“I’ll certainly keep my eyes open—and the phone close at
hand.”
With a nod, he said, “The sheriff intends to increase the
downtown patrol this week, so someone will be stopping in from time to time.”
“Good to know. Thanks again.”
He took the flower and headed out. Back at Reese Middleton’s
B&B, he stripped down and stepped into a hot shower. Then he towel-dried
his hair and selected a pair of pewter-colored dress pants and a button-down
shirt in a slightly paler hue. He would’ve donned a tie were it not overkill in
Wilder.
Six o’clock neared and he drove downtown again, parking his
truck in the public lot a couple blocks from Pietro’s. He walked in the
opposite direction, though, to Ginger’s boutique.
As he came through the door, she jumped and the bank deposit
bag she held slipped from her fingers and dropped to the cashier’s desk.
Placing a hand over her heart, she said, “I swear, every
time that bell over the door rings these days, I practically jump out of my
skin.”
Ryan frowned. “You’re worried those guys are going to come
back.”
Despite the sheriff thinking they’d taken the money and
moved on, the thought of the robbers returning to the lingerie shop had crossed
his mind more than once since Friday night. Especially if they considered
Ginger an easy target, given her size and the fact she worked alone. Had she
been open past six last night, he would have stopped in after he’d wrapped up
his business. But the store’s lights had been off when he’d walked to his
truck.
Admittedly, he’d beaten himself up a bit for letting the
dark-haired culprit get away. True, Ryan hadn’t known at that point he’d robbed
Ginger. He’d initially thought they were harassing her, which was all it’d
taken to make Ryan tackle the bastard. In the end, though, it was unfortunate
the thief had slipped through his fingers.
“I can’t imagine they’d come back,” Ginger mused, breaking
into his thoughts. “We get a lot of tourists during the rodeo, and now that
it’s over, I’m sure they’ve gone home.”
“It’s a possibility. You should be on the lookout for
anything suspicious, regardless. And having some pepper spray handy wouldn’t
hurt, either.”
That would certainly ease his mind a bit, since he knew she
was here alone all day long. He’d also be on patrol, and that made him feel a
little better. It was news he intended to share with her over dinner.
Handing her the long-stemmed rose, he asked, “You ready to
go?”
She smiled as she took the flower from him. “This is
lovely.” She sniffed the bud, then said, “Yes, I’m ready.”
After she collected her purse, she seemed to debate whether
or not to bring the rose with her, as she stared skeptically at it.
“Everyone’s going to know we’re on a date, Ginger,” he told
her. “Bring the flower.”
“Right.” The apprehension in her bright green eyes was
unmistakable. But she didn’t hesitate further.
Ryan followed her out, admiring the gentle sway of her hips
and the bit of bare legs she showed. Her black dress had the same modest hem as
the skirt she’d worn the first time he’d seen her. The material pulled in tight
around her narrow waist and it dipped low in the back, partially revealing her
shoulder blades and the delicate line of her spine. The neckline, however, was
conservative, not that she needed to show off her cleavage. With the dress
hugging her enticing chest, it was a more sophisticated, alluring visual than
anything blatantly put on display. Her tanned arms were bare and she carried
with her a light wrap, also in black.
Her heels were higher than the others she’d worn, and Ryan
wondered if she’d changed clothes prior to their date. She certainly looked
fresh and vibrant with her long, plump blonde curls and the makeup she’d
applied, once again wearing the red lipstick that made it difficult for him to
take his eyes off her tempting mouth.
He held her belongings as she locked the door. Then she
dropped the keys in the small clutch that she tucked under her arm. She carried
the rose and the wrap in one hand as she linked her arm with his.
Ryan’s groin tightened at her nearness. The woman did
crazy-wicked things to his body without really doing anything at all.
Glancing down at her, he said, “You look great. If anyone’s
staring at us tonight, it’s because you’re a knockout.”
She let out a soft laugh that made his gut twist. Damn, he
had it bad for her.
“I doubt that’s what anyone will be thinking. They’ll all be
wondering who’s going to break the news to Lydia.”
“Already did that, sweetheart.”
Ginger stopped dead in her tracks, tugging on his arm and
then releasing it. Alarm flashed in her eyes as he spun around to face her.
“You told her?”
“You can’t keep this a secret. Besides, I don’t mind her
knowing. You shouldn’t, either.”
She looked distressed as she said, “Maybe we shouldn’t do
this.”
Ryan eyed her curiously. “What is going on between you two?”
Ginger sighed. She seemed reluctant to tell him, but caved
anyway and gave him the scoop. “She adamantly opposes my shop, as I’d mentioned
the night I was robbed. What I didn’t tell you is that she burned it down last
summer. Different location. Cooper Denton moved me into this space.”
“
What?
” Ryan stared at her, incredulous.
“It was an accident,” she was quick to say, though she
didn’t sound wholly convinced of that. “One of my ‘risqué’ displays startled
her and she knocked over some lit candles. I was in the attic with my friend
Liza. Jack Wade had to rescue us.”
Ryan raked a hand through his hair as he let out a long
breath. “Okay, I get where you’re coming from now. That must have been some
ordeal.”
“Yes, it was quite terrifying. There was a lot of drama in
town last year. And while Lydia backed off for a while after the fire, she’s
been at it full steam again lately.”
“I sort of got that sense when I spoke with her Friday night,”
Ryan admitted. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t see each other. Unless, of course,
you didn’t feel the spark I did the other night.”
Her pretty smile chased away the tension between them. “Oh I
felt it all right.
Everywhere
.”
He chuckled, relieved and delighted. “Yeah, me too. And
that’s what matters, sweetheart.”
She stared up at him, still tentative, but clearly pleased.
“I’ve got a pretty strong constitution,” he told her. “And
even before I saw the bigger picture with you and my aunt, I didn’t allow her
to bulldoze me with her personal opinions of you. I can make my own judgment
calls.”
“I don’t understand how someone could dislike another person
just because they sell lingerie. I mean, I’ve always contributed to the
collection plate at church, even when times were tough at the store. She just
has it in for me. And if she knew about the other night…” Ginger groaned.
“She’d make it sound as though I asked for trouble.”
Offering his arm to her again, Ryan said, “I seriously
could’ve pummeled both of those guys for what they did to you.” He still felt a
hot flicker of rage over someone having laid a hand on Ginger against her will.
And that they’d taken her money.
“I wouldn’t have protested,” she said. “Believe me. But now
you can understand why I didn’t want anyone to know it was me who was robbed,
right? I mean, this thing with Lydia is just hideous. Her knowing we’re out
together tonight is horrific enough. I don’t want to give more and more reasons
for her to talk about me.”
“That’s gonna happen anyway,” Ryan told her. “Because of me.
But we’ll just have to deal with it. I have no intention of being disrespectful
toward my aunt, but I know sometimes she goes too far.”
“Seems like lately, it’s even giving the reverend pause.”
Ryan was silent on the subject as he pulled the door open
and they stepped into Pietro’s. The tangy, spicy aroma that assaulted his
senses temporarily derailed him from their conversation. He’d missed this
place.
“Well, well, well. What
do
we have here?” Ruby cooed
as she stepped around her hostess stand. She hadn’t changed much in seven
years. Still wore her crazy aprons, this one inquiring, “Got Sausage?”
Ryan grinned at her as he gave her a quick hug. “Good to see
you, Ruby.”
“I heard you were back in town. Sounds as though you’ll be
sticking around a while too.”
“That’s the plan.”
Her gaze slid to Ginger and an auburn eyebrow lifted. “You
two make one gorgeous-looking couple, but you’re going to do more than turn
heads.”
“Yes, tongues will be wagging,” Ginger said on a sigh. “But Lydia
already knows, so…” She stole a glance at Ryan and added, “We’ve agreed to suck
it up.”
Ruby whistled under her breath. “More power to ya. How about
a table by the window, so no one thinks you’re trying to hide anything by
sittin’ in a corner?”
Ryan nodded. “Good point. May as well get it out in the
open.”
Regardless of how things panned out between him and Ginger,
he didn’t want anyone to think they’d been sneaking around. He didn’t want
anyone making the mistake that Ryan might be ashamed to be seen with her,
because that was most definitely not the case. In fact, he liked having her on
his arm, to hell with the shocked looks the preacher’s nephew and the lingerie
princess evoked as they followed Ruby to a table.
As they settled into their chairs, Ruby said, “The special
is linguine with clams, white wine or red sauce, your choice. But Mike’s got a
mean manicotti on the menu as well, for those of you who haven’t checked it
lately. Any takers?”
“Special,” Ginger immediately said. “White wine sauce.”
Ruby grumbled, “Of course.” Her gaze shifted to Ryan as she
handed him a menu. “Humor me and look at it. No one ever does.”
He didn’t bother. “Sorry. You sold me on the manicotti.”
“Me and my big mouth. Fine.”
They each ordered a glass of wine, then Ruby wandered off to
attend to the hostess stand while her servers worked the dining room.
“Nice ambience,” Ryan said of the soft illumination from the
warm yellow globes on the walls, the votives on the table and the tiny white
twinkle lights framing the large picture window.
“Yes, I love it here. I generally skip lunch when I know I’m
coming. And you can’t beat the smell.”
“Oh I beg to differ.” He scooted his chair closer to hers.
Leaning toward her, he said in an intimate tone, “You smell as enticing as a
summer breeze. Warm and sultry, with a hint of something exotic.”
“Jasmine,” she told him in a breathy voice that drove him
wild.
He grinned at her. “Okay, I’m no good at pegging floral
scents. But it’s damn sexy, whatever it is.”
She studied him a moment, then asked, “Do you always say
what’s on your mind? No holding back?”
“Pretty much. Is that a problem?”
Ginger pressed her lips together as Ruby delivered their
wine, offering them personalized service instead of sending one of her servers
over. When they were alone again, she said, “Absolutely not. I like it.”
His hand covered hers as it rested on the table. “I don’t
want to make things more difficult for you with my aunt. I keep telling you not
to worry about what she says, yet I understand how you’re affected. But when it
comes right down to it, I just want you to take a chance on us. Maybe that’s
being selfish, given that I haven’t been here in a long time and I have less to
lose.”
She seemed to give this consideration as she sipped her wine
with her free hand. Finally, she set aside her glass and said, “My friends and
I have had this discussion many times. The best way to deal with Lydia is to
stand our ground. I can do that.”
Ryan brought her hand to his lips as he murmured, “Because
you want to see what this is too? Whatever it is that’s happening between us?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation, a hopeful look on her
face, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
Ryan’s own excitement flared. Above the adrenaline pumping
through his veins, he felt a strong emotional pull. Something about this woman
did things to his heart and soul he’d never felt before. Plain and simple, he
was nuts about her.
He was more than willing to tell her that, but she suddenly
ripped her hand from his and shot to her feet, nearly knocking over her chair.
“What is it?” he demanded, thinking she’d gotten a glimpse
of Lydia in the window and had freaked out.
“Reese just ran by. Didn’t you see her?”
“Hard to see much of anything else when I’m looking at you,”
he told her.
Ginger’s tense expression softened for a moment. “That’s
sweet.” The tension quickly returned, though. “That was very odd,” she said as
she glanced out the window. “I just want to check on her.”
She left him and rushed out of the restaurant. Ryan wondered
if she’d needed an escape to process what he’d said, but his concern about
whether he’d overwhelmed her vanished when he saw her in the window, calling
out to Reese. A few seconds later, Reese came jogging back, grasping Ginger’s
hands and talking rapidly with a distressed look on her face.
Ryan had a bad feeling about the exchange.
Chapter Three
Ginger’s heart sank as Reese said, “I’m on my way to see the
sheriff. Two guys cornered me in the parking lot and stole my purse.”
“Oh no,” she muttered. Then asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. When they caught a glimpse of Bill Horton on the
way to his car, they just snatched my bag and ran.”
Hating like hell to pose her next question, Ginger ventured,
“Was one a tall, dark-haired guy and the other a shorter redheaded one?”
Reese’s big, tawny-colored eyes lit up under the glow of the
lampposts. “Yes. How’d you know?”
Ginger groaned. “They stole all the cash I had in the store
Friday night. Damn it.” She stomped her heel on the sidewalk.
Ryan suddenly appeared and Ginger had to tell him the
criminals had struck again.
He said, “You two go speak with the sheriff. I’ll square up
with Ruby and then meet you there.”
“Come on,” Ginger said to Reese. “Lydia will have a field
day with this, but I’ve got to give my side of the story too.”
They rushed down the street and into the sheriff’s office.
His head snapped up at the after-hours intrusion. He sat behind a large desk in
a glass-enclosed office. His deputies had apparently left for the evening or
were on patrol.
Pushing his chair back, he stood and came out of his office,
eyeing both Ginger and Reese with concern in his warm brown eyes.
“Ladies, what can I do for you this evening?”
Reese said, “I was just mugged.”
“And I was the one robbed on Friday night.” Her spirits
dipped at the admission. “I begged Ryan Bain not to tell you it was me.”
Both women recapped their incidences. Ryan came through the
door with Ginger’s belongings and two Styrofoam containers holding their dinner
as Reese was answering questions Sheriff Johnson posed.
After writing up his reports, the sheriff said, “I’m
concerned about you returning to the B&B tonight, Reese. The thieves have
your purse with your driver’s license that has your address on it and your
keys.” Another thought seemed to occur to him and he asked, “Do you have any
guests?”
“Just me,” Ryan said, which Reese confirmed with a nod. “I
took the room with the private entrance, so I’ve got an extra key to the
B&B, but you’ll still want to have all the locks changed as soon as
possible, Reese.”
The sheriff asked her, “Is there somewhere you can stay
tonight? I don’t want you alone there and I think Ryan ought to look after
Ginger.”
Reese said, “Liza will be gracious enough to put me up. And
it’d be good for her to have someone else in the cottage, since she hasn’t
moved in with Jack yet and he’s at the saloon late into the night.”
“Good thinking.” Sheriff Johnson’s attention shifted to
Ginger. “You live out on the lake where we don’t patrol on a regular basis.
It’s rural and your house is set way back. I’m worried about our response time
if they happened to have followed you home at some point. They might come after
you again.”
Her gut coiled tight as he continued. “I don’t mean to
offend you, but given your size, you’re basically easy pickings, Ginger.”
She spared a glance at Ryan, but he smiled confidently and
said, “You’ll be fine, sweetheart. I’ll make sure of it.”
“All right, then,” the sheriff said. “We’ll get cracking on
this.”
Reese borrowed the phone on Deputy Baker’s desk, placing a
call to Liza.
Ginger’s tension ebbed, but quickly returned when the
sheriff said to Ryan, “I’ll get your gun from the safe.”
Panic shot through her. “No gun,” she said as she held up
her hand. “Absolutely
no
guns in my house.” She said this to Ryan,
giving him a pointed look.
“Ginger—” the sheriff started to say, but Ryan jumped in.
“It’s okay. From what we’ve learned so far, those men aren’t
armed. If that’s truly the case, I can handle them. I’m a black belt.”
Taken aback, she asked, “Seriously, do you excel at
everything
you do?” Because he certainly had romance, rescuing damsels in distress and
following his convictions down pat.
He chuckled. Under his breath, he said, “That remains to be
seen.” In his normal tone, he told the sheriff, “I’m okay without the gun.”
Sheriff Johnson mentally debated this a moment, then nodded.
He said, “I’m going to take a look around this evening and check in with others
to find out if they’ve seen these guys. We’ll regroup in the afternoon when you
get back from Austin.”
Ginger’s brow furrowed. Obviously Ryan was involved in the
investigation to an extent, but to be working so closely with the sheriff on
it? And what business did he have in Austin? For that matter… “Why is your gun
in the safe here? And more importantly, why do you even
own
a gun?”
“We can talk about that later, sweetheart.” Reese was off
the phone and he said to her, “How about we escort you to your car and we’ll
all head over to the B&B so you can pack a bag and I can get my things and
stow them in my truck.”
“Absolutely,” she agreed. “I’d feel much better if you were
there while I throw a suitcase together.”
They departed the office and the sheriff headed off to make
his rounds.
When they reached Reese’s car, Ryan told her, “I’m parked by
Pietro’s.”
“So am I,” Ginger told them.
“We’ll stop into the restaurant on the way to our vehicles,”
Ryan said, “to warn Ruby about our thieves. Reese, why don’t you meet up with
us there? Just park outside until Ginger and I join you. Keep your windows up
and your doors locked.”
She nodded as she reached for her seatbelt.
Ryan took Ginger by the elbow and they left the lot, walking
toward Pietro’s. Ginger felt pensive. Something was definitely not right with
this entire scenario.
When they entered the restaurant, Ruby said, “Changed your
minds and decided to eat here?”
With a shake of his head, Ryan said, “Just wanted to let you
know there have been a couple of robberies in the area, so be on the lookout
for two guys—one tall with dark hair, the other stockier with red hair. Call
911 immediately if you see them, Ruby.”
“Who got robbed?” she asked, shocked. The town wasn’t devoid
of crime, but it was much less prevalent than in bigger cities, naturally.
“I did,” Ginger admitted. “And Reese just got mugged in one
of the parking lots, so be sure Mike’s walking you out if you drove separately.
You also might want to warn your customers as they’re leaving.”
“I will.” To Ryan she said, “Keep me posted. I heard about
your new job. Congratulations.”
Dread slithered down Ginger’s spine. As they left the restaurant,
she said, “Apparently there
is
a secret that can be kept in this town,
and it’s being kept from me. What’s going on?” she demanded. “Why are you
working so closely with the sheriff, and what’s your new job?”
“No one’s keeping secrets, darlin’. I was going to tell you
at dinner. I’m an additional deputy in town, as of this afternoon.”
Ginger drew up short again, her heart stammering. Ryan
stopped and turned to face her, a quizzical look on his face.
“That’s why you’ve been Mr. Crime Fighter all this time. And
the reason you have a gun.” Her stomach clenched.
He said, “I left it with the sheriff because there’s no safe
in my room at Reese’s B&B and I can’t just leave it out in the open when
I’m there.” His expression instantly softened as he stared at her, realization
obviously dawning on him. “Ah, Ginger. Damn, I forgot about your mom,
sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”
Her throat tightened as tears sprang to her eyes. Ryan
closed the gap between them and he grabbed her hand.
A few passersby took note of them, but for once, Ginger
didn’t care. Her bliss with Ryan had been shattered by this unexpected and
disturbing news.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s talk about this at your house.
I’d drive you home, but I’ve got to be on the road to Austin early in the
morning, and I don’t want to leave your car unattended overnight. Our crooks
will likely steal it.”
Ryan’s gaze continually swept their surroundings as they
headed toward their vehicles. Ginger swiped at the fat drops rolling down her
flushed cheeks.
He pointed out his truck—a big, beefy thing in black with a
double cab—and said, “After we stop at the B&B, I’ll follow you home.”
“I’m still in my grandparents’ house. They left it to me.”
“I’ll be right behind you.” He held the door of her car open
as she slipped into the driver’s seat.
Ginger didn’t say anything further, grateful for a few
minutes alone to process the evening’s unexpected turn of events. Ryan closed
the door and she waited for him to put their dinner in the backseat of his
truck and climb in. She backed out of her spot and met up with Reese. They
drove their small convoy over to the B&B so Reese and Ryan could pack. Then
they all took the junction that led out of town toward the lake. Reese veered
off before them, on her way to Liza’s cottage, which sat on Jack’s property.
Ryan was close behind her, though even if she somehow lost
him, he knew exactly where he was going. He’d been to the house several times,
always lending a hand to help her grandfather move furniture or any other heavy
object.
She took the long, winding drive down to the lake house and
Ryan parked alongside her. They were both silent as they passed through the
front door.
Ryan set the containers on the entryway table, then said,
“You stay here in the foyer. I’ll check the house.”
He went about his business, turning on lights and inspecting
every room. Apparently confident no one had broken in, he returned to where she
stood on the raised hardwood platform by the entrance. Lifting the boxes in one
hand and taking hers with the other, he led her into the open kitchen. He set
the food on the large island that overlooked the living room.
Ginger’s thoughts were still on his earlier revelations.
Clearly, so were Ryan’s.
Letting out a long breath, he said, “I know exactly why you
were upset over the gun at the sheriff’s office.”
“My mother was shot at the high school because some kid was
showing off his dad’s 9mm. It was an accident, yes,” she said, trying to keep
her emotions under control this time. “He didn’t think it was loaded and he
didn’t know enough about guns to keep the safety on at all times. One slip
and…”
She shook her head. A split second and Ginger’s mother had
lost her life. Her father had lost an adoring wife and Ginger had lost the most
caring, compassionate person she’d ever known. And then her father had
committed suicide a week later. He’d asphyxiated himself in the garage while
Ginger was here at her grandparents’ house.
The entire community had been rocked to the core of its
foundation. Walter and Theresa Monroe had been devoted to their family,
dedicated to their jobs as teachers at the high school and committed to
volunteering at the church. Even the Bains had admired them.
She said, “I just… I don’t approve of guns, Ryan. You have
to know that. One shot destroyed my family.” She groaned, feeling the weight of
the situation as though an anvil sat on her chest. “And now you’re going to be
carrying one around.”
He took a step toward her and grazed her jawline with his
fingertip. Staring deep into her eyes, he said, “I’m not a teenager who stole
his father’s pistol to impress his friends, Ginger. I’ve taken NRA safety
classes, I’ve completed police academy training and I’ve got a level head.”
“I’m not saying you don’t know what you’re doing. I’m just
telling you…” Her voice trailed off and she swallowed a hard lump of emotion in
her throat. “I don’t know what I’m telling you. Except that I don’t want a gun
in my house.”
His fingertips brushed her temple. “I don’t have it with me,
sweetheart. Relax. This isn’t even an issue right now.”
She tried to see his side of things, but the way she felt
about him made Ginger worry over the troubling situation. No, they hadn’t
declared love at first sight, nor were they in the position, or at the point,
to make any long-term arrangements with each other. So getting wrapped around
the axle at the moment wasn’t entirely reasonable. Besides, as he’d said, he
hadn’t brought a weapon into her house.
“I’m sorry,” she told him. “Maybe I’m just overly sensitive
because of all the unexpected events of the past few days.”
“Maybe.” He gave her an easy smile before his head dipped.
His lips grazed hers. A soft, barely there kiss that made her heart flip-flop.
He murmured against her mouth, “Why don’t we have dinner?”
She nodded, though neither one of them stepped away. His
hand slid around to cradle the back of her head as his lips skimmed over hers
again, teasing and tempting her.
Ginger’s pulse kicked up several notches. The intimate
gesture felt right, deep in her soul, but it also sparked erotic sensations she
wasn’t fully familiar with and which were somewhat overwhelming. Her nipples
tightened behind her black satin-and-lace bra. Her chest rose and fell a bit
quicker as her breathing escalated. A prickle of desire along her clit and a
dull throb in her pussy created a hot, restless feeling inside her.
When Ryan’s mouth pressed more firmly to hers and they
simultaneous parted their lips, she had to clutch his biceps as she swayed a
little on her high heels. His tongue swept over hers, twisting in a playful way
that quickly turned sexy and made her even hotter. With one hand still at the
back of her head, the other gripped her hip and he eased her toward him until
their bodies touched. Her breasts pressed below the hard ledge of his pectoral
muscles, more against his rib cage than his chest.
Feeling his hunky body against hers did all kinds of wicked
things to Ginger’s insides. The throbbing deep within her was insistent and
demanding. The tingling of her clit was an electrifying sizzle that made her
want to pull his hand from her hip and drag it down between her legs.