Kristen Blooming (13 page)

She was bluffing.

“He’s afraid you’re going to get hurt. Isn’t that right, Brandon?” Dylan threw it back to his friend, hoping he could manage a decent response. He kind of did.

“You’re going to kill yourself,” Brandon barked, still seething but at least he looked more worried than mad now. “Motorcycles are dangerous things.”

“It’s a scooter.” Kristen turned the argument on him. “It doesn’t go over forty miles an hour.”

“You can still kill yourself,” Brandon insisted.

“It’s mine, and I’m not taking it back.” There was the universal tone that all women seemed born with. Kristen had just put her foot down. There would be no winning this battle. “Besides, it none of your concern…either of your concern.”

Kristen shot that at Dylan as she turned those mesmerizing eyes back on him. Dylan was wondering if they’d go clear or cloudy when she came. He’d love to see those puckered little lips gasping for breath as he made her come again and again. Once he had her limp and completely at his beck and call, he was going to take that little pout for a ride. She was so little, though, he didn’t know if she’d be able to swallow him whole.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kristen asked, her gaze narrowing on Dylan.

Brandon knew why, and it earned Dylan another kick as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly too hard and big for his britches. That hadn’t happened in a while.

“No reason,” Dylan said smoothly as he pulled his arm back and put some distance between him and Kristen.

He needed the moment and the fresh air to get control of his unruly body, but that control escaped him. For the first time in a really long time, he couldn’t seem to will his dick down. It was rebelling.

It wanted Kristen. Normally it wasn’t so picky, which made this moment kind of alarming. Was Brandon contagious? Was he coming down with the same virus? No. That would not happen to him.

“Are you okay?” Kristen asked, her gaze suddenly sweetly concerned, and Dylan felt his heart pound.

“Oh shit.” This could not be happening. Not to him. “I gotta go.”

* * * *

With that, Dylan left. Brandon watched him go with a scowl, wondering what the hell had just gotten into him. Whatever it was, it was probably nothing. He was probably just playing, making a grand exit that left Kristen staring after him with a frown.

“I think something is wrong with your friend,” she suggested, seeming momentarily distracted by Dylan’s rapid retreat, which was probably the point.

“I’m sure he’ll be all right.” Brandon was certain of it.

He didn’t know if he could say the same about himself, though. Not with that damn pink scoter sitting outside. He took a breath and forced himself to sound reasonable instead of incensed as he tried to pick up on the bridge Dylan had built for him.

“And he wasn’t wrong. I am concerned.”

“I don’t understand why.”

“And that scares me even more.” It really did. “You shouldn’t ride that thing until you understand the dangers.”

“That was what I was thinking about believing you,” Kristen retorted tartly. “This is another setup, isn’t it? I’m supposed to melt with tender feelings because you care, aren’t I? Then you’ll sweep me up into an embrace that leaves me forgetting all good sense.”

“No, it isn’t,” Brandon insisted, refusing to allow himself to be distracted by the suggestion that he could make her lose all sense. He already knew that.

“Look.” He stretched forward, trying to will her to believe him. “I didn’t start that stupid competition, and I wasn’t a part of it, and it wasn’t even really about you.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No. It was about me.” He knew how that sounded and wasn’t shocked that she doubted him.

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Don’t. The guys, they know that I’ve got this thing for you, and they were just taunting me is all. You have to believe me,” Brandon pleaded, never having found himself in the position of having to beg for anything but willing to lower his pride for her.

“I would do anything to prove it to you,” he swore and knew he’d just caught a break when Kristen straightened up and eyed him curiously.

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

“Then you won’t mind attending church with me and my parents this weekend.” Kristen smiled brilliantly, but Brandon suddenly saw a trap widening beneath his feet.

“Uh…yeah, about that.” Brandon breathed out a deep breath and silently cursed Dylan. “I’ve already been invited.”

“What?” Kristen frowned.

“Dylan, he…uh, kind of met your parents for tea and
⎯
”

“He did
what?
” The force of her indignation had Kristen actually lifting out of her seat. “How dare he!”

“He was just trying to help me out,” Brandon tried desperately to explain.

“You don’t understand,” Kristen snapped as she fell back into her seat, her elbows hitting the table and her hands catching her head as she moaned. “My mom’s going to have me engaged to that jerk by the end of the week!”

Brandon blinked in that complaint and, for some reason, couldn’t help smiling. That would teach Dylan to get involved in his business. Brandon could almost see it now, and it was funny as hell.

“Well, I’m glad to see my impending doom amuses you,” Kristen muttered as she glared balefully across the table at him.

“No.” Brandon shook his head. “But Dylan’s impending doom does.”

That had Kristen’s head lifting out of her hands as she straightened up, a hint of hurt glinting in her eyes. “You consider marriage to me to be impending doom?”

“No, but I consider being henpecked by your mother to be a nightmare that Dylan roundly deserves to suffer.” Brandon met her gaze with a snicker. “Don’t you?”

For the first time, they shared a smile. Then Brandon dared to press his luck and reach out to cover her small hands with his as he sobered up.

“I really am sorry about what happened at Duncan’s party. I didn’t mean for things to get that out of control, but you just have this effect on me.”

Kristen blushed, a hopeful glimmer rekindling in her eyes. “Really?”

“Really, but that’s no excuse.” Brandon took a deep breath, willing himself to relax, as it seemed he was finally making progress. “You deserve better, and I would be honored to escort you to church.”

Kristen blinked and shyly looked down at the table as she began in a hesitant voice. “You know, some of my friends and I are going dancing on Saturday down at the Strut in Dothan. Have you ever been there?”

“No, I can’t say that I have, but I love to dance.” Especially if that meant having a chance to hold her close once again.

“Maybe you’d like to join us, and, um, we could even get some dinner first.” Kristen glanced up from beneath her lashes to offer up that hopeful sounding suggestion, and Brandon felt his heart melt. She really was sweet, and so much fun to tease.

“Why, Miss Kristen, are you asking me out on a date?”

Saturday, May 17
^th

Kristen was still blushing two days later as she stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe she was going on a date. An actual date! And
she’d
been the one to ask the guy out. It was as if she was a whole new woman.

A whole new woman that had a date with a very attractive deputy.

Kristen couldn’t help but sigh as her thoughts turned back to Brandon. She called him that in the privacy of her own mind, daring to dream of him in ways that were all too sinful to be repeated. That didn’t stop her from quivering with a rush of delight as she thought one day, maybe, they might come true. One day she just might let him kiss her again.

Not tonight, though. That would be moving too fast, and Kristen had already decided she wasn’t going to make that mistake again. That reserve got tested when Deputy Hammel arrived looking fresh, pressed, and bearing flowers. His shaggy hair was combed and the smooth line of his jaw completely hairless.

He was a handsome devil with that sparkle in his eyes and the grin that assured her he was liking what he saw, too. Kristen didn’t dare to allow her gaze to wander, not like he did. She blushed as he took a slow, long look. The warmth in his gaze made her stomach quiver as a rush of pleasure flooded her senses, and felt more than her cheeks heating beneath his look.

“You sure are beautiful, Miss Kristen,” the deputy drawled out as he shook his head and lifted his smoldering gaze back up to meet hers. “And I’m going to be the envy of every man we pass tonight.”

“Why, Deputy Hammel, I do believe you are trying to sweet talk me,” Kristen teased him, unable but to melt beneath his praise.

“I think you can call me Brandon tonight,” he stated with a heat in his tone that sent a shiver down her spine.

Kristen swallowed hard and nodded. “Okay. Brandon.”

“Very good. Oh, these are for you.” He thrust the flowers clutched in his fist out to her, and she could tell they were freshly cut and couldn’t help but cast him a quick smile.

“They’re lovely,” Kristen assured him as she took the unwrapped stalks from his hand. “But I’m wondering if there is there some old lady out there you sweet talked into letting you pluck her garden?”

“No old lady,” Brandon swore. “These came from my own garden.”

“You grow flowers?” That had Kristen pausing to glance up at him in surprise. She never would have thought of him as the type.

“I prefer to say I enjoy gardening and keeping a well-kept lawn.” Brandon’s grin grew as he cast a wink at her. “Sounds a little more manly, don’t you think?”

Kristen laughed at that and nodded. “Definitely more manly. Why don’t you come on in while I go put these into water?”

“Thank you.” He accepted her invitation, following her into the house and shutting the door behind him as Kristen headed for the kitchen and a vase.

There were no vases, only glasses, but they’d do. Kristen pulled one down as Gwen appeared, dressed for one of her meetings. She scowled at the flowers lying on the counter as she pulled open the fridge to pull out the six-pack of hard cider she had stored there.

“Where did those come from?”

“Deputy Hammel,” Kristen responded primly. “We’re going on a date.”

She hadn’t told her cousin about her date and hoped to avoid her altogether tonight, not wanting to be reminded of why this was a bad idea or how gullible she might be. Kristen had a made a choice. She was going to give the man and these feelings a chance. She owed that much to herself.

Thankfully, Gwen didn’t have anything rude to say. Not to her. She just snorted and headed out to the living room as Kristen fluffed her flowers up in their new makeshift vase and began filling the glass with water.

The rumble of the faucet couldn’t drown out the conversation taking place in the living room, and Kristen couldn’t help but cock her head and listen in, even though she knew it was wrong to eavesdrop.

“Gwen.” There was distinct distaste in the deputy’s tone.

“Brandon,” Gwen shot back just as sharply. “What’s with the look?”

“You tried to screw me over.” Brandon didn’t hold back, and Kristen found herself drawn to the kitchen door as she strained to hear every word.

“What are you bitching about?”

“You knew I had nothing to do with that stupid competition. That was all Duncan, and you just had to go and run your mouth, didn’t you?”

“Kristen had a right to know.”

“Bullshit,” Brandon shot back before shocking Kristen with the accusations that he laid at her cousin’s feet. “You’re just jealous, aren’t you? You know Kristen is a true diamond, and all you are is a sack of well-used coal.”

“Jealous?” Gwen sounded honestly outraged by that suggestion. “Please. I haven’t got the time to waste.”

“Not even for the sheriff?”

“Screw you, Brandon.”

“You know he’s in love with Heather Lawson.”

“That pudgy stick in the mud won’t be able to keep him.”

Gwen attacked, proving that Brandon had hit the nail on the head. She was in love with the sheriff. Who would have ever figured wild-child Gwen would fall for a straight arrow?

“She already has him…and he’s already had you. Guess you just weren’t worth keeping, huh?”

Kristen frowned, unnerved by the harshness of Brandon’s tone. If her cousin was in love and heartbroken, then it was a sad state of affairs, and nobody should taunt her over it. That wasn’t right.

“That’s quite enough out of you, Deputy Hammel.” Kristen stepped around the corner and stepped up for a very shocked Gwen. She wasn’t any less surprised than Brandon, who reddened, hopefully in shame.

“Kristen
⎯
”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t allow you to continue to belittle and insult my cousin.”

“I didn’t mean
⎯
”

“You most certainly did.” Kristen cut him off as she stormed across the room to latch onto the front door handle and wrench it open while both Brandon and Gwen continued to gape at her. “Now, I think you should leave.”