Sweet Hill Homecoming (12 page)

Mia felt his dominance flood her. Overpower her. Somewhere in her foggy brain she was aware she wasn’t running the show this time. He was.
 

He drank down every gasp she let out. Slow, hard, friction between their mouths made cracks of pleasure tingle her lips and she lapped at him for more.
 

While intense, Tate remained controlled. Calculated. Just like he approached everything else, she was learning.
 

She wanted more. Couldn’t stop. The fact that she kind of hated him and kind of liked him didn’t seem to combat her emotions. It fueled it. She wanted to consume and be consumed. And it felt like Tate was looking for the same thing.
 

“You drive me crazy,” he said against her mouth, then nipped her bottom lip. She nodded and delved her tongue inside to show just how much he affected her. Good and bad.
 

“Fucking insane,” she agreed and sucked the tip of his tongue. He hissed and clutched her closer. Keeping a tight grip on him, she stepped back into her apartment, ready to take this to her bedroom, but then he stalled, easing from her grasp.

Breathing hard, he took a step away. His dark eyes like smoldered obsidian. She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t pulling away, she was going inside with him.
 

But reality hit when she looked at his face.
 

He
was pulling away.

She’d gotten caught up, and the Deputy obviously had more restraint than she did because he didn’t see this going anywhere beyond a kiss.
 

Running a hand over her hair in attempts to smooth it down and gain some composure, the gesture did little for her buzzing body and raw mouth.
 

“Good night, Mia,” he said, as if a standard greeting would suffice and they hadn’t just been trying to climb each other. Whatever was going through the Deputy’s mind was anyone’s guess, but it wasn’t going further with her.

It was a kiss.
 

It was done.
 

That message was clear.
 

“Goodnight, Deputy,” she replied, wishing her voice hadn’t cracked on the last syllable.
 

She went inside and shut the door. Tried really hard not to overthink what had just happened but the reality was blaring in her face.
 

“Another moment with no forethought,” she mumbled to herself. Proving Tatum right about her…and that stung. Because like a fool, she got swept up in that kiss and committed to go for more. Wanted to. But Tate didn’t appear to have the same thought. She didn’t miss the irony of the moment or how her actions a week ago outside the bar were now bitter. Because tonight, it had been him who walked away from her.
 

The playing field was even.

She’d remember that and made a vow right then that she wouldn’t make the mistake of getting caught up in the Deputy’s charms again.

Chapter Seven

“This is looking good,” Tate said, glancing around his backyard where ten, simple booths stood along his fence. Thank god he had some land, otherwise he’d have no clue where to put these until the event.
 

“Thank you, sir,” Kyle said, hammering in the last nail to the eleventh booth. A few pieces of plywood, a long afternoon and between him and Kyle, they had knocked out half the booths needed for the community event.
 

He hadn’t seen or talked to Mia in the last few days. Not since he kissed her. And no, he wasn’t counting the few text messages giving him tasks to do for the event as talking. He did learn that even via text message, Mia had sass. Her acronyms could be brutal.
 

She didn’t seem to care for the semi-colon-closed-bracket back to the text instructing him that the booths should be painted red, green and white, because she came back with a symbol of her own.
 

He had no idea one could make a symbol that looked like the middle finger.
 

Okay, so she obviously wasn’t happy with him and it may have something to do with that kiss the other night. The woman was all fire and even though he knew that kiss was a bad idea, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
 

“By the time Santa’s Sleigh Drive is here, your community service will be completed,” Tate said.
 

Kyle nodded.
 

He seemed like a good kid. Focused and respectful.

“I’m hearing good things about you. Gearing up for your next game?” Tate asked.
 

“Yes, sir.” Kyle said. “It will be the first time my sister gets to see me play. She took the night off.”
 

Kyle glanced at Tate and he knew what he meant. He was sure Mia must have reiterated their first meeting. He knew she was trying to get to the game that night but he didn’t know about her brother playing. Maybe he would have acted differently.
 

Maybe?

He shook his head. She was the one who insisted on arguing. Which took up time. He certainly didn’t keep her there. Still, the twinge of guilt in his chest throbbed a little.
 

“That’s good.” Tate had that night off too and he had planned on going to the game. Seeing Mia would be a plus. He had a hell of a time stepping back the other night. Hell, he had been ready to take her into her apartment and continue what they had going. He had been on duty in uniform and almost took her right there.
 

The draw to Mia went beyond his logic. There was something there, but when she clutched to him, let off a soft little moan that was half sweet, half strong and all woman, he knew he had to stop.
 

Because being with Mia was already something he was having a hard time walking away from. A woman like her sunk hooks in and left men reeling and attached. Not smart for a man like Tate. Attaching himself to something or someone made his gut hurt. It gave them power over him. Gave them ability to show their true colors and Tate wasn’t interested in taking chances. Especially since he couldn’t tell if Mia even liked him half the time.
 

They were too different.
 

But damn there was a fire in her that he’d never seen another woman harbor.

“Your sister said you were having some friends over after the game?” Tate said, sanding down one of the corners on a booth.
 

“Yes, sir. Just going to play some X-box football and hang out,” Kyle said and he could tell the kid lit up a little.
 

Tate knew he was part of a hazing prank with the graffiti, one he was manning up to take responsibility for, and Tate could respect that. Just wished the kids who actually did it were held accountable.
 

“Not the guys who set you up, I take it?” Tate pushed a little.
 

Kyle glanced away.
 

“I left Sweet Hill last year and am coming back in the middle of football season,” he said as if that was supposed to make any sense.
 

Then it hit Tate. The kid wouldn’t say a lie out loud. Kyle knew who painted the wall. But wouldn’t deny or acknowledge it for whatever reason.
 

“Guess you coming back mid-season and getting a starting slot must not sit well with some of your teammates?”
 

Kyle hammered another nail and didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. Tate may not be a detective, but he was pretty good at reading the obvious signs.
 

A small town could be difficult to integrate, or reintegrate into. A “newcomer” could always be difficult to handle.
 

It was coming together. Tate just had to keep his eye out.
 

 
“So you went to Seattle with your sister right?”
 

Kyle nodded. “After our mom died. Mia worked real hard and put me in the nicest schools.”
 

“Schools?”
 

“I had some problems…” Kyle trailed off. “But this time is different. We’re home.”
 

Tate watched the kid take a deep breath like word “home” was the glue that was holding him together. Sweet Hill was his home.
 

“Mia gave up a lot so we could come back. I need to make her proud,” Kyle said with determination.
 

“I’m sure you do make her proud.”
 

Something in Tate’s chest shifted. The way Kyle talked about his sister, and the ferocity Mia gave when it came to her brother was something that was special. He couldn’t help but admire. There was more to Mia, and to the dynamic of her family than he realized. He was starting to learn that she did everything viciously. Once you got around her tactics, the woman was all fire, fight and passion. And those were all good things. They could also all leave a man beaten, burnt and belligerent though.
 

Tate thought of her sparkling eyes and demanding mouth. Especially when it was laced with his. Maybe burning up wouldn’t be so bad.
 

~

Mia walked along the high school track that circled the football field, making her way to the bleachers. The band was playing, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs wafted in the cool breeze and everyone was on their feet. Several kids were scattered in their obvious clicks standing and talking while most of the adults and parents were in the stands.
 

The cheerleaders lined the field and the Sweet Hill football team tore through the paper banner and took the field. Mia clapped when she saw her brother, number eighty-eight.
 

She thought he looked big normally? In full gear and helmet he was one of the biggest kids on the field.
 

“Go Kyle!” she yelled when the team took their spot on the sideline. He glanced her way and she stood on her tippy toes and waved.
 

Her red gloved hands matched her knitted hat and she tugged her coat a little tighter. It was chilly but a clear night for football. The grass was crisp and green and the freshly laid chalk illuminated under the bright lights. Not a single thing had changed since she had gone to school here. And for a heartbeat, she felt like she was content.
 

“Brings back memories doesn’t it?” Mia turned to the sweet voice of Abby McAdams.
 

“Some better than others,” Mia replied.
 

Abby smiled, but Mia knew better than to trust it. Because that woman’s bite was sharper than it looked.
 

“You’re not still mad about the pesky little rumor are you?”
 

“You had the entire school thinking I was a prostitute.”

“That’s not true,” Abby said ever so nicely. “I said you gave special favors in exchange for doing your homework. How was I supposed to know people would take that and run with it?”

Mia just shook her head.
 

“Besides, you ran off to wherever it was you went before I could apologize.” Abby reached out her hand and Mia eyed it, wondering where the snake would pop out to bite her at. “We’re working Santa’s Sleigh Drive together and I think we should bury the hatchet.”

With a long breath, Mia shook the woman’s hand. This was a start. Maybe Sweet Hill and some of the town’s folk had changed.
 

“Now that that is settled, why don’t you pop by the fire station Monday. Noelle is coming and we can discuss a few things about vendors. Since we’ve done coats before, I have a guy that will donate quite a few.”

“Sounds great,” Mia said, a little shocked Abby was being so helpful. “I can come by after work.”
 

“Wonderful!” She gave a little wave and adjusted her light pink knitted hat and matching mittens.
 

Mia felt like a major piece of the puzzle she wasn’t looking forward to dealing with was slipping into place. If she could make it in Sweet Hill, she could finally be home. Kyle would have a place to call home and they could move on from the past and the not so flattering reputation their last name came with.

“Beautiful night,” Tate said.
 

She looked to her right to see him standing next to her. Wearing a black wool coat, dark jeans, and just a hint of Friday night stubble, the man looked amazing. His eyes glowed dark but there was an ease about him. And Mia felt anything but calm, especially since she still hadn’t gotten her body to stop pulsing since the night he kissed her.
 

“It is.” She glanced at him. “Kyle said you guys made good headway on the booths yesterday.”
 

He nodded. “We did.”

“Good.”
 

He smiled, apparently not catching her clip tone that she wasn’t interested in chatting, especially about the other night. Or he did catch it, just didn’t care.

“I wanted to talk to you about the other night.”
 

Yep. Didn’t care. Unfortunately for Mia, she didn’t want to chat about it because just his eyes on her and the reference to other parts being on her, like his mouth, made her instantly hot and bothered.