His Kind of Wonderful (Sugar Bay #2) (4 page)

“What?”

He touched his lips. “What kind of lip balm are you wearing? It shocked me.”

She gave him a confused look.

“Never mind. Just play along. I’ll explain later.” He kept her tight to his side and looked up at Lisa. She was busy devouring him with her eyes as if
he
were the treat she’d come to the Decadent Den for. It made him feel sort of violated and he shifted Dani closer.

“Mrs. Strickland.”

“Lisa.” She corrected. “George told me you’d be here and I wanted to see if I could change your mind about the auction.”

“Not going to happen.”

Lisa glared at Dani who stood frozen in his arms. “Who’s this?”

“Dani. My girlfriend.” He felt Dani stiffen and rubbed her shoulders.

“What’s Dani short for?” Lisa looked her rival up and down as if not seeing the attraction but she wasn’t a guy. Dani was hot—not that he’d noticed. By the code of being her brother’s best friend, he hadn’t been allowed to notice. His estimate was purely that of an uninterested male.

“Danielle.” Dani pushed her glasses up her nose and stared back at Lisa.

“Dani, sweetheart, this is my boss’s wife.” He nudged her when she didn’t say anything. The silence continued for an uncomfortable length.

“Hello,” Dani managed before she shot him a WTF look. He smiled and squeezed her, hoping she’d play along.

“Well, Dani, I hope you know what your selfishness is doing to the poor kids at Hope’s Eternal Chest as well as other charities around Sugar Bay.”

“I’m sorry.” Dani shook her head. “You’ve lost me.”

“Lisa, I haven’t had a chance to tell her.”

“Yes, babe. Please tell me.” Dani put her hand on his back and pinched.

Hard.

He winced. Damn. The girl had a mean pinch. If she had pinched him a little further south, maybe he could’ve read it as sexual interest. But as it was, he was pretty sure, she was pissed. Poor Dani, she’d come in for cupcakes and was, instead, on the receiving end of a viper stare down.

“Joe has an opportunity to help raise money for the Sugar Bay Ladies League Charity Auction by volunteering as one of the bachelors.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yes. Women will bid on a dinner date with a variety of bachelors around our community but Joe seems to think you won’t like it so he’s declined our invitation.”

Dani turned to him with raised eyebrows. He willed her to understand.

“But you wouldn’t be so selfish and forbid him to help us, would you?”

Damn.
Lisa was good. He got a horrible mental image of his sorry ass on the auction block.

Mrs. MacKinnon called out, “It’s for a good cause, honey.”

He gave the little traitor a look that told her exactly what he thought of her opinion.

“Yeah, Dani. I want to see this. Don’t be cruel. Let the man volunteer.”

He sent Charlie a death glare. “See if I ever help you fix your board again.”

Charlie shrugged. “I’m desperate for entertainment. It’s a stressful season.”

Dani turned to study him. He held his breath. He could almost see the wheels spin in her mind and he willed her to follow
his
lead and not be led astray by the wicked traitors, who were only interested in cheap thrills. The smile she gave him shriveled his balls and he knew—he was toast.

“Mrs. Strickland, please forgive Joe. He was mistaken when he’d thought I would mind. For the Sugar Bay Ladies League Charity Auction, I would
gladly
forsake an evening of his company.” She wrapped an arm around his waist and patted him like he was an obedient dog. “
Gladly.”

The smile Lisa sent him exuded satisfaction. “Perfect. I’ll be in touch with the details soon. A professional photographer has volunteered his time for a photo shoot so each bachelor will get a professional spread. We can use them to generate interest. I predict a very successful event.”

“Yay! Honey, you get to look all studly—like my very own supermodel.”

“Oh, goodie.” No one seemed to hear his lack of enthusiasm or maybe they were bent on ignoring his sorry ass.

“I vote for shirtless.” Charlie piped in.

“Ohhh. I second that notion.”

He glared at Mrs. MacKinnon but she shrugged. “I’m old, sweetie, not blind.”

“Action shot outdoors or sexy bedroom scene?” Lisa asked.

Charlie’s finger tapped her chin as if the question required deep thought. His head began to pound. “He does do good things for that beat up jeep of his.”

“Hey!” Tallulah was his baby.

“Sorry, it’s a step up from a piece of crap, man.”

“She’s a work in progress,” he bit out.

“Whatever,” Charlie said and turned her attention back to the ladies. “Maybe his porch would be a compromise. He’s got a swinging bed out there. So you could use it for an intimate layout
and
utilize the beach background.”

Lisa looked back at him as if speculating how Charlie knew about his sleeping porch, as if he’d done the deed with Charlie.
Hell no.
Maybe she thought since she and Charlie were about the same age, he’d consider Lisa in a sexual manner as well. Anothe
r hell no
. Not because of the age, but because Charlie was his honorary big sister, a pain-in-the-ass, I’m-gonna-prank-you-if-you-don’t-shut-up kind of big sister.

“Hmmm. That’s something to think about. I’ll run it by the committee.” Lisa beamed at them. “I’m so excited. Got to run. Collin’s practice is almost over and I don’t want to be late for pick up.”

Finally the front door closed behind her and Dani stepped away to beeline towards the cupcakes on display. He felt the loss of contact.

Charlie handed him a pale pink box of treats wrapped with a bow. “Here you go, lover boy—on the house. Totally worth it for the entertainment value alone.” Her satisfied smirk made him glad he and her brothers had pranked her all those years ago. Any lingering guilt he may have felt had disappeared. She nodded towards Dani. “Does Derek know about this?”

“Not yet.”

“Didn’t think so.” She grabbed his chin and angled his face to the left, then to the right. “Hold still. I’m taking a mental snapshot because your pretty face won’t look the same after he gets through with you.”

He pulled away. “Very funny.”

She laughed and walked off. “ I know, right?” Her evil cackle rang through the store.

A family with twins walked in and he escaped through the front door to sit on the pink bench in front. He took a bracing breath. The day had taken on a Hitchcock like twist and it wasn’t even noon yet.

A few minutes later the door jingled and a pair of brown boots with tiny painted flowers appeared in his sightline.

“Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do.”

He sighed and scooted over. “Sit.”

“If that’s how you talk to your girlfriends, I’m not surprised you’ve been single for this long.”

“Dani. I need a favor.”

She sat next to him and took his box. She opened it up and selected a cupcake.

“Hey. Those are mine.” He grabbed one before she slammed the lid, nearly missing his fingers. “Didn’t you just come from there?”

“Dylan sent me to order Janie’s birthday cake. I was going to get a cupcake to go but Charlie said you could share. Talk fast. I’ve got an appointment in a few minutes.”

“With whom?”

“None of your business.” She pushed her glasses up her nose and glared. “So?”

He shook his head. His thoughts had swerved in another direction. “I’ll come by tomorrow after my shift. It’s too complicated to tell you now. But know, for the time being, you’re my girlfriend. Got it?”

She sighed. “Fine. Fine. My heart beats for you. I long for your wondrous presence.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “I have a feeling this favor will be a huge and since I’m not cheap, I’ll take these as down payment.”

And she did.

She walked right off with his box of goodies and left him with just one.

Son of a bitch.

The day was one for the record books.

“I’m glad you killed Tom.”

“You didn’t like him?”

“He was a slimy bastard and deserved to die.”

“You don’t think his demise was over the top?” Isaac pushed his hair away from his eyes. Professor Higgins wore his medium length hair shaggy with the occasional leather tong hair tie. He’d perfected a signature hair flip his female students adored. They fought to be his
flavor of the month.
His wife was sweet but seemingly oblivious to her husband’s alternate life.

“Are you kidding? It was completely fitting. I kept picturing Esme in Milly’s place at the tea party. Made me so sick, I had to snuggle with the girls until I could get rid of the mental image.”

Isaac chuckled and scooted his chair so another customer squeeze behind him. “Maybe our relationship isn’t working for you then.”

“You kept me up all night but,” she leaned in and whispered, “I’d do anything for you and you know it. You’ve got skills no one else has and I’m taking full advantage.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ve got something for you as well.” Higgins bent down to root through his worn out backpack and a familiar set of shoulders in a faded SBFD gray t-shirt caught her eye.

The rat.

Why was he here? She’d left his company not twenty minutes ago nursing his single cupcake. She grinned and patted her confiscated box of goodies. The girls would celebrate tonight. Chick flicks and cupcakes.
Woot. Woot.
She shifted the box out of sight.

She knew Joe was serious about his sugar but then, so was she. He’d better not try any sneaky business, especially if he wanted her cooperation. The chick from the Decadent Den run-in looked a little unhinged and Dani wasn’t sure she wanted to go near crazy again.

Joe sipped his coffee and crossed his arms across his yummy chest. He might me a sneaky sugar hoarder, but she wasn’t blind and he was beautiful. She’d snuck a peek or two, or maybe more, when he and Derek had built the backyard paradise for the girls, especially when the guys had stripped down to their shorts. She’d hidden in her attic sanctuary and gotten an eyeful. At one point she’d frozen at the sight of Joe’s silhouette as he gulped down water. He must have been hot and thirsty because water splashed down his body and he hadn’t cared. The sun had given him a sensuous glow, making the scene Pinterest worthy. She’d taken a photo or two but only in the name of research. The images were in a secret folder on her laptop she pulled out for inspiration. A touch over six feet and not too muscular, lean but with definition, he had a swimmer’s body except he didn’t shave his chest hair for streamlined speed. He had a man’s body with a smattering of chest hairs that narrowed down to the intriguing shadow down his shorts.

Holy cow.

Isaac bumped his head under the table and she snapped back to the present.

If Joe leaned any further back in his chair, he’d fall, which would serve him right. He no longer pretended to nurse his coffee. The jerk was flat out eavesdropping.

She narrowed her eyes and looked down at the partial manuscript she’d edited for Higgins. The Professor came up for air just as an idea occurred to her.

“Here it is. What you’ve been waiting for. Drum roll, please—”

“Higgins, there’s something I want you to know…”

“Yes? What is it?” Higgins flipped through the pages of his sketchbook.

“I’m so glad you’re my man.”

“Huh?” Wide eyes blinked at her from behind dark framed glasses. He pushed them up his nose and stared at her in confusion. He’d never made a play for her, respecting the hands off vibe she’d erected between them. She figured he needed Dani for editing purposes, which far outweighed his need to get laid, especially when he had others more willing to be his playthings.

She shook her head, pointing behind him, placing a finger over her lips. With her eyes she coaxed him to play along. She cleared her throat and channeled her inner seductress. “Professor, you’re so good—the best I ever had. I especially like that thing you do with your tongue—so many guys don’t know their way down south, so when you—”

“Yes?” Higgins looked intrigued and leaned forward in his chair. Dani rolled her eyes at the professor’s eagerness and looked at Joe balancing on the chair’s thin back legs try to get closer without falling.

“When you come from behind and lick up my—“

At that moment Joe’s chair finally protested the misuse and dumped his ass on the floor and a loud clatter rang in the busy coffee shop.

“Shit.”

Dani giggled and Joe shot her an angry glare from his spot on the floor. Patrons got out of their chairs to help but Joe waved them away. Others were riveted at the sight of a sexy alpha male sprawled on the floor and one lady snapped a shot with her phone. Joe grimaced. “I’m okay. I slipped, that’s all.” He stood and addressed the room, “Let this be a lesson to the youth here. Don’t try to balance on the back legs of your chair, fellows. Just don’t do it. Listen to your mother. She knows best.”

A few moms with preschoolers giggled and murmured to their children who pointed at Joe. Everyone returned to their business while Joe focused his attention on Dani and Isaac.

“Very cute.”

Isaac shrugged. “I just followed her lead.”

Dani crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you doing?”

“Having my coffee.”

“No. What are you
really
doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Uh huh. Nothing to do with a favor for Derek?”

“Nope.” He shook his head and she knew he’d die before he confessed so she grabbed Isaac’s sketches and shoved them inside her bag.

“We’ll discuss this later, Professor. I’ve got to go.”

***

Joe knocked on the front door to the farmhouse Dani lived in with Dylan and her three daughters. After his shift, he’d gone home for a shower and a change but knew he needed to talk to Dani as soon as possible.

Several minutes went by with no one coming to the door. He heard raised voices on the other side so someone was home. He tried the doorbell and waited.

At last he heard the sound of booted feet running towards him. The door was flung open and Esme stood blocking the entrance. Joe took in her outfit of rain boots, tutu and tiara. “Where’s the flood?”