Mixing Temptation (4 page)

 

Chapter 3

“
I
BET YOU
'
RE
wondering the same thing I am.”

“I doubt that, Miss Lily.” Josh lowered his plastic pint glass from his lips, savoring the taste of the state's leading microbrew, which Josie Fairmore—­now Mrs. Josephine Tager—­had declared the signature drink for her backyard wedding. “But if you're mentally undressing other women at parties you should probably tell Dominic. Trust me, that is something your boyfriend would want to know.”

Lily Greene stepped in front of him. Long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders, teasing the neckline of her strapless pink dress, but Josh didn't give a damn about the curves beneath the bubble-­gum colored fabric. She was blocking his view of the only woman he wanted to see naked.

Caroline.

“I've never seen Caroline in a dress,” Lily mused. “Where does she keep her gun under that outfit?”

“If I talk her out of it later, I'll let you know.” He tried to step around Lily. He'd kept his distance from Caroline during the ceremony, but now that the reception was in full swing under the rented tent beside Noah's old barn, he wanted to talk to the woman who'd walked in here looking like she'd borrowed a page from his fantasies.

Tight dress, high heels, no panties. . .

OK, he couldn't say for sure she'd skipped the underwear from this vantage point. But he could see her pale green sundress. The top hugged her torso. He'd felt her full breasts when Caroline pressed up against him during the one and only time they'd kissed. And yeah, he'd been surprised by how much she'd been hiding behind those baggy shirts she wore to Big Buck's.

She'd filled out since the first night he found her in the woods looking like she hadn't eaten much while freaking
walking
from Northern California. But she was still petite, even in those high-­heeled wedges strapped to her feet.

The bride of the hour had once described Caroline's look as ‘wood nymph meets G.I. Jane' when someone suggested they looked alike. And Josh had to agree. Josie and Caroline were roughly the same height, similar dark hair and pale skin, but the similarities stopped there. There was something about the way Caroline carried herself—­a little wild and rough around the edges—­that set her apart.

He cocked his head and studied Caroline's slim ankles and muscular calves. How had he known this woman for over a year and never seen her legs? And while he was asking questions, he couldn't escape the one his brothers hurled at him over and over: how long did he plan to wait for her? As his big brother had kindly pointed out last week, Josh hadn't slept with a woman since before he first met Caroline.

But he'd learned patience since his accident. Losing his short-­term memory, spending months in rehab, working his ass off to reclaim his sense of self, he'd grown accustomed to waiting for what he wanted.

Still, he'd like to find out if Caroline had attended the wedding without her panties.

Lily reached out and took his free hand. “I think she needs a friend tonight. She's still afraid of Ryan. And probably most of the other unfamiliar faces. There are a lot of cops here.”

“I know.” He pulled free from Lily's hold and stepped around her. Then he walked around the wooden dance floor Noah had installed for the reception. He waved to friends and familiar faces that called his name, but he kept his gaze focused on Caroline. The closer he got the more the dress looked like a disguise—­an attempt to soften her don't-­mess-­with-­me façade

She'd planted her high-­heeled wedges hip's distance apart. And her hands were clasped behind her back. Parade rest. He recognized the stance. It was as if her military training had seeped into her bones, becoming a permanent part of her. Caroline was a Marine.

A Marine driven into fucking hiding.

Not a lot pissed Josh off. He let go of most of the shit life hurled at him. He'd come too close to losing his chance to live to hold on tight to anger. But he wanted five minutes alone with the man who'd stolen away her future with the military. He wouldn't bring a weapon, just his fists and his rage.

But Caroline didn't need him to seek out vengeance on her behalf. She didn't need a hero. Hell, she
was
a hero. Lily had nailed it—­the fierce, frightened Marine needed a friend. Especially tonight.

He kept walking, setting his empty drink on the makeshift bar as he passed by. He grinned at Dominic Fairmore. “Might want to hand over your self-­appointed role as master of the keg to someone else. Your girlfriend is mentally undressing other women.”

“What the—­”

Josh just laughed and kept walking. His target had shifted back a step, or hell, ten. She looked as if she was on the verge of ditching the reception before they cut the cake. But then she resumed her go-­to stance with her fingers touching the tent flaps.

If she wants to blend in, she needs to stop posing like she's the freaking hired security, ready to kick some ass
. . .

When Josh first heard her story, he'd wondered if he'd stumbled on the right Caroline in the woods. The woman he'd mistaken for a protesting environmentalist was a fighter. Sure, Noah had spent the past year reminding Josh that her shitastic history labeled her a ‘victim' and Josh had pretended to listen. But he didn't see it.

If he had to describe the woman trying to blend into the side of the white rental tent, he'd toss out strong, sexy, and likely to pull a gun on him.

And shit, it looked like he wasn't the only one who thought so—­about the gun part at least. The man who ran Forever's police department when he wasn't playing the part of father of the bride stood in front of Caroline. Josh could see the question in the police chief's gaze from ten paces away and fought the urge to run to her side.

“There you are.” Caroline took his hand and pulled him to her. “You slipped away to grab drinks and came back empty-­handed?”

“I ran into a few ­people.” He nodded to Chief Fairmore. “Congratulations. Your daughter was the happiest bride I've ever witnessed. And I've seen quite a few now that all my siblings are settling down.”

The police chief beamed. “I take it you're next in line.”

That's the plan, but I fell for a woman who's hiding from, well,
you.

“I came over to welcome the one stranger in the crowd,” Chief Fairmore continued. “And learned she was your date for the evening.”

Josh nodded and tried to make sense of the web of lies Caroline had spun for the bride's curious father. As a rule, Josh stuck to the truth. It was the one lesson his late father had drilled into him over and over. No matter what kind of trouble he landed in as a kid, he had to fess up.

Caroline squeezed his hand. “I told him how we met at the bar when I started working there.”

“Josie mentioned they'd hired a dishwasher,” the police chief said, his curiosity still honed in on Caroline. “What brought you to Forever? The university?”

Caroline's nails dug into his hand. He knew she was about his age, but could easily pass for younger—­maybe twenty-­three, twenty-­four, around the same age as the glowing bride.

“No, I was just passing through,” she said, her voice wavering slightly. “Then I met Josh—­”

“I asked her to give Forever a chance. Why head to Portland when you can live and work here? I mean this town is amazing, right?” Josh said, jumping into her lie and adding to the story. He had a feeling she'd been vague. No mention of her previous connection to Noah or the military. But ­people in Forever were born curious, especially the man paid to keep the peace and follow the law.

Caroline nodded and forced a smile. “He was very convincing.”

“We're glad to have you,” Chief Fairmore said. “And I know my daughter is happy to have your help at the bar. She tells me business is booming over there. Judging from the number of underage college kids trying to slip past the bouncers, I know she's telling the truth.”

“She is. Now, if you'll excuse us, Chief, I owe my girl a drink.” Josh drew her close and snaked his arm around her slim waist. He wanted to get her away from the father of the bride before she started talking about how much she loved washing the piles of pint glasses at the bar.

Plus there's a chance she left her panties at home but strapped her gun to her thigh.

“Good to see you.” The police chief held out his right hand and Josh gave it a firm shake. “Give my best to your family.”

“Will do, sir,” he said as he led Caroline away.

The side of her body pressed against him as they moved. Tension pulsed through her, leading to hurried steps, and he wondered what would happen if he released her.

She would run.

“Thirsty?” he murmured, keeping a tight hold on her.

She ignored the question. He caught her gaze darting to the exit. “If I leave now—­without you—­he'll be suspicious.”

“Stay with me,” he said.

But not just to fool the chief of police.

Yeah, he better keep that to himself until they could talk without a tent full of onlookers.

“I'll get you that drink,” he added.

“I'm fine.” She slowed her frantic pace as they approached the makeshift bar. Then she drew to a halt ten paces from the bar where Dominic stood chatting with the woman of the hour in the flowing white gown. Caroline tilted her chin up until her gaze met his. Her kiss-­me pink lips formed a thin line. “But I owe you—­”

He shook his head. “No, you don't, Caroline.”

He wanted Caroline—­in his life, in his bed, and in his dream home. He wanted to turn her lies into the real deal, but not because she owed him.

Sure, he'd lied for her. And he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He would never leave her open to unwanted questions. All because she'd summoned the freaking courage to put on a dress and slip out of her routine for one night. She'd taken so many hits, each one knocking her further and further off track, messing with her mind and heaping fears onto a woman who'd already suffered too much.

He wanted to be there if the train derailed. She was strong. So damn strong. But life didn't play fair. He knew that better than anyone.

He'd endured his share of hits. But he'd always gotten back up and waited for the next one, determined to take another shot at finding the special formula that led to the kind of happiness that stood strong through life's ups and downs. His brothers and sister had found it. He knew it was out there.

“You don't owe me anything,” he said firmly.

“Thank you,” she murmured, the words barely above a whisper.

Keep your gratitude. I want you. Just you.

He wanted to hold her, talk to her, kiss her . . . And if now wasn't the time or the place, hell, he'd find another.

He drew Caroline in front of him. Placing his hands on her waist, careful to keep his touch light, he looked down into her green eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“As much as I trust anyone,” she said.

She didn't say no.

The smile hit him hard and fast even though he knew her answer was a far cry from yes. Grinning like he'd won the freaking lottery, he released her right hip and raised his hand to her mouth. He ran his thumb over the pad of her lips and murmured, “Kiss me. Long and hard.”

Her brow knit together. “And that will tell Josie's dad and the rest of the police force—­”

“That we're sharing a helluva lot more than pies. But don't do it for them. Kiss me because you want to. Because you remember what if felt like last time and you want—­”

“More.” She raised her hands to his face and cupped his jaw. Her gaze honed in on his lips as if assessing her target. Then she rose up on her toes and leaned forward. Her lips brushed his and he closed his eyes. The reception faded into the background. Music, voices, the sounds of laughter and joy blended together.

Don't pull back.

He tightened his hold on her hips. If she refused to deepen the kiss, he'd settle for long. They'd work their way up to hard.

Already there. . .

But his hard-­on wasn't invited to this kiss.

Caroline stepped forward and pressed her body against his. Her lips parted as their gentle kiss shifted into hot-­and-­heavy territory. Their tongues touched. Greedy. Hungry. And oh man, he felt a surge of desire to take everything this woman had to give.

She moved closer until she practically straddled his left leg. His fingers dug into the fabric of her dress. His hands were tempted to roam over her lower back, to search for a sign that she'd forgotten her underwear, but he kept the impulse in check. Her inner thigh brushed his.

No gun.

Stripped of her defenses—­her weapon, her don't-­mess-­with-­me baggy T-­shirt, and her place in the shadows—­Caroline was a bold, passionate woman. And he hated the fact that labels held her back.
Victim. Outlaw
. She was so much more than her past.

She released her hold on him and broke the kiss.

“Now what?” she murmured.

He caught her hand in his. “Now we take a walk.”

“Josh—­”

“We need to talk.” He led her past the dance floor and through the maze of tables. He nodded to Noah, who was staring after them, probably debating if he should step in and demand to know what the hell was going on. But Caroline had told her friend to stay out of her ‘friendship' with Josh. And the groom trusted her to take care of herself—­most of the time.

They stepped out of the tent and headed into the night. Stars blanketed the sky overhead and a nearly full moon illuminated the grassy stretch between the reception and the old barn. Josh debated checking the door to see if the groom had locked it up for the party. The old building was home to a handful of cats and the old mechanical bull from Big Buck's days as a country western barn catering to loggers instead of college kids.