or other.
She hadn’t seen him since, and she wanted to beat herself over the head for caring that Noah apparently didn’t care. Great sex did not a relationship make. She should have known that, except she’d never had such incredible, mind-blowing sex before. Being with Noah last night, she’d transcended physical pleasure into something else entirely. Though she didn’t want to make more of their coupling than there was, she couldn’t deny the fierce attraction she felt for him. Or how much his dismissal of her dinner with Bill hurt.
Granted, she didn’t want him throwing a fit about it, but some concern should have been warranted. If he’d had a date with some woman, she’d have been annoyed. And frankly, jealous.
“Hello, Lara? You’re in your own little world tonight, aren’t you?”
She flushed. “Sorry, Bill. That plumbing situation fried my brain today.” Not entirely untrue. She walked with him into the cute restaurant and grabbed a corner booth. “Not only did Harold take forever to come fix the problem, but the stoppage somehow migrated from two of my rooms to four of them. We had a lot to clean up before our new guests came. And don’t get me started on Shelly and her excuses for being late.”
He chuckled. “Hate to say it, but her latest excuse just walked in the door.”
A glance to her right showed Mike Buckman nodding at a few folks. Mike aimed a glare at Bill, a speculative look at her, then took a seat on the other side of the room from them.
“Oh yeah. Not a lot of love lost there.”
Lara blinked. “I hadn’t realized you two weren’t friends.”
“Why? Just because we’re both civil servants in a town the size of a quarter doesn’t mean we’re tight.”
“But I saw you two chatting yesterday at the inn.” And she’d never heard of the two of them not getting along. She could understand him not liking Mike, but everyone seemed to like Bill.
“He was letting me know to move my truck. The asshole—I mean, the good deputy—didn’t want to ticket me for being too close to the yellow curb.”
“No one pays any attention to the faded markings in front of the inn anymore.” She frowned and accepted one of the menus the waitress brought them. “Why was he bothering you about it?”
Bill lifted a brow.
“What?”
“Come on, Lara. You can’t tell me you don’t know Mike has a thing for you.”
“He does? But he’s always hanging around with Shelly. I thought they were dating.”
Bill studied the menu, and the sudden silence that settled over them made her uncomfortable. She had an odd feeling she was missing something important.
The waitress came to take their orders, then left.
“Bill?” Lara prodded.
“Look, I’m not one to gossip. I hate busybodies. But everyone knows Mike is with Shelly to make you jealous.”
“Everyone knows but me.”
“Apparently.” He sighed. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re one hot topic of speculation, honey.”
“I am?”
The waitress brought them waters and left again.
“A single, beautiful woman with brains shows up in this artsy town full of eclectic people. You stand out, if only because you’re so normal.”
“Gee, thanks.” If he only knew.
He chuckled. “You have to know you’re gorgeous. Now, now, don’t blush. It’s true.” The assessing look he gave her made her uncomfortable. “I’m a man. I know what men like. Mike wants a chance with you. I want a chance with you.” He paused. “And if I’m not mistaken, that guest of yours, Noah’s what’s-his-name, he wants a chance with you too.”
In an effort not to disclose her personal business, she focused on Mike. “Tell me again why I should think Mike Buckman wants a date with me. He’s got Shelly at his beck and call, because God knows the woman is never working when Mike crooks his little finger. He’s never given
She hadn’t seen him since, and she wanted to beat herself over the head for caring that Noah apparently didn’t care. Great sex did not a relationship make. She should have known that, except she’d never had such incredible, mind-blowing sex before. Being with Noah last night, she’d transcended physical pleasure into something else entirely. Though she didn’t want to make more of their coupling than there was, she couldn’t deny the fierce attraction she felt for him. Or how much his dismissal of her dinner with Bill hurt.
Granted, she didn’t want him throwing a fit about it, but some concern should have been warranted. If he’d had a date with some woman, she’d have been annoyed. And frankly, jealous.
“Hello, Lara? You’re in your own little world tonight, aren’t you?”
She flushed. “Sorry, Bill. That plumbing situation fried my brain today.” Not entirely untrue. She walked with him into the cute restaurant and grabbed a corner booth. “Not only did Harold take forever to come fix the problem, but the stoppage somehow migrated from two of my rooms to four of them. We had a lot to clean up before our new guests came. And don’t get me started on Shelly and her excuses for being late.”
He chuckled. “Hate to say it, but her latest excuse just walked in the door.”
A glance to her right showed Mike Buckman nodding at a few folks. Mike aimed a glare at Bill, a speculative look at her, then took a seat on the other side of the room from them.
“Oh yeah. Not a lot of love lost there.”
Lara blinked. “I hadn’t realized you two weren’t friends.”
“Why? Just because we’re both civil servants in a town the size of a quarter doesn’t mean we’re tight.”
“But I saw you two chatting yesterday at the inn.” And she’d never heard of the two of them not getting along. She could understand him not liking Mike, but everyone seemed to like Bill.
“He was letting me know to move my truck. The asshole—I mean, the good deputy—didn’t want to ticket me for being too close to the yellow curb.”
“No one pays any attention to the faded markings in front of the inn anymore.” She frowned and accepted one of the menus the waitress brought them. “Why was he bothering you about it?”
Bill lifted a brow.
“What?”
“Come on, Lara. You can’t tell me you don’t know Mike has a thing for you.”
“He does? But he’s always hanging around with Shelly. I thought they were dating.”
Bill studied the menu, and the sudden silence that settled over them made her uncomfortable. She had an odd feeling she was missing something important.
The waitress came to take their orders, then left.
“Bill?” Lara prodded.
“Look, I’m not one to gossip. I hate busybodies. But everyone knows Mike is with Shelly to make you jealous.”
“Everyone knows but me.”
“Apparently.” He sighed. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re one hot topic of speculation, honey.”
“I am?”
The waitress brought them waters and left again.
“A single, beautiful woman with brains shows up in this artsy town full of eclectic people. You stand out, if only because you’re so normal.”
“Gee, thanks.” If he only knew.
He chuckled. “You have to know you’re gorgeous. Now, now, don’t blush. It’s true.” The assessing look he gave her made her uncomfortable. “I’m a man. I know what men like. Mike wants a chance with you. I want a chance with you.” He paused. “And if I’m not mistaken, that guest of yours, Noah’s what’s-his-name, he wants a chance with you too.”
In an effort not to disclose her personal business, she focused on Mike. “Tell me again why I should think Mike Buckman wants a date with me. He’s got Shelly at his beck and call, because God knows the woman is never working when Mike crooks his little finger. He’s never given
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