me anything but dirty looks.”
“Nah. That’s his way of showing his interest.” Bill took a sip of water. “I’ve lived in plenty of places before Brownville, and I’ve come across my share of cops and firemen. We’re all pretty much the same. We like control because we work hard to dictate the actions of others. I want to prevent fires and promote safety. Mike, for all his hostility, wants the same. So when it comes to women, a guy like Mike will try to bully you into a date instead of asking you, because he doesn’t want to chance a rejection.”
“Whereas you…”
He grinned. “I’ll charm you out of your socks. And if I’m lucky, out of the rest of your clothes, while I’m at it.”
She choked on the water she’d started to swallow. “I’m flattered, I think. But from what I’ve heard, you have women dropping at your feet whenever you flash those bright blue eyes.”
He fluttered his lashes at her, and she laughed.
Their sandwiches arrived, and they continued to talk about the town and the current goings-on of several shops expanding business. To Lara’s relief, they steered clear of more personal conversation.
After dinner, Bill walked her back to the inn. “Thanks for the meal, Lara. But it was the company that made it great.”
“What a nice thing to say.” She smiled as she turned to face him, but the odd expression on his face worried her. “Bill?”
One minute he was staring at her, the next he was kissing her, where anyone and everyone could see them. His lips were warm but firm, his breath sweet and minty, thanks to the candy mint he’d eaten after dinner. But the sexual heat she might have expected didn’t appear. No belly flutters, no hard nipples, not even a whisper of arousal at being so close to a handsome man. His kiss was nice but blah. Then he tightened his grip on her arms.
She tried to pull back and worried he wouldn’t let her, when he suddenly released her and stepped back.
“Christ. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rough.” The chagrin on his face more than made up for his heavy-handed manner.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” He swore and ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. I’m sorry. I really like you. And you look so pretty in the twilight like that. Your eyes are so dark, so mysterious. I’ve had a thing for you for months, Lara. I thought, maybe, with you taking me to dinner, you were—”
“Lara, there you are.” Noah walked down the walkway of the inn and joined them. “I was going to ask you to dinner, but I figured you already went out. I had a few things to go over with you about the inn. You know, those art pieces you were inquiring about?”
Bill frowned at him. “We’re kind of in the middle of something.”
“Oh? Sorry.” Noah didn’t sound sorry. But he didn’t sound jealous either.
At least she wouldn’t be the cause of a scene. The thought depressed her. “Bill, I’d better go in. I have a few more things to do before I can call it a night.”
Bill shot Noah another dirty look before shrugging at Lara. “Well, I have to get back to work anyway. Think about what I said, okay? You have my number if you need me.” Ignoring Noah, he bent to give her a peck on the cheek. Then he left for his truck.
She and Noah watched him drive away in silence.
“What about this art piece?” she asked, still watching Bill’s truck until it turned the corner. How odd that for years she’d had nothing special going on in her private life. Now, in the span of a few short days, she had a lover and an admirer—one who wouldn’t be leaving in a few days. Though Bill didn’t spark fireworks like Noah did, that didn’t mean he was a total write-off. Maybe after she got Noah out of her system, she could settle with a nice, handsome, respectable man. He had a steady job, after all. A pillar of the community. And she genuinely liked him.
When
“Nah. That’s his way of showing his interest.” Bill took a sip of water. “I’ve lived in plenty of places before Brownville, and I’ve come across my share of cops and firemen. We’re all pretty much the same. We like control because we work hard to dictate the actions of others. I want to prevent fires and promote safety. Mike, for all his hostility, wants the same. So when it comes to women, a guy like Mike will try to bully you into a date instead of asking you, because he doesn’t want to chance a rejection.”
“Whereas you…”
He grinned. “I’ll charm you out of your socks. And if I’m lucky, out of the rest of your clothes, while I’m at it.”
She choked on the water she’d started to swallow. “I’m flattered, I think. But from what I’ve heard, you have women dropping at your feet whenever you flash those bright blue eyes.”
He fluttered his lashes at her, and she laughed.
Their sandwiches arrived, and they continued to talk about the town and the current goings-on of several shops expanding business. To Lara’s relief, they steered clear of more personal conversation.
After dinner, Bill walked her back to the inn. “Thanks for the meal, Lara. But it was the company that made it great.”
“What a nice thing to say.” She smiled as she turned to face him, but the odd expression on his face worried her. “Bill?”
One minute he was staring at her, the next he was kissing her, where anyone and everyone could see them. His lips were warm but firm, his breath sweet and minty, thanks to the candy mint he’d eaten after dinner. But the sexual heat she might have expected didn’t appear. No belly flutters, no hard nipples, not even a whisper of arousal at being so close to a handsome man. His kiss was nice but blah. Then he tightened his grip on her arms.
She tried to pull back and worried he wouldn’t let her, when he suddenly released her and stepped back.
“Christ. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rough.” The chagrin on his face more than made up for his heavy-handed manner.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” He swore and ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. I’m sorry. I really like you. And you look so pretty in the twilight like that. Your eyes are so dark, so mysterious. I’ve had a thing for you for months, Lara. I thought, maybe, with you taking me to dinner, you were—”
“Lara, there you are.” Noah walked down the walkway of the inn and joined them. “I was going to ask you to dinner, but I figured you already went out. I had a few things to go over with you about the inn. You know, those art pieces you were inquiring about?”
Bill frowned at him. “We’re kind of in the middle of something.”
“Oh? Sorry.” Noah didn’t sound sorry. But he didn’t sound jealous either.
At least she wouldn’t be the cause of a scene. The thought depressed her. “Bill, I’d better go in. I have a few more things to do before I can call it a night.”
Bill shot Noah another dirty look before shrugging at Lara. “Well, I have to get back to work anyway. Think about what I said, okay? You have my number if you need me.” Ignoring Noah, he bent to give her a peck on the cheek. Then he left for his truck.
She and Noah watched him drive away in silence.
“What about this art piece?” she asked, still watching Bill’s truck until it turned the corner. How odd that for years she’d had nothing special going on in her private life. Now, in the span of a few short days, she had a lover and an admirer—one who wouldn’t be leaving in a few days. Though Bill didn’t spark fireworks like Noah did, that didn’t mean he was a total write-off. Maybe after she got Noah out of her system, she could settle with a nice, handsome, respectable man. He had a steady job, after all. A pillar of the community. And she genuinely liked him.
When
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