[Carly Phillips] The Bachelor (The Chandler Brothe(Bookos.org) (1)

One hand on his gun, the other on the open window, he leaned down. “Can I help you, miss?”

The woman turned to face him. She had a unique shade of red hair and the hugest green eyes he’d ever seen. Maybe at one time her makeup had been bridal perfect but tears had smudged the mascara and streaked her blush.

Something about her rang familiar, but Rick couldn’t say what. In a small town, he recognized most people, but every once in a while someone surprised him. “I take it you’re having car problems?”

She nodded and sucked in a deep breath of air. “I don’t suppose you can tow me?” Her husky voice sounded like she’d just taken a sip of warm brandy.

The desire to drink from her lips and see for himself took him off guard. Not only had he thought he’d steeled himself against this woman’s charms, but he hadn’t responded to any woman or seduction attempt since his mother’s marriage push had begun. Yet faced with this so-called blushing bride, he started to sweat, the heat internal and not caused by the blazing summer sun.

He glanced at her warily. “I can’t tow you myself but I can call Ralph’s and he can send his truck over.”

He focused on her car problem and not her delicious-looking mouth.

“Do you think you can help me out of here first?” She extended her ringless hand. “I’d get out myself but I think I’m stuck.” Material rustled as she tried to maneuver out of the car.

He still wasn’t sure whether he had a real woman in distress and he weighed the odds. A bride minus an engagement or wedding ring didn’t tip things in favor of a routine stop.

None of which mattered. She had to get out of the damn car. He opened the door, then extended his hand. As she placed her smaller fingers into his grip, a jolt shook him hard. He couldn’t name the sensation, but when those shocked, vivid green eyes bore into his, he knew she felt it too.

Shaking off the unnerving feeling, he pulled her toward him. She clasped his hand tighter but when she pushed up, she teetered forward, falling into his waiting arms. Her full breasts smashed against his chest, her sweet fragrance enveloped him in sizzling awareness, and his heart picked up a fast and furious rhythm.

“Darn high heels,” she muttered in his ear.

He couldn’t help but grin. “I’m a leg man myself.”

She grabbed hold of his shoulders and stood up straight. Though she now stood far enough away for him to think more clearly, her scent was emblazoned on his memory—a fragrance made more pure by the fluffy white dress and tiara perched on the side of her head.

“Thank you for your help, Officer.” She smiled and he realized she had dimples on either side of that mouth.

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“You’re welcome,” he said, but he lied. He wished he’d never answered her S.O.S.

Rick had been exposed to many females in his lifetime and none had ever shaken him this badly. What he didn’t understand was why this woman?

He let his gaze slide over her body in an attempt to figure out her allure. Okay, so her breasts pushed up enticingly beneath the fitted material of her dress. Big deal. He’d seen breasts before. Heck, all the women who’d tried to seduce him lately had made sure theirs were prominently on display, but none made him want to chuck all rational thought and drag the woman in question into the neighboring woods and make love until the sun went down—con-artist status be damned.

Rick’s body shook in reaction to the mere thought and he forced himself to continue his perusal of her many assets. He took in her luscious mouth next. Her lips were coated with clear gloss and set in a naturally full pout that shouted kiss me. And he’d already confessed his weakness in wanting to.

Chemistry was obviously working overtime and he had to admit she was damned attractive bait for a woman his mother had sent. If his mother had sent her. Had Raina run out of women in town and decided to import one instead? Maybe that was his explanation. Perhaps it was the fact that she was new to town, new to him, that intrigued him, setup or not.

“What’s wrong?” She crinkled her nose. “You’re looking at me like you’ve never seen a woman in a wedding dress before.”

“It’s something I’ve tried to avoid.”

She grinned. “Confirmed bachelor, huh?”

Unwilling to touch that statement, he decided it was time to find out the truth. “Need me to get you to the church on time?” he asked, acting like the cop he was and not the man she’d aroused.

She swallowed. “No church, no wedding.”

So if she had been a bride, she wasn’t now. In fact she’d probably left some poor schmuck sitting at the church waiting for her to show. “No wedding, huh? Now there’s a shock. Is the groom still at the altar?”

Kendall Sutton met the hazel-eyed gaze of the sexy officer staring her down. She’d never seen a man with such thick lashes or beautiful eyes. Or more skeptical ones.

The man standing beside her obviously thought she’d bolted minutes before saying “I do,” and he wasn’t impressed with her character. Not at all. She should be offended. Instead she was curious about this cynical streak he possessed. What would make such a good-looking man view women through jaded eyes? She didn’t know but for some inexplicable reason, she didn’t want him to view her the same negative way.

She blinked into the glare of the afternoon sun, remembering how she’d ended up stranded here, when just hours earlier she’d stood in the bridal room of the church where she’d planned to get married. She’d attempted to convince herself that the waist of the dress was too tight and the fitted material cut off her oxygen supply. When that lie didn’t work, she tried to make herself believe she’d breathe just fine once nerves passed and she said “I do.” She’d been lying.

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Her impending marriage had been suffocating her. Clear, fresh air came easily once she and Brian had broken their engagement on their wedding day, but not either one of their hearts. She glanced at the policeman awaiting answers.

She didn’t need to get long-winded with her reluctant savior, but she wanted to explain. “My fiancé and I amicably parted ways.” She chose the most positive aspects of the morning, hoping he’d see she hadn’t abandoned anyone or broken any vows.

“Of course you did,” He ran a hand through his dark chocolate hair.

The long strands fell over his forehead in a manner way too sexy for her peace of mind.

“So why the tears?” he asked.

She swiped at the moisture dampening her gaze. “They’re from the sun.”

“Really?” He narrowed his gaze and studied her. “Then why the dried makeup stains?”

Observant, intelligent, and sexy. A potent combination, Kendall thought. He saw beneath the surface and she shivered despite the heat.

She sighed. “Okay, you caught me being a stereotypical female. I had a crying spell earlier.” And she still didn’t know if it was a delayed reaction to her aunt’s recent death or pure relief she hadn’t ended up trapped in marriage, or both. Either way, filled with relief, she’d jumped into her car and driven away.

“I’m impulsive.” She laughed.

He didn’t.

Kendall knew she should have waited, then pulled herself together and headed west. Sedona, Arizona, was her dream, the place where she hoped to hone her craft and learn even more about creating jewelry designs. But while still in pain over her aunt’s death, she’d been drawn to Yorkshire Falls, her aunt’s old house and the memories there. The practical fact that she could settle her aunt’s estate was a plus, not a well-thought-out plan. She still should have gone home to change before hitting the road.

When the officer remained silent, Kendall’s mouth went into overdrive, nerves compelling her to talk while he scrutinized her. “My aunt always said impulse won’t get you further than the next bus stop.

Prophetic, huh?” She took in her situation—stranded in a wedding dress, no clothes other than honeymoon attire in the trunk, and little money in her pocket, headed to her deceased aunt’s house.

“Your aunt sounds like a smart woman,” he said at last.

“She is. I mean she was.” Kendall swallowed over the lump in her throat. Aunt Crystal had died a few weeks ago, in the nursing home Kendall had almost given up her freedom to pay for. Not that her aunt had asked Kendall for anything. She’d given willingly. There were only two people on this earth Kendall would do anything for—her aunt and her fourteen-year-old sister. Over the years Kendall had gone from resenting her sibling to loving her. Once Kendall finished with Crystal’s house and things, she’d visit with Hannah at school before moving west.

The cop eyed her warily, squinting against the sun. Lines bracketed his hazel eyes, made more golden by the sun’s glimmering rays.

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“So.” He stepped closer. His masculine scent surrounded her, more potent than the heat of the sun.

“Come on. Admit the real reason you’re out here and we can get on with things.”

Get on with what things? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But her adrenaline started to flow hard and fast.

“Come on, sweetheart. I’ve rescued you. What did you think would happen next?”

“Well, gee. I don’t know. Sex in the back seat of your patrol car?”

When his eyes darkened to a stormy hue, she recognized the sexual attraction and could have bitten her tongue in two for letting that sarcastic remark escape. Still honesty forced her to admit she felt the same way. Kendall was actually tempted to drag him into the woods and have her way with him herself. She still couldn’t believe it but the policeman turned her on. More than any man ever had, including Brian.

“At least we’re getting somewhere. So you admit to entrapment?”

“I admit to no such thing. As a matter of fact I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.” She perched her hands on her hips. “So tell me, Officer. Is this how Yorkshire Falls’s finest greets all newcomers? With rudeness, sarcasm, and veiled accusations?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “If so I can see why your population remains so small.”

“We’re picky who we let settle.”

“Well, good thing for both of us I don’t plan to remain long.”

“Did I say I didn’t want you here?” His lips twitched with an obviously reluctant smile.

Even when he was at his sarcastic, even accusatory best, he had a bedroom voice that dripped charisma. Sex. She trembled.

Then she licked her dry lips. She had to get out of here. “Much as I hate to ask you for anything, can you please drive me to 105 Edgemont Street?” She had no choice but to trust in his badge, his integrity, and her own gut instinct about the man, despite his disposition.

“105 Edgemont.” His body stiffened in obvious surprise.

“That’s what I said. Drop me off there so you can see the last of me.”

“That’s what you think,” he muttered.

“Excuse me?”

He shook his head and muttered beneath his breath, then he met her gaze. “You’re Crystal Sutton’s niece.”

“Yes. I’m Kendall Sutton, but how . . .”

“I’m Rick Chandler.” He started to extend his hand, then obviously thought better of them touching again and shoved his fist into his pants pocket.

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It took a minute for his words to penetrate, but when they did, Kendall’s gaze flew to his. “Rick Chandler?” Her Aunt Crystal had kept just one friend after Kendall had moved her from her home in Yorkshire Falls to the facility near New York City. Kendall stared at his handsome face. “Raina Chandler’s son?”

“That’s me.” And he still didn’t look too pleased.

“It’s been a long time. Forever, really.” Since she was ten and she’d lived her one happy summer with Aunt Crystal before the older woman’s arthritis had been diagnosed and Kendall forced to leave. She vaguely remembered meeting Rick Chandler or had it been one of his brothers? She shrugged. Having been there one summer and only ten years old, she hadn’t gotten close to the people in town nor had she kept in touch with any once she was gone.

Moving on was the story of Kendall’s life. Her parents were archaeologists and traveled on expeditions to remote parts of the world. She’d rarely kept track of them as a child and took about as much interest in their specific whereabouts now as they took in hers.

Kendall had lived with them abroad until she turned five, when they’d sent her back to the States to be shuffled between family members. She’d often wondered why her parents had a child they never planned to raise, but she’d rarely been with them long enough to ask—until Hannah had been born and her parents had returned stateside for five years. At twelve, almost thirteen, Kendall had moved back in with them but she hadn’t opened her heart to the people who’d essentially abandoned her, but came home for their newborn baby. The rift between Kendall and her parents had widened even though they no longer had oceans and continents between them, and remained until their departure. Kendall had then been eighteen and on her own.

“You’ve grown up.” Rick’s voice brought her back to the present. A wide smile pitched his lips into a charming grin.

No doubt about it, the man had a way about him. “So have you. Grown,” she sputtered stupidly. Into a spectacular man. One with roots to this town deeper than any tree. Roots were something she knew nothing about and a sexy man who had those spelled trouble for a woman destined to wander.

“Did my mother know you were coming to town today?” Rick asked.

She shook her head. “It was another impulsive decision.” Similar to her hair, she thought and lifted a hand to the pink-colored strands.

He exhaled and seemed to relax a bit. “Spurred on by the nixed wedding?”

She nodded. “By the mutual jilting.” She bit down on her lower lip. “Nothing has gone as planned today.”

“Including your rescue?”

She grinned. “It’s been an experience, Officer Chandler.”

“That it has been.” He laughed.

The deep, husky sound curled her insides into warm, coiled knots of need.

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“Look, I know this is going to sound bizarre but do you think we could keep the details of this first meeting between us?” An actual flush stained his cheeks, something she doubted Rick Chandler experienced too often.

“Just get me out of this heat and into an air-conditioned house and I promise I won’t say a word.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t been back to Crystal’s house in a while.” It wasn’t a question, rather a statement of fact they both knew to be true.

Only Kendall knew the reasons. She shook her head. “Not for years. Why?”

He shrugged. “You’ll see for yourself. Do you have luggage in the trunk?” he asked.

“A small carry-on and a suitcase.” Filled with bathing suits and other vacation clothing. She sighed.

Nothing she could do about it now, so she’d have to go shopping for more practical clothing later.

He retrieved her bags and stowed them in his car before returning to cup her elbow in a gentlemanly gesture—unlike the cynical behavior he’d exhibited so far today.

A few minutes later they were on their way. Sweat trickled down Kendall’s back as the darn dress plastered to her wet skin. Despite the air-conditioning in the car, the cool blasts of air had done little to relieve the intense heat. Being in such close quarters with Rick Chandler made her body temperature soar, while he apparently remained oblivious to her charms.

He’d become her tour guide, pointing out the sights, such as they were, in his small hometown. All the while, he maintained a respectable distance while he talked. Too respectable, she thought irritably.

“We’re here.” Rick called her attention to Edgemont Street.

She glanced up. From a distance, the old house was just as she remembered it, a huge Victorian with wraparound porch and large front lawn. A place where she’d shared tea parties and had her first taste of beading and jewelry design before her aunt’s arthritis changed things. It was also the place where Kendall had nurtured childish dreams of staying forever with the aunt she adored.

But Crystal’s home had been temporary, just like every place prior or since. And once her aunt had been forced to send Kendall packing because of her health, Kendall had learned not to invest too much in the way of hopes and dreams in any one place or person. But if she’d learned that lesson well, then why the painful lump in her throat now, as she looked at the dilapidated house up close, through adult eyes? She let out a frustrated sigh.

Rick shifted the car into park and turned, one strong arm wrapped over the seat. “It’s gotten a little run-down over the years.”

“That’s an understatement.” She pasted on a smile. No need to dump her troubles on the man. He’d done enough for her already. “Aunt Crystal said she’d rented out the house. And since she never asked me to take care of anything while she was in the nursing home, even when I questioned her, I assumed things were going well. Guess I was wrong.”

“Appearances can be deceiving. All is well. It just depends on your perspective.”

There was that wry humor again. She laughed aloud, liking him way too much.

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“Are Pearl and Eldin expecting you?” he asked.

“The renters?” She nodded. “I called from the road and said I’d be in town but I’d take a hotel. They insisted I stay in the guest house in the back.” She wondered if it was in better shape than the main house in front of her. “I’d hoped to work out an agreement for them to buy.” With her aunt’s outstanding bills, Kendall needed to sell for a price at or above market value, not below.

She bit down on her lower lip. “If we reach an easy agreement, I could be out of here by the end of the week,” she said with more optimism than she felt.

Rick remained silent.

“What?”

He shook his head. “Nothing at all. You ready to go inside?”

She nodded, realizing she’d been stalling. Before she could gather her thoughts further, Rick met her by her car door, ready to help her out. She grit her teeth before touching him, then placed her hand inside his. The electricity sizzled, even more charged than before. She couldn’t shake it off, nor did she want to, but apparently he did because he released his grip fast, leaving her to gather her dress and head for the house.

Kendall made her way up the long drive. Her spiked heels kept catching in the broken sections of the driveway but she managed to stay on her feet—until the last step before the walkway, when her heel dug into the hot tar and wedged in good. While one leg stayed behind, her entire body pitched forward in what was destined to be a facedown sprawl onto the hard ground.

She yelped, then shut her eyes, not wanting to see what happened next.

CHAPTER TWO

What was it about women and high heels? Rick didn’t know but this one looked damn cute, even in a wedding dress. He watched her wobble up the driveway and would have helped, but he had a suitcase in one hand and a hunch they were both safer at a discreet distance—until she lost her balance.

He couldn’t prevent the fall, but he could cushion the blow and he dove forward, letting her crash on top of him instead of the solid ground. He took the hit with a hard grunt as his back made painful contact with the walkway step. He sucked in a ragged breath and was caught off guard by her fragrant, arousing scent.

Damn but she was something else. Even with the wind knocked out of him, he was aware of her, and not just because her soft flowing hair tickled his face. She was feminine and soft, everything a woman should be and yet this pink-haired enigma was uniquely herself.

“Are you okay?”

He wasn’t sure who asked the question first.

“Nothing bruised but my pride,” she admitted. “You?”

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“I’ve taken harder spills sliding into second.”

“Baseball?”

“Softball against neighboring police departments.” The inane conversation did little to take his mind off the fact that he had her in his arms again. The desire licking at him grew stronger, something she couldn’t possibly feel with all that plush lace between them. But despite the dress, he could feel plenty and it was time to untangle their bodies before he made an ass of himself by kissing her senseless. “Think you can get off before you crush me?”

“Is that a veiled reference to my weight?” she asked.

Only a confident female could joke like that, cementing the impression that she wasn’t at all like other women. She rolled off to one side and he missed the light pressure against him.

He glanced over and stifled a laugh. Instead of an easy release, she’d tangled herself further in the dress.

“You know what they say. If you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself.” He let out an exaggerated groan and rose to his feet. Then he bent down and lifted the fluffy white bundle into his arms.

“What are you doing?” She grabbed for his neck and held on tight.

His back had taken the brunt of the fall and he wasn’t about to risk a repeat episode. “Protecting my vital body parts from further injury.”

“Funny, you felt pretty intact to me.”

He sucked in a sharp breath. So much for the illusion of safety beneath the layered dress. He wanted her and she knew it.

A woman fresh from a broken engagement, one who affected him this strongly, was dangerous. She also was fun, something he just now realized he hadn’t had in a long while. Life had become routine. It was a sad commentary if he could consider his mother and her small female army of recruits routine. But Kendall wasn’t one of his mother’s women and he liked her more for it.

He strode up the walk, leaving the luggage behind and even managed the steps leading to the house with her in his arms. Without warning, the door opened wide. Pearl Robinson, the female renter of her aunt’s house and one half of an elderly couple living in sin, as Pearl was so fond of telling everyone in town, stood before them.

“Eldin, we have company,” Pearl called over her shoulder. She’d been with Eldin Wingate forever. She smoothed her gray hair back in a bun. “I was expecting Crystal’s niece, but not two of you.” Her gaze traveled over both Rick and the woman in his arms. “You’ve been holding out on us, Rick. And you’ve been holding out on your mother too. Why just this morning, she was lamenting her grandchildless fate.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not surprised.”

Pearl glanced over her shoulder. “Eldin, get your lazy behind out here,” she yelled, since Eldin hadn’t arrived quick enough to suit her. “And hurry up before he drops her.”

“There’s no chance of that,” Rick whispered in Kendall’s ear, not so much to reassure her as to allow Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

himself another heavenly whiff of her fragrant hair.

“But you won’t mind if I don’t take any chances. Just in case.” She gripped her small, soft hands tighter around his neck.

He liked the feeling.

“I’m coming, woman.” Pearl’s other half came up beside her, a tall man with white hair and all his own teeth. Or so he claimed. “What’s so important you couldn’t bring our guests inside—” He took one look at Rick and his words came to an abrupt halt.

“Hey, Eldin.” Rick resigned himself to the inevitable questions.

“Hot damn, Officer.”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Pearl asked, looking at her significant other. “That’s the reason I won’t be marrying you anytime soon.” She turned to Rick and Kendall. “We’re living in sin,” she said, lowering her voice, not that there was anyone else around to hear.

“Damn woman won’t marry me for the most asinine reason.”

“Eldin has a bad back and I refuse to marry a man who can’t carry me over the threshold. Did I tell you we’re living in sin?” She dropped her voice again.

As Kendall laughed, her breasts brushed against Rick’s chest and his body completely overheated. “Can we come in before I drop her?” he asked.

“Excuse my manners.” Pearl pushed Eldin back and they cleared a path. “You go on now, Rick, carry your bride over the threshold.”

He’d never live this down. Rick paced the inside of the stifling hot guest house behind Crystal Sutton’s main house. Eldin had brought them over so they could “get settled,” while Pearl had insisted she needed to go to town for some groceries.

“Groceries, my ass,” Rick muttered. She wanted to tell the world that she’d seen Rick Chandler carry his bride over the threshold. Never mind that there’d never been a ceremony or that the bride and supposed groom had just met. Pearl hadn’t been listening.

The tightness in Rick’s shoulders increased. All he could do was hope that when his mother heard the gossip, she’d put an end to the foolishness. Raina would know that Rick hadn’t married or eloped again.

She knew better than to buy into unfounded stories. But the news would spread, everyone in town speculating about Rick Chandler and the lady in the wedding dress he’d carried over the threshold.

He groaned and for the first time considered moving to a huge city where he could be anonymous in a large crowd. He shook his head, knowing it would never happen. Despite the memories here, he loved his family, friends, and the small-town feel of Yorkshire Falls too much to leave. But a man could dream, couldn’t he?

He glanced at the closed bathroom door where Kendall had gone to change. His bride. He rolled his Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

eyes at the absurdity and swiped a hand over his damp forehead. Damn but it was like a sauna in here.

He’d have to make sure Kendall got over to the General Store and picked up an A.C. unit.

Where was she, anyway? She said she’d needed to change out of the gown but that had been over ten minutes ago. He strode to the bathroom door and rapped twice. “You okay in there?”

“Sort of,” came the muffled reply.

He jiggled the handle and found the door locked. He knocked once more. “Open up for me or I’m kicking the door down.” He hoped it wouldn’t come to that. His back and shoulder muscles remained sore from the dive onto the driveway.

The door creaked open wide. He stepped inside in time to see her lower herself back onto the closed toilet seat and hang her head low between her knees. “I am sooo dizzy.”

He glanced at her, concerned. “It’s no wonder with that damn dress cutting off your circulation. I thought you were going to get out of it.”

“I tried, but it’s hot in here and I couldn’t unbutton the dress on my own, so I sat down for a minute.

Then I got to thinking about my aunt and all the years she spent here. I stood up, got dizzy again . . .” She managed a shrug.

She liked to ramble, something he’d learned from talking to her by the side of the road. Her thoughts jumped from topic to topic, but one thing stuck with him. Her pain. Rick had lost his father when he was fifteen. He’d been young, but not young enough so he didn’t remember the man. He’d been a hands-on father, attended all his boys’ baseball games and back-to-school nights.

“I lost my father a while back. I can understand what you’re going through now,” he said, compelled to open up to this woman for reasons he didn’t understand. Reasons that made him wary. But he didn’t censor himself. “It was twenty years ago. I was fifteen,” he said, remembering. “But sometimes the pain is as fresh as if it were yesterday.”

Rick met Kendall’s moist gaze and his heart twisted with understanding. He hadn’t expected to connect with her on any level, especially not on the emotional one he normally walled off. He was surprised he understood this stranger, this woman, so well. “I’m sorry about your aunt.” He hadn’t said so earlier and meant to.

“Thanks.” Her voice held a rough timbre. “Same with your dad.”

He nodded. She and Crystal had obviously shared a special relationship. Family bonding was something else Rick could relate to. The Chandlers were closer than most, bonded by shared memories, both good and bad. With Kendall’s pain both new and raw, he found himself wanting to be the one to ease her anguish—and not because to serve and protect was in his job description.

He swallowed a groan. He’d been down this road once before and received a punch in the gut for his efforts. “Once you got light-headed, didn’t it dawn on you to call for help?” He directed them back to the problem at hand.

She tipped her head to the side. “Such a simple solution. Gee, why hadn’t I thought of that?”

He chuckled. “Too weak, huh?”

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“Something like that. Help me?”

Her wide eyes got to him and he couldn’t resist her plea. “Where’s the best place to start?”

“Back buttons.” She hung her head forward, the pinkish red strands brushing against the stark white dress. When she felt better, he’d have to remember to ask her about the hair color, not that it mattered.

He liked her anyway. And here he thought he preferred blondes, though he had to admit he hadn’t a clue what her real hair color was beneath the pink sheen.

He reached for the first pearlized button when the intimacy of the act struck him. He stood in the small bathroom undoing a bride’s dress. No memories rose to suffocate him since he and Jillian had eloped, Rick in uniform, Jillian in a maternity dress. At this point he was long over the hurt and way past the love.

Last Rick had heard, Jillian and her husband were happily married with three kids, living in California.

Done, gone, and forgotten except for the lessons learned, Rick thought.

Which was why this bride and the feelings she inspired shocked him. Though Kendall wasn’t his bride, that didn’t change the proprietary way she made him feel. The notion didn’t worry him as much as it would have if she was sticking around town.

Refocusing on his task, he released first one tiny button and then the next, revealing porcelainlike skin.

She had a long graceful neck and an incredibly smooth back, one he wanted to kiss, as he trailed his tongue down her spine and tasted her, inch by delectable inch.

“Oh, that feels better already,” she said on a long exhale that bordered on orgasmic in tone.

If he wasn’t already damp from the heat, he’d have broken into a sweat. He leaned down, inches from acting out his fantasy, when she reached up and unwittingly swept some strands of hair off the back of her neck. Rick couldn’t resist temptation further. As he inhaled her fragrant scent, his lips whispered across her silken skin that was warm from the heat, damp from the humidity.

She trembled and let out a soft sigh, but she didn’t pull away nor did she deck him. All, Rick figured, a good sign that got even better when she turned her head and let her lips touch his.

His eyes closed as she answered his unspoken request, letting him taste her for the first time. Her mouth was warm, soft, and giving, feeding a hunger so strong it threatened to consume him. His heart hammered hard in his chest and his palms began to sweat, ridiculous for a nearly thirty-five-year-old man who’d kissed his share of women, but his reaction to this one had been intense from the start. He touched his tongue to her lips and fire leapt between them, the flames engulfing him from inside and out, but before he could seek entrance to her moist mouth, she broke the kiss.

She hung her head down and didn’t meet his gaze. “Sorry but it’s awkward.”

And here he thought she’d been willing. “You didn’t exactly say no,” he said, feeling as though he’d been punched in the gut.

She sat up straight, looked at him, and blinked in surprise. “I didn’t.” Her eyes opened wide as understanding dawned. “You thought I meant the kiss was awkward? Oh, no. The kiss was amazing.”

An uneasy smile flirted across those lips. “But my position was awkward. Uncomfortable. Sort of like this conversation.” She shook her head and a flush rose to her cheeks. Then she grabbed the back of her neck and began a steady massaging of muscles that had obviously been twisted during the kiss.

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Ridiculously relieved, he laughed before realizing how much he’d cared if she rejected him. “I’d offer to massage the kinks but I think we’d get in more trouble.”

“And as an officer of the law you need to stay clear of that kind of trouble ?” Her eyes twinkled with mischief, her subtle meaning clear.

“Not during my off hours.” The words escaped before he could stop them.

She let out a laugh. “I do like you, Rick Chandler.”

“Feeling’s mutual, Ms. Sutton.” He grinned. Damn but he could get in deep with this woman. And wouldn’t that solve his current problem?

A relationship with Kendall would force his mother and the myriad women she sent after him to back off. Kendall’s unusual arrival would definitely spark gossip. The more wary women in town would steer clear until they knew whether Rick was involved with the newcomer, while the more brazen ones, like Lisa, needed a blatant, can’t-miss message. A message like Kendall, her pink hair, and wedding dress.

Not that he thought for one minute Kendall would go along with his insane idea to pretend they were involved in order to keep the women from Rick’s door. He didn’t even intend to suggest it, but he had to admit the plan had been a fun one while it lasted. “We still haven’t gotten you out of that dress,” he said at last.

“I’m right here waiting.”

He grit his teeth and finished the buttons on the dress with minimal fuss and conversation, focusing solely on his task and not the increasingly bared skin on her back.

He paused when his fingertips finally reached her waist. “How about I give you some privacy and you take things from here?” Because the next step would mean he’d be pulling down the top of the dress and revealing her bare breasts for view. It would mean he’d work the material lower, over her legs and then—

“That would probably be best.” Her voice stopped his daydream just in time.

“I’ll leave the door open.” He stepped toward the exit. “Yell if you need anything.”

“Will do.” She shot him a grateful smile.

“Good. Good.” Rick slipped out, escaping before he could indulge further in any need, be it his or hers.

The wedding gown hung from her waist as Kendall stared at her flushed reflection in the mirror. She wished she could blame the heat but knew her response to Rick’s lips on her flesh, his strong hands on her bare skin, was responsible.

She hadn’t expected him to kiss her, but the sexual tension humming between them couldn’t be missed.

Neither could the bond created over understood grief. Add to that he’d been stripping her out of her gown, for God’s sake. How much more of an intimate act could there be? When his lips had touched her Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

skin . . . her body shook now with the memory, her nipples puckering at the remembered sensation.

Kendall didn’t normally “do” brazen. But she’d needed to see his face and so she’d turned her head—and met his lips with hers. The kiss had rocked her world. He was so sexy he melted her insides with one look. So strong and sure he protected with a touch. He made her feel wanted. And in doing so, he answered a need she hadn’t known still existed.

She’d always been the displaced child that no one wanted. And though Brian had desired her, he’d never given back emotionally. Their relationship had been a bargain. He’d gotten her the modeling jobs she needed to pay for her aunt’s care and she’d pretended to be his girlfriend to help him through a transition period after a breakup. Though their fake relationship had turned into a real one, she’d never connected with Brian.

Not like she had with Rick. One kiss and she’d felt more than a physical pull. Enclosed in the small bathroom with Rick had been a confinement of a different kind. A sensual kind. The kind she’d like to explore further. Why not? The surprising thought flashed through her mind.

So did the answers. She’d ended her engagement to Brian and a huge phase of her life just a few short hours ago. Though she hadn’t been in love with him, the whole ordeal had been traumatic. Though the dizziness had already passed, she splashed cold water on her face, then she shook her head and wrapped her icy, wet hands around the back of her neck for shock value.

She couldn’t be thinking clearly, not if she was tempted to indulge in a romantic interlude with a virtual stranger. Yet he felt like anything but. After all, she’d seen the desire in his eyes, felt the tremor in his calloused fingertips. Kendall wasn’t normally into affairs or quickies with men she barely knew, but Rick Chandler, his goodness and strength, his openness and giving, not to mention his sexiness, tested her resolve.

She changed out of the dress and reached for her casual clothes, leaving the bridal trappings on the floor in a discarded heap. The wedding was in her past. The open road awaited her in the future. Though it’d be wonderful to indulge in some T.L.C. and though Officer Rick Chandler might seem like the perfect man for the job, it wouldn’t be fair to him.

She couldn’t use him that way, no matter how good he made her feel. A man who lived in one place, who valued stability, and who was a family friend, was hardly the man to pick for an affair, assuming she was ready for one. Which she wasn’t, she assured herself.

Too bad her body made a mockery of that promise. She straightened and started for the other room, steeling herself against the chemistry she couldn’t control or deny.

Rick paced outside the bathroom so he could hear the thud if the heat got to her again and Kendall passed out cold on the floor. He was thankful when minutes later the door opened and she walked out, but gratitude evaporated when he got a good look at her newest getup, taken from the small suitcase he’d brought in for her earlier.

A pink floral cutoff T-shirt showcased her flat, bare stomach, while a pair of frayed cutoff white shorts hugged her hips and revealed her rounded curves and long legs. She was perfectly proportioned, making him want her more than he had before. Something he hadn’t believed possible.

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But as spectacular as she appeared, it wasn’t her body he couldn’t take his eyes from, but the frilly garter still hugging her thigh.

“What’s wrong?” She glanced down. “Oh. Oh!” She blushed an amazing shade of pink that matched her hair. “I was rushing and forgot.”

She bent down to remove the accessory, sliding the elastic over those long legs. Legs he could envision wrapped around his waist as he made love to her over and over again.

“Got it.” She lifted her head and met his gaze. “You seem fascinated by this thing. Want to see it up close?” She dangled the blue and white lace midair.

And according to tradition be the next to marry? “Hell no.” But he was too late. She’d already tossed the garter through the air, leaving him no choice but to catch it or let it drop onto the dusty, hardwood floor. Resigned, he grabbed for the offending object.

“Good catch!” She clapped her hands in approval. “I’m impressed.”

“Just tell me tradition doesn’t work if the bride never said I do. ”

A wry smile touched her lips. “You’re afraid.” She let out a loud laugh.

“I’m a cop. I’m not afraid of anything,” he said. But if that was true, then why was his heart hammering hard in his chest and his breath coming in short, uneven gasps?

“Okay, no fear. But you do look like you’re about to be sick.” She came up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Her touch shot straight through him and he enjoyed the feeling more than was prudent.

“Anything I can do?” she asked.

He eyed that damn garter. “You can answer the question.”

“Since I never got married and technically I’m not a bride, I’m sure the garter is harmless. Feel better?”

Hardly, he thought. Her fingertips still touched his shoulder, searing his skin through his department-issued navy T-shirt. His gaze dropped to her incredible body again. “You look a lot more comfortable,” he said, changing the subject.

She grinned. “Amazing what getting rid of that albatross of a dress will do for you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “A woman who shares my views on marriage? Impossible.” He couldn’t imagine a female who’d shake at the sight of a wedding dress. But this was Kendall and she was unique. No wonder she appealed to him.

“Are you telling me you’ve never met an independent woman before?”

“Not in this town. They all seem to be on the marriage plan.”

Her eyes grew wide, her curiosity evident. “There have to be some women who want to remain on their Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

own. Free to do what they want, when they want.”

“Is that your M.O.?” he asked.

Kendall nodded. Rick had pegged her well. “I’m a transient,” she said with a grin.

“Why?”

The answer lay in her past. By moving from place to place, she didn’t allow herself to become too attached to anyone or anything. But she didn’t think Rick needed or wanted to know her personal hangups, so she shrugged lightly and said, “It’s all I know.”

“Your childhood.” He obviously remembered hearing of her past. “But there’s no need to move around now. Did you ever consider putting down roots?”

“Not in this lifetime.” She’d been there, she’d done that, Kendall thought. “I just spent two years in New York City to be with Aunt Crystal and cover her nursing home bills. It’s time to put me first.”

He nodded in understanding.

“Why don’t we sit?” she suggested.

“This is the best you’ve got.” He gestured to the couch with drop cloths covering it as well as the other furniture in the guest house. It had been so long since anyone stayed here that she obviously had her work cut out for her—even for just a temporary visit.

She joined him on the beige-covered sofa. “Sorry I can’t offer you a better, cleaner place to sit.”

He shrugged. “No big deal.”

“So tell me about the Stepford wives.” She changed the subject back to him.

He chuckled. “It’s really not that bad. It’s just that my mother’s been ill and she’s got this notion that it’s time for her sons to settle down and give her grandchildren.” He sobered at the mention of his mother’s health. “Now she’s launched an all-out campaign and the single women in town are only too happy to participate.”

She recalled Pearl’s words earlier about his mother lamenting her grandchildless fate. Obviously there was more to it than that. “Poor man. All the women in town throwing themselves at you.” She clucked her tongue, though a part of her was actually jealous she wasn’t the only one who found this guy incredibly sexy. Not that she had any desire to marry and settle down, but she could see why those women who did found him the perfect catch.

“Trust me it’s a lot tougher than it sounds considering I’m not interested.”

“I’m surprised you’re telling me about it.”

“Oh, you’d hear about it soon enough. Especially after Pearl gets through letting everyone know about you and your grand entrance.” He ran a hand through that gorgeous, dark hair. “You’ll be branded.”

Kendall started to laugh, remembering how Rick had carried her over the threshold to the tune of Pearl’s Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

humming “Here Comes the Bride,” in between chiding Eldin and using his back as an excuse to avoid marriage. Kendall would have mentioned that Eldin seemed anxious to put a ring on her finger, but she sensed Pearl had a mind of her own. Just like Rick’s mother, apparently.

But Rick wouldn’t find this situation amusing, so she clasped her hands and tried for sincerity. “No one could possibly believe you’d gotten married without letting anyone know.”

“They just might considering it’s happened before.” His eyes clouded over, memories obviously pushing at him and making him uncomfortable.

He’d been married. Eloped, it seemed. No wonder he resisted his mother’s marriage push now. She leaned forward, surprised beyond belief. “Do tell.”

“Not in this lifetime,” he said, quoting her. He rose from his seat. “So what are your plans?” He tossed the volley back to her.

Apparently they both had emotional walls they didn’t want to let crumble. Much as she was dying to know more about him, he’d shut her down. Since she didn’t want to share any kind of closeness that would bond them, not when she planned to leave soon, she had to respect his privacy.

He wanted to know her plans and she assumed he meant short term. She took in the dusty trappings around her, and recalled all the things that appeared to be old and decrepit in the main house. She rubbed a weary hand over her eyes. “For tonight I guess I’ll clean the room where I’ll sleep and maybe the kitchen.” She crinkled her nose at the thought of all that dust swirling around her. “Tomorrow I’ll get started on getting the house in shape. Oh, and I suppose I should contact a realtor and see what my possibilities are, even though I know now I need to finish fixing before I can show the place.”

He nodded, hands shoved in his back pockets as he, too, surveyed the damage. “I’ll help you clean.”

His offer touched her but she couldn’t accept. “You don’t need to do that. Honestly, I can get one room in decent shape by myself.”

“With what? You’re going to need supplies and if the weather forecast is correct, an A.C. unit. No way will you be able to sleep in this place without air.”

She tried to inhale but choked instead. Rick was right. The air was stagnant and oppressive. Concern and a wave of depression settled over her. “Oh, geez. I really didn’t anticipate all these extra costs.” She mentally calculated the money in her account. Unfortunately she’d need more than she had in the bank just to live the next month or so here.

“I take it you thought you’d arrive, list the house, sell, and be on your way?”

Kendall nodded. “A little overly optimistic, huh?”

“A little.” He grinned. “But I like your attitude. Why deal with problems until they crop up?”

“You’re just being nice to me. You don’t want to call the new girl in town a ditz or an impulsive idiot.”

His sexy grin turned into a scowl as his lips took a downward turn. “Hey quit being so hard on yourself.

You’ve been through a lot. Now do you have an immediate plan?”

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For money, she did have her credit cards, and Brian would be more than happy to overnight her jewelry and supplies. If she could find a store to place them on consignment, maybe she could scrounge up some extra cash. Okay, so she had a plan. Of sorts. She glanced at Rick. “Just point the way to town and I’ll . . .”

“Fly there on your magic carpet?”

She let out an exhale and added fixing the car to her list of expenses. “I don’t suppose I could bum a ride?” She bit down on her lower lip, realizing that for a man who was tired of women who wanted something from him, Kendall was probably more trouble than she was worth.

“I’m heading toward town myself. And before you ask, yes I can give you a lift back home afterward.”

Home. Had she ever really had one? Not wanting to delve into deep thoughts right now, she flashed him a grateful smile instead. “You’re a regular knight in shining armor, Rick Chandler.”

He grinned. “What can I say? I never could resist a damsel in distress.” A mixture of humor and unexpected sadness touched his voice despite the sexy outward smile. Was the sadness related to his past marriage, she wondered.

Once again, when it came to this enigmatic man, Kendall wondered why. What made him tick, what happened in his past that drove him to avoid another marriage yet make it a habit of rescuing women in need? Knowing his pull and effect on her, she was glad she wouldn’t be around long enough to find out.

WARNER BOOKS EDITION

Copyright © 2002 by Karen Drogin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

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First eBook Edition: July 2002

ISBN: 0-7595-8787-6

Contents

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Acknowledgments

Special Thanks

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Epilogue

Special ebook Feature: Insights and Excerpts of Carly Phillips The Infinite Appeal of Small Towns

A Step in the Right Direction

The Heartbreaker— Excerpt

The Playboy— Excerpt