Sweater Weather

Chapter 14

As he drove back to the base, he got a text from Josh. “TROUBLE. Going for a run. Make wise choices.”

Ah, hell. Was he ever going to get a moment’s peace in this town?

An unfamiliar white car was parked in the visitor lot. A cute little Jetta—girl car. How much trouble could that mean?

He strode into the reception area, braced for the worst.

Evie spun around at the sound of his footsteps, causing him to stop in his tracks. Hot damn. She looked incredible and…different. Her hair was loose over her bare shoulders. She wore a sleeveless dress the color of pink roses.

The richness of the pink suited her. It put color in her cheeks and brought out her sexiness. Those long, tan legs…he gave a silent wolf whistle as his c**k tightened. He hoped her effect on him wasn’t too obvious.

“Welcome to the Jupiter Point Hotshots,” he said easily, shoving his hands in his pockets. Maybe that would help mask his reaction. “What can I help you with?”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and stared at him. He had no clue how to interpret her expression. She looked as if she was about to jump off a cliff or something.

A sudden thought struck him. “Is your mother okay? Chief Becker mentioned that she was sick. Hunter never told me, or I would have said something. She was always very sweet to me and—”

He broke off, because she was now walking toward him with an air of firm determination. “Evie?”

“Yes?”

“What are you—”

And then she was pressed against him. She stood on tiptoe and brushed her mouth against his. For a moment he stood frozen to the floor while the sweet sensation of her soft lips sent shockwaves through him.

Evie McGraw was kissing him.

Evie McGraw was kissing him.This was real. And spectacular. And it might never happen again. Don’t blow it. He restrained his natural reaction, which was to haul her against him and ravage her mouth. He stood immobile, letting her take the lead. One wrong move might make her come to her senses.

Don’t blow it.She kissed him with gentle curiosity, as if she was testing something. Experimenting. Sliding her tongue across his upper lip, into his mouth. Nibbling. It felt so fresh, so new and fascinating, like the beginning of a story he hadn’t heard before. Her scent surrounded him, not just the sweet rose petal fragrance of shampoo, but the deeper, wilder scent of her.

herWas that the real Evie hiding behind the cool, calm exterior?

Unable to keep his arms still any longer, he brought them around her back and stroked the sleek length of her spine. Her breath hitched. That soft sound sent blood pounding into his c**k. He moved his hips backward because he didn’t want her to feel how hard she made him. Something told him it might freak her out.

“Sean,” she whispered against his lips. “Will you do something for me?”

“Yes,” he said promptly, not caring what it was.

“Will you kiss me for real?”

His hands spanned her lower back. The urge to yank her against him was strong, so strong, but he fought it. “We are kissing, thanks to you.”

are“I know we are. Believe me. But I want you to kiss me. The full-on, full-throttle, Full Monty version. Like a movie kiss.”

youme“A movie kiss. You got it.” He pulled her snug against him, allowing her to feel his hard-on. Hey, she had mentioned “Full Monty.” Her eyes widened in awareness. He plunged his hands into her rich fall of hair, enjoying the silky slide against his fingers. Slowly, firmly, he tilted her head back. He hovered his mouth over hers, enjoying the quickening of her breath, taking in every close-up detail of her silvery-green eyes, her long lashes, the little scar near her cheekbone.

Finally, when he couldn’t wait anymore, he swept his tongue across the seam of her lips. She opened for him eagerly. With long, deep strokes, he explored the succulent wetness of her mouth. Lust churned inside him. He imagined her full lips around his c**k, the innocent way she’d take him deep into her throat. He pictured her spread open before him, flushed with pleasure as he drove his c**k balls-deep.

Oh f**k.

fuckHe muttered words against her swollen lips, hot things off the top of his head—I want to throw you down…I want to lick your n*****s…I want to take you deep—he barely knew what he was saying. She pressed against him, her n*****s pebble-hard, the sensation sending new jolts of lust through him.

I want to throw you down…I want to lick your n*****s…I want to take you deepWhen she pulled away, it was such a shock he actually got disoriented. He yanked his hands away from her and interlaced them behind his head. She was too tempting. He wanted to touch her too badly. “You okay?”

She stared at him, looking just as disoriented as he was. One hand came up to touch her lips. Color came and went under her creamy skin. He couldn’t read her expression—aroused, yes, that much he could figure out. But what else? Upset? Excited? Angry?

“Well,” she finally said in a breathless voice. “I guess that answers that.”

“Answers what?”

“The question I had.”

He lowered his hands and shifted his jeans so they didn’t press against his engorged c**k quite so much. “That’s pretty mysterious.”

“Sorry. You’re right. I just…I have to think about this.”

“Think about what? The fact that we just kissed in the reception area of the Jupiter Point Hotshots? By the way, I have twenty cots back there just waiting to get broken in.”

That brought a smile to her kiss-swollen lips. “That’s very romantic.”

“That’s me. One hundred percent romance. What brought you here, Evie?”

She blinked at him. “I wanted to kiss you.”

“That’s it? Mission accomplished?”

“Well, there’s…there might be something more.” She laced her fingers together. “I came here for a reason, you’re right, and…I did want to…um, propose something. Suggest something. But we should probably talk more first.”

Hot color flooded her face. God, she was adorable. He wanted to scoop her up and lick her all over, turn her boneless and happy and blissed-out.

“Okay,” he agreed. “You busy tonight?”

Her face fell, all that lovely sparkle evaporating. “I can’t tonight. I have a dinner meeting. It’s not something I want to do, but I said I would.”

Her frowned. That sounded ominous. “Who’s your meeting with?”

“I have to have dinner with Brad.”

“What?” He gripped her upper arms. “No way. You can’t do that.”

What?“Of course I can.” She tugged against his grasp. “I have to. It’s all arranged. I’m the current head of the business coalition and this is part of my job.”

“Then I’m going too.”

“No. That’s not a good idea.”

Even though Chief Becker had told him the exact same thing earlier in the day, Sean didn’t care.

“Please, Evie. I know what he is. You can’t trust him. I won’t get in the middle of anything. He won’t know I’m there. Just tell me where you’re going to be and I’ll sit in a car outside.”

“With binoculars and a fake mustache?”

Great, now she was making a joke out of it. His jaw tightened and he drew her a little closer. If only he could kiss some sense into her. “Whatever it takes. I saw his face when you refused to endorse him. He’s furious. You shouldn’t be alone with him.”

“He’s not violent, Sean. We live in the same town, our families are close. His father grew up with mine.”

“Weren’t all those same things true when you were fourteen? Don’t tell me he was just a kid then. He was my age, and he knew exactly what he was doing.”

She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. He felt bad, being this forceful, but in his opinion, she wasn’t taking this seriously enough.

“Fine,” she finally said, looking up. “But don’t let him see you. That might piss him off even more.”

“I won’t. I promise. Hand me your phone, I’ll put my number in. Keep it pulled up, ready to dial. I’ll be less than a minute away.”

After she drove off, Sean thought again about Chief Becker’s request. He wanted Sean to avoid Brad and Evie. Now he was going to be in the same place as both of them. At the same time.

Well, he’d always had trouble doing as he was told.

* * *

Even though Evie thought Sean was being an alarmist, it helped knowing he was nearby. That fact made the prospect of dinner with Brad less excruciating. Not un-excruciating. Just less so.

unOr maybe it was the fact that kissing Sean had lit something inside her. Warmth and happiness still radiated through her being, like a secret she held close to her heart. It almost felt like a shield, as if Sean had woven a net of protection around her that not even Brad could penetrate.

He didn’t even try, at first. She met him at one of Jupiter Point’s most popular spots, the Seaview Inn. It was situated halfway up the second-highest hill in the area, the first being Jupiter Point, where the observatory was located. It boasted a stunning view of the ocean and the observatory. It was always crowded, which was both good and bad. Good because Brad wouldn’t do anything inappropriate surrounded by so many people. Bad because before the night was out, everyone in town would know they’d had dinner.

They ordered appetizers and drinks—lager for Brad and seltzer for Evie. She wasn’t going to chance alcohol tonight; she had to keep her cool.

At first, Brad was nothing but charm. He’d been perfecting his public persona ever since he’d become the face of the family bank, White Savings and Loan, after college. Every time the bank gave money to a charitable cause, Brad appeared to represent the family. She’d seen his act from afar—speeches, handshakes, the trademark boyish grin—but this was her first up-close experience with Brad White, political candidate.

He asked about her family. He talked about running for office and what it was like being on TV and having strangers recognize him in other cities in their district. He mentioned some of his plans if he won the election, and what the latest polls were saying. So far, the race was neck and neck.

All that chitchat got them through the main course. Evie was just starting to relax when he got to the point.

“I think you’re going to be very grateful to me, Evie.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve created an embarrassing situation for yourself, and I’m offering a solution.”

She darted a glance around the room, with its white leather banquettes and orchid arrangements. The novelty of seeing Evie and Brad all cozy by the fireplace must have worn off, because no one was paying any attention to them. “Are you sure it’s not more embarrassing for you?”

His hand tightened around his glass of lager. “I’m not going to lie. You did embarrass me, which I assume was your purpose. So that’s done now. We can move on. I’m giving you an out, little Evie. I’m willing to play your game.”

She stared at him, that “little Evie” still echoing in her ears. He’d used that nickname because he was four years her senior. It didn’t sound endearing anymore.

“Come up with something that you want,” he continued. “Something the business coalition can get behind. I’ll announce that I’m including whatever it is in my campaign platform. And you’ll come out smelling like roses.”

Jack Drummond had suggested exactly the same thing. “Is that how it works?”

“That’s how it works. You’ve successfully played the game—if you accept this offer. If you don’t accept…” He paused.

“What?”

“Well, you’ll come off as the town kook. It’s not like you have a legitimate reason for withholding your endorsement. The other business owners are going to want to know why.”

An impulse surged within her, something volcanic, something she had no control over. “You know why,” she said in a low voice.

You know whyHer nerves jumped as soon as the words hit the air. Never, not once, never had she referred to that night around Brad or to Brad. She’d kept her silence absolute, like a nun who’d made a vow. Those three words hung between them like little grenades.

Except to Brad, apparently they weren’t grenades. They were more like jelly beans. He gave her a smile that was more like a pat on the head.

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

She got the feeling that she was a step behind in this conversation. “You seriously want me to be more specific?”

He tore off a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth. His casual manner seemed designed to tell her how little she frightened him.

“Let’s just say that I’m calling your bluff. I know you, Evie. You won’t ever say anything. You never have and you never will, because that’s not who you are. You’re the classic peacemaker. You don’t like to make waves or upset anyone.”

He made her sound like a complete wimp. She felt all her confidence drain away, same as it always did around him.

“It’s a nice quality, and I know your family appreciates it. So does the community. You’re the sweetheart of Jupiter Point. Everyone loves you. But no one likes a troublemaker, do they? Right now, you’re making trouble by withholding your endorsement.”

Evie’s blackened trout suddenly looked disgusting to her. She pushed her plate away.

“See? Even this conversation is making you uncomfortable, isn’t it?”

Of course it was. He wanted it to be uncomfortable. That was why he’d arranged this entire thing. He wanted her to be so uncomfortable that she would crawl back into her gallery, curl up in a ball and never bother him again.

She swallowed hard over the lump in her throat. Everything in her screamed to get away from this man.

He scanned her face intently, but she kept her expression blank. Until she made a public announcement of some sort, let him sweat. “Do we have an understanding?”

No. She’d never understand someone like him. Someone who pushed people around just so he could get what he wanted.

He leaned over the table. She caught a whiff of his aftershave. Nausea threatened, but she clenched her fists tight and refused to back away.

“You know, Evie, I’d be a pretty good congressman, did you ever think of that? I have everything it takes. I have the funding, I have the charisma. I know the issues. I can do good things for Jupiter Point. I can introduce a bill to add a lane to Route 78. That would bring more traffic to town. There’s no end to how much I can help you. We can make a deal right now that will be very, very good for you and the business coalition. How about new downtown Christmas decorations? That rec center you’ve been talking about? A community garden that Brianna can run? My press guy can write something up and we can announce it first thing in the morning. Better yet, call your friend Merry and we’ll give her an exclusive.”

He sat back and pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. A man of action, ready to dig in and get to work. She stared at his newly exposed forearms, at his golden hair and a scattering of freckles, the thick wristband of his platinum-rimmed watch. Then she made herself look at his hands. Felt them pushing her down against the mangy sheepskin cloth that covered his passenger seat. Felt it physically, as if it was happening right that moment instead of thirteen years ago.

She jumped to her feet. “I’ll…” She cleared her throat. “I’ll let you know what I decide.”

Surprise flashed across his square-cut face. That was some satisfaction, anyway. Obviously he thought she’d follow the script he’d provided.

“Don’t wait too long, little Evie. I have a few other ways I can go.”

Turning on her heel, she walked out of the inn with as much dignity as she could manage. As soon as she reached the lobby, she ran.