Falling for the Suspect (Book 3 in the Smalltown Superstars

4

John spent the next week attempting to track Steve’s routine, while Taylor went around the trailer systematically creating problems for which to coax the Giles boy back to the house. She remembered what he had said about how he always wound up doing his father’s repairs and hoped that Steve would show.

As John had informed her from his week at Archer’s ranch, Steve would arrive early in the morning, usually well before John had shown up. Giles and Archer would already be hard at work either out in the barn, or the pasture, or doing some other preparation for the day. He could not say exactly when Steve arrived each morning only that it must have been early. He would work hard all morning along with the other men as Archer’s second hand. Some days he would work into the afternoon, but most days he would take off around lunch. When John casually inquired as to why he always took the afternoons off Josh informed him it was to tend his ageing parent’s farm.

Taylor hoped if she called around lunch with a complaint about a leaky pipe the good reverend might send his son over when he arrived at his parents’ homestead that afternoon. She had informed John of her attempt to seduce Steve this afternoon. He agreed to play his part, and after a week of talking trash with the boys at work he would be going out for beers with the boys instead of going home.

He had promised to make himself scarce for as long as possible to allow her a chance to put their new plan into action. Taylor had already placed her call to the senior Giles and Mrs. Giles assured her she would send someone right over. Taylor then raced quickly to her room and prepared.

She frantically tore through her clothes looking for the right outfit to wear. Something to get Steve’s attention without looking like she was trying to. She looked through the dresses she had bought trying to find one she thought he might like. She selected a lilac sundress with a thigh-high skirt that hung loosely and swayed as she walked. She quickly ran a brush through her hair and left it loose.

Taylor was nervous about the task ahead of her. Her first undercover mission and she now had to seduce a possibly dangerous man. She was thankful for all her training, should she need to protect herself. She had seduced men before but never a man she suspected to be dangerous. Taylor had just never fallen for that bad boy thing like other women. She had always been far too smart for that sort of thing; now she was about to go against her nature and chase after one. She had to admit he was stunning though, and she felt an unexplained excitement at seeing him again.

Taylor heard the sound of a truck approaching the trailer, and the butterflies in her belly began to flutter. Her palms had become suddenly sweaty. Taylor ran her hands nervously over her belly and headed for the door to greet Steve. She reminded herself to smile and opened the door stepping out onto the porch.

Taylor’s smile faded when she saw an old blue Ford and Reverend Giles sliding out of the driver’s side with a toolbox in his hands. He offered her a smile and a warm hello. Taylor shook off her surprise to see him and greeted him warmly. “Hi, thanks for coming so quickly.” She said inviting him inside. She was surprised to see the ageing man and wondered where his son was.

“Well, a leaky pipe needs fixing straight away before it burst and floods the house.” He grinned, and she showed him to the washroom where she had broken the pipes beneath the sink.

She watched the reverend lower himself down on his knees, groaning he rubbed his knees. “Gout on the joints.” He explained with a grin. “The body falls apart as you get old.”

“I thought your son did the repairs for you?” She commented casually wondering where Steve was.

“Oh, he usually does.” The reverend said inspecting the pipes and the damage. “But I needed him to till the fields today for planting. I figured I could handle a simple plumbing problem on my own.” Now she wanted to groan; her plan had failed. How could she seduce Steve when he was sitting on a tractor in some field? Things were not going as planned. She needed a new plan. “Do you need me to stay while you do this?” She asked, “It is just that I have to go into Manna Berry and by some groceries so I can get back in time to make supper for Dad.”

“Oh no, by all means, go ahead.” He said opening up his toolbox to start on his task. “I can lock up when I leave.”

She thanked him for his understanding and gathered up her purse. Normally she did not carry one, but in this situation, it was a great place to hide her gun. Taylor headed out to the little red Shadow the department had issued her from the impound lot. She tossed her purse on the passenger’s seat and pulled out heading toward the Reverend’s land. She was not entirely sure just what she would do, but she was hoping if she drove the roads surrounding their land she might spot him.

Taylor lucked out in the north quarter of the Giles land she spotted Steve on a big red tractor cruising along, pulling some tilling equipment behind him as he rolled through the field. She had found him, now all she needed was get his attention, but what could she do?

Taylor pulled over to the side of the road close to the fence in plain sight. She needed a reason to be there something believable. She had to think quickly. Taylor popped the hood and got out of the car. She lifted the hood and studied the engine trying to remember what her father had taught her about engines. He and her three brothers were mechanics, and he had thought it important his daughter understands an engine and be able to have at least a basic working knowledge should she break down on the side of the road. She had never thought it would come in handy until today. Taylor reached under the hood and quickly disconnected a few vital tubes and wires that she could repair at a later date.

She had no sooner done so when she spotted Steve’s tractor turning in the field slowly making its way back toward the fence where she was standing. He sat leisurely in the seat of the tractor. Steve looked the way he had in the surveillance photos the first time she had seen his picture. Relaxed in his faded blue jeans with his shirt tucked into the back of his pants. Only he had no undershirt this time. He was topless in the blazing afternoon sun. His worn tanned cowboy hat is resting low on top his golden head shielding his eyes from the bright sun.

He was stunning, the embodiment of male beauty, Taylor felt breathless as he grew closer to the fence and spotted her. He flashed her that boyish grin of his, and she felt those butterflies once more. Oh god, what was she doing? She wondered as he reached the fence and killed the engine. Steve leaned forward, his forearms resting on the stirring wheel as he watched her with a smile. He politely tipped the brim of his hat to greet her. “Howdy ma’am, did you break down?” He asked.

She smiled awkwardly and gestured to the engine she had sabotaged. “I don’t know what it is; I don’t know a thing about cars. This thing is always breaking down every other month.” She lied.

“Well, maybe I can take a look at it and see if I can’t get her running.” He offered just as she had hoped he would. Taylor had been counting on the kindness of small-town folk. Hoping those traditional values had been rooted in this man somewhere. She had lucked out.

“That would be wonderful if you could.” She watched as Steve swung his leg over the tractor seat and jumped off. He easily climbed over the short wooden fence and made his way up the ditch. She sucked in a short breath as he stood beside her placing one hand on the hood and inspecting her engine.

Steve was less than a foot away from her now, and she could not take her eyes off him, up close she could see the definition of his hard-muscled body, bronzed by the sun and damp with sweat from being out in the heat all day. She had never before felt so compelled to touch someone, to feel his skin beneath her fingertips. The intoxicating smell on him assaulted her senses. It was almost primal, musty and distinctly male.

Taylor resisted the urge and leaned into Steve pretending to look at the engine with him; she leaned in closely letting her bust brush up against him as she strained for a better look. The contact distracted Steve, and he glanced down the front of her dress. His gaze lifted and met hers; Taylor blushed as she gave him space. “Um, it looks like some wires came loose. It is a cheap, easy fix.” He informed her as he removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead before placing his hat back on his head. “I could fix it for you, but I don’t have my tools.”

“Oh.” She said looking down the road. “I suppose I could walk home from here and have it towed.”

“No,” he said closing the hood, “I got my tools back at my place it is no big deal. I can head over there, get them, and come back get it all fixed up for you.” He offered. “Might take a while though.”

“Ok.” She said leaning against the hood. “I’ll just wait.” She said hoping once more that his response would be as she anticipated.

Steve looked up at the blazing sun high above them with not one cloud in the sky to offer shade. “You are just going to sit here in the sun?”

“Where else would I go?”

Steve shook his head and reached out taking her hand in his. It was like taking hold of an electric wire with the jolt she felt as he touched her. Her instinct was to pull away, but Taylor resisted. “You will come with me. If you stay out here, you will cook your brain.” He teased. Steve led Taylor into the ditch, and she watched as he placed one boot on the bottom board of the fence and hoisting himself up swung his opposite leg over and straddled the fence. “You can ride back to the house with me on the tractor.” He swung his other leg over and dropped down on the other side.

Taylor carefully began to climb up over the fence and paused realizing she forgot something. “Just a minute.” She said dropping back down and jogging back up to her car. She opened the door and grabbed her purse from the seat. She had almost forgotten her gun. Shutting the door, Taylor rushed back down to the fence and climbed up onto it. She swung her legs over trying to keep her skirt modestly down.

Steve reached up, and his hands took her waist lifting her down from the fence. He lowered her to her feet and walked the few feet to the tractor. It was bigger than it looked up close. “Up you go.” He said lifting Taylor onto the seat. It startled her as he scooped her up in his arms, cradled against his chest as he lifted her onto the high seat. She was only in his arms a second, but it was intoxicating.

Once he placed her in the seat, Steve walked around to the rear of the tractor and began to unhitch the equipment he had been hauling. She watched as the muscles in his biceps and shoulders flexed as he worked the heavy equipment free. He was so strong and fit with that classic farm boy physique of tight hard muscle from years of strenuous physical labour.

Successfully removing the equipment Steve turned to join her on the tractor. He looked up, and she realized too late she had been caught staring. It was an awkward moment as their eyes met and she felt her cheeks flush red. She was embarrassed to have been caught so boldly watching. Taylor faced forward and tried not to look at him feeling like a nervous adolescent dealing with the opposite s*x for the first time. She did not understand why she always felt so flustered when he was near.

Taylor felt the tractor dip under his weight as Steve climbed up onto the seat behind her. Steve sat behind her as they shared the seat, his strong thighs straddled around her, and her bottom tucked in close against him. Her backrest against his bare chest and tiny goosebumps spread over her flesh as his arms came around her to take hold of the stirring wheel. His large body was enveloped around her, keeping Taylor snug against him as he fired up the engine and stepped on the gas.

Taylor had never actually been on a tractor before. It was a new experience for her. The ride was slow, and a bit bumpy as the huge wide tires navigated the uneven terrain. The seat shook and vibrated beneath her, and she looked back over her shoulder and saw Steve smile down at her. “It is a bit of a bumpy ride.” He apologized.

“The ride is fine.” She said relaxing back against him, she felt him tense, his back stiffened as he sat up straighter in response, but he did not withdraw or force her to move. Taylor looked up at him, and their eyes met for a lingering moment. In those dark depths, she saw the same heat she had seen the afternoon they had spent painting her room. She felt the heat on her face as she remembered that afternoon. How he held her in his arms and how she had wondered if he would kiss her. His dark eyes lowered to her lips, and Taylor knew he recalled the moment too. Would Steve try to kiss her now? She felt an inexplicable pull, a desire to taste his lips.

Just as Taylor thought he might try, the tractor hit a rather large bump and jolted them both hard, forcing Taylor to grab on to his arms to stabilize herself. The jolt had broken the moment, and the house was within sight. She could see Steve’s white Silverado parked in the long dirt driveway. Steve pulled the tractor up to the fence and cut the engine. He jumped down and then reached up to assist Taylor down. She leaned forward as he assisted her, letting her body slide down against his as he placed her on her feet.

For a split moment, he held her close before releasing her and putting distance between them. He then opened the long gate in the fence and led her out. Steve looked conflicted as he shut the gate and headed for his truck. “I’m sure if you go inside the house my Mother will get you something to drink. You can wait here until I return.” He said opening the door to his truck.

She could not let him get away. Staying with his mother was not an option. “I would prefer to come with you if I could. So that you might drop me at my car when you are finished.” She insisted climbing into the passenger’s seat beside him. She could tell by the look in his eye it had not been the response he had hoped for, but he did not protest. Steve started up the truck and backed out of the drive. “Do you live far?” She asked as they took off down the back roads.

“A few minutes.” He said turning down a quiet, unused dirt road. “I know these roads like the back of my hand. I could navigate them in my sleep. I know all the shortcuts.”

“You must like the outdoors.” She observed.

“Spent most of my life outdoors. Working and playing. When I wasn’t in the fields, I was fishing or running wild with the other guys. There is not a stone or tree for miles that I don’t know.” Interesting she thought. If he knew the land as well as he claimed it was possible he might have hidden evidence in some secluded spot only he knew. The vast wooded area posed a problem. It, unfortunately, opened the search area up to a far greater area for two people to search. Taylor would need to narrow it down and get him to show her to some of his favourite spots.

“A bit of a wild one, are you?” She asked playfully hoping to learn something.

He offered her a mischievous grin and lifted a golden eyebrow. “Boys will be boys.” She was not exactly sure just what that was supposed to mean. Taylor had been hoping for something more in depth, but he had not taken the bait. She would need to try again.

“How does your father feel about that?”

“Well I know he would prefer if I were an altar boy. He believes I live a life of excess. Too many women and whiskey, but all in all he doesn’t seem too disappointed in me. I am tame in comparison to Brook. She was wild and untamed, a constant concern for us all. Thank god she is married; she is Dawson’s problem now.”

“Are you and your sister close?”

“As close as most I suppose. I always found Brook to be annoying and a pain in my rear.” Steve chuckled. “The older brook got the more she drove me crazy.” He said pulling in to a small chunk of land.

There was a small split-level house with a new wooden deck stained cherry tree red and an attached double garage with both doors opened. Like on his sister’s land there was an old tool shed twenty feet from the house with a six-foot-high stack of chopped wood along its side. About fifty feet from the shed was a small barn and a tiny cleared pasture surrounded by a white wooden fence that looked like it had not received a coat of paint in years. Grazing in the pasture were two horses that seemed undisturbed by their arrival.

Steve pulled into one bay of the garage and got out of the truck. Taylor followed him out and walked around the rear. She stood by the tailgate as he searched the garage for his tools. She looked at the thick, dense brush surrounding the house. It made for quiet privacy. Taylor could see why he might like it. She turned to see Steve sorting through the large red toolbox against the north wall.

He was just about ready and then they would be heading back to her car. She needed to somehow up the ante before he had her car fixed up and her off on her way. Taylor wandered out of the garage and onto the gravel drive trying to think of just how to do so when she heard him place his tools in the bed of the truck and call to her. “Let’s go,” Steve said opening the driver’s door. She had to do something.

Taylor took a few steps in his direction and pretended to stumble, twisting her ankle on the gravel. She yelped out and reached down holding her fake injury. “Oh, I am so clumsy.” She cursed herself. “Ouch.” She muttered as she took a step toward the truck.

“Are you hurt?” Steve asked with concern as he came to her side. She most certainly was not, but his concern was working to her advantage. “You are having a bad day, aren’t you?” He said lacing his arm about her waist to assist her to the truck. Taylor limped her way to the rear of the truck with her arm over his shoulder holding on to Steve for support. He reached out and dropped the tailgate. In one fluent motion, Steve lifted her off her feet and sat her up on the tailgate of his truck. “Let me see.” He said.

Taylor lifted her leg placing her foot on the tailgate causing the hem of her skirt to slide up her thigh. She repressed her smile as she watched him struggle to avert his eyes and focus on her ankle. Steve placed his hand on her calf and slowly slid it down to her heel removing her shoe. His touch was soft and gentle as his fingers grazed over her ankle. A tender touch as he pressed and rubbed her foot and ankle. A delicious tingling sensation spread from his fingers up her leg. “You have a gentle touch.”

Steve’s hands were rough and calloused from years of hard labour, but they turned to velvet in a single touch as his hand slowly moved back up her calf. “I don’t think you are too badly hurt.” He observed from her reaction to his examination. “A minor sprain perhaps. You should be more careful.” He said looking into her eyes. Taylor noted that he had not yet removed his hands from her person.

“I shall try.” She whispered holding his gaze. The corners of her mouth curved up in a flirtatious smile “But when your aid is so sweet there is little incentive to be careful.”

That smile that could melt a winter’s snow curved his mouth and his dark eyes flashed with mischief. “Talk like that a man might mistake for flirting.” He warned.

“And if I were?” She asked quietly waiting for his response.

His smile faded, and Steve released her ankle. Taylor could see the conflict in his eyes. “I don’t think mixing business with pleasure is such a good idea. After all, you are my father’s payday.” He reminded her.

Taylor frowned and turned her eyes to the ground as if trying to hide some great turmoil. “I understand. You must have a girl waiting for you; I apologize for being so forward. I don’t know anyone here.”

She felt Steve’s hand caress the side of her face, turning her face back to look at him. He leaned into her, his face inches from hers, his gaze holding her own. “You have done nothing wrong. You are sweet and beautiful; any man can see it.”

Taylor leaned over and placed a quick kiss on his lips. A quick peck to thank him for his kind words, but the moment her lips grazed his something happened. Steve tensed as if he had just been burnt and stared at her speechless. She froze for a moment looking into his dark eyes unsure of his reaction. Had she misjudged his attraction to her? “I’m sorry.” She muttered feeling like a fool. “I shouldn’t have done that. I-”

Suddenly his hand plunged into her hair, and Steve pulled Taylor forward. His lips captured hers in a heated kiss that made her head swoon. Steve’s mouth ate at hers and Taylor eagerly returned his kiss. Her hands reached up and slid over his strong shoulders feeling the hard-taut muscle beneath her fingers. Steve’s tongue swept her mouth and danced over her own.

His hand moved ever so softly down her throat and over her collarbone as he kissed her. His other arm wrapped around her waist, Steve pulled Taylor to the edge of the tailgate. Her thighs straddled his hips as her hands moved up into his hair knocking his hat off. His kiss was intoxicating, and she craved more. Steve’s hands moved down over her shoulder and pushed the straps of her dress down her arms bringing the front of her dress low and exposing her breast.

Taylor bit her lower lip when Steve cupped her breast and tore his lips from hers. His head lowered to her breast. His sweet torture stirred a warm dampening sensation between her legs, and it shook her how much she wanted him.

Without warning, Steve pulled away from her sliding the strap of her dress back in to place to cover her. There was a look of shame and torment on his handsome face as he backed away. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” He said putting distance between them. “It is not right.”

He was struggling morally with what they were doing. Taylor slipped off the tailgate and advanced on him; she was so close she could not let him slip through her fingers now. She placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him once more pressing her body in line with his. “It has been so long since anyone has wanted me.” She whispered against his lips. “Don’t turn me away.”

Steve kissed her softly and then held Taylor away, a pained expression on his face. “I can’t, maybe under different circumstances, but I can’t do this. I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I can’t risk my parent’s livelihood, not at their age. If your father finds out.”

“He will never find out.” She assured him.

“You can’t guarantee that.” He said sternly. “I have been used enough times to upset fathers. I don’t need to do it again. There is no reason to do something you may regret.” She watched as Steve headed for his truck. “Let’s go fix your car.”

He had rejected her, she had failed in her mission, and she could not understand why. Steve wanted her, so she did not understand the problem. He was trying to save her from guilt. From making some mistake. Or was he trying to save himself from getting caught up in some drama? Or did he suspect her? Taylor got into the passenger seat and sat while he drove her back to her car. She was not looking forward to telling John she had failed to seduce Steve. They were going to have to find a new way to press the matter.

***

John walked through the door and tossed his coat on the sofa. He had come home right after she had called his cell phone to let him know she had failed. He did not understand how she had failed. “You couldn’t seduce him?” He snapped. “How is that possible? The guys tell me he is a regular skirt chaser. He is almost always looking to hook up.”

“It just all went wrong from the start. Steve didn’t show up to do the repairs. I had to find him, and then I had to create some awkward situation to give me an excuse to kiss him. Only he went all chivalrous on me and tried to talk me into doing the right thing.”

“Do you think he suspects you are a cop?” John asked.

“No, at least I don’t think so,” Taylor said.

John sat down and raked his fingers through his dark curls as he thought. “We misjudged this guy. We are going to have to try harder.”

Taylor sighed and leaned against the armchair. “Maybe we should just find a different way to get what we need.”

“How do you suggest that we do that? We have already laid the foundation. We can’t flip-flop now without being suspicious. We have to proceed as planned.” John said kicking off his boots. “We’ll have to take this to the next level. Take away any doubt he might have. There is a rodeo coming up that everyone is heading out to the whole ranching community, so I hear. I’ll get myself on Archer’s team, so we have an excuse to go along. It is a week-long camp out from what I understand. A perfect opportunity to try again.” He suggested.

“I’ll get us some camping gear.”

“Until then we got to convince him to change his mind about hooking up with you,” John said relaxing on the sofa. “You said he liked to go to the Iron Horse right. You should go there, try to befriend his friends, so you have a reason to be around him.” Taylor groaned inwardly. She was starting to feel like she was being pimped out. The whole situation was trying. “Friday night would be the best time to go.”