Out of Eden (8 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

K
YLIE WOKE UP EXHAUSTED
. Three hours of sleep will do that to you. It wasn’t even three restful hours. Bleary-eyed, she schlepped to the shower. Her mind still churned on the things that had plagued her the night before.

She fretted over her upcoming appointment with Eden’s Historic Preservation Society, otherwise known as the HPS. She hated that she hadn’t been able to get that over with yesterday. Nope. They’d insisted she wait until their scheduled weekly meeting. Thank goodness that was today. The suspense, the delay, was killing her. Although, it wasn’t like her renovation was on hold. Travis had made tremendous, no,
amazing
progress on the interior. He’d worked tirelessly. And, although he hadn’t been keen on her helping to paint the walls, he did coach her in redecorating the chairs she already owned instead of purchasing new ones. She appreciated the cost-saving suggestion and his creative tips. Who knew a hardware guy could be so artsy? She also admired his energy. She’d pooped out around 6:00 p.m., plus she wanted to get home before dark. Travis had stayed on. He’d said he was in a groove. She suspected he was avoiding his lonely house.

Kylie scratched shampoo through her hair, feeling a little lonely herself. She blamed the chief of police. Celibacy was a lot easier when you weren’t battling desire. Once she’d finally drifted off last night, she’d dreamed about Jack pinning her against a wall. Jack undressing her with his eyes, his hands. Jack touching her, kissing her.

In McGraw’s Shoe Store.

Her family’s place of business.

She’d been squirming with thigh-quaking lust, begging the hunky lawman to boink her senseless when suddenly she’d spotted her dad. Not for real. But in the dream. Unfortunately it had been a lucid dream. So in addition to experiencing erotic thrills compliments of Jack, she also sensed Dewy McGraw’s shock and dismay. Kylie had spent her entire life trying to win her dad’s approval. Now he was gone and she was still proving a disappointment.

She rinsed the herbal-scented suds from her hair, pondering the relevance of that weird dream. It had to run deeper than her dad frowning on public displays of sex.

At least he hadn’t materialized in her second dream. Her mortification would’ve been off the charts. She’d gotten down and dirty with Jack in a jail cell. Handcuffs were involved. Just thinking about the things he’d done to her made Kylie ache.

“Crushing on Jack is stupid,” she told herself as she cranked the cold water. “He’s not attracted to you. If he was, he would have kissed you in the store. He didn’t even flirt.”

She continued to talk herself out of the attraction as she soaped her body. Only, her mind kept flashing on the handcuffs, iron bars and lots of naked flesh. Suddenly she was touching herself everywhere Jack had touched her. Or at least everywhere her subconscious wanted him to touch her. The cold water pelting her body did little to cool the heat between her legs. Frustrated, she nabbed the handheld shower massage, turned the dial and directed the fast and hard pulsating stream to where she ached most. She exploded with a quaking orgasm in two seconds flat.

Breathless, she wilted against the wall of the cramped stall. Seconds later, her heart settled in her chest, and instead of satisfied, she felt a twinge of guilt and regret.

“Why can’t I make you come like that?”
Bobby had once asked after he’d urged her to pleasure herself.

She didn’t know, and it frustrated her that it bothered him so much. It’s not like she didn’t enjoy sex with him. In fact, she went out of her way to please him. It made her feel good when she drove him over the edge. Why couldn’t that be enough?

She’d assured him that it wasn’t his fault.
“I’ve only been with two other men and I didn’t have orgasms then, either.”
That didn’t make him feel better. In fact, two weeks later he left on a travel assignment and never came back. She didn’t want to believe it was because she was wired wrong, so she convinced herself, and everyone else, he’d simply gotten cold feet.

In a way, she wished she was promiscuous. Maybe she’d benefit from more experience.

Unfortunately, Kylie had never been able to wrap her mind around sex without an emotional attachment. If she could, she would’ve indulged in casual affairs in search of a skilled lover with the magic touch. A lover who’d show her the orgasmic stars.

In her dreams, Jack was that man. She hated that she couldn’t wipe those erotic sensations and images from her mind. She hated that she was contemplating risking her heart in order to fulfill a primitive yearning. Maybe she wasn’t wired wrong. Maybe she just hadn’t been with the right man. Maybe she could handle a fling with Jack because she
was
emotionally attached to him. Maybe if she knew going in that it wouldn’t be forever.

“Wow,” she said as she toweled off. “Given the proper motivation, a girl can talk herself into anything.”

Thoughtful, Kylie swiped her hand over the steamy mirror and frowned at her reflection. “When Jack looks at you, he sees Spenser’s kid sister.” She hated that, too. “Maybe it’s because you haven’t updated your look in, well,
ever
. Maybe it’s because he’s used to slick city chicks and you look like a frumpy bumpkin.”

Inspiration struck. Or rather, an intense urge to shake things up.

She stared into the mirror, tried to envision a new haircut and color. She couldn’t.

“But Faye could.”

They’d never gotten that private moment yesterday. Faye had blown back into the hardware store, saying she had things to do at Orchard House, then she’d blown back out. The tension had been worse than before. At a loss, Kylie had decided to give her friend space and time.

That meant trusting her makeover to Petunia, the owner and primary stylist at the local beauty shop. Most of the woman’s clients walked out with a perm or last year’s hot celebrity cut. Seeing as Kylie wasn’t big on poodles or Posh, visiting a big-city stylist might be a safer bet. Except, she couldn’t afford the long drive. Couldn’t afford missing her meeting with the HPS. Plus, she probably couldn’t get an appointment for today, anyway, and she wanted a makeover
now
. She’d just have to be firm about what she didn’t want and hope for the best.

Change is exciting. Change is good.

“Right.”

Minutes later, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved cream tee and orange high-top sneakers with hot pink laces, Kylie made an appointment with destiny, aka Petunia of Petunia’s Hairdoodles.

O
PERATING ON LITTLE SLEEP
and no coffee, Jack worked a crick from his neck as he drove into town. He’d dressed quickly and split without breakfast, hesitant to wake his guests. He figured they needed the rest, even though it meant Maddie missing another day of kindergarten. Apparently, she’d skipped the day before, claiming a tummy ache. But when tucking her into Jack’s bed, Jessie had confessed that it wasn’t Maddie’s stomach that hurt, but her feelings. Kids were making fun of her, calling her names. This bothered Jack, but, damn, maybe the kid would fare better if Jessie focused on inner strength as opposed to outer beauty.

Then again, what the hell did he know about kids.

Except that they liked dogs.

He’d contemplated leaving Shy at home, more time to bond with his niece, less irritation at the stationhouse. But Jessie had indicated she had plans today. Wherever she went, she’d take Maddie. Which would leave Shy alone. Shy who’d gotten into the trash that morning and eaten a paper towel laced with cookie crumbs.

So, once again, the dog rode shotgun.

This time Jack rolled down the window so Shy wouldn’t slobber on it while looking at the passing scenery. The grooming had resulted in less shedding, and the dry food had cured her stink. Things were looking up.

Jack cranked the classic rock station, anticipated Kerri’s featured pastry and ticked off a mental to-do list. Ten minutes later, he turned on to Main Street. Traffic was moderate and flowing. No gridlock. No blaring horns. The sidewalks in NYC would have been teeming, even at this early hour. He noted three pedestrians—total. All was calm. Quiet.
Routine
. Kylie would hate it.

As he neared McGraw’s Shoe Store, he looked for her motorcycle. Even though she’d closed the store for renovations, he imagined she’d show early in order to put in a full day. According to Ziffel, who’d heard it from Boone, who’d heard it from Stan, who’d heard it from Faye—Kylie and her lone hired hand were handling the bulk of the work, and Kylie wanted to reopen in time for the Apple Festival. They’d need to pull long hours to make her goal. But instead of a sleek silver motorcycle, he spied a beat-up blue pickup.

Jack pulled to the opposite curb and watched as Travis Martin hefted a box of supplies from the bed of his Chevy, then let himself inside McGraw’s. Kylie must’ve entrusted the man with a key.
Bad move, Tiger
. Something about Martin bothered him. Just because he had a clean record—and Jack had checked—didn’t mean he was harmless.

Jack sat tight, observed. Not that there was anything to see. Kylie or Travis, or both, had draped a black tarp over the front windows, concealing whatever changes they were making inside. Given Kylie’s gripe with the ordinary, Jack envisioned pink walls, zebra-cushioned seats and displays featuring impractical shoes. Or maybe practical shoes with a playful twist. Like her flowered work boots.

He wondered if he should alert Spenser. Not because the store was in his name—Spenser had never cared about shoes—but because Kylie’s actions affected her mom and grandma, too. If she ran the business into the ground, they’d all suffer. On the other hand, who knew? Maybe she’d breathe new life into the old business.

“Maybe I should wait and see how she fares with the HPS.”

Shy barked.

“Right.”

Just then Kylie roared by and parked her bike behind the Chevy. The first thing he noticed, aside from her cute ass, was her modest clothing. Denim jacket, jeans. Nothing scandalous. Nothing whimsical. Although, wait, were those sneakers orange? Uncommon, but not as unique as the flowered combat boots. Had she already ditched the idea of stirring things up by dressing out of the ordinary?

Too bad. The boots had been cute, but it was the short skirt he missed. And the boxers. They shouldn’t have been sexy, but they were. Mostly because he’d speculated on the panties beneath the boxers. Bikini? Thong? Or maybe there were no panties. Maybe she’d gone commando. He wondered if those thoughts had crossed Ziffel’s mind. Not that he was jealous—hell, no—just protective of his friend’s sister.

As he watched her dismount the bike, his thoughts turned to another man. What if she’d decided to shake things up by fooling around with the hardware guy? Or maybe Martin sensed she was vulnerable and intended to seduce her. Not that it was Jack’s business.

Damn.

If he sat here any longer, he’d end up inside McGraw’s. “Under what pretense, jackass?”

“Arrff!”

“Right.” Better to move on. Put his Aspen in gear and drive directly to the station house. Instead, he opened his door and jerked a thumb at Shy. “Let’s roll.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

K
YLIE WAS LOST IN THOUGHT
as she pulled off her bike helmet and looped the chin strap over the handlebars. Even though the store would be closed for business, she’d planned a full day. First, she’d put in time with the renovations. Then she’d hit Petunia’s for her hair makeover. This afternoon she’d plead her case with the Historic Preservation Society. At some point today, she’d at least
try
to get in touch with Spenser. On the ride into town the thought occurred that
not
informing him about the renovations wasn’t so much daring as cowardly. If he balked, she’d just have to convince him that change was good. If she could convince the stuffy HPS, she could convince her adventurous brother.

She recited her argument in her head for the umpteenth time. She gripped the doorknob of McGraw’s just as someone said her name. That
someone
was Jack.
Drat
, she thought as she turned to face the man of her dreams. She’d hoped to avoid running into him until
after
her meeting with the HPS. The man mucked up her concentration. Although, she hadn’t run into him. He’d sought her out—along with the dog that wasn’t his.

Flashing back on their last confrontation, she hiked a brow. “Want to see my driver’s license?”

“I’d like to buy you a cup of coffee.”

Kylie’s heart fluttered, which was nuts. It’s not like he was asking her out for drinks and dinner. This was…she didn’t know what it was. She furrowed her brow. “You made that same offer yesterday.”

“Is that a ‘no’?”

“It’s a ‘why’.”

“I need to talk to you.”

Her frown deepened. “What did I do now?”

His lip twitched. “Nothing. As far as I know.” He sobered then. “It’s about my sister.”

“Jessica Lynn?”

“Her life’s in turmoil, and since we’ve been on the outs, I don’t know specifics.”

“It’s not like she confides in me.” Kylie tried to wrap her mind around this unexpected conversation. “We don’t even run in the same circles.”

“But you both live in Eden and this town feeds on gossip. I’m sure you’ve heard talk.”

She’d heard talk, all right. Mostly about Jessica Lynn’s husband, Frank Cortez. It wasn’t pretty. “You won’t like it.”

“Better than being in the dark.”

He sounded so earnest, looked so sincere, and just the teensiest bit desperate. Never in a million years would she have expected Jack Reynolds—super-man, super-cop—to come to her for help. “Why me? You could ask Deputy Ziffel, or Boone or—”

“Because I know you’ll keep whatever’s said between us private. Because if you needed help with Spenser, I’d have your back.”

Well, dang. How was she supposed to say no to that? Especially since just yesterday she’d declared them friends. It’s just that this talk struck her as awfully intimate and she was trying very hard not to fall for Jack.
Again
. Lust was one thing. Love…she didn’t want to think about it.

She covered her heart, a silly protective gesture. She glanced at the store, wishing Travis would stick his head out and call her inside, any excuse for a getaway.

“Heard Travis Martin is a competent, hard worker,” Jack said, as if reading her thoughts. “I’m sure he can do without you for a half hour.”

Dang.

“Kerri’s Confections is a short walk away.”

“Not Kerri’s,” Kylie blurted. “First, no dogs allowed.” She glanced down at the mutt sitting quietly at Jack’s side. “Are you sure she’s not yours? She seems awfully attached.”

“She attaches herself to whoever offers food and affection.”

Meaning Jack must dote on her. Kylie smiled at that. “Second,” she said, keeping the conversation on track, “do you know how busy Kerri’s place is in the morning? How many ears would strain in our direction? If you don’t want Jessica Lynn to know we were talking about her, we should go somewhere private.”
Just not too private.
“Although I could use a cup of tea.”
And a moment to gather my wits
.

She’d known Jack all her life, but she’d never had a private, serious discussion with him regarding family or anything else for that matter. Her birthday exchange didn’t count—she’d been drunk. Yesterday’s heated exchange in McGraw’s didn’t count—he’d been lecturing. Even the many-moons-ago, never-to-be-mentioned exchange didn’t count because they’d both been walking on eggshells.

Nope. This was a first. It felt weird and important. He wanted her help and she didn’t want to let him down.

“What about one of the park benches near City Hall?” Jack asked.

The Appleseed Memorial. A beautified area maintained by the Garden Club. Not too private, but private enough on a weekday morning. Kylie nodded.

“I’ll get the tea and coffee,” Jack said. “You take Shy. I’ll meet you both there in five.”

Five minutes to gather her wits. Great.

Not willing to waste a second, she reached into her backpack and snagged a peanut butter cookie from her snack pack. She broke off a piece and offered it to Shy.

“The vet said not to feed her people food,” said Jack.

“Do you want her to follow me or not?” But it wasn’t the cookie Shy seemed as fond of, as the attention Kylie paid her with a hug and a kind stroke. “She’s awfully sweet.”

“Like you.”

Kylie frowned into Shy’s fur. Jack thought she was
sweet?
If only he was privy to her erotic dreams. Cheeks burning, she straightened and headed for the park. “Come on, Shy!”

Thank God, the dog followed.

Thank God, Jack headed for Kerri’s.

Four minutes to gather her wits.

U
SING HIS SISTER AS AN
excuse to steal time with Kylie had been spontaneous and inspired. Jack sincerely wanted insight into Jessie’s situation. And he honestly did believe he could count on Kylie to share what she’d heard without embellishing and keep their discussion on the QT. His sister wouldn’t appreciate his digging, but since she wasn’t forthcoming, he didn’t have a choice. He’d be damned if he’d sit by while she was in an emotional tailspin.

Jack stepped up to the counter of Kerri’s Confections, and just like the day before, Kerri Waldo herself insisted on taking his order. She was young, pretty, flirtatious and the Goddess of Baked Goods. Normally, he would’ve considered asking her out, but he was preoccupied with three other women just now—one of them waiting a mere block away.

“Are these for you and Deputy Ziffel?” Kerri asked sweetly as she bagged the beverages and pastries. Even though she was an East Coast transplant, she played the small-town-where-everybody-knows-everyone’s-business game as if she were, what they called in Eden, a lifer.

“No,” he said honestly. “I’m treating a friend to breakfast.” He swore the noise level dipped, sensed the café’s patrons leaning his way.

“Anyone I know?” Kerri asked with a bright smile.

Jack smiled back. “I’m sure you do. How much do I owe?” Kylie had been right. This place was a gossip mill. Amused, he paid up and said a congenial “good day” to Ms. Waldo and folks who toasted him with red-and-white-checkered coffee cups. As he left the café and crossed the street, he imagined everyone clamoring to the window to see where he was going. He rounded the corner, out of sight. He could almost hear their disappointed sighs. Although, now they could spin scenarios to their hearts’ content. He hadn’t escaped being the subject of gossip, but at least they wouldn’t overhear Kylie sharing news about his sister.

Jack neared the Appleseed Memorial Park. It was small—a few oaks, an apple tree, a fountain, a statue of Johnny Appleseed and a half-dozen beds of flowers—but it was scenic and quiet.

Instead of sitting on a bench, Kylie was playing fetch with Shy. He watched as the needy mutt retrieved the stick and smiled when Kylie lavished attention on her. His ex-wife would never have risked getting dirty to play with a dog. In fact, most of the women he’d dated over the years had been obscenely focused on the shallow things in life. According to the marriage counselor, Jack gravitated toward these women because they were needy. Then he’d suggested they were safe because Jack didn’t want to connect with a woman on a deeper, more intelligent level. He’d listed the possible reasons and Jack had shot them down. But those reasons sporadically ran through Jack’s mind.

“Breakfast is served,” he called.

Kylie tossed the stick aside and settled on a bench. Shy circled, then curled on the grass next to her backpack. Probably smelled more cookies.

Jack sat, unsure whether to be amused or insulted when Kylie scooted away. She crossed her legs, and he noted those orange chucks had vibrant pink laces. Cute, and more whimsical than he’d first thought. Smiling to himself, he opened the bag and offered her a cup of hot tea, a napkin and a cannoli.

“Thanks.” Brow scrunched, she inspected the crispy, cream-filled shell. “What is it?”

“Kerri’s pastry of the day.”

“Yes, but what
is
it?”

“You’ve never had a cannoli?”

She shook her head.

“It’s an Italian pastry filled with sweet ricotta cheese and, typically, vanilla cream. This one’s filled with chocolate cream and topped with almonds and a cherry.”

“Sounds interesting, but I already had breakfast.”

Jack lifted a brow. “You can resist Kerri’s pastries?”

She snorted. “Yeah, right. It’s just that I’m not hungry. Mind if I save it for later?”

“Mind if I indulge? I got hooked on cannolis when I policed Little Italy. Never thought I’d get one here.” He sampled and groaned. “Unbelievable.”

“That good, huh?” She pursed her lips. “All right. Maybe just a taste. Who says you have to be hungry to eat?”

Jack watched as she bit into the cannoli, smiled when her eyes lit up. “Rivals anything from Little Italy,” he said. “Impressive, since Ms. Waldo isn’t even Italian.”

“It’s amazing. The flavor. The texture. Light but rich. How does she
do
that?” Kylie asked as she took another bite.

He couldn’t remember ever enjoying watching a woman eat, as if it were a sight to behold. Concerned with maintaining a svelte figure, Amanda had always nibbled at her meals. Jessie, too. Kylie didn’t nibble, she ate with gusto. Messy and sexy. “You have a little something…”

“What?”

“The corner of your mouth.”

“Crumbs?”

“Cream.”

Her tongue darted to the left side of her mouth, a sexy maneuver made even sexier because it was innocent.

Christ. “The other side.” He wanted to get it for her. With
his
tongue.

She swiped at her mouth with her finger, then sucked off the cream. “This chocolate stuff is to die for. What is it? Mousse? Pudding?
Yum.
”

Yum
came to his mind, too, only he wasn’t thinking about the chocolate. Jack schooled his expression, shifted to hide his arousal and scrambled for a distraction. “About my sister…”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything you know about the decline of her marriage.”

“You at least know that Frank left her for another woman, right?”

“That I know.”

“No warning. No apologies. No chance to work things out. Just up and left—his wife and kid. His home and job. Creep.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

Kylie wrapped up the remainder of her treat and wiped her hands and mouth with a napkin.

Shy popped up and licked crumbs from her pant leg.

“You never liked Frank,” Kylie noted, while petting the dog’s head. “I always thought that was strange since everyone else in this town respected the guy. Charming, friendly and successful. A lawyer who fought hard for his clients. But knowing what I know now… You must have a heck of an intuition.”

Jack sipped coffee and braced himself. “What do you know?”

“I don’t know anything. Not for a fact. I’ve just heard things.” Kylie fidgeted. “I hate spreading gossip.”

“I appreciate that. What did you hear?”

She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Frank was unfaithful. Rumor has it he had multiple affairs and that they had been going on for years. He must have been slicker than a hog on ice, because nobody knew. Well, the women he cheated with knew, but they never said anything. Although, why would they? He was married. Some of
them
were married. The only reason it came out was because one of those women confided in Jessica Lynn after Frank took off. She said,
“You’re better off,”
then confessed she’d had an affair with Frank and that he’d burned her, too. That woman was one of Jessica Lynn’s snooty friends, by the way. Part of her Garden Club circle.”

“That sucks.”

“It gets worse,” Kylie said. “Are you sure you want to know?”

“Spill.”

She sipped her tea, wet her lips. “Well, it was like this weird trickle-down effect. Jessica Lynn blew up at her friend.”

“Understandable.”

“At a country club event.”

“Shit.”

“I think the only reason Jessica Lynn was there to begin with was to distract herself from Frank’s desertion. But she wigged out and blasted the woman and a lot of people overheard. Next thing you know, a few other bitter, jilted women slipped up and basically said,
“Frank screwed you, too?”
Kylie blushed. “I’m guessing they meant both ways.”

Jack tugged at the brim of his EPD ball cap, shielded his eyes from the bright morning sun. Mild temperature. Clear skies. A perfect fall day except for the crap he was learning about his brother-in-law—not that he was surprised. He focused on Kylie, a ray of sunshine in a shit-storm. “I notice you’re not naming names.”

“You mean of the women Frank seduced?” She shrugged. “If you really need to know, ask Deputy Ziffel or Boone. Like I said, I don’t like to spread gossip.”

Jack smiled in spite of his dark mood. “You’re a good soul, Tiger.”

She frowned at that, then narrowed her eyes. “Why aren’t you more upset?”

“I’m upset.”

“You don’t look it.”

“Trust me.” Jack set aside his coffee. “Anything else?”

Kylie cleared her throat and pushed her glasses up her nose. “It’s twisted if you ask me, but everyone in Jessica Lynn’s social circle? They don’t want anything to do with her. I don’t know if they’re scandalized or just uncomfortable, but…it’s like she’s paying for Frank’s sins. And everyone else in town? Can’t say they have much sympathy.” Kylie blushed. “Forgive me for saying so, but Jessica Lynn has always been uppity. She’s snubbed a lot of folks—”