She's No Angel (4 page)

It was breathtaking, but not because of the amazing location. It was the smile on her face, the sheer joy and uninhibited exhilaration that caught his attention.

Something told him Lexi rarely let this side of herself free. She was cautious. Methodical. And he could appreciate that since he was usually the same. But there was a passion that ran beneath. Passion he couldn’t help but want to see.

Even if he shouldn’t.

Now that he knew it was there...

Throwing the dossier into the passenger seat, Brett exited the car. It was late, but after the meeting he’d needed to get away from town before he did something he’d regret. Driving out to the property had seemed like a good idea.

Until he’d realized just how far out it was.

Plop him down in the middle of an urban jungle and he was perfectly fine. But he had no idea what to do with the trees and overwhelming scent of pine.

He was here, though, so he picked his way through the overgrown brush. Everything was lush and green, fully in the throes of summer. A sliver of moon peeked through the branches above him.

He pointed a flashlight onto the unfamiliar ground.

The land was big, fifty-plus acres. For the most part, they were untouched. Somewhere there was a house, but from the pictures he’d seen it was ninety years old and practically condemnable. It hadn’t been inhabited for at least twenty years.

The closest Brett had come to this much green space was the park down the street from the apartment building he’d grown up in. And he sure as heck wouldn’t have thought to venture out there at night. At least, not without a weapon.

A surprising sense of peace stole through Brett. Bullfrogs called into the night and water lapped gently at the lake’s shore. He wanted to see it. From the moment Mr. Bowen had handed him the photographs of this place he’d been drawn to the lake.

He hadn’t consciously come here with a purpose, but his feet moved unerringly through the trees toward the water. Stepping out from beneath the shadows, Brett got his first real glimpse. The scent of damp earth filled his lungs. He stopped at the shore, his new shoes crunching on the sandy ground.

Brett stared out across the water to the far shore. It was so...quiet. Here he could imagine the sort of family fun he’d never had. Pushing Hunter’s head beneath the water. Wakeboarding. Fishing.

He didn’t want to mar the untamed landscape. He wanted to enhance it. To design something that would bring out the character of the place. High ceilings. Walls of glass to bring the outside in. Natural stone. Rough-hewn native woods. Crystal fixtures. Modern rustic.

He could see the building in his head, not that it really mattered.

Even if Bowen would agree, Sweetheart’s marketing plan wasn’t necessarily geared towards families. But the resort had so much potential to draw in new clientele and increase the exposure they’d already established.

Young parents could bring their families, enjoying a quick taste of small-town life. And after the kids were fast asleep they could take advantage of the romantic atmosphere.

He frowned. Damn Bowen for not seeing the vision. His boss had insisted on a design that was in-your-face instead of integrated with the natural landscape. He’d wanted flashy and eye-catching instead of subtle and sumptuously elegant.

Brett began walking down the shore. His muted footsteps blended with the other sounds—the splash of a fish, the buzz of an annoying insect. The oppressive heat of the day eased and a gentle summer breeze brushed against his skin.

It was difficult to tell where Bowen’s property ended and someone else’s began. He could see the slanted roofs of several cabins and cottages around the lake. Docks jutted out into the water, some clustered together. Others were spaced farther apart. The lines out here seemed to blur, without many fences.

The beam from his light flashed back and forth across the ground in front of him, more of an afterthought than anything else. He probably wouldn’t have noticed even if there was an obstacle in his way. The vista of the lake kept pulling him.

Until the crack of Lexi’s voice startled him. “What are you doing out here?”

4

B
RETT
TURNED
SLOWLY
. It took several seconds for his eyes to find her since she’d camouflaged herself in the shadows of the trees. Lexi knew the moment he found her, though. She could feel the impact of his gaze as it collided with hers.

Maybe she should have stayed silent, but she’d been surprised to find him out here.

Standing on her back porch, she’d been soaking up a few moments of peace when the bouncing beam of a flashlight in the woods had caught her attention. They didn’t often have issues, but this was high rental season, which meant outsiders who were looking for fun sometimes found trouble instead.

She’d grabbed her own flashlight and handgun from the gun safe and headed out to investigate.

The last person she’d expected to see standing at the edge of the lake was Brett Newcomb.

He’d looked so...remote and stunning. Untouchable. And somehow sad. It bothered her. She didn’t want to think of him as upset. She wanted to despise him.

Unfortunately, she didn’t.

“I could ask the same of you. What are you doing out in the woods in the middle of the night? It can’t be safe out here.”

His hands popped into the pockets of his pants, pulling the material against his hips and drawing her attention down where it shouldn’t be.

“Really?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “At least I live out here. I’ve been running these woods since I was a little girl. You’re more likely the one in danger. Do you even know where you are?”

“Bowen’s property.”

“Wrong. You left that behind somewhere over there.” She gestured with her free hand.

The gun hung quietly at her side, but Brett’s gaze was drawn to it anyway. His icy eyes sharpened, glittering dangerously through the darkness.

“Why do you have a gun?” His voice was tight with controlled anger.

“I’m a single woman living beside a huge forest on the outskirts of town. We have bears, coyotes and bobcats. Besides, I had no idea who was out here tromping around in the woods after dark. My brother’s an ex-ranger. Do you really think he or my daddy would let me live out here without a way to protect myself?”

Instead of mollifying Brett, that knowledge seemed to piss him off. He stalked forward, closing the gap between them.

He crowded into her personal space. Lexi backed up slowly until her spine collided with the trunk of a tree. Brett towered over her, his face dark with an anger she didn’t understand.

But she wasn’t frightened. Maybe she should have been, alone in the woods with a strange man who was glaring at her. But she was the one with the gun, even if it was pointed at the ground.

“Put it away,” he growled.

Her heart fluttered uncomfortably in her chest. The scent of him overwhelmed the earthy, comforting smell of her woods. It filled her. The wide expanse of his shoulders blocked out her view of everything but him. Heat slowly seeped through her body, radiating from deep inside her belly.

She recognized the sensation, knew exactly what it meant, but didn’t do anything to stop it or fan it. Instead, she slowly shook her head. “Not until you tell me why it bothers you.”

Lexi had no idea why it mattered, but it did. She wanted to know.

Brett’s jaw tightened. He rolled his neck sideways, the cracking sound of it echoing down her spine. But the gesture wasn’t a sign of power. It was an unconscious motion while he gathered his thoughts.

“Where I come from nothing good ever happens when guns are around. I spent years trying to protect my little brother and mother from them. I don’t like them.”

Beneath the heated words, Lexi caught the briefest glimpse of a hunted little boy. He wasn’t there long before Brett stuffed him away again, though.

“Please. Put it away.”

With slow movements, Lexi lifted the hem of her shirt, took the weapon and popped it into the holster clipped to her waistband. She let the soft material fall back across her thighs, hiding the bulge of the gun.

Brett’s shoulders visibly relaxed, easing down. But he was still close. And without the tension crackling between them, there was nothing to blunt the attraction.

He shifted. The air around her stirred.

Needing something to fill her hands, Lexi reached behind her and pressed them tight against the tree. Rough bark abraded her skin. But it was better than reaching for him and doing something she’d regret.

Brett stood in front of her, silently watching. She didn’t like being watched, but his intense scrutiny had the opposite effect from what she was used to. Instead of making her self-conscious and uncomfortable, it made her burn.

A blue flame flickered deep inside his eyes. As she watched, his pupils dilated, pushing against the cool ring of color. Her breath hitched in her chest.

His gaze roamed, snagging on her mouth and pausing so long that her lips parted. She could practically feel the pressure of him there.

Lexi thought he was going to kiss her. Her body wanted him to, but her brain screamed a warning that was hard to listen to.

To her surprise, instead of bridging the gap between them, Brett took a single step backward.

But she didn’t want that.

Maybe it was the night. Or the setting. Or the man. But suddenly she wanted to touch him. More than her next breath. And while she’d worked very hard on impulse control in every aspect of her life, tonight those lessons failed her.

Instead of letting him go, Lexi fisted her hands into the front of his shirt and pulled him to her.

On either side of her head his hands pressed tight against the tree. His tall body angled above her. Beneath her fist his heart hammered against her. That single telltale sign made her want to rub her entire body against his.

He wanted her.

But still he didn’t kiss her.

Lexi leaned forward. Her mouth grazed his. It was little more than a gossamer touch, but the low rumble that echoed through Brett’s chest had her gasping.

And then he devoured her. With nothing more than his mouth he pulled her in and sent her body up in flames. His tongue stroked deep into her mouth. She sagged against the tree, needing something to hold her up. But it wouldn’t be Brett, because he didn’t even touch her.

Beside her head, his fingers flexed against the tree. Her own dropped numb and useless to her side. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but where they actually touched.

She expected him to be cool and calculating. Instead, his mouth was hot and demanding. She tasted the sharp edge of his desperation and recognized it because she was caught by it, as well.

Need wrapped around her, clenching deep inside.

He sucked at her bottom lip. She leaned into the kiss, nipping back.

Finally, he broke away, ending what she’d started. They stared at each other. His eyes were hooded and hidden. Lexi knew hers were probably round with badly disguised need and surprise.

Never in her life had a single kiss left her so shaken. And needy. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.

The intensity of it scared her. She didn’t want this. Especially not with him.

What had she been thinking?

Ducking beneath his arm, Lexi put much-needed space between them. Should she apologize? Probably. But she couldn’t find the words.

And he didn’t move to stop her. He just watched as she took measured steps. Finally, she turned away, but a few seconds later she heard the rustle of underbrush behind her.

Glancing back, she caught a glimpse of him through the trees.

Was he coming after her? Did he expect to finish what they’d started?

Alarm, seriously delayed and poorly timed, finally clanged through her. She found her voice to ask, “What are you doing?”

His voice was deep and dark, floating to her through the night. “Making sure you get home okay.”

Lexi stopped, turning to look at him. Was he serious or was he making fun of her?

His face was half hidden by a tree several feet away. He stood silently and she realized he meant it.

It was probably the last thing she’d expected Brett Newcomb to do, follow her through unfamiliar woods to make sure she got home safely. A startling blast of warmth suffused her chest.

“But who’s going to keep
you
safe?”

* * *

L
EXI
WAS
A
bundle of nerves. It had been one of those days. The kind where nothing went right. She’d scorched a batch of caramel. Her peanut butter fudge seized. It never seized. She hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything. Anything except the memory of that kiss.

Why had she done that?

She knew better. She didn’t even like the guy. Did she? He had a personal agenda that had nothing to do with the good of Sweetheart. Brett Newcomb had no idea what the town was about. And if he didn’t understand, how could he possibly design a resort that would fit?

He couldn’t.

What was worse, she didn’t think he really wanted to. Those designs—the same ones he’d submitted and presented to the council before—indicated he didn’t give a damn.

But that didn’t quite mesh with the man she’d found staring across the lake last night. That man had been pensive and quiet. He’d gotten upset at seeing her gun and had followed her back to her cabin, making no move at all to come inside when she’d reached the deck.

Instead, he’d stood in the shadows until she’d closed the door behind her.

The entire town was waiting for him to get frustrated and leave. Lexi wanted him to leave. Or she should have. But the electricity that snapped through her body at the mere memory of his lips on hers called her a hypocrite and a liar.

Needing a break, Lexi popped the “back in 15 minutes” sign onto her front door, turned the lock and headed to the diner to grab something for lunch. Normally she stayed as far away from that kind of fat-laden comfort food as possible—preferring to get her indulgence calories from her own concoctions—but today was an exception. Even she recognized that everyone had to let go once in a while.

But the moment the bell chimed as she walked in the front door she regretted the decision. Brett was there holding court, a group of the old guard spread out across the tables around him. Men who’d been ancient when she was a little girl talked animatedly among themselves.

“He makes a good point,” Mr. Luker interjected, slapping the table with his palm for emphasis.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to change our minds about the Bowen project,” Arthur Edmunds countered.

Lexi wondered if her dad knew Brett was stirring up support. While none of the old guard held any real power anymore, they still had plenty of influence on the people who did.

Brett might not be from a small town, but apparently he knew enough to start with the people who’d been around forever.

With a frown, Lexi crossed to the counter and placed her order. She studiously ignored the group, refusing to turn around and look at them. It might be childish, but it was the best defense she had against him and the itchy need that crackled beneath her skin when Brett was close.

The weight of his stare made her nervous. If he didn’t stop staring someone was going to notice. And then she’d never hear the end of it. Just what she needed, to be the butt of even more gossip.

Although maybe it was just her imagination, or twitchy libido, because the low rumble of his voice continued without missing a beat of the conversation.

Her skin tightened. Her muscles bunched with the need to look, to know whether the scalp-tingling sensation was real or imagined. She fidgeted with the menu, running her fingers up and down the laminated edge. She knew the thing by heart, but it gave her something to do besides wait.

Finally, unable to stop herself, Lexi snuck a quick peek. The muscles in her belly tightened with unwanted anticipation and her mouth went dry. He
was
watching her. But not with the cool stare she’d expected. His light blue eyes burned; heat swept up her skin.

Lexi couldn’t look away. Dammit! She didn’t like being powerless over her own body. She didn’t like the awake, nervous expectation that jangled down all of her nerves.

His mouth moved. Her internal muscles flexed. Without looking away, he continued the conversation. Slowly, his eyelids slipped down, hiding the sleepy, sexy heat from everyone but her. Every cell in her body knew it was there, reacted to the unspoken promise.

“Here’s your order, Lexi,” Rose Harriman, who’d worked behind the counter for the past ten years, said, finally snapping the connection.

Lexi grabbed the bag, spun on her heel and rushed from the diner, happy to get away from the relentless tractor beam of Brett’s gaze. Out on the street she blew a slow, steadying breath. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite take the edge away.

She really just wanted to forget that Brett Newcomb was anywhere close. Easier said than done. Especially since he seemed to be everywhere today.

In between customers and bites of her grilled chicken salad, she couldn’t help but notice him crisscrossing back and forth down Main Street. The hardware store. The corner grocery. Petals, the flower shop, although he didn’t stay in there long. He even headed into Willow and Macey’s wedding boutique at one point. Imagining him in there reminded her of the black dress and red shoes.

When would he leave?

* * *

H
E
WASN
’
T
GETTING
anywhere. After a solid eight hours of talking, smiling and arguing with anyone who would listen to him, all he had to show for the effort was a scratchy throat, a pounding headache and a sense that he’d spent all day chiseling at a wall and only managed an invisible chip.

No one in town was interested in being his ally.

If he had any hope of swaying them and getting that bonus, he was going to have to change tactics. If he could get one person to side with him, it would make all the difference.

Lexi, the way she’d looked right after he’d kissed her, popped into his mind.

He headed back to the inn and ended up staring at the copy of the drawings loaded onto his computer. It was either that or the dossier on Lexi, and he really didn’t need to read it again. As it was, he practically had the thing memorized.