GIDEON SMILED AT the little girl standing next to her mother by the examination table.
“Pedro is a very healthy bunny rabbit,” he pronounced solemnly. Technically it was an American fuzzy lop, but Maria wasn’t in the 4-H club and didn’t care which breed her new pet bunny might be.
Maria shyly put her hand out so Pedro could sniff it.
The Alvarez family was one of Gideon’s favorites. The older children each had a pet and were faithfully taught how to care for them. They asked thoughtful questions at the annual health exams and plainly loved them. The youngest, Maria, was four and had just been deemed old enough to handle some of the basics of animal husbandry.
“But I’ll tell you a secret,” Gideon whispered, leaning closer. Maria stretched up on her toes to listen. “Pedro is going to have babies.”
“Goody,” Maria exclaimed.
Her mother began laughing. “They said it was a male.”
“Someone doesn’t know their Y chromosomes from their X’s.”
“And then they let the rooster loose in the henhouse. Or vice versa, as the case may be.”
Gideon chuckled appreciatively. Gloria Alvarez was an attractive woman with a warm sense of humor. She and her husband owned one of the local animal feed stores. Like many small towns, Glimmer Creek had a number of nurseries, animal feed stores and beauty salons, but no computer services, and medical care was limited to a single clinic. It didn’t bother Gideon, though having a few more organic products available would be nice.
Gideon returned Pedro to the carrier. “You should call the breeder and let them know there was an error. Where did you get her?”
“At a place in the valley. At least they were right about Pedro being trained to use the litter box. We brought him—that is, her—home yesterday and she’s used the box faithfully.”
“Maybe she’ll train her babies to use it, too.”
Mrs. Alvarez let out a good-natured groan as she left with the carrier and her daughter.
Gideon was adding a couple of notes to the electronic file when his veterinary assistant stuck her head around the door. “Urgent case in B.”
“Thanks, Sandra.”
A curious sense of foreboding struck him as he strode into the room next door. It was Nicole Forrester. Déjà vu all over again flitted through his brain. But while he’d expected to see Chico in dire straits, it was a different kitten huddled on the table. Black-and-white and so listless from malnutrition it didn’t have the energy to spit, though its fear was unmistakable.
“I found him in the same area as Chico,” Nicole explained tearfully. “I’ve been putting food out and searching every day, but I didn’t find him until this morning. That is, I think it’s a ‘him.’”
“It is,” Gideon said, examining the painfully thin kitten. “Did he bite you?”
“No, not even a scratch.”
Sandra returned with a warming pad, which they slid underneath to help maintain the kitten’s body heat, then handed him a syringe with glucose. He rubbed some on the cat’s gums and continued with the exam. There was an abscess on its shoulder, grossly swollen.
Gideon glanced at Nicole. Judging from her tear-streaked face, she knew the kitten was in bad shape.
“We’ll have to keep him here. He needs IV fluids, antibiotics and monitoring for the best chance of survival.”
“W-will he make it?”
“No promises, but we’ll try.”
“I just don’t want him to...to suffer. If only I’d found him sooner.” More tears spilled down Nicole’s cheeks and he could tell she felt responsible, though God knew, it wasn’t her fault.
“You did everything you could.”
“It wasn’t enough.”
* * *
NICOLE WATCHED AS Gideon and his assistant worked with the kitten, doing some things she understood and others she didn’t. But what struck her was Gideon’s gentleness with the terrified animal.
She hadn’t seen it with Chico, but now he coaxed and soothed and seemed to do everything possible to alleviate the kitten’s discomfort as blood was drawn and the infected lump treated.
Best chance of survival...
The phrase kept running through Nicole’s head. The kitten could die.
The results of the blood tests were reviewed and she heard a reassuring “good, kidney function normal,” along with more esoteric remarks.
Either they didn’t notice or decided not to protest when she followed them to the rear of the clinic and watched them put the kitten in a sort of incubator. A faint meow of protest sounded when an intravenous needle was inserted and his mouth opened for the first time in a faint hiss.
“Getting some feisty back, eh?” Gideon said, sounding pleased. “You’re a tough little guy. That’s good.”
The veterinary assistant wrote “no name” on the ID card, but Nicole shook her head. “Put Bandit.”
The other woman looked at her sympathetically. “You might want to wait before choosing a name. It could make it even harder if...”
If they lost him.
Nicole understood, but this tiny scrap of a feline deserved a name. A name represented belonging and home. If there was any chance Bandit could sense the difference, it might help.
“His name is Bandit,” she insisted as she brushed away more tears.
She’d never had pets or been around animals that often, and now she was turning into a waterfall because of an abandoned kitten.
The assistant smiled sympathetically and filled out another card. “Okay, Bandit it is. What made you choose that?”
“The black and white markings on his face remind me of a mask and I was thinking about Joaquin Murrieta when I was out walking. I’d read that he might be just a legend, not a real outlaw.”
“Then why not call him Joaquin or Murrieta?” Gideon asked in a low voice.
Nicole jumped. She was entirely too nervous around Gideon Cartwright. “I want something easy for Beth and Annie to pronounce, but please don’t mention him if you see them. It would be too upsetting if he doesn’t make it. They...they lost their mother last year, so they’re especially vulnerable.”
She rarely mentioned her sister-in-law’s death to anyone in case they knew about the family’s history. It seemed all right with Carlie, but some people looked for any opening to ask questions about Erika and Luke. It was horrible. What was left to ask? The media had covered every aspect of the terrible story, leaping light-years beyond anyone’s “need to know.” What remained was intimate and personal and nobody else’s business.
“I won’t say anything,” Gideon promised quietly.
He listened to Bandit’s chest with his stethoscope again.
“We’ve done what we can for now,” he said, straightening. “Try not to worry. An attendant is here around the clock.”
“How do I visit him after the clinic is closed?”
* * *
GIDEON BRIEFLY CLOSED his eyes, praying for patience.
“Be reasonable, Nicole. We aren’t set up for after-hours visitation. Few veterinary clinics are.”
“But what’s the problem if someone is always here? I’ll be happy to pay a fee if that’s the issue. I’m sure Bandit already recognizes me and I can’t let him feel abandoned again.”
“He’s weak and barely aware of what’s going on.”
Nicole defiantly reached out and rubbed behind the kitten’s ear, murmuring softly. An uneven purr rose.
“See?” she demanded. “He hissed at you, but he purrs for me.”
Gideon was torn between frustration and amusement. However prejudiced he might be against Nicole, she’d gone to considerable lengths to help a distressed animal. And despite her tears, she hadn’t distracted them from working with the kitten. As a rule he wouldn’t have allowed a client to stay during the treatment, but it had worked out all right.
“Very well—you can visit,” he conceded reluctantly. “I’ll let the after-hours staff know I’ve authorized it. There’s a side door with a bell and intercom. Explain who you are and they’ll let you in for a short time. A short time,” he emphasized. “The kitten needs quiet and rest in his condition.”
“I realize that. I just want him to feel loved.”
“I’m sure he’d still feel that way from a distance, but I’m not going to argue. I’ll show you to the waiting room.”
Gideon led the way to the front of the clinic. He held the door open and Nicole stepped into the reception area, only to shrink against him as a resounding “woof” echoed through the air.
“No, Godzilla!” Rita Jenkins yelled, hanging on to the German shepherd’s leash.
Gideon let out a sharp, authoritative “Down, boy.”
The dog sank back with a wounded expression. He was a large, rambunctious puppy with a habit of getting into trouble. But he was also thoroughly good-natured.
“I’m surprised you don’t carry pepper spray if you’re that afraid of animals,” he murmured to Nicole.
She didn’t answer, just edged along the wall and out the door to where a cab from the local taxi service was waiting.
Still burning with the imprint of her body against his, Gideon let out a breath and turned his attention to his patient, who’d probably eaten something he shouldn’t have. The German shepherd’s tongue lolled to one side and his tail was wagging so hard that his entire butt moved on the floor.
“All right, Godzilla, what have you gotten into now?”
* * *
CARLIE WAS RETURNING from judging a snow-person-making contest when she saw Nicole Forrester.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, alarmed by the tearstains on the other woman’s face.
“I found a second kitten, but it may not survive. He has to stay at the clinic for treatment, so now I’m going out to search again to see if there are any others.”
“I’ll go with you,” Carlie offered instantly.
They headed for the wild area south of Poppy Gold and began hunting around every bush and rock, calling, “Kitty, kitty,” and other entreaties.
“Dr. Cartwright was relatively pleasant part of the time today,” Nicole muttered breathlessly as they climbed a steep slope. “But he didn’t want to let me see Bandit during off-hours, even though someone is always there on duty. He told me to ‘be reasonable’ in such a patronizing tone of voice I wanted to scream.”
“That’s so strange. He’s always friendly whenever I’ve seen him.”
“Strange or not, I insisted on being able to visit and he finally agreed. I was proud of myself, thinking I’d shown him I was strong and independent.”
“You are strong and independent.”
Nicole looked embarrassed. “Actually, I’m a terrible coward. And my bravado didn’t hold up when a giant dog barked at me in the waiting room. I almost freaked and Gideon saw, so now he knows it was just an act.”
“I’m not crazy about big dogs, either,” Carlie said firmly. “And you can’t be a coward when you’re such a good skater. You do things on the ice I’d never try.”
Nicole’s expression became more thoughtful. “I never thought of it that way. I feel so free when I’m skating, I don’t think about falling or if I look ridiculous.”
“Well, you’re amazing. Oh, by the way, if it’s convenient for you, I’ll come over tomorrow evening to make cookies with Annie and Beth. I sent your brother out for the supplies this morning.”
Nicole blinked. “You sent Luke grocery shopping?”
“Why not? It’s for Annie and Beth’s benefit and I wasn’t sure I could get away when the market was open. Besides, I was under the impression he’d planned to spend all his free hours taking care of his business concerns, but he’s come to my office several times when the girls are with Mrs. Cabrera.”
“I can explain that—he’s outside the company firewall on the computer here, so he can’t do as much. But he still works at night and a lot of other times, too. I’m not sure when he sleeps. Luke has always been driven, but since Erika died, he’s had a compulsive need to stay busy.”
That’s depressing, Carlie thought, though she didn’t have any illusions that Luke was coming around because he’d developed a romantic interest in her.
“Um, he told me about your parents and how you grew up.”
Nicole pursed her mouth. “That’s unusual. He usually doesn’t talk about that stuff.”
“He was trying to explain why he’d acted like a—” Carlie stopped abruptly, deciding she probably shouldn’t call Luke a jackass to his sister.
“Jerk?” Nicole contributed sweetly. “While I love my brother dearly, he can be a challenge. Did you know the media used to called Luke and Erika ‘the Beauty and the Autocrat’?”
“That’s harsh.”
“Yes. And while I hate to admit it, he can be high-handed. It’s gotten worse since losing Erika. But he means well and it’s only from believing he knows what’s best.”
Carlie got even more depressed, though it was unreasonable. She already knew that Luke was autocratic. Who wanted to be with a man who acted that way, even from good intentions? If she ever fell in love again, she wanted it to be with someone who was looking for a real partner.
Pushing the thought away, Carlie peered into a drainage pipe by the road, wishing she had the small flashlight on her key chain. Unfortunately, she’d loaned her car to Luke, which meant he had both the keys and the flashlight.
“Kitty, kitty,” she called and then listened intently. “Nicole, where did you find the second kitten?”
“Down the hill. I’d looked there before, so he must have been moving around.”
They continued searching, covering every inch of the area, chatting about both the charms and drawbacks of living in a small community like Glimmer Creek.
“The stores are limited,” Carlie admitted when Nicole mentioned needing more casual clothes. “That’s why online shopping is so popular here. It’s that or driving down to the valley. I can loan you jeans and sweats while you’re waiting for an order to arrive. Nothing fancy, just knock-around clothes.”
“That would be great. I really feel out of place in the stuff I brought.” Nicole tugged at her linen slacks. “Yesterday I found sweatshirts and tops in the gift shops for me and the girls, but I want to wash them first.”
Carlie brushed her hands off. “I have an idea. I’ll talk to Uncle Liam about putting live traps out to catch any other cats. He uses them to relocate wild critters that get overly friendly at Poppy Gold. I should have thought of it when you first found Chico.”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
“No problem. Now let’s go have tea or coffee in the Poppy Gold library and get warm,” Carlie suggested. “Unless you need to go back and watch the girls...?”
Nicole shook her head. “Luke has arranged with Mrs. Cabrera to stay if we aren’t there and I don’t want Beth and Annie to see me before I can get cleaned up. They might be upset and start asking questions. Bandit is strictly a secret until we know he’s going to recover.”
We?
Though it was probably just an innocent comment, Carlie kept thinking about it as they walked toward Old City Hall. Nicole had talked a fair amount about Gideon Cartwright and obviously wasn’t the least bit neutral about the town veterinarian.
Was it possible she was attracted to him?
* * *
NICOLE CHOSE TEA along with Carlie and they settled down in front of the crackling fire in the library, kicking off their shoes.
“This is wonderful,” Nicole moaned, instantly growing sleepy.
The stress of getting Bandit to the clinic had taken its toll. Not to mention dealing with Gideon Cartwright again. At least he hadn’t seemed disgusted by the way she’d cried the entire time, though why that mattered was beyond her.
She glanced at Carlie, still envying her ability to be comfortable with children and adults alike; she was probably great with animals, as well. But envy aside, it would be nice to be friends.
“You should visit me in Austin,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I have an extra bedroom in my condo and I’d love to show you around the city.”
“For some reason, I never think of Austin as a big city,” Carlie murmured. “I have this image of a picturesque Western town where gorgeous Texas Rangers hang out wearing badges and cowboy boots.”
Nicole laughed. “The Texas Rangers are based in Austin, but you don’t see them on every corner.” She squirmed as she recalled telling Gideon about Austin being the eleventh-largest city area in the US. “I just thought of something... Does Dr. Cartwright have an issue with city people?”
Carlie swirled the tea bag in her cup. “It doesn’t seem likely, since he moved here from the Los Angeles area. But you should know that he’s in the middle of a divorce. While he hasn’t said anything to me, you can’t keep secrets in Glimmer Creek.”
“I’m not interested in the guy,” Nicole protested, her cheeks warming. “I just want to understand why he doesn’t like me. It isn’t as if I insulted him or refused to pay the bill.”
Carlie just smiled.
“Okay, he’s delicious,” Nicole admitted. “But he also makes me nuts with his superior attitude. He even acted that way in front of Beth and Annie when he came to check on Chico.”
“All men are impossible... There’s no way around it.”
“Unfortunate, but true.”
Nicole fingered her cup, thinking about Carlie’s warning that Gideon was getting divorced, with the implication that he might not be in the best frame of mind for romance. Should she suggest caution in return about Luke? Women fell for him right and left, but he wasn’t likely to ever get over Erika.
“Luke mentioned that he may have been too demanding the day he got here,” she said slowly.
“I have to admit, he made it clear Poppy Gold wasn’t what he’d expected.”
Nicole winced. “He’s gotten spoiled when he travels. Erika was rarely stationed near Austin after they were married, so when she could get away, he’d go to the extreme, such as renting a fully staffed Italian villa or a French château to make the most of their time together. Servants took care of their slightest whim so they could simply enjoy themselves. He’d do some work when Erika and the twins were asleep, that’s all. They might attend a party or two, but mostly it was just them and the girls.”
“Sounds idyllic.” Carlie’s eyes had become watchful; she was smart enough to catch the subtle warning Nicole was sending.
“It was. Basically his marriage was a series of perfect interludes.”
“It must have been difficult getting to know your sister-in-law if you didn’t see her often.”
“I didn’t mind. I just wanted my brother to be happy. But as far as his trip to California is concerned, he probably assumed his executive assistant had made a similar arrangement here at Poppy Gold.”
“Uh, this is a bed-and-breakfast facility in a historic Gold Rush community. We provide conference center services, but none of the suites have a business center or private staff.”
Nicole wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, but I doubt he bothered to check it out for himself. Tilly probably decided it would be a good lesson for him.”
“Doesn’t she worry about job security?”
“Not in the least. She’s the first employee that Luke ever hired and it would be like cutting off an arm to lose her. For her part, Tilly is fiercely loyal because he hired her when no one else would—it’s rough for a fortysomething, inexperienced divorcée entering the workforce.”
Wishing she could stay longer, Nicole finished her tea and pulled on the canvas loafers she’d found at a local store. They looked absurd with the rest of her outfit, but were more practical than Louis Vuitton pumps for walking in rough country terrain. Aside from ski clothes, she didn’t have much outdoor gear in her wardrobe.
She should have gone shopping when Luke had first suggested the trip, but a Victorian village wasn’t the sort of place she’d expected to need anything special. Lord knew she had more than enough clothes with all the gift cards her brother kept giving her. He’d tried to set up charge accounts, but that was one thing she’d managed to put both her feet down about and keep down.
“I’ll see you later,” she said to Carlie, who’d also gotten up. “Thanks for the help.”
“Not at all. I’m just glad you cared enough to keep going out to search.”
* * *
WHEN SHE WAS ALONE, Carlie phoned her uncle and explained about the two strays and the possibility of more. He immediately said he’d send someone from Maintenance to set out live traps and to comb the area again.
“I have some canned sardines to use as bait—nice and fragrant. If there are any more cats out there, we’ll find them,” he promised. “I’ll adopt one myself.”
“Thanks, Uncle Liam, but you might have to fight me for it. Or Nicole Forrester. She has a proprietary interest in any cat that’s found.”
He chuckled and got off.
Carlie tidied the library, then went out to Guest Reception. “Any messages for me?” she asked.
“No,” Bill said. “But Mr. Forrester returned your keys. I put them in your left desk drawer.”
“Thanks.” Carlie looked at the time and yelped. “Yikes, I’ve got to go.”
The Madrigal Feast Players were expected to arrive any moment. She raced over to the park and a minute later a shuttle of students from the high school pulled up.
“You look terrific,” Carlie declared as they got out. “New costumes?”
“Aren’t they awesome?” Kerri Laughton, one of Carlie’s younger second cousins, adjusted her crown and struck a regal pose. She was playing the queen and wore a sapphire-blue gown trimmed with gold.
“Yes, but where is everyone else, Kerri? Normally it’s a much larger group.”
“They’re coming. They decided to walk from the parking area and do extra promotion on the way.”
Carlie saw what Kerri was talking about when a merry group of “lords and ladies” came singing down the street, with jugglers, jesters and acrobats cavorting around them. They arrived and scattered across the grass, entertaining the guests who’d followed them like the children of Hamelin following the Pied Piper. Two of the students sat at a table to sell tickets, while others handed out old-style handbills, calling, “Hear ye, hear ye, enjoy the Madrigal Feast Players,” to attract attention.
It was another few minutes before Luke, Nicole and the girls came walking across the green.
She waved, and Annie, followed by Beth, took off running toward her.
“Papa says you’re coming tomorrow to make cookies with us,” Annie said, the words tumbling out quickly. Beth let out an exasperated sigh, possibly because she’d wanted to speak first.
“That’s right. I’m bringing my special stand mixer and extra cookie sheets and stuff, so we can make several different kinds.”
“Yippee!” both girls cried together.
“You need a mixer?” Luke asked, frowning. “It wasn’t on the shopping list.”
Carlie laughed. “You can’t get the one I use in Glimmer Creek. Mine is a professional model. But it isn’t a big deal to bring it. I’ll just load it in my trunk along with everything else and park in the lot nearest the John Muir Cottage.”
Luke nodded, an odd expression in his eyes. “Okay. Let me know when you arrive and I’ll help carry everything for you. To save time,” he added.
“Whatever. If you still need to buy tickets for the madrigal feast, they’re selling them over there.” Carlie gestured and he walked over to the table.
“What kind of cookies are we making?” asked Beth.
“All sorts, including gingerbread, chocolate chip and snickerdoodles. Also sugar cookies we can cut in shapes and decorate with frosting and sprinkles.”
“Yummers!”
One of the jugglers came by at that moment, distracting the girls, and Nicole moved closer. “After I got back to the suite I realized you wouldn’t have time to eat lunch. I’m awfully sorry.”
Carlie shrugged. “No biggie. I’ll get something later.” Pizza boxes still crowded the employee refrigerators and it wouldn’t take long to heat up a slice. “You should get seats for the performance. Near the front, so Annie and Beth can see well,” she urged.
“Oh, right.” Nicole collected her nieces and they sat in the first row.
Carlie stood to one side and watched, loving the colorful display and energy from the students. She’d often thought it would be fun for Poppy Gold to host a renaissance fair and they were partway there with the madrigal feast, which mixed both medieval and renaissance music and costuming.
Number 6,537 on my idea list, she thought. The list just kept getting longer. It might not be the same as saving lives, building roads or teaching impressionable children, but it was satisfying to help people relax and enjoy themselves. Everybody needed downtime.
* * *
IT WAS AFTER 7:00 p.m. when Carlie finished a rough plan to host a renaissance fair at Poppy Gold. She knew it was ridiculous to work on it when there were other tasks that needed doing, but she’d had several thoughts and had wanted to get them down. Offering something new was part of what kept Poppy Gold fresh and popular for their regular guests, as well as being a draw for various conferences.
She fished her key ring from the desk drawer, but it didn’t feel right. Frowning, she looked down and saw an unfamiliar key...and a second key ring with a very expensive logo.
Carlie hurried to the employee parking lot. Her car was nowhere to be seen. She pressed a button on the new key and the lights on a shiny white SUV flashed. She marched up and opened the door. A manila envelope was sitting on the driver’s seat—inside were documents from a Stockton dealership with her name on it and two additional keys. Also an envelope with a brief, unsigned note about transferring ownership of her old car. That was all, but she knew the damn thing had to be from Luke Forrester. Who else would do something so high-handed?
She slammed the door and sped across Poppy Gold toward the John Muir Cottage.
* * *
LUKE WAS SITTING in the family room with Chico draped over his leg, watching the opening scene of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer with Nicole and the girls, when he heard a sharp knock on the front door of the suite.
“Don’t stop the show,” he told his sister as he got up and handed her the kitten. Beth and Annie were on the floor, gazes riveted to the television, though they’d seen the classic program a dozen times. He’d borrowed a stack of DVDs and Blu-rays from the Poppy Gold library for them, but Rudolph was the one they’d chosen for the third evening in a row.
Luke threaded his way out to the living room. He opened the door and saw Carlie on the porch. She shook her keys in his face.
“What were you thinking?” she demanded.
He stepped outside and closed the door for privacy. “Your car is old and small and can’t be that reliable. I thought it was time you had something new.”
“New isn’t always better. I like my sedan and it gets great mileage. What’s more, I paid for it myself and I don’t want to spend a fortune on insurance for an oversize SUV I don’t need. You can’t have one rule for yourself and a different rule for everyone else. If you’re so opposed to charity, why don’t you understand that other people might feel the same?”
Luke was appalled. If that was how she’d perceived the gift, he could see why she was upset. “It isn’t charity. I give Nicole a new car every year.”
“I’m not your sister.”
She certainly wasn’t. If Carlie was his sister, he wouldn’t be having so much trouble keeping his hands to himself. The flush of anger and outrage had brought a flush to her skin and a sparkle to her eyes that was nearly irresistible.
“For Pete’s sake, Carlie, it’s just an SUV, not the crown jewels. I wanted to say thanks for everything you’re doing for my kids. And to—”
“I’m not your employee and I don’t take gratuities,” she interrupted sharply. “But that’s the problem, isn’t it? You’re too proud to accept anything from people, even a little extra attention for your daughters. So you want to pay me exorbitantly for the time I’m spending with them, because God knows you can’t be a regular human being. But don’t worry—you aren’t under any obligation. I’m doing it for Annie and Beth, not you.”
“Can’t you accept a gesture of appreciation?” he countered, though Carlie’s accusation was a little too close to the truth for comfort.
She rolled her eyes. “A gesture is a poinsettia, not a ridiculously expensive SUV. Are you really so blindly arrogant that you can’t understand that? And by the way, it isn’t your place to decide my car isn’t safe or reliable. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
Luke’s brain was starting to spin. “I wasn’t implying that you weren’t capable.”
Carlie let out a derisive hoot. “Where did you get my home address, anyway?” she demanded, shuffling the items she carried and holding up the paperwork for the SUV.
“The registration was clipped to your sun visor. Look, it really isn’t a big deal. I give cars away all the time.”
“It’s a big deal to me. I’ll drive the SUV home tonight, but you’d better have my sedan back by tomorrow night if you don’t want me to report it stolen. Here are the extra keys to the SUV. I won’t be needing them.” She slapped them into his hand.
Still visibly outraged, she stepped backward and stumbled on the top step. Luke lunged to grab her and they stood toe to toe for a moment.
Without thinking, he bent and kissed her.
* * *
CARLIE GULPED, HER senses filled with Luke’s clean, masculine scent.
Don’t be an idiot, one part of her mind whispered. Unfortunately, the voice of wisdom was swamped by the sensation of his hard length against hers and angry adrenaline turning swiftly to passion.
He really knew how to kiss and it was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Every cell in Carlie’s body was screaming for more.
Then Luke slid a hand under her jacket and cupped her breast, bringing reality crashing down.