LITMIR.BIZ

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and let out a little laugh. “And it’s been a bit lonely, you know?”

      Friends. Is that what Stacie wanted? Ha! Obviously she hadn’t been listening to the town gossip lately. As for lonely…ah, hell. “Yeah, fine. I’ll stop by.”

      Stacie’s entire face lit up, and before Cassie could blink she was enveloped in a hug. “See you tomorrow,” Stacie whispered, and then she was gone.

      Leaving Cassie with one more thing to think about.

      * * *

      PLEASANTVILLE’S ANNUAL carnival brought out the best and the worst in the general population. There were clowns, games, crafts, rides and enough junk food to keep the town in stomachaches for the rest of the year.

      There were also whiny kids, grumpy parents, the occasional drunk and a slew of trouble-seeking high school kids out to score.

      Not to mention the heat. Dark had fallen and yet at nearly ninety degrees, the temperature hadn’t.

      Not exactly the way Tag would have chosen to spend a Saturday night. He wasn’t on duty, not officially anyway, but they were still short staffed due to the flu, and he knew his presence would help.

      The music pulsed loud, as well as all the hooting and hollering from the rides and games. Pulling his shirt away from his damp skin, he strode up and down the aisles thinking of how he’d rather be spending his evening.

      In front of ESPN. With air-conditioning.

      No, scratch that. In the arms of a woman. Yeah, now there was a way to pass time. His nice, quiet, sweet, loving woman, whose entire life would center around him and his needs. And though she’d be quiet, she wouldn’t be shy. No way. She’d be wildly passionate and erotically sensual.

      She’d greet him at the door wearing his opened shirt and nothing else but a smile.

      Now there was a fantasy.

      He strode down a row of games, then around a corner to another aisle, stopping to gulp down a large lemonade. People had shown up in force tonight to support their schools, but few had found this area yet. He could see straight ahead to the dart game, where all one had to do was pop three balloons to win a prize.

      A woman stood there. There were women all over the place, but this one, dressed to kill in her jade-green haltered sundress, stood out. She was concentrating fiercely, her back to him as she threw back her arm, aimed…and missed.

      He knew that long, slim back. Those blond waves tumbling over straight, proud shoulders. Those long, long legs that could wrap around a man and—

      “Shit,” she muttered, and shoved a hand into her pocket. That she came out with another buck surprised him, as her skirt appeared to have been painted on.

      Several women passed Cassie, each of whom stopped to stare at her, then kept going, laughing unkindly. Tag frowned and opened his mouth to say something but Cassie flipped them off and went back to shooting.

      It made him grin.

      And suddenly he was incredibly glad he’d come. Still grinning, he sauntered up to the booth and leaned a hip against it as he turned casually toward her.

      She didn’t even glance at him, just accepted her new darts from an awed-looking, pimply-faced teenage boy and aimed again.

      Two balloons in a row, bull’s-eye. Pop. Pop.

      “One dart away for the big prize,” the boy told her with a huge, dopey smile on his face. “You have to hit all three to get the—”

      “I know what I have to do.” She threw the dart.

      “Close,” Tag said conversationally when she missed by a mile. “But no cigar.”

      Oh, she noticed him now. Narrowed her very incredible, very green, very expressive eyes on him. “You distracted me.”

      He lifted his hands. “Hey, you didn’t even see me until just now.” Slipping a hand into his pocket, he came out with another buck. “But here. Try again, on me.”

      “I’m not taking your money.” She slapped down her own dollar. “Back off, you’re in my space.”

      “Backing off.” But he didn’t. She smelled too good, looked too good. He wasn’t going anywhere.

      She didn’t even notice. In fact, she appeared to forget about him as she took aim. And this time hit her target. Then did it again.

      “One more time,” the kid said, ever so helpfully, and Cassie lowered the third dart and glared at him. He took a step back. “Sorry. I just know how bad you want this pretty teddy bear here.”

      “Teddy bear, huh?” Tag tucked his tongue into his cheek as she aimed and once again missed her third and winning shot. “I gotta tell you, I never really pictured you as a teddy bear type, Cassie.”

      “Oh, she wants it really bad,” the kid offered as Cassie grated her teeth. “She’s already put at least ten bucks on it.”

      “Is that right?” Tag looked at Cassie and lifted a brow. “You need something cuddly to sleep with at night, Cassie?”

      She sighed. “Is there a reason why you’re standing there staring at me?”

      “Well…” He scratched his jaw and looked her over, from the long neck he suddenly wanted to nibble on, to the breasts nicely outlined behind her halter, down her curved hips and mile-stretch legs. Her toenails were hot pink tonight, and she wore a silver toe ring, reminding him of the nipple ring. Was she wearing it now? “You are something to look at.”

      With a roll of her eyes, she slapped down another buck and went back to the task at hand. Aimed. Let it rip, and Tag had to admit, she knew what she was doing.

      Pop. Pop.

      Two balloons down.

      “Only one to go,” he offered.

      Her hand lowered, and she shot him a withering look. “Don’t talk.”

      He smiled and waited until she aimed again. “You know, if you want the teddy bear that badly, I could win it for you.”

      “I’ll win it myself, thanks.”

      “Oka-a-ay,” he said, and watched as she missed.

      She swore with impressive skill, then dug into her pocket again. Came up empty. Swore some more.

      “My offer still stands.” He smiled when she bared her teeth at him. “If you’re interested. I’ll win it for you.”

      “Sure you will.”

      He put a hand to his chest. “Your doubt wounds me. But you should know, I was all-city dart champ.”

      Cocking a hip, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Really.”

      “Really.”

      “So you’ll win me the teddy bear.”

      “Just said so, didn’t I?”

      She studied him, then let out a little laugh. “Okay, cocky man, what happens then? After you win?”

      “I hand you the prize.”

      “And?”

      “And…” He let out a slow, wicked grin, both because he could taste victory and because she was so incredibly hot. And fun. That was the shocker. He was having fun with her. “And in return, you give me a prize.”

      Her eyes narrowed to little slits. “Which would be what exactly?”

      “I don’t know yet. I’ll think about it.” He slapped down a buck, accepted his three darts. Aimed.

      And was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked into deep green eyes that held a world of knowledge. “I don’t want the teddy bear.”

      “Liar,” he said softly,

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