LITMIR.BIZ

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prematurely where she was. She knew she had to return at some point—she had a tour to finish—but she wasn’t ready to face that world again. Not yet. First things first, she needed to find some different clothes.

      Laci walked into the first clothing store she found, a small consignment/thrift store. She cringed at the odd stares coming her way and hustled to the racks to find some simple jean shorts and T-shirts to get her through the next few days. As luck would have it, she actually found quite a few cute outfits and scooped them up before the stares turned into questions she wanted to avoid.

      Standing at the checkout, she asked the clerk, “May I use your dressing room to change?”

      “Sure, honey,” the woman answered, giving Laci a speculative and openly curious look. “That’s some outfit you have there.”

      Laci risked a brief smile. “Costume party,” she answered with what she hoped was a believable lie, but she didn’t waste time on details and simply disappeared into the changing room with her new-to-her clothing.

      The fact was, being a celebrity wasn’t quite what she’d thought it was going to be like. All those people wanting a piece of her every night was more than a little unsettling. All she’d ever wanted to do was sing. Now, people wanted more than just her voice, they wanted her damn clothing, too! Once, a woman had practically ripped a piece of her costume off her body, screeching with victory as she’d sprinted away from Security with her prize. Laci had been stunned that someone would want a piece of her sweaty costume and then a little freaked out because what was the woman going to do with it? But Simone had been pissed as hell because she’d spent hours sewing that costume.

      At the thought of Simone, Laci almost picked up her cell and gave her a ring, but she couldn’t bring herself to do even that—not that she didn’t want to worry Simone, but she couldn’t take the chance that Trent might be lurking nearby. Trent’s not a bad guy, her daddy’s voice chided her from inside her mind. He’s made you a star and this is a fine howdy-do you’ve handed him for all his hard work. I raised you better than that, didn’t I?

      Laci pursed her lips. True, Daddy, but Trent’s driving me into the ground. I need this. Just a few days, I promise.

      Her next stop was the small, locally owned furniture store, Bleudell’s. She walked into the store and went straight to the appliances. Cora wouldn’t want something too fancy, but maybe something just slightly better than what she had. Maybe even the same model, only newer, she thought, eyeing the refrigerators.

      “Can I help you find something?” The friendly voice at her back caused her to turn with a shy smile, a little afraid of being recognized, particularly by someone who might’ve known her when she was a kid spending her summers in Woodsville. “That there is a good model, but the best value is in the stainless-steel one.”

      “It’s for a friend and she’s a little stuck in her ways, so I want to get something that’s close to what she’s got,” she explained to the woman wearing a polite, retaily smile. “I mean, I’d love to buy her the state-of-the-art appliance if she’d let me, but I don’t want to buy something she’s going to end up eyeing sidewise, you know?”

      “Do I know your friend? Maybe I can help.”

      She opened her mouth but thought better of it, saying, “No, I don’t think so. She keeps to herself. What’s the price on this model?”

      “That’ll set you back about eight hundred dollars,” the saleswoman answered. “I can guarantee that’s the best price you’re gonna find in the surrounding area.”

      Laci gave the woman a short smile, murmuring, “I’ll take it. Can you have it ready by the end of the day?”

      “We can deliver it if you like, honey. Where’s it going?”

      She shook her head, not wanting people gossiping when they found out it was for the Bradford ranch. “I’ll have someone pick it up. Can you show me the stoves?”

      “That’s some friend you have. I wish I had a friend like you who bought me new appliances. Is this by any chance a special fella you’re buying for?”

      Laci barked a laugh. “Goodness, no, just a friend. About those stoves?” she asked, gently directing the saleswoman with a smile. The woman took the hint and accompanied her to the stoves, where Laci promptly found one that was strikingly similar to Cora’s but newer and pulled her credit card. One swipe later, she had a receipt for purchase and a scheduled time for pickup later that evening.

      An hour later, Laci had managed to buy everything on her list, including enough groceries for the next few days. It’d been a long time since she’d cooked a homemade meal and she was itching to see if she could still remember the basics. There was a certain level of happiness at the idea of cooking for Kane, even if she knew it was dangerous to indulge in such a fantasy.

      Kane had certainly matured into a fine man, not that there’d been any doubt in Laci’s mind that he would. Kane was one of those genetically gifted individuals who’d never gone through an awkward phase in his life. From the moment she’d laid eyes on him that hot summer, her fifteen-year-old heart had started thumping like a jackrabbit’s foot and she’d about lost her ability to speak the English language. Yeah, he was that hot. Of course, she’d been a bit difficult back then, angry at the world for problems that had nothing to do with the people around her but everything to do with the fact that she felt abandoned and alone.

      By the time she returned to the ranch, she came armed with a take-and-bake pizza that she fully intended to use as a little sugar on top of her request to Kane about picking up the appliances. Cora had always said with a wink that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach and Kane seemed to fall in line with that advice because she’d never known the man to turn down a hot meal.

      Humming a little experimental tune she’d been playing around with, she walked into the house, carrying the pizza and beer, and then returned to the rental car to get the rest of her bags. By the time Kane returned from outside, covered in sweat and dirt, the pizza was just about ready and the beer was chilled.

      “What’s going on in here?” he asked, sniffing the air as he wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm, pinning her with a look that stripped her bare. Oh, heaven help me... He smelled like hardworking man with a side of sweaty, break-the-bedsprings sex, and Laci’s knees weakened as her mouth dried.

      “Smells good,” he said, going to the sink and rinsing his face real quick. “You make pizza or something?”

      “Or something,” she said, scooting away on the pretense of cracking a beer to hand to him, but honestly, she didn’t trust herself being within grabbing distance. Her head wasn’t screwed on straight if she was suddenly panting after Kane Dalton after what he’d done to her heart all those years ago. She began to hand him the beer, but then, on a whim, stopped and took a lingering sip before handing it to him. His gaze darkened, but a faint smile lifted his lips and she shivered against the wickedness that flashed in his eyes. Dangerous game, girl. Laci cleared her throat and shrugged because it was truly no big deal. “It’s nothing fancy, just take-and-bake, but I thought you might be hungry after all those chores.”

      “You thought right,” Kane said, tipping the beer back with an appreciative swig, and Laci wasn’t above sneaking another look at those bulging biceps. “Ah, a cold beer on a hot day...that’s almost better than sex.”

      “Then you’re not having the right kind of sex,” she countered with a mildly teasing grin. Were they flirting? It felt like flirting, which was probably a bad idea.

      “Maybe you’re right,” he said, his gaze unreadable, but his body language was having a full-on conversation with her ovaries. “Pepperoni?”

      “With sausage,” she answered, her breath catching when he walked toward her. Was he going to kiss her? He had that look on his face as if he was going to bend her over and take her right there on the kitchen counter—and if she were being truthful, she wouldn’t lift a finger to stop him. But just as he

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