LITMIR.BIZ

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fine members of the Ladies Aid Society caught it until it was too late.”

      The four other gray-haired women standing on the steps nodded their heads. Grimacing at the sudden movement, they placed a hand to their foreheads. The tall, skinny one said, “We’re calling a special meeting this afternoon during which we’ll try to recount the events leading to such a dreadful act. Perhaps someone saw something or someone.”

      Nick knew the moment he came under suspicion. The leader of the group narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

      Brittany made short work of the introductions. When she was finished, Isabell Pruitt, the tall, skinny one who bore a striking resemblance to Olive Oyl, gave Nick a critical squint and said, “And what time did you arrive at the reception, Mr. Colter?”

      Nick lifted one foot to the bottom step and smiled up at the woman. “I’m afraid I got there just about the time you fine ladies decided to do the Bunny Hop.”

      All six of the women exchanged pained looks.

      “Isabell,” Brittany said quietly, “it’s good to see you and Opal speaking again.”

      “Yes,” Isabell said, nodding carefully. “We’ve decided to let bygones be bygones. And I must say our united front couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.”

      Nodding gravely, Opal said, “The meeting will begin at one, Brittany. You’re more than welcome to join us. Were you planning to help in my class again this morning?”

      Nick shook his head before Brittany could open her mouth. “Sorry, but Brittany’s been itching to give me a piece of her mind ever since I arrived. First things first, you know?”

      “Yes, yes, of course,” Opal muttered. “By all means, first things first.”

      Brittany didn’t have the presence of mind to clamp her mouth shut until after the six staunchest members of the Jasper Gulch Ladies Aid Society had gone inside. Even then she stared at Nick for a full five seconds before she had formed a coherent thought. “What on earth possessed you to tell them that?”

      “It’s true, isn’t it?”

      “So?”

      “So,” he answered, looking far too sure of himself for her peace of mind, “go ahead. Tell me whatever it is you’re so hell-bent to say. But you might as well know right now that I intend to change your mind about the divorce.”

      The church bell rang, another gong keeping perfect time inside Brittany’s head. When it was quiet again, she said, “What are you talking about?”

      He placed his foot back on the sidewalk and turned to face her. His movements were fluid, the expression in his blue eyes far more serious than she’d expected. “I’m talking about you and me and the feelings that are still between us. I’m talking about in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad. But wait, don’t let me do all the talking. There’s something you want to say. You might as well say it while we walk.”

      “You want to take a walk?”

      “Yeah. I want to take a walk. Better yet, I want to play hookey. When was the last time you played hookey, Brittany?”

      Brittany might have been able to resist the invitation in the depths of Nick’s eyes, but she couldn’t resist the challenge in his voice as he said, “What’s the matter? Don’t you trust yourself to be alone with me for five minutes?”

      She shoved her hands into her coat pockets and hurried after him. “You’re something else, Nick Colter, do you know that?”

      “Yeah, I know.”

      “If you know, what makes you so sure I’ll walk with you?”

      He was walking fast, and she was getting winded trying to keep up with him. He slowed down long enough to slip an arm around her back and steer her across the street. “Because I’m adorable?”

      “You are not adorable.”

      “Oh, really?” he asked quietly. “Why don’t you tell me how you’d describe me.”

      Brittany removed her hands from her pockets and looked around. They had entered the alley that ran behind the stores on the east side of Main Street. Today was Sunday, and all the businesses were closed. Even the diner shut down one day a week, which meant that nobody was out and about. Except her and Nick.

      Her heels clicked on the uneven, packed ground. Beside her, Nick’s footsteps were silent. The wind couldn’t reach them here in the alley. Without it the sun felt blessedly warm. It melted snow off rooftops, droplets of water clinging to the pointy tips of icicles before plopping into puddles like the first music of spring.

      “Well?” Nick asked, their steps slowing, then stopping completely near the diner’s back door.

      She wished she could blame the excitement inching through her veins on spring fever. But Nick wasn’t the only one who never lied. Unfortunately, there was more to the sighing of her heart than a change of seasons.

      How would she describe him? she thought, staring up at him. This close he was very intimidating. And very handsome. He could torture her from now until eternity, but she’d never admit that out loud.

      He moved without making a sound, his voice a husky baritone as he said, “What are you thinking?”

      “I...never mind.”

      He leaned toward her, his face inches from hers. “I think you’re thinking the same thing I’m thinking. That a kiss would be heaven and a warm bed even better.”

      “That isn’t what I was thinking. At least not exactly,” she whispered, her eyes on his as he drew closer.

      “Then what, exactly?”

      His mouth brushed the corner of her lips, his breath warm on her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed when his lips moved over half an inch. “You’re a bully,” she whispered.

      He kissed the indentation above her upper lip. “And?”

      “And you’re too good-looking for your own good.”

      “Is that anything like being adorable?”

      His mouth covered hers like it had countless times before. His breathing became ragged, his kiss insistent. He slipped his arms around her back and pulled her tight to him, letting her know how much he wanted her.

      In the darkest recesses of her mind, Brittany knew this wasn’t what she’d come here to do. But it had been so long since she’d felt this way, so long since she’d been giddy with anticipation and excitement, drunk on dreams and on desire. She tried to remind herself of the problems they’d had during their six-and-a-half-year marriage, but it wasn’t easy to remember her quiet hopelessness when Nick was kissing her and touching her, when he felt so good and smelled so good.

      Nick heard Brittany’s sigh, saw her smile, felt her shudder. Sweet heaven. That’s what she was, what she’d always been. She was slender and soft as only a woman could be, pliant and aggressive in a way that was uniquely her own. It was a potent combination, and had him needing, seeking...more.

      He opened his eyes for but an instant, just long enough to catch a movement at the very edge of his peripheral vision. He swung around, all his senses on red alert.

      Brittany gasped for air and staggered. She hadn’t heard any sound, but before she could blink there was a scuffle and a grunt as Nick pinned a man against the building in the alley.

      The man groaned. “What the—”

      “All right,” Nick ground out, his mouth mere inches from the other man’s ear. “Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?”

      Chapter Three

      “Oh, my goodness! What are you doing? Let him go!”

      Nick

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