Anything But Sweet (19 page)

Together, their hearts pounded until their ragged breathing began to ease. He kissed
her. Told her she was amazing. Then he rolled to his side and tucked her into his
arms.

Charli knew she could stay right there forever. As she allowed herself to settle into
a nice little fantasy, the dogs came barking down the hall and jumped up onto the
bed like a pack of wild hyenas.

A
fter great sex came a great appetite. Especially when that amazing tumble between
the sheets had taken hours and happened three times. The fourth time in a long, hot
shower. And the sun hadn’t even come up yet.

Reno scrounged through the refrigerator in search of something quick to eat, while
Charli perched herself up on the granite countertop and watched. Somewhere during
round two she’d kicked off her red boots. Now she wore only the shirt he’d worn earlier—sans
buttons. For a brief, foolish moment he couldn’t decide what looked tastier, the ingredients
for the omelet he was about to make, or her.

He turned, looked at her, and smiled.

He was no fool.

“Need some help?”

“No,” he said, breaking the eggs into the skillet. “You just sit there and inspire
me.”

She picked up an apple from the basket on the counter. “You want me to talk dirty
to you?”

He laughed. “Yes.”

“Okay. I’m thinking about grabbing that jar of honey from your cupboard and dripping
it slowly on your—”

He crossed the kitchen, wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her to the edge of
the counter between his legs. Then he crushed his mouth down on hers and kissed her.
Her hands came up to his bare chest, and she moaned into his mouth. He leaned away
with a smile. “I’ve decided actions speak louder than words.”

“Awesome.” She grinned. “But can we eat first? I’m starving.”

“Whatever the lady wants.” Reluctantly, he turned back to the eggs bubbling on the
stove.

“The lady wants
you.
” She bit into the apple with a crunch. “After the eggs. So when did you get that
tattoo? I didn’t notice it until . . . well, you know.”

Until he had his mouth between her legs. Yes. He knew. And he planned a return trip.
Soon.

He rarely thought of the wings of freedom inked onto his upper back anymore even though
the meaning was as powerful to him today as it was the day he leaned over that chair
and let an artist put meaning to his work.

“I had it done while I was on leave after my first deployment. The brothers and I
all made a trip into Austin. There’s a guy there who does amazing color work.” He
chuckled, remembering the night they’d all invaded the tattoo shop. The laughter.
The winces of pain. Calling each other good-natured names. “Yet somehow we all came
out with traditional black ink. And we all had the same general idea. Same motto.
Just in different locations. Jared had it on his leg. Jackson put it on the back of
his shoulder. Jesse has it on his biceps.”

“And yet you covered both your shoulder blades.”

He shrugged. “That was me. Always trying to prove I belonged.”

“Your brothers have always known you belonged.”

“Yeah. Getting the tattoos was the very last thing we all did together as brothers.”
He didn’t want to bring up old memories when he’d just begun to create new ones.

She slid down off the counter and came up behind him, tracing her fingers across the
wings and the word
FREEDOM
. Shivers tingled up his spine at her touch.

“Beautiful.”

“Thanks. The guy is really talented.”

“Yes. He is. But I wasn’t talking about the artwork.”

She flattened her palm against his back and rested her cheek there. Her breasts pressed
into him. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist. A sense of calm—of unity—settled
into his soul. He hadn’t felt that kind of peace in . . . forever.

He set the wooden spoon down on the counter and took her in his arms. The kiss went
from sweet and tender to hot and hungry. He turned off the stove, lifted her up onto
the granite counter, and stepped between her thighs.

There were a million places on earth he
could
be, but nowhere else he
wanted
to be.

And right there in the middle of his kitchen with a half-cooked omelet on the stove
and two dogs stretched out on the floor watching, he showed her his appreciation.

Chapter 15

N
othing felt better than having a warm woman in your bed.

Unless that woman happened to be trying to sneak out.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Reno grabbed Charli’s wrist as she carefully tried
to slip out from beneath the tangled sheets.

“I have to go to work.”

He glanced at the clock radio. Seven o’clock. “So early?”

“We only have a week left before Paige and Aiden’s wedding, and there’s still so much
to do.” She grabbed her dress up off the floor. “I need to take a shower and wash
my hair first.”

“Yeah. I guess you can’t really go to work with honey in it.”

“Well, I could.” She grinned. “But there would be that whole explaining thing.”

He pulled her back down to the bed and moved her on top of him. “You need some help?”

“At the job site?”

“Uh-uh.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “Taking a shower.”

She giggled. “Then I’d never get to work.”

“That’s the whole idea.” He kissed her neck. Cupped her warm, firm breasts in his
hands.

She kissed him back, and when he reached down and pressed her groin against his growing
erection, she moaned. He thought he’d had her. But just as things started to get interesting,
she slipped from his arms and danced away from the bed.

“I really do have to go.”

That’s when the truth hit him hard.

He’d sworn he wouldn’t get close. Wouldn’t get involved. Wouldn’t get attached. Because
one day soon, she was going to drive out of his life. And everything he’d allowed
himself to dream would be lost.

All the darkness in his life would descend once again.

He watched as she slipped the dress over her head and tugged on her red boots.

Charlotte Brooks was a different kind of woman than he’d ever been with before. She
was nothing like Diana, who was sweet and quiet and took things in life as they were
handed to her. Charli just reached out and grabbed it. She was nothing like the other
women he’d been with, who were either looking for a husband or just a good time. She
had a fire in her—a spark—that was hard not to admire. But he should have known
that when you played with fire, you either got singed or burned.

She buttoned the top of her halter dress, then leaned down and kissed him. “What are
your plans for tonight?”

He shrugged. “Haven’t really thought about it.”

“Doesn’t matter.” She kissed him again. “As long as they include me. See you later,
Cowboy.”

With a quick little wave she called to Pumpkin, then she and her dog left.

He folded his arms behind his head and lay there listening to the silence. He’d never
noticed it before. Now that he had, he realized he didn’t like it so much.

Charli had blown into his life like a hurricane. In just a few weeks, she’d blow out
just as fast.

Which meant there were choices to be made.

Did he grab hold of all that swirling velocity and enjoy it for a short time? Or did
he let it go now and save himself from the eventual devastation?

C
harli managed to take her shower and wash all the sticky honey from her hair in no
time. She yanked on a pair of shorts, tank top, and tennis shoes. Grabbed a granola
bar and Pumpkin and headed toward the Hummer. As she tossed her purse and dog onto
the front seat, she glanced over at Reno’s truck—door still wide open. She smiled.
He’d been everything she could have imagined and more. The idea that he’d been hiding
all that passion for so long made her sad. But the knowledge that she’d been on the
receiving end when he’d finally let it go—well, that made her extremely happy. And
satisfied.

Man, was she satisfied.

She’d give it a few hours before she started to go through withdrawals from his touch,
his kiss, his every damn thing that made him Reno. She loved hearing him laugh. The
deep, throaty sound made her heart sing. She wanted more.

Before she climbed inside the big yellow monster of a vehicle, she grabbed her purse,
smeared the tube of coral lipstick across her mouth then went to his truck. She closed
the door, leaned in, and kissed the driver’s side window. When she pulled away, she
grinned at the mark she’d made.

Silly?

Juvenile?

She didn’t care.

With Reno, she felt like a giggly, flirty sixteen-year-old.

Until he put his hands on her.

Then she felt all woman.

When her tires hit Main Street, she stopped at Bud’s Diner for a coffee to go. Someone
seriously needed to open up a “real” coffee place. Then again, most of the residents
of Sweet would probably argue that a double-shot caramel latte with whipped cream
wasn’t “real” coffee. They’d argue that coffee needed to be strong enough to put hair
on your chest. Maybe she wasn’t all gung ho to have to wax between her breasts, but
she did love that the people in this town were of the hearty, good-natured sort.

Well, except for Lila Ridenbaugh, who was going to be a very
un
happy camper when she discovered that a woman who couldn’t shoot whiskey had gone
home with the man she’d had her eye on to be her next baby daddy.

Charli pushed open the door to Bud’s Diner, and the little bell above the door gave
a merry jingle.

“Hey, Charli!”

She smiled at the round of greetings from those seated at the counter or around tables
sipping a hot cup of joe and forking up fluffy pancakes slathered in butter and syrup.
Her stomach growled so loud she would swear everyone could hear.

“Good morning,” she called back on her way to the counter, where Paige stood pouring
a fresh cup for Max.

“Hey there.” Paige greeted her with her usual chipper attitude. “How are things going?”

“Excellent. We’re right on schedule, so you don’t need to worry about your wedding
venue. It will be ready and gorgeous.”

“I’m not worried. I trust you one hundred percent.” Paige reached beneath the counter
and brought up a clean mug. “And you’re coming to my bridal shower, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Charli smiled. She hadn’t been to a bridal shower
in years. In the past, they’d varied from cozy settings with crazy little games like
dressing the bride in toilet paper to snobbish affairs where all that mattered were
the dollar signs on the gifts. Still, it remained a tradition in which Charli would
one day like to partake—as the bride.

Paige slid the clean mug in front of her and filled it with steaming dark brew. “Please
don’t feel obligated to bring a gift. That’s not why you were invited.”

“I know.” Charli poured in some sugar and took a careful sip. “And I really do appreciate
being included. It will be fun.”

“As long as my sister doesn’t spike the punch, like she did at Helen Grace’s seventieth
birthday party,” Paige said. “That quickly became an out-of-control old-lady drunk
fest.”

The mental image of a bunch of tipsy old ladies made Charli chuckle. “Well, I’m looking
forward to it however it turns out.” She turned to Max, eyeing his sausage links and
eggs over easy. “Did you order me a plate?”

“No, but you’d better grab something.” He stuffed a bite of crispy English muffin
into his mouth. “It’s going to be a long day.”

“I wasn’t going to eat. Thought I’d just get over to the job site.”

“Of course you’re going to eat,” Paige said, handing her the laminated menu. “What’ll
you have? I’ll make sure Bud gets it up quick.”

“Surprise me.” Charli knew anything that would be served up would be delicious and
hot.

“Great. I’ll get you some protein and a little sugar. That will keep you going for
a few hours,” Paige said, then called out to Bud through the order window, “Flop two.
Side of dicks and a stack of Vermont. On a rail,” she added.

Max choked on a bite of sausage. “What did she say?”

Charli laughed. “I don’t know. But I’m betting it will taste great.” She sipped her
coffee. “Did the rubber playground mulch arrive?”

Max nodded. “Got a text that they delivered it straight to the site this morning.”

“Good. That will get us moving a little faster today.” Charli sipped and let the strong
chicory roll across her tongue. “We need to make our Friday deadline.”

“I got a call last night,” Max said in a voice she hated to hear.

“From?”

“The top.”

“Oh. Bad news?”

Max shrugged, set down his mug and took a bite of egg. “They want us to head right
to the next location from here. No stop back home in between. Apparently, with the
price of gas and freight charges, they’re trying to shave off some expenses.”

The thought of leaving clenched her stomach. She didn’t want to go—not when she’d
just found the best place on earth.

If pressed, she couldn’t divide that meaning between Sweet and the arms of the man
she’d just left in tangled sheets. Both gave her what she’d been searching for her
whole life.

A place to call home.

“It is a pretty expensive show to produce,” she said.

“But look at
Extreme Home Makeover.
Look how long that’s been at the top of its game. What does that say about us?”

“Two different concepts, Max. You can’t compare a show that helps people in need
with a show that just wants to pretty up a town.” Paige delivered her hot plate with
a smile, then moved on to help another customer. “I mean, yes, I believe in what we’re
doing and that it helps the residents and business owners with their bottom line.
But it’s not like we’re helping to save the life of a sick child. God. I’d love it
if we could do that.”

Max looked at her, thick brows drawn together. “You’re not invested in this show.”

“Bullshit. I’m totally invested. I’m just a realist. I think change is good.” An image
of Reno flashed through her mind. “And sometimes it can be freaking awesome. And I
give a hundred percent to this job. But, Max, at the end of the day, if this show
goes away, who’s going to miss it? Other shows will come along to take its place.
Other hosts will waltz into people’s living rooms and convince them that mirrored
ceilings are the newest thing. No one will miss me, or you, or the next big design
star. A year from now, they won’t even remember our names.”

“Wow.” Max leaned back and looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “That’s cynical.
Especially coming from you, Pollyanna.”

Charli took a bite of her heavily syruped pancakes. The flavor burst across her tongue,
and she couldn’t help but think of all the luxurious breakfasts or breakfast conversations
she’d missed in place of a quick cardboardy granola bar while driving at top speed
to their most recent job site. She thought of being able to sit across from Reno every
morning and share a fresh pot of coffee while talking about the day to come.

She was thirty-one years old, and until now she’d only thought of
home
as being somewhere you had to frequently leave. Like her cold, empty apartment in
Studio City. Or the various military houses where she’d spent her childhood. As a
temporary fix, she’d focused on her career and not the many lonely nights she spent
thinking of all the homes she’d decorated for other families to play in and be happy.

But she was thinking now.

And after last night in Reno’s arms, she looked at life in a whole different light.
She
wanted
it all. Love. Family. Home.

“I’m not cynical, Max. But show me a cemetery headstone where it says
BELOVED MAKEOVER S
HOW HOST
or
BELOVED TE
LEVISION PRODUCER
.”

His bloodshot eyes assessed her. “What, in your all-the-way-around-the-block
manner, are you trying to say?”

“Those headstones read
BE
LOVED WIFE, BELOVED
HUSBAND, BELOVED MOT
HER
or
FATHER, BELOVED FRIEND
.”

“And that means?”

“TV shows, no matter how entertaining, don’t matter. What does matter is love. Family.
Friends.”

Charli glanced around Bud’s filled-to-capacity diner at the faces she’d come to
know over the past few weeks. The people she’d come to care about. They made her
feel welcome. Included. Needed. She thought about Reno again and that amazing peace
he brought to her wandering soul. And she realized, just maybe, she
could
have it all.

H
ours later, Charli stood in the hot sun, with her hands on her hips. The sweat rolling
between her breasts made her itchy and uncomfortable. The situation at hand made her
tense and cranky.

“I need black-eyed Susans,” she said to Sarah, who looked up, cheeks flushed from
the red alert heat of the day.

“The landscaper ordered daisies.”

“Which are nice,” Charli admitted, “but they don’t have the pop of color I’m looking
for. Plus, Susans are a more hearty plant that will thrive in cold or heat. And God
knows it gets hot in Texas.” She pulled her damp shirt away from her skin, hoping
a little air would flow beneath and cool her off.

No such luck.

“There are a gazillion ways to accent this amazing gazebo,” she added. “But the bottom
line is it has to be beautiful no matter what time of year it happens to be. A lot
of activities take place here—weddings, birthday parties, town gatherings. It needs
to be photo-op pretty from January to December.”

“That makes sense.”

Charli smiled. She loved it when someone validated her ideas. “Did you have fun at
the party last night?”

Sarah nodded with a big smile. “I met someone.”

“Zack?”

Sarah sighed. “Zack.”

“Wonderful. Want to share?”

“Not yet. I know we’re only here for a short time, and I don’t have any . . .”

“Expectations?”

“Yeah.”

“But you like him, and you had a good time.”

A smile lit up Sarah’s pretty face. “I really like him, and I had a really good time.”

Charli wrapped her in a one-armed hug. “Beats dog-sitting any day, right?”