Big Girls Don't Cry (8 page)

Leena didn’t have the energy to run, but she walked at a brisk pace past plastic-wrapped packages of bread, cans of ravioli, and boxes of frozen burritos.

Oooh, they had the low-fat Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt. Good find. She opened the freezer door and almost smacked Cole in the face with it.

“Sorry.” She quickly closed the door. “Did I hurt you?”

“Were you trying to?”

“Of course not! What kind of question is that?”

“You had a rough day at the office today. I wouldn’t blame you if you came out of the situation with a little unresolved anger.”

“At the parakeet maybe. Not at you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

She tore her wandering gaze from the solitary carton of Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt still inside the freezer and focused on Cole. He was wearing a white T-shirt beneath a light blue shirt and jeans. He had a sexy stubble thing going on. It worked well for him. Gave him a more dangerous bedroom look and made her forget about the Cherry Garcia. Until he opened the freezer door and reached for it.

She put her hand on his arm. “Mine.”

“Only in town a few days and you’re staking your claim on me already?”

“I meant the Cherry Garcia. It’s mine. I was reaching for it when you interrupted me.”

He held the carton in his hand. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

His reference to law reminded her of lawyer Johnny and how all men were dirtbags beneath the outward charm.

“How much do you want this Cherry Garcia?” He held it just out of her reach.

“Not enough to do whatever you have in mind.”

“How do you know what I have in mind?”

“I can read you like a book, Pet Boy.”

“Is that so, Princess?” He shifted so that her back was up against the glass front of the closed freezer door beside them. “Then what am I thinking right now?”

She glared at Cole. Or meant to. Instead she was unexpectedly sidetracked by his eyes. Maybe it was the blinking florescent overhead lighting in the back aisle of the mini-mart. Maybe it was the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it was his proximity. But there was something new in his eyes. She could handle the wicked twinkle in his baby blues, but this was hot and seductive.

Her breath caught. Her knees wobbled. Her entire body buzzed like that defective florescent light humming overhead.

“Come on.” His voice was low and more potent than the thickest hot fudge. She could feel it vibrating through her when he spoke. “Come on.”

Leena was very close to coming, right there in the frozen-food section of the mini-mart, Cole’s body pressed tightly against hers.

“What am I thinking?”

Thinking? Who could think at a moment like this?

“Do you want me?”

Oh yeah. Big-time. She shifted her legs against his denim-clad thighs. Very, very big-time.

“Want me to . . . tell you?” His warm lips hovered just above hers. “What I’m thinking?”

She licked her lips, her tongue almost touching his mouth. She was melting. Not in a wicked-witch-of-the-west kind of way, but in a swirling-ice-cream-in-the-summer-sun kind of way. Totally melting.

“What are you two doing back here?”

Leena was so far gone that it took her a second or two to register her sister’s voice. Not that Sue Ellen was speaking quietly. Her sister had only two levels: loud and louder.

The question was delivered in her louder voice.

Leena didn’t even realize she’d raised her hands and placed them on the middle of Cole’s chest until she lowered them and banged her elbow on the door handle to the freezer.

Swearing under her breath, she was released from the spell. Okay, the fact that Cole stepped away from her probably helped her free-fall return to reality.

Not one to overlook an opportunity, Leena grabbed the carton of Cherry Garcia from his hand. “Here’s what I’m thinking,” she said. “That this frozen yogurt is mine.”

“Did you find the cake mix?” Sue Ellen demanded.

Leena shook her head.

“Come on. We’re moving out.” Sue Ellen had returned to drill-sergeant mode. “We’ve got to hit the Wal-Mart up by the interstate. The clerk told me they’ve got plenty of Tastykake chocolate cupcakes there. Easier than cake mix. No ovens involved.”

“I’ve got to pay for this first.” She held up her Cherry Garcia, holding on tight just in case Cole tried any sudden trick moves to swipe it from her.

“Well, hurry up.” Sue Ellen impatiently tapped her foot, which was clad in a nice pair of knockoff Jimmy Choos now that Leena took a look. Normally she noticed things like another woman’s footwear. But things hadn’t been normal in her world for several days now.

That had to be why Leena had that momentary wild reaction to Cole. Even now, she was still somewhat under the influence, thinking he looked entirely too sexy for her peace of mind.

She worked for the guy. Sex and bosses never mixed well. Sex
with
bosses was a definite no-no and a rule she’d never broken. Never been tempted to. Until now . . .

Chapter Five

“What’s taking you so long?” Sue Ellen’s question was accompanied by a pounding on Leena’s bathroom door. “We’re losing light outside.”

They’d survived the cupcake incident and had now moved on to Sunday and the modeling incident. Leena wasn’t sure she’d survive this one. She called through the door, “What kind of costume is this supposed to be?”

“You’re supposed to be a Regency miss. You know, like in those movies. Bride of Prejudice.

“Do you mean
Pride and Prejudice
?”

“Whatever.”

Leena stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror nailed to the back of the bathroom door. The dress was . . . She lacked words.

“What’s wrong?” Sue Ellen pounded again, making the mirror wobble. “Do you need help with the costume? Is it too small?”

Leena yanked open the bathroom door. “What do you think?”

“Wow.” Sue Ellen was clearly impressed. “Did you get new boobs?”

“No, I just can’t get them to stay in this dress.” Leena tugged the bodice up.

“You look great. Sex sells,” Sue Ellen said. “Come on. The photographer is legally blind in one eye so he won’t notice if one of your boobs slips out. Just pull the dress up again. I’ll let you know if too much is showing. We need to get the ad in the local papers, so the photo can’t be too revealing. I’m sure you’ve done ads showing more than this. What about Victoria’s Secret?”

“What about them?”

“They show more flesh than you’re showing now.”

“So?”

“So you must have modeled for them.”

“They don’t exactly cater to women my size.”

“Yeah, what’s with that? Why do they have tons of bras in those little sizes for women who could easily go without a bra?”

“Because they want to coax them into wearing one. Most of us don’t have the luxury of having a choice.”

“You haven’t commented on
my
boobs yet.” Sue Ellen thrust out her chest proudly. “Notice anything different?”

Leena shook her head, her gaze remaining focused on her own chest to check the status quo.

“I had a boob job done. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Who am I going to tell?”

“Gravity was starting to get me down. Not Gravity, Skye’s cat. I mean that invisible scientific thing that pulls everything to the ground, including breasts.” She quickly shoved Leena out the door ahead of her. “Ah, Bart.” She waved at an older man with a bald head waiting near the photographer. “Here she is. My sister, the model. Leena this is Bart Chumley, the owner of the mobile home park.”

“I’m glad to meet you, Leena.” Bart stuck out his hand.

Leena kept her own hands crossed and pressed against her breasts. “Excuse me if I don’t shake your hand.”

Bart frowned. “Is there a problem?”

“No, no problem,” Sue Ellen hurriedly stated. “Everything is fine.”

“Then why is your sister hugging herself like that?”

“She’s a little chilly. She’s keeping warm until you begin shooting. Are you ready? Is everything set up? Where do you want her to stand?”

“Let me just check,” Bart said before turning to the photographer.

While the two consulted, Leena heard a wolf whistle.

Turning, she found Cole standing nearby. It was bad enough that the man had tried to seduce her out of her carton of Cherry Garcia at the mini-mart, but this was too much.

Infuriated, she marched over to confront him.

“What are you looking at? These? They’re just breasts.” Leena lifted them together so Cole could get a better view, almost popping her nipples from the confines of the low-cut bodice. “I’m sure you’ve seen more than your fair share. I happen to be working here and I don’t appreciate your sexist wolf whistle.”

“I wasn’t whistling at you.”

“Really?” She looked around, her body language indicating she didn’t believe a word he said. “Then who were you whistling at?”

“That bitch over there.”

“Hey!” Leena protested.

“Don’t go ballistic on me. I was referring to Mrs. Petrocelli’s Pekinese. She broke her leg. Mrs. Petrocelli, not her dog Misty, who just slipped outside, which is why I whistled for her. Misty isn’t eating so I said I’d come look at her. I didn’t come to look at your breasts. I didn’t know they’d be on display this way. But now that you’ve pointed them out to me, I have to say that while it’s true I have seen breasts before, yours are . . . very fine. Excellent cleavage.”

Leena was accustomed to men looking at her. But not like this. None of them had ever had this kind of powerful effect on her. Cole was touching her with his eyes. Not in a creepy kind of way, but in a very seductive erotic way. Like he had in the back of the mini-mart.

Suddenly Leena couldn’t breathe. She felt as if she’d swallowed an Altoid.

Wait—she
had
just swallowed her Altoid!

She didn’t dare cough, for fear he’d pound her on the back and her breasts would launch themselves at him, fleeing the confines of her
Jane Austen Does Dallas
dress.

“Are you okay?” Cole asked, perhaps noticing how her face was turning red. She’d soon be turning blue from lack of oxygen if she didn’t get some air . . . Thankfully the Altoid finally went down and cleared her air passages.

Stay calm and just breathe,
she told herself while nodding in reply to Cole’s question. Of course she was okay.

Well, maybe okay was a stretch. If her life were truly okay she’d be back in Chicago working, not standing here in the Regency Mobile Home Park with a photographer who normally did wedding photos and could pass as Pee-wee Herman’s twin brother. And Leena certainly wouldn’t be standing here flaunting her cleavage at Cole.

Of course he wasn’t whistling at her. What had she been thinking? The world did not revolve around her, as her former agent told her before dumping her.

She felt like the butt of a dumb-blonde joke. In fact, her entire life lately had turned into some dumb-blonde joke. But Leena wasn’t laughing.

“Here.” Sue Ellen joined them and shoved something into Leena’s hands.

“What’s this?”

“Double-edged tape. Actresses and singers use it all the time to keep their dresses in place. That should avoid a Nipplegate situation. Lulu told me they had one at the high school a while back. Something to do with a cheerleader. Hey, Cole.” Sue Ellen smiled at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Your sister accused me of ogling her breasts,” he replied.

Sue Ellen nodded proudly. “They are impressive, aren’t they?”

“Hey!” Leena felt her face getting hot. “Next thing, you’ll be asking Cole to help me tape them in place.”

“Anything I can do to be of assistance.” Cole’s grin was one-hundred-proof wicked.

“Hold on a sec, I have to take this call.” Sounding like a showbiz mogul, Sue Ellen turned her back on them to answer her pink Motorola Razr phone.

“Don’t even think about it,” Leena warned Cole as he reached out for the tape. She tightened her grip on it.

“So now you’re telling me what I can and can’t think? Anyone ever tell you that you’re bossy?”

“I prefer to think of it as being sure of myself.”

“Right.”

“Some men feel threatened by that.”

“Not me.”

“Right.” She deliberately repeated his word choice, right down to the mocking tone. “You’re probably used to women instantly obeying your every command. Just like Misty here.” Leena pointed to the Pekinese, who was now perched at his feet, gazing up at him adoringly.

“Absolutely,” Cole agreed. “And they usually drool too.”

The man was too much!

“Yeah,” Cole said reflectively. “There’s nothing like doggy drool first thing in the morning.”

“Don’t try to tell me that you only hang out with canine females. I’m sure you’ve got more than enough human female companionship.”

“Can one ever really have more than enough?” Cole countered. “I don’t think so.”

“No, you wouldn’t, would you? You’d think the more the merrier.”

“Now you’re making it sound like I’m hosting orgies with multiple partners. I feel the need to remind you that my aunt is a nun.”

“She must be so proud,” Leena mocked.

Far from being insulted, Cole’s expression softened with affection before he bent down to rub Misty’s ears.

“Yeah, she
is
proud of me. Go figure. So is my other aunt, Nancy. She owns Crumpler’s Auto Parts. Both of them will probably drop by to see you soon.”

This got Leena’s immediate attention. “What? See me? Why?”

“Because they like to look after my best interests.”

“Which involves me how?”

“You said it yourself. You’ve come to town to save me. It’s only natural that they’d want to meet the woman who would make such a bold claim.”

“Yeah, well, I was only kidding . . .”