Erotic Deception (5 page)

“I think it’s a good idea if you boys grab what you came for, pay for it, and leave.”

They all looked at the man leaning a casual shoulder against one of the floor to ceiling beams. His right arm hung loose at his side, while the thumb of his bandaged hand was looped in his belt. For a moment, the two men hesitated as if making a calculation of the man’s injuries. The man named Skeet was the first to respond.

“Now, Sheriff, you don’t need to get involved in this. This little girl here was asking for some help. We were simply trying to accommodate her.”

“That’s a lie!” Lily couldn’t believe the audacity of the man.

“I think she can manage by herself.” The sheriff spoke calmly, belying the gleam in his gaze.

Skeet looked as if he was going to argue, but evidently whatever high he’d been on, dissipated as the posing threat became clear. His friend was slower to catch on.

“You don’t look like you’re on your full game here, Sheriff, with those injuries and all. Now we’d hate to have to take advantage of your disability,” the other man sneered.

A feral grin creased the hard tanned face and he threw down a wink. ‘Try me.”

Even Lily shivered at the perilous tone, as did Skeet. He intervened by jerking on his friend’s arm to pull him away. His nervous laugh alerted the caution to back down.

“We’re only joking with you, Sheriff. We don’t want any trouble with the law here.” He shot his buddy a hard smile filled with warning. “Come on, we need to get the beer and head back before the girls get restless.” His cordial smile was pathetic. “You don’t mind if we get what we came in for do you, Sheriff?”

“On the contrary, gentlemen, we appreciate your patronage,” he responded, inclining his head. He watched the two men while they hurriedly grabbed a case of beer, paid for it and left.

Lily sighed in relief. Even though she could’ve handled the situation, she was relieved at his intervention and the confrontation it avoided.

“Thank you,” she said, but inwardly recoiled when a glacier blue gaze narrowed in on her.

“Here’s one of the first rules of staying here. During the summertime, we get many visitors renting homes along the lakes. For the most part, they’re out to have a good time and are relatively harmless. As evening progresses, moods change. I don’t know why you’re out so late, but the next time someone approaches you like that, walk away.”

Then without giving her an opportunity to respond he picked up the item he’d placed on a shelf and went to the register to pay for it. He was opening the door to get into his truck when Lily threw open the door of the convenience store.

“What do you have against me?” she demanded striding toward him.

He shot her a telling glance, not stating the obvious, which infuriated her more.

“This isn’t all to do with what happened today, Sheriff,” she said through clenched teeth. “Your rudeness is inexcusable. Aren’t you supposed to be a little more professional, being an officer of the law and all?”

“Professional?” He glared at her. “I just saved your ass for the second time in one day and you accuse me of not being professional?”

She ignored his question and demanded, “What is it you don’t like about me, Sheriff? Do I remind you of someone? An ex-girlfriend, perhaps?”

It was then that Lily realized how close she was to him. When his gaze skimmed down and touched her mouth, a feathery pulse tickled through her chest. He looked at her through smoldering eyes and allowed a gradual smile to appear, but its mockery contained no trace of humor.

“What’s the matter, Dr. Delaney? Bored already? Looking for a distraction? Maybe I interrupted something in there you didn’t want me to. If that’s the case then let me be the first to apologize. However, if it’s a diversion you’re looking for, I’d happily take you up on that, but unfortunately, I’m a little tired tonight.”

He tossed the grocery bag into the truck before climbing in. He faced her once more, nodding his head toward her car.

“Driving with only one headlight is against the law in Windom Hills, ma’am, but I’ll let you go this time.” He cocked a brow. “How’s that for professionalism?”

Lily was still searching for a stinging reply as he drove away.

What just happened? How dare he? She stomped a sandal against the paved parking lot. Damn it! Of all the frustrating, egotistical, infuriating men, why did she always end up feeling like a brainless tart around him?

It would serve him right if she didn’t show up tomorrow. The consequences would almost be worth shattering his inflated, puffed-up self-confidence.

Then her bravado popped and the weight of the world slid around her neck, pulling her head down.

He was the only light in her future at this point. Why wasn’t she trying to butter him up or at least attempting to get on his good side? She hadn’t even asked about his injuries. With a frustrated growl, she stormed over to her car and almost forgot why she’d driven to the store in the first place.

She gritted her teeth and headed back toward the door.

Murder, mysterious sign-postings, maniacal threats and, albeit justified, a very mad man in a uniform.

My life sucks!

Chapter Three

Lily viciously stretched the sheet and shoved it under the mattress.

“Driving with only one headlight is against the law in Windom Hills. ma’am, but I’ll let you go this time,” she mimicked and grabbed for the blankets. “Walking around with one brain cell should be against the law too, but it obviously hasn’t stopped some people.”

Lily straightened in disgust and stretched her back, glancing toward the now darkened windows. There were multiple panes from floor to ceiling, wall to wall and not a single one graced with an ounce of window-covering. Her shoulders braced against an involuntary shudder.

Darkness hid the magnificent view of the lake lapping along the small backyard. Now the mirrored reflection only afforded uncomfortable exposure. A rather large lake surrounded the back of the house with a wooded area to the left of her tennis-court-sized yard. Practically anyone could be out there right now and she wouldn’t know it.

“Man-up, Lily,” she scoffed aside her paranoia.

Anthony was the only one she needed to fear and regardless of the sheriff’s faults, she believed his promise not to file that report just yet.

In fact, the only crime committed right now was in the modernization of the master bedroom. Why would anyone spoil a historical landmark? Thankfully, the rest of the home had preserved its original blueprint, including that window against the far wall.

Not having noticed it before, Lily walked over to investigate. The old-fashioned frosted glass had an antique-bronzed frame and hinges. It also appeared to open from the other side. Curiosity propelled her into the hallway and she followed the glow illuminating from the adjoining master bedroom window. She flipped on the light.
Another bathroom?

With raised brows, she left the light on and returned to the bedroom. Obviously, the master bedroom had been an add-on to the original home and for some reason the window had been left intact. Why would they do that?

She slapped a hand over her mouth, giggling. Although frosted, the window provided a clear silhouette of the toilet; and the risk of distinctive view of someone doing their business. Amazed, she giggled again. Hopefully the window wouldn’t be opened for ventilation. The visual was bad enough.

Had Jerry noticed the faux-pas? The humor, albeit a relief from the harrowing past few weeks, faded away. No matter how much she wished Jerry was here, she might as well face it. He was gone, period. Nothing could bring him back. The coincidence of the home’s lot number was only a reminder of that fact.

With that mood-killer, Lily went downstairs one more time to make sure she’d locked all the doors. Dim lighting cast spooky shadows along the narrow stairway and she was relieved to reach the bottom. She visibly started when a reflection greeted her in the glass panel of the front door.

“I’m an idiot,” she said, recognizing herself. She glanced back up the stairs. How creepy. The stairs were on display for anyone outside to view the occupants inside without awareness whatsoever.

Shivering, she scurried by the door and walked through the main living area into a small kitchen and charming sitting room. Switching on the light, she checked the French doors lining the back wall and grimaced once again at her reflection in the glass. View or no view, this house was in dire need of some privacy.

Turning to leave, her peripheral vision caught a flash from the outside. She cupped her hands against the glass and waited for it again. Nothing. Shaking off the eerie feeling, she returned upstairs.

Lily turned out the light and was getting into bed when an illumination projected from outside. Her heart pounded against her chest as she cautiously crossed to the tall windows. What appeared as a flashlight moved back and forth over the ground. She crouched down to get a better view. Just like that, it disappeared.

Blinking, she looked again but the light had vanished. She stayed by the window until her legs began to cramp, but the backyard remained dark. She made her way to the bed.

Okay. So there had to be an excuse for whatever it was, right? It’d been too big for fire-flies. Hunters? What would they hunt? Maybe she should call the police. She grabbed for the disposable phone she’d purchased yesterday and then paused. Who would answer if she called? The sheriff?

She sighed. Maybe she’d imagined it. Given the circumstances and the events of the day, it was possible. In disgust, she placed the phone back on the night stand.

The next day still groggy from lack of sleep, Lily pulled into the parking lot of the Sheriff’s Department. She had dressed in readiness for the hot day, but the pink cotton tank top and white skirt was no match for the humidity.

Ascending the short flight of stairs, Lily opened the door to the red-bricked building and the blast of cold air was a welcomed relief. A blonde haired woman seated at a desk looked up in inquiry at her entrance. Lily smiled and crossed the gray carpet toward her.

“Hi. My name is Lily Delaney and I was involved in an accident with the sheriff yesterday.”

“An accident?”

Lily’s brows puckered. That didn’t sound too friendly.

She cautiously kept her tone cordial. “Yes, I was driving—”

“I know,” the woman cut her off.

Ooh-kay
. Lily crushed her tongue against the roof of her mouth and pasted on a smile.

“Good. Then I don’t have to explain.”

Bright blue eyes narrowed and the thin mouth tightened. “He’s expecting you. Down the hall, first door on the right,” she said and dismissed Lily for the papers on the desk.

Turning away, Lily muttered under her breath at the rudeness. As there was only one hallway, no other clarification was necessary. As she drew near the large metal door, irritation turned to anxiety. Forget about the initial greeting. It was the next meeting that was crucial to her stay here.

With a confidence she didn’t feel, she walked to the open doorway only to find the black chair behind the grey desk empty. A movement next to the file cabinets drew her attention.

Striking, blue eyes, more magnetic than the woman’s in the office, stared at her from across the room.

“Dr. Delaney.”

“Sherriff,” she returned.

A glance skirted over her attire before he nodded toward a swivel chair in front of the desk.

“Have a seat. I’ll be with you in a moment.”

Lily complied, once again pulled in by his magnetism. She noted however, that far from overestimating his attraction, she’d understated it a little.
Okay, a lot.
And in a fresh uniform and smooth, dark hair brushed away from his tanned forehead, she’d give him professional.
All right. And sexy, but that’s all.

It didn’t help that her seated position put her in close proximity to where he was standing. She was also at eye-level with the duty belt strapped low on his lean hips. Lily tried occupying her attention elsewhere, but it kept straying back to the hard, muscled thighs, and upward. Surely, that outlined imprint wasn’t all him was it?

The slamming of the file cabinet made her jump and she swung her chair forward. The exaggerated movement almost catapulted her in the opposite direction and she grasped at the front of the desk to check the swing. With cheeks on fire, she knew he couldn’t have missed her clumsiness. On the other hand, she prayed he hadn’t noticed her inappropriate preoccupation.

Other than a suspicious twitch of his mouth, nothing showed in the sharp edges of his face or the hawk-like gaze when he sat across from her.

To eliminate the gauche-schoolgirl feeling, Lily cleared her throat and gestured toward the white gauze around his left hand.

“I didn’t ask about your injuries last night. I take it you went to the hospital?”

His nod of acknowledgment was followed by a simple, “Yes.”

“Did you need stitches?” Lily asked, undaunted by the lack of encouragement.