Flash Point (11 page)

Todd turned and headed for the door. “I’m outta here.”
      

“Hang on,” Tyson said placidly. “I’ve said my piece about Kate, and I’ll back off now. But I really did want to talk to you about the attacks on her shop.”

His anger faded, instead tension swept through Todd’s body and he paused, before turning to face his brother again. He’d been ready to walk out, but this had to do with Kate’s safety and that was his top priority.

“And? You find out who’s doing it?”

“No. Penny might be a crotchety chick with a grudge toward Kate’s shop, but she seems to have an alibi for all the events.”

Todd drew in a slow breath and shook his head. His conversation earlier in the week with Kate flitted through his head. “And what about Andrew Lewis?”

Tyson cocked his head and stroked his jaw. “The guy she dated in high school?”

Dated? Hah. The scumbag had been using her to win a bet. Todd’s lips curled with derision. “Yeah.”

“Hmm. I can check into it, but he’s kept a pretty low profile lately. Keeps to himself and runs the garage.”

“Do that.” Todd nodded and narrowed his gaze. “And while you’re at it, why don’t you do some digging into Walt Chapman too.”

Tyson folded his arms across his chest and smiled. “Looking for a reason to rule out the competition, Todd?”

“What competition? Kate would pick me over any guy hands down.”

The smile faded from his brother’s face. “And you don’t see a problem with that? Kate loving the one man who will never want more than a brief fling?”

His chest tightening, Todd said firmly, “She doesn’t love me.”

“Doesn’t she?”

Holding his brother’s hard stare, and hoping like hell Tyson was wrong, Todd gave a small shake of his head.

“Kate’s not stupid. Virgin or not, she knew exactly what she was getting when she seduced me.”

Disappointment flickered across Tyson’s face, before he looked away and shoved his hands into his jeans. “I hope you’re right, Todd. I really do.”

Todd tried not to show the wave of unease that swept through him.

He hoped he was right too.

Kate finished prepping the dough for tomorrow’s danishes and slid it into the fridge. After checking her watch, assuring herself she had at least another ten minutes before Todd arrived, she went to the bathroom for some primping.

A little perfume, lip gloss and she was about as good as she would get.

Pulse racing, Kate stepped out of the bathroom, then yelped in surprise.

“Sorry,” Walt said quickly. “I didn’t mean to startle you. The door was open and I came in.”

Right. She’d left the door open for Todd.

“Oh right,” she said a bit lamely. What was he doing here? She’d…oh, God. Dinner. It had been kind of routine for the past few months. They’d been doing dinner on Fridays.

Shoot. She really should’ve called him and let him know things were definitely off…though shouldn’t he have figured it out by now? It wasn’t a hardly a secret about her and Todd.

Time to step up and be a woman
. She cleared her throat. “Walt, about us—”

“Don’t worry, Kate. I’m not here to take you to dinner.” He gave a small smile that held more sadness than humor. “I realize you most likely have…other plans.”

“Yes,” she said softly, guilt twisting in her gut. “I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier.”

He lifted a hand and caressed the side of her face. “I told myself I wouldn’t say anything, but I can’t help it. You’re too good for him, Caitleen.”

Her throat tightened and she lowered her gaze. Damn, she really wished people would stop pointing out how bad Todd was for her.

“But that’s not why I dropped by,” Walt said quickly. “I just wanted to mention that I saw something a little out of place the other day. Penny was snooping around after hours, peering in your shop, and scurrying off when I came out to see what was going on.”

“Penny?” Kate’s brows drew together as she thought of the owner of the local pie shop. “Snooping around? Are you sure?”

Walt grinned. “Can’t mistake hair like that. Anyway, just thought I’d mention it. I know nothing’s happened in awhile, but it never hurts to be careful.” He paused and slowly traced his finger down her jawline. “And you
should
be careful, Caitleen.”

She knew he was referring to more than her business but refused to acknowledge the underlying hint that Todd was bad news.

The sound of the door opening had her gaze swinging to the doorway.

“Todd.” Her face flushed with a guilt that was completely unnecessary as she stepped away from Walt. “Hey.”

“I should be going.” Walt cleared his throat and then moved toward the door.

When he passed Todd, Kate didn’t miss the challenging look the men exchanged.

Her throat tightened and she folded her arms across her chest. The door opened and then shut with Walt’s exit.

“Hi,” she said softly. “I was just closing shop.”

Todd nodded, his expression unreadable. “Let’s head out.”

In his truck Todd didn’t say much, and her unease grew. He seemed distant, a little angry. But why? Because of Walt? That would make no sense.

With the heat blaring on her face she grew uncomfortably warm and shifted, tugging loose her scarf.

“What was Chapman sniffing around for?”

Something in her gut started to simmer, annoyed and a little angry at his curt and sudden question.

“He came by to mention he saw Penny snooping around my shop,” she said stiffly. “We used to have dinner on Fridays, but he figured out those probably wouldn’t be happening for awhile.”

“Awhile?”

The simmering turned into a boil. Her mouth tightened. “Where are you going with this? What would it even matter if I kept seeing Walt?”

“It would matter because you’re sleeping with me,” he said tightly.

Her sharp response back died on her lips as he turned the truck abruptly down a small road that led to the beach. The road was generally deserted this time of year, and especially this time of night.

“What are we doing here?” she asked unevenly.

His gaze glittered as he turned in his seat and snagged her scarf, unwinding it from her neck.

“I want you.”

Her heart threatened to gallop out of her chest and her sex clenched with excitement. But her mind wasn’t ready to give up without a fight.

“You can’t avoid our discussion by deciding you want to fuck me,” she said crudely.

“Can’t I?” He arched a brow as he unfastened her seatbelt, his expression so cocky she wanted to slap it off his face.

He climbed out of the driver’s seat and over to the passenger side. He reached down beside her and pulled something that had her seat sliding back and reclining.

“Todd—”

“Then push me away,” he challenged, deftly unzipping her jacket and sliding a hand beneath her shirt to find her breast. “Tell me to leave you alone, Kate.”

He kneaded her flesh and she cried out despite herself, her nipple tightening into his palm. Damn him, he knew her too well. Was taking advantage of the fact that she couldn’t deny him.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

His mouth crushed down on hers and she gave up trying to fight him. She didn’t want to anymore, because she wanted this moment as much as he did. And she hated herself for it.

The slide of her zipper going down was the only warning she got before Todd pulled her jeans and panties from her body. Then his hand was back between her legs, his finger plunging inside her slick channel.

Pleasure rocketed through her and her hips arched off the leather seat.

Todd’s mouth commandeered hers, while he brought her to a quick, intense orgasm with knowing fingers. Her body still trembled when he reached into the glove compartment for a condom.

He unzipped his jeans and pulled himself free from his boxers, sheathing himself with the condom all in probably under a minute.

Kate’s heart slammed in her chest and her body ached for him inside her. Todd leaned over her, his knees braced against the seat, one hand gripping the leather seat while the other guided his cock inside her.

She moaned, her head falling back against the seat as he buried himself to the hilt. She clung to the Gore-tex jacket that he hadn’t bothered to remove, while he pounded into her.
 

“Who’s inside you, Kate?” he demanded raggedly.

She shook her head, wanting to salvage a little of her pride. But then he reached between them and rubbed her clit, his mouth slanting over hers again.

When he lifted his head a moment later she was dazed and shaking with pleasure.

“Say my name, Kate.”

“Todd,” she choked out.

“Damn right.”

And then his mouth was on hers again. He was almost rough. Mindless, taking her in a way he’d never done before—not even that first night. It thrilled her and yet also left a seed of unease inside in her belly.

Sensation built inside her as he rubbed her clit faster and moved harder inside of her. And then she was there, cresting that climax peak and crying out her release, just as Todd had his.

He fell heavily on her, burying his face against her neck. Kate slowly fell back to reality, aware of her heart slamming around in her chest and the seatbelt receptacle biting into her hip.

And then it realization slammed into her. What had just happened, what she’d let happen. Humiliation had her cheeks burning and her hands—which had been clutching him—thrusting him away.

Todd stiffened and cursed, lifting his head.

“Oh my God,” he muttered and eased off her. “Kate, I don’t know what came—”

Her palm glanced across his face before she could stop it. She stared at him in the fading light, saw his jaw flex and the shock in his gaze. Watched the red marks of her fingers appear on his cheek.

Nausea swelled in her stomach and she bit her lip, tears burning at the back of her eyes.

“I don’t deserve to be treated like this,” she said quietly, struggling to keep her voice even. “Yes, Todd, what
did
come over you?”

He closed his eyes and thrust a hand through his hair, looking heartbreakingly handsome and conflicted.

“I don’t know, Kate.”

“Yes, you do. You acted like I was your possession.” She gave a short laugh, feeling ridiculously exposed and vulnerable being half-naked with her jeans and panties sitting on the floor of the truck. “An object for you just to use whenever you had the whim to. You get like that when I’m with Walt.”

“You’re right. I’m jealous,” he finally admitted quietly and moved back into the driver’s seat.

“Yes, you are. Though I’m surprised you would admit it. Why are you jealous, Todd?” she pressed on, not caring that she was tearing apart their unspoken agreement of casual sex for a couple weeks. “You don’t want to be exclusive with me. And you don’t do relationships. So why are you jealous?”

Todd shook his head and then sighed. “I don’t like the idea of you with anybody else.”

The tears that had threatened flooded her eyes. She couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t deny what was in her heart and pretend that just sex for a couple of weeks would be enough. That she could walk out unscathed.

She grabbed her discarded clothes and slid back into them.

“Well, likewise, Todd,” she said miserably. “I don’t like the idea of you with anybody else. I don’t like walking around town and wondering what women you’ve slept with and who will be next after me.”

His face tightened with distress. “Kate—”

“I shouldn’t even
want
someone like you, Todd. That’s the irony of it. Not after what happened with Andrew.”

“You can’t compare me to him. I’m
nothing
like that asshole,” he said savagely.

“You’re not. You’re caring, funny and charming. And most of the time a wonderfully attentive lover.” A whimsical smile flitted across her face. “You have so much love to give, Todd. But you won’t let yourself. And I’m done trying to figure out why. Hoping deep down that maybe I can be the one to change you.”

“You don’t want my love, Kate.”

“Why wouldn’t I? When a girl loves someone, she generally wants that love to be reciprocated.”

She should’ve regretted the words, especially when he paled and seemed to scoot further away from her in his seat.

“You’re not in love with me, Kate. You’re confused because I was your first.”

“That’s bull crap. I would’ve
never
let you take me like you just did—like some whore getting paid by the hour—if I didn’t love you, Todd.” Her voice trembled and tears slid down her cheek. “But I can’t do it anymore. I can’t go on for another week, a month, or however long until you tire of me.”

Panic flickered in Todd’s eyes and he reached for her, but she shook her head and moved away until the door handle bit into her lower back. Grabbing her purse off the truck floor, she clutched it in her hand.

“You’re just upset right now, Kate,” he said desperately. “Please, we can work this out—”

“I don’t want to work out
sex
. I want you to love me.”

He flinched. “I can’t.”

“Can’t, or won’t? What or who made you into a guy who jumps from bed to bed, afraid to commit to any woman?”

“Let’s just say you weren’t the only one traumatized by your first relationship, all right?” he said thickly.

Kate had reached for the door handle but paused, her pulse quickening at this gleam of new information. “How so?”

Todd didn’t answer right away. “I fell in love when I was eighteen. I was ready to give up college to stay in Wyattsville and marry her.”

Kate frowned, trying to remember if Todd had ever been serious about anyone. But then when he’d been eighteen she’d only been fourteen or fifteen and completely oblivious to his social life.

“And what happened?”

Todd looked straight ahead as he murmured, “She never wanted me. She’d been sleeping with me, using me to get closer to Trevor.”

Kate winced. She knew how that must have affected him. The betrayal, shock, and deep burning anger. It wasn’t unlike what had happened to her. And it had taken her how long before she’d been ready to move on? To trust a man again?

She tried not to get too excited by the spark of hope that lit inside her. That maybe, just maybe, there was hope for Todd.