Just One Taste (3 page)

W
ill wasn’t
a chi-chi bar type of guy. He was a lot more comfortable sitting in his boxers with a beer in front of the television, not that he did that much either. It was cheaper to drink at home, but it still wasn’t cheap. And when he got up at five A.M. every day to work on his own place before he went to work at someone else’s at seven, he didn’t need a hangover.

Last year he’d bought a beat-up farmhouse on a quiet back road. He got it more for the acreage and the barn so he could store his equipment, but the place was coming along nicely. Every extra penny went into it, but tonight he’d be throwing down fifteen bucks a drink. He hoped the princess would be worth it.

Will checked his watch. Ten-twenty-six. He’d almost cruised by the store Alex worked in, but thought that would be cheesy. He wasn’t even sure where it was—he was not a casino guy, aside from chowing down on the occasional burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace.

Bar Americain was another Flay enterprise and lots more expensive. It was dark and sleek and posh, and Will felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb. He’d shaved, though, his jeans were clean, and he was wearing his only white button-down shirt under a navy Brooks Brothers blazer had mother had found at a thrift store. It had been missing all the fancy buttons for some reason, but she’d sewn new ones on.

“Hey.” The voice behind him was a little breathless. Will turned to see the princess, still in her interview clothes. Her feet must be killing her in those red-soled stilettos.

“So, how’d it go?”

She grinned. Jeez, she had nice teeth. Probably never had to wear braces, either. Will remembered going to sleep with headgear and losing a couple of retainers in the cafeteria trash.

“I got it! For six months anyway. I should still have time to take on other clients if they come along, too. And I quit this job!” She pointed in the general direction of the mall avenue downstairs.

Her smile faded a little. “I probably shouldn’t have, but scheduling myself would have been a nightmare, and the pay is much better at Lassiter Broadcasting. I’ll do both until they can find a replacement, but that shouldn’t take long. I’ll have to visit each station every couple of weeks and organize everyone’s on-air wardrobe! I’ve got so many ideas!”

She was pretty fizzy for sure. Will heard each and every exclamation point. Gone was the snooty young woman he’d crashed into.

“Well, great. Congratulations!”

She wiggled her cute butt up on the barstool. “I’ll have what you’re having!”

“You sure? It’s iced tea.” He felt a little silly, but he needed the caffeine if he was going to stay up and attempt to be suave.

“That sounds perfect. I never got the chance to eat anything today, and I don’t drink and drive if I can help it. I mean, one white wine probably is okay, but why push it?”

Will frowned. “They’ve stopped serving dinner here.”

“Oh, that’s okay! I’m too excited to eat anyway!”

“You’ve got to eat.” He waved the bartender over and paid his tab. “C’mon. We’ll go to the food court and I’ll buy you a sandwich.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Yes, I do. My mother raised me to be a gentleman.” Not every rule had stuck, but with three sisters in the house, Will was pretty familiar with how to treat a woman. And nobody could live on excitement alone.

They went down the escalator and Will wondered how she could walk in those sky-high heels. He extended an elbow, and after looking at it as if it were a totally unfamiliar object, Alex took it.

“What’s your pleasure? Pizza? A noodle bowl?” he asked.

“Oh, pizza is my all-time favorite food, but doesn’t the food court close at eleven too? A sandwich might be faster.”

They ordered two smoked turkey and spinach ranch wraps and two waters, wild things that they were, and found a table. Alex bit into her sandwich with relish, belying her objections to him buying her dinner.

“So, when do you start the new job?”

She wiped her mouth with a napkin. So ladylike. The red lipstick from this morning was gone, and she looked softer and much more approachable.

Not that he was going to
approach
her.

“Next Monday! I’ll start in Providence first. Meet the anchors. Talk to them. Take measurements. Contact local stores for possible loans. See what’s already in the wardrobe closet. Sometimes if you just tweak the basics, it makes all the difference.”

“It’s the same thing in construction. Change the backsplash, and you’ve got a whole new kitchen.”

“Exactly! We’re on the same page—who’da thunk it?”

“Yeah. I thought we had more of an ‘opposites attract’ thing going on here.”

She put her sandwich down. “Are you saying you’re attracted to me?”

How should he play this? Should he goof it off, or tell her ever since he tapped her bumper she’d been in his head all day?

“You must know your effect on a guy by now,” Will said, not really incriminating himself.

She wrinkled her nose. “Quite frankly, I haven’t had too much luck with
guys
. One in particular. I married right out of college and he turned out to be a total weasel. I haven’t dated in a decade. Not that this is a date.”

“Nope. Not a date. At all.” Will picked up his water bottle and took a swig. “Just two old friends catching up.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “We were hardly friends. You hated me.”

“I did not!”

She gave him a withering look. Jeez, her eyes were brown. Strange for a blonde, but then she and Miss Clairol were probably on a first-name basis by now. Her hair was all sorts of blond. Sun-kissed.

Crap. He was going mental.

“Okay, okay. You—you threw me. I didn’t know how to act around you. You were so…pretty. Self-assured. I was an asshole.”

“Yes, you were. Are you still an asshole?”

Will thought about it. “Probably. But not so much of one as I used to be. What is it politicians say? I’m evolving.”

“Good to know. I was sort of bitchy back then, too.”

Will decided it would be much wiser not to agree. “We ran in different crowds. Ancient history.” He snapped his fingers.

She was quiet for a minute, then surprised him. “If you’re not going to eat that half of your wrap, I will.”

He pushed the paper plate toward her. “Have at it, Pr—uh, Alexandra.”

She shot him a genuine smile. “Very good, Garrity.”

“Told you I was improving.”

He watched her devour his sandwich, then checked his watch. “I hate to be a killjoy, but they’re mopping the floor.”

“I need to get home anyway. My mother is probably pacing the floor.”

“Your mother?” The dragon lady. Everyone around knew Mrs. Elliot. She made sure of it.

Her cheeks flushed. “I live at home. Temporarily. Now that my consulting business is taking off, I hope to get a place of my own soon.”

Will loved his mom, but he sure as hell couldn’t live with her for five minutes, and she was way nicer than Elizabeth Elliot. “What are you looking for? My sister Kelly is a Realtor. She helped me get my house.” Buying a foreclosure was not for sissies. Filling out the paperwork had practically put him under.

“Oh! I’m not ready to b-buy. I may not even stay in town.”

“Well, let me know. She may be my sister, but she’s pretty reputable. She’s won all kinds of top producer awards. Here, I’ve got her card in my wallet.” They threw each other business when they could—why not? What were families for?

Alex took it and slipped it into her little red bag. “Thanks. I’ve got to catch the employee shuttle to the parking lot. It was very nice seeing you again. To
catch up
.” She held out a hand.

Will took it. “Don’t forget to call your insurance company.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Already done. The adjuster is meeting me tomorrow.”

“Let me know if you want me to be there. I can say it was my fault.”

“It
was
your fault!”

“Didn’t I just say so?”

“But you didn’t mean it.”

Will burst out laughing. “Busted. Can I ride the bus with you to your car?”

She shook her head. “That’s not allowed.” She tapped the badge pinned to her jacket. “They’re very big on security here. You look dangerous.”

Will didn’t feel dangerous. In fact, he was pretty sure Ms. Alexandra Elliott Russell was about to lead him around by his…

Nose.

“Can I see you again?” he asked impulsively.

Her eyebrows met. “I’m going to be awfully busy. Two jobs. Traveling. I don’t want to neglect my daughter, either.”

She didn’t say no.

“But you won’t be too busy to eat. You like to eat.”

She gave him a little shove. It was friendly. Maybe. “Are you saying I’m a glutton? If you didn’t want to give me your sandwich, you should have said so.”

“I have a feeling I can’t deny you, Princess.” Don’t deny
me,
Will thought, as he bent to kiss her.

This was too a date.

I
t was
a good thing she was wearing heels, because he was so very much taller than she was.

What was she thinking? She wasn’t supposed to be kissing him. She wasn’t supposed to be kissing
anybody
.

But here he was, cupping her cheek, bending over, smelling great. Some kind of citrus aftershave. She’d have to ask what it was if she could ever move her mouth to actually talk again.

His lips were warm and gentle yet insistent, and Alexandra felt she had no choice but to open hers just a little.

Wow.

Yum.

Man.
In every sense of the word.

Alexandra was a smart girl, but just now her vocabulary was reduced to three-letter words.

She hadn’t been kissed in years. Emma’s sticky ones didn’t count. In fact, her whole face was almost virgin territory. She hadn’t even had a facial in ages because she couldn’t afford one. Alexandra realized not even her mother had touched her cheek with affection lately. Will’s callused fingertips sent jolts straight to her—

Best not think of where they were going. Also practically virgin territory.

She had to go home. She had to get up early and feed Emma breakfast and strategize her calendar. Alexandra had no time to give in to her treacherous body. Just because the man could kiss like a genius didn’t mean a thing.

She’d been in Mrs. Macht’s English class with him, and he was no genius.

They had nothing in common. They’d been practically enemies. So why was she still on tiptoe letting his tongue into the corner of her mouth? Why was her hand clutching the collar of his jacket?

Beautiful fabric.

At least she had some semblance of her mind left. She took a shuffling step backward and heard an ominous crack.

Good thing he caught her, even if it meant the kiss had broken abruptly.

“Hey. I’ve never kissed anybody into a faint before.” He gave her a smug grin.

“It’s not the kiss, you id—um, my heel broke.” Her first and last pair of expensive shoes, damn it. She waved him off, picked up the ruined heel and wobbled to one of the benches on the casino concourse.

He sat down beside her, not a hair out of place, breathing normally, not red in the face as she must be. You’d never know from his expression he’d just kissed her senseless.
Her
face felt it like it was on fire, and her lips were tingly.

“Can you fix it? With glue or something?”

The thing is, she could. Or she used to have the skill. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“There must be a shoe repair place somewhere.”

Not at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino at eleven o’clock at night. Usually Alexandra had a pair of flats in her tote bag, but she’d been in such a nervous rush this morning, she’d forgotten.

“I’ll be okay.” She tried to glare at him. “What was that all about?”

His face was open. Innocent. “What was what all about?”

“That—that kiss.”

“It was just a kiss goodnight. You didn’t like it?”

“You aren’t supposed to be kissing me. This is not a date.”

Will shrugged. “As you wish, Princess. I guess I got carried away.” He stood up, and, without warning, scooped her up in his arms. “Speaking of carrying, I’m taking you to my truck, and then I’ll drive you to your car. Okay?”

It was
not
okay. “Put me down!”

“You can’t walk in broken shoes, and I wouldn’t let my dog walk barefoot in this place. Think of the germs.”

Alexandra knew he was right, but felt like a ragdoll as he carted her through the casino to the parking garage. He didn’t seem to have any trouble hauling her around, either. Will Garrity was strong, had to be in his line of work. He probably tossed cabers for fun.

For a fleeting second, she pictured him in a kilt. Bare-chested. But he was Irish. Did Irishmen wear kilts? They were all Celts, right?

Proof that she read too much and lived too little.

It was kind of cozy in his arms. To distract her runaway hormones, she struggled to find an innocuous topic of conversation. “You have a dog?”

“Yep.”

“What kind?”

He was watching where he put his feet as they mounted the escalator. “
Not
a purebred. You probably grew up with a French poodle, right?”

Oh, he was so annoying. “I never had a dog. My mother is allergic.” Or said she was. Alexandra suspected she just didn’t like the mess and inconvenience.

“Too bad. Dogs are fun. Well, Rocky is.”

Rocky. Typical
.

“Don’t give me that look. I didn’t name him. He’s a rescue dog and came with it. Someone was overly optimistic. He barks backwards—you know, when someone comes he’s all noise and no action. Which is good, cause I wouldn’t want him to bite people. He loves kids. My sisters’ children are over all the time.”

He sounded slightly winded. Alexandra had lost quite a bit of weight since the divorce, but still wasn’t a sylph.

“Put me down on that bench for a while.”

“Nope. I’m good. You’re light as a feather.”

Liar.

“How many sisters do you have?”

“Three. All older. They gave me supreme hell when we were growing up, but it’s all good now.”

Alexandra felt a stab of jealousy. As an only child, she’d always wanted siblings. Even when she was older and watched her friends have knock-down-drag-outs with their sisters or brothers, the idea of more than a three-person family had its appeal.

“Nieces or nephews?”

“Both. Seven of ’em, hellions all, even the four-month old.”

The automatic door opened to the parking garage and the noise and bright lights of the casino were forgotten. Will carried her to the elevator.

“Can you push three? My hands are full.” He looked down at her with his irresistible smile and Alexandra could do nothing but smile back and oblige.

“Do you remember where you parked?” Alexandra asked as the elevator went up. Really, he could put her down now.

“Please. You obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with. If I can find my car after a Patriots game, this will be easy.”

Alexandra hated football.

She hated football because of Will Garrity.

Maybe it was time to move on. High school was a long time ago.

There it was, the monster truck. He shifted her as he reached into his pants pocket for the keys. The headlights flashed.

“Here we are, Ms. Russell.” Will opened the door and deposited her in the front seat. For a work vehicle, it was pretty clean, with only the faintest trace of wood and working man. “Where are
you
parked?”

Alexandra blanked completely. She’d been running late all day after filling out a mountain of Lassiter Broadcasting forms for the HR department. The morning appointment had morphed into the afternoon, interrupted by about a thousand phone calls to Tonya Lassiter. She’d barely made her Chico’s shift after fixing Emma an early dinner, or as her mother liked to call it “tea.” She hadn’t even had time to change her shoes, which were now history.

“Um…”

Will chuckled. “It’s all right. We can drive around aimlessly until we come to it.”

Alexandra was mortified. He already thought she was a dizzy blonde. She was smart. Or she used to be before Rick robbed her of her wits, self-respect and money.

Employee parking was a million miles away from the customers’ lots, serviced by a fleet of buses that ran at regular intervals. Mohegan Sun was a twenty-four hour operation, although not everything stayed open. Hard-core gamblers were not interested in trying on silk leopard-print tunics in Chico’s at two A.M., for example.

Will followed one of the employee shuttles as it made its rounds. They spotted her crumpled car under a light at exactly the same time, and he braked.

“Your chariot awaits, Princess. Wait a sec, and I’ll help you out.”

Really, he was being ridiculous. Alexandra had already stuffed her ruined shoes in her tote. A few seconds of bare feet on blacktop wouldn’t kill her.

But he swept her up again and carried her to her car. Instead of putting her down, he placed her on the rather chilly hood.

“Give me your keys.”

“I can—”

“I’m sure you can do anything you set your mind to. But let me be a gentleman, okay?”

She heard the door locks click and started to slide off the car.

He was back in a flash. “Uh uh uh. What if you stepped on glass and got gangrene or something? How could we go out dancing?”

Alexandra looked up into his shadowed face. “Are we going out dancing?”

His breath was warm against her cheek. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

Alexandra wanted to say yes. She
would
say yes. But first, she twisted her arms around Will Garrity’s neck and kissed him.