Denny nodded but hesitated, casting a gaze back and forth between the two of them. “If you’re sure…”
“Positive. See you in the morning.”
He tipped his hat and gave Vincent one last unflinching, appraising look and then walked back down the steps.
She waited until he was in his truck and starting it before she turned to Vincent.
He stood with hands on his hips, dressed in denim shirt and jeans, cowboy boots and cowboy hat, which was every bit as hot as seeing him in his black police officer’s uniform. But she needed to be firm.
“How did you know where I’d be?” she asked as he opened the front door for her.
“Evelyn told James and he told me.”
“Is he with you?”
“No.”
“Did he know when he told you that you’d be driving out here?” It was at least a two- or three-hour drive for him.
“No. I’m sure he knows by now, though.”
Mrs. Miller, the owner of the bed-and-breakfast, hurried to the foyer. “Oh, there you are, Miss Woodworth. This young man said he was your boyfriend. I told him he needed to wait down here. I hope that was all right. Do you know him?”
Leah nodded in thanks. “Yes, ma’am. And that’s fine. If you don’t mind we’re going to finish our conversation upstairs.”
“That’s perfectly fine. I just wanted to make sure he knew you.”
Vincent hid a smile and Leah elbowed him. “Yes, ma’am. He’s a police officer and I’m sure he appreciated your vigilance on my behalf.”
“Yes, ma’am. I did,” Vincent replied.
He followed her up the stairs and she swatted his hand when he pinched her ass while they were still in full view of the owner who was watching them. She keyed open her room door and once it closed behind them she turned and shoved him up against it, no mean feat considering she was at least ten inches shorter than him.
“Who in the hell do you think you are?”
He looked down at her with amusement, and ignoring her question, he said, “Looked to me like you were on a date with that guy. I was just letting him know he’s too late.”
“Too late for what? Too late since I already have someone acting like a guard dog over me? Too late because the slot I had open for an overbearing, bossy, jerk-in-my-life asshole was already filled by you? What are you doing here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to see you.”
Ready to hit him, she shoved him back against the door when he leaned toward her. “You wanted a booty call!”
He scoffed and looked her straight in the eye and said, “Doll, I’m not that much of a dog. It couldn’t have been much of a date if all he did was kiss your hand. If I was out with you I could think of about a hundred better ways to say good night, starting with a kiss and ending with you getting nekkid.”
He chuckled when she swatted at him again. The man was impossible. “I can just imagine, you Neanderthal. And I wasn’t on a date!”
“Maybe you should’ve told him that.”
She pointed her finger in his face. “You listen up, Vincent Elder. I’m here on business. Denny is a contractor doing work for my father and he’s a nice guy. We spent the day together going over his work at the store and then he took me out to supper. End of story.”
“You want me to believe he wasn’t interested in you? You’re more naïve than I thought.”
She let out a frustrated breath. “I am not naïve. Okay, so he was interested at first but I made it clear I’m not. He was kissing my hand to be sweet, something you clearly know nothing about.”
He grasped her arms and reversed their positions, pressing her firmly up against the door. “Maybe you’re right,” he said with glittering eyes. “Maybe I’m not a hearts-and-flowers kind of guy but I know how to treat a real woman, naïve or not.”
He crushed his lips against hers, giving a punishing kiss. She shoved at his shoulders but he only held her tighter, smashing her against the door beneath his weight as his tongue plunged between her lips. He groaned as if he was in pain and cradled the back of her head, to protect it from the hard door.
Just as she began to melt for him, he pulled away from her, staring at her lips and scanning her face breathlessly. Finally, the tough-guy façade fell away. “I couldn’t stand seeing him touch you. I missed you, doll. Now I’ve gone and fucked everything up even worse, just like James told me not to do.”
“Oh, shut up,” she muttered and threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her again, a bruising, conquering kiss designed to set her innards on fire.