It Must Have Been the Mistletoe(52)

“Look, if you won’t take them as a present, take them as an apology.” Shawn stuffed her hands in her robe pockets and hunched her shoulders. “I hate that I can’t hold the room for you. It’s bad enough you’re out of a job, but…”

“You need to make rent.” Rita didn’t want to add to Shawn’s guilt. “And I appreciate the idea, I really do—”

“Don’t refuse,” Shawn interrupted. “Just, you know, think about it. If you decide the idea sucks, you can dump the box on the side of the road.”

Rita snickered, not sure which amused her more. The image of some random traveler finding a box of neon dildos. Or the idea of heading home with the hunkiest man she’d ever lusted after, carrying her own arsenal of sex toys.



TYLER’S FINGERS RAPPED a fast rhythm on the steering wheel as he stared through the light dusting of snow at a dark apartment building. Tiny white lights shone from the lobby window, glinting off the red plastic bow on the door wreath.

What the hell was he doing? Guilt didn’t work on him. He grimaced, shoulders hunching just a little. At least, it wasn’t supposed to work on him. But Rita had been right. His being a jackass had caused her problems. So here he was, five o’clock in the morning, playing chauffeur.

He knew it was a huge mistake, yet he couldn’t convince himself to leave. He owed her. Sure, driving her home was gonna piss Benny off all over again. And yes, once Tyler’s own brother found out, Randy would join Benny in wanting to kick some ass. Yet he couldn’t stop himself.

That was Rita Cole for you. From myopic Benny, who had no clue what she was like but worshipped her from afar, to gullible young Randy, who’d actually dated her back in high school and still carried a painful torch. Even Tyler himself had spent way too many teenage nights dreaming about her.

Teenage, hell—he’d tossed and turned all last night reliving that kiss. The feel of her soft lips, the sensation of her curves pressed against his body. Her scent, her taste. The way her eyes had gone all soft and sexy when she stared up at him as if he was the answer to her every desire.

Tyler dropped his head on the steering wheel and let it bounce a few times.

He had to get a grip.

And where was she? He glanced at the building again, then at his watch. Five more minutes and he was out of here. Even as he assured himself she wouldn’t show up, a part of him, the part that had crushed on her for years, wondered what it’d be like to spend a couple days with Rita. To actually get to know her. To find out if that sweetness he’d always suspected was under the surface of her flirty looks was real or imagined.

Four minutes of enough reluctant fantasies to fog his windows and Tyler reached for the ignition. He couldn’t take any more. He’d paid his debt by showing up. It was better for everyone that she’d blown him off.

As if she’d known his absolute limit, before he could turn the key there was a knock on the truck window. Tyler gave a manly effort to disguise his startled jump.

“Rita.” Shit. Tyler told himself the surge rocketing through his system was irritation, not excitement. He stared, not sure what to make of the diva-turned-waif standing on the sidewalk. Unlike the woman he’d expected, she wasn’t fluff-haired and paint-faced, or dressed in diva-wear. Her hair was a straight fall—black as night—to shoulders wrapped in a puffy red jacket that’d seen better days. Her skin was as pale as usual, but Tyler was pretty sure the dewy glow was natural, not cosmetic. Not a speck of glitter or leather in sight.

His brow furrowed as he stepped out of the truck. Where was the supersexy Rita he could lust after and dismiss?

“Good morning,” she said with a bright smile that made him think more about hugging her than stripping her naked. Dammit. Then she gestured to a stack of storage containers piled on a dolly. “Wanna help me load these in the back?”

Not luggage, Tyler noted as his gut tightened. Boxes. Like she was moving back home.

Home, where his brother was. The brother who still talked about Rita as if she was the lost love of his life. Who claimed he’d never find true love because Rita had broken his heart. Who had laid blame for all his dating failures and almost bombing medical school at Rita’s feet.

Tyler knew his little brother had a tendency to overreact. Half the time, he swore the kid would do better on the stage than in the hospital. But…he’d promised when their dad ran out twenty years back, that he’d always protect and look out for his family.

So no matter how overdramatic he might think Randy was, Tyler was still driving home the woman who’d caused all his little brother’s misery.