Bidding Wars (Love Strikes) Read online

  She pushed up on her tiptoes. She was going to do it. Reaching out, she was about to wrap her hand around his neck. Her gaze was locked on his, and it was as though they were moving in slow motion.

  “Sheriff, you in there?” A man pounded on the door, sending it flying open.

  Molly jumped back, and Luke glared at the intruder.

  “Sorry, sheriff. I didn’t realize you had someone in here.”

  “It’s OK, Rogers. What can I do for you?” Luke moved away from her and went out into the hallway.

  She heard him talking to the officer. She wiped her sweaty palms across her shirt and took a few deep breaths. That had been close. What had come over her? Her intentions when she came over here were to yell at him and tell him what a jerk he was for putting her through this, driving up the price and then just dropping out. Not to get intimate in any way with him. She was blaming Sandy for this one. Damn her for putting ideas in her head.

  Luke returned and this time left the door open. She was sure he had probably broken some rule himself and didn’t want anyone to talk.

  “Can I take you to lunch?” He put his hands in his pockets.

  “No. I need to get back to work. I haven’t even eaten yet. I really should go.”

  “We can eat together then.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t have time.”

  “How about tomorrow?”

  “It’s not a good idea.”

  “Why?”

  “It just isn’t.”

  “Well, Ms. Harper, if you can’t give me a better reason, then I will be at your workplace tomorrow to take you to lunch.” He stood by the doorway.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her mind was betraying her by not giving her some kind of excuse.

  He grinned. He must have known he’d won. “I’ll see you tomorrow at noon then.”

  She smirked and cocked her head to the side. “Not if I call out sick.”

  He chuckled. “Good thing I know where you live.”

  * * *

  After Molly left, Luke sat at his desk and tugged at his pants, trying to rearrange his uncomfortable hard-on. He was trying to think of anything to get rid of it, but it wasn’t working. Somehow, his thoughts kept going back to Molly and the almost-kiss. He’d been so close to finding out how she would taste. She always had a faint fruity smell to her, and he was dying to know if she would taste as sweet he imagined.

  He wanted her—badly. And he was pretty sure she was starting at least to be a little interested in him. He saw something in her brown eyes. It was like a switch went from sad to desire. He was the one she desired at that moment. And it was that look she gave him as she leaned up to kiss him that kept him rock hard.

  “Sheriff.” Annie Thomson, one of the deputies, entered his office.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Don’t forget that Officer Rogers needs your help transporting that prisoner today. I think it’s scheduled for two o’clock.”

  He raked his hands through his hair. He’d forgotten. “Thanks for reminding me.”

  Annie reminded everyone of where they needed to be. It was nice. If it weren’t for her, the station wouldn’t run as smoothly as it did.

  “So who was that woman?” She pushed a dark lock behind her ear, a curious grin on her face.

  “Molly Harper. And anytime she comes by, if I’m not with someone, you can direct her to my office.”

  Annie smirked. “She’s a looker and rather feisty. It’s nice to see you moving on. Or at least, I assume you’re seeing her.”

  He didn’t really know what to say. “I’d like to be.”

  “Where did you meet her?”

  “I don’t want rumors going around the office about me.”

  She placed her hand over her heart. “You know I’d never do that.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, well if this gets around then we know you did. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m afraid if I do, I will jinx it—and it’s already rocky.”

  “She must be special then. So tell me, where did you meet her?”

  There was no way he was going to tell her the whole story. The last thing he needed was anyone knowing he’d purposely given up the house for her. “Sammy got sick this weekend, and she was the nurse who helped.”

  “Poor guy. Is he feeling better?”

  “For the most part. I’ll call Leslie tonight to make sure and see if he went to school today.”

  She leaned against the doorway. “You’re a great father…I’m jealous. My kid’s dad never calls.”

  “He’s missing out.” He saw the emotion in her eyes. It had only been a few months since she’d split from her marriage, and from what he understood, Annie’s ex had only called their daughter once. What do you say to a child who doesn’t understand why her father has just left? Annie had her hands full.

  Annie cleared her throat. “Well, you need to go get ready to help Rogers, and I have to get a file ready for court.”

  Luke nodded. Once she left he took a few moments to check his e-mail and then went off to find Officer Rogers. Hopefully the moving of this inmate to the county prison wouldn’t be too bad. Every now and then you got one who liked to be difficult.

  The drive home from county prison took him past the house on Maple Street. He pulled into the driveway and up to the house. He didn’t get out. The for-sale sign still sat there, making the home look as though it were still available to the public. When would the “under contract” sticker be plastered over the sign? In the reflection on his rearview mirror he noticed a red vehicle slowing down and a couple staring out at the house as they drove by.

  Had he done the right thing? He had really loved this house. When he first walked inside, a wave of warmth surrounded his heart—it was as though he was where he was supposed to be. He could envision Sammy and him there. The side yard was a perfect place to put up a soccer goal. The driveway had an extra piece of slab; perfect for a basketball hoop.

  He laid his head back on the rest. Was she worth it? He’d withdrawn his offer on a whim. He’d tossed the idea around and surprised himself by going through with it. However, when he thought about Molly, that same warm feeling around his heart always came back. It was as though she had a piece of his heart and this house.

  Neither the house or Molly was a guarantee though. His offer might not have been as high as hers. He could have ended up losing them both. He had decided he would choose one of them, and he chose her. The only thing she had to decide now was if she wanted to be with him. And that he wasn’t sure about. She had a thick, solid wall surrounding her. It would take a while to break it down. The process would be slow—taking down the wall one piece at a time to earn her trust and show her he could love her.

  Love.

  How in the world had he gotten to that idea? He didn’t know the woman; he didn’t love her. He couldn’t get ahead of himself. That was how he’d gotten into the mess with Leslie. She’d been a damsel in distress, and he’d wanted to swoop in and rescue her. They’d moved fast, and the next thing he knew, she was pregnant and they were at the courthouse getting married.

  He would take it slow with Molly. Very slow.

  He took one last glance at the house and then put his car in reverse. He’d done the right thing. Choosing Molly had been the right choice. He couldn’t doubt that, and he couldn’t let the what ifs creep into his head. Besides, if he played his cards right, he might end up with the house as well.

  Chapter Eight

  Molly stared in the mirror as she applied her makeup. She never wore makeup to work. Never. And now she had her hair curled and more eyeliner applied than she meant to put on. Her eyes really stood out. She glanced down at her purple scrubs. The way she looked, she should have a ball gown on, not these super comfortable clothes.

  She zipped up her makeup bag and tossed it in the drawer. Maybe she should call in sick and show that man she was serious about not going out with him. Hell, not only was he in he
r life constantly, but in her dreams. Only last night, as she tossed and turned, the scene in his office yesterday played out much differently.

  She leaned up against him, her lips firmly pressed against his. Almost immediately, they both opened to one another, letting their tongues dart in. It was electric, and the need for more raced through her. She grabbed him, caressed him, and explored him eagerly. He did the same, hitching up her skirt to cup her bottom.

  His two big hands lifted her up by her ass and carried her to his desk. While holding her with one arm, he used the other to toss everything off his desk. Luke then laid her down on the glazed wood. He took a full tour of her body with his mouth, teasing her by leaving all her clothes on. He’d made sure to take an extra long detour between her legs, soaking her panties not only from the inside, but the outside as well. Desire stirred through her. She needed him burrowed deep within her. Needed to feel a man inside her, heightening her senses—not a piece of plastic.

  The next thing she knew, she was naked and so was he. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and he was plunging into her. She called out his name repeatedly as he gazed lovingly down at her. It felt astonishingly good. Every nerve in her body was on fire, as wave after wave of pleasure rocked through. She didn’t want the pleasure to ever end.

  Her eyes opened, and she stared up at ceiling, panting. She pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her body was covered in sweat, and her breathing was short. As she caught her breath and cooled off under the fan, she couldn’t believe what had just happened. Luke had given her one of the best orgasms she’d had in a while—and he didn’t even know it.

  Each time she shut her eyes, he was there again and they were kissing. And now he was taking her to lunch. She didn’t know if she could look him in the eyes.

  As the morning progressed, Molly had tried to keep her mind on work, but her body kept reminding her of Luke. She had to keep her arms crossed—her nipples hadn’t gotten the memo that it had been a dream! The man should be out of her life by now. The house was hers.

  “Molly.” Sandy stood at the nurses’ station.

  Taking in a deep breath, thankful her friend might give her a bit of distraction, she trudged over to her.

  “You OK? Your cheeks have been flushed all day.” Sandy leaned in closer. “To be honest, you’re glowing. Got anything to share?”

  Molly’s cheeks burned. “No!”

  “Just checking.” She winked.

  “I’ve got to call my realtor. I think today was the termite inspection.” Molly escaped the amused look from her friend. If an erotic dream from Luke was affecting her this much, imagine if she really slept with him.

  * * *

  By the time lunch came, Molly was freaking out. It hadn’t helped that all morning Theresa and Sandy hounded her about the date. They went on and on about how handsome Luke was and what it would be like to kiss him. Would it be a heart-stopping type of kiss? Molly was positive it would be that type of kiss. Heck, they’d had an almost-kiss the day before, and it had nearly caused her to stop breathing.

  When the receptionist up front gave the all clear, Molly feared she was going to have a panic attack. Lunch was a horrible idea. Once again she cursed herself for not coming up with some sort of excuse. Maybe he wouldn’t show. Or maybe she could get out of here fast enough to leave before he got here. God, she was a coward, but there was something about that man that ignited feelings in her she didn’t want to experience.

  She grabbed her purse from the storage closet and made a mad dash for the back door, hoping her friends didn’t see her. No such luck. Theresa hooted and hollered as Molly scooted out the door, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She then stopped dead in her tracks. Luke was standing there. Wow, he was sexy. He’d been hot in a uniform and scrumptious out—especially in her dream. “What are you doing back here?”

  “The receptionist, Kim, let me know you’d be coming out this way.” Luke grinned. “She also said you were looking forward to our date.”

  She was going to kill Kim when she got back. “You might need to get your hearing checked.”

  Luke chuckled. “Want to ride with me?”

  “Will you promise to get me back in time?”

  He leaned closer to her. “Dr. Hancock said you can take as long as you needed for lunch. As one of his top nurses, he said, you work too much and deserve some fun.”

  “You talked to Dr. Hancock? Who else did you chat with?”

  “I came in and everyone was so friendly. They all spoke very highly of you. Theresa let me know if it didn’t work, I could look her up.”

  If her cheeks weren’t flushed before, they were now. She couldn’t believe all this had happened and she never realized it. Oh yeah, she’d been lost in daydreams all morning. Maybe running away wasn’t such a bad idea now that her co-workers had thoroughly embarrassed her.

  He pointed out his dark blue truck. As they walked across the parking lot, his hand brushed her lower back, sending chills up her spin. At his vehicle, he opened the door for her and stood back. She stayed put a second, wondering if she should drive her own car to the lunch date. She gazed into his eyes, and a rush of heat washed through her. Her heart pounded. Looking away, she climbed in.

  “You won’t regret it.” He leaned in for a moment and then shut the door.

  Once he was in and they were buckled, she turned to him. “Where are we headed?”

  “I’m taking you out to celebrate.”

  “What are we celebrating? I don’t know what you and I would celebrate.”

  “You’re buying a house. We have to rejoice.”

  Was he serious? He wanted to take her out to celebrate him withdrawing his offer and giving her the house. “This is a little weird, don’t you think? I’m only buying the house because you backed out. I’m pretty sure you would have won otherwise.”

  He shrugged. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I had already maxed out my offer.”

  He was silent. She was sure regret was racing through his head. And why wouldn’t it? He most likely just learned that it would be his house right now if he hadn’t backed out.

  “You never know. Maybe mine was already maxed out as well.”

  “Luke, yours wasn’t. I remember what you said that night at the bar. If knowing what you know now changes things, I understand if you want to end this date.” Part of her hoped he would, and the other part was curious to see where this was going to go.

  “I made a choice about the house and I don’t regret it. Now, let’s have a good time.”

  His tone had changed slightly. A little less upbeat. But he was being a gentleman and pretending it didn’t bother him. She let it go though; the home on Maple Street was a touchy subject. She didn’t want to get into anything with him. After all, as he said, he had made his decision to let the house go. She still couldn’t pinpoint his exact reasons though, despite what he’d told her last night. She’d love to think it was because of her, but surely that wasn’t the case.

  They pulled up to a nice-looking restaurant. The name wasn’t familiar to her. She was feeling a little snarky. “Please tell me this isn’t the place that makes Sammy sick when he eats there.”

  He let out a full laugh. “God, I hope not. I’m pretty sure this is a higher class of food.”

  She giggled and it felt good. As Luke came around the truck to open her door, she found herself smiling. She worried her face muscles might be sore tomorrow.

  He took her hand and helped her out of her truck. “You do realize I’m wearing purple scrubs and this place looks kind of fancy. I’m going to stick out.”

  He squeezed her hand tightly and dragged her toward the restaurant. At the door, he turned to her. “You do realize I don’t care what you have on. You’ll be the most beautiful woman in here. I’ll be the envy of every man in here.”

  “Do those lines really work?” She rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never used that on anyone but yo
u.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. She was sure of it. That, or it did a somersault in her chest. This man was smooth and she hadn’t seen it coming.

  The brightly lit front foyer was two stories with tons of windows. A well-dressed hostess greeted them right away. “Good afternoon, Mr. Logan. I’ve booked a quiet table, as you wished.

  Yes, she was underdressed for a place like this. Where was her brown paper bag? They were ushered to a small room tucked away at the back of the restaurant. The room had only one other couple in it, leaving her feeling a little less self-conscious. Luke pulled her chair out for her and then went around and took his own.

  The hostess asked what they’d like to drink. She was tempted to order a scotch on the rocks, but opted for a simple soda instead. After all, it was lunchtime. She told them their waitress would be back with their drinks soon.

  “This is a very nice place.” She opened her menu. Her eyes about popped out of her head when she saw the prices. Flipping the menu over, she looked for a light meal category, but didn’t see one.

  “I’ve never been here myself. However, it’s been on my list of places to try.” Luke stared across the table at her.

  “Why haven’t you?”

  “The only time I go out to eat is with Sammy, and I don’t think this is his kind of place.” He glanced around.

  “You’re probably right about that. So you don’t date much?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You’re an attractive man.”

  “You think so?” He grinned at her.

  Molly rolled her eyes. “Don’t get too big of a head.”

  “I haven’t dated since splitting up with my ex.”

  She glanced over the exorbitantly priced appetizers and pondered this new revelation. How long had he been divorced? Was she his rebound? She didn’t want to be someone he was using to make someone else jealous.

  “It’s been almost two years.” He smiled. “I could see the wheels turning in your head.”