Taste the Heat (10 page)

For several long moments, Cane didn’t say anything, his emotionless eyes giving nothing
away. Then the pensive look faded from his friend’s features and Jason smiled, finally
feeling like things were going his way. The coiled muscles in his neck and shoulders
relaxed.

Taking a needed breath, he looked again across the crowded diner and saw a familiar
redhead walk through the front entrance.

Angelle was one of the new volunteers at the station, a sweet girl who was a transplant
from Cajun country. She’d only been with them for two months, but after a bit of a
shaky and hesitant start, she was turning out to show impressive determination. Her
deep-set eyes scanned the crowded café and when they landed on Jason’s booth, they
widened in delight.

“Who is that?” Cane asked, craning his neck around to see what held Jason’s attention.

“A new recruit at the station.” Casual or not, the last thing Jason wanted was for
his friend to think he was messing around behind Colby’s back. “Angelle’s just a friend.”

“That’s good to know.” Cane’s head tilted as he watched Angelle maneuver her way around
the crammed tables and chairs, needless apologies falling out of her mouth. Her purse
strap caught on a man’s chair and yanked her back after a few steps. Jason could hear
the grin in his buddy’s voice when he said, “Then introduce me to your friend.”

Cane turned his body in the seat to get a better look at Angelle moving across the
floor. Although Jason couldn’t see his face, he knew the instant the two of them made
eye contact.

It wasn’t that the normal reaction flashed across the woman’s pretty face; it was
actually far from it. Normally, women turned into a puddle of goo whenever they set
their sights on his best friend, much like Mandi did earlier. But Jason’s newest volunteer
shortened her steps, almost as if she were debating turning back the way that she
came. The wideness of her eyes turned from one of happiness to one of apprehension,
and her slim shoulders seemed to shrink into themselves. Jason couldn’t help but chuckle
under his breath. Apparently, there was at least one woman in town who was immune
to Cane’s charm.

“Hey, Angelle,” he said, watching her take the last few steps as if her feet were
weighted with lead. He shouldn’t be so amused, but he was. “I’d like you to meet a
friend of mine, Cane Robicheaux.”

Cane did what he always did when he actually gave a shit about a girl; he leaned back
and leisurely lifted his gaze to look in her eyes as he dropped the bomb—the slow
build to a grin that unveiled his biggest asset, the dimple in his left cheek. Women
swooned over it every time. But Angelle was quickly becoming Jason’s favorite person
in the world because she didn’t let out a breathy whimper, or play with her hair.
Nope, she looked like she wanted to throw up.

Jason snickered and Cane’s grin dropped. This night had definitely taken a turn for
the interesting.

Angelle shoved her red hair behind her ear, exposing the ink on the inside of her
wrist. Cane’s admiring appraisal flicked to the one-word tattoo:
Chance
. She mumbled a quick hello, then focused her attention back on Jason with a wild
look in her eyes.

“I won’t interrupt your dinner,” she said, her words coming out unnaturally fast and
tight. “I just saw your truck outside and since Rob and I traded shifts, and I knew
I wouldn’t see you at the station tomorrow, I wanted you to know that I’ve decided
to join your class.”

Jason blinked from the verbal explosion. It was a good thing he had years of experience
deciphering fast-paced Emma-speak. “My class?” he asked. “You mean at the gym?”

She nodded. “It’s tomorrow night, right?”

“Ah, well, yeah,” he said, more than a little surprised. The woman had changed a lot
from the meek girl he’d met a couple months ago, but enrolling in ninja-style martial
arts was a bigger step than he would’ve expected. Angelle’s hopeful smile seemed to
fade at his hesitation and he quickly added, “That’s great, Ang. I won’t be there—I’ll
be on shift—but my assistant is excellent. I think you’ll really enjoy it.”

The full-watt smile returned, and her gaze flitted to Cane. It was so quick it was
as if she did it on instinct, then she took a step closer to Jason. Lowering her voice
to a throaty register she said, “If it’s with you, I’m sure I will.”

Now it was Jason’s turn to widen his eyes. He immediately turned to Cane, lifting
his palms up in a show of innocence, and found his friend studying them both with
avid interest.

What the hell? In the two months he’d known the kid—hell, he guessed Angelle wasn’t
a kid; he was pretty sure her paperwork said she was twenty-six—she’d never once come
on to him or made a flirtatious comment. The first few weeks she had barely talked
at all. And he knew for damn sure he’d never made a pass at her. The woman was cute,
but she wasn’t his type.

So then why did she choose tonight, in front of Colby’s brother of all people, to
make a move?

Oblivious to his distress, Angelle shifted her shoulders back and smiled, her eyes
dancing with pride like she’d just performed a dare. “I’m looking forward to sweating
with you in the future,” she declared before turning and promptly tripping over her
own two feet.

The moment Angelle was a table length away, Jason looked at Cane and assured his friend
as emphatically as he could, “Dude, I swear nothing’s going on with her.”

Cane didn’t acknowledge him. He just turned his head to watch the redhead weave back
around the restaurant. But when she reached the door and bit her lower lip, a rare
glimpse of the unsure girl Jason had met two months ago resurfacing, he heard Cane
say, “I think I’m in love.”

Chapter Nine

“A fling with a fireman,” Colby said aloud to the empty kitchen of Robicheaux’s
as she formed another meatball with her gloved hands. The stainless steel range hood
reflected back her giddy grin. “When exactly did my life morph into the plot of a
romance novel?”

The question, of course, was rhetorical. Not only because she was alone and didn’t
expect the walls to answer, but also because she already knew the exact moment she
transformed from a spinster chef into a thirty-year-old woman with a raging libido.
It was at the campground three nights ago, when her childhood crush wiped the mascara
from her eyes, pulled her into his strong arms, and kissed the ever-loving stuffing
out of her.

A delicious shiver ran down Colby’s spine at the memory.

Things like that, sensual and erotic encounters, didn’t happen to her. Neither did
agreements of friends-with-benefits. Wild affairs were her sister’s domain—Colby was
the cautious one. The boring one. And lately, the hard up one. She never leaped without
a thorough examination and game plan (which explained why she thought of nothing else
for the last seventy-two hours), and never when her heart was in danger of being put
on the line. Love wasn’t an option, so she steered clear of anyone who could want
more than she was willing to give—or anyone who might tempt her to believe in the
fairy tales she grew up reading. Staying away from the whole mess was Self-preservation
101. But when it came to Jason, Colby was discovering that her standard mode of operation
no longer held as much appeal.

She reached her hand into the gleaming silver bowl and pinched off another portion
of flavorful meat, tuning out the nagging voice that warned an affair with Jason wouldn’t
be enough. That at the end of the summer, regardless of their agreement, she’d be
tempted to stay, to ask him for more. She nudged the radio with her elbow, hoping
the peppy Carrie Underwood song admonishing a good girl would drown out the decidedly
unhelpful thoughts.

Besides, she’d heard Jason’s story. Regardless of what her long-buried, inner-romantic
may lead her to want later, the man had battle scars of his own. He wasn’t looking
for a long-term relationship. And he knew she was jetting back to Vegas in a few months.
So really, this was the closest thing to a safe scenario she could get. And the icing
on the cake was that the man in question was
Jason—
the epitome of every childhood fantasy she’d ever had
.
If Colby
didn’t
take advantage of this opportunity, she’d kick herself for the rest of her lonely,
pathetic, celibate life. As it was now, she had a pretty decent hunch she was headed
toward life as the eccentric cat lady, known by the neighborhood kids for her delicious
hot and spicy gumbo. Gumbo she couldn’t even bring herself to eat.

The only real question left in the equation was Emma. Colby wasn’t stupid, or blind.
She saw the way the girl watched her, saw the smiles Emma thought she hid as she blatantly
played Cupid between her father and Colby. The preteen could give Sherry a run for
her matchmaking dollars. And Colby totally got it. Jason was doing an amazing job,
but it was natural for the girl to want a woman, a
mother
in her life—but that wasn’t a role meant for her. She didn’t know the first thing
about raising kids, and she had no plans of changing that.

Nope, the way Colby saw it, she could only agree to a casual fling with Jason on the
condition that from here on out, they kept their relationship completely platonic
in front of Emma. No more camping trips or cozy dinners with just the three of them.
She couldn’t stomach the young girl getting her hopes up, or being the reason she
was hurt again.

With a decisive nod, Colby set the last rolled meatball on the tray. Prep time always
cleared her head. She covered the platter with plastic wrap and shoved it into the
walk in. Then, after making sure Rhonda had everything she needed for the new menu
items, she whipped off her gloves and tossed the latex in the trash. Combing through
her bag, she found her favorite lotion and squirted two dollops into her cupped hands,
thinking again she needed to buy stock in the stuff. One of the drawbacks of wearing
gloves all day and constantly plunging your hands into hot water was skin that occasionally
felt as luxurious and enticing as a rhino’s butt.

As Colby massaged the soothing cocoa butter into her rough hands, the faint scent
of chocolate filling her head, her mind tripped back to her fireside make-out session
with Jason. And the way
his
hands had felt kneading her skin. Her legs tingled and she closed her eyes, leaning
her hip against the counter.

Damn, that man could kiss. Better than any daydream she’d ever had about him, that
was for sure. She opened her eyes as a slow smile crossed over her face. And now that
they’d struck their agreement, hopefully she’d discover
other
things the Captain could do well, too.

An hour later, Colby pulled into the packed parking lot of Magnolia Springs Elementary.
Staring up at the familiar two-story building brought back a flood of memories. Days
of science fairs and field days, quiz bowls and the school paper. Colby had never
really found her niche until high school where they finally had home economics—now
that
, she rocked.

She planted a black stiletto onto the steaming concrete and walked up to the entrance
with purposeful strides. The
click
of her shoes on the pavement matched the rhythm of her pounding heart. She was running
later than she would’ve liked—and she despised being late. But, as luck would have
it, her unreliable car had decided today would be a great day to be difficult. That’s
what she got for asking her sister to have a car waiting for her when she arrived,
instead of just renting one herself.

When Emma had called her the night before, inviting her to the Recognition Assembly,
Colby had been conflicted. It was sweet to be included, and she wanted to be Emma’s
friend. But she didn’t want to confuse the young girl. Would going only serve to lead
her on? Events like these were for family members, not a woman about to be secretly
hooking up with a student’s dad. In the end, Colby knew what a big deal this assembly
was within the school and the community, so she accepted. She just hoped she made
the right choice.

Taking a quick moment to peer inside the glass double doors of the main building,
Colby noticed that everything looked exactly as it did when she was a student there.
Beige linoleum floors, light blue cinder block walls, and bright red lockers on either
side of the hall. A poster declared
The Frogs Are Fierce
, because, sadly, that was the elementary school’s mascot.

Beware the fearsome frogs.

Chuckling softly, she continued toward the cafegymatorium, which she had no doubt
still smelled faintly of spaghetti sauce, regardless of what the staff had made for
lunch. She yanked open the door and inhaled the basil. A sea of multi-colored plastic
chairs stood before the makeshift stage, making the room look as if a rainbow had
thrown up. Colby shook her head, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. Then she searched
the room for Jason.

With a population of just over a thousand people, the town never felt the need to
divide the students into a middle school or junior high, which meant that all the
children in Magnolia Springs from preschool to preteen passed through these doors.
That was a lot of families. It also meant that they were in for a long ceremony today.
Colby didn’t mind. Looking at the adorable faces on the stage, she couldn’t help remembering
all the years she’d sat up there waiting for her own awards. Searching for
her
parents watching in the crowd, proud smiles pasted on their faces.

The pang that hit Colby’s heart was double-edged. The turmoil was expected; her emotions
always got twisted when she remembered her dad in happier times. But now a strange
ache in her chest accompanied the confusion. She would never know what it was like
to sit in the rainbow throw-up chairs and smile as
her
children received an award. It was one of the consequences of giving up relationships
that she rarely let herself think about. And spotting Jason in the front row, she
decided today was not the day to start.

As Colby made her way toward the front of the room, sidestepping purses and protruding
feet in the aisle, Jason’s handsome face lit up in a welcoming smile. Fine lines around
his eyes crinkled. His gaze lowered to her mouth, and that toe-curling grin turned
wicked. Colby’s breath faltered, and a wave of heat rushed over her.

Forget
People
magazine. Jason was hands down the sexiest man she had ever seen. Today he was dressed
in pressed pants and a dark green button down, and he looked positively scrumptious.
It was unfair for a man to look this good in everything he wore; there had to be a
few men in town who’d appreciate him sharing the wealth. Jason’s toffee eyes danced
with devilish intentions, confirming the decision she made on their camping trip.
Now it was only a matter of getting him alone…

She came to a stop before the open seat he had saved for her, loving the way he looked
into her eyes as if he
really
saw her. He held her gaze for a long, delicious beat, then pressed a warm hand against
her lower back as he turned them both to reintroduce her to his parents. A thrill
skipped over her skin.

Waving away the introduction, Colby smiled at the woman seated in front of her and
said, “Mrs. Landry, it’s been way too long.”

Her favorite teacher shot to her feet with a laugh, leaving no mistake who Emma had
inherited her energy from. “Mrs. Landry is what my students call me,” the woman scolded
with a grin. “And seeing you all grown up and calling me that makes me feel old. Please
call me Sharon.”

Sharon wrapped her up in a hug, and Colby inhaled the comforting scent of Chanel No.
5 and baby powder. It transported her right back to the days of seventh grade, when
life’s dilemmas involved gossiping friends, passing earth science, and mastering her
father’s corn and crabmeat soup recipe. Oh, and the unrequited crush she’d had on
her teacher’s son, of course.

Jason’s mom smiled. She looked around the room packed with former students, then lowering
her voice conspiratorially said, “You always were one of my favorites.”

Colby laughed. Sharon squeezed her hand and sat down, and Colby turned to the distinguished
gentleman on the woman’s left. “It’s nice to see you again, Chief.” The man might’ve
retired from the fire department years ago, but in her eyes, he’d forever hold the
honorary title. Jason’s dad was larger than life with broad shoulders, a generous
stomach, and an air that commanded your respect. “I hear you have more time for fishing
these days.”

“That I do,” he said, pushing to his feet with a chuckle. “But the dang things still
aren’t biting.” He leaned in to press a chaste kiss on her cheek, tickling her skin
with his salt and pepper whiskers, and tilted his chin toward the stage. “Do you know
that all I’ve heard out of my granddaughter this past week is Miss Robicheaux this,
and Miss Robicheaux that? It seems as though you have yourself a fan club.”

Anxiety crept back as Colby followed his smile to see Emma seated in the second to
last row at the end of the stage, waving eagerly. She waved back, her chest growing
uncomfortably tight, and said, “The feeling is mutual, Chief.”

That’s what made this so hard. Colby genuinely liked the girl. But between attending
a school function, going on a family trip, and talking Emma through a monumental first
like getting her period, everything was beginning to feel just so
domesticated.

Emma lifted her palm to block her other hand and pointed at the boy beside her. “That’s
him
,” she mouthed, dramatically widening her eyes.

Colby laughed, knowing exactly who
he
was. During the camping trip, she’d gotten an earful about Brad, the mega-crush Emma
had on him, and the fact that her dad would go positively butt-crazy—her words, obviously—if
he found out that Brad had told Molly who told Ava who told Emma that he liked her.
“He’s cute,” she mouthed, nodding her approval.

When Colby turned back, she found the Chief watching her with a strange expression
on his face. Not unfriendly by any means; more like curious, appraising. Questioning.
His eyes cut to Emma, and then to Jason, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Her
heart rate did a funny dance. She had a feeling his parents were getting an entirely
wrong picture here. The same one she feared
Emma
was getting.

Unfortunately, the principal chose that moment to walk up to the podium. “Welcome
family and friends to Magnolia Springs Elementary’s Recognition Assembly!”

The crowd broke into applause as Principal Levet adjusted the microphone, and Colby
reluctantly took her seat between Jason and his mother. If she wasn’t careful, it
looked like the entire town would have the two of them engaged before they even officially
sealed their little agreement. And marriage was
so
not in her future.

The cheers died down and the principal smiled. “As you all know,” she said, folding
her hands in front of her, “next week our students will finish up the year, taking
end of term exams and participating in the school-wide field day. But today we honor
them for their many extra-curricular achievements. It’s no secret that MSE has some
of the most active, involved students on the north shore. So parents go ahead and
get comfortable”—she gave the crowd a knowing smile—“because we’re gonna be here for
a while.”

The audience laughed in appreciation, and the woman went on about the school’s award-winning
choir and band. But Colby couldn’t shake the look she’d caught on the Chief’s face.
Settling back against the stiff plastic of her chair, she gnawed on her lip.