Page 12 of Miss Christmas

He backed away a step under the glow of hope on Scarlet’s face, not wanting to see it dashed. But now it looked a lot like the passion he’d imagined last night. “You’re a finalist in the Miss Christmas pageant. Congratulations.” Full-on confession was the only way to go.

“You knew?”

“Of course. I’m one of the Regals.”

“I mean you had something to do with this, didn’t you?”

Now came the hard part. Too hard to speak.

He nodded. She stared.

Dee said, “Who cares, Scarlet. You need—”

“No. I don’t need anything that much. Not enough to—to—accept favors for—”

“It wasn’t like that—”

“Favors for what?” Dee sounded hesitant, leaning away from his side of the battle.

“It’s a private matter, Dee,” he said. “Maybe you could leave us alone. I’ll take Scarlet home tonight.”

Dee took a moment to warm up to his suggestion while Scarlet kept her eyes on him and her heat simmering like an active volcano.

“I’ll talk to you later, Scarlet.” Dee pulled on her coat and left. Scarlet barely acknowledged her friend, keeping Will in her sights.

Once the jingling door closed shut behind Dee and the rest of the world, the luncheonette went quiet and intimate. As Scarlet was about to speak, eyes brilliant with pent-up anger—and something else he recognized all too well—he stopped her by leaning forward, taking her face into his hands, and kissing those plump lips that had tantalized him in his dreams.

She sputtered and pushed at him for a half a second before submitting to his mouth on hers, before allowing him to explore with his tongue. The pleasure surrounded him, putting him back in bed with her last night where there was nothing but the two of them. And the hard counter of the luncheonette between them.

Letting go of her, he had to step back from where the counter dug into his gut. Had to catch his breath and take in the magnificence of her face, her remarkable violet eyes dark and glassy, her breasts heaving under the starched uniform. He was about to suggest she come around the counter to his side when she had another idea.

With dazzling quickness, she slapped him hard across the face. Very hard.

“You can’t do this,” she said. “You have no right.”

Putting his hand to his stinging face, he stepped back out of her reach. If he had half a brain—one not swollen with carnal need—he’d head for the door right now and forget about her, contest or no contest. But that was clearly not where his head was. Neither of them. He needed to explain things to her.

“Look, Scarlet. When we met, when I gave you my card, I had no idea I’d be involved in the pageant. No idea you had entered.”

“And now? What’s your excuse now? Did you or did you not choose me as a finalist? And when? Today? After—?”

“I know it looks bad. But after I went back to my office yesterday, I was given the assignment. And I was given your name as the top choice by the woman who is in charge of it all.”

“Are you saying you had no choice?”

“No.” No sense lying. It wasn’t his strong suit in any case.

She folded her arms in front of her, which had the effect of deepening the cleavage that showed in the vee of her blouse and buoying the plump tops of her breasts above the apron. He would have been mesmerized by the sight any other time, but seeing the hurt confusion in her eyes well up from under the anger made his chest tighter than his bulging pants.

“But I didn’t want one night of . . . phone sex with me to ruin your chances of winning. Besides, I don’t judge the final round so I’ll have no input at all into whether you win.” She stared at him, uncertainty in her eyes, silent. He decided he hated her silence.

“I wanted you to have a shot. I truly thought you deserved it—regardless of last night. You’re a beautiful, spirited woman.” The exact kind of woman he avoided getting entangled with, even for a short tryst. After all, one night was all it could take to ruin a life. His late brother had found that out the hard way.

With his libido calmed, he took another step back and prepared to leave, offering a small smile.

“Where do you think you’re going now? You said you’d give me a ride home and you’re not backing out of that.” She picked up her coat and marched around the counter, sliding the coat on as she came at him. He stood his ground. It was no small feat of bravery based on the gleam in her eye, the set to her mouth—not quite a smile. She could give the devil a run for his money with that look.

She swept him out the door and locked it and he found himself standing on the street corner with her huddled close. He put an arm around her without a second thought, feeling her warmth and a spark of irrepressible desire as he did.