The Fairest of Them All

Chapter Three

Could a person die of sexual curiosity? Carly wondered three weeks later as she brooded over a mail-order fashion catalog. Thus far, she’d escorted Russ to two functions, both business related. Since he was the most successful aquaculture farmer in the state, he was often asked to give speeches to assorted organizations. Plus, as an officer of Catfish Farmers of America, it was his duty to promote the eating of catfish at every opportunity.

They’d attended a fish fry put on by a volunteer fire department in a neighboring county. Then they’d driven into Chattanooga for a state tourism meeting. The second meeting had been especially beneficial for Carly as she had used the opportunity to promote Matilda’s Dream.

On both occasions, Russ had been attentive and charming. Just when she started to relax, he would whisper something naughty and teasing in her ear, or put his arm around her waist, or finger her earrings, or stare at her mouth in the most disconcerting way.

In spite of her resolve, Carly studied that firm, naughty mouth of his and spent a great deal of time anticipating how it would feel pressed against hers. She wondered how his bare chest would feel against her breasts.

At the end of both evenings, however, Russ kissed her forehead and disappeared down the steps, leaving Carly feeling disappointed and restless.

Carly scowled. Russ was totally wrong for her even if he sent her hormones into overdrive. She should be relieved she wasn’t forced to fight him off.

Instead, she began to worry about her image.

She knew she’d been terribly overprotected by her brothers. Of course, she’d dated a few men, always under the watchful eye of her brothers. To be perfectly honest, though, none of her suitors had tempted her enough to trade her chastity belt for a wild night in bed.

Presently, Carly was finding both the chastity belt and her pure reputation a strain. Being with Russ made her want to…experiment. Did Russ ever think of her as a desirable woman? Did he ever want to kiss her?

She discussed it in a roundabout way with her assistant Sara one afternoon. “Have you ever thought about getting your ears pierced?”

Sara pushed aside her long brown hair to reveal tiny gold studs. “My ears are pierced. See?”

“No,” Carly shook her head. “I mean several times.”

“I don’t know.” Carly sighed and looked at her daily planner without seeing it. “Maybe to change your image.”

Sara sniffed. “I don’t allow enough time in my schedule to put in three pairs of earrings every day. Do you?”

Carly thought about that and shook her head. “No.” She started to go back into her inner office, then turned back around, tilting her head thoughtfully. “What about high heels?”

“I like my feet.” Sara glanced down at her plain flats. “Why should I torture them?”

“Yeah,” Carly agreed, feeling foolish.

“This isn’t really about earrings or heels, is it?”

Carly hesitated. With the exception of her oldest brother, her entire family had warmed to her solemn, understated assistant. And since Sara had revealed that her parents were dead and she wished she had some relatives, Carly felt reluctant to say anything negative about her brothers.

“I’m just rethinking my image,” she finally said.

Sara nodded. “Have your brothers been making you crazy?”

“No,” Carly said, then smiled ironically. “At least not lately. With Ethan, Nathan and Brick on that camping trip, things have been pretty quiet. But there have been some comments different people have made that have bothered me.”

“Like?”

Her smile fell. “Like Carly’s always been so shy and reserved. Like you’re just not that kind of girl.” Her voice became more clipped. “Like everybody knows you’re as innocent as the day you were born.”

“Hmm,” Sara said.

“Hmm what?”

Sara smiled slowly. “Sounds like you’d like to be tarnished.”

Carly thought about all the ways she could be tarnished. Most of those ways involved Russ Bradford. She sighed. “Yeah.”

“Well, I’ve never set out to be tarnished. But if I wanted to…be tarnished, I think I’d wear something from one of these catalogs.”

To Carly’s surprise, sensible Sara pulled out a half-dozen mail-order catalogs with clothes that accented the physical attributes of a woman.

Carly took them all home that night and called in an order before she lost her nerve.

Russ drove to Carly’s apartment and prepared himself for another easygoing, nonthreatening date. He didn’t really want to go to the mayor’s dinner party. What he wanted was to get some burning questions answered. Like, what did Carly wear to bed and how long would it take to get it off her? What color were her nipples and what did they taste like? Would she sigh or gasp when he spread her thighs and moved between them?

Russ groaned. His carefully planned strategy was starting to wear on his nerves, he thought darkly. It was pure hell keeping his hands off Carly every time he gave her that brotherly good-night peck at the door.

Still, he didn’t want to scare her off. He needed to lure her slowly, but so completely that she wouldn’t question it when he suggested they make love. That was the plan. Just the thought of having Carly in his arms and in his bed made his palms sweat.

Russ knocked and waited patiently at her apartment door until she peeked out. She smiled a little uncertainly, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.

He wondered at the curious combination of emotions until she opened the door the rest of the way.

She wore the most unvirginal white dress he’d ever seen in his life. It fell off one tanned shoulder, then molded to her curves with breath-stealing clarity. It showed more leg than it concealed. By the time Russ snapped his jaw shut, more than his palms were sweating.

“Hi,” Carly said.

“Hi,” was all he could manage to answer. Then he shook his head. Now he understood why her brothers had been so protective. It was a wonder they hadn’t wrapped her in a robe and thrown a veil over her face.

Carly carried the conversation during the brief trip to Mayor Goodman’s house. Russ was still trying to deal with the change in her. He was very careful not to touch her, because once he did, he knew he wouldn’t stop until she’d eased the ache in his loins. He pulled the car to a stop and took a fortifying breath before he got out and led Carly up the walkway.

With a pained smile on her face, Janet Goodman answered the door of the two-story home. A chorus of howls started up as soon as they walked through the door.

“The twins are teething, and my daughter went out on her first date,” Janet explained.

“So you lost your babysitter,” Carly concluded.

“I need another shirt,” Sam yelled from upstairs. “Robbie drooled all over this one.”

“Coming,” Janet called, then she turned back to Russ and Carly. “Please forgive me, but—”

Another chorus of howls broke out.

“Could I check on the boys?” Carly asked. “I haven’t seen them in a long time.”

Relief and gratitude crossed Janet’s face. “Oh, would you please? I know they’ll settle down soon. Just make sure you put on a smock so they don’t ruin that lovely dress.”

The doorbell rang.

“And Russ, would you please get that? I’ll be down in just a minute. Help yourself to the bar and the appetizers in the parlor.” Janet disappeared up the stairs.

Carly and Russ looked at each other and laughed.

“I, uh, guess I’ll see you later,” Carly said, wishing he would touch her, wishing she could touch him. He’d seemed so remote since they’d left her apartment.

The doorbell rang again, and Russ nodded.

Carly went up the stairs.

“Don’t stay too long,” Russ called after her in a low voice that stopped her midstep. “I might have to come get you.”

There was something faintly predatory in his tone. It sent a shiver up her spine and brought a warmth to her skin. She wondered what it would be like to have Russ Bradford get her.

After fifteen minutes of patting Ronnie and jiggling Robbie, the twins miraculously fell asleep.

When she made her way into the dining room, Janet and Sam greeted her with welcoming smiles. “You must be a miracle worker,” Sam said. “I’d been rocking those boys for a half hour.”

“They were just tired,” Carly said. She’d felt like curling up in that rocking chair herself. Last night, she’d stayed up a good part of the night stuffing envelopes with her new brochures.

“Wine?” Russ came to her side and offered her a glass.

He casually wrapped an arm around her waist, and she leaned closer to him. “Thanks,” she murmured. She stole a glance at him and noticed his gaze rested on her bare shoulder. A tiny thrill raced through her, and she gave in to the urge to tease him the way he did her.

“Hungry, Russ?” Carly asked in a low, seductive voice.

His gaze shot up to her eyes, probing and hot. “Very,” he growled and tightened his hold on her.

This tarnishing business may not be so difficult after all, Carly thought.

After the meal, the other guests left while Russ and Sam discussed Beulah County’s upcoming carnival. Janet showed Carly pictures of the twins’ christening. For the first time in a long time, Carly felt a twinge of longing over the idea of having a family. Janet and Sam seemed so happy.

Carly wrinkled her brow, remembering her grueling accelerated college program that had left no time for a social life. After that, she’d inherited Matilda’s Dream and immersed herself in making it a thriving enterprise.

Glancing at Russ, she wondered if she was missing out on something important. Of course, everybody knew Russ would never settle down. She would have to remember that. While he might be a good choice for tarnishing a woman’s reputation, he’d be horrible at marriage.

Russ looked up just then, and held her gaze. That lazy smile slowly eased up the corners of his mouth. With his eyes still on her, he said to Sam, “I think it’s time for us to go. Thanks for having us, Sam.”

After complimenting Janet on the meal, Carly and Russ stepped into the humid night. Clouds covered the moon in streaks of dark blue, muting the light. Crickets chirped in the lawn.

Russ guided her down the walk with a firm, warm hand on her waist. Coupled with the wine, his nearness made her pleasantly dizzy.

“I really like them,” Carly said.

“Yeah,” Russ agreed, then chuckled. “Janet looked a little frazzled when we got there.”

“She had to work hard to put on that welcoming smile.”

“The earring was what I noticed,” Russ said and chuckled again. “She was wearing only one.”

His low, deep voice so close to her made the blood bubble through her veins like champagne. Russ’s car was only a few steps away, and Carly felt reluctant to leave the evening behind. She sighed.

“Tired?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“It was nice of you to help Janet with the twins.”

“They’re cute. Robbie’s got dimples.” She looked up at Russ. The streetlight was broken, so his face was all hard planes and shadows. She touched his cheek.

Her featherlight touch stopped him in his tracks.

“Did you ever have dimples, Russ?” Carly asked and frowned. “I can’t remember.”

Thirsty for her touch, he shook his head. “No, but you did,” he whispered.

“Not anymore,” Carly whispered back.

Her eyes were as blue-black as the night, and she was looking at him in a womanly wanting way. He turned her in his arms, slightly, slowly, wondering if and when she’d pull away. To his surprise, she moved closer. Her fragrance wove its way around his mind, stealing his sense. Her breasts were one deep breath away from his chest. It would only take one step to feel her legs brushing against his tensed and waiting thighs.

Her lids lowered, hiding her eyes from his. Still her hand remained soft and caressing on his cheek.

“Russ, I don’t really care whether you had dimples or not. I just wanted an excuse to touch you,” Carly said in a voice so low, he almost couldn’t hear her.

His heart turned over. He took a deep breath, and she closed the minuscule gap between them.

“Know what I wish now?”

“What?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet, not wanting to disturb the magic of her closeness.

Carly looked up at him then and moved her hand behind his neck. The gesture was unmistakable. She pulled his head gently toward hers.

“I wish I knew what your mouth felt like,” she said in a husky voice.

His heart somersaulted, and his blood roared in his ears. He’d always considered himself a man with superior self-control, but when she tentatively touched her lips to his, he lost it all.

His hands clenched around her forearms. There would be bruises tomorrow. He took her supple mouth with the passion of a man who’d waited too long. He thrust his tongue past her parted lips, wanting to possess her body, mind and soul with the kiss.

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