The Risk-Taker

2

THE TOWN WAS CRAZY. That was all there was to it. All around him chaos reigned. Although, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise since he’d grown up in Sweetheart, where Valentine’s Day was sacred, and folks started celebrating a week in advance. Twelve years away had managed to blunt Gage’s memories.

He now recalled why he never visited at this time of year.

A group of men, most of them town-council members, were yelling at each other from the top of several ladders. “No, yours needs to go down on the right, Hank.”

“I said up, Billy! You got cotton stuck in your ears again?”

Gage had mixed emotions when it came to the red banners with the white-and-pink cupids being hung on all the lampposts down Main. As a child, he’d thought the cupids looked like big blobs of cotton candy. His daddy, the mayor, had not been amused when at six he announced his opinion at the dinner table with the entire council present … and started a heated discussion about the need to update town decorations.

On the other hand, he’d used the excitement surrounding this week to snag more than one kiss beneath those banners. And why did that thought bring up an image of Hope Rawlings? She’d definitely never been one of those girls. Not that he hadn’t wanted her to be….

“Gage, great to have you home,” Billy Carstairs yelled as he passed between two of the men. “Boy, what happened to your face? That’s not from … what happened, is it?”

As Billy looked down at him from ten feet in the air, his grip on the lamppost slipped. The banner he was holding swung precariously and Billy wobbled. The sight of him grasping the post, his cheek pressed so tightly against the metal that he vaguely resembled a smushed bulldog, might have been amusing if Gage hadn’t been worried he was about to have to catch the man—all two hundred and fifty pounds of him.

“No, sir,” he answered, sighing in relief when Billy regained his balance.

All around him people turned, not to watch the averted disaster, but to look at him. It was a sensation Gage just couldn’t get used to. His neck permanently crawled from being watched. He was only a few weeks removed from an environment where that feeling usually heralded a burst of flying bullets. He’d learned to listen to those internal warnings that told him danger was coming so that he could prepare.

In Sweetheart danger tended to involve overprotective daddies with shotguns, women with wedding bells and babies on the brain and a potential shortage of beer on Saturdays during college football season. Now that could start a nasty riot.

Just one more thing he’d had to adjust to upon returning stateside.

Everyone he passed smiled and greeted him by name. Half the people he didn’t even think he knew. Pride shone out of every pair of eyes. A far cry from the frowns that had followed in his wake during his teenage years.

The men probably hoped he’d stop to chat. Maybe offer a hand so they could casually ask him the question everyone wanted to know. What happened? Every single one of them wanted details. Or thought they did. What they really wanted was some romanticized view of what he’d been through. The drama. The rescue. The Hollywood version where everyone survived and no one had permanent scars. They didn’t want the truth.

Which was fine with him since he wasn’t willing to give anyone that. Although he had to admit this pedestal they’d set him up on chafed. It was lonely up here with nothing but his guilt for company.

He had no idea where he was going, but he’d needed out of the house before his mama made that disappointed, exasperated sound in the back of her throat one more time. She’d taken one look at his face and shaken her head, working out her frustration on the waffle batter she’d whipped up just for him.

Gage almost wished she’d yelled at him the way she would have when he was younger. At least then he could have gotten it over with and moved on. Instead, she went straight from the waffles to scrambled eggs and then French toast, all the while making that damned noise. He hadn’t eaten this much breakfast since basic training when he’d been burning calories faster than he could shovel them in.

The sign for his sister’s sweet shop, Sugar & Spice, loomed ahead. Maybe he’d stop in and see her. Although, Lexi was just as likely to chastise him and try to feed him as their mother was. But at least it gave him a purpose. He wasn’t used to twiddling his thumbs while everyone else around him worked.

A bell tinkled when he opened the door. The scent of chocolate assailed him as his sister called, “Be right out.”

“Take your time, Lex,” he hollered back, letting her know it was only him and not a customer.

He was perusing the baked goods, truffles, fudge and caramel apples lined up neatly behind the long glass counter when the bell chimed again. Gage glanced up at the young guy who entered. He didn’t look familiar, but then judging by his age, if he was local he probably would’ve been thirteen or fourteen when Gage left so that shouldn’t surprise him.

Everyone had changed. Including his sister who was coming out of the back, wiping her hands on a red-and-white-checkered towel tucked into the waistband of her matching apron. He’d seen her over the years so her gradual growth into the beautiful woman before him hadn’t completely blindsided him. But it had been at least a year since he’d last seen her. Her hair was longer. Maybe a little lighter. She’d lost another few pounds, something he didn’t think she’d needed to do, but convincing Lexi of that was like talking to one of the lampposts outside.

“Gage,” she said, smiling and rushing around the counter to give him a huge hug. She was always like that, exuberant and affectionate with the people who mattered to her. Sometimes he worried about that. She left herself so wide-open…. But she was a big girl and had managed fine without his meddling for a while now.

Pulling back, she held him at arm’s length. A frown pulled at the edges of her wide mouth. Growing up she’d been all big eyes and mouth, both features overwhelming even her slightly pudgy face. Now she’d grown into the features, giving her an edge of uniqueness. She’d never be classified as typically beautiful, but in his mind she was better—even if he was slightly biased.

“You’re here two days and you’ve already found trouble. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I would have thought you’d had enough of that for a little while.”

Gage grasped one of her bouncy curls and tugged. Her hand shot to her scalp as her head tilted into the torture. But she was laughing as she said, “Ow, don’t make me tell Mom.”

“Oh, she knows. I got waffles, scrambled eggs, pumpkin muffins and French toast as punishment.”

Lexi scowled. “How the heck is that punishment? Sounds like she did everything but kill the fatted calf.”

“Don’t worry, that’s for dinner tonight. Please say you’re coming because if I have to endure any more of the fawning I think I’m going to scream.”

Lexi had moved out of their parents’ house years ago into a cute little cottage on the lake. Because this was one of her busiest seasons, he’d only seen her briefly his first night home. Gage definitely could have used her as a buffer against their mother’s ebullient praise and their father’s silent, watchful gaze. He almost wished his dad would say something already—like how he’d screwed up once again.

“It’ll cost you,” she said, grinning evilly, spinning away from him to the customer waiting patiently at the other end of the counter. “Head into the back. I’ll be there in a few. What can I get for you today? Are you shopping for someone special?”

“What are these?” The guy pointed to some fancy chocolates set apart from the rest of the displays. Gage bit back a smile, listening with half an ear as his sister launched into a lecture about the herb-laced aphrodisiac chocolates she specialized in.

Shaking his head, Gage slipped behind the red curtain that separated the industrial kitchen and office space from the main display area. Up front the store was all quaint ambience. Iron scrollwork chairs and polished tea tables. Hand-carved wood-and-glass display cases. She’d even gone so far as to distress the pieces to make them look antique and give the place an artificial air of history. Behind the curtain was the land of efficient stainless steel.

She’d been open for about six years, and according to his parents was doing very well. A few years ago she started selling some of the more exotic concoctions on the internet. He was glad.

The low rumble of a male voice and the lilting sound of his sister’s laughter drifted back to him. One minute stretched into five. And then ten. Gage wandered the kitchen, tempted to open the doors to the double oven to determine what smelled so damn good. But he didn’t. He’d been chased away with a wooden spoon often enough to know better.

Instead, he grabbed a spoon and dipped it into a large bowl of melted chocolate. Closing his eyes, he breathed, “Heaven.” It had been a very long time since he’d tasted something so good. Gourmet chocolate wasn’t exactly normal fare in the mess hall.

Finally, Lexi slid through the curtain. She shot forward, smacking his spoon away just as he was going in for another taste. “That’s a food safety violation, you idiot. I’ll have to throw the whole batch away if you put that spoon back in.”

“No one will know. I won’t tell if you don’t.” Lexi glared at him, but there was no heat behind the empty gesture.

“Who was that guy?” Gage asked, using the spoon he’d licked clean to point up front.

Lexi shrugged, but he didn’t miss the faint pink that stained her cheeks. “Tourist in for the week.”

Oh, no. He knew that look on his sister’s face. From twelve to twenty-six it hadn’t changed. She was terrible at hiding her thoughts—or her interest in the opposite sex. “Men don’t usually come to Sweetheart for Valentine’s week alone, Lex.” He tapped the end of her nose with the edge of his spoon. “Don’t let this week go to your head.”

Her eyes, as dark as the chocolate he’d just tasted, dulled and she frowned. “Like I could.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gage asked.

“Nothing.” Lexi waved her comment away, the short spurt of sadness disappearing almost as quickly as it had come up. “So Mama’s seen the shiner … has Daddy?”

She crossed over to the long line of work counters, pulling out a tray of the biggest strawberries he’d ever seen, and began dipping them into the vat of melted chocolate. She placed them on a waxed paper–covered tray and then drizzled white chocolate and a thin strand of caramel across the surface. Gage’s mouth began to water.

“Uh … no,” he said, scooting closer to better position himself for a sneak attack.

She eyed him and without even breaking the routine of dip-and-drizzle repositioned her body as a barrier between him and those strawberries. “You gonna tell me what happened?” she asked, picking up the first berry and handing it to him. “Be careful, it’s still wet. Consider that a bribe to leave the rest of my inventory alone. I’m worried I’ll be short this week as it is.”

Gage took a huge bite of the strawberry, the perfect combination of tart and sweet. It was also the perfect excuse not to answer her question. Telling her what he’d been doing would lead to why he’d been doing it, and he just didn’t want to go there. Especially with his baby sister.

Instead, he chose to distract her with a less revealing confession. “I’ve been home two days and I’m already bored out of my mind. I’m not used to an entire day with no purpose. I need to … do something.”

“And you thought going to Baxter to fight in some underground ring would help?”

Gage nearly choked. “How do you know about that?”

“Hope is one of my best friends.” It was Lexi’s turn to pop him with the back of a spoon. “You don’t think she’d mention seeing you at a place like that?”

He hadn’t realized Hope had become that close with his sister. Growing up, it had been he and Hope who’d been inseparable. And although they hadn’t talked in years, he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Hope being so chummy with Lexi.

Lexi dropped the last berry onto the tray. “What the hell were you thinkin’? You shouldn’t have walked off and left her there, Gage. She could have gotten into some serious trouble.”

She wasn’t saying anything Gage hadn’t already thought. He’d been halfway home on his dad’s vintage Harley before his temper had cooled enough that his brain kicked in. When would he learn to stop and think before erupting?

He’d turned around and gone back to look for her, but she’d already left.

It was nice to know she’d gotten home okay, though. One weight out of many he could let drop from his shoulders.

“She never should have been there, Lex.”

The punch of anger and disappointment he’d felt last night when he’d realized why Hope had followed him resurfaced.

He called himself ten different kinds of fool for the brief spurt of excitement and anticipation when he’d seen her. You’d think being told you were an idiot with a death wish and having your declaration of feelings thrown back in your face would have killed any desire to have her.

Apparently not.

Even now he could remember that last night, twelve years ago. They’d been at the gazebo. It had been late, close to midnight, the town long past quiet and asleep. But he was wired from enlisting, excited about the possibilities of the life he was about to start, and hadn’t been able to sleep. He’d called her and asked her to meet him.

Watching her walk down the aisle surrounded by the ghost of empty chairs had galvanized something inside him. Suddenly he wanted—needed—her with him on the adventure he was about to start. Hope had always been there for him, with an eye roll, rebuke or encouragement depending on what the situation needed. When he’d screwed up and lost his scholarship to Clemson, and couldn’t escape his dad’s wrath, she’d been there to tell him everything would be fine. She had faith in him when no one else, including himself, did.

But when he’d needed her the most she’d completely flaked on him. He could still see her wild-eyed reaction to his confession that he loved her. He hadn’t meant to tell her, it had just slipped out.

Part of him had always known she’d reject him. He must have asked her out a hundred times, but the answer was always the same. The first time they’d probably been eight or nine and it had quickly become a running joke between them. He’d ask her out in the most ridiculous, cheesy ways possible. And she’d always say no.

Even he wasn’t exactly sure when it stopped being funny and started being real. But Hope hadn’t noticed the difference and he’d been too much of a coward to make her see.

Even back then everyone thought he was so strong. Her rejection had been the one thing that scared the hell out of him.

She’d been so angry with him that night. Upset that he’d enlisted. Angry that he’d done it without talking to her about the decision. And when he’d wrapped his arms around her and told her he loved her she’d pushed him away.

Exactly what he’d always feared. But he’d survived her rejection and a heck of a lot worse since then. His thumbs throbbed dully as if he needed the reminder.

Why was he reliving the memory? Probably because seeing her last night, being in this place especially around Valentine’s Day, brought everything rushing back.

It shouldn’t bother him that she’d followed him to that fight with ulterior motives, but it did. “She came looking for a story, just like all the other buzzards circling around this place.” He despised the bitterness in his own voice.

“Not like all the others. Hope is a friend, Gage. The two of you used to be real close. If you’re going to talk to anyone, it should be her. Hope is family.”

He snorted. “She’s far from that.”

Lexi frowned at him, narrowing her eyes. “I have no idea what happened between you two, and I don’t wanna know, but nothing she could have done makes leaving her in a place like that okay.”

With a sigh, Lexi switched the subject. “Since you’re so bored, I’m sure Mama would be happy to find you a job. Cupid’s Couples starts tonight with the matching. Did you put your name in?”

“Hell, no.” The last thing Gage needed was a week full of candy hearts, wilted flowers and awkward dinners with a stranger. And even if he had grown up with most of the single women in the town, after twelve years away they were all strangers. “I just escaped one hell, why would I sign up for another?”

“Didn’t you hear? They’re donating all the money raised to the Wounded Warrior Project in honor of your friend Tanner.”

“Well, fu—” Lexi glared at him “—dge.” He’d planned to ignore the whole damn thing. Stay at home and refuse to attend. But now, there was no way he could blow the events off. Showing up was the least he could do for Tanner.

Before he could ask Lexi for suggestions on how he might help, the front bell rang again. And again. And again. Feet shuffled against the polished floor. Several voices rang out, “Hello!” and someone slammed a palm down onto the display case, rattling the glass countertop.

“What the hell,” Lexi grumbled.

In full-on big-brother mode, Gage followed quickly behind her, but didn’t get farther than the curtain before Lexi slapped her hands onto his chest and pushed him backward.

“Get back. Get back,” she ordered, her eyes full of fire.

Gage caught enough of a glimpse to recognize the horde of reporters who now filled Lexi’s store. Jostling for position at the counter, they held high-powered cameras with special lenses, pens poised above notepads and video cameras with blinking red lights.

Damn, he hated the media.

He really wished one of the other guys would get released from the hospital. Not just because he needed them to be okay, but because then maybe some of these vultures would start circling their lives for the details about the capture and rescue.

He let his sister shove him deeper into the kitchen. “You can slip out the back door. Take the alley,” she suggested.

Considering the alternative, that was exactly what he was going to do. “Make ’em buy something. The most expensive item you have in the store. And then tell them I’m staying at the old Jones place out by the lake. It’s still empty, right?”

“Yeah.”

The place had been abandoned for as long as he could remember, but it was on the far side of the lake on the outskirts of town, which meant he’d have at least an hour of peace before they realized Lexi’s lie and headed back.

Unfortunately, he had to walk straight across Main in order to get back to his parents’ house. Which meant he needed to find some place to lay low until the plague was gone.

Gage glanced up and down the alley. The bridal salon was two doors down from Sugar & Spice, but the thought of going in there made those cameras look almost appealing. Scent of Woman might have been an option, Lanie’s mother had always loved him, but he really didn’t want to smell like a flower the rest of the day. Which also left Petals, the florist, out.

His eyes skipped across the back door to the Sweetheart Sentinel, and then jerked back again. The newspaper. Probably the last place the journalists he was trying to escape would look for him. So the first place he should hide. It had been a long time since he’d seen Mr. Rawlings, although he wasn’t sure the man had ever liked him much.

But Gage was willing to take his chances.

3

DARTING DOWN THE NARROW passage, Gage grasped the back door and pulled it open. He half expected to walk into chaos—probably thanks to false Hollywood portrayals. Instead, everything was quiet. Oh, there were people working. He could hear the hushed rumble of voices, the clack of keyboards and the faint buzzing of a telephone.

He rounded the corner to a cubicle and stuck his head inside. Erica McNeil looked up from her computer screen, a startled expression on her face. “Gage Harper. What are you doing here?” Her shy gaze darted away from his. “How’d you get in?”

“Back door.” He grinned and leaned against the hard metal edge of her cubicle wall.

“What happened to your face? Is that from …” Her voice trailed off, her eyes widened and a faint blush crept up her pale cheeks. Everyone either wanted all the details of his capture and torture or they wanted to pretend it hadn’t happened. Apparently Erica was in the latter group.

“Nope. I ran into a door.”

Her already-large eyes rounded more with surprise … and then narrowed to slits. Erica was about six or seven years older than he was and had babysat Lexi a few times. She always had been gullible.

“Stop harassing Erica.”

Hope’s voice sounded behind him. Gage smiled, although Erica was the only one to see it because before he spun around, he’d wiped it clean.

Adopting an air of innocence, he turned slowly to look at her. Her hands were balled into fists and lodged firmly on her hips. Her toe tapped against the worn carpeted floor, drawing his gaze down the long length of her legs. Up and down, up and down, the red sole of her black high heels flashed like a beacon.

He always had been a leg man and he had to admit Hope had a nice pair. Was it his imagination or were they even more toned than before?

Gage forced his gaze back up her body, taking in the tight skirt, silk blouse and matching suit jacket she wore. She looked like a high-powered businesswoman. Someone ready to take on the world and stomp it beneath the spiked heel of her shoe.

She was seriously overdressed for the Sweetheart Sentinel. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Hank, her father, wearing anything that resembled a business suit. Not even a blazer when he’d been honored by the town council as citizen of the year. He wondered if anyone had told Hope that. Not that he cared.

“I wasn’t harassing anyone, was I, Erica?” he asked, shooting her a disarming smile over his shoulder.

Erica’s gaze swung between them. Without answering his question, she swiveled in her chair, giving them her back and returning her focus to her computer screen.

Hope eyed him. He noticed how her gaze lingered on the damage to his face. But unlike everyone else, she knew exactly how he’d gotten the injuries. And unlike everyone else, she didn’t remark on them, but turned and walked away.

He followed. How could he not? The view of her tight rear was so tempting. The slit at the back of her skirt swished back and forth as she walked. It brushed against the inside of her thighs. Gage couldn’t tear his eyes away. Desire, hot and hard, punched through him. He almost stumbled.

After a quick, calming breath, Gage followed her inside the office just in time to watch her sink gracefully into the chair behind a large desk. The blotter was perfectly clean. Two folders, neatly labeled, sat to her left. A matching tape dispenser, stapler and hole punch were lined up beside them along with a cup of pens and a basket of paper clips. Just like her flawless suit, there was no clutter.

He wanted to loosen her up. To unravel that elegant twist in her hair and tousle it with his fingers. To pop open a few of those tightly closed buttons so that he could see the lace camisole beneath. To scrape everything off her desk and lay her out beneath him …