Page 25 of Just This Once

He reached up and cupped my jaw, tilting my head back and exposing the column of my neck. My thighs pressed together as my breath hitched. His wide hand tilted my head to the side, pulling my face to his.

My eyes adjusted to get a glimpse of how painfully handsome he was. His cut jawline, sharp cheekbones, and full lips were making my insidesscreamfor him. All he had to do was inch forward andtake.

“Do you want me to kiss you?” His breath was hot and minty across my parted lips.

My lips opened for him. Pinned between his hard body and the sink, I sucked in a breath.

Unlike any man I’d been around before, Whip knew how to lead. Melting into him was effortless and aching.

My hesitation was his answer, and he relaxed his grasp on my jaw.

His nose ran down the edge of mine, and his mouth hovered above me. “When you’re finally ready to be kissed again, I’m going to make you beg for it.”

Instead of kissing me, his thumb ran across my bottom lip. A hot bolt of arousal shot between my legs. His words were infuriating. Arrogant. Spoken like a dirty secret in the hidden shadows of a bar bathroom.

I could barely breathe, and defensiveness coursed through me. Rippling with pent-up frustration, I shouldered past him. “Get over yourself.”

I yanked open the bathroom door just as another woman was entering. Her shocked stare flicked between Whip and me before a sly, appreciative smile overtook her face.

He’s exactly like Craig, and you fell for it.

Again.

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks, forcing my voice to tick up several octaves higher than necessary. “Excuse me!”

The woman huffed and stood to the side as heat prickled my scalp and I hurried into the safe anonymity of the crowded bar.

Charles may be a dud, but Whip King was nothing but trouble.

“Remindme again how this is for charity?”

Rachel stood next to me with her arms crossed and cocked her head in my direction. “You’re going to tell me you wouldn’t throw your hard-earned money at a group of firefighters just to get a peek at what’s underneath all that turn-out gear?” She pursed her lips and shook her head.

“And you call yourself a feminist.” I playfully rolled my eyes and bumped a shoulder into hers. “I just think that there are classier ways to beg people for money.”

She laughed. “That may be true, but when this car wash starts in about twenty minutes and you see the line of vehicles down the block, you’ll change your tune. The car wash makes big bucks, baby.”

My eyes swept over the growing crowd. Rachel had a point. The car wash wasn’t set to start for another few minutes, and there was already an eager line forming.

My presence was merely a fact-finding mission. Part of my scheme to prove my worth at Outtatowner Junior High was volunteering to head the Outtatowner Education Foundation. The foundation was previously governed by the school librarian, Mrs. Kuder, but when her idea of the third seniors’ bingo night of the year wasn’t embraced with much enthusiasm, she’d been asked to step down as chairperson. Rumor was the grouchy old lady had egged the principal’s car. Given her surly demeanor,that was a tall tale I wholeheartedly believed—Scooter Kuder was a wild card.

I needed some ideas—good ones—that encouraged the residents of town to open their hearts, and their wallets. The foundation’s funds also hadn’t been managed well, so there were very few dollars left for things like new books for the outdated library, extra school supplies for kids who couldn’t afford them, or much-needed after-school enrichment programs. It didn’t matter that I was the new girl in town. I was confident I could make a difference and help the principal see that I would be the perfect full-time addition to his staff.

Ideas were already percolating. I just hadn’t settled on exactlyhowto get the town behind my ideas.

“I haven’t seen him yet,” Rachel said, leaning down to whisper. Pulled from my thoughts, I turned to her frowning, and she shot me a bland look. “Whip. I know he is who you’re looking for, but I haven’t seen him yet.”

I set my shoulders, determined not to let the mere mention of his name send ripples down my spine. “I’m only here to find myin. I’m not a townie, so I need to see what makes this place tick. I’m not looking for anyone, least of all him.”

A dimple popped in Rachel’s cheek when she gave me a disbelieving smile. “If you say so.”

I raised my eyebrows at my friend, hoping to nudge the attention off myself. “Maybe it’syouwho is looking for him.”

Rachel chuckled, and her delicate fingers covered her lips. “Uh, no.” Her fuchsia manicured finger pointed at one of the female firefighters with long black hair, slicked into a high, braided ponytail. “She’s more my type.”

I raised my eyebrow in surprise and nodded once. “Oh. Nice.”

In my short time knowing Rachel, she hadn’t shared with me her interest in women, and a tiny pang of guilt poked my insides. I resolved to be a better friend to her from here on out, worryingless about my own disaster of a love life and more about getting to know the woman who had been nothing but kind and caring since I had arrived in Outtatowner.

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