So why had he seemed nothing but amused by the entire fiasco?

  In her world, she knew men. She understood them. Knew what made them tick. As they weren’t a particularly complicated species, it wasn’t a difficult task.

  But she didn’t understand Tag, not one little bit. She hated that.

  * * *

  Tag could list about a million things he’d rather be doing on his lunch hour than driving all the way out to see his father.

  Actually, the most he could think of was one. Cassie. The look of utter disbelief on her face as he’d left her sputtering and rumpled and heart-wrenchingly confused in his bed had brought quite a few emotions out in him.

  He’d wanted to stay in bed with her. Had wanted to wake her in the most interesting and erotic of ways. Had wanted to love her senseless, into that same trusting stupor he’d had her in last night.

  And then demand to know what was wrong. A fantasy, of course. Cassie wasn’t ready for that. And truthfully, he wasn’t sure if he was, either. To take that step would be to bring them closer than just physically. It would imply some sort of a relationship, an emotionally based one.

  His next emotionally based relationship was going to be permanent, and he still had his specific vision of what his soul mate would be like.

  Just because he’d seen a softer, sweeter side of Cassie did not mean she could cut it, and he knew it.

  But damn, she was sexy and arousing and beautiful as hell. Good thing he knew that that alone would never be enough for him. Never.

  Grimacing, he made the turnoff to the cabin his father had purchased for himself upon his retirement. It was out in the middle of nowhere, on a windy, remote lake with a rutted road, and Tag swore the entire mile-long driveway.

  When he got out of the car, the heat sucked the soul right out of him. Or maybe that was the impending visit he’d been commanded to make. He braced himself for the usual stilted conversation over Tag’s lackadaisicalsheriffing style compared to his father’s tight, unbending one. He’d hear once again what a sorry disappointment he was as a son.

  “‘Bout time,” his father grumbled when Tag knocked. “I could have died waiting for you to drive me to the doctor’s office.”

  ”What are you talking about?”

  ”I fell, Sherlock. Now help me into your car.”

  Tag glanced down where his father gestured and saw his bare foot. Saw the bucket of ice he’d had it in. Saw the swelling and severe discoloration around the ankle and heel.

  ”I think it’s broken.”

  Tag stared at his father as he moved in to help support his weight with his own. “Why are you even on it?”

  ”I had to get the door.”

  Tag knew he should have felt a wave of sympathy, but he felt only anger. “You mean you waited hours for me to get here instead of calling an ambulance, or better yet, telling me you needed me to hurry? Jesus, Dad.” With sheer disbelief, he half carried, half supported his father on their awkward walk to the car. “I can’t believe you. How did this happen?”

  ”I slipped getting out of the boat.”

  ”You could have hit your head.”

  ”I could have drowned. I could have choked on the fish I ate last night, too. It’s just an ankle. Now let’s see if you can get me to the doctor in a timely fashion.”

  Tag shook his head and went back for the ice, feeling only slightly chagrined when his father sucked in a harsh breath as he applied it to the injury. “Stubborn to the end, aren’t you?”

  ”How about you? It takes a near fatal accident to get you out here to see me.”

  ”You wouldn’t have died. You’re too ornery for that.”

  His father looked proud of that assessment. “How’s town?”

  ”Behaving,” Tag said, getting ready for an argument. They always had one when it came to work.

  ”Then Cassie Tremaine Montgomery must have left.”

  ”Actually, no.”

  ”Humph.” His father leaned his head back and, looking a bit pale, closed his eyes. “Christ,was her mother something. She knew how to screw a man and scramble his brains at the same time.”

  Tag’s heart stopped,then started again with an unnaturally heavy beat. “You dated Cassie’s mother?”

  ”Dated? No.”

  ”You … slept with her?”

  ”Just like every other man in town. But she was so good, I never cared. She had a way, that woman, of making you feel like the only mm on earth. Now her daughter, Cassie … born with claws, that one.”

  Tag’s fingers held the steering wheel so tight he was amazed he could steer the car. “What do you mean?”

  ”Let’s just say she wasn’t as friendly as her mother.”

  Tag got off the freeway, pulled into the hospital parking lot, turned off his car and faced his father, all without reaching over and shaking the life right out of him. “It was you.”

  ”It was me what?”

  ”The night of her prom. You came on to her. In uniform, no less.” He fisted his hands on the wheel instead of his father’s face. “What did you do, force yourself on her?”

  ”Hold it right there, goddamn you.” His father grabbed the front of Tag’s shirt. “I’m no rapist, and no son of mine is going to imply so.”

  Tag shoved him back then got out of the car, leaning against the hood. God. No wonder Cassiecould hardly stand the sight of him in uniform. No wonder she was so reluctant to let him inside her.

  But why the hell hadn’t she told him the truth?

  Back to the trust thing, he supposed, feeling incredibly bone-weary. And sad. So very, very sad. Not for himself, but for one hauntingly beautiful, tough-as-hell, seventeen-year-old Cassie.

  ”Hey, so maybe I let her get to me a little,” his father said behind him, holding on to the open door for support. “She was wearing a dress that… Lord. Anyway, she put off vibes that told every man out there she was available, but when you came within five feet of her she burned you. Devil woman to the very core, that one.”

  Sick, Tag shook his head. Waved to an emergency room attendant.

  ”Aren’t you taking me in?”

  The only place Tag wanted to take his father was straight to hell. He came around and looked him right in the eyes. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. Cassie Tremaine Montgomery is back in town. I don’t know for how long, but she’s here. She’s welcome. And if you so much as look at her, I’m going to make you wish you hadn’t.” He waited to make sure that sank in. All he’d ever wanted from this man was to know he’d made him proud, but even that small scrap of affection had been too much for his father to handle.

  And suddenly Tag let go of it. He no longer needed it. He no longer needed anything from his father at all. Knowing that, he turned away.

  And figured he’d just learned the one thing that could possibly convince him Cassie would never be able to trust him.

  Chapter 10

  «^»

  After waking up in Tag’s bed, Cassie’s entire day was slightly off. She ran out of gas. Was rudely stared at by some old biddies at the Rose Café—which reminded her of what Tag had said about this not being Mayberry. She ran out of cat food, and in the grocery store was frowned at by the checkout clerk, then followed to the car by another one, who wanted to know what hours Bare Essentials would be open, because she couldn’t wait to get inside and spend money.

  Contradictions. Her life was full of them.

  In the post office, no one even looked her way, making her quite suddenly realize that not everyone in town was talking about her or staring at her.Which brought her to another shocking thought. Was the entire attitude she sensed here in Pleasantville simply a reflection of her own attitude about the town?

  She would have dwelled on that more but had picked up her forwarded mail from the agent and found two more letters from Pete. All of her preoccupation with the inhabitants of Pleasantville flew out the window at this startling reminder that at least one person was dangerously obsessed with her.

  At least the return address wasLos Angeles, far fromPleasantville,Ohio.

  True to form when faced with something that scared her, she refused to think about any of it. She spent the day at Bare Essentials, arranging and rearranging stock on the new shelves and walls, getting more stock delivered by a grinning Daisy, who admitted to wearingcrotchless panties—courtesy of Bare Essentials—beneath her uniform. Maybe Daisy wasn’t quite as sweet as she appeared to be.

  While Cassie and Kate worked, they laughed and talked, and laughed some more, reveling in spending so much time together for the first time since high school. Their laborious efforts seeming a lot more like fun than revenge.

  The fun took a downturn when Kate threw her a knowing glance and brought up the subject of Tag.

  ”You do remember the sheriff, right?” Kate asked, tongue in cheek. She was hanging silk robes according to size on a wooden rack. “The man who’s given you three tickets. The man more gorgeous than sin itself. The man who whenever I bring him up you go slightly bipolar?”

  ”He has that effect on people.”

  ”No, he has that effect on you. And I think you have that effect on him, as well.You going to do something about it?”

  ”Such as?”

  ”Such as … I don’t know…” Kate opened another box and pulled out more padded hangers. “At least burn up a box of condoms together.”

  Cassie, who’d just taken an unfortunate sip of soda, choked.

  Kate spun around,then laughed. “You liked that one?”

  Cassie wiped her chin. “You never used to say such things. What’s come over you?”

  ”We’re talking aboutyou . And the sheriff. I guess, judging by your reaction, I should have saidsecond box of condoms, huh?”

  ”Kate. Please.” She sniffed, acting insulted because she didn’t want to get into this, not when last night was stamped so indelibly in her mind. “We all know I never go back for seconds.”

  ”Yes, but we both know he’s different. You’re different.”

  ”It’s not like that.” Scowling, Cassie stared down at the shipment of thigh-high stockings she’d been folding. “I have no idea why we’re even wasting our breath talking about it.”

  Kate put down the hangers and came to Cassie. Took her hands, looked deep into her eyes, which Cassie hated because Kate seemed to see all when it came to her. “We’re talking about it because I’m worried about you. I think Pete isa loose cannon, and I like knowing there’s someone here who cares about you after I leave. I like knowing you care about him back.”

  ”I don’t care about men.”

  ”I know.” Kate squeezed her shoulders. “And for the most part, I agree with you. They’re scum. But Tag is not, and I think you know it. I think you’re scared of that very fact.”

  ”Look, you won’t even admit you have a thing for that sexy Jack. Youknow, the guy who helped you withFlo’s furniture. The one you got caught parking with while I was inNew York. The two of you are sniffing around each other like crazy. So you tell me who’s running scared here.”

  Kate tightened her lips and went back to hanging silk robes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  ”Uh-huh.”

  Kate placed three more robes in the display, moving very carefully, very purposely, as she always did when she was annoyed. She shot a look at Cassie.

  Cassie just lifted a daring brow.

  Kate twisted her lips, holding back a smile.

  Cassie didn’t bother holding hers back, and suddenly they were both laughing. “We’re pathetic,” Kate said when she could.

  ”Yeah. But at least we know it.”

  They left out the deeply personal stuff after that.

  And later, when Cassie went home—where she showered and decided to hell with getting dressed again, to hell with anything remotely related to beauty—she tried to relax.

  Which is how she ended up on her couch with a half gallon of double-fudge chocolate ice cream and a spoon, wearing a large, shapeless T-shirt over equally large and baggy sweat bottoms, looking like a fashion don’t.

  Comfort clothes and comfort food were heaven on earth, she thought, shoving in another mouthful as she sat on the couch with the remote, changing channels at the flick of her attention span.

  ”Meow.”

  She turned her head when Miss Priss leapt up to the back of the couch and balefully studied the ice-cream container. “I don’t share.”

  ”Meow.”

  Ah, hell. She held out the spoon and watched the cat curl up at her shoulder and very delicately lap at the offering.

  A loud rumbling made her jump until she realized it was coming from the cat. For a moment she seriously went still, thinking Miss Priss must be dying from some stomach ailment, but then she realized the cat was …purring .

  Apparently Miss Priss liked comfort food, too. “Well, what do youknow, common ground.”

  The cat’s eyes were closed in ecstasy as she lapped at the spoon, and Cassie actually felt a melting low in her belly at how cute she looked. She dipped the spoon back into the container for more. “Maybe we can coexist after all, huh?”

  At the knock on the front door, cat and woman looked at each other. “You expectingcompany?” Cassie asked. “Because I’m sure the hell not.” Reluctantly she set down the ice cream and padded into the foyer. She eyeballed the umbrella stand and one of the long-handled umbrellas in it, thinking that if Pete had somehow found her she could crack him over the head with one. Action plan in place, she looked through the peephole.

  Stacie stood there, smiling and waving at her.

  Cassie nearly groaned. She was so not feeling social. She looked like death warmed over … but thenagain, Stacie was holding an aluminum-foil-covered plate that looked loaded with incredible calories from heaven itself.

  Opening the door, Cassie’s gaze locked on that plate, so she didn’t anticipate the bone-crunching hug.

  ”Oh, Cassie.” Squeeze, squeeze. “You’re here!” Stacie pulled back and offered the plate. “I don’t know if you realized but we do a cookie exchange every month—me and Diane and Annie and some others—andeveryone is still talking about Bare Essentials. About the party you and Kate gave for all of us. We’re just so thrilled with what wepurchased, we wanted you to have these goodies as a thank-you.”

  Cassie, in the act of lifting the foil and eyeballing a meringue cookie, went still. “This is from … everyone?”

  ”Everyone.”

  ”To me. Cassie Tremaine Montgomery.”

  Stacie laughed. “The one and only. We sent Kate a plate, as well.” Her smile faded a little. “That’s okay, isn’t it? Because actually, they wanted me to invite you to join our cookie exchange, but we thought you might think it was … well, you know, too small-town. Sort of stupid.”

  ”I … don’t think it’s stupid.” In fact, she could hardly talk. She felt overwhelmed by their openness and generosity. “And if I wasn’t leaving at the end of the summer, I’d join your cookie exchange. If, um, I could cook.”

  Stacie grinned and hugged her again. “If you were staying, I’d show you myself. It’s fun.”

  ”But I’m not staying.”

  ”I know.”

  ”I’m leaving soon as fall hits. I have some jobs lined up.”

  ”You lead such an exciting life,” she said on a sigh. “Well … enjoy. Do you have any plans for the night? Maybe a hot date or something to go with that exciting life?”

  Cassie looked down at herself and laughed. “Yeah, hot date. Look at me.”

  ”I am. You’re beautiful.”

  ”Stacie, I am dressed like a potato sack. I haven’t combed my hair or put on any makeup.”

  ”Really?”

  Cassie started to laugh then realized Stacie wasn’t. “Maybe you need glasses.”

  Stacie shook her head, looking suddenly sad. “I mean, I can see you’re not dressed for a photo shoot, as you usually are, but my God, most women would kill to like you do right now on their very best day.”

  From inside, Cassie’s phone rang. Stacie smiled again. “I’ll let you go. Maybe tomorrow we can catch lunch together or something.”

  ”I…” She stared into Stacie’s hopeful face and let out a breath. “I’d like that,” she said, shocked to mean it.

  She thought about that as she went running for the portable phone, which she kept meaning to put back on its base after she used it but hadn’t managed yet. By the time she found the thing, under Miss Priss and her big butt, she was breathless.”Hello?”

  Dial tone.

  Well, damn she hated that. She set it down and told herself she’d just taken too long to get to the phone and whoever had been calling had gotten tired of waiting.

  Only no one ever called her but Kate, who would have called her on her cell phone, notFlo’s phone. She shook her head to clear it. She was not going to get paranoid.

  ”Meow.”

  Cassie sank back to the couch, reached for the ice cream and found it nearly gone. Shocked she craned her head and stared at the cat,who had a fudge mustache. “You are a pig.”

  Miss Priss started the rumble thing again and shifted closer. Then closer still, until she was in Cassie’s lap. Only then did she close her eyes and drift off.

  Cassie stared down at the big, fat, lazy cat. “You’re shedding,” she said. “Ugh. Luckily I don’t care about these clothes.” Leaving the cat in her lap, she reached for the plate Stacie had just brought, feeling a stab of something that felt uncomfortably like a conscience.

  Stacie thought they were friends, and Cassie had never said otherwise.

  But what kind of a friend took, took, took and didn’t give anything in return?Couldn’t give anything in return?

  ”I’m leaving in a month,” she told Miss Priss. “Stacie knows that.You know that.”

  Miss Priss opened her slitted green eyes and stared at her.

  ”I am,” Cassie said firmly, but her fingers sank into the cat’s fur. “And you’re going to have to find another person to mooch off of.”

  The doorbell rang again, and Cassie dislodged the fat cat. Grabbing a fistful of white-chocolate macadamia cookies to die for, she walked back into the foyer, figuring Stacie had forgotten something. Maybe she had another high-calorie offering.