Twelve Nights Of Temptation

As was usual, the music had a rock-and-country flare. The menu was unpretentious. They had good beer on tap, and soda refills were free. She was driving her and Alex home tonight, so she’d gone with cola.

“Have you heard of anybody having any unexpected engine problems lately?” she asked Henry Schneider, who was sitting across the table.

Henry was a marine mechanic at Shutters Corner ten miles down the highway near the public wharf.

“Unexpected how?” he asked.

“We had some water in the fuel with no apparent cause.”

“Loose cap?”

“Checked that, along with the fuel source. The water separator was full.”

“There’s your problem.”

“I swapped it out, but I couldn’t figure out how it got that way.”

Henry gave a shrug. “It happens.”

Alex returned from the small dance floor with another mechanic, James Hamilton, in tow.

“So, no reports of anything strange?” Tasha asked Henry.

“Strange?” James asked, helping Alex onto the high stool.

“Unexplained mechanical failures in the area.”

“There’s always an explanation,” James said. “Sometimes you just have to keep looking.”

“You want to dance?” Alex asked Henry.

“Who says I was through dancing?” James asked her.

“Dance with Tasha.” Alex motioned for Henry to come with her.

He swallowed the remainder of his beer and rose from his chair.

James held out his hand to Tasha.

She gave up talking shop and accepted the invitation.

James was younger than Henry, likely in his late twenties. He was from Idaho and had a fresh-faced openness about him that Tasha liked. He was tall and lanky. His hair was red, and his complexion was fair. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him in a bad mood.

It wasn’t the first time they’d ever danced together, and he was good at it. He’d once told her barn dancing was a popular pastime in the small town where he’d grown up. She knew he’d left his high school sweetheart behind, and she got the feeling he’d one day return to her, even if he did prefer the West Coast to rural Idaho.

As the song ended, a figure appeared behind James. It took only a split second for Tasha to recognize Matt.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him, her guard immediately going up. She assumed this was too simple, too low-key to be his kind of place. “Is something wrong?”

“Dance?” he asked instead of answering.

James backed away. “Catch you later.”

Matt stepped in front of her as a Bruce Springsteen song came up.

He took her hand.

“Did something happen?” she asked. “Was there another breakdown?”

“Nothing happened. Can’t a guy go out for the evening?”

She struggled to ignore his light touch on her back and the heat where his hand joined hers. It was a lost cause. “This isn’t your typical hangout.”

“Sure it is.”

“I can tell when you’re lying.”

He hesitated. “I was worried about you.”

“Why?”

“There’s a criminal out there.”

She almost laughed. “If there is, he’s focused on your company. It has nothing to do with me.”

“We don’t know that.”

“We do.”

He drew her closer as they danced, even though she knew getting more intimate with Matt was a big mistake.

But the words didn’t come. Instead of speaking, she followed his lead. It was the path of least resistance, since their bodies moved seamlessly together. He was tall and solid and a smooth, skilled dancer.

She told herself she could handle it. They were in public after all. It’s not like they would get carried away.

“I know you like to be independent,” he said.

“I am independent.”

“The truth is, people are less likely to harass you if you’re with me.”

His words were confusing.

“Nobody’s been harassing me. Nobody’s going to harass me.”

Matt glanced around the room with apparent skepticism, as if he was expecting a gang of criminals to be lurking next to the dance floor.

“See that guy in the red shirt?” She pointed. “He worked at Shutters Corner. And the guy talking to Alex? He’s Henry’s coworker. They’re local guys, Matt. They’re mechanics. There are a lot of local mechanics here. And I’m talking to them all.”

Matt’s hold on her tightened. “Are you dancing with them all?”

She tipped her chin to look up at him, seeing his lips were thin and his jaw was tight.

He looked jealous. The last thing she wanted him to be was jealous. But her heart involuntarily lifted at the idea.

“No.” The sharp retort was as much for her as it was for him. “I’m here asking questions. I’m gathering evidence, if you must know.”

“Oh,” he drawled with immediate understanding.

“Yes, oh. If anybody’s having the same problems as us, these guys are going to know about it.”

“That’s a really good idea.”

She put a note of sarcasm into her tone. “Why, thank you.”

“I’m not crazy about the dancing part.”

“You asked me,” she pointed out.

“What? No, not with me.” He canted his head. “With them.”

She wanted to point out that he was dating other women. But she quickly stopped herself. Matt’s romantic life was none of her business. And hers was none of his. The more women he dated, the better.

His voice lowered. “You can dance with me all you want.”

“We’re not going there, Matt.”

“Okay.” His agreement was easy, but his hold still felt intimate.

“You say okay, but we’re still dancing.” She knew she could pull away herself. She knew she should do exactly that, but he felt so good in her arms, she wanted to hang on just a little bit longer.

“The song will be over soon.” He went silent for a moment. “How are you getting home?”

“Driving.”

“You came alone?”

“I drove with Alex. Matt, I’ve been going out at night on my own for the past six years.”

“Not while my boats were being sabotaged all around you.”

“We don’t know that they are being sabotaged. Honestly, I’m beginning to regret sharing my suspicions with you.” The last thing she’d expected was for him to go all bodyguard on her.

“We don’t know that they’re not. And don’t you dare hold anything back.”

She stopped dancing. “Matt.”

His hand contracted around her shoulder. “I didn’t mean for that to sound like an order.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Had there been some development? Was there a danger she didn’t know about?

“I heard TJ ask you out.”

The statement took her completely by surprise. “That was a long time ago. You can’t possibly suspect TJ.”

Sure, she’d turned TJ down. But he and Matt were good friends. He wouldn’t take out his anger with her by harming Matt. Plus, he hadn’t even seemed to care that much. He was still friendly to her.

“I don’t suspect TJ.”

The song changed to a Christmas tune. It wasn’t the best dance music in the world, but Matt kept leading, so she followed.

“Then why are we talking about him?”

Matt seemed to be reviewing their conversation so far. “It was Caleb.”

“You suspect Caleb?” That was even more outlandish than suspecting TJ.

“Caleb’s the one who got me worried about the sabotage. He’s worried about Jules, which got me to thinking about you. And then TJ mentioned that he’d asked you out.”

“Caleb worries too much. And TJ was months ago.”

“So, you’re not interested in him?”

Tasha was more than confused here. “Did he ask you to ask me?”

One minute, she thought Matt was romancing her, and she braced herself to shut him down. And then he seemed to be TJ’s wingman. Their kisses notwithstanding, maybe she was reading his interest all wrong.

Before Matt could respond, she jumped back in. “TJ’s not my type.”

Alex appeared beside Tasha on the dance floor.

She took Tasha’s arm and leaned into her ear. “James offered me a ride home.”

Tasha pulled back to look at her friend. “Is that a good thing?”

Alex’s eyes were alight. “You bet.”

Since Alex had a done a whole lot more dancing than drinking, Tasha wasn’t worried about her. And Tasha had known James for months. He seemed like a very upstanding guy.

“Do you mind if I bail on you?” Alex asked.

“Not at all. I’ll see you later.”

Alex grinned. “Thanks.” Her walk was light as she moved away.

“So, you’re driving home alone,” Matt said. “I’ll follow you.”

Tasha rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m serious.”

“Thanks for the dance,” she said and pulled back from his arms.

She was going to have another drink. She was going to chat with Henry and the other mechanics. She didn’t need a bodyguard.

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