Forget Prince Charming

Haley gritted her teeth but spoke evenly. “I went into that computer store to buy software. Tim was kind enough to help me and we had an enjoyable conversation. He asked me out Friday. I accepted. Simple as that.”

“Wow. A whole week in advance? Guy must be desperate.”

Haley’s jaw flexed harder, but she managed to hold on to the worst of her temper. “What is it with you? Is all of this because of what you read on my clipboard? Look, I apologize if you were offended, but it wasn’t meant to be seen by anyone but me. So why don’t you just put it out of your mind and we’ll both feel so much better.” She turned and marched off.

Rick hurried after her, catching her elbow before she could unlock her car door.

Haley froze, trying to ignore all the nerve endings that sprang to life at his touch. Not interested in princes. Not interested in princes. Maybe if she repeated that often enough it would be true.

He gentled his grip but didn’t release her. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I guess it was just hard to have you turn me down flat yesterday then watch you make a date with another guy today. But I can take no for an answer.” He smiled ruefully, his eyes boyishly charming. “We’re neighbors. It’s probably not a good idea to go to war, right?”

Nervously, Haley began weaving her key chain in and out of her fingers, the tinkling sound helping to distract her from his nearness. She nodded. “Okay. Let’s just call a truce. Fair enough?” She glanced up cautiously.

Rick was shaking his head, his blue eyes reflecting the cool shade of the cloudless sky. “Nope. Not good enough. Let’s start over. Hi. My name’s Rick. You must be Haley, my next-door neighbor. How do you do?” He lifted the arm he still grasped and held its hand with his free one in a firm, if puppetlike, handshake.

Haley rolled her eyes at his clowning attempt but weakened under the pressure of that contagious smile. She sighed and reluctantly smiled back at him. “Hi, Rick. Nice to meet you. I hope my dog Sherlock hasn’t been disturbing you with all his barking.”

“I like dogs. You should introduce us some time. Like tonight maybe? Care to have me over for pizza?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I thought you could take no for an answer.”

“Come on, just pizza between neighbors. I promise. My treat. You can fill me in on the building. You know, good gossip, dos and don’ts, how to get on the manager’s good side so I can get my doorbell fixed. Harmless stuff.”

She eyed him warily, remembering the sourpuss who used to live in the next-door apartment. The older woman hadn’t been as understanding about Sherlock’s barking. Haley had been anticipating an eviction notice when the woman finally moved out. Given the unexpected reprieve, it behooved her to get along with her new neighbor if at all possible. “Well, as long as you’re not some serial killer or anything—”

“Nope. I’m harmless. Mostly. Besides, you have Sherlock for protection. He can chaperon.”

Haley nodded slowly. Belatedly, she realized her hand was still in his and she pulled it free of his warmth. “I suppose that would be all right. We’re neighbors. It only makes sense to get acquainted.”

“That’s the spirit. So, what time’s good for you?”

Haley looked at her watch. “Well, I need to stop off at the shop, see how things went today. So, how about giving me about an hour and a half, maybe two hours?”

“So, around five-thirty or six? Your place? I’ll bring pizza and napkins.”

“Make it six and you’ve got yourself a—”

“—date?” Rick’s eyes widened with sparkling innocence.

“—deal.” Haley eyed him doubtfully. “This is not a date. We’re just neighbors getting acquainted.”

“Okay, if you say so. See you at six, Haley.”

Twenty minutes later, Haley swung into The Toy Boxx and flipped the sign to Closed. It was ten minutes early, but the shop was empty and she needed to debrief in private. She patted her pockets, dug through her purse. Key…in her desk. She’d lock up later.

“I’ll be with you in a minute.” Jen’s voice drifted pleasantly from the back room.

“Take your time. It’s just me. And I closed the shop.” Haley tossed her purse on the counter and turned to pull down the blinds.

“So what happened?” Jen emerged from the back room, carrying a box of shopping bags with the store’s logo on the front. She stashed them under the counter and pulled out an old-fashioned feather duster.

“I’ve got a date. Two, kind of, if you count Rick.”

Jen’s eyes widened. “Tell me.”

Haley started tidying shelves, straightening fallen teddy bears and restacking packaged cars. As she did so, she described her encounter with Tim.

“Okay, so what did you think of him?” Jen asked when Haley wound down.

Haley shrugged. “He seemed like a nice guy.”

“Did you discuss anything besides financial software?” Jen asked, mildly exasperated.

“Well, my computer, the system here.” Haley smoothed the hair on a doll before setting her next to her sisters. She looked up. “What more do you want? I only spoke to him for about twenty minutes and I was there for software. He seemed nice, he asked me out, and I decided, ‘Why not?”’

Jen shook her head and began whisking the duster back and forth across the blinds.

Noticing the head shaking and the rueful smile on her friend’s face, Haley threw out her hands in disgust. “What? I met what appeared to be a nice, unassuming kind of guy. A geek, if you want to be unkind about it. And he asked me out. Mission accomplished, right?”

“I knew this was a mistake, Haley. At this rate, you’re going to end up either stuck with some reliable guy who means nothing to you, or still dating at the age of ninety.”

Haley laughed. “I don’t think I’m that hopeless. I just need to get my feet wet, you know? I haven’t dated anyone but the prince charmings of the world. If things work out with Tim, great. If not, no harm done. Consider it a practice date.”

Jen studied her friend. “I suppose that’s reasonable.” She smiled slightly, her eyes narrowing. “So tell me about this Rick.”

“Well, you’ve already met him. He was the guy who was in here the other day while I was having my tantrum.”

Jen’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Oooh, Haley. Very nice.”

Haley made a face. “He’s also my new neighbor.”

“Your neighbor?”

“Next door. He’s coming over tonight for pizza.” Haley regarded Jen sternly. “But it’s just a neighbor thing.”

“Why?” Jen eyed her as if Haley had lost her mind.

Haley plopped down on the floor. She rested back against a massive teddy bear, letting its huge arms encircle her shoulders. “Because he’s beautiful. Mouthwatering.”

Jen stopped dusting. “And?”

“What else is there to say? He’s a hunk and I’ve sworn off hunks.” At that reminder, Haley dropped her hot face into her hands. “And he knows it.” The last came out in an embarrassed squeak.

“He knows it? What did you do? Tell him?” Jen’s voice rose in disbelief.

Haley looked up, her cheeks still hot. “Of course not. I’m not that stupid.” She described their encounter in the hallway, ending with a disgruntled sigh. “So, I guess that will teach me not to put incriminating evidence in writing.”

“Oh, Haley.” Jen grimaced in sympathy. “So, how did all this evolve into a pizza date tonight?”

“Well, I ran into him at the computer store today.” Haley whipped her hair behind her ears, the movement vicious. “He heard me with Tim. I must have sounded like a complete idiot. Defenseless maiden in need of guidance from the computer expert.” When Jen rolled her eyes, Haley’s voice rose in her own defense. “Tim was nervous of me. I had to do something to put him at ease. What would you have done?”

Jen shrugged. “So how did Rick react to all this?”

“He seemed kind of put off by it.”

“And that’s why you’re having dinner together tonight?” Jen sounded baffled.

“I guess he decided to give me the benefit of the doubt. In the interest of good neighbor relations.”

Jen smiled shrewdly at her friend. “Pretty lame, but I’ll buy it if you want me to. Tell me about Rick. Does he have anything approaching a personality? What about a job?”

Haley sighed in frustration but calmed enough to consider the questions. “Well, you know he’s good-looking. Kind of like Brad Pitt, but bigger, less pretty. Remember? And these incredible blue eyes.” She smiled ruefully. “Plus a body that won’t quit. Nice shoulders, tall, he obviously works out. I know he bikes. In fact, he owns a bike shop. As far as personality goes, though,” Haley frowned, irritation darkening her eyes, “he’s just what you’d expect from a guy who looks like that.”

“Boring?”

One eyebrow rose. “No, that he’s not. Just arrogant and provoking. Endlessly, annoyingly provoking. It’s like sparring with an immature older brother.”

Jen burst out laughing. “He sounds perfect for you. Have your pizza and your man with my blessings.”

“Now wait just a minute—”

A jingle and an imperious voice interrupted her protest. “Hello? Darling?”

Haley jumped to her feet. “Mom!”

She watched in mingled delight and dread as her smartly dressed mother strode crisply into the store. She tugged Haley into her arms for a warm hug.

Haley returned the hug absently, her eyes taking in the sight of the man who had sauntered in behind her. Oh, boy. Not again. Damn, she should have locked the door. Not that she minded the view. Indeed, it was fine. Too fine. Her mother was trying to stack the deck against her.

She pulled back, smiling determinedly at her mother. “What brings you here today?” As if I didn’t know.

Clara Watson just as determinedly ignored the silent accusation. “I wanted to visit my daughter and I brought along a friend.” She turned a brilliant smile on Mr. Smooth, Dark and Sculpted. “Adam Harding, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Haley.”

Haley transferred her gaze to the man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He was undeniably good-looking, a few inches shy of six feet tall, and wearing a smile that radiated charisma. Haley offered her hand and a polite smile. “Hello, Adam. Nice to meet you.” She withdrew her hand after a brief shake. “So how do you two know each other?”

Clara smiled proudly. “We featured Adam on the Show Me Show a few weeks ago, and I have to say he looked just marvelous on TV. The camera adores him. My ratings went right through the roof that morning. He also happens to be local, can you believe it?” She gazed meaningfully at her daughter. “In fact, his family’s been local for over a hundred years. Isn’t that right, Adam?”

“Yes, ma’am.” It was a rich, smooth voice, but somehow it fell flat on Haley’s ears. Maybe she was actually building up a resistance to gorgeous, charming men. “You have a beautiful mother and an intriguing store, Haley. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Thank you.” Haley’s smile felt tight. She felt her mother’s unspoken command to turn on the sparkling wit and ignored it, remaining stubbornly nonsparkling. She felt Jen move up beside her, silently amused but supportive.

“Hi, Mrs. Watson.” She greeted Clara then turned to the man at her side. “Hi, I’m Jennifer Grayson, Haley’s business partner.” She offered her hand.

“Oh, good. Perhaps you could help me find a book for my niece while Haley and Clara visit?” He smiled charmingly as he shook hands.

Jen’s smile was dazzling. Haley resisted the urge to stomp on her friend’s foot. Her mother didn’t need any encouragement—and Jen was happily married.

Jen tossed her a glance, easily interpreted as I’m married, not dead. Then she gestured to the books across the store as she led the way, chatting politely with Adam.

Haley turned back to her mother.

“Isn’t he handsome?” Clara’s hushed voice vibrated with enthusiasm.

“Oh, very.”

“He’s rich, too. All kinds of attorneys and judges and business people in his family. An established name, good connections. And so charming. He took me to lunch the other day and ordered in French. Very impressive. Don’t you think so?” Her sparkling eyes avidly perused the tall man.

“Oh, sure.” Haley’s eyes remained stubbornly on her mother.

At Haley’s flat tone, Clara turned back to frown at her daughter. “So why am I getting this attitude? I worked very hard to find a man I thought would impress you.”

Haley gritted her teeth. “I appreciate all the hard work, Mom, but please stop all this. It’s humiliating. Do you think I’m so unattractive I can’t find a man myself?”

“Oh, no, honey. I’m just trying to save time. At twenty-eight, your childbearing years are slipping away before my eyes. I want grandchildren before I’m old and drooling in the home.”

“Mom!”

“Honestly, Haley. Your father’s gone, and you’re all I have left. It would break my heart if you didn’t start a family of your own. I don’t want you to be lonely, and frankly, I don’t want to die alone while you work yourself to death.”

“If you’re so lonely, maybe you ought to be the one dating, not me.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Haley wished she could call them back. She stared into her mother’s wide eyes. “Oh, Mom. I’m sorry. Really. I know you and Daddy—I didn’t mean—”

Clara stared, her perfectly powdered chin quivering slightly. “No, it’s okay. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve been putting too much of a burden on your shoulders. I’m sorry.” She made a visible effort to smile. “I guess I won’t call the other men on the list, then.”

“List?”

Clara waved it off. “Never mind.”

A cha-ching of the cash register distracted them both, and soon Jen and Adam joined them. After a few moments of polite conversation, during which Haley felt lower and lower, Clara and Adam left together.

After the door closed behind them, Haley slumped into a miniature chair. “I’m pond scum. Absolute slime. Lower than slime. Bacteria reject me as substandard host material.” Haltingly, Haley related events to Jen. “And Dad’s only been gone three years. Mom was devastated. I’m such a creep.”

Jen shook her head, a sympathetic smile on her face. “That was a little rough, Haley.”

“No kidding. I’m really tired of her parading men in front of me, but I could have just said so without being mean.”

Jen cocked her head. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she needed to hear the ‘mean’ part, too. Your mom’s an attractive woman still.”

Haley’s eyebrows raised high. “You think she should start dating again? But she’s my mother.”

“Oh, don’t be juvenile, Haley.” Jen spoke with the blunt familiarity of lifelong friendship. When you shared jump rope, puberty and boys, then remained friends into adulthood, there wasn’t much you couldn’t say to one another.

Haley sighed. “I suppose. I’m still going to call her and apologize, though.”

“Mmm. Not a bad idea. Sure you don’t want to date Adam?”

“I’m sure.”

Jen smiled. “Something tells me you prefer tall blond men who like dogs, bikes and pizza. Right?”

“Wrong.”

“Oh, come on. He sounds fantastic. I think you should go out with him.”

Haley eyed her incredulously. “Hello? Where were you when we talked about all this earlier? I’m through with the Adams and the Ricks of this world. Not only is Rick a hunk, just like all the other jerks I’ve dated, but he also annoys me to no end. Do you want to see me arrested for murder? Some friend you are.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” But Jen still looked highly amused.

Haley scowled and finished reorganizing the boxed games before helping Jen lock up for the rest of the weekend. No way would she admit that she still couldn’t rid her memory of a pair of wicked blue eyes taunting and tempting her. She headed home with not a few misgivings about the evening’s plans.

3

WHEN THE DOORBELL RANG promptly at six, Haley wiped nervous palms on her jeans. The pants were part of the third outfit she’d tried on this evening. She’d wanted to strike just the right note of casual friendliness. This was not a date.

Still, she couldn’t set her vanity aside so completely as to dress in her scrubbiest clothes. She’d finally settled on worn but figure-hugging jeans, and a pretty V-neck T-shirt in a shade of coral that did nice things for her hair and complexion. Attractive without being provocative. Okay. She was ready.

Plastering a friendly smile on her face, Haley swung the door open. And forgot to breathe.

There Rick stood, sinfully masculine in faded jeans and a white T-shirt. Granted, the outfit was simple, but when those clothes, simple as they were, were wrapped around a body like Rick’s, they took on a life and sexuality of their own.

“Hi.” Rick stood grinning in the doorway, a pizza box in his hands. His grin faltered at her lack of response. “All right if I come in?”

Haley jumped. Inhaled. “Oh, sure.” She stepped back—way back—to admit him. One touch, and dear lord, she’d—

“Great. I brought a six-pack, too. Do you drink beer?” He sent a curious glance over his shoulder.

“Oh, sure.” Do you drink arsenic, Haley? Oh, sure, Rick, anything you offer me with that sexy wave of hair falling over your eye…getting all tangled up with long, silky eyelashes. Oh, heaven help me.

“So where’s our chaperon?” Rick set the pizza down on the table and looked around the apartment, his gaze traveling up the stairs. At the top was a tall, well-chewed baby gate Haley had fashioned in front of the entrance to her loft bedroom. A dark-eyed puppy with floppy ears and massive paws stared down at him. The dog, a chocolate Labrador, whined pathetically from behind the barrier. Rick grinned and turned back to Haley.

“Sherlock?”

“The dog I kidnapped, you mean?” Her senses returning, Haley raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

He grinned sheepishly.

She relaxed, her gaze sweeping upward to study her pet with affectionate resignation. “Yeah, that’s him. He’s a little rowdy with guests, so I usually confine him when I have company.”

“Aw, let the poor guy out.”

She eyed him doubtfully.

“So maybe he’ll jump on me a little or slobber all over the place.” He shrugged. “I can take it. Want me to let him out?”

“Go for it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She watched in expectant glee as Rick loped up the stairs and fumbled with the gate before finally removing the barrier.

With a joyful bark and a romp, the dog planted both paws on Rick’s stomach. With a surprised woof of his own, Rick doubled over and stumbled down a step or two. His chest heaved as he worked to regain the breath the dog had forced from his lungs.

Giggling, Haley watched as Sherlock leaped down the stairs, then ran right back up them. He paused to jump and slobber and whine for the sheer joy of a newfound companion. Then he bounded back down the steps. Before the dog could leap up them again, Rick grabbed the dog’s collar with a practiced hand. “Sherlock. Down.”

Her giggles dwindled to a disbelieving chuckle as she watched her incorrigible puppy sit and stare, unmoving even after Rick released the leather collar. When Sherlock’s rump started to bounce right back off the floor, Rick employed the same, firm tone. “No. Down.” The rump hit the floor again. Sherlock cocked his head in curiosity.

Feeling her own head cock with similar emotions, Haley just stared.

After a long moment, Rick patted the puppy on his silky head and fell to his knees in front of him. “Good dog. Way to go, boy.” He scrubbed and tugged at the dog’s ears until the animal slid to the floor, a boneless mass of ecstasy.

Rick laughed and gave the dog a last pat, then rose to his feet.

“That’s incredible. How’d you do that?” Haley glanced back and forth between dog and man. Her shock gave way to irritation that her own pet would obey this stranger before he’d listen to his devoted mistress.

Rick shrugged, his smile easy. “I’m good with dogs. Sherlock here is just a pup, and he’s got a lot of heart. He just needs a firm voice and consistency. So, ready for dinner? I’m starved.” He shoved his hands in his back pockets. The posture stretched the denim taut across his hips, emphasizing his flat belly and the fullness behind his zipper.

Wrenching her eyes from the sight, Haley swallowed hard and tried for a breezy smile. “Kitchen’s in there.” The direction was basically moot, since the first floor of her apartment was one big room, divided only by the flow of furniture. And the pizza was already sitting on the kitchen table.

“Great.” Rick moved into the kitchen area. A docile Sherlock padded along behind him then dropped down on a braided rug for a nap. Rick casually glanced at an antique teddy bear collection arranged above cabinets painted a cheerful yellow. Smiling at some inner thought, he turned his attention back to the pizza box.

Haley joined him in the kitchen, careful to sidle around the table so it was always positioned between her body and Rick’s. “So, um, have a seat.”

“Thanks.” Rick dropped easily into a chair and flipped open the pizza lid. While Haley lifted a piece out, strings of cheese dangling from the slice, Rick popped the tops of two beers and slid one across the table to her. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just ordered a garbage pizza. I figured you could pick off anything that you didn’t want.”

“Mmm, no. This is great.” She sank her teeth into the loaded-down slice, thankful for the distraction of food.

Once they were both satisfied, leaning back comfortably in their chairs, Haley grinned lazily at Rick. “Thanks for the pizza.”

Ah, pizza, the great equalizer, she mused silently. Watching each other slurp dangling strings of cheese and lick tomato sauce off fingers tended to knock down any barriers to communication. No longer intimidated, she felt downright benevolent. In that mode, she gave way to her curiosity about the man seated in her kitchen, a stranger to her until just a few days ago.

“So, neighbor, tell me about yourself. Are you new in town or just new to the building?”

“Just new to the building.” His face was curiously blank.

“Are you native to the St. Louis area?”

He shook his head. “I grew up in Chicago and moved here about five years ago.”

“Chicago, huh? And so you moved here to work at a bike shop?” She gave him a puzzled look.

He paused. “That’s right. I like St. Louis. Is that a problem?”

“No, of course not.” She shrugged. “I guess you just strike me as a little more cerebral than the average jock. I thought maybe…” She gave him a speculative look.

He returned the look. “You thought that maybe…?”

“Well, I just wondered if you had other ambitions. I mean, I’m sure a bike shop’s a lot of fun, but…”

“But?” His smile was even more challenging.

She studied him, then tried a smile. “But nothing, really. I was just curious. We are playing get to know your neighbor, right?”

“Right.” He relaxed back in his chair, but his eyes were still alert. “So, neighbor, what about you?”

“Well, you know about the toy shop.”

His smile widened. “I like your toy shop.”

“Thanks.” She relaxed, her smile easier.

“So are you from here originally, then?”

“Born and bred in the area. Although there are days when I think I could easily be convinced to move to Timbuktu.” She made a face. “My mother…worries.” Remembering her harsh words earlier that day, and a telephoned apology that didn’t quite make up for it, she felt a tug at her heart. “She worries a lot, actually.”

“I see.” His smile widened. “And should she?”

Haley cocked her head, thinking, then grinned. “Well, now that you mention it…” She waved off the idea before continuing in a more serious tone. “No, not really. I’m pretty tame. Not all that bright sometimes.” She paused, reflecting briefly on her erstwhile boyfriend and various dates who’d been just like him. “But probably not dangerous to others.”

“Just dangerous to yourself,” Rick surmised, nodding. “I guess you’re referring to your love life?”

She looked down at the napkin she’d begun to shred. “What makes you say that?”