Hot & Bothered

“I suppose I should thank you,” Libby said as she drew away. “But since your dog was the cause of my accident, I don’t think I will.”

He stared at her for a long moment, as if he could read her mind, and then shrugged. “Just trying to be neighborly.”

Libby brushed the dirt off her dress. “With a line like that, it’s a good thing we’re standing in my garden,” she muttered. “My roses need the fertilizer.”

Trey hitched his hands up on his waist and shook his head. “Maybe you ought to just lay back down with the rest of the prickly things in this garden, Lisbeth.”

The insult stung. She hadn’t meant to act so nasty, but Trey had a way of making her feel like a seventeen-year-old geek all over again. “So we finally see the real Trey Marbury,” Libby murmured, crossing her arms beneath her breasts and straightening her spine.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

She tipped up her chin. “Tell me, of all the houses in Belfort, why did you choose to move into this one?”

“You think I bought this house because of you?” Trey chuckled. “Now don’t you have a low eye for a high fence.”

Libby ground her teeth. He looked so satisfied, as if he had her exactly where he wanted her! All the confidence he’d possessed as a teenager had increased tenfold and Libby knew he’d have a snappy retort for anything she might throw his way. Well, she wasn’t a girl anymore. She was a woman fully capable of defending herself against his charms. “You’re no better than any other Marbury, all of you crooked as a barrel of snakes.”

“So that’s how it’s going to be?” Trey asked, taking a step toward her, his eyes glittering with amusement, goading her.

“Just stay out of my way,” Libby warned. “Keep your dog out of my garden and keep your nose out of my business. I’m watching you.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve seen you peering out from behind those starched curtains. For someone who values her privacy, you’re just a little too interested in your neighbors. Or is it just me you find so fascinating?”

Libby took a step forward, standing so close to him she could feel the heat of his body. She poked him in the chest, setting him back on his heels. “Don’t dare presume that I have even the slightest interest in you, Marbury.”

His jaw went tight as he stared into her eyes. Then, in one quick movement, he grabbed her hand and swept it behind her back, pulling her body up against his. At first, she was too stunned to protest. And then, when she opened her mouth to speak, all she could manage was a tiny gasp.

Libby’s eyes drifted down to his lips and she wondered if he had any intention of kissing her. If he did, she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to do anything about it—except perhaps kiss him back. But when her eyes met his again, Libby’s heart froze. It was there, in the icy blue depths. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

Trey’s lips curled into a grin and he chuckled softly. “What? Can’t think of anything to say?”

“What I have to say to you isn’t fit for civilized ears.”

He leaned closer to her, taking his own sweet time as he did. Libby waited, frantically wracking her brain for some acidic comeback or well-aimed put-down, certain he was about to kiss her and knowing she didn’t want to stop him. But before his lips touched hers, he paused, hovering so close she could feel his breath on her face.

Her heart hammered in her chest and Libby felt herself losing touch with reality. All she could think about was this moment and how everything hinged on her reaction. She didn’t move, barely breathed, her body trembling with anticipation.

And then, he did it. She knew it was coming, but she still wasn’t prepared for the flood of desire that raced through her bloodstream. In single fleeting moment, his lips were on hers. A tiny moan slipped from her throat as she collapsed against him, and he took it as an invitation. His tongue slowly traced along her bottom lip and then invaded, taking possession of both her mouth and her ability to reason.

Every nerve in her body seemed to come alive, every thought focused on the feel of his lips on hers. She’d kissed a small number of boys in her life, but this wasn’t just a kiss. It was a challenge, a dare, the first salvo in a battle that had just begun—and Libby couldn’t show any weakness. They weren’t kids anymore and along the way, they’d acquired some very adult weapons.

She returned the kiss in full measure, her tongue meeting his, touching and tangling until the taste of him filled her. Her hands flitted to his face and then furrowed through his hair, tempting him to surrender and declare her the victor.

When he finally drew away, Libby looked up at him, proud of her effort. She expected to see the self-satisfied grin she’d come to know, but instead he appeared to be as consumed by the kiss as she was. He gazed down at her through half-hooded eyes, and his breathing was shallow and quick.

“I think we’ve gotten off to a fine start,” he murmured, allowing his nose to bump against hers. “In fact, I think I’m going to enjoy the neighborhood just fine.”

With that, he let go of her arm. Libby stumbled back, light-headed and weak-kneed, nearly falling into the rose bushes again. But she caught herself just in time, straightening her posture and smoothing her trembling hands over the front of her dress. “Don’t be so sure. Just because you managed to kiss me doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about you.”

“Managed to kiss you? Considering your response, I more than managed. Besides, if you think there was anything romantic about that kiss, you’re wrong.”

“Really?” Libby said. “Why did you kiss me then?”

“It was the only way to keep you from hurling another insult at me,” Trey replied.

“Well, there’s a much easier way to accomplish that. You could just run on down to the train tracks and take yourself a nice long nap.” She glanced at her watch. “The train comes through at about three, so why don’t you plan on sleeping ‘til four?”

“I don’t think I’ll be doing that,” Trey said.

“Then just stay out of my life. Keep your dog out of my garden and your face out of my line of vision and we’ll get on just fine. And if you’re going to do yard work, at least wear a shirt.”

“My, I have missed that Southern hospitality.” He slowly backed away. “Just warms a man’s heart.”

Libby ground her teeth. There was no winning with him, no getting the last word! Deciding it was best to cut her losses, she turned on her heel and started for the house.

“I’m looking forward to that cake, Parrish.”

Libby clenched her fingers into fists. “No more than I’m looking forward to the day when you lose your testicles in a tragic lawn mower accident, Marbury,” she shouted over her shoulder.

As she continued her retreat to the house, Libby smiled to herself. Maybe she had gotten the last word. It wasn’t the most poetic turn of phrase, but the imagery had certainly hit the mark. Yet, there was no satisfaction in the victory. Though she might have won the battle, Libby wasn’t looking forward to waging the war.

It was entirely too difficult to remember that Trey Marbury was the enemy—and that falling for him again would mean surrendering the last shreds of dignity she had left.

2

TREY SEARCHED THROUGH the darkened room for his drill bits, the heat in the second-story bedroom making it hard to breathe. Since he’d moved in, he’d been sleeping on an old sofa downstairs, the tall windows thrown open to catch even the slightest breeze.

Hell, he’d been living up north for so long that he’d forgotten what a South Carolina summer was like—the unrelenting humidity, so thick it made everything stick to the skin, including whatever clothes a person could stand to wear.

It was easier to work inside once the sun went down, and there was plenty of work to do. The old Sawyer house had been left to ruin three years ago; its elderly owner had been reluctant to sell after she’d moved to a nursing home. It had been on the market just a few days when Trey moved back to Belfort and he’d jumped at the chance to buy it, offering a cash deal to speed up the sale. He’d moved in before the deal closed, ready to begin the renovations.

He’d told himself that the work would take the place of a social life in town. But after his encounter with Libby three days ago, Trey had been forced to reexamine his motives for choosing to buy this particular house.

Over the years, he’d thought about Libby, about their night at the river. No matter how he rationalized what had happened, it all still felt unfinished to him, as if there were still words that hadn’t been said, feelings that hadn’t been resolved.

The moment he drove into town, it was as if he were driving into the rest of his life. As much as he wanted to deny his small-town Southern roots, he’d come home, to a place where he had history. He’d come home to a place where people knew him and cared about him. Maybe he’d come back to Belfort hoping that he’d find Libby.

Trey bent down and picked through a pile of paint scrapers he’d tossed on the floor. So their first meeting hadn’t gone very well. Trey hadn’t expected it to be a lovefest, considering the feud that had always stood between their families. But he hadn’t expected outright hostility. They’d shared an incredible night; certainly that had to have meant something.

Obviously, it hadn’t. She’d never written him, never tried to make contact, even through he’d sent five or six letters. But all that had happened a lifetime ago. Libby was no longer the pale and skinny girl he knew, her wide green eyes always watching him but never meeting his gaze, taking such care to stay out of his way. She was a woman now and he was a man. Things had changed.

Trey sucked in a sharp breath. Maybe that was the way to rationalize the kiss he’d shared with her—it was just a male response to a beautiful female, purely animal in its origins. But Trey had never acted on impulse when it came to women. Every move in his romantic life had come after careful consideration. But what he felt for Libby Parrish had nothing to do with romance.

Trey snatched up the plastic case that held his drill bits and then straightened. He’d been thinking about Libby all afternoon and evening, trying to figure out what it was that had caused him to temporarily lose his mind. Yes, he was attracted to her, but at the same time, he knew to keep a safe distance. Trey was already the subject of rampant speculation around town and the last thing he wanted was to add a woman—especially Libby Parrish—to the mix of rumor and gossip. If he wanted a sex life, he’d have to find it in Savannah or Charleston, not next door.

Crossing the room to the window, Trey vowed to put every last thought of her out of his head—to forget the sweet taste of her, the feel of her body against his. But when he pushed aside the dusty drapes to open the window, he found himself faced with something more than just a mental picture. The bedroom window looked right out on Libby’s bedroom, now ablaze with light. He stepped back and let the moth-eaten curtain drop, but his curiosity got the better of him. Hell, if she could spy on him, he could certainly return the favor.

He parted the drapes again and watched. It was obvious she wasn’t aware of the view he had, or maybe the house had been empty for so long that it had never been a concern. Three tall windows spanned the width of her bedroom and opened onto the second-floor veranda. She hadn’t bothered to pull the lace curtains that hung on either side.

Trey watched her make the bed, shaking out freshly laundered sheets and smoothing them over the mattress of the huge four-poster. She wore a simple cotton dress, loose and flowing, like the one she’d worn that night at the river. The fabric clung to her body and outlined long slender legs and a tiny waist. The neckline was cut just low enough and gaped slightly when she bent over the bed. But Trey was left to fill in the image with memories of their kiss, his hand sliding along her back and then around to her hip, her breasts pressed against his naked chest.

She walked to the window and Trey fought the impulse to step away. He knew the room was dark and that he couldn’t be seen. Libby slowly unbuttoned the front of her dress, then turned and lifted her hair from her neck, letting the meager breeze cool her. Trey gnawed on his lower lip, suddenly wondering if she knew he was there, if every move was meant to taunt him further.

With a soft curse, he turned away from the window. He’d do well to find some feminine companionship and find it fast. Fantasizing about Libby Parrish was an exercise in masochism. She’d made her feelings about him patently clear—there was no love lost between the Parrishes and the Marburys, and there’d be none to find between him and Libby.

Trey tucked the drill bits into his back pocket and headed downstairs. Beau was waiting for him, his leash in his mouth and his tail thumping on the floor. “No way,” Trey murmured to the golden retriever. “We’re not going for a walk now. Nighttime is work time.” The dog trotted after him into the kitchen where Trey grabbed a cold beer from the refrigerator. He popped the top and then took a long drink, tipping his head back to let the ice-cold liquid slide down his throat.

The interior of the house was a wreck, the result of his enthusiastic demolition. The kitchen was the only thing he hadn’t touched. A guy had to eat, though he hadn’t been doing much of that lately. Chicago was known for great restaurants and he’d been spoiled, never taking the time to cook for himself. But Belfort had a much more limited selection, though the restaurants served good Southern home cooking.

“What I wouldn’t do for some decent Thai food,” he muttered, his stomach growling. As he took another sip of his beer, Trey’s cell phone rang. He picked it up from the kitchen table. “Trey Marbury,” he said.

“When the hell are you coming back to Chicago?”

He immediately recognized the voice of his business partner. The day to day stress of running a successful real estate development company seemed to result in an edgy, almost frantic tone for Mark Callahan and Trey knew that this was a phone call he wasn’t anxious to take. “Hey, Mark. What’s up?”

“This isn’t going to work.”

“It hasn’t even been two weeks,” Trey said. “That’s barely a standard vacation. Besides, I spoke with Dave this morning. If there are any problems, he’s promised to call me. I can always drive back for a day or two if necessary.”

“Listen, when you said you had to leave for a couple of months, I figured you’d be gone a couple of days. You’re not actually going to stay away for two months, are you?”

“I need some time,” Trey said. “I’ve got a lot of crap to sort out. When my father died in May, I came down here for the funeral and left the same day. I’m not sure I really dealt with what was going on. I need to do that now. Besides, isn’t this one of the benefits of being a partner?”

“Can’t you deal with your crap up here? We’ve got really good psychologists in Chicago.”

“No, it’s got to be here. I’ve got to take care of some things for his estate and I bought a house that I’m renovating.”

Mark gasped. “You bought a house?”

“Yeah, you ought to see this place. It was built in the mid-1800s and it’s got all the original architectural detailing. It’s going to be sweet when it’s finished. I’m doing a lot of the work myself. I was going to flip it, but I’m thinking I might just keep it for a vacation home.”

“It sounds to me like you’re planning to stay a lot longer than two months,” Mark said.

“Well, I’m not. Now, was there a specific problem you called to discuss, or can I get back to work?” They chatted for a few more minutes, Trey reassuring his partner that he was not abandoning the business. When he finally got off the phone, Beau was still sitting at the back door, his tail thumping. Trey tossed the phone on the table and then let the dog out. But to his dismay, Beau made a beeline for the azalea hedge. “Ah, hell,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Running after the dog, he got to the bushes just as the golden retriever scampered through a hole. Trey whistled softly and called, but the dog had never been very obedient. Had it been any other backyard, Trey would have walked away and let the dog wander. But he didn’t need Libby Parrish banging on his door at sunrise to complain about the condition of her roses.

The grass was cool and damp beneath his bare feet as he circled around the hedge and walked into Libby’s garden. As he came around the back corner of the house, he saw Beau sitting on the back porch, his nose pressed against the screen door.

“Get over here!” Trey hissed. “Beau! Come.”

The dog glanced over at his master, but refused to follow orders. Trey started toward the back door, but then a figure appeared in the doorway and he froze.

She had changed from her dress to a gauzy nightgown that left her arms and shoulders bare. Her hair had been pulled up and twisted into a knot, but damp tendrils brushed her temples and curled against her neck. At that moment, Trey was certain that he’d never seen anything quite as beautiful as Libby Parrish. The light from the kitchen outlined her slender form and created a shimmering halo around her body. She looked like an angel, pure and unapproachable.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

For a moment, Trey thought she was talking to him, but then he realized she was speaking to Beau. He waited, unwilling to break the silence of the night, hoping that the dog would turn and run.

Libby glanced both ways, then pushed the screen door open. “Are you lost? You live over there, not here.” She reached down and patted the dog on the head. Trey winced. Beau was an easy mark. The slightest show of affection turned the dog into a loyal friend. It would take ten pounds of raw steak to get Beau to leave now.

“Are you hungry?” Libby asked. Beau wagged his tail and stood up, nuzzling her hand. “Wait here,” she said. “Stay. Sit.”

Libby disappeared into the house and returned a moment later with a plate of biscuits. The smell drifted through the air and Trey groaned softly. He hadn’t eaten anything since lunch and the scent made his mouth water. He watched as Libby plucked a biscuit off the plate and held it up for the dog.

Beau jumped up and snatched it out of her fingers, gulping the treat down in one bite. “You like that?” she asked. “Bacon bits. Here, try this one. It’s got cheddar cheese and bits of jalapeño.” The dog gobbled down the second offering without even chewing. “You’re hungry. Doesn’t anyone feed you over there? Good dog. Try this one. It’s got little bits of sausage in it. Very savory.”

The light from the house shone behind her and every time she shifted, the fabric of her nightgown became virtually transparent. His image of an angel disappeared and instead, Trey saw a temptress, nearly naked to his eyes. He knew he ought to feel guilty for keeping to the shadows, yet he couldn’t seem to bring himself to announce his presence.

His gaze drifted up from her bare feet, along her legs, to her belly and the dark triangle just below. She wore nothing beneath the nightgown and as his eyes moved up, he could see the soft curve of her breasts and the deeper pink of her nipples.

Trey felt himself growing hard, his body as stimulated as his mind had become. What was this instant desire he felt and why couldn’t he control it? Trey took a step back, ready to make a safe escape. But the minute he moved, Beau pricked up his ears and trotted down the steps.

To Trey’s dismay, Libby followed. He stepped out of the shadows and Libby jumped in surprise. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. He ran over here before I could stop him.”

Libby stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether to speak or just walk back inside. “You don’t scare me,” she murmured, shrugging her shoulders.

“Sorry,” Trey repeated, keeping his eyes fixed on her face and hoping his shorts were baggy enough to hide the growing bulge. “It smells good out here.”

“I’m testing biscuit recipes,” Libby said.

Trey forced a smile, fighting an urge to cross the distance between them and kiss her again. Only this time, the kiss would be gentle and seductive. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a decent biscuit. Up north, they eat toast and English muffins for breakfast.”

“And try to find good grits,” she said. “Well, that’s impossible.”

Trey nodded, remembering the intoxicating taste of her mouth. “Although they make decent hash browns at this place on Division and—well, never mind.” He wasn’t even sure what he was talking about, only that it was keeping his mind from thoughts of running his hands over every inch of Libby’s body. Trey cleared his throat. “I’ll just take my dog and you can get back to your biscuits.”

“Would you like some?” Libby asked. “I have extra.”

The offer took him by surprise, an unexpected truce he didn’t want to rebuff. It wasn’t a kiss, but it was a step in the right direction. “Sure.”

“I’ll just go get some.” She hurried back into the house and returned a moment later with a small basket. She’d taken the time to line it with a checkered napkin before stacking the biscuits neatly inside.

Trey slowly approached her and took the basket from her outstretched arms, his fingers brushing against hers. The contact sent a frisson of heat through his arm. “Thanks. They smell great.”

“Try one,” she urged.

He smiled, cocking his eyebrow up. “You didn’t happen to slip a little rat poison in these, did you?”

“No,” she said, sending him a playful glare. “But I can whip up another batch in a few minutes if you like.”

Trey grabbed a biscuit and bit into it. “Oh, God,” he murmured as the biscuit melted on his tongue. The outside was golden brown and flaky, and inside, it was still warm. “This is the best biscuit I’ve ever eaten. You know, these are almost better than—” Trey paused and cleared his throat.

“What?” Libby asked.

“Nothing.”

“No, really. Be honest.”

Trey shook his head. “I was going to say they were better than…sex.”

This brought a tiny smile to her lips. “Bad food and bad women. Is that the real reason you decided to leave Chicago?”

“I’m glad I’m home,” Trey said, his gaze meeting hers.

They stared at each other for a long time, neither one of them moving or speaking. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms again and test the limits of their attraction. Would she welcome another kiss? Did she even realize how much he wanted her? Crazy thoughts raced through his head, fantasies that involved more than just a kiss. Trey glanced down at Beau, looking for anything to take his mind off the woman standing in front of him. “Well, thanks for the biscuits.” He held the basket out to her.

“No, take them with you. You can bring the basket back later.”

“Great,” Trey said. He reached down and grabbed Beau’s collar, tugging him along after him. “And I’ll make sure he doesn’t get in your yard. High fences make good neighbors, right?”

“Right,” she said. “Good night.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Good night…Libby.” Using her first name seemed almost too intimate, but Trey was past caring. All this treading carefully was making him crazy. Without another thought he let go of Beau’s collar and dropped the basket on the grass. In a few long strides, Trey crossed the distance between them.

Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her, his mouth covering hers, his tongue gently teasing. When he finally drew away, he looked down into her face. Her eyes were closed and a tiny smile curled her lips. “There,” he murmured. “That’s better.”

Her eyes fluttered open and she drew a shaky breath. “Th-that thing I said about the lawn mower accident? I didn’t really mean it.”

Trey chuckled. “Yes, you did. But I won’t hold it against you.” He slowly walked back to Beau and grabbed the dog’s collar again, then picked up the basket. “I’ll see you around, Libby.”

“See ya,” she called.