a thick holster with all the latest weaponry and gadgets, then remembered where they were. Darby, Texas. A little blip on the map outside of Austin. Here, there were no drug cartels or terrorists.
Just Joe Colter. The man by whom she’d judged every relationship over the years. The man who’d been her first love, who’d toyed with her affections and broken her heart.
The man who could still kiss like nobody’s business. Just a minute longer, she told herself. Because she had thought of him. And she did remember. Oh, how she remembered.
But she couldn’t allow herself to get caught up, to entertain any silly dreams or listen to mythical biological clocks ticking—a clock she intended to ignore, had to ignore.
Joe Colter was obviously entrenched in this town, the very town that she’d once run from—because of him. Her life was with Texas Confidential now.
Indulging a moment longer, her heart pumped when she felt Joe’s fingers tremble as his hands gently framed her face. That she could cause the reaction in him filled her with feminine power.
As though a floodgate had suddenly been opened, she poured herself into the kiss—just to show him what he’d missed, she told herself.
The problem with cockiness was that it often backfired.
And Penny’s intentions definitely backfired.
He insinuated a knee between her thighs, exerted just enough pressure to have her aching and throbbing and yearning to take him right down to the floor with her, to put out the fire.
And that was very dangerous. Joe Colter wasn’t for her. He never had been and never would be. He made her vulnerable. And she’d spent the last sixteen years teaching herself not to be vulnerable—or at least how to hide it well.
She put a palm on his chest, eased back.
“Looks like you win the bet again.”
He winced, closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “I didn’t mean—”
“I know.” Why did she keep needling him in ways that reminded them both of the past? “Forget I brought it up. I participated as much as you did just now.”
He leaned back and watched her for a long moment, looking as though he wanted to say more. Instead, he swept a finger beneath her eye. “You’re tired. I shouldn’t have taken advantage.”
Gentleness. She wasn’t used to it, and ridiculously, it made her want to cry.
Pretend, Penny. She deliberately let her gaze drift down the front of him, below his belt, then back up to his blazing hazel eyes. “From where I’m standing, looks like I’m the one who might have taken advantage.”
His brow cocked. “You always did pack a hell of a punch. Both with your fist and with your mouth.”
“Nice to know some things stay the same, hmm?”
“Or get better.”
She saw the appreciation in his eyes. She knew she looked good, much better than she had as a nerdy high school girl. But beneath the makeup and casually provocative clothes, she was still no-nonsense Penny Archer. She hadn’t been able to hold him sixteen years ago. She wasn’t even going to try now.
“It’s getting late…” she hedged.
“You’re right. I’ll find something to board up that window.”
“That’s not necessary. It’s a warm night, I’ll leave it for morning.”
“The mosquitoes will likely carry you off by then.”
She smiled. “I’ll shut the kitchen door.”
“It’ll only take me a minute.”
She let out a breath in a hiss. “I really am capable of boarding up—”
He winked, interrupted, “We aim to protect and serve.”
“Fine, then. I’ll help you.”
“I didn’t ask for help.”
“Neither did I.”
He shook his head and let out a sigh. “Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she drawled, charmed despite herself. “Maybe because it’s after midnight and I’m kind of tired? Or maybe because I’m just not used to being treated like a damsel in distress?”
“Baby, you don’t look like any damsel in distress I’ve ever seen.”
That made her laugh. “Compliments. I like those. Come on, Colter. Neither one of us’ll get to bed if we don’t take care of that window.”
His grin was slow and provocative. “I think I’ll leave that statement alone.”
“Good idea.”
They found a piece of plywood in the garage and hammered it over the opening. Joe insisted on helping her unload the car, too. He grinned when she glared at him.
“We’re going to butt heads, you and I, aren’t we?” he asked.
“Seems so. Are you looking for compliments to the mayor on how well you’re doing your job?”
“Hell no. If I could hand this position over to somebody else tomorrow, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
That made her pause. “You aren’t happy with your job?”
“I’d rather just run the ranch.”
“Then why don’t you?”
“I made a commitment.”
Just like he’d made a commitment to seduce her all those years ago, she thought. Granted, it had been a bet, but he’d put his whole self into accomplishing the task. Boy, had he.
Penny hadn’t realized just how much that incident still bugged her. She’d thought she’d dealt with it, matured, forgotten.
She hadn’t.
She had an idea she was going to have to let Joe fully explain himself before she left. And she would tell him just how he’d made her feel, let him have it with both barrels. Get it off her chest.
Then she could move on.
Perhaps this was the unfinished business she’d thought about when she’d been driving into town. The part of her past she had to face and put behind her once and for all so she could move on.
But not tonight.
“Is that all of it?” Joe asked, setting down her duffel bag and handing her the case containing her laptop computer.
“For now.” There was an attaché case in a special compartment of the trunk that held another weapon and more ammo, but she had an extra loaded clip for
