Hot Stuff

“Wow. So that whole thing about you looking like you could be a killer . . .”

  “This isn’t a conversation I want to have at this moment,” Kellen said. “And for the record, cops very infrequently kill people.”

  “Why did you change jobs?”

  “It was too regimented. It turns out I don’t always play well with others.”

  “And what is it that you do now?”

  “Different things. Security sometimes.” Kellen clipped the leash onto Beast’s collar and handed the leash to Cate. “Let’s walk.”

  “Were you a Boston cop?” Cate asked.

  “No.”

  “Where?”

  “My turn for a question,” Kellen said. “How old were you when you lost your virginity?”

  “Okay,” Cate said. “I get the message. Let’s walk.”

  Julie followed Cate into Cate’s bedroom. “I saw him from my window,” Julie said. “I saw you all go out with Beast, and I watched the three of you walk across to the park and walk down the block. And I saw you come back. And I rushed right up as soon as I saw Mr. Tall, Dark, and Yummy leave. Honey, he’s delicious. Who is he? How long have you known him? Is he good in bed? He looks like he’d be amazing in bed.”

  “He’s just a bar customer who took pity on me in the park when I couldn’t get Beast to go home. I don’t know much about him.”

  “I think you need to take him out for a test drive.”

  “I think I need to walk away and not look back. There’s something about him that makes my radar hum. He’s secretive. And he has a way of smiling with his mouth but thinking with his eyes. And he’s much too good looking.”

  “Sweetie, there’s no such thing as too good looking.”

  Beast rounded a corner and spied Julie. His ears went up and his eyes got bright.

  “Uh-oh,” Julie said. “Your dawg is gonna knock me down again.”

  Cate jumped in front of Beast and gave him a hand signal. “Sit!”

  Beast sat and thumped his tail with happiness.

  “Look at that,” Julie said. “Bless his heart, he’s all proud of hisself.”

  Cate gave Beast a dog treat. “Tall, Dark, and Yummy taught me how to do this. He worked with a dog when he was a cop.”

  “Tall, Dark, and Yummy was a cop? Oh, that’s good news and bad news. The good news is there’s nothing like a man in uniform, especially if he’s carrying a gun. And the bad news is the statistics on cop fidelity aren’t encouragin’. I know all about it because I used to date some of the guys who worked at the correctional facility in my town. And for a spell I dated Amos Cole, who was a sheriff ’s deputy. Amos sure could kiss. Trouble was he kissed everybody. I haven’t seen him in a while, but my mom told me Amos had a premature bout of gingivitis and most of his teeth fell out of his head. Personally I think it might have had something to do with all that kissing. Amos kissed people in places I don’t even want to think about. He was a kissin’ fool. I heard Amos once Frenched Maynard Bailey’s big ol’ breeder sow, but that was never confirmed.”

  The doorbell chimed and Cate opened the door to Sharon.

  “I came as soon as I could,” Sharon said. “Whoa! Is this the dog?”

  Beast looked up at Sharon and smiled.

  “His name is Beast,” Julie said. “And he’s trained. He’s probably smarter than half the people in my hometown. A lot of them we can’t get trained at all.”

  Sharon tentatively reached out and touched Beast on the head. Beast gave a happy bark, put his two front feet on Sharon’s chest, and straddled her when they both went down to the ground.

  “See that,” Julie said. “He did that to me too. He’s probably trained to do that.”

  Beast was nose to nose on top of Sharon.

  “Help,” Sharon whispered.

  Cate pulled Beast off and told him to sit.

  “Sorry,” Cate said, helping Sharon to her feet. “He’s just a puppy.”

  “Yeah,” Sharon said. “I could tell by the way he only weighs 120 pounds.”

  “Cate knows that because Mr. Tall, Dark, and Yummy told her,” Julie said. “Mr. Yummy knows everything. And he used to be a cop, but maybe we shouldn’t hold that against him until we know for sure how he stacks up on the fidelity issue.”

  “Tall, Dark, and Yummy?” Sharon asked.

  “It’s no big thing,” Cate said. “He’s a customer who saw me in the park and offered to help with Beast.”

  “I saw him out the window,” Julie said, “and I bet you a dollar it’s a big thing, if you know what I mean.”

  “Why don’t I know about this guy?” Sharon asked. “Why does Julie know about him?”

  “Julie knows about him because she’s nosy and hangs out her window all day,” Cate said.

  “That’s true,” Julie said. “I’m observin’ humanity. I’m even observin’ at night when I’m workin’ on the trolley. I think people are real interestin’. And I’m good at observin’ things. Like, I can tell somethin’ went right for you today. You got a glow, and you didn’t even cuss at Beast when he knocked you down.”

  “I sold a house today,” Sharon said. “Sealed the deal a half hour ago.”

  “Woohoo!” Julie said. “That is so fabuloso. We should all go out and celebrate.”

  “I have to work,” Cate said.

  “Oh yeah, I forgot,” Julie said. “Me too.”

  “We can celebrate after work,” Cate said. “I’ll make a cake, and we can meet here at 11:30.”

  “Perfect,” Sharon said. “I’ll bring a bottle of champagne.”

  “I haven’t got anything to bring,” Julie said.

  “That’s okay,” Cate said. “You can bring yourself. We know you haven’t got any money.”

  “I know you’re going to be on your best behavior when I’m at work,” Cate said to Beast, fondling his ear. “And I know your feelings are probably a little hurt because I’m locking you in Marty’s bathroom. But here’s the thing . . . this isn’t my furniture. And even though Marty is the one who bought you, I feel responsible for keeping his condo nice when he’s gone. There’s lots of room in here for you. And I gave you a bowl of water. And there’s a fluffy throw rug for you to nap on. And when I come home you can have some cake with Sharon and Julie and me.”

  Beast looked around his space. White commode and sink of space-age design, direct from Japan. Large walk-in shower. Large soaking tub with stainless bath caddy. Acres of Bulgarian yellow limestone. Fluffy white rug from a specialty store on Newbury Street. Single exotic phallic-looking red flower in a dark Asian pottery bud vase sitting on the caramel-and-cream onyx counter. Large bowl of water.

  Cate closed the bathroom door and let herself out of the condo. She rode the elevator to the ground level, walked out the front door, and stopped when she saw Patrick Pugg.

  “Never fear. Pugg is here to walk you to work,” Pugg said to Cate. “Pugg will protect you from ruffians and persons of questionable stability.”

  “At the risk of hurting your feelings, you’re the only person of questionable stability I see on this street.”

  “That may be, but Pugg senses danger. Pugg is keenly intuitive.”

  “Does Pugg know any details about the danger?”

  “Not yet, but Pugg thinks it will come to him.”

  Cate was walking fast to the bar, trying to get away from Pugg, and Pugg was scrambling to keep up with her.

  “Let me know when you get the details,” Cate said. “In the meantime, we should stop meeting like this.”

  “Is it your boyfriend? He’s jealous of Pugg, isn’t he? Pugg has encountered this problem before.”

  “It’s not just my boyfriend. It’s us. It’s not going to happen.”

  “Pugg has encountered this problem before, too, and Pugg has discovered over the years that sometimes he can wear a woman down and eventually have his way with her. Pugg is not averse to pity sex. Sometimes women even have sex with Pugg as a bribe to leave them alone.”

  “That’s
disgusting.”

  “Yes, but effective. I don’t suppose you would consider . . .”

  “No!”

  “Pugg suspects you’ll feel differently next week.”

  “Pugg is cruising for another knee in the groin.”

  “Pugg likes your spunk, but he’d prefer not to get kneed in the groin again.”

  Cate wrenched the door to Evian’s open and swished inside. “Go away,” she shouted to Pugg. “Go home! Harass some other woman.”

  Cate went directly to the small back room reserved for employee lockers. She threw her purse into a locker and called her mother on her cell phone.

  “Where did you find Pugg?” she asked her mother.

  “I got new tires for the van, and he gave me a discount. He seemed like such a nice young man, I immediately thought of you.”

  “He’s not nice! He’s a disaster. You have to stop fixing me up. I’ll find a man on my own. I’m just not ready yet.”

  “Your brother has a banker who sounds wonderful.”

  “I’m begging you. Please, no more fix ups for a while.”

  “I’ll restrain myself. And Danny will probably lose interest in your love life since he has other things on his mind. Amy just found out she’s pregnant again. I’m making chicken and biscuits stew as a special celebration dinner tomorrow night. It would be nice if you could join us and bring one of your amazing cakes.”

  “Sure. That’s great. I’m really happy for Danny and Amy. And it’s my day off so I don’t have to jump up and leave before dessert.”

  Even before Kellen McBride strolled into the bar at ten thirty, he knew he was in big trouble. Cate Madigan was stuck in his head. He liked the way she smelled, and the way she kissed, and the way her hand felt in his. He liked her curly red hair and milky white skin and Opie Taylor freckles. She was all the things he admired and feared in a woman. And that translated to a knot in his stomach and an ache in the area of his heart. Symptoms very similar to indigestion, but Kellen didn’t think an antacid was going to do much for him. He was very close to having his ticket punched. He supposed he’d always thought it would happen one day . . . he just hadn’t planned on it happening now. Truth was, it was inconvenient and mildly painful. And he had no idea how to reverse the process . . . or if he wanted to.

  “I thought I should show up to walk you home,” Kellen said to Cate. “After all, I am your boyfriend. And I’m territorial. I wouldn’t want Pugg moving in on me.”

  “Was he outside?” Cate asked.

  “Yep. I told him I was on board.”

  “Did he go?”

  “No, but he crossed the street.”

  Cate wandered the length of the bar, checking on the few remaining customers. A half hour to closing and everyone was in a holding pattern. She rinsed glasses and tidied up. And she thought about Kellen McBride, and admitted to herself that she liked him. A lot. And she was attracted to him. A lot. And she felt totally flummoxed over the whole thing. A lot.

  “He’s completely out of my league,” Cate said.

  Andy Shumaker dragged his attention off the overhead game to Cate. “Who?”

  “Sorry,” Cate said. “I was talking to myself. I didn’t realize I was talking out loud.”

  “Why do you think he’s out of your league?”

  “He’s way too handsome. And he’s very smooth. He’s probably had a kazillion girlfriends.”

  “Lucky duck,” Andy said. “Who are we talking about?”

  “The guy at the end of the bar.”

  “The one staring at you?”

  “Yep.”

  Andy did a little finger wave at Kellen and hoisted his glass in salute. Kellen finger-waved and hoisted back.

  Andy was in his midfifties and had recently been kicked out of his house. His wife had listed “constant humming and finger tapping” as grounds for divorce, and Andy was attempting to break himself of the habit by consuming large quantities of alcohol.

  “I bet he exfoliates,” Andy said. “I bet he’s a stinkin’ exfoliator.”

  Cate made a mental note to cut off Andy’s beer supply for the night and slid a look at Kellen. “You could be right,” she said to Andy. “He has wonderful skin.”

  “And look at his eyebrows. He has two of them. And they’re not even fuzzy. I bet he plucks.” Andy slugged down the remainder of his beer. “You know what it means when a man plucks his eyebrows?”

  “He wants to look human?”

  “It means he’s gay.”

  “Feeling a little hostile to the well-groomed guy?” Cate asked Andy.

  “I hate those groomer guys,” Andy said. “They all think they’re so hot. Look at the way his clothes fit. It’s like he had them tailored. And his shirt is ironed. And he has muscles! I bet he works out.”

  “You could work out,” Cate said to Andy.

  “When?”

  “You could work out instead of sitting here drinking beer.”

  Andy stared at Cate, mouth open, eyes showing mild horror as he digested her suggestion. The train was slow in loading at Andy’s station.

  Kellen crooked his finger at Cate in a come here gesture.

  “Me?” Cate mouthed.

  Kellen smiled and nodded.

  Cate gave Andy a diet soda. “On the house,” she said. And she moved down the bar to Kellen.

  “You were talking about me,” Kellen said.

  “We were admiring your shirt.”

  “It’s just a standard white button-down.”

  “It’s ironed. Andy was impressed.”

  “As well he should be. What about you?”

  “What about me?”

  Kellen grinned. “Are you impressed?”

  “Pretty much,” Cate said. And she thought she would probably be even more impressed by what was under the shirt.

  Chapter

  SIX

  Cate and Kellen stepped out of the cool bar into the hot night and immediately spotted Pugg waving at them from across the street.

  “Pretend Pugg isn’t here,” Pugg called. “Pugg is a phantom in the night watching over his damsel.”

  “Pugg needs a reality check,” Kellen said, taking Cate’s hand.

  Cate looked down at her hand in his. It felt nice, but she wasn’t sure what it meant.

  “Pretending to be a boyfriend?” she asked.

  “No. I just wanted to hold your hand. I don’t think we need to pretend anymore.”

  A light mist had started to fall and the sidewalk glistened under the globe lights that hung over Evian’s front door. The temperature was in the low eighties. The sky was black and starless. The few people on the street walked with their heads down, plowing through moist, saturated air that clung to skin and soaked into lightweight fabric. It was a little after eleven and traffic was sporadic.

  Pugg was still following across the street when Cate reached her building.

  “Pugg’s going home now,” he yelled to Cate. “Call Pugg any time of the day or night if you need anything. Ice cream, pizza, chocolate bars, buttered popcorn, beef burrito, a morning diddle.”

  Cate felt Kellen’s grip tighten on her hand. “I’m going to have to talk to him,” Kellen said.

  “Ignore him. He said he was going home.”

  Kellen released Cate’s hand and moved to cross the street. “I’ll ignore him after I talk to him.”

  “No!” Cate said. “You’ll get blood all over your nice white shirt.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “I hate this macho shit,” Cate said. “Run Pugg!” she shouted to Patrick Pugg. “Run.”

  “Oops,” Pugg said. And he took off before Kellen could make his way through the street traffic.

  Kellen turned back to Cate. “You ruined all my fun.”

  “You were going to hit him.”

  “Only if he didn’t listen to what I was going to say.”

  And Kellen knew exactly what he was going to say to Pugg. Truth was Kellen liked Pugg, but Pugg was going to have to
understand that it was unacceptable to speak to Cate like that. As far as Kellen was concerned, Cate was his, and he was prepared to protect her from all of the evils of the world. He was going to be the one to slay the dragon and storm the castle. Okay, so probably he would also have to sometimes pick up the dragon’s droppings and take out the castle’s garbage, but those weren’t jobs for the faint of heart either, right?

  “My brothers were always beating up my boyfriends. It was awful. After a while no one would date me. I had to go to my prom with my brother Danny.”

  “Pugg isn’t your boyfriend.”

  Cate opened the front door to her building, and they both stepped inside.

  “Next time I’ll let you talk to him, but you have to promise not to hit him.”

  “Fine. Can I shoot him?”

  Cate rolled her eyes and got into the elevator, and Kellen got in with her.

  “You don’t have to see me to my door,” Cate said.

  Kellen hit the button for the fourth floor. “Yes, I do. It’s part of the boyfriend code.”

  “You’re not actually my boyfriend,” Cate said.

  Kellen was standing very close. Close enough for Cate to feel his body heat. Close enough for her to catch a hint of something that smelled masculine and sexy and expensive. A lingering trace of cologne or aftershave.

  Kellen closed the small space between them and brushed his lips across hers. “I could be a boyfriend,” he said.

  “Not afraid of my brothers?”

  “I think I can hold my own.”

  “They fight dirty,” Cate said.

  “Me too,” Kellen said. And he kissed her again, touching his tongue to hers.

  Cate felt the heat rush through her stomach and head south. The elevator doors opened, and Cate debated staying in the kiss as opposed to jumping out and running for the safety of the condo.

  “Can’t make up your mind?” Kellen asked.

  “I can handle Patrick Pugg. I’m not sure about you.”

  Kellen draped an arm around Cate and moved her out of the elevator, down the hall to her condo. “That’s the fun of it. The mystery of it all, the thrill of the unknown, the challenge of the chase.”

  “I’m pretty sure I can handle the chase,” Cate said. “I’m worried about the part where you catch me.”