Kiss My Sass (Primrose, Minnesota Book 5) Read online

  Ryker dialed the Primrose Police Department, suspicious by Marnie’s momentary change of demeanor. Although she projected an air of control, her skin now reflected a pretty pink flush and he’d obviously just interrupted some heavy thinking. Interesting. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she was aroused.

  He gave the dispatcher pertinent information, returned his phone to his pocket, and then propped himself on one hip against her desk. Curiosity buzzed his brain. She ignored his every command, argued with even his most rational decision, and took every opportunity to outwit him. Yet, one touch seemed to spark a whole different kind of fire between them. Maybe he’d found a way to control her after all.

  He snickered under his breath at his momentary insanity. Miss Carpenter was as brassy and bold as an EF5 tornado and even he knew when to run for cover. Besides, he didn’t want to control her. Although it aggravated him to hell, the banter between them made him want her that much more.

  While she continued to talk to the principal, he pushed himself off the desk and walked to the broken window. He gazed out the opening, noting that there was a large distance between the playground and the classroom. The ball had made quite a hole in the glass; whoever threw it must’ve had a crazy good arm. That said, the culprit hadn’t hung around to be congratulated.

  He turned from the window as soon as she disconnected. “Did you see who threw the ball?”

  “No. There was a group of boys in the grass. I didn’t notice exactly which one.”

  “They weren’t on the playground?”

  She shook her head in denial and frowned. “Why?”

  “That’s a helluva distance for a kid to throw a pass.”

  “Like I said, I wasn’t exactly focused on specifics. I saw the ball sailing toward the window and then you took me out.”

  He grinned. “And you liked it.”

  “Not.” Sarcasm coated her baby blues as she rolled them. “The maintenance man is on his way. As soon as we make the police report, we can get out of here.”

  “Are you packed?”

  “Almost. Are you?”

  “Nah. Most everything I need is at the house on the island.”

  “Oh, yeah.” She tilted her head to one side. “This bachelor pad intrigues me.”

  “How so?”

  “You’re a workaholic. I just didn’t figure you took much downtime on the beach.”

  “I don’t. I use the house for business.”

  He waited for her to bombard him with questions, most likely ones he wouldn’t answer.

  “I’m thinking I don’t know near enough about your business.”

  Bingo. “It’s probably best you don’t.”

  “It is legal, right?”

  Oh, his business was legal and incidentally, quite profitable. Some of his methods however, might be questionable. Might be? Were.

  He nodded. “But much too dirty for your virgin ears.”

  “Big, bad Ryker,” she chided. “You’re not as scary as you think. And you might be surprised to know the experience of my ears.”

  “There’s little about you that surprises me.”

  “Really? I’ll have to work on that.”

  “In your own words, not. Let’s just do what we have to do to get Jake and Bri married and leave it at that.”

  She stepped near him and smirked. “You really are scared of women, aren’t you?”

  He paused, momentarily distracted by the sparkle in her gaze. Only one woman scared him and he’d carry that admission to his grave. “No, I just don’t have a lot of time for extracurriculars.”

  “That, I believe.” She turned her head to the window. “The police are here.”

  Ryker released a long, slow breath of relief as she went to the window and began speaking to a uniformed officer. He listened, impressed as she relayed the action in her usual calm, controlled manner. Most women would be a nervous wreck in a situation like this, but not Miss Carpenter. No, she not only summarized the action, she asked to read the uniform’s notes when she finished. And then made sure he added several things.

  He finally joined her at the window in an effort to give the poor guy some relief.

  “Ryker Adams.” He offered his hand in introduction. “We’ll be out of reach for the next week.” He reached into his back pocket and then handed the officer a business card. “I’ll have one of my guys call for the report.”

  Marnie frowned. “We don’t need a report. The school board will receive it.”

  “We need it.”

  Remarkably, she didn’t push. “Do you have anything to add to my story?”

  “No. I got here after the action and just in time to save your pretty little neck.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Neck?”

  “Neck.”

  She turned back to the officer. “Thank you. The maintenance man is on his way to patch the hole.”

  Ten minutes later, they stood in front of the school, next to her car, at yet another impasse. He knew from experience how she handled the shiny, red sports car; he had to make absolutely sure he was positioned behind the wheel.

  She gave him a sideways look. “You parked in a fire lane?”

  “I expected to find you waiting on the steps.” He opened the passenger door. “In.”

  “You didn’t even lock the doors?”

  “Again,” he said through clenched teeth, “things didn’t exactly go as planned.”

  “Wrong door.”

  “Huh?” The woman shifted mental gears faster than most racing engines.

  “You’re not staying at my apartment with me, are you?”

  “No.”

  “Well then, I’m assuming I will have to drop you off somewhere. No sense changing places, so I’ll drive.”

  “There’s just one problem with that logic.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I value my life.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic.” She pushed past and swayed to the opposite side of the car. “So I drive a little faster than most. Big deal. Toss me the keys.”

  “It is a very big deal,” he mumbled as he joined her at the driver’s side, reluctantly placed the keys into her open palm, and then opened the door. “At least my life insurance policies are current.”

  “You’re really that worried?”

  “In.” He placed a hand flat on top of her head and pushed until she bent and then put her delectable little ass into the leather seat.

  “You repositioned my seat,” she said as he entered the passenger door.

  “Not much.”

  “Not much?” She stretched out both legs. “I’m not even close to the pedals.”

  “You’re short.” He moved back his own seat and then buckled his seatbelt. God help him, he hoped the restraint would prevent injury.

  He gave her one last long look as she started the engine. “Seatbelt.”

  “It’s fastened.” The smile she returned in response damn near made him shake in his boots. “Hang on and enjoy the ride, Big Guy.”

  He took a deep breath as she pulled away from the curb, gunned the accelerator, and then swung the compact sports model into traffic. He had to admit, the machine had power – power he hoped she wouldn’t take advantage of. The one saving grace in the whole ride was that his office was only a matter of blocks from the school.

  “Drop me by the office.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  When she finally darted into the private parking lot, he pinched the bridge of his nose and released a heavy breath. He’d never been an overly religious man, but right now he thanked the man upstairs for guiding the mission.

  “Are you praying?”

  “No,” he chuckled as he lifted his gaze to hers. “Do I need to follow you home?”

  “Think you can keep up?”

  He had to admit, it would be a challenge – an overly stimulated one. “I don’t even want to try.” He released his seatbelt and climbed from the cramped quarters. “I’ll see you at the airport t
omorrow.”

  Another of those man-eating grins separated her lips. “Looking forward to it.”

  Once Ryker left the vehicle, Marnie released a long breath as she drove from the parking lot and headed home. Good grief, the man made her absolutely crazy. All his do-this and don’t-do-that made her want to pull out her hair. Yet, she had to admit she found it insanely satisfying to watch him attempt to tell her what to do.

  Observation proved Ryker lived in a very controlled environment, one in which he directed each and every single activity. And from previous experience, she knew everything had a place and a reason for occupancy. No one crossed him. Well, except her.

  She grinned as she negotiated the last turn and entered her apartment complex. She didn’t mean him any disrespect, on the contrary, she had loads of respect for him. It all boiled down to the fact that she controlled her own environment. She told people what to do every day and they complied – just because they were children made no difference.

  And the driver of the car that occupied her covered parking space was about to find that out firsthand.

  She tapped her nails against the steering wheel and attempted patience as she waited for the vehicle to move. If her afternoon had not already been trying, she might have given up the space. But really, the minute Ryker decided to plaster her to the classroom floor beneath his incredibly hard body, all of her plans flew out the window and now she was strapped for time. She tapped harder. The man certainly had a knack for distraction.

  With a heavy sigh, she locked the gearshift into the notch labeled with a bright white P, grabbed her pepper spray from her purse, opened the door, and marched toward the squatter.

  “Excuse me,” she said as the driver lowered the window. “You’re parked in my reserved space.

  The man behind the wheel raised both eyebrows. “Really? I don’t see a sign.”

  “It’s pressed against your front bumper,” she drawled as she walked to the front of the vehicle. With her free hand, she pried loose the free-standing reserved sign and lifted it, chain and all, to eye-level.

  “I stand corrected,” he said with a nod. “Sorry for your inconvenience.”

  She returned the sign to the cement and shrugged as she passed him on her way back to her car.

  “Not a big deal,” she mumbled as she slung open her door, shifted the car in reverse, and rolled backwards a few feet to allow him to back out.

  Reality tapped her on the shoulder as she watched the other car disappear from the lot. His mistake had really been no trouble at all. No, flying in an airplane for three hours over the Caribbean at thirty five thousand feet sitting next to Ryker was just trouble waiting to happen.

  ***

  He snickered under his breath as he backed out of the pretty little blonde’s parking space. The fiery little vixen had guts, confronting him alone like she had. Made his job ten thousand times easier.

  It had been purely accident that he parked in that space; he only meant to take a few minutes to formulate a game plan. And then she approached him, all uptight, haughty, and obviously bothered by his presence. She hadn’t even noticed when he snapped a picture.

  He pulled around the corner, stopped at the curb, punched a few buttons on this phone, and then dialed. “Visual on the way,” he said into the microphone before he disconnected.

  Too bad she was a mark, the woman was extremely easy on the eyes. Made him wonder how any man in his right mind would have left her alone. At least the big dude that had been with her at the school wasn’t anywhere near; something told him that would have complicated matters.

  He dropped his phone into the cup holder beside him and steered back into traffic. His job was done; now another member of the organization would have the privilege of dealing with her.

  CHAPTER THREE

  As soon as she stepped out of the plane in St. Thomas, Marnie realized what she’d forgotten when blinding sunrays stabbed her eyeballs. She mentally slapped her forehead. Sunglasses – the one necessary staple on a tropical island. Squinting to block out some of the light, she glanced behind her. Ryker hadn’t forgotten. His Aviators appeared out of nowhere, shielding his eyes and making him look even more dark and mysterious than usual, if that were possible. This vacation was a lethal combination for sure - Ryker Adams, tropical heat and sandy beaches.

  Yum. Yum.

  “You’re holding up the line.” The low, husky tone of his voice made her heart skip a beat, the rhythm made even more erratic when he placed a hand to the small of her back and urged her down the stairs.

  She negotiated each step carefully, making absolutely sure she didn’t give him another reason to touch her. He’d been in her space all day and one more graze of an arm or slip of a hand just might send her libido into overdrive. Even seated in first class with extra elbow room, he loomed. As if he weren’t already close enough, he raised the metal arm between them, filling all of his space and part of hers. His presence all but consumed her and it grated on her every nerve. Not out of aggravation, though, out of sexual frustration. She grinned. She’d been very tempted to drag him into the front lavatory and show him just how frustrated she felt.

  As soon as she stood on the tarmac, Ryker pushed past and headed for the airport entrance. Jackson, Mace, and Jake followed.

  Alex stepped beside her. “I know that grin.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “Yes, I do. But don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

  She purposely ignored her friend’s taunt. “Have you ever de-planed on the runway?”

  “The airport is small. I guess it’s more efficient this way.”

  “Come on girls.” Dara breezed past with a wide smile and Bri hot on her heels. “I hear there’s rum inside.”

  “Really?” Encouragement pushed her to follow.

  True to Dara’s words, just inside the entrance a man behind a vending cart held out a plastic shot glass. Dara readily accepted. One by one, each of them accepted his offering.

  She glanced at the vendor. “What’s this?”

  “Coconut rum. It’s made on St. Croix.”

  Marnie took a sip and savored the cool liquid on her tongue. “Mmm, this is good! May I have another?”

  The vendor chuckled and pointed behind the cart. “You can do better than that. There’s a liquor store back there. Plenty of flavors to choose from.”

  “No need.” Ryker wheeled both his and her luggage next to her. “I’ve got a bottle at the house.”

  “Do you think one bottle is enough?”

  “Believe me, it’s plenty.”

  “In that case,” she said as she extended a hand and winked at the cart owner. “I need one for the road.”

  Ryker shook his head and then gestured with his hand to the exit. “C’mon, we have cars waiting.”

  That menacing sunlight pierced her eyeballs again when she followed him out of the building, but she managed to make out the two shiny black sport utility vehicles parked at the curb. Two dark-skinned men who she assumed were native to the island and probably twins, approached Ryker. With straight, white teeth gleaming in the sun and long dreadlocks hanging past their shoulders, the only way she could tell a difference between the two was their clothing; one man wore a red t-shirt and khaki cargo shorts, the other was dressed in a navy blue t-shirt and khaki shorts.

  “Good to see you, Mr. Ryker!”

  “You too.” Ryker exchanged a handshake with the man in red and then introduced him. “This is Odane. He takes care of the house and the guests.” He pointed to the man in blue. “And this is Omario. He takes care of the grounds and the vehicles.”

  Marnie leaned against a nearby pole and watched, impressed as Ryker organized their departure with expert detail. In a matter of minutes, the luggage was loaded and Jake, Bri, Dara and Mace occupied the second vehicle driven by Omario.

  “Your chariot awaits, Miss Carpenter.” Ryker pointed at the open rear passenger door of the first car. Alex and Jackson were already seated inside with
Odane behind the wheel. She slid into the seat next to Alex.

  Seated next to the window, she took in the scenery as they traveled at a snail’s pace. Stop and go. Stop and go. Worse, there wasn’t anywhere to escape it. On one side of the road was the ocean and the other was lined with what appeared to be shops and restaurants.

  “I didn’t expect bumper to bumper traffic on an island.”

  “The island is only thirty three miles long and this is Charlotte Amalie, the main shopping area for tourists. We’re on the main drag. Veteran’s Drive usually stays congested.” Ryker pointed at the opposite side of the street. “The cruise ships dock over there, and then it’s really packed.”

  She moved her gaze back to the shopping area. “What’s under the canopies?”

  “It’s an open market. The locals sell souvenirs, homemade items, even some local food.”

  They passed the shops and went on up into the hills. Palm trees and clumps of cactus lined both sides of the road and Marnie saw quite a few Private Drive signs.

  She found herself leaning to the left when several cars passed on the right. “How in the world do you get used to driving on the wrong side of the road?”

  “It’s not too hard when someone is coming straight at you.” Ryker grinned. “Kind of reminds you to scoot over.”

  They turned at the next sign and pulled up to a black iron gate. Odane lowered the window, pressed in a code, and then waited while the gate slowly slid open. She noticed several strategically placed cameras as they passed.

  “Geez, Ryker. You’re a safety man, aren’t you?”

  “Always. Keeps me relaxed.”

  His confession surprised her. He always looked relaxed - alert, but relaxed. As if he didn’t have a care in the world. In fact, it was somewhat annoying; just once she’d like to see him come undone.

  The long driveway wound through lush vegetation and beautiful tropical plants. The large house blended in so well she didn’t even see it until they pulled up to the front and stopped.