His Southern Temptation - By Robin Covington Page 0,6

up as she caressed his back in a spine-melting massage.

“Lucky Landon, what the hell are you doing?”

Lucky broke off the kiss, his body automatically shielding Taylor from the unexpected intruder and poising for attack. Shaking off the haze of desire, he blinked as Sheriff Burke and a young, red-faced deputy peeked over his shoulder. He groaned at the absurdity of the situation. They must be a sight. Sprawled on the floor, in a lip-lock, and groping each other like teenagers. The only thing dampening the humor of the situation was the gun pointed at them and the grumpy law enforcement officer attached to the end of it.

“Lucky, we got a distress call from this house, and then I walk in and find you mauling some half-dressed woman on the floor.” The sheriff hitched his gun a little higher so that it didn’t point right at him, but he didn’t put it away. “It’s almost time for me to go home, and I don’t have time for your usual bullshit. So why don’t you explain why you’re here, or I can call and tell Teague to get his ass over here to explain it to me.”

Lucky froze. The thought of what Teague would do to him if he found out he’d been all over Taylor made whatever was left of his arousal disappear. Good. At least he wasn’t in danger of doing anything really stupid. Like sleeping with his best friend’s little sister. Again.

That was the old Lucky. The Lucky who was reckless, always getting into a tough scrape and having to fast-talk his way out of it. The new Lucky was going to help his parents get out of debt, walk away from the trail of death he left behind him, and settle down with a great woman who wanted the same kind of future.

He glanced down at Taylor, her expression now wary with a touch of “what the hell did I almost do?” written all over it. Good. They just needed to give each other a wide berth and they’d both emerge from this encounter no worse for the wear.

Taylor shifted under him, turning her head to give the sheriff the smile that had won her at least two Junior Miss Virginia pageants. Sheriff Burke smiled back and lowered the gun completely as if she’d cast a spell on him. God help the poor man—he had no idea what he was up against.

“Sheriff, I’m so sorry to call you for a false alarm. You might remember me, I’m Mary-Taylor Elliott.” Her grin spread even wider and she added a little batting of the eyelashes to ensure neither of them would go to jail and have to face Teague this late at night. “I’m staying here for a little while and had no idea Lucky was here as well. We scared each other half to death.”

The meaning of her words sunk in and he ground his teeth with the effort to bite back a groan.

She was staying here? In the same house? Alone. With him.

He should have let her shoot him.

Chapter Three

Taylor wanted her gun back.

Glaring at Lucky’s back as he trudged up the stairs, duffel bag slung over his shoulder and her gun peeking out of his waistband, her brain whirled with all the reasons why shooting him would make her feel better. It was bad enough she was back in this podunk, backwater excuse for a town, but now she was stuck in this house with the man who made her lose her mind. And not always in the good way. Although he did that plenty.

Knowing he’d resent her scrutiny, she took the opportunity to check him out—same broad shoulders, long, lanky legs, and delectable ass. His hair was longer than his usual military cut, now lying in unruly waves on his head, the curls catching the light. Her fingers itched to tangle in the corn-silk blond strands and pull his mouth back to hers to finish what they’d started. But in spite of the scorching kiss downstairs less than an hour ago, Lucky was determined to act as if it hadn’t happened.

Once they’d managed to get Sheriff Burke out of the house without calling Teague and waking him, Lucky had confiscated her gun. He hadn’t asked her, hadn’t consulted her on whether she wanted to be unarmed in this big old house with multiple entrances and exits. Nope. All he’d done was empty out the bullets, place them in her hand, and stick the gun in the