Just Until Morning, An Enemies-to-Lovers Novel (Carrington Cousins Book 3) Read online

  He was standing a little too close and looking a little too deeply into her eyes. She was trying to think of a way to edge gracefully out of the situation when Brett’s casual drawl came between them, making the manager jump away like a jack rabbit.

  “Mike, old pal,” Brett said, humor salting his tone. “How are you?”

  Mike may have been fine but he sure looked guilty. The two of them turned to look at Brett. Despite being glad someone had intervened with the manager and stopped any aspirations he might have had toward getting friendlier, Kendall was furious Brett thought he had a right to barge in this way. Who did he think he was, anyway?

  “Oh, hi Brett,” Mike was muttering, running a nervous hand through his hair. His gaze shifted from Kendall to Brett, back to Kendall again. “I’m fine, I guess. And you?”

  Brett shrugged broadly, the picture of a man at ease with his environment. “Great. Couldn’t be better.” He leaned back against the cart rack and grinned at them both. “I see you’ve met Kendall MacKenzie. Pretty, isn’t she?”

  Kendall’s eyes widened in shock and color suffused Mike’s rangy face.

  “Uh...well, yeah...” he managed to sputter, looking longingly toward his safe office. “Listen, Brett...” he began, but Brett was in control of this conversation and he didn’t pay any attention. He was busy looking Kendall up and down as though she were for sale herself.

  “She’s pretty all right. I’ve noticed it myself. But you know what they say. There’s nothing more dangerous than a pretty woman, especially when she’s new in town.”

  “What...?” Kendall began indignantly, but Brett’s hand came down on her wrist, squeezing slightly, and despite her outrage, she heeded his warning to be quiet for a moment, though she was seething inside.

  “Hey, Brett,” Mike was saying, backing away, but finding himself up against a wall full of bags of potato chips with no clear escape. “Listen, I didn’t mean anything...”

  “No, Mike. Of course you didn’t. You’re a good guy, we all know that.” Brett’s grin was wide, sympathetic. “It’s probably not your fault, the temptations being what they are.”

  Kendall sputtered but his hand tightened again and she contented herself with glaring at him, and at the same time trying to pry his fingers from her wrist.

  Brett paid no attention. His focus was all on Mike. “Say, did anyone ever tell you the story about the time Sandi was going with Ricky Taitano in eighth grade?”

  Sandi? The name rang a bell in Kendall’s memory banks, but at first no clear picture came to mind.

  But it was obvious Mike knew who Brett was talking about. He looked for help to the right, then to the left. “I don’t recall it,” he said weakly.

  Brett nodded as though he’d known that all along. “Sandi found out old Ricky had given a valentine to another girl. Little Luci Allender, I think it was. Well, you know Sandi’s temper. She waited until Ricky was nature-swimming out at the reservoir, and she stole his clothes, leaving behind an old pink tutu from her ballerina days. Poor old Ricky had to wear that thing all the way back into Sweet Willow a route that took him right past Luci Allender’s.” He laughed softly, as though the memory were one of his favorites. “He sure did look silly in that thing. It took him years to live that one down.” He shrugged. “And of course, Sandi dumped him that very night. She couldn’t go steady with a laughingstock. You know how it is in junior high.”

  Mike had finally wriggled his way around the potato chip display and he began to edge steadily toward his office. “That sure is interesting, Brett,” he said, looking like a desperate man.

  “Isn’t it?” Brett wasn’t smiling any longer. “Sandi is very creative when she’s angry. I wouldn’t cross her if I were you.”

  Mike nodded. “I’ll remember that.” He made it down the aisle. “See you later, Brett. You too Miss...” The poor man finally made good his retreat.

  Brett turned to Kendall, looking very pleased with himself. “That boy will go far,” he mentioned chattily. “Yessir. He seems to know how to learn from his mistakes.” Finally, he released her wrist. “You were saying?” he asked pleasantly.

  Kendall’s hands curled around the handle of the cart as though it were Brett’s neck. “Do you want to explain to me what that was all about?” she demanded, her heart suffused with anger.

  His blue eyes were perfectly innocent. “What what was all about?”

  She motioned, incoherent for a moment. “I walk in and see you flirting away with that... that cashier person. That seems to be perfectly all right. But when someone tries to flirt with me, he has to be reprimanded.” She was working hard to keep her voice down, but it was an effort. “Who made you arbiter of my social life? What business is it of yours whom I flirt with?”

  Brett’s face hardened. He spoke softly, but his words stung. “Look, lady, I don’t care who you flirt with. You can do what you damn well please. But I do care when my sister’s man, the one she thinks she’s going to marry, starts flirting with you. That’s when I get the urge to pull in the reins a bit.”

  Kendall suddenly realized the full picture. “Oh.” She looked toward the office, then back at Brett. “That was Sandi’s Mike?”

  “That was Sandi’s Mike.” He shook his head. “God only knows what she sees in the man. But she seems to love him, so what can I say?”

  “Oh.” She knew her cheeks were bright pink and she cursed them. She shook her head, at a loss. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  His face was friendly, warm. “I know you didn’t. You’re forgiven.”

  The smile was back in his eyes. She knew it was time to grab her cart and pull away, but she hesitated, trying to think of a simple way to say goodbye. He spoke again before she could think of anything.

  “You sure look pretty in that dress,” he said, looking up and down.

  She flushed, pleased despite everything, and suddenly the urge to leave had fled. She liked that he stood up for his sisters, just plain liked him all around.

  “You look sort of pretty yourself,” she said, cocking an eye toward his sharp apparel. It felt right, bantering with him here. There wasn’t an off note to it. “Where have you been?”

  “Business.”

  “That’s what I thought.” She hesitated. She really should move on. After the way she’d been treating him lately, he had no reason to want to spend time with her. But she had an urge to linger awhile. She looked at him, waiting for him to say something else to give her an excuse to stay. He quickly obliged.

  “And you?” he asked her, his gaze caressing her bare shoulders. “All dressed up like that. What kind of business do you have?”

  “It’s hot.” She shrugged and resisted the urge to fluff out her skirt. “I just decided to wear a dress for a change.”

  Teasing humor twinkled in his gaze. “So you could cruise around town and make all the men fall in love with you?”

  She found herself smiling and returning in kind, “Oh, absolutely. That’s one of my favorite hobbies. I just dress up and go around making men crazy. Right!” And this time she did swish her skirt and it felt great.

  He chuckled softly. “I’ve got to say, you’re quite a tempting sight.”

  She pretended to primp, feeling carefree and a bit giddy. “That’s me, old Tempting Tess here. I love to get men to ask me out just so I can turn them down.”

  His smile faded. “Do you always turn them down?”

  She nodded. “Always.”

  He sighed in mock sadness. “Even if they’re sorta nice and presentable and lonely and really like you?”

  She lifted her chin in sassy defiance. “Especially then.”

  His eyes were suddenly serious. “What would make you say ‘yes’?”

  She sobered as well. “That depends. Say yes to what?”

  “Well, let’s just start with a simple date. Say... dinner.”

  She was beginning to realize she should have fled when she had the chance. “I’ve eaten.”

  “
Tomorrow night.”

  She hesitated, longing to agree to go with him. But she knew it was no use. How could she make him understand that there was no point to this? It wouldn’t be fair to let him start something that she couldn’t possibly continue.

  She was standing very close to him and she looked up earnestly into his eyes. “Please try to understand, Brett. I don’t want a relationship. I don’t want a boyfriend. I don’t want a lover, or a husband. To say ‘yes’ to a dinner date means I might be open to any of those things. And the truth is, I’m not.”

  His eyes clouded and she couldn’t read anything from his expression, but his voice was light. “A simple dinner date doesn’t have to lead to the altar,” he said softly. “I’ve taken women out to eat before, and it hasn’t happened yet.”

  She shook her head. “Brett...”

  He took her hand in his. “Have dinner with me some night. I promise I won’t ask you to marry me.” He put his other hand in the air. “Scout’s honor.”

  Without knowing quite how it happened, she was laughing with him and saying, “Well, maybe...” and that seemed to be enough for him.

  Mike came out of his office, saw them still standing there, and scurried back in again. Their eyes met and they laughed again.

  “I really am sorry about that,” Kendall said, harking back to the confrontation over Mike. “I really didn’t know.”

  “Of course you didn’t know.” He frowned. “You don’t know enough about this town. You’re such a babe in the woods.” He sighed and before she knew what was happening, he’d linked arms with her and taken over her cart. “Come on,” he said with weary resignation. “Let’s start your education.”

  Kendall came along because she really didn’t have any other choice. Not only was he force-marching her through the store, he was also overwhelming her with his tall, strong presence. His tan skin looked rich and warm against the crisp white of his shirt. His blue eyes sparkled, too knowing, too sure of himself. The sense of his manliness was strong, flowing around her like a heady perfume. If this were a perfect world, she would close her eyes and sway against him and be lost in a sensual paradise she could only dream might exist. But things were hardly perfect. And she knew she had to protect herself. Nobody else would.

  She knew how he affected her and that was why she’d vowed to stay away from him. But there wasn’t much she could do to get rid of him now. The deep temptation was to let herself enjoy him, just for a little while. Her heart raced and her skin glowed and she tried hard not to think of that night and that kiss...

  “Here we go,” he was saying as they rounded the corner and entered the produce department. There were only a few people present. One was an older woman picking out Granny Smith apples. “Millie Jones, my ninth grade English teacher. She’s one of the most respected women in Sweet Willow.”

  The woman was gray-haired, but her dark, snapping eyes suggested a mind as sharp as any youngster’s as she looked up when they approached.

  Brett held out a hand to her. “Millie Jones, how are you?”

  “Why Brett Carrington, you cute thing!” She took the hand and pulled him in for a hug, obviously delighted to see him. “How have you been?”

  “Just fine.” He pulled back and grinned down at her. “I want you to meet someone. This here is Kendall MacKenzie. She’s the one who started that new animal shelter out on Chilao Road.”

  “Oh.” She adjusted her glasses and looked Kendall up and down. Kendall tried to smile but suddenly she felt as though she were back in high school and had forgotten to get a hall pass. “Yes, I had heard something about that.” The tone was suspicious.

  Brett heard it and nodded. “I just wanted you to meet her and see what a nice lady she is. I hope you and all your friends will listen to her point of view before you make up your mind about what she’s doing out there.”

  Millie Smith frowned. “Well, I do have some reservations.”

  “I’m sure you’d be welcome to come out any time and take a look for yourself. Wouldn’t she, Kendall?”

  “Oh, yes. Of course.” Kendall made herself smile again. “I’d love to show you what we do at the shelter. Please do come.”

  Millie’s eyes pinioned her. “Thursday a week at nine in the morning. All right?”

  Kendall nodded, stunned. “Yes. Oh, certainly. That would be lovely.”

  “All right.” The woman gave Brett another wide smile and moved on. “See you Brett. Nice to meet you Miss MacKenzie.”

  Kendall turned to Brett, excited. “That’s such a good idea! I hadn’t thought of it.”

  He motioned her to quiet. “We’ve got another one right here,” he said under his breath.

  She turned and saw an elderly man with a white beard and wild white hair coming their way.

  “Dr. Granger.”

  “Brett!” The man’s face lit up. “How are you, boy?”

  “I’d like you to meet...”

  But Dr. Granger hadn’t seen her yet and he was looking critically at his patient. “Son, you ought to fatten yourself up.” He pinched Brett’s arm. “You could use some meat on those bones. You’re looking a bit peaked.” He grunted. “’Bout time you got yourself a good wife to make sure you eat right.” He turned and grinned at Kendall. “Did you know I delivered this boy? Him and all his sisters. I heard the first sound he ever made. I nursed him through measles and chicken pox. And a broken arm. And that time you went away to college and you caught...”

  Brett cleared his throat with authority. “That’ll do, Doc. Kendall doesn’t want a rundown on everything that’s ever ailed me.”

  “No?” He winked at Kendall. “Just come on by the office, Miss, if you plan to get serious about our boy here. I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

  “Doc, this is Kendall MacKenzie. She’s the one who’s putting in that wildlife shelter.”

  “Oh yes. I heard about that place.” He shook his full head of hair. “Don’t like the sound of it much.”

  Kendall took over this time. “What is it that you don’t like?”

  “Lockin’ animals up in cages. Isn’t right. They should be free to roam the hills, as was intended.”

  “I agree with that totally. But you see, these animals I have were raised by humans, and now many of them can’t be set free. I have a lion who was declawed as a cub. He could never make it in the wild. I have a puma who’s too tame. She would walk right up to a hunter and beg for a snack. How could you say she would do better in the hills? She wouldn’t last a month. Others might be trained to return. We try to do that for them, get them ready to leave civilization. That’s what we’re all about.”

  The doctor looked to be impressed. “Is that so? You know, I hadn’t heard this. I’m glad you set me straight. I’ll have to come out and take a look for myself.”

  “You do that. Any time.”

  They moved on toward the meat section and Kendall turned to Brett, her eyes shining but bewildered. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Why not?”

  “I could think of a lot of reasons, mainly because you’re as against the shelter as anyone.”

  Brett met her gaze and smiled. “Let’s just say I like a fair fight.”

  “I don’t buy that.”

  He considered. “Okay. How about this? You look so pretty in that dress, I just can’t help myself.”

  That made her blush. Was she really that pretty? She didn’t know. She’d always been average, feeling prettier sometimes than others. And then she’d married Gerald who had ignored her. She’d learned to dress well, to create an image that looked presentable in her own mirror. But her husband’s eyes had told her that she was inadequate. Over the years, she’d decided her looks were far from pleasing. Surely that was one of the reasons Gerald had ignored her so...

  But Brett’s eyes told her something else entirely. Could she believe what they were saying? Was she misreading something? A part of her longed to take the plunge, to smile at him and believe, to take
his compliments as gifts that she deserved. But experience told her to be careful. What if his eyes were lying? What then?

  She blushed and looked away and pretended to do her shopping. He came along. As they moved through the store, he introduced her to two or three others, then retrieved his package from behind the counter and went home, leaving Kendall to wonder about his motivations. But whatever they were, he was certainly doing her good. She couldn’t fault him there.

  She was still basking in the glow of good feeling he’d created when she drove up to the gate of the shelter and found Pedro waiting for her.

  “Kendall,” he cried, running toward her four-wheel drive car. “Thank God you’re back. The male wolf is missing.”

  Chapter 6

  For a moment, Kendall sat stunned, unable to move or to think. Then, as though a switch had been thrown, all her reactions came at once. Adrenaline surged, right along with panic.

  “Greyboy, the timber wolf? No, oh no! How could that happen?”

  She was out of the car and running for the wolf enclosure, Pedro running along beside her, as distraught as she was.

  “I don’t know, I don’t know,” he repeated again and again. “I was making my rounds, closing everything up for the night, and I found this.”

  She flung herself in through the open gate, peering into the small dark opening to the den. No wolf eyes stared back at her. It was true. He was gone.

  She turned back to Pedro. A part of her still wanted to deny it, to make it not be so, to find the flaw in the reasoning. The gate was standing open. How could that be! “Did you leave it? Did you see anyone leave it?”

  “No.” He was shaking his head, his face as agonized as her own. “No, I didn’t even touch this gate today. Danni fed him just before she went home. But I know how careful she is. I trained her myself.”

  Despair shook her. “Then how? How?”

  He shook his head, eyes mournful. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

  A fire burned within her. Suddenly she had to know how this had happened, who had done this awful thing. “Think. Was there anyone here while I was gone? Did you see anyone hanging around?”