Page 4 of Unexpected Temptation

K ane heard the bell over the door and turned. He straightened as he sat on the stool when he didn’t see anyone.

His eyes widened when a little woman he’d never seen before timidly walked toward him to stand on the other side of the counter.

Holy shit. She was the cutest little thing he’d ever seen.

He could tell from where he stood that she barely came up to his shoulders, and from the way her jeans fit, she had curves a man dreamed of sinking into.

Her eyes, although large, fit her face perfectly and were the prettiest blue he’d ever seen.

He watched as his overhead lights made her long, silky brown braid shimmer.

Amelia fidgeted under the man’s intense scrutiny. “May I please speak to a Mr. Kane?”

“That’s me, Honey, but people just call me Kane.”

Amelia smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Amelia.”

Kane couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was beautiful. Her blue eyes sparkled with happiness and a mix of bashfulness. He grasped her hand gently. “It’s nice to meet you, Amelia. What can I do for you?”

Amelia took a deep breath. “Could you give me directions to Mr. Stone’s home? I have a message I need to give him.”

Kane watched the light dim in her eyes and frowned. “I’m sorry. I’ll need more information. Jaylen’s a friend, and I wouldn’t want you to disturb him if it’s something I can take care of.”

She twisted her hands together, and a deep blush covered her face before she brought her eyes back to his. “I don’t know if he would like people to know this.”

Kane slapped the counter hard enough to make her jump. “Ahhh. You’re his mail-order bride. Damn, that lucky bastard. I would never have thought it would actually work.”

Amelia bit her bottom lip and shook her head.

“No. My sister was supposed to marry him, but she can’t now.”

The smile dropped from his face. Kane’s eyes narrowed on her as she fidgeted, and her little body visibly shook with nerves. She was holding onto something that made her extremely anxious.

“Why?” he asked.

Amelia sighed. “I’m too embarrassed to say. Please, can I have the directions? I need to tell him what I need to, and then I have to leave town.”

Kane’s eyebrows snapped together. “Wait, why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you have to leave?”

Amelia’s mouth turned down. “I really doubt Mr. Stone will appreciate having me stick around after what I have to tell him. I’d just be a sad reminder.”

“For one thing, Jaylen very rarely comes to town, and if he does, he’s here and gone.”

Amelia shook her head. “I really don’t thin—”

“Where are you headed?” he asked abruptly.

Amelia swallowed. “I’m not really sure.”

Kane looked dumbfounded. “You’re not sure?”

“No, I just left my childhood home and am trying to settle somewhere. I just haven’t found where I fit yet.” A frown formed on her face because of his abrupt questions.

Kane bit back a grin. He was getting a kick out of goading her. He could tell she didn’t like all the questions he threw at her, but damn, she kept answering them.

“You don’t like our town?”

Amelia gasped. “No, I mean, yes. It’s wonderful. The people I’ve seen seem very nice and friendly. Everywhere I look, it’s beautiful.”

“Then try here. I bet you would really like our town.”

“But Mr. Sto...”

“If he’s stupid enough to let you walk away ... well,” Kane stated and shrugged.

Amelia’s brows snapped together. “I don’t understand. Of course, I’m going to walk away.”

“I’m not so sure about that, Sweetheart. You’re about the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

She shook her head. “That’s nice of you to say.

Even if I were in the market for a man, there’s no way Mr. Stone would ever want someone like me after seeing a picture of my sister.

If he chose her, he’s into tall, beautiful, skinny, blondes, the opposite of what I am.

But it doesn’t matter. I’m here to give him a message, nothing else. ”

The scowl deepened between Kane’s eyebrows.

“You’re beautiful. Now, why the hell are you shaking your head?” he snapped out the question.

Amelia’s nervousness grew when Kane’s voice deepened. “Please, I don’t want to talk about this.”

Kane saw the tears fill her eyes, came around the counter, and stopped inches from her, making her look up to see his face.

Her eyes widened dramatically, and it took all her courage not to run or at least step back.

“ Good Lord, he’s huge.”

“And you’re tiny.”

Amelia choked on her breath and felt the burn of a blush overtake her face. She cleared her throat. “I just said that out loud, didn’t I?”

Kane chuckled and tilted his head to the side. “Yeah, you did. Do you do that a lot?”

Amelia bit her lip and looked down. “Not really,” she fibbed.

“Damn, you’re adorable.”

Amelia’s head snapped up, and she gritted her teeth and glared at him. “Stop saying things like that.”

“Why?” he asked in a heated tone.

“Because I don’t like being teased, it’s rude.”

Disbelief darkened Kane’s features. “You think I’m teasing you?”

“I know you are. Now, can we please get back to why I’m here? I want to get this taken care of and be gone before it gets dark.”

His gut was telling him Jaylen wasn’t going to let her go anywhere. Kane didn’t care how this woman came to be here, but if Jaylen was stupid enough to let her go, he was going to try his best to get her to stay for himself.

“Tell you what. I’ll give you the directions, but if you come back down the mountain, I want you to meet me at the diner.” He turned and scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “Call me when you get there.”

Amelia reached for the piece of paper.

“If?” she asked nervously. “Would he hurt me?”

Kane snorted. “Hell, no, he’d cut off his arm before he hurt a woman or child.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he interrupted. “Will you do me the pleasure of having dinner with me?”

“I’m not sure...”

“It will be fun. And maybe tomorrow I can take you around town and show you everything. I think if you give it a chance, you could really be happy here.”

“But it’s a small town. I doubt there are many job openings.”

“You’d work here.”

Amelia sputtered out a laugh. “What?”

“I’m not kidding, I’ve been advertising for a clerk for weeks. My old one went away to college.”

Her eyes narrowed on him suspiciously.

Kane chuckled and clasped her upper arm, pulling her back toward the door. “Suspicious little thing, aren’t you?”

He pulled a paper off the window to the side of the door and showed it to her. HELP WANTED.

“See, I’m telling you the truth.”

Amelia took a few steps away when he released her arm. “But you don’t know anything about me,” she stated in confusion.

“I pretty much had you pegged within a minute of meeting you.”

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest. “Really. Tell me what you saw?”

“You’re a sweet person who cares about others’ feelings.

You’re shy, but when you get to know someone, they will see the fun, smart, beautiful person you are.

” Kane took a large step forward and curled his hands around her upper arms when she shook her head.

“I don’t know what the hell people have been telling you or what you think you see in the mirror, but you’re wrong. You’re beautiful.”

Amelia blinked back tears. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t you dare cry.” A shiver of extreme unease raced up his spine.

Amelia swallowed and then chuckled at the panic in his voice. “I’m not. I just don’t...”

“Amelia, I think before too much longer you’ll see what everyone else does.”

“What does that mean?” Her tone held a hint of aggravation.

“Don’t you worry about it. Come back to the counter so I can get a piece of paper and a pen. I’ll draw you a map for Jaylen’s place. It looks like it might start to rain, so you’d better get going. I don’t want you on the roads when they get slippery.”

He watched her drive off and shook his head. If he knew his friend as well as he thought he did, little Amelia would be trapped on the mountain forever.