Hot & Bothered. Kate Hoffmann
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softly and called, but the dog had never been very obedient. Had it been any other backyard, Trey would have walked away and let the dog wander. But he didn’t need Libby Parrish banging on his door at sunrise to complain about the condition of her roses.
The grass was cool and damp beneath his bare feet as he circled around the hedge and walked into Libby’s garden. As he came around the back corner of the house, he saw Beau sitting on the back porch, his nose pressed against the screen door.
“Get over here!” Trey hissed. “Beau! Come.”
The dog glanced over at his master, but refused to follow orders. Trey started toward the back door, but then a figure appeared in the doorway and he froze.
She had changed from her dress to a gauzy nightgown that left her arms and shoulders bare. Her hair had been pulled up and twisted into a knot, but damp tendrils brushed her temples and curled against her neck. At that moment, Trey was certain that he’d never seen anything quite as beautiful as Libby Parrish. The light from the kitchen outlined her slender form and created a shimmering halo around her body. She looked like an angel, pure and unapproachable.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
For a moment, Trey thought she was talking to him, but then he realized she was speaking to Beau. He waited, unwilling to break the silence of the night, hoping that the dog would turn and run.
Libby glanced both ways, then pushed the screen door open. “Are you lost? You live over there, not here.” She reached down and patted the dog on the head. Trey winced. Beau was an easy mark. The slightest show of affection turned the dog into a loyal friend. It would take ten pounds of raw steak to get Beau to leave now.
“Are you hungry?” Libby asked. Beau wagged his tail and stood up, nuzzling her hand. “Wait here,” she said. “Stay. Sit.”
Libby disappeared into the house and returned a moment later with a plate of biscuits. The smell drifted through the air and Trey groaned softly. He hadn’t eaten anything since lunch and the scent made his mouth water. He watched as Libby plucked a biscuit off the plate and held it up for the dog.
Beau jumped up and snatched it out of her fingers, gulping the treat down in one bite. “You like that?” she asked. “Bacon bits. Here, try this one. It’s got cheddar cheese and bits of jalapeño.” The dog gobbled down the second offering without even chewing. “You’re hungry. Doesn’t anyone feed you over there? Good dog. Try this one. It’s got little bits of sausage in it. Very savory.”
The light from the house shone behind her and every time she shifted, the fabric of her nightgown became virtually transparent. His image of an angel disappeared and instead, Trey saw a temptress, nearly naked to his eyes. He knew he ought to feel guilty for keeping to the shadows, yet he couldn’t seem to bring himself to announce his presence.
His gaze drifted up from her bare feet, along her legs, to her belly and the dark triangle just below. She wore nothing beneath the nightgown and as his eyes moved up, he could see the soft curve of her breasts and the deeper pink of her nipples.
Trey felt himself growing hard, his body as stimulated as his mind had become. What was this instant desire he felt and why couldn’t he control it? Trey took a step back, ready to make a safe escape. But the minute he moved, Beau pricked up his ears and trotted down the steps.
To Trey’s dismay, Libby followed. He stepped out of the shadows and Libby jumped in surprise. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. He ran over here before I could stop him.”
Libby stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether to speak or just walk back inside. “You don’t scare me,” she murmured, shrugging her shoulders.
“Sorry,” Trey repeated, keeping his eyes fixed on her face and hoping his shorts were baggy enough to hide the growing bulge. “It smells good out here.”
“I’m testing biscuit recipes,” Libby said.
Trey forced a smile, fighting an urge to cross the distance between them and kiss her again. Only this time, the kiss would be gentle and seductive. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a decent biscuit. Up north, they eat toast and English muffins for breakfast.”
“And try to find good grits,” she said. “Well, that’s impossible.”
Trey nodded, remembering the intoxicating taste of her mouth. “Although they make decent hash browns at this place on Division and—well, never mind.” He wasn’t even sure what he was talking about, only that it was keeping his mind from thoughts of running his hands over every inch of Libby’s body. Trey cleared his throat. “I’ll just take my dog and you can get back to your biscuits.”
“Would you like some?” Libby asked. “I have extra.”
The offer took him by surprise, an unexpected truce he didn’t want to rebuff. It wasn’t a kiss, but it was a step in the right direction. “Sure.”
“I’ll just go get some.” She hurried back into the house and returned a moment later with a small basket. She’d taken the time to line it with a checkered napkin before stacking the biscuits neatly inside.
Trey slowly approached her and took the basket from her outstretched arms, his fingers brushing against hers. The contact sent a frisson of heat through his arm. “Thanks. They smell great.”
“Try one,” she urged.
He smiled, cocking his eyebrow up. “You didn’t happen to slip a little rat poison in these, did you?”
“No,” she said, sending him a playful glare. “But I can whip up another batch in a few minutes if you like.”
Trey grabbed a biscuit and bit into it. “Oh, God,” he murmured as the biscuit melted on his tongue. The outside was golden brown and flaky, and inside, it was still warm. “This is the best biscuit I’ve ever eaten. You know, these are almost better than—” Trey paused and cleared his throat.
“What?” Libby asked.
“Nothing.”
“No, really. Be honest.”
Trey shook his head. “I was going to say they were better than…sex.”
This brought a tiny smile to her lips. “Bad food and bad women. Is that the real reason you decided to leave Chicago?”
“I’m glad I’m home,” Trey said, his gaze meeting hers.
They stared at each other for a long time, neither one of them moving or speaking. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms again and test the limits of their attraction. Would she welcome another kiss? Did she even realize how much he wanted her? Crazy thoughts raced through his head, fantasies that involved more than just a kiss. Trey glanced down at Beau, looking for anything to take his mind off the woman standing in front of him. “Well, thanks for the biscuits.” He held the basket out to her.
“No, take them with you. You can bring the basket back later.”
“Great,” Trey said. He reached down and grabbed Beau’s collar, tugging him along after him. “And I’ll make sure he doesn’t get in your yard. High fences make good neighbors, right?”
“Right,” she said. “Good night.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “Good night…Libby.” Using her first name seemed almost too intimate, but Trey was past caring. All this treading carefully was making him crazy. Without another thought he let go of Beau’s collar and dropped the basket on the grass. In a few long strides, Trey crossed the distance between them.
Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her, his mouth covering hers, his tongue gently teasing. When he finally drew away, he looked down into her face. Her eyes were closed and a tiny smile curled her lips. “There,” he murmured. “That’s better.”
Her eyes fluttered open and she drew a shaky breath. “Th-that thing I said about the lawn mower