Sex Appeal

THE BITTER COLD was refreshing. Originally from California, Shadow didn’t think she would ever be bored with Ohio weather. It changed with each month, and she relished waking every day to something other than continual sunshine. Not that it was cloudy today. She had to squint to tolerate the almost magical reflection of sunlight off snow and ice.

The wind whistled down the little sidewalk in front of her shop, whipping the scarf around her neck and nearly dislodging the colorful red bow in her hair. She supposed a dress hadn’t been the best thing to wear while hanging Christmas lights, but she rarely planned her days completely. Usually, she just did what she felt like doing, when she felt like doing it.

Today she felt like being outdoors, decorating. And she felt like seeing Brent Bramwell.

She’d thought of him often the past few days. She knew she had him confused, but he didn’t seem to mind overly. He had made that crack about her being a little nutty, but she was used to that. Everyone thought her nutty. She liked to think it was part of her charm.

Even throughout her school years she’d been different, always occupied with gaining independence and maturity so she wouldn’t have to conform to anyone else’s rules. Other girls had been interested in clothes and boys and music. She’d wanted only to garner enough knowledge to understand why people couldn’t be more accepting, more open to change. Unfortunately, the more she learned the more she understood just how different she was, and how rigid society could be when faced with the different and unique. She’d also learned to accept what she didn’t care to change.

The wind gave a particularly vicious swipe at her skirt, blowing it up and over the hem of her coat. Shadow squealed, frantically trying to push it back down and nearly toppling from her stepladder in the process. It was sheer bad luck, or maybe good, depending on your point of view, that Brent happened along just then.

* * *

BRENT COULDN’T BELIEVE his eyes when he saw Shadow balanced precariously atop a rickety stepladder on the slick walkway, her skirt billowing upward to give him an unhindered view of her nicely rounded backside in a pair of red tights. Her arms were stretched high over her head as she struggled to attach twinkle lights to the framing. When he saw her begin to flounder, tangling herself in the lights, he bolted forward.

However, the icy pavement wasn’t accommodating to heroism, and he reached Shadow just in time to lose his footing, thereby knocking her from her perch. They both went down, Brent on the bottom, Shadow landing in a sitting position on his stomach.

Stunned, she twisted around to stare at him. His eyes were closed, but they opened immediately to peer up at her.

“Are you all right?” she asked breathlessly.

“This is becoming a habit.” The lights she held were now draped over his chest, and her bow had slid forward to hang over one eye. Brent laughed, which wasn’t easy, considering Shadow sat on his diaphragm. She bounced slightly with his movements. “I think I would be better if you could remove yourself.”

“Oh.” She flushed, then quickly scrambled to her feet. It was an ignominious process and Brent, gaining several glances of her slim legs and lush backside in the tights, realized her bottom half was as enticing as her top half. Perhaps more so. He levered himself up to a sitting position, then came slowly to his feet. The seat of his pants was wet from the snow, and when he felt his head, he discovered a bump.

Shadow still wore a pretty blush, but she brazened it out, untangling the lights from her arms and leaving them draped over the stepladder. “Come on inside to my office and let me look at your head.”

Déjà vu, Brent thought as she literally dragged him inside. “My head is fine, it’s just my pants that are a mess.”

Shadow peered around behind him. Luckily, he hadn’t worn a suit today, opting instead for casual corduroy slacks, a thick fisherman sweater and a bomber jacket. She looked at his butt, made a tsking sound and hurried him through the door.

Kallie glanced up as they came in, called a friendly hello to Brent, then went back to her work. There were a couple of customers loitering, but they didn’t seem to have noticed the comedy on the front walk. He supposed that was something to be grateful for.

Inside her office, Shadow closed the door and turned to Brent. She bit her lip, looked him over, then blurted, “You could maybe take them off and I could try to clean them.”

Brent smiled. “First, thank me for not feeling compelled to make any sexual comments in response to your offer.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded. “The pants will dry. Don’t worry about it. Did you hurt yourself?”

“No. You broke my fall.” She cleared her throat. “Thanks again.”

“What exactly were you doing out there, anyway? You should have a handyman do that sort of thing for you.”

“I can take care of anything that needs to be done. I’m not helpless. Besides, I was enjoying myself. Well, at least before my skirt blew up. I, ah, don’t suppose you missed that?”

He didn’t bother to temper his grin. “No.”

Flushing a bit more, she said, “At least my tights covered me completely.” She began removing the bow that now hung around her neck, then riffled her fingers through her short curls, pushing them off her forehead. They sprang right back. “Won’t you be uncomfortable eating lunch with a wet seat?”

“Maybe we could just have lunch here. That way no one would stare and wonder.”

“Women would look regardless, you know.”

“Thank you.” Damn, she had him grinning a lot. “If we eat here, I can go home and change afterward. I’m not needed in the office today. I got everything cleared out of the way in the hope you could take some extra time off. I’d like to talk a little more.”

Shadow looked thoughtful, swinging the bow from her fingers. “I suppose I could. Wednesday isn’t one of our busier days. Kallie could probably handle everything. And I would like to spend more time with you.”

She never ceased to amaze him. “Are you this open with every man you meet?”

“Why? Does it bother you?”

“No. It’s just that I’m not used to women being so blunt. That is, unless they want…”

“What?”

He shook his head. “Never mind.”

She waited a moment more, then shrugged. “I never was any good at being diffident.”

Feigning disbelief, he said, “I don’t believe that.”

She returned his smile. “It’s just the way I am, and I stopped trying to change myself long ago. But I like you, so I hope you’re not so offended you won’t want to see me again.”

“It’ll take some getting used to, but I’ll manage.” What a fabrication, he thought. Get used to her? She fascinated him. “Now, about lunch? Can we order something in?”

She accepted his change of topic with a smile. “I’ll run down to Take a Break. Eliza will fix us up something. Do you have anything particular in mind?”

“Whatever you’re getting is fine.” Brent reached in his pocket to pull out his wallet. Shadow grabbed his hand.

“It’ll be my treat.” He started to object, and she added with a frown, “I insist.”

Brent paused, then went for a compromise. “All right. But only if you agree to let me buy you dinner. Tonight.”

“I still don’t know you that well—”

“You can pick the restaurant. Surely there must be someplace local where you’d feel comfortable.”

She frowned in thought for so long, he said, “I didn’t ask you to solve the question of world peace, Shadow.”

She finally nodded. “All right.”

“Such a concession,” he teased, noting her wariness. “What time do you get off tonight? I’ll pick you up.”

“No. I’ll meet you at Reba’s in the mall. About seven?”

“I have a feeling that knowing you will be a constant tug-of-war over control.” He touched her cheek, felt how soft and warm she was, and shook his head. “If I say one thing are you always going to say another?”