Savage Sweetness (Lost and Found Book 3) Read online

  Thankfully, the center of town was only two miles from the woman’s farm and he paused, surveying the area. It was cute, including a town square with old-fashioned storefronts along the perimeter of the circle. Parking was available in front of each store and, most likely, there was additional parking in the rear. The tallest building looked to be the brick store on the north side. The bottom floor of the building contained a coffee shop, and the second and third floors looked to be apartments. The other storefronts were a real estate office with pictures of about five different homes and four parcels of land taped to the front window. The largest storefront was a hardware store. He suspected that the owner sold a good deal of animal feed, as well as tools, lumber, and other building materials. There was also a little boutique, the town’s small library, and what looked to be a post office, but it seemed a little small to be a post office.

  Overall, it was one of the cutest little towns he’d ever seen. He looked down one street and…yes! Exactly what he was looking for. The hardware store had a help wanted sign in the window.

  Perfect, he thought. Stocking shelves was exactly what he needed right now. The mindless job would give him time to think, to muddle through what he knew about the bombing, and to process whatever information Dash might discover.

  Rosalee frowned at the man standing in front of her store. He wasn’t looking into her coffee shop. Instead, he was reading the “Help Wanted” sign posted in the hardware store window.

  He didn’t seem like the kind who would apply for a menial job at a hardware store though. He was incredibly tall with broad, muscular shoulders, dark, nearly black, hair and a strong jawline. She couldn’t see his eyes since they were covered with sunglasses, but…goodness! He was hot! Smoking hot! He looked like he should be shirtless on the cover of a romance novel! Or maybe posed in his underwear on the billboards of Times Square! He seemed like someone who would easily take charge in a boardroom. He clearly wasn’t the menial labor type of man.

  “Rosalee!” a voice called out.

  Jolted out of her contemplation of the man’s rather impressive butt, she looked around only to discover that she’d been pouring coffee onto the floor, completely missing the mug in her other hand.

  Coffee had spilled over the countertop and onto the floor! “Oh no!” she gasped, looking around to find that the coffee had even splattered her jeans. “Good grief!”

  “Are you feeling okay?” Patty asked.

  Rosalee glanced across the counter at her friend and employee. Then she glared down at the mess on the floor. “Probably not,” she mumbled with a resigned sigh. And yet, her gaze drifted back to the coffee shop window. Unfortunately, the gorgeous man was gone already.

  She grumbled quietly as she went to grab the mop. “Wonderful!” she muttered, filling the bucket with clean water and the special detergent that didn’t make the tile floor slippery. “Just what I needed today.” She looked down at the spot on her arm where one of the chickens had pecked her. “I should have guessed that today would be a mess!”

  “I didn’t think that you could be so affected by men,” Patty commented with a teasing glint in her blue eyes.

  Rosalee looked up, startled. “Not affected by men? Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Because that hot guy, Mr. Rutherford, comes in here all the time to flirt with you. He’s obviously got the hots for you and you turn him down cold every time.” Patty slid a tray of biscuits into the display case. “Then, there’s Sheriff Tom. He comes in here almost every day hoping for a date. And you just brush the poor man off with a smile.”

  Rosalee stopped mopping up the spilled coffee, and blinked at her friend. “Well, James and I are just friends. He is extremely good looking, but we don’t…we are just friends.”

  Patty shrugged. “My point exactly! If James Rutherford ever asked me out on a date, I’d be drooling and panting! But he doesn’t even notice the rest of us when you’re around.” Patty sighed heavily. “If you weren’t such a nice person and an excellent boss, I’d have to dislike you on principle, Rosalee.”

  Rosalee was mopping up the last of the coffee from the floor, but Patty’s comment pulled her focus back up. “Dislike me? Why?”

  “Because you’re beautiful, sweet, and kind. You adopted a deaf dog, for goodness’ sake! And you bring a meal to Arthur every day on your way home from work!”

  Rosalee tossed the coffee-stained rag into the cleaning bin, then leaned on the upright mop. “Lots of people feed Arthur. He’s a very nice man who just needs a little help.”

  “See?” Patty replied with exasperation. “You’re so nice!”

  Rosalee laughed. “You say that like it’s a four letter word.” She finished up with the mop and started pushing it and the bucket of dirty water into the back room to dump out.

  “Technically, ‘nice’ is a four letter word,” Patty pointed out. “However, I meant that in a bad way. You’re incredibly nice. It’s hard to hate someone as beautiful as you are when you’re so freaking nice!”

  Rosalee chuckled. “First of all, I’m not beautiful. And if you want me to be mean, then I will unleash the kraken. You’ll see my dark side!”

  The other employees chuckled along with Patty at the idea of Rosalee being mean. They all knew that it simply wasn’t possible.

  Chapter 3

  Kasim stepped into the hardware store and looked around. It smelled good, the way hardware stores always did. The overall scent was one of sawdust, oil, and coffee, plus a few other scents that were undetermined.

  “How can I help you?” a male voice called out.

  Kasim turned and looked at the man. “I’m here about the job,” he explained.

  The man’s eyes brightened. “Well, come on over then!” he said, waving Kasim towards the end of the checkout counter. He pulled a clipboard out and laid it on the counter. “Do you have any experience?”

  Kasim took the clipboard, noticing the lines needing a social security number and address. Hell, he couldn’t even write down his real name! This could get tricky.

  Kasim tucked the clipboard against his side, smiling at the man with an open, hopefully honest expression. “I’m experienced with supply chain issues,” he explained carefully, not going into details that his experience was at an extremely high level. He had dealt with trucker unions and labor strikes, harbormaster crises, industry issues, and economic diversity. “But I’m guessing that you’re more interested in someone who can stock the shelves quickly and help customers find items in the store.”

  The man chuckled. “You’re right there. I was thinking that I’d hire a high school kid.” He extended his hand. “I’m Joe.”

  “Ken,” Kasim lied. He had no idea where he’d come up with the name, but it was a whole lot better than stating his real name. Kasim wasn’t sure if the man listened to the news. If Joe did, the connection with his name and the explosion…however many days ago…would be an issue. “Nice to meet you, Joe.”

  Joe smiled and shifted on his feet. “How many hours can you work each week?”

  Kasim braced his arms on the counter, aware of how his body language completely redefined the power dynamic between himself and the hardware store owner. He’d played these games with too many others not to be aware of the message he was sending. Kasim was an expert at political games!

  “I can work as many hours as you need. But to be honest with you, Joe, I am only here temporarily. While I’m here, I can work hard and I’m excellent at customer service.” That was the truth, he thought, thinking of some of the tense negotiations he’d had to smooth over. “I’ll be considerate with your customers and accomplish every task with precision.” He reached out, touching the employment application lightly. “But since I’m only here temporarily, and I need a bit of cover as well, I’d rather perform the tasks without the formality.”

  Joe hesitated and Kasim stretched his mind to figure out more incentive. “I will speak to the sheriff about my predicament, if you’re worried about legal issues.”

  Joe hesitated, then sighed and shook his head. “Nah. I’m desperate for some help and you look like a hard worker. When can you start?”

  “Thank you,” Kasim replied sincerely. “You won’t regret this.” He was already considering ways to reward the man when this bombing mess was resolved. “I can start immediately.”

  Joe’s relief was obvious. “That’s great!” He waved Kasim towards the back of the store and showed him the stacks of boxes that had come in over the past few weeks. Touching one of the stacks, he explained, “This stock needs to be put on the shelves. It’s a pretty straightforward task. Just dump most of the stuff into the bins.”

  Kasim chuckled. “I can do that,” he said, hefting the first box so that he could look inside. “If I have any questions about where things go, I’ll find you.”

  Joe nodded, then handed him a box cutter. “Here, you’ll need this.” He pulled a pair of work gloves out of his belt. “And these might help. They’ll protect your hands and also help you grip the merchandise to make the stacking easier.”

  For the next several hours, Kasim unloaded boxes, swept the floors and, because he’d unpacked the boxes and discovered the layout of the store, he was even able to help several customers find various items. Most of the customers were regulars though, and they knew where things were. Kasim worked to keep his head down whenever possible and pushed himself to work faster.

  At the end of the day, Joe asked him to take out the trash and Kasim was hauling the bags to the dumpster when the steel door of the next shop over opened. Out came the woman! It was her! The woman who owned the stables where he was sleeping!

  Damn, she was truly gorgeous! In the late afternoon sunshine, her hair sparkled. She grunted slightly as she heaved the garbage up, but missed the edge of the dumpster.

  “Here, let me help you,” he called out, taking the heavy bag and easily tossing it into the dumpster.

  “Oh!” she gasped, stepping back as she stared up at him. Kasim felt her eyes on him and wanted to roar with frustration. Here he was, standing before the most beautiful and fascinating woman he’d ever met, and he was covered in dust, chucking trash!

  “Hello,” he replied, fisting his hands on his hips as he looked down at her. She was a tiny thing, he thought. She wore sneakers and her head barely came up to his shoulders.

  “He…” she stopped and cleared her throat. “Hello!” She glanced over at the steel door that led into the hardware store. “You’re working for Joe now?”

  Blue eyes. The woman had beautiful, sky blue eyes! “Yes. I started today.”

  “That’s great!” she gasped, clasping her hands together in front of her. “I saw you!”

  “You did?” he asked, his body stiffening as he remembered her feeding the animals earlier today. Had he shown himself? Was she mad that he was sleeping in her barn?

  “Yes!” She bit her lip and his gaze moved to her mouth. Soft, full lips. Pink lips. Kissable lips, he thought. “Well, I mean…I sort of saw you. Through the window of my coffee shop. I saw you on the street. I sort of…well, we were wondering about you.” That was a lie, he thought. He could see the truth in her eyes. She was the only one who was wondering about him. He liked that!

  He also liked the way her cheeks heated, a becoming shade of pink transforming her pale skin.

  “Oh dear,” she whispered, cupping her face. “I’m blushing, aren’t I?”

  “Yes,” he replied, smiling at her flustered expression. And of course, the blush deepened.

  She bit her lip, then sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah, I do that around good looking men. I can’t seem to help it. Please,” she fanned her face as if trying to cool her cheeks, “just pretend that I’m not making a fool of myself.”

  Kasim moved closer, taking her hand and lifting her fingers to his lips. “You don’t look foolish,” he replied, fascinated now by her blue eyes. They were a lovely shade of crystal blue. They weren’t the vibrant blue of a lapis lazuli, but were a softer blue, similar to an aquamarine with flecks of a light gold around the edges. Fascinating! He’d been so intent on memorizing the exact color of her pale skin and the sensuous curve of her lips that he hadn’t gotten a good look at her eyes! Now that he had, Kasim couldn’t seem to look away.

  Rosalee stood there, held captive by the dark intensity of his gaze. He was so tall and her fingers tingled where he’d kissed them. It also felt as if he were protecting her with his body, shifting his weight so that someone at the other end of the alley couldn’t see her, couldn’t harm her. The idea sent a delicious shiver of feminine need throughout her body. This man was different. She wasn’t sure how he was different, but she could feel something about him, a power that most men didn’t have. James was like that, but his power didn’t affect her the way this man did. Not even close!

  “When did you start working for Joe?” she asked, her voice breathy. She wanted to clear her throat and repeat her question more forcefully. She wanted to impress him with her business-like demeanor. But for the life of her, Rosalee couldn’t seem to move, much less do anything to impress this man. He was…big and strong and…yummy in ways that she’d never experienced before!

  The wind teased her hair, making it dance around her face. Before she could react, he reached out, tucking the stray lock behind her ear.

  “This morning,” he replied. “My name is…Ken.”

  Goodness, his voice was incredible! It was deep and chocolatey, just like his eyes! She wondered if he would taste better than her hot-chocolate bombs. As soon as the thought formed, she forced herself back to the present. When had she ever wanted to taste a man? Never, that’s when!

  “I’d…umm….better…” she stopped, trying to remember what she was trying to say. The words wouldn’t form. Good grief, her thoughts couldn’t form! Her mind was mush!

  The back door to her shop slammed open with a heavy thud. Ken jumped, his fingers tightening on her as he pushed her behind his back. Rosalee was so stunned by his move, she wasn’t sure what to say. He’d…protected her? The sound of the door opening was loud and abrupt, but what had he thought was happening?

  “Rosalee?” Patty called out. “Are you okay?”

  Rosalee put a hand to Ken’s back and he spun around. She must have looked concerned, because he visibly forced his body to relax. “Are you okay?” she asked him gently.

  “Yes, thank you,” he replied with a formality that was unusual. Again, he took her hand, lifting her fingers to his lips, kissing them in a delightfully old-fashioned manner. “You have work to finish and I must get back to my tasks. Perhaps we could meet again,” he asked, his eyes glowing with amusement. “Same time, same romantic place?” he offered.

  Rosalee couldn’t help but laugh. “Dumpster romance?” she offered.

  His chuckle was like melted chocolate pouring over her skin. Goodness, what was it about this man and images of chocolate?

  “I look forward to it,” he replied, eyes twinkling, then stepped back.

  Somehow, Rosalee understood that Ken was waiting until she was safely inside her coffee shop before he would return to the hardware store. How…protective! Rosalee leaned back against the now-closed metal door, replaying every moment of that interlude. Normally, she didn’t like men to be overly protective. It reeked of sexism, in her opinion. But when Ken did it, she…liked it! Good grief, she was losing her mind!

  “So, what’s his name?”

  Startled, Rosalee blinked, focusing on Patty who was standing before her, arms crossed over her chest and a knowing smirk playing across her face.

  “Um…” she pushed away from the door and tried to remember what she was doing. “He’s just…a very nice man,” she finally explained to Patty. “Let’s get those cookies into the display case.”

  Patty didn’t reply, but the expression on her face warned Rosalee that she wasn’t fooled. Rosalee sighed, shaking her head at her behavior with Ken. She’d basically announced that she found him attractive! No, she hadn’t announced it, she thought, replaying the interaction in her mind. She’d literally shouted her opinion that he was good looking! Oh dear, so much for playing it cool!

  Nope, she’d never been one of the cool kids at school. She’d been in the geeky, awkward crowd, wishing that she knew what to say. The cool kids were the ones that made the boys laugh. The cool girls were the ones who knew how to flip their hair and bat their eyelashes in ways that looked more appealing than ridiculous.

  Rosalee…looked ridiculous.

  Mentally castigating herself for being so pathetically obvious, she hurried through her end-of-day chores. An hour later, her night manager arrived and she glanced up from her mopping to find him pulling on his apron. “Hey Dave,” she called out, waving to the twenty-something guy who grinned in reply, tying his apron as he stepped up to the counter.

  “Hey Rosalee. Any issues tonight?” he asked.

  Rosalee and Dave went over a few details, but there wasn’t much of a crush at night. It was generally an easy shift, except on Friday or Saturday nights.

  On the drive home that night, Rosalee vowed that she’d be cool the next time she ran into Ken. She’d be sophisticated and mysterious. She would NOT blush. She wouldn’t stammer and she would come up with something exciting and enticing to say.

  Kasim whistled as he walked down the street. Joe had paid him cash for the hours he’d worked and it was wonderful to have a little money in his pocket. He’d stopped by the grocery store deli and bought an extra-large sandwich, filling up his belly for the first time since that damned explosion. But the deli sandwich had been an extravagance that couldn’t happen again. Kasim wasn’t sure how long this sojourn away from his responsibilities would last, and he needed money to buy a cell phone. Thinking of a phone, he needed to check in with Dash again. Kasim was certain that his friend would have a plan by now. Dash would have researched the issues, probably hacked into some federal system, and gotten whatever evidence the authorities had obtained after the bombing.