Lori Foster - Charade

“Well maybe you should.”

When he finally looked up, appearing totally unrepentant, she frowned at him in exasperation. “I think it would be better if you kept your hands to yourself.”

Tyler did a double take. “All I did was hold your hand. I didn’t make an indecent proposal.”

His blunt speech could easily rattle her, but still her tone was brisk and confident. “This is a very small town,” she said. “People love to gossip. I don’t want to give anyone reason to speculate.”

Tyler blinked, completely incredulous, a small, uncertain smile playing about his mouth. Then the smile broke, and he indulged in unrestrained laughter. Carlie immediately felt like a fool. Her remark had been totally asinine. No one would ever assume Tyler Ramsey was romantically involved with her. Secret rendezvous in disguise aside, the idea was too absurd.

Tyler shook his head, still chuckling and watching Carlie with an air of expectation, as if he was waiting for another joke. She knew her face was red, and she hated it. She reached into her purse, blindly searching for her wallet, then threw a couple of bills on the table and stood. She slipped her purse over her shoulder and walked away.

“Carlie! Wait a minute.”

She ignored him.

Tyler cursed as she walked out the door. When Carlie glanced back, he was hurrying after her.

It was a beautiful autumn day outside, with only a hint of chill in the air to suggest that winter was approaching. The sun was a hazy tangerine glow dipping low on the horizon. And beneath it, her sturdy shoes clapping loudly on the pavement, stomped Carlie. She was intent on marching back to the school to retrieve her car.

She heard Tyler jogging after her.

“Leave me alone,” she said succinctly as he reached her side and tried to grasp her arm.

“Be reasonable, Carlie. You can’t walk all the way back to the school.”

“Of course I can. We didn’t go that far.”

“I’d rather drive you.”

“ I’d rather walk.”

Growling, Tyler grabbed her arms, despite her resistance, then shook her gently. “Will you stop being so contrary? You were worried about causing speculation? Well, what do you think it will do if I carry you back to my car?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Take one more step and you’ll find out what I dare.”

It was a standoff, and they glared at each other until finally Carlie did an about-face and, without a word to Tyler, stalked over to his car. She stood by the passenger door, impatiently waiting for him to unlock it. But before he opened the door, he caught her shoulders again.

“Carlie, I didn’t mean to...that is... Oh, hell, I’m sorry, all right?”

Carlie faced him, hard as that was to do. She felt thoroughly humiliated and had no problem blaming Tyler for her discomfort. She may have memories to cherish, but Tyler would obviously be appalled to learn the true identity of his mystery woman.

Straightening her shoulders to hide her hurt, she stared at him with cold indifference. “Do a good job with the children. That’s all I ask. Beyond that, you don’t concern me.”

* * *

Tyler nodded stiffly, then walked to his own side of the car. His hands flexed on the wheel twice before he started the engine.

“Doesn’t anything rattle that damned calm reserve of yours?”

Carlie stared out her window. “Is that what your insult was meant to do? Rattle me?”

“Actually, I didn’t mean to insult you at all.”

Carlie snorted. “I’m not an idiot, Tyler. I understand how ridiculous I must have sounded. Certainly no one would ever think... I mean, the idea of me and you...”

“That’s not why I laughed, Carlie.”

She snorted again, and he grinned. “There, you see?” he said. “You just never say or do what I expect. You were sitting back there all prim and proper, your pretty hazel eyes all disapproving, and it just struck me funny. You seem too much of a modern woman to be so prudish.”

Carlie felt mortified. “I’m not prudish,” she mumbled, memories of a few nights ago tumbling about in her mind. Then she told the necessary lie. “Just circumspect.”

They stopped at a red light, and he turned toward her, scrutinizing her. She stubbornly ignored him, only briefly glancing his way. But it was enough to see his smile. She had the vague suspicion that he felt challenged. And an even worse suspicion that if it came to a battle of wills, she’d lose. Hands down.

Tyler certainly had more experience sparring words. A thrill of trepidation ran down her spine, and then her reason for that trepidation was verified.

“Your lips are nice. Full and soft, but not a hint of a smile. And I like your small, stubborn chin.”

He was teasing, she could tell. And she almost grinned at his underhanded tactics. Almost.

“Does it hurt?”

That gained her reluctant attention, and a quizzical frown. “What?”

“Wearing your hair so tight. It gives me a headache just to look at it.”

She should never have looked at him. His dark eyes were shining and his firm lips were tilted in a boyish grin. He appeared totally harmless. But she wasn’t buying it.

“How long is it?” Tyler moved when the traffic light turned green and drove smoothly down the uncrowded street. “Shoulder-length? Longer?”

“I can’t see where my hair could possibly interest you, Tyler. But to end your juvenile tactics to annoy me, I’ll tell you. It reaches my shoulder blades, is a very mousy brownish blond, and I wear it this way because I don’t have time to fuss with fancy hairdos. As long as a person’s hair is clean, what should it matter to anyone else how it’s worn?”

Very softly, but with devastating sincerity, he said, “I don’t think your hair is mousy.”

Her head swiveled so sharply to look at him, she winced.

“I think it’s a nice color, especially with the sun on it. I see shades of red—which suits you—but also blond and dark brown. It’s very nice. You should wear it loose.”

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not interested. I’m not a teenager to be flattered by comments on my hair or eyes. I want to do a job here, Tyler. I’m very serious about it, even if you aren’t.”

“You are so damned defensive.”

With reason, she wanted to scream. If he found out.... She sucked in a calming breath and stared at his profile. Her voice was patience personified, and filled with sane reasoning. “I’m not defensive. Just realistic. As you already made clear, there’s very little about me that would ever entice you. I’m not naive. I’m aware of how I look. Why don’t we talk about something important now? Like the students.”

“I was only being honest with you, Carlie.”

She gave him her patented teacher’s look, reserved for students who had pushed her past the line. He shrugged, then returned his attention to the road.

She felt oddly deflated.

As he pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes later, he asked, “Were you at Bren’s Halloween party?”

Coming out of left field like that, the question left her temporarily routed. Then she gathered her wits, opened the door and stepped out. Tyler left the car also, the consummate gentleman, and walked her to her own car, opening her door.

Carlie wasn’t certain if it was just an innocent question, or if he was guessing at the identity of the masked lady again. She hesitated.

“Carlie?”

She saw no way around the lie. “No, I didn’t go. There’s always a lot happening at school this time of year. We had our own class party, you know. For the students, I mean. And we’ve already started practicing for the Thanksgiving play. And then, with the new project I’ve been working on...” Carlie came to a fast stop, appalled at her rambling. She looked into his eyes as she added truthfully, “I don’t go to parties very often.”