Susan Mallery: Thrill Me

Maya glanced up, curious as to whom the mayor would consider for such an important job. There was a lot on the line for the town and Mayor Marsha always put Fool’s Gold first. If he—

Maybe it was a trick of the light, Maya thought frantically as her eyes focused. Or a mistake. Because the tall, broad-shouldered, slightly scruffy guy walking toward them looked alarmingly familiar.

She took in the too-long curly hair, the three-day beard and the oversize, well-worn backpack slung over one shoulder. As if he’d just stepped off a pontoon plane direct from the Amazon forest. Or out of one of her dreams.

Delany Mitchell. Del.

The same Del who had stolen her virginity and her eighteen-year-old heart and had promised to love her forever. The Del who had wanted to marry her. The Del she’d walked out on because she’d been too young and too scared to take a chance on believing that she was the least bit lovable.

His jeans were so worn they looked as soft as a baby’s blanket. His white shirt hung loose, the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was that irresistible combination of disheveled and confident. The ultimate in sex appeal.

How could he be back in town? Why hadn’t she known? And was it too late to bolt from the room?

Mayor Marsha smiled with pleasure, then rose. She crossed to the man and held out her arms. Del stepped into her embrace, hugged her, then kissed her cheek.

“You haven’t changed at all,” he said by way of greeting.

“And you’ve changed quite a bit. You’re successful and famous now, Delany. It’s good to have you back.”

Maya stood, not sure what she was supposed to do or say. Back as in back ? No way, no how. She would have heard. Elaine would have warned her. All living, breathing, handsome proof to the contrary , she thought.

Ten years later, Del still looked good. Better than good.

She found herself fighting old feelings—both emotional and physical. She felt breathless and foolish and was grateful neither of them was looking at her. She had a second to get herself under control.

She’d been so young back then, she thought wistfully. So in love and so afraid. Sadly, fear had won out and she’d ended things with Del in a horrible way. Maybe now she would finally get the chance to explain and apologize. Assuming he was interested in either.

The mayor stepped back and motioned to her. “I think you remember Maya Farlow. Didn’t the two of you used to see each other?”

Del turned to glance at her. His expression was an ode to mild curiosity and nothing else. “We dated,” he said, dismissing their intense, passionate relationship with casual disregard. “Hello, Maya. It’s been a long time.”

“Del. Nice to see you.”

The words sounded normal enough, she told herself. He wouldn’t guess that her heart was pounding and her stomach had flopped over so many times she feared it would never be right again.

Was it that he didn’t remember the past, or had he truly put it all behind him? Was she just an old girlfriend he barely recalled? She would have thought that was impossible, and she would have been wrong.

He looked good, she thought, taking in what was new and what was exactly as it had been. His features were sharper, more honed. His body bigger. He’d filled out. Grown up. There was a confidence to his gaze. She’d fallen in love with a twenty-year-old, but before her was the adult male version.

The puzzle pieces fell into place. Her meeting and discussion with the mayor. What was expected of her as far as promoting the town. The need for a well-known person to host the videos.

Her lips formed the word No even as her brain held in the sound. She turned to Mayor Marsha.

“You want us to work together?”

The older woman smiled and took her seat at the conference table, then motioned for Del to sit, as well.

“Yes. Del’s back in town for a couple of months.”

“Just for the rest of the summer.” He settled in a chair that seemed too small for him. His grin was as easy as his posture. “You guilted me into helping.”

Mayor Marsha’s blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “I might have done what needed doing to get you to agree,” she admitted. She turned to Maya. “Del has experience with filming. He’s made some videos himself.”

He shrugged. “Nothing that special, but I do know my way around a camera.”

“As does Maya. I would like the two of you to collaborate on the project.”

Maya told herself to keep breathing. That later, when she was alone, she would scream or keen or throw something. Right now, she had to remain calm and act like a professional. She had a brand-new job she very much wanted to keep. She loved Fool’s Gold, and since moving back to town, she’d felt more content than she could remember ever feeling before. She didn’t want that to change.

She could handle Del being back. Obviously he was 100 percent over her. Which was a good thing. She was over him, too. Way over. So over as to almost not remembering him. Del who?

“Sounds like fun,” she said with a smile. “Let’s set up a meeting to brainstorm what has to be done.”

* * *

SHE WAS SMOOTH, Del thought, watching Maya from across the small conference table. Professional. She’d stayed friends with his mother, so he heard about her every now and then. How she’d been promoted to senior producer at the local news station in Los Angeles, and how she wanted to get to a network position. Showing up in Fool’s Gold was an unexpected left turn in her career path.

Just as unanticipated had been the call from Mayor Marsha, inviting him to be a part of the town’s new publicity project. She’d phoned about fifteen minutes after he’d already decided he was coming home for the summer. The woman had mad skills.

“How about tomorrow?” Maya asked. “Why don’t you call me in the morning and we’ll set up a day and time?”

“Works for me.”

She gave him her cell number.

Mayor Marsha’s desk phone beeped.

“Excuse me,” the mayor said. “I need to take this call. I’ll leave you two to work out the details.”

They all rose. Del and Maya walked into the hallway. Once there, he half expected her to bolt, but she surprised him by pausing.

“When was the last time you were back?” she asked.

“It’s been a couple of years. You?”

“I came home to visit Zane and Chase a couple of months ago and never left.”

Her brothers , he thought. Technically her stepbrothers, but he knew they were the only family she had. While he’d grown up in a loud, close-knit, crazy family, Maya hadn’t had anyone but an indifferent mother. She’d made her own way in the world. Something he’d respected about her, until that trait had turned around and bit him on the ass.

“You’re a long way from Hollywood,” he said.

“You’re a long way from the Himalayas.”

“So neither of us belongs here.”

“Yet here we are.” She smiled. “It’s good to see you, Del.”

You, too.

He thought the words, but didn’t say them. Because it was good, damn her. And he didn’t want it to be. Maya was born trouble. At least she had been for him. Not that he would make that mistake again. He’d trusted her with everything he had and she’d thrown it back in his face. Lesson learned.

He nodded at her, then swung his backpack over his shoulder. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Her smile faltered for a second before returning. “Yes, you will.”

He watched her go. When she was out of sight, he thought about going after her. Not that there was anything to say. Their last conversation, a decade ago, had made everything clear.

He told himself the past was the past. That he’d moved on and was long over her. He’d gone his way and she’d gone hers. Everything had worked out for the best.