White Wedding For A Southern Belle. Susan Carlisle

Already aware he was a big guy, being this near him only emphasized the fact. His hands covered hers, helping her to balance the box again. He looked at her mouth. Was he going to take advantage of the situation and kiss her again? Her nerve ends danced. Something in her wanted him to, while her mind stated clearly that it was a bad idea. He was a stranger and she had no business letting him that close. She was glad for the space when he stepped back.

      He said casually, “I don’t know about you but I missed lunch and dinner today. Would you join me for a pizza? I’ll have it delivered so we don’t have to stop work except to eat.”

      Was he kidding? No one was going to deliver in Southriver after dark. She chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

      “What?”

      “Getting something delivered around here after the sun goes down. Too many drivers have been robbed.” She shifted the box so that she could see him clearly. Kiefer really was a good-looking man.

      “You have to be kidding.”

      “Nope. Give it a try if you don’t believe me.” She was going to enjoy proving she was right. She walked down the hall.

      When she returned he called from an exam room, “Pizza will be here in thirty.”

      She stepped back to the doorway. “How did you manage that?”

      “I have a buddy who’s a policeman and his family owns a pizza place. He happened to be helping out tonight.”

      “I’m impressed.” And she was.

      In a short while the front-door buzzer that she’d had installed the day before went off. To Ashley’s amazement the pizza had arrived just as Kiefer had said it would. She hoped he always used his powers for good. Following him to the door, she said, “Check the peephole first. Never open the door after hours until you know who it is.”

      “You really should consider living elsewhere.”

      That wasn’t going to happen. She’d made a promise years ago and she wasn’t going to go back on it now. “That’s not going to happen. It would defeat everything I stand for.”

      Kiefer looked at her for a second then out the peephole. “It’s Bull.” He opened the door.

      A man as tall as Kiefer but much bulkier stood there with a large pizza box in his hands. “Well, Kie, you’re sure slumming tonight.”

      Anger flared in Ashley. That was the way everyone thought of Southriver. If a person was in Southriver then it wasn’t for a good reason, one of many perceptions she was working to change. She stepped around Kiefer.

      Even in the dim light she could see Bull’s eyes widen and his instant embarrassment. “Ah, I’m sorry. No offense.”

      She said in a clipped tone, “None taken. That isn’t the first time my neighborhood has been insulted.”

      Kiefer chuckled softly as he gave Bull space to enter and closed the door behind him. “Careful, Bull. She might take you out, gun and all.”

      His warm sound of compassion took the edge off the moment for Ashley.

      “Truly my apologies, Ms. Marsh.” Bull sounded sincere.

      Ashley looked closely at Bull. “Don’t I know you? Aren’t you the officer who caught the guy robbing the café a couple of weeks ago?”

      Bull squared his shoulders and gave her a look of pride. “That was me.”

      “I appreciate that. The Gozmans are nice people. They’ve lived here all my life. I’d have hated to see them lose their business because they couldn’t pay their bills.”

      Bull grinned. “Does that make up for my remark earlier?”

      She smiled. “I’ll let it go for now.”

      * * *

      It bothered Kiefer for some reason that Bull was flirting with Ashley. Worse, she seemed to like it. It appeared innocent enough but he knew from past experience that looks could be deceiving. Brittney and Josh had managed to conceal their affair for months. But Ashley was nothing to him, so why should it matter if Bull was interested in her?

      That wasn’t true. Somehow his reaction to their kiss had added an element he didn’t understand.

      “Okay, neighborhood hero, I’m hungry. How about that pizza?” Kiefer pulled out some cash.

      Ashley wasn’t his type anyway. He liked her high energy and understood her big heart to a certain degree, but her drive to change the world was over the top for him. Too much like his mother. If he was ever interested in woman again it would be less about commitment and more about enjoying life.

      “Bull, why don’t you join us?” Ashley asked.

      “Yeah, do,” Kiefer said, in a less-than-encouraging tone.

      “Naw. I need to get going.” Bull took the cash and turned back toward the door.

      Kiefer opened it, letting Bull exit, and stepped out as well.

      “Listen, man,” Bull said, “you be careful coming and going around here at night. Also, you need to get a security light for that lot.” He nodded toward Ashley’s place.

      “I didn’t get much else done around here today but I did call the power company about that.”

      “Great. I’ve heard good things about what Alderman Marsh is trying to do but she has stirred up some trouble as well. I hope you don’t get caught in the cross fire.”

      “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the pizza.”

      “No problem.”

      Ashley was waiting on him when he came back in. “I’m ravenous. Why don’t we go up to my place to eat where there’s a table?”

      “Sounds good to me.”

      She led the way down the hall. At the end she opened a door he’d assumed was a closet. It turned out to hide a staircase. He climbed the stairs after her, getting a good view of her nicely round behind. When they reached the top they went through another door that opened into a small kitchen, which had obviously been remodeled. The brick walls and patchwork tablecloth gave the room a homey and functional feel.

      Ashley placed the pizza box on the table. “What would you like to drink? I have soda, tea, beer, water.”

      “I’d love a beer, but I’d better settle for a soda.” He took one of the matching chairs.

      Ashley pulled two cans of soda out of the refrigerator.

      “So how long have you lived here?” Kiefer watched as she filled glasses with ice and then poured the drinks over it.

      “About a year. I bought the building two years ago and spent six months making it habitable. I still have work to do.” She placed his glass in front of him.

      “You did the work yourself?”

      “All that I could. I had to cut corners where I could.”

      “I’m impressed. You’ve done a nice job, from what I’ve seen.”

      Ashley smiled. She had a nice smile. Sort of made him feel like the sun had come out. “It was a labor of love. And I do mean labor.”

      He flipped the box top up and took a slice of pizza. “If you don’t mind, I’m about to starve.”

      “You need to pace yourself around here.”

      “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? You had meetings all day and still managed to check up on me.” He took another bite of pizza.

      “I wasn’t checking up.”

      “Really? What would you call it?”

      She shrugged. “Neighborly concern.”

      “We aren’t