Read Trapped in Tourist Town for Free Online Page A

scaring her.
    “No, I’m not diabetic. And I suppose I could be persuaded to take some of this off your hands.” He stole up to the counter, spying a plate of brownies and reaching out, only to have his hand slapped. “What the hell?” He snatched it back, glaring at the infuriating woman taking up space in his kitchen.
    “Those are for later. You can’t eat brownies at nine o’clock in the morning.”
    “Hey, if it’s late enough for social calls, it’s late enough to eat chocolate.” He tried again, only to be thwarted when she threw herself in front of him.
    “You can eat all the brownies you want once I’m gone. But for now I have raisin bran muffins. You did say those were your favorite. I hope, for both our sakes, that you weren’t just being nice.”
    “So if I eat one of your raisin bran muffins, you’ll leave?” He regretted the barb the second it sailed off his tongue and hit its target, causing her to wince.
    She straightened her back and finished emptying the basket of goodies. There were three different kinds of cookies, brownies, muffins, and, good grief, was that a pie? Cady had been a busy girl!
    “I could go looking through your cupboards for plates and silverware, but that would be rude.”
    “And you certainly wouldn’t want to do anything that could be construed as rude.”
    They stared each other down before Burke finally broke eye contact and went in search of plates and forks. He gave her points for not flinching.
    Cady put a muffin on each plate and whipped a couple of paper towels from the roll on the counter. Burke took the opportunity to pop his latte in the microwave for a quick nuke. She picked up the plates and turned in a slow circle, her brow wrinkling in confusion.
    “Where is your table? Where do you eat?”
    “Oh, I moved it. It’s in the bedroom.”
    And just as she had entered his little rented cottage, Whirlwind Cady blew past him and headed down the hall. She pushed aside his empty coffee cup and the notebook, index cards, and assorted pens. Placing their breakfast on the table, she rubbed her hands together and sighed happily.
    “There we go.”
    The smile on her face faltered as she took in her surroundings. Square footage already at a premium, adding the kitchen table had only made the small room that much more cramped. Burke chose to remain in the doorway, not willing to add to the awkwardness that was slowly building.
    As one, they turned their attention to the bed. Single bachelor that he was, neatening up his living space hadn’t even occurred to him. The blankets were turned down, the sheets rumpled; it should have looked like a cozy retreat. But with Cady in the room, this seemingly innocent scene pulsed with an erotic charge that was impossible to ignore. She swallowed hard, wiping her palms against the soft faded denim of her jeans. The silence in the room was deafening.
    “There’s a suspension bridge not too far from the center of town. I thought maybe you could use that for your first article.”
    “Grab that notebook on the table. I’ll get my camera and laptop and meet you outside.” Anything to get her out of his bedroom.
    He didn’t breathe again until she’d brushed past him and he heard the front door close behind her. This was the worst idea in the history of ideas. He should just sleep with her already. The tension was gonna kill him.
    Stuffing the supplies he’d need into an old backpack, Burke started to leave the room, doubling back for one of the muffins. Cady was already behind the wheel of an aging Civic. When she started the engine he began to have doubts that they’d even make it out of his driveway. She waved cheerily from the driver’s seat, the screech of country twang rivaling the whine in the engine. Burke suspected this was intentional. He wrenched open the passenger side door and prepared to spend time in an enclosed space with a woman who was slowly driving him insane.
    During the ensuing car ride, Burke tried to