Free Love Is Nuts (3 Tales) by Mimi Riser Page B

young.
    Little as in innocent.
    Slo had never had much interest in the young and innocent even when he’d been young and innocent himself. He liked women who could hold their own with him, women who knew the ropes, who appreciated a good time and wouldn’t get all bent out of shape when the good time was over…
    “Have you met my cousin?” he heard Sam asking, and from the tone of the question realized this wasn’t the first time Sam had asked it. Slo also realized he’d been staring openly at Little Miss Innocent, who’d reacted to the appraisal as any self-respecting, wary virgin would – waxing wide-eyed, backing away and blushing hot pink.
    Wow, was that cute, or what?
    Slo’s breath snagged on the intake. He felt a suspicious warm flutter deep down inside – deep and low – very unexpected, but not exactly unwelcome. Maybe some wolfish devil had possessed him, the hungry spirit of a Don Juan or Casanova – or maybe it was just the surprisingly enticing sight of her standing there all sweet and quivery like a freshly steamed plum pudding waiting for the hard sauce – but he had an incorrigible urge to move closer and touch her. Young and innocent suddenly seemed kind of…well, interesting.
    “Um, no, I haven’t had that pleasure yet,” he answered Sam. With a provocative, predatory stride, he advanced on the quarry.
    “Slo Larkin, this is Roxanne Sinclair. Roxy, meet Slo,” Sam said with a merciless grin at them both.
    Slo never saw the grin. He was too busy giving one of his own to Roxanne – one of his best, the grin that curled toes, melted underwear, and flattened feminine resistance like a steamroller.
    “Always nice to see a new face in town. Especially a face as nice as yours.” He offered her his hand.
    She refused to take it.
    Undaunted, Slo took her hand instead.
    Then dropped it. Quickly.
    Whoa, she was trembling. And hot – you could fry eggs on her. Either the poor kid had a bad case of malaria, or he had carried his little tease a little too far. She wasn’t just nervous, she was terrified. Of him. Great, just great. Boy, was he ever proud of himself. This was why he didn’t mess with virgins.
    “Roxy’s minding the shop while Jil’s away. Did you hear Jil got married?… Yeah, and Evangeline Allen, too. That was something, wasn’t it?… Husband’s name is Harper Rourke…” Sam’s voice droned on and on, making small talk, filling the air of the shop – air that pulsed with undercurrents of electrical tension.
    Slo listened no closer than politeness required, answered the questions with as few words as possible. He was far more aware of the one who was not speaking – the blue-eyed baby doll who stood backed against the old-fashioned counter. Her gaze kept darting to his, then away, as though the mere sight of him scorched her. She was quivering and sizzling like a lit fuse.
    What a waste, all that energy squandered on stress.
    There was dynamite in that baby doll. Someone someday was going to have one hell of a hot time lighting it. Some lucky guy was going to get himself an armful of fiery delight.
    Too bad that guy couldn’t be him.
    Enough, Larkin! You’ve come, you’ve seen, you’ve conquered. Now quit playing Big Bad Wolf. Leave Little Red Riding Hood alone and go bother Grandma.
    “Well, um, I guess I’d better be gettin’ back to the house.” Slo turned toward the exit.
    Sam stopped him. “So soon? You just got here, man.”
    “Yeah, sorry. I wasn’t planning on staying. Gran’s got dinner waiting.” Smashed green tomatoes, with cantaloupe pulp for dessert – Slo could hardly wait. “I just thought I’d drop by for a minute to say hi and, um, meet your cousin.” He gave Roxanne an apologetic nod. “Newcomers are kind of an attraction in this town, in case you hadn’t noticed yet.”
    But then you’d be an attraction anywhere, wouldn’t you, baby?
    Slo knew he hadn’t spoken the thought aloud – but to see Roxanne, you might almost have