Free Sweet Hill Temptation (A Short Story) by Joya Ryan Page B

perfect distraction to help her forget. Make her feel safe. Wanted. Just for one night.
    Instead of leaving the next week like he was scheduled to, he left the next morning. Not a word, a call, or a note. Just gone. Leaving Annie to wake up alone, in her own kind of private humiliation.
    A lifetime of growing up in the same town had culminated in one night of intense passion she’d never thought could exist between two people. Then nothing. For years she’d put up with pricks and losers. Dealt with their taunts and rude remarks and general judgment of her. But Luke was different. Always had been. He was her friend, who stood up for her, then pushed for more, and she gave in. Like a naive little girl, she’d let him have her and, my God, did he take everything she had.
    Shaking off her thoughts of Luke, Annie crossed her legs and tugged down her skirt a little. She had bigger things to worry about now. Like her café. Because it was hers. One hundred percent, succeed or fail, all hers. Everyone in town might not like her, but her food was amazing. That she had confidence in.
    Nothing could stand in her way now.
    Jen rushed back into the seat she’d just occupied and clasped Annie’s shoulders.
    “You okay?” Annie asked.
    Jen nodded, but her eyes locked on something over Annie’s shoulder.
    “Uh, remember how you don’t get pissy around harvest season, you don’t have a pathetic sex-a-versary, and tonight is a fun celebration?”
    “Yeah …”
    Jen’s gaze came back to Annie. “Good, hold on to those thoughts. You’re going to need them.”
    “Why?” She turned and looked, and there, standing in the doorway in a white T-shirt, well-loved jeans, and way too much male swagger to be legal, was her answer.
    “Luke Jacobs.”

    Luke hadn’t realized how much he’d missed his hometown until he stepped into The Dust Bucket. Loud country music filled every corner of the room, and the smell of barbecue and draft beer hit him hard.
    “Luke!” several guys called out. Old friends and acquaintances came up to give handshakes and surrounded him with questions. The thing about Sweet Hill—everyone knew everyone. A nice idea, unless you gave them a reason to gossip.
    But that wasn’t why he came here tonight.
    The reason he came was for a set of long legs, wild red hair, and a wicked little mouth, the owner of which was currently stomping straight toward him.
    He couldn’t hold back a smile because, damn it, Annie Thompson was looking as fine as ever. Two years she had been on his mind. Not a day passed that he didn’t replay his hot one-night with her. Now, with his land development project finally done and a break in his schedule, he was home to help his grandfather with harvest. But it was mission number one to get back in Annie’s good graces—and in bed.
    She parted through the crowd—rather, the crowd parted around her—and didn’t stop until she was practically on Luke’s toes. “What the hell are you doing here?”
    “Well, hello to you too, Annabelle.” He glanced around the bar, then said, “I believe I live here.”
    “You haven’t been home in years. I thought you started your own orchard on the East Coast.”
    It was still a Jacobs orchard, a family endeavor, but yes, his brainchild. He had bought up several hundred acres and spent the last couple years getting ready to plant them.
    “You’ve been keeping tabs on me. I like that.” He winked.
    She scowled. “You told everyone that was your plan before you left, dumbass.”
    While he preferred it when she called him by name—rather, moaned it—he’d take what he could get. Dumbass was better than he thought he’d get. And he liked her spark. She was the only woman who never tiptoed around him.
    “Missed me?” The moment the words came out and he saw the way her sparkly blue eyes turned into eat-shit-and-die slits, he tried a different approach. “Because I’ve missed you.”
    That got her to stall. But only for a moment.
    “Oh,