Before she could ask more questions, they had to skirt around a gaggle of women who gave him the once-over twice.

“I see it’d be impossible to take you anywhere.” Caroline gave him a raised brow.

He held his hands out all innocent-like. “You, sweet thing, can take me anywhere you like. In any case, I can’t be blamed for being so handsome and charming.”

She laughed. Good Lord he was adorable.

“So you’re working with Edward Chase then?”

“I bet the gossip already knows what color my sheets are too. Yes. My first day is Monday.”

“Makes sense you’re a lawyer now. You did love to argue back in school.”

As if he’d ever noticed her! Had he?

She managed to pretend she was cool and not giddy. Probably worked. “My uncle says it’s a wonderful thing when you can make a living off your most annoying trait.”

She paused to put some soup in her cart. “Can you?” She pointed toward the chicken broth.

“There’s cans of it right there,” he said as he pulled the carton down.

“I have to buy three of the cans to make one of those cartons. And I can use the carton more than once. It has a screw-on top.”

“Ah.”

Back toward the front of the store he paused, turning to her so she was caged in by the buggy and his body.

Her heart sped as he seemed to block out everything but him.

He lowered his voice, getting just a little closer. “You grew up gorgeous, Caroline.”

She licked her lips, his gaze locked on her mouth. A blush crept up her neck, and she tightened her hold on the buggy before she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and hauled him close for a kiss.

So close she could see the gold flecks in his green eyes. The shadow of the dent in his chin even through the scruff of his beard. His skin was sun kissed, his body one of a man who worked outside a lot.

The heat of his body washed over her as the scent of him—of the cold air outside, the detergent from his shirt—reached her nose. It turned out to be pretty difficult not to lean in and sniff him. She bet he smelled really good where his neck met his shoulder.

“Whatever can you be thinking? I hope it’s really dirty.”

He was without a doubt ridiculously sexy. There was chemistry between them, for damn sure.

It was…sweaty palms, dry mouth, slow-dance-in-a-high-school-gym chemistry. He made her giddy and silly even as he made her tingly and super hot for him. All in the freezer section of the local grocery store in Petal. That took some major testosterone.

“I’m pretty sure the frozen peas don’t need to hear my dirty thoughts. As for your compliment? Uh, my genes thank you. Except the ones that made me short. Though I sort of think fun sized is a good descriptor.”

“I bet the peas would be as excited to hear you talk dirty as I am. You should give me your phone number so I can call you and ask you out.”

Lord he made her smile. “I should?”

“Oh yeah. I give really good date. How long’s it been since you’ve been dancing, Caroline?”

“Too long apparently.” She cocked her head and looked up at him. “Well, Royal, I’ll make you a deal.”

“Oh yeah? Let me hear it then. I’m sort of easy for big brown eyes.”

It had been years since she’d flirted like this. It felt really good.

“You find me in town, and the next time I see you, I might just give you my number. Until then thank you for your assistance with the high shelves.”

She winked and moved past him. “It was very nice to see you again. And for the record? You grew up awful sexy.”

Royal watched her go, a grin on his face. Caroline Mendoza was f**king beautiful. Oh sure, she’d been pretty enough all those years ago when she’d been a younger girl. But the grown-up Caroline, damn did he want a taste of that.

He went back to get the stuff on his own shopping list, and when he went through the checkout, that damned Melanie Deeds was working the register. The woman was like the clap. She kept showing up no matter how hard you wished she’d just go away.

“Hey, Royal.”

He nodded. “Melanie.” He didn’t want to engage, but he wasn’t raised to be rude either. He busied himself getting his wallet out and swiping his card to pay for the groceries, hoping she’d get the hint.

“I saw you talking with Caroline Mendoza.”

So the answer to that getting-the-hint thing was clearly a no.

He nodded, not wanting to say anything to encourage her. Not that it made one bit of difference.

“You know her daddy done kilt her momma. Trash. Her brother and sister, they’re okay. They stayed back here to live with the Lassiters, but she went on out to Los Angeles.” Melanie wrinkled her nose. “With his people. Look at her back here like she never up and left Petal in the first place.”

He knew it would do no good at all to go down this road with her. And if he took the bait it would be all over town in ten minutes. Better to give her as little ammunition as possible.

Still, he wasn’t just going to remain silent. “Lucky for her she looks darned good doing it.” He looked to the register and repeated his earlier question. “That the total?”

“You don’t want to go and tar yourself with that brush, Royal. You got free of them Murphys at long last, why do you go and get involved with trash like a Mendoza? Everyone knows what she is.”

He narrowed his gaze. “Them Murphys? You mean my best friends? And Caroline isn’t trash, though certainly there are some who’d say so. Guess I can’t blame ’em, seeing how beautiful and accomplished she is and all. Now, is that my total, because I’d like to pay for my groceries and get away from you as soon as I can.”