The Complete Mackenzie Collection by Linda Howard Page B

it. She had noticed the effect before and decided that a schoolteacher’s finger was an extension of Mother’s finger, and as such it wielded unknown authority. Women grew out of the feeling of guilt and helplessness brought on by that accusing finger, perhaps because most of them became mothers and developed their own powerful finger, but men never did. Mr. Hearst was no exception. He looked as if he wanted to crawl under his own counter.
    “Then I’m certain you’ll want to make her proud of you,” she said in her most austere voice. “After you, Mr. Mackenzie.”
    Wolf made a sound that was almost a growl, but Mary stared at him until he jerked the money from his wallet and threw it on the counter. Without another word, Mr. Hearst rang up the nails and made change. Equally silent, Wolf grabbed the box of nails, spun on his heel and left the store.
    “Thank you,” Mary said, finally relenting and bestowing a forgiving smile on Mr. Hearst. “I knew you would understand how important it is to me that I be treated fairly. I don’t wish to take advantage of my position as a teacher here.” She made it sound as if being a teacher was at least as important as being queen, but Mr. Hearst only nodded, too relieved to pursue the matter. He took her money and dutifully carried the box of shelving out to her car, where he stored it in the trunk for her.
    “Thank you,” she said again. “By the way, Pamela—she is your daughter, isn’t she?”
    Mr. Hearst looked worried. “Yes, she is.” Pam was his youngest, and the apple of his eye.
    “She’s a lovely girl and a good student. I just wanted you to know that she’s doing well in school.”
    His face was wreathed in smiles as she drove away.

    Wolf pulled over at the corner and watched his rearview mirror, waiting for Mary to exit the store. He was so angry he wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled, and that made him even angrier, because he knew he wouldn’t do it.
    Damn her! He’d warned her, but she hadn’t listened. Not only had she made it plain they were acquainted, she had outlined the circumstances of their meeting and then championed him in a way that wouldn’t go unnoticed.
    Hadn’t she understood when he’d told her he was an ex-con, and why? Did she think he’d been joking?
    His hands clenched around the steering wheel. She’d had her hair twisted up in a knot again, and those big glasses perched on her nose, hiding the soft slate-blue of her eyes, but he remembered how she had looked with her hair down, wearing Joe’s old jeans that had clung tightly to her slender legs and hips. He remembered the way passion had glazed her eyes when he’d kissed her. He remembered the softness of her lips, though she had had them pressed together in a ridiculously prim expression.
    If he had any sense he’d just drive away. If he stayed completely away from her, there wouldn’t be anything for people to talk about other than the fact that she was tutoring Joe, and that would be bad enough in their eyes.
    But how would she get that box out of the car and into the house when she got home? It probably weighed as much as she did. He would just carry the box in for her, and at the same time peel a strip off her hide for not listening to him.
    Oh, hell, who was he fooling? He’d had a taste of her, and he wanted more. She was a frumpy old maid, but her skin was as pale and translucent as a baby’s, and her slender body would be soft, gently curving under his hands. He wanted to touch her. After kissing her, holding her, he hadn’t gone to see Julie Oakes because he hadn’t been able to get the feel of Miss Mary Potter out of his mind, off of his body. He still ached. His physical frustration was painful, and it was going to get worse, because if he’d ever known anything, it was that Miss Mary Potter wasn’t for him.
    Her car pulled out from in front of the store and passed him. Smothering another curse, he put the truck in gear and slowly followed