by Jane Godman
There was a sheen of tears in her eyes as she raised them to his face. “When you kissed me, it felt real.”
“It was real.” The realest thing he’d felt in a long time.
“Kiss me again.”
He leaned back slightly, studying her face. “You’re still hurting. And I’m the person who hurt you.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to kiss me again?” Her lower lip trembled.
“I want to kiss you more than I want my next breath. I’m just saying that this might not be good timing.”
“I don’t care.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Make me forget all of this.”
Her lips were sinfully, temptingly close. He clutched the remnants of his sanity while he could. “We have enough going on. Let’s not complicate things with regrets.”
“I agree. We shouldn’t have regrets.”
Her lips lightly brushed his and rational thought became a thing of the past. It was just a kiss. A reassurance that his feelings for her hadn’t been colored by foolish doubts...
He crushed her against him, his lips hard and demanding as his tongue parted her lips and swept inside, caressing and probing. Katrina wrapped her arms around his neck and tightened her grip, pressing her body closer as she used her own tongue to explore Spencer’s mouth in return.
Instantly, he tangled a hand in her hair, turning her head to the angle he wanted, deepening the kiss to bittersweet intensity. The fire in his body increased and became concentrated at a specific, exhilarating point. They were heading toward the point of no return and Katrina seemed happy to drive them over the edge.
Breaking that kiss was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Resting his forehead against hers, he drew in a breath. “Some thinking time would be good about now.”
She gave a shaky laugh. “Who knew restraint could be so sexy?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not the hottest image in my mind right now. But I don’t think we should rush into anything.”
“You’re right.” She cast a look into the darkened corners of the yard. “It’s just... I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”
He groaned. “Is that what this is about? You want me to be your teddy bear?”
She laughed. “No. But I could use some company. If that wouldn’t be too hard?”
He got to his feet and reached out a hand to help her up. “If I share a bed with you, it would definitely get hard, Katrina.” He waggled his eyebrows in a mock lewd expression. “But I’ll risk it so you can get a good night’s sleep.”
* * *
Katrina knew she was playing with fire. She wasn’t a virgin, but she was sexually inexperienced, having had only a few meaningful encounters. She’d seen at close range the damage that recklessness could do, and she’d always kept it safe in relationships. Yet here she was, wanting to throw caution to the wind and act on impulse. For the first time in her life, she understood a little of Eliza’s untamed nature.
Getting ready for bed had become like a strange new ritual in which everything had taken on a double meaning. For the last hour, Spencer, who was clad in sweatpants and a T-shirt, had lain still as a rock on one side of the bed, while Katrina clung to the other side. Even though they had their backs to each other, she was fairly sure he was awake.
She was in bed with a glorious man whose touch made her melt and, instead of pressuring her, he was determinedly keeping his distance. His restraint had gone a long way to reassuring her that he did value her and that he genuinely regretted his doubts over her reliability.
Just my luck. I finally discover my wild side, only to fall for Mustang Valley’s last remaining gentleman. The thought made her stifle a giggle.
“Are you okay?” Spencer asked.
“Fine.” She shifted to her other side, facing his back in the darkness. “Is this too weird? Is that why you can’t sleep?”
“It feels a little...unusual.” He mirrored her action and, in the darkness, she could just make out his outline. “It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a bed with someone.”
Although she knew he was single, she hadn’t given his prior relationship status much thought. There was a desolate note in his voice, and she wondered what had put it there.
“I’m sorry. I was thinking of myself when I suggested this. I didn’t know it might be a trigger for you.”
“How could you know? It’s not something I talk about.”
“Do you want to talk about it now?” Was she being presumptuous? Then again, they were in bed together. And neither of them appeared to be sleepy. “I’m a good listener.”
When he didn’t respond, she figured she had her answer. Yes, she was being forward. Why would he want to tell her his secrets? There was an undeniable physical attraction between them. On her part, that attraction could turn into something more, but why would she assume it meant the same to him?
“Billie was my fiancée.” His voice was so quiet, she had to strain to hear. “She was murdered four years ago.”
“Oh, my stars.” She moved closer and placed a hand on his arm. “What an unbearable burden for you.”
It explained so much about him. That air of sadness she’d always sensed, the way he deliberately kept other people at a distance, how he stepped back every time they were getting close.
“She was a cop. Just a rookie. There’d been a call to go to an apartment because of a domestic dispute. The caller said there was a kid screaming for help. Billie ignored the golden rule and went in alone without waiting for backup.” The words were coming out fast now. It was as if, having started to tell the story, he couldn’t stop. “It was a trick. The guy who placed the call had a grudge against the police. He took her hostage—”
Even though her touch on his arm was light, and there was still space between them, Katrina could feel the tremors that shook his body. Scooting over, she wrapped her arms around him. “Don’t do this to yourself. Not if it hurts too much.”
“It’s all in my mind, anyway. Talking about it doesn’t make it worse.” He rested his head on her shoulder. “He held her for two days before he killed her. I was nearly out of my mind picturing what he was doing to her. Had to be restrained from going in there a few times. In the end, it was almost a relief to know she was dead. Except those images wouldn’t leave me.”
“I’m so sorry.” She stroked his hair as silent sobs wracked his body. “Did you get help? You must have needed someone to talk to.”
“I was diagnosed with PTSD and I had counseling.” He breathed deeply, clearly using a technique he’d been taught. “In the end, it was my brother and sister who pulled me through it. Late-night chats, long walks, film nights, jokes that no one else understood... They were in tune with what I needed in our unique triplet way.”
“They sound amazing.”
“They have their moments.” He gave a half laugh. “If you ever meet them, don’t tell them I said that.”
She rested her cheek against his hair and smiled. If she ever met them? Why would that happen?
“Maybe we should try to sleep now?”
“Yeah.” Spencer pulled her closer. “This feels good.”
Holding him, comforting him, caring for him: those things had replaced the earlier awkwardness between them. This new closeness had nothing to do with the heat they’d generated. Yet the attraction was still there, waiting to resurface.
And he was right. It did feel good.
Chapter 13
“Can anyone explain to me why there is a good-looking cop in our office?” Suzie asked the next morning. “If he was dating anyone here, I’d understand.” She rolled her eyes in Katrina’s direction. “Or if there was a problem that needed the police, one only a friend could help with.”
Katrina sighed. “Sergeant Colton is investigating the break-ins at my house. He’s working here temporarily
until the perpetrators have been caught.”
“Do you call him Sergeant Colton when you’re eating breakfast together?” Suzie asked.
“Stop it.” Katrina cast a nervous look over her shoulder. “Laurence will hear you. I don’t want him to think there’s something going on.”
“Why? Isn’t there something going on?” her friend whispered. “What is wrong with you?”
“It’s a long story.”
Suzie shook her head. “Don’t let that one get away.”
They were on familiar territory here and Katrina snorted. “Isn’t that what I keep saying to you about Rusty?”
“Who keeps saying what about me?”
They both turned to look at the tall man who was leaning on the door frame. Rusty Linehan wore a cowboy hat and a grin a mile wide.
“How long have you been standing there listening to us?” Suzie demanded.
“Long enough to know you talk about me when I’m not around.”
Suzie’s hand-on-hips stance wasn’t fooling anyone. Katrina could tell how pleased she was to see the hardware store co-owner. “Shows how much you know. It was Katrina who started talking about you, not me.”
“That’s good, since it was Katrina I came to see,” Rusty said.
“Oh.” Suzie pouted. “Shall I leave the two of you alone?”
Laughing, Rusty tipped his hat in Katrina’s direction. “I wanted to show you some fabric samples for the cushion covers we’re replacing.”
Katrina was about to thank him again for everything he’d done, when Spencer stepped out of the office. “This Kenyon guy—” He broke off as he noticed her companions. “Oh, excuse me.”
“Is that Kenyon Latimer you’re talking about?” A frown descended on Rusty’s pleasant features.
“I don’t know,” Spencer said. “But I’d like to hear more about anyone called Kenyon.”
“If we’re talking about the same guy, he’s bad news.” Rusty shook his head. “He’s not from around here and I don’t know him personally, but he caused some trouble in Joe’s Bar a few weeks ago. He threatened to punch one of the female bartenders when she wouldn’t serve him because he was drunk.”
“Wait.” Spencer frowned. “That happened in Joe’s? I’ve never known anyone to be refused in there.”
“Yeah.” Rusty nodded. “That’s how bad he was. The guy couldn’t even say his own name.”
“Was this reported to the police?” Spencer asked.
Rusty choked back a laugh. “We’re talking about an incident in Joe’s on a Friday night. If everything that went on in there got reported, you guys would never deal with anything else.”
“True.” Spencer nodded his head in acknowledgment. “Do you know anything else about Kenyon Latimer?”
“I don’t know if he’s a member of the AAG, but he hangs out with their security guys.”
Katrina exchanged a glance with Spencer. So to an outsider like Rusty, Randall and Bart appeared to be security. Was that intentional? Micheline and Leigh hadn’t introduced them that way, and it didn’t seem to be their main role in the group. Even so, they took on a protective role and could come across as intimidating. Perhaps this was yet another way in which the AAG wasn’t all it seemed.
“That’s been really helpful, Rusty. Thank you,” Spencer said. “If you think of any other details about Kenyon Latimer, please let me know.”
“Yeah. The sergeant works here now.” In response to Katrina’s glare, Suzie batted her eyelashes. “Did I say something wrong, honey?”
Spencer had started to turn away when Rusty spoke again. “There was one other thing, but I don’t know how true it is and I don’t want to speak about a guy I don’t know.”
“I’m not going to arrest anyone on the strength of some gossip, but anything you can share will be useful to give me a broader picture of this man,” Spencer said.
“Okay. After this Latimer guy told Candy, the barmaid at Joe’s, that he’d smash her face up if she didn’t pour him another beer, a few of the regulars helped him through the door. Maybe they made sure his feet didn’t touch the ground on the way out. I remember overhearing someone say Latimer had been hanging around Mustang Park, trying to sell drugs to the teenagers.”
“Drugs?” Katrina lifted a hand to her lips.
The very first time she’d seen Kenyon Latimer, she’d known he was the sort of man to whom Eliza would be attracted. Since then, everything she’d heard about him had been bad news. Now, the missing ingredient had been added into the mix. Drugs. Her sister would have been a helpless prey in this man’s clutches. Like a butterfly on a cart wheel, he’d have crushed her and walked away without noticing.
“Just what I heard.” Rusty shrugged.
Suzie shot a quick glance in Katrina’s direction before grabbing her boyfriend’s arm. “Hey, lover, why don’t you leave those fabric samples and come back for them in a day or two? And, while you’re here, you can come and take a look at that flickering headlight on my car.”
She hauled Rusty away.
Katrina smiled at Spencer. “She’s not subtle.”
He moved closer, his gaze scanning her face. “Rusty could be right. The story about Latimer selling drugs might be gossip.”
“You don’t believe that.”
He ran his hands lightly up and down her upper arms. “We still don’t know that Eliza had any contact with Latimer.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Let me check him out before we jump to any conclusions.”
She nodded, briefly resting her head against his chest. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
Tilting her head up, she smiled. “I seriously don’t know where to start.”
“Well, that makes two of us.” After pressing a quick kiss onto her cheek, he returned to the office and closed the door behind him.
“Nothing to see here, folks.” The sudden sound of Suzie’s voice from behind her startled Katrina so much that she jumped. “Hugs, kisses and starry eyes. Why would anyone believe they were signs that there was something going on?”
* * *
Still unwilling to allow Katrina out of his sight unless it was necessary, Spencer had decided to take her along to the Colton Oil offices with him when he met with the board members. He left his vehicle in the parking lot, next to the spaces that were reserved for Colton Oil staff, and they passed security cameras to enter the imposing building.
“Won’t they wonder why you need a dog trainer to be with you at their board meeting?” she whispered as the concierge checked Spencer’s badge.
“After everything that’s happened in this family lately, I don’t think they’d notice if I brought a dancing pony into the boardroom.”
“Nice.” She followed him into the lobby. “That’s the first time I’ve been compared to a performing animal.”
Since Payne Colton’s shooting, security had been increased, so a uniformed guard escorted them to the boardroom. When they were shown into the elegant room, there were two people waiting for them.
The first was Ainsley. With her was Rafe Colton, who was also Kerry Wilder’s fiancé. Rafe had been adopted as a young child at Payne’s first wife’s insistence. Payne had grudgingly accepted the boy, but had later recognized that Rafe was a financial wizard. As a result, he was now CFO of Colton Oil.
The Colton siblings both rose from their seats behind the polished desk as Spencer and Katrina entered.
“We’ve informed Dee Walton that this is an informal meeting, but that she can have representation if she chooses,” Ainsley said. “So far, she’s declined. She said that as Dad’s loyal administrative assistant, she wants to help any way she can.”
“She may change her mind about that when she knows you’ve invited a police officer along,” Spencer said.
“We’ll see.” Rafe in
dicated seats alongside theirs. “I don’t think we’ve met...?”
“Katrina is observing.” His tone of voice and expression didn’t allow for challenge or further discussion. In her dark pants and white blouse, Katrina could have been a plainclothes cop, or serving in a clerical role. Spencer wasn’t going to enlighten his companions about the real reason why she was there.
“I think we’re ready.” Ainsley glanced around for confirmation. “I’ll ask Dee to come in.”
She left the room and returned a few moments later with another woman. Dee was an attractive woman in her midthirties, with chin-length brown hair neatly styled in a bob. She was professionally dressed and, although she appeared a little nervous, she nodded a greeting to Rafe as she took a seat.
Ainsley returned to her own place on the opposite side of the table. “You understand that this meeting is not an official one, Dee?” Very much the attorney, Ainsley clearly wanted to set the record straight before anyone started talking. “You don’t have to answer our questions and you are free to leave at any time.”
Dee’s brown eyes opened wide. “Why would I do that when I’m as anxious as you are to find out who shot your dad?”
“Thank you. That’s good to know.” Ainsley indicated Spencer and Katrina. “This is Sergeant Colton of the MVPD. He is here in an advisory capacity to the board and his companion is observing. Are you okay with that?”
“Of course. I’m happy to go along with whatever needs to be done.”
Watching her, Spencer couldn’t pick up on any clues that she had anything to hide. Beyond a natural unease generated by the situation, she appeared genuinely eager to help.
“The main reason we wanted to talk to you is that we know how close you are with members of the Affirmation Alliance Group,” Ainsley said.
“That’s right.” Dee clasped her hands beneath her chin, her eyes shining. “It’s the most wonderful, life-affirming place. Discovering how to live my best life—”
“How well did you know Harley Watts?” Rafe asked, interrupting her praise for the group.