Uncertain Future

by Eve Gaddy

  “No,” she managed, feeling dizzy.

  “Good.” His lips journeyed down her neck, leisurely sampling her skin. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He took her mouth again, his tongue dipping inside in a lazy, taunting motion. She melted closer, twined her arms around his neck and kissed him back, her tongue meeting his, retreating, drawing his inside.

  He raised her gown, sliding it slowly up her legs. She thought about her small breasts, the slight pooch of her tummy, her hips that seemed to attract fat like honey catches flies. She was certain he’d seen worse, but she was equally certain he’d seen and touched a whole lot better.

  “The light,” she managed to say. “I could turn it out.”

  He stopped with the gown around her thighs and looked at her. “Then I couldn’t see you.”

  “That’s the point.” Flushing, she turned her head away.

  “I want to see you. Is that a problem?” He kept raising the gown, then paused when he had it to her waist, waiting for a response.

  Aware she was overreacting, she shook her head. But it had been a long time since a man had seen her naked, and she’d never been entirely comfortable with it. Will finished drawing the gown over her head and tossed it aside. She repressed the urge to cross her arms over her chest and was rewarded when he said, “Beautiful” and cupped his hands around her breasts before his mouth settled on one painfully tight nipple. He licked it, suckled it, making her throb. His lips traced across her chest to her other nipple, which he subjected to the same thrilling torment. “Sweet. You taste sweet.”

  His hands slid to her hips, covered only by white bikini panties, and pulled her against him. She wanted to touch him, touch his bare skin, and her fingers scrambled at the buttons to his shirt. Soon, it was on the floor beside her gown, and she stroked her hands across his chest, while he did the same to her. Then he lay back on the bed with her on top of him. Even though he’d left his jeans on, his arousal was obvious. She stared down at him and swallowed.

  “Don’t look so scared,” he said, amusement in his voice. “It’ll be fun.” He gave her a wicked grin along with a roll of his hips. “I promise.”

  “I’m not scared,” she lied. Fun? Maybe, but her previous experiences with sex made her wonder about that. She’d only had one lover, and her few times with him had been uncomfortable and over quickly. But Will wasn’t Kirk. Thank God.

  “Kiss me,” he said, his eyes glinting. “And prove it.”

  So she kissed him, while she pressed her hips against him.

  He rolled over, taking her with him. He toyed with her mouth, sliding his tongue in, beckoning her to flirt with him. Moments later, he left her long enough to stand, pull some foil packets from his pocket and toss them onto the bedside table. Then he removed the rest of his clothes.

  She stared at him, a little awed by the sight of him naked. He truly had a beautiful body. All masculine planes and angles. Sleek, rippling muscles. When he lay down beside her again, he pulled her panties down her legs and tossed them aside. She gasped, her hands clutching his shoulders. His skin was warm, smooth, and felt lovely beneath her palms.

  His mouth crushed hers, he thrust his tongue in her mouth and his finger inside her in the same compelling rhythm. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t breathe well enough to do it. Her back arched, her hips rose, keeping time with the tantalizing rhythm he set. He groaned again, breaking the kiss and said, “I want you, Tessa. So much.”

  He reached for a condom and ripped it open. Her eyes widened while she watched him cover himself. She couldn’t have moved if the bed was on fire. He entered her slowly, inch by glorious inch. When he was deep inside, he smiled at her. His head lowered and he kissed her mouth.

  Her heart raced madly, her hips thrust against him, meeting him as he plunged in and withdrew, a faster and faster rhythm. Tension built, bright like the sun—until she exploded in a burst of light. He said her name, drove inside her with a final, deep thrust as his release shuddered through him.

  After a time, he rolled aside and snuggled her against his chest, leaning down to kiss her, slow and gentle. Tessa didn’t know what to say, so she simply kissed him back and hoped that she hadn’t made a huge mistake making love with him.

  Their relationship had temporary stamped all over it. The last thing she needed was to fall madly in love with Will McClain. And she had a feeling it would be fatally easy to do just that.

  Chapter Ten

  JUST BEFORE DAWN, Will sat on the side of the bed, leaned over and kissed Tessa. Still asleep, she smiled and flung her arm across his leg. He hated to wake her, but didn’t want to leave without telling her goodbye. That would make their night together seem too much like a one-night stand. If Will had anything to say about it, last night was only the first of many he intended to spend with Tessa.

  They had made love again in the predawn hours, and then Tessa had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Will hadn’t slept much, and what little he managed had been marred with nightmarish images of arresting Jed, questioning him, booking him. It was the first time in his life he regretted having gone into law enforcement.

  “Will? Are you leaving?”

  At the softly voiced question, he looked down. Tousled red hair streamed to her shoulders as she sat up on one elbow, clutching the sheet to her chest. Her mouth was full and pouty, her eyes slumberous, with the faint circles beneath them accenting the blue. He wondered if she had any idea how tempting she looked just then. Probably not. Tessa didn’t seem to have a vain bone in her body. The opposite, in fact. He wondered again who had done such a number on her.

  In spite of the day ahead of him, he smiled. “Yeah. Jed’s bail hearing is set for eight this morning. I need to go by my place and clean up first.” She shifted and the sheet fell, exposing one pale, perfect breast. Noticing the direction of his gaze, she started to cover herself. “No, don’t do that,” he said, catching her wrist and holding it lightly. “I like looking at you.”

  She smiled and made no move to pull up the sheet.

  He released her wrist to trace a finger over the slope of her breast. “Whisker burns,” he murmured. “I should have shaved again. Next time I will.” She had a true redhead’s skin—pale, fragile, soft as magnolia blossoms. His hand itched to touch more, but he knew if he did, he wouldn’t leave. And he had a job, and a duty to fulfill.

  She didn’t speak but he saw relief flare in her eyes. “Did you think last night would be enough?”

  “I—didn’t know. I wasn’t really thinking,” she said, blushing.

  “It wasn’t enough for me. I want to see you again, Tessa. Be with you again.” He leaned down and kissed her, taking his time, slipping his tongue in to tease hers. “And I’ve got to tell you, I’m going to be real disappointed if you tell me it was enough for you.”

  Her lips curved upward and she shook her head. “It wasn’t,” she said huskily.

  “Good.” He kissed her one last time, allowed himself to hold her for a moment, before he regretfully released her. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  THE BAIL HEARING was every bit as tough as Will had expected. At least the judge dismissed the D.A.’s attempt to deny bail and set a reasonable one, as well. Judge Rimmer had been around for a long time, and he told the crestfallen D.A. he didn’t think a man who’d lived in the area nearly his entire life, and who owned property and had a wife who was also anchored to the community, was going to skip town.

  While Jed wouldn’t look in Will’s direction at all, Gwyn’s killer glare didn’t do much for his mood. But hell, what did he expect? To top it off, Emmy and Riley attended as well, and Will could tell simply by looking at Emmy’s angry expression he was going to catch an earful later.

  The hearing was mercifully short. When it ended, Jed walked out of the courtroom without a word, though he did level a long, unsmiling look at Will. After that, Will’s day
got worse.

  Emmy marched up to him, obviously loaded for bear. “I want to talk to you, Will,” she said, her expression unnaturally solemn.

  Will glanced at Riley, standing solidly behind her. Riley had always been hard to read, even when they were kids, but impassive as his expression was, Will had an idea of what the other man was thinking.

  He owed it to Emmy to talk to her. He shrugged, and led her and Riley into the city commissioner’s office, which appeared to be empty. He definitely didn’t want to discuss Jed’s case where anyone could overhear them.

  “I know what you’re going to say,” he told her wearily before she could begin. “You don’t understand, Emmy.” He turned to Riley. “You’re a lawyer. Talk to her. Explain my position so that she can understand it.”

  Riley shook his head and spoke for the first time. “I know you’re between a rock and a hard place, but I have to agree with Emmy.” He folded his arms across his chest and fell silent, waiting for his wife to continue. Which she did.

  Hands on hips, Emmy stared at him. “You’re right, I don’t understand. How could you arrest Jed? What were you thinking, Will?”

  “I had no choice.”

  “Of course you did. You chose to arrest Jed. What’s the matter with you?”

  He shoved a hand through his hair, wishing he wasn’t having this discussion. Not with Emmy, who had always looked up to him. She didn’t look up to him now. “Should I have let Fielder do it? Because that’s what would have happened if I hadn’t arrested him.”

  “But why? Why arrest him at all?”

  “You know why. The new evidence doesn’t look good for Jed.”

  She threw up her hands in disgust. “This is ridiculous. Why haven’t you put a stop to it?”

  “How do you expect me to do that? I can’t ignore the evidence, and even if I could or would, Fielder sure as hell wouldn’t.”

  “Oh, Fielder,” she said, waving a hand in dismissal. “I thought you were in charge of the case. I thought the Rangers were a big deal.”

  “Do you expect me to just ignore the facts? I swore an oath to uphold the law, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

  “At Jed’s expense.”

  “I’m a Texas Ranger. I can’t disregard the law, no matter what my feelings are. No matter what I think, I’ve sworn to uphold the law to the best of my abilities. And Frannie, of all people, deserves nothing less.”

  She stepped closer, gazing at him earnestly. “Will, you know as well as I do that this arrest business is a crock. Jed is innocent.”

  If only he were as certain of that as Emmy and, apparently, Riley were. “How do you know?” Will asked softly. “Why are you so sure of that?”

  Her eyes rounded in surprise. “Because I know him. And so should you. Jed would no more have hurt Frannie than—”

  “Accidents happen.”

  She stared at him. “No. He wouldn’t have, he couldn’t have . . .”

  “It’s a possibility that I can’t ignore,” Will said grimly. “Especially given the evidence, and that damned fight. You may be able to blow that off, Emmy, but I can’t. And neither will the sheriff.”

  “I’m not blowing it off! If Jed had killed Frannie, even accidentally, he’d have owned up to it.” Chest heaving, eyes sparkling with moisture, she faced him.

  “Would he? He was young. Angry. He’d have been frightened, scared witless, in all likelihood, if an accident like that had happened. Think about it, Emmy. Think before you answer.”

  “I don’t have to think about it. And I can’t believe that you do.” She put her hand on his arm and locked gazes with him. “Who are you? You’re not the Will I knew.”

  He shook her off, turned away. “No, I’m not. I’m a Ranger, and I have to do my job.”

  “No matter who it hurts.”

  He spun away, walked a few steps and turned back to her. “Damn it, it’s hurting me, too. How do you think I felt, arresting Jed? Do you think I wanted to do it?”

  She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. “I don’t know what you want anymore. I don’t understand you at all.”

  “It’s not so hard to understand. I owe it to Frannie.”

  “You owe it to Frannie to betray Jed?”

  How to get through to her? How to make her understand? Will finally asked, “What do you want me to do, Emmy? Hide the evidence?”

  She shook her head slowly. “No, but the problem isn’t the evidence. The problem is that deep down, you think Jed might be guilty. You actually believe he could have done it.”

  He said nothing. How could he, when she only spoke the truth?

  “I feel sorry for you, Will. Sorrier for you even than for Jed. Because Jed at least has a heart. You seem to have lost yours somewhere along the way.” She looked at her husband. “Come on, Riley. It’s obvious—” her voice cracked but she continued “—we aren’t doing any good here.” She turned her back and rushed out the door.

  Riley looked at him a moment, then said, “You did your job, Will. But you’re going to regret the hell out of this.”

  “I already do,” Will said. “Believe me, Riley, I already do.”

  Riley left without another word.

  Will had a heart all right, he just couldn’t allow it to matter.

  PACING THE COURTHOUSE hallway, Tessa saw Emmy Gray Wolf and her husband Riley leave the city commissioner’s office. Her nerves tightened as she waited for Will to come out. It had been a stupid idea to come down here, she thought. What if he thought her interfering? Why did she think her presence might help him? After all, it wasn’t as if they had a long-term relationship. They’d spent one night together. Big deal.

  It was a big deal to her, though.

  And she wanted to help, so she’d come. Unsure if it was proper for her to be present at the hearing, she had waited outside. Occupied with his foster sister and her husband, Will hadn’t seen her when he emerged from the courtroom. Tessa had watched them disappear into the commissioner’s office and settled down to wait for Will.

  The door opened a moment later and Will halted in midstride. “Tessa?” His gaze homed in on her like a laser. “What are you doing here?”

  Her stomach jumping, she said, “I—I thought a friendly face might help.”

  He smiled, an unguarded, happy smile, and her stomach relaxed a fraction. “It does help. Especially when it’s your face.” He held open the door for her to enter.

  But she was still nervous. Maybe he was simply being polite. He was a nice man. He wouldn’t be rude, no matter how he felt. “I hope you don’t mind. I wasn’t sure what you’d . . . If you want me to go . . .”

  He shut the door, backed her up against it and kissed her slowly, thoroughly. Like he meant it. When she started to speak, he kissed her again. “You’re babbling,” he said, amusement in his voice.

  “I know. I can’t help it. I babble when I’m nervous.” Oh, that wicked, lazy smile of his got to her every time.

  “I’m glad you came. You’re the first person today who hasn’t looked at me like I’m a cross between Attila the Hun and Darth Vader.”

  “I’m sorry. I was afraid it would be bad.”

  He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter, when she knew it did. He stroked her cheek, smiling at her again. “Much as I’d like to, I can’t stay. I have some interviews to conduct.”

  “That’s all right. I didn’t mean to bother—”

  He interrupted her by laying his fingers on her lips. “Don’t apologize. You did a nice thing.” His lips claimed hers again, briefly. “It might be really late tonight before I’m finished.”

  “I don’t care,” she said recklessly. “I’ll be up late.” As late as she needed to be.

  “Good. I’ll see you tonight, then.”

  Her heart sti
ll pounding, Tessa watched him go.

  WILL’S FIRST STOP after the hearing was the Cypress Bank and Trust, Uncertain’s only bank. Raymond and Catherine Jennings, the bank president and his wife, had been one of Frannie’s longtime employers. Their original interview with Fielder, along with several others, was unaccountably missing. Will walked into Raymond Jennings’s office and gave the secretary his name, showed her his badge and waited while she buzzed her boss over the intercom.

  “He wants to know what this is concerning,” the secretary said, gazing at him over half glasses.

  “Murder,” Will said pleasantly, enjoying himself for a change. Questioning the man who’d once threatened to castrate him if he came sniffing around Amanda again appealed to his sense of humor. No, he didn’t think Mr. Jennings would like what was going down one bit.

  She relayed the message, then said, “Go right in, Mr. McClain.”

  “Thanks. And it’s Ranger McClain.”

  Raymond Jennings’s office oozed cool, rich elegance. Burgundy leather chairs flanked an imposing dark mahogany desk. Against one wall stood an antique telephone table, on top of which sat a silver tray with fine crystal water glasses and a decanter. Several golf knickknacks of silver and gold adorned the bookshelves behind the desk. The desktop didn’t lack for expensive doodads, either, Will noticed, from a set of gold engraved cuff links to a silver glasses case with finely etched carvings on the lid.

  Will figured the man’s wife must have decorated the room. That or a professional, because he didn’t think Ray had an elegant bone in his body. He’d married money, tons of money, and thought that gave him class. Will thought Jennings had a lot of class, all of it low.

  “State your business and then get out,” the bank president said, rising. “We don’t want your kind in our bank.”

  Jennings wasn’t as big as Will remembered, but then, he’d only been a kid when he left town. The banker’s hair was a lot grayer, too. And he’d grown a pencil-thin mustache. But he still had the same snotty attitude he’d always had, at least toward Will. “You have something against the Rangers, Mr. Jennings?”