To Win Her Trust

by Mackenzie Crowne

  His brows rose as if in surprise. “I stopped by the other day, and he was here. Didn’t he tell you?”

  “No, he didn’t.” And she’d be asking him why the hell not as soon as she saw him.

  “Strange. I asked him to.”

  She shrugged off her disquiet to ask a question of her own. “If you’ve known I’ve been seeing Tuck for days, why ask for a do-over now?”

  For a moment, an odd tension tightened Ronald’s jaw. Disappointment? Or was anger the cause of his clenched teeth? She dismissed the possibility even as the thought formed. Although his personality tended toward serious, in all the time she’d known him, she’d never once seen Ronald angry.

  Whatever emotion she had imagined was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. Concern darkened his eyes, and yet, his words held the sharp edge of condescension. “Because I’m worried about you, CC. He’s got a reputation for using women and then walking away. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

  So would she and, up until a few days ago, she might have agreed with his sentiment. Not anymore. After what she’d shared with Tuck about her father, his suggestion it was time she see Curt bristled, and she’d have to deal with that, but she no longer believed the worst of Tuck’s press. Sure, he was a player, but he was also an honorable man. She couldn’t speak for all the women he’d dated over the years but, with her, he’d laid his cards on the table straight from the start, including the fact he wouldn’t be around long term.

  An all-pro wide receiver didn’t need anyone to fight his battles but, annoyed at Ronald’s blatantly disdainful affront to her intelligence, she jutted her chin. “I appreciate your concern, but you needn’t worry. I’m a big girl and, the truth is, if anyone’s using the other in my relationship with Tuck, it’s me.”

  His brows popped up in surprise, and his smile was strained. “I didn’t mean any insult. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I do.” She flashed her teeth in a feral smile. “Now, what’s this about convincing me? To do what?”

  His strained smile went positively flat, and he held up a hand. “Don’t shoot the messenger, but the Arts Council contacted Putnam Gallery. It seems they have an open slot in the Summer Show. A single slot. I sent Putnam several of the pictures I took last week. They’ll enter another artist if you’re not available, but they want you, and they want Yearning.”

  Walter shoved the shoe back into her palm, and she glanced down into his unblinking eyes.

  Shooting him would be too messy. Let me bite him on the ass.

  If only. With a half-growl, half-sigh, she slid onto her work stool and eyed the sculpture on the shelf. “No.”

  Ronald moved closer. “Do you realize how important this is? The Arts Council, CC. Their influence is worldwide.”

  “You know my feelings on this. No shows.”

  He stopped on the other side of her bench and rested his hands on the surface to lean toward her in earnest. “Technically, this wouldn’t be your show. Yours would be one piece among dozens. There’ll be twenty-six other artists featured, including Dugan McDonald.”

  Fingers of fear slashed at her like nettles. “I’d be expected to appear.” She shook her head in denial.

  “An hour, CC. You know McDonald. He’s a prima donna. He’ll suck up all of the oxygen.” Ronald pushed off the bench and straightened. “We’ll be lucky if anyone notices you’re there, and you won’t be alone. I’ll be right beside you.” His dark eyes pleaded. “Leave your name out of it if that’s what you want. We’ll insist the piece be listed as Anonymous. The Council requires the artists make an appearance, but all you’ll have to do is show up, shake a few hands, and leave.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Please, CC.”

  Her eyes popped open at his quiet plea. A note of desperation she’d never heard before made his voice tight.

  “You know I believe in you, and in Yearning specifically, but the boost to my agency wouldn’t hurt.”

  Unease tingled up her spine. She sat up straighter. “What’s going on? Is the agency in trouble?”

  He dropped his gaze to the surface of the bench, and his lashes shuttered his eyes. “Not trouble, exactly. Things have just been a little slow.” He looked up. “I’m in a bit of a financial bind. Please, CC. I’ve always respected your wishes and never demanded you to do something you weren’t comfortable with, but I’m asking you now.”

  She stared at him and wondered if there was more to the agency’s woes than slow sales. Her gaze flicked to Yearning and back. He stood there, watching her with wounded pride glittering in his eyes, and guilt slapped at her like a stinging hand. He was right; he’d never asked more of her than she was willing to do, but the thought of facing a bunch of elite strangers as they pressed her for commentary about her art clogged the breath in her lungs.

  Before she fell into the depths of a full-blown attack, she slid her eyes shut. “When do I have to let you know?”

  “By Tuesday at the latest.”

  “Okay.”

  The breath left him in a rush. “Thank you.”

  She opened her eyes to spear him with a no-nonsense stare. “I said I’ll think about it, not that I’ve made a decision.”

  He nodded and his lips tilted in a relieved smile. “That’s fair. Thanks, CC. I’ll be in touch.”

  * * * *

  Tuck straddled the poolside lounge chair next to Gracie’s and sat. “Nice bathing suit.”

  She smiled and flexed her toes, her feet and legs bare below her slim business skirt and blouse. One high heel rested on its side at the foot of the lounge, the other on the ground. “I just got back from meeting a client in the city. God, how did I ever survive all those years in Manhattan? It’s a zoo.”

  “Face it. You and Jake have become countrified.”

  A happy sigh eased from her lungs. “Yes, we have.”

  “Rednecks.” He chuckled and brought his beer bottle to his lips. A dozen feet away, the Malone twins, soaked to the skin in their matching pink shorts sets, giggled and shrieked as Murphy gave a full body shake. Soapy water flew in every direction. The dog leaped from the plastic tub to bolt across the yard, and the twins gave chase, skidding on the soggy lawn and going down in a tangled heap.

  He shot Gracie a grin. “That’s gonna leave a mark.”

  Laughter twinkled in her eyes. “I know. They’re a mess. They’ll all need baths when they’re done.”

  He toed off his flip-flops and made himself comfortable. “Just toss them in the pool. Bing, bang, done.”

  She shook her head and laughed. “God help your future children.”

  Tilting his head her way, he sneered. “My kids are going to love me. If nothing else, they’ll be tough little buggers.” The surprised arch of her brows made him frown. “What? They will.”

  “Of course they will. I’ve always believed you’d make a good father, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you mention kids of your own.” Her lips curved slyly. “Do you have CC to thank for your sudden enlightenment?”

  “Thank or strangle,” he grumbled, then brought the bottle back to his lips. “I haven’t decided which yet.”

  Her back sprung straight from the chair, and she swung around to drop her feet to the patio and fully face him. “Holy crap. I was kidding. Holy crap!”

  He aimed the beer bottle at her nose. “If Angel and Charlie hear you using that language, you’re toast.”

  Her violet gaze slid to where the twins had recaptured Murphy and were attempting to drag him back to his bathtub. The dog wasn’t having any of it. She turned back with a dismissive wave of her hand. “They can’t hear us. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing.” Shit. He should have kept his big mouth shut.

  “Baloney. Your poker face sucks. You’re easier to read than a book.”

  He sat forward and jerked a glance over his shoulder, but Jake was nowhere in sight.

  She rolled her eyes. “He’s on the phone. He’ll be a few m
inutes. Now, talk. Are you in love with her?”

  Slumping back in his chair, he shut his eyes. “I don’t have a fucking clue.”

  They’d spent most of the last week together, and yet he’d found no explanation for his almost gut-wrenching need to be with her. The punch to his chest as she’d shared her memories had all but destroyed his hope that a good, old-fashioned bout of sex would exercise the unexplainable hold she had on his mind and body. He had a very real fear sex with CC would only make matters worse.

  “Speaking of language.”

  He opened his eyes.

  A happy smile tipped the corners of Gracie’s mouth. “I like her, Tuck. A lot.”

  He blew out a harsh breath. “So do I.”

  “She obviously has feelings for you.”

  “Maybe, or maybe I’m just a means to an end.”

  “Why would you say that?” Disapproval wrinkled her nose. “You’ve dated too many groupies. They’ve made you cynical.”

  “True, but not in this case.” He set the beer aside and jammed the fingers of both hands through his hair.

  CC might have feelings for him. Damn, he hoped so, but less than two weeks ago she’d seen him as simply a way to attain her goals, and now that she’d begun to open up to him about her past, he understood her single-minded determination to change her reality.

  The men who planned and executed her kidnapping would spend most of their lives in a cage, but the punishment didn’t fit the crime, in his opinion. As for her father… What a fucking prick. What kind of animal did that to his kid?

  All of them deserved to suffer the way she had. The way she still did. If he could get his hands on them, he’d tear them limb from limb, but that wasn’t reality. Reality was the brave woman fighting to reclaim her life. Her strength of will humbled him as much as her sunny smiles, sassy personality, and beautiful body turned him on.

  She’d compared him to her father that first day and, considering her justifiable feelings for the man, Tuck was fighting an uphill battle. In her mind, he was still the gigolo she’d called him. Unless he could somehow change her opinion, he’d be out on his ass in less than two weeks.

  He dropped his hands to his thighs and turned his head to meet Gracie’s gaze. “The thing is, this relationship between us? It started because she couldn’t breathe.”

  “And now?”

  “And now I’m the one who can’t. She takes my breath away.”

  Her smile went dopey, and he sighed.

  “I’m screwed, Gracie. I haven’t even slept with her yet, but I can’t shake her from my mind.” He dragged a hand over his face in frustration. “She’s like…a tick.”

  “Oh, my. That’s flattering.”

  Her tinkling laughter made him smile. “Fine. A funny, irresistible, sexy tick.”

  “Much better.” She leaned her elbows onto her knees. “So, what’s the problem?”

  He looked away, and his gaze landed on the thick line of tall pines that had spooked CC the other day. Her past, her identity, wasn’t his to share. She’d known too much betrayal in her life. He wouldn’t add to it, but Gracie wouldn’t let him get away without some sort of explanation.

  He turned his head. “I told you about the panic attack.”

  She nodded.

  “It wasn’t an isolated event. Apparently, she’s suffered from them most of her life, with good reason. I can’t share the details, but she went through some major shit when she was no more than a kid. I’m talking the kind of stuff that will give you nightmares.”

  Her smile fell and concern darkened her eyes. Picking up his beer, he shared a carefully edited version of CC’s proposition and her reasons behind it.

  When he’d finished, confusion creased Gracie’s forehead. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “Neither did I, at first. Long story short, she agreed to date me, temporarily, in order to test her theory.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  “I wish.”

  “How temporary?”

  “Three weeks.” At the mention of the fast approaching deadline, apprehension landed a solid blow to his gut. He shook off the vehement denial echoing through his head with a practiced shrug. “I jumped at the opportunity because you know me. That’s about how long most of my relationships last, and with training camp coming up, I’ll be leaving anyway.”

  “And?”

  “And as screwy as it sounds, her theory’s working. With each date, she’s grown less skittish and more confident. Hell, she hasn’t given me a reason to kiss the breath back into her in days.” The beach didn’t count. What happened between them this morning had nothing to do with panic attacks or the terrors of her past and, damn it, if not for the interruption, she’d know it, too.

  She grinned at his frown.

  He picked at the label on his beer with his thumbnail. “Whether she knows it or not, she’s healing. The problem is, the more time we spend together, the more I want that for her, but although I’ve had some success dimming the shadows in her eyes, only she can banish them completely. I plan to be there when it happens.”

  “Why, Tuck, who knew you were a romantic at heart?”

  He blew a scoffing laugh. Romantic, hell. He was a sap and most likely a fool. To heal completely, CC would need to conquer all her demons, including her father, but from the way she reacted when he suggested it might be time to face him, she hadn’t appreciated his effort to help. If he pushed too hard, she’d be gone.

  Gracie leaned forward to lay a hand on his arm. “Sounds a lot like love.”

  “Hello, asshole. I didn’t hear you arrive.”

  Gracie glanced behind them to smile at her approaching husband.

  Tuck dropped his head to the back of his chair with a thud. “Fuck.”

  Jake rounded their chairs, bent to drop a kiss on his wife’s mouth, and straightened. He glanced over his shoulder at the twins. “Hey, girls. Uncle Tuck said the F word.” He turned back with a sneering grin.

  Angel paused in her chase of Murphy. “But he doesn’t have a swear jar.”

  “That’s okay.” Gracie sat back and reclined on her chair once more. She crossed her bare feet. “Jake does, and they’re each going to put five dollars in his jar. Aren’t you, boys?” She smiled at her groom.

  “That’s ten dollars,” Charlie added helpfully.

  Tuck snickered at Jake’s scowl. Family life had introduced his friend to a whole host of new experiences, including a curse-free vocabulary, backed up by financial penalties.

  Jake crossed his arms. “Making time with another man’s wife is dangerous for a man in your position, my friend. It’s hard to catch a ball with a broken arm.”

  Gracie laughed and patted the lounge at her hip. “Sit down, you idiot. Your best friend is in the middle of a crisis.”

  Jake dropped to sit beside her. His fingers ran absently along the length of her bare leg as he flashed his teeth in a taunting grin. “Of his own making, I’m sure.”

  “Look who’s talking.” Tuck made his smile sly. “How’s the checkbook? Things are slow in the league front office. It’s only a matter of time before you give them another reason to fine you.”

  “Haven’t you heard? I’m officially off Doug Costa’s hit list.” Jake squeezed Gracie’s knee. “The league commissioner loves my wife and her baked ziti. I believe you’re his new target.”

  She crossed her arms. “Are you two done swapping testosterone bombs?”

  They traded grins. “Yeah,” they said in tandem.

  “Good, because Tuck’s in love with CC.”

  Jake’s head whipped around to stare at her before jerking back.

  Tuck groaned. So much for hoping to keep that little gem a secret. He pinned her with a glare.

  “What? You thought I wasn’t going to tell him?”

  He sat forward, ignoring Jake’s intent gaze, to wrap his arms around his bent knees. “Since I’m not completely sure how I feel, I was hoping you’d keep your big mouth shut.”
<
br />   His insult didn’t seem to register. She sent Jake a knowing smile. “Tuck’s scared.”

  Jake laughed. “Tuck’s a pussy.”

  “Fuck you.”

  Dual little girl voices called out from the other side of the pool. “Twenty dollars!”

  Pride lit Gracie’s features. “That’s exactly right, girls. You’re getting so good at adding.”

  “I’m outta here.” Tuck rose from the chair to jam his bare feet into his flip-flops. “Talk about a zoo.”

  Gracie sat forward. “Do you want my help? I could talk to CC for you.”

  “No, thanks.” He sliced a disgusted grimace her way. “I think you’ve helped enough already.” He ground his molars at Jake’s booming laughter and turned to cross the flagstones toward the back of the house. Mere feet separated him from escape when Jake suddenly stopped laughing.

  “Wait. Why does he need help? What’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain it to you later, Malone.”

  Tuck dropped his head to his chest as he grabbed the doorknob. “Shit.”

  “Twenty-five,” all four Malones yelled at his back.

  Chapter 16

  “I’m sorry, Cees. I’m such an idiot. I should never have brought up the subject.” Kris hovered at the center of the studio. Her restless fingers, mangling the strap of her purse, displayed her remorse.

  CC flipped the lock on Walter’s cage. He squeezed from between the bars before the door swung open and trotted over to his box of toys. She rounded her workbench and waved off her cousin’s concern. “Don’t worry about it. You know Mom. If not the Arts Council’s offer, she’d have found some other topic to hassle me over.”

  Her cousin dipped her chin in a nod and tipped her head as if in contemplation. “Like Curt. What’s that all about? I know she still loves him, despite everything he’s done, but why the sudden push to get the two of you together?”

  CC shrugged out of her light jacket, damp from the drizzling rain falling on the city, and tossed it onto the couch. “Beats me.”

  As expected, her mother had badgered her about Curt throughout dinner, switching subjects to the Art Council’s offer when CC proved stubborn.