“We’ll work,” Dallas said coolly. “We’ll find something Melissa can use, and we’ll help Tim.”
“Where?” Harlan asked, her eyes dancing with excitement that sent a shockwave through his body.
“Not here?” he asked, gesturing around her mother’s kitchen. “I’m fine wherever.”
“The more peace and quiet my mother can get the better. I know she’ll be in good hands. We should go somewhere else.”
“Paris?” Dallas joked.
“We could.” She smiled. “My brother will be coming on the company jet. It would take us anywhere we wanted.”
“But?” he asked, reading the apprehension on her face.
“I know it’s hard to understand. It must look like I’m dying for a break from the girls. As much as I need it, and they need it, I can’t imagine being on the other side of the world. I want to stay close.”
“Agreed,” Dallas said, nodding thoughtfully. “I’m positive your brother and the Island are enough to keep the girls safe, but I’d like to stay close too. I know a place.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through for a familiar phone number. “Is two hours away too far?”
“I could manage with that,” she smiled. “Are you going to keep me in suspense?”
“You hate surprises, don’t you?” Dallas asked, playfully hiding the screen on his phone so she couldn’t see it.
“My life is a surprise, minute to minute. I’d prefer not to have any more added to the mix.” She slid a freshly baked cookie toward him as though that might sweeten the deal enough for him to divulge.
“Trust me,” Dallas said simply. “Look me in the eye.” He moved in close to her and tipped her chin up with his finger. “Trust that I’ll make the surprise good.”
“That’s asking a lot, considering how things have been going for me lately. Every time I turn around things get worse.” Harlan’s face filled with surprise as Dallas took her hand. Lifting it over her head and placing one hand on the small of her back he spun her gently as though they were just finishing an elegant dance. When she made it the entire way around and landed in his arms, he smiled.
“You turned around, did it get worse?” he challenged playfully. “Trust me, Harlan.”
“Why?” she asked in a faraway voice. It wasn’t filled with cynicism or skepticism but a plea to be reassured.
“Because you can,” he replied simply. “Because I promise.”
Chapter 17
Harlan hadn’t packed correctly. That was the problem with surprises; they didn’t allow for meticulous checking and rechecking of every detail. As Dallas’s truck climbed the steep hills toward their destination Harlan went through the checklist of everything she should have brought.
“Are we camping?” she asked nervously. “Because I didn’t bring anything for that. It’s cold. We’ll need special gear.”
“What kind of special gear?” Dallas teased. “Have you done much camping?”
“Once,” she admitted. “We were in a RV though. But we had sleeping bags. So that counts.”
“We aren’t camping,” he assured her, navigating the narrow road. Branches tapped on each side of the truck as the opening through the woods grew smaller.
“Are you sure you know where you’re going? This seems like the middle of nowhere. Is there cell service? I don’t want to be anywhere the girls can’t reach me.”
“Trust,” Dallas explained, “is not that I will take you somewhere you won’t hate; it’s that I will take you somewhere that has everything you need to feel happy. That includes being reachable, being warm enough, feeling safe, and being able to get back to civilization if needed. When I asked you to trust me I meant trust that I know what you need.”
“Figuring out what I need and finding a way to give it to me, that would make a total of one of us in this car who’s good at that.”
“One’s enough,” Dallas said as he pointed to a light in the distance. “We’ll have a roof over our head, food, firewood, Wi-Fi, and great cell service. It was set up that way.”
“What is this place?” Harlan asked with a bit of exhilaration in her voice. The trees cleared in front of them and a tall and narrow dark wood cabin stood in front of them. Light poured from the window as night began to close in around them. Trees that seemed as tall as mountains hugged tight around the truck as Dallas put it in park.
“This was a safe house, emphasis on the word safe. It has a top-of-the-line security system I can operate from my phone. See,” he hit a few buttons and turned the lights on and off in the cabin. “It’s got a great vantage point up here on the hill; no one could sneak up. We used it during a few cases, but when the department was done with it they auctioned it off. I know the guy who bought it. He lends it to me when I need to clear my head.”
“This place seems plenty secure,” she said, leading the conversation to the one place she wanted it. “I don’t think I’ll be needing your particular kind of services then. I’ll fire you for the next couple of days.”
“Normally I would disagree,” he said, stepping out of the truck and rounding it quickly to open her door. “I would argue that a house cannot replace a competent and trained professional, but in this case I think you’ll be fine without me on duty. This house, in this location—I think I could clock out for a while.”
“That would make things interesting.” She stepped out into the cold night air and stood very still, his hand in hers. It was an effort to support her as she came down from the truck, but his hand lingered, and she let it. “It’s so peaceful,” she whispered, her eyes turned toward the sky. “There are so many stars.”
“Start wishing.” His other hand shot up and pointed out the trail of a falling star.
“I haven’t seen one of those in ages,” she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. “You did so good.”
“You haven’t even seen inside yet.”
“Do we have to go inside? I just want to stand here and watch for another shooting star.” They didn’t have to wait long as a second streak of light whizzed across the cloudless purple-black sky.
“Over the bed in the room you’re staying in there is an enormous skylight. It’s got to be at least half of the ceiling. If you turn off the lights and look up, it’s amazing.”
“The room I’m staying in?” she asked, fixing her eyes on his face, waiting for a reaction. He was too good for that. Too well trained and with an excellent poker face.
“Yes,” he nodded coolly. “You’ve got a great room in the back of the house. You’ll love it, it’s right near mine.”
“Convenient.”
“I guess we won’t know how convenient until later,” Dallas said, rubbing a hand across his beard and finally turning his eyes to her. “There’re some warm pajamas in your size on the bed. There should be a cheese and fruit tray in the fridge. I’ll start the fire, and you open the wine.”
“This is a tired woman’s dream come true,” she cooed, looping her arm in his as the little bit of lingering snow and ice crunched below their feet. “If there’s a bathtub in there I may never leave.”
“There’s a bathtub in there,” Dallas laughed, “and if you get in it, I may not ever let you leave.”
Chapter 18
The urge was to go down two steps into the cabin and sweep the table clear so he could have her right there and then. She’d given all the signals that she’d be right there, turning the front room into their own haven of passion if he made the move to do so. But there was time. For the first time in a long time, Dallas felt like savoring every second. The urgency of his life had always been nipping at his heels, keeping him plowing forward at a breakneck pace. This moment was different. He wanted every second to stretch into an hour.
He’d have Harlan tonight, but for now he’d sent her to indulge in every detail he’d had laid out for her. It hadn’t been easy calling the owner of the house with the list of awkward requests. Normally when he rented the place all he asked for was the key to
be left in the mailbox. This time it was imported bath salts, luxurious towels, wine, and an assortment of food to last them a couple of days.
The awkwardness of the phone call was outweighed by the primal moan that escaped the bathroom as Harlan sank into the deep tub he’d filled for her. The fire was roaring, and all his work was done.
“May I have that wine you promised?” Harlan purred through the open bathroom door.
“How about some berries too?” Dallas asked, pouring two glasses and pulling some fruit out for them.
“Yes,” she called back in a low melodic tone of someone completely relaxed. “Bring me anything you think I’d like.”
“Are your bubbles strategically placed for modesty?” he teased as he rounded the corner and stepped into the large white-tiled bathroom.
“Of course,” she laughed, “I’m a lady after all.”
As he closed in on the tub, two glasses and a tray of fruit in hand, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Harlan had done just the opposite of his suggestion, sweeping the few bubbles far off to the side, exposing all of her. There was no bashfulness in her pose, and that was the most enticing part of seeing her creamy skin below the tiny ripples in the water.
“You’re enough to drive a man to drink,” he teased, taking a big swig of his wine before realizing what a stupid thing he’d just said.
“Oh man,” she groaned, her face crumpling into half laugh and half disgust. “You didn’t just say that did you? Because I have already driven one man straight to alcoholism.”
“I was kidding. I wasn’t even thinking about that . . . I just meant that you, lying there . . .” He was stammering, fumbling for words that would make this better.
“I know, it’s just fun to see you squirm like that,” she teased, reaching out a hand for her wine glass. “I know exactly what I’m doing to you. I’m enjoying it immensely.”
“Torture,” he said, his eyes raking over her body. “I’m going to go make a quick phone call. You soak and think of more ways to drive me crazy. Enjoy it while you can, because when you get out of there . . .” He let his words trail off as he left the bathroom and closed the door.
On the ride up he’d missed a call from Tim. Dallas made it a point that when he got a call from the prison he picked it up, no matter what. But with Harlan in the car, the two of them chatting so comfortably with each other and enjoying the ease of it all, he hadn’t wanted to dampen the mood. The guilt had begun to set in now and going the rest of the night without checking in with Tim would keep him distracted.
The call went through a switchboard operator who gave Dallas an ear full about following the correct process. Once he was thoroughly scolded she agreed reluctantly to have Tim brought in to take the call.
“Hey bro,” Tim said, sounding his usual upbeat self. “How are you doing?”
“Sorry I missed you earlier. I had some spotty service on my way up to the safe house. It took an act of Congress to get them to connect us now.”
“You’re up there again? Is everything all right? I feel like you only go up there when you’re feeling shitty.”
“Not this time,” Dallas said through a smile, imaging what was waiting for him in the other room. “I’m good.”
“Oh hell, you aren’t alone. I bet it’s the girl you brought to court. Melissa said you were looking at her like a puppy with a new toy. I love it. Good for you, man. You’ve been miserable for so long, dealing with all my stuff. You need to move on.”
“Move on?” Dallas asked, feeling slighted by the judgment. “I’m not moving on until you’re out of there. You can count on that. I don’t want you doubting my commitment to you. We’re actually getting some good leads together. Harlan and I are spending the next few days up here looking at some new ways we can get you a new trial.”
“Stop,” Tim demanded, sounding completely defeated. “You are in a cabin with a beautiful woman who is making you smile. I can hear it over the phone. Don’t waste the time you have with her dealing with this. Melissa is a good lawyer. Stop chasing this; go live your life. One of us should.”
“You don’t mean that,” Dallas cut back, now annoyed. “I know you’re disappointed the last hearing didn’t go your way, but I’m telling you, we can find something. Harlan is brilliant. She’s helping me look at things with fresh eyes.”
“It’s been over a year,” Tim shouted, something he never did. “You’ve lost your career over this. A job you loved, something you were born for. Our friends gave up on me, and you cut them out of your life. I’m the one behind bars but somehow you’re the one locked up. I’m innocent. I’ll prove it someday. Melissa is going to work every angle, but I can’t survive in here if I know you’re out there throwing away every chance of happiness. This girl, she’s saying she’ll help you now, but she’s not going to be as committed to this as you. At some point if I’m still in here, she’s going to want a normal guy who thinks about normal things. Not some guy chasing down leads and crossing the line. You’re going to get yourself arrested or killed if you go knocking on the door of everyone in the area capable of murder.”
“I don’t even know what you’re asking me,” Dallas said, dumbfounded. “You want me to give up? Stop calling you? Stop trying to find out who actually committed the murder?”
“Stop letting it be the only thing you do,” Tim implored in a quiet voice. “I didn’t murder Angus. I don’t know who did, but I’m not the saint you make me out to be. Getting me out of here isn’t going to magically get you your life back. You’re never going to be a cop again. When I’m out of here, where are you going to be?”
The operator’s voice cut in and interrupted the call, letting them know the line would drop in sixty seconds.
“Start right now,” Tim pleaded. “If you have a shot at being happy for the next couple of days, you’ll put the rest of this out of your mind.”
“You’re making me sound pathetic. It’s not like I’ve been alone for ten years or something. Gabriella and I broke up six months ago, and don’t act like that was your fault. We were having problems long before you were arrested.”
The warning of thirty seconds remaining interrupted. “All I know is before all this you were in a relationship, employed in a job you loved, and surrounded by friends. Start right now, Dallas. Right this minute.”
Dallas opened his mouth to protest again but the line cut out. Their time was up. Standing there with his mouth agape and his hand squeezing the phone far too tight, Dallas tried to process what Tim meant. This was not the first time Tim had tried to get him to slow down. He’d had this kind of talk with him before but never this blunt, never this assertive.
“Any more of that wine?” Harlan’s voice called coolly through the bathroom door. “It’s getting lonely in here.”
Dallas looked down at his blank phone screen and then around the room. Maybe Tim was right. He certainly had lost some of the most important things on this journey. But he’d made a vow to free Tim. He promised no matter what it took, and he was certainly living up to that, sacrificing anything to keep trying.
Drawing in a deep breath he wondered what a couple days could hurt. Maybe giving in fully to the time with Harlan, to what every second of indulgence with her could provide, might clear his mind. Maybe it would transcend to something and his mind would break open and the answers would just come. Or maybe it would just feel good. He’d forgotten what feeling good could do for him.
“I better open the second bottle at this rate,” Dallas called, scooping up the opener and the fresh bottle. “You better drink more than just wine though. You’re going to want to hydrate, it’ll be a long couple of days. And you’re going to sweat.”
Chapter 19
Dallas wrapped an oversized plush cream-colored towel around Harlan’s wet body as she stepped out of the tub.
“You have far too many clothes on,” she said, pulling at the top two buttons of his shirt. “You should fix that.”
“My clothes can sta
y right where they are for the moment,” he replied, rubbing her shoulders through the warm towel. “The fire is roaring. You won’t be cold.” He led her by the hand to the living room in front of the fire. She dropped the towel and with it any insecurity she was harboring. This night was long overdue. Dallas didn’t care about her imperfections. The look in his eyes, the fiery need for her body, washed away any worry of that.
“You are perfection,” he moaned, taking in every inch of her as she stood in front of the cracking, popping fire. “I’m going to take my time. You are mine for hours.”
“I’m refusing to do the math and figure out how long it’s been for me,” she admitted. “I hope it’s like riding a bike.”
“I’ll be like riding a bull,” he teased, taking her hand and sliding it against his firm shaft as it pressed against his pants. “But all I want is to have you. I want to taste you, every inch of you.”
A large down comforter was spread out on the floor, silky pillows laid out along the edges of it. She lay down, her breath, heavy with anticipation, catching in her chest.
Dallas took his shirt off slowly and lay down beside her, mesmerized by her as though he’d been handed a telescope and shown a far-off undiscovered planet. His hands lightly pinched, twisted, and titillated her peaks, the pleasure and pain mixing perfectly, making her toss her head back with pleasure. Taking her puckered nipple into his mouth he sucked it in, nibbled and nipped as she began to writhe. “Dallas, I need this so bad. I need this so fucking bad.”
“You’re going to get everything you deserve,” Dallas promised. “You’re not even going to be able to move when I’m done with you. I won’t stop until you can’t take any more. Until you beg me.”
Loyal Hearts (The Barrington Billionaires Book 4) Page 10