Drawing in a deep, bracing breath, she answered, “I had a younger brother. But he died a few years ago.”
“Oh, how sad,” Alice murmured. “We’re so sorry.”
Noelle could feel Evan, sitting just to her left, studying her thoughtfully. What would he think, she wondered, if she explained how Andy had died? Would he sympathize and understand her aversion to badges and guns? Or would he be offended?
Oh, God, none of it mattered, she thought. Evan’s feelings couldn’t be any of her concern. Despite how much she was beginning to enjoy his company, he was still an officer of the law. And though he was a detective, he still went after criminals just like any officer on the street—perhaps with even more determination. Like Tuck, he’d made himself a target.
But none of that really mattered, either, she argued with herself. Evan had no serious intentions toward her. And she had none toward him.
“I know how tough that is,” Evan said after a moment. “We had a sister who died when she was two years old. I was only in second grade at the time, but it hit me hard. Rafe was the one who took her death the hardest, though. He was three years old when she was born, and they were growing up together. To this day, he still chokes up when he talks about Darci.”
Evan had not only lost his mother, he’d lost a sister, too. The revelation jolted Noelle. She would’ve never guessed that he’d gone through such tragedy. He seemed too strong and sturdy, too happy to have endured such sorrow.
“Well, the two of them were like Rusty and Ginger,” Alice explained. “Brother and sister were inseparable.”
Tuck reached over and patted his wife’s hand as though he wanted to soften the sad memory of their granddaughter’s death. “Now Rafe has a little girl of his own to coddle and spoil. Thank God he’s been blessed with her.”
Alice suddenly turned an impish smile on Evan. “We’re hoping that someday Evan will have a few kids.”
Tuck looked over and winked at Noelle. “Yeah, Evan’s getting a little long in the tooth. He’s going to be too old to be a daddy if he keeps waiting around to find the right woman.”
Evan grimaced. “You two needn’t be worried about me. You’ll get plenty of great-grandkids to spoil without me contributing to the family tree.”
Even though on the surface he was kidding, Noelle could hear a thread of resentment in his voice. Apparently he didn’t want anyone, even his beloved grandparents, pushing him toward love and marriage and children. So what did that mean? Had someone broken his heart before, or did he simply enjoy being a bachelor too much to give up his freedom?
Tuck’s low chuckles lightened the moment. Noelle looked across the table to see he was eyeing her and Evan as though they were already a couple. The notion bothered Noelle, mainly because she’d already allowed her daydreams to go in that same foolish direction.
“We better stop nagging our grandson, Alice. He knows what’s best for him.”
“You’ve got that right, Granddad.” Evan rose to his feet abruptly and reached for the back of Noelle’s chair. “Now if you two will excuse us, I’d like to show Noelle around outside before we have to leave.”
* * *
Later that afternoon, Evan drove west to give Noelle a chance to view the beautiful landscape at Washoe Lake before finishing the long drive back to her house.
When he finally stopped the truck in front of her house, it was growing dark. He cut the engine and unsnapped his seat belt, prompting her to speak.
“There’s no need for you to get out,” she assured him. “I can make it to the door on my own.”
A subtle grin slanted his lips. “Trying to get rid of me?”
For the past thirty minutes, she’d been steeling herself to the reality that this special day had to end. She’d been telling herself that she needed to give this man a final goodbye and make a rock-hard promise to herself never to see him again. That would be the smart thing to do. But now he was hinting that he wanted their time together to continue. How could she possibly tell him to leave when her heart was thumping hard, begging her to invite him to stay?
“Not exactly.” Trying to ignore the tempting sight of his rugged face, she released her seat belt and reached behind her for the coat she’d placed on the backseat. “But it’s getting late, and I have chores to do.”
“That’s why I’m not going to leave just yet. It’s my fault that I kept you out after dark. The least I can do is help you with the chores.”
She squared around in the seat so that she was facing him. “Is this something you do with all your dates? Offer to help them with their chores?” Before he could answer, she shook her head. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’m not your date. So forget my question.”
A half-amused look came over his face. “If you’re not my date, what are you?”
Before she’d met Evan, a blush rarely ever touched Noelle’s cheeks. But something about this man seemed to be turning her whole face into a perpetual heat lamp.
“I’m not sure. An acquaintance, maybe. I haven’t exactly thought about it,” she lied.
Before she could guess his intentions, he leaned across the console and brought his face close to hers. “Maybe I ought to give you a little clue.”
He was so near, she could see the amber flecks in his green eyes, the pores in his tanned skin and the faintly jagged outline of his hard lips. And as her eyes settled on the last feature, her heart began to thump out of control.
“What are you talking about?” she whispered.
His face inched closer, and for the life of her, she couldn’t seem to draw back or turn her head to avoid his. All day long, she’d thought about being close to him, kissing him. She’d never expected to be given that chance, and now it felt as though she was caught in a dream. One where she couldn’t breathe or move, even though her mind was screaming at her to make a quick escape.
His lips hovering over hers, he murmured, “I think I need to show you that you’re more than an acquaintance to me, Noelle.”
Confusion stunned her brain, and then suddenly she couldn’t think at all as he closed the last fraction of space between their lips.
The movement of his hard mouth over hers was both shocking and delicious. The mixture was enough to make her fingers unwittingly close over the tops of his shoulders and a low groan to sound in her throat.
And as her mind began to digest the reality that she was kissing a lawman, her heart argued that Evan Calhoun was simply a man. A man who was filling her with excitement and chasing away the lonely shadows she’d carried around for so long.
Chapter Six
Evan could’ve gone on kissing Noelle for hours, but the need for oxygen eventually forced him to lift his head from hers and drag in several ragged breaths. It was then he noticed that her fingers were still clinging to his shoulders and her eyes remained shut.
Clearly, she’d been as shaken by what had just occurred between them as he’d been. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to say or how to react. What had started out as a simple kiss had turned into something he’d never experienced before.
“I—uh, I didn’t plan on that happening,” he finally murmured.
Her eyes slowly opened, and she dropped her hands away from him. The loss of contact made Evan want to pull her into his arms and repeat the heart-stopping kiss all over again.
“Neither did I,” she said softly.
“I’m sorry if I upset you.”
She looked away from him, and her shoulders moved up and down as she drew in a deep breath.
“You didn’t upset me. It was just a kiss.”
It hadn’t been just a kiss to him. It had been an earthquake. But he couldn’t admit that to this woman. He didn’t even like admitting it to himself.
Before he could think of a reply, she turned bac
k to him. “So does this mean you were thinking of me as a date?”
He had to laugh. The sound put a faint smile on her face.
“Well, I normally don’t kiss on first dates,” she said. “But since I haven’t had one in years, I guess I can forgive myself.” She reached for the door latch. “I can hear the cows bawling. I’d better get to my chores.”
Her comment about dating filled Evan with questions, but he kept them to himself. Now wasn’t the time to be asking her personal questions. Besides, her private life wasn’t his concern. Even though that kiss had made him feel as though it was.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you that I know a little about taking care of livestock.”
* * *
A little more than a half hour later, Evan was sitting at Noelle’s kitchen table, eating the last few bites of a ham sandwich and drinking a cup of coffee. The fact that she’d invited him in for a light evening meal surprised him. After he’d helped her deal with the chores at the barn, he’d expected her to give him a firm good-night. But she’d seemed grateful for his help and even his company.
Now Evan couldn’t keep his eyes off her or his mind from reliving her kiss over and over. He’d never tasted lips so sweet and soft and giving. The fragrance of her hair and skin had filled his nostrils like the heady scent of a flower garden. As her lips eagerly met his searching lips, his senses had reeled like a helter-skelter whirlwind dancing over the desert floor.
“Would you like a piece of the banana bread that your grandmother sent home with me?” She rose from the table and carried her plate over to the sink.
“No, thanks. I’ve already eaten enough for two people today.”
She brought the coffee carafe back to the table and topped off both their cups. Evan couldn’t ignore the subtle swing of her hips as she returned the glass pot to the coffee machine. The thought of touching those womanly curves, of pressing his body next to them, was enough to make his heart beat fast and a heat burn low in his belly.
After taking to her seat again, she picked up her cup but didn’t immediately take a sip. Instead, her thoughtful gaze wandered over him. “Would you mind if I asked you something personal?”
Surprisingly, it was the intensity of her gaze rather than her question that made him want to squirm in his chair. Something about the way she looked at him was daring and sexy, and he found it impossible to tear his eyes away from hers.
He said, “I’d have to hear the question first.”
Shrugging, her gaze dropped to the scarred tabletop. “Well, it’s not really my business. But today, when your grandparents were talking about you marrying and having kids, I got the impression that you were totally against the idea. Am I right?”
“Pretty much,” he said bluntly.
Glancing up at him, she asked, “And why is that? Have you been married before?”
He tried not to let bitter memories show on his face. “No. I was engaged once—about four years ago. But it didn’t work out.”
She returned her cup to the tabletop. “Oh. You got cold feet? Or did she?”
Shaking his head, he made an attempt to smile, but in truth there was nothing about his failed relationship with Bianca to smile about.
“The problem wasn’t cold feet. It was all about having my eyes opened. And thankfully, that happened before any marriage ceremony took place.” Grimacing, he pushed aside his empty plate and picked up his coffee cup. “You see, I thought Bianca was just right for me. When we first started dating, she was sweet and understanding. She seemed to really care about me. I even believed she was proud of my profession and understood how much it meant to me. But it turned out that she was hiding the real her. That is, until our wedding date grew closer and she started making demands.”
“What sort of demands?”
“That I quit the sheriff’s office and return to working for the Silver Horn.”
Her dark brown eyes continued to search his face, and Evan could only wonder what she was thinking. That he wasn’t man enough to hold a woman? The notion bothered him more than it should have.
“And why was that?” she asked softly. “Because she worried for your safety?”
With a short, caustic laugh, Evan rose, carried his empty plate over to the sink and placed it on top of hers.
“She often said she was worried about my safety, and maybe it did worry her,” he answered. “But I don’t think the danger associated with my job was the main reason our relationship ended. She harped more about the modest income I made. She knew that if I worked on the Silver Horn, my annual salary from the ranch’s profits would be far better than that of a deputy sheriff. In the end, it became clear to me and everyone that she was all about getting a piece of the Calhoun wealth.”
A long pause ensued. Then Noelle asked, “So you don’t receive any annuities from the ranch?”
Shaking his head, he turned away from the cabinet. “No. Without doing my part, it wouldn’t be right for me to accept them. I do get a yearly slice of mineral royalties that my mom willed to us boys. But I don’t spend it. I tuck all that away for a rainy day.”
She remained silent until Evan returned to the table and eased back into his seat. By then she was looking at him with an entirely different expression. One that drew him like a beckoning light in a dark and dangerous cave.
“I guess now when you meet a woman, you’re always wondering whether she’s after your money or she’s genuinely interested in you.”
He let out a long breath. “I’m surprised to hear you say that. I didn’t think you’d understand. I mean, you’ve made your opinion about lawmen pretty clear. I figured you’d think Bianca had a good argument for me to quit the office.”
Frowning, she rose to her feet and walked over to the stack of dirty dishes. Evan wondered what she was thinking as she began to fill the sink with water. That he was selfish? That he cared only about himself and his career? Before now, that wouldn’t have bothered him. It certainly hadn’t bothered him when Bianca had flung those accusations at him. But Noelle was different. She was independent and strong and sensible. And more than anything, he wanted her to think he was a fair, admirable man.
“You have me figured all wrong, Evan.”
Her quiet reply had him joining her at the counter. “About what?”
She plunged her hands into the dishwater and swiped one of the plates. “Whatever my feelings about law officers are, I think this Bianca was selfish for asking you to give up a career that you love—that you’ve wanted from a very young age. That’s not what love and marriage are about.”
Stunned by her answer, he shook his head in disbelief. “You sound like you’re talking from experience.”
She cast him a thoughtful glance, then abruptly pulled her hands from the sink and dried them on a dish towel.
“Come with me,” she said. “I need to show you something.”
Not knowing what to expect, Evan followed her out of the kitchen and into the small living area, where she motioned for him to take a seat.
“Make yourself comfortable,” she told him. “I’ll be right back.”
She left the room and he’d barely had time to get settled on the couch when she returned carrying a fabric-covered notebook.
To his surprise, she didn’t hand the book to him. Instead, she sat down close by his side and balanced it on her knees. By then, Evan didn’t really care what was on the pages of the padded notebook. All he could think about was the warmth of her body radiating into his, the scent of her skin and hair and the softness of her feminine curves.
“I haven’t looked at this thing for a long time,” she told him. “In fact, it’s crossed my mind more than once to throw it away. But I keep it as a learning tool. So I won’t forget and make the same mistake again.”
For a moment, curiosity pushed hi
s erotic thoughts aside. “Mistake?” he asked. “What’s inside this thing, anyway?”
“My wedding photos.”
She could have said anything and it wouldn’t have shocked him more. “Wedding?” he repeated blankly. “You’ve been married before?”
Her lips pressed in a grim line, she nodded. “That’s right. When I still lived in Phoenix. We were married a little less than a year.”
“Less than a year? Damn,” he murmured. “That was short.”
Her nostrils flared with disdain. “If I’d known his true colors beforehand, there wouldn’t have been a marriage at all.”
Stunned, he tried to imagine her as some other man’s wife. Try as he might, he couldn’t envision her being so close to anyone but him. And that notion in itself was enough to leave him speechless and wondering what in hell could be coming over him.
She opened the cover of the photo album, and Evan was given another shock. It was evident that the wedding had been professionally photographed, costing someone a fortune. But it was Noelle’s image that grabbed his attention. She looked nothing like the woman sitting next to him.
Instead, her features were hidden behind a mask of perfect makeup, her long brown hair coiffed into an elaborate pile of curls and adorned with a glittering tiara. The white lace dress she wore swept the floor with a full skirt. A jeweled choker created a garland of gems around her lovely neck. Admittedly, Evan didn’t know that much about women’s fashion or the cost, but he knew enough to spot luxury when he saw it. And it all made him wonder if he was sitting next to a complete stranger.
“This is you?” He couldn’t hide the disbelief in his voice. “When was this?”
“That’s me. About five years ago. I’ve changed since then. In more ways than one.”
“I’ll say,” he murmured, dazed.
She chuckled, but it was a cynical sound, mocking instead of amused.
“You see, Evan, I know all about having money. What it’s like to have anything and everything it can buy. I also know all the things it can’t buy.”
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