by Sara Orwig
Tom turned to her. He had his hands on his hips and he stood close. He had the shadow of stubble on his face and his tangled hair added to his disheveled attraction. He looked more appealing than ever in a rugged, sexy way. She realized where her thoughts were drifting and tried to pay attention to what he was saying.
“Nathan told me that Case Baxter, president of the TCC, plans to have an emergency meeting this coming week. Case agrees with Nathan that Maverick has to be stopped. To do so, they need to learn Maverick’s true identity. I’m going to that meeting, and I’d like you to come with me.”
“Sure, I’ll go. But I don’t think I can help in any way.”
“It won’t hurt, and the more of us who are informed and keep in touch with Nathan, the more likely he’ll be able to catch Maverick. If you go, remember, Maverick may be sitting in the audience.”
She shivered. “That’s creepy.”
“Hopefully, his emails and threats on social media won’t escalate into violence, but no one knows right now. What he’s doing now is bad enough. He hasn’t really hurt us, but he could have, and he can hurt others badly.”
After a pause, Emily steered the conversation to an equally unpleasant topic. “Tom, when we’ve waited a bit, we need to sit down and talk about the divorce and how we’ll divide things. I was so angry when I filed. The picture was so convincing.”
He nodded. “I don’t think we’ll have a problem dividing up the ranch, the house, the cars or the plane.”
“You can definitely have the plane,” she remarked, and he gave her a fleeting smile that made her smile in turn.
“I’ll sign the divorce papers. We’re there anyway, and you can have a life.”
She turned away before he saw tears in her eyes. He was right. They were as good as divorced now, and she couldn’t give him children. Their marriage had such devastating memories. Even so, it still hurt when divorce became reality; she had filed and the papers were in his possession. It was one more big loss in her life and this one she took responsibility for because she’d been unable to get pregnant again. If she had been, it would have held them together. She’d wanted so badly to give Tom another child like Ryan. There was adoption—Tom had been willing—but it wasn’t the same and she was against it. She wanted to have another child like Ryan.
Now she and Tom were estranged, and if they got divorced, they could each go ahead with life. But it was difficult to imagine ever loving another man.
And it didn’t help that Tom had proved Maverick wrong and was trying to help her. It was easy to file for divorce when she was so angry with Tom because she thought he had deceived her. To know that he was still the same guy she had always admired and trusted made the divorce hurt.
“Emily?”
She blinked in surprise, turning to face him again. His eyes narrowed, and he studied her intently. “I’m sorry, Tom. My thoughts drifted back to Maverick,” she said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She suspected he could guess exactly why she hadn’t heard him.
“You said you’re going back to Royal from here. Let me grab a sleeping bag and a few things. I’ll take you.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but before she said a word, he waved his hand. “I’m taking you to Royal. Tomorrow we’ll come back and get your car. I’d just as soon let everyone see us together—it’ll give me pleasure. Hopefully, the damned troll will see us and realize that email did no harm. Far from it. How’s that for a plan?”
She shrugged. “I have a feeling if I didn’t like it at all, I would still end up doing it. I think you’re right about letting Maverick see us together. That gives me a sense of getting even with the troll.”
“We can flaunt that we’re getting along. It doesn’t take long for word to get around Royal.”
“I agree. While it’s good to be seen together, you don’t need to stay with me,” she argued again. “I’ll be in town, where I can call for help at any hour and someone will be right there.”
“I’m staying, Emily. This is someone with a grudge and you’re on the list. That was a damn hateful message you received. Look at the results. You filed for divorce. If rumors started, they could have hurt Natalie, which in turn would have hurt her kids. Frankly, I’m not ready to divorce you when it’s because of a bunch of lies from a vengeful creep.”
“You have a point, Tom,” she said, wishing he had said he didn’t want the divorce for other reasons, yet knowing he was right. “And while we’ve been talking, I’ve been thinking—Maverick has to be somebody who lives in Royal, or has lived in Royal until recently, to know this about you and Natalie and to know to send the picture to me.”
“That’s right.” He looked down at his dusty boots, his mud-splattered jeans. “Can you have a seat inside and let me take a quick shower? I can be speedy.”
“You were never speedy when I showered with you,” she teased and then blushed. “I don’t know where that came from,” she said. “Forget it.”
“Hell, no, I won’t forget it,” he said, his voice getting soft. “You were teasing like you used to, and that’s allowed, Emily. We can have some fun sometimes—let it happen. We’ve got too much of the sad stuff. At this point in our lives, it really isn’t going to change anything to have a laugh or two,” he said.
She nodded. “I suppose you’re right,” she said quietly, thinking he was the way he used to be before the bad times set in. Relaxed, kind, understanding, practical, sexy. He had been fun, so much fun, so sexy. She waved her hand at him. “Go on, Tom. Shower. I can go get the CPU while you’re in there.”
“Nope. I want to be with you. This Maverick bothers me, I’ll admit. I can’t imagine why you’re on anyone’s hit list. That’s worrisome. You’re softhearted, generous—”
“Oh, my! We’ve turned into a mutual-admiration society, thanks to a troll.”
“It’s not thanks to the damned troll. It’s time we have something between us again that isn’t sad, even if it’s just for five minutes.”
“Tom, I agree with everything you just said. For just a few minutes, it was sort of the way it used to be, at least a tiny bit,” she said, suddenly serious, thinking it was a lot better than not speaking and avoiding each other. “I know we can’t turn back the clock, but we can at least be civil to each other.”
“Damn right. Don’t disappear while I go shower,” he said, starting inside and holding the screen door. He paused, looking over his shoulder at her. “Unless you want to come inside and join me.”
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
He grinned. “After your remark, I had to try.” He let the door slam shut behind him and disappeared.
“Don’t make me fall in love with you all over again,” she whispered, and wound her fingers together, trying to think of seeing Nathan Battle, of her appointments tomorrow, of anything except Tom in the shower.
In less than ten minutes Tom reappeared, his hair slightly damp. He wore a clean navy T-shirt, fresh jeans, black boots and a black hat. He carried a rolled-up sleeping bag and a satchel. “I’ll put up my truck and get the car and we’ll go get the CPU.”
“Sure,” she said, walking out with him and waiting on the porch until he pulled up in a black sports car. He was out and around the car by the time she got to it. He held the door for her, and as she passed him, she glanced up and received another scalding look. She was close, her shoulder brushing his arm as he held the car door open. Their gazes met and she couldn’t catch her breath. For just a moment, she forgot everything except Tom, pausing to look into his thickly lashed hazel eyes that immobilized her. The differences between them fell away, and all-consuming lust enveloped her.
It took an effort to tear her gaze from his. In that brief moment, she had wanted his arms around her and his mouth on hers.
“Thanks,” she said, hating that it came out breathlessly. She
slipped into the passenger seat and gazed ahead as he closed the door. He strode around the car. Handsome, purposeful, filled with vitality, he would be married again after their divorce, she was certain. Tom was too appealing to live alone, and he liked women. The idea of Tom marrying hurt even though they had no future together and no longer had the joy and happiness of their first years together.
She rode in silence as they drove the short distance from the guesthouse to the mansion they had shared. Now it stood silent and empty. They had been happy in the sprawling, palatial two-story house until they lost their son. She didn’t want to live in it alone. It was too big, too empty without Tom. He’d seemed to fill it with his presence when he would come home. When they had Ryan, his childish voice and laughter had also seemed to fill the big house. At present, she found it empty, isolated and sad. She didn’t like living alone in it and she didn’t intend to ever again. This wasn’t the place for her any longer.
The house had a somber effect on her and Tom seemed to react the same way. They both were quiet as they walked to the door. Tom still had a key and opened the door to hold it for her. She walked through into the spacious entryway, switching on lights as she went, although it wasn’t dark outside yet.
She suddenly thought about Ryan running around in front of the house when he was so small. Tears came and she wiped them away quickly. Pausing, she glanced over her shoulder at Tom, and he looked stricken. She guessed that he, too, was thinking of Ryan and hurting because he hadn’t been in the house in almost a year. He rubbed his eyes—the tough, decorated Ranger who had been in combat, been wounded, been a prisoner until he escaped. She couldn’t bear his grief, which compounded her pain. When she turned away, crying silently while she tried to get control of her emotions, Tom put his arm around her.
“Come here,” he whispered. Sobbing, she turned to him and they held each other. His strong arms around her felt wonderful and she tightened her hold on him as if she could squeeze out some of his strength, transferring it from him to her. He was a comfort and she hoped she was for him. She stroked his back, relishing holding him. It had been so long since she had been in his arms.
“I’m sorry, Tom. Sometimes I just lose it and I guess you do, too. Having you here helps,” she said, wiping her eyes with a tissue.
He looked down at her, easing his hold on her slightly. “I’m glad I’m here for you. It helps me. Grieving is part of it that we can’t escape.” She nodded as he released her. She missed his strong arms around her.
“I’m okay now. Thanks.”
They went through the house to the large room that was her office. “I’ll get the CPU out for you, Emily,” he said and strode past her. “I’m sure this is futile, but it would be ridiculous for Nathan not to check it out.”
“While you do that, Tom, I’ll pick up a few things to take to Royal.”
“Where’s that white cat of yours?”
“Your cook has Snowball until I get settled in Royal. You don’t care, do you?”
“No, I don’t care where your cat is.”
It seemed natural to be in the house with Tom again. She watched him hunker down to disconnect the CPU, the fabric of his jeans pulling tightly over his long legs. Desire swept through her, and she turned to leave the room abruptly to get away from him.
In less than half an hour they were on their way to Royal. They rode together in silence. She knew he was bound in his own thoughts as much as she was in hers, and they had little to say to each other. While they didn’t talk, she was acutely conscious of him. She hadn’t been around him this much in a long time. And their time together was just starting. How could she live under the same roof with him again without being in his arms and in his bed and back on an emotional roller coaster?
She glanced at his hand on the steering wheel. He had a scar across the back of it that had healed long ago. He had scars all over his body from his time in the military.
His hands were well shaped, nails clipped very short, veins showing slightly. Too easily she could remember his hands drifting over her when they had made love—strong hands that could send her to paradise.
She realized her thoughts were carrying her into a place she didn’t want to go. “I think you’re right about the divorce. We’ll get it—that’s inevitable—but I don’t like getting a divorce because of Maverick, either.”
“Let’s table the divorce for now. I’ll try to find out how much effort Nathan is devoting to catching this troll. The meeting Monday at the club may shed more light. If we don’t divorce and we both stay at the house in Royal—”
“Maverick will know you’ve become my bodyguard,” she said, shaking her head.
“Not necessarily. If I help you restore the old house, it’ll look as if we’re back together. For all anyone knows, we’re fixing it up for you to sell. For a few weeks, maybe we should keep quiet that I’m worried about your protection and that we’re not really together anymore.”
“That’s fine with me. Anything to defeat Maverick. Frankly, I’m still amazed I’m a victim. I’m not the sweetest person, but I usually get along with people I know and work with, neighbors, church friends.”
“I’ll ask you the question that Nathan is going to ask—do you have any enemies? Anyone who doesn’t like you or you’ve angered?”
She laughed softly. “Tom, I may have people who don’t like me, but if so, I don’t know anything about it. I don’t have enemies. I can’t think of anyone.”
“The whole world loves you,” he remarked. “That’s what you’ll hear from Nathan, I’ll bet.”
“The one person I’ve made the most unhappy is you,” she answered quietly, and he glanced quickly at her and back at the road. When she looked again, she saw his knuckles had tightened on the wheel.
“Hell, Emily, I loved you with all my being, but we’ve just had so much happen between us there is no way we can go back to that life we had. When I ask if you have angered anyone, I’m talking real enemies.”
“I know you are,” she said, hurting inside because she’d answered with the truth. There was no one who had been as hurt by her or more at odds with her or more disappointed by her than Tom. “We’re not real enemies and you’re a good guy.”
“Thanks for that much, Em. Think about it. Think if there is anyone you’ve crossed who might hold a grudge.”
She gave a small laugh. “Darla from our class in high school. Oh, did she have a crush on you. Now if this had happened when we were sixteen instead of now when we’re thirty-two, I’d give out her name in a flash, but the last I heard she’s married and has three kids.”
“I hate to say this, but I don’t even remember the person you’re talking about.”
“One of your groupies.”
“I didn’t have groupies.”
“Every cute football captain has groupies.”
“May have seemed so to you, but I didn’t. And I haven’t been called cute since I was five.”
“You were cute. That was the general consensus with all the girls. Ooh, long eyelashes, broad shoulders, cute butt, sexy, to-die-for—”
“Stop it.” He laughed. “If I had only known then—you didn’t tell me all that when we were in school.”
“Of course not. It would have just gone to your head—or elsewhere.”
“Oh, damn, we should have had this conversation long ago,” he said, grinning at her. And once again, for just an instant, she was reminded of old times with him.
“Kidding aside, Emily, keep thinking. It’s important. Could it have to do with your business?”
“I take pictures of kids and families—there’s nothing in my work that should anger anyone. I’ve never had an irate customer.”
“I’m sure you haven’t—you’re a damn good photographer.”
“The result wasn’t what Maverick intended, so l
et’s not worry too much about it right now,” she said, placing her hand on Tom’s knee in a gesture that at one time would have been casual. It wasn’t now. He turned to stare at her, and she saw his chest expand as he took a deep breath.
She removed her hand and looked out the window, turning from him and trying to make light of the moment. She was thankful he couldn’t hear or feel her racing heart.
“I’ll try to think, but I’m blank. I know I’m overlooking something or I wouldn’t have received that email.”
“That’s right, so work on it,” he said, and they lapsed into silence as they drove toward Royal.
She thought over what Tom had said. What enemies did she have? “Tom, maybe Maverick was getting at you through me.”
“That occurred to me, and I’ve been trying to think of anyone in these parts I could have really annoyed. Frankly, Emily, I can think of some. I’ve fired cowboys who didn’t want to work. I was in the military—there are people in the area who don’t like that or what I did. Politically, they don’t agree with me. There are guys I competed with in college and high school sports. There are guys I’ve competed with in rodeos. I’ll talk to Nathan about it. He’s got to catch this troll. It has to be someone really low-down mean to hurt you after what you’ve been through.”
“I haven’t been through any more than you have,” she said, and he was silent. His jaw was set and she suspected he was frustrated and angry.
“You have been through more than I have,” he said quietly. “You lost Ryan, you lost your uncle, your dad split when you were two, your mom died when you were nine, the man who raised you and the last close member of your family died this past year and you haven’t had another child. You don’t need more anguish, much less to get hassled by a rotten coward.”