“Don’t push me. You know which sister I mean,” he said, trying not to snarl.
She wasn’t ready to stop tweaking the big man’s nose just yet. “Lisa, Luke’s looking for you.” I think his eyes are about to pop out of their sockets.
Jenny had stepped back out of the way, so Luke walked past her into the apartment. “Very funny, Jenny. Lisa is James’ headache. Not mine.” And Mindi’s being a big enough headache for fifty people right now.
Luke just walked over to Mindi, grabbed her by the hand and pulled her up off the floor. Then without missing a beat, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. With his usual manner, he just turned back toward the door. Despite the fact that Mindi was now screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Luke, this is not funny. Put me down.”
He just ignored her. He didn’t feel like having this argument in front of her sisters.
On his way out the door, he could hear Lisa ask Jenny behind him. “What did he mean, I’m James’ headache?”
“Oh,” Jenny said with a grin, “he’s probably talking about how James is in love with you.” Maybe if she realizes Luke believes it, she’ll listen to me.
“For someone who’s in love with me, he’s not talking to me much right now,” Lisa said, sounding sulky. “The only reason he spoke to me earlier today, was because I cornered him.”
*******
Luke drove straight back to his garage without a word. They were now standing in his living room staring at each other. He looked like his head was going to explode.
“What did you think you were doing?” he asked with barely controlled anger. Oh God, if she gets herself killed, they’ll have me to bury too.
“I just went to see my sisters. What’s the big deal?” Mindi asked, her temper rising to meet his. “I’m fine.”
“Tracy could have got you by yourself in the parking lot. Heck, the way she thinks, she could have got you when you walked out on your parent’s front porch. You cannot be out on your own, no matter what,” Luke said, his voice dropping so low, she was surprised the building didn’t shake.
“How is that going to work. I can’t just live the rest of my life shut up in my parent’s house. There’s going to be times when I have things I need to do, and there just isn’t someone to take me.”
“It'll just be until you go back to school. Once you’re back in Springfield, away from me, she’ll leave you alone.” She could hear the pain ringing in his voice, but he seemed resigned to the fact that she would be leaving when the summer was over. I’m not sure when you leave, that’s not going to be enough to kill me.
“I’m not going back to Springfield. I’m going to finish school here,” Mindi said, biting her lip, not sure how he was going to react.
“Why aren’t you going back to Springfield?” he asked, sounding almost stunned. He looked almost hopeful, but still guarded. Is she staying because of me?
She was still angry enough at him, she wasn’t ready to play nice. Well, not too nice. “If you can’t figure that out for yourself, maybe I should go back, and stay. Permanently.” She knew she would never leave Sapphire Springs permanently, but she was okay with letting him think she would, for now.
“You won’t be doing that. Not now.” The look he gave her told her, he had caught her meaning. The desire there shot warmth all the way to her toes.
She wasn’t sure she was ready to let him off the hook yet. “If you don’t stop bullying me, I just might go back for good.”
“Don’t threaten me.” I’ll make you think bully. I haven’t even come close to bullying you.
That was better. His temper was coming back. She knew she couldn’t resist him the other way. I need him angry at me to think clearly. When he looks at me with fire in his eyes like that, I forget what we’re arguing about.
“And there is something else we’ve got to deal with now,” he said, stepping toward her.
“What’s that mean?” Mindi asked, truly sounding puzzled.
“You lied to me.”
“No, I didn’t.” Oh no. he’s going to spank me like a five-year-old. I forgot about that part.
“Yeah, you did. Breaking a promise is the same thing.”
“Luke, that’s not fair.” I wonder if running would do me any good. Probably not. He would probably chase me down. Of course, that could be fun.
“Really? You think it’s fair for you to make me crazy with fear, wondering if I’ll find you before she does?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, all the sudden feeling real small when her anger fizzled out.
“Yeah. Well, you knew this was going to happen. Maybe next time you’ll think it out farther, before you act.” I’m not sure I can actually do this.
She was frozen in place, just waiting to see what he was going to do. If she had any self-preservation left, she might have tried to run, but as it was, she just stood there. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her toward the couch. He sat down on the edge of the cushion, and pulled her down across his knee on her stomach. She could feel his hand resting on her rounded bottom, unmoving.
The suspense was getting to her. He wasn’t doing anything. He was just holding her there. When she felt his hand caress her where it had been resting she thought she knew what was happening. She thought he had got distracted by desire.
She started trying to get up and ended up slipping to the floor. She came up on her knees, positioned between his legs. She placed her hands on the couch on either side of him. When she looked up into his eyes, it wasn’t desire, but pain she saw there. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I swear to you I will never try something like that again. I could never hurt you. Not even a little bit.”
“Oh.” She was surprised how his reaction made her feel. The passion rose up in her so fast, it blindsided her. She grabbed him around the waist and brought her mouth up to his. She went under so fast she couldn’t have stopped herself if she had wanted to. She felt his arms circle her waist and pull her up to him. She was the one way out of control this time.
She ran her hands down to the waistband of his jeans, and started trying to yank his t-shirt up. She needed to feel his skin against hers. She could feel him trying to pull her back to get some space between them, but she wasn’t ready to give in. She was still fighting to get his shirt off him.
“Mindi, slow down.”
“I want to feel your skin against mine. Take your shirt off.” It wasn’t a request. It was a demand. One that caught him off guard enough, the next thing she knew, his shirt was lying on the floor. She moved back in and started kissing him everywhere. His chest. His neck. His face. Sometimes, she’d nip him just a little bit.
She heard him groan, and tried to pull him down in the floor with her. He tried to resist, but when she grabbed a hold of his jeans and yanked, he slid to the floor on his knees and fell forward, taking her with him. He caught himself on his hands, and rolled to his back.
She took advantage of his prone position and straddled his waist. When she reached for the hem of her own shirt he grabbed her hands.
“Mindi, no. That’s too much. It’s time to stop.” If she gets that shirt off, I’m not going to want her to stop there.
He let go of her hands, thinking she was back in control. When she started to take her shirt off again, he grabbed her hands once again, and rolled with her, pinning her under him with her hands above her head.
“Woman, you’re making me crazy. What am I going to do with you?” he asked, his voice husky from passion.
“I could give you a couple of ideas,” she said, her eyes still burning with desire.
“No, time to stop,” he said, gritting his teeth. “I have a hard-enough time stopping without you deliberately trying to push me over the edge.”
Her breathing was finally slowing down, and she was starting to feel embarrassed by how out of control she had gotten. When her cheeks started glowing red, he seemed to understand it was safe to let her up, and he let go
of her hands to sit back.
She rose up to a sitting position and hung her head, letting her hair fall forward to shield her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost it like that.” God, he’s going to think I’m a wild woman.
“Well, I’m not. It makes me feel better to know that you have as hard of a time as I do,” Luke said, trying not to laugh. Dang. We really are going to go up in flames one of these days. Hopefully we manage to get married first.
“But what happens when we reach a point when neither one of us can stop? What then? And there’s no one around to help us out? Like the other day with James.”
“Yeah. I see your point. We have to deal with this issue with Tracy, so we can get on with our own lives.” Why didn’t I just listen to you when you told me she was crazy?
“How?” Mindi asked, finally looking up at him.
“We’ve got to find a way to flush her out in the open. Make her play her hand so we can catch her. Then you’ll be safe, and we can have a nice quiet life. Sit tight. I’ll be right back. I need to make a phone call.”
He stepped out on the front porch and closed the door behind him. Looking through the window to the side of the door, she could see him leaning against it. He had his hand on the knob, and she could hear muffled conversation, but she couldn’t make out any of the words.
When he finally came back in the door, she was standing on the other side of the room by the couch. She had a throw pillow in her hand. He should have taken it as a warning. As soon as he closed the door and turned back to look at her, the pillow came flying at his head. He managed to catch it just before it smacked him in the face. They’d been playing this game a long time now.
“Who were you talking to? Are you and Dad planning my life out for me? How many kids am I going to have, or do I get to help decide that one?” she asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm.
He walked across the room, and wrapped his arms around her so she was forced to calm down. “Sure, we can talk about how many kids we’re going to have.” He didn’t realize he had said we’re. “I was talking to Zane. He’s coming over. We’re going to talk about a way to bait Tracy. We can’t just wait around for her to do something. You won’t be safe on your own until she’s caught.”
“You know I can take care of myself. I’m not helpless.” Her fury had lost steam. He said how many kids we’re going to have. Does he even realize what he said?
“She has shot at me. Just because she didn’t hit me, doesn’t me she won’t hit you, or that she won’t keep trying until she does hit you.” His nerves were shot. They had all just been waiting around for something to happen. He couldn’t wait anymore.
He was still holding her, but he had freed her arms when he realized she was calming down. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. She watched the fire catch in his eyes just before she leaned in and kissed him.
They were still kissing when Zane knocked on the door, and when he didn’t get an answer he just opened the door and walked in. He cleared his throat to get their attention. When that didn’t work, he decided to ask again, “When’s the wedding?”
That did it. They sprang apart almost as fast as they did the first time he asked.
This time his sister didn’t go running from the room. She just glared at him instead, like she didn’t appreciate the interruption. Luke seemed glad to see him. Like he knew he wouldn’t have lasted much longer if he hadn’t walked in on them.
“So, what’s your idea?” Zane asked, sitting down on the chair across from the couch.
Chapter 16 - Thursday July 12
That was the third time she had heard someone say Luke and Mindi were getting married next month. She was starting to get really angry. There was no way she was going to let that little tramp have her man. He belonged to her and she wasn’t going to just stand around and let him slip through her fingers. She was going to fix this, one way or another. Right now.
Luke had taken the little thief to work with him yesterday. She figured he had done the same today, and she didn’t care who she had to shoot, she was going to kill the little whore. Right now, she didn’t care if Luke got in the way. She’d shoot him too if she had to. If I can’t have him, no one will.
When Tracy walked into the garage, James was the only one in there. She didn’t even stop to talk to him. She just walked right on by, and went straight to the office door. She tried to open it, but it was locked. She turned back to James and gave him a dirty look. Unfortunately, she was going to have to talk to him.
She looked down her nose at him, and asked, “Where is Luke and that little witch? Obviously, she’s cast some kind of love spell over him. She’s nothing special to look at.”
James decided to be difficult. “Witch, Miss Tracy? Would you be referring to Miss Mindi? Miss Mindi, ain’t no witch,” James said, wanting to needle her, but knowing he shouldn’t. Right now, it seemed, no matter who it was, she blamed everything on Mindi. And she intended to make her pay for all of it.
She glared at him so long at first, he thought she was going to refuse to talk to him after all. When she finally spoke again, she sounded like she was choking on the words. “You know darn well who I’m referring to, you little low life. Or rather, make that you, huge low life.” It’s just disgusting how large you are. “How could a person get that big?” she thought out loud, mumbling to herself, as if he could control how tall he was, or how wide his shoulders were.
James rethought being difficult, and decided to try and play nice. “They aren’t here. Can I help you?” I have to be polite. If for no other reason, to keep from making this harder on Mindi.
His parents had always taught him to be polite for as long as he could. And if he could no longer be polite, he needed to say his piece and get out. He knew, if she didn’t leave soon, he was going to be in trouble fast. He couldn’t leave, because he couldn’t leave the garage unattended.
“You? Help me? Not bloody likely,” she said, sticking her nose in the air like she had smelled something foul. “You aren’t smart enough to be able to help anyone. Why does Luke even work with you? And don’t speak to me unless it is to answer a question I asked you directly, you filthy swine.”
James never got a chance to answer her back, because Mindi and Luke picked that moment to walk in the garage. They had been taking Mindi’s car to her brother Phillip for the body work. Luke had finished going through the motor and transmission and the car was running beautifully.
Now they were back, and Mindi was obviously livid.
“How dare you talk to him that way? What makes you think you have the right to treat people like scum? How did you get the notion you were better than everybody else?” Mindi had spoken without thinking, and had revealed to Tracy that she and Luke were now standing in the garage.
“What are you doing here?” Luke asked when he seen her. He pulled Mindi behind him, shielding her from Tracy.
When Tracy saw Luke and Mindi, she turned, and her was focus now on them, or she might have noticed when James slipped away to call Zane. “What am I doing here? What do you mean, what am I doing here? What’s she doing here? You can’t marry that little tramp. You deserve better.” Why is he protecting her that way? She’s nothing but white trash.
“Mindi is not a tramp,” Luke said, trying not to snarl without success. “And I am going to marry her. You don’t have a say in the matter.” His voice had dropped so low it could barely be heard across the garage.
“Oh, you don’t think I have a say in the matter, do you? Well, I’ll show you, then.” She whipped out her gun, pointing it at his chest. “Get out of the way Luke. This is for the best. It’s the only way you are going to realize she is nothing but a little whore and trouble maker. You belong with me,” Tracy said, stomping her foot on the concrete.
“I’m not going to step aside and let you shoot her. You’re going to have to shoot me to get to her.”
Mindi was trying to get around Luke, but he was blocking her. He had her
trapped between a large toolbox, an SUV and himself. All she could do was stand there and watch.
“Luke, I don’t want to shoot you, but I will if I have to. Mindi is going to pay for making me suffer. If it hadn’t been for her, you would never have broken up with me. She has to die.” Tracy would have almost sounded rational, if it wasn’t for what she was saying. And for the gun she now had aimed at his chest.
“Do you not understand what is wrong with your logic?” He had watched as James slipped away, and was trying to stall for time while they were waiting for Zane to show up. “You’re willing to shoot me to get to Mindi, because you think if you get rid of Mindi, I’ll come back to you. How’s that going to work? If I’m dead, how can we be together?”
“Stop! You’re just trying to confuse me,” she said, shaking her head from side to side.
Just then Zane came around the corner with his gun already drawn. “Tracy, put the gun down.” God, I don’t want to shoot her. Even if she is crazy.
“What? How did you know? James called you, didn’t he?” she snarled, making herself look even uglier than before. “That useless piece of flesh.”
For some reason, she decided to try shooting her way out. She was still aiming in Luke and Mindi’s direction when she started firing. Luke saw it coming and threw Mindi to the floor with him on top of her. The first bullet ended up in the wall behind them, and the second flattened a tire on a customer’s car. She was shooting so wildly, Zane had to duck behind a tool box to avoid being hit.
She shot off a few more rounds while crossing the street. By the time she stopped shooting and Zane was able to follow her, she was already at her car, and he couldn’t get a clear shot. There was another car driving by at the wrong time. By the time he made it to the middle of the road, she was turning the corner and was no longer in sight.
He knew by the time he made it back to his patrol car, she would be long gone. His best bet was to call it in, and pray one of the other officers managed to get her stopped.
Summer Obsession (The Townsends Book 1) Page 16