by Barb Han
He ordered a shrimp po’boy and two cups of coffee, even though they’d just eaten.
“Will that be all?” the waitress asked. “Dorinda” was stamped on her gold-colored name tag in white letters.
“Yeah, I guess it will. Although, I wonder if you could help me out.” Tyler hesitated and she leaned forward. “Our friend Elijah used to play around here. I got a new cell and lost all my contacts.” He made an annoyed face that seemed to resonate with Dorinda. “I thought we’d reconnect while we were in town. You know where we can catch him?”
“You just missed him. He was in here a few minutes ago,” she said with a small shake of her head.
“Think I can still catch him?” Tyler made a move to get up.
“Stick around long enough and he’ll be back.” She motioned toward a waitress inside. “He picks her up as soon as her shift’s over.”
That was even better news because they didn’t know what he looked like. “Do you have any idea what time that will be?”
Dorinda glanced at the white plastic watch on her wrist. “I’d say another hour to an hour and a half.”
“Thank you. I can’t wait to see that old son of a gun,” he said, a little worried he might be overacting.
“Can I get anything else for you, hon?” the waitress asked.
Jessica bent her head forward, face in her hands, as if she had the worst headache of her life. Wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, she wouldn’t be easily recognized. “Aspirin.”
She lifted her head up and laughed. So did Dorinda.
“I told him to stop me after the third Ruby Slipper, but do you think he did?” Jessica said, feigning frustration. She coughed and shook her head.
“I hear you. I’ll be right back with those coffees.” Dorinda winked before she turned and walked away.
“I hope Elijah comes back soon,” Jessica said, scanning the streets. She had to be uncomfortable out in the open like this.
“I have no intention of allowing anything to happen to you.”
Chapter Nine
“We should wait on the corner for Elijah,” Tyler said. “We don’t know what he looks like but we know who he’s coming to pick up. This way no one will get suspicious if he walks right past us.”
Jessica agreed as she followed him. He stopped and turned toward her, shielding her from the street.
“Are you doing okay?” he asked, and then brushed the tips of his fingers against her cheek in a move that sent sensual shivers skittering across her skin.
Her back was against the telephone pole at N. Seventh Street and Spanish Town Road, directly across the street from where they’d eaten. Cars twined down the skinny road.
Jessica nodded as she studied the activity. “This guy walked by a few minutes ago.”
“Which one?” Tyler’s gaze swept the sidewalk casually.
“This guy in the white pants, white hat.” She intentionally looked in the opposite direction.
“He seems to be interested in us,” he said, and he couldn’t ignore the possibility that the police or others—men with guns—wanted to find the same person they were looking for.
The next thing Jessica knew, Tyler’s hand had cupped her neck. He mouthed the words, Trust me. And then he dipped his head, hesitated, slicked his tongue across his lips and kissed her.
Her body instantly reacted. She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and parting her mouth enough for his tongue to slide inside.
She thought she heard a groan from deep in his throat as his arm came around her waist and his free hand splayed against her back.
Deepening the kiss, he hugged her—her body immediately molding to his. Her breasts swelled and ached for his touch. Her body reminded her just how long it had been since she’d had good sex...and it had been far too long. She instinctively sensed that sex with Tyler would shatter her in the best possible way.
His body pressed hers against the telephone pole and she imagined how he would feel on top of her, pressing her into a mattress. She could feel his rapid heartbeat through their clothes.
He pulled back first and rested his forehead on hers. From across the street someone shouted, “Get a room!”
The comment made both of them laugh, his was that low rumble from deep in his throat and it was so darn sexy. He started to say something, then stopped, and she half feared that he was about to offer an apology. That was the best kiss she’d had in...in her whole life, and a part of her wanted to celebrate it, not feel awkward that it had happened.
“Damn,” he said and his voice was low.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” she said with a slow smile. His hand stayed steady against her back and she was grateful because he was the only thing holding her upright at this point. Her bones felt like Jell-O. She’d heard that a kiss could make a person go weak at the knees but this was the first time she’d experienced anything close.
“I’ve been wanting to do that again since we stepped out of the limo,” he whispered.
“Maybe you should try it one more time.” She tunneled her fingers into his dark curly hair.
He didn’t seem to need much encouragement because he delved his tongue inside her mouth with bruising need. His body pressed against hers, sandwiching her, and desire sprang from deep within. In that moment, she got lost.
Tyler seemed to regain his senses first, pulling back. All the warmth in the cowboy’s eyes turned to something else...something that looked a lot like confusion, and it caused her heart to squeeze.
“We should be watching out for Elijah. He could be here by now.”
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.
“You? Hell, no. But I just crossed a line that I shouldn’t have, and I apologize,” he said.
Where had that come from? And to make matters worse, he just apologized for kissing her.
Embarrassed, she sidestepped him. “Don’t be sorry. I participated just as much as you did.”
“Come over here. I’ll kiss you, honey” came from a few steps away with inappropriate smooching noises.
If that didn’t set her cheeks on fire, then waiting wordlessly with the cowboy standing next to her did. Sure he regretted their actions after having a chance to think about it. Jessica didn’t doubt she was attractive, especially when she put on nice clothes and some makeup, but this wealthy cowboy was out of her league and he had to know as much as she did that it would never work between them. It would be smart to keep her guard up with him. As soon as she found her sister and settled this mess, she’d go back to her life in Shreveport, a life that made total sense.
The waitress, Elijah’s presumed girlfriend, came out the front door, lit a smoke and leaned against the front glass of the restaurant. Someone knocked on the window from inside. She made a face and moved over to the newspaper boxes at the side of the red building.
A full twenty minutes later a vintage El Camino pulled up. It had been partially restored, looked like a work in progress and had the beginnings of a mural painted down the right hand side.
The waitress pushed off the wall of the market. Now on her second smoke, she looked at the driver of the El Camino. She hesitated, made another face and then started walking toward the curb.
Jessica pulled off her hat and glasses and rushed toward the El Camino. “Elijah.”
The man driving was in his early thirties and fit the description of a Louisiana musician to a T. He wore a chestnut fedora with a white hatband and red feather. Both arms were covered in tattoos and he wore a dark tank underneath a denim shirt with rolled-up sleeves. He had a silver thumb ring on his left hand, dark hair and eyes, and a mustache and goatee.
“Jenn, where the hell have you been?” he asked, eyes bright.
A moment of panic engulfed Jessica. Could she pull o
ff being her sister when so much was on the line? Sure, it had been easy enough when she was stepping in to ease Jenn out of a relationship. But this? This was so much more nerve racking.
Jessica smiled as she pulled Tyler over to the El Camino’s passenger side so Elijah could get a good look. She came up with the best lie she could. “I met someone and we ended up at his place in New Orleans.”
Elijah shook his head and smirked. “I should’ve known. You could at least answer my texts.”
“Lost my charger.” She shrugged, figuring that was exactly something that would’ve happened to her less responsible sister.
“Actually, she lost her phone altogether,” Tyler said, sticking his hand out. “I’m George For...Ford.”
Jessica, arm around his waist, pinched him. Seriously? That slip might’ve just cost them. It would be a miracle if Elijah bought that...
“Good to meet you,” Elijah said, no hint of distrust at Tyler’s hesitation.
Even so, Tyler didn’t seem to be good at this undercover thing. Or maybe lying didn’t come naturally to him. That was a good thing considering her ex, Brent, had seemed to wake up with lies coming out of his mouth. Lies like you’re the one I love and what we have is real were right up there with she didn’t mean anything to me. Her name had been Katherine. And Jessica had believed him the first time. Then she’d stumbled across his secret email account and had been forced to ask him if Katherine had been the one he was talking about, or was it Naomi, Judy or Blanche?
Thankfully, Elijah didn’t seem to notice Tyler’s mistake.
“I see you’ve moved on from one millionaire to another,” Elijah said with a wink.
Was she supposed to know what that meant?
The waitress pushed past them and plopped into the passenger seat, looking annoyed that she hadn’t been acknowledged yet.
“My friend, Susannah.” He looked from the waitress to Jessica.
“Girlfriend,” Susannah interjected with an annoyed slap to his right forearm.
“Nice to meet you,” Jessica said, appreciating the distraction. If Elijah didn’t look too closely or ask too many questions then she could keep up the charade.
“Well, George, the next time you whisk my girl out of town without telling anyone make sure she checks in with me, okay? Big Beau’s been looking for you, by the way.” He made a face at Jessica.
The reference drew another blank.
Then again, Jenn had been secretive lately. She’d said she was dating someone important but didn’t say who.
Tyler glanced from Elijah to her. He slid his arm around her waist—she ignored the quiver that rippled through her stomach—and squeezed her so her side was flush with his. He repositioned her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her.
“Do I need to be worried about Big Beau?” he asked against her neck loud enough for Elijah to hear, his breath heating her skin.
She shook her head and her cheeks heated. Thankfully, her blush was authentic. Her body was a pinball machine of electrical impulses with Tyler this close. At least she didn’t have to fake an attraction. Jessica might have the ability to sell a lie, she’d done it for her sister, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed doing it.
Elijah looked at her and it seemed like he was really examining her. That wasn’t good. “Are we good for Thanksgiving, then? My place?”
“Of course,” she said raising her voice a few octaves like Jenn did when she was flirting. She twined a strand of hair around her finger and smiled, using all her sister’s charms against him.
“You’re not going to ditch me for him, right?” he asked, pain from the past still present in his eyes. She felt bad for him because she knew exactly what it was like when Jenn decided to make other plans. It was warm in the sunlight and cold in the shadows.
“Why would I do that?” she frowned. Exaggerating the expression was exactly Jenn’s style and made Jessica want to throw up in her mouth a little bit. Her sister had a flare for drama.
Elijah shot her a glare. “Now, that’s a good question. Why would you stand me up when we have plans?”
Jessica loved her sister and she’d never want her hurt, but she could get easily frustrated with Jenn’s personality and the way she treated people at times. Elijah stared at Jessica and she realized that she’d missed an inside reference between Elijah and Jenn. She’d missed a cue and now Elijah was suspicious. Frustration nipped at her. It was difficult to think straight with her back pressed against Tyler’s pure muscle-over-steel chest.
This situation was getting sticky.
“I hate to take her away from you, but we have reservations,” Tyler said, catching on.
Elijah had already looked her up and down as though suddenly realizing this was not an outfit Jenn would ever have on her body. Panic was beginning to set in. The exchange wasn’t a total loss. They’d gotten the name Big Beau from him but who the heck was that?
The waitress in the passenger seat was looking a little annoyed. “Good. Maybe we can go now?”
There was a hint of jealousy in her tone. Did Elijah have real feelings for Jenn? Maybe that was the weird vibe she was picking up on from him.
“Stop by later,” he said, ignoring Susannah, who looked even less thrilled now.
Tyler tugged at Jessica’s hip. She almost forgot to blow a kiss to Elijah and that was something her sister always did before she walked away. Jessica turned and thanked heaven she had, because Elijah was staring expectantly. She blew the kiss and he smiled widely before pulling away.
“He almost caught me,” she said to Tyler as they doubled back to walk to where the limo had parked. “My sister always blows a kiss. It’s the silliest thing and I nearly forgot to do it.”
Tyler squeezed her, keeping his arm around her as they walked. “You did good. He seemed suspicious at first when you missed that personal reference, but then he relaxed.”
“I really thought I blew it,” she said honestly. “Thank you for saving me.”
“No problem. And now we have a name,” he said with more than a hint of pride in his tone.
“Think we can go back to the market and ask around?” she asked.
“It’s not safe for us here,” he said. The weight of those words was heavy on her limbs. He was right. They’d dodged one bullet with Elijah and they needed to get out of Spanish Town.
“Big Beau. That could be anybody,” she said under her breath.
“We’ll have to ask around, but my guess is that someone will know who he is.”
The limo was parked exactly where they’d left it. Zander stepped out as soon as he saw them and then opened the back door.
“Where to, Mister Tyler?” Zander asked.
“18008 North Mission Hills Avenue,” Tyler said, conceding the mister.
“I’m probably just being paranoid, but do you get the feeling that someone’s been following us?” Jessica asked.
“Yes, and I haven’t decided if that’s a good or bad thing yet.”
* * *
18008 NORTH MISSION HILLS Avenue was one of those luxurious, one-of-a-kind New Orleans–style estates. Tyler had said the Brasseuxs lived there. The grounds looked like a park and it reminded Jessica of the grand homes of the old South. The place had been meticulously constructed with old brick, a slate roof and patios, and an oversize front porch with columns and one of those Southern-style front entrances. It was exactly the image that came to mind when Jessica thought of old Baton Rouge money. A golf course wound through the neighborhood and she guessed there had to be at least four or five acres of lush, flawlessly groomed grounds around this house alone.
Zander pulled up to the front gate and idled the engine. The partition slid down. “This the place where you’re headed, Mister Tyler?”
“Doesn’t look like we’ll get past the gate wit
hout an appointment,” Tyler said.
“No, it doesn’t. What would you like to do?”
Tyler’s hand was already on the door release. “I believe we’ll get out here. Why don’t you circle around the neighborhood? I’ll call you as soon as we’re ready to be picked up.”
“Yes, sir,” Zander said.
Jessica followed Tyler into the unseasonably sticky air, missing the air-conditioning as soon as she stepped out of the limo.
“I hope we make it to the main house. Security could be all over us long before we make it halfway across the yard,” he said.
Surprisingly, they did make it. Majestic live oaks surrounded the house. As they neared, she saw something that made her heart jump in her chest—the partially painted El Camino parked at the side.
Jessica froze. “Elijah’s here?”
Tyler shot her a look that warned her to be on guard. “We have no idea if we’re here because we outsmarted security or if we’re right where they want us. Either way, I’d like to get a closer look.”
“He must be involved,” she said quietly and mostly to herself. There must’ve been something she’d missed in their conversation. He hadn’t missed a beat when he saw her. But then, she wasn’t the best judge when it came to liars. Jessica had the sometimes unfortunate tendency to take people at face value. “Do you think this means my sister is somewhere safe?”
“It very well might.” There was a note of sympathy in his voice. He was trying to give her hope and she appreciated it. She would hold on to it and not give in to the despair nipping at her heels.
The veranda stretched on for what felt like days, wrapping the entire front and left side of the mansion. There were half a dozen white rockers positioned to take advantage of the view of the front gardens. She followed Tyler to a window and peeked inside. She’d already seen the hand-painted stained-glass windows from the front yard. But what they could see through the window was the picture of opulence.