Even though she didn’t deserve to be with a man like him, the fact that this was it, that they’d never see each other again once he left, was eating at her resolve faster than the summer sun melted a Popsicle. Her priorities had shifted even as she tried to reason with herself. He’d already given her a check, no strings attached, and the foundation was a separate entity. One obstacle out of the way. Was that why he’d chosen the meeting to present the check? It didn’t matter. In her heart she knew... She needed tonight with Tucker as much as she needed the tractor to work.
Maybe more.
“You’re right, I should duck into Abe’s,” she said, having trouble meeting Shea’s gaze. “If you’re sure.”
“Please.” Shea rolled her eyes. “Even I could tell you guys wanted to crawl all over each other.”
Annie felt her own blush. “Oh.”
“Yeah. Hurry up. I’ll be talking to Tucker about when we should expect to hear from the foundation.”
Annie wanted to hug her, but instead she waved at Sadie across the room, then darted out the door, ready and willing to head into a night she’d never forget. And hang the consequences.
* * *
TUCKER WAS ABOUT AS PLEASED with himself as a man could be. He had an amazing woman sitting at his side and the promise of a perfect night of nothing but spoiling her rotten in every way he could think of. Mostly, he hoped, by giving her many, many orgasms.
He’d never have asked Annie to spend the night with him. At best, he’d hoped she might ask him into her cabin after the volunteers left in the evening. But then Shea and Jesse had offered their help, and Annie had disappeared into the variety store. There were enough clues in her body language to let him know she’d picked up a few essentials. When Shea said, “See you tomorrow,” the deal was sealed in his mind.
“I can’t begin to thank you for the generous check, Tucker,” Annie said as they merged onto the highway. “Your faith in Safe Haven won’t be misplaced, I swear.”
Tucker gave her a look that was a little too smug.
“I’m being sincere,” Annie said.
His expression softened at her offended tone, and he realized what she must think. “Sorry. I know you are. I meant no offense. It’s just...I’ve been caught up thinking about all the things I want to do after you take care of business. Things I want to do with you.” He reached across the SUV and took her hand. “For you.”
“Oh,” she said, after a few seconds. “Carry on, then.”
He laughed. “I intend to.” After a quick squeeze, he returned his hand to the wheel because he’d been waiting for a place to pull over. There was no traffic to speak of, and he had no trouble moving onto the shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Is it the car?”
“The SUV is fine,” he said, driving onto a patch of gravel and away from the two-lane road. “What’s wrong,” he said, killing the engine and turning to Annie, “is that I haven’t kissed you since last night.”
Undoing his seat belt, he leaned over, mentally cursing bucket seats and intrusive consoles, and slipped his hand behind Annie’s neck. He didn’t have to pull her close; she came eagerly to meet him in the middle.
She skipped tentative altogether and went straight for mind-blowing with a quick but insistent swipe of her tongue, vanquishing any doubts he’d had about the true purpose of this escape.
He couldn’t have stopped his groan if he’d tried. That he remembered her taste, that her scent had already become vital, made him glad he’d closed his eyes, because looking at her now would make him want far more than a kiss.
The moment her hand touched his chest, he gripped her more firmly, took over the kiss and slipped his tongue between her teeth. Her whimper excited his already stirring cock, and as they explored each other, the sounds of their desire filled the interior of the cab, making everything more intense.
Her roving hand reminded him that he could touch now, touch more than he’d dared last night. If the pull of actually getting her into bed hadn’t been so enticing, he might have listened to the voice in the back of his head reminding him the back of the Land Rover was roomy, and how no cars had driven by since he’d pulled over.
Instead, he cupped her breast with his left hand. Over her shirt, over her bra. And learned the shape of her, the feel of her against his palm. This wasn’t a grope and dash...it was a prelude, something to take the edge off until he could give her the perfect setting. Although his body wasn’t too thrilled with the decision.
She drew back just as he was marveling at how hard her nipple was through two layers. “We should probably go.”
Giving in, he opened his eyes, and dammit, the look of her lips, all moist and pink, was enough to make him hard. “You all right?”
“Better than all right. But I want—”
“Everything?”
She smiled, kissed him quickly on the lips, then sat back in her seat, pulling her seat belt across her chest. “Think we can do everything in one night?”
“We can sure as hell try,” he said, then he put the car in gear and turned back onto the freeway, the memory of her kisses lingering like the slow, pleasant burn of twenty-year-old Scotch.
* * *
“WHEN I WAS SEVEN, I WANTED to be a fireman.”
Annie immediately pictured him in one of those sexy calendars, wearing all of his gear except for his shirt. He’d have made the cover for sure. “What happened to change your mind?”
“Batman.”
“Really? How’s that working out for you?”
He grinned. “Great. Although the commute to Gotham is killing me.”
She turned more toward him, feeling as if she were in a dream, because this was not her life. Every time she started to sink back to reality, the one she’d find soon enough in Blackfoot Falls, she snapped herself out of it. She’d have the rest of her life for regrets. But she wouldn’t begin now. “I hope you brought your alter ego with you, because I’m thinking you’d look seriously hot in tights.”
His laughter was deep and real and made her shiver. It also made her touch him. Her hand on his. Nothing major, no groping. The last thing she wanted was to distract him from getting them to the bank. And the hotel. She really wanted to be at that hotel.
“I can guarantee that you will never see me wearing tights. In fact, you need to stop thinking about it right now.”
“Hey, tights can be very manly. All the best superheroes wear them.”
Tucker looked at her. “No, some of them wear jeans and checkered blouses.”
Absurdly, she looked down, although she knew what she’d put on this afternoon. “Stop it,” she said, meaning it. The last thing she needed to do was get mired in her mistakes again. In fact, she wasn’t going to think about herself at all. “I want to know what happened after the Batman phase.”
“That’s easy. Ranching. Riding. Learning the ropes. Literally.”
“Did you ever try the rodeo?”
“Not for long. Being thrown off a horse hurts like a son of a bitch.”
“I doubt you experienced it often.”
“Not something you should bet on.” His mouth twisted into a wry smile. “I preferred playing baseball. Which I did through my sophomore year in college.”
“Pitcher?”
“How’d you know?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I had a feeling, that’s all.”
“Well, you’re right. I started out in Little League. Eventually I developed a decent arm.”
He flipped his hand over hers, entwined their fingers and rubbed the skin he could reach with his thumb. A tiny movement that resonated down to her toes.
“What about you? Horses all the way?”
“Mostly. I did play basketball in school. I was tall enough to be a guard, but definitely not good enough to continue past high school. The love of my life has always been horses, though.”
“No men on that list?”
She shook her head. “I lived with a guy
for a few years. Thought it was love. Turned out it was more about lust and wishful thinking. Then, I don’t know. Nothing major. A few mistakes. How about you?”
“I’ve had several relationships through the years. I expected to be married by now. I’d like to have kids. Raise them on the ranch like my father raised me. But the women that have interested me the most have had busy lives and goals of their own.”
“The twain couldn’t meet?”
“Five days a week I live on the ranch. I spend the weekends in Dallas. For a professional woman, that’s a hard schedule to work around. And it would be difficult at the moment to give up my role at the ranch.”
They were getting closer to Kalispell and traffic had picked up. She didn’t want to think about him getting married and having kids. She didn’t want to think of him outside of this car.
She shifted so she could see him better. “Tell me about the hotel room. Does it have a big bathtub?”
Like the gentleman he was, Tucker let the subject turn to exaggerations about the room’s amenities. She relaxed against her seat, watching him as he spoke, studying that strong jaw of his before getting swept away by his cheekbones.
When the town came into view, she was a little disappointed. The ride had been the easiest stretch of time she’d had in so long. A snapshot of a life she’d never have.
* * *
FIVE MINUTES AFTER TUCKER and Annie walked into the Kalispell branch of Tucker’s bank, his phone rang, and the name surprised him. He answered quickly with, “Hang on, I’ll just be a minute,” then turned to Annie. “I shouldn’t be long, but I have to take this.”
“Go ahead. If I need you to get the money, I’ll wait, that’s all. No problem.”
He leaned over but ended up kissing her cheek instead of her mouth. She seemed as surprised as he was. He knew it was a reaction to the phone call, but he’d think about the reason later.
He didn’t speak to Christian until he was in the back parking lot, away from too many passersby and far from where Annie could overhear. “What’s going on, Christian?”
“That’s what I want to know,” his brother said.
The bite behind his words had Tucker stopping in his tracks. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were looking for Leanna?”
“Because I don’t report to you,” Tucker said, instantly angry both at his impudent brother and his mother. Though he still didn’t know what she’d told Christian. “Did Mom call you?”
“Yes, Irene called.” Christian often used her name to emphasize the fact he hadn’t yet forgiven her. Though he didn’t mind taking her money. “She informed me you found Leanna.”
“I’m not sure yet that I have. But if it is her, what are you complaining about?”
“I’m complaining because I had my own search going for her. I didn’t want you involved. Leanna is a dangerous woman.”
“In what way?” Tucker gritted his teeth. Getting pissed off wouldn’t help. But Annie, dangerous? “You said she was a thief. That she’d taken off with the money.”
Christian’s huff came through as impatience, but Tucker heard more than that. Underneath the anger was panic. But over what? “Look, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t see the point, but there were some very shady and dangerous people in Leanna’s life. People associated with the mob. Guys you don’t want to get too close to, you understand? They could come after you, Tucker. And Mom.”
The mob and Annie? Is that why she’d run, why she’d hidden herself away in a backwoods town near the border? Jesus, if Christian had known about it... “Why didn’t you tell the police?”
“Because I didn’t particularly want to die. I told you, these men are lethal. Hell, even if it is Leanna, you wouldn’t be doing her any favors by bringing her in. That would be as good as signing her death warrant. Leave it alone, Tucker. This is something your big money can’t fix. Trust me.”
“If you’d told me the—” Tucker cut himself short. How could he blame Christian for trying to protect himself? For protecting his family? “Fine. I won’t do anything to endanger you. Or her. If it is her.”
“Don’t say anything to anyone about this, Tucker. I’m dead serious. It won’t end well.”
“I understand.” Tucker had walked to the side of the bank, and was headed for the entrance. He poked his head inside the door and saw Annie standing in the waiting area.
“Where are you, anyway? Mom didn’t say.”
Now it was Mom. Tucker wasn’t sure why that rubbed him the wrong way, but it sure as hell did. “Flying back to Dallas. I’ve got to run. I’ll be in touch when I get home.” Tucker put the phone away, more worried than ever about Annie. And Christian, yeah, but his brother seemed to be pretty good at taking care of himself.
He’d have to wait until he took Annie to order the tractor engine before he called George, see what he’d found out. Warn him. God, he hoped he hadn’t sent George into danger. The thought made him so uncomfortable that after he helped Annie get her funds, he made another excuse to leave her to deal with the salesman at the machinery parts store. But she didn’t just let him slip away.
“Is everything okay?”
He put on a smile, hating the subterfuge. “It’s business, a fire I have to put out myself. It won’t take long.”
“I’ll be here, and I don’t mind waiting. So do what you need to.” Then she pulled his head down to meet her in a kiss.
Not just a peck, either. It didn’t matter that they were standing inside a busy warehouse. She took her time, and he let himself enjoy it. It hit him that he’d been one hundred percent right about her from the moment they’d met. No, from before that. He’d read her perfectly. Someone else was behind the embezzlement and had forced her hand. The only problem was, now that he understood the danger she was in, would trying to help her make things worse?
He pulled back to rest his forehead against hers, held her there for a long moment as he breathed her in, calmed himself down. There would be a solution to this. He would find one. Because anything else was unacceptable.
A few minutes later, he was on the phone with George, who delivered news Tucker wasn’t prepared to hear. He found a wall to lean against. “Wait. Bookies?”
“Major bookies,” George said. “These guys are affiliated with the Russian mob, Tucker. I’m sorry, but the trail is there.”
“You’re sure it leads to Christian?”
“No. I’m not,” George said in a slow, cautious voice. “But so far, that’s where things are headed.”
“George, look, I appreciate everything you’ve done, but you need to stop now. Just back off. This is far bigger than I ever expected, and I won’t have you put yourself in this kind of danger.”
“You need to trust me on this, my friend. I’m not willing to get involved in anything that could get me killed. Or you, or Irene. But I’ve got a lifetime of sources here, and a lot of favors I’ve called in. I’m fine, and I’ll stay fine. And I’m not stopping. If I can clear your brother, I will. But know this. I won’t pull any punches.”
Tucker rubbed the back of his neck. “If Irene knew, she’d be as grateful as I am. But she’d also be just as worried. No more burials, George. Not over this. Not worth it.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I’ll get back to you.”
Tucker turned off the phone, and shoved it in his pocket. Bookies. There’d been nothing in Annie’s life or financial history that would tie her to gambling of any sort. Nothing. He couldn’t say the same for Christian.
Jesus, what if...? No, he wouldn’t jump to conclusions. The idea that Christian could be involved with the embezzlement had crossed his mind before—Tucker wasn’t an idiot—but he’d dismissed the notion.
The reason for that was clear. He just hoped like hell he wasn’t going to be responsible for hurting his mother even more than she was already. In the middle of forcing a deep breath, it finally struck him why he’d been annoyed that Christia
n switched from Irene to Mom. Subconsciously he’d recognized it had been a tactic. Pure manipulation. To tug at Tucker’s emotions by upping the stakes. Even if Tucker didn’t care about himself, Christian knew he’d care about what happened to Irene. He’d back off then.
The question remained...why? Did Christian truly believe Leanna Warner was involved with the mob and feared for his life? Or was he afraid she had information that would prove his own guilt?
Damn, everything had just gotten more complicated. He should never have come to Montana. But if he’d never come, he’d have never met Annie. She wasn’t the dangerous woman his brother had painted her to be. Not possible.
He walked into the store and found her by the tractors. The second she took the copy of her purchase order, he pulled her into his arms and backed her away from the counter. “I should take you to dinner. You haven’t eaten for hours.”
“But...?”
He looked at her, wanting to tell her everything, wanting to hide her away where no one would ever hurt her. She wasn’t guilty; he still believed that with every fiber of his being, every inch of his soul. And he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman. “Are you really hungry?”
“Starving,” she said, a slow, sexy smile lifting the corners of her lips.
He winced, but only for a second. “Want to go find a restaurant?”
“Not a chance. Where is this hotel of yours?”
11
THE HOTEL WASN’T CLOSE ENOUGH. They had to get into the car, drive for several blocks, find a place to park. By then, Annie’s focus had shifted from deposits and new engines back to sex. Sex with this man. Not only had it been ages since she’d slept with anyone, the last time she’d had sex it had been only so-so. He’d been nice, and they’d hit it off pretty well over the course of several shared meals. But in bed? They hadn’t gotten in sync. She’d sworn at the time that she was done with settling, that no man would get her into bed unless there was serious heat between them.
Tucker qualified. He kept stealing glances. She kept meeting his gaze. The sizzle should have steamed up the windows.
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