by Craig, Susan
After helping her into the Hummer, he buckled her seat belt for her—a proprietary move. Then he reached up and slid a warm hand around the back of her neck, drawing her face down to his, moving slowly, giving her plenty of chance to object if she chose, before he captured her lips in a warm, persuasive kiss.
She had to give him full points for technique. Instead of trying to top her height advantage, he’d chosen a moment when any man would be working uphill to kiss her. It was genius. As he shut her door and came around to the driver’s side, she leaned back in the seat smiling.
She wondered how he would handle the close.
chapter twelve
Jim threw his coat on the floor of the shelter lobby and continued his pacing. He looked out the darkened window and across the moonlit meadow to Sally’s house. “Dammit, I am the sorriest, stupidest, biggest sap to ever walk this earth.
“She told me she wasn’t in the market for love. She called me warden. She tried to ditch me.”
And Smith had his hands all over her in the surgery.
“She doesn’t want me here.” Every vicious phrase slammed into his heart like a kick from a booted foot. He almost welcomed the pain. Where the hell was his pride?
She’s out with Smith, and she’s going to sleep with him.
“No damn complications from love there! So why the hell am I here?” A fist bounced off his chest. “Because I’m an idiot, that’s why.”
Because she’s going to give herself to Smith, while I sit over here like some damn pathetic pervert, knowing what she’s doing.
“I should just walk away and be done with her.”
And I would if I had even one blasted ounce of pride where she’s concerned. She’s made it obvious she wants me gone.
“Hell, I’m leaving. This is nuts…” Jim stopped pacing. Striding toward the lobby counter, he scooped his jacket up from the floor and yanked it on. About to grab his laptop and go, he stopped dead.
“Dammit, I can’t leave. I don’t trust Smith to stay the whole night. He’ll run off once he’s had his fun… And—stupid, stupid idiot that I am—I will not leave her unprotected, no matter what.” He tore off his coat and threw it back on the floor.
“Dammit!” His foot connected with the desk chair facing the window in a violent kick that sent it rocketing across the room.
Jim stared at the chair for a moment, breathing hard, before crossing the room to bring it back. He resumed his seat facing out the window, and took up his vigil again with a shake of his head. “Stupid sap.”
Where the hell were they? What the hell were they—no, don’t go there.
Headlights shone on the road as a car approached from the south and turned toward the shelter, slowing as it passed Sally’s place. It was hard to tell, with only moonlight for illumination, but it looked like… It was. A police cruiser.
“Oh, shit.” Jim held his breath as the car crawled slowly past the shelter. He turned his head, watching for the reflection of headlights on the wall of the glass entryway. When the cruiser continued on its way, he relaxed and turned his attention back to Sally’s house. Restless, he got his laptop off the counter and sat back down. May as well get some work done.
Ten minutes later, as Jim alternated between reading a PDF on hoof fungus in cattle and scanning the meadow, the kennel erupted in barks and howls. The sound of someone banging on the glass door echoed through the entryway.
Jim shot up, whirling toward the lobby door. He couldn’t see the entryway from where he was. Setting the laptop on the floor, he moved toward the center of the room. Yeah, someone was standing outside, pounding away. It looked like Demarco.
Great. Just what I need. Jim moved into the entryway and opened the door for the officer.
“What are you doing here, Donovan? And why is your truck parked in the stalker’s turn off up the road?” There was no warmth in Demarco’s voice, and his hand hovered near the holster on his belt.
Jim sighed, pushing the door farther open. “Come on in, Officer Demarco. I can explain. Haven’t you ever seen a man making a total fool of himself over some female?”
Demarco stepped into the entryway, frowning. Jim didn’t wait for an answer, but turned and headed back to his chair.
Demarco followed and stood to one side of Jim, not blocking his view out the window, but not relaxing either. “What’s the story, Donovan?”
Jim shook his head in disgust and looked out the window. “In a word, I’m an idiot.” He jutted his chin toward the house. “She’s out tonight with Daniel Smith. I’m watching for the stalker.”
He turned his head to glare at Demarco. “She thinks she’s safe now. I’m not sure she is. He swung his arm to take in chair, laptop, window and himself. “So here I am.” His face twisted in disgust. “Thanks for asking.”
Demarco didn’t move for a long minute. Then he hooked a chair and sat, looking at Jim’s face in the gloom. When he spoke, his voice was sympathetic. “God damn, man, you really do have it bad. Why’d you park your truck so far away, and how’d you get in here?”
“I didn’t want Sally to see the truck, and I’m the vet on call—I have a key to the place.”
“You planning on sitting up all night? What if your partner goes inside with her? How do you know who she’s with anyway?”
Jim rubbed his forehead. “He’s not my partner. He has a six month contract and then he’s out of here... And I know who she’s with because he told me—besides, I was here when he picked her up.”
“You got binoculars here?”
“Yeah, on the counter. But he drives a big old humvee. Didn’t need binoculars to see it was him.” Jim snorted. “Didn’t want to look that close. Look, Demarco, I’m not going to go barging over there if he goes inside. It doesn’t matter.” Much. The knife in his gut twisted, turned by his own hand. “Sally and I are over. But I promised her my protection, and the job’s not finished yet, even if we are.”
“So you are planning on sitting here all night.”
“Yeah. You have a problem with that? I’m on private property, where I have a right to be, not hurting anyone.” Except myself.
“Well, Doc, I don’t think it’s the wisest thing you’ve ever done, but no, I don’t have a problem with it. You make sure you stay put when she comes home.”
Ice settled in Jim’s stomach and spread to his gut. He let it chill his blood and numb his gaze as he raised his head. “You don’t need to worry about that, Demarco. I’ll be keeping my distance.”
In the Hummer, Daniel navigated the drive to Sally’s house in silence. That seemed odd, but she didn’t really mind. They’d talked a lot at dinner… And now the time for talking was over.
Sally tried to relax, but couldn’t. In the empty night, feelings of unease sprouted and grew.
Stop it. This is a straightforward solution to a simple problem. Daniel is safe and you won’t hurt him.
But with every mile her disquiet increased.
Trying to recapture the feeling that this was a good idea, she imagined Daniel’s embrace—his hands on her shoulders, sliding down to trap her arms at her sides. She felt herself pressed against the wall by his body, chest to chest, belly to belly, thigh to thigh, reminding her she was female and vulnerable…
Wait a minute. It was Jim she saw.
Daniel. She had to focus on Daniel. She felt the tingle of his erotic caress in her palm, and her sensitized hand longed to cup muscular triceps as she rubbed her cheek against a broad, hard back…
Damn. It was Jim again.
She deliberately shifted her brain to wanton-mode and, focusing on her hormone-driven urges, began to drift in a sensual haze of desire. Soon, she felt familiar sensations stirring in her. She wanted a man. She slid her hot gaze over to Daniel…the strong throat, the tempting tattoo, the muscular chest…and the haze of desire cleared.
Sally felt her stomach curl into a tight, tense little ball. This wasn’t going to work. Confusion began to claw at her chest. Why was this happe
ning? The game with Daniel had been fun—exhilarating, even. But now, when it came right down to the point, it was horribly clear that she’d only been fooling herself. The awakening her body had been feeling lately, her return to life after years of cold solitude—it all hinged on Jim. Why? How?
Cold fear slammed into her gut, and she took quick, shallow sips of air. She couldn’t worry about that now. Shit!
What was she going to do about Daniel?
She’d never been a tease or a cheat, but he might well think she was both. He was male and a hell of a lot stronger than she was. What would his reaction be? Slamming into the rear of that fear was another. It was night. The stalker might be around, and if she sent Daniel away, she’d be alone.
There are locks on the doors. I’ll be fine. But Jim’s voice sounded in her brain. “…out here where it takes the police half an hour to get to you…”
Dammit, Jim, how did everything get so wrong? What am I going to do?
But he was gone. She’d sent him away—driven him away.
Logic, Johnston, logic. Her emotions were scattering like leaves before a storm. You can’t rely on emotion. Her stomach rolled. She was going to be sick. No! Get a grip. Logic had brought her to this point with Daniel. Forget emotion—the facts haven’t changed. The only safe thing to do is stay with the plan.
He parked the Hummer in her driveway, and came around to help her out. Sally took a deep breath, mentally pressing her stomach back into place. She forced a smile to her lips and lifted shaking fingers to touch his hair. “Daniel, would you like to come in?” She pulled the key from her pocket and placed it in his hand.
Something flashed through his eyes—an expression too brief to identify, yet somehow out of place. Then he took her hand in his and led her to the house.
Still holding her hand, he shut the front door shut behind them. His free hand cradled her waist, slid to her hip and tucked the key back into her pocket. Leaving his fingertips caught inside the lip of her pocket, he searched her face with his eyes.
A band seemed to be constricting around Sally’s chest. Why didn’t he do something? She tried to keep her expression welcoming, but as the moment stretched out, it became harder to do. Finally, she had to drop her gaze and look away.
Immediately his fingertips left her pocket and he tugged on her hand. Unresisting, she stepped forward as he led her to the couch. She sat, waiting for him to drop down beside her.
He released her fingers and sat in the overstuffed armchair.
Startled, she lifted her head and stared. A smile graced his face and his eyes were amused. “Sally, tell me what’s happening. You quit saying ‘Yes’ to me as soon as I kissed you. I’m wondering why you asked me in. Don’t you think it’s only fair to ‘fess up?”
Heat crept up Sally’s neck, past her jaw, over her cheeks and onto her temples. She groaned. Then—the look on his face was so good humored, so engaging—she felt the corners of her mouth lift despite her frown. “I must be out of my mind. You are what I was looking for. I wanted this—you, fun, no strings. I still want to want this, but it just isn’t working.”
He quirked a brow at her. “Is it the resemblance to your husband that’s thrown you off?”
“Oh... No. You’ve accomplished that goal. You don’t look like Trent to me anymore. You look like Daniel. I’m sorry. You must be feeling pretty upset with me, though you’re hiding it well.”
“Upset? No, not actually. Disappointed, of course. But dinner with you was fun. This doesn’t change that. Mostly, I’m curious.”
Relief washed over her. “Curious? You’re not…”
It’s a gift. Take it and run. But she couldn’t quite let it go.
“So didn’t you... I mean don’t I… Well, why did you just let it go? You didn’t push me at all.” Safely alone on the couch, she looked him in the face, ignoring the flush she felt warming her cheeks.
He drew back slightly. “I don’t push. Never have.” Then he shrugged and shot her a wry grin. “Never had to.”
She was enjoying simply looking at him. “I can believe that.”
“Besides, I have three sisters—two older, one younger. They trained me right. It’s not that I don’t like you.” He looked at her, taking his time, a slight furrow between his brows. “Sally, can I be straight with you—without you thinking I’m a conceited jerk?”
Unsure where he was going, she smiled. “Yeah, sure. Go ahead.”
“In my experience…” He looked away and shook his head, grinning. “I’m not sure I can be straight with you. Just saying that to you makes me feel like a conceited jerk.”
Her laughter erupted in a snort. “It’s because I’m female. Pretend I’m a man—a young mentee come seeking advice.”
He shot her another one of those bad-boy looks. “Yeah, right.”
She did like the way he made her feel, especially now that she wasn’t pressuring herself to do more than simply enjoy it.
Then he settled himself more firmly into the chair, changing gears, it seemed. “Okay, young Padawan,” he said.
She smiled at his mentor-voice, ready to enjoy the conversation.
“In my experience, when a woman—a nice woman—comes on and then backs off, it’s because her heart is entangled elsewhere.”
That didn’t make her feel like laughing.
“So I’m asking… are you willing to be straight with me, and tell me what happened?”
Time slowed to a crawl. She saw Daniel, his question still on his lips, not moving. The heaviness in her chest slowed the very beat of her heart, and she had to struggle to draw thought from her unwilling brain.
Be straight? Could she be straight with him when she hadn’t even been straight with herself? Could she trust him? Oh, hell, she already trusted him. She wouldn’t have planned to be with him tonight if she didn’t. Her instincts said he was all right, and his behavior now proved she’d been correct. Okay. She would risk the next step. She’d open that padlocked box of emotions and sort them out.
Her decision made, time shifted back to normal and her lips rose in a small smile. “Well, I’ll try—it’s Jim. I keep thinking about Jim. It doesn’t make any sense because I’ve known him for three years. We’ve always been just friends. But all of a sudden that’s changing…” She was at a loss for how to go on. She trusted Daniel, but she wasn’t going to violate Jim’s privacy by sharing his actions with someone who knew him, who worked with him.
Daniel spoke up. “Did something specific happen to change that?”
Yeah, he kissed me. Her body recalled a lot more than just the kiss. She shrugged at Daniel.
He grinned. “Okay. Something specific that’s none of my business happened. And now he turns you on?”
Sally grimaced. “That is a feeble description.”
“Well, all right. Good for Jim! Oops. Sorry, Sally. Does he know?”
“Oh, yes. He knows.”
Daniel frowned at her and his voice turned cold. “Then why the hell am I sitting here instead of him? Are you trying to use me to make him jealous?”
Great. Now they’re both angry with me. “No. That wasn’t the point.” She took a deep breath. Just say it.
“I was trying to use you to get rid of feelings that Jim stirs up without even trying to. I thought I was just...” Horny. “Needing some simple, uncomplicated fun with someone. And you…Well, I thought you were looking for the same.”
Daniel was nodding his head in agreement. At least she’d been right about something.
“I thought it would work out. I didn’t realize the way I felt was so tied to Jim until tonight. I’m sorry.” She’d dropped her eyes in confusion and embarrassment, but heard the springs shift as he powered himself out of the chair. Her heart caught for a moment, but his feet strode toward the fireplace.
She lifted her eyes. His back was to her. Powerful hands gripped the stone mantle, his shoulders sagged, and his head drooped. Uncertainty held Sally motionless.
He raised his hea
d and whirled to face her, his lips compressed and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Jim. First you late husband, and now Jim.”
He shook his head and laughed. “Sally Johnston, you are death to my ego. My sisters would love you! So you figured you needed a warm body, and I would do, huh?”
She grimaced. “It wasn’t that bad. I’ve always had very good taste in my choice of warm bodies. Believe me, I was disappointed and more than a little panicked when I kept thinking about Jim. He wasn’t a problem earlier in the evening.”
“Tell me then, why did you ask me in? And why did you call Jim a problem? I know he likes you.”
She felt heat rise in her face again. “I wasn’t ready to abandon my plan for the evening. I’m not a tease, and I was still hoping I was wrong about my feelings being tied specifically to Jim. That may not sound like a problem to you, but trust me, it is.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her, but didn’t ask why. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Do you know of any good nunneries nearby?”
Daniel grinned. “Sorry, not at all my area of expertise. I think you’d be better off spending some time with Jim. He can be irritating, but he’s basically a good guy—and don’t go telling him I said that.
“No.” She smiled at him. “Of course not.”
“I’d better get going now. Listen, Sally.” His eyebrows raised a fraction. “If those feelings get unpinned from Jim? Give me a call.”
She lowered her gaze and smiled. “Thanks, Daniel. Goodnight.” He climbed into the Hummer, but didn’t start the engine. Leaving him to his thoughts, she closed and locked the door. Somehow she would make it through the night. Maybe she’d just stay awake.
Jim’s coffee was stone cold and bitter. He drank it anyway. He figured he deserved to suffer.
He must deserve to suffer. Why else would he be sitting in the dark watching Sally’s house, waiting and praying for Smith to leave?