To Protect the Heart of a Brazen Woman [Brazen Sisters 6] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Rita Sawyer

  Frank patted Molly on the shoulder. “You did your best, and you really are getting the hang of some of it.”

  “Together we can handle this until Beth is back and able to run things they way she likes.” Bobbie would stick around as long as they needed her to.

  “You can choose any one of the empty rooms you want.”

  “Or you can share my room. Then we’d all be on the main floor.” Molly’s offer made sense, and Bobbie wanted to get know her better.

  “I’d like that.” Bobbie and Molly headed for their room and Frank went to his.

  Molly was already in flannel pajama pants and T-shirt, so she dove in her bed. Bobbie unzipped her duffle and pulled out something similar. After using the bathroom, brushing her teeth, and changing, she checked her cell phone one more time. As she expected, nothing. Even though she told herself she wasn’t going to do it she dialed Jake’s number. It rang a few times and then went to his voice mail.

  He was probably sleeping, so she didn’t bother to leave him another message. Besides, what would she say other than the same message she’d already left? “Hey, Jake, sorry I left without saying good-bye, but it was an emergency. Georgie probably already dropped off my note. I’ll call you later.”

  She wanted to say “I love you” the past five times, but she’d held back. She grabbed her clothes and went back to the bedroom. Molly was already snoring, and Bobbie hoped she would be shortly.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jake wouldn’t outright admit he’d made a mistake telling his men to bring in one of the Brazen sisters. He should’ve recognized the mess that he was getting into, but he’d been so angry he hadn’t really thought it through. Everyone who knew the Brazens learned real quick that if you messed with one of them, you dealt with all of them. After spending most of the night with them either ignoring him, or listening to the five of them have their own private conversation that he couldn’t understand, Jake was about to lose what little of his temper he’d managed to rein in.

  Their husbands, who’d shown up minutes after the two squad cars pulled up with the Brazen sisters in the back seats, were useless. Jake had tried to appeal to the guys—who were supposed to be his friends—but it seemed that this time their wives had left them all out of the loop. He didn’t think that it had been an oversight, either. Whatever was happening, the women obviously weren’t ready to let any of them in on it.

  Jake had done something supremely stupid and put them in the biggest cell he had until they were willing to cooperate. He kept trying Bobbie’s cell phone, but it had taken a few hours for him to notice none of them tried to call her. That brought him to the realization that she might have gone where her cell wouldn’t work. Then again, he was positive that they all knew where she was, so why would they bother to call her?

  “We’re going to go into Jake’s office and give you ladies a chance to talk freely.” Trent leaned his face up to the bars and kissed Samantha’s smiling lips.

  Jake wondered if the two of them were reliving some of the emotions they’d had while Trent was locked up not too long ago. In the end, it had turned out much happier than Jake was beginning to think his own predicament was going to. Bobbie wasn’t here to give him the happy ending Trent and Sam had gotten. And this time, her sisters weren’t willing to help him, either.

  “I can’t understand why they’re not telling us what’s going on.” Victor helped himself to handful of jelly beans from the candy dish Bobbie had put on Jake’s desk about three years ago.

  He wasn’t into sweets, but she told him he could use a little sweetening up so he had left it there. And like a sap, he always had something in it. Whenever she came to his office she’d look at it and smile. That smile touched him in a way he wasn’t really prepared for, and it still got to him.

  “Not to be the voice of reason, but it could have something to do with the way you two asked.” Tyler held up his hands when they all turned and looked in his direction. “Just saying.”

  “Okay, then tell us how you’d have done it.” Cameron’s request was accompanied by a bunch of nodding heads.

  “Fuck if I know, but I wouldn’t have rounded them up and brought them in like Jake did.” Tyler focused his attention on Victor. “I sure as hell wouldn’t have told a pregnant woman to stop acting like a brat.”

  “Yeah, I’ll pay for that for years to come, but she was acting like one.” His face lit up with a smile. “Is it wrong that I get turned on when she gives me that angry look?”

  “No,” Tyler, Cameron, and Hal all said at the same time.

  “Good! But I hate that she can shut her sisters up with one glance,” Victor said, and Jake wondered what it took for him to admit that.

  “Trust me, knocked up or not, if Georgie had something to say that look wouldn’t stop her.” Tyler chuckled and caught a jelly bean Victor tossed at him.

  Cameron leaned forward in his chair and helped himself to a small fistful of the candy. “Okay, what do we know?”

  “That they’re pissed at Jake,” Hal offered with smile. “Probably because he took so long to try and talk to Bobbie. Even though they know he had things he was busy taking care of.”

  “Don’t make excuses for me. I fucked up again and I know it. She turns me inside out, and makes me second-guess my instincts.” He hadn’t spilled his guts like this to anyone other than his brother in a really long time.

  “A Brazen woman will do that to ya.” Tyler smiled as he shook his head.

  “So you love her?” Victor asked.

  “Was there ever any doubt?” Tyler asked before Jake could respond.

  “Not from anyone else, but Jake hasn’t said it. Has he?” Trent was right, and he wasn’t going to say it now.

  Damn. The one person who needed to hear him say it out loud, more than himself, wasn’t here. He did love her. Always had, but he’d been afraid it wasn’t enough. Now he realized it was the most important thing. Everything else they could deal with together, but first he needed to do whatever he had to do to get her back. The only way that was going to happen was if her sisters gave up her destination.

  He opened his desk drawer and pulled out the stained note and handed it to Cameron. “See if you can make out any more of this than I could.”

  “What the fuck? Did you mistake it for a donut?” Cameron joked as he scanned the letter.

  “Dude, did you tell them you ruined the note before you could read it?” Trent asked.

  Jake ran his hand through his hair. “Like it would be that simple.”

  “Only one way to find out.” Cameron got to his feet and headed for the cells. “Joey, this bonehead brought you all here—”

  “I said bring in one of them. They’re the ones who decided that they all needed to come in,” Jake threw out in his own defense, even though he knew it didn’t matter.

  “Anyway, he brought you here because he had a little accident.” Cameron held out the letter.

  Georgie snatched it from his hand. “Did you even read it?”

  He shook his head. “Do you know what it said?”

  “No, but we all probably know the gist of it.” Tyler cleared his throat and Georgie smiled at him and said, “We would’ve told you if you asked nicely.”

  “Can you please tell me what’s going on and where the…” Jake paused and took a calming breath. “Where she went?”

  “Sit down.” Jessie’s command was obeyed by all six men.

  Georgie waited until Jake looked at her. “My friend, Beth, who owns the B&B where Bobbie worked this summer, was in a car accident. Her husband and sister are having trouble running things, so he called and asked Bobbie to come help until Beth came home from the hospital and got things under control. She needed to leave right away.”

  Jake shot to his feet. “Damn, I thought—”

  “That we sent her away again?” Jessie didn’t sound sorry that they’d done it the first time.

  “Yeah, which, by the way, I suppose I should thank you for that.
” He tossed back.

  “So you learned something?” Sam asked.

  He nodded. “The situation with Patrice may have forced me to see things a little differently. I planned on explaining everything to Bobbie, but I wanted to give her my undivided attention and I needed to handle business in order to do that. Truthfully, I wanted her to have time think everything over in case she changed her mind.”

  Jessie laughed and shook her head. “Jake, for a smart man you can be really dumb. In all these years, she’s never shown any real signs that she was interested in anyone but you. Do you really think that’s going to change now that you two have slept together?”

  “Well, maybe she decided the old man couldn’t please her in the sack. Owww!” Trent shouted as his brother, Victor, shoved him hard enough to make him collide with the bars. “Fuck. I was just kidding.”

  “Babe,” Sam rubbed his shoulder. “Now’s not the time.”

  “Actually, I want to know, too.” Tyler moved next to Trent, obviously knowing Victor, just like any other sane man, would think twice before slugging him. “Did she have any complaints?”

  “If she had any she didn’t voice them.” Jake wasn’t about to tell her sisters and their spouses that she’d begged and screamed for more, or that he’d given it to her until neither of them could move. “So now will you tell me where she is?”

  “No, but Cameron and I will take you to her after we all, including you, get a few hours’ sleep. Now let us out of here.” Joey waved her hand at the door.

  He knew this was the best he was going to get, so he did as he was told. They made plans to pick him up around 9:00 a.m. and head out. Jessie told him Bobbie’s cell phone had no service right now, but should in the morning, which made him feel a little better. Of course, while they were driving to wherever she was his service might suck, so there was still a chance he might not be able to get in touch with her until they got there. He decided that somewhere along the way he needed to make a very important stop.

  After everyone left, Jake called Clint and put him on notice that he was leaving in the morning and that Clint was in charge until he got back. He filled out the required paperwork and went home to get some sleep.

  * * * *

  Bobbie managed to wake up at seven o’clock, surprised that she didn’t roll over and go right back to sleep. The urge just hadn’t been there. So she’d climbed out of bed and got her day started. After snagging a cup of tea, she took a quick shower. By seven forty-five, she and Molly had breakfast going. The guests would start coming down any minute. Before he left for the hospital, Frank had said he felt entirely comfortable leaving things in their hands.

  Everything should have been fine, but by noon she was beyond furious, though she was doing her best not to let it show. She’d texted, emailed, called and left messages, but Jake still hadn’t got back to her. She could think of a few reasons why, but there were no doubts in her mind that he hadn’t gotten her message by now. Even if he hadn’t checked his phone or email, Georgie would have delivered her note by now.

  His silence could mean he was angry she left. There was also the remote possibility that he could still be too busy to talk to her, which was a total load of crap in her opinion. What Bobbie feared most was that he was trying to tell her, without coming right out and saying it, that what they’d had was over, and that it was time for things to go back to the way they were. It was what he was comfortable with.

  Luckily, Bobbie didn’t have too much time to dwell on all the possibilities, because even though the atmosphere of the B&B was pretty laid-back, they had guests to feed. Bobbie and Molly also needed to strip all the beds and remake them with fresh, clean sheets. One of them also had to go to the market, and since Molly had decided Bobbie was the better cook then she would be the better shopper, too. Frustrated as she felt at the moment, being around all that food didn’t seem like a good idea.

  Her mother and father had always said never go to the grocery store angry or hungry. So Bobbie decided to take a quick ride and clear her head and let Molly handle things on her own for a little while. She unrolled the windows and cranked up the radio. Knowing just what she needed, Bobbie grabbed a CD and shoved it into the slot. The steady beat filled the car. Her body rocked from side to side and she tapped the steering wheel with her hand. She cruised through town and toward the hills instead of the lake.

  About fifteen minutes later, she decided she’d dillydallied long enough and headed for the store. Bobbie was still singing along with the radio when she heard the sirens behind her. With a groan, she pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, which was just up ahead. She turned down the radio and waited for the cop to approach her car.

  “Quite a car you’ve got.” The deep voice had her turning to look over her shoulder to get a look at him.

  The guy was tall, dressed in all black, and fierce looking. The uniform shirt and pants told her he wasn’t a normal officer. This guy was important. He ran his finger along the side of the car until he reached her door. Bobbie watched as he slipped off his sunglasses. Damn he was cute. She’d never had to flirt her way out a ticket, but if it came down to it she was willing to give it a try with this guy.

  “Did I do something wrong?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.

  “No.” He gave a quick shake of his head. “I was just wondering what the kind of woman who drove a Jeep like this and listened to heart-pumping music would be like.”

  Wow. Holy cow this guy was smooth. “Really?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He smiled and Bobbie couldn’t help but return it.

  “Okay. I guess I should go get my shopping done.” Bobbie opened her door and hopped down.

  “You’re visiting someone around here?”

  “How do you know I’m not a local?”

  “Your plates for one, and I would have spotted you long before now.”

  She laughed at his reasoning. “I’m helping out some friends at their bed and breakfast.”

  “Bethany and Franklin?” He sounded surprised and happy.

  “Yup.”

  “What dumb luck? We’re going to be neighbors. I live up on the peak.” He held out his hand. “Adam Stinch.”

  “Bobbie.” She slid her hand into his, and instead of shaking it, he gave it a squeeze and slowly let go. “Good to know help is so close by if we ever need it.”

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.”

  “I heard Molly was coming to town to help out. Did she change her mind?” He leaned on the front of her car.

  “No. She’s here, too. I worked for Beth and Frank a little while ago and he asked me to come down and help out until Beth’s back on her feet.”

  “I was away for a couple months, but I heard about Beth’s accident when I got home yesterday. How’s she doing?”

  “Probably better than Frank and Molly. Beth runs the B&B like a well-oiled machine, and they were having a little trouble keeping up.”

  “Even in high school Beth was insanely organized. More than half the teachers, and as class president she kept all of our activities running smooth.”

  “You went to school together?”

  “From first grade on up. Molly was a few years behind us.”

  “You should stop by for dinner some night.”

  “Um…that might not be a good idea. I’ll let you run it past Molly first and let me know if your offer still stands.”

  “You had to know a comment like that would make me curious. Was something between you two?” As if it could have meant anything else.

  “There might have been, but she took off for who knows where and hasn’t come back for more than a few days at a time. According to my cousin, who is a good friend of hers, Molly doesn’t stay put in one place very long. When she is here she always manages to avoid running into me.” He laughed. “Heck, half the time I don’t even find out she’s here until she’s gone.”

  That explained Molly’s determination not to go into t
own. “You could stop at the house to see her.”

  “I think meeting on neutral territory would be better. Actually, when I saw your Jeep and heard the music blaring it reminded me of her style, and I decided to take a chance.”

  “So you pulled me over. I don’t think that would have gotten you on her good side.”

  “No, but she wouldn’t have been able to refuse to talk to me.”

  “Maybe not, but how far would you have been willing to take it? Would you have broken out your cuffs?”

  His smile was answer enough, but he said, “I might have to just to get her to stay still long enough for us to talk.”

  “Give me two days and I’ll come up with something a lot better.”

  “Just like that you’re going to help me?”

  “No. I’m a good judge of people, but I need to talk to Molly and get some more information before I set you up. But I’m guessing you two have some issues to work out.”

  “Fair enough, so I guess I’ll wait to hear from you.” He smiled as he pushed off the car and offered her his hand again. “It was really nice to meet you, Bobbie.”

  Bobbie laughed and put her hand in his. “You say that now, but you might regret it later.”

  “Bobbie,” Jake said from behind her.

  She gasped and tightened her grip on Adam’s hand as she spun around. “Jake.”

  Adam must have taken her surprise as fear, because he stepped between them. Bobbie could tell by his smile that Jake wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She put her hand on Adam’s arm and stepped forward.

  “Jake, what are you doing here?”

  Jake didn’t speak. He just grabbed her arms and pulled her up against him. His mouth came down on hers, capturing her squeal. This kiss was somehow different from all the others they’d shared. The hunger and passion were there, but Jake wasn’t holding back anything this time. They were both breathing heavily when he lifted his lips from hers.

  He looked into her eyes. “Bobbie, I love you.”