by Sara Orwig
Laurie stepped into the room, eyeing the big four-poster mahogany bed, the glass-fronted bookcases, mahogany rocking chair and large chest of drawers. She crossed the floor to look at the books, seeing fiction and nonfiction titles. “Do you read a lot?”
“Yep, I do.” He stood in the doorway, one hand resting overhead against the jamb as he watched her move around his room. She was aware of the man and that this was his space, but she continued looking over his things, curious as a cat about him and his life. Laurie suspected whatever her past held, there was no one in it like Josh Kellogg.
Pausing in front of the bookshelf, she picked up an ivory cameo with golden filigree around it, hanging on a thin, gold chain. Looking over her shoulder at him, she asked, “A special necklace?”
“Yes. It was my real mother’s.” His voice had gone quiet.
“Ah, I see. This must be you with her,” Laurie said, picking up a small oval frame that held a picture of a young woman with a baby.
“Yes, it is.”
She set the photo down and moved to another of three youths, one of them a thinner, younger Josh, with longer hair. All three were handsome, one slightly taller than Josh, one slightly shorter. They were all in boots and jeans. “Friends?”
He crossed the room to take the picture from her. “My best friends—the ones I told you about. In some ways, I’m closer to my friends than I am to my half brothers, because my brothers are a lot younger and moved out when my dad divorced their mothers. These two guys,” he said, pointing to the picture, “have really been important in my life. This is Gabe Brant and this is Wyatt Sawyer. Wyatt’s dad died suddenly this past year and Wyatt’s brother, Hank, and his wife, Olivia, inherited the ranch and live there.”
“Wyatt was the wild one who was involved in a scandal, right?”
“Yes. Shortly after this picture was taken Wyatt ran away, and no one’s seen or heard from him since.”
Laurie shivered, wondering if someone would say that about her someday. Josh saw her shiver and set down the picture, turning to look at her. “Something bother you then? Did you remember anything?”
“I just wondered if someone was saying that about me.”
“Sooner or later, you’ll figure out who you are. Wyatt didn’t lose his memory, he left deliberately. I still see my other friend, Gabe, often.” Josh touched her shoulder lightly. “Now you know all about me,” he said. He stood close, and she gazed into green eyes that were intense and exciting. She could feel the tension jump between them.
“I don’t know everything,” she retorted. “There’s still a lot I don’t know about you. A whole lot.” She slanted him a quizzical look. “There are some things I’d really like to know.”
He inhaled, and his broad chest expanded. “You like playing with fire, don’t you?”
“There’s something about you that brings out a reckless streak in me. I can feel your resistance, and as I told you, it’s tempting to try to get past it.”
He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “And maybe, like Pandora’s box, you’ll get there and wish to hell you hadn’t.”
“Just try me, cowboy, and we’ll see,” she said. Standing so close to him started her pulse drumming. She wanted his kiss and knew she shouldn’t. He should be as forbidden as robbing a bank.
“Josh! I’m home,” a lilting voice called out, breaking the spell.
For an instant longer Josh held Laurie’s gaze, then he reluctantly turned his head. Heels clicked on the bare floor in the hall.
“We’re in my room,” he called.
Trying to catch her breath, Laurie stepped away from him as a short woman with a mass of blond curls came through the door. She was very striking, her lush figure set off by a clinging, deep purple skirt and blouse. Gold bangles clinked on her arm, long golden earrings dangled from her ears and her wide blue eyes were filled with curiosity as she approached.
“Laurie, meet my stepmother, Becky Kellogg. Becky, this is Laurie Smith—a name we picked for now, since she doesn’t remember hers.”
“Welcome to the ranch,” Becky said, smiling warmly and making Laurie feel welcome. “We’ll have to take good care of you here, won’t we, Josh?”
Chapter 5
B ecky warmed to Laurie instantly, and started making plans that Josh had to veto. When she learned Laurie had only one suitcase of clothes, she wanted to take her to San Antonio to go shopping, but Josh thought that was far too dangerous. Undaunted, Becky drove into the city herself, and returned laden with boxes of new clothes for Laurie. When Josh discovered Becky was buying clothes for Laurie in Stallion Pass, he put a stop to it.
Josh felt as if his life had turned upside down. He was accustomed to visitors at the ranch, but they tended to blend in, as comfortable to have around as an old shoe. From the first moment she had arrived, Laurie was different. At all times he was acutely aware of her presence, and each evening, he wanted to get home to her as swiftly as possible. Instead, he forced himself to work late, sometimes not getting home until ten o’clock at night, bone tired, yet feeling a current of excitement because Laurie was there at his house, waiting for him.
Wednesday morning he checked with the sheriff and was disappointed to hear that they still had nothing new. No missing-person report fit her description. No family had turned up in search of her. Josh spent the day trying to concentrate on his work, and that evening he didn’t get back to the house until after ten.
He saw Becky’s red convertible parked by the back gate, so he knew she was home, and he was both disappointed and relieved that he wouldn’t be alone with Laurie.
As he passed the family room, he saw the two women looking at photographs together, and he guessed Becky had photos of her new house to share with Laurie.
“Howdy,” he said, pausing a moment. Laurie was wearing a loose-fitting blue sweatshirt and tight, faded jeans. Her blond hair hung in a thick braid. Her bruises and cuts were healing, he noted thankfully. His pulse jumped at the sight of her, and when her gaze met his, a tingling awareness raced along his nerves.
“Come join us. Bring your supper in here,” Becky urged.
“After I shower,” he said, moving on. He shaved and showered swiftly, dressing in a T-shirt and clean jeans, slipping his feet into soft leather moccasins and going back to the kitchen. He looked at the covered dishes they had left for him.
“Need help?” Laurie asked as she crossed the room. “How’s your arm?”
“It’s healing,” he said, gazing at her and losing his appetite for food to another hunger entirely.
“I see you found the leftovers. I cooked today. That’s one thing I seem to remember—how to cook chicken. The potatoes were done in the microwave. Let me heat something up for you.”
“All I want heated is a potato. I’ll eat cold chicken and bread and butter, and I don’t want anything else.”
“That’s not much dinner,” she said.
All the time they talked, he was immobilized, gazing into her eyes. He fought the urge to reach for her. He knew he should step away from her, get his supper and go back where Becky would be with them.
“It isn’t chicken I want,” he said solemnly.
Laurie’s eyes widened, and she inhaled swiftly. “I’ll put the potato in to heat,” she offered quickly, turning away from him.
He got a plate and bread, and when he glanced around, she had left the room. He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. He wanted her. He had wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her until she melted against him. While he hadn’t hidden his feelings at all, at least he hadn’t given in to them.
“Keep your damn distance,” he admonished himself, getting his supper and carrying the plate to the family room.
Laurie sat in a chair near Becky and he sat on the sofa, setting his plate and glass of milk on the coffee table.
“Laurie’s helping me plan the decor for two of the bedrooms in my new house,” Becky explained. “I just wish I could take her shopping with me.”
“Well, you can’t,” Josh said dryly.
“I’ll tell you what we can do,” Becky said brightly, and Josh braced himself for what might be coming. She jangled an armful of bracelets, waving her hand at Laurie, who sat quietly with a faint smile. “This poor child has been shut away on this ranch for days now.”
“It’s nice here, Becky,” Laurie said quickly. “I feel safe, and I’m so grateful to both of you for letting me stay. I didn’t expect to be here this long,” she added, her gaze sliding to Josh.
“That’s wonderful, honey,” Becky continued, smoothing her red silk slacks. “You’re coming to my wedding, Josh.”
“You know I wouldn’t miss it,” he said, staring into Laurie’s eyes and thinking Becky’s description of “this poor child” missed describing her by a country mile.
“Well, you can bring Laurie with you.”
Jolted by her words, Josh snapped his attention back to his stepmother. “Becky—”
“Laurie will be with you, so she’ll be safe. You can’t go off and leave her sitting here alone.”
“That’s sweet, Becky,” Laurie said. “But it might not be safe.”
“It damn well wouldn’t be safe,” Josh exclaimed, realizing that he should have seen this coming.
Becky waved her hands, her rings sparkling and her bracelets giving another merry jangle. “Nonsense. And someone may be a friend of yours who can help you with your identity.”
“And the man who tried to kill her might be there,” Josh snapped. “I didn’t get a good enough look at him to recognize him if he’s there.”
“None of my friends are murderers,” Becky stated with arched brows. “Really, Josh!”
“Becky, it might be dangerous to go out and drive around San Antonio. I’m not taking her to your wedding.”
“You can’t be that mean! I know you, Josh Kellogg. You’re an intelligent man. Do you really think she would be in any danger from my friends?” Before he could answer, Becky continued blithely, “Of course not. Laurie, I’ll get you a dress for the wedding, and you two can leave early if you’re uncomfortable. There won’t be a risk. You’ll be in the car with Josh until you get to the church and the club. Once there, you’ll be with my crowd, and then back in the car with Josh. I know you’d like an evening out. Now Josh, you have to be your sweet self and say yes. I just can’t believe you won’t be nice and bring Laurie, because common sense says it can’t be dangerous.”
“Becky, taking Laurie to your wedding doesn’t have anything to do with common sense.”
“Are you going to make her sit out here alone while you party? Make her miss my wedding when she and I have become friends? I won’t forgive you if you do. Now, please, Josh. You must bring her with you.”
“Josh, you don’t have to take me to the wedding,” Laurie said, smiling at him.
“Of course he does!” Becky intejected. “If you don’t, I’ll get Ben or Kevin or one of the cowboys to bring her.”
“Now, dammit, Becky,” Josh said, knowing once she got something set in her mind, she would work at it day and night. “All right. She goes with me, because she’s sure not going with Ben or Kevin or one of the other guys,” he said, looking at Laurie. “Do you want to go?”
She tilted her head to study him while she thought about it.
“Of course she wants to go,” Becky announced. “It’s settled. Laurie, I’ll get you something to wear, as I said. And Josh, I’m going to leave my things here and pick them up later, if you don’t mind.”
“You know I don’t mind,” he said, aware that Becky was changing the subject as swiftly as she could before he could argue further. He barely heard what she was saying as she chattered on about the wedding. While she talked, he finished eating his dinner, then sat back, glancing at Laurie.
Ten minutes later Becky stood and gathered up her pictures and books. “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you two tomorrow.” She brushed Laurie’s cheek with a kiss. “Thanks for all your help.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Laurie protested lightly, while Becky crossed the room to kiss Josh, too.
“Thanks for agreeing to bring her to my wedding. You’re a sweet man, Josh.” She patted his shoulder. Perfume enveloped him and bracelets clanked in his ear and then she was gone.
He grinned at Laurie. “She’s about as subtle as a monster truck.”
Laurie laughed. “You don’t have to take me to her wedding.”
“Oh, hell. If I don’t she’ll rustle up some cowpoke or talk Ben or Kevin into taking you.”
“So what’s wrong with Ben or Kevin?”
“Nothing, except they’re still kids. They’re not going to watch for danger. They’ll come on to you like hurricanes, and they’ll party and have a good time.”
“And that’s bad?”
“In these circumstances—” he said, and she laughed, interrupting him.
“I’m teasing. I know it’s bad under the circumstances, but I couldn’t resist.”
“Be careful, Laurie,” he said, arching his brow. “You keep teasing and I won’t be able to maintain this cool, impersonal manner I’m working like hell to project.”
She slanted him a challenging look that was also seductive. “I’ll try to remember,” she said softly.
He inhaled, knowing they were moving onto dangerous ground. He propped one foot on his knee, picking at the frayed hem of his jeans and trying to get control of his emotions. “You’ll be safer with me, and she’s probably right,” he said, staring at his boot while he talked. “I doubt if you know any of her friends, and it’s not a huge wedding, although it won’t be small, either. Becky’s idea of small is about two hundred people,” he added, finally looking at Laurie.
“Frankly, it would be nice to get out, but I don’t want to risk my life over a wedding.”
He shrugged. “She’s probably right in saying that you won’t be in danger. If you go, you’ll meet three more of my stepmothers, Caroline, Nina and Trixie.”
“They’ll be at Becky’s wedding?”
“I told you, my dad married very nice women. They get along like best friends. Except for the actress. None of us see her.”
“You better start teaching me who’s who in your family.”
He shrugged. “It’s over a week until her wedding. I still think someone will come along searching for you before then.”
Her smile faded. “Why hasn’t someone shown up? I must have a family. Where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s worrisome because what’s already a bad situation is starting to look even worse. What was I mixed up in that no one wants to claim me?”
Josh reached out to squeeze her wrist, a casual gesture until the moment of contact, and then he became even more conscious of her. Releasing her instantly, he stood, picking up his dishes. “I’ll put these in the kitchen and be right back,” he said, leaving hastily and knowing it wasn’t his dishes that had sent him running.
When he returned he had two apples, and he offered her one, which she declined. Sitting as far from her as possible, he pulled out his knife to peel an apple. They talked until two in the morning, at which point Laurie stretched and stood up. “It’s very late, Josh. I should go to bed. You must not require much sleep. I know you leave the house before dawn.”
He stood and jammed his hands in his pockets, wanting to walk her to her room, yet knowing he should stay right where he was and let her go. “I guess I don’t need a lot of sleep.”
She smiled at him with a faint look of reluctance. “Good night.”
“Good night,” he replied, and watched her walk out of the room. Gazing after those long legs of hers, he wanted to follow. Instead, he went to the kitchen, poured himself another glass of milk and returned to the family room, turning out all the lights and moving to the window.
For a few minutes Josh stood looking out, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Then he moved through the house, looking out other windows, studying shadows, ho
ping everything was as peaceful as it seemed and no one was out there, waiting for a chance to get at Laurie.
He tried to put himself in the killer’s shoes. If he had been after her and knew she’d survived the wreck, then the first place he’d look was the last place he’d seen her. Josh thought about what might run through the killer’s mind—the possibility that she was in an area hospital; the possibility that she’d survived the wreck and was in flight. But another possibility, one that couldn’t be ruled out, was the ranch where she had crashed.
How safe was she here? She was sometimes alone during the day. Whenever possible, he worked close to the house, where he could see who was coming and going. Becky buying clothes for Laurie in Stallion Pass hadn’t helped. His stepmother had no concept of the danger involved.
He was taking Laurie to Becky’s wedding. It was a ridiculous idea, yet his pulse jumped excitedly at the thought. He reminded himself that someone might discover her identity before a week from Saturday, and she would be gone by then, back to her real life.
“You better hope she’s gone,” he said, knowing every hour with her tied him in knots more than before. As cool as he was to her and as much distance as he kept, he knew that when she moved out, he was going to miss her.
Returning to the family room, he sat down on the sofa to sip his milk. Logs still burned in the fireplace. He stretched out his legs and stared morosely at the fire, tormented by erotic images of Laurie in bed.
By Thursday Josh was starting to feel slightly desperate. Once again, he had checked with the sheriff, who still had no clues about Laurie’s identity. Each hour he spent with her, Josh wanted her more, and keeping his distance was tearing him apart.
She seemed to be avoiding him, as well, as if she knew the danger in becoming friends. Before she was up and dressed each morning, he ate and left the house. But when he came home, however late the hour, she was there, waiting for him.
This week Becky had been around as a buffer, fortunately, sharing her wedding plans with Laurie, both of them bending over numerous lists. Friday night all three of them gathered in the family room with a roaring fire, while Becky talked about colors for a room in her new house. Josh couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying, for his mind drifted constantly to Laurie. He was too aware of the T-shirt molded to her full breasts, her tiny waist, and always, those compelling eyes.