“I want to tell you something,” he said gently. “And I wish it could be the first time I’d ever said it, because then I could offer it to you brand-new and untarnished.”
Her fingers tightened in his.
“Maybe you’ll think it’s too soon, but when something’s right, time doesn’t matter anymore.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t want to cry. He might not understand.
“I love you, Dori Mae Fitzpatrick.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks no matter how hard she tried to hold them back and she couldn’t say a word.
His gaze grew troubled. “I guess you weren’t ready to hear that.”
“Oh, Tanner.” She choked back a sob. “I’ve been waiting a lifetime to hear that.”
She wasn’t quite sure how he managed it, but somehow her wineglass disappeared. Then he scooped her from her chair and carried her down the hall before she had a chance to protest that a man with cracked ribs shouldn’t be lifting people. His lovemaking was the most exquisite experience she’d ever had as he repeated his love in a hundred ways, both spoken and unspoken.
As he entered her, she cupped his face in her hands. He paused.
“And I love you, Tanner Jones,” she said.
With a groan of triumph he buried himself deep within her.
12
DORI SLEPT LIGHTLY, waking often during the night to wonder anew at her good fortune. She’d found herself a hero.
When dawn breathed the first suggestion of light into the eastern sky, she slipped out of bed carefully. The day before he’d made breakfast for her, and she would take great pleasure in returning the favor. How sweet to labor for someone you loved, she thought as she quietly took her housecoat from the bedroom closet and belted it around her. She’d forgotten the joy of giving to a man in the bitterness of Jimmy’s neglect. Now her generous nature swelled with delight at the prospect of lavishing Tanner with loving care for the rest of his life.
For that’s what it would be. Although marriage had not been proposed last night, Dori expected Tanner to ask her this morning. And she would accept. She paused at the doorway to Little Jim’s room and gazed fondly around. Together she and Tanner would bring her son home where he belonged. He’d be able to play with his beloved Power Rangers to his heart’s content. He’d— Dori’s thoughts came to a halt as she realized the White Ranger wasn’t on the dresser where she’d left it.
Walking into the room, she checked around and began to doubt herself. Had she put it on the dresser? She searched the closet, the drawers, the toy chest and under the bed. The more she looked, the more confused she became.
“Is something wrong?” Tanner asked from the doorway.
On her knees by the bed, she glanced up and her heart lurched with happiness at the thought that this wonderful man loved her. His left eye was healing nicely, and he looked tousled and rakish as he stood there wearing only his jeans.
“I woke you with all this banging around, didn’t I?” she apologized.
“I’ve been awake since you left the bed, but you seemed to be up to something, so I played possum.”
She sat back on her heels and gave him a wry smile. “I meant to bring you breakfast in bed, but I glanced in here on my way to the kitchen and now I can’t find Little Jim’s White Ranger. I can’t imagine where it is.”
Tanner frowned. “Maybe he took it outside, although I can’t imagine him leaving it out there.”
“That’s not possible. I brought it back here after I dropped him off on Monday.”
“No, I’m talking about yesterday afternoon. Your exmother-in-law came over and brought Little Jim with her.”
“She did?” Dori pushed herself to her feet and stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’d planned to, but the evening was so perfect, and I figured it could wait until this morning. Nothing came of it, anyway, except that maybe Little Jim spirited his White Ranger away without my noticing.”
“What did Crystal want?”
“She offered me money to leave town.”
Dori gasped. “No!”
“I gathered that Little Jim is the glue holding her marriage together.”
Dori sank to the bed. “She told you that?”
“Not exactly, but I could read between the lines. She needs Little Jim, but she realizes Little Jim needs you, so the obvious solution is for you and your ex to reconcile.”
Dori gazed at him and marveled that she’d even considered such a thing. Slowly, she shook her head.
His eyes reflected his joy at her response. “These people are playing for keeps,” he warned. “I hope you’re prepared. I’m going to do everything I can, but—”
“Then it will be okay.” Rising from the bed, she walked over to wrap her arms around his taped chest. She looked up into his face. “Because with a man like you, everything is a lot.”
He framed her face with his hands. “We’ll get him back.”
“I know we will.”
His mouth curved into a soft smile. “I haven’t wished you good morning.”
“It’s not too late,” she murmured, lifting her mouth for his kiss.
“Good morning, my love.” He touched her lips gently at first, then proceeded with more purpose as his hands slid down her shoulders. He splayed his hand across the small of her back and molded his body to hers.
With a long sigh of pleasure she nestled close and anticipated the magic of Tanner’s caress. The jangle of the telephone filled her with regret and she longed to let it ring. But it could be her parents, or even something to do with Little Jim. Slowly, she extricated herself. “Don’t lose your place,” she whispered before she headed for the kitchen wall phone. “It’s probably somebody wanting to clean the carpet.”
“I’ll start the coffee,” he said, following her.
She glanced at him over her shoulder before she picked up the receiver. “You’re right handy to have around.”
“That’s the idea.”
There was a smile in her voice as she answered the phone, but it quickly faded.
“Momma,” came Little Jim’s choked whisper, “Daddy took away my White Ranger.”
Anger burned white-hot through Dori. “Don’t you worry, sweetheart. We’ll get him back.”
“I shoulda left him with you.”
“It’s okay, darhn’.” A warm arm curved around her shoulder and she glanced up into Tanner’s concerned blue gaze. “I’ll come right over. Just give me time to get dressed. I’ll talk to your daddy.” Would she ever.
“No!” His protest was low and urgent. “I’m not supposed to call! I’ll get in trouble.”
Dori reached for Tanner’s hand and gripped it hard. “Your daddy’s the one who will be in trouble. I—”
“Momma, you can’t! They’ll be really mad. Just tell Tanner I didn’t lose my White Ranger. But don’t come. Promise.”
Helpless rage engulfed her. “But, sweetheart—”
“Please, Momma. You’ll get me in trouble.”
His plea tore at her heart. “Little Jim—”
“Promise!”
“Okay, but let me-—” The dial tone buzzed in her ear. She replaced the receiver and faced Tanner. “Jimmy took his White Ranger.”
Tanner’s look of disbelief was gradually replaced with angry determination. He squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s get dressed and find Devaney.”
“We can’t. Little Jim is petrified he’ll be in trouble for calling me.”
“We’ll protect him, but we can’t let Devaney get away with this. Come on.” He started toward the bedroom.
“No.”
Tanner spun around, his expression incredulous.
“I promised Little Jim we wouldn’t come riding in like the cavalry. And we don’t know what they might pull, when you get right down to it.”
Tanner braced his hands on his hips. “So we do nothing?”
“For now.” Dori met his obvious frustration with a lev
el stare. “Look, I don’t like it any more than you do.”
“You’ve got to call a bully on his behavior or he’ll just get worse.”
“I promised my son I wouldn’t do it. That’s the end of it.”
“You didn’t promise I wouldn’t go down and beat the stuffing out of Devaney, though, did you?”
“Tanner, stop it. It’s just a battle, not the whole war. And I don’t want to heap more misery on my son than I have to.”
“I don’t like standing around letting some son of a bitch pick on a little kid.”
“Neither do I.”
His defiant gaze gradually gentled. He walked back and took hold of both of her hands and drew in a deep breath. “It’s time for us to present that united front we talked about. Marry me.”
She looked into his eyes and found more love and compassion than she’d ever had sense enough to want in a man. “I’d be a fool not to.”
Slowly, he released his breath and a grin spread across his face. “Then I passed the test?”
She smiled back. “With flying colors. And I’ve never known anybody who could be so creative on such a small budget.”
His face became more serious and he tugged her toward the couch in the living room. “Dori, we have to talk about that.”
“Why, did you cheat?” She chuckled as he led her into the living room. “What’d you do, buy expensive wine and pour it into bargain bottles?”
“No.” He sat and pulled her down next to him. “But you need to know something about—”
The doorbell chimed.
She looked at him and frowned. “My house is never this busy in the morning.”
“Want me to disappear?”
“Absolutely not. We have nothing to hide.” She did, however, pull her housecoat more closely around her and tighten the sash before she went to the door. Through the peephole she saw Deputy Holt in uniform.
Panic took hold of her as she flung open the door and noticed his black-and-white squad car sitting at her curb. “What’s happened?” she demanded of the middle-aged officer. “Is Little Jim okay?”
Deputy Holt hitched up his belt and glanced away from Dori. “He’s fine, far as I know.” He didn’t look grief-stricken or filled with doom, just embarrassed. “I just need to talk to you for a bit.”
Dori relaxed some, but she was still confused by having the deputy show up at her door first thing in the morning. “Come on in. We were about to have some coffee.” It bordered on the truth. Actually, she’d decided coffee could wait until they’d celebrated their recent engagement with more earthy delights.
Deputy Holt walked into the living room, but he clearly didn’t want to be there. His gaze skittered over Tanner, who had stood when the visitor entered the room. “No coffee for me, Don,” the deputy said as he pulled a notebook from his back pocket. “Thanks, anyway.”
Dori crossed her arms in front of her, feeling slightly indecent despite the thickness of her housecoat. “Well, have a seat, anyway.”
He remained standing. “I won’t be but a minute.” He glanced at Tanner again
“Would you like me to leave the room?” Tanner asked mildly.
“Uh, no. It’s on account of you that I’m here.” Deputy Holt gripped a stubby pencil in his big hand as he stared down at his open notebook. “Gotta make a report.”
Dori and Tanner exchanged a puzzled look. Dori faced the deputy. “A report about what?”
“Cohabitation,” the deputy mumbled, not looking up.
Dori blinked. “Pardon?”
The deputy waved his pencil at Tanner. “He’s been spending the night here, right?”
A chill skittered down her spine. “I—”
“Don’t answer that,” Tanner cut in. He stepped closer to the deputy. “That’s no business of yours, officer. You’re invading our privacy.”
Deputy Holt glanced up at him. “Not accordin’ to our county ordinance against a man and woman living together without benefit of clergy.”
Dori’s mouth dropped open. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Wish I was. There really is an ordinance, a real old one, but it’s still on the books. I looked it up.”
Tanner’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds like this is one of those archaic laws nobody bothers to enforce anymore.”
The deputy scratched the back of his head. “Guess you could call it that. Don’t ever recall anybody turning in a report like this since I’ve been with the sheriff’s department. But nobody’s voted to change it, either.”
Dori felt sick to her stomach. She knew exactly who’d dug up the old ordinance and where the complaint had come from. And where it was leading. Tanner had warned her the Devaneys were playing for keeps, and nobody had ever accused them of being a stupid family.
Deputy Holt gazed at Dori, his pencil poised. “How many nights has he spent in this house?”
“You already know that.” Dori lifted her chin. “I’m sure you have a report about the truck being parked in my driveway.”
His gaze shifted away. “If you’ll just answer the questions, Dori Mae, this will go easier.”
Tanner cleared his throat. “I’ve spent two nights here because I wasn’t feeling well after being attacked Tuesday night and I have no friends in Los Lobos besides Dori. But she and I have not shared a bed or had any sexual relations. That’s what you really want to know, isn’t it?”
Tanner’s willingness to tell an officer of the law such a blatant lie for’her sake was stunning. She dared not look at him for fear her shocked gratitude would show.
“That’s the gist of it,” the deputy said. He sent Tanner a piercing look. “You’d be willing to swear to that under oath?”
Tanner made an impatient noise and turned away.
“Is that the truth of it, Dori Mae?” Deputy Holt asked her.
She swallowed. “Yes.”
He flipped his notebook closed. “Now that you’re up and about, Jones, I’d suggest you get yourself back to the motel.”
Tanner didn’t reply.
Dori forced herself to be polite as she walked Deputy Holt to the door and opened it for him. After she closed the door she leaned against it and stared at Tanner, her eyes filling with tears. “You’ll have to move back to the motel.”
“The hell I will. I’m calling my lawyer.”
“Your lawyer? Now you’re sounding like one of the Devaneys!” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“It’s time to fight fire with fire.”
“We don’t have any fire!” She opened her eyes. “Which is just fine with me. I hate the way money makes people act. They buy the sheriff! They buy the judge! Money corrupts people, Tanner. We’re lucky not to have it.”
He regarded her steadily. “It’s not the money. It’s the way they use it. Money’s not bad in itself.”
“Yes, it is! Have you ever watched the difference between people with money and people without it? The ones with money act as if they can have anything they want. Nope. I don’t want a thing to do with a person who has lots of money. Give me plain, honest, hardworking people any day.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at her. Then he sighed deeply. “So you want me to move back to the motel?”
“Just for now, Tanner. I can see the Devaneys are trying to build a case for my being an unfit mother, and I don’t want to give them any more ammunition than they already have.”
“Getting married would solve the problem.”
“I know, but that will take time to plan.” She saw the impatience in his eyes. “I know we could go to Vegas, like you said before, but my parents would be crushed. I want to do this right, Tanner. No rusty nails or warped boards.”
“All right.” He started toward the bedroom and turned back. “When will I see you again?”
“If you’ll pick me up after work tonight, we could go out for a bite and start making our plans.”
“At the café or here?”
She hesitated. “Here, I guess. Then I’ll
have a chance to change clothes.”
He nodded, still watching her. Then, with a muttered oath, he strode over and kissed her until she was breathless.
“Goodness, Tanner,” she said, gasping as her body pounded with desire. “How am I supposed to send you away after that?”
His smile was devilish as he fondled her breast. “You’re not. But don’t worry about it. I’m leaving. I just want to make sure you miss me after I go.”
TANNER HATED THE IDEA of abandoning Dori and moving back into the motel, but in some ways it was a good move. He needed some thinking room, and he didn’t get much of that when he was tempted by Dori’s charms.
She was hopelessly prejudiced about wealth, and he’d have to approach the subject of his money very carefully. Before the untimely arrival of Deputy Holt he’d thought the mood was exactly right to broach the subject. But once Dori had been reminded of the evils that could be perpetrated by money, she was in no frame of mind to hear about his considerable holdings.
As he’d learned in business, timing was everything. Once she’d had a chance to be apart from him for several hours and miss the closeness they’d discovered to be so essential to both of them, once he’d made love to her again, in the bed of the old truck if necessary, he’d tell her. Then maybe, just maybe, her prejudice would be softened enough by love to allow him to convince her he wouldn’t rule her life the way Jimmy Jr. had done.
In the meantime, he had some business to conduct. Elmer had been pleased, though confused, when Tanner presented himself and asked if number nine was still available. Dumb luck had been at work and the room was empty.
From the privacy of his room, he contacted his lawyers. Fortunately, he hadn’t slipped and let on to Dori that he had more than one. He wanted his legal team up and ready when the time came, so he discussed the custody case with them and asked them to research similar cases and find all the established precedents.
“Finally going to marry somebody, Tanner?” asked Franklin, the senior partner in the firm.
“If she’ll have me.”
“With your net worth?” Franklin chuckled. “I can’t picture a woman turning that down. In addition to obtaining the bonus of your winning personality, of course.”
Holding Out For A Hero Page 14