“I don’t know, man.” Sheepishly, Murphy hung his head. And then, almost desperately, he swallowed more beer. “I just can’t quit thinking about her. There’s something about a sexy, competent woman like her...”
“Stop.” Dan held up a hand. “Don’t tell me anymore. That was just a rhetorical question.”
Murphy snorted.
* * *
Dan sighed, as he searched the room. The bar held a slightly older and classier crowd, and many were guests at the inn.
What a crappy Saturday night. Usually, he and Murphy had a great time when they went out. But, tonight, he felt like Murphy’s babysitter.
Still distracted, he finally turned his attention back to the man who sat across from him at the table. “An older woman, Uncle Shane?” Three years before, Dan’s mother, Jenny, had discovered family she’d never known existed. At thirty-four years old, her younger half-brother, Shane Donnelly, was an FBI agent who’d recently relocated to Crystal Rock.
“She can’t be that much older than me,” Shane muttered, grimly. “The woman’s gorgeous. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen her come in here before.” He sighed. “But she’s never even looked at me twice.” Scowling, he continued, “It looks like she might be ready to take off with that kid sitting next to her.”
Glancing at the bar, Dan grinned. Brian had been attempting to push Murphy at Diane Montgomery the entire night. “Nah. Murphy’s here with me. Lancaster and Murphy are just in the middle of a pissing contest,” Dan grumbled. “Both of them want Kate.”
“Your sister? But she’s not even here.”
“Lancaster and Kate went out on a date tonight. But Kate must’ve ended it early. Murphy was so relieved to find Lancaster here by himself – he decided to take Lancaster up on his offer of a drink. And that led to two or three more.” Dan frowned. “But I think that Lancaster’s been feeding Murphy shots, now, too.” He suddenly laughed, shaking his head. “Wait until tomorrow. He’s gonna feel like shit. Murphy’s never been much of a drinker.”
Only half-listening, Shane nodded, before squirming uncomfortably. “So – I guess that you know who that woman is, sitting at the bar?”
Dan sighed. Apparently, Murphy wasn’t the only one with a one-track mind tonight. “I’m not so sure you want to get mixed up with her, Shane.” Uncomfortably, Dan cleared his throat. “She’s definitely got a reputation.”
Shane jerked to attention. And then his eyes met Dan’s. “You haven’t...?”
“Me? Na. But I’ve heard rumors about her and Sam Danielson. You know – the chief of police?”
Shane clenched his jaw. “Yeah. Sam and I are friends. But he’s married – and pretty happily, from what I can tell.”
“This was a few years back.”
“What happened?”
Dan studied Shane intently. “You sure you really wanna know?”
Shane nodded, as his eyes returned involuntarily to the woman seated at the bar.
“Well. I overheard my mom talking to Sam’s wife, Penny. Otherwise I would’ve never known. Diane – that’s her name – Diane Montgomery – put in an appearance in Sam’s hot tub – out at his cabin. She was trying to cause trouble between Sam and Penny, so she was out there by herself.”
“So. What’s the big deal – if Sam wasn’t home?”
“Sam was on his way home. Supposedly, he was staying alone at the cabin while Penny was living in his house in town. He and Penny had just had an argument – so he moved out of his house into the cabin to give her some space.”
“Ahh. So Penny thought Sam invited this woman to his cabin?”
“Yeah. But it wasn’t just that. I told you Diane was waiting in Sam’s hot tub?”
Turning his attention back to Dan, Shane took a sip of his beer.
“Well, Diane was waiting there naked.”
Sputtering, Shane began juggling his beer.
Dan stared at Shane, and asked with pretended innocence, “Beer go down the wrong pipe?” And then he grinned.
“Yeah.” Shane snorted, rolling his eyes. “I sure wish something like that would happen to me,” he muttered. Wearily, Shane shook his head, once again focusing his eyes on Diane.
Diane was pretty hot for someone over forty. But sometimes it was difficult for Dan to be around her. Bittersweet memories had instantly sobered him up from the moment he’d seen her tonight. He couldn’t help thinking about how beautiful her daughter Christina would’ve been at nineteen. She’d been the spitting image of her mother.
But enough of that.
“Uncle Shane. Listen to me. You’ve got an awfully big inferiority complex. Take it from me – it’s all in your head.” Dan studied Shane. The red hair and freckles were probably a little off-putting to some women. But physically fit, Shane was tall and broad shouldered. “Someone must’ve really done a number on you.”
Uncomfortably, Shane shrugged. “What makes you say that?”
“Because you’re an FBI agent. Women are gonna want you just for that, alone. You need to use it, man. Besides, you’re not a half-bad looking guy.”
Shane rolled his eyes.
“I need to get Murphy out of here. Lancaster’s up to something. How about helping me out, here?”
Shane appeared hesitant.
“I’ve got an idea – why don’t you pretend you’re on a case? You’ve obviously never had a problem approaching women when it’s work related,” Dan said dryly. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in charge.”
Wryly, Shane smiled. “You’ve got a point there, nephew. I’ll see if I can distract her.”
Dan watched as Shane determinedly approached Diane. And Dan did a double-take when he saw the way that she smiled. Had she actually been aware of Shane already? Hmm. Maybe. It was interesting that she hadn’t attempted to approach him. It seemed to Dan that Diane was never hesitant to convey her interest in a man.
After a moment, she patted the barstool beside her.
Showing no sign of the anxiety he’d exhibited only moments before, Shane immediately sat down.
Dan finally approached the bar, nodding at Brian. “Hey, Lancaster. I think that Murphy’s had enough. I’d better get him home.”
“Yeah. He probably won’t be feeling too great for that canoeing trip tomorrow.” Brian grinned rather smugly.
Why was Lancaster so intent on getting Murphy drunk? “Shit,” Dan muttered. Obviously, Brian felt threatened. Murphy wasn’t exactly hiding his attraction for Kate. If Murphy screwed up at work, Brain probably wouldn’t hesitate to throw it back in his face. Almost certainly, he was attempting to discredit Murphy, Dan decided.
“C’mon, loverboy,” Dan whispered in Murphy’s ear. “It’s time to get you outta here.
Murphy grinned from ear to ear. “Alright, Dan.” Without realizing it, Murphy had one leg caught behind the leg of his barstool when he attempted to slide up to his feet.
When Murphy fell flat onto the floor, face first, Dan groaned as raucous laughter echoed throughout the bar.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
When Kate heard the sound of crunching gravel, she awoke dazedly, sitting upright in her bed. There was definitely a vehicle pulling up into the driveway.
Something must be up, she realized, making out the indistinct rumbling of voices. Dan usually didn’t bring friends along when he came to spend the night. An affable commotion echoed from outside the back door.
“Kate?” Dan called, from under her window. “Could you please come outside? I need some help here.”
“Be right there.” Sliding out from under the quilt, she jumped from the bed and quickly snatched up her robe, pulling it on as she unlocked and opened the back door.’
Balancing his weight against Dan’s truck, Murphy was staring hard at her and wearing a goofy grin. “Kate!”
She just couldn’t help it – she began to giggle.
Murphy’s clothes, usually immaculate, were caked with dirt. And the shirttails of his buttoned down shirt were hang
ing loose from his pants.
Kate snorted, shaking her head. “What in the hell happened tonight?” she asked, staring hard at Dan.
Sheepishly, Dan hung his head. “Murphy’s drunk.”
“No kidding,” she answered dryly. “I thought you said he didn’t drink much?”
Dan smiled wryly. “Not usually.” He cleared his throat. “I think that, tonight, he was letting loose a little steam.” He grew momentarily serious. “Promise me you’ll go easy on him, Kate?”
Kate stared at Dan sharply. She chose to ignore the insinuation. The mutual attraction between her and Murphy was something she really didn’t want to talk to Dan about. “Well. We’d better get him inside.”
Dan wrapped an arm around Murphy as Kate propped him up from behind. Dan did his best to provide balance as Murphy stumbled over the gravel driveway before reaching the back steps.
Kate somehow managed to stop Murphy from nearly careening into Dan and knocking him from his feet – twice. “God, Murphy, how much do you weigh?” she grunted.
Unexpectedly, Murphy tugged Kate under his arm and began laughing.
Kate attempted to swat away his arm ineffectively. “Murphy. Cut that out. We need to get you inside.”
But right before they were ready to climb up the steps to the porch, Murphy suddenly became serious as he steadily held her gaze. “Come on – why not just admit it – you like how I look. Don’t you?”
Kate stilled, staring into Murphy’s eyes. Maybe he wasn’t quite as drunk as he appeared?
But then he staggered into Dan, nearly toppling him over.
And Kate began laughing.
Shaking his head with resignation, Dan flickered his stare from Murphy to Kate. “Okay, loverboy,” Dan said dryly. “Let’s get you into the cabin.”
Kate blinked. “Loverboy?” Still laughing, she shook her head with resignation as she tried to wrap her arm around Murphy.
Kate and Dan finally managed to haul Murphy into the cabin. “We’d better get him into the kitchen, Dan. His face is a mess.”
After dragging him through the hallway, they shoved Murphy into a seat at the kitchen table.
“I appreciate your taking us in Kate. I’m sorry for waking you up.”
“That’s alright. I only hopped into bed a few minutes ago.”
“I couldn’t take him home like this. What would Mom and Dad say?”
“It’s definitely an emergency.” Kate grinned. “With Murphy as drunk as he is, he probably would’ve woken up everyone in the household – along with a few of the neighbors, too.”
Dan chuckled, rolling his eyes. “You can thank that ex-boyfriend of yours for finishing him off. Murphy wasn’t too bad; until Brian began loading him up with shots of tequila.”
Murphy started. “Yeah, that Lancaster’s a pretty good guy,” he muttered, wrinkling his nose. “I wonder why I didn’t like him before?”
Dan snorted. “Somehow, I doubt you’ll be saying that in the morning.”
Kate laughed. “But why would Brian be buying Michael shots?”
Dan gave her a strange look. “Michael, huh?”
Without answering, Kate lifted her brow in challenge.
Dan sighed. “It’s a long story. Murph can just sleep it off in your spare bedroom. I’ll take the couch. Mind if I grab a beer? I’ve definitely had my hands full being his designated driver tonight.”
“Go right ahead. They’re leftovers from the last time you were here, anyway.” Kate turned to study Murphy’s face. His eyes were getting heavy. “I’d better dig out some antibiotic lotion for those cuts. How’d his face get so banged up?”
“Would you believe he fell off a barstool?”
Kate giggled.
Moments later, she was seated in a chair at the kitchen table next to Murphy. Like a sentry, Dan hovered behind them, sipping on his beer.
Staring directly into her face, Murphy licked on his lips as he murmured, “You’re so pretty.”
Kate’s eyes widened.
Dan groaned. “Jeez, Murph. It’ll sure be interesting to see what you have to say for yourself when you wake up in the morning,” he muttered. “I’m gonna go make up my bed.” Rolling his eyes, he slugged down the rest of his beer and made his way over to the couch in the living room. “Are the extra blankets still up on the shelf in your spare bedroom, Kate?”
“Yep. Pillows, too,” Kate answered distractedly.
With his eyes still focused on hers, Murphy reached over, laying his hand over Kate’s.
Kate felt a shiver of awareness as Murphy’s calloused fingers touched hers. Hesitating, she stared into eyes that were the same forest green as the pines. “Hold still,” she finally muttered, shaking her head. His gaze was mesmerizing. “Are you sure that someone didn’t punch you? Your nose is gonna be twice this size tomorrow.” She carefully fingered Murphy’s nose. “But at least it doesn’t appear to be broken.”
“I’ve taken enough hits playing football. I’ve been in a lot worse shape,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.
Distractedly, Kate nodded. Lightly touching his face, she checked for bumps and bruises. “Everything else seems okay,” she muttered.
Murphy sighed.
And Kate grinned. He was obviously enjoying her ministrations. But he definitely appeared to be going down for the count. “We’d better get him into bed, Dan.”
“Alright. I think I’m gonna have one more beer.”
“I’ll go put this stuff away.” Gathering up her Band-Aids and the tube of antibiotic, she was returning her supplies into the medicine cabinet when a loud crash resounded from the kitchen. Running back through the hallway and into the living room, she ran into Dan, who was cracking up laughing.
Stopping short of the kitchen, Kate gaped.
Murphy lay in a crumpled heap on the kitchen floor.
“He did it again, Kate.”
Kate grimaced.
But finally, reluctantly, she began laughing. “He’s gonna feel awful tomorrow. Isn’t he?”
Dan snorted. “Give me a minute, Kate, and we’ll get him up. He’s not going anywhere. I need to get something out of my truck.” Scrambling from the kitchen, Dan rushed outside through the door.
Kate bent down attempting to revive Murphy. But he wouldn’t budge.
Dan returned to the kitchen with his phone in hand. After a moment of manipulation, he focused it on Murphy. And then he snapped a picture.
Kate’s mouth dropped open. And then it closed. “Dan!”
Grinning, he kept his camera focused on Murphy as he snapped a few more pictures.
Kate rolled her eyes. “Some friend.”
“The best,” he agreed, chuckling. “No one’s ever gonna believe this. Murphy never gets drunk. He takes everything so seriously.” He laid his phone on the table. “Alright. I’ll get under him. You grab his hand.”
It took a lot of manipulating and maneuvering, but they finally got Murphy into the spare bedroom. Murphy became conscious just long enough to stumble down the hallway and into the bed. Dan disappeared when Kate began to untie Murphy’s sneakers.
It was rather warm in the bedroom. Frowning, she opened the window. Kate was attempting to tug Murphy’s shirt over his head when Dan reappeared in the doorway. “You’d probably better pull off his jeans for him, Dan. It’s really hot in here.”
She was suddenly startled by the flash from Dan’s camera. “Dan. Stop that. “
Dan grinned, smugly.
“Some great picture,” Kate mumbled.
When she left the room, she could’ve sworn she heard Dan muttering under his breath, “Murphy’s sure gonna think so.”
CHAPTER
EIGHT
Somewhat reluctantly, Murphy began to awaken. And then he groaned. “Oh, God.” Slowly, he attempted to raise his head.
But the pain was too intense. “Why doesn’t someone just shoot me right now? What in the heck got into me last night?”
His stupid obsession with Kate Callahan, that�
��s what.
Trying not to move, he cracked his eyelids open. Bits and pieces of the night before flickered through his brain. He couldn’t have actually been somewhere with Kate?
Sluggishly, he attempted to sit up in the bed.
But then, he stilled, as his eyes searched the room. Where in the hell was he? A colorful quilt adorned the queen-sized bed. Creamy furnishings included a mirrored dresser and nightstand. A cheery floral area rug, patterned in shades of green and lilac, covered the whitewashed wooden floor.
When he sat up too quickly on the edge of the bed, his head began spinning.
And then his stomach heaved. “Steady, steady,” he muttered, closing his eyes. Slowly, he rose up from the bed. Hearing the splashing of water, he approached the open window to peek outside curiously.
“Oh, God.” With wide eyes, he stared at the naked woman standing on the edge of the pier. Kate. Apparently, she’d just climbed out of the water.
She definitely didn’t appear to be shy.
Attempting to move closer to the opened window, he slammed his head into the edge of the pane.
“Ouu...chh...chh,” he moaned, holding his head. But he continued to peer out through the window.
Kate’s head jerked up and she suddenly stared towards the window. Grinning, she rolled her eyes while reaching for her robe. Spinning around on her heels, she tied up the robe as she approached the cabin from alongside the pier. Murphy heard the screen door slam shut from around the other side of the cabin. She must’ve entered the cabin through the kitchen.
Wait – he’d actually known where the kitchen was. And that this cabin belonged to Kate.
Murphy grimaced, dropping his gaze. Although he was finding it difficult to wake up this morning, another part of his anatomy didn’t appear to be having any trouble.
Closing his eyes, he took in a deep unsteady breath. He couldn’t get the vision of Kate’s lovely naked body out of his mind. Beautiful firm breasts with tight pink nipples – that slim little waist he could span with both hands. And that beautiful ass...
That Unforgettable Kiss Page 7