“No. But talking with Gerald has given me another lead to check out. First thing Monday, I’m going to get a list of all your students’ grades from last semester and we’re going over them to see if any have been altered.”
“Like I’m going to remember exactly what each student earned,” she complained. “My grade book had all that information.”
“It’s a starting place. Do you need any help getting to bed?”
She shook her head.
“Tomorrow we can still find the movie at a theater in town.”
“Oh, you don’t have to take me. I can wait for it to come out on video.”
“We made a date. I have witnesses,” he said whimsically.
She smiled. “Okay, I would like to see it. I’ll be ready at three.”
He reached out and drew her into his arms. Brianna gave a sigh and raised her face. Suddenly her zipper slid down, the cool air startling against her skin.
“Jake!”
“Relax, Brie. I’m just helping. This looked awkward to unfasten with your wrist.” He released the fasteners of her bra.
Daring images danced in her mind. She could imagine herself slipping her arms from the dress, letting it trail down her body as Jake watched. Desire flooded her. She'd loved him for so long. Slowly she raised her face to his, letting that love shine from her eyes.
“Look at me like that and I won’t be responsible for what I might do,” he said in a husky tone.
“Maybe I don’t care,” she replied in a whisper.
Stepping closer, she reached up to encircle his neck. The cool air on her back contrasted with the burning heat wherever she pressed against Jake. She felt his warm hands on her bare skin and shivered. She felt feminine and soft. Angling her mouth, she lifted her lips for a kiss.
A muffled groan escaped Jake as he hugged her so tightly against him she couldn’t breathe.
She feasted on the embrace as if it was ambrosia. His taste was achingly familiar, wildly exciting. The embrace gave her a precious sense of safety and security.
The flames licking throughout her contrasted to that security. They were dangerous, daring and demanding. She wanted more. More of Jake, more of the love that she felt so strongly.
Jake eased back, his eyes opening to gaze down into hers. Resting his forehead against hers, he almost felt he could drown in the blue eyes that beckoned so enticingly.
Her lips were moist and rosy, still parted as if she would resume the kiss. He felt like he’d been kicked.
Tenderly he pulled back, cupped her face, rubbing gently over her lips, feeling the dampness on his thumb.
“This is not a good idea, Brie.”
“It feels good to me,” she said softly, her hand threaded in his thick hair. She could feel the pounding of his heart against hers. It matched the tempo of her own.
“Your brother was right. I’m not the man for you.”
“My brother? What brother? What are you talking about?”
She pulled back and stared at him, confused. When had either of her brothers even met Jake, much less spoken to him?
What was he talking about?
“Never mind.” He straightened, his expression instantly remote, forbidding. “If you can get yourself to bed all right, I’ll get my change of clothes from the car and bunk down in here. Go to bed.”
Not waiting for her to say a word, he left and headed for his car. He closed the door behind him relishing the icy air that shocked him back into awareness. No more kissing!
He’d blown it. He'd never wanted her to know.
Not that she knew anything. But he didn't want her curiosity to force a confrontation.
He would not let his guard down for a second. He couldn't wait until they’d reviewed the grade sheets. If there was a student whose grades were changed, they’d have another lead.
If not, he’d turn the entire investigation back to Don Winston.
Don was the officer of record. He should be doing the work.
Jake sat in the car until the lights went off inside. He still had her key and let himself quietly back in to the house. He wondered why he didn’t just turn the investigation back to Don immediately. He could handle things.
And Jake feared he might not be able to handle his own feelings much longer.
Brianna heard Jake return. She was tempted to get up and confront him, but she wasn't sure about what.
Exactly what had Jake meant with the comment about her brother? Which one? Jase? Josh? To her knowledge, neither had met Jake. Something didn't make sense.
Tomorrow she’d demand some answers. He couldn’t casually slip something like that into a conversation and then blow it off.
Sleep proved evasive. Which brother had told Jake he was not the man for her? And why? How could Jake have bought into such idea? Was that why he stopped seeing her?
He was not the only one looking for answers tomorrow. And hers had nothing to do with grades and students.
One look at Jake’s face the next morning, however, and Brianna knew she wasn’t going to get a quick answer to her questions.
She'd dressed warmly with dark wool slacks that hugged her hips and a pink sweater that she loved.
“Can you access grades from your computer at your office?” he asked before she'd even had coffee.
“Yes. Can we eat first?”
“Let's go out to breakfast, check out the records and catch the early matinee for the movie,” he suggested, already reaching for his jacket.
Today he was dressed in jeans and a thick sweater. She didn't know if she liked him better in a suit as a detective or jeans as the man she loved.
He helped her on with her jacket, his knuckles brushing against her jaw.
She reached up to flip out her hair, trying to match his casual attitude. Her skin tingled where he’d touched her. Her heart raced, and breathing became a chore.
His hand brushed over the shiny waves, lingering on the ends as he rubbed them gently between his fingers.
She didn’t bring up the question in the forefront of her mind, though her curiosity almost spiked out of control. She glanced at her watch wondering if either brother would be around a phone at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning.
They had breakfast at a restaurant Brianna hadn't eaten at before. It was near Jake's home and she suspected he'd eaten there more than once from the familiarity he had with the menu.
The campus was quieter than on a normal school day, but there were still students around and other teachers in their offices.
She perused the grades from last semester. Nothing seemed extraordinary. But with so many students, and the loss of her own grading book, she wasn’t one hundred percent certain no grades had been altered.
Before she left her office, on one of Jake's surveillance rounds, she tried calling her brothers. Jase's phone went to voice mail. Josh's didn't ring at all. She tried Shannon's, but her phone just rang and rang. Where were they?
Brianna and Jake headed for the early matinee at the movie theater downtown.
To Brianna's surprise Tyler Hunter and a young woman were in the lobby buying popcorn. Once they spotted Jake and Brianna, he left her in line and hurried over.
“I heard you plan to come today, and thought I'd take a chance you'd be at this matinee. We're going to see the movie with you. That way I can point out the social aspects I was discussing last night,” Tyler boomed heartily.
They walked to the line where he quickly introduced Liza Nesbet, his girlfriend.
Brianna smiled politely, wishing she and Jake had gone to a different theater or at a different showing. She didn’t want to share Jake with these two acquaintances.
She had planned on the two of them spending the afternoon together. And maybe the evening. She wasn’t going to let the day go by without finding out what he’d meant by that statement he’d let slip last night.
“Popcorn, no butter, and a cherry cola?” Jake asked Brianna as they stepped up to the counter. His hand was warm a
gainst the small of her back.
As she turned slightly to smile up at him, it felt almost as if he were embracing her, his arm touching her shoulders, her back, his hand firmly guiding her.
She nodded. He remembered. After two years and who knew how many other women, he remembered what she liked at the movies. For a second, she wished it meant something.
Feeling inexplicably better, Brianna resigned herself to a shared afternoon. But later, she’d get Jake alone and question him about that curious statement he’d made.
The movie was fun. Despite her earlier misgivings, Brianna enjoyed Tyler’s comments and the rude retorts his girlfriend made to put down his pretensions. They complemented each other, and at one point Brianna wondered what they thought of her and Jake. Did they appear to complement one another?
He sat beside her, but made no move to hold her hand or put his arm around her shoulders. He held the popcorn in his lap, and she snuggled closer, ostensibly to better reach the snack.
Mingling with the aroma of the freshly popped corn was Jake’s own scent, tangy and masculine, uniquely his.
She longed to dash the bag from his hand, knock over the drinks and crawl into his lap. Did anyone ever do that in the movie theater? Would she be starting a trend? Or causing a scandal? She could see the headlines in the local paper—Math Professor Shocks Theatergoers With Wanton Behavior.
She sighed and reached for some more popcorn. It would never happen, but she wished she dared.
Tyler and Liza suggested stopping together for a snack when the movie was over.
Because they ate breakfast late, and only had popcorn during the movie, Jake raised an eyebrow at Brianna in silent inquiry.
“Sure,” she said, not at all interested, but didn't want to be rude to Tyler and Liza.
Jake suggested a grill down on Third Street. “It’s a cop hangout, but I think you’d like it,” he explained, glancing down at Brianna.
Saying nothing, she nodded. Two years ago, he hadn't taken her to any cop hangouts. They had gone to dinner in nice restaurants, cooked at her house. But he'd never taken her where his coworkers hung out. Why now?
Jake was well liked. That much was evident from the men and women who greeted him when he walked into the grill. Several came over to visit briefly when they were seated. Tyler and Liza joined in the conversation as if they’d been longtime friends with everyone, and more and more chairs were dragged up, crowding their table. Brianna said very little, watching the activity. Jake deliberately put up barriers. Why?
When a pert and friendly red-haired woman joined them, Jake introduced her as Diane Waters. Brianna’s attention immediately focused on the woman. This was Diane? Jake's date for New Year's Eve? She was adorable.
Gritting her teeth, Brianna wanted to disappear. She didn’t need this.
At the first break in the conversation, she glared at Jake. “I have a headache. Do you think you could take me home and then come back?”
“Have something to eat first. It’ll make you feel better.”
“The service here isn’t the greatest, but the food's hearty,” Diane said genially. She leaned over Jake and hugged him. “I haven’t seen you for a while. Where've you been? Up at your cabin?”
He nodded. “Fixing it up some.”
“When do I get to see it?” she asked, her bright, bubbly enthusiasm almost more than Brianna could bear.
She stood up and excused herself, first heading toward the bathroom, then veering to the front door and outside.
Once on the sidewalk, she looked down the street. It was too far to walk home, she knew she couldn't with her ankle. And she'd left her jacket on the back of the chair inside. Otherwise she might try it. The wind blew from the west, chilling her to the bone. She pulled her phone from her purse—
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jake asked, pulling her around, clamping his hands on her shoulders in a hard grip. His eyes blazing down on her.
“I’m going home. I told you I had a headache.”
“If you would eat something besides popcorn, you’ll feel better.”
“When I need a mother, I’ll let you know. I want to go home.” She knew she sounded childish, but she couldn’t help it. She just wanted to be away from this place, away from his friends, away from Diane.
“Too good for the grill? These people not intellectuals like college professors?
She blinked at the comment, staring up at him. Was that really how he interpreted her actions?
“It’s not that,” she said, suddenly feeling guilty. She really hadn’t given them a chance. Mainly she didn’t want to be around Diane. It was too painful.
“It sure looks like it. Where are your manners? Certainly you can bear up long enough to eat. After all, Tyler and Liza are here. They’re from your world. Talk to them if that makes you feel any better.”
“It’s not that,” she mumbled. Her gaze dropped to his chin. She couldn’t tell him. Yet she didn’t want him to think she was such a snob that she didn’t like his friends and co-workers.
“What is it, then?” He leaned over until his nose almost touched hers, his hand beneath her chin, tilting her face to meet his. “If it isn’t that, what is it?”
She didn’t want to have to say it. It made her seem so petty. But it was true.
“I’m jealous,” she whispered.
“What?” He stared at her for a long moment. “Are you nuts?”
She shook her head, embarrassment flooding her.
He cupped her chin and his thumb caressed her jaw. She hated looking at him, afraid of the disgust she’d see or the laughter.
But she saw only confusion.
“Why are you jealous? Or is the question who are you jealous of?”
“Whom.”
“Brianna.”
“Diane.”
He stared down at her for long moments. The wind whipped around them, cold and harsh. Brianna didn’t feel it. The heat of embarrassment threatened to consume her.
She didn’t want to feel this way. He’d made it clear there was no future in a relationship between them. And he was certainly free to see anyone he wanted.
But she felt raw with jealousy. She bitterly resented the fact he had invited Diane to spend New Year’s Eve with him. Bitterly resented the fact he’d been dating while she had been so lonely since he’d gone. Bitterly resented the fact she loved a man who didn’t love her in return.
“Diane is a friend. She works in dispatch and sometimes we go out. Just for fun. There’s no need for you to be jealous of her or anyone else.” His voice was soft and husky.
“Jake?” Tyler peered around the door. Laughter and light spilled from the opening. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. The cold air cured her headache. We’re coming back in now,” Jake said, his eyes never leaving Brianna’s.
“The waiter's finally ready to take our orders.”
“We’ll be right there.”
The door closed and they were alone on the sidewalk again.
“Coming?” he asked softly.
“What, refuse to return and make a cop out to be a liar?” she asked. Her heart ached, but there appeared to be nothing to do but go on with the evening.
Brianna was relieved to find Diane had left the group by the time she and Jake returned. Once the early dinner arrived, the others drifted away until only the four of them remained at their table. Despite the rocky beginning, she relaxed and began to enjoy herself. Tyler and Liza were a funny couple, had been together for several months and were discussing marriage. This was from Tyler—Liza kept flirting with him, yet holding him off.
When she and Brianna went to the rest room at one point, Liza admitted she was crazy for the guy. “But I don’t want him to become too complacent—even after we marry. How will he appreciate me if I fall too easily?”
Brianna nodded, but wondered if she could ever play games like that. She would want her husband as secure in her love as she would wish to be in his.
When they finished eating, Jake asked if she wanted to leave. She shook her head. She was having fun.
Again the numbers at the table swelled. Tyler was in seventh heaven, arguing social problems with cynical policemen. Jake leaned back and watched Brianna discussing the current college art exhibit with Sergeant Leroy Burns. Leroy’s hobby was oil painting and he and Brianna compared reactions to the exhibit.
It was late when they left.
“I liked your friends,” she said with a yawn as he settled her in the car.
“Good.”
She was pleasantly tired. The evening had turned out much better than she had thought at the beginning. Diane had not reappeared and that helped.
When Jake stopped the car at her place, she rolled her head against the back of the seat and looked at him.
“Which brother did you talk to and what did you two discuss?” she asked. She couldn’t let the evening end without knowing. She suspected it might be important.
“Drop it, Brie. It’s old news and changes nothing.”
“Jake, I want to know,” she insisted.
He opened his door and walked around to open hers. “Sometimes we don’t always get what we want,” he said as he helped her out onto the sidewalk. “Give me your keys and let’s get inside. It’s cold.”
She went to her room and tried both brothers again. Jase answered on the third ring.
“Hey,” Brianna said.
“What's up?” Jase asked.
She debated telling him about the break ins and the fall down the stairs, but decided against it. He'd only worry and she couldn't have better protection than Jake.
“I have a question for you and for Josh. Haven't reached him so you're first.”
“About?”
She heard Shannon murmuring the background.
“Did you ever meet Jake Morgan?”
“Who is he, someone at the college?”
“No he's a cop.”
“Why do you know a cop?”
“It's a long story and starts almost three years ago. Do you or do you not know him?”
“Nope. Does he ride rodeos?”
“Hardly.” She thought a moment. That only left Josh. What had he done?
“Know anything about Josh challenging a man I was dating?”
Tangled Hearts Page 13