Just a Hint--Clint

by Lori Foster

  Shaking off the excess sentiment, Carmen said, “I’d expect her to go after what she wants.”

  “Yeah?” Clint asked. “And what’s that?”

  Carmen rolled her eyes. “If you don’t know, then you’re a lost cause.” She gave them both a wave and sauntered off to join the others near the bounty of picnic food.

  His big hands on her shoulders, Clint turned Julie to face him. “What was that all about?”

  Knowing Carmen was right, Julie made a decision. “It was about taking control of my life.”

  “I thought you already did that. You relocated, changed jobs…”

  “Now I want more.”

  Clint gave her a funny look, but Julie just shook her head, took his hand, and started dragging him toward the woods on the far side of the property. There were trails there for bird watchers, but few people ever used them. It’d be a perfect spot for their private conversation.

  “Where are we going, Julie Rose?”

  He continued to call her by both names, and Julie had long since given up on her complaints. Until now. She’d had enough. She wanted him for good. Forever. In sickness and in health.

  “Drew will have his competency hearing soon.”

  Clint’s mood always soured when her uncle got mentioned. “Whatever. I don’t give a damn what they do with him as long as he’s kept far away from you.”

  “The thing is,” Julie said, hedging around the real topic, “my trust is frozen. It was to be released to me when I married, and not before.”

  Clint said nothing to that.

  “I have a lot of money, Clint.”

  They had just reached the tree line and Clint turned abruptly, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her to her tiptoes. Nose to nose with her, he growled, “I thought I was clear on this. I don’t give a damn about your money.”

  “I know.”

  That stymied him. “Then why are you bringing it up?”

  She bit her lip, afraid of driving him away, but more afraid of living in limbo. “Because I don’t quite know how to verbalize what it is that I really want to say. I thought the money would be a way to ease into it.”

  A look of worry etched his features. He set her back on her feet to run a hand through his hair. “Damn it, I hate fretting. I never fretted before you. You’re making me old before my time.”

  “What are you fretting about?”

  “You.” Mindful of the other people milling around the lake, he caught her hand and dragged her into the tall evergreens. He glared down at her, then barked, “Deputy Royal thinks I should take the position of sheriff.”

  Julie’s mouth fell open. Not once had she considered him saying precisely that. “Sheriff?”

  His chin jutted out. “You’ve been pretty plain on how you feel about law officials.”

  She had no idea what he was talking about. “I have?”

  “More than once, you’ve bitched about Scott being controlling.”

  Lifting her shoulders, Julie said, “You’re controlling.”

  “I know, and you probably figure I’d be more so as a sheriff, but damn it, baby, it’d be a good job. I wouldn’t have to travel back and forth all the time. I wouldn’t have to be away from you.” His eyes narrowed. “I could stay here. In Visitation.” And then to make certain she understood, he added, “With you.”

  A near hysterical laugh bubbled up. Julie suppressed it by pinching her lips together. “I see. And why does that make you fret, exactly?”

  Still appearing antagonistic, Clint took a step closer to her. “You had all these grand plans for your future.” His hand slashed the air. “All that bunk about cutting loose and living it up, doing things you’d never done before.”

  Julie softened. “I’ve done a lot of them. With you.”

  “Sexually.” He cupped her face. “But I want you to be happy. I don’t want to cheat you out of anything.”

  “I am happy.” She smiled from ear to ear. “And I think you’d make an excellent sheriff. You’re more than qualified, and more than capable. Scott’s desperate to find someone for the position.” Her heart felt full to bursting. “And then, as you said, you could stay here with me.”

  Clint kissed her hard and fast. “Is that what you want, Julie Rose?”

  “What I really want…” A lump formed in her throat.

  “What?” He kissed her again. “Tell me.”

  “I want you to call me Julie Evans, instead of Julie Rose.”

  Clint rocked back on his heels. He looked stunned. Speechless. Then slowly, a grin began to spread. “Is that a marriage proposal?”

  Feeling like a fool, Julie lifted her chin and said, “Yes, it is. And I expect an answer.”

  Clint chuckled. “I’d be honored.” He tunneled his fingers into her hair, holding her face turned up to his. “Now tell me you love me.”

  “I love you.”

  He nodded. “Finally, I can stop fretting.”

  Epilogue

  With several people watching her every move, Julie paced the floor of Bruce’s home, anxiously waiting for Clint to return. Alyx Winston and Deputy Scott Royal, Bruce and Cyn, were all gathered in the kitchen, waiting with her.

  She’d sent Clint on a very difficult mission, and because he loved her, he’d agreed to give it a try.

  It was Jamie’s fault, Julie decided. He’d made himself scarce, staying up on his mountain and not coming down no matter how Julie wished it. Everyone wanted to see him again. The women all felt indebted to him. The men had learned to respect him. But no one had seen him since that awful day at Robert’s house—when Jamie had claimed to be no one.

  So Julie had sent Clint to find him. And once Clint managed that, he was to invite Jamie to their wedding. Julie had given him strict instructions to not take no for an answer.

  But Clint had left hours ago, and since then a summer thunderstorm had exploded with fury. Lightning slashed across the black sky and crashing thunder shook the ground.

  Bruce pulled out a chair. “Sit down, Julie. You’ll wear a hole in my floor.”

  Alyx sipped a cup of cocoa. “Jamie will come again when he’s ready.”

  “No.” Julie shook her head. “Something’s wrong. I feel it.”

  Cyn frowned. “Now you’re starting to sound like Jamie.”

  “You feel it, too,” Julie accused. “I can see it in your face.” Everyone knew that Cyn and Jamie had a special bond. More than anyone else, Jamie had connected with Cyn.

  Groaning, Cyn propped her elbows on the table and dropped her face into her hands. “I do. Blast the man, why does he have to be so stubborn.”

  Bruce, being a preacher and therefore practiced in patience, put his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Jamie has his reasons. We just don’t know what they are.”

  Scott tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “Maybe I should go look for Clint. That damn mountain can be treacherous.”

  “I’ll go, too,” Alyx offered, which earned her a reproachful look from Scott.

  “No way.”

  “But I can help.”

  “Believe it or not, Alyx, I can manage without your assistance.”

  Cyn made a sound of exasperation. “Don’t you two start.”

  Suddenly the door crashed open. Soaked to the skin, with mud up to his knees, Clint rushed in. He was followed by blustering rain and howling wind, and he had to put his shoulder to the door to force it shut.

  Eyes enhanced by spiked wet lashes, he turned to Julie. “You won’t believe this.” His gaze moved around the room, touching on Bruce and Cyn, Alyx and Scott, before returning to Julie. “I found Jamie.”

  Her heart in her throat, Julie slowly pushed to her feet. “And? Is he okay?”

  “He’s got a woman.”

  Everyone blinked in shock.

  Wincing, Clint ran a hand through his drenched hair, and clarified, “That is, he had a woman. In his arms.”

  Cyn stared at him. Bruce frowned in incomprehension.

  “He was carr
ying her?” Scott asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “I don’t understand,” Julie said.

  “Neither do I.” Clint lifted his shoulders, as lost as they looked. “One minute he was there, holding a woman who looked to be dead to the world.”

  “Dead!”

  Clint made a face. “Passed out. Maybe fainted or something. I barely saw him, so I couldn’t be sure. I tried to get a better look, but I lost him. He went around a corner and just disappeared. I tried calling out to him, but the damn rain made it impossible and I kept slipping in the mud and finally—when I couldn’t find his cabin, I just gave up and came back.”

  Julie turned to Cyn. “Was Jamie seeing anyone?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.”

  Alyx said, “No, he wasn’t.”

  Bruce cleared his throat. “Maybe she’s a…friend?”

  Clint worked his jaw, hesitated, and finally gave up. “Probably not a friend.”

  “No?”

  He shook his head. “The thing is…she was, well, naked.”

  Julie half laughed—then realized Clint wasn’t joking. “But that’s absurd. She’d freeze in this storm.”

  Bruce paced to the door and back. “This doesn’t sound right. Jamie might be in trouble. I think we should go see him.”

  “I already told you, I couldn’t find his cabin.”

  Alyx heaved a sigh. “All right, already.” She flipped back her long dark hair in a show of exasperation, then pushed back her chair. Arms wide in a show of benevolence, she said, “I’ll show you where it is.”

  Slowly, Scott turned his head to glare at her. “How do you know where it is?”

  Alyx picked at a fingernail, pretending a nonchalance that wouldn’t fool an idiot. “I’ve been there.”

  Scott shook his head. “No.”

  “’Fraid so.” She shook her head. “But Jamie didn’t want me to tell anyone. I promised him. Only now, if you really think he might be in trouble—”

  Teeth clenched, Scott demanded, “When?”

  Alyx bit her lip. “More than once.”

  Bruce didn’t give Scott a chance to blow up. “All right, then. We’ll pay Jamie a visit. If he needs our help, we’ll give it. And if not, we’ll leave the man in peace.”

  “We should probably get hold of the others first,” Cyn suggested. “Joe and Bryan and Luna and Shay. They all care for Jamie, too.”

  Scott pushed back his chair. “This is starting to sound like an old-fashioned posse.”

  Bruce held up his hands. “As soon as the rain lets up, we’ll go. Agreed?”

  Everyone nodded, and a unanimous “Agreed” rang out, filling the small kitchen with good intentions.

  Julie smiled to herself as she fetched a towel for Clint. It seemed Jamie had friends after all.

  Whether he wanted them or not.

  Spend some more time in Visitation!

  Try Lori’s other books in the series…

  Say No to Joe?

  You met Joe Winston in Lori Foster’s Wild. Now, the Winston brothers’ seductive, bad-boy cousin is back and up against a woman who’s immune to his considerable charms…or so it seems…

  Irresistible Force—Meet Immovable Object

  Joe Winston has a routine with women: he exists; they swoon; roll credits. With his smoldering looks, macho style, and irrepressible charm, Joe can have any woman—except the one he really wants. Secretly, Luna Clark may lust after Joe, but she’s made it clear that she’s too smart to fall for him. He can just keep holding his breath, thank you very much. But now, Luna’s inherited two kids who need more than she alone can give in a small town that seems hell-bent on driving them away. She needs someone to help out…someone who can’t be intimidated…someone just like Joe. Becoming an instant family wasn’t exactly what Joe had in mind, but hey, it’s a start, and you can’t blame a guy for trying every angle…

  After all, where there’s a Joe, there’s a way…straight into a woman’s heart…

  The Secret Life of Bryan

  Jaded bounty hunter Bryan Kelly is head-over-hormones in lust with a woman…and what she does to his senses is criminal…

  Double Trouble

  Bryan Kelly has a few rules. Rule #1: Women are for fun, not commitment. Rule #2: He’ll do anything for his twin brother, even switch places with him to find out who’s sabotaging his charity. But playing a really good guy isn’t easy around a luscious Shay Sommers. Which brings him to Rule #3: If you can’t avoid temptation, succumb with abandon…

  Society-pages icon Shay Sommers has made her name in charity work. And she’ll go to any length to help these girls from the inside out. It certainly won’t be hard to act the street siren with the gorgeous man who runs the place, even if he does seem less like a shepherd and much more like a wolf…one with a hungry look that’s making Shay feel she might be his next dinner…

  When Bruce Met Cyn

  You first met Bruce Kelly in Lori Foster’s steamy novel The Secret Life of Bryan. Now, Bruce comes into his own—and a whole lot of trouble—when he falls for a woman who is nothing like he is, but she’s everything he wants…

  When Opposites Attract…

  Bruce Kelly has spent most of his life helping people who are down on their luck, guiding them toward making better lives. Compassionate and kind, Bruce understands that everyone makes mistakes, even if he’s never actually done anything but color inside the lines. Nobody’s perfect, but Bruce is about to meet a woman who’s perfect for him. He’s determined to show her that he can be trusted. And if that means proving it by being the absolute gentleman at all times, then so be it. No matter how many cold showers it takes…

  …Just Get Out Of The Way

  Cyn Potter is a survivor, with a sassy, gallows wit and a fierce independent streak to show for it. She’s used to men wanting only one thing, and this girl is no longer taking applications from big bad wolves in sheep’s clothing, thank you very much, drive through please and keep on going. But Bruce Kelly is actually different. Totally hands off. Sometimes she can see a hint of fire when he looks at her, but the guy treats her with the respect she’s always wanted. Maybe too much respect, because truthfully? The guy is fine. Worth taking down a few defenses for…and a few other things. And maybe somebody needs to help Bruce start over and discover just how perfect being imperfect can be…

  Jamie

  For four books—from Say No to Joe? through Just a Hint—Clint—she’s given her readers only glimpses of the mysterious mountain man every woman wants to know better. Now, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster is ready to give readers what they crave…and this time it isn’t just a taste…it’s the whole man himself…just…

  Jamie

  Carrying a naked woman up a mountain in a driving storm—now there’s a way for a man to start the day. But for Jamie, the unconscious redhead in his arms is an intruder, one who could bring him harm. He has his reasons for hiding out in this mountain cabin; for keeping his emotions hidden; for never, ever getting too close to anyone. And he’s not about to stop now…

  Before she passed out in his bed, she said her name was Faith—an appropriate name since he has to take her at her word. Who is she? Why is she here? Who sent her? And what is she doing to him? Jamie’s used to feelings of wariness, isolation, of being on guard. What he’s not used to is this dangerous, nearly uncontrollable new emotion raging through him…

  Jamie wants Faith, as a man wants a woman…and it may already be too late to turn back…

  ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2004 by Lori Foster

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4201-1943-5

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