by Desiree Holt
“I wondered if I could put you to bed, only this time at my house.”
When she was silent for a moment, he wondered if he’d overstepped. Somehow keeping things at her house had given her a control she told him she needed.
“Listen, if you’d rather not—”
“No, no. I mean, yes, your house is fine. I won’t get out of here until almost eight. How about I pick up Chinese on the way?”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll leave the door unlocked so you can let yourself in.”
“See you later.” Her voice was rich with sexual desire.
Dillon was hard as a rock when he hung up. Tonight couldn’t come soon enough for him.
Even with nothing major on the books, he was still kept busy at the office until after seven. If he didn’t hustle, Jinx would get to the house before he did. At home, he stripped off his clothes and stuffed them in the hamper then turned on the shower. He was standing there, letting the hot water sluice over him, when he heard someone in the bathroom with him.
Good. Jinx had finished up early and they could have hot shower sex.
But when the glass door slid open it wasn’t Jinx who greeted him. It was Naomi, naked except for a wicked smile.
“This is just like old times.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his.
Dillon grabbed her arms and dragged them away from him. “Are you out of your mind? What are you doing here? How did you get in?”
“The door was unlocked. Darling, you really must be more careful about that.”
She tried to move closer to him again, but he held her at arm’s length.
“No shit.” He turned off the water and opened the shower door. “Out.” He lifted her bodily and placed her on the bath mat. “Get dressed and get the hell out of here.”
She put on the pouty face that he’d once thought endearing. “But I need your help, darling. I’m hot on a story that no one will give me answers to. I thought maybe you’d get me connected with your old boss.”
Of course. The story. It was always the story.
“So you thought what? That you’d trade sex for a news break?”
She smiled. “We were always so good in bed together. We could help each other out here.”
“Oh, I get a booty call in exchange for information?” He shook his head. “You disgust me, Naomi. Get the hell out of here. Now. And don’t come back.”
He tossed a towel at her and wrapped another one around his waist just as he heard footsteps on the stairs. His heart sank when he realized who it was.
“Dillon?” Jinx’s musical voice floated in from the hall. “I left the food in the kitchen. Whose car is that in the driveway?”
She walked into the bedroom and stopped, frozen when she saw him with Naomi through the open bedroom door. Every bit of color drained from her face.
“Oh. Sorry. I must have gotten my signals crossed. That seems to be the story of my life.”
“It’s not what you think.” He grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. “This is not what you think.”
“Really?” She yanked her arm away. “That’s what they all say. I hope you and your friend enjoy the Chinese food. I got your favorites.”
She raced down the stairs before he could catch her, slamming the door as she left.
“Well.” He heard Naomi’s amused voice behind him. “Playing house with the local talent? No wonder you’re too busy for me.”
Dillon fisted his hands in rage.
“You ruined my life once. I won’t let you do it again. Either you get dressed and get the fuck out of here or I’ll throw you out naked. And if you ever come back here again I’ll arrest you for stalking.” He picked up her clothes from the chair where she’d left them and threw them at her. “Now, Naomi. I mean it.”
He tugged on clean underwear, jeans and a shirt and stuffed his feet in a pair of running shoes.
“You can’t do this to me,” she protested. “I need this story. You’re my only hope to get the scoop.”
“Did you hear me? No scoop. No nothing. And if you aren’t out of here in one minute I’ll run you in for breaking and entering, naked or not.” When she didn’t move, he snapped, “Now, damn it.”
She frowned at his words, her body language clearly showing her resentment, Naomi dressed, grabbing her purse and shoes as Dillon hustled her downstairs and out the door. He opened the driver’s side door of her car and practically tossed her inside.
“Try this again and I’ll make sure everyone in the industry knows what a fucking bitch and conniver you are. Now get on the road.”
He watched as she gunned the engine and roared out of the driveway, sick to his stomach about what had just happened. He had to fix this. Somehow. Some way. Because tonight had smacked him in the face with something that had been just creeping up on him. Suddenly he realized Jinx Malone meant a hell of a lot more to him than just sex. Way more. He wasn’t even sure he knew how to handle it, but if he didn’t fix things he’d never find out.
Of course, to straighten out this mess he first had to find her, which turned out to be much harder than he thought. She wasn’t at her house. He thought maybe she wasn’t answering her door but he peeked in the side window of the garage and saw that it was empty. No car. He tried the newspaper next, but Lew, who was working late for some reason, said he hadn’t seen her since she left earlier in the evening.
Dillion drove up and down the streets of the town checking any place she might logically have retreated to with no results. Finally, he headed out of town. The Stark ranch was closer, so he stopped there first.
“Not here,” Matt told him. “Did you lose her?”
“Shit. I hope not.” He looked at Reenie, peeking over Matt’s shoulder. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she told him. “I’ve heard the word before. Even said it myself a time or two.”
“You want to tell me what happened?” Matt asked.
“Damn.” Dillon took a deep breath. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Swell, come on in. I’ll give you a beer and you can tell me all about it.”
Dillon shook his head. “I have to find her. I’m trying Amy next.”
Matt laughed. “If she’s there you’ll need a shotgun to see her. Amy’s very protective of her friends.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll think of something. Thanks anyway.”
The nausea still clung to him as he turned into the Montgomery driveway and parked. He was still trying to figure out what he’d do if she weren’t here when the front door opened. Only it wasn’t Amy, it was Buck. He closed the door behind him and motioned for Dillon to take one of the chairs on the front porch.
“I don’t even get to come in the house?” Dillon asked.
Buck snorted. “Not hardly. You’ve got yourself in a shitload of trouble, my man. I don’t think there’s a shovel big enough for it right now.”
Dillon leaned against the porch railing, raking his fingers through his hair.
“You don’t understand. She doesn’t understand. It was all a mistake.”
Buck shook his head. “Then you didn’t have a naked woman in your bathroom?”
“No. I mean, yes, but it wasn’t what it seemed.”
“I don’t know.” Buck dropped into a large wooden chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “There aren’t many choices to pick from when a woman’s in your house naked. Especially in the bathroom.”
“At least let me explain.”
Buck sat there expressionless while Dillon paced and talked. He told Buck everything—his relationship with Naomi in San Antonio, the situation with Jinx, all of it right up until tonight’s fiasco.
“You gotta give that Naomi woman credit for moxie,” he told Dillon.
“I don’t have to give her anything. She ruined my life once and she’s trying to do it again.”
Buck was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. “Sounds to me like you’ve got a lot more going on w
ith Jinx than a good roll in the hay.”
“Damn it.” Dillon raked his fingers through his hair again. “Don’t refer to her like that. She’s not—she’s different.”
A smile twitched at the corner of Buck’s mouth.
“Oh? How exactly do you want me to refer to her? Maybe your feelings for her run a lot deeper than you want to admit.”
Dillon sighed. “Maybe they do. But we’ll never find out if I can’t talk to her.”
Buck pushed himself out of the chair. “I can tell you that won’t happen tonight. Amy’s guarding her like she’s the chicken and you’re the fox in the henhouse.”
“I don’t suppose you could plead my case?”
At the same time Buck shook his head the front door opened and Amy stepped outside.
“You aren’t coming in, Dillon,” she said in a flat voice. “You need to leave her alone.”
“I need to talk to her,” he begged. “What she saw isn’t even close to what happened.”
“I don’t care if it is or it isn’t. You still can’t come inside.” She glanced at Buck then back at Dillon. “Jinx was hurt very badly by her ex-husband. I don’t know if you’re aware of the story—”
He waved a hand at her. “She told me all about that bastard.”
“Then you’re an even bigger rat for pulling something like this.” In the light of the porch her eyes were spitting fire. “You’d better get out of here.”
Dillon’s shoulder slumped. “I have to see her.”
“And I’m telling you, that’s not happening.”
Buck came to stand beside his wife, his arm around her shoulders. “Why don’t we send Dillon on his way and I can fill you in on what happened. Then we’ll see what Jinx wants to do.”
“I don’t care what he told you,” she said stubbornly.
“Okay, but let’s get off the porch and inside, okay?” He turned to Dillon. “Give it a rest tonight. I’ll give you a call in the morning.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” Amy told him.
“Will you just tell her one thing for me?”
“What’s that?” she asked suspiciously.
He drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly, feeling as if he was stepping off a precipice. The same jolt of astonishment that had struck him earlier slammed into him again and words just fell out of his mouth.
“Tell her I love her.”
Holy shit!
As soon as the words left his mouth shock pounded through him. Had he lost his fucking mind? Where did that come from? He started to tell Buck and Amy it was a mistake until he realized, no, it wasn’t at all. In the short time they’d been together—having just sex—she’d lodged herself in his heart.
What a time to discover it.
“Dillon?” Amy called.
He just shook his head and walked slowly to his truck. He was still dazed when he turned onto the road and headed toward home. And a long night during which he was sure he wouldn’t get a wink of sleep.
“Is he gone?”
Jinx looked up from the couch where she’d crumpled herself into a corner.
“Yes. I watched him leave.” Amy sat down next to her, handing her fresh tissues from the box on the end table. “You’ll need cucumber slices to take down the swelling on those eyes if you keep tearing up this way.”
“You’re right. You’re right.” Jinx rubbed at her already tender eyelids. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I never blubber like this.”
Amy took her hand. “Honey, you have every right to blubber. A really nasty thing happened tonight and it’s not easy to deal with.”
“Jinx?” Buck’s voice was gentle. “Here. I think you could use this.”
He handed her a glass of water, which she accepted gratefully. The cool liquid eased the rawness in her throat. She tried to take a big gulp and choked on it.
“Easy, easy.” He folded his big hand around her smaller one. “Don’t chug it. Amy, make her take it easy.”
“I will.”
Jinx could hear the smile in Amy’s voice when she spoke to her husband. Her friend was so damn lucky to have found Buck Montgomery. Jinx wondered if she’d ever have that same kind of luck. She’d secretly begun to think something like that was happening with Dillon, but past history told her if something looked too good to be true it usually was. Tonight had certainly proved that.
“Listen.” He crouched down so his face was even with hers. “Dillon told me what happened tonight and you might want to hear his side of things before you toss him in the trash.”
Amy groaned. “You men are all alike. And you stick together no matter what. I can’t think of any other possible explanation for having a naked woman in your bathroom.”
“I hear you.” He grinned. “We’re all assholes, right?”
Amy smiled back at him and they exchanged a look so intimate Jinx had to turn her head away.
“But some are better than others,” Amy said in a soft voice.
Buck rose to his full height. “I suspect Matt knows this little story too. You might want to ask him. I could tell you, but you’ve known him a lot longer. You could tell if he’s just making an excuse for his friend. I’ll be in the den. Holler if you need me.” He touched her hand. “Jinx? We’ve got plenty of room here if you want to spend the night.”
Jinx gave him a watery smile. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
He bent down to brush his lips over his wife’s and again a pang of longing shot through Jinx. Fresh tears welled in her eyes and she blotted them with the tissue.
“Okay. That’s it.” Amy stood up. “Sip on that brandy. I’m going to give my brother a call.”
“I don’t know what he can say,” Jinx protested. “I know what I saw.”
“Sometimes our eyes deceive us. I’m not ready to cut Dillon a break, but I’d at least like to hear what this big secret is. I’ll be right back.”
Jinx had finished the brandy by the time Amy returned. Slightly buzzed, she listened to the story her friend related with a growing mixture of anger and dismay. It was hard for her to take a step back and look at things from Dillon’s side. The image of Naomi, completely nude with her arms draped around Dillon’s almost naked body, was still burned in her brain.
“But he must have let her in,” she protested. “Otherwise, how—” She stopped short, her mental reminder list flashing. “Oh, shit.”
“What? Did you think of something?”
“Uh-huh. I told Dillon I’d be bringing Chinese food when I came over. He said he might be in the shower so he’d leave the door open for me.”
Amy cocked her head. “So maybe he’s telling the truth after all. We’ve only known Dillon for a short while, but he doesn’t seem at all like the type to betray someone that way. Does he know about Max?”
“In ugly detail.”
“Even more reason why he wouldn’t hurt you this way.”
“I hear you.” Jinx nibbled her lower lip.
“Jinx.” Amy touched her arm. “He’s not Max. Not even close. Shit happens to people.”
“Yeah.” Jinx snorted. “People like me.”
“Like all of us. Some night when we’ve downed a pitcher of margaritas I’ll tell you about Buck and me.”
Jinx looked at her friend. “Don’t tell me you thought he cheated on you.”
Amy shook her head. “Worse than that. But that story’s for another day. Tonight we’re talking about you and Dillon.” She paused. “Why don’t you spend the night here? I’ve got a sleep shirt I can lend you. The paper’s put to bed. You’ve got staff who handle distribution. Hide from the world for a couple of days. Let things settle.”
“And then what?”
“When both of you are in a better state of emotions, you and Dillon can sit down and talk. Really talk. See exactly where the two of you are going and if it works.”
Jinx dabbed at her eyes again. “I didn’t expect to feel this way about him. About anyone.” She gave a
hysterical giggle. “I hate cops.”
“Yes, well, he told you he hates reporters, yet here you are, the two of you. Do you think it’s possible Naomi is the reason he feels the way he does?”
She shrugged. “I guess. Oh, Amy, I’m so mixed up. I didn’t mean to fall for him. Didn’t want to.”
“I think it sneaks up on all of us. Come on.” Amy took the empty glass and set it aside. “Let me show you to one of the guest rooms and get you fixed up for the night. Things will look a little different in the morning.”
Jinx wasn’t at all sure about that.
Dillon’s first inclination after he left Buck and Amy’s was to get stinking drunk, but he realized all that would accomplish was to give him a headache and make him sick. And it wouldn’t fix anything. Somehow he had to get through the night and go back to the Montgomery ranch in the morning. Make Amy let him talk to Jinx. His feelings for her were so jumbled he wasn’t sure how to tell her what he felt. Except he did love her. He could hardly believe it himself so he wasn’t sure how to convince her, but he’d find a way.
Or at least convince her to give him a second chance. He’d show her how he felt. How it really was more than just sex.
He pulled into his driveway and hit the garage door opener, but before he could drive in his cell phone rang.
“Sheriff Cross,” he answered.
“Dillon, it’s Charlie. We’ve got the goods on Drummond.”
“No kidding.” Dillon rubbed his temple, trying to ease back the headache that was building. “Good deal.”
“Yup. Found the money. That allowed us to get a warrant to search his house and car. Can you believe the dumbass hadn’t even cleaned out his trunk? We found traces of Bert’s blood in it. And he even left his fingerprints on the shotgun.”
“What would we do if these guys were all smart, right?” Dillon commented.
“No shit. I’ll be sending someone out to your place for Drummond’s body tomorrow.” He paused. “Anyway, we’re bringing him in tonight. Sure you don’t want to come into the city and watch the show? We’re doing it all under the radar to keep the media out.”
“No, thanks anyway but—” He sat up straighter as something clicked in his head. “Actually, I think I might. When are you doing it?”
