They didn’t touch the frame in case the bastard’s fingerprints were on it, and waited for Reese who arrived with a couple of police officers and a forensics specialist.
Once the officers were there, Carilyn went through the house again to see if anything else was disturbed that hadn’t been the last time. They didn’t know if the emailer, the person who ransacked the house, and the arsonist were related, but Cody searched for any sign that the arsonist could have tampered with the house.
After they were done combing the house, the only thing Carilyn could tell had been touched was the photo. The forensics guy said the frame had been wiped smooth—even Carilyn’s fingerprints from when she’d handled it the last time were gone.
When they were finished, the officers left and just Reese remained. “You’ve received no other contact from Firebug, have you?” he asked Carilyn.
She shook her head. “No.”
Reese looked from her to Cody. “No unusual visitors to the ranch?”
“Only Gisele, the mail carrier, and Tom, the ranch hand,” Carilyn said. “No one else has come by Cody’s ranch since I’ve been there.”
“Have you noticed anything else strange that you can think of?” Reese asked.
“No,” Carilyn responded.
“Unknown callers, hang ups?” he asked.
She frowned. The only one to call her had been Sam, and she’d missed his calls. “No one,” she said.
Reese looked at Cody who shook his head. Reese finished questioning them and pulled Cody aside. Carilyn wondered what they were talking about, but turned and looked around her at the violation.
Feeling even sicker than before, Carilyn started to clean up the mess again.
Cody rested his hand on her shoulder, startling her. “I don’t think we should stay.” He met her gaze. “If it’s the arsonist, he could target this house.”
A helpless feeling weighted down on her as she looked from Cody to Reese. “I don’t want Leigh to return home to a mess.”
“There’s plenty of time,” Cody said. “She won’t be back for almost a month. By then the police will have caught the bastard.”
“I hope you’re right.” Carilyn blew out her breath. “Let’s go.”
Reese and Cody made sure all of the doors and windows were locked while she waited for them in the living room. Apparently the back door had been jimmied, so Cody was going to have someone fix it and put on a bolt lock.
She stared at the empty picture frame. Why would the person who ransacked Leigh’s home come back for the photo? Cold traveled down her spine again and she shivered.
“Everything’s locked up tight.” Cody’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts and she whirled to face him.
“I wish Leigh had an alarm system,” Carilyn said.
“So do I,” Cody said grimly.
Reese left with Cody and Carilyn. She gave Reese a little wave as he pulled away in his unmarked vehicle.
They were quiet on the way back to the ranch, Carilyn lost in her thoughts and Cody seemed to be, too.
They were almost to the ranch when he spoke. “Why don’t we go out tonight? Jo-Jo’s has happy hour ’til seven.”
“Okay.” Carilyn looked at him. She could use a distraction. “Is Jo-Jo’s a bar?”
“Probably the nicest one in Prescott.” He smiled. “Although Nectars is classy, too, it’s just hard to compare the two.”
“I think I saw Nectars when I went to the Hummingbird.” She swallowed. “The day my car was burned up.”
“Yes, it’s right next door.” He glanced at her before looking at the road again. “Wasn’t planning on taking you there since that’s where it happened.”
She nodded.
“My cousin, Tate’s, wife owns Jo-Jo’s,” Cody said. “His brother, my cousin Gage’s, in-laws own the Hummingbird and Nectars.”
Carilyn couldn’t help a laugh. “You McBrides do get around.”
He grinned and looked at her. “You should see the Johnsons.”
* * * * *
Before they left, Carilyn took a long bath to relax and get her mind off of all that had happened. It wasn’t easy, but she finally set it aside so that she could enjoy a night out with Cody.
After she had dried off, she dressed in a matching black bra and panty set. She slipped into the sleeveless emerald green dress she had picked out on impulse when she and Leigh had gone shopping. The dress reached a few inches above her knees and she had to admit it looked great on her. She stepped into black strappy heels she’d also picked out that matched a small black purse with a long strap. She brushed out her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. She usually kept it back but today she felt like leaving it down. After she grabbed the purse, she left her room to meet Cody.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he said the moment she walked into the living room. Her cheeks heated and she knew she was blushing as he looked at her with appreciation in his gaze. “You always look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She smiled at him.
He opened the door for her then touched the small of her back as he escorted her to the truck. Her heels wobbled a little on the uneven ground and he caught her by her upper arm and steadied her. When they reached the truck, he opened the passenger door and helped her up and into the truck, and then closed the door behind her. He went around to the driver’s side, climbed in, and started the vehicle.
They chatted on the way to town and Jo-Jo’s. Carilyn was looking forward to meeting more of Cody’s relatives and friends. From the way Cody talked about his cousins, they seemed like a cohesive family. They had their differences like any family, but they were all fairly close.
She liked when he told stories about his family. It made her feel like she was a part of the town and his life. And as she thought that, she wondered if just maybe she was starting to get too comfortable there and care for Cody too much.
When she grew quiet, Cody said, “Are you all right, Carilyn?”
She nodded and gave him a smile. “Great,” she said.
It wasn’t too long before they reached town and made it to Jo-Jo’s. After parking, they walked into the bar. It was a weeknight, and Cody said it wasn’t as crowded as it would be on weekends, but it was still busy.
A tall, leggy, beautiful woman approached them. She had hair that was a darker shade of red than Carilyn’s and her figure-hugging sparkling dress was short, showing off her long legs and her gorgeous figure.
“Carilyn, this is Jo Burke McBride,” Cody said. “She’s married to my cousin, Tate.” Cody turned to the woman, “Jo, this is Carilyn Thompson. She’s Leigh’s friend from Kansas and is staying while Leigh is in Europe.”
“Great to meet you.” Jo’s smile was brilliant. “Welcome to Prescott, and welcome to Jo-Jo’s.”
Carilyn liked Jo at once. “Your place is great,” Carilyn said to Jo. “It looks like you have fun around here.”
“That we do.” Jo’s smile was sensual as she looked at a tall, dark-haired man with green eyes who reached hem. “This is my husband, Tate.” In turn she introduced Carilyn to Tate and they shook hands and greeted each other. According to Cody, Jo and Tate were around ten years older than Carilyn and Cody, but they certainly didn’t look it to Carilyn.
“Have a seat over here.” Jo nodded to a corner. “That’s where ‘the girls’ and I sit whenever we’re having a girls’ night out.”
“That sounds like fun,” Carilyn said with a smile.
“The first round of drinks is on the house,” Jo said as they reached the table.
When they were seated, a server with a nametag that read “Tanya” arrived and took their drink orders. Dark-haired Tanya had a cute figure and her skirt was almost as short as Jo’s dress.
Carilyn decided on a pineapple mojito while Jo ordered a cosmo and the men asked for domestic beers.
They had barely settled in when another cousin and his wife arrived. Garrett and Ricki had just married a few weeks ago.
Carilyn was surprised
at how easy it was to not think about Firebug or Leigh’s ransacked house or her burned up car…much. A couple of times the thoughts flashed through Carilyn’s mind, but she easily slipped back into listening to the cousins and their wives as well as Cody.
After her second mojito, Carilyn excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. She headed across the bar and down a hall to the restroom. Five minutes later she opened the restroom door to leave.
As she entered the hallway someone ran into her from behind, almost knocking her off her feet. She braced her hand on a wall to steady herself.
“Are you okay?” A pudgy guy, who looked like a stereotypical geek, moved into her line of vision and peered at her, his hand on her upper arm, a look of concern on his round, bearded features. “Sorry for running into you like that.”
With a smile, she said, “No problem. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Let me buy you a drink.” He looked down at his feet, his longish hair falling into his pale blue eyes. He glanced up again. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Thanks, but you don’t need to do that,” she said.
“But I want to.” He gave her a pleading look. “Please?”
Feeling uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her, she fixed a smile on her face. “I’m here with someone and he’ll miss me if I don’t come right back.” The man’s face fell and Carilyn couldn’t help but feel bad. “I appreciate the offer, though.”
He nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He turned away, headed down the hall and then vanished into the crowd beyond it.
She let out her breath and shook her head. That was weird. She felt bad for some reason, but there was no sense in letting the guy get his hopes up by allowing him to buy a drink for her. It had been clear that he was interested in her beyond trying to make up for running into her.
When she returned to the table, Cody smiled at her. His smile faded a little as she slid into the booth next to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She gave him a bright smile and pushed thoughts of the geek to the back of her mind. “I’m ready for another mojito.”
She had just finished her third mojito when Cody asked her to dance. He took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. She felt a little tipsy and warm inside but was still steady on her feet.
It was a slow song, and Cody brought her in close to him as she put her hands on his shoulders. A fluttering sensation batted around in her belly and her heart beat a little faster as she felt his body heat even though there was a good inch between them.
His beautiful warm brown eyes studied her. “Enjoying yourself?”
She hoped he couldn’t see the sudden nervousness that gripped her. “Yes. I like your cousins and their wives.”
The corner of his mouth tipped up. “There’s plenty more where they came from.”
She smiled in return and he brought her in closer so that their bodies were touching and she caught her breath. She linked her hands around his neck as he moved his own hands to her hips.
Heat rose inside her and her throat grew dry as their gazes held. He looked at her lips as if he wanted to kiss her. She wanted him to more than she’d ever wanted a kiss before. Her tongue darted out to touch her lips and he brought her body flush with his.
The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her belly. An ache grew between her thighs and her nipples grew taut. She had the sudden desire to take him by the hand, lead him out of the club, and tell him to drive home as fast as possible.
She wanted him. And she wanted him now.
Someone ran into her from behind and she fell forward against Cody. She looked over her shoulder but the couples around them seemed to be paying attention only to their partners. It was the second time that night that someone had run into her, but this time there wasn’t a guy trying to apologize to her.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Cody said as she looked back at him. He was grinning as he held her tight. “But you don’t have to throw yourself at me.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. “Someone bumped into me.”
He just smiled, a slow sensual smile that curled her toes.
The slow song was winding down and she didn’t want it to stop. Without realizing that she was doing it, she moved up onto her tiptoes and he lowered his head.
When his lips met hers, it was like fireworks went off in her belly and in her mind. Vaguely she was aware that a faster tune had started playing, but still Cody kissed her. It was a long, slow kiss that sent thrills from where their lips met straight to her toes.
She was breathing hard when they parted and she looked into his eyes that glittered in the low lighting.
His throat worked as he held her gaze. “Ready to go home?” His voice was husky.
She only hesitated a moment before she gave a single nod. He put his palm on her lower back and guided her through the crowd of dancers and back to where the others were sitting and laughing about something.
Cody paid the tab with Tanya, and then he and Carilyn walked to Jo’s table as he held Carilyn’s hand. His touch was warm and electric and she loved the feel of her smaller hand in his larger one.
“We’re taking off, Jo,” Cody said as she stood.
Jo hugged him then Carilyn. “It was great to meet you,” Jo said as she drew away from Carilyn.
“Thank you for the hospitality.” Carilyn smiled.
Tate, Garrett, and Ricki also stood and hugged Carilyn as if she was a part of the family.
When they turned to leave, Cody took her hand again and squeezed it. She looked up at him and smiled as they headed through the front entrance.
***
Chapter 15
Cody held Carilyn’s hand on the console as he drove back to the ranch. His hand was warm over hers and she turned her palm up and linked her fingers with his.
“How are you doing?” His tone was low and rough as he spoke.
“Good.” Her own voice was husky with desire.
Maybe she’d had too much to drink…those three mojitos had been strong. But she knew that wasn’t the reason why she wanted Cody so much. She’d wanted him from the first moment she saw him at the Hummingbird.
The sexual tension between them was electric. She could feel it arcing through their hands and traveling through her body like fire.
When they reached the ranch, Cody parked then jumped out and hurried around the truck to help her down. Her dress crept up her thighs as she got out and he looked at her bared thighs and he gripped her tighter. Her dress slid back down when her feet met the ground and his gaze met hers again.
“Come on, honey.” He clasped her hand in his as he shut the truck door.
She gripped her purse in one hand and his hand in the other. The sexual tension increased as they went through the front door and he shut the door hard behind them.
The next thing she knew, her back was against the door, his body pressing hard, and his mouth taking hers. She moaned and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her mind whirled and she felt almost dizzy from the intensity of the kiss.
He groaned as he grabbed her ass and brought her even tighter to him. Her dress slid up to her waist, exposing her black panties, as she hooked her thighs around his hips. Her breathing came fast and hard as she kissed him with everything she had.
When he drew away, his chest rose and fell as he held her tight to him. “Tell me to stop,” he said as he looked down at her. “Last chance.”
“No,” she said. “I don’t want you to stop.”
A low growl rose up in his throat and he started to carry her down the hall toward the master bedroom. She buried her face against his neck and kissed it, tasting his saltiness while drawing in his scent. He smelled so good and his arms were so big and strong as they held her.
He carried her into the room and set her on her feet on the rug beside the bed. “I could just eat you up, sweetheart. All of you.”
“Do it.” She kicked off her shoes as he toed off his boots and shoved them aside. H
e reached for the zipper on her dress. “Take all of me.”
He growled again as he pulled down the zipper, she grabbed the collar of his western shirt and pulled the pearl snaps apart so that the shirt opened all the way down to his waist. She shoved his shirt over his shoulders and he shrugged it off in a fast movement before flinging his shirt aside.
Their movements were almost frantic as they undressed each other. It was as if all the moments they’d been together, never touching but wanting, had combined into a need so great that they couldn’t control themselves.
Her dress slid over her skin, landing around her feet and she stepped out of it. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra before sliding the straps down her arms and tossing it aside. He pushed her panties down, leaving her naked.
“Damn but your skin is soft.” He ran his callused palms over her bared skin. “I want to touch every bit of you. I want to taste every inch.”
She swallowed. “I want it all.”
Sensual promise was in his eyes. “I’m going to give you everything.” Then he lowered his head and sucked her nipples. She gasped and dug her fingers into his shoulders as he nipped at and licked her sensitive nipples until he was about to drive her out of her mind.
Their mouths met in a clash as she fumbled for the button on his Wrangler jeans then unzipped them. She shoved his jeans down his hips, followed by his boxer briefs. His cock was warm and hard in her palm as she grasped it. He groaned as she rubbed her thumb over the head and spread the drop of semen.
He shoved his jeans the rest of the way down along with the boxer briefs and she had to release him when he stripped off his socks, too. As soon as he was fully naked, she grasped his cock again. He reached for her but she dropped to her knees in front of him.
“Carilyn.” Cody uttered her name in a hoarse whisper as he buried his fingers in her hair. “Let me take care of you,” he said, but she seemed entirely focused on him and didn’t listen.
He felt helpless to do anything but let her take control. His entire body was strung tight as she lowered her head and slipped his cock into her mouth. He groaned as he felt her hot mouth sliding over his erection.
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