She wanted to agree immediately, and that scared her. She had come here for a reason, and her resolve was slowly being eroded away. Clearing her throat, she stared blindly out the windshield. "I'm not sure I can do that," she said quietly.
"Why the hell not?"
She turned to face him then. "I can't take advantage of you that way, Devlin. I intend to talk to your mother and your sister for my story about the Whitmore boy's murder. It would make it awkward for all of us when I had to ask questions."
"The hell with your story." He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "It's your safety I'm concerned about. And what difference does it make to your story if you stay at the Red Rock? You can still talk to my mother and my sister."
"I'll feel like I'm taking advantage of their hospitality." Her voice was stiff. "Like I was there under false pretenses."
His eyes were dark with anger as he stared at her, but gradually they softened. Smoothing his hands down her arms, he picked up her hands and absently rubbed her scraped knuckles. "I think I understand," he said, and his voice became low-pitched and husky. "I understand a lot more about you than you think. You want to feel like you've gotten your story because you earned it, not because someone felt obliged to talk to you. I respect that."
His eyes turned into molten silver. "But it doesn't change anything. Your safety is more important than your sense of honor. It's more important to me, and it should be more important to you."
She couldn't look away. His grip on her hands tightened, and he held her gaze locked with his. She was drowning in him, in the strength that seemed to pour out of him, in the caring she saw in his eyes.
When he leaned forward, she found herself swaying toward him. She'd yearned for him, needed his kiss, his touch. Even though she knew it wouldn't last, couldn't last, he filled a place deep inside her that had been empty her whole life.
His lips touched hers, and she was on fire. She moaned his name, but the sound was swallowed by his mouth. When he pulled her toward him, she slid into his arms and felt like she was home.
She tasted his desperation, felt his desire in his kiss, in his touch, in the way his hands held her. She answered with passion, pouring herself into the kiss, molding herself against him.
Nothing existed but Devlin. Need clawed at her, a need that only he could satisfy. When he shifted on the seat, pushing her back against the cushions, she clutched his shoulders and pulled him closer.
Suddenly he broke the kiss and drew back. His eyes were hot and wild, and the planes of his face were taut with desire. With a shaking hand he pushed her hair away from her face, smoothing down her cheek. Then he sat up and gently set her away from him.
"I'm sorry, Carly."
She couldn't look away from him. The wildness was fading from his eyes, but they were still full of need. For her. "There's nothing to be sorry about."
His mouth thinned. "I've never gone in for public displays. And this is about as public as we could get."
The air was too heavy in the truck, still throbbing with need and desire. A desire she knew was doomed. Deliberately she smiled at him. "Oh, I don't know about that. We could have been kissing in Heaven on Seventh. That would have been a little more public."
Reluctantly, he smiled back. "That would have set the town to talking."
"It's all right," she said gently. "I was scared and you comforted me. That's all there was to it."
His gaze turned smoky again. "It didn't feel like comfort to me."
Nor to her. It felt frighteningly, overwhelmingly real. "I doubt anyone saw us, Devlin. We're on a side street here, and there isn't a lot of traffic in Cameron. You're reputation is intact."
He looked like he wanted to say something, but he nodded and started the car. "I'll take you over to Melba's so you can pick up your things and explain to her what's going on. Then I'll drive you out to the Red Rock."
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Dev?" She couldn't imagine living in the same house with him, seeing him every morning and every night, knowing he slept in a room under the same roof. Both of them would explode with the tension.
From the way his jaw worked, she knew he was thinking the same thing. "It's the only answer," he finally said. "I can't spend every minute of every day with you. This is the next best thing."
"I don't want to put your family at risk." She scrambled to think of a reason to persuade him it wasn't a good idea.
"I don't either. I'll spend as much time as possible with you. But when I can't be there, I don't want you to be alone." He looked over at her. "Please, Carly. Do this for me."
She knew she should tell him no. She knew she had no business going to live at his ranch. But when he asked her like that, there was simply no way she could refuse. "All right."
* * *
Devlin waited in the truck while she collected her bags and talked to Melba. She was surprised when the older woman smiled at her. "The sheriff is a good man, Carly. He'll take care of you."
"I know," she whispered. Impulsively she reached out and hugged her landlady. "I'll be back before I leave town."
And she would. She had things to say to Melba before she left Cameron. The thought of leaving this town and the people she'd gotten to know brought a lump to her throat, but she ignored it. Turning around, she hurried out the door without looking back.
She and Devlin were both silent as they drove out of town and toward the ranch. Finally she said, "Shouldn't you have at least called and let them know I was coming?"
"I did. While you were getting your things from Melba's."
She waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she finally said, "What did they say? Is it okay with your mother and your sister?"
"Of course it's okay." He glanced over at her, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Not everyone would want their life disrupted by an unexpected guest," she muttered.
One side of his mouth quirked up in a smile. "Are you going to disrupt their lives, Carly?"
"You know what I mean." She scowled at him. "Most people like a little warning when they have guests."
He glanced over at her again, and his eyes softened. "It's all right. They're happy they can help. And you won't be any trouble. There are plenty of extra bedrooms, and Maria always cooks for a crowd. One more at the table won't make any difference to her."
His eyes softened even more. "I know you're not used to taking from people, Carly. You're self-sufficient and proud of it. But it's something we all have to do once in a while. There's no shame in needing someone."
She felt as if he'd looked directly into her soul and seen all her secrets. It disturbed her, but it didn't terrify her as it would have done just a couple of weeks ago. And that's what scared her the most. It was time to counterattack.
"What about you, Dev? Do you ever allow yourself to need anyone?"
His mouth tightened and his hands gripped the steering wheel more tightly. Then he deliberately relaxed them. When he looked over at her, his eyes were shuttered. "I did, once. Not anymore."
Before she could ask him what he meant, he wrenched the steering wheel to the left and turned into the driveway of his ranch. "Here we are," he said. "Welcome to the Red Rock Ranch."
* * *
Chapter 12
«^»
Devlin kept his eyes on the drive, refusing to look over at Carly. He should have known that she would take his remarks about needing people and turn them back on him. It was dangerous to underestimate her.
Which is what he should have been thinking of earlier, when he'd been kissing her within an inch of her life in front of the doctor's office, he told himself savagely. He couldn't allow himself to forget that Carly was a woman who wasn't being truthful with him. He didn't know the truth yet, but he knew there was more to her story than she'd told him.
And that should have been the perfect reason for staying away from her. The fact that he hadn't been able to stay away from her frightened him. Trying t
o create some distance, he said, "I'm sure that Shea or one of the hands will give you a tour of the ranch. Feel free to go anywhere."
"Thank you," she said, after pausing a moment too long. Her voice was cool. "Will you show me where Edmund Whitmore was found?"
So she had gotten his unspoken message. He felt a pang of disappointment that she hadn't put up a fight, hadn't refused to allow him to distance himself. But it was better this way, he told himself. Better that they both knew where they stood. "Yes, I can take you there."
"Good."
When they rounded the last corner and the house came into view, Devlin saw that Shea was sitting on the porch swing. She jumped up when she saw them.
She was at Carly's door almost before the truck stopped moving. "Welcome to the Red Rock," she said, opening the door. "I'm so glad my brother convinced you to stay with us."
Devlin could see Carly's hesitation. "I appreciate you having me. I didn't want to barge in on you like this, but he insisted."
Shea reached into the back of the truck and grabbed one of Carly's bags. "And we're glad he did. We've got plenty of room, and I know you'll be safe out here. Come on in. Maria's just about got dinner on the table." She flashed him a grin. "Dev knows how Maria feels about people who are late for dinner."
Devlin watched his sister disappear into the house, then turned to Carly, who looked stunned. He struggled to suppress a grin. "Shea can be a little overwhelming. But she's right. Maria doesn't like stragglers. Let's go have dinner."
Carly smiled weakly. "I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like your sister. She really doesn't seem to mind having a total stranger foisted on her."
"I told you she wouldn't." Finally he did smile. "Shea's one of a kind. She's opinionated, but if she's on your side, she'll fight for you to the death. Come on in."
An hour later he sat back in his chair at the table and watched Carly talking to one of the cowboys. She had been quiet in the beginning, thanking his mother for letting her stay and answering Shea's questions in a low voice. But then Joe, Dusty and Levi had joined them at the table, and Dusty had begun to tease her about her city clothes. Before he knew it, Carly had been joking and smiling like everyone else, her reluctance to stay at the Red Rock apparently forgotten.
He didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay and listen to Carly trade banter with his family, to watch her bloom. The realization made him surly. Pushing his chair away from the table, he said, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've got work to do this afternoon. I'll see you later."
There was silence as he left the room. As the screen door banged shut behind him, he heard Shea say something in a low voice, and Levi cackled in response. Scowling, telling himself he didn't care what they said about him, he gunned the engine of the Blazer and twisted the steering wheel to head back to Cameron.
Carly was only staying at his house because she was in trouble. That was all there was to it. And if it felt right, if it felt like coming home to see her sitting at his table, laughing with his family, it didn't matter. Because she wasn't the kind of woman he was interested in. She wasn't the kind of woman to build a life with. He'd known that the minute he'd realized she wasn't telling him the truth.
As the truck shot down the driveway, spraying gravel in all directions, he wished he could convince his heart.
* * *
Carly listened to Devlin's truck roaring away, then turned to Shea. "Your brother is right. I've kept you from your chores for too long. If you'll show me where to put my things, I'll let you get back to work."
Shea grinned at her, but her eyes held a thoughtful look. "He was in a bad mood, wasn't he?" She watched Carly carefully. "I wonder why that would be?"
"I have no idea." Carly was afraid her cheeks were turning pink. "I think he was just irritated because he's had to spend so much time on my accidents lately."
"Mmm, that's probably it." Shea watched her with laughing eyes. 'Why don't I show you your room? Then I'll take you around the Red Rock, if you like."
"I'd love that. But I really don't want to keep you from your work. I've taken up too much McAllister time lately."
"Don't worry about it. I can check on the cattle at the same time, so I really won't be goofing off." Shea hesitated, then asked, "Can you ride a horse, or would you prefer to take the truck?"
"I've never learned to ride a horse." Carly was appalled at the wistful note in her voice. "So I guess it better be the truck."
Shea's blue eyes assessed her, then she nodded. "The truck it is. But then I'll give you a riding lesson."
"That's not necessary," Carly said, in spite of the rush of pleasure at the idea. "There aren't many places to ride horses in New York City."
"You never know when you'll need to know how to ride," Shea said, and her mouth quirked up in a grin as she studied Carly. "Who knows? You may not live in New York for the rest of your life."
"That's where my job is," Carly said, wondering why the thought of returning to the city she loved felt so unappealing.
"You never know." Shea grabbed a set of keys, then headed for the door. "Come on, Carly. We're burning daylight."
* * *
Several hours later, Carly staggered into the house and headed up the stairs to take a bath. The bruises on her legs ached, as well as muscles she didn't even know she had. Shea had given her a riding lesson, and although she'd enjoyed it thoroughly, her body was reminding her that she'd overdone it.
Sinking into a tub of hot water, she closed her eyes and thought about Devlin's family. Devlin's mother had been quietly concerned about her and had assured her that she would be safe at the Red Rock. She had even told Carly that she would delay her yearly winter trip to Arizona to make sure there was always someone around the house.
And Shea had treated her like she was a member of the family. Carly let the hot water relax her muscles as the memories warmed her heart. She couldn't remember ever feeling such a sense of family. It was as if everyone on the Red Rock had symbolically linked arms, including Carly in the chain, and turned to face the threat together.
It was a feeling she'd never had before in her life. She wondered if her family might have turned out to be like the McAllisters, if it hadn't been for the tragedies they'd had to face. But the McAllister family had faced tragedy, too, she realized. Devlin's father had been suspected of murder, but it had apparently only made them stronger.
And now she was going to reopen all their wounds.
She sat up slowly, letting the water sluice off her body. Her heart ached. What was she doing? In finding justice for her brother, was she going to destroy the McAllister family?
Carly slid back down into the water, telling herself it didn't have to be that way. The truth couldn't hurt. It was only lies and innuendos that were painful. The McAllisters would be just as happy as she was to get to the truth.
As she closed her eyes and tried to relax again, she worked on convincing herself that it was true.
"Hey, city slicker, it's almost time for dinner." A knock on the door and Shea's laughing voice roused her from the warm water. "Hurry up in there, or I'll send Dev up to shag you along."
Carly scrambled out of the cooling water and dried off, then stuck her head out the door to make sure no one was around before she hurried into her bedroom. Telling herself that no one would care what she wore to dinner, she picked out a pair of khaki pants and a flattering, feminine blouse in a dark green. When she arrived downstairs, Shea and her mother were standing with Devlin and the three older cowboys. It sounded like all of them were trying to talk at once.
In spite of the way they'd treated her that afternoon, the realization of what she might do to this family made Carly feel like an outsider again. She stood hesitantly in the doorway, reluctant to intrude.
Then Devlin turned and spotted her. A flare of need flashed into his eyes and he stilled, then he set down the glass he was holding and walked over to her. By the time he'd reached her, his eyes held nothing but polite inquiry.
"How are you feeling? Shea told me about your riding lesson."
"I'm fine." She tightened her leg muscles experimentally. "A hot bath worked miracles."
"I told her she should have taken it easy on you after your accident this morning, but Shea always acts first and thinks later."
She angled her chin at him. "I'm perfectly capable of deciding for myself whether or not to ride a horse."
He smiled, making his dimple flash, and she felt herself melting. "She told me that was exactly what you would say."
She looked over at the rest of them, talking in the other corner of the room, and had to fight to keep her eyes from misting. "Everyone has been so nice to me. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me," he said, his voice somehow intimate in the crowded room. "I didn't tell them to be nice to you. I didn't have to."
"Cameron isn't anything like I expected it to be," she whispered.
"I imagine it isn't. This is a different world than New York, Carly."
"I know." She looked up at him. "I think I like your world, Dev."
Something moved in his eyes. "I'm glad." He looked away. "Now we'd better go in to dinner, or Maria will make us wish we were back in your world."
Although Devlin sat next to her at dinner, he made it clear that the personal discussion was over. He talked to Shea and the cowboys about what they had done during the day, and he asked her what she had thought about the Red Rock.
She told him about her riding lesson, and when she tried to give it a humorous spin, Shea jumped to her defense and told Devlin that she was a natural. Once again, Carly felt included in the family, felt the ranks closing around her. She wanted to savor the feeling, even though she told herself it would only last as long as she stayed at the ranch.
After dinner, Joe, Dusty and Levi, the three cowboys, disappeared toward their cabin. Shea watched them go, grinning, then turned to Carly and Devlin.
"God forbid they start their poker game late." She pushed away from the table. "I have a bunch of paperwork to do. I'll see you tomorrow." She cocked her head at Carly. "Do you want to come with me in the morning?"
COWBOY WITH A BADGE Page 16
