Barnett tipped his hat. “My pleasure, miss. I’ll be back to check on your friend’s progress and take your statements. In the meantime, there are cots—make yourself comfortable.”
As Barnett reached the door, the deputy arrived and handed him a sack and a cardboard tray with two drinks. The smell of greasy fries and grilled onions filled the air. The sheriff passed the food and drinks to Ty as he left.
Ty held the sack gingerly. “Sorry. It’s not sweet potato fries. I must have dropped our food somewhere.”
“I’d say you made up for it by once again saving my neck.” She stepped toward him. When she was within reach of the bag, she plucked it from his hand, grabbed a handful of his shirt to pull him toward her, and kissed his cheek. Then she twined her fingers in his and tugged him toward one of the cots.
They ate perched on a thin, lumpy mattress encased in gray sheets that smelled of disinfectant. Or rather, she ate while he picked at his food. He marveled at the way she’d seemingly put the incident behind her already. She was much stronger than he gave her credit for. Maybe it wasn’t fair to try to keep her out of the pending fight. Everything she’d gone through had certainly given her the right to be involved if she chose to. If the situation were reversed and it was him with a gash in his cheek, a black eye, and needle tracks on his arm—yeah, he’d want to be there for the finale too.
When she finished eating, she crumpled the paper wrappers and tossed them in the bag. Setting the bag on the floor, she picked up her soda and took a swallow, then scooted back until she leaned against the wall and hugged her knees to her chest.
Ty threw the remains of his food in the bag, shoved himself backward to sit beside her, and gave in to the urge to throw his arm around her shoulders. She resisted his hug and remained unyielding against him. When he glanced at her, she was pale and her expression was stark.
“I almost shot you, you stupid jerk.”
He had to lean close to hear her anguished whisper, and this time when he tugged her closer, she pivoted and threw her arms around his neck.
Threading his fingers through her hair, he brushed it behind her ears and sought her gaze. He should have known what was bothering her. Like some goon trying to kill her wasn’t enough, she’d been dealt the final blow by how close she’d come to pulling the trigger with him in her sights.
“But you didn’t. I’m right here. More importantly—you’re okay. I’d have been pissed as hell if you’d been in that room without your gun aimed at that door. You did what you needed to do. I wouldn’t expect anything less. The fact that you were able to differentiate between me and the other guy tells me Joe and Charlie taught you well. They’d be proud. Hell, I’m proud.”
He stroked her back and breathed in the clean smell of her hair, still tinged in the fragrance of roses. “I’ll probably duck the next time, though.” He whispered against her ear and was rewarded with a soft laugh.
“That might be best.” She peeked at him.
Her lips drew him and even though he knew it was a bad idea, he couldn’t resist. His thumb traced along her throat, and he tipped her head just enough to brush her lips with his. As he sipped gently, she trembled and opened for him. He claimed her mouth, gently taking possession. His tongue swirled in and out of her lips, tasting her sweetness and sparring with hers.
Ty reached for her knee and pulled her onto his lap. His hands circled her waist as she straightened and braced against his chest.
“I wish we had more time so we could figure out what’s going on between us. You know I’d never hurt you, and I’d never ask you to do anything that I didn’t think was in your best interest.” She tensed and he tightened his hold on her waist. He’d dreaded this confrontation all day, but whether she agreed or not, they needed to talk this through before the moment arrived for her to leave.
She snorted. “You mean like shipping me off to Montana while you clean up Andre’s mess by yourself?”
Typical Rayna. Just like that, she was on the offensive. Ty rubbed half circles on her stomach with his thumbs. “It’s the smart thing to do.”
“Says who? It doesn’t feel smart to me, and besides, you wouldn’t do it.”
“You’re wrong. If the team thought it was the right thing, I would.”
She shoved his hands away and clambered off his lap to sit beside him. “That’s a crock. You’ve always thought you needed to take care of me. Is it because I’m a woman, or because I’m incompetent in your eyes? Or are you getting me out of your way so I won’t be around when you run into Bree again?” Her blue eyes flashed with anger.
Ty closed his mouth without uttering the spiteful retort her accusations dredged up in him. For several seconds, he stared at her. What seemed to him like a perfectly reasonable and prudent plan to remove Rayna from danger, was something else entirely to her. He’d hit a nerve, and she was striking back with whatever ammunition she could find. He’d wanted to clear the air between them, but this wasn’t what he’d had in mind.
Actually, he’d wanted much more. His plan involved telling her he didn’t want to live without her and finding out if she reciprocated any of his feelings. That idea had just gone down in flames. Now, they’d be lucky to part as friends.
He shook his head slowly. “I think you know none of those things are true. Keeping you in one piece is the only thing on my mind. If you don’t trust me by now, I’m out of time to try to convince you.” He kept his voice low and steady. If this was the last conversation they’d remember, he didn’t want it to be a loud and hurtful argument.
The ironic thing was, as much as he’d like to think he could handle her leaving in the next few hours, the thought was killing him. His head understood she’d be safer at Joe’s compound, but his heart wanted her here with him. Not only was she his best friend and the piece of the puzzle that had been missing for so long, she was also the one he trusted more than anyone to watch his back. Hell yeah, he wanted her here, but he couldn’t be that selfish.
Rayna covered her face with her hands and leaned toward him until the top of her blond curls rested against his arm. “I know . . . I’m such an idiot. How do you put up with me, anyway?”
Ty breathed a sigh of relief. This was the Rayna he’d fallen in love with. Compassionate, tenderhearted, and quick to forgive. The beating of his heart grew into an ache of longing. He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her against his chest.
“Easy. It’s always been easy, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.
She looked up and met his gaze, a smile stirring her countenance. “I love you, Ty.”
He smiled and captured her mouth, swallowing her delighted laughter. Crushing her to him, he kissed her, moving over her lips ardently.
Rayna clung to him, raising her lips to his ear when he finally gave them up. “Wherever we end up tonight, will you stay with me?” She whispered the words, and color flooded her face as he turned his bemused grin on her.
He lay back on the cot and pulled her with him until she rested partway on his chest. Wrapping both arms around her, he grinned. “Are you propositioning me?”
“I might be. It depends on your answer.”
“I’m pretty sure you could convince me.” Ty winked at her, a smile spreading across his face.
“Yeah?”
“Almost positive. We’ll have to talk Joe into staying over a night.” As soon as the words were out, Ty felt Rayna stiffen and realized his mistake.
She rolled off the bed and stood, looking down at him, disappointment and betrayal in her eyes. “I thought . . . you still want me to leave?” Her gaze searched his. “I was hoping you’d come to your senses, but I can see that won’t happen. We’ll leave it up to Joe, then. Don’t forget to say good-bye, though, because I’ll probably never see you again if you succeed in convincing him to take me home.”
“Rayna, be reasonable. Let me make sure you’re safe.”
She straightened, her hands resting on her hips. “I’ll go . . . if that’s what you
and Joe both want.”
“That’s not what I want at all, sweetheart.” He groaned. Just when he was beginning to make some progress, he stuck his foot in it again.
“Don’t call me that.” Rayna turned on her heel.
“Wait a minute. We’re not finished.” Ty got up to follow her and confess to a staggering degree of stupidity, or temporary insanity—anything to get her to smile at him again.
He’d only taken two steps when the door opened and Sheriff Barnett shuffled through. An instant later, Ty’s phone rang and Joe’s number popped up on the caller ID.
Chapter Twelve
* * *
RAYNA STALKED TO the opposite side of the infirmary—as far as she could possibly get away from Ty—stuffed her fingers in her pockets, and paced back and forth in front of a barred window. She’d jumped to an erroneous conclusion, thinking Ty had changed his mind about sending her away. He was only doing what he thought was best. She understood where he was coming from, but it made her furious nonetheless. And of course, she’d thought the moment of shared affection between them meant as much to him as it did to her, so she’d offered sex. God, how stupid could she be? She couldn’t wait to find out what Ty thought she’d expected to gain by sleeping with him. Heat poured into her face.
Hopefully, he wouldn’t hold his breath and wait for her to show up in his room. Torn between swearing in completely unladylike fashion or bursting into tears, she bit her lip and continued to pace.
Ty spoke with Joe on the phone for a minute and shared the plan with the sheriff as soon as he hung up. She overheard most of what was said but was too disappointed to care. Every time she glanced at Ty, he was watching her, his gaze dark and piercing. She scowled, turned away, and stared out the window.
Sheriff Barnett asked a few questions about the incident in their motel room, and when he finished and left, the ensuing silence blanketed the room with a chilly silence.
Rayna tensed as Ty approached. He didn’t touch her but stopped close enough that the heat of his body seeped into the skin of her back. She couldn’t help the shiver that slid along her spine. How could he possibly have this effect on her when she was so frustrated with him?
She took a step sideways, but he blocked her escape with his arm. When she darted the other direction, he boxed her in with arms on either side of her, his fingers resting lightly on the window ledge.
He brushed her hair back with his jaw and nuzzled her neck. Her traitorous body responded, leaning into him. Rayna pressed her lips tightly together for fear she’d give away how his mere touch made her into a blithering idiot. Apparently, her silence was encouragement enough. He stepped into her, tugging her back until their bodies met. His arms came around her, holding her against his hard, muscled body. He caressed her hips as his lips brushed kisses over her neck and throat.
Lost in a sea of yearning, she struggled to remember the reason she was so angry at this man who made her feel so many things all at once, but she couldn’t quite bring it into focus. The answer was right there . . . outside her grasp . . . but with each passing moment she cared less. She rubbed her hands against his legs, and the shudder that passed through him gave her a sense of power.
He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. His mouth covered hers, and his relentless assault turned her legs to Jell-O. Then, as suddenly as he began, he stepped back.
His grip on her waist was the only thing that kept her from collapsing. She blinked at him, and his knowing smile broke the spell she was under.
“Just curious. Was your offer to sleep with me tonight my prize for letting you stay?”
Her breath escaped as though he’d socked her in the stomach. Rayna staggered back a step, and his hands dropped away. The sorrow in his eyes turned the knife in her chest. She’d hurt him. Selfish, stupid, and bullheaded, she’d thought only of herself and what she wanted. If the truth were known, she’d been doing that for a while, and this wasn’t the first instance Ty had paid the price.
She drew herself up straight and met his gaze. “No. My offer to sleep with you was the real deal. Looks like we’re forever missing the boat, though, doesn’t it? I know you’re trying to protect me, and even though you’re wrong in this case, I appreciate your concern.” She reached toward him, but let her hand drop without making contact. “I’ll go if Joe agrees with you, but he’ll know how I feel before he decides. Either way, you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes, and they darkened. His lips parted, but no sound escaped. He stepped toward her as though to take her in his arms, but the opening of the infirmary door stopped him in his tracks, and they both turned to see the sheriff hurry into the room. The chopper landed on the hospital pad just as Sheriff Barnett’s cruiser slid to a stop at the edge of the asphalt.
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Rayna grabbed her bundle of clothes and hopped from the car.
“Come back and see us sometime when you don’t have the Russian Mob after you.” Barnett was particularly jovial tonight—probably glad to have them out of his quiet little town.
Ty shook his hand. “Sheriff, it’s been interesting. Stay safe.”
“You need that advice more than I do.”
Ty stepped out with his bag and put a hand on Rayna’s waist to usher her toward the chopper. She flinched away from his touch but kept moving. Walker broke away from the side of the chopper and jogged toward them. When she reached him, they linked arms.
“From what I hear, it’s not the best idea for you to hang around out here in the open very long.” Walker had to shout to be heard over the noise from the chopper. He studied the bandages and bruises on her face and frowned. “What did you do to piss this guy off so bad?”
“Just my natural charm, I guess.” God, it was good to see him. He never changed. Always steady and dependable. She really was homesick.
Rayna climbed into the backseat, and Ty jumped in beside her. Joe leaned back, handed them both headsets, and squeezed her knee. She settled the gear on her head, then buckled her seat belt.
“Thanks for dropping in.” Ty clasped Joe’s arm.
Walker took his place up front and put his headgear on, then glanced over his shoulder at Ty. “Good to see you’re still in one piece.”
“I had some help. Whose idea was it to call Nate?”
“Mine.” Joe’s curt response left no room for discussion. He was a consummate leader, and his men followed him because he was the best at what he did. Arguments over his decisions were rare.
Rayna caught the pain in Ty’s eyes before he turned away from her. He obviously believed Joe sent Nate because he didn’t think Ty could handle the situation. Maybe that was the reason, but she doubted it. The two men had worked together a long time, in some ugly situations, and Joe always trusted Ty with his back. There had to be more to it than that.
“How’s Cara?” Rayna laughed when Joe glanced back, an I-told-you-so look in his eyes.
“I knew that’d be the first thing out of your mouth. She’s doing great. Doctor says two weeks, and I promised I’ll be there when the baby comes.”
It was a perfect opportunity for Ty to suggest Joe take her home immediately. She eyed him questioningly when he looked her way. Deep green eyes stared her down, a clear message in them that turned her insides soft.
She forced herself to look away. “I’ll be there too.”
This time Walker’s gaze swept between her and Ty. “That’s great—if that’s what you want.”
Ty looked away first.
Rayna settled back in her seat. The sun was riding low in the west, the sky clear and brilliantly blue. Parallel lines of highway raced along below, edged in green trees and grass. A deep sigh of contentment escaped her. Here, surrounded by Joe, Walker, and Ty, she was safe. How long had it been since she truly felt safe? This was where she belonged, but soon Ty would be gone. A few minutes ago, she’d been so angry with him her world had turned a frightening shade of red, yet the thought of never
seeing him again shook her tenuous security.
Who the heck was she anymore? Certainly not the girl she was before Charlie died. The one who depended on him for everything—including decisions. Nor was she the tanned, perfectly manicured, bathing-suit-toting California collegian she’d masqueraded as for the last few weeks. She’d lost track of who she was supposed to be, and she didn’t care very much for the woman she’d become. It was time to change all that, and she’d start by being honest with herself about her feelings for Ty.
IT WAS DUSK when the chopper set down in a field behind Nate’s uncle’s house. Ty had spent enough time here, he was sure he knew every square inch of the place. It should have felt like home . . . but fell strangely short.
Joe cut the engine. “When you said Nate had a place out in the country, I didn’t expect this.”
Walker whistled. “On a cop’s salary?”
Ty laughed. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you sometime.” He’d thought the same thing the first time he saw the place. A three-story, Southern-style mansion set smack-dab in the middle of forty acres and surrounded by the very best surveillance equipment known to man. It had belonged to Nate’s uncle then. Uncle Leo had always been rather vague about what he did for a living and why he needed a fortress. He’d passed away three years back and left the place to Nate, along with enough money that he could give up his job with the PPB if he wanted to.
The funeral was the last time Ty had seen his friend until this trip. Nate and his girlfriend, Val, had planned to move in and live here, but Nate still referred to it as Uncle Leo’s house, and Ty knew, instinctually, that Nate only touched the money to keep the buildings and grounds up.
Guilt pummeled Ty again as he set foot on the ground. He should have kept in touch with Nate. This must have been a damn lonely place after Val left. Ty could relate.
It had been a perfect place for Ty to bring Bree and Madison, and Uncle Leo had loved the female attention. Now, Rayna would be safe here, too, until Joe could get her . . . He groaned. Suddenly, he didn’t want to finish that sentence.
If You Only Knew Page 14
