His slow, sexy smile told her his answer without words. She raised her gaze to his darkening eyes and her heartbeat picked up the wild, thundering pace from just a few seconds ago. “What do you think? Of course I felt it.”
Gulping hard, she could only nod. Magic. She’d searched for it with someone special. But no one ever quite connected. Not like Chance Deveraux did. The enemy. What would Granny say if she ever found out?
The thought of her elderly relative had Tessa breaking out in a cold sweat. Granny had nixed any kind of romance Tessa had ever attempted to establish with a man, sighting their many flaws and how she’d only get hurt eventually. A pang of loneliness throbbed to life. How could she convince granny that she already hurt without love in her life? And if she couldn’t get granny to allow a man in her life, then how in the world could Tessa have the baby she longed for?
Sighing, she knew she’d have to keep her wanton feelings for Chance Deveraux, bad boy extraordinaire, bottled up tight, or suffer the consequences at home. She’d had lots of practice doing that while growing up. The risk of her being seen here and with him increased ten-fold.
Her middle dipped, realizing that granny would find out from the town’s gossips. A wave of shame washed over her; she’d disappoint her granny. Again. Despite all her best efforts she always fell short of pleasing the high standards of the lady who had raised her when no one else would. The least she could do was honor the age-old feud and stop embarrassing her grandmother.
Clearing her throat, she longed for a drink, but couldn’t quite bring herself to take even a sip from the enemy’s camp. She disregarded the cola and fell back on her wit, making the best of a bad situation. Leaning close, she whispered, “Don’t tell my granny or she’ll be liable to put a chastity belt on me.”
His laughter rippled over her, warm and soothing. “How’s the old bat anyway? Still curmudgeonly as ever?”
A part of her agreed with him on his description, but the fiercely loyal part answered instead, “Granny’s just feisty, that’s all.”
“Yeah, right.” He snorted. “You’re feisty, she’s cranky, permanently.”
She couldn’t help but giggle at that. “You should be careful what you say about her; it might get back to her, then she’ll chase you down the street with a frying pan again.”
He arched an eyebrow, his expression indignant. Something low and deep tugged within her at that sexy look. “Who? Me? I was completely innocent the last time she did that.”
Warming to the subject and him even more, the knot in her middle relaxed. “Really? Then what about the time before that when you’d snuck in the house, stole her undies, then hoisted them up in the tree in the front yard, so they flapped in the wind for all the neighbors to see.”
Horrified, he asked, “Undies? Hell, Tessa, they were nothing short of bloomers!”
Fighting the losing battle of her bubbling laughter, she wagged a finger at him. “So, you admit it then.”
Closing the small space between them, he said softly in her ear, “I not only did do it, but I took a pair of your panties, the sweet little green pair with Saturday written on them in white lettering. I still have them.”
His hot breath tickling her flesh sent shivers down her spine. The fresh, pine scent of his after-shave wrapped around her in a sensuous fog, sucking her into the dangerous man. But his words and his bad boy ways stunned her. He still has my panties! What else did he take over the years? Rearing back to look him in his twinkling gray eyes, she said, “That was you! I thought granny tossed them out.”
He scowled. “You gave her credit for that?”
At his disgruntled look she burst out laughing. “Chance Deveraux, you dog you.”
Shrugging, his rugged features relaxed into a smile and the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled, but it didn’t fully reach down and erase the pain in his eyes. “I prefer devil to dog, sunshine. And don’t tell me you never tried anything like that in your life.” He poked his chest, saying, “I know better than that.”
“Who? Me?” she mimicked his earlier mock outrage.
“Yes, you,” he said, using his forefinger and thumb to cup her chin. His touch scorched her skin. “How about the time you stole my clothes when I went skinny-dipping in Carbuncle pond?”
Heat flew to her cheeks. Her impish streak burst forth. “I’ve got to say you do have really nice buns.”
“Ah hah! So, you do admit it now.”
Holding up her hands briefly, she agreed. “Guilty as charged.”
“I knew it was you all along.” Releasing her, he shook his head. “Oh, Lord, you should have seen me hobbling down the dirt road that night. Every time I saw any sign of lights coming, I’d rush to the side of the road and hide.”
“Hey, I left a trail of clothes for you, didn’t I?”
“You started out with my sock. What was I supposed to cover with that anyway?”
The tantalizing image flashed through her mind and she bit back on a groan. More heat whooshed through her blood stream. The prank of the past, combined with the forbidden aspect of this meeting, made her nerves jumpy and her senses heightened to the underlying sensual currents pulsing between them.
Now it was his turn to hold up his hands. “Oh no, don’t even go there.”
“It was funny then, and, if you’d think about it, it’s even funnier now.”
He laughed, a warm, genuine sound that held none of the raw emotions she’d thought she’d heard earlier in his voice.
“God, you’re good for me, Tessa.” Just the way he said her name in that whiskey-husky voice of his sent thrills through her veins. “I’ve been feeling sorry for myself until you walked in.”
Her chest ached for him. “I’m sorry about your granddad, Chance. He was sweet, funny, and he adored you.”
“Chip off the old block, huh?” he nearly choked.
Reaching out to him, she covered his fisted hand with hers. He flinched, and then withdrew. Swiftly, he checked out the interested audience unable to tear their eyes off her and him. Turning back, he looked at her as if he’d only just realized who she was.
“How would you know what he was like? Hell, the Deverauxs and Warfields haven’t said two kind words to each other in who knows how many years,” he said between gritted teeth, a muscle jerking along his jaw.
The blast of anger shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did nonetheless. Waves of pain rolled off of him and hit her. Behind it all she realized that she should never have come here tonight.
Twisting on the stool, she made to jump off. “You’re right, I don’t belong here.”
He shifted abruptly, barring her way. Standing before her, tall and imposing, he asked, “So why did you then?”
Briefly, she squeezed her eyes shut, blocking the painful memory that his stance brought back to her. The feel of his hand lifting her chin had her opening her eyes and gazing up at him. Ten long years fell away and she recalled those moments when she’d last been this close to him.
She’d clung to that image in the wrenching months afterward. With each new day and the knowledge they had brought, she’d found a place deep inside of her and escaped to the precious time she’d spent in Chance Deveraux’s strong arms.
Along with the rush of painful memories came some good ones, too. For the first time, granny had reached out to her, only knowing a man had left her heartbroken. Granny’s brief, miraculous transformation of bitterness to love would forever be branded in Tessa’s soul. Love would heal them both.
Now, she searched his gaze, peeling away the hurt, looking past the rebel and into his soul. Her heart twisted as she hungrily stared at the man who had once claimed her heart and soul. And he never even knew it, no one had, except me.
While coming here tonight, she’d convinced herself that once she saw him again the little girl crush she had on him years ago would have vanished. Now, mesmerized by his darkening gray eyes, she knew different. The attraction was there, stronger and more palpable than be
fore. How in the world could she keep it buried from everyone this time?
She stared into the eyes of danger. He could never find out her secret, all of her secrets. Never. If he ever did he’d rush to tell granny the truth to gain the upper hand in the feud and ruin her relationship with her only surviving relative.
She had to do whatever it took to stay away from the one man who yearned to destroy her granny and in the end her. Despite the pulsating attraction between them, she knew he’d do it.
Panic began to bubble in her chest; if she wasn’t careful she’d eventually blurt out the truth. Her mouth had always gotten her in trouble. She had to get this over with, and quick, and then put as much distance between her and Chance as humanly possible.
“You didn’t answer my question. So why did you come here tonight to a place you knew wouldn’t welcome you, in fact might have even kicked you out?” His softly asked question dropped her back to earth.
“I…I was invited.”
His dark brows came together in a deep frown. “Who did?”
“Gil?” she squeaked out, unsure of how he’d take it.
A mixture of dawning, shock, and denial entered his eyes. He dropped his hand and backed up a pace. “No.”
Guiltily, she nodded.
He jerked his head around. Tessa followed his line of vision, spotting Gil Lambert making his way to them among the suddenly quiet crowd with their eyes pinned to the unfolding drama. When the lawyer stopped near them and rocked back and forth on his heels, Chance demanded, “Tell me granddad didn’t include a Warfield…”
“Can’t do that, son. She’s here because she’s in your grandfather’s will.”
Chapter 3
If Tessa had felt alone before, it was far worse now as Chance directed another accusatory look her way. She gulped hard and pasted a smile on her face, feeling the quiver in her cheeks at the effort it cost her.
Sitting there, hunched up on an old hard wooden crate in the box-laden stock room, she cupped her chin in her palms with her elbows on her knees. She followed his pacing in the cramped, musty quarters. Dust motes swirled around him and sailed to the bare light bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling.
She sneezed loudly when the grime floated back down to her.
“God bless you,” Chance said, tossing the words over his shoulder.
“He’s the only one likely to,” she muttered under her breath. She wondered how in the world she’d figured she could easily slip in and out of this place tonight without fuss or fight. As usual her inquisitiveness had gotten her in another pickle.
The muffled raised voices of the bar’s patrons penetrated the flimsy door. They’d heard Gil declare she was in the will and weren’t taking it very well at all. Thankfully, Chance had ushered her quickly out of the ruckus, stashing her in this back room for her safety. A tender spot deep inside had throbbed to life at the endearing, protective gesture.
Now, she glanced at his foreboding features. Dark and dangerous. Instantly, she realized he was still that bad boy of yesteryear, still her family’s adversary, now more than ever. If he ever found out her secret…
She shivered at the disquieting thought of being cooped up with a growling panther, ready to attack. And she could very likely be his prey.
“I wish Gil would hurry up and get in here so we could get this over with,” she said, talking her thoughts aloud once again. The less time she spent in Chance’s company the better.
At the thought of never seeing him again her middle clenched and a sharp ache swept through her. As she drank in his rugged profile, she realized the buried feelings from her childhood not only still lingered, but also had grown.
She brushed the disturbing news aside, knowing she had to forget about the magic and concentrate on protecting her granny from this man.
Dragging a hand through his hair, he muttered, “What’s he up to now?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Gil?”
“No, granddad.”
Lifting a shoulder, she said, “Heck, if I know.” His lips didn’t even twitch at her attempt at humor. A trickle of fear grew in her chest. The day fun-loving Chance Deveraux didn’t crack even a teensy weensy smile stopped her cold.
He didn’t think she had anything to do with it, did he? She was certain if he thought about it hard enough he’d figure out she’d never be privy to his grandfather’s wishes when even he wasn’t. But somehow she doubted he could reason clearly with so many bottled up feelings swirling around inside him; she’d glimpsed the myriad of emotions chasing across his handsome features and sensed the thickening anxiety in the air.
And I’m the easiest one to blame, the best target to unleash all his anger on. Better me than a dead man he adored.
Chance plopped down on a box across from her. Startled at his abrupt move, she dropped her hands and pulled back, stiffening her spine. He looked her square in the eye. Suspicion lurked in his. “How long have you known about this?”
She swallowed past the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. “Since this morning when Gil called. Thank heavens granny was out. She’d kill me if she knew I was even here.”
His doubts about her involvement seemed to melt away right before her. “Yeah, I guess it was a stretch thinking the Warfields had put granddad up to this.” He arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you’ve finally broken free of the chains your grandmother has on you.”
A wave of unease washed over her. He’d struck too close to the truth. “Granny’s just protective,” she argued, somehow the words rang hollow.
“Controlling, is more like it.” He paused, and then said, “So why did you show up tonight when you know good and well she’ll eventually find out? You didn’t have to, you know.”
Tessa avoided his penetrating stare, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle from her dark skirt. “Just curious, I guess.” Curious about you, about how you would look and if you would remember…
Peeking at him from under her lashes, she inadvertently rested her gaze on his firm lips. She licked her own, somehow thinking she could still taste him after all these years. Hot and wild.
He rubbed a hand over his jaw, saying, “So she doesn’t know you’re in the will or she’d be here…” He waved his hand, saying, ”Of course, now that I think about it, Granddad would have sworn everyone who knew about it to secrecy. He’d make certain she never knew a darn thing about that or anything else. Thank God for small favors or she’d be rubbing this in my face,” he muttered the last under his breath.
“What about yours?” Tessa asked, her voice squeaking as she realized what struck closest to his heart and what bothered him the most. Betrayal. “Maybe your grandmother knew and didn’t tell you either.”
She swore she actually saw a dagger of hurt slice across his face, and then nothing but taut, chiseled lines remained. In that instant, she put herself in his shoes. His family had turned on him. How dishonest, how disloyal!
A cold, dull ache of empathy encompassed her chest, squeezing tight. Lord, what would I do if granny ever kept something this important from me? She couldn’t even imagine how much it would destroy her.
Compassion welled inside her. Leaning forward, she reached out, lightly touching his warm clasped hands. “I’m sorry…”
Suddenly the doorknob twisted, and then the door banged open. Tessa snatched her hand away and jumped back at the unwelcome intrusion. The noise from the outer room grew in frightening volume, chilling her to the bone. Chance rose swiftly as Gil, followed by Father Tom, entered, causing the room to shrink even more. The lawyer shoved the door closed, muffling the angry voices directed at her.
Tessa’s heart thumped faster. She scooted back on the box even more, hugging her knees to her chest. Gazing upward, she noted the anxious looks on the two older men’s faces. The stark beam of light revealed the creases and worry lines, while the shadows must have hid so much more.
“Well, child, I say we get this over with and get you out the back way, fast,” Father Tom’s sa
id, his kindly features softening when his sympathetic gaze rested on her. He leaned over and patted her shoulder. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His firm assurance gave her some comfort. At least she had someone on her side. “Thanks, Father Tom.”
Gil cleared his throat, then said hurriedly, “Under the… ah…difficult circumstances, we can dispense with formality, if that’s all right with the two of you?” He looked to Chance as he withdrew a thick envelope from his inner suit pocket.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Chance said, a muscle jerking along his clenched jaw and his hands balled into fists.
“Tessa?” Gil asked softly, turning to her.
Nodding, she said, “I’m dying to find out why a Deveraux would put a Warfield in his will anyway. It’s gotta be some humiliating thing, right?” She’d racked her brain all day for an explanation and came up with the obvious: It was Gabe Deveraux’s last act of spite against the Warfields.
The attorney seemed to pale considerably, and then unfolded the official document. The crinkle of the paper grated in the raw atmosphere. She braced herself for the inevitable. Coughing gruffly, he began, “There are some smaller bequests for Gabe’s friends and his wife that we don’t need to go into here and now. Chance, you’re the main beneficiary. He left you the pub—”
“The pub?” His dark brows drew together in a deep frown. “Why in hell would he leave me the damn bar?”
Gil coughed, and then cleared his throat loudly. He tugged at his collar, loosening his tie in the process. “Ah… listen, Chance, I know about your…problem…”
Chance snorted. “You don’t need to sugarcoat it, Gil. I’m a drunk.”
“Recovering,” Father Tom said hastily. When Chance pinned him with a sharp look, the priest shrugged. “Your granddad mentioned that to me.”
The news slammed into Tessa. Studying Chance closely, she shivered, realizing she didn’t know him anymore, or who she had dreamed he had been. Maybe Granny was right all along; he was nothing but trouble with a capital T.
Lies of the Heart (Heart Romance #3) Page 2
