by Lori Foster
Dalton drew back, both brows shooting high. “You sound like you care about her.”
Through his teeth, Harry said, “I like her as a friend.”
“Hmm.”
Harry decided it was time to change the subject. “Dalton, she has this crazy idea of making you think we’re lovers. I have to tell her the truth.”
“No! I think this might be the perfect opportunity. I screwed up, I admit it, but maybe I can fix things.” He began pacing back and forth in front of the sink. “I never meant for her to hear me, it’s just that I’m anxious to help. But now I can prove to her that I do care. As long as she’s only acting with you, I’ll know she’s safe. I’ll be able to show her that I accept her, that I… ” He swallowed hard, his eyes misty. “That I love her no matter what.”
Harry’s insides cramped. “That’s an asinine plan.”
“No, don’t you see? She’s doing this to shock me because she thinks I’ll walk away repulsed. But now I can show her I’ll never leave her again, no matter what.”
Harry muttered a crude curse that had Dalton blinking in surprise.
“All right. But I’m telling you, I don’t like it. You’d better prove yourself to her and fast because I can’t take too much more.”
Harry stomped out of the bathroom without explaining what it was he couldn’t take, and almost ran over Charlie, who’d come to see why it was taking them so long. He caught her to keep her from falling, and she landed against his chest with a thud. She saw Dalton behind Harry, and that was all the encouragement she needed. She threw her arms around his neck, plastered her body up against his, and kissed him so thoroughly he thought he was having his own heart attack.
“I just got off the phone,” she whispered against his mouth. “I found someone to cover for me so I could have the night off. I guess we’ve got a date after all.”
Bewitched
CHAPTER TEN
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Charlie almost laughed at the look on Harry’s face. He went from heated response, to shock, to chagrin. Luckily her father was still behind him and didn’t see that variety of reactions. She kissed him again for good measure, and as he removed her arms with a chastising frown and started around her, she patted his butt.
Harry jumped, looking like a man who’d just been stung, then took her hand and literally dragged her to the table. Dalton came along, smiling like a damn Cheshire cat, though what he had to grin about, Charlie had no idea.
When they reached the table, Harry pulled a chair out for her. She laughed, pushed him into his seat and dropped onto his lap. She was prepared to put on a real show, not only to prove to her father she was beyond redemption, but because this gave her the perfect opportunity to be close to Harry. Very soon now, their time would be over. He’d brought her father to her, and he planned to wrap things up that week with Floyd and Ralph. He wouldn’t share his plans in that regard, but she’d come to know Harry very well and knew he was up to something. Just the fact that he’d been hanging out in the Lucky Goose all week told her he wanted to keep an eye on her, to make sure she didn’t blunder into whatever plans he had in mind.
It didn’t bother her. She was so at ease with Harry, she could enjoy his company while being herself.
To her surprise, Harry didn’t try to push her away. He sighed, then looped his arms around her waist. In her ear, he whispered,“ There’s always retribution to be paid, Charlie. Don’t forget that.”
She ignored this threat, just as she ignored all his others. Harry wouldn’t hurt her and she knew it. She turned to Dalton, to judge his reaction to the scene, and saw him staring toward the doorway. With an inkling of dread, she whipped about and there stood Jillian. She had a shopping bag clutched in her hands and a frozen expression on her face.
“Oh hell.” Charlie started to scramble off Harry’s lap, but he tightened his hold.
“Ah, ah. Don’t turn cowardly on me now.”
“Harry, I don’t want Jill—”
“To meet her father?” He gave her a gentle hug. “Honey, relax. It’ll be okay.”
“Not with me on your lap! What will she think?”
“That you’re up to mischief again, no doubt.”
Dalton came to his feet like a sleepwalker. “Jillian?”
Jillian’s smile trembled the tiniest bit, and then she walked forward cautiously. She glanced at Charlie, and her eyes widened when she saw how her sister was seated. Charlie groaned. “It’s not what you—”
Laughing, Harry interjected, “I’d stand, but you can see I have a vexatious burden in my lap.”
Jill nodded politely. “Is there, ah, any reason why?”
With a smile that was pure wickedness, Harry said, “We’re passionately involved, don’t you know.”
Charlie’s elbow came back hard enough to make him grunt, then she smiled at Jill. “I was going to tell you later, after… well, I wanted to make sure everything would be okay… ”
Jill glanced at Dalton, then back to her sister. “I understand. Would you like to introduce me now?”
“I suppose I don’t really have a choice, do I? Jill, this is our father, Dalton Jones.”
Jill caught her breath and dropped her bag. She blinked hard, trying to fend off tears. “I thought… I mean, you look exactly as I imagined, but I just wasn’t sure… ”
Dalton, his own eyes wet, reached out to her. “I never gave up hope of finding you.”
Jill took his hands. “I have so many questions.”
“Me, too.”
They seemed to be in their own little world and Charlie, disgusted and a tad jealous, shook her head. Her sister was so much more accepting than she could ever be. She leaned back against Harry and whispered, “Don’t start looking smug. If he does one thing to insult her or upset her, I’ll toss him—and you—out.”
Frowning, Harry appeared to consider that. “I don’t think you can just toss a lover out. No, a lover gets to stick around through thick and thin.”
“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”
“I’m beginning to.”
Charlie looked at his totally shameful grin and had to smile herself. He did enjoy matching wits with her, that had been apparent from the first. She enjoyed it too, along with a great many other things.
She forgot about provoking Dalton and leaned forward to kiss him. Jill cleared her throat.
“Oh.” Charlie straightened, flustered, while Harry looked sublimely unaffected.
“Don’t mind us,” he said, “she just can’t keep her hands off me.”
With a smothered laugh, Jill said, “I’m going to run upstairs and put my stuff away, then I’ll be right back down.”
Dalton stepped forward. “You live upstairs, is that correct?”
“Yes. Would you like me to show you around?”
Charlie stiffened, ready to refuse despite Harry’s gentle stroking on her back, when Jill added, a touch of warning in her tone, “Charlie won’t mind. She never lets men upstairs—well, except for Harry, but he’s different.”
“So I understand.”
Jill laughed. “Charlie is rigidly uncompromising about how she handles having our home above the bar. She’s never wanted any of the men here to get the wrong idea. She won’t admit it, but she’s something of a mother hen most of the time.”
Dalton glanced at Charlie with a smile. “I realize that. And it soothes me to know what a wonderful job she’s done handling everything.”
Charlie’s mouth fell open in surprise at the praise, and Harry started to laugh, tempting Charlie’s elbow again. She gave in to temptation, and at the same time prompted her sister with, “I thought you were going to put your things away.”
Jill rolled one shoulder. “I don’t know why you’re so shy about being a good sister. It’s not like it’s a bad thing.”
Dalton took Jill’s arm to start them on their way. “Maybe you can tell me mo
re about… Charlie, during our tour?”
“I’d love to!”
As they disappeared through the doorway, Charlie dropped back against Harry with a groan. “Jill and her big mouth.”
Harry smiled against her temple. “If I laugh, will you poke me with that sharp elbow of yours again?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then I’ll content myself with telling you how childish you’re acting.” She started to pull away, but he locked his arms around her, just below her breasts, and held her secure. “Allow your lover just a little leeway, please. It’s my right as such to point these things out.”
“Okay, so pretending we’re involved was a bad idea on my part. You can quit punishing me for it.”
“Is that what I was doing?”
“Yes. You’ve made your point. I’ve acted like a total idiot.”
“I never said any such thing and I’ll thank you not to put words in my mouth.”
She twisted to face him, bracing her hands on his shoulders. “All right, so what would you say?”
He smoothed her hair away from her face and his expression grew serious, his golden brown eyes intent. “That you’re fighting yourself more than anyone else. Dalton’s reaction wasn’t one of disapproval, but guilt. He doesn’t know you well enough yet to know you wouldn’t be taken advantage of. He doesn’t know how strong and capable you are.”
“But you do?”
His hand cupped her neck, caressing. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.”
“Too strong?”
His brows lifted in admission. “Sometimes. You plow your way through life assuming sheer determination will get you what you want.”
She wondered if he was talking about himself. True, she’d been coming on strong, but that was the only way she knew. Sheer determination had gotten her everything she wanted—with the exception of a responsible mother or an available father.
She looked down at his chest and toyed with a button on his shirt. “Today… well, this was just for show.”
“I wasn’t talking about us, Charlie. I was talking about this unreasonable assumption you have that you can handle men like Carlyle, or even Floyd and Ralph.”
“Oh.” She waved that away. “I’m not worried about them, even though you’re keeping secrets from me.” She slanted him a look. “I know something’s going on, and I’ll figure it out sooner or later. Now, don’t look like that, Harry. You know I will! I’m not dumb, and despite all your warnings, they don’t scare me.”
His sigh was exaggerated. “I know, and that’s what worries me. I have enough appreciation for their malevolent capacities for both of us.”
Charlie grinned. “I love it when you talk like that. Malevolent capacities. It sounds dirty.”
He shook her slightly, but she could see the amusement in his eyes. “I’m serious here, Charlie.”
“Yeah, well, I’m seriously starting to wonder what’s taking them so long. Our apartment is pretty small. You could walk the whole thing in under two minutes.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Tell my father that.” Harry grew so solemn, she sighed. “All right, I’m sorry.”
He grabbed his head and weaved in the chair, almost toppling Charlie. “I must be delirious. Surely you didn’t just apologize? Not Charlie Jones, the toughest—”
“My elbow hasn’t gotten any softer you know.” She stifled a chuckle as she made the threat, drawing her arm back in warning.
Harry grabbed her close and kissed her mouth, laughing against her lips. It was a ticklish kiss—at least at first. Then his mouth softened, slowed with awareness. She was on his lap, feeling his heat, his strength. At first the closeness was a game, but now it struck her how cozy it could be.
She’d never sat in a man’s lap before meeting Harry.
They both remained motionless for a long moment, and Charlie could hear the thundering of her heartbeat in her ears. Her lips parted, and with a groan, Harry tilted her back over his arm. His mouth was suddenly hot, hungry, his tongue stroking past her lips, tasting—
“Maybe we should leave the lovebirds alone.”
Harry jerked back so fast he made Charlie lose her balance. She almost slid off his lap. He managed to catch her arms, saving her the disgrace of falling on her behind. To her disgust, she could feel her face heating.
“Ah, Jill, we were just… ”
“I’m young, sis, not stupid.” Jill shook her head at Harry, then continued. “Father and I have decided to go to dinner. He said you two had a date, so we’ll just use the time to get better acquainted.”
Charlie felt her temper start to boil, but then Dalton stepped closer and said, “That’s if it’s okay with you. Harry drove here, but we can catch a cab. I thought after dinner, I could show Jill the jewelry store I own on the other side of town. I’d love for you to see it as well, but of course, I don’t want to interfere with your personal time.”
Momentarily stuck in her own deception, Charlie said, “Uhhh… ”
Harry had no such problem. “That’s fine. I’m sure we’ll manage without you.”
Charlie stood and stared hard at Dalton in warning. “Where are you going to dinner?”
He didn’t look the least put off by her tone, or her question. “I thought we’d go to Maria’s. It’s a nice little Italian restaurant not too far from my store.”
It was a restaurant she’d never been to, a very ritzy, expensive place well above her budget. She glanced at her sister and saw that Jill had changed into a dress and looked very excited by the prospect of dining there. Charlie didn’t want to let her go. Old protective instincts clamored inside her, reminding her of all the years she’d spent looking out for her sister’s well-being. But Jill was eighteen now, a young woman, and it was time to give her some freedom.
It went against her instincts, but Charlie nodded. “All right.”
Jill stepped forward and gave Charlie a tight hug. “Thank you.”
She waved her off. “Don’t thank me. I’m not the one taking you.”
“But we both know I wouldn’t go if you asked me not to.”
Uncomfortable with Dalton and Harry listening in, Charlie made a face. “Yeah, well, I’m assuming Dalton will take good care of you.”
Dalton’s mouth twitched at the malice in her tone. “Absolutely.” Then he, too, stepped forward for a hug, taking Charlie by surprise. In a low voice meant only for her ears, he said, “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to finally meet you. Pleased, and so damn proud.”
Charlie was still mute after they’d walked out the door. Harry, with a twisted grin, waved a hand in front of her face.
“Are you all right or did Dalton put a trance on you?”
She shook her head as if to clear it, then looked at Harry, but she didn’t really see him. A jumbled mix of emotions made her shaky inside. Her father was proud? She swallowed hard and tried to digest that information, but every stubborn, fighting instinct she had rebelled against it. Accepting any accolades from him would make her weak, would detract from the foundation she’d built over the past months and alter her goals completely. It was too much to take in all at once, and so she did what came naturally instead.
With a determined look that made Harry draw back, she walked around him and started out of the bar.
He hustled after her. “Where are you off to, brat?”
“I’m going to follow them.”
“What!”
“He can visit with my sister all he likes, as long as I’m close enough to take care of her if anything goes wrong.” Using her key, she unlocked the bottom door and rushed through it. Harry caught it in time and went up the steps with her. “I’m going to change, then I’m leaving. If you want to come along, fine, but I don’t need you there.”
He tried to catch her arm, but she shook him off to unlock the door at the top of the stairs.
“Charlie, this is insane.”
“Think what you like. I’m still going
to do it.” She went down the hall to her bedroom, aware of Harry right behind her, and of his shock to her decorating scheme. He’d been upstairs many times, but never in her bedroom.
He stood there with his mouth open, his face blank. “Good God. You have ruffles.”
Belligerent, she said, “Yeah, so? It’s my room and I can decorate it any way I want.” She pulled out a clean pair of newer jeans and a white button-down oxford-cloth shirt. It was the closest thing she had to “dressier.”
Harry touched the fluffy white quilt on her bed. “I like it, so don’t sound so defensive. It’s just that I pictured you with… ”
“Barbed wire? A bare mattress?” She snorted. “The quilt is warm and the bed skirt hides all the stuff I stick under my bed.”
Harry bent and looked. “There’s nothing under your bed.”
“Go to hell, Harry.”
He laughed, but when she pulled off her T-shirt to change, his humor died a quick death. Sounding strangled, he asked, “What are you doing?”
“Changing. I can’t very well go unnoticed if I wear what they’ve already seen.”
“Charlie.” With his gaze glued to her upper body, bare except for her bra, he clasped her shoulders. “Don’t do this to yourself.”
She tried to shrug him off, but his large hands held firm. “I have to hurry.”
“You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
Turmoil exploded inside her, making her hands shake and her stomach pitch. In a voice that was less than steady, she growled, “Don’t start with me now, Harry. I have to go.”
“Shh.” Despite her resistance he pulled her close and his big hot hands smoothed up and down her naked spine. “I know, babe, I really do. This is so damn hard. But you need to indulge in a little trust.”
“Trust a man I barely know?”
He kissed her ear, still making those “shushing” sounds. “You know me, and I’ve told you the man is safe. And you should certainly trust your sister. What responsibilities did you have at eighteen?”
The trembling became worse and she leaned into Harry, for the moment letting herself relax, letting his heat seep into her. “None that I want Jill to have.”
