Her eyes widened. “She chased you?”
“Go ahead,” he said in a voice heavy with sarcasm. “Tell me I’m not the type of man a woman would chase after, either.”
“It’s not that. I—” Frowning, she shook her head. “Please go on. What happened? Why did you divorce?”
“I asked myself that same question for years, Rosa. And I’m still not sure I know the answer. My father kept telling me that she was all wrong for me—that I was making all sorts of mistakes by giving her free rein. I wouldn’t listen. I was just as obstinate as my dad. Anyway, in the beginning we had a pretty good marriage. But after a while she thought I was too much of a stuffed shirt for her, especially with Trent around. He kept her laughing.”
“Your twin?”
“That’s right. My twin. He stepped right in and did his best to make DeeDee happy.”
As the meaning of his words sank in on her, disbelief filled her eyes as one hand crept up to her throat. “Did they—are you saying they had an affair?”
He swiped a hand over his face. Damn, but he’d not wanted to get into this tonight. But would tomorrow be any better? Or the day after that? No. There would never be a good time to talk about the very things he’d tried so hard to forget.
“I can’t say for sure that they had an actual affair while we were married. But after we divorced, he didn’t waste any time marrying her, if that tells you anything. I’d barely gotten out here to New Mexico when Mom got me the word that they’d flown out to Vegas and had a hasty wedding.”
“What did you think? Or by then did you even care what they did?”
“No. My marriage to DeeDee was finished long before we ever divorced. And I guess you could say my relationship with my brother ended at that time, too.”
“That’s so awful, Tyler. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. DeeDee isn’t worth being sorry over. But my brother—that was different. When we were kids, the two of us were practically inseparable and we remained very close up until I went away to college.”
“Trent didn’t go to college with you?”
“No. Education never was high on his list of important goals. He wanted to stay home and help Dad run the ranch.”
“College isn’t for everyone,” she reasoned. “Only two of my brothers went. The other two are doing fine without it.”
“Well, I think that’s when my brother and I drifted apart. I think he resented my desire to acquire a degree in ranch management. He thought I ought to stay home and build fences or brand cattle along with the rest of the crew. That was ranching to him. I wanted to learn how to make my ranch more profitable and to keep it that way. But even though we disagreed about that, I never once thought he would betray me by stealing my wife. But DeeDee had a way of manipulating people. She turned Trent and my father both against me.”
“How did she manage to do that? Couldn’t they see through her behavior?”
His laugh was harsh and mocking. “They were more focused on my behavior. They believed I was mean to DeeDee.”
“Mean? Unless you’ve made a complete change in yourself I can’t picture you being mean to a woman.”
“Oh, I don’t mean abusive. I simply tried to get her to behave more maturely. You see, I was always the serious, responsible twin while Trent was the fun-loving one of us. And now that I look back, maybe I was too serious for DeeDee. I wanted her to spend more time at home. I wanted her to have our children. She wanted to enjoy herself before she started all of that.”
“And your brother and father agreed with her?”
“Of course Trent sided with her. They were two peas in a pod. As for Dad, he never liked DeeDee in the first place. Never wanted me to marry her. I honestly think he encouraged Trent to go after her.”
“I don’t understand. If Warren didn’t want DeeDee in the family, why would he want his other son to show interest in her?”
“I don’t think Dad ever thought Trent would go so far as to marry her. Though I can’t be exactly sure about that. Once I filed for divorce, I sold my part of the family ranch and the cattle I owned and got the hell out of there. After that, I can’t tell you what took place on the Rocking P. Mom just told me bits and pieces in her letters about DeeDee and Trent getting married.”
“Are they still living on the ranch with your parents?”
“As far as I know.”
“And your father? He doesn’t care that you’re not in his life?”
“He’s an obstinate man, Rosalinda. He’d never admit he was wrong. Nor would he ever bend. From the time I was a small boy until I reached manhood, he tried to control every aspect of my life. Trent could do as he pleased, but I was to do as Warren Pickens ordered. When Dad started meddling in my marriage that was the last straw.”
“Did you ever think he might have done those things out of love?”
Tyler snorted. “Love? I’m not sure Warren Pickens understands that word.”
“Do you?”
“I used to think so. Now I’m not so sure.” Moving up behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist and spoke against her ear. “I’m beginning to think I’ve never experienced the real thing. Not the kind between a man and a woman.”
She turned in the circle of his arms and rested her palms against the middle of his chest. “There’s a difference between love and sex, Tyler.”
“I know. I’ve had the sex. Maybe someday I’ll discover what the other is all about.”
He could see the delicate arch of her throat working as she swallowed hard. “And what would you do, Tyler, if you did fall in love with a woman? You’re bitter about marriage. I can hear that in your voice.”
“I’m bitter about a lot of things that my family did to me. But I like to think my life could be different. With the right woman by my side.”
“Oh, Ty,” she whispered, moving so close that the front of her body was touching his. “I dream of having the right man in my life. But my past is—”
“Everyone has some sort of past,” he interrupted.
“Yes. Well, mine changed me.”
“So did mine,” he softly agreed. “But that was then and this is now.” With his hands cradling her jaw, he drew her lips up to his and kissed her soft mouth until she was whimpering and his own need was rising.
“That kiss—it felt pretty special to me.”
With fingertips pressed against her lips, she shook her head. “It’s getting late,” she murmured. “I think I’d better go.”
He wasn’t ready for this evening with her to end. At this very moment he wanted to kiss her until she was begging him to take her to bed, or he was begging her. But it was far too soon to press her for more. And way too soon for him to be wanting so much. He wasn’t sure what was going on between them, but he couldn’t just ignore this woman.
“All right. I’ll walk you to your truck,” he said.
“Thank you,” she told him. “I’ll get my purse from the kitchen.”
Short minutes later, the two of them reached her truck. Tyler opened the driver’s door for her and put a hand around her elbow to assist her into the cab. But she took him by surprise by suddenly turning to face him.
“I can’t go without telling you how much I’ve enjoyed tonight,” she said softly.
“So have I, Rosa. And that stuff about my family. You’re the first to ever hear that.”
A soft south wind rippled a strand of hair across her cheek, and he used his forefinger to tuck it behind her ear.
“I don’t know what to say, Tyler.”
She looked confused and anxious and he couldn’t begin to understand why. “Don’t say anything about that. Just tell me you’ll go with me to the cabin. Or if you’d rather, I’ll take you out on the town. To a movie or something.”
She dropped her he
ad. “I don’t figure you’re much of a town man. For you to offer to go to a movie—you must really want to spend time with me.”
“I do,” he said simply.
She released a long breath, then looked up at him and smiled. “Okay. I’m not much of a town person, either. I’d love to see the cabin. I’ll call and let you know when I have a free day.”
The joy that was rushing through him didn’t make a lick of sense, but he cherished it more than if someone had filled his hand with pure gold.
“I’ll be ready.”
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Good night, Tyler.”
“Good night,” he murmured.
He watched her drive away, until her taillights disappeared beyond the ranch yard, before he finally walked back to the house.
As soon as he entered the living room, he found Gib sitting in an armchair pretending to read a magazine.
“What the hell are you doing up?” Tyler asked.
Dropping the magazine, Gib rose to his feet and innocently flopped his arms at his side. “It’s still early. Why wouldn’t I be up?”
Tyler snorted. “Your hip was hurting. Remember?”
“And you’re damned glad it was, ain’t ya?”
Shaking his head, Tyler tried not to grin. “Okay, you old codger. I should thank you for letting me have Rosa all to myself.”
A broad smile spread across Gib’s face. “You’re damned right, you’d better thank me. She’s a keeper. I hope you know that.”
Tyler started out of the room only to have Gib follow after him.
“I’ve already figured that out without you having to tell me.”
“Good,” Gib said with a satisfied grunt. “Now you just got to figure a way to make her your girl.”
Tyler whirled around so fast the other man nearly crashed into him.
“And what the hell if I do, Gib?” he challenged. “You think I could make her happy? Keep her happy?”
His jaw tight, Gib glared at him. “You let your old man bring you down once. You gonna let him do it again? Ten years, Tyler. Ten years. Don’t you think it’s been long enough for you to become your own man?”
Suddenly all the anger, dejection and hurt he’d endured from his family hit him like a sledgehammer and he was no longer seeing Gib, he was seeing his father and brother, feeling the cuts of their harsh, critical words.
“Get out of my sight,” Tyler practically shouted at him. “Now!”
His face like a piece of stone, Gib stepped around him. “Gladly! And as far as I’m concerned you can get your own breakfast in the morning!”
The moment Tyler saw Gib limping away from him, he knew he was going to go after the man and apologize for his sudden outburst. He also knew that Gib would forgive him. Because the old man understood. Because Gib loved him even when he behaved like a bastard.
But could Rosalinda ever love him like that? Through the good times and the bad? Could she ever love him at all? He didn’t know. But after tonight he realized he had to be man enough to find out.
Chapter Nine
Nearly a week after her dinner with Tyler, Rosalinda had just finished her self-defense class and was stuffing her dirty gym clothes into a duffel bag when a young woman who’d been a student for the past three weeks approached her. Her name was Daisy and no doubt she had the tiniest build of all the women in class. Light brown hair hung in fine wisps around her face and her blue eyes had a flat look that said her spirit had been broken long ago.
“Deputy Lightfoot? Could I speak with you for a minute? I promise I won’t keep you long.”
From the first night Rosalinda had spotted the young woman standing at the back of the room, she’d been drawn to her. And even though desperation had been written all over the woman, Rosalinda knew from experience that it was never a good thing to push anyone into talking about their personal problems. Everything worked better when it came from the person willingly. So Rosalinda had been biding her time, hoping and praying that Daisy would eventually come to her.
Smiling warmly, Rosalinda said, “Sure. I’m off duty tonight. I have plenty of time.” Easing down on the locker bench, she patted the empty space beside her. “Why don’t you sit down while I put on my boots?”
Sinking onto the edge of the bench, she said, “My name is Daisy Martell. I live off the highway toward Alto.”
Rosalinda pulled on one brown cowboy boot and pulled the leg of her jean down over the shaft. “I saw your name on the roster, Daisy. Are you enjoying the class?”
Bending her head, she said in a quiet voice, “Yes. I’m not very good at the physical stuff yet. But I’m going to get that way. No matter how much I have to practice.”
Rosalinda casually focused on pulling on her other boot. “You know, like I’ve said in class, being small doesn’t mean you can’t defend yourself. There are plenty of ways for you to stand up to whatever or whoever is threatening you.”
Daisy’s hands suddenly clamped together and she jerked her gaze to an empty corner of the room. “I didn’t say I’d been threatened. I’m taking this class because—well, a woman never knows when someone might try to hurt her.”
Rosalinda reached over and gently touched a fading bruise on Daisy’s upper arm. “Would you like to join me at the Blue Mesa for a cup of coffee, Daisy? My treat.”
This jerked the young woman’s head up and she looked at Rosalinda with something next to panic in her eyes. “Oh—no. That’s nice of you to ask. But I’d better not. My—well, someone might see me there. With you. And that would cause problems.”
Since Rosalinda had come to the community center directly from work, she’d been wearing her deputy’s uniform. And because she’d not bothered to pack a set of street clothes into her duffel, she’d put it back on after the class had ended. Apparently, Daisy thought being seen with an officer of the law in a public place would be a huge risk for her.
Clasping Daisy’s thin shoulder, she gave it a tight, reassuring squeeze. “It shouldn’t be that way for you, Daisy. I think you know that without me having to tell you.”
Biting down on her bottom lip, the young woman nodded glumly. “Yes. I know. I—I want things to get better. He makes promises. But then something bad happens and it starts all over again.”
“It” meaning the cursing, hitting, threatening, Rosalinda thought sickly. As a law officer, Rosalinda had seen it firsthand on nearly a daily basis. As for herself, Dale had never been violent with her, but ultimately he’d caused her to be stalked, threatened and tormented until her life had been a living hell. It had been during those dark and lonely days that Rosalinda had learned abuse could be rendered in all sorts of ways, by man or woman. And once she’d managed to escape, she’d vowed to never allow it to happen again.
“Daisy. Trust me, I understand. You need to get out of this relationship you’re in. It will only get worse.”
“But—” She glanced over her shoulder as though she feared someone might be listening. “He’d come after me. And—”
Rosalinda interrupted with a shake of her head. “There are safe houses for women like you. We—Sheriff Hamilton and the rest—can help you disappear. Believe me. All you have to do is find the courage.” She turned away from the woman long enough to dig a card from her duffel bag. “Here’s my card with my personal number on it. Please take it. And call me anytime day or night.”
Daisy looked at the card as though it were a snake. “I’d better not take it. I might not hide it good enough and then—” Shaking her head, she quickly jumped to her feet. “I’d better go. Thank you, Deputy Lightfoot.”
Before she could scurry away, Rosalinda caught her by the arm and stuffed the card into her shoulder bag. “You’ll find a place to hide the card. And I’m going to plan on hearing from you.” She gave the fragile woman a gentle hug. �
��Good night, Daisy. And until I see you next week, take care of yourself.”
Minutes later, as Rosalinda drove out of Ruidoso proper and east to the settlement of Ruidoso Downs, she wondered how Daisy managed to attend the self-defense classes. What sort of lies did she have to make up to be able to leave the house for an hour or two once a week?
It was a troublesome thought to Rosalinda, but once she let herself into her modest but cozy house, Rosalinda pushed the questions about Daisy aside. One thing she’d learned over the past few years was not to bring her job home with her. Otherwise, she’d be burned out before she reached the age of thirty.
Walking into the tiny kitchen, she poured herself a glass of cold water before pulling out her phone. She was sipping her drink and catching up on the numerous voice mails that had piled up during the day, when Tyler suddenly sounded in her ear.
“Gib told me you’d called, Rosa. Sorry I wasn’t around to talk. If tomorrow is still good for the ride, I’ll see you then. If you can’t make it, let me know. I forgot to give you my cell number. So here it is.”
As soon as he repeated the number, the message ended. For a moment Rosalinda considered playing it back just to hear his voice again. Oh, Lord, she couldn’t be that smitten with the man. Could she?
Easing onto a chair at the kitchen table, Rosalinda sipped the water and rubbed fingertips across her taut forehead. Tomorrow would be a week since she’d had dinner with Tyler. Since he’d told her about his ex-wife and the break between him and his father and brother. It had been equally long since that heated kiss he’d placed upon her lips. And though his revelations about his family had dwelled in her thoughts, it had been the kiss that had haunted her the most. Just thinking about it now left her whole body hot and tingling. How was she ever going to make it through tomorrow without throwing her arms around him and begging him to make love to her?
If she had a brain at all, she would call him right now and tell him that she couldn’t make it. That she had to work, or that she simply didn’t feel up to making a horseback ride in the mountains. But none of that would be true. Tonight she’d told Daisy that she needed to make changes in her life. Well, the same could be said of herself, she thought. She didn’t want to live the rest of her life alone. She wanted to be a wife and mother. She wanted to be everything a woman could be to a man. Somehow, someway, she had to find the courage to let Tyler into her life.
The Deputy Gets Her Man Page 11
