In Too Deep
Page 34
Jenny gave him a quizzical look. He sounded so solemn.
Hunter had lifted his spoon. Now, he twisted it between his fingers and looked over at Rawley’s bowed head. He seemed to know something Jenny didn’t because he shrugged and said, “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Am I missing something?” she asked.
Rawley lifted his eyes to hers. “My—father—” He changed his mind and said, “Troy pointed the gun at me. He would have killed me except that Hunter jumped in the way.”
Jenny gazed wordlessly at Hunter. Seeing her look, he shook his head. “Don’t make more of this than it is.”
“More of this!” she repeated. “You saved my son’s life. You could have been killed!”
“But I wasn’t. We’re all here. And I’m sure as hell glad I asked you to marry me before, or I might believe you said yes out of gratitude,” he added casually, spooning up his soup.
Rawley snapped out of his funk. “Mom, are you going to marry Hunter?”
“Yes.”
He blinked a couple of times, tore off a hunk of his grilled cheese sandwich and threw it to Benny who caught it with one snap of his jaws. Smiling, Rawley stirred his own bowl of soup. “Do I get to be best man?”
Hunter grinned. “Well, I don’t know. It’s you or Obie.”
Rawley shot him a look of real affection.
Two weeks later Jenny had moved most of her personal items over to Hunter’s ranch. He’d taken back his job with the Santa Fe Police Department, much to Sergeant Ortega’s delight, and Rawley was back in school. Hunter’s proclamation that Gloria could handle the restaurant and then some had turned out to be more than true. Jenny felt superfluous, and for once, she was glad.
When Hunter returned that night, he was greeted by Benny—who was wearing a Mexican hat on his head. “What’s up, boy?” he asked, baffled. Benny regarded him woefully. “You look like hell.”
Inside the ranch house someone had strung chili lights around the fireplace and a brightly colored serape was draped over the couch.
“What is this?” he asked Jenny, noticing the white peasant blouse and brightly colored skirt she wore. “Did Cinco de Mayo come early this year?”
“I’m recreating Puerto Vallarta with whatever I could find,” she said. “Rawley’s working rather late at the restaurant tonight. Gloria just needs him there, I guess.”
“I see …” He winked as she handed him a beer and clinked her own bottle against his. “No margaritas?”
“Can’t face them after that trip and Magda’s blenderbombs the other night. Tequila overload.” She gestured to the couch. “Sit down.”
He did as he was told and she picked up the remote for the television and VCR. A moment later an old movie flickered on the screen. “Night of the Iguana,” she told him.
“And here I thought we were going to make out on the couch,” Hunter said lazily, examining the way her blouse slung over one shoulder. His finger tugged gently at the edge of the elastic.
She arched a brow. “What do you think the serape’s for?”
Hunter grinned. Her lips just looked too kissable to ignore. He leaned in and breathed into her mouth. “Olé …”
JANELLE TAYLOR
has written eight New York times
bestsellers and has received many awards
for her varied works which include
First Love, Wild Love, Stolen Ecstasy,
Whispered Kisses, By Candlelight,
Savage Conquest, Not Without You and
Can’t Stop Loving You. IN TOO DEEP is
her forty-second nove.