He saw several men glance his way. They looked a lot like the pictures he’d seen of his half brothers, but he wasn’t ready to meet them yet, and he knew how to evade someone when he wanted to. He moved on.
And then he looked up and saw Crystal again, her pretty hair slipping over her shoulders. He practically willed her to look up at him, and she did. He could almost hear her sharp intake of air. He could almost see the delicate blush that covered her cheekbones and no doubt all of her honey-and-cream skin as well.
For half a second he held her gaze, but she quickly turned away.
Ace felt a slight twinge of anger at himself. He wanted her to look at him. Longer. More meaningfully. With desire in her eyes and on her lips. Actually, he wanted her to come closer. Close enough to touch.
She was a vision in pale blue, surrounded by men in suits, all looking at her as if they’d offer her the world if she’d just smile at one of them.
But then, some men didn’t have the world to offer. They just drifted from one thing to the next, rootless, and liked it that way. Liked it very much.
Ace forced himself to look away from Crystal.
“Ace Carson,” he said to a man he met a few minutes later. A doctor from the hospital by the looks of things. “Nice town you have here. Nice hospital, too.”
“Glad you like the place. We do, too. My name’s Jared Cross,” he said, holding out his hand. “I work here. Child psychiatry. Family planning.”
“Family planning? Then you’re involved in this new wing?”
“I have a definite interest, yes,” the man said. “We have a well-known fertility clinic here. It all ties together. I’m really pleased Mission Creek Memorial pulled this off. It was quite a feat. Lots of work and dedication.”
The man’s comments confirmed what Ace had begun to suspect. For such a little thing, Crystal had a big impact on people. She took her work seriously. Again Ace scanned the room for her. Finally he located her, holding court in the middle of a crowd of obviously wealthy benefactors. He relaxed and turned back to find Jared grinning.
“She’s something, isn’t she?” Jared said.
“I wouldn’t really know. I just arrived in town. But yes, she is intriguing,” he said, unwilling to let on just how intriguing he found her. And how unnerving it was to find himself lusting after a woman he had no business lusting after. It was obvious she was not only a serious innocent, but he was beginning to learn that she had major ties to the Carsons through this hospital and also through Fiona Carson Martin, his little half sister who was also involved in fund-raising. He’d heard it whispered that they were friends.
“So the woman’s intriguing?” Jared repeated with a knowing grin. “In my opinion, the woman is a wonder. She’s fervent about the need for this wing, and it shows in everything she’s said and done to make this project work. She probably had people fighting to be the first to get in the door with their money.”
The obvious admiration in his voice didn’t escape Ace’s notice. Neither did the fact that most women would find Cross’s black hair and green eyes irresistible. A powerful surge of something possessive streaked through Ace, and he frowned slightly.
“You have an interest in the lady?” Ace couldn’t stop himself from asking, even though he cursed himself for doing so.
Jared raised one brow. “Of course. A purely professional one.” He frowned. “What did you say your last name was? Carson? Does that mean you’re related to the Mission Creek Carsons?”
Ace shrugged. “I never knew my father. Do I look like a Mission Creek Carson to you?” He chuckled, flipping open his jacket to reveal the frayed dark blue lining.
“I get your point,” Jared said. “The Carsons own a substantial chunk of the town.”
“I guess I don’t qualify, then. Pleased to have met you, though.” He shook Jared’s hand and began to move on, his gaze sweeping the room.
“She’s over there,” Jared said with a grin, indicating Crystal’s new location.
Ace chuckled. “Okay, I’m more than intrigued,” he admitted as he nodded to Cross and moved away.
He also admitted that he had probably done enough for tonight. The framework of what he intended was in place. He ought to be pleased. People were wondering who he was. They were finding out that he was a bit of a flirt, a bit of a tease, illegitimate, possibly a fly-by-night but amiable rogue, and they were beginning to wonder if he couldn’t, in some way, be related to Ford Carson.
Ace glanced around at the men he’d identified earlier as Carsons from the descriptions he’d been given. Matt, Flynt. Ford didn’t appear to be here. At least not yet.
No matter. He had time and patience.
He scanned the room, looking to see if his target was arriving, but at that moment he saw Crystal again. She was standing in a corner, nearly against a wall, and a thin man with dirty-blond hair and a goatee was watching her from across the lawn. Somehow, unlike the other men who had surrounded her earlier, this one didn’t look as if he was waiting for her to smile. He didn’t look as if he’d even noticed that the lady had soft pink lips made for kissing again and again. He looked extremely upset.
Moreover, he looked as if he had business with Crystal. Not good business, either, Ace surmised, as the man began to take quick, deliberate steps toward her.
Just then, a woman came up to Ace and started talking to him. Ace listened with only one ear.
But while he listened he had a feeling that, wise or not, he was going to end up speaking to Crystal Bennett again.
Soon.
He only hoped he would remember she was a lady, a vulnerable lady, and he was a man she wasn’t going to like for very long. Not if she liked this town and the true Carsons.
Crystal could feel Ace’s eyes on her. Every time she’d looked up, it seemed, he had been grinning, flirting with the women gathered here, who were all beginning to fan themselves whenever he drew near.
Not that she could blame them. He was tall enough to make a woman feel faint, his blue eyes promised long nights of raw pleasure, and his mouth…well, just thinking about that slash of a mouth made her stomach flutter.
She’d had to keep reminding herself that she was here to ensure a smooth party and a flawless ceremony. Besides, she didn’t go near good-looking flirts anymore. She’d had more than her share of them in so many ways. But oh, my, Ace was going to fuel some very powerful fantasies tonight. Not just hers, either. She bet that half the women in the room were going to dream of him in their beds tonight, dropping feverish kisses on their naked skin.
She fanned herself with a program.
“Well, look here what I’ve found. If it isn’t little Crystal Bennett still looking like the slut she is.”
Crystal gave a start at the familiar, raspy voice from her past. To her chagrin, her first move on hearing the ugly accusation was to look down at her suit. Although her outfit ended just above her knee, it was very demure, a plain skirt and short-sleeved jacket that were neither too snug nor cut too low.
She forced herself to look up, despite the fear spiraling through her, nearly choking her. Branson Hines stood before her, his lank dirty hair disheveled, his black eyes slightly crazed. He was staring at her jacket as if he could see right through it.
Automatically, she raised her hand to cover herself. She reminded herself that she was in a crowded gathering, even if she was standing in a rather deserted area at the moment, beneath the shadow of some trees. Besides, she was a grown woman now. She didn’t have to let Branson intimidate her anymore.
“Branson,” she said as smoothly as she could manage, pretending he had said nothing out of the ordinary. “I hope you’re enjoying the ceremonies.” She didn’t hold out her hand as she would have to anyone else. “But I’m afraid I have business to attend to now. If you’ll excuse me.”
She tried to move around him to head back to the relative safety of the more crowded area.
He put one hand across her path. She changed direction and he grabbed
her wrist.
“You don’t like being called a slut, Crystal? I don’t see why not,” he said. “After all, that’s what you are, isn’t it? Your son is a bastard, isn’t he? You let his father into your bed when you weren’t married. How many men have there been since then? Or do you just say yes to every man who wants you?”
Panic and fear rose in her throat. His grip on her wrist tightened as he leaned close enough for her to smell his sour breath. His grimy fingers cut into her skin.
“Let me go, Branson,” she said, trying to sound calm. She would not make a scene or allow him to ruin the proceedings for the maternity wing. Branson was not a huge man. Surely she could get away. Years ago there had been another day when he had made ugly remarks to her, but he had never actually tried to hurt her. At least not physically.
“Oh, I don’t think I’ll let you go just yet,” he said, reeling her in. “You share your favors with other men you’re not married to, but I’ve never even touched you. I always wanted to touch you.”
She opened her mouth. To order him away or to scream, she wasn’t sure which.
But he yanked her hard and pulled her up against him. A cry ripped from her throat as she shoved at him and tried to keep his lips from getting near hers. Her wrists were burning as he twisted them and held fast, shoving his face into hers.
“Please. No,” she said. “Don’t.”
“I never even had a kiss,” he said. He pressed his wet lips to hers. She fought the blackness that threatened to envelop her as he tried to hold her still and she struggled to pull away. His laughter mocked her pitiful efforts.
And then she was free, the cool air rushing over her face. Branson was kicking at someone. She blinked to clear her eyes and saw that Ace had Branson’s arm pulled up behind his back.
“You don’t want to touch a lady who hasn’t invited you,” Ace said, his voice low and cold. “That’s not exactly the way to win points with a woman. It’s definitely not a gentlemanly thing to do, now is it?”
Branson swore and tried to wrest his arm free. “She’s not exactly a lady in my book.”
Ace spun Branson around, shoving him up against a tree, his arm lodged against Branson’s windpipe, leaving him barely enough air to breathe, judging by Branson’s choked gurgling. “Then maybe you’ve been reading the wrong book, buddy. Now, I’m going to ease up on you real slow, and I want you to tell the lady you’re sorry you touched her, that you’re sorry you even dared to come near her.”
Ace eased the pressure on Branson’s throat, and the man muttered an even fouler word. He tried to break free.
With barely a shrug, Ace slammed Branson up against the tree again, hard enough to send a few leaves fluttering to the ground. “Let’s try this again, shall we, buddy?” he said, leaning in to apply more pressure. “You want to reconsider that apology?”
Crystal didn’t want an apology from Branson. She just wanted him gone. But there was such steel in Ace’s voice and he was so focused on what he was doing that she didn’t want to distract him for fear Branson would pull free and strike out, catching Ace off guard.
“I’m really starting to lose patience with your lack of good manners. You ready with that apology yet, pal?” Ace asked.
Branson raised dark, hate-filled eyes to Crystal. “Sorry,” he said, the word clipped and barely audible.
She gave him a curt nod just as a security guard approached. “Thanks, man. We’ll take him off your hands,” he told Ace. “Ms. Fiona saw that something was happening and sent us over, Ms. Bennett. We’ll get him out of here right away,” he promised.
“Thank you,” she breathed.
But her words were nearly drowned out by Branson’s sudden shouting as the security guard removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt.
“You tramp, Crystal, you’re gonna pay for this. I know how you operate. I know who and what you are. You’re a backstabber. You promise things and then don’t deliver. But I know that, and I’ll be back. I’ll be lookin’ for you. You and your kind took something I wanted. Now maybe I’ll take something you want, and I do know what means the most to you. Don’t think I don’t.”
His words were spewed out, dark and ominous. He lunged furiously, nearly dragging to the ground the security guard, who had only Branson’s right wrist cuffed. Finally another security guard grabbed Branson’s other arm, and together they cuffed his hands behind his back and pulled him from the area.
The silence that followed was like a thick choking smoke. Crystal’s heart was beating frantically. What had he meant? What was he going to do?
She surprised herself by raising her gaze to Ace as if just looking at him could calm her. He was standing nearer than she’d expected. When her eyes met his, he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Go ahead. Lean on me,” he whispered, then looked up at the small crowd who’d gathered.
“I tell you, some people just shouldn’t even go to parties,” he said, addressing the group. “That one there looks like he started drinking early and needs to sleep it off. I guess he just didn’t like it when Ms. Bennett suggested he leave and get some rest. But it was a pretty good demonstration of the security at Mission Creek Memorial, though, wasn’t it? You can all rest easy knowing you’ll always be safe here. Makes you feel good seeing this hospital is on the job protecting the people staying here, doesn’t it?” He smiled reassuringly on that last note, and everyone began to murmur among themselves and drift away. One or two of them gave Crystal a worried look, but somehow she managed to follow Ace’s lead and paste on a smile. In spite of the fact that her heart was still hammering.
Slowly, almost without her noticing it, Ace walked her into the deeper shelter of some trees where some small benches were positioned. He eased her down on one, and she realized that her legs had been a bit shaky and she’d been leaning on Ace, an almost total stranger.
She glanced up at him, wondering what he really thought about what had happened back there. Especially since she herself wasn’t quite sure what had happened. She hadn’t seen Branson in years.
But Ace’s expression was unreadable. He bore no sign of his struggle with Branson other than one disheveled lock of black hair. He looked like a man who was used to fighting and didn’t let it bother him. It bothered her that he had been forced to come to her rescue.
“I seem to be causing you a great deal of trouble today,” she said.
He ignored her concerned tone and gave her a slow sexy grin. “Don’t apologize. I’m rather partial to trouble. Been in the thick of it all my life.”
She gulped at the look in his eyes. It was the look a man gives a woman who interests him, at least physically. Her pulse began to trip over itself. This just wouldn’t do. It wasn’t that she didn’t find him amazingly attractive. She did, and more than that, she was grateful for his help and his kind attention, more grateful than she could say. But he was obviously the worst kind of man. The kind that flipped through women like the pages of a magazine. The kind she never went near, not anymore.
“Well, then, all I can say is thank you for your help. I’m indebted to you,” she said. “If I can ever repay you…” She hoped that didn’t sound as bad to him as it did to her.
He shook his head. “For what? I told you, I welcome trouble.”
Oh, she’d just bet he did. She’d bet he caused it, too. Which meant the only smart thing for her to do now was to get as far away as possible from the attraction he held for her. “Thank you, anyway,” she said. “But I guess I should get back and make sure everything is running smoothly.”
He nodded, but the long look he gave her held her as immobile as Branson’s death grip. “You want to tell me what that was all about back there?”
Three
Crystal blinked. No, she didn’t want to talk about what had happened with Branson. She didn’t want to talk about it or even think about it. But Ace stood there waiting, his blue eyes studying her, his stance loose, almost relaxed.
As if he c
ould wait forever for her to speak.
“I don’t exactly know,” she finally confessed. “Years ago, when I was in high school, I dated Branson. He seemed like a quiet shy boy at first. After we’d gone out once or twice, though, he…well, I could tell that he wasn’t always operating under the same rules as the rest of the world. Little things upset him a lot more than they did most people. He would get unreasonably angry if he forgot his textbook at home, angry enough to throw things. If I didn’t say ‘Goodbye, Branson,’ instead of just ‘Goodbye,’ he would rant and rave. After just two dates I told him that I didn’t think I was right for him and that he should find someone else.”
She stared into Ace’s eyes. She was embarrassed, and her first instinct was to look down, but she’d done enough of that in her life and so she forced herself to hold his gaze.
Instead, he was the one to glance down. Just once. Just a quick look. She realized she was twisting her hands together. So much for appearing poised and calm.
“I take it Branson wasn’t exactly happy with your decision.”
She wasn’t sure she could say the next part. She wasn’t sure why she was even considering saying anything, but there was something very compelling about Ace’s unreadable expression. It was the sort of expression a cop might wear. Just the facts, ma’am, he seemed to be saying. And she realized she’d never really told anyone about what had happened between her and Branson. Maybe because all of them thought they already knew and no one wanted to talk about it.
“Branson blew up. He screamed and yelled. In the end he begged. I was…I was frightened, but I knew that it would be worse giving in than going forward. I left. Soon after that, the whispers started. Someone started a rumor that I was easy, that I would let anyone do anything, that I would sleep with any male who asked, that I was a tramp. Branson told them that I’d done things with him that I’d never done. Most people didn’t believe him, but a few did. That hurt so much that I went into hiding, which was the wrong thing to do. People took it as an admission of guilt. It took me years to win back my self-esteem. And then I met John. I had Timmy out of wedlock. The rumors started again, only this time I stared them down. The Carsons found me a good job here at the hospital, and I hold my head up high.”
Her Sweet Talkin' Man Page 3
