Chapter 16
Duke cleaned up after lunch while Suzy got situated. He’d told her to make herself at home—hell, he’d even cleaned out two of his drawers to give her space. And now the idea of her placing her things in his bedroom made his spine tingle.
She hadn’t been there an hour, and he already dreaded her leaving.
But he wouldn’t think about that now.
Instead, he’d enjoy the time they had. Well, enjoy it as much as he could with his sister in the hospital and a madwoman who had waged some kind of personal war against Suzy roaming the streets.
He slipped the empty takeout containers in the trash and stored the leftovers in the fridge just as his phone rang on the counter. His pulse picked up, hoping for good news but anticipating bad.
His sister Riley’s name and photo popped up on his screen. Sighing, he reached for the phone. He expected to hear from the rest of his family soon but still wasn’t ready to rehash everything that’d transpired.
He swiped the screen to answer then pushed the speaker button. “Hey, Riley. What’s up?”
“What’s up? Seriously? I talked to Mom, and she told me everything that’s going on. Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose, warding off the headache that was bound to erupt with Riley’s screeching. “Mom said she’d fill everyone in.”
“Fill us in?” The screeching got impossibly louder. “Heather’s laying in a hospital bed. Your property was vandalized. What kind of place did you move to?”
“It’s not where I moved, it’s who followed me here.” Suddenly exhausted, he walked over to the table and fell into one of the hard chairs.
“Oh, yeah. Mom said you think it’s Chrissy. I mean, she’s always had a few screws loose, but this? It’s a little hard to wrap my mind around.”
He snorted. “Seems exactly like the type of thing she’d do to get attention—to pay me back for not giving her what she wants.”
“Man, and here we all never thought you were anything special.”
The teasing note of his sister’s voice lifted the corner of his mouth. “Very funny.”
“Seriously, though, are you all right? Are you and Heather safe? Maybe you should come home.”
“If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that running away from my problems won’t solve a damn thing.
Hell, they’ll chase after you until it’s dealt with, one way or another.
” His conversation with Suzy came back, along with her thought about Chrissy maybe having an accomplice.
“I’m glad you called though. Have you kept in contact with Chrissy at all? ”
“Are you kidding? I stay as far away from that woman as possible.”
Now both sides of his mouth curled up. As the oldest child, Riley took her protective role very seriously and her intuition had always been spot on.
She’d warned him to stay away from Chrissy from the start, but hormones and attraction had outweighed common sense and his sister’s insight.
Something he’d regret until the day he died.
“Any chance you know who she hangs around with?” he asked.
“Honestly, Heather would know more than me or even Sara. She’s the only one who still sees Chrissy. Or check with Mom. She stays in the know about all the town gossip and has always had a soft spot for that woman.”
“I don’t want to drag her into this more. She was pretty upset when we got off the phone earlier.” Silence pulsed on the line for a beat too long. “What?”
“Mom didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“She’s on her way to Wyoming. Booked a flight as soon as you got off the phone with her earlier. Her plane’s probably close to landing right now.”
Closing his eyes, he threw back his head and groaned. He had enough on his plate. The last thing he needed was an unexpected visit from his mother. “Why?”
“Are you kidding me? Her child is in the hospital. I can’t believe you didn’t expect her to show up earlier. Of course she’d want to be with Heather. You can’t be at her bedside twenty-four hours a day.”
Guilt gnawed at his gut. He’d told Heather he’d be back to see her but hadn’t made the trip after everything that had transpired with Suzy. He needed to protect her, and it’d be easier to do that inside his house.
As if reading his mind from across state lines, Riley asked, “What?”
“I’m not at the hospital.” He winced, bracing himself for her anger.
“So she’s just lying there all alone? What the hell’s your problem?”
The harshness of her words snapped the tight bundles of nerves that held him together. “My problem is I need to keep Suzy safe. Heather understands that.”
“And this Suzy chick is more important than your sister?”
A lump tightened his throat. “She’s just as important to me, only in a different way. Trouble is here because of me, and that trouble wants to hurt the woman I care about more than anything else in this damn, messed-up world. I have to protect her.”
“Wow,” Riley said. “You have it bad.”
He wiped a palm over the rough whiskers on his jaw and let out a long breath. “I do. I haven’t felt like this in well…. ever, really. If something happened to Suzy because of me, I’d never forgive myself.”
“She sounds like someone special. I hope I get a chance to meet her.”
“You will.”
“You seem pretty damn sure,” she said with a small laugh. “She better feel the same way about you.”
He and Suzy had glossed over a few of the standard beginning of relationship questions.
He didn’t expect her to show all of her cards.
Hell, he understood why she’d wanted to hold some things back before diving off the deep end.
But for him, he had no doubt she was the one.
They had all the time in the world to find their rhythm.
To peel back the layers and discover each other.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“And what about bull riding? Is that just done and over with for good? You loved that more than anything in your life. I hate to think of you throwing away everything you worked so hard for.”
“I’m not throwing anything away. I mean, I could always go back if I wanted. At least for a little while. But all I’m worried about is the right now. And right now, I want to be in Hillmore. With Suzy. The rest will fall into place.”
The squeak of a floorboard brought his attention to the doorway. Suzy stood there with her hair swept over one shoulder, exposing the long column of her neck, and the prettiest smile on her face.
“I’ve got to go Riley. I’ll call you soon.”
Not waiting for a response, he disconnected and hopped to his feet. Like some unseen force, Suzy drew him across the room. He stood in front of her and settled his hands on her hips. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.”
“Long enough for what?”
“To know that all I want to do right now is kiss you.”
He leaned down her and gave her exactly what she wanted.
Circling her arms around his neck, Suzy moved her mouth against Duke’s and a purr vibrated her throat. If their first kiss had made her world stop, this one turned the whole planet upside down. Being in his arms felt right, like it was the one place she was meant to be.
The one place she never wanted to leave.
Duke broke their kiss then pressed his lips to her cheek and blazed a trail up the side of her neck. “Did you hear everything I told my sister?”
She grinned, replaying the way he’d spoken with such conviction, and shrugged. “I walked in about the time you mentioned you want to be with me in Hillmore. That’s all I need to know.”
Pulling back, he framed her face with his hands. “It’s true. I like it here, have since the moment I stepped into town, but it’s you that makes this place special. You make me excited to wake up every day and get my ass to work.”
“You mean you’re more excited to see me than Lane?” She trailed her fingers along the hard muscles of his back. She itched to lift the soft fabric of his shirt over his head and see every inch of him.
He huffed out a laugh and his warm breath tickled her skin. “Is that a serious question?”
“Good answer.”
He traced his thumb along her hip bones. “Did you get everything unpacked?”
Frustration simmered in her blood. She didn’t want to talk. She just wanted his mouth back on hers. “Mm-hmm.”
“Good,” he whispered in her ear. “I like the thought of you in my bedroom.”
A shiver ripped up her spine. Her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to recommend they make that thought a reality, but there was another part of the conversation she’d overheard that needed addressed. She took a small step back, needing space between them if she wanted her head on straight.
His brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”
“We should go see Heather.”
Indecision scrunched his nose. “I’m not sure if that’s the best move.”
“It’ll be fine. A deputy is there anyway to guard Heather’s room, and you’ll be with me the entire time. There’s not much Chrissy, or anyone else, can do when I’m surrounded by an entire hospital full of people. Besides, think about your sister.”
“It’s kind of hard to do with when I’m kissing you.”
Chuckling, she slapped at his shoulder. “You know what I mean. She doesn’t know anyone in town and now she’s there all by herself.
She’s probably scared and lonely. That’s not fair to her.
I heard your sister mentioning your mom’s coming.
We can spend time with Heather and keep her company until then.
It will give us a good chance to see if Heather can recall anyone Chrissy’s gotten close with lately back in your hometown. ”
Duked dropped his forehead to rest on hers.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t leave her alone all day.
She’s been there a few hours already. I told myself she was probably sleeping and it was better to stay away, but that was just to make myself feel better.
I selfishly wanted to soak up this time with you. ”
She smoothed a hand on his chest. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, planting one more kiss on her mouth before letting her go.
She stood still and chewed her bottom lip.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Are you okay with me meeting your mom?”
“Are you kidding me? I can’t wait for her to meet you. She’s going to love you.”
She reached for the sun pendant that usually hung around her neck, flinching as though she’d been punched in the heart when it wasn’t there.
“Are you sure? I never know how to act around mothers. It’s like because I never got to know mine, I feel like I have this huge sign above my head that reads Orphan girl.
Please love me. With the guys I’ve dated in the past, it’s either made their moms pity me and treat me like I was made of glass or keep me at a distance because they didn’t want to get too close then not be around anymore when we inevitably split up. ”
“Be yourself and she’ll love you just like I do.” His eyes flew wide, and he snapped his mouth closed before opening it again. “I mean…it’s just that…”
She swallowed back the emotion threatening to mist her eyes.
It was just an expression, not a declaration of feelings.
She couldn’t react in a way that would scare him and push him away.
They’d discussed taking their time, moving slow and seeing what the future held.
Not jumping in with I love yous and ridiculous expectations.
But it didn’t feel ridiculous. Didn’t feel out of bounds to think about love. Shit, she had to get a grip.
“Don’t worry. I understand what you meant. I know you’re not in love with me.” She laughed, the sound forced and brittle. “I mean, that’d be crazy, and we have enough craziness going on right now.”
Something flashed in his eyes but it was gone before she could name it. He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Sure. I just meant I know my mom will like you for being yourself because you’re a great person.” He playfully landed a light punch on her shoulder then walked toward the door. “Ready?”
“Uh, yeah. Let me grab my purse from your room. Maybe we can stop by the store and pick up some snacks and trashy magazines for Heather on the way.”
“Sounds good.” He fit his cowboy hat on his head before stuffing his feet back in his boots, his gaze fixed on the floor.
She bit back a sigh. Great. Not even twenty-four hours into this thing and she’d already gone and made it weird. No, she didn’t expect Duke to be in love with her but also didn’t like how he’d retreated at the mere mention of it.
Maybe it’s what she’d needed to get her feet back on the ground. This was new and she had to proceed with caution or they’d both end up getting hurt.