Alone with You

Ignoring her, Tanner hit another number. He drummed his long, tanned fingers on the counter while he waited, not once sparing her a glance. “Helen,” he said, his tone more pleasant. “You’re right, darlin’. I can smell that cherry pie clear up to Montana.” He paused. “You know where Doug is?” Squeezing his eyes shut, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “How long?” Tanner sighed and stared past her toward the window. “I already left one, but if you hear from him, tell him he’s gotta call me ASAP.”

By the way he fidgeted, it was obvious he was impatient to get off the phone, but his voice never gave him away. Lexy assumed Helen was the attorney’s assistant, and Tanner exchanged several more pleasantries with her before he disconnected the call and flung the phone on the couch.

While Lexy waited for the temper in his eyes to settle, she moved to look at the pictures he had taped to his fridge. She suspected it might take a while. He kept rubbing the back of his neck and for a second glanced at the contract copy she’d brought but he made no move to pick it up.

Reminding herself patience was her only ally at the moment, she leaned in for a closer look at the pictures. The more faded photo was of a mountain lake, the other was taken on a beach with a fishing pole stuck in the white sand. That was it. No people were in either photo.

“Give me your number,” he said finally. “I’ll call you as soon as I hear from Doug.”

“When do you expect that to be?”

“No idea. He’s on vacation in the Bahamas.”

She nearly choked. “Oh, no. No. Uh-uh.” She shook her head, paused, told herself to breathe. “No. We can’t wait around.”

“Take it easy.” Curiosity flickered in his eyes. “He’ll call me back.”

“But we have a flight to catch.”

“Look, no matter what happens, I’m not getting on a plane. So get that out of your head.”

She took another deep breath to counter the panic tightening her chest. “You really can’t fly? It’s not just a ploy?”

“Nope.”

God help her, he was telling the truth. Her brain’s mad scramble in search of a solution made her dizzy again. More likely it was her empty stomach. She hurried to the couch and fished in her purse for a mint or hard candy.

“You okay?”

“I will be.”

“You look kinda pale.”

“I haven’t eaten since early this morning. I need a sugar boost.” She found a peppermint disc that she tried to unwrap but her hands shook.

“How about orange juice?” He didn’t wait for an answer but brought a jug out of the fridge.

“This is so stupid. Dammit.” Why couldn’t she get the dumb wrapper off?

“Here.” He swapped the candy for a glass of juice.

She accepted it with both hands, afraid the tumbler might slip. If the tremor wasn’t bad enough, now her palms were clammy.

Tanner sat next to her on the couch. He wrapped a hand around hers and helped guide the juice to her mouth.

Embarrassed, she took a tiny sip, then tried to break away from him. “I’m okay. Thanks.”

“Can you take a bigger one?” he asked, his roughened fingertips gentle on her skin as he urged the glass back to her lips.

She could smell him again, the same mysterious mix of leather and spice with the added hint of soap. It must be his shampoo that smelled so good. The heat from his body warmed her, making her drowsy and stirring the impulse to lay her head on his shoulder. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she’d had a decent night’s sleep. Always worrying about money and bills. He waited patiently for her to drink more of the juice before he slackened his hand and let her lower the glass.

“You could be coming down with something.” He pressed the back of his fingers to her cheek much like a mother would do to her feverish child.

“I’m not.” Lexy laughed, leaning away from him. “I’m really not.”

He lowered his hand and stood. “I didn’t mean to get in your face. Old habit. Sorry.”

“Do you have kids?” she asked, the sudden thought oddly disturbing.

“Nah, a younger brother. He kept me up more than a few nights. You feeling better yet?”

She nodded, then chugged down more of the juice . “No flying, huh?”

Tanner folded his arms across his chest. “You can ask me a hundred times but it won’t change my answer.”

Lexy swept a gaze toward the back. Only one bed and the couch was lumpy. But what choice did she have? “Then I guess we drive.”

* * *

WHILE HE WAITED for her to turn in the rental car, Tanner tried his brother again. And again, no answer. But at least he got to leave a more satisfying message. Much as he still wanted to strangle Lexy, he hadn’t been willing to use certain cusswords in front of her.

He watched her leave the rental office carrying a bag she’d taken from the trunk. Years of conditioning made him want to jump out and help her with it, but he forced himself to stay behind the wheel of his truck. No sense making things easier for her. What he needed was for her to recognize this standoff between them for what it was, cut her losses and let him be.

The crazy thing was she had to know he’d try to run the clock on his contract. So much could happen on a road trip, even if he didn’t stoop to sabotage. Which he wasn’t above doing if it came down to the wire. And he’d wager she knew that, too. So why the dogged determination?

He tensed when he saw her stop and use the back of her wrist to blot her forehead. Two hours until sunset but it was still warm, and she’d had nothing but the orange juice. She shifted the bag to her other hand.

“Shit.” Tanner opened his door and got out. His longer strides closed the distance between them before she made it two steps.

“What are you doing?”

Without a word, he took the bag from her. It wasn’t heavy but he felt better giving in. No, he wasn’t happy with this new thorn in his backside but he didn’t have to be a bastard. Rather than opening the trailer, he stowed the bag on the truck’s backseat. Lexy watched for a moment, probably making sure he hadn’t tossed her things in the bushes. Then she went around to the passenger side.

He followed her in case she needed help getting into the cab. The step-up wasn’t easy for someone short. She just stood there as if making the climb was too much for her, and he revisited the notion that she might be playing him. Trying to gain his sympathy while she dug in her claws. But then he saw that she’d only stopped to take off her blazer.

She turned her head and caught him eyeing her flat belly and jutting breasts. “Did you need something?”

“You want help getting up there?” he asked, motioning with his chin.

Draping the jacket over her arm, she inspected the step-up. “I think I’ll be fine.” She flashed him a smile. “But thank you.”

He managed to get behind the wheel before she settled into her seat, and tried not to notice the lacy pink bra exposed by the gap in her blouse. “It’s not too late,” he said, looking straight ahead and turning the key. “You can still fly to Houston and I’ll meet you there.”

“No, I think we should stick to our plan.”

Our plan, his ass. His first choice had been to drop her off at the airport. Second, he’d suggested she keep the rental and follow him. But no, she’d insisted on sticking as close as possible. And when he’d told her he wouldn’t negotiate, she’d threatened him. Asked him if he could afford being hit with a lawsuit for breach of contract.

Oh, she’d looked contrite as all get-out, explained it wasn’t her decision. Personally, she would never take legal action against him. He still wasn’t sure he believed her. His brother would be able to advise him. Though Doug hadn’t done such a bang-up job on the contract terms. And with all the money Tanner had doled out for law school. Yeah, that pissed him off.