Revenge on the Ranch, page 8
“What about height? If you saw him get out of the truck, how tall did he appear to you?”
She frowned. “I don’t know...just medium height.”
“What about his build? Was he heavy or thin?” Lane asked.
“I think maybe he was on the thin side,” she said and then shook her head. “But I can’t be sure. It was just so dark.”
“Carrie, have you had problems with anyone lately? Have you fought with anybody?”
“No, nobody,” she said.
“What about Dr. Holloway?” Luke said, and then he filled Lane in on her work issues.
“I can’t imagine James Holloway doing something crazy like this,” Lane said. “But I’ll definitely check him out.”
The questioning seemed to go on forever. “I’ll take you home with me for the night,” Luke said to her when it was all over.
“You two go ahead. I’ll wait here for the tow truck,” Lane said.
“I’ll hang around and wait with Lane,” Johnny said.
“Thank you, Johnny, for trying to make me feel better, and thank you for coming along when you did,” she said. “You probably saved my life.”
“No problem, Carrie,” Johnny assured her.
Minutes later she was in Luke’s truck and heading back to his house. “Thank you for letting me stay at your place for the night. To be honest, I was afraid to go home. I know Emily planned on being gone for the night, and I... I don’t want to be all alone right now.”
“I know how shook up you are, and I didn’t want you to be all alone,” he replied. “At least in my house you’ll be safe and can get a good night’s sleep.”
Her cosmetic bag and the clothes she’d worn horseback riding that day were still in Luke’s house. She could wear her T-shirt to sleep in, but at the moment sleep seemed far away as the horrifying events of the night kept crashing through her brain.
It didn’t seem possible that it had only been earlier in the day when they had been galloping across the pasture, carefree and happy. It felt like it had been years ago that they had sat in the peaceful spot in the pasture and Luke had kissed her.
How quickly things had changed. Now her car was wrecked and somebody wanted her dead.
* * *
WHO COULD POSSIBLY be after Carrie? She was the sweetest, most giving woman Luke had ever met. It was a question that rolled over and over again in his head as he drove them back to his place.
He couldn’t believe this had happened to her, that somebody had forced her car off the road with the intention of shooting her. Who could be behind such a heinous thing?
He could feel the fear that still radiated from Carrie, a fear he wished he could take away from her. He couldn’t imagine the terror she must have felt when she’d been under the car and afraid of being discovered. And he couldn’t imagine sending her on her way to go home alone after such a terrible scare.
Once they were inside his place, he gestured her to the sofa. She sank down and stared at the coffee table before her. He’d never seen her so pale, so utterly lost-looking. His heart positively ached for her.
“How about a drink?” he asked.
She looked up, and the depths of her beautiful eyes still held her terror. “What do you have?”
“I’ve got beer, whiskey and scotch—just name your pleasure.” She still looked small and afraid and so vulnerable. It squeezed his heart tight to see her that way.
“Normally I’d choose a beer, but I think the night warrants something a little stronger, so I’d love a whiskey on the rocks,” she replied.
“I’ll be right back.” He left her and went into the kitchen, where he prepared her drink and one for himself. He took off his gun belt and set it on the counter, then returned to the living room and sank down next to her.
“Thank you,” she said. Her hand trembled slightly as she took the drink from him. She took a big sip, then closed her eyes as she swallowed.
“Carrie, what can I do to help?” he asked softly.
She opened her eyes and smiled, but it was a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re doing it.” Her smile fell away, and she released a deep sigh. “Luke, I’ve never, ever been so terrified in my entire life.”
“I can’t even imagine.” He scooted a little closer to her. He figured the best thing he could do was listen to her, as it was obvious she needed to wind down before they headed to bed. Her jeans were grass-stained, and even though she was disheveled, she still looked pretty...but frightened.
“It was like a horrible nightmare, but there was no waking up from it,” she continued. “I can’t imagine who the man was. He must have followed me from here. Why would somebody try to kill me, Luke?” Her gaze searched his features as if she thought he might hold the answer.
“I don’t know, Carrie. I can’t imagine somebody wanting to hurt you in any way. I wish I did know so Lane could get him behind bars.” Luke took a drink of the whiskey, its smooth notes a pleasant warmth as it slid down his throat and into his stomach.
“Lane won’t be able to make an arrest. A man driving a pickup and wearing boots describes almost every man in this town. I wasn’t able to give him any kind of a description to help him find the man.” Her eyes darkened with each word she spoke.
“Lane is smart. Both you and Johnny said the person squealed his tires when he drove off. Lane might be able to get a tire imprint that will let him know what kind of tire was on the vehicle, and that would definitely shorten a list of suspects.”
She released a deep sigh. “I’m supposed to be helping you find your father’s murderer, not worrying about my own safety,” she replied and then took another sip of her drink.
“If you’re still in, then we continue to go to the Red Barn in hopes that Peter will somehow confess, and at the same time we try to figure out who is after you and why. I can promise you that nobody will hurt you as long as you’re with me.”
“I’m still in,” she replied.
“I’m glad to hear that.” There was a part of him that realized he was being a jerk in even asking her about continuing to help him with his desire to catch his father’s killer.
“In the meantime, what you need to think about is who might hold some kind of a grudge against you. It could be something small and insignificant to you. Also, you said you thought the voice sounded vaguely familiar. Can you try to figure out where you heard that voice before and who it belongs to?”
She released another deep sigh. “I need to think long and hard about those things, but not tonight. I just can’t think any more tonight. My brain is utterly fried with everything that happened.”
“Drink up, then, and we’ll call it a night,” he replied. He’d like to be able to tell her that everything would be better in the morning, but he couldn’t say that because it wasn’t true. Things would probably look just as dark for her in the light of day.
They finished their drinks. He carried the empty glasses into his kitchen and placed them in the sink. He then went back into the living room, where she had gotten up from the sofa.
Her clothes and cosmetic bag were on the table in the entryway. He grabbed them for her and then led her to the spare bedroom, hoping the whiteboards on the walls didn’t bother her as she tried to fall asleep. “The sheets on the bed are clean,” he said and placed the clothing and the bag on top of the light blue spread.
“Thanks, Luke...for everything.” She held his gaze. In the depths of her eyes, her terror remained. Once again, she appeared achingly small and vulnerable, and his heart squeezed tight.
He reached out and drew her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his chest. Desire suddenly reared up inside him, an emotion that had absolutely no place at this time—at any time. He’d pulled her close to him to comfort her, and he was a total jerk for feeling that kind of emotion right now. All he wanted to do was comfort her. He held her only for a few moments and then released her.
“If you need anything—anything at all—let me know,” he said.
She nodded. “Good night, Luke,” she said.
“’Night, Carrie,” he said and then left the room. He went back into the kitchen and placed their glasses in the dishwasher.
He glanced up just in time to see somebody outside run past the window. He whirled around and grabbed his gun. What the hell? Nobody should be lurking around his home.
Was it possible the creep after Carrie had followed them back here? Was he now seeking a way in to kill her? With his gun tightly in his hand, Luke quickly moved through the living room and out the front door.
Moonlight drifted down, making the landscape fairly visible. Adrenaline fired through Luke as he held his gun before him. He ran silently to the corner of the house, whirled around it and saw a figure.
“Stop or I’ll shoot,” he shouted.
“Don’t shoot. Luke, it’s me. It’s Caleb.”
Luke released a string of curses as he lowered his gun. “Caleb, what in the hell are you doing lurking around my house?”
“I just wanted to see Carrie and make sure she is okay. Johnny told me what happened tonight, and I was worried about her,” Caleb replied. “She’s my friend.”
“I know she’s your friend, but I could have shot you.” Luke released a deep sigh. “You should have just called me if you wanted to know how she was doing.”
“I’m sorry, Luke. I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay, and I assure you she’s okay. In fact, she just went to bed, and that’s where I intend to go.”
“Okay. Again, I’m sorry, and I’ll just leave you alone now.”
Luke watched as his brother took off toward the barn, and then he went back into the house and locked the door. The adrenaline that had rushed through him now slowly ebbed.
He headed into his own bedroom. Once there, he placed his gun on the nightstand, and then he took off his shoes and socks. He shucked his jeans and T-shirt and then got into bed wearing only his boxers.
He wasn’t surprised that Caleb had been worried about Carrie. It spoke to the friendship the two of them had been building. There was no question Luke was worried about Carrie. Who had forced her off the road and then threatened to kill her?
He’d been seeing her for a couple of weeks now, and she’d never mentioned having any problems with anyone other than her boss. As far as he’d seen, she was kind to everyone. So, who was after her and why?
Was it possible it had something to do with them trying to find his father’s killer? No matter how he twisted and turned it all around, he simply couldn’t connect the two things.
All he could do now was make sure Carrie remained safe. From this moment on, he’d pick her up and take her home from his place. Now that he thought about it, he never should have been okay with her driving home all alone at all hours of the night in the first place.
It had been a hell of a day. First there had been the pleasure of being back on a horse again, then the mistake of kissing Carrie.
Her lips had been so soft and filled with such heat and invitation. It hadn’t felt like a mistake until it was over and he’d realized just how much he wanted to kiss her again and again. Even now the idea of kissing her once again stoked a touch of desire inside him.
Then there had been that moment when he’d thought Peter was actually going to confess to pulling the trigger and killing his father. With Peter crowing about his shooting skills, Luke had been certain he was going to crow about making the two shots that had killed Big John. But it hadn’t happened.
And now this.
He turned off the lamp next to his bed and his room was plunged into darkness except for a faint ray of bright moonlight that drifted in through the window. Thoughts continued to whirl around in his head, making sleep impossible.
Had it been James Holloway who had tried to kill Carrie tonight? It had just been that morning that she’d quit her job with him. He’d obviously wanted a relationship with her. Had her quitting somehow sent him over the edge? Had he snapped and decided if he couldn’t have her then nobody would? It was damned coincidental that Carrie had quit working for him that morning and then this happened.
Or was there somebody else? Somebody who was not on her radar at all? What worried him most of all was the fact that a man had tried to kill her tonight, and because he had been unsuccessful, he might try it again—the next time with success.
“Luke?” Carrie’s soft voice came his doorway.
He immediately sat up. “Yeah?”
There was a moment of silence from her. “Uh...can I sleep in here with you?” The question was tentative.
He understood her need to be with somebody. Surely he could just sleep next to her with no real issues. “Come on, then,” he replied.
As she went around his bed to get in on the other side, he caught a vision of her in the moonlight, her shapely legs bare beneath the T-shirt she had on. She got into bed and immediately cuddled against his side.
“Were you asleep?” she asked softly.
“No, I wasn’t.”
“I’m afraid to go to sleep. I’m afraid of what dreams I might have,” she replied.
He threw an arm around her and allowed her to snuggle even closer to him. “I never told you that one of my secret talents is I can sniff out a nightmare from a mile away.”
A small laugh escaped her. “Kind of like a drug dog?”
“Exactly like a drug dog, only I smell nightmares, and I’ll wake you if I think you’re having one.”
“Thank you, Luke. You’re the very best.”
He wasn’t the very best. In fact, he was the very worst. She was looking for his comfort, and he was acutely aware of each point of contact with her.
Her sleek, bare legs rubbed against his, and her full breasts were warm and soft against his side. Her breath was warm on the side of his neck, and despite all his valiant efforts to the contrary, he felt himself getting aroused.
“Luke?” She whispered his name softly.
“Yeah?”
She raised up and looked down at him, her eyes luminous in the moonlight. “Luke, I want you to kiss me. I want you to make love to me.”
“Carrie, lay back down and go to sleep,” he said firmly. “You’re under a lot of stress right now.” Her words only made the desire inside him burn hotter. But he was desperately trying to do the right thing, even though it was extremely difficult.
“I realize I’m under stress, but that has nothing to do with me wanting to make love with you. I want you, Luke. I’ve wanted you for some time now, and I think... I think you want me, too.”
His heart suddenly beat too fast, flooding his veins with a fiery desire he couldn’t fight any longer. Her words unleashed something deep inside him, something that had been burning inside him for some time. With a groan, he reached for her and surrendered to the want he’d been fighting against for days.
Chapter Six
Luke’s mouth crashed down to hers, tasting of white-hot desire and just a hint of whiskey. As he kissed her, she lay back down on the bed. She opened her mouth to him, and he took her invitation by dancing his tongue with hers.
She’d wanted this...she’d wanted him for weeks. In fact, it felt as if she’d wanted him all her life. This had little to do with what had happened this evening, although she would admit it was a perfect time to lose herself in Luke’s arms.
As the kiss went on, it was as magical as it had been that afternoon. His lips were soft but commanding, and she returned the kiss with all the fever, all the intense heat he stoked in her.
His hands began to move, stroking up her back and then around to her breasts. Her nipples instantly hardened beneath her T-shirt to meet his touch.
Within minutes she was tired of the cotton material that kept him from touching her more intimately. She pulled her mouth from his and sat up. In one swift move, she pulled her T-shirt over her head and tossed it to the bottom of the bed.
“Carrie, you’re so beautiful,” Luke said softly.
“So are you,” she replied, loving the sight of his bare chest in the faint moonlight that lit the room.
Once again, their lips met, and as he stroked her breasts, she ran her hands across his firmly muscled chest. His skin was warm and smooth, and at the same time she was enjoying touching him, she also loved him touching her.
When their kiss ended, he dragged his lips sensually along her jawline and then slowly across her collarbones. She gasped when his mouth captured one of her nipples. He teased and nipped at it, creating electric currents that raced through her entire body.
When he was finished with one, he moved to the other, giving it as much attention as he had the first. She was on fire, and he was the only one who could put it out.
Her heart cried out his name as his familiar scent surrounded her. She was utterly lost in him. All thoughts of the accident and attempted murder faded away from her mind as she embraced all things Luke.
She moved her hands lower, running down his chest and across the waistband of his boxers. It was obvious he was fully aroused, and he moaned deep in his throat with his pleasure at her touch.
She loved the sound of his moans. She loved that he was fully aroused for her, that he obviously desired her as much as she did him.
He moved one of his hands down her stomach and down to the waistband of her panties. His fingers danced there, teasing her until she was half-mindless. She held her breath, and then he was there, touching her where she most needed his touch.
More...she wanted more. As he slid her panties down, she raised her hips to allow him to draw them off her body. His hand returned to where it had been, and he began to move his fingers against her in a steady rhythm.
She raised her hips to meet his touch as a sweet tension began to build inside her. He quickened his finger movements, and she cried out his name as a sudden climax crashed over and through her.
