Winter Vows, page 35
He shook his head, then gazed shyly at Dylan. “Are you gonna be here in the morning?”
“Nope. I’m going away for a few days.”
“Oh,” Bobby said glumly.
Dylan hunkered down in front of him. “Why? Was there something you wanted to do tomorrow?”
“I was thinking maybe if you were here you could play with me. I got lots of neat stuff in the backyard.”
Kelsey exchanged a puzzled look with Dylan. “Why did you want Dylan to play with you, sweetie?”
“So Daddy can’t make me go away again,” he said simply.
Tears welled up in Kelsey’s eyes. She had to turn away to keep Bobby from seeing. She was aware of Dylan quietly reassuring Bobby that his daddy wasn’t going to take him again, but all the while her heart was breaking.
She felt Dylan’s light touch on her arm and jerked her head toward him. “What?”
“I’m going to take Bobby up to bed and hang out for a minute, if it’s okay with you.”
Unable to speak around the lump in her throat, she simply nodded. Dylan squeezed her hand and mouthed, “He’s going to be fine.”
But Kelsey wasn’t so sure. Would any of them ever really be fine again?
Fourteen
Dylan spent nearly a half hour talking to Bobby, trying to ease his fears, then tucking him into bed and waiting until he drifted off to sleep. All the while, he kept thinking of all the nights he’d missed doing exactly the same thing with Shane, all the stories he could have read to his son, all the sleepy talks they could have shared. The experience reinforced his decision to see Kit as soon as possible the next day. He wanted his son back in his life. He needed to be a dad again. Even part-time would be better than nothing.
As he went back downstairs, though, his thoughts shifted back to the woman waiting for him. He had seen her shattered expression when Bobby had revealed his fear of being taken away again by his dad. The fact that she had allowed him to step in and reassure the boy, then put him to bed, told Dylan just how distraught she had been. She’d been afraid Bobby would detect her own fear.
Obviously, she had been wanting to believe, just as he had, that Bobby hadn’t been affected by the events of the last few days. Now they could no longer delude themselves. He’d been able to step in tonight, but what if Bobby needed more help than either he or Kelsey could give him?
Dylan walked into the living room to find Kelsey curled up at one end of the sofa. She hadn’t turned on the lights and the room was in shadows.
“Is he okay?” she asked, sounding lost and defeated.
“Sound asleep,” Dylan reassured her as he crossed the room, sat down beside her and drew her into his arms. She came willingly.
“Oh, Dylan, I wanted so badly for him to have come through this unscathed.”
“To tell you the truth, I think he was just worried about leaving you again. I don’t think it had anything to do with him being frightened of his father.”
“But he saw Paul shoot that gun in the air and tie you up. How could he not have been terrified? I must have been crazy to think he would forget all about it just like that.”
“We talked about that. I told him nothing really bad happened, that it was like a game between his dad and me to see who would get to bring him back to you fastest. He seemed to accept that.”
“In other words, you lied to him. Is that good?”
“It’s better than telling him his dad did a terrible thing that could have had tragic consequences. He’ll figure that out for himself when he’s older. For now, I think it’s better just to ease his mind. Maybe you should talk to a psychologist. See what he says.”
“Of course,” she said, sounding relieved to have something concrete she could do. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. It’s exactly what I’d recommend to the parent of any patient of mine who’d been through a traumatic experience. I’ll call a friend of mine in Miami first thing in the morning. I just wish I had some answers now.”
“Bobby’s sound asleep. The answers can wait until morning.” He gave her a knowing look. “But just in case you don’t see it that way, my guess is you have a few psych books left over from med school tucked away somewhere around here.”
She brightened at the suggestion. “In the attic.” She started to get up.
“Not just yet,” Dylan said, holding her a little more tightly. “Let’s talk about you for a minute. Will you be able to sleep tonight or are you going to spend the whole night running into Bobby’s room just to make sure he’s there?”
“I’ll try to limit it to once an hour,” she said candidly.
He debated asking his next question, then decided to make the offer anyway. “Would it help if I stayed here? On the sofa,” he elaborated before she could jump to the wrong conclusion.
Her hesitation suggested she badly wanted to resist the idea, that she was used to handling crises on her own and needed to start doing that again. Finally she released a soft sigh. “Would you mind?”
“I offered, didn’t I?”
Her gaze clashed with his. “Not on the sofa, though. Upstairs. With me.”
Dylan’s heart beat a little faster, but he shook his head. “Bad idea.”
“Why?”
“We won’t sleep, Kelsey, and you know it.”
“Would that be so terrible?”
Dylan struggled with himself, with his sense of honor. “I thought we’d decided not to rush into anything.”
“It’s just sex, Dylan, not a commitment.”
She uttered the words so damned bravely, but they both knew better. She didn’t have casual relationships, and though he’d had his share, he knew this wasn’t going to be one of them. She deserved better from him.
“You’re wrong,” he told her. “You don’t have casual flings and when it comes to someone like you, neither do I. I want to make something of what we have, Kelsey. I don’t want to mess it up by getting into something heavy at the wrong time, when you’re vulnerable. I don’t want you waking up in the morning with regrets.”
“I’m stronger than I seem, Dylan. You’ve seen me at my worst. Believe me, under normal circumstances, I’m perfectly capable of making a rational decision.”
He laughed. “Oh, I’m certain of that, darlin’, but you’re not thinking with your brain just now.”
She stared at him indignantly, then chuckled selfconsciously. “Shouldn’t that be my line?”
“I’ll give you a rain check to use it on me,” he promised. “Now scoot before I change my mind and decide I can’t resist ravishing you, after all. You can hunt for that psychology book and read yourself to sleep with all that dull, dry material.”
She regarded him with obvious regret. “You’re not going to be noble forever, are you?”
Dylan laughed, despite the ache that was already building with no immediate relief in sight. “No, darlin’. I think you can count on me getting past this in no time at all.”
* * *
To Kelsey’s amazement, after checking on Bobby only twice and reading just a few pages of the childpsychology textbook she’d found in the attic, she actually fell soundly asleep and slept through the rest of the night. She knew she owed that to Dylan’s presence downstairs. While the rational part of her brain knew that Paul couldn’t come after their son again, on another level she had feared he would somehow find a way out of jail and do just that. Having Dylan there to stop him had relieved her illogical worries.
The man was definitely one of the good guys. She had recognized his strength from the beginning, but she was just now beginning to understand how deep his integrity ran. Last night she had found his sense of honor inconvenient, but today she was grateful for it. She had been caught up in an adrenaline rush, no doubt about it.
One thing she knew, though, the attraction she had developed toward Dylan Delacourt wasn’t going away. If anything, it was growing deeper day by day. Sometimes, with some people, a lifetime of getting acquainted could be crammed into a few short days. It had been with them.
Down the hall she could hear Bobby thumping around in his room, probably tossing half his toys on the floor in search of the one buried deepest in the pile. The sound brought a smile to her lips.
Then she heard Dylan stirring downstairs and her smile spread.
She took a quick shower, tugged on a clean outfit, then poked her head into Bobby’s room. He was sitting on his bed, totally absorbed in his favorite picture book, one with lots of fire engines and police cars in it. He gave her a distracted wave and went right back to it.
Back to normal, she told herself with a relieved sigh. At least that was the way it seemed right now. Hard to tell what the day would bring.
Downstairs, she could smell the coffee brewing as she walked toward the kitchen. She found Dylan with one jeans-clad hip propped against the counter, his shirt hanging open and a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked sleepy and rumpled and indescribably sexy. His expression brightened when he saw her.
“Good morning.”
Staring at his partially bared chest, she murmured something that was probably incomprehensible. Finally she tugged her gaze away and looked into eyes dancing with amusement.
“Never seen a male body up close before?” he teased.
“Most of the ones I see are under twelve. Trust me, it’s not the same.”
“Speaking of that, you aren’t planning to go back to work today, are you?”
“I was thinking about going in later. Why?”
“What about Bobby?”
“Hank’s invited him out to the ranch after day camp today to play with Jamey. I figured he’d rather do that than stay here with me.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I’ll have to be sometime.”
“Sometime is not necessarily today,” he pointed out.
“Dylan, I have to do this my own way.”
He appeared to bristle a bit at that. “Well, of course you do, but I was just worried.”
“No need for you to worry,” she insisted. “Not anymore.”
He leveled a look straight at her. “That’s like asking me not to breathe. I’m the oldest of five. Worrying is what I do best.” He grinned ruefully. “It always drove Trish, Jeb and the others crazy, too. I can’t get over it, though, so you might as well get used to it.”
“Then add me to the list of those who find it annoying, but endearing,” Kelsey told him, then stood on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek to take the sting out of her words. “Thanks for caring.”
Having someone concerned about her well-being, challenging her independence at every turn, was going to take a whole lot of getting used to. But seeing the flare of heat in Dylan’s eyes, feeling the responding warmth steal through her, she knew it was also going to be worth it.
* * *
That peck on the cheek was the best Dylan got from Kelsey before he took off, but in some ways it was better than the most passionate kisses they had shared. There was a lighthearted teasing about it, an underlying affection that he couldn’t mistake. It was exactly what he intended to build on...as soon as he had his own life settled.
First he drove by the sheriff’s office to check in with Justin and assure himself that Paul wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
“Listen, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about,” Justin said, gesturing toward the chair opposite his desk.
Dylan studied him worriedly as he sat. “You’re not still agitating about me coming after Paul yesterday and almost busting into that meeting you had staked out, are you?”
“No more than you’re still ticked that I stopped you,” Justin retorted.
“Okay, let’s call it a draw. What’s on your mind?”
“I could use another man around here, someone with real experience and good instincts. Interested?”
“I’m a private investigator. What makes you think I’d want to become a sheriff’s deputy?”
“Call me crazy, but I got the distinct impression you were interested in a certain baby doc who’s new in town. Am I wrong?”
Dylan hesitated, then shook his head. “You’re not wrong.”
“What do you intend to do about it?”
“I’m not real sure that’s any of your business.” Justin scowled. “Kelsey’s like family. That makes it my business. You can either answer to me or answer to Grandpa Harlan. Believe me, I’m the better bet. He tends to get real pushy.”
Dylan actually appreciated the strength of that particular bond. He knew from his own experience with his brothers and his sister that that kind of protectiveness ran deep. Hadn’t he explained that very concept to Kelsey the night before?
“I have some things to work out,” he finally admitted. “Then I intend to come back here and see how things go from there.”
“Wouldn’t that be a whole lot easier if you had a steady paycheck?”
“My business does real well,” Dylan said.
“In Houston. How well will it do if you’re here?” To Dylan’s regret, Justin had a point. “I guess I hadn’t gotten quite that far along with my thinking,” he conceded. “Give me a little time. I’ll consider the offer.”
“Take as much time as you need.”
Dylan stood up and offered Justin his hand. “Thank you for letting me work with you on this case. I would much rather work with the authorities than butt heads with them.”
“Which is exactly why I think you’d fit in here.” Dylan thought about the proposal all the way over to Trish’s. While it had some merit, he still wasn’t sure he was suited to following a bunch of rules and regulations, even with a decent guy like Justin as his boss.
When he got to his sister’s, he found her in the kitchen and discovered that Jeb was packing to go back to Houston.
“Where’s my best girl?” Dylan demanded as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Upstairs with Jeb. Be careful. I think she’s defecting. You haven’t been around much the past couple of days and I suspect her heart’s fickle.”
“Not my sweet Laura,” he said loudly enough to be heard upstairs.
“Unca Dyl.” The delighted cry echoed through the house and was quickly followed by the thunder of tiny feet heading for the stairs.
“Whoa, there, sweetheart,” Jeb shouted, pounding after her.
A moment later, he came into the kitchen with Laura sitting on his shoulders. Their niece’s arms were already outstretched for Dylan.
Trish chuckled. “Told you she was fickle.”
Jeb handed Laura over, then surveyed Dylan. “You look like hell. No sleep?”
“I got plenty of sleep,” Dylan told him. “Unfortunately the sofa was too blasted short. I’ve got aches and pains everywhere.”
“And here I envisioned you over there—”
“Careful, pal.”
Jeb grinned. “Celebrating, big brother. That’s all I was going to say. Where did you think I was going?”
“Never can tell with you.”
“Can I hitch a ride back to Houston with you or should I call Dad and ask to have the corporate jet sent over?” Jeb asked, wisely changing the subject.
“I’ll take you,” Dylan said.
Trish stared at him in shock. “You’re going back to Houston today?”
He nodded.
“But I thought...”
“Well, you thought wrong. I have things to do.” Her gaze narrowed. “Such as?”
“I’ll let you know next time I see you.”
“When will that be?”
He frowned at her. “Why all the questions?”
“It’s just that I saw how you and Kelsey were together. I was sure something was going to happen.”
Dylan sighed. “Saints protect me from the busybodies in this town. You’re the second person today who wanted to poke around in my private life.”
“Because I care,” Trish said huffily. “You certainly don’t hesitate to poke and prod when the mood suits you. Never mind, though. I don’t have to follow your example. I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on.”
Dylan exchanged a look with Jeb and they both burst out laughing.
“That will be the day, baby sister,” Dylan said, then kissed her. “We forgive you, though. Just rein it in for a few days, okay?”
She seized on that. “A few days? That’s it?”
He nodded.
“I can last a few days,” she said briskly, then grinned at him. “Can Kelsey?”
Dylan frowned at her. “Watch it, kid.”
“Just checking,” she said innocently.
Damn, Dylan thought. How was he going to figure out the rest of his life with half the world watching his every move? He realized Justin and Trish were only the tip of the iceberg. He still had to drive all the way to Houston with Jeb in that car, then be subjected to the curiosity of his other brothers, his father and, worst of all, his mother.
There were occasions—and this was clearly destined to be one of them—when he deeply regretted being part of a large family that insisted on knowing everything about his life practically before he did.
Then again, turnabout was only fair play. He’d been doing the same thing to all of them for years.
Fifteen
Kelsey couldn’t concentrate. She’d done nearly a dozen preschool physicals since noon, returned nearly as many calls, and organized her schedule so she could catch up on all the appointments she’d missed while Bobby had been missing. Even at that, she kept thinking about Dylan and the promise that had been in his eyes and in his voice when he’d left her.
Could something so important be this easy? Could she possibly fall in love in the blink of an eye in the midst of the worst crisis of her life? Or was she just confusing love with relief and gratitude? Dylan was obviously worried that she might be doing just that and she supposed he was right to be so concerned. It wasn’t something to make a mistake about. They both had past mistakes to serve as warnings against making hasty judgments.
