Tucker Read online

  Did her voice sound huskier? “Yeah, so?” The way her rapt gaze moved over him, he almost felt naked. “I’m not always in uniform, you know.”

  She ignored that to say, “You’re hairier than I expected.”

  He looked down at his own chest, which, far as he could tell, was about average in the hair department. He wasn’t an ape, but neither was he fifteen and baby-butt smooth.

  Scoffing, he asked, “Expected me to manscape, did you?”

  “Not really, no.” She deeply inhaled and slowly handed him the shirt. Her eyes locked on his. “I like it.”

  Great. Something he didn’t need to know. He took the shirt, but only held it at his side. “Kady...”

  “Hmm?”

  The way she positioned herself on the cabinet, hands braced beside her hips, arms straight, one leg bent and breasts thrust forward, was enough to distract any man. “I know it’s like a habit to you, but you really shouldn’t flirt with me.”

  That got her attention off his body. “A habit?”

  “You do it with everyone.”

  “I’m nice to everyone.” Brows coming together, she straightened away from the cabinet. “That’s different from flirting.” She threw up her hands. “God save me from obtuse men.”

  “Obtuse?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “If you can’t see what’s right in front of you, then yes, you’re obtuse.”

  Somehow he was closer to her again. “I doubt the town would elect a stupid sheriff.”

  Tipping her head back, she stared up at him in blatant challenge. “Oh, you do fine as a sheriff. But as a man...?” She shrugged.

  A wash of heat burned his skin and made his nostrils flare. He leaned down, crowding her space. “I’ll have you know...” What? “I do fine as a man.” God, that was so lame.

  She looked at his mouth. “Can’t prove it by me.”

  Oh, so bold—and so close. Her lips were damp, her eyes heavy, and everything about her screamed an invitation. Could she possibly know what it did to him, having her look at him like that? Did she know that he was getting hard?

  Wrestling with temptation, Tucker tried to draw back, but it was as if their gazes had locked and he couldn’t pull free. Maybe he even leaned closer...

  Suddenly, headlights flashed in the rear windows of the van, blinding them both. He lifted a hand, turning toward the roar of a muscled engine. Through the windows he saw a car wildly careening toward them. Fast. Too fast.

  In his gut, he knew they’d be hit.

  Kady squeaked as he grabbed her close and bore her down to the floor on her butt, her face tucked against his chest, his body curling over and around hers protectively. They had no time for anything else, not for explanations or preparation, before the car heavily sideswiped the van with a jolting impact. The screech of metal on metal filled the air as the car shoved the van farther off the road and into the mud.

  For one heart-stopping moment, Tucker thought it might roll, but it rocked back with a deep shudder that sent something with hard corners tumbling down onto his shoulder.

  Grunting at the sharp pain, teeth locked, he gave thanks that he’d thought to cover Kady’s head so thoroughly. Instinctively, his arms tightened around her, and he ignored the ache to his shoulder muscle.

  The seconds ticked by.

  When nothing else happened, he cautiously lifted his head. She kept her face against him, her small hands curled on his chest.

  He could feel her trembling.

  After one stroke to her hair, he unwound from her and helped her to sit up. His shoulder screamed, but he had other priorities. “Are you okay?”

  Eyes big and glassy, she nodded. “You?”

  Anger washed away a lot of the pain. “Fine. Stay here.” He got up and looked through the front windshield in time to see the car’s taillights disappear around a bend in the road.

  The reckless bastard hadn’t even stopped.

  With the distance, the rain and the dark, there was no way to see the license-plate number.

  Kady sat cross-legged on the floor, her palms to her cheeks. “I guess the driver didn’t see us.”

  “The jackass was driving too fast to see anything, especially on a night like this.” But he couldn’t have missed that force of contact. Tucker crouched in front of her. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “Just shaken.” She put a hand to his neck.

  Her palm was soft, small, cool to the touch...and yet, he felt scorched. Asinine. It was only his damned neck.

  She swallowed. “I take back what I said.”

  Wondering if he’d ever understand her, Tucker asked, “Which part?”

  “About you being an obtuse man.” Her fingers stroked a little. “You have amazing reflexes, and I... I appreciate that you thought of me.”

  Tucker had no idea what to say to that. Truthfully, when he’d realized what would happen, he’d been able to think only of her.

  “I mean, I know you’d have done the same with any woman. I’m not insinuating... That is, I realize...” Her voice faded and she shook her head, then said firmly, “Thank you.”

  After doing his best to behave, it was crazy that her uncertainty would push him right over the edge, but that’s what happened. For once she wasn’t flirting, wasn’t flaunting that teasing persona.

  At this moment, here—with him—she was open and vulnerable and real.

  Needing to touch her, comfort her, Tucker put his knuckles under her chin and brought her face up to his. Those summer-sky eyes searched his, and he saw her dawning awareness seconds before he kissed her.

  Her lips were soft and warm, slightly parted. She made a sexy, husky sound in the back of her throat and immediately, urgently squeezed closer, her arms twining around his neck, her breasts pressing to his chest.

  Tucker turned his head for a better fit, licked along her lips until she opened her mouth, then he kissed her as he wanted, his tongue sliding over hers, learning her taste, absorbing her warmth. Possessing her.

  Both of them breathed harder.

  Who knew how far things might’ve gone if she hadn’t rushed him, if her arms hadn’t squeezed tight—and if his shoulder hadn’t made him cringe, just a little, from the ache.

  She levered back, her confused gaze flicking over his face, then focusing on his shoulder. She leaned half over him, inspecting...and gasped in renewed upset. “Tucker Turley, you’re hurt.”

  * * *

  KADY IGNORED TUCKER’S continued grumbling as the ER doc looked over the X-ray. The bruising on his shoulder was awful, going partway down his back, spreading over the top of his shoulder as if reaching for his neck, and crawling down over one pec muscle.

  A really hot, nicely defined pec muscle.

  Actually, his whole chest was amazing. It made her warm to see him sitting there on the table, his posture casual as if he weren’t turning black and blue, his expression disgruntled.

  His upper body bare.

  Sparse dark hair feathered over his chest from one flat brown nipple to the other, then narrowed down his body, played around his navel and disappeared into the waistband of his—

  “Kady.”

  At his deep voice, she looked up—and flushed. His pointed stare reminded her that they weren’t alone and that she shouldn’t be ogling him.

  The doctor turned on his stool, one brow raised, looking at each of them over his glasses.

  Tucker released her from that intimidating stare to say to the doctor, “Okay if I get dressed now?”

  By way of a nonanswer, the doctor—who was a friend of her Uncle Sawyer and a very nice man—stood and approached Tucker, putting one hand on his shoulder, the other on his elbow as he checked the arm’s mobility. Tucker tried not to flinch, the stubborn fool. She just hoped nothing was broken.

  Then the doctor relieved the worst of h
er fears.

  “You have a severe contusion. No breaks, luckily. You’ll leave here in a sling. Wear it, and make sure your arm stays level with the ground to take the strain off your injury.” With that no-nonsense explanation, the doc frowned at him over his glasses. “You’ll wear the sling for five days, then see me for a follow-up and evaluation. If all goes well, you’ll start range of motion exercises after that.” He gave Tucker a pat and stepped away. “Use an ice pack for twenty minutes every two hours tonight and tomorrow, except when you’re sleeping.” Sounding stern, he added, “Rest it, understand?”

  “Sure.”

  Kady squared her shoulders. “I’ll see that he takes it easy.”

  Incredulous green eyes shifted her way, but thankfully, Tucker didn’t reject her on the spot.

  The doctor gave a satisfied nod. “I’ll give you a script for pain—”

  “No need.” In an obvious hurry to go, Tucker stood and reached for the black T-shirt she’d given him.

  “The pain will get worse before it gets better,” the doc warned.

  “I’ll take some OTC meds. It’ll be fine.”

  “Stubborn,” the doctor muttered, mirroring her opinion. “I’ll send in the nurse with the sling. She’ll set your follow-up.”

  “Thank you,” Kady called as he went out the door, because Tucker was obviously too grouchy to show any gratitude.

  Hands on hips, she turned to Tucker, saw him starting to slide his injured arm into a sleeve and jumped to help him. “Let me.”

  He tried to turn away, but he wasn’t quick enough. Submitting, he muttered, “This is not a good idea.”

  Deliberately misunderstanding, she said, “I’ll be careful,” and eased the armhole around his hand, up his wrist and past his elbow.

  He glared down at her. “Little late for that.”

  She could only ignore so much! “Because of a kiss?” she scoffed, even as her stomach tingled from the memory of the firm press of his lips, the stroke of his tongue, the scent of his skin and the tantalizing press of his body.

  He’d been hurt protecting her.

  The knowledge humbled her, and she sighed. “Don’t be silly.” With the shirt up his injured arm, he easily slid in the other and then, together, they got it over his head.

  Behind them the door opened. She expected the nurse, but it was Deputy Moody Egan, a guy she’d gone through school with, hat in hand, stammering an apology at finding them so close together.

  On the way to the hospital, Tucker had calmly called in the accident and told his men to watch for a fast car racing into town. Kady hoped they got the jerk.

  After all, it was because of him that Tucker had a very bruised shoulder and upper arm.

  “What is it?” Tucker asked, as he smoothed down the shirt. He didn’t seem embarrassed, but then, it took a lot to get a reaction out of Sheriff Tucker Turley.

  “We got him. He blew through town too fast for anyone to grab him, but plenty of locals spotted him and got his license number. Then a trooper from the state police attempted to pull him over. The idiot didn’t stop, but crashed again after about a ten-mile chase.”

  Tucker paused, his head coming up, his brows drawn in a frown. “Another crash?”

  “Ran into a guardrail and got himself stuck.” Moody grinned. “No one was hurt, but they found drugs on the bozo, in his car and probably in his system, from the way he was acting.”

  “You don’t say.” Favoring his injured arm, Tucker leaned against the metal bed. “Given the crazy way he was driving in the storm, that doesn’t surprise me.”

  “It gets better,” Moody promised. “The passenger side of his car showed evidence of his brush with the weather van. Plus he has an outstanding warrant for parole violation. They arrested him, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”

  A slow, devastating smile—at least in Kady’s opinion—spread over Tucker’s face. “Perfect. Someone else grabbing him is the next best thing to me dealing with him myself.” He started for the door.

  Kady shook her head. “You’re in no shape to—”

  He interrupted her, saying to the deputy, “You can drive me back out to get the SUV?”

  “Uh...” Moody looked between them, then cleared his throat. “She already took care of that.”

  Tucker went absurdly still. “She?”

  Kady felt guilty heat scorch her cheeks, but she faked a bold confidence. “While you were being x-rayed, I arranged for someone to get your ride.” Smile as bright as she could make it, she stated, “I’ll drive you home.”

  He turned to stare at her as if she’d spoken in a foreign language, then he gave his attention back to the deputy. “Where did the SUV go?”

  “Your house,” she answered. “Even though you shouldn’t attempt driving—”

  Again he ignored her. “Keys are with it?”

  Moody’s gaze continued to bounce back and forth in a panicked ping-pong. “Yes, sir.”

  Uh-oh, Kady thought. Bringing out the “sir” in an otherwise casual department meant Tucker was likely more annoyed than he showed.

  But then, he always hid his emotions well.

  Except for when he’d kissed her. Remembering gave her new purpose, and she launched into action. “Go on,” she said to Moody, shooing him away. “I’ll see that Tucker gets home safely.”

  Eyes widening, the deputy looked at the sheriff.

  Tucker’s jaw clenched before he visibly relaxed and nodded. “Thanks, Moody.”

  With that polite dismissal plain, Kady watched the deputy retreat with alacrity. Pleased that she’d gotten her way, she hooked her arm through Tucker’s on his uninjured side and smiled up at him. “You must be hungry and tired. And your shoulder has to be hurting.” She led him through the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

  When he smiled down at her, a really serene, sort of knowing smile, she started to worry.

  Kady frowned. “What?”

  Now he was leading her. “You can drive me home, but you’re not feeding me.”

  “Don’t be silly. I don’t mind—”

  “Obviously not, since you went to all the trouble to set this up.” He glanced at her. “But Gabe will.”

  When her feet froze, Tucker urged her onward.

  “Dad doesn’t know about any of this.”

  “He will.” Automatic doors slid open as they reached them, and they stepped out into the damp, dark night. Tucker inhaled a deep breath, glanced around the lot and finally spotted the van. As he headed in that direction, almost dragging her along now, he said, “Just as soon as I call him.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  BRINGING OUT THE big guns was a desperate move, but then, he was a desperate guy. He’d already kissed her once, and Tucker knew if she stuck around, which she seemed determined to do, he’d cave again.

  If that happened—in the privacy of his home—God only knew what might happen. He couldn’t risk it.

  He’d awakened the man to rat her out, and Gabe sounded properly concerned over the phone despite Tucker’s repeated assurances that she hadn’t been hurt.

  “She’s dropping me off,” Tucker said, watching Kady’s profile, “and then she’ll be heading home. Yeah, I’m sure she’ll call you once she’s safely back at her apartment.”

  As he spoke, Kady’s expression turned downright surly, but she also looked hurt—and damn it, that hurt him, too.

  “No problem,” Tucker said in reply to Gabe thanking him for the call. “I figured you’d want to know that she was fine before the gossip got around.” In a town the size of Buckhorn, any and all happenings spread like wildfire. Tucker had no doubt that Gabe would have been getting calls from relatives and neighbors alike first thing in the morning.

  It was better that he heard it straight from Tucker...right?
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  He looked at Kady again. Console lights on the van glowed over her face and made a halo of her pale, tangled hair. She should have looked a mess in the baggy clothes, smudged makeup and sour expression.

  Instead, she looked adorable.

  He winced at a bump in the road, but quickly smoothed his expression when she glanced at him.

  The tires hissed on the wet pavement, occasionally sending up a spray from puddles to further drench the trees lining the road. Gray clouds tumbling over the dark sky concealed any trace of the moon. The silence grew heavy.

  “Gabe wants you to call when you’re headed home.”

  “I heard.”

  Her clipped voice didn’t alleviate the tension. “You know I had to call him.”

  No reply, but her hands tightened on the wheel.

  Tucker adjusted, trying to find a comfortable position. They’d be to his house in another five minutes, and though he’d instigated the tension, he didn’t want to leave it this way. “It was the respectful thing to do.”

  “No,” she corrected. “It was the cowardly thing to do.”

  “Cowardly?” He should have been insulted, but instead, he was curious. Plus he’d rather have her complaints over her silence any day. “How do you figure that?”

  “I’m twenty-five, and I’ve been living on my own since I was nineteen. Dad assumed I was home in bed, as he should. He was home in bed.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “I could have explained everything tomorrow, but instead you woke him, and now he’ll worry until he knows I’ve locked myself inside my apartment. And for what? Because you were afraid I might take advantage of you?” She snorted. “Cowardly.”

  Tucker straightened. “I wasn’t worried about you taking advantage.” He was worried about his own control, about resisting her.

  “And you know what?” She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I probably would have tried for another kiss. I, at least, thought the kiss was nice.”

  “Nice?” Now that was just plain insulting. It’d been a hell of a lot more than nice to him.

  “Very nice. The nicest kiss I’ve ever gotten.” She glanced at him again. “Not that I’ve had that many.”