Crazy for Lovin’ You (11 page)

“So you admit she hurt you?”

“I never denied that. And you should know that better than anyone. But I learned from what happened with her. School of hard knocks has always been my best education.”

“And the lesson?”

“Don't compete when you haven't got a chance.”

“So when my sister gets here this evening, you expect to feel nothing?”

He didn't miss the edge in her voice or how she studied him like the notes for her last college final. “That's right. Like I said, I stopped caring about Jen years ago.”

“Not even a twinge of the old feelings?”

“Nope.”

“She's better looking than she was ten years ago.”

“Most people are. Including you,” he pointed out. “Please tell me you're not playing matchmaker.”

She shook her head. “It's just that I've got this feeling—”

“What?” he asked when she hesitated.

“You're going to laugh, but ever since you returned to Destiny, I can't help feeling as if the past is clamoring to be organized and set to rights.”

“That sounds like something out of a science fiction movie,” he said laughing.

“I knew you wouldn't take me seriously. But Jen is
beautiful, sophisticated and fun. She's an up-and-coming family law attorney—”

“Speaking of cross-examinations,” he interrupted. “Is there a point to yours anywhere in my future?” It sounded as if she was trying to sell him on her sister. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.

“I just can't help wondering if you really meant what you said.”

“About what?” he asked.

“When you see Jensen again, will you be lying when you said you feel nothing? That you stopped caring for her years ago?”

“I don't have to see her. I can tell you right now I was lying.”

“You were?” She looked surprised and there was almost a stricken expression on her face.

“Yeah. I expect when I see Jen, I'll feel the pleasure of getting reacquainted with an old friend.”

“Yeah, and longhorns will fly.”

She stepped off her perch and stuck her hands into her pockets. Turning away without another word, she walked down the slight hill toward the house, hands in her pockets, shoulders slumped.

He wanted to follow and pull her into his arms. But he didn't dare. He wouldn't hurt her for the world. Besides the fact that she was all about home, family, roots and he had no experience with any of the above, he needed to put the past to rest. He'd never felt about any woman the way he felt about Taylor. But he had unfinished business with her sister.

He was almost positive the spark for Jensen was dead, but she was his first love, the first woman he'd wanted.

Tomorrow he would know.

S
tanding at Taylor's front door with Grady O'Connor, Mitch saw the sweet, sporty red BMW convertible raising dust clouds as it raced down the long dirt road. It passed the chalked-off rodeo parking, then rounded the arena area and headed for the house. Championships were due to start in about two hours, he noted glancing at his watch. Spectators would be showing up soon.

“Looks like someone's navigational system is hay-wire,” he commented to Grady.

Through his reflective aviator sunglasses, the sheriff studied the vehicle coming toward them. “I can handle this. That's why you're paying me the big bucks.”

Mitch grinned. “By definition, volunteer means you don't get paid. And that was your choice. But I gotta tell you, buddy, it'd be tough to retire on that. There's money in the rodeo budget for security.”

“My deputies deserve every bit of that. I'm just here to supervise.”

“And spectate,” Mitch clarified.

“And set wayward ladies straight,” he added, nodding in the direction of the luxury car that had just come to a stop.

“The top is up on that convertible and the windows are tinted. How do you know that's a woman driver?” Mitch asked, intrigued.

“Gut feeling. The car. The color. I've done a personal, unofficial study. Besides, I'm a cop. After awhile, we law enforcement types get an instinct about this sort of thing.”

“When do you find the time for any study—official or otherwise?” Mitch asked, remembering Melissa Mae Arbrook's words about him sheriffing, ranching and parenting twin girls.

“So you think I'm wrong?” he countered, neatly sidestepping the question.

“It's not that. I just—”

“If you doubt my expertise, just wait a second,” he said, nodding toward the car.

The door opened and two slender, tanned legs appeared. The hem of her—and it was definitely a her—lime-green sundress hiked up to reveal a shapely thigh. Impractical brown leather sandals revealed her feet and toenails painted pink. A memory flashed, hitting Mitch with a vision of Taylor's pink-painted toes propped on the side of the tub. Heat radiated through him, followed by a niggling sensation of familiarity.

When the woman finally emerged from the car, he guessed she was about Taylor's height, which meant not very tall. But she had a whole lot of slender and shapely packed into her compact figure. Her brown hair, highlighted with red, dusted the back of her bare neck and just the tops of her shoulders.

Mitch knew who she was. He glanced at Grady won
dering if he'd recognized her yet. In spite of the sunglasses, he noted an expression on the other man's face that indicated he liked what he saw.

Grady looked at Mitch. Together they said, “Jensen.”

“How did you know?” Mitch asked. He had dated her once upon a time. But he was surprised that the sheriff was able to identify her from the back.

“She doesn't look like a typical rodeo spectator,” Grady observed. “No jeans, hat or boots.”

“Inconclusive. At an event like this there are a lot of people who don't dress the part. What was your real clue?”

Grady grinned, flashing white teeth against the tanned skin of his face. “Best legs I've ever seen, bar none.”

He moved forward to greet her. Smiling and shaking his head, Mitch followed.

“Excuse me, ma'am,” Grady said in his cool, polite cop voice. “This is private parking for the Stevens family and guests of the ranch. Unless you're expected—”

Jensen turned. Designer sunglasses covered her eyes, but Mitch remembered they were moss-green. Emotions crossed her face in rapid succession—annoyance, surprise, then recognition. Something about the upward curve of her mouth told him she was going to give the sheriff a hard time. And he knew Grady's remote expression was nothing more than law enforcement training. But he felt his friend's air of expectation and waited for that to bother him. It didn't.

He wondered how long it had been since the two of them had seen each other. They were both busy professionals, but Grady had based a positive identification
on a pair of dynamite legs. Mitch's recognition had been more subtle. Taylor had told him she was arriving sometime today, but with all the last-minute details to attend to, the fact had slipped his mind. Then that damn, sexy pink toenail polish the Stevens sisters seemed to favor had given him the defining clue.

Somehow on Taylor it was more seductive, probably because it was so unexpected. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he'd never have guessed that beneath her cotton blouse, worn denim and scuffed work boots lurked those luscious pink-painted toes and a tempting body to go with them. Heat seared him at the thought but he pulled himself back with an effort.

“Unless I'm expected? A girl likes being
unexpected,
Sheriff,” Jensen was saying. “But that's not what you meant, is it?”

“No, ma'am.”

“What makes you think no one is expecting me?” she asked, lifting her chin.

“The rooms are full up.”

Mitch knew for a fact that there was an empty one across from his that Taylor had saved for her sister.

Grady rested his hands on his hips. “I suggest you move your car.”

“It's awfully heavy—”

“Getting smart isn't the way to win friends and influence the sheriff,” he said, cutting her off.

“I can't help it. I was born that way.” She grinned, showing off her dazzling smile. “C'mon, Grady. I thought a Texas sheriff had a courtly image to uphold.”

Mitch could almost see her batting her eyelashes behind those dark glasses. He stood back and watched the sparks fly.

Grady removed his own sunglasses and smiled. “Okay, Counselor. You win.”

“I should hope so, Grady O'Connor.”

“Seriously, Jen, that expensive model is a car thief magnet. There'll be a lot of strangers milling around for the next few days. In my professional opinion, you should park it out of sight.”

She nodded. “Why didn't you just say so, Sheriff?”

“Just havin' a little fun.”

“You? Fun?” she asked, tipping her head to the side. “Rumor has it you don't have time for it.”

“Rumor?”

Mitch and Grady looked at each other and said together, “Melissa Mae Arbrook.”

She laughed and said, “I stopped at the Road Kill Café on my way here. She said to tell you hi.” Then Jensen met Mitch's gaze. “Hello, stranger.”

He hesitated a couple of beats before holding out his hand. “Jen, it's good to see you. I think Taylor was expecting you a little later.”

“You knew she was coming?” Grady asked.

“Yeah.”

“You could have jumped in anytime and clued me in.”

“It didn't take you long to figure out who she was,” Mitch pointed out. “Besides, I didn't want to interfere with your unofficial study, your gut feeling in action. It was pretty impressive.”

Jen's curious gaze jumped back and forth between them. “And just how did you figure out it was me?”

“The classy, shapely, stacked—wheels,” Grady finally said. “Nice car.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Grady put his sunglasses back on. “It's good to see
you again, Jen. But I need to get to work. Catch you two later.”

“Count on it,” she answered.

He politely touched the brim of his tan sheriff's hat and walked away.

Jen watched his back for several moments, then looked at the house. “I can't wait to see what Taylor's done with the place.”

“You haven't seen it yet?”

“Not completely finished. My job is in Dallas and I'm pretty busy. I don't get home as often as I'd like.”

Home.
That four letter word again. In the weeks he'd been there, he felt the pull of it. Taylor had single-handedly made him think about putting down roots, about being part of a family.

“Let's go inside. I'll get your bag.”

“Thanks,” she said and unlocked her trunk.

Mitch lifted several suitcases out. “You moving back in?” he asked.

“I'm taking some time off,” she answered vaguely.

He nodded, then walked with her up the steps and into the air-conditioned house. Jen wandered through the downstairs. “She's done wonders with the place.”

“I'll take these to your room.”

“Okay.”

They climbed the stairs, and Jen poked her head into every nook and cranny to assess the changes her sister had made. At the end of the hall, Mitch turned to his right and set her luggage in the room Taylor had slept in. He still felt the ache of missing her.

Jen studied him. “So… It's been a long time.”

“Yeah, it has,” he said, tucking his fingertips in the front pockets of his jeans as he leaned against the door frame.

Mitch realized for the next week, until the championships were over, he would be sharing a bathroom with Jensen Stevens. This was the definitive test. Ten years ago he would have sold his soul for the opportunity. He looked at her now and waited for lightning to strike.

Nothing.

Just a warm pleasure at seeing an old friend.
He
would never have known her legs anywhere, but he'd noticed the sparks between her and Grady O'Connor. He waited for jealousy to settle like a hot coal in his gut.

Nothing.

He would know jealousy. Lately he'd had a taste of it—more like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Taylor talking with Dev Hart. Taylor standing between the good-looking stockman and Grady O'Connor for those publicity photos. Even now the memories burned a jealous streak as bright and hot as a blacksmith's forge after he got done with the bellows. It made him crazy that either of those men would be good for her. But, damn it, Mitch couldn't stand the idea of losing Taylor to anyone.

“Taylor told me you were back.” Jen put her hand on his arm. “But she didn't say much else. How are you?”

“Fine. I hear you're an up-and-comer in the law business.”

She nodded. “Daddy always said I argued like a lawyer, I should go to school so I could make some money at it.”

“I guess he was right.”

“I can't help wondering if—”

“What?” he encouraged. He had a feeling he knew
what she was going to say. “If Zach hadn't died, you wouldn't have gone back to school?”

Looking uncomfortable, she ran a hand through her long dark hair. Finally she nodded. “How did you know?”

“Ever since I came back, the past has been dogging my heels.” He recalled Taylor saying almost the same thing. He'd laughed, just as she'd predicted, but now he knew what she meant. And he had to admit she was right.

It was as if his return had triggered something cosmic, set forces in motion to fix what had gone wrong in the past. Only he would bet everything he had that he'd never been meant to wind up with Jensen. Since coming back to Destiny, he'd found there was always a memory waiting in the wings to catch him off guard. But they were all about Taylor.

Jen looked at him now and her green eyes were filled with remorse. “I've thought about you often, Mitch.”

“And what did you think?”

“I wished that I'd told you how much I regret what happened.”

What happened was that she'd wasted herself on a guy who wasn't good enough for her. But there was no point in speaking ill of the dead. Or destroying her illusions.

“Don't worry about it,” he said.

“I regret hurting you.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, and it's way past time for me to set the record straight. The truth is, I wasn't seeing Zach behind your back. We were friends. We flirted a little. I was too young to realize that I was playing with fire, and that night at the championships it all exploded out of con
trol. I didn't plan it or deliberately cheat on you. It all—” she spread her hands wide in a gesture of helplessness “—just happened.”

“Forget it.”

“I fell head over heels in love with Zach. I can't be sorry for one perfect year with the love of my life. But that doesn't justify hurting you, especially the way you found out. I don't want to lose your friendship.”

“Do you need me to tell you it's okay?”

Biting the corner of her bottom lip, she nodded uncertainly.

“Consider it done. It's over, Jen. I'm okay. And now I have something to ask you.”

“Anything. I owe you.”

“How did you know it was love? With Zach,” he asked.

There was a faraway expression in her green eyes and he knew she was pulling up the memories and sifting through them. “I remember the exact moment when I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.”

He laughed. “Spoken like a lawyer. When was that?”

“Melissa Mae Allen was flirting with Zach. Outrageously teasing and toying with him. It made me so crazy that I wanted to deck her.”

“Why didn't you?”

“I was rodeo queen. I had an image to protect,” she said sheepishly shaking her head. “But I was so angry. I felt like I was losing him and I had to do something about it.”

“Yeah,” he said, knowing Zach was the type of guy who would use that to his advantage.

“It was good and right between Zach and me,” she said, her cheeks going rosy in spite of an echo of de
fensiveness in her tone. “But I wish I'd had a chance to talk to you before everything got crazy. I handled it badly. My only defense is that I was young.”

“That's one of those character-building experiences your father was always talking about.”

She smiled sadly. “He did go on about that, didn't he?” She sighed. “I just want to say again that I'm sorry. It's ten years too late, and way past time I told you that, but I hope you'll accept my apology.”

“Okay. Can we be finished with it now?”

“Absolutely.” She looked relieved. “So is there anyone special in your life?”