I'm Your Santa (17 page)

“We enjoyed having you,” she said.

She pulled into her driveway and turned off the ignition. He couldn't get out of the car fast enough. He mumbled a good-bye. It wasn't so late that he couldn't call Monty and tell him that he'd had all he wanted of small-town life.

So what if he was running away. Nothing new for him. He'd gotten really good at leaving people before they left him.

Once he was inside, he grabbed his cell and speed dialed his agent's number. The phone rang again and again but Monty didn't answer. Trey finally gave up and just left a message asking his agent to send a car.

He was tired of pretending to be something he wasn't.

The temperature had begun to drop. Bailey knew this because an hour ago she had the television on the weather channel. It was either that or infomercials about an exercise machine that twisted you into a pretzel while claiming you could lose all the weight you wanted in as little as ten minutes a day.

No, thanks.

She'd drunk a glass of wine, and enjoyed it so much that she'd drunk another one, and thought maybe she could fall asleep this time if she went back to bed.

Wrong.

She flung the covers off. It might be cool outside but she was burning up. It was all Trey's fault. He'd flirted, he'd kissed, and now she was restless. Every time she closed her eyes, she thought about him.

They were such good thoughts!

What was the use of staying in bed if she couldn't go to sleep? She scooted out of bed and padded through the house. Her gaze strayed to the guesthouse. A light glowed. He couldn't sleep, either.

Interesting.

Or maybe his foot was hurting him. Maybe his crutches had fallen and he couldn't get to the sink to get a glass of water so he could take a pain pill. Maybe…

Yeah. Maybe she should write a book. What she was dreaming up would make great fiction.

She went back to the bedroom and slipped her arms into her robe and her feet into slippers. What she was about to do was so wrong. But it felt so right.

 

Trey flipped through the pages of the magazine. He'd read an article on cleaning tips, one on the best ways to tan, and a horrible one on waxing. Women didn't really do that, did they? He wanted to write an article titled:
JUST NOT WORTH IT
.

Men weren't. Men were selfish, out for their own pleasure.

He tossed the magazine to the side. He was bored. He couldn't sleep. And the reason why was just across an expanse of yard—a very short expanse. He could be at Bailey's backdoor in less than five. But that was the worse thing he could do and he knew it.

It didn't stop his heart from beating harder when there was a light tapping at his door. He should pretend to be asleep. Man, this was so low—even for him. If she came inside they would make love. He knew that as sure as he knew he would end up breaking her heart. But for one night he wanted to feel whole and he knew Bailey could give him what was lacking in his life.

“Come in,” he said.

The door opened, bringing in the cold air—and Bailey. She was so damned beautiful with her mussed hair, full lips that begged to be kissed, and blue eyes that reflected both of their need.

“I wanted to…uh…” She bit her lip. “Is it so very much of a sin that I want to make love with you?”

He turned the covers back. Their eyes locked. She slowly untied the robe and slipped it off her shoulders. White satin slid down her naked body and puddled at her feet. Trey drew in a sharp breath as she quickly joined him.

She turned toward him as he pulled the covers over her. His lips met hers and he lost himself in her taste…in the heat from her body. Trey trembled. Damn, no woman had ever made him tremble.

When the kiss ended, she pulled back and stared into his eyes. “I want you so badly my body aches. I've never felt like this before. Make love to me, Trey.”

He wanted her, too, but he couldn't go any further until she knew the truth. He'd lose her, he knew that, but he couldn't leave a lie between them.

“I'm not the man you think…”

She placed two fingers over his lips. “You're the man I want to make love with. That's all that matters right now.”

He hesitated. She took his hand and placed it over her breast. He groaned, lost in the warmth of her flesh.

He flicked his thumb over her tight nipple. Her moan caressed him, sending shivers of need over him and all thoughts of trying to be a hero fled. Hell, he'd never been a hero before now so why muddy a clean record.

“Beautiful,” he whispered as he fondled her breast before lowering his head and taking her into his mouth. His tongue flicked back and forth across her nipple, then scraped it with his teeth.

“Yes,” she cried out, arching toward him.

Her hand snaked downward, stroking his hard length. He closed his eyes, lights exploded behind his lids.

“I want to take you into my mouth. I want to taste all of you,” she told him. Before he could do more than groan, she'd slid down in the bed and nudged him to his back.

His brain had stopped functioning a long time ago. He mindlessly obeyed. She took him into her mouth, sucking gently, her tongue swirling around the tip of his erection. Wet heat swirled around him as he rocked his hips until he knew he couldn't hold back a second longer.

He reached down with supreme effort and urged her back up and into his arms.

“I can't take any more,” he said, his hand moved down to her curls. Soft as silk he massaged between her legs, tugging on the fleshy part of her sex. He dipped a finger inside her, feeling the wetness, knowing she was more than ready for him, but wanting to build the excitement…the need inside her.

“I want to taste you,” he told her close to her ear, his breath fanning her neck.

“I can't,” she told him, her breathing ragged. “I can't wait. I need you now.” She reached to the side of the bed and grabbed her robe, pulling a condom out of the pocket and ripping it open with her teeth.

He took it from her and rolled it down his length. He didn't need any more encouragement then what she was now giving him.

When he sank inside her tight body, they groaned at the same time. He slowly lowered his body, then came back up. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he sank inside her once again. Just when he thought it couldn't get any better than this, she contracted her inner muscles.

Lights exploded around him. He pumped inside her faster and faster. She cried out, her body tightening. He stiffened as his orgasm washed over him in wave after wave. This was so damn frigging good, he thought, as he rolled to his side taking her with him. He never experienced anything like this. He'd never felt so much a part of someone else as he did right now.

“I think I might be falling in love,” she said.

Her whispered confession curled around him, tightening like a noose around his neck. No! Don't lose your heart to me, he wanted to tell her but when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn't come. Instead, he brushed a kiss across the top of her head.

You're a liar,
he silently told himself. Your whole life has been one big lie. What would Bailey think about him when she discovered the truth?

She snuggled closer, her hand curling around his. Her breathing deepened and he knew she'd drifted asleep.

“I think I'm falling in love, too,” he whispered, but knowing she didn't hear his words. He was playing it safe again. Making no commitment, taking no chances.

Bailey believed his lies. She was living in his fantasy world and thinking he was this perfect man of God. Never realizing he wasn't worth her time or trouble.

He slipped out of her arms, grabbed his clothes, and hobbled to the bathroom. He couldn't even look at his reflection in the mirror. He disgusted himself. Why had he let himself get so involved?

The best thing he could do would be to leave before he could do more damage, cause Bailey even more pain.

When he came out of the bathroom, he was dressed. He took one look at her sleeping form and his stomach twisted into knots. He was only supposed to act a part, get into the role. He wasn't supposed to get involved with these people.

He grabbed his jacket and keys, then gritted his teeth and walked out the front door. He didn't need the worn Bible, he didn't need the suitcase of clothes. His ankle hurt but the physical pain was good. It helped him to forget about the rest.

The night air had a chill in it but he didn't care. He welcomed the cold. Why not, he already felt frozen on the inside.

He climbed on the Harley. His foot throbbed as he roared out of the driveway and Two Creeks, Texas. He never looked back.

Bailey stretched and yawned feeling very satisfied. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Trey wasn't in bed. She slowly rose on one elbow, pushing her hair out of her eyes. He wasn't in the room and the bathroom door was open.

His Bible was on the bedside table, his suitcase next to the bed. Maybe he'd gone to her house to fix breakfast. A nice warm and fuzzy thought.

Her gaze landed on his crutches. Cold chills ran up and down her spine. Something was wrong.

She jumped out of bed, throwing on her robe and belting it as she flew out the door, not even bothering to put on her slippers.

“Trey,” she called.

Silence.

Where was he? She ran through the house, just to be certain, looking into each room. What had happened? Was it something she'd done? Well of course it was—she'd seduced him. What the hell was he going to do when she boldly threw herself at him?

He was a fallen angel now. Completely out of God's grace. And her? She was a jezebel. Her life couldn't get any worse.

She shoved her hair away from her face and hurried to the front door, flinging it open. Her hands began to shake as she stared at the driveway.

The Harley was gone.

He'd left the same way he'd come in, except this time he took her heart with him.

She slowly closed the door, made it as far as the living room and collapsed on the sofa. She hugged the pillow close to her, but it wasn't the same as hugging him. Oh God, he must hate her so much. She'd tarnished him.

Two, three hours passed but time meant nothing.

The doorbell rang. She raised her head, not wanting to move. Then hope flared inside her. Trey? Was he back? Maybe to explain why he'd left without a word.

She ran to the door and flung it open, ready to launch herself into his arms.

A chauffer stood at the door, a limo parked next to the curb. She raised her eyebrows when she looked back at the stoic young man.

“Can I help you?”

“I'm supposed to pick up Jeremy Hunter.”

“The actor?”

He nodded.

“Boy, have you got the wrong house. The wrong town for that matter.” She started to close the door when he spoke again.

“His agent told me he might be going by the name Trey Jones.”

Her body went from cold to hot then back to cold again. She slowly opened the door a little wider. “What?”

“His agent told the limo service I was to pick up Mr. Hunter at this address and take him to the airport.” He dug a piece of paper out of his pocket and glanced at it, then at the numbers on her house. “This is the right address.”

Jeremy Hunter and Trey Jones were one in the same. He'd used her, got whatever thrill he'd been looking for, then dumped her.

“Is he here?”

She took a deep breath, barely controlling her murderous thoughts. What little dignity she had left, she pulled around her like a cloak. “He's already left.”

His forehead puckered. “Oh. I guess I should call the agent and let him know.”

“Yes, you do that. Good-bye.”

She closed the door, surprising herself that she didn't slam it—then slam it again…and again…and again! It wasn't the young man's fault that Jeremy Hunter had gone slumming.

Bailey made it as far as the sofa and sat down with a hard thud. Oh God, he must've laughed his ass off at her seduction attempts. Him, the playboy, the big Hollywood star. Her face burned when she remembered thinking he might even be a virgin.

A virgin! She just wanted to die. Or better yet, she wanted him to die!

The phone rang. She stomped over to it and nearly jerked it off the wall. “What?” she demanded.

“What's the matter?” Wade asked.

She sniffed. Her anger dissolved into a puddle at her feet. Wade would know what to do. But he couldn't make it better. No one could make it better.

“Bailey, you're scaring me.”

“He hurt me,” she wailed.

“I'll be right there.”

She dropped the phone back in its cradle and went to the sofa, falling across it and was still there, crying, when Wade and Fallon rushed in.

“Where is he? I'll haul his ass to jail.”

“Can't.” She hiccupped as she sat up, shoving her hair out of her face. “He's gone. Didn't even say good-bye.”

Wade relaxed. “Well, good riddance. You don't want someone like that in your life.”

“Yes, I do.”

Fallon hadn't said a word, just watched. “You had sex with him.”

Bailey fell against the pillows on the sofa and cried harder.

Wade balled his hands into fists. “He touched you? He's a preacher. I'll have him excommunicated or whatever the hell you do to preachers.”

“Trey wasn't Trey.” Oh, the shame!

Fallon sat on the sofa, pulling Bailey into her arms. “What do you mean Trey wasn't Trey?”

“He was really Jeremy Hunter, the actor. He used us all.”

“Then why the hell did he say he was a preacher?” Wade's countenance was growing darker by the second.

She shrugged. “I don't know. He left before I woke up. He didn't even leave a note to explain.” She waved her arm in the air. “Pfttt and he was gone.”

“He won't get away with it,” Fallon told her.

“There's nothing we can do,” Bailey said.

“Nothing we can do?” Fallon's eyebrows rose. “Oh honey, you haven't seen exactly what I
can
do and no one makes my favorite sister-in-law cry.”

“I'm your only sister-in-law.”

“That's beside the point. Trey or Jeremy—whatever he's calling himself this week will certainly face the music. I'm not ex-CIA for nothing.” She tapped her fingernail against her chin. “And you forget my sister is a cop.” She frowned. “Except Jody is pregnant. Okay, she's out but we know two bounty hunters who don't play by the rules. Josh and Cody will be glad to help.”

Wade looked at his wife. “Heaven help him.”

“Sweetheart, he'll need a lot more than God's help.” Her smile was wicked.

Bailey stood. “No, I don't want you to do anything. He's not worth it. He lied not only to me but to the whole town. Just forget whatever plan you might be cooking up.”

Fallon looked at Wade. He shrugged as if to tell her if that's what little sis wanted…

And it was what she wanted. It was. No matter how much it hurt.

“Okay, if you're sure,” Fallon said.

“I am.” But she didn't think she was as positive as she sounded. She didn't want to be one of those women who would try to get revenge, but she was tempted to make him suffer!

 

“What happened in Texas?” Monty asked. “You were supposed to become the character, Trey Jones. Don't tell me you let the preacher persona get to you.”

He met his agents probing gaze. “I'm still the same man as when I left.”

“No, you've changed. No more wild parties, no more women, and you haven't even been in the tabloids.”

“Isn't that what you wanted?”

Monty shook his head. “Not to the extent that you would be dead inside.”

“I'm playing the part, aren't I?”

“Oh, yeah, the studio execs are thrilled with your performance. Oscar material and all that. But you're not the same.”

He stood. “I'm tired. It's been a long week, then we started filming.”

Monty sighed as he came to his feet. “If you need anything…”

“I don't,” he interrupted. He'd heard it all for the last week and a half.

“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and you don't go back to work until the new year. Are you sure you won't come over to the house? The wife would love to see you.”

He shook his head. “I'm going to the cabin. I'll be back next week.”

Monty opened his mouth, then must have thought better because he didn't say anything. Jeremy saw him to the door. He didn't relax until he closed and locked it behind him. He didn't want to talk, to explain about Bailey.

His gut twisted just thinking about her. God, she probably hated his guts. He should've left a note or something. He'd just thought it would be better to make a clean break. He didn't realize it would hurt this much.

What would happen if he called her? Hell, he already knew the answer. He could return to Two Creeks and grovel. The thought of seeing her again sent his pulse racing. That's exactly what he would do. What else did he have to lose?

He'd run away from Bailey but she'd kept something that belonged to him—his heart.

He turned and walked back to the living room of his apartment. When he saw the man dressed all in black, he froze. A noise alerted him to the one behind him and there was another one off to his left. Ski masks covered their faces.

Fear coursed through him but he tried to stay calm. “My wallet's on the bedside table. It's all the money I have in the house.

“We don't want your money,” a feminine voice said just before he was clipped on the back of the head. The room went black as he felt himself falling. Someone caught him, eased him to the floor. That was the last he knew.

Fallon tugged the hot mask off and looked down at Trey—no, not Trey. He was Jeremy Hunter. Damned hard to make the transition from preacher to playboy. Well, not too difficult. He was sexy as hell.

Cody tugged her mask off.

“Bailey is going to be pissed you knocked him out,” Fallon told her.

Cody squatted beside Jeremy's still form. “Hell, I didn't kill him.”

“Sheesh, bounty hunters,” Fallon complained. “You have no boundaries.”

“Like undercover CIA does? Yeah, right.”

“Are you two going to argue all night or are we going to take him back to Two Creeks and Bailey?” Josh drawled, tugging his mask off.

Fallon noticed the way his eyes strayed to Cody. They exchanged heated looks. Fallon rolled her eyes. All they thought about was sex. Actually, she couldn't blame them. She really missed Wade.

“I guess you two expect me to carry him downstairs,” Josh said. When neither one of them said anything, he muttered a curse. “At least get the door. I'm not lowering him over the side of the wall. It was bad enough climbing up it.”

He rolled Jeremy to his side, pushed his feet against the unconscious man's feet for leverage, and pulled him up and over his shoulder in one motion. He grunted when he took Jeremy's full weight.

“I don't know why Wade couldn't be involved, too. It's just not right that I have to do all the work.”

“Because Wade couldn't get away,” Fallon explained—again.

“Bailey damn sure better appreciate what we're doing,” he said.

“I'm sure she will.” Fallon didn't add—in time. Bailey would probably feel more like killing them. Yeah, she was pretty sure that would be her reaction when they strolled in with Jeremy Hunter all trussed up like a calf ready to be spitted over an open flame and cooked.