Naked Flame (8 page)

She burst out laughing. “I don't know how many nights out in the open I can take.”

He pulled her closer and brushed his mouth over hers. “Me either. How about a nice casual dinner at my place? I barbecue a mean chicken. And a movie afterwards? With popcorn?” He frowned. “Wait. Is that a good date? I don't even know anymore.”

“It sounds like a perfect date. Will Mike be joining us?”

Liam shook his head. “He works the bar tomorrow night.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “We'll have the house to ourselves for a while.”

Charity wanted to laugh again. It all seemed so ludicrous, yet at the same time so right.

“I'm not looking to make love to you every minute, although I'll have a hard time restraining myself. I just want us to get to know each other better.”

“You're on. Now you'd better get me home before Georgie and Cade send out the sheriff to find us.”

Chapter Five

Liam wanted to pinch himself to be sure he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't believe his luck. Less than a week ago, he'd been resigned to a life of single cursedness—the extreme opposite of blessedness—wrapped in his nightmarish memories of war and stuck with an inability to relate to people anymore except on a remote level. He made a good bar owner but a terrible companion.

It was the strangest thing. He'd come home from Afghanistan not the least bit interested in connecting with a woman. Some days it was all he could do to connect with himself. The aftermath of battle, Darren's death, his own wound and his nightmares had seen to that. Or so he'd thought. Now he wanted to pay homage to whatever stroke of fate had sent Charity Vance into his life. The only words he could use to describe their relationship were instantaneous combustion. When he thought about their first night together—sex in a meadow under a tree because he had no place to take her—he was amazed that she'd ever consented to see him again. But the shock was that she'd been as much into it as he was. They'd spent nearly every minute together since then. With Edie still out sick, she insisted on filling in at the bar and actually seemed to be enjoying it. Go figure.

And she was staying at the house with him and Mike. He still cringed when he recalled suggesting it. He'd suggested he might find an apartment or something where they could be alone. But her answer had amazed him, as did most everything she said and did.

“Liam. That house is big enough for ten people. It's almost as big as the Butterfly. If Mike can tolerate me, I can certainly get along with him.”

He was amazed at how well it worked. In a short time, she and his dad had bonded and he had become the family she hadn't had for a very long time. There were plenty of times when they were alone too, precious hours of intimacy where they learned how to please each other. When they talked about every detail of their lives. He told her about Afghanistan and the attack that had killed Darren. She told him about her years on the Dallas Police Force and the shootout when the task force took down Paco Morales and his crew.

She calmed him when the nightmares woke him at night and he soothed her when the memory of Morales's threats woke her in the dark. They worked together seamlessly at the bar, and even Mac gave her a grudging compliment now and then. It was almost too good to be true, but he wasn't about to question it. Maybe it would fall apart, but he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

He wondered what she'd told that crew of women led by Amy Montgomery and what they thought about the whole thing. None of them were shy about expressing their opinions, and he was sure they had a million questions about this. After all, Charity had barely been in town, just left her old life behind, when she'd jumped into this thing with him.

He knew Charity spoke to Amy every day, but he was sure they wouldn't leave it at that. He was behind the bar when Cade Hannigan walked in a few minutes before lunchtime.

Okay, here it comes. But I sure didn't think they'd rope Cade into doing this.

He lifted his eyebrows when the man took a stool at the bar right in front of him. Cade used to be a regular, not just here, but at every other place in town that served booze. When he was riding high, wide and handsome on the Hannigan wealth, he'd often hung out with his friends, drinking until all hours, one of the biggest arrogant assholes in the county. The last few years, though, he'd turned his life around, mostly thanks to Georgie, his incredible wife. Their story was one people told over and over.

“I know you're not here for a drink,” Liam said. “So let me guess, you all drew straws and you got the short one.”

Cade laughed. “For an antisocial guy, you sure have your finger on the pulse of those women.”

“I'm a bar owner,” Liam reminded hm. “It's my job to know people. Besides, everyone in the Hill Country knows those women are tighter than a miser's wallet, and they look out for their own. Appears they've adopted Charity into their circle.”

“They have indeed,” Cade agreed.

“And since she's now moved in with me, they decided one of the husbands should come check things out and make sure I'm not abusing her, working her to death or about to toss her into the street. Have I got that right?”

“Can't fool you.” Cade grinned at him. “So how about a cup of coffee while I grill you?”

Liam gave a rusty chuckle. “I think I can find one for you.”

He went into the kitchen to get a mug and fill it. Charity was sitting on a high stool by the counter, drinking her own coffee while Mac prepped for the lunch crowd.

She frowned at him. “Is that Cade out there?”

“Sure is.” He filled a clean mug and picked up one of the little carriers with sugar and creamer packets. “Want me to throw him out?”

She burst out laughing.

Lord, he loved the sound of her laughter, so pure and natural. It was better for him than a tranquilizer.

“I knew the minute I moved out of the B&B, they'd figure out a way to send one of the guys to give you the third degree. I just thought it would be Buck, being Amy's husband and all. I mean, because she's the one I'm closest to.”

“Yeah, well, he doesn't look like someone I'd want to be interrogated by.”

Buck Montgomery was a tall, muscular, dark brooding man who seldom smiled, except when he was with Amy. Just a glance from him could be intimidating. Liam had fought the Taliban, but he wouldn't want to take on this man.

“Want me to go tell him to mind his own business?”

“Uh uh. The lunch crowd isn't here yet, and I can use a little entertainment.” Balancing the coffee in one hand and the little carrier in the other, he bent his head and took her mouth in a hot kiss. Lord, he didn't think he'd ever get enough of tasting her.

“Well, holler if you need me.”

“You know, you really don't need to be working here as a waitress just because Edie is down for a while. I can hire someone else.”

She shook her head. “Not necessary. Let's just say I'm a placeholder. Edie's going to need this job to come back to, and I'm having a good time.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Bussing tables and slinging hash?”

Charity grinned. “Actually Mac's slinging the hash. And it's nice to be doing something stress free for a change. Besides, I get to be with you. Now go bring Cade his coffee before he comes storming in here to see if you've got me locked in a closet.”

Cade quirked an eyebrow at him when he placed the coffee and carrier in front of him. “Did you have to run out for the coffee? Oh, wait. Charity's back there giving you instructions. Right?”

Liam's mouth curved in a rueful grin. “Not exactly. I think it's too soon for that. Although she did offer to tell you to mind your own business.”

“Not surprised.” He took a sip of the hot liquid and set the mug down. “So I'm supposed to ask you what your intentions are. Jesus, am I old enough to be your father?”

“I think not.” Liam studied Cade for a long moment. “I know I'm something of a puzzle to people in this town. A lot of that is probably my fault. But here's what you can take back to the hen house. I will never do anything to hurt that woman. Not even for a second.”

“Okay.” He winked at Liam. “Can you give me that in writing?”

“Ha ha.” He leaned his elbows on the bar. “Listen, I know this happened fast. No one's more shocked than the two of us. But you know, Cade, we're not kids. We've both had some bad shit in our lives. Neither of us was looking for this, but we're not gonna walk away from it either.”

Cade took another sip of his coffee. “Georgie and the girls—”

Liam barked a laugh. “Georgie and the girls? Man. You sure are housebroke. Never thought I'd see it. So let's have it. What did they say?”

Cade rubbed his face as if trying to wipe away the embarrassment of this errand. “They're just concerned because she met you barely a week ago and now you've got her living in that house with you and Mike.”

“I do. It's something we both want. And you can tell the ladies' sewing circle they're welcome to visit there any time they want. Or here. Lunch on the house.”

Liam hadn't heard Charity come out from the kitchen, but suddenly there she was, linking her arm through his.

“Do that, Cade. Tell the girls I more than appreciate their concern. I will call Amy in a little while and turn the stew down to simmer. And I'll invite them all to lunch tomorrow so they can see how good the two of us are together.”

Cade grinned at her, relief evident on his face. “I hope you know this wasn't my idea.”

“I do. You're off the hook.”

His face sobered. “You know, Liam, I was in the same spot as you not all that long ago. I had to convince them I wasn't the asshole they thought I was and that I was really in love with Georgie.”

“It's certainly obvious to me,” she told him. “I know they'll stop fretting if they see Liam and me together too.”

Her soft voice warmed the cold places in Liam, just as it had from the moment he met her. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close to his body, loving the feel of her against him.

“So thanks for coming in,” he told Cade. “You can report back that you followed orders and all is well.”

“And lunch tomorrow,” Charity reminded him.

Cade winked at them. “I'll be happy to.”

Liam would have liked to drag Charity back to his office and remind her again just how he felt about her, but as Cade walked out, the first of the lunch crowd breezed in.

“Time to get to work.” He gave her a quick squeeze. “Since you won't let me pay you, I can promise you'll be amply rewarded tonight when we have the house to ourselves.”

When she looked at him, the need in her eyes had him instantly hard. Good thing he was standing behind the bar. She ran her tongue across her lower lip in that gesture that just made him so hot, mouthed, “Later,” and turned to wait on the customers.

Paco Morales sat in the small cubicle shackled to the cuffs on the floor and the ones on the chair. The room was so tiny there wasn't room for anyone except himself, the attorney who sat across from him and the little table. But he knew no one would be listening. Attorney-client privilege still prevailed, so there were no listening devices. It was the one place the two of them could speak freely.

“You know what time they're transporting me?”

Antonio Escaba barely formed the word yes. “But only an approximate one. I have the time of the sentencing hearing. They had to inform me because I'm your attorney and I need to be there.”

“Yeah, well, I don't intend to be there for no sentencing. I don't intend to be there at all.”

Escaba looked at him hard. “You know if you do this, you'll never have another minute's peace. The word will go out on the wire and every police department will be on the lookout for you.”

Paco shrugged. He didn't care. He had made plans.

“The cartel is waiting. They'll get me to Mexico.”

“If they don't cut off your head for being so stupid as to be arrested.”

Paco slammed his hands down on the table. “I trust them, and I'm not stupid.” He sat back in his chair. “It's that bitch. That
puta
. I'll be taking care of her before I'm gone.”

Escaba sighed. “Paco, I have to warn you against doing something so foolish.”

“Okay. Warned. You just make that call so people are ready. Then you can wait in the courtroom where I'll never show up. You can act all innocent and pissed off.”

Escaba rose and lifted his briefcase. “I want that money in my account before I make that call. If anything is ever traced back to me, I'll need a hole to hide in and money to support my lifestyle.”

“It will be there. Just go make the call.”

“I guess the thing is,” Amy said, looking across the table at Charity, “I'm so stunned at the speed of everything.”

The remnants of lunch sat before them and now they sipped fresh coffee or soft drinks.

“And we really don't know a lot about him,” Reenie added.

“Come on, guys.” Charity fiddled with her glass of water. “I've been a cop for ten years. I have really good instincts.” She looked at each of them in turn. “And every one of you took a big chance on someone, right?”

They all looked at each other but no one spoke. Finally, Georgie broke the silence.

“Okay, I took the biggest chance here, so I'll put my two cents worth in. Amy, you thought Cade was scum and rightfully so. He was for a long, long time. But he cleaned up his act and look what a great guy and fabulous husband he turned out to be. Right?”

“Well.” Amy apparently wasn't ready to give up the fight yet.

“What's the worst thing you can say about Liam? That he's antisocial? Well, hell, he doesn't look too antisocial to me. And certainly not where Charity is concerned.” She nodded toward the bar where Liam was doing his best not to stare at them.

“She's right, Amze,” Cyn put in. “Charity's a big girl. She knows we're here if she needs us, but right now, we need to let her see if this thing with Liam works.”

“But what if he turns out to be a jackass?” Amy persisted.

Charity burst out laughing. “Then I'll lead the parade to boycott Mike's, okay?”

Amy finally nodded and gave her a tiny smile. “Okay. I'll be good. But I'll be keeping an eye on this.”

Everyone erupted in hysterical giggles. “Of course you will,” Reenie told her. “It's what you do.”

Charity felt herself relax for the first time since Cade had come into the bar the day before. This thing with Liam was so strong, but she wanted the girls to know she appreciated their caring. She was about to say something more when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and frowned. It read
Stanton
.