Promise Her (19 page)

But what if the killer was someone she
did
know?

Weak-kneed, Douglas leaned against the wall. Where would he even begin to look? The stadium was huge and packed with spectators.

Maybe he wasn’t as good at protecting as he thought. Maybe he shouldn’t have dismissed Evan so soon.

The crowd edged in on Douglas. His heartbeat accelerated, perspiration dotted his forehead. Should he call Darin and get the cops involved?

Would they think he was out of his mind? People got separated in crowds all the time.

His insides were shredding one layer at a time. He had to find her.

Now.

He’d taken no more than a dozen steps when he heard her voice.

“Wait up, Douglas.”

“Where the hell were you?”

“I thought I saw the blonde and went after her, but she disappeared again. Sometimes I think she’s a mirage.”

Douglas took her arm and led her to an exit. “We’re going home.”

Chapter Eighteen

“What was that about? Why did we have to leave before the performance started?”

As if she didn’t know, Douglas thought.

The ride back to the house had vacillated between stony silence and bursts of anger, which he ignored.

In his whole life, he’d never met anyone like her. She was indomitable. Damned if she wouldn’t dig through a cement wall with a pair of scissors to get the answers on the other side. He could see that part of her now. Had she always been like this? Gung ho to get a job done no matter the consequences? He’d bet she was. He was learning things about Lisa he’d never known before.

Most of what he saw he liked. Such as the way she'd bounced back from her injury, the way she pursued a goal. He’d always known she was good-hearted. Sponsoring Patty and getting involved in the girl’s life proved that, but he’d never actually seen the interaction before, so his admiration for all she did for others went off the charts.

One more thing he never realized though was how stubborn she could be. She’d proven that tonight, too. He chuckled to himself at her indignation at being dragged away from her beloved rodeo.

“Do you need any help?” Douglas asked when he opened the door and went inside.

It took enormous willpower to keep his voice steady. What he wanted to do was lecture her again for not heeding his warning. But Lisa didn’t take well to sermonizing. He had to be more diplomatic. Shouldn’t be a problem. Diplomacy was part of his job.

But Lisa did something to him no other woman had. She kept him off kilter.

She had to realize the danger she was in. To his disadvantage, he couldn’t seem to tell her no.

From now on, it will be different. I’ll be firm, but fair. She’ll understand.

Lisa would be protected every second whether she liked it or not. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight again.

Instead of answering his question, she swept past him and into her room.

Did she seem thinner than usual? Could she lose weight that fast? She’d eaten little since her fall and next to nothing today.

Mom would kill him if she got sick.

He went to his room, took off his boots and Stetson, changed his Western shirt for a T-shirt and, in bare feet, went back to the kitchen.

Going down the hall, he stopped at Lisa’s door and tapped. He had to make sure she was all right.

“Go away, Douglas. I’m trying to get some sleep.”

He opened the door. “I just wanted to check on you.”

She looked beautiful in another pair of silky looking pj’s. Blue that matched her eyes. Though tired, she fairly shimmered in the faint light from the bathroom.

“I’m fine, Douglas.”

He went to her and sat on the bed beside her. The urge to crawl in there with her and curl up next to her took him by surprise. This was Lisa. Not one of his lady friends. Maybe he should just leave the room, take a cold shower and come back when he had his head on straight.

“What?” she asked.

He took her hands in his and looked into her gorgeous eyes. “I’m worried about you. You weren’t yourself today. You didn’t eat. I know you’re worried HPD will arrest you, but I’m telling you right now I won’t let that happen.”

She pulled away. His hands dropped. Losing the connection was disconcerting.

Leaning back against the pillow, she looked up at him. His heart stilled. He wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss those delectable lips.

“I trust that between the two of us, we’ll find the answers we’re looking for.”

“We will. I will. The family, everyone is pulling for you.”

“Not everyone,” she said dryly.

“That’s true. But we’ll take care of that. You have to believe me, Lisa. I can’t stand the way you were today; as if your world had ended.”

When she gave him a strange look, he started to leave, then leaned over and kissed her forehead. She shut her eyes.

Unable to stop himself, he let his lips move lower and touch hers. There was no way to describe the magic. He started to break the kiss and found he couldn’t. He took the kiss deeper, touched his tongue to hers and felt a sweep of desire that almost knocked him over. His head whirled at the want. He couldn’t. This was Lisa. He had no right. Abruptly, he broke away and hurried out. He didn’t trust himself.

At the door, he paused, looked back. “Sleep well.”

But Lisa had already pulled the covers up and turned over. Was she furious at him? Shocked? Embarrassed?

He could kick himself for losing control. He wouldn’t hurt Lisa for the world.

His cell phone rang. He pushed the off button. There was no one he wanted to talk to.

Going to the kitchen, he went to sit at the breakfast nook.

What was wrong with him? Was he going completely crazy? He’d kissed Lisa. And it sure as hell wasn’t brotherly.

Maybe he should have let her go to TJ’s house. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel so torn or so confused.

****

When the door shut, Lisa put a hand to her lips. Tears that she’d held back all day came to the surface. How could he kiss her like that when it meant nothing to him and everything to her? She’d wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and never let go. Damn him. She pounded the bed with her fists and let the tears flow. Didn’t he know a brotherly kiss from a man-woman one? Maybe she’d been here too long. Of course she had. How stupid of her. Douglas couldn’t be around women, any woman, without hitting on her.

That damn phone rang again.

She put a pillow over her head.

She was
not
going to be another in his long list of conquests—one of his harem.

No way.

Making herself get out of bed when she wanted to stay there and bawl her eyes out, she went to the bathroom, rinsed the tears away, and changed clothes. Quietly, she made a quick phone call. Then, she changed the sheets, packed her bag and waited.

She sat on the edge of the bed, rocking back and forth
. I have to get over him,
she said to herself over and over. She couldn’t live like this the rest of life—couldn’t continue to love a man who didn’t love her back. It didn’t make sense. It made her look stupid. There were other men out there. One of these days, she’d find a man who appreciated who and what she was.

But it wouldn’t be Douglas.

Her heart wept at the loss.

When tears started flowing again, she willed them away.

She could do this. She had to. She couldn’t take one more minute of Douglas’ brotherly concern. And it was past time she went on with her life.

Opening the door, she listened. Not a sound. She went to the laundry room, put the sheets on the washer and left a note on the fridge underneath a magnet.

Back in her room, she picked up her cell and dialed Evan’s number. “Are you here?” she whispered.

She listened for a minute, turned off the phone, then took her bag and left the room.

In seconds, she was outside, running to Evan’s car parked at the curb.

“Take me home, Evan.”

Evan had the good sense not to question why they were leaving Douglas’ house at one in the morning. Or why his job had morphed into a twenty-four hour live-in one.

Evan just drove.

****

Douglas awoke with a frown on his face. Lisa! He’d kissed her. After she’d been so unlike herself yesterday. Even after their talk last night he still didn’t know what was wrong.

But something was terribly wrong with him to have kissed her the way he did. Even now, he wanted to kiss her again. He had to get over this.

But from the minute he got the call from her rodeo buddy that she was in trouble, he’d felt something different. When she was hurt after falling from her horse, the feeling intensified. After being here all this time, he’d come to realize what a special person she was. Why hadn’t he seen it before?

His world felt out of whack. Like something wasn’t right.

They had to have a serious discussion. He’d carefully broach how his feelings were changing—see if hers were too or if he was just imagining it.

Somehow, he’d make everything right between them.

He knocked, then, with a smile on his face, he opened the door to Lisa’s room. Today was going to be different. Better.

Only Lisa’s bed was neatly made and Lisa was gone.

His heart hit the floor.

He went to the kitchen. Where was she? No one could have gotten in here last night. He would have heard them. If they had, they wouldn’t take time to make the bed.

He stalked around the kitchen. She’d been upset all day yesterday. Did she go to her apartment? If so, how did she get there? Did she leave because he'd kissed her? Jeez!

Should he call someone?

Who would he call? Darin? And get the cops involved? TJ? And upset the family?

His head whirled. Despite the neatly made-up bed, had someone come in and taken her? Was she in danger?

By the time he spied the note on the fridge, he was a wreck.

Grabbing it, he read. His body flushed with heat as he crumpled the note in his hand and cursed.

Smoothing it out, he read again.

Dear Douglas,

Thanks for the hospitality, but I’m well enough to go home now.

Your Little Sister

Dammit to hell. She’d heard him yesterday morning. Heard him call a few friends to tell them he’d be out of pocket for a while to take care of her.

She
was
his little sister. Had been for years. Now all of a sudden his feelings had morphed into something else—something he couldn’t wrap his head around. A smoldering kiss had confirmed that.

He sank into a chair; beat his head on the tabletop.

What was he to do now?

Chapter Nineteen

Lisa awoke with a pounding headache.

Opening her eyes, she saw the familiar outline of her dresser, the bold maroon swag at the window. Letting out a sigh, she shut her eyes again. “Definitely not Douglas’ house.”

Last night thundered through her head like a herd of horses.

Curling into a ball, she relived the nightmare of reality. How one hot and demanding kiss had made her finally realize she had to leave right then, before she was sucked into becoming another one of his women. The truth was that Douglas would never take her seriously. Not like she wanted. But she yearned for him so badly. Would that yearning ever go away? Would she still want him a year from now? Fifty years? The thought didn’t set well. The way she felt right now, she’d probably want him the rest of her life.

She’d loved him too long. If only he could see how they belonged together. But she knew now that he never would. Living in the same house all this time only verified it. She’d never get commitment-phobic Douglas to admit they would be good together.

She had to tell TJ. And she had to get over the fantasy that Douglas would fall in love with her and they would live happily ever after.

Except he wasn’t a fantasy. He was real. He was the man she wanted in her life forever, the man she wanted to be the father of her children.

Choking back tears, she determined again to get over him. There was no other choice.

Picking up the phone, she dialed. TJ answered on the first ring.

“Did I wake you?”

“Are you kidding? Your godson doesn’t let me sleep past six. Is something wrong?”

“Why do you think anything’s wrong?”

“Because you don’t sound like yourself. Is Douglas treating you okay? Is he feeding you? Are you getting enough rest?”

Lisa put the phone to her chest and took a deep breath.

“Answer me, Lisa or I’m on my way over there.”

“I’m not at Douglas’ anymore.”

“What!”

“I came home.”

Big gasp. “You’re not alone are you? Do I have to send Max over? Or Darin? Why did you leave? Did Douglas do something? If he did, brother or not, he’ll answer to me. I haven’t forgotten my karate.”

“Evan brought me home last night because I couldn’t take another minute of Douglas treating me the same way he treats you. I want more, TJ. You know that. My heart is broken, but I have to face reality. I’m not the woman for Douglas. I never will be.”

“Maybe you’re giving up too soon.”

“You weren’t there. You didn’t hear his women calling day and night—didn’t hear him telling them how he wasn’t available because he was taking care of his little sister. No. I’ve had enough.”

She wouldn’t tell TJ about the kiss. It was too personal. Besides, it was all she’d ever have to remember him by.

“I’m so sorry, Lisa. There’s nothing I’d like more than to have you as my real sister.”

“Same here.” Lisa sighed, fighting tears that threatened again. “Reality sucks.”

“I’ll do all I can to help. Just tell me what. Do you want me to talk to him? I’d like to box his ears, make him see what a jewel you are.”

“You know better.”

“I know. Can’t help how I feel, though. You know how much I love you—how much the family does.”

“That’s part of the problem, isn’t it? But don’t worry. I’ll put on a happy face when we get together. No one will know my heart’s broken. Or why. Maybe I’m just being selfish.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re a sensible woman who fell in love with the wrong man. You’re not the first, you know.”