Promise Made (The Callahan Series) (16 page)

He wasn’t that kind of man.

“Hah! Don’t kid yourself. The boy’s in love.” Molly looked closely at Kate. “So are you. Why don’t you just admit you made a mistake years ago and put both of you out of your misery?”

It wasn’t so simple. She couldn’t—wouldn’t hurt Dugan again. She’d promised herself
and
the Callahans.

If she left him at the altar again, it would destroy him. And her.

“I have a murder trial coming up. That’s enough to worry about. Now, if you have any rolls left, I’ll take three to go.”

Molly sniffed and left to fill Kate’s order.

Kate looked around. The diner hadn’t changed much since she was a teen. A counter with stools lined up in front stretched the length of the place. The booths had definitely seen better days. She ran her hand over the seat. The vinyl was cracked in places. The floor, though clean, was faded and worn. Molly would have to do some major remodeling before long.

Amy set her order down. Molly was probably miffed. She’d get over it. She always did.

Kate paid, carried the bag of rolls to her car and started home.

Was Doc Pullman right? Did she just need an old-fashioned dose of self-approval? She didn’t think much of herself for the way she’d treated Dugan. Her stomach pinched at the embarrassment running away had caused.

When her dad had dumped her and left, she remembered her fear, how she’d wanted to run after him, beg him to let her go with him. He’d never looked back.

Was that what Dugan felt when she’d left?

Tears welled. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him, but knew she had. All these years, the guilt had hit her more than a few times. Tears were falling now and she couldn’t stop them.

When she drove by the sheriff’s office, figures shifted behind the glass.

Was Dugan there?

Was he watching?

Her body turned warm at the thought of what he must think of the brazen way she had kissed him after the dinner at Ed’s.

She didn’t know what possessed her. At the time though, she couldn’t get enough. Tears turned into sobs. She had missed her chance with Dugan. Twice.

She sped up. Even though Dugan saw her almost every day, she didn’t want him to see her now.

She sat in the car at Gram’s and dried her eyes.

She wasn’t normal like Doc Pullman said. She was a total mess.

Chapter Fourteen

Dugan stood at the window and saw Kate’s car cruise by. His mouth twisted into a semblance of a smile. He shut his eyes to block the view. Opened them to see both car and driver disappear down the street.

Kate, Kate. Will I ever get you out of my system?

The feel of her under him, the way her eyes filled with passion, the taste of her kiss was branded in his memory.

He turned from the window, went back to his desk and sat down.

Concentrate on the job. It had always worked before. But Kate hadn’t been this close for this long before.

It had been five years since he’d kissed her, of course it would bother him.

He opened the file on the Johnson murder and shook his head. Kate had a good case for self-defense. If she was half the lawyer he thought, Rita would get off scot-free.

Dugan rubbed his eyes, did his best to wipe out the fact a murder had been committed in his county and, unless he could come up with some evidence to prove guilt, the killer would go free.

He stood, paced his small office. In the corner, Piper’s brown eyes tracked every step.

“Stop staring,” Dugan growled.

Piper snorted.

Damned dog.

The intercom rang.

Dugan lunged for it, eager to have a job to do besides think. “Yeah?”

“Ed Clark on line one,” Sybil said, her voice syrupy sweet.

He was going to have to do something about her. She put his nerves on edge.

“What’s up, Ed?”

“Need a favor.”

Dugan would be glad to do a favor. He wanted to be out of the office and moving. Shooting something would be a bonus. “Name it.”

“Grace and I are on our way to San Antonio for an early dinner, probably won’t be home until late. But Grace is worried about Kate.”

Dugan’s heart hit the floor. He gripped the receiver tighter. “What’s wrong with Kate?”

“Don’t know. She just got back from seeing Doc Pullman. She hasn’t been herself since the fish fry. Grace doesn’t want to leave her alone all day, wondered if you’d mind checking on her? It would make Grace feel better.”

His mouth went dry. Kate was sick? Hadn’t he seen her drive by less than an hour ago? Was worry over the murder trial too much?

Or was she really ill?

His mind whirled with visions of ugly diseases. It would be just like Kate to keep the truth from him. “Be glad to. Take your time getting back.”

Dugan planted his Stetson on his head and headed out, Piper right behind him. “Not today, Piper. Jonathan, see that Piper gets something to eat and let him out later.”

“Sure, boss. Glad to.”

He ignored the inquisitive looks his staff sent his way as he ran to his cruiser.

Kate had better not hold out on him.

Dugan slowed the car. What if she was seriously ill?

Then he’d take care of her. The same way Ed took care of Grace.

When he was in Grace’s driveway, he sat there for a moment trying to calm himself. He couldn’t go in and upset Kate. He was here to give comfort for whatever ailed her.

He rang the bell, sweated as he waited for Kate to come to the door. Barks preceded her footsteps. When the door opened, his breath hitched. She looked beautiful. Her dark hair curled around her face, blue eyes squinted at him with questions. She had one hand on her hip, the other on the doorframe. Yogi danced at her feet. She didn’t look sick. “Can I come in?”

“Gram and Ed aren’t here right now.”

“I know.”

“What do you want? Do you have more information on Rita’s case I should know?”

He inched closer, groaned inwardly when she stepped back. “I wanted to see you.”

“Why?”

This was ridiculous. They needed to talk. He brushed past her and into her office, since it was the first room in the house.

“Do you have a legal problem?”

He shook his head.

She followed him in and put a barrier between them by sitting behind her desk. He didn’t want a barrier, so he pulled a chair up close.

Yogi sat on the floor beside him.

Dugan ignored the dog and took her hand. She attempted to withdraw it, but he held on. “Kate, I know you saw Doc Pullman today. Are you ill? Are you worried about the trial?”

She jerked her hand free. Anger flashed in her eyes like blue lightning. “If I see a doctor, Dugan, it’s none of your business why. If the town keeps you this informed on everyone in the county you have to be the busiest sheriff in the state.”

He held up his hands. “I just want to make sure you aren’t sick.”

“Why?”

“I want you to take care of yourself.”

“Take my word for it, Dugan. I’m fine.” She rose from her chair. “If that’s all…”

****

Kate wanted him out of the house. Now. The very idea that she couldn’t drive down the street or go for a check-up without being reported was unnerving. “Rita’s case is enough for you to worry about. You must have a lot on your plate right now. Don’t make up more.”

He stood and started for the door, then stopped. She wanted to hustle him out of here and get on with her work. But he stood there blocking her way, as if he had no intention of moving.

She crossed her arms over her chest. She could wait him out. The only thing was he was close enough to touch. She shut her eyes against the urge to do so, only to look up in alarm when his hand brushed her cheek.

“Don’t.” The word was almost a whisper.

“Why are we fighting this? I want you, Kate. You want me. We’re adults.”

“Dugan?” She didn’t want either of them to be hurt. But oh how she wanted this man.

“Yes?” His head dipped, caught her mouth with his. Her heart stuttered in her throat so that she couldn’t talk. Reason left when the kiss went deeper. Whatever was spiraling through her was more than desire. It went deeper. She’d felt it before—this hot, bone-deep knowledge that Dugan was the right man for her. Only now the feeling was ocean-deep, more intense.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, locked her body against his.

“What about Mary Jo?” She had to hear him say the words.

“Been over for a while,” he mumbled against Kate’s lips.

She fell into the kiss, fell into the passion Dugan could evoke with a simple touch. Did she want this? Hell, yes! Would she take it further? Break her promise to herself? Leave again when her life straightened up? Break her promise to his family?

Breathless, she pushed him away.

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything. We can’t do this, Dugan. You know it as well as I do. Go back to work.”

There was no way she’d allow herself to be put in a position where she could hurt him again. Why not? Dugan was a grown man; he could take care of himself.

For a moment, she wavered. Why not make love? Enjoy their time together? It would be over when she left. Another part warned her that leaving Dugan wouldn’t be easy. It hadn’t been five years ago and wouldn’t be a second time.

He reached for her again. She stepped back. “You really don’t want this, Dugan. Remember the last time?”

“I’m not asking for the white dress and wedding vows, Kate.”

“What are you asking for? Why put yourself through this again, knowing what you do?

He rubbed a hand through his reddish-brown hair. “I know I want you. I know I can’t look at you and not want you in my bed. Isn’t that good enough?”

She couldn’t deny the heat in his eyes, the yearning that stared back at her. She reached up to touch his face. He caught her hand, brought it to his mouth, kissed it.

Liquid heat slid down her body and settled low in her belly.

“So it's just sex, right? No commitments?” she whispered as he kissed her mouth, her neck. No one would be hurt if the ground rules were agreed on. She wouldn’t have to worry about running. Wouldn’t have to worry about being like her dad. It would just be sex.

“Whatever you want.”

Though her head was reeling with desire, she had to make him understand. “No. You have to agree. No commitment. Just sex.” Hot, juicy, all she could handle sex. Sex she remembered that left her shaking and breathless. She wanted it again. Now.

Breathing hard, he agreed, “No commitment. Just sex.”

“Good.” She sank into him again.

He wrapped his hands around her buttocks, lifted her off the floor and into his arms.

She wrapped her legs around his waist. His hardness, his heat, made her sigh with pleasure. She wiggled closer, reveled in his moan. They were adults, she told herself again. She could handle sex—couldn’t handle anything else, but she sure could handle this hot and ready cowboy sheriff who left her senseless with a need she hadn’t had in five long years.

Thought left as he carried her to her bedroom and shut the door.

With each garment he removed, each time his fingers touched skin, she wanted to cry out, beg him to hurry.

When he had removed her clothes, she unbuttoned his shirt and ignored her trembling fingers as she slowly rolled it over his shoulders and down his arms. Her breath hitched at the breadth of those shoulders, the muscles that winked with every movement. The scar from when he was shot made her stomach clench. When Gram had told her, she’d felt sick inside for weeks.

She kissed his chest. Remembered how much she loved it. Only now there was more of it. More muscle. More of him.

Lord help her.

He laid her on the bed and stared at her with such heat she thought she might melt on the spot before dipping his head to her breasts. She hadn’t forgotten how his mouth made her so hot she wanted to combust. She wanted this, wanted him, here and now.

The sensations pulsing through her allowed all reservations to fade as she drifted into a sexual haze, his mouth trailing kisses up and down her body, stopping every so often at her most sensitive spots. Her neck, her throat, her wrists, behind her knees—the soles of her feet, the sides of her breasts, the mole on the left side of her abdomen. It was as if he was getting to know her all over again.

She reveled in his tenderness, and his hunger. Every touch, every taste, every kiss left her aching for more.

But she also wanted to explore him just as much, and could hardly wait her turn. When it arrived, she rolled him over and grinned. He smiled in surprise, then relaxed as she kissed his scar, his throat, his shoulders and chest.

Closing her eyes, she let lust and instinct take her where they would. The feel of his skin beneath her hands, the hardness of his body suffused her with pleasure. This was Dugan, and for this moment, he was hers again.

“No more,” he all but gasped, then rolled them over again. Her back hit damp sheets as he entered her in one hard stroke. She moaned his name and felt herself dissolving. How could he do this to her? And do it so well? How she’d missed him. Missed this. It was as if they were meant to be together she thought as each stroke carried her closer to the peak she remembered.

She rose to meet him. Harder and faster now. Wanting to attain the sweet release she hadn’t experienced since the last time they'd made love. “More!” she all but screamed.

He responded with a low, deep growl and more primal hunger than she could ever have imagined. She’d had no clue it could be like this, he could be like this, they could be like this. She’d been starved for him and didn’t even know it.

One long, last thrust and she was calling his name, calling him to join her as she soared over the edge.

He found her mouth with his as she spiraled down.

Many languid moments later, wrapped in his arms and a mega daze of pure sexual satisfaction, she was only too aware that she still wanted more.

Why was she surprised? She had always wanted Dugan with a passion beyond reason.

She’d been a fool to walk away.

And wanted to weep at the loss.

****

Had he died and gone to heaven? Dugan nuzzled the back of Kate’s neck, her perfect body, sweaty now from making love, tucked firmly against him. He spooned her in his arms, dropping a decidedly proprietary kiss behind her ear.