Brown Eyed Girl (25 page)

She laughed, using one hand to push him gently back. “Just wanted you to know that I’ll be here waiting for you, Red, and I won’t be able to relax until I hear from you, so call me back as soon as it’s convenient for you,” she said.

“
I will, I promise.” He kissed her again then sighed. “I have to go.”

She nodded and stepped away from him with tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Red.”

He smiled sadly and nodded as he walked out the door.

Chapter 12

Red called Tiffany an hour and a half after he left her house. “Hey Doc,” he said, trying to sound more upbeat than he felt.

“
Are you okay?”

“
Yeah, but the club’s gone. Nothing is salvageable.”

“
Aw Red, your beautiful club. Do they know what happened yet?”

“
No, the Fire Marshal will have to go in and investigate to see what started it. I’ve already spoken to him and the police but if they suspect arson I’ll have to go in and give an official statement tomorrow.”

“
Why you?”

“
In cases of arson, the owner is always the first suspect, whether they come out and say it or not. I guess the insurance money would be tempting if the business was losing money.”

“
But it was doing well, wasn’t it?”

“
It was, but they’ll still have to clear me before they can start looking for other suspects.”

“
If it’s arson, will you need me to give you an alibi?”

He sighed loudly. “I guess I would. I hope you don’t mind.”

“
Of course not, you were with me the entire time. Will they take a statement over the phone or would I have to go in?”

“
I imagine they’ll call you and let you know. I’ll have to give them your phone number if they ask for it. You want me to give them your home number or your cell?”

“
Give them both numbers, along with the clinic and the hospital numbers. Let me give them to you.”

“
They’re all on your card, aren’t they?”

“
You have my card?”

“
One of my sisters left it on the island for Thanksgiving and I took it.”

“
I’m in the book, you know,”
she said, laughing.

“
I know, but I wanted your card.” She was silent for several seconds and he pictured her smiling at his confession.

“
Are you going to be there all night long?”

“
I don’t know yet, hon. I’m not too damn sure what can be done tonight, after all.”

“
Call me when you get home?”

“
It may be too late, and I don’t want to wake you up. You have to get up early.”

“
I won’t be able to sleep until I hear from you, Red.”

“
Okay, I’ll call.”

“
Thank you.”

“
I better let you go. I need to call the investors and let them know their money just went up in smoke.”

<><><>

Red drug himself through his door around ten fifteen, his clothes and skin saturated with the stench of smoke. He punched the button for Tiffany’s number, smiling when she answered on the first ring.

“
Hey, are you on your way back?”

“I’m home, Doc.”

“Oh, thank God. I’ve been bouncing off the walls over here. I’d much rather have gone with you than be stuck waiting to hear from you. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I guess,” he said quietly.

“Red?”

“Huh?”

“Why don’t you come over here?”

“I can’t do that Doc. You don’t need to be missing out on any sleep.”

“I function well on a few hours of sleep, just like you.”

“I know, but I have to go over some things over here. I haven’t showered yet, and I reek.”

“If you change your mind, call me.”

“I won’t. Try to get some sleep, okay Doc?”

“You too, Red. Good night.”

Red took a hot shower, washing every trace of soot and smoke from his body. He changed into his lounge pants and a tee shirt and lay down in his bed. After tossing and turning for thirty minutes, he finally realized that being alone didn’t suit him anymore. He got up and exchanged his flannel pants for his most comfortable jeans then picked up the phone and hit redial.

“Red?”

“Doc...”

“I’m leaving the door unlocked for you. Lock it after you come in.”

Red stared at his phone, the line already dead from her quick disconnect. He squeezed his eyes shut, thanking God for her and praying nothing ruined this chance for them. He threw a few things into a small duffle bag and grabbed his phone and keys on the way out.

Ten minutes later he drove up to Tiffany’s house. He entered, locking the door behind him while kicking off his shoes. He placed his bag on the floor by the door quietly made his way into Tiffany’s bedroom. She was snuggled under the covers in the cool room, illuminated only by a nightlight. Red crawled under the covers and tucked up behind her into the spoon position, his favorite new spot. He draped his arm over her waist and pulled her close to him. She grabbed hold of his hand and arm with her own and held him tightly.

After a few moments of silence had passed, she turned around to face him, reaching up to brush his hair back from his forehead.

“
I don’t want to be alone anymore, Doc.”

“
I know.”

“
And I’m kind of depressed.”

“
I am too…your beautiful club.”

He reached for her face, using his thumb to brush a tear from the corner of her eye. “I can rebuild. I just don’t like having enemies.”

“
Do you think it was arson?”

“
Yes, I do.”

“
Isn’t there a chance it was faulty wiring or something?”

“
The wiring in that building was top notch. I know because I went over every single inch of it myself when the electricians were done. The building inspector was very impressed with it.”

“
Do you think it was Tanner?”

“
I don’t know, it could have been Angelique or either of two men whom I’ve managed to piss off pretty good. It could have been an employee that I had to fire for stealing a couple of years ago. I’ve been getting some strange phone calls lately from some guy with a grudge. I have no idea who it is.” He sighed and rolled over onto his back, frustrated at the situation. “It could be the competition. Hell, I don’t know. It bugs the hell out of me that someone out there could hate me this much, you know?”

“
Drake said if it turns out to be arson he’d like to help. He keeps a private investigator on retainer who’s very thorough and has connections in the Lafayette area. He could help you get to the bottom of this.”

“
I’ve got my own P.I., but tell him thanks for the offer.”

She trailed a finger across his furrowed brow. “Red...”

“
Hmmm?”

“
You’re not alone anymore.”

His heart constricted at her confession, hoping that meant what he wanted it to mean. “How’s that?”

“
You’ve got me.”

He turned to face her again, and reached for her hair, letting her curls form ringlets around his fingers. “Do I?”

“
Did I not make myself clear before you left me earlier?”

He smiled in the quiet darkness of her bedroom. “Maybe you should refresh my mem...”

She interrupted his words with another kiss.

Red held onto her tightly as she pulled his head closer and deepened the kiss. He entangled his fingers in her hair, groaning at the soft silkiness of her curls.

“
God, you feel so good to me,” he said, after they finally broke free from the kiss, his voice deep and raspy with emotion.

“
You feel like home to me,” she groaned, curling her foot possessively around his calf.

“
I’ve wanted to get my fingers all tangled up in this hair since the second I saw those curls,” he gasped.

Tiffany nipped at his ear lobe. “What stopped you?”

The sensation had him growling deep in his throat. “I didn’t want to take advantage, you had a bad night.”

“
Your mother raised a gentleman,” she whispered in his ear.

“
She tried...but when you showed up at the club with it all golden brown like it is now I just about lost it, I swear.”

She grinned and rubbed her nose to his. “If I’d have known that, I’d have done it months ago.”

Red kissed the tip of her nose. “It feels like I’ve been waiting for you my whole life, Doc.”

“
I know exactly what you mean, Red, but it’s you who’s having the bad night this time. I’m wondering whether or not to take advantage of you.”

“
You need to get up early,” he said, as he slipped his hands under her soft tee shirt to take hold of her waist. “I should let you get some sleep.”

“
I’m good—five hour nap, remember?” She nuzzled his neck and placed soft kisses on the curve of his shoulder.

“
When do you have to leave here?” He closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of her soft mouth on his skin.

“
Around seven-thirty...you?” She caught her breath as his hands began to move softly on her upper waist.

“
Around the same time, I guess.”

“
Red.” She slipped her hands under his tee shirt and began to explore the sculpted planes of his chest and abs.

“
Wha..at,” he asked, his breath catching at the contact of her cool hands on his hot skin.

“
We’re wasting precious time with all of this small talk.” She curled her leg around his thick muscular thigh, dragging him closer.

“
I know, but this is not what I had planned for us.”

“
Best laid plans...” She lifted his shirt and kissed his chest. “Take this off, Red.”

He ripped off his shirt, amazed that his night had suddenly taken such a turn for the better. “Well, hell then, Doc. What are you waiting for? Take advantage of me.” He heard her sigh as her fingers examined the sculpted lines of his upper body.

“
God, you are such a beautiful man,” she said, moving her hands gently over him.

He smiled in the dimly lit room as he began to push his hands higher, lifting her shirt, exulting when she sat up abruptly to pull it over her head. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her on top of him.

The harsh and unwelcomed ringtone of his mobile phone had them both groaning in frustration. Red reached inside his pocket to retrieve his phone, no easy feat since his jeans had tightened considerably. He sent Tiffany a heated gaze, a silent promise of what he’d do as soon as he could get back to what they’d started.

“
McAllister here.”…“What?” Red sat up abruptly. “Do they know who it is?”…“How the hell could that happen?”…“Aw hell, this is turning into a freaking nightmare,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’m on my way. Thanks for calling, Mike.”

He disconnected. “I’ve got to go, Doc. That was a friend of mine at the police station. They found the body of a woman in the club.”

“
Oh my God!”

He stood up as she reached over and put the lamp on. He found his tee shirt and watched her as she picked hers up off of the floor and faced away from him to put it on.

She turned toward him wearing the same grim expression that he was sure was on his own face. “Best laid plans,” he said regrettably.

She gave him a sad smile and walked into his embrace for a tight hug, before walking him to the door. Tiffany stilled his hand as he reached for the door knob. “Come back to me, Red.”

“
I will,” he said, knowing there was nowhere he’d rather be than by her side.

She reached up and smoothed his hair back from his brow. “Do you need me to call anyone for you?”

“
No, but thanks for asking.” He gave her a firm kiss on the lips. “I don’t feel so alone now.”

“
That’s good, because I’ll be waiting for you when this is all over with. Call me when you can and leave me messages. I’ll check them in between surgeries and I’ll call you back when I can. And Red?”

“
Yeah?”

“
I want you here with me.”

“
Are you sure? I don’t know what all of this is going to bring about.”

“
I can handle anything as long as I know I have you.”

“
Same here, Doc.” He gave her another kiss and left her.

<>

Tiffany crawled back into bed, amazed at how empty it felt without Red in it. It couldn’t be this easy to fall in love, could it?
Maybe it is if it’s the right person.
There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that she was well on her way to loving him. He filled her thoughts daily and God only knew how she would be able to function in her normal life without thinking of him constantly. She’d never had this kind of reaction to a man before, not even in her younger, boy crazy, less experienced high school and early college days. Once she’d switched to pre-med, work or studying had taken up every spare moment of her time. She’d never had time for relationships, and until now, she’d never had anyone to compare with Tanner. Now that she did, she knew the only thing she’d ever felt for him was an acceptance of her parent’s choice for her.