Causing Havoc (39 page)

Dean froze. "What does that mean, Eve?" He caught her teasing fingers and held them stil . "And don't toy with me woman."

Eve laughed in delight and leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "It means I'm once again available for intimate activities."

Darkness closed in. The voices in the room receded. His awareness of others faded away.

Stil holding her hand, Dean pushed away from the counter and started toward the sliding doors.

"Dean,"
she whispered, frantical y trying to pul her hand free.

"I only need a minute." Less, maybe.

Half in embarrassment and half in laughter, Eve hissed, "You're just going to have to wait."

"Can't." Dean got the sliding doors open and—

"Where do you two think you're going?" Lorna demanded.

Dean stopped dead in his tracks. He swal owed. Hel , he had a Jones, so no way could he turn and

face two sisters, a trainer, Gregor, and Lorna.

Eve laughed. "We aren't leaving. I just have a few things I need to say to Dean. We'l be back in one minute, I promise."

In a stage whisper, Gregor said, "More like half an hour, I think."

"I think you're right," Simon said. "Havoc lacks subtlety. I'l have to work on that with him."

"What are you talking about?" Lorna demanded to know.

Eve groaned and propel ed Dean beyond the door, over the deck, and across the yard toward the

woods. She kept going until the voices could no longer be heard.

They reached a large tree and Dean spun her around so her back was against it, then he caged her

in. "Thank you."

She fended him off with both hands flat against his chest. "Don't even think it."

Her puny resistance was like nothing to him. "I'm thinking it. Eve. Sorry."

That made her laugh again. "You're incorrigible."

"I'm so hard, Fin dying here."

"Poor baby." Eve went on tiptoe to kiss him. She looked so pretty that Dean wanted to steal her

away. "I can cancel some afternoon appointments if you'd like to meet me back at my house in a few

hours."

His groan rumbled out as a deep complaint. "Hours?"

"Sorry, but I have a few things this morning that can't wait."

She real y did look sorry—for herself and him. That helped Dean get it together. He glanced back

toward the house and saw several people standing at the patio doors, watching them.

"I suppose I can't even cop a quick feel with that nosy audience there."

Eve peeked around him, saw the same thing, and shook her head. "Nope. Besides you have to tel

Cam about Roger and—"

"Eve. .."

"—and you need to decide what to do about Lorna. I hate the thought of her making Cam more

miserable just because Cam doesn't hate you."

"How about I just kick Lorna to the curb, as she expects me to?"

"No. And that's not funny." Eve again glanced at the house. "Dean, why didn't you tel me that your trainer was drop-dead gorgeous?"

"Because men don't talk that way."

She tilted her head at him. "You don't mind that I think he's gorgeous?"

Dean grunted. "You and every other woman." He gave her a quick kiss. "No, I don't mind. You're not blind, after al . But you're also not the type to get involved with two men at one time."

"So I'm a sure bet, huh? Is that what you're tel ing me?"

Dean laughed at her show of mock insult. "You're honorable."

"That sounds better." She sighed with regret. "I do have to go. Promise me you'l talk to Cam."

"You weren't here to know, but Lorna has given her a hard time al day. I think she's had enough

thrown at her for now."

"Excuses, excuses." Eve knotted her hand in the front of his shirt. "She has a right to know what you're thinking, so promise me."

Reminding himself that Eve knew his sisters better than he did, Dean nodded. "Al right, if it's that important to you."

"Thank you." She lingered, looked at his hand on hers, then up into his eyes. "About your tattoo—"

Dean released her. "Not up for discussion."

"Okay."

"I mean it, Eve."

"I know." Her eyes twinkled as she fought a smile. "But is Simon right?"

Shoving his hands on his hips, Dean turned and walked off three steps, then stalked back. Of

course she didn't let it drop. When Eve had something on her mind, he couldn't dissuade her. "Yeah,

he's right. And that's enough on the subject."

"But it's so—"

"Do
not
say sweet." There was only so much he could tolerate.

The teasing left her eyes, and instead he saw something much deeper there as she said, "How

about noble?"

Noble?
Dean cocked a brow in surprise. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

Eve slowly shook her head. "Any fourteen-year-old boy who cares so much for his sisters, even

after not seeing them for five years, that he'd want a permanent reminder of them on his body where

it could never be lost or stolen is very, very noble."

Damn. Dean stared at Eve in wonder. Would she always see the best in him?

He hoped so.

Knowing he had to lighten the moment or he'd start to declare himself. Dean started toward her.

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

He'd almost reached her. "I think you just want to get laid, so you're showering me with

compliments."

Laughing, Eve started backing away toward the house. "You're right. I do." Forestal ing any comment he might make about that, she glanced at her watch. "Two o'clock, okay?"

Resigned to waiting, Dean nodded. "I'l be there."

"And I'l be waiting." She turned and hurried away.

* * *

Jacki. Even from the back, he could steal her breath away. From the top of his perfectly sculpted

head down to his large feet, Simon Evans was a man guaranteed to delight the female senses.

Someone should have warned her. One moment she'd had her head lost in the heavy discussion

between Lorna and Dean, and then suddenly he was there, shocking her speechless.

She'd never seen anyone like him. He was simply . .. beautiful. But in a very masculine way. When

he looked at her. she could barely breathe, much less speak. And when he moved . . .

Shivering, Cam took one last lingering look and then forced herself to shut the door. She pitied any

woman who got involved with that one. She certainly wasn't brave enough, but then, Roger—even with

his imperfections— already had her heart.

If only he'd come back to her.

Refusing to leave her alone with Dean for some ridiculous reason, Lorna paced the floor behind

Cam. Her aunt acted as though Dean were a malicious vil ain.

The way Lorna had turned up the insults, doing her best to blame Dean for past and present

problems, infuriated Cam. At the same time, her aunt seemed especial y fragile during any mention of

the past, which kept Cam from speaking her mind. Aunt Lorna had given up much to raise them. At

the time of her parents' deaths, her aunt had been a much younger, single woman with no ties or

commitments.

Cam couldn't forget that, anymore than she could give up a brother she'd just reclaimed.

Thank God Roger had already told her the stories circulating around town about her parents. It had

been an unpleasant shock to discover that her parents were far from ideal caregivers. But Roger,

always having her best interests at heart, had known that being forewarned would make it easier to

deal with the resurgence of old truths.

It made sense now, why Lorna had removed al photos and memories of her parents, why she

detested drink so much, why she'd always been so rigid. Her parents had caused a very ugly scandal

and then left Lorna to raise two children among the rumors, speculation, and gossip.

No, Cam corrected herself, they'd left her
three
children.

But Lorna had ruthlessly cast Dean aside.

Appearances meant everything to Aunt Lorna, so it must have been excruciating for her to face

down the neighbors, to answer the nosy questions and ignore the rude stares. Yet she'd stayed and

done her best by them. Not a great job, but not an awful job, either.

Normal y Lorna took immaculate care with her hair and dress. But lately she looked almost haggard.

It worried Cam and made her heart ache. Her aunt was even more insecure about her position in the

family than Cam had ever guessed.

Dean poked his head into the room. "If you have a minute, I'd like to talk to you." He glanced at Lorna. "In the kitchen. I made some sandwiches. We can talk over lunch."

Rather than address that, Cam said, "Your friend is very handsome."

Dean gave her a lazy smile. "So I've heard."

"He's a striking man." Lorna murmured, stil pacing restlessly. "You have more friends than I assumed."

"And that bothers you?" Dean asked.

Cam didn't want them to start sniping at each other again. She loved Dean, but where he was young

and vital and independent, her aunt was nearing sixty, and very afraid for her future. "Dean ..."

"Your parents had friends," Lorna said low. She looked up at Dean, her narrowed eyes adding extra crow's feet to her face. "Unfaithful, lying, lewd friends."

"Aunt Lorna," Cam said by way of reprimand. "You can't compare Dean to our parents. He's nothing like them."

Lorna's posture stiffened. "Maybe not."

Her admission surprised both Dean and Cam.

"It does seem you're different," Lorna continued. "Stronger. More resolute. But the fact remains, if you hadn't come back, the past might have stayed buried."

"No." Cam refused to let Lorna fool herself. "Something like that never goes away. The uglier things in life have a way of always resurfacing, usual y when you least expect them."

Lorna actual y smiled. "It appears you're right about that."

Again Cam felt shocked. Was Aunt Lorna final y coming to grips with Dean's role in the family? God,

she hoped so. "Please don't let it bother you, Aunt Lorna. It's best that we al know and deal with it now."

Nodding, Lorna turned to Dean. "I shouldn't have blamed you. It's my fault, real y. I didn't handle the situation as I should have."

His confusion plain, Dean spared a glance at Cam before replying to Lorna. "Cam and Jacki are

pretty wonderful. You raised them, Lorna. That counts for a lot."

"Yes, yes it does. Thank you." She laced her fingers together in front of her and cocked her head in a curious way. "There was an awful lot of love talk today."

Cam bit her lip.

Dean said plainly, "Cam and Jacki are very easy to care about."

"And Eve?" Lorna came two steps closer to Dean. "Is it true that she factors into your plans to stay?"

Remembering Lorna's disparaging remarks about her friend, Cam answered ahead of Dean. "Eve

is a very beautiful person, Aunt Lorna."

Lorna absorbed that with a lot of thought. "I suppose to be your good friend, she must have many

redeeming qualities."

That was as close as Lorna had ever come to being kind toward Eve. Cam blinked in surprise, and

then she smiled.

Dean loved her and Jacki, and he wanted to move back home. Her aunt was softening. Final y

things were coming together as they should.

If only Roger would return, Cam knew her heart would be ful . But at least for now, she had hope for

a happy resolution. "Let's al go eat. I'm starved."

Lorna fel into step beside them. "If Dean has something to tel you. I want to hear it, too."

"Sorry," Dean said. "But I need to talk to Cam alone."

"No." Lorna took up a stubborn stance. "Whatever other problems we've suffered, Cam is stil my niece. As you already said, I raised her, I care for her. Whatever you have to tel her, you can say

with me here to protect her."

Cam didn't blame Dean for wanting to exclude Lorna. He had valid reasons to resent her.

Sometimes Cam resented her, too.

But for the sake of avoiding further hostilities, she agreed with her aunt. "It's al right, Dean. I don't mind if she stays." Cam pul ed out a chair and seated herself.

With a shrug. Dean fol owed suit, but Lorna remained standing.

"This isn't about our family history, Cam." He looked grim, and that worried Cam. "It's about Roger."

"Roger?" She shook her head in confusion.

"He's a saint," Lorna declared. "A saint, I tel you. He's taken care of us. assisted us in times of need—"

"He tampered with my tires." Dean informed them. "He's the one who cut through that rung on the ladder, probably hoping that whoever stepped on it would fal ."

Cam couldn't get a single word out.

Dean took her hand. "And he shot at me."

"
Shot
at you?" Cam gave a nervous laugh of disbelief. "But, Dean, Roger doesn't even own a gun."

"Not a regular gun, maybe. But this was a paintbal gun. And trust me, it wasn't a damn toy. It was

powerful enough that if one of the paintbal s had hit me in the head, it could have kil ed me."

"But. . ." None of it made sense to Cam. She turned to Aunt Lorna, who stood there in shock as wel .

"This doesn't make any sense."

"I'm sorry, Cam." Dean gently squeezed her fingers. "I know it sounds crazy, but I don't know who else it could have been. Roger knew I was going to see Eve the night my tires were destroyed in front

of her house. He knew we were working on the roof, and he has access to your home, so getting to

the ladder wouldn't have been a problem. And it was at his hotel, where Roger would know my

whereabouts, that Gregor and I were shot at."

Refusing to even think of Roger doing such a thing, Cam shook her head. "There has to be some

other explanation."

"On the surface, it al sounds like circumstantial evidence. And when Roger comes back, I'l be