Summer's Desire (14 page)

Colt and
Caleb showed up
,
at the house
, both
kissing her on the cheek. Stone pulled up next
.
scowling as he walked
toward them
. Finally
,
Holden and Mark
returned.

Holden led
her to a leather chair in the great room next to Matt and promptly forgot about
her as the men proposed different plans of attack. She tried to say something
once but they didn’t really acknowledge her. Frustrated, she finally yelled,
“Stop it!”

They all
looked at her with puzzled expressions except for Holden
. H
e just
frowned
.

“Summer, let
us take care of this.”
Holden’s
curtness
grated
.

“Holden, I’m
not some lap dog you can set on a chair and forget. This is about me.”

Caleb walked
over and sat on the arm of her chair. He always had a calming way about him. “I
know it seems like we
’
re taking over. Frankly, we are, but not only for your protection.
Holden and his brothers need help too.” He nudged her shoulder with his lean hip.
“Besides we like to impress the ladies.” His grin was infectious and the next
thing she knew she grinned back.

“It’s time
for a new sheriff
.
” Stone
suggested
.

“Too bad it’s
not election time,” Jonas commented
,
shaking his head
.

Holden
studied each man. “I know you all have your own places to work and I don’t want
to put this on your shoulders. If you’d just give me and my brothers some
ideas, we can take it from there.”

Jonas’ laugh
boomed from his broad chest. “You are new around here, Holden. We take care of
our own, that includes neighbors. Besides you’re the only vet around. We can’t
have anything happen to you.”

Holden’s Adam
’
s apple bobbed as he
swallowed. “I appreciate it.”

Colt’s dark
eyes looked into
Summer’s
. “If he wanted you harmed he had the chance today.”

She
automatically nodded. Everything was
finally sinking in and she shivered. The thought of Brent being so close to
them made her ill. Did he watch? What did he want? He was bound to get caught
if he stayed around town.

Lost in
thought, Summer was surprised to see everyone standing and shaking hands. They
all said good bye to her and she smiled with a quick nod. Her mind became
jumbled. The chance to relish in Holden’s love
-
making had passed. Why was Brent after her?
She must have missed something. How could she have been with a murderer and not
pick up any clues
?
He must have shown some sign of his true self. Glancing up
,
she became aware of
Holden’s intense stare. She took comfort in the concern in his eyes. He cared
about her and it warmed her heart. She hoped that her return gaze held the
warmth she felt for him, but she wasn’t sure.

“Are you all
right, honey?” His five o’clock shadow on his strong jaw made him look roguishly
handsome. His voice sounded deep and sexy.

She nodded
unsure of herself. Unsure of everything. “What about the State Police?” She clasped
her hands together to still the trembling.

“Jonas said
that they won’t get involved without the sheriff’s backing. Is there something
you’re not telling me?” He suddenly found the floor more interesting to look at.
Summer wavered between wanting to rail at him and wanting his comfort. What did
he mean? Her mouth formed an O. “You think I took part in all this don’t you?”
She slapped her shaking hand over her mouth, horrified.

Without
glancing at her, Holden turned and walked to the window, keeping his back to
her. He was hiding. Her stomach turned, and her throat began to burn with
unshed tears. Enough was enough, she was tired of being accused of such horrendous
crimes. How could he make love to her and then think her in cahoots with Brent?
“I’ll stay with Caleb and Colt.”

“No.” He
didn’t turn around.

She looked
around the room at the boys. They were all uncharacteristically silent. Matt
and Mark refused to meet her gaze. Luke’s eyes gave away his grief and John
looked as though someone had kicked him. “Then I’ll stay with Jonas. He probably
needs some help.”

“Jonas
doesn’t want you.” Holden still looked out the window. His hollow tone of voice
made her wince.

“So, no one
wants me. It doesn’t matter.” The tears on her face showed her lie.

Finally
,
Holden turned his
face full of rage. “It does matter. That bastard Brent would not be around
these parts if he had what he wanted. He’d have to be crazy to take such a risk
unless you have the money or some evidence against him.”

His
dark
eyes flashed as
he spoke and it tore her heart. The nightmare that started that night at the
b
ar
refused to end. “I was brought up in a decent family. We had
morals and respect and love. I am not a liar
,
I am not a thief
and
I am most
certainly not going to stick around here to be kicked around.”

John rushed
toward her and gave her a hug around her waist. He held on to her, anchoring
her. “I don’t want you to leave.”

His pleading
eyes were too much. Summer hugged him back.
 
She had just promised to stay and here she was
planning to leave. Did keeping her word trump keeping her dignity?

“I don’t want
you to leave either,” Luke spoke up. He walked toward her and stood at her side
glaring at Holden.

Holden shook
his head. “Guys I need to talk to Summer, alone.” H
is
gaze upon her was piercing.
“Summer
,
w
ill
you
go upstairs with me so we can talk in private?”

She nodded
slowly. What the hell? Things needed to be settled one way or the other and it
would be better if the boys didn’t hear what she was sure Holden had to say.
She gently drew away from John and gave Luke a slight smile. “It’s fine guys.
Holden and I do need to talk.”

Their worried
expressions ate at her. They were all too young to be mixed up in her problems.
Sometimes the best thing you could do for a person
was
leave
and m
aybe
this was one of those times.
She turned and walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

Summer peered
out her window
and
leaned her brow against the warm glass, waiting for Holden. She didn’t
want to see the doubt in his dark eyes, eyes that recently were filled with
desire and
,
she had hoped
,
much more. What a difference a few hours could make. The longer
she waited
,
the angrier she became. She wasn’t responsible
and s
he hadn’t done
anything wrong. If Holden had seen her battered body after the attack, he
wouldn’t doubt her. Her word alone was not enough
;
she obviously required proof. It galled her to
no end
and s
he was dam
n
ed
no matter
what she decided to do. Taking a deep breath she realized it wasn’t her
decision. She turned as she heard Holden enter the room. He slowly closed the
door and leaned back against it, leaving a wide chasm between them.

He took her
measure and from his expression she knew she came up short. She tried to tell herself
it didn’t matter but her heart shattered anyway. One by one the pain of each
piece impaled her until she hurt so badly, she couldn’t stand. Summer sat at
the end of her bed
,
facing him
. S
he refused to be a coward. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Why
didn’t he just ask her to leave? His silence was killing her. “You don’t have
to say it, Holden. It’s written all over your face.”

“You have no
idea what I’m thinking
,
Summer. I don’t want you to leave.”

Summer
frowned. “I’m not buying it
,
Holden. I’m in a tough spot. Those boys downstairs don’t want me
to leave, but how can I stay knowing you suspect me?” She bit her bottom lip so
hard she tasted blood. Her hands were clenching the quilt she sat on.

“I shouldn’t
have questioned you in front of my brothers. That wasn’t right. I’m sorry.”

“That’s it?
We have sex. Brent gets close enough to kill us. You think I have the money
that was taken, which pretty much implies I murdered Paul and all you can say
is you shouldn’t have asked me in front of the boys?” Summer stood and quickly
closed the gap between them. “I am innocent. I would think that you of all people
would give me the benefit of the doubt. I’m not leaving. I promised those boys
I wouldn’t. I just ask that you stay out of my way.”

He crossed
his arms in front of her and cocked his right eyebrow. “Is that the way you
want it? Fine, I’ll
give you
a wide berth.” He turned and opened the door. Without looking back
he quietly closed it behind him.

Damn! It
hadn’t really solved anything. If anything it made things worse. Her body
trembled in longing,
and
her heart cried for what could have been, what should have been. Regret
washed over her and she wished she could just climb into bed and pull the quilt
up over her head, but that wasn’t her. She reminded herself that she was a
strong, capable, innocent woman. She stood taller and dashed all tears from her
face with the heels of her hands. She had nothing to hide, nothing to be
ashamed of and she’d be damned if she’d allow anyone to treat her as if she
had.

She didn’t
intend to play the victim but hell
,
a little bit of kindness her way would be nice. No, no running.
She was going to go straight down those stairs and do what she was hired to do.
She was going to feed those boys.

Standing tall with her shoulders back she walked down the stairs. All
eyes were on her, except for Holden’s. He was glaringly absent. Without saying
a word she started making dinner.

*
*
*
*

Holden kicked
the wooden side of the barn. He strode into the tack room, after stomping out
of the house, telling his brothers to stay inside. Damn it all to hell! His big
mouth got him in trouble again. Where was his filter when he needed it? He
accused Summer of being part of murder. He’d kick the wall again if it hadn’t
been
hurt so much the
first time. The look in her eyes, he’
d
never forget it. He hurt and betrayed her
.
What the hell was
wrong with him? He paced back and forth in the small room until he heard Yukon
,
sound
ing
agitated. He
knew
shouldn’t have
come into the barn. He should have realized that the animals would be affected.
What kind of vet was he anyway? If he could kick himself
instead of the barn
he would.

He half
listened for Summer’s car. He couldn’t expect her to stay. He wanted—needed—to
apologize but their emotions were too heightened and he didn’t think she’d
listen. He leaned his elbows on the sturdy wooden table and buried his face in
his hands. What a day
. I
t had gone from the best to the worst. Having Summer in his arms
had been pure pleasure. The joy on her pretty face and the spark in her blue
eyes while they made love amazed and humbled him. His heart had been filled
with her essence and now it languished, empty. Maybe he did think she had
something to do with it. It made sense. Why would that jerk Brent stick around
if he wasn’t expecting something from Summer? Holden stood and pounded his fist
against the table. Holding his throbbing hand
,
he headed out of the barn. He had brothers to
raise and a practice to attend to and Summer to protect. Maybe she’d be
calmer
when he went
into the house.

That hope was
quickly dashed as soon as his boots hit the wooden floor. She turned from the
kitchen lifted her chin and gave him a sour look. He scowled back at her. This
was not going to be easy. Her eyes hardened at his scowl and he swore under his
breath. He didn’t mean to scowl at her. Jack ass of the year came to mind. Taking
a deep breath he tried to smile. “So what’s up guys?”

Matt just
gave him a blank look, Mark ignored him all together. Luke and John were in the
kitchen. They both turned and smiled.

“Summer is
teaching us how to make spaghetti,” Luke told him.

John nodded.
“It’s what every bachelor should know
a
nd
guess what?”