When I Find You: A Trust No One Novel (25 page)

“I didn’t agree. I decided to wait until you were thinking a little more clearly. They won’t even know I’m there. I’ll stay completely away from you and Cooper. I’ll wear a disguise. Hell, I’ll dress like a woman if you want.”

She laughed at that and Walker squeezed her hand.

“Just say you’ll think about it. Please?” He knew he had her before she nodded.

“Okay, but I’m only thinking about it. I haven’t agreed to anything. And this doesn’t affect our other agreement in any way.”

“It could. I’m not above having sex in exchange for getting my way.”

“I’m sure you’re not.” Darcy’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

He wrapped his arms around her waist again and pulled her firmly against his chest.

“Walker, I’m going to hurt you.” She tried to push away from him.

“I’ll let you know if you do.” He turned her face to his and captured her lips in a long, hard kiss. He wasn’t going for serious, but she responded eagerly, and when he felt the first stirrings of arousal, he ignored the warning voices in his head. His hands roamed over the softness of her body, further igniting his desire. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“I thought . . . we had to wait a few days.” Concern shadowed her eyes. Or was it fear?

“Apparently, I underestimated the effect you have on me.” He didn’t want her to be afraid of him. Would he let her off the hook if she was?

“Is it okay? I mean—I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” She blushed again.

He laughed softly. “I don’t think pain is what I’ll be concentrating on.” She was so warm, soft, and tantalizing. Walker could easily lose himself in her arms. He covered her lips again, his tongue exploring the inside of her mouth. Damn, she tasted good and she was so willing. He wanted her right now, right here. He laid her down on the couch and stretched out beside her. His hands worked on the buttons of her shirt as he kissed her throat, her ears, her lips.

Willing—yes, but innocent also. That thought came from nowhere and gave Walker back a semblance of control. He raised his head and looked in her eyes—eyes that held a mixture of emotions. She wanted him to make love to her because she trusted him, she’d said. Trusted him not to hurt her—not to use her up and throw her away as was his usual style. Shit. Was he up to the task? Or would she be better off if he told her he’d reconsidered?

She looked at him with confusion, no doubt wondering if he’d lost his mind. He wondered that himself as he sat up and pulled her with him. “Come on.” The disappointment in her eyes undid all his good intentions, and the words came from his mouth apparently without passing through his brain. “Let’s go upstairs.”

As she stood and turned to pull him up, there was the distinctive sound of a helicopter in the distance. With each second, the noise grew louder.

“Aw, hell.” He smiled apologetically right before he pulled her against him and kissed her urgently. “Looks like we’ll be waiting a little longer after all.”

“Joe?”

“That’s my guess. I’ve been expecting him to show for a while now. As usual, his timing is lousy.” He drew her with him as he turned off the alarm system and stepped out on the deck. The wind whipped around them and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. Joe was crazy, flying in this weather, but they’d both seen worse conditions. A moment later the chopper landed, and Joe and Cara hopped out, waved, and started for the house.

“Don’t forget where we were.” She squeezed his hand before she let go and took a step away.

“Not a chance.” He winked and then walked to the edge of the deck to shake hands with Joe.

Chapter Sixteen

D
ARCY RELAXED A
little when she heard Walker and Joe enter through the garage. Thunder rumbled overhead as they closed the door behind them. Cara had offered to make fajitas, and the guys had volunteered to go to the store, returning laden with far more food than the four of them could eat.

As soon as their hands were empty, Cara passed them each a tall margarita. She’d made a large batch of the drink after Walker and Joe had left, insisting Darcy be her taste-tester since Cara was pregnant and couldn’t drink. Still feeling more than a little uncomfortable alone with her, Darcy found the ice-cold drink gave her something to do with her hands. The first drink had disappeared way too fast.

Walker’s hair was wet from the rain coming down in buckets outside, and his damp shirt clung to his shoulders and chest just right. She smiled when his gaze swept over her and took in the half-empty glass in front of her. His eyes darkened, and he stepped to the counter beside her, his arm brushing her shoulder. Overwhelming need surged through her, and she regretted they were no longer alone. She raised her drink to her lips the same instant he frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Joe beat him to it.

“Anyway, the director of the U.S. Marshals Service is being stingy with information pertaining to Johnny Fontana.” Joe walked around the counter and gave Cara a kiss.

Darcy shook her head slowly. “What does that mean?”

“It means the agents assigned to him may have gotten your message about meeting him Friday, but I can’t be sure. If they decide to move him anyway, they could keep the information to themselves.”

“Then I should go now, before it’s too late.”

“Joe is saying he can’t keep them from moving Johnny, but you can.” Walker reached for her hand. “If you call him directly and tell him you’re coming Friday, odds are pretty good he’ll handle the rest.”

“Of course.” She breathed a sigh of relief. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

“I can’t believe you flew six hundred miles to tell her that when you could have picked up a phone.” Walker’s gaze rested on Joe.

“We were already in Portland, and Cara insisted we come when she heard you were shot.”

Walker shifted to face Cara and cocked an eyebrow quizzically.

“You’re really good at taking care of other people, Walker, but sometimes you suck at taking care of yourself. Let me look at your wound. You’ve fixed me up often enough.” The concern that shadowed her eyes made it clear how worried she was.

“Because I’m a kick-ass medic and you’re not. Stop hovering. Darcy helped me get it wrapped. If I need help, I’ll ask.”

Darcy didn’t miss the look that passed between Cara and Joe. It was obvious Walker noticed too. A hint of a smile appeared as his gaze landed on her. He was probably sorry he’d mentioned her name. Now his friends were suspicious. Did they think she and Walker were too familiar with each other? That they were sleeping together? It would have been true, if Joe hadn’t shown up when he did. She held Walker’s gaze a moment longer trying to determine if what they thought bothered him. Later, maybe she would ask. Right now, she needed to call Johnny.

She grabbed her cell phone and hopped down from her stool. The floor swayed and lurched beneath her and nausea accompanied the swirling in her head. Walker caught her just before she hit the floor.

“I
DON’T SUPPOSE
that’s a virgin margarita?” Walker caught Cara’s eye.

“No—and neither was the first one she had.”

“Shit. She’s not much of a drinker. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Hey, guys, I’m still right here.” Darcy waved her hand above her head without looking up.

“Someone should have warned you that Cara’s margaritas are like time bombs. They’ll hit you when you least expect it.” He propped her against the counter and steadied her with one hand.

“I’m fine. I just got a little dizzy.”

“I didn’t think you liked the hard stuff.”

“That was before I found out how good
thesh
. . . are.” Darcy stumbled over her words, causing everyone to laugh, and her face turned red.

“Oh no. I’ve done it again, haven’t I?” She covered her face with her hands and leaned her forehead against his chest.

“We’ll get some dinner going and you’ll be fine.” Cara grabbed a knife and quickly started chopping vegetables.

“I’ll put on a fresh pot of coffee.” Joe jerked the carafe from the coffeemaker and filled it with water.

Walker stood close beside her, the warmth of her body radiating into his. If only he could take away the embarrassment he saw in her eyes. “Sit down—drink some water—eat something. You’ll feel better if you have something besides tequila in your stomach.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Too late. I don’t feel so good. Think I’ll go lie down.” As Darcy turned to go, she almost tipped over the stool she’d been holding on to and braced herself with outstretched arms between the counter and Walker.

“Come on.” Walker put his arm around her waist and tucked her against his side, helping her out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Outside her bedroom door, she wiped her eyes and he saw the tears she was trying to hide. “What’s this?”

“Your friends must really be impressed about now.”

“First of all, you don’t need to impress my friends. Second, Joe and Cara are my friends because they don’t judge. Besides, every one of us has been there . . . me more than most. And third, they’re your friends too.” He pushed open the door to her room and led her to the edge of the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he removed her shoes. When he looked at her, she was watching him with a crooked smile and eyes that blinked with sultry slowness.

“I would so kiss you right now if I didn’t think I might throw up any minute.”

“That answers the question of whether there’s anything else you’d like help taking off.”

She laughed and Walker marveled that, even now, she could be so desirable. He stood and drew her up with him, folding her tenderly in his arms. After a brief moment, he kissed her forehead and reluctantly let her go. She lay down on the bed, and he covered her with a blanket from the closet.

“Will you come back later?”

“I’ll check on you in a while. Do you still have your phone?”

She opened her hand and showed him.

“Call Johnny. You’ll no doubt get his voice mail, but you can leave him a message about Friday. Then, get some sleep. Call me if you need anything.”

“Apologize for me, will you?”

“Not necessary, but I will if it makes you feel better.”

“I don’t think anything will make me feel better.” Her eyes were closed and she didn’t look up as he turned to go.

I
T WAS GOOD
to visit with Joe and Cara over dinner. Joe had a rule against talking shop at mealtime and tonight was no exception, so they caught Walker up on everything back at the ranch. Not that he cared that much. His mind never wandered far from the memory of Darcy’s pale face. As soon as he could, he extricated himself from the conversation and left Joe and Cara in the kitchen cleaning up the last of the dishes. The way they were looking at each other suggested they wouldn’t miss his company for long.

He knocked on Darcy’s door and let himself in when he got no reply. Her bed was empty and he experienced a moment’s panic before he noticed the bathroom door was closed. No light came from underneath.

“Darcy?” Walker hurried to the bathroom, tapped lightly on the door, and tried the knob. It wasn’t locked, but he was only able to push it open about a foot before something blocked the door’s movement. At the same time he heard her moan. Light flooded the small room as he flipped the switch. She was asleep—or passed out—on the floor, facedown, naked except for lacey white bikini panties and a blanket partially wrapped around her. A pillow kept her head off the cold, hard floor and seemed to suggest she meant to sleep there.

“Darcy?” He squeezed through the small opening and knelt beside her. She looked at him and squinted her eyes against the bright light.

“Walker?” Her voice was nothing but a croak. Immediately her hand went to her head and she groaned.

“Are you sick?”

“No, but I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“How do you feel now?”

“Better, if you don’t count this monster headache.” She was still holding her head.

“Were you hot?” He tried to hide his amusement and the lust that was heating his blood as his gaze traveled over her. From her tousled hair to the small of her back and down her shapely legs, she was gorgeous. Walker fought the urge to run his fingers down her spine.

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“Your clothes didn’t seem to make it in here with you.”

Darcy’s eyes flew open as she caught her breath. She reached for the edges of the blanket as she glanced at Walker accusingly.

“I had nothing to do with it.” He held his hands up in front of him.

“Well . . . you don’t have to enjoy yourself so much.” Her cheeks flamed red.

“You wouldn’t take that one little pleasure away from me, would you?”

“Oh God.” She pulled the blanket over her head.

“Are you ready to go back to bed, or were you planning to spend the whole night in here?”

“I’ll go to bed after you leave.”

“I’m not leaving.” He pulled the blanket from her face and drew it close around her before he pulled her to her feet. He wanted to sweep her up and carry her back to her bed, just for the sheer pleasure of having her in his arms. The ache in his side vetoed the idea, however, so he slipped an arm around her waist and walked her to the other room. He threw the covers back, let her drop onto the sheets, and worked the blanket from between her fingers before he pulled the covers back over her. Then he handed her a glass of water from her nightstand.

“Drink it—all of it.” From his pocket he took the bottle of ibuprofen he’d been using all afternoon, shook out four pills, and handed them to her. She swallowed two and tried to give the rest back. One was all he would take and she got the message, downing the third tablet without further argument. Settling back against the pillows, her eyes followed him as he sat beside her.

“Why does it bother you that I saw you almost naked? Do you think I’m not going to look at you while we make love?”

“I . . . I hadn’t thought about it.” Her gaze drifted away from his.

“That’s about all I’ve been thinking about.”

The tinge of pink in her cheeks told him how uncomfortable she was, but he wasn’t about to let her off the hook just yet. She’d suggested their arrangement, and she needed to understand the full extent of what would be required of her.