You're Busting My Nuptials (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 2) (28 page)

“No. Absolutely not. I’m so damn glad you’re okay. Nothing else matters.”

She stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her
self.

He did the same and when they were dry, he led her to bed. He wanted to hold her and love her, to hear the music of her laughter and see the light in her eyes again. “Did you say his name was Om?”

“Yeah,” she breathed against his chest.

He tilted her chin up and smiled down at her. “What the hell kind of name is that?”

Her lips quivered and tears ran down her face again.

“Don’t cry, Darlin’. We’ll get this all figured out,” he said, kissing her tears away. Then he climbed into bed and she curled against him. He held her until she drifted off to sleep.

~~*~~

Tizzy spent a restless night with the explosion playing over and over in her dreams in slow motion. The car ripped apart. Metal and glass floated through space suspended l
ike special effects in a movie.

She jerked awake in a cold sweat, took a minute to get her bearings, snuggled closer to Ridge and fell deeper into sleep, only to dream the same thing once more.

When the nightmare ended, she was exhausted, shivering and awake again. She rolled to face Ridge. He wrapped her in his arms, pulled her in tight and kissed the top of her head. “Are you okay?” he whispered.

“I am now.” The warmth of his body provided relief from the cold and the sound of his voice calmed her nerves. “I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday.”

Ridge let go of her, propped himself against the headboard, and pulled her in close again.

She rested her head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart for a moment before she spoke. “I try to think of other things, but I always go right back to the explosion.”

“Give it a little time. It’ll get easier.”

“It reminds me how we take so much for granted. One minute we’re talking to someone and then in an instant, they’re gone. Forever.” She shivered at the thought.

He rubbed her arm back and forth and the goose bumps started to go away.

“I understand there wasn’t anything I could have done, but yet, I feel responsible.” A tear dropped onto his chest. “If we hadn’t taken them into custody, Gwynn wouldn’t be dead. If only I’d left Horace or Colton with the cars. If I hadn’t talked to Tawny at the club, she’d still . . .” her voice trailed off.

He leaned away from her. “You’re not responsible for any of that. You want to play the
if-game
? Then try this. If Gwynn and Tawny hadn’t gotten themselves involved with dangerous men, they’d both still be alive.” He spoke with authority in his voice. “They’re responsible for what happened to them. They made bad decisions. They took unnecessary risks. They got mixed up with the wrong people.” Ridge lifted her chin and kissed her. “You can feel sorry for them. You can even grieve for them, but I don’t want you to say you caused their deaths. Understand?”

Tizzy nodded.

~~*~~

The next morning, she felt better. So much so, she got up early to bake and left Ridge in bed.

She took her recipe book from the shelf and thumbed through the pages, stopping at the cookie section. With the Fall Festival only a couple of days away, she could get a head start on her donation for the bake sale. Still in her nightshirt, she didn’t bother putting on an apron.

Ridge was right. Logically, she wasn’t the cause of Tawny ending up in the lake and Gwynn and Horace being blown to bits, but in spite of logic, guilt gripped her, especially concerning Ramona. She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to her now? Gwynn was all she had.

She measured the sugar and butter into the bowl, turned on the mixer, and made an effort to push the thoughts from her mind.

Once the two ingredients were fluffy, she added the eggs, vanilla, and salt. As she leveled the flour in the cup, someone knocked. She turned the mixer off and when she opened the door, Dan threw his arms around her. “My God, Tizzy! Are you alright?”

“Let me go. You’re smothering me,” she choked out.

He released his grip. “I’m sorry.”

Tizzy started to speak, but Ridge burst into the room, eyed Dan and stuttered. “Oh—I thought you were someone else. How’re you doing, Dan?”

“I’m fine. I got the news about Tizzy and wanted to check on her.”

Tizzy took stock of Ridge in his boxers, rumpled and sleepy-eyed, but still sexy as hell. Her heart skipped. “Well, I’m okay. Spread the word. I don’t want people stopping by all day.”

“Will do.” He turned to Ridge again. “My office is in contact with the Dallas boys handling the bombings. They’ll be contacting you as well. Bubba said y’all have a theory about your case.”

“You have a theory?” Tizzy asked.

“We did, but with this latest development, we’ll have to rethink the situation. Today, I’m going to question Billy Bob Bywater. You acquainted with the guy?”

“Yeah. Local real estate man. What’s he got to do with it?”

“Maybe nothing, but he’s connected to Tawny and Gwynn, and on the clown list. It’s the only lead we have at this point.”

“Well, if you need any help from me concerning either thing, just holler,” Dan said.

Ridge nodded. “Sure thing. Now, excuse me, I’ve got to get dressed.”

Tizzy stood in the doorway and watched Dan drive away, then waved to the security guy parked across the street. The wind picked up and blew a fine mist of rain against her face. The sky rumbled. She went back to the kitchen, started the mixer again and added the flour and milk. Once dough was formed, she rolled it into four logs, wrapped them in wax paper, and placed them in the fridge to chill.

A few minutes later, Ridge came back into the room, dressed for the day.
She slid her arms around his neck. “Have I ever told you how good your ass looks in starched jeans?” She slipped her hands in his back pockets and beamed up at him.

“Can we discuss yesterday?” he asked.

“Let’s not talk,” she said, and moved her fingers to the button on his jeans.

“Tizzy, don’t. You think having sex will keep you from thinking about what happened yesterday, and believe me, I’m happy to oblige. But at some point, you’re going to have to address the situation.”

His words cut straight to her core. He was right. She didn’t want to deal with everything. Not yet. “I’m sorry to use you this way,” she said, and unbuttoned his jeans.

Outside, wind howled, rain pounded, and a long low, rumble of thunder moved closer. Lightning flashes flickered through the kitchen windows like a neon sign.

“Use me and abuse me all you want.” He kissed her and then whispered against her lips. “I need to tell you something.”

“The theory,” she sighed.

“Oh yeah, the theory,” he said. “That too.”

She pulled his zipper down. “You wanted to tell me something else?”

“Yeah,” he said, grinding against her. “You may not like it.”

He kissed her again and she thought.
I like this. I like you.
She tugged at his pants and someone knocked on the door again.

Tizzy jerked away. Ridge struggled to pull his pants back up. She grabbed his hands.
“No, don’t,” she said. “I’ll get rid of them.”

She straightened her shirt, ran her fingers through her hair, and went to the door. When she opened it, she froze in place.

Ridge came to stand next to her. “Hello, Mother. Come in.”

Hazel stood in the open doorway under an umbrella, rain dripping from its rim, looking like the angel of death making a house call.

The sight of her caused Tizzy’s head to spin. She swiveled toward Ridge, gathered her wits, then turned back to Hazel, and forced a smile. “Yes, please come in,” she said, trying her best to sound sincere, but failing.

Hazel lowered her umbrella, propped it on the porch and stepped inside.

“Please sit down, Hazel. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll slip something on and be right back.” Tizzy started down the hallway, stopped short, and called over her shoulder. “Ridge? A word, please.”

He followed her into the bedroom, and spoke quickly. “This is what I needed to tell you,” he said. “My mother is coming.”

Tizzy went into her closet and jerked clothes from hangers. “Crap, where are those black jeans? When did you find out about Hazel’s visit?”

“Last night, but cut me some slack, Tizzy. You had enough on your plate without adding my mother to the mix.”

“Don’t make excuses. You just didn’t want to deal with the situation.” She stripped off her nightshirt and continued to rifle through garments, discarding them into a pile. “Why can’t I ever find what I’m looking for? Dammit!”

Ridge reached around her, took the jeans from the rod, and handed them to her.

Pulling them on, she spun around, and began rummaging through a drawer. “I can never find a damn thing in here.”

Ridge stuck his hand in the bureau, grabbed a bra and dangled the lacy garment in front of her.

She slipped her arms through the straps, and he secured the hooks. “This is something new for me, putting this on you instead of taking it off.” He smiled down at her.

“I am not amused, Ridge. I’m pissed.” She pulled a shirt over her head. “Did you call your mother about the explosion?”

“No. She found out yesterday about
our marriage
. That’s why she’s here.” He attempted to hug Tizzy.

She ducked away. “You never told her about us getting married? Oh my God. She’s going to blame me. Why didn’t you tell her?”

“The last time I saw Mother, we didn’t leave on the best of terms. She won’t blame you, I took full responsibility.” He reached for her again, this time with success and leaned down and kissed her neck.

She squirmed to get free. “Let me go.”

“No. Not as long as I live.”

“Don’t sweet talk me. I’m mad at you.” She stiffened in his arms.

“No you’re not.” He tilted her face up and covered her mouth with a kiss. She fought him at first, but when he rimmed her lips with his tongue, she was helpless.

He deepened the kiss and when she came up for air, he said. “Let’s have sex right here in the closet, with my mother just down the hall.”

“No. Absolutely not,” she gasped, but took pleasure in the idea. I’m sorry I took so long, Hazel, but me being the slut you think I am I was screwing your son in the closet. The thought caused Tizzy to giggle.

Ridge leaned back and eyed her.
“You like the idea, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I kinda do,” she said, and they both laughed until Tizzy had a thought. “Wait, you’re not going to leave me here with your mother, are you?”

“Darlin’, Bubba and Jinx are waiting on me.” He nuzzled her neck.

She pushed him away. “I can’t believe this.” Her eyes narrowed into slits. “Yesterday, I’m almost blown to bits and now you’re going to leave me with the one woman in the world who hates me.”

“Think of this as an opportunity to get to know her better.” Ridge slid his hands to her hips and pulled her in tight.

Tizzy placed her palm against his chest and held him back. “Don’t get frisky with me. Just go. Meet Bubba and Jinx. You’re totally throwing me under the bus and don’t think I’m going to forget it.”

Ridge took out his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m calling the guys to tell them I’m not coming.”

Tizz
y grabbed the phone, “Bastard.”

“So—you want me to go to work?”

She shoved the phone against his chest. “I am so going to get you for this. Yes, go to work. Don’t give me a second thought. I’ll deal with Cruella De Vil waiting in my living room.”

Ridge laughed. “You’re fu
nny and I love you like crazy.”

He gave her a serious kiss, did the thing with his tongue again, and her knees went weak. She was still trying to get her breath back when he opened the closet door and left.

After she put on shoes and pulled her hair into a ponytail, she traipsed down the hall and found Hazel seated on the sofa thumbing through a magazine.

Tizzy gave Ridge the evil eye as he settled his hat and snapped on his side arm.

“I’ve got an early appointment, Mother,” Ridge said from the doorway. “But I’ll be back about noon. We’ll do lunch. Okay?”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Hazel said.

Ridge took Tizzy in his arms and kissed her. “I love you, Baby, I’ll see you at lunch.”

She forced a smile. “I love you too. Have a good day.” She wasn’t about to let Hazel detect any discord.

She turned to face his mother. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please. I see I’m not the only one Ridge keeps in the dark.”

“Excuse me?”

“Clearly, he didn’t tell you about my visit.” She took a seat at the table.

“No, he didn’t, but you’re always welcome,” Tizzy said, surprised she meant the statement.