Don't Mess With Texas (17 page)

“These are our offices.” Dallas motioned to one large room that contained three desks and a television mounted on the wall. “Conference room.” He pointed to a smaller room with a big table. He grinned and pointed at the door to the right. “My apartment.”

He guided her through the doorway. A tan leather sofa centered the room, accompanied by a matching leather chair. A coffee table with a glass top centered the room and against the wall sat a large television. “Living room, kitchen.” He motioned toward another shorter hallway. “Bedroom and bath. Nothing fancy, but home.” He looked down at the dog, who now stood sniffing Nikki’s bare foot. “Come on, Bud, I’ll let you out.”

Dropping Nikki’s bag beside her, Dallas walked through the kitchen area and opened an exterior door for
Bud. The dog barked as if to say he’d be right back and then tore through the kitchen to the outdoors.

Dallas shut the door and turned back to her. That’s when the awkwardness of this situation rained down on her. She was in the home of a man she hadn’t even known for twenty-four hours. She wore hospital scrubs, no underwear, one sock and held a peed-on sock in one hand. “I think I’ll use your restroom to wash off.”

“Just one second.” He hurried past her. “Let me…”

Nikki listened to him bumping and banging around in the bathroom. In less than a minute, he came out. “Lid’s down now. There’s soap in the shower, too. Clean towels on the counter.”

Awkward. Very awkward. “Thanks.” Bag in tow, she went into the bathroom. When she closed the door, she automatically locked it and then worried he’d heard the sound of the click and would realize how uncomfortable she felt. Then, too tired to care what he might think, she took several deep breaths.

It smelled as if someone had just spritzed the room with air freshener. The toilet lid was indeed down. A folded towel and washcloth were on the counter. She set her bag beside the towels and saw herself in the mirror. God, she looked like death warmed over. The word “death” brought it all back. Jack—dead. Ellen—attacked. Oh God!

Where was the logic in this? Why didn’t anything make sense?

Almost too tired to take her clothes off, she glanced down at her one bare foot and decided a quick shower was in order. After figuring out how the shower worked, she disrobed, and then climbed in under the spray of warm water. While the water felt wonderful, she never relaxed.
A spicy male scent lingered in the foggy atmosphere, reminding her she was in a man’s apartment.

When she left the steamy shower, she heard scratching and doggy whining at the door. In the distance, she heard Dallas scold the dog. For some reason she recalled Nana asking her if Jack had a pet. When Nikki had told her no, Nana had frowned and said having a pet was a sign of a decent man.

That thought took her back to opening her car’s trunk, and the gruesome image filled her head once more. Attempting to push that thought back, she grabbed her bag. She couldn’t even remember what she’d packed. She found a pair of boxer-style shorts and a tank top. What she didn’t find was a bra. Obviously, her mind figured she’d gone without one for so long, it wasn’t needed.

Not that it was needed to sleep in, but when she slipped on the tank top, she realized it was slightly clingy and accented the girls a bit more than her last scrub-style fashion statement. Too late to worry now. She finger combed her hair, stuffed her scrubs into her bag beside her purse and went to face the awkwardness again.

When Dallas heard the shower running, his mind started picturing her naked and his body hummed with anticipation. He knew damn well she wasn’t showering to join him for a round of rambunctious sex, but certain southern body parts weren’t convinced. Face it: He’d never brought a woman to sleep at his place when he hadn’t indulged in some bedtime adventures.

Changing his sheets and preparing his bed for her, he recalled bits of the dialogue they shared before they’d left her place.

I promise you, I don’t plan on seducing you tonight
.

What about tomorrow?

How about we take it a day at a time?

Moving back into the living room, he dropped onto his sofa and passed a hand over his face. He’d told himself it couldn’t happen. He’d told Tony it wasn’t happening. And for damn good reasons, too.

If only he could remember them right now.

Shit! He was already wavering.

Staring at the blanket and pillow he’d already set out for himself, he tried to relax. But when the bathroom door opened, he popped up to meet her.

“Find everything you needed?” he asked. Bud danced at her feet with excitement.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I forgot to ask if you wanted something to eat or… drink.” Damn! She looked… fucking great. All clean, wet, and ready to be stripped naked and sated. Her hair hung in wet wavy strands down to her shoulders. Unlike the hospital outfit, the tan and pink top hugged her form and showcased her breasts—a nice round set of C cups that had his jeans feeling tight again. The boxer-style shorts weren’t nearly short or tight enough. However, what thigh he could see looked creamier than ice cream and he’d bet would taste a hell of a lot better.

“Uh. No, all I need is somewhere to lie down. I’m very tired.”

“I… changed the sheets for you.” He walked past her, aching to touch her, to pull her against him, to test his theory that she was as aware of him as he was of her. But he knew if he did, he’d be lost, so he kept going and pushed open the door to his bedroom.

She didn’t follow him. “I… I can’t take your bed.”

“Yes, you can,” he said, facing her. “I’m gonna hit the sofa for the rest of the night.”

“I’ll take the sofa.” She headed to the living room.

He hurried past her and nearly tripped over Bud, who followed her every step. No way in hell was he letting her sleep on his crappy sofa. It was fine for sitting, but torture to sleep on. “I prefer you to take the bed. I always crash on the sofa. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep in the bed.”

She cocked her head to the side and studied him. “Did you know that when you lie your right eyebrow arches up?”

He dropped down on the sofa, reclined back, and stretched his legs out. “Is that what happens?” He grinned and stuffed the pillow behind his head. “I never figured out how my mom knew it all those years.”

She didn’t respond to his humor.

“Okay, here’s the thing.” He purposely held his forehead muscles tight. “I don’t sleep on it all the time, but I prefer the sofa.” Damn if he didn’t feel his brow arch upward.

“So do I,” she said, and that sweet-looking mouth of hers bowed up and all he could think about was tasting it.

“Yeah, but… I’m already here and…” His gaze lowered to her breasts. Her mouth wasn’t all he wanted to taste. “And unless you want to wrestle me for it—and I don’t recommend that right now—then I suggest you head back to the bedroom and get some sleep. It’s almost four in the morning.”

Her eyes tightened. Her whole little body seemed to tense up and he’d kill to be close enough to feel it, too. Inside her being the ultimate proximity.

“If I wasn’t so exhausted, I’d win this argument.” She dropped both hands on her hips, giving him a good idea of just how small her waist was.

“I’ll remember that.” He folded his arms over his chest.

She swung around and hotfooted it down his hall.

“Let me know if you need anything.”
Like a warm body to lie next to you and make you feel like a million bucks
. He shot up off the sofa to watch her move down the hall. Cute face, great breasts, and an adorable ass. And he was sleeping on the couch. What was wrong with this picture?

She stepped into his bedroom and shut the door with a whack. Not quite a slam, but close. Bud, a foot behind him, dropped down on his belly and whined like a big dog.

“Bud,” he called. When the English bulldog trotted over, his head hanging with disappointment, Dallas reached out and gave him a good behind-the-ear scratch. “I know how you feel, buddy.” Dallas looked at the door and imagined Nikki stretched out on his bed. “I really know how you feel.”

At eight o’clock that morning, Tony, running on fumes, walked into Brian and Sterns Law Firm, and waited for the blond receptionist to acknowledge him. When she didn’t move fast enough, he cleared his throat.

She looked up. “Sorry. Do you have an appointment?” She stood and slid a folder into a cabinet behind her. When she looked back, he noticed she had tears in her eyes.

Upset about Jack Leon?
Tony wondered. And if so, what type of relationship did they have? She was thirtyish and he supposed pretty enough to interest a single attorney.

Tony pulled back his suit coat to show his badge. “I’m with the Miller Police Department. Here about Jack Leon. My partner called.”

The woman’s eyes grew wetter. “Yes. Mr. Brian is waiting.” She paused. “Jack was… a good man.”

“Did everyone here feel the same way?” Tony pulled out his pad and pen. Normally, he relied on his memory but, exhausted, he wasn’t taking chances.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, did he play well with his work associates?”

“Of course he did.”

“So, no office drama?”

She sat back down. “This is a law firm, detective. Lawyers are always dramatic.”

“Good point, Miss…?”

“Peterson. Rachel Peterson.”

Tony jotted down her name. “Were there any hard feelings between Mr. Leon and anyone at the firm?”

She dropped her gaze. “Not really.”

“You don’t sound certain.” He stepped closer.

“I’m just surprised. According to the news… it sounded as if you already knew who did this.”

“We check all leads,” Tony said. “Do you think anyone at this office would want to harm Mr. Leon?”

“No. There’s always office politics, but nothing that would lead to… killing him.”

“What kind of politics?”

She looked around as if she didn’t want to get caught talking to him. “Brian Senior is about to retire. So someone is going to be promoted to partner. One slot, four lawyers.”

Interesting
. “What about Leon’s personal life? Did he ever talk about anything? A girlfriend, his ex-wife?”

She hesitated. “Jack was a private person. He believed in following office protocol. He didn’t share a lot.”

“So he didn’t have a girlfriend or…”

She tilted up her chin. “I was under the impression he was trying to get back with his ex-wife. He had me make dinner reservations for two yesterday at Venny’s. He didn’t say who he was taking but I assumed it was his ex-wife. And according to the news, it was her.”

“Did his ex-wife ever call and speak with him at work?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But the lawyers use their cell phones for personal calls.”

Tony decided to play his hunch. “How close were you and Mr. Leon?”

She looked taken aback by his question. “I respected him. He was a good lawyer. But nothing else.”

“How about anyone else in the office? No romance in the workplace?”

“That’s really frowned upon.”

Tony nodded, too tired to know if he believed the woman. “Can you let Mr. Brian know I’m here?”

A few minutes later, Tony was met by a young man in his early thirties who introduced himself as Andrew Brian. He led Tony back to his office.

“You’re retiring?” Tony asked.

“You must be thinking of my father.”

“I see.” Tony sat down in the seat across from the desk. His suspicion was piqued. “And you’re not automatically in line to take his place as partner?”

Brian smiled. “It would appear that way. However… I’m not certain this is where I belong.”

“Why not?”

“My father’s footsteps are hard to fill and I guess you could say I’d like to blaze my own path.”

Tony made some notes and got down to business. He asked Brian the same questions he’d asked the receptionist. Got the same answers, too. “Are you the Brian who handled Leon’s will?”

“Yes. I’d just started here and Jack asked if I would fix it so his ex-wife remained listed as the beneficiary of his estate.”

“Didn’t you find that strange?” Tony asked.

“I have clients leaving fortunes to cats. There’s nothing strange about Jack’s request.”

“Did he love her?” Tony asked.

“It would appear that way.”

“Do you know if he was dating his ex again?”

“No, but like I said, he kept his personal life personal.” The man leaned back in his chair. “Truthfully, I was shocked this happened. Jack was a well-liked man.”

Tony leaned forward. “Well, I’d say someone didn’t agree with you.”

A
LOUD SHRIEK
jolted Dallas awake and he shot off the sofa.

Austin jumped back, laughing, bicycle horn in hand. Tyler stood at the door, laughing with him. Bud stood beside Tyler, begging to be let out.

Dallas, still foggy with sleep, stared at his two partners. He debated knocking the shit out of both of them, but then his gaze shifted to the sofa and he put what brain power he had to figuring out why had he’d fallen asleep there.