I Know You Love Me (3 page)

"Hey Crystal, have you seen Jimmy tonight?"

The bartender nodded, sad-eyed, toward the back booth. “Yeah, he's sitting in the back. Can you believe he's on a date with a member of Ten Deep? I don't stand a chance with him now."

Drew turned toward the alcove; his concern was for Allison, not Crystal. “Wait a second. What are you talking about? He's supposed to be on a date with Allison McKay, from the county's office. If that bonehead fucks up our audit, I'll..."

Crystal waved him silent and pointed toward the stage. “Sheriff, Allison is a member of Ten Deep."

Drew turned toward the stage, his jaw hitting the floor in surprise. That annoyingly, difficult woman was standing on stage looking as mad as a hellcat, and yet, she was more attractive than ever. Before she'd showed up in his office, he'd never met a woman who could both annoy and attract him at the same time. Drew came to the only conclusion he could under the circumstances: he wanted her for himself.

Unfortunately, she was with Jimmy. Drew certainly wasn't about to jeopardize his arrangement with his best friend by trying to seduce the woman he'd been in love with since they were kids, even if he was sorely tempted to tumble her into bed.

He could wait; Jimmy's attention span where women were concerned wasn't any better than his. Still, looking over at his friend, Drew was starting to wonder if this was more than a mere crush after all. Maybe Allison was the exception to the rule, and if that were the case, Jimmy would never get her out of his system.

The moment Allison started singing, memories of Jimmy playing her songs over and over in high school flashed through his mind. She'd gotten better with age. His eyes never left her form once as he made his way back toward Jimmy's table.

"Evening Jimmy."

"Drew, what the hell are you doing here? And why are you alone?"

Drew shrugged, pulled a chair over, and sat. “I had a craving for some Honky Tonk after I heard your little conversation in my office. I just never imagined that I'd be entertained by Ms. McKay. Who knew she had hidden talents? Now I understand the excitement."

"Yeah, well, make sure that entertainment is done at arm's-length. I like her, Drew. I mean, I really like her. She's even more incredible than I imagined."

Damn.
He hated it when he was right about things like this. “You already knew who she was when you hit on her, didn't you?"

Jimmy shrugged, his eyes never leaving Allison on the stage. “I grew up listening to Ten Deep. Of course I knew who she was, not to mention that Jeremy simply adores her, so it's not like I could miss recognizing her, especially when she falls right into my lap."

"Well, don't look now, but she's getting awfully cozy with that guy on stage.” Drew couldn't help the perverse pleasure he felt at seeing Jimmy uneasy. Best friend or not, he was Drew's biggest competition in town.

Jimmy shrugged, not at all worried. “That's Andrew McHenry. He's her ex-fiance. This is the first time in a decade they've been in the same room, and not because he's been avoiding her, if you catch my drift."

"I don't see any disagreements between them now. Maybe she's forgiven him.” Jimmy's frown told Drew he saw the attraction between the two as clearly as he did.

"Drew, why don't you just leave. We have an agreement. It's unvoiced, but there all the same. Let me...give me a chance...some time to see if there's an attraction...before you decide to move in."

"I saw the attraction, Jim; hell, a blind man couldn't miss it."

Jimmy shook his head sadly. “That was friendship, not passion, and I want passion with her. I won't settle for anything else. I want her acting as nervous around me as she does around you."

It shouldn't have, but that bold statement pushed Drew right over the edge of anger and back into irrational jealousy. “Meaning?"

"Please, Drew, you aren't six. You know exactly what that means. I plan on bedding that woman if she's interested. Think she's interested?"

Drew couldn't believe his ears. Sure, confident Jimmy was unsure about this one tiny woman. He couldn't help asking the one question he knew was on both their minds.

"What if she's not?"

"I didn't think she was, either, but damn if that woman doesn't get all my protective and possessive instincts up."

Jimmy's sex life, especially where Allison McKay was concerned, was the last thing Drew wanted to discuss, but here they were. “You haven't answered me, Jim. What if she's not?"

"She's not your type, buddy, Allison not only has a brain, the lady knows how to use it."

He's avoiding the question, again.
Drew turned a disgusted gaze on his friend. “You're being funny."

"I try."

Drew decided to let his question slide this once; Jimmy was obviously distracted tonight. “Just shut up and listen to the lady sing."

Jimmy choked and coughed. “Lady?"

"She is a lady, isn't she?” He hated when Jimmy put him on the defensive. The damned woman had only been there two days, and she'd already gotten under his skin.

"Of course, but I'm surprised you noticed. I've never see you like this before. This must be one serious itch...Hell, Drew, if there's no spark between myself and Allison, and the lady is interested, I won't stand in your way. But I'm warning you now—I'll be doing everything in my power to make this work. I've been in love with her since I was sixteen years old."

God, I hope there's no spark between them.
Looking back toward the stage, Drew wondered what had come over him. He'd heard her sing before, and it had never affected him, like this.
What the hell am I thinking? Jimmy's right; she's not my
...

That thought died while watching her thread her way through the audience toward their table. Allison knew how to draw the audience into her performance, but it was more than that. He wanted her—her innocence, her strength, and her beauty. It wasn't every day he met a woman who wasn't afraid to stand up to him without killing his desire for her.

"Let me guess—you two are best friends, right?"

Jimmy flashed her his most seductive grin, creating a knot of jealousy in the pit of Drew's stomach.

Hell. I thought I'd controlled that pesky emotion.

"Yeah, how did you know?” Jimmy answered, his grin widening.

"He may be your boss, and probably your competition more often than not, but you two have a lot in common from what I've seen so far...and you, cutie, keep defending his actions."

"How...?"

Allison grinned at the surprise in Jimmy's voice. “You were worried that I had sent him to fetch my files."

He was? I think I'm touched. Well crap, now I feel guilty about wanting her for myself.
Drew watched as Jimmy narrowed his eyes at her with a grin.

"Okay, Allison, you've made your point. You can stop now."

"Sorry, cutie. I'll behave now. Listen, I know we haven't eaten yet, but..."

Jimmy actually looked crestfallen at those words. “You want to cut our date short."

Interest peaked in Drew, making him all ears. Could she be tired of Jimmy already? Or maybe he'd been right about her ex.

"Lord, no, but I do want to get out of here please, before..."

Relief spread over his friend's face. “Before your uncle decides to rope you into joining the group for the rest of their time in town?"

Annoyance filled Drew that Jimmy kept finishing her sentences.

Allison frowned. “Too late for that."

"He didn't!"

Even Drew could see that Jimmy was trying not to laugh.

Allison deflated at the reminder, and sat down on Drew's knee without thinking. Drew sat still, not wanting her to get up just yet. He enjoyed the feeling of her weight on his lap, her body near his.

"Yes, he did; he played his ace and I couldn't say no."

Jimmy's grin returned full-force. “You need to be cheered up. How about I take you home and..."

The second Jimmy mentioned taking her home, Drew's arms came up to possessively surround her waist, making her gasp in surprise and jump off his lap like she was on fire.

"I'm so sorry, Sheriff. I didn't realize...you should have said something. I hope I didn't hurt you?"

Hurt me? What...

"And you should have said something, Jimmy O'Toole!"

The speed with which she turned on Jimmy amazed him.

"Sorry, Allison. I..."

Snorting in disgust, Allison turned away from Jimmy before he could finish his apology. “Men. You're all the same. Again, Sheriff, I'm extremely sorry. I just wasn't thinking."

"My lap will never be the same again,” he teased. Watching her cheeks redden darker, Drew stood and placed his fingers under her chin. Lifting it so that he could look into her eyes, he smiled. “That isn't necessarily a bad thing Ms. McKay."

"Allison...Allison...Allison...Allison..."

The startled look on her face when the crowd started chanting her name filled in most of the puzzle that was Allison McKay. Her face paled, and her body started trembling at the sound of the chanting behind her. When her uncle called out for her, she actually flinched.

"Come back up here, my dear; they want an encore. Don't even think of leaving before you give them one,” George McKay called out from the audience.

True to his nature, Drew made a suggestion designed to put her at ease and get himself out of the doghouse. “Since you need to go up anyway, why not sing something you enjoy?"

"Make a suggestion, Sheriff; I'm too tired to pick one for myself.” Allison replied tiredly.

Drew grinned. “In that case...” He knew there was only one song that would make up for his actions tonight. The only song he'd ever enjoyed listening to when Jimmy got into one of his Ten Deep binges.

Getting up, he walked over to Allison and whispered into her ear. “Sing ‘My Only Love.’ It's Jimmy's favorite song."

Mine, too

Turning, he walked out to leave them alone to finish their date in peace before he gave in to his desires and kissed her.

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"You look like hell."

Allison yawned and plopped down into the chair across from his. Drew had gotten to work early just so he could reclaim his chair and regain the upper hand. That action amused her. “Good morning to you, too, Sheriff."

"Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

Allison's eyebrows went up into her hairline in shock. “Actually, no—none. That man kept me up all night playing..."

"Hey, Allison, seeing as your hotel had that electrical incident that has workers pounding, I thought you could use a place to nap after last night's activities. So here—take the keys to my house, and you can go lie down during lunch, if you want."

Drew wasn't sure whether or not he felt grateful for Jimmy's bad timing.

"Thanks. After last night, I believe I will. You are so sweet."

Watching them flaunt their relationship pushed Drew past patience. “Ms. McKay, can we please finish my audit?"

"Seriously, Sheriff, your attitude is getting tiresome. I can't move forward without you, and I believe Gertrude said something about you having an appointment between ten-thirty and two pm. So there shouldn't be a conflict if I go take a nap during lunch."

Her annoyed tone almost broke through his defenses. He needed to get her out of town, and fast. “How much longer are you staying in town, Ms. McKay?”
Because I can't stand to watch you and Jimmy coo at each other much longer.

"Another forty-eight hours, Sheriff; familial obligations, I'm afraid, but then you'll be rid of me forever. The audit should be done by the morning."

Forty-eight hours. I can handle forty eight hours
...
I hope.
Drew closed his eyes and massaged his temple. “Fine, but you'd better be back here by two."

"Is that an order, Sheriff?"

Her annoyed tone deepened, telling Drew not to answer right away. “No, just a request."

"I'll do my best, but you need to leave, if you're to make your date...I'm sorry. I meant appointment. You wouldn't want to be late,” Allison told him, pulling her feet up under herself and curling into the chair.

"How...? Damned Gertrude."

"Jimmy, will Jeremy be home for lunch? He wanted my help on an assignment."

"When did you meet Jeremy?” Drew asked.

Allison threw him a look of disgust he wanted to kiss right off her face. Drew cursed at his lack of control.

"Last night, of course. Sweet kid; he even packed me a snack before leaving for school this morning."

Jimmy must have sensed the path Drew's thoughts had taken, because he helped her out of her chair and ushered her out of the office. “The audit can wait, even if that means you have to stick around for a while longer. Go home, lie down, and don't touch the dishes. Jeremy will do them tonight when he gets home, like he was supposed to yesterday."

Allison laughed and ran her fingers down his arm. “We were busy conquering Asia."

"And once the conquest was over?"

Giggling, Allison slipped her arm through his. “You're just sore that you lost. Besides, once that was done, we had to operate."

"Asia? Operate?” Drew was confused. What the hell were they doing last night? And why was she letting Jimmy distract her from the audit? He'd never get her out of town at this rate.

Jimmy stopped at the office door. “True, but then there was that damned mouse, the real estate venture, and feeding the hippos. I still can't believe..."

"What the hell were you guys doing last night?"

Allison laughed. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Sheriff. We played board games—specifically, every board game Jeremy had in the house. I've never felt so relaxed in my entire life around handsome men."

"Board Games? You two played board games...all night?” Drew couldn't believe his ears. Why would any man play board games when he had a woman like Allison in his home?

"Three.” Allison corrected with an unladylike snort.

"Excuse me?"

"The three of us played board games all night. Well, until three a.m., when Jeremy couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and went to bed. Then we switched to poker."