Inseparable (12 page)

He glanced over at Kenna. “So you aren’t going boating tomorrow.”

“Nope. I’m sleeping late as planned.”

“When you get up will you ride with me over to Dex and Caitlin’s place?” he asked. “I need to go over a few details for a project before he leaves town.”

She smiled at him. “I’d love to.”

She didn’t say anything for a while and then she began laughing. Reese glanced over at her. “What’s so funny?”

“Us, and the way we hauled ass out of that party. It reminded me of the other time we did something like that. You remember?”

Yes, he remembered and couldn’t help but smile. “It was when you talked me into taking you to that party on campus in the frat house only to discover there was an orgy going on in one of the back bedrooms.”

A smile touched the corners of Kenna’s lips. “I’ll never forget the look on your face. I stumbled on the naked bodies first and then went and got you to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.”

She hadn’t been.
Reese shook his head as a wry smile touched his lips. “All I could think about at that time was a police raid and what would happen once my family’s name was smeared all over the newspapers.”

They had quickly left the party, which was a good thing, since one of the neighbors eventually called the police and everyone at the party had gotten busted and hauled off to jail. They read about it in the papers the next day. Not only had there been an orgy, but the police had arrested some of the partygoers for drug possession as well.

“That’s why if we’re ever at a party together and you say let’s go, I’m going,” she said. “No questions asked.”

“Like tonight?”

Kenna threw her head back and laughed out loud again. “Yes, all I could imagine were plates flying over your head and hitting mine instead.”

Reese chuckled. “That was a good possibility. And I would not have taken too kindly to anything hitting that pretty little head of yours.”

“Oh, you’re so sweet,” she said, giving him a glowing smile.

He smiled back her. “I am your best friend, and don’t you forget it.”

“We’re just friends and that’s all we can and will ever be.”

“I’m your best friend, and don’t you forget it.”

Kenna moved her head on the pillow as the words Reese had said floated through her mind, keeping her awake. What he’d said only reinforced what she’d known all along, but she had needed to hear it anyway. In fact, Reese saying it had propelled her back on course, and she knew it was the right one. Now it was up to her to make sure she didn’t veer off for any reason.

Okay, so she was back to square one. Reese didn’t have a significant other and neither did she.

When Alyson first introduced Wendell Thomas, she’d felt a surge of excitement thinking he would be a good candidate. But once the man revealed his true colors—coming across as arrogant and self-centered—she was disappointed.

Kenna refused to believe there wasn’t at least one man out there she could become interested in. All she needed was one. Especially now, since things hadn’t worked out between Reese and Alyson. She figured he wouldn’t be free for long, not with all the single women in Houston vying for his attention and affection. It was just a matter of time before one of them caught his eye. She drew in a deep breath, thinking she couldn’t muster enough enthusiasm about that prospect, even though in the end she knew it was inevitable. Things would go back to being like they were before between them.

Feeling restless and frustrated, she kicked off the covers. She refused to be defeated. She still had Luke’s rodeo school opening to look forward to next weekend, and chances were some of Luke’s old rodeo buddies would be there. Thinking there was
possibly hope after all, she found a comfortable position in bed and tried drifting off to sleep.

She forced back the tears that stung her eyes. Giving up the man you love to another woman wasn’t easy, but it was something she had to do.

The man pretended to study the coffee in his cup while out of the corner of his eyes he watched as the woman grabbed her purse off the table to leave. She wouldn’t get far. He’d see to that. He appreciated the friend who’d taught him something about auto repairs—namely, how to make a car work and how to stop it from working.

He studied his coffee and wondered what she was doing out this late anyway. It appeared she had been waiting for someone and had been stood up. Oh, well. Her disappointment wouldn’t last long.

Deciding he had given her enough time, he put his money on the table and walked out of the restaurant. He never paid for anything with a credit card, since that could be traced.

Less than five minutes later he found her, standing on the side of the road next to her car with the hood up. He was about to slow down and offer assistance when he noticed another car parked in front of her.

Damn. Someone was already there. More than likely it was the same man she’d been waiting for earlier. Evidently he had decided to show up, which would account for him getting there so quickly. He was a husky guy, so the thought of taking him out and still dealing with the woman was pushed to the back of his mind.

He kept his eyes straight ahead as he passed both vehicles. He became angrier. Tonight wasn’t going as planned. But he was convinced there would be other nights. He could feel it.

Chapter 11

“S
o what’s this we hear about you and Kenna at that party Saturday night? I understand a lot went down.”

Reese rolled his eyes. Leave it to Blade to bring it up, and of course he could count on his cousins sitting beside him to be all ears. It was Monday, and the five of them were seated at a table eating lunch at the deli located on the ground floor of the Madaris Building.

“Tell me what you heard,” he said smoothly, deciding to put the ball back in Blade’s court. There was no doubt in his mind that Blade had heard something. When Reese had arrived at the party he had run into a couple of Blade’s cronies, all members of the Notorious Gentlemen’s Club. He doubted that any of them could be called a
gentleman
. But they were all
notorious
bachelors with just one thing on their minds when it came to women. Blade used to be the ringleader before settling down with Sam.

Blade leaned back in his chair and held his gaze. “According
to Carter, Alyson all but accused you and Kenna of being lovers in front of everyone.”

Reese nodded, waiting to see if there was more. He figured there was.

“And Carter also mentioned something about you being in a bad mood most of the night, scowling from across the room at anyone who tried to get close to Kenna,” Blade added.

“That sounds like something you would do,” Nolan piped up, grinning.

Reese rolled his eyes. “I don’t recall scowling at anyone.”

“But you do admit to being in a bad mood?” Lee asked, leaning closer into the table and smiling.

Reese shrugged. “Possibly. Alyson deliberately invited more men than women.”

Corbin chuckled. “Hey, man, I think that was the point of the party, wasn’t it? To welcome Kenna to town and introduce her to people.”

Reese frowned at Corbin. “Yes, but the key word is
people
. There were three times as many men as women there. It was not a party to put Kenna on display in front of every horny man in Houston. I didn’t like that.”

There was no need in telling them that things weren’t any better since he was becoming more and more attracted to her each day. He knew it was crazy, but he couldn’t explain it. Yesterday when they’d gone to Dex’s and ended up staying for dinner he had watched how she had interacted with Dex and Caitlin, as well as their children. She loved kids. He’d always known that, just like he knew she would be a great mother.

“Well, the family is convinced there’s nothing between the two of you, but your actions don’t help matters. When you act like the big bad wolf whenever a man comes near Kenna, people will start wondering,” Lee said.

Reese took a sip of water. “Let them think whatever they want. That doesn’t bother me.”

“Evidently,” Blade said easily. “But what about Kenna? What if she meets someone she wants to become seriously involved with?”

Reese studied his glass. For some reason his heart nearly missed a beat at the thought of that. She deserved the best, and not the kind of man she’d dated in the past. He should be happy if she met someone and they got seriously involved, especially if he knew the man would be good for her.

“Reese?”

He glanced up to see four pairs of eyes watching him intently, waiting on his response. “If Kenna meets someone she wants to become seriously involved with, and if I knew the man would do right by her, I would give her my blessing.”

Since this was the week Dex was out of town, Reese spent a lot of late nights at the office or on-site. Most nights Kenna was asleep when he came in, and she usually wasn’t awake in the morning when he left.

In a way she needed the time to get her head back together and once again become the cool, confident, smart woman that she normally was. She figured what happened with Curtis didn’t count. She bet even his former teammates didn’t have a clue he was on the down-low. He wanted to keep things hush-hush and wanted her word that she wouldn’t reveal his secret.

She got up from the table where she’d just enjoyed a PBJ, cookies and milk for lunch when the kitchen phone rang. She reached out and picked it up. “Tall Oaks Ranch.”

“Hello, stranger.”

The deep, raspy sound of Reese’s voice had Kenna’s heart hammering against her rib cage. “Do I know you?” she asked teasingly.

He chuckled. “If anyone knows me, it’s you. What are you doing?”

She smiled. “I just finished eating a PBJ, cookies and milk. They were good.”

“I bet. Joe mentioned you had to go into town yesterday.”

She nodded. “Yes, I had a few more papers to complete at the HPD and to meet the people I’ll be working with. Some had taken the day off, so I’ll meet them on the first day.” She would have told him all that herself had she seen him. But even though they were living under the same roof, she hadn’t seen him since Monday, and today was Thursday.

“How did it go?”

“Good as far as I know. I have another week before I start work. I got to see my office, and it’s a lot bigger than the one back in Austin. I can see downtown Houston from my window.”

“Sounds like a nice setup. You need to tell me all about it when I see you later.”

The hammering in her chest increased and she was convinced her heart skipped a beat. “You’re getting off early?”

He chuckled. “No, I’m getting off on time. Dex’s back. Like us, he and Caitlin are headed to Oklahoma City tomorrow for the festivities this weekend.”

Kenna couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of going away with Reese for the weekend, even if they would be doing so only as friends. She liked his family, felt like she was a part of them, and they always treated her with warmth and kindness.

“I’m looking forward to it. In fact, I’m going shopping again.”

“With Christy?” he asked.

“No, Christy and Alex have already left for Oklahoma,” she said. “A group of us are hitting the malls. The excursion is being led by your cousin Traci.”

She laughed out loud when he moaned before muttering a word that all but burned her ears. She understood. Traci was one of his older cousins who everyone knew was a bona fide shopaholic. “Relax, you don’t have to worry about me going on
a spending spree and not being able to move out at the end of the month.”

“That’s the last thing I’m worried about. You know you can stay with me for as long as you want, baby. I’ll see you later.”

She tilted her head to the side. Why did the sound of his voice have to be so sexually charged? And he’d called her
baby.
Had he ever done that before? “Okay. I’ll see you later,” she managed to say before hanging up.

By the time she got off the phone she wasn’t sure which thing had made her day. The thought that he wouldn’t be working late and she would see him today, or the fact that he’d told her she could stay with him as long as she needed to or that he had called her
baby.
Although she was sure he didn’t mean anything by it, it warmed her heart nonetheless.

Reese parked his truck at the side of his house. He had so easily become used to Kenna staying with him, and for someone who was a loner that said a lot.

Before leaving that morning he had scribbled a note asking that she meet him for lunch, but had tossed it in the trash before walking out the door. He’d missed seeing her over the past few days, but the strange thing about it was that when she’d lived in Austin he would sometimes go without seeing her for weeks, although he would often talk to her. What made this time so different? The only difference was that he had always been involved with someone. Did that mean that he was only turning his attention to Kenna because he was unattached?

He rubbed his fingers along his forehead. Attached or unattached, he had no right to be thinking of Kenna in the way he’d been thinking of her lately, and that wasn’t good. Instead it seemed like everything Alyson accused him of was true. More than anything he was determined that no matter how much his body wanted to react whenever she was around, it was nothing
more than a passing infatuation. Nothing had changed between them and nothing ever would.

As he opened the door to get out of the truck, what he’d told his cousins at lunch played in his mind. He knew that sooner or later some man would see Kenna for the kind, warm, loving person that she was. He didn’t expect her to remain single for the rest of her life. She deserved marriage, and to have all the children he knew she wanted. She was entitled to all the happiness a woman could have with a man, and deep down he knew that. Still, the thought of her building a life with someone else, establishing a closer relationship with someone other than with him, drove him into panic mode. It was something he needed to figure out, and quick.