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She wanted to apologize and
thank him for his generosity. If they were going to live in the same small
town, even if only for a little while longer, they would be running into each
other from time to time. She preferred if they could be civil to one another.

Rachel checked her watch. She
would have to stop at home to spend some time with Madison before making her
way to the barbeque. “I think I can swing it. Can I bring anything?”

Jessica smiled. “Nope, just
yourself.” She waved a hand as she walked toward the door. “See you around
7:00, and don’t be late. It’s a surprise.”

Chapter Eleven

By the time Tucker rolled his
truck up to the curb at his parents’ house, he was cursing parties, meddling
families, and stubborn women. He just wanted to go home, slip into his hot tub,
and enjoy a few beers in his own backyard. Alone. He hadn’t had a moment’s
peace all day, and he desperately needed time to think about how he was going
to handle this undeniable hold Rachel had over him.

He couldn’t stop thinking
about her, not even after she’d accused him of trying to knock her up last
night just to keep her bound to him. That was the stupidest thing he’d even
heard. Not once in his thirty-plus years had he ever considered the possibility
of becoming a daddy. So why couldn’t he get the image of a glowing Rachel,
round and sexy with his baby, out of his head? God help him, he was in a mess
of trouble.  

He slammed his door and
cursed when the bottle of wine he brought almost slipped out of his damp hand.
Why the hell was he so nervous? This was his parents’ house. These were his
people. “’Cause you’re a dumbass, that’s why,” he muttered. He turned just in
time to see Rachel staring at him from behind her dark sunglasses. Now it made
sense, that sensation of awareness he couldn’t seem to shake.

He walked over to where her
car was parked and leaned in the open window.

“Hi, Tucker,” she said,
offering him a sweet, shy smile.

All of his anger and
frustration melted away at the sound of her name on his lips. He didn’t care
that she’d given him a hard time last night. He still wanted her back in his
bed tonight. Only this time he’d make damn sure he was wearing a condom. “Hey,
baby, it’s good to see you.”

Rachel breathed a sigh of
relief as she propped her sunglasses up on top of her head. “I’m glad to hear
you say that. I thought you might still be mad at me.”

He opened the passenger’s
door and settled in beside her. As much as he wanted to touch her, he forced
himself to hold back until he had a chance to gauge her reaction. “I have no
right to be mad at you. I made a stupid mistake last night. You had every right
to be pissed.”

She reached for his hand. “
We
made a stupid mistake last night. I was just as much to blame as you were.
I could have reminded you about the condom.” She smiled. “But I was just so
caught up in the moment, I guess I forgot.”

Tucker brought her hand to
his lips as he felt the uneasiness that had plagued him all day finally begin
to recede. “I won’t make that same mistake again, I swear.”

She licked her lips. “What
makes you think there’s going to be a next time?”

He flicked his tongue across
the pulse point at her wrist and grinned when she gasped. “There’ll be a next
time. You can count on that, sweetheart.”

She cleared her throat,
obviously trying to re-gain her composure. “You’ll be pleased to know we’re in
the clear. I checked my calendar and there’s no chance I could have gotten
pregnant last night. The timing was all wrong.”

He was glad he was still
wearing his shades and she couldn’t read the disappointment he was sure was
evident in his eyes. This was crazy. He wasn’t ready to be a daddy, was he?
“That’s good. I guess we dodged a bullet, huh?”

“I guess so.” She stared at
him as though she was trying to read his eyes behind the dark lenses. She
glanced at the people winding through the manicured pathways to the back yard.
“We should probably join the party. Jessica said we shouldn’t be late.
Apparently it’s a surprise.”

“So Jess invited you here
tonight?” He wanted to believe that she’d come to see him, not to appease his
sister.

“Yeah, but I was hoping you’d
be here. I knew we needed to talk.”

He smiled. “I’m glad we did.
I had one hell of a day. I picked up the phone half a dozen times, but…”

“Yeah, I know; me too. I
wanted to thank you for the car and the alarm. It’s way too much, Tucker. I
don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to repay you…”

He leaned in to kiss her.
“You can’t put a price tag on your safety, baby. I just bought myself a whole
lot of peace of mind.”

She smiled as she stroked his
cheek. “What did I do to deserve you?”

Tucker knew it was the other
way around. He didn’t deserve her, but he wasn’t about to argue the point. He
was just so glad they were back on level ground again. “You must have been a
saint in another life.”

She laughed before stealing a
kiss. “I’m kind of nervous about meeting your father. I mean, after the whole
thing with Jessica’s pole dancing lessons, and the rumors about my apprentices,
I can only imagine what he must think of me.”

“Honey, as soon as my family sees
how happy I am with you, they’ll be busy planning the wedding in their heads.
They’ve waited for me to find the right woman for years.”

Her face fell and she
withdrew her hand. “Tucker…”

He cursed his big mouth for
the third time in as many days. “You know what? Let’s just go in there and get
this over with so I can take you back to my place and show you how much I
missed you today.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

Merle Carlton was an
intimidating man, big and loud, much like his son, but it was obvious he adored
his family, especially his wife, Lorna.

It gave Rachel a sneak peek
into the kid of man Tucker was likely to be one day. His wife would be one
lucky lady.

Merle came up behind her,
carrying a bottle of chardonnay. “I noticed you could use a re-fill.”

She smiled as she held her
near empty glass out to him. “Just half a glass, thanks. I have to drive home.”

He winked. “Yeah, you better
watch that. I hear the police chief’s a real tyrant.”

Rachel laughed. Merle was the
kind of man she could learn to like, given the time. She knew he had a
reputation as being ornery, but he’d also done more for this town than the last
three mayors combined, according to the patrons at Mavis’s Diner.

“Your son isn’t so bad.”

He looked around as though
half-expecting someone to be eavesdropping on their conversation. “He’s just
about the best son a father could hope to have. I’m prouder than hell of him,
but don’t tell him I said that. He’ll use the leverage to hammer me about those
damn squad cars again.”  

“I won’t say a word. I
promise.” She raised her glass, and he mimicked the gesture with a mischievous
twinkle in his eye.

“So, I have to say Lorna and
I were surprised to see you here tonight. Last I heard, you and Tucker were
like oil and water.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “You seem to be mixing
quite nicely now though.”

She felt the heat creep up
her neck. “We’ve decided to call a truce.”

Merle threw his head back and
laughed. “Is that what they’re callin’ it these days?”

Tucker came up behind his
father and slapped him on the back. “You better leave my woman alone, or I’m
going to start in on the renovation budget for the police station.”

Merle raised his hands.
“Okay, I’ll back off, for now.” He smirked as he watched Tucker wrap his arm
around Rachel’s waist. “I have to say, you sure do know how to pick ‘em, son.
You must have learned that from your old man.”

Tucker shook his head as he
watched his father resume his designated post at the grill. “Was the old man
givin’ you a hard time?”

“No, not at all.” She wrapped
her arms around his waist and looked up at him. She was surprised how right it
felt being here with him. Surrounded by his friends and family, she almost felt
like she’d found a place she truly belonged instead of being the outsider
looking in. “He was sweet. Everyone’s been great to me. It’s obvious how much
they all love and respect you.”

“Has anyone asked you about
us?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her hair. “I know you weren’t ready to
go public with our relationship since you weren’t too sure where it was goin’,
but I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.”

Rachel leaned her head
against his chest and listened to the steady sound of his heart beating in her
ear. “I don’t mind.”

She allowed herself to
imagine what it would be like if they were a real couple and these people were
her friends and family too. She could imagine Madison playing with the other
kids in the pool while she swapped recipes and parenting stories with the other
moms in the group. Joyce would claim a lawn chair with the seniors group
positioned under the shade of a big oak tree on the stone patio. There were a
group of firemen, policemen, and paramedics gathered around the grill, chatting
with Tucker’s father as he flipped hamburgers and sausages, and she knew that’s
where Tucker would be, if not for the fact he didn’t seem to want to leave her
side.

This was the life she wanted,
the man she wanted, but she knew that was an impossible dream. Once Tucker realized
a warrant was out for her arrest, he would have no choice but to turn her in,
and their fantasy would come to an abrupt and painful conclusion.

He kissed the top of her
head. “I love being here with you. God, Rachel, I could see you fitting into my
life so easily.”

She tipped her head back to
look at him. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“It’s like you’re the missing
piece I’ve been waiting for my whole damn life.” He kissed her lips gently. “I
don’t want to lose you, sweetheart.”

Before Rachel could respond,
a pretty blonde snuck up behind Tucker. “There you are. I thought y’all snuck
off.”

Rachel smiled as Tucker
turned around and snatched the petite woman up off the ground, twirling her in
a low circle. She tried to ignore the pang of jealousy she felt seeing Tucker
with another woman in his arms, even though it was obvious, even to her, the
two were only friends.

The woman threw her head back
and laughed, slapping Tucker on the back. “Put me down!”

He kissed her soundly on the
cheek before setting her back down on the ground. “Have I told you how happy I
am that you’re back, kid?”

Charlene looked at Rachel as
she crooked a finger at Tucker. “Okay, what the hell happened to the miserable
S.O.B. we all know and love to hate? Are you responsible for this change in
behavior?”

Rachel instantly liked
Charlene. She reminded her of her cousin, Dixie, cute and sassy with a sharp
tongue and quick wit. “If it’s a positive change, I guess I’ll take the
credit.”

She poked Tucker in the
chest. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Is that brother
of mine sneaking off into the bushes with your sister again?” She rolled her eyes.
“They already live together, and they’re getting married in a couple of months,
yet they can’t seem to get enough of each other.”

Tucker set his beer bottle
down on a nearby picnic table and covered his ears with his hands. “La la la la
la la la.”

Charlene laughed. “He doesn’t
like to think about his baby sister having sex with his best friend. Can you
tell?”

A tall, dark, and handsome
cowboy came up behind Charlene. “Can you blame him, darlin’? How do you think
your big brother would feel, knowin’ you’re not as pure as he seems to think
you are?”

Tucker frowned as he glanced
back and forth between Charlene and the newest addition to their group. “How
the hell would you know that, Cole?”

One look at Charlene told
Rachel that Cole knew Charlene intimately. If memory served, Cole was the
friend Tucker said was into BDSM. If Jake was anything like Tucker, he would
have a coronary if he ever found out his baby sister was serving as Cole’s
submissive. Poor girl. Rachel didn’t envy her.

Charlene looked up at the
cowboy who’d outed her. “He doesn’t; he’s just had a few too many and he’s
shooting his mouth off for kicks.” Her eyes narrowed. “I sure hope you’re not
planning to drive home in your condition, Cole. The chief here might have to
throw you in the drunk tank for the night.”

Cole smirked. “Don’t you
worry your pretty little head about me, sugar. I can take care of myself.” He
slipped his tongue in his cheek. “And you too, if you’re so inclined.”

Tucker shoved his friend.
“Shut the hell up. Jake’s gonna hear you and think you’re serious.”

Cole tipped his black cowboy
hat back and looked Tucker in the eye. “Who says I’m not?”

Charlene elbowed him in the
ribs. “Don’t you have a date that you need to get back to? I know I do.”