Matt—The Callahan Brothers (Brazos Bend Book 2) (29 page)

Him. She wanted him. Oh, jeez. He was wearing aftershave. Armani aftershave.

“What do you want, Torie? Ask me for something I can give you. Let me do that much.”

She had absolutely no pride where Matt Callahan was concerned. He was her weakness. Torie licked her lips. Even knowing heartbreak lay ahead, she simply couldn’t resist. His brothers called Matt an adrenaline junkie. Well, she was a Matt addict. She knew the fall might kill her, but for now, she wanted the high. “Okay, Callahan. We can do that. Here’s the deal. From now until I leave Brazos Bend, I want us to be a couple.”

He winced. “Torie ...”

She stepped toward him, put her hand against his chest. “I want to be with you. I’m tired of fighting it.”

“I don’t understand. You told your boyfriend that I broke your heart. I want to be fair to you.”

“Fair is what they have in October in Dallas, I believe. I want adventure, Callahan. I crave it. I crave you. Indulge me.”

“It’s probably a mistake.”

“Maybe so, but it’ll be my mistake, and I’m okay with that. I don’t want to be afraid to live while I’m busy being afraid to die. Take me to bed, Callahan. Thrill me.”

A crooked smile on his lips, he shook his head.
 
“You have twice the courage that I do.”

“You love that about me.”

“Yeah, Shutterbug.” His voice was a rough, raspy sound as he swept her up into his arms. “I do.”

Chapter Fifteen

Alexandria, Virginia

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee joined the click of computer keys swirling in the air in the Internet café. Wonderful places, these cozy little computer-and-coffee houses. Perfect spots for snooping. Up until now, unfortunately, a dead end.

A good education had provided computer literacy. Criminal associates had taught the skills utilized today.

The bitch had proved to be surprisingly resourceful, but she couldn’t hide forever. Eventually, people always made mistakes.

Like I did. Losing my temper. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Should know better. Had been taught better.

The sister failed to show for lunch and was guarded when they met for a rescheduled dinner.

Another way. Find the bitch another way. Hire a professional if necessary.

That could prove sticky, however, when the bitch turned up dead. Better to work alone.

Then, ten minutes later, a possible hit. The right name in a newspaper in a Podunk town in Texas. Excitement rose. The pursuer scented prey.

Then, a church ladies’ blog. What fools people were, posting anything and everything for anyone to see.

Finally, a bit of hacking and the clincher confirmed. Credit card use at a restaurant in Brazos Bend, Texas.

Springtime in Texas. What a lovely time of year for a visit.
Wonder if the bluebonnets are still in bloom?

***

Matt had already called up the stairs twice urging Torie to get a move on. They’d need to leave in the next five minutes to have time to stop by the hospital before meeting Kathy as planned.

He was tense. The colleagues he’d hit up for surveillance help had been called to Venezuela, forcing him to hire privately. The men came well recommended, but Matt didn’t like using someone he’d never worked with for this.

He also second-guessed himself for having sent Luke to Soledad Island. General Bradshaw’s men had scoured the island in the days following Torie’s escape. What in the world had made Matt think his brother would find proof of Collin Marlow’s demise when the general’s men had not? He should have kept Luke close.

What if they needed his gun? What if—

“What if I calm down and use my brain?” he muttered.

He had the situation covered. They weren’t going up against Al Qaeda here. This mission was to stop one man in pursuit of a defined target in a setting Matt knew better than Torie Bradshaw’s body, which after last night would be imprinted on his mind for all time.

Having successfully distracted himself from his needless fretting, Matt smiled at the memory just as his cell phone rang.

He checked the number. Langley. “Hello?”

A brisk, businesslike feminine voice spoke without preamble. “I’m sending the report on the former senator. I don’t think he’s your man, Callahan, but read it for yourself and see.”

“Thanks—” The connection clicked off before he could get another word out. Stephanie Ross was the best researcher he’d ever worked with, but she was also his biggest one-night-stand mistake. The woman held a grudge like nobody’s business.

Matt pulled up the report on the computer and started reading. When Torie finally came downstairs a few minutes later, he’d seen enough to agree with Stephanie.

The report supported the information Mark had ferreted out, adding a bit more detail. It seemed that in the wake of the sex scandal, former Senator Harris found religion. Under other circumstances, that would have increased Matt’s suspicions, but the politician hadn’t gone the televangelist route, confessing his sins in public and rallying the army of forgiveness. The senator had taken his sins and self to a mission in Honduras, where he’d dusted off his medical degree and gone to work at a makeshift hospital. His travel record, financial record, and communications records backed up the facts.

So, it appeared to be two down and one to go. If Luke came through with something about Collin Marlow before Matt’s plan played out, then they’d take another look at Torie’s list.

“I thought you were in a hurry,” Torie said.

“I am. Sorry. Got this ...” Matt glanced up, then stared. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled and spun around, sending the flirty little skirt of her pink polka dot sundress flying. “You like it? I bought this at a little shop in Arizona. Dresses aren’t usually my thing, but I was really nervous that particular day. I like to shop when I’m nervous. Spent too much of my cash stash, though, so I’ve been working on breaking the habit ever since.”

“You sparkle, Torie.”

She held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers, smiling ruefully. “It’s this.”

“No. It’s you. Your eyes, your smile. You’re just ... gorgeous.”

“I’m a sexually satisfied Callahan girl.”

“Callahan girl?”

“A new classification in light of last night. I’ve been promoted from a Bond girl.”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was the flame and he was the moth flying wing-singeing close with no thought of escape. He’d thrown in that towel in a blaze of lust last night when he agreed to her terms. She was his until this movie they were living ended, and he was done with attempting to resist her. “Then come on, Callahan girl. Grab your portraits and let’s go. We have a full day ahead of us.”

They made a quick visit to Branch’s room at Brazos Bend General. The old coot was entertaining when they arrived. Two neighbors, the Methodist preacher, and one of his cronies from the barbershop kept him occupied. He looked good, Matt thought. Healthy complexion, ready smile except for when he looked at Torie. Even that grumpiness faded when she presented him with his gift.

“Paco! Well, look at that.” Branch held the eight-by-ten framed photograph of his dippy-costumed dog sniffing at the bluebonnets. “If that’s not the cutest thing. Doesn’t he look like a little imp? Why, you caught his personality perfectly. His spirit shines through.”

“I’m glad you like it, sir,” Torie replied with a modest smile.

Branch asked one of the neighbors to set the photograph on the windowsill where he could see it. He asked a few questions about Paco’s care—which Torie answered—and then Matt made their excuses. “I’ll drop by later when your dance card isn’t so full.”

“He looks good,” Torie said as they left the hospital. “When is he due to be discharged?”

“I haven’t a clue. Branch still refuses to allow his doctor to tell us what’s going on, though I can tell he doesn’t like it. It’ll be interesting to see who eventually wins that contest.”

They drove to Cottonwood Cottage, where Torie had arranged to have her appointments in the dining room. Two mothers and a couple were waiting on her when they arrived. “Sorry I’m late,” Torie said as she swept into the room, her arms full of cardboard portfolios.

“We’re early,” Janice Williams said. “I’m just on pins and needles to see the pictures.”

“It’s better if we do this one at a time.” Torie glanced at Matt, who took the cue and said, “Folks? How about I buy y’all a cup of coffee and a piece of Annie’s coffee cake while you wait?”

As he led them to the kitchen, where Annie Jennings always had coffee and sweets at the ready, he heard Mrs. Hill say to Torie, “Oh, you lucky girl. I never thought I’d see the day that Demon Callahan fell in love, but the way he looks at you ... my, oh my.”

My, oh my?
What in the world was she seeing?

Come to think of it, he didn’t want to know.

Two and a half hours later, Torie said goodbye to the last of her clients. To a person, they’d been thrilled with their photographs. Matt had sucked down enough coffee to keep him wired for two weeks. “If I hear the words ‘‘soooo cute’ or ‘‘soooo adorable’ one more time, I’ll start screaming.”

Torie preened as she tallied up her totals. “I’d have done better if I could accept credit cards. Still, the ten percent cash discount I offered sweetened the pot for most of them. Look!” She waved a handful of bills and grinned. “It’s not as big as the wad you carry around, but it certainly will help to replenish my dash stash.”

“Cash stash” and now “dash stash.” Huh. “So you enjoyed that?”

“Sure.” She shrugged. “It was a different experience, Matt. That’s why it was fun. That’s one of the main attractions to my job. I think I’d wilt if I had to go to the same place and do the same job every day.”

He thought of the desk waiting for him at Langley.
Me, too.
The certainty of it washed through him like twenty-year-old scotch. The job itself was bound to be interesting, frustrating at times, fulfilling at others. He’d be good at it, the experience he’d bring to the position invaluable. But sitting on the sidelines? How would he handle that? And he certainly wasn’t the only person who could do the job. In the same place, every day. With the same people, every day.

“I don’t want that, either.” He looked at Torie. “I don’t want the desk job.”

“Of course you don’t.” She tucked her money into her purse, and picked up her files. “Did you ever actually think you did? It’s no more right for you than staying at Four Brothers would be.”

Frustrated by her response, he snapped, “Oh? And you know these things how? And if you say that James Bond wouldn’t sit behind a desk, I swear I’ll hit you.”

“Oh, you’d never hit me, and JB wouldn’t sit behind a desk. Matthew, think about it. You wouldn’t be so cranky about this whole job thing if the choice you were trying to make was right. I tried to tell you this the other day. You need to start listening to me.”

“Careful, Shutterbug.”

“Fine. I won’t say any more.” She shrugged and left the dining room, looking for her hostess to thank her and settle up her bill. “I can’t thank you enough, Annie. This worked out perfectly.”

“It was fun—and good for business. I booked a baby shower and made Starbucks profit on all the coffee Demon consumed.”

“Hey. Your coffee can hold its own with any in Seattle,” Matt told her. Having received an all clear from his team, he opened the door and gestured for Torie to precede him.

He waited until they’d safely reached the truck to continue. “So, if you’re so clairvoyant, what should I do? If you’re so certain what’s wrong for me, then you should know what’s right.”

“I haven’t a clue, Callahan. Don’t worry so much about it. You’ll figure it out and if it takes you a while, it’s not like you’ll go broke in the meantime.”

“It isn’t about the money. I need ...” Hell, what did he need? He didn’t know. If a voice buried deep inside himself whispered that what he needed was standing right in front of him, Matt didn’t hear it. Or ignored it, anyway. He played too deaf to hear, too blind to see, too stupid to ... hell.

Matt let that go and thought about what she’d said. He didn’t know why her attitude got under his skin the way it did. He should be feeling good right now. He’d made a major decision about his future. Well, half a decision, anyway. He knew what he wouldn’t be doing.

“So what’s the scoop on this lunch with Kathy Hudson?” Torie asked as he started the engine. “Is it just old friends getting together or is there more to it?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. Kathy is a free spirit and there’s no telling what she has in mind. Might be nothing more than what she said—a thank you for the ice cream tab. Still, nothing she’d do would surprise me.”

He was wrong.

He never expected to accompany Torie to the Dairy Princess and be stopped at the door with shouts of “Surprise!”

“What’s going on?” Torie asked him out the side of her mouth.

The paper bells and streamers provided the first clue. When a familiar march started playing on the jukebox, the answer was obvious. “A wedding shower.”

Kathy sidled up to Matt and slipped her arm through his. “Not just a wedding shower. A lingerie shower.”