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if sleeping on the couch would have sufficed. She stirred and Travis used her
movements to untangle his body and get up.
He slipped his boots on and couldn t help pausing at the door to look back at her,
her hair sprawled out on the pillow he had just left. He suddenly wondered what her
hair would look like against his satin sheets back home. He had an apartment in
Portville but he was hardly ever there. Shaking off his thoughts of Jessie on his bed, he
headed down the stairs.
Marc and Brad were both in the kitchen and they looked up as he entered. Mentally
he kicked himself. He should have at least put a shirt on. Marc whistled and Travis
couldn t contain his laughter.
Marc introduced him to Betty and the guys chuckled at his state of undress.
Betty on the other hand gave him a stern look and pointed at him with her wooden
spoon.  Don t you dare hurt that girl or I ll be forced to take drastic measures.
Travis fought to remove the smile from his face.  Yes, ma am.
When Jessie woke Monday morning she was alone but the pillow next to her was
balled up and the blankets were a disaster. Travis must have lain next to her all night.
She sighed as she stretched out her sore muscles, thinking that she wished there had
been another reason why the blankets were tangled.
She took a quick shower before going down to the kitchen, surprised that it was
almost lunchtime.
 Hey there, sleeping beauty, Travis said as she went immediately to the coffeepot.
36
Ain t No Angel
Looking at Betty and Travis over her mug, she wasn t surprised to find Betty
giggling like a schoolgirl and Jessie stood for a moment to watch.
 This sure is the best pie I ve had since I was home to have my mother s, Betty.
It took Jessie all of two seconds to see that he already had Betty wrapped around his
finger. He was definitely a charmer and sexy as hell to boot. Just the sight of him in her
kitchen made her heart beat a little faster and the room seemed a whole lot smaller.
Taking a seat across from Travis at the table, she smiled at Betty when she put a
piece of pie in front of her. If Betty thought it strange that she had a man in the house
she didn t say but Jessie knew there would be a hundred questions later.
 Where are Marc and Brad? Jessie asked.
 Oh, I sent them off to town for a few things, Betty replied.
 How are you feeling? Travis asked as his gaze ran over her face.
 I m fine, thank you. Did you sleep at all?
 A little after the sun came up. He pushed his empty plate away.
Taking a sip of her coffee, she looked at Betty pointedly.
 I ll just be in the garden if you need me. She bustled outside and left them alone.
Jessie didn t talk about Cyrus in front of Betty. There was no reason to involve her and
the less she knew the better.
 What is the plan, Travis? she asked as she took a bite of pie.
 Where did you get the gun? he countered.
 It was my father s. And before you ask, yes, I know how to use it, she said
defensively.
Travis didn t look surprised by her statement.
 Are you going to send the money, Jessie? He leaned back in his chair and she
fought the urge to squirm under his gaze.
 No, I m not. I don t owe him a damn thing.
Travis nodded and stared intently at her for a second, as if he were trying to decide
if she was telling the truth.  Can I ask why not?
Jessie dropped her fork on her plate and it clattered loudly in the silent kitchen.
 What do you mean, why not?
 Look, I m just saying that if you sent it to him he might just leave you alone and
disappear from your life altogether.
Jessie debated her next words carefully. She needed him to understand that she
wanted this to be over.
 Travis, he won t. He blames me for losing his job and ruining his life. He will come
for his revenge sooner or later. And, to be honest, I m tired of waiting. I m tired of
looking over my shoulder. I need your help.
He was silent and Jessie realized he was going to turn her down.
37
J L Taft
 I ve already been hired by someone to track him down. It wouldn t be right for me
to take money from you too. This is dangerous, Jessie, and I think the farther away you
are, the better.
 I m not running. Let me hire you as a bodyguard then. She hated that she was
pleading but he was right, the whole situation was dangerous.
 Jessie, you aren t telling me something. What is really going on?
Taking a deep breath, she told him about the letter and the two phone calls in
detail. When she was done, Travis let out a big breath and stood to pace the short length
of the kitchen.
Jessie sat quietly and waited.
Finally he turned to her.  Okay, here s the deal. He put his hands on the table and
she had to tilt her head to look up at him.
 Hire me on to work at your landscape business. But I don t want you to pay me.
We can set up the equipment to trace his calls, see if we can find him before he finds
you.
 I have to pay you, it wouldn t feel right otherwise.
 That s the deal, Jessie. Take it or leave it.
 Fine, but what if he doesn t call again? she asked.
 Then we ll be ready when he makes his move.
 Okay, Travis. We ll do it your way. But know this. I am trusting you. Don t make
me regret it.
Travis called Ian after his talk with Jessie in the kitchen. She had excused herself to
do some paperwork and hadn t invited him along. Things were getting more
complicated by the second. He had made a promise that he now wondered if he was
going to be able to keep. Granted he didn t expect Cyrus to miraculously make contact
with her after all this time.
He shouldn t have spent a night between Jessie s legs. It had clouded his brain. All
he could think about last night when he had been lying next to her was all the things
that they hadn t had time for in their agreed one night together.
Like those long legs of hers over his shoulders.
He worried that he wouldn t be able to keep his word. She was too sexy for her own
good. What he needed to do now was stay focused and keep them both from being
killed.
 Davis.
Travis jerked back to the present.  Ian. I have a development on the Parker case.
 Where are you, Turner? I expected you to still be sleeping at your desk when I
came in this morning.
38
Ain t No Angel
 Parker s ex-wife called me last night after he contacted her. He is extorting her. It
might be the in we need to get our hands on him.
He could hear Ian drop his booted feet to the floor and he pictured him grabbing a
pen and whatever paper was closest. Ian was a creature of habit.
 I take it you re back in Hill Valley? Ian asked.
 Yeah, I may be here for a while. Is that going to be a problem?
 It s slow right now so shouldn t be. How long we talking?
 I don t know yet. I ll be in to pick up the call-tracing equipment today.
 What is he extorting her with?
 Money or her life, Travis told him.
 I hope you know what you re doing, Ian told him.
 Let s hope so, Ian. I ll see you later, Travis said before he hung up.
First things first, Travis needed a tour of the property and then he was going back
to his place for clothes and equipment and he was taking Jessie with him. He wasn t
going to let her out of his sight.
Jessie felt stupid for admitting that she trusted Travis. She wouldn t have if he [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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