Tucker's Crossing (38 page)

The car was so quiet and Shelby’s heart pounded so hard, she was sure Preston could hear the proof of her fear eating through the air.

At first, sitting in the car had seemed like a reasonable idea, a quiet place to talk things through without being overheard. Now though, locked in the confined space, with Preston’s body seemingly taking up so much room it oozed into hers, Shelby found herself staring out the windshield, hand clutching tight to the door handle.

“I know you’re behind everything going on here at the ranch. But it won’t work. Cody will never give up the land.”

“I guess that remains to be seen.”

“You gain nothing if he leaves.” Shelby wasn’t sure who the mysterious beneficiary was; Silas had never told her and she hadn’t thought to ask—but she
knew
that it wasn’t Preston. “So what is it that you want?”

“A moment with my wife.” Preston turned in the driver’s seat, moving the air, his cologne too musky and too strong, smothering Shelby until she could smell only him.

“We aren’t married anymore.” Shelby shifted closer to the side window.

“Yes, and whose fault is that?”

Shelby needed out, needed to breathe, needed to remember that he didn’t define her. She pulled the handle and opened the door to leave. Preston’s arm flew across the console, yanking the door shut, his upper body buckling her to the seat.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” His face was so close the words splattered across her lips.

“And why is that?”

“Because, love, I’ll press charges for kidnapping.”

“What?” Shelby wasn’t sure she actually said the word. She wasn’t sure she’d even heard him correctly.

“You took
my
son. Across state lines. Without my permission or consent. And kept him hidden here, at your lover’s ranch, for three long and painful years.” His voice never rose above a whisper, but each word was a threat.

“That was the deal,” Shelby reminded him. “I got Jake. You got the house, the money. Silence about your many mistresses.”

“You should always read things thoroughly before you sign them.”

There was a certainty in his tone that freaked Shelby out. Made her second-guess her position. He was good at that.

“What we both signed stipulated that I was in no way fiscally responsible for the two of you,” Preston continued. “However, according to his birth certificate, Jacob is, and always will be, legally my son. A son that I have grieved and missed. And to that point, I maintain rights to him, rights which I am sure any court will see you have denied me.”

“What is it you really want?” Shelby challenged. “We both know you don’t want Jake. You never did.”

“Oh, I want Jacob very much. But I want you more.”

“Why? You never even loved me. You just wanted what was Cody’s.”

“Yes, well, did he ever tell you he stole my fiancée?” Preston’s gaze dropped to her chest—just her chest—and then back up. “Her name was Gillian Hampton. The week before our wedding, Cody convinced my beautiful bride-to-be that a prenup was the responsible thing to do. And when I refused to sign, she left me. He destroyed years of hard work and planning.”

“So you wanted her money?”

“I would have made her a great spouse.”

“I know exactly the kind of spouse you’d make.”

“Yes, well that doesn’t matter anymore. So here’s my offer. It’s time sensitive, so listen carefully. You return to San Francisco with me. We will remarry, become the couple of the hour, and live happily ever after.”

“And why do you think I would ever agree to that?” By the time Shelby finished her question it had become rhetorical. Preston would prevail. The smug rise of the brow, the way his head cocked slightly in challenge. Preston had somehow found a way, once again, to destroy her world and he was about to hand-deliver the final nail.

“Because, love.” She hated it when he called her that. “If not, I will press charges against both of you for kidnapping.” Preston motioned in the general direction of the house. “Don’t worry, Cody will be cleared. Unfortunately, he’ll be held for the maximum length of time allowed by the law, and questioned, sadly forfeiting his rights to the ranch.”

Shelby sucked in a breath, seeing how this would all play out and hating herself for ever putting her family in this situation. Cody would never call his brothers to come home. But if he spent the night in jail, he would break the terms of the will.

“You look surprised. Don’t you know by now I will do whatever it takes to win? Pay off a ranch hand or two, build the perfect case to have my wife locked away until our son is old enough to hate his mother, make Cody feel the same sense of loss he caused me.”

“And if I come with you?”

“Then no one has to be the wiser. Cody gets his ranch. Jacob gets his mom. And I, love, get you.”

Cody stood up. It would be so easy to cross the room and yank Shelby into his arms. He didn’t know what Preston had said to her, but she was pale and shaking.

She set a mug on the entry table and crossed the room, hesitating when she got to the carpet’s edge. She seemed lost. The room was divided. And Cody prayed he hadn’t blown it.

She glanced around the room. “Where’s Jake?”

“With Luella. Eating peach pie.”

“In the kitchen?”

“No, she took him to The B-Cubed.” Shelby tilted her head in disbelief. “She figured we’d want some time to talk. In private, so we don’t have to worry about being overheard.”

Shelby looked him in the eye, her gaze never faltering. “Do you love him?”

“JT?” Cody asked, not offended by the question but confused as to where the conversation was headed. He hated the turmoil on her face. Was pissed that he kept coming up short on giving her what she needed. So he went for honesty. “Honey, I love him so much, sometimes it hurts.”

It seemed that was all she needed to hear. Cody just had time to extract his hands from his jeans before Shelby crossed the room, and hurled herself at him. God, she felt good.

“Then take me to bed and make love to me,” Shelby whispered, her lips skating across his neck, her tears soaking through his shirt. “I don’t want to talk about Preston, or the past, or anything else right now. I just want you to love me until I can’t move and then love me some more.”

“Then we’ve got a problem, because I don’t think we’re going to make it that far,” Cody growled, pressing her firmly against him, showing her just how dire the situation was.

Shelby didn’t hold anything back. Not that he expected her to. She grabbed at his shirt and yanked him against her, her hands fisting in his hair, and before their mouths even made contact, Cody was lost. Every bit of calm and control splintered and all he felt was her. And the feeling went beyond anything he knew he was capable of. And that terrified him.

“Shelby Lynn, what if I—”

What if I hurt you? What if I allow myself to love you and you still leave? I would end up like my old man, a miserable drunk with only half a soul.

Shelby reached up and cupped his face, everything she was feeling shining through her eyes. This was what he’d missed about her. This look. Open, honest, holding nothing back.

Oh shit
. She loved him. It was right there. Always had been. He’d just been too bullheaded to see it. She was his. All he had to do was find the courage to reach for her.

“Don’t think, Cody. Just love me.”

“I’m a Tucker. We go all in. And if I fall it’s with everything I am. There’s no coming back for me.”

“Then I’ll catch you.”

And he was ready to fall. Ready to finally let go and just live. His hand flew up her dress, raking up the backs of her thighs to her ass. Their mouths melded together, slanting kisses that were hard and made him even harder, while their hands tore and yanked at each other’s clothes.

He tried to unbutton her dress, but his hands were shaking so hard he couldn’t.
Oh God, what was happening?
Inside, his heart was pounding so painfully he was afraid he was going to burst out of his own skin. He’d never felt so alive. So out of control.

Shelby’s hand dove beneath his jeans, her fingers circling and caressing his length, while—Christ—her other hand palmed him, gently rolling and then squeezing. His head dropped back and there was no way he could stop her. It felt too good. And he was going to come any second if he didn’t move.

“Shelby,” he moaned, feeling desperate and primal, willing to do anything to be with her, even if it meant surrender.

“I know.”

They stumbled backward, or forward, he was so lost he couldn’t tell until he plastered her against a wall. She shoved at his jeans and he fisted his hand in her panties, tearing them off of her, just like she’d torn his control. And then she was riding his hand and she was coming fast and hard.

“Up, I need you up,” he groaned, gripping her hips, not giving her time to catch her breath.

The minute her legs were around him, he plunged inside of her, satisfying this consuming need to be inside her, a part of her.
Oh, fuck, she felt amazing.
He pumped hard and fast, over and over again, filling her to capacity.

Nothing mattered except being with her, inside of her. She was like fire, closing around him, tighter and tighter until he thought he’d die. His breathing stopped, his neck strained and he opened his mouth but nothing came out.

His hand dropped between them, sliding into her thick folds and she clenched around him, her head fell back against the wall. She was so close. He was barely holding on.

“More?” he moaned into her ear.

“Please,” Shelby cried.

He knew exactly what that meant and groaned with satisfaction.

“Oh, God, Cody!”

“Not without me, honey,” he growled, pinning her to the wall with his thrust. Unable to hold back he drove harder. She convulsed, gave a sexy cry and her body jolted. And then it came. So powerful and hot his body shuddered, taking every last drop of pleasure and exhausting all of his strength. His legs wavered, slowly giving way as he slid to the floor, taking Shelby with him.

It had never been like that before. So raw and honest and alive. He’d tried to ignore how she made him feel. The way he needed her and would never be able to live without her. And how, with her, he could be someone other than Silas Tucker’s kid.

Slowly he became aware of Shelby, trembling in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder, her legs straddling him. The pleasure was gone in an instant.
Oh God, what had he done?

“Shelby?”
Was that even his voice?
He pulled back, taking her face in his hands, almost too ashamed to look at her. “Shelby, honey, are you okay?”

“That,” her voice cracked, “was anything but perfect.”

Cody froze at her words. “Honey, open your eyes and look at me.”

Her lashes lifted and she looked dazed and about ready to cry.
Shit!
And then she smiled and his whole world went right. “It was messy and unpredictable and real and
you.
And before that brain of yours kicks in and you realize we forgot protection—”

“Ah, hell—”

“I’m on the Pill.” Shelby kissed him square on the lips. When she pulled back, she was crying. “And I love you.”

And just like that, Cody fell, shamelessly. There was no coming back for him. Shelby was his past, his present, and his future.

“Why don’t we take this upstairs?”

“To your bed?” One hand slid down his chest, parting the material of his torn shirt as it went, her fingers brushing over each rib and dipping to where they were still joined.

“No, just to the stairs. We’ll work our way to the bedroom . . . eventually.”

Shelby giggled, burying her face in his neck as he stood, taking her with him.

“What about our clothes?”

“Let Lulu get them. She’s so damn adamant about working here, let her do her job.”

Sometime later, after they had finally made it to the bedroom and Shelby’s breathing was slow and steady, her body sprawled across his, Cody found himself staring at the ceiling, again. She had been warm and responsive and sexy as hell, but something about the night felt wrong.

They still hadn’t talked about Preston. Either JT was within hearing range, and he’d learned that lesson, or they had been alone and Shelby instigated other ways to pass the time.

After the last two rounds of loving, he should be smiling to high heaven, not lying there in the middle of the night, feeling like it was all about to blow to high hell.

Careful not to wake Shelby, Cody slowly inched out from under her body—watched her do her midnight-shuffle, trying to find him but settling for his warm spot—slid on a pair of sweats that had seen better days, palmed his cell, and quietly made his way to the office, certain to close the door behind him.

Sitting at his desk, he flipped open his laptop, dug up everything he could on Preston Van Warren. Coming up empty, Cody dialed Noah, feeling a bit guilty about the late hour, but needing some answers.

Shelby stared down into the cup of coffee; it was already cold and not a drop had disappeared. She wished someone would relay that information to her stomach. It was tossing and churning like she’d downed a whole pot.

Her phone vibrated. Again. She sent it to voice mail.

She’d lain awake most of the night, feigning sleep until Cody had awoken and headed out—he’d wanted to ride the perimeter of the property and check for any more downed fence posts—e-mailed her divorce papers to Gina, packed up Jake, telling him he was spending the night at Ryan’s, and headed toward The B-Cubed.

There she sat, checking her watch for the fifth time in so many minutes, huddled in a dark booth, her legs sticking to the blue vinyl seat, and wondering where the hell Gina was.

Faith caught Shelby’s eye from behind the counter and raised the coffeepot, silently asking Shelby if she wanted some. Shelby shook her head. Faith, not buying any of it, glided through the tables, balancing a platter of fresh-from-the-oven biscuits.

“You sure I can’t get you something else?” she asked, pointing to the tray with her chin. “On the house.”