Own the Night (16 page)

He supposed he should be more concerned about what the townsfolk thought about him blatantly playing house with her. Ironically, if she had turned out to be a criminal, life would’ve been easier for him. Eventually he would’ve arrested her, and everyone would think their sheriff had gone above and beyond to keep their town safe. But this thing between him and Alana had turned personal, and at the end of the day he didn’t care what anyone thought. He was on his own time when he was with her, and it was his business. Period.

The office door opened and his heart rate actually increased when he looked up and saw her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled and she’d pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail. She barely resembled the woman wearing designer clothes and a tense frown who’d come through that door five days ago.

“Too soon?” she asked, her gaze dropping to his cluttered desk. “I can come back.”

He threw down his pen. “Get your cute little butt in here and close the blinds.”

She grinned and leaned back against the door. “Such a big talker.” She pushed off, then glanced out the window before approaching him with a mischievous smile. “Any chance we can go home for lunch?”

Dammit, the way her hips swayed made him think of last night. Of her naked, soft and sweet; of him molding his hand to her curves. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” he murmured, frustrated that already his jeans had gotten snug.

She slid a hip onto the corner of his desk and leaned toward him for a kiss. He obliged, brushing his lips across hers and then coaxing them apart. Through her T-shirt and bra, he touched her budded nipple.

With a smothered shriek, she jerked back. “Look who’s causing trouble now.”

“I know.” He quickly checked the window to make sure no one had seen them. What the hell was wrong with him? “Hungry?”

“Now how am I supposed to answer that?”

Noah sighed, looked at his watch. “I’m on duty four more hours.”

Groaning softly, she ran her gaze over his chest, the raw longing on her face sending more blood surging to his cock. “Don’t you have any vacation time?”

Oh, yeah, he knew exactly how much. Last night he’d lain awake while she’d slept, and calculated how he could stretch out the three and a half weeks by grouping the days around holidays. That gave him plenty of leeway to fly to New York a few times.

He caught her hand, and then her gaze. “Is this how you’d want me to use it?”

Alana studied him for a moment, and he could see she was dissecting his words, making sure she understood him. He should’ve been more plain. What did he have to lose at this point?

“You heard my conversation with Sadie,” she said. “What do you think about me coming back?”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

Her lower lip quivered slightly. “Really?”

As he stood up, she came around the desk and rushed into his arms. He held her against his chest, inhaling the familiar vanilla scent of her hair and sweet warm skin. How quickly he’d gotten used to coming home to her in the evening. Next week was going to be rough.

“I wish I could stay longer,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “Maybe I’d be able to squeeze in a couple days, but I have work commitments.”

“Of course you do.” He smoothed back a stray tendril of hair curling toward her lashes. “I understand you have to leave. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“I’m completely serious about coming back, and you can visit me in New York.”

Before he could answer, the sound of the knob turning alerted them that someone was about to enter the office. They quickly pulled apart, and if the door hadn’t stuck slightly, Alana wouldn’t have made it to the other side of the desk in time.

Turned out it was only Roy, but Noah still wouldn’t have been happy about being caught.

“Afternoon.” His deputy whipped off his hat and wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “Pretty warm out there for the end of October. Can’t wait to have me a cold one.”

Noah smiled to himself. That was Roy’s sly way of hinting he wanted to get off early. Not today. “Was Gus with you?”

“Nope.” Roy hung up his hat and smoothed the back of his head even though he didn’t have enough hair to worry about. “He’s out at the Double R refereeing. A new wrangler had a minor fender bender with Avery Phelps, who’s raising Cain over it.”

“What was Phelps doing way out there? I saw him trying to get into the Watering Hole less than an hour ago.”

“Dunno. But he was acting kinda weird, even for him.” Roy opened a folder sitting on top of a stack waiting to be filed. He glanced at Alana and gave her a sheepish smile. “For the record, Ms. Richardson, I never thought it was you.”

Alana blinked. “What do you mean?”

Noah’s heart crashed to his gut. He hadn’t seen any reason to tell her about being a suspect, and now she would wonder why. Casually, he stretched his arms over his head, trying to get Roy’s attention.

But it was too late.

16

“T
HINK
IT
WAS
ME
?”
A
LANA
looked from Roy to Noah and back again. “I don’t understand.”

“That description Sheriff Moran sent us…I’ll admit there was a—” Roy’s gaze darted to Noah and he stopped talking, his expression abruptly guarded. “Um, guess I shouldn’t be shooting my mouth off about office business,” he said, his sudden interest in shuffling papers confusing her.

Tempted to push him further, she refrained. No use putting him in a tight spot in front of his boss. But apparently the subject pertained to her, and she’d have to get it out of Noah later.

“I should go see if Gus needs help,” Roy muttered, and grabbed his hat. “Avery’s in one of those ornery moods.”

As soon as the door closed and they were alone, Alana frowned at Noah. She didn’t like the grim set of his mouth, and she had a bad feeling he was about to tell her something she’d rather not hear. “What was that about?”

“Why don’t you sit down,” he said, doing exactly that himself.

She reclaimed her seat, unable to shake the sense of unease.

“Don’t look so scared. It’s nothing.”

“Okay.”

“Last Friday, right before you arrived, I received a fax from another sheriff to be on the lookout for a couple of grifters. They’d been working the southern part of the state and fleecing retirees out of their savings.” Noah had gone into sheriff mode, his face blank. “Made sense they would head north to Canada. We’re less than two hours from the border.”

“You said a couple?”

He nodded. “They claimed to be married—whether they were or not didn’t matter. Reports said they had split up, that the man had abandoned his partner. And then you showed up without luggage or identification. There was no picture of the woman, just a description that fit you to a T.”

Alana stared at him, her mind scrambling to piece the puzzle together. “You thought I was her?”

“I considered the possibility, yes.”

“But you verified that I had a reservation at the Sundance under my name.”

“For two people who were supposed to have arrived the day before.”

“The reservation was Rachel’s mistake. As far as arriving late, I explained I missed my flight.”

“None of it matters now. Before we went to the McAllisters’ I heard she was apprehended.” He picked up his tan Stetson and set it on his head. “Let’s go get lunch.”

Alana’s feet couldn’t seem to move. Not that she planned on going anywhere. Because it did matter and she had questions that demanded answers. With a flicker of discomfort she flashed back to when she’d first arrived. There had been other women around, guests from the Sundance…yet he’d seemed interested in her. She’d been utterly surprised, but flattered.… She’d flirted, taunted, paraded around in his shirt without a bra. She’d practically thrown herself at him.…

God, she’d been a fool.

She swallowed around the humiliation welling in her throat and stared directly into his eyes, daring him to look away. “Why did you take me to your house?”

He clearly hated having this conversation. It was there in his darkening expression, but his gaze didn’t waver. “To keep an eye on you.”

“So…” Her voice cracked a little. “At that point I was a suspect.”

“A person of interest would be more accurate.” He hesitated, then whipped off his hat, scoring a few points. A cowardly man would’ve tugged down the brim and obscured his eyes. “Let me show you something.”

She watched him leaf through a file, grateful for the few private moments to pull herself together. Maybe she was making too much of this. He was being honest, and they’d come a long way since that first night. Unfortunately, that argument didn’t lessen her embarrassment. She felt shame in every pore of her body.

“Here.” He held out a sheet of paper. “Take a look.”

It was a description that, Alana had to admit, pretty well summed her up. She exhaled a long, shuddering breath. “You received this before I arrived.”

He nodded. “Brown hair, brown eyes, tall, thin, attractive, late twenties to early thirties…”

“Hey, early thirties?” She gave him a weak smile.

“Thirties aren’t so bad. I haven’t picked out a cane yet.” Taking the paper from her, he tossed it onto his desk, then pulled her into his arms. “Now, if instead of attractive the description had been drop-dead gorgeous, I would’ve had no choice but to arrest you.”

“Don’t push it.”

“I haven’t lied to you.” He tugged on her ponytail. “Although I’ll admit, if Roy hadn’t opened his big mouth, I might not have mentioned the fax.”

The shame hadn’t eased much, and when he tried to kiss her she evaded his mouth. “When did you know it wasn’t me?”

He loosened his hold, leaning back to give her a long, searching look. “Sunday night. After we had dinner with my folks I was dead sure. Wish I could say it was sooner, but I was doing my job.”

Maybe she had no right to feel defensive, especially since he’d been so honest…or had he? How did she know he’d told her everything? “Right.”

“You’re making too much of this,” he said, his good humor gone. “You made things kind of tricky. I tried to get you to call someone for help and you were vague and secretive. Most people in trouble would grab at a lifeline. What was I supposed to think?”

She let out a shaky breath. “No one knew I was coming here. I wanted to keep it that way.” She could see that he didn’t understand, and she didn’t feel compelled to explain further. “I can’t imagine what you thought about the way I behaved that first night at your house. Frankly, I’m embarrassed.”

Noah let out a sigh as he swiped a hand over his face. “I’m the one who should be embarrassed. You were supposed to be on a nice vacation at a dude ranch, and you weren’t here an hour before your whole life was turned upside down. I should have kept my distance, been more professional. But all I could think about was having you in my bed.”

Alana felt the pressure in her chest ease. Normally she wouldn’t appreciate being objectified, but in Noah’s case she’d make an exception.

“Don’t look so smug. It was very humbling finding out I’m not the man I thought I was.”

“Noah.” She didn’t know what to say. The longer she studied him, the more serious and distant he seemed to grow. God, she was regretting this conversation, regretted pushing for answers that meant so little in the bigger picture. She’d been embarrassed. So what. “You don’t mean that.”

His eyes stayed on her, the faintest trace of a challenge in them. Unsettling, because he might as well have reminded her that she didn’t know him well enough to pass that judgment.

“I was a damn good cop in Chicago, the youngest uniform ever to be considered for homicide detective. As sheriff I’ve taken pride in the job I’ve done here. Until last Friday night… I screwed up.”

“No, you didn’t. I’m not a criminal.” She reached across the desk, hoping he’d take her hand, but it was obvious she’d stirred up something. A big-city cop was one thing, but a homicide detective? Dare she ask why he’d passed up the chance?

“The point is, I didn’t know that. Not for sure. But I was still willing to cross the line.”

“What about that gut instinct cops are always talking about? That’s how you knew I was innocent.”

His mouth quirked at the corners. “How many cops do you know?”

She sniffed. “I watch TV occasionally.”

Finally, a true smile reached his eyes. “Look, I didn’t mean to take that detour.” He stood again. “I promised you lunch.”

“Do you ever miss Chicago?”

“Not so much. I miss the job, but I’m not partial to city living.” He came around the desk and pulled her to her feet. “Marge’s or home for lunch?”

She’d hoped for another answer. But she was thankful the mood had lightened. Still, it bothered her that he doubted himself in any way, and she resolved that they would talk more later. “Hmm, let’s see, Marge’s or the privacy of your bedroom—oops, I meant kitchen.”

Conflicting emotions washed across his face, then Noah wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. “You’re an amazing woman, Alana. I admire the hell out of you.”

His words took her aback. If she’d expected him to say anything it wasn’t that. “Amazing? Not always,” she said with a laugh, “believe me.” She leaned back to look at him, something he must not have wanted her to do, because his arms tightened. “I don’t think I’ve met a more confident man in my life.”

He pulled her closer and kissed her hair. “I want you to come back,” he whispered. “I’ll always want you to come back. But I understand this isn’t your world. That it could never be.”

She tried to come up with an argument, and hated that she couldn’t find one.

* * *

T
HEY
NEVER
DID
MAKE
IT
TO
HIS
place. It was absurd how a town as small as Blackfoot Falls had so many people who demanded their sheriff’s attention. Noah claimed it wasn’t always like this. Just Alana’s luck that everyone had chosen this week to ruin her plans.

Okay, so maybe she was taking it a little too personally, but all of a sudden it felt as if her vacation would be over in ten minutes, and she wanted to spend every second with him. Until today they’d carefully avoided any talk of the future. Rightfully so, but now she had so many questions it was hard to concentrate on the simple task of hanging paper witches from the large elm in the center of town.

After she’d finished putting up the rest of Sadie’s decorations, Alana volunteered her services to the Lemon sisters. The elderly twins could agree on absolutely nothing. It was a wonder they’d decorated most of Main Street by themselves.

When the wind had taken down the ghosts, the sisters had decided to replace them with the witches. Alana couldn’t see letting either Mabel or Miriam navigate the ladder. Although she had a feeling neither one had had any intention of doing the climbing.

“Make sure that one is tied good and tight.” Mabel, the more anal of the two, pointed to a witch dangling from the highest branch reachable from the ancient ladder, which she was in charge of holding.

“It’s fine,” Alana said. “I don’t need to check it.”

Mabel squinted, the disapproval clear in her lined face, her free hand going to her plump hip.

Sighing, Alana tugged up the loose waist of her jeans.

“I’m sorry, dear, but I think Mabel is right,” Miriam said sweetly, peering up from under the shade of the bright pink umbrella she held.

Now they finally agreed on something. Terrific.

Alana started to argue, but decided it would be easier to do as they asked. Then she’d climb down, and that was it for her. Noah would be off duty in an hour and she wanted to clean up. Her hair was a mess and her T-shirt was clinging to her sweaty back.

She’d made it to the last rung of the ladder when both women turned their heads toward the south of town. Alana followed their curious gazes and saw a big, shiny silver car gliding slowly down Main. Despite the sisters’ interest, all she cared about was seeing Noah.

She jumped off the ladder, grateful for the track shoes Rachel had given her on Monday night. Alana didn’t care so much that she’d been on the verge of totally wrecking her expensive heels, just that the sneakers were comfortable. Yet another thing that made her realize how different she’d become once she’d landed in Blackfoot Falls.

“I’ll put away the ladder,” she said, taking it from a preoccupied Mabel. “You’ll have to tell me where.”

The older woman seemed far more concerned with the Cadillac. “Who
is
that?” she asked, without so much as a glance at Miriam or Alana. “She can’t be from around here.”

Both sisters seemed so startled that Alana gave in and turned around.

The ladder nearly slipped from her hands. She tightened her hold, clinging as if her life depended on it.

Dressed in a chic black suit, Eleanor stood beside the parked Cadillac, her hand on the open driver’s door. She closed it as she panned the storefronts, her gaze briefly touching on Alana, then moving on to a group of cowboys standing outside the Watering Hole. With a sudden start, Eleanor did a double take and looked back at Alana.

Vaguely aware that she’d rudely shoved the ladder at Mabel, Alana pulled her hair free of the ponytail, shook it out and smoothed her untucked T-shirt. What the hell was her mother doing here? How had she known where to come…?

Eleanor was too far away for Alana to see her eyes clearly, but that didn’t matter. Her mother had to be as stunned as she was. No, Alana won the shock award. At least Eleanor had apparently expected to see her.

“You know her?” Mabel asked. Alana ignored the woman.

Everyone was looking now. The guys outside Sadie’s, kids from the high school.

Of course they would. Eleanor made quite a picture with her perfect blond hair pinned up into a perfect French twist. Her suit had been custom tailored in Hong Kong and her designer heels probably cost more than the battered blue pickup parked behind her.

This was crazy. If everyone hadn’t been staring, Alana might’ve convinced herself this was a hallucination. With her stomach tied in knots, she forced her feet to move. Her mother hadn’t budged an inch. Alana hadn’t expected her to. After all, she wasn’t the one who’d disappointed.

Hating that they had an audience, Alana made sure she got close enough to keep their conversation private. “What are you doing here, Eleanor?”

“Me?” Her mother ran her gaze over Alana. Distaste flickered in her face. Normally it wasn’t easy getting a reaction out of her. “I was worried sick about you. Do you know how many times I called and left voice mails?”

“I sent you a message before I left New York.”

“Yes, you did.” A perfectly arched brow lifted. “And you lied about where you were going.” Her shoulders drew back and she swept a quick glance toward the Watering Hole. “It’s not necessary to have this conversation out here. Where is your hotel?”

Alana drew in a shaky breath, sneaking a peek around. The Lemon sisters had moved closer, dragging the ladder with them. God. Where the hell was she going to take Eleanor for privacy? Though the truth was, she had nothing to say. Alana didn’t owe her an explanation. It was the other way around. All Alana wanted to do was scream at the top of her lungs for her mother to go away.