To Bedevil A Beauty (Southern Sanctuary - Book 5) (26 page)

If
Berry hadn’t been clenching her teeth together, her mouth would have dropped
open in shock.  “She knows?”

“She
knows something, that’s for sure.”

“I
should t… t… talk to her.”

“Not
right now you shouldn’t.”
 
Ramsey
directed his cruiser down the ramp of the underground parking garage of his
apartment complex.

Oh
Goddess, he was taking her home with him.  She couldn’t be alone with
him.
 
“Wh... what a… bout… you…
you?  Don’t you want to que…question Previn C… Carlyle?”

Ramsey
chuffed a harsh laugh.  “Carlyle won’t be talking to anyone for a few days
yet. I’m pretty sure I broke his jaw and knocked out over half his teeth. My
team will keep a close guard on him in the meantime. He’s not going
anywhere.”  Ramsey eased the car to a stop in his reserved parking space
and turned off the engine.

“I…
I don’t have my things here.  You should take me home to Tally’s place.”

Ramsey
ignored her and exited the car.  Berry attempted to get out, but her
fingers weren’t working right.  She looked up suddenly as Ramsey yanked
open the door for her, looming over her.  “I believe all your things are
in the back of your Aunt Adelaide’s car anyway.”  He scooped her up,
bedraggled mess, damp thin blanket and all.  “Couldn’t get away from me
fast enough, hey?”  He breathed the last sentence directly into her ear.

Berry
winced as a spike of heat shot down her spine to do battle with the layer of
ice she was pretty sure was encasing her bones.  “Thou… Thought the bad
guy… was caught…”

Ramsey
poked the elevator call button hard.  “Yeah, I need to apologise for
that.  For not listening when you said Granger wasn’t behind all
this.  I suppose I just wanted it too badly to be him.”

Berry
just frowned at him, too cold to ask why.

Luckily,
Ramsey continued talking. “I wanted to punish him… for hurting you.  My
judgement was clouded… shit, when it comes to you Berry, I’m pretty sure my judgement
will always be clouded.  But I’m sorry you got hurt tonight because of me,
because I didn’t listen to you.”  The elevator door opened and he stepped
in, shifting her slightly in his arms so he could stab the button for the
second floor.

“Not…” 
Berry managed to shake her head emphatically.  “… your fault.”

Ramsey
gave no response.
 
She was pretty sure he
didn’t believe her.  Well, she couldn’t afford to tempt fate by hanging
around to convince him differently.  Once in his apartment she was determined
to have the quickest, hottest shower in the record books, steal some of his
clothes and make a sneaky escape whilst his back was turned.
 
It was a cunning plan in its simplicity.

Ramsey
shifted her again slightly so he could haul out his house keys… oh, the man was
so warm, it was all she could do not to moan and snuggle into him.  No
way… Berry, remember the plan.  Be strong.

Ramsey
strode through the apartment, making a beeline for the guest bedroom and the
connecting bathroom.  Gently, as if she were made of glass he set her down
on her decidedly wobbly legs.  Berry straightened her spine determinedly,
she would not cling to him, she had her pride… the man didn’t love her.
 
She wasn’t going to confuse the issue by
letting any further misunderstandings of where they stood with one another
continue.

“Thanks.” 
She managed to mutter.

“I
don’t suppose you need any help in here?”  Ramsey gave her a decidedly
heated, slate grey look, looming over her making her feel protected, and more
than a little turned on despite her frozen core.

Berry
managed a full on scowl. “Not even a little bit.  You can go about your
business Hotshot.  Once I’ve showered, I’ll get out of your way.” 
She went to close the door in his face but he stopped her, the sexy smile never
wavering from his face.

“Now
where exactly would I go?  I intend to wait right out here until you’re
done.”  He seemed to get taller all of a sudden, looming even further over
her.  “Then you and I… Berry mine, we’re going to talk.”

Chapter
Twenty-Four

Okay,
new plan.  Berry had the longest, hottest shower on record.
 
Standing under the heated spray until the hot
water began to run out.  Then she used the hairdryer left for guests to
dry her hair into a mass of wild curls.
 
Following that, she spent several minutes warily contemplating the only
piece of clothing available to her.  A long plush, dark green velvet robe
that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. 

She’d
never seen it before.  It must have come from Etta’s stash of clothes and
the Great-Great-Aunts must have missed it when they packed for her… except,
she’d showered before she’d left for the party and she couldn’t recall it
hanging there. After much dithering she finally put it on. Almost moaning out
loud as the luxurious soft velvet encased her.  Her prayers had been
answered, she no longer felt like a human popsicle.  Still, it wouldn’t
pay to let her guard down as she pulled the belt of the robe tight and tied a
triple knot.  She was ready… no she wasn’t.  She paused at the bathroom
door, even closed she could sense… feel, Ramsey standing on the other side,
waiting for her.  Oh Goddess, give her strength to get through the next
ten minutes.

Enough
Berry, stop with the time wasting, she could do this.
 
She just had to take control of the
situation.  With that in mind she squared her shoulders, flung open the
door, shouldered guard-dog Ramsey aside and stomped passed him.

“Well?” 
She sent him a death glare.  “You wanted to talk, so let’s talk.” 
She marched out to the living room on stiff legs.
 
No way was she having a conversation with
Ramsey Hughes with a bed less than three feet away.

Damn
the man, he must have left his post some time whilst she was in the shower as
the gas log fire was roaring and two glasses of what looked like whisky were
warming on the stone in front of it.  She didn’t pause, didn’t react to
the all too cosy little scene in front of her.  Instead she stormed over,
swooped up one of the glasses, lifted it and emptied the contents in three big
swallows. Slamming the glass back down before proceeding to park her rear on
the nearest sofa with a distinct flounce, her scowl never wavering.

“Talk.”
She demanded, watching through narrowed eyes as
Ramsey’s smile amped up to a full
on grin, his slate grey eyes trained on her.
 

She
fought not to roll her eyes as the man - swear to the Goddess - the man
actually ambled forward, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.  Picked
up the second glass of whisky and settled his tight rear end on the coffee
table directly in front of her.  He’d discarded his wet shoes and changed
trousers some time whilst she was in the shower, his jacket, belt, holster and
gun were also gone and he was looking all too relaxed and amiable now for her
liking.  And way too close… why did he have to crowd her?  She
refused to comment on it though.
 
Let him
know that his nearness affected her?
 
No
way.

Ramsey
took a healthy slug of whisky.
 
Damn,
Berry was looking sexy in that robe, her hair tumbling down around her
shoulders, her cheeks pink with anger and good health.  She’d lost that
pale blue tinge she’d had since her dunking in seawater. And her eyes were
flashing and sparking chocolate bursts directed straight at him.  She was
mad.
 
Angry as hell and he couldn’t
believe how turned on he was, how hard his cock was.  His fingers itched
to unwrap his velvet covered present.

“Hey,
Hotshot.”  Berry snapped her fingers in front of his face.  She was
in dangerous waters.
 
The way Ramsey was
looking at her made her heart race and her libido quicken.  She needed to
move this conversation along, short and sweet.  Thanks for the week long
affair… let’s just be buddies.  “Look Ramsey, we had a convenient…
arrangement.  But the unfortunate circumstances that brought us together
have been resolved, so ergo, the arrangement, likewise, has finished.  I
would have thought that was kind of obvious.  Having a discussion about it
strikes me as superfluous.”

Ramsey
swallowed laughter.  Ergo?  Superfluous?  No doubt about it,
Berry was riled… just the way he liked her.  “Is this a country versus
city kind of thing again?  Fast, small-town girl gets her rocks off and
leaves the naïve city boy in a ditch on the side of the road, with a kick to
the head and no explanation what so ever?”

“First
off.”  Berry straightened, leaning in towards him, pointing a finger at
his chest for emphasis.  “The last thing you are is naïve.  And I did
not physically or metaphorically kick you in the head.  And for the
record, our arrangement was temporary.
 
No explanation required, if one of us chooses to end it.”

Ramsey
was tempted to grab that finger of hers that was all but stabbing him in the
chest and haul her on to his lap, but too much was at stake here.  They
were good at the physical side of things, he would bet his life that he could
convince her to change her mind about continuing to have sex with him. 
But that wouldn’t be enough, sex with Berry wasn’t enough, he wanted the whole
package.  And to achieve that goal he was going to have find the words to
convince her, some flowery speech that would let her know how much he needed
her. 

Where
was a book of poems when you needed one?  But even then, that would be
some other guy’s words; they couldn’t possibly express the depth of his
feelings for Berry.  Damn, if only he could write a song or start a war in
her honour.  Words, what were the words?  And just like that he
knew.  Simple, straight forward, heartfelt. He felt foolish for not saying
them earlier.  With that in mind he looked her straight in the eye and
jumped…

“I
love you, Berry.”

It
was a huge moment in his life.  Standing on a cliff top.  Diving into
the deepest ocean. Falling without a net… Big.  The one reaction he wasn’t
expecting was for Berry to decisively shake her head, a wry smile twisting up
the corners of her mouth and state with absolute certainty.

“No,
you don’t.”

He
froze, analysing her response.  She wasn’t rejecting him… not
outright.  She was categorically declaring that he didn’t love her…? 
As if she had some supreme insight into his inner feelings. 
“Berry.”  He drained the last of his whiskey and placed the glass down
carefully on the coffee table.  “This is not a knee jerk declaration
because of what happened tonight.  It’s not the adrenalin or the massive
relief talking.  I’m stating for the record… I love you.”

Why
did he have to sound so sincere?  Berry pushed back hard on the tears that
threatened to gather.  Poor deluded fool.  He was such a sweetheart,
but he wouldn’t be the first guy to confuse great sex with love.  Damn
him… damn Great-Aunt Alma for getting her match making hooks into his gorgeous
tight ass and dragging him here.  “You’ll get over it.”  She assured
him, trying hard for a light, careless tone.

“Excuse
me?”  Ramsey reared back from her slightly in surprise.  He really
didn’t like that humourless little smile twisting up the edges of her
mouth.  As if she were in pain, or hurt, but determined to put on a brave
front.  Just what the hell was going on here?

“Trust
me.  You don’t love me.  You’re just confused… mixing me up with the
woman you saw across a court room two years ago.  It’s my fault, I fouled
up things further for you when I twisted your arm, insisting you agree to a
no-strings, purely sex, fling.”

Ramsey
chuffed a laugh.  “Yeah, you so had to twist my arm.  Berry, I don’t
know where your head is right now.  But I am not confused.  I was
attracted to the woman I saw across the court room two years ago but it’s you I
fell in love with.”

“No.” 
Berry grit the words out between clenched teeth.  “You don’t.  And
you need to stop saying it.”

Ramsey
blew out a confused sigh.  “How do you know that I don’t?  Why do you
sound so damn sure?”

“Because
Great-Aunt Alma was wrong!  She’s never wrong, but this time… you and me…
she made a mistake.”  Oh Goddess, Berry could feel the tears welling in her
eyes.

“Berry.” 
Damn, he hated to see her cry. Wanted to wrap her up and hold her until he
could fix whatever was wrong, but they needed to have this conversation… so
much was on the line.  “Wrong how?”

“Great-Aunt
Alma is officially the family match maker.  She tracked you down and
bought you here with the express intention of bringing you and I together.”

Remind
him to send Alma a dozen red roses.  “You think something went
wrong?  Between us?”  Where had he been?  Okay, the path had
been kind of convoluted and Berry had been almost killed three times… hmmm,
maybe no roses for Alma then… but still, he had found Berry again and the last
few weeks, he wouldn’t trade them for a nice staid boring courtship.

“You
don’t love me.”  Berry grabbed the lapels of her robe, pulling them in
tight.  Why wasn’t he listening?  Why did he keep hammering her with
those words?  Words she would give anything to hear… if he meant
them.  “The Great-Greats proved it.”

Ramsey
frowned.  “The Great-Greats?  You mean Adelaide, Daphne and
Margot?  What the hell do they have to do with all of this?”

Grrr,
he was like a dog with a bone.  Why wouldn’t he drop this?  She was
starting to get angry, heat firing through her veins.  Leaning forward she
let him have it.  “You drank the coffee!”  She stabbed him in the
chest with the tip of her finger.  “You wore the cuff-links!” Stab. 
“You ate the cookie!”  Stab.  “You don’t love me!”  Stab.

“What
the hell are you talking about?”  He grabbed her hand, tired of being
jabbed in the chest.

Berry
tried to yank her hand free but he was having none of it, holding it close to
his chest so she was forced to sit precariously on the edge of the sofa. 
“The Great-Greats each hit you with their best love whammy and according to
them you just stood there… completely impervious, didn’t even blink an
eye.”  She tried to yank her hand back one more time.

Ramsey
ignored her sad little attempts to free her hand, he was too busy being
completely stunned…
magic
, he should
have known.  Bloody magic.  He started to laugh, Berry sent him a
startled look and then scowled fiercely at him, which only made him laugh
harder. 

It
all clicked in to place… why Berry could always see him, no matter how still,
how quiet he became. He would never be a shadow to Berry, no matter how adept
he became at using his magic… she would always see him, because she loved
him.  Hmmm, now he just had to get his angry beauty to admit to it.

“Stop
laughing.”  Berry hissed, wishing she could shoot lightning bolts from her
finger tips like Uncle Gunther.  Nothing was amusing here, it was a train
wreck. Her heart literally aching at the loss of Ramsey… even though he was
sitting right in front of her. 

“Sorry.” 
Ramsey managed to dial the laughter back to a smile that tugged constantly at
the side of his mouth.  “Sorry.”  He apologised again, leaning in
close, unafraid of the flashes of heated anger and high emotion simmering in
Berry’s gorgeous dark chocolate eyes.  “Now you listen to me Berry
Malone.  I love you.  I don’t know when it happened… maybe when I
walked in and found you naked, trapped by that window and you looked up at me,
scowled and accused me of flirting with you.  Or maybe it was that day in
the court room when you tried to boss me around.  Or here in this
apartment, when you were outlining our no-strings attached agreement and
insisting on all those hands-to-self, no fraternizing outside the bedroom rules
and regulations.   I love you, and no silly magic coffee, jewellery
or hocus-pocus cookie is going to change that.  You think I didn’t want to
track you down after you cut the cord on us?  If you remember, you were
the one avoiding me.  I had a job to do, and that was finding the bad guy
and keeping you safe.  A cookie won’t have me declaring my love for you… I
was already in love with you!  And you love me!”  He finished
triumphantly.

“I…
I…”  Berry was kind of flummoxed.  His words finally beginning to
sink in… he loved her.  He hadn’t needed the Great-Greats magic trickery
to tip him over the edge because he already loved her.  Then his last four
words penetrated her brain box, how dare he put words in her mouth.  “I…”

Ramsey
pulled her in even closer, his warm breath caressing her cheek.  “I know
you like a good argument Berry, it gets my blood pumping too, but I warn you
now, if you try to deny you love me… there will be consequences.”

Berry’s
eyebrow quirked up briefly, a soft little smile suddenly playing at the edges
of her lips.  “Consequences, Hotshot?”

“Berry.” 
His tone was low, gravelly, part warning, part pleading.

“Damn
you Ramsey Hughes, you went and did it, didn’t you?  You made me fall in
love with you.”  She opened her mouth to say more but was prevented as
Ramsey’s lips descended on to hers.  Umm, what had she been going to say
again?  Goddess, he was heat, fire and strength beneath her touch as her
hands instinctively gripped his shoulders, pulling him even closer.  He
was hers.  Goddess.  And she was his… but… she still needed to
set some guidelines… be firm.
 
With that
in mind she broke their kiss.
 
“We are
not… getting married.”  She been there and done that, disastrously so.