Justice for Laine (Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Book 4) (3 page)

W
es held
on to Laine’s hand as they left the movie theater. He’d done the typical dinner and movie date for their entertainment that evening. It wasn’t that unique, but he wanted to put her at ease before they headed back out to his ranch. She knew he was a Texas Ranger, but that didn’t mean she should trust him immediately. Just being in law enforcement didn’t mean a man was trustworthy, although it should. Nothing pissed him off more than a crooked cop.

He’d been completely bowled over by her tonight. First, standing on her doorstep and getting a look at her bare back as she’d turned away from him almost made him shoot off in his pants. Wes knew he wasn’t a young man. While he’d seen his fair share of pretty women in his forty-two years, something about Laine was different, and she turned him on, big-time.

Her shirt, showing off her entire back, wasn’t what he’d expected when she’d turned to lock her door, but it was a nice surprise. He’d grilled Dax earlier that week, wanting to know as much information as he could about Laine before their date. Dax didn’t say a lot, it wasn’t in his nature to gossip, but he did say enough for Wes to understand that she was a good person, and if he played with her emotions, Dax would kick his ass.

It was the implied threat that did the most to convince Wes that Laine was someone he wanted to get to know better. If Dax didn’t seem to care if Wes wanted a one-night stand, it would mean Laine wasn’t relationship material. It seemed like Laine was a woman who had a good head on her shoulders and she knew what she wanted . . . and as it turned out, it looked like she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

They’d gone to a local hole-in-the-wall steak place that Wes knew about. He’d assisted the owner with a robbery investigation a few years back, and the man hadn’t ever forgotten. Wes made a point to eat there as often as possible, which wasn’t a hardship since the food was delicious. Laine had laughed without being self-conscious, and had warmly greeted the owner as if he was a millionaire instead of just a humble local restauranteur.

She was good company, eating a hearty dinner and not counting calories, laughing at his stories, contributing to the conversation easily, not bragging about her career, and not acting over the top regarding his. In short, Laine was interesting, funny, sexy, and Wes couldn’t wait to get his hands on her.

He hadn’t lied to her earlier when he said they wouldn’t make love that night. Oh, Wes wanted inside her more than he wanted a lot of things in life, but he was enjoying the heavy glances and the way she made his heart rate increase with every small touch. Wes wanted to draw it out because he knew when he finally got Laine in his bed, it was going to be mind-blowing.

The movie had been an action flick, her choice. The special effects were overdone, as was the acting, but they both knew they weren’t really there for the movie. He sat next to Laine with his arm tucked around her waist, his hand under her shirt, as she cuddled into him. Thank goodness he’d had the foresight to choose one of the newer cineplexes that had the rocking seats with the armrests that could be folded up.

Her perfume distracted him from the movie and after it was over, if someone had asked what the plot was, Wes wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to say anything about it with any conviction.

“Thank you for a wonderful night,” Laine said as they headed toward his truck in the parking lot.

“Oh, the night isn’t over yet. The best part is still to come.”

“The best part? Even better than the fried Oreos at dinner? You’ll have to try pretty hard to top that one, Ranger.”

“Darlin’, you haven’t seen anything yet.” Wes felt Laine shiver at his endearment, but was too much of a gentleman to say anything about it.

He drove them to his ranch, and to her credit, she didn’t protest or otherwise tell him to take her home.

When they stopped, she commented dryly, “I thought we weren’t going to have sex.”

“We aren’t. First of all, I said we weren’t going to make love, not have sex. I have a feeling it will never be just sex between us. Secondly, I want to show you something . . . and no, it’s not in my bedroom,” Wes joked before she could comment. Her snarkiness was just one more thing he liked about her.

Wes grabbed her hand and relaxed when she didn’t hesitate to squeeze his in return. “Lead on, oh fearless cowboy. But remember, I’m not wearing my boots.”

“You don’t have far to walk, just hold on to me and I’ll make sure you don’t fall.” He led them to the barn, grabbing a canvas jacket that was hanging on a hook just inside the double doors. He helped Laine into it then continued, holding on to her hand, to the backside of the large structure, relieved to see the four-wheeler sitting just where he’d asked his foreman to put it when he was done with it for the day. He threw his leg over and looked back at Laine. “Climb on, darlin’.”

“Really? Cool!”

Wes was relieved at her reaction. Once upon a time, he’d wanted to do this same thing with another woman he’d just begun to date, and she’d recoiled in horror at the thought of riding through his ranch on the back of an ATV.

He took a deep breath as Laine didn’t even hesitate and got on behind him. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his back. Wes took a moment to enjoy the sensation of being in Laine’s arms. He could feel her warmth soak into his skin and suddenly had a vision of them lying in bed snuggled together, just like this.

He sat up a bit straighter and put one hand on her thigh next to his, and with the other, he reached behind him and awkwardly wrapped it around her back. They sat like that for a moment, before Wes reached for the handlebars and started the machine.

Being careful not to go too fast so the ride wasn’t as bumpy—and to make it last as long as possible—Wes finally pulled up to their destination and cut the engine. They were in the middle of his largest pasture, and once the light to the four-wheeler was cut, it was pitch dark.

“Wow, I didn’t realize how dark it could get out here,” Laine said with a nervous laugh.

Wes helped her stand, and kept her hand in his. He reached into the bag between the handlebars, pulled out a flashlight and clicked it on. “Yeah, without the moonlight or the city lights, it’s tough to navigate. Here, watch your step, we don’t have far to go.”

Wes kept the light focused on the ground so they wouldn’t step into a hole, any cow patties, or trip over any rocks or sticks. Cognizant of the sandals Laine was wearing, he’d wanted to get as close to their destination as possible with the four-wheeler, while still keeping it a secret until the last minute. After a few minutes, he raised the light and showed Laine where he’d been taking them.

“Oh my.”

“Is that an ‘oh my, this is neat’ or an ‘oh my, what in the world was he thinking’?’” Wes teased.

“Definitely the former. This is amazing.”

Wes shrugged.
This
was two plastic lawn chairs, the kind where you were mostly reclined when you sat in one, sitting side by side. Each had a throw blanket on the seat in case it got too chilly. There was a bottle of wine and two glasses sitting in a small basket next to them. It wasn’t fancy, but it was something Wes thought Laine might like.

He’d never admit it, but when he’d talked to Dax about Laine, he’d quizzed him about what she liked to drink. He’d said that she was similar to Mackenzie. No-frills, down-to-earth, and fairly easy to please. He told him what kind of wine he’d see her drinking when she hung out with him and Mackenzie. The last thing Wes wanted to do was offer up a nice romantic gesture, and have it fall flat because she was a recovering alcoholic or she didn’t like wine.

Wes walked Laine to the first chair and helped her get settled. He draped the blanket over her so she was comfortable. Then he poured them each a glass of the specialty wine from the Brennan Vineyards in Comanche, Texas. He clicked off the flashlight, leaving them sitting in the darkness of the evening. Wes waited for her to take a sip, and wasn’t disappointed in her reaction.

“How in the world did you know this was one of my favorite wines?”

Wes took a sip of the fruity alcohol and sat back. “I have my ways.”

Laine chuckled and sat back herself. “Whatever. You totally asked Mackenzie, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Anyway, I guess it doesn’t really matter. Thank you. Seriously, this is the best ending to a great date.”

“Look up.”

“What?” Laine asked in surprise.

“Look up. You’ll never find a more beautiful view of the stars than out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Laine was silent for a moment as she took in the light show above her head. “Wow. I had no idea. I can see the Milky Way so easily.”

“Um hum.”

“And Orion’s belt, and the big dipper.”

Wes could hear her turning in her seat.

“And there, there’s the little dipper. Holy cow. This is amazing.”

Wes reached over, found her free hand in the darkness and wrapped his fingers around hers. They sat there in silence for quite a while, drinking wine, listening to the sounds of the crickets and other animals around them, and enjoying the serenity of the night.

“Why aren’t you married?” Laine’s question was whispered, as if she didn’t want to break the beauty of the moment. “I mean, you seem like a decent guy.” She chuckled to show him she was teasing him. “I don’t get it.”

“The same reason you’re still single, I imagine,” Wes told her honestly. “I never found the right woman at the right time. When I was younger, I focused on my career and I thought I’d have lots of time to find someone and start a family. Once I was accepted into the Rangers, I’d been an officer for quite a while, and I guess I’d become cynical. I hadn’t run into many women who I could imagine spending the rest of my life with. They were either eager to sleep with a cop, just to say they did, or they weren’t at a point in their lives that
they
wanted to settle down.”

Laine murmured in agreement. “That’s it exactly. I was all ready to pop out two-point-five kids when I was in my twenties, but all the men I met weren’t eager to start a family. They wanted to sow their wild oats or some such thing. Then when Mack and I hit our thirties, it was all about our careers and spending time with each other. That sounds bad, but when she moved here leaving me in Houston, I was so lonely without her. We’d become as close as sisters and I was depressed. I’d go straight home from work and spend as much time as possible talking to her on the phone and over the Internet. I finally decided enough was enough and packed up my things and hightailed it down here. Then there was getting used to the new area and trying to get my feet under me and make a name for myself as a realtor here. Not the easiest thing to do, I’ll have you know.”

Wes squeezed her hand in commiseration. “How are you guys now that she has Dax?”

“Actually, good,” Laine told him with no hesitation. “I thought it’d be weird. I mean, she has someone else full time in her life, but she’s never, not once, made me feel like a third wheel. Maybe it’s because we’re older and understand how important friends are. Whatever it is, I’m very grateful.”

“You don’t resent him?”

“Dax? For what? Loving Mackenzie? Wanting the best for her? Saving her life? Hell no. I love that man as if he’s my brother. As far as I’m concerned, I’m writing him into my will.”

Wes chuckled and she continued, “Seriously, I’m too old to be jealous, and he gives me no reason to be. I talk to Mack all the time, almost every night still, we get together for girls’ night out all the time and he has no issue with us having sleepovers.”

They were quiet for a moment, before Wes broke the silence with what had been on his mind all night, certainly since after dinner. “I like you, Laine Parker. I’m not sure why it took so long for us to cross paths, but I swear when I turned around and saw you standing in the doorway to my barn, I wanted to get to know you better. You’re easy to be around, you’re beautiful and funny, and I just plain enjoy being in your company.”

He fell silent, not sure what he was expecting the wonderful woman next to him to say, but he couldn’t have held back the words if his life had depended on it. He was too old to play games.

“I thought it was only me. I mean, we obviously have this crazy chemistry, but I like being around you too . . . and not just because you’re hot.” Laine’s words were soft and filled with awe.

“Nope.”

“Thank God. But you know what this means, don’t you?”

“What, darlin’?”

“I’m going to have to live the rest of my life with Mack gloating and saying she set us up.”

Wes laughed and squeezed Laine’s hand. “I can live with that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They sat in their chairs, looking up at the stars and talking long into the night. Wes finally knew it was time to take Laine home when she didn’t answer one of his questions and he looked over and she was sound asleep. He sat, watching her sleep for twenty minutes or so, barely able to make out the features of her face in the darkness, but thanking his lucky stars they’d somehow managed to find each other in the million or so people who lived in San Antonio.

Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was fate. Whatever it was, Wes was going to do what he could to see if they could make it work, because Laine was everything he’d looked for all his life.

L
aine lay
in bed and shot off a quick text to Mack. It was late . . . or early, depending on how you looked at it, but she didn’t want her friend to worry about her.

Just got home. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. We’ll talk later. Love you.

Laine yawned and put the phone on her nightstand. Mack was either asleep or busy gettin’ it on with Dax, and probably wouldn’t respond until the morning. She closed her eyes, exhausted, but running high on adrenaline and hormones at the same time.

The kiss Wes had given her at her door had made her wetter than some foreplay she’d had in the past. She’d left the light on before leaving earlier, but after she’d opened her door, Wes had reached around and turned it off, plunging them back into darkness, with only the light from her kitchen faintly illuminating the area around them.

He’d taken her into his arms and proceeded to make love to her mouth—that was the only way to describe how he’d kissed her. Wes’s hands had roamed into dangerous territory, quickly learning the intricacies of how she was able to wear a bra with that shirt, but her own hands had wandered too, discovering that he was a briefs man instead of boxers.

Wes had been the one to pull away, regretfully. He’d rested his forehead on hers and moved his hands down to her waist, tucking them under the waistband of her jeans. “Lord, darlin’. You are somethin’ else.”

“I take it that’s good?”

“Oh yeah, that’s good. When can I see you again?” he’d asked, impatience clear in his voice.

“Depends.”

“On?”

“On your thoughts on having sex on a second date as opposed to the first.”

Laine laughed out loud, the sound echoing off the empty walls, remembering his response. His hands had tightened at her sides and he’d told her, “Dammit, woman. You’re killin’ me. Tomorrow we have one of those crazy softball games with the firefighters. I’m not on Dax’s team, but the Rangers from Division 10 are as much a bunch of cheaters as Dax’s firefighter friends from Station 7. After the game, I have to head down to Galveston to interview a witness. I’m not going to get back until late. Sunday night, I’m also working.”

Laine had told him that she was extremely busy the next week with house showings and inspections. It seemed like every newlywed in the city wanted her to show them a house in the next seven days.

“Next Saturday,” Wes had told her decisively. “Make it happen. You want me to pick you up, or will you meet me at my ranch?”

“I’ll meet you there. What time?” Laine didn’t even pretend to not want to see him again as much as it seemed he wanted to see
her
again.

“Whenever the fuck you want.”

Laine had laughed. “Okay, Wes. I’m looking forward to it.”

“It?”

She’d blushed and told him, “Yeah, spending the day with you. What did you think I meant?”

As usual, he didn’t hold back his thoughts or his words. “Spending the day with me. Feeling me deep inside you as you come for me. My tongue on your pussy. My hands all over you.”

“Wes!”

“Laine!”

“Lord have mercy.”

He’d gotten serious. “You’ve unleashed a monster, darlin’, I hope you know that. I can’t wait to see you either. All of you. But yes, I enjoy talking to you and doing nothing with you as well. I do have to get some chores done around the ranch, but maybe you’d be interested in watching and helping with some of them?’

“Of course I would. I’m not just going to sit around while you do all the work.”

“I never thought you would.”

Wes had kissed her again, hard and brief before letting go and stepping back. “Be safe next week. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Laine stretched in her bed and refused to touch herself. She could feel the anticipation building inside, but wanted to wait. The books and movies always said orgasms could be better when they were a long time in coming. She laughed out loud at that. Jeez, what a bad pun. But whatever, she’d hold off and see if the sex with one Wes King was as good in person as it was in her head. Lord help them both if it was.

T
he next day
, Laine sat on Mack’s couch, holding a pillow to her chest and trying to explain to Mack exactly how she was feeling about how fast things were moving with her and Wes.

“So there we were, sitting in the dark, looking up at the sky, and all I could think was that I could see myself sitting there forty years in the future, holding his hand and mulling over how great our life had been.”

“And? What’s wrong with that?” Mackenzie asked seriously.

“What’s wrong with it? Mack, I met the man a week ago. That’s what’s wrong with that. How can I feel deep down that this man is meant to be mine when I just met him?”

“Do you love him?”

“No.”

Mack didn’t say anything and the silence stretched on, until Laine felt she had to clarify. “I mean, I don’t really know him well enough to know if I love him or not.”

“You’re not fifteen. Or even twenty-two, Laine.”

“I know.”

“You’ve dated. You’ve been in love before.”

“Yeah.”

“So if you’re imagining yourself being with him when you’re old and gray, I think you owe it to yourself, and to Wes, to take it seriously. No one’s asking you to run off and marry him tomorrow. But don’t sell yourself short. Date him. Sleep with him. See how things go. But whatever you do, don’t end things before they get started because you’re scared you might actually be compatible and could live happily ever after.”

“Why do you have to be so damn smart?”

“Because,” Mack said smugly. “And you know what else?”

“What?”

“Just remember who set you up.”

Laine rolled her eyes and threw the pillow she’d been clutching at Mackenzie. “I knew you were going to go there sooner or later. You didn’t actually set us up. You backed out of your commitment and made me go by myself. If he would’ve been a serial killer, you’d be thinking differently right about now.”

“Yeah, well, he wasn’t and he’s not. And you’re gonna get some fantastic sex next weekend . . . so you should be buying me a present every year on that date for forcing you to go without me.”

Laine laughed. “You know what? You’re right. And I swear, if this ends up good, I’ll send you a dozen roses every year on the anniversary of that damn calendar photo shoot in thanks.”

“Deal.”

The two friends smiled at each other for a beat before Mack leaned over and took Laine in her arms. “I love you. I always wished I had a blood sister, but even if I did, she wouldn’t be as wonderful as you are.”

“Ditto.”

They hugged for a moment before Mackenzie pulled away. “Come on, I’m starved. I think we’ve got some leftovers we can dig into.”

“Sounds good.”

“Laine?”

“Yeah.”

“You had better call me as soon as you come up for air next weekend.”

“I will. You know I will.”