Authors: Mitzi Pool Bridges

Promise Her (27 page)

His steps slowed. “Could you use a friend?”

She walked back to where he stood, his face stern and determined. “Always. Just not right now. I have to do this alone.”

When he opened his mouth to argue, she put a finger to his lips. “If I need you, I have you on speed dial.”

Knowing he’d lost this one, he headed back to the car.

Lisa smiled inwardly. It wasn’t often anyone could persuade Douglas to do something he didn’t want to.

After Patty’s parents were told what had happened, they were first shocked, then angry. It took longer than Lisa had imagined to calm them down. And it took every bit of her people skills to convince them this would never happen again; that if she was ever put on a dangerous job again, they would be informed, and Patty would be off limits for the duration.

After a flurry of questions, reassurances and promises, they agreed to give Lisa another chance. She figured it was her last one. Another episode where Patty could be in danger would be the end of their relationship.

The thought didn’t sit well. As far as Lisa was concerned, Patty was part of her family. To lose her would be devastating.

“How did it go?” Douglas asked as he backed out of the driveway.

Lisa sighed and put a hand to her head. “It wasn’t easy to convince them to trust me again.”

“But you
did
convince them.”

“Yeah! Finally.”

He reached over and patted her leg. “Good. I know how much she means to you.”

Lisa pulled out her cell and called TJ. If she saw the news, she’d have a fit. It took almost as long to convince her best friend she was okay as it took to convince the Wells’ she could be trusted with their daughter.

When they arrived at Douglas’, he opened the door to let Lisa precede him. She headed straight for the guestroom.

"Lisa, wait!" He caught her halfway there.

She swung around, making her head spin. “What now, Douglas? As you've told me, I need my rest.” She needed to get away from him as fast as possible. Just being here brought back their many encounters when she’d been here before: the longing, the knowing nothing would ever change between them.

“Lisa.” He tugged her toward him.

Wearily, she let him draw her near. “Goodnight, Douglas. Thanks again for being there for me when I needed you.”

Gently, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

Chastely.

Oh, for Pete's sake. Not again. She was going to scream if he kept this up.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

No, she wasn’t. But not for the reason he thought. She put a hand to her pounding head where the bullet had grazed her skin and felt the bandage. “It’s sore. But not nearly as bad as my last injury.”

He wrapped his arms more securely around her. “I thought I’d die when Storm’s gun went off."

"Why were you even there?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Talk?" She didn't dare ask about what. Not with the way she was feeling, physically, mentally, and especially emotionally.

"Lisa. I thought she'd killed you. I couldn’t live with that. You mean too much to me.”

She blinked. What was he saying?

“The family wouldn't have blamed you, Douglas."

"Lisa. Look at me." He tilted her head up to look into her eyes.

She stared back, almost drowning in the green depths of his gaze. Could he possibly be telling her what she’d wanted to hear all these years?

Probably not. He was just wrapped up in the moment.

“I’m not saying any of this because of the family. I’m saying it because...because...these past few weeks...I found myself caring about you in a different way.”

Hope soared even as she braced herself for a letdown. “Describe different way,” she ventured skeptically.

He guided her into the living room and to the couch, then sat down beside her. Why? To cushion his bad news?

“Not as a brother, that’s for sure," he said, startling the hell out of her. "I found I wanted to be with you all the time. I was so jealous of Evan I thought I’d punch him. Believe me, I’ve never been jealous of anyone in my life. It was a totally new experience for me.”

“Douglas, what are you saying?”

“I’m trying to tell you I’m crazy about you, Lisa. I want to have a man-woman relationship with you, not a brother-sister one. “How do you feel about it?

How do I feel
?

Pounding head or no, she pulled his face down and kissed him. The kiss started soft and sensuous, ended hard and hungry.

"Wow," she breathed. "That was nice."

"Yeah, nice. I love you, Lisa. I’m serious about there being an us." He kissed her again. It definitely wasn’t a brotherly kiss. She came out of it with her head spinning, and not from the gunshot wound.

"Douglas...?"

“I love you, Lisa. I don't think I'll ever be able to say that enough.”

Maybe delirium was setting in. Lisa couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Do you trust me?” Douglas was asking.

She swallowed. Do or die time. She had to be honest. “I trust you with my life, Douglas."

"Good, then—"

"Just not with other women.”

He paused, holding her at arm's length. Lisa could almost hear his brain working. Would he tell her the truth? He seemed to be considering his answer carefully.

“I know your history, Douglas.”

"I’ve always loved women,” he admitted softly. “I like the way they smell, their smile, the way they walk. But I’ve never told a woman I loved her. Never. Until now.”

She looked at him, still unable to believe this was happening. Did Douglas really love her? Was he ready to make a lifetime commitment?

"What about Anna?"

"Anna came uninvited. Afterward, I told her it was over. It’s over with every woman I know except you. Has been since you moved into my house. I think I’ve loved you for years. I just didn’t know it." He smiled. "Proves you’re a lot smarter than I am.”

Lisa didn’t smile back. She was too afraid to even hope.

“When you got hurt, I couldn’t stand it. When I saw a gun pointed at your head, I thought I would die. If you’re not in my life, I don’t know what I’ll do."

"Douglas..."

“I love you, Lisa Kane, with everything in me. Will you marry me? I promise to be a good and faithful husband.”

She slumped back against the soft sofa cushion. And saw the truth.

Douglas loved her. She knew it now. Knew it from the hot and hungry way he'd kissed her. Knew it from the look in his emerald eyes.

Besides, Callahans didn’t lie.

Her heart swelling big enough to burst out of her chest, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him with a passion born from years of dreaming the dream.

"Lord," he said when they stopped to catch their breath, “I’ve been a complete idiot. For years. After a kiss that wild, there's only one question left to ask. Preacher or bed?”

Lisa's joy exploded into laughter. “Preacher’s out. Mom would kill us both if we didn’t have a big ranch wedding." Smiling, she stood and took his hand. "Let's go to bed."

"Oh, no, Miss Kane, we're going to do this up right." He kissed her again, then swung her up into his arms.

“Douglas! What are you doing?”

“Something I should have done years ago—something I intend to do for years to come.”

Lisa beamed as he carried her down the hall. “Are we talking forever?”

"That's right," he whispered between kisses, “Forever and ever.”

Afterword

Every writer takes liberties with the facts when writing fiction.

I took many in
Promise Her
.

I loved the idea of having a rodeo setting. What better one than Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo where attendance totaled a million this year? The barbecue contest alone draws over two hundred thousand.

No one can say it isn’t Texas big.

Started in 1931, the rodeo has grown into one of the largest, crowd drawing festivities in the city.

With over twenty-seven hundred volunteers, a hundred committees, and thousands of youth having received rodeo scholarships, it is a Houston tradition the city is proud of.

As far as I know, there is no Committee Coordinator. Committees yes, but not a coordinator. Since I didn’t want to put a real title to the man I was accusing of murder, one who might be one of the hard-working men that keep the rodeo going, I made one up.

I hope you forgive me for adding some bedlam amongst the exciting concerts, award-winning livestock exhibits, championship rodeo performers, the world’s championship barbecue contest, calf scrambles, carnival rides, and livestock auctions.

I haven’t heard of an act like the one Tempest Wheatley put on, but it sounded good, didn’t it?

Promise Her
was a pleasure to write. Hope you agree it was also a pleasure to read.