Promise Renewed (15 page)

Not good.

One had to rely on a partner in any situation. He was certain he could rely on Gina. He wasn’t as certain he wouldn’t be so concerned over her well-being he’d miss something vital and make a dangerous situation more so.

It worried him. He’d resigned himself to bachelorhood long ago. So the attraction was more than bothersome. After this case, he’d see if he couldn’t go it alone—without a partner. After they found Hunter’s killer, maybe he could examine his feelings.

Until then it was strictly business.

Easier said than done. Hank called early the next morning, blowing Darin's resolve out the window.

“I want to ask Maddy out to dinner without Jake tagging along. You know how kids are. He can’t shut up for a minute. It would be nice to have an adult conversation with Maddy, but I’m afraid she’ll say no. Would you and Gina come with us? If I tell her it’s a foursome she won’t be so skittish.”

“Is she skittish? Has she turned you down already?”

“It’s a vibe I get. But no, she hasn’t turned me down, because I haven’t asked her to go anywhere without Jake.”

Darin laughed. “Maybe she just likes your kid.”

“I’ve thought of that,” Hank said grimly. “I’m hoping I’m wrong.”

“This sounds serious.”

“Not yet. But it could get that way,” Hank admitted.

“Okay. I’ll see what Gina says and get back with you. But really, Hank, she might say yes if you asked?”

“I don’t want to take the chance.”

Darin sighed. He didn’t want to break his vow to keep everything between him and Gina on a professional basis quite this soon. But Hank was a friend who wanted a favor. Darin picked up his cell phone, dialed Gina’s number and explained the situation.

Silence.

He cleared his throat. “What do you think? Should we let them figure this out on their own or give them a little boost?”

She finally answered, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to go along just this once. I’m not comfortable being a buffer between my sister and a prospective beau.”

“I understand completely. I’ll see what he has in mind and let you know.”

For some insane reason just the thought of seeing Gina in a non-professional setting sent his crazy heart into a tailspin.

As it turned out, Hank didn’t want to wait. He wanted to go out the next night.

Darin spent Sunday morning packing a bag for Dutch Farley, drug dealer extraordinaire. Then he made a trip to the YMCA to practice basketball with one of the teams he coached. It was a rough and tumble three hours.

After a shower and changing into a pair of casual slacks, starched shirt, and jacket, it was time for his date. He found himself as nervous as a teenager. He chuckled and bet Hank was just as nervous.

By the time they walked up to Gina’s apartment he was more edgy than if he were on a drug bust.

He almost dropped his Stetson when the door opened. Gina looked gorgeous. She had on black pants, making her legs look even longer, a blue blouse that made her eyes sparkle, and a black jacket that skimmed her waist. One look and he wanted to take her into his arms for a real kiss.

This was not good.

Instead, he smiled. “You look lovely tonight, Gina.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Maddy walked up behind her sister. She looked nice in a sassy little sundress with its matching jacket. But as far as Darin was concerned, no one could hold a candle to Gina.

“Are we ready?” Hank asked.

He seemed unable to take his eyes off his date. Darin looked at Gina and winked. She put a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

“Where are we going?” Gina asked when they were in Hank’s car.

“Do you like Italian? I know a nice little restaurant on West Gray. The food is great. I think you’ll like it.”

And they did. After a few minutes of uncomfortable starts at conversation they settled down. Hank asked Maddy about her job and she was off and running with a story of an abused three-year-old. “There are times when I want to take my kids home to love and cuddle until they get over their trauma.”

“You know you can’t,” Hank said as he poured his date another glass of wine.

“I know.” Maddy sighed. “But it’s how I feel.”

“Maddy takes her job to heart,” Gina said.

Darin turned to her. “You don’t?

She chuckled. “Of course I do. I guess we all do.”

So the conversation went. All too soon they were on their way back to the apartment.

Darin dared not take Gina’s hand or sit too close. It was imperative they keep their relationship professional. Holding hands and kissing were definitely not professional. Had their brief kiss frightened her? Had it upset her because he stepped over the line?

Either way it had been a mistake. He would make sure it didn’t happen again. But seeing her sitting there, all prim and proper, looking like an angel, smelling like heaven, sent his hormones into overdrive.

When they were back at the apartment, Maddy asked, “Would you like to come in for coffee?”

In the dim light from the dashboard, Darin looked at his watch. “It’s late. We have to be at work early tomorrow. Thanks anyway.”

“Sure.”

Hank got out, helped Maddy. Darin started to follow, but Gina put a restraining hand on his arm.

“Give them a minute,” she whispered.

“Good idea.” He relaxed and leaned his head back. “It was a nice evening. Thanks for doing this for Hank.”

“Maybe I was doing it for Maddy, too.”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“She needs a break.”

“Oh?”

“How long have you known Hank?”

“Three years. He switched to the narcs right after his wife died.”

“He’s one of the good guys, isn’t he?”

“He is. I’ve never known him to be anything but the consummate cop. He loved his wife, adores his son. I don’t think he’s dated since she died until now.”

“I hope they fall in love, marry and have a half-dozen kids.”

Darin barked out a laugh. “You’re serious?”

“As I can be. It’s what Maddy has always wanted and been too afraid to go after. I would love to see her happy.”

“Why would such a beautiful lady like your sister be afraid? Don’t you think she’s happy now?”

“She’s happy, just not complete,” she answered without really answering his question.

The Carlson sisters were a puzzle. Both were beautiful, neither had ever been married, and both were skittish. It was the term Hank used to describe Maddy, but it applied to Gina as well.

She had unbuckled her seatbelt, but hugged the door as if afraid he might touch her.

Everything about her drew him. The way she looked—the way she smelled like the wildflowers on the ranch. He wanted to put his arm around her and hold her close.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”

She didn’t answer, just looked at him with those wide blue-green eyes.

“You smell even better.”

“Darin…” she began.

“I know. We’re partners. Kissing you is against the rules. Just want you to know I want to. Very much.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”

Holding onto his control by a thread he helped her out of the car and walked her to the door.

Chapter Twelve

Gina had
wanted
him to kiss her.

Her mind screamed it wasn’t right; her heart roared,
Who cares?

She’d met Hank on her way in. But Hank barely nodded in her direction, the look on his face one of disbelief and rapture.

Had he kissed Maddy?

After all the years the sisters had avoided the opposite sex, were they falling for a couple of cops? Couldn’t be. But wasn’t this exactly what she wished for Maddy? Maybe for Maddy, not for herself.

She pressed a hand to her lips. Thank God, Darin was the ultimate professional. So was she. There was no way she would let him know how he made her feel things she’d never felt before. These new feelings frightened her more than the thought of trying to outwit a drug lord.

She looked for her sister, but Maddy wasn’t in the kitchen or living area. Her bedroom door was closed. “Maddy.” Gina knocked softly.

No answer.

Gina leaned her head against the door. Did Hank do something to frighten Maddy? She opened the door and went in. Two nightlights illuminated the room, one on the wall in the bedroom, the other in the bathroom. Maddy’s baseball bat was fully visible next to the bed where she huddled. “What happened, Maddy? Did Hank hurt you?”

Gina took her sister into her arms just as she had so many times when they were teens hiding from their monster stepfather.

Maddy slipped her arms around Gina and held on tight. “What did he do?” Gina whispered, ready to file charges on him if he did anything untoward. They had taken an oath years ago. No man would ever hurt them again.

Now Maddy was obviously distraught.

Hank seemed like a good guy. Darin vouched for him. But something was wrong. “Talk to me, Maddy. Tell me what happened.”

Gina pushed her confusion over Darin to the back of her mind. Maddy came first, just as she always had.

“I’m so mixed up, Gina. One second we were standing there talking, saying goodnight. I told him I had a nice time, then he bent down and kissed me.”

“Was it bad?” Gina didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She knew what Maddy meant. Hadn’t Gina had her own dose of reality? Even though Darin didn’t kiss her tonight their attraction couldn’t be denied.

“It wasn’t bad. It was wonderful. I’ve never felt like this before.” She looked at Gina. “It frightened me. I don’t know Hank well, so I don’t know where to go from here.”

She sat up, her back against the headboard. “On TV and the movies, one kiss and the hero and heroine are in bed. I wondered if Hank’s thoughts were going there, so I pushed him away. But…” she cried. “I really liked the kiss.”

“You were afraid of where you were going from there.”

“That’s about it.”

Gina sighed. “Maybe you should give Hank a chance; a few more dates—a few more kisses. If you still feel the way you do now, you’ll have to explain why you’re so afraid.”

“I can’t,” Maddy gasped. “We promised we wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“We were kids. You’ve told your therapist. I’ve told mine. Maybe we need to act like the adults we are and face our fear head on. If we find a guy we really like, we should tell him our history.”

“Will you?”

Gina thought of Darin. He would understand. Of course she wouldn’t really know until she let it out and saw his reaction. “Maybe.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“Then he isn’t the right person.”

“You’re right. I’m obsessing over something that may not happen again. Hank might not have liked the kiss and might never ask me out again.”

Gina recalled the look on Hank’s face as he left the apartment. “I don’t think you’ll have that problem.”

Maddy hugged Gina. “What would I do without you? You’re always there when I need you.”

“Just like you’re always there for me.” Only she wasn’t always there. She lived and worked in Dallas.

In her room, Gina turned on her nightlights, put her gun next to her bed and settled back on the pillows. Her thoughts zeroed in on Darin. She’d not only wanted him to kiss her, she wanted to be in his arms, wanted to feel him next to her. Such strong emotions were unexpected and unwanted.

Unlike Maddy, Gina knew what she had to do.

Ignore them, finish the assignment, and go back to her job in Dallas. Except she’d never enjoyed living there. It was too far from Maddy. A promotion she couldn’t pass up had made her leave her sister. Now she wondered if it had been the right thing.

She could get an apartment here, maybe in this same complex. She was sure HPD would hire her on a permanent basis. It was definitely something to think about.

Right now, she had other things to consider. This undercover sting would throw her and Darin together 24/7. They would be in the same hotel room pretending to be husband and wife.

The thought of them sharing a bed made her hot all over one minute, terrified the next. For a brief moment she wondered what it would be like to have his hard body next to hers.

She lay there letting the thought sink in, knowing even now it wouldn’t happen.

They were professionals doing a dangerous job. It could get even more dangerous if she couldn’t get a handle on her crazy thoughts.

****

Darin walked into his house wondering if he’d lost his mind. He was days away from going undercover. Wasn’t that enough to think about and worry over? Now he found himself attracted—more than attracted—to his partner. This had never happened before.

It wasn’t as if she did anything seductive. If anything, she shied away from him. So what was it about her that made him forget she was his partner? Made him forget he had a killer to find? Made him forget they were going undercover…together? As man and wife?

Even as he made a concerted effort to sleep he saw her eyes, wide with something he couldn’t define. Was there more he didn’t know? Was it caution? Or was there something she didn’t want him to know?

The thing of it was, he wanted to know everything there was to know about Gina Carlson. Her childhood, where she grew up, why she became a cop. The story she’d given him before that it was to catch the bad guys didn’t ring true. There was more to his new partner than met the eye, and he wondered if he’d get to meet the real Gina Carlson.

Sleep didn’t come easily.

****

His cell phone woke him early the next morning. A glance at the clock showed it was barely six. “Darin,” Gina said, her voice soft and breathy. Every reason he’d cautioned himself about her the night before flew out the window.

“Our papers are here,” she said. “We can go under anytime. I’ll call Chief Hamilton when we hang up. He’ll coordinate everything with the FBI.”

Darin was wide-awake now, sitting on the side of the bed. Excitement coursed through him. This was it. The sting was going down soon. Was he ready? Could he pull this off? Could they?

“Good. Let’s make sure word is on the street. We don’t want to waste a lot of time. You can bet the drug lord involved will check us out thoroughly. Let’s make sure we give him time to do it.”