Texas Forever (The Tylers of Texas 6)

“You’d have carried on,” he said. “You’re strong, Erin. That’s just one of the things I love about you. But we need to talk. There are things you need to understand. Sit down.”

He eased her away from him, lowering himself to sit beside her. The temptation to stretch out on the bed with her lying in his arms was almost too strong to resist. But he knew where that would lead, and he didn’t trust his self-control.

“You know I’m not the one who killed your father, don’t you?” he asked her.

“I never thought you were. Not for a moment.”

“Listen to me, then,” he said. “I’m still a person of interest. The sheriff let me go, but only because he was dealing with another murder that happened while I was locked up. There’s still plenty of circumstantial evidence against me—and there’s one more thing, something I haven’t told you.”

Her blue eyes were steady and trusting as she waited for him to go on.

“Three years ago, I punched a man who was beating his horse with a whip. I tried to stop him, but when he wouldn’t quit, I hit him hard enough to break his jaw. That one punch cost me six months in jail on an assault charge. I’d do the same thing again. But having a violent crime on my record is one more strike against me. I could be arrested and charged anytime, Erin. I won’t have that hanging over you and me. Until I’m cleared we can’t be together.”

She laid a hand on his arm. “I love you, Luke. And I’ll fight to prove that you’re innocent. But what if the worst happens? What if this time, now, while you’re here, is all we’ll ever have? I don’t want to waste a minute.”

Lord, she was so young, so unaware of how easily lives could be ruined. Loving him could destroy her. How could he make her understand that?

“Listen to me,” he said. “I love you, too. And if I had my way, there’d never be a reason to let you go. But you have to stay clear of me. If we’re seen together, that will only strengthen the case against me and damage you, too. People could claim that I killed your father to get my hands on you and the ranch, and that you went along with it.”

Her dismayed expression told him he’d finally gotten through to her. “Oh, Luke!” she said. “That’s awful! So unfair!”

“But it could happen. You know it could. We can’t let it.” He stood, took her hand, and pulled her up to face him. “All we can do is hope the person who killed your father is found and arrested soon. Once that happens, maybe we can move on to whatever’s next.” He lifted her hand to his lips, planted a kiss on her palm, and closed her fist around it. “Now go. Behave as if there’s nothing between us. Get through the funeral. Focus on running the ranch. You might even want to go out with Kyle if he asks you. Time will pass, and we’ll get through this. All right?”

“All right.” She took a few steps toward the front door, then stopped and turned back. Their eyes met—and suddenly she was in his arms again, clinging to him, returning his hungry, desperate kisses. For a long moment, he held her close, memorizing the feel of her eager body against his, every sweet curve and hollow. He wanted her like a drowning man wants air—wanted to touch and kiss every part of her, to be inside her, feeling that warm, moist silk around him. But it wasn’t going to happen. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Gently he eased her away from him. “Go,” he ordered her. “Go before you get us both in trouble. I love you, Erin.”

“And I love you. Whatever happens, Luke, I’ll always love you.”

Tearing her gaze away from him, she left.

* * *

“So when are you going to see your girl again?” Hunter Cardwell demanded. “You can’t wait too long. With her father gone, she’s going to need a man. That man had damn well better be you.”

Kyle nodded as he finished his beef stroganoff and crumpled his napkin next to the dinner plate. It seemed his father always used mealtimes as an occasion to harangue him. Mostly he closed his ears to the tirade, but right now Hunter was making sense. Erin had been putting him off. He needed to call her, make some excuse to see her again, and take things from there.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll figure something out,” he said. “Erin’s been pretty busy, and she’s grieving for her father. It’s not exactly a good time to ask her out on a date.”

“Hell, it’s the best time. She’s vulnerable. She needs comfort. That’s when you make your move.”

“I said don’t worry, Dad. I’ll call her.”

“Have you heard any more about the investigation? Is that farrier still the prime suspect?”

“How should I know?” Kyle shrugged, relieved that his father had changed the subject. “From what I heard, they let him go after that deputy was shot and killed.”

“But the bastard could still have done it. It could just as easily have been somebody else who shot the deputy.”

“That’s my guess, too,” Kyle said. “At least the sheriff must still be keeping him around. His rig’s still parked at the Rimrock.”

“You’ve been to the Rimrock?” Hunter asked.

“Just drove past, that’s all. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on the place. Might as well be me.”

“Fine.” He turned to his wife, who sat at the foot of the table. “Damn it, Vivian, there’s a food smudge on this spoon. How many times do I have to tell you to rinse the silver ware before you put it in the dishwasher? What if we had company? Lord, I’d be embarrassed to death!”

We never have company, Kyle thought, but he knew better than to speak up.