Dangerous Tides (Drake Sisters 4)

Is it Edward Martinelli?

I can't tell. I don't want to be away from you and Hannah is uneasy as well. I need to talk to Sarah to see if she's picked up anything evil lurking in the shadows around you.

When I was in the hospital, before I began to heal Ty, did you feel it then?

Elle looked confused, close to tears. I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know.

For just one moment, Elle's mind was open to Libby and she caught a glimpse of the terrible burden her youngest sister had to bear. The continual bombardment of thoughts, of emotions, the awareness of people around her, especially her sisters and their private hopes and fears. Elle knew their secrets and she fought to keep their privacy. Libby felt the oppressive burden of all those secrets and the tremendous power always running through Elle's body, the feeling that she must keep everyone safe.

She hugged Elle close to her, deliberately allowed her hands to run up and down her sister's arms, the warmth opening deep inside her so that Libby could ease Elle's suffering. I'm safe tonight, baby. Thank you for loving me so much.

Elle blinked back tears and looked around her, startled to see Mason Fredrickson and a waiter and Tyson so close.

They were forming a wall with their bodies, blocking off the Drake sisters from prying eyes.

"You okay?" Tyson asked, reaching for Libby's hand. "You look pale." He drew her hand to his shoulder.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry to put you in that position. Martinelli must be desperate to send men with guns to intimidate me into talking with him. Do you really know him?"

"Yes. I know him and this just doesn't sound at all like him. Whoever this John Sandoval is, he isn't associated with Ed. I'll call Ed and let him know what's going on," Ty said.

"I hope you're right," Libby replied. She turned her attention to Mason Fredrickson, a man her older sisters had gone through school with. "Thank you, Mason. It was courageous of you to back Jackson."

"I was having dinner with Sylvia and she realized you were in trouble. She could tell by your expression. I'm reserve with the sheriff and so is Mike Dangerfield, so we just kept an eye on things. I'll catch you all later." He sauntered across the room back to the small intimate table in a darker corner of the restaurant.

Elle and Libby exchanged a quick glance. Are they getting back together? Elle sent the question to her sister.

Libby shrugged. She hoped so. Mason had been good for Sylvia and in spite of the fact that she'd had an affair, Sylvia obviously loved him and had helped save her ex-husband's life when someone had tried to kill him. Deliberately Libby peeked around Tyson's larger frame and waved to Sylvia, mouthing a thank-you.

Sylvia beamed, waving back. Elle added her small smile to Libby's larger one and lifted a tentative hand in response. "I guess I'd better be going."

Libby caught her sister by the arm and held on. "Have dessert with us." She didn't want to face Tyson's questions, or his judgment on the things her family could do. He'd seen the brief argument between the sisters and their magic. Elle had backed off, but she had resisted at first, her fear for Libby overcoming her inhibitions of using their talents in public.

Elle shook her head. She was trembling. "I think I need to go home and lie down." She rubbed her temples. "I've been getting those headaches again, Libby."

"I'll come with you," Libby said instantly. She smiled up at Tyson. "Thank you for such a wonderful evening. I had fun right up until Sandoval and his henchmen joined us."

"I don't know, that was kind of fun, too," Ty said with a faint grin. "Didn't you come with the sheriff? I'm Tyson Derrick, by the way. You're Elle?"

"The deputy," Elle corrected. "And yes, I was running here and he picked me up. Nice to meet you. I'm sorry for horning in on your date."

"I was getting myself into trouble anyway," Ty admitted. "I annoy Libby on so many levels."

"Not all of them, obviously," Elle said, brushing back Libby's hair from her neck.

Libby made a face at Elle. "Don't start, Elle. Hannah and Sarah and Kate were relentless. Elle's the baby of the family," she added for Tyson's sake.

"Come on. I'll take you both home." His hand went to Libby's back, his palm blazing hot through her thin blouse.

Suddenly she was very nervous. His tone was back, that sensual, husky voice, deep enough to vibrate right through her body and wreak havoc on her brain. Elle would know. Libby blushed, unable to prevent the color sweeping up her body.

Elle nudged her. Jackson does that to me. I hate it.

He does? That was a shocking revelation. And it had to cost Elle dearly to admit it, but she was fair. If she knew Libby's private secrets, she'd reveal her own in turn.

Sadly, yes. I stay away from him.

I should be staying away from Ty. If he'd keep his mouth closed and just let me look, everything would be wonderful, Libby admitted.

"What are you two doing?" Ty asked, as he escorted them from the restaurant.

Libby winked at Elle. "Elle's telepathic. We were talking about you."

He halted just outside the door, frowning, but regarding the two of them as if they were alien specimens under a microscope. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Absolutely. Would you like Elle to talk to you?"

Tyson bit back his first reaction. Libby was pretty shaken up. There was no point in talking to her about living in the real world--not yet. "No." He let the door close behind them and made his way to the car. "I'll pass."

He opened the door for Elle to climb into the backseat and stepped in front of Libby, preventing her from entering his car. His thighs pressed close and his body heat enveloped her. "On the other hand, at least you were discussing me. If you're talking telepathically about me, it has to be something really good." His voice had dropped another octave, sending a shiver of awareness down her spine.

How did he do that? She wasn't a sexual creature, she'd always known it and accepted it. Joley oozed sex. Hannah took men's breath away. Elle could stop traffic. Her other sisters could step into a bar and every head would turn--but not Libby. She just wasn't like that. She didn't think or feel sexually. Men were colleagues and she was busy, too busy to try to tame her wild hair and put on makeup and pretend she had breasts. But every single time she looked at Tyson Derrick she melted, grew hot and had extraordinary erotic fantasies. She felt sexy even with her raccoon mask eyes, her burnt nose and wild hairdo. He could make a goat feel sexy.

For heaven's sake, Libby, I can't keep a straight face. A goat?

Libby burst out laughing. Stop reading my mind!

You're broadcasting loud enough for the entire town to hear you. Elle definitely snickered.

Tyson wrapped his arms around Libby and drew her against him, distracting her. He looked down at her with his blue eyes and his sexy sinful lips and she was fixating before she could stop herself, staring at his mouth, imagining the feel, the taste.

"You shouldn't look at me like that, Libby," he cautioned, bending his head to hers until they were a breath apart.

She grew weak-kneed staring into his eyes but she couldn't look away. She couldn't remember why she was so determined to keep a distance from him. She felt him wince when he drew her close and almost of its own volition, her hand came up and with slow deliberation pressed against his sternum, and once again slid down to his cracked ribs. Heat spread between them.

His lips brushed over hers, feather-light, taking the oxygen from the air. Her heart leapt and began to pound.

Libby! Elle leaned into the front seat and hit the horn hard. The sound blasted Libby and Tyson apart. Elle glared at them through the window. "You're fogging up the windows."

Ty rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We're not in the car. Technically, that's impossible."

"Not really," Libby muttered and pulled open the door. "Sorry, Elle."