“Looks like she doesn’t want to have anything to do with you,” Luke said, chuckling, to his cousin when they were alone on the porch. He’d seen too many women make fools of themselves over his extraordinarily handsome and extraordinarily rich cousin.
“Who? Oh, you mean Kady. No, she’s crazy about me.”
“So we all heard. Seems to me she wants to stick an apple in your mouth and shove you in an oven.”
“Naw, no problem. She’s just upset because her last boyfriend was a real bastard. Has nothing to do with me.”
“I thought I heard you sued her and you told some great, whopping lies.”
Tarik waved his hand in dismissal. “You shouldn’t listen at keyholes. Listen, I need your help with something. Is there anything you can do to get rid of Wendell for the night?”
“You mean like drug her beer, that sort of thing?”
“Can you do that?”
Luke shook his head in disbelief. “What’s wrong with you? Most men adore Wendell.”
“I don’t, which is exactly why she wants me. And, no offense to your sister, but I don’t have the stamina for her. So, tell me, how can I get rid of her, and are you willing to spend the night helping me?”
“Me? A boy like me?” Luke said with heavy sarcasm.
Tarik gave him a crooked grin. “You touch Kady again and I may make you prove your manhood.”
Luke laughed. “Don’t tell me you were telling Kady the truth! Hard-hearted Jordan couldn’t have fallen in love with a pretty little woman like Kady? I thought you went in for piranhas like Leonie and my dear, cycle-straddling sister.”
“Someday, when you grow up, I’m going to tell you the facts of life, but not yet. You want to help me or not?”
“Would it be too much to ask what you want me to do? Will it be interesting enough to lose a night’s sleep over?”
“What if I told you I’d found a hole through time and if we go through it we can walk into the past?”
For a few moments Luke stared at him in speculation. The story was preposterous, but he had faith in his cousin. “Right now you could be upstairs conning your way into Kady’s bed—I don’t believe that story of your being married for a minute—yet you want to spend the night ghost hunting?” he asked softly.
Tarik just looked at him.
“If it’s that important, then I have suddenly developed a case of insomnia.”
“So what do we do with your sister?”
“Leave her to me. I learned a few things while I was in law school.”
“I knew all that money I spent on your education would pay off.”
“Actually, I learned this in a bar way downtown, and I can assure you that it had nothing whatever to do with law school.”
“So what are you waiting for? Make sure Wendell doesn’t follow us; then meet me by the Hanging Tree in one hour.”
“Shouldn’t you spend ten minutes or so with Kady?” Luke asked smugly, implying that was all the time his ancient cousin would need with a woman.
Tarik didn’t smile but looked up at the window of the blue bedroom. “If I went back to that room, I’d never leave, not for days,” he said with tears of regret in his voice.
“This must really be important,” Luke said softly.
“It is. I’m preventing Kady from risking her life. Now, go on, do whatever you need to so you can meet me in one hour.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
Chapter 27