CHAPTER EIGHT
THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY, the family picnic got moved to the marina. With Lisa’s enormous family pitching in, the majority of the mess was gone in no time, the dog’s fence had been rebuilt, and half a dozen grills sent delicious scents into the air.
They’d even helped run the marina while he dealt with everything else.
That drove it home for him: in Buckhorn, people helped each other. Gray liked that. A lot. It was so different from the city life he’d been used to, especially as a cop.
Petie, who’d worked as hard as anyone, wiped his hands on a towel and eyed Gray. “You’re not going to let this run you off, are you?”
Gray laughed. “I was just thinking how glad I am that I moved here.”
That pleased Petie. “Glad to hear it.”
“Am I interrupting?” Lisa asked as she joined them.
“As if you could,” Petie said. He scratched the graying beard stubble on his throat. “Guess I ought to get up to the store. It’s lookin’ busy.” He went off and Shelby, no longer leashed, followed closely behind him.
Gray looked at Lisa. She looked…somehow distant as she stared after the dog.
Was she worried? Gray tipped her chin toward him. “Shelby is fine.”
She bit her lip and stayed quiet.
More than once he’d heard her father and uncles expressing concern for her. Until their vandal was caught, her nearness to him could be dangerous.
Did she realize that, too? If so, it might make what he had to do easier—at least for her. “I’m sorry about all this.” He put his arms around her and pulled her in. For most of the day she’d been inundated with family, all of them openly speculating. “You okay?”
Leaning back, she stared at him. “Me? I’m fine. I was worried about you.”
What the hell? “I can take care of myself.”
She laughed. “As can I.”
“What? Take care of me?” He liked that idea.
Very seriously, she said, “If you ever need me, I’d be happy to help. But I meant that I can take care of myself, too.”
He brought her in for a kiss. “And if you ever need me, for any reason, I’m here for you. You know that, right?” For him, that would never change, no matter how this all worked out.
Her smile went tender, her gaze searching. “So we can take care of ourselves, but we’re each willing to care for the other, too?”
“You know what?” Amber said, interrupting the moment. “That sounds like a relationship to me.”
With a theatrical groan, Lisa dropped her forehead to Gray’s chest. “Why,” she lamented, “does my family keep sneaking up on me today?”
“It only feels sneaky,” Adam told her, “when you’re hiding secrets.”
“I’m not!” Lisa snapped, then tucked her face against Gray again.
Gray wisely stayed out of it.
“You are,” Amber insisted, not worried about staying out of anything, apparently. “I just don’t know why. I mean, we have eyes, you know. And look at him, Lisa. Most ladies would be bragging.”
Gray grinned while stroking Lisa’s back. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I think it’s because they barely know each other.” Adam eyed him. “You really rushed things, didn’t you?”
Lisa groaned, so Gray did more stroking along her spine. “She’s irresistible. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Seriously?”
Amber shoved Adam. “Don’t be a doofus. Uncle Sawyer met Honey and knew she was the one. And Dad met Mom and even though it took them a little longer to work things out, he knew she was special. And your dad,” she continued, “met Georgia and flipped.”
“Yeah,” Adam said with a smile. “You’re going off what you’ve been told, but even though I was young, I can still remember the first time Dad stayed over and made us pancakes.”
Lisa shifted a little to see the others, but she stayed close. With a smile in her voice, she said, “He used a turkey baster to make the pancakes into shapes. Mom didn’t know what to think of him. I remember her looking so confused.”
Gray liked hearing the stories. It shored up his belief that sometimes you just knew when someone was the right one. For him, that someone was Lisa. For her…he just didn’t know.
“You know,” Amber said to Adam. “I have someone in mind for you, too, so if you—”
“What I want to know,” Adam said, cutting her off, “is why all this trouble is following Gray.”
Lisa pushed away from Gray to confront her brother. “It’s not his fault that some idiot is into the destruction of property.”
“Never said it was, but if it’s the same idiot who wrote that note and damn near strangled a dog, then it has something to do with him, right?”
“He’s being targeted!”
“But maybe by someone who knows him?”
Gray tried to interject, but he couldn’t get a word in edgewise as the siblings squabbled back and forth. He looked at Amber, saw her smiling and shook his head.
She edged around Lisa and Adam and nudged him with her shoulder. “Usually Lisa is quiet.”
“Ha!” Adam said.
“I am quiet!”
Gray grinned. “She’s a delicate flower.”
Sucking in air, Lisa rounded on him. “Are you saying I’m not?”
“I’m saying you’re beautiful and smart and I enjoy you whether you’re being pensive or giving your brother hell.”
“Ooh,” Amber said. “Not only gorgeous, but smooth.”
Lisa narrowed her eyes at Amber, which only made Amber laugh. “Lighten up, cuz. If he’s going to stick around—”
“He is,” Gray confirmed.
“—then he may as well get used to us, right?”
“Not like any of you are giving him a choice.”
“It’s fine,” Gray said. “Better than fine. I appreciate all the help today.”
Looking closed off and distant, Lisa didn’t reply.
Gray had no idea why she was so out of sorts. Well, except that someone had crept around the yard wreaking havoc while they slept. That could be unnerving her. But he sensed it was something more than that.
Something personal.
Maybe he should get her alone and find out.
He was about to suggest that when Amber hooked her arm through his. “So, Lisa, you’re saying you don’t have a claim in this one? Because if he’s free, I know a few single ladies who would love for me to work my magic.”
“No, thanks,” Gray said hurriedly.
At the same time, Lisa growled, “Don’t even think it.”
“Yeah,” Adam said, his tone dry. “Such a delicate flower.”
Gray pulled Lisa back when she reached for her brother. “If you guys would excuse us a moment, I think Shelby needs us.”
Since Shelby was sprawled under a big tree some distance away, sleeping soundly, it was an obvious lie.
Gray didn’t care. Unfortunately, getting Lisa alone was like walking the gauntlet.
First he had to get past Morgan, Misty, Sawyer and Honey. The men looked at him with suspicion, but the women smiled their encouragement. Morgan’s wife even gave him the thumbs-up.
Then they went around Gabe’s daughters, who had effectively circled Tucker, not that Tucker seemed to mind all that much. Gabe didn’t like it, though, and he was fast closing in on them, pausing only long enough to note Gray leading Lisa toward the house.
“Don’t do anything I would do,” he said to Gray, then pointed at his daughters. “That goes for you three, too.”
The girls laughed, but Tucker held up his hands in a sign of innocence…while wearing a big grin.
Yeah, Gray wasn’t buying that any more than Gabe did.
Jordan stood with Garrett and Shohn at one of the grills, and they all three stared as Gray, with his hand at Lisa’s back, kept her walking.
“Should we save you some food?” Jordan asked mildly, and it looked like he was asking about a lot more than food.
“A burger each, please,” Gray said, putting her father at ease. “We won’t be long.”
Jordan just nodded, but the two younger men snickered—and got threatened with a grill fork.
Inside the store provided no privacy, either, not with Petie now waiting on customers. Going upstairs to his living area would be too damn obvious, so Gray led Lisa right back out the front door, across the gravel lot and toward the large elm tree where Shelby slept on. She’d deliberately found a quiet spot away from the chaos. There were no benches here, only that one lone tree, a chicken-wire fence overgrown with weeds, and what felt like an army of bugs.
“Where,” Lisa asked, “are we going?”
“Not sure yet,” Gray told her. “So far the tree looks semiprivate, but with your family I’m never sure who might pop up next.”
She groaned.
“I like them,” Gray reminded her. He glanced back and saw a lot of people looking their way, but no one followed. Shelby slept on, so Gray kicked down the weeds in one spot, sat and pulled Lisa into his lap. “Now.”
She tucked her face into his neck. “They do this sort of thing a lot.”
Gray breathed in the scent of her sun-warmed hair and skin, and his body stirred. Nothing new in that. He pretty much wanted her around the clock. It was taking some time to get used to it and to get it under control. “What’s that?”
Throwing out an arm, she indicated her family. “They circle the wagons, show up en masse to help out. They’re…pretty wonderful.”
“I agree.” He nuzzled his way along her throat to her jaw, nudging her face up as he went so he could kiss her. “You think they like me okay?”
“They lo—”
His mouth over hers cut off her reply. As always, her soft lips opened to the touch of his tongue. Her breath hitched. She leaned into him, accepting. Participating.
And even here, with weeds poking him in the ass and a mosquito buzzing in his ear, with Shelby’s snores and her family’s whispers, he could so easily get lost in loving her.
But she was already shy about her family knowing how involved they were, so Gray forced himself to cool it. With one last stroke of his tongue over hers, he retreated, nibbled on her lips, then put his forehead to hers.
“I’m going to find whoever did this.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She tried to kiss him again.
“Hey.” Gray let her take one quick kiss but didn’t let it get too heated. “If we don’t put the brakes on that, I won’t be able to rejoin your family.”
Sliding her arms around his neck, she hugged him. “You confuse me so much.”
“Yeah?” The crook of her shoulder, her neck, smelled so good and felt so soft. “How’s that, honey?” He stroked his hand up and down her back. No matter what Lisa wore, she always looked stylish and sexy but this, his shirt, thrown on hastily that morning when he’d called her for help, looked better on her than it ever could on him. She hadn’t yet changed, so she also had on running shorts and bare feet, and he loved her. Her sleek runner’s legs, her rounded ass, those cushiony breasts pressed to his chest. Her mouth. Her hugs and her sighs. Her strength and her humor, and her dedication to her family. Every inch of her, everything about her.
But he wouldn’t manipulate her with words into doing anything that she didn’t really want. So he kept his love to himself. “Lisa?” She’d gotten awfully quiet.
“You landed here after some pretty horrific circumstances, but now you just roll with it.”
“It?”
“Everything. Anything.” She shook her head. “Whatever happens.”
Mostly because she had happened. With her, it didn’t matter what else went wrong, it was still going to feel right.
Except that… Gray knew he couldn’t take chances with her. He’d brought her here to find out what was on her mind, but realized he also needed to share what was on his.
“Your poor boat,” she whispered and hugged him again as if she thought he might need the comfort.
“Yeah. Sucks. But it can be repaired.” He brushed back her hair. “You can’t.”
“What?” She struggled to get free, but he held on.
“I’m going to get the loon who’s targeting me. I swear I am. Tucker is on it, and so is your uncle, and everyone in your family is alert and keeping watch. But I don’t feel right about you being here. Not until it’s resolved.”
She shoved back so hard she got away from him and, landing on her butt, bumped into Shelby. The dog jumped, looked at them both, then huffed and resettled herself.
“Are you all right?”
Eyes locked on his, she whispered, “You’re ditching me.”
“No! Never that.” Gray reached for her but she dodged him. “If I could I’d move you in.”
Her jaw loosened, then went tight. “You could,” she said in a voice too high, then glanced at the crowd of her family and lowered her voice. “I’ve all but moved in on you anyway.”
“Right.” Bitterness leaking through, Gray said, “That’s why you head home every morning so no one will know you spent the night.”
She gasped, scowled and scampered closer to stick her face near his. “I was trying to be considerate.”
“Considerate?” His own temper kicked in. “How the hell do you figure that?”
“You haven’t asked me to stay, so I didn’t push it. If my family once knew that we…that I…”
Glaring at her, he leaned in, too. “That we’re committed to each other? I can say it even if you can’t.”
“I can say it!” But she faltered. “If it’s true.”
“Why the hell would you doubt it?”
“I doubt it because all you’ve done is explain to me how you’re hunky-dory however it goes, if I stay, if I leave, oh, well, Gray will be fine.”
He plopped back on his ass. “That’s what you think?” God, he would not be fine if she ended things.
Her brows shot up. “That’s what you’ve said.”
“I was trying not to pressure you.”
“Great,” she snapped right back. “I’m not pressured.”
At that moment, it almost struck him as funny, but he didn’t dare laugh. Not with Lisa looking both hurt and mad. “I’m in love with you.”
Her eyes went wide. “What?”
A whisper, not a shout. He smiled. “I love you. Hell, I’ve been in love with you since I saw you here again. Maybe even before that. Everything about you suits everything in me. I want you with me. I want you here in Buckhorn. But more than that, I want you happy. If your old job does it for you, then I’ll—”
She landed against him, kissing his face, tumbling him backward onto the gravel-rough, weed-strewn, root-mangled ground. “Ow,” he said and held her close.
“Oh, Gray,” she breathed. “Crazy how it happened so fast, but you just said it so beautifully.”
“What’d I say?” He couldn’t think with her stretched out over him, her heart beating in time with his, a damned audience no doubt watching every move they made.
“Everything about you suits everything in me.”
“Oh, right. That.”
She laughed. “No, I was saying it to you.”
Forgetting the audience, Gray grabbed her shoulders and lifted her. “You love me?”
Her beautiful, devastatingly dark eyes answered before she said, “Of course I do. You heard Amber.” Her lips curled and she added with sassiness, “You’re a catch.”
He crushed her close, one hand in her hair, an arm across her back. His heart felt…explosive. As if it might punch right out of his chest. “I want you happy,” he said again with conviction. He wanted that more than anything.
“I am.”
Wanting to believe her, he asked, “Your career…?”
“I don’t know, Gray.” She kissed his throat, his chin, then nipped his bottom lip. “Somehow I’ll work it out. But I don’t want to give up you, this, just to chase a career I’m not sure I even want.”
He searched her face and believed her. She wanted to stay. With him. As she’d said, they’d work out everything else. And thinking that, he sat up but kept her on his lap. “We need to talk.”
“Gray,” she warned.
“I have to know you’re safe until I resolve the threat.”
“A vandal isn’t a threat.”
“A vandal who leaves cowardly notes and abuses a stray dog is.”
Her small hand settled against his jaw. “I’m not leaving you.” She turned her head toward her gathered family members and said louder, “I don’t care who knows about it.”
Gray was more than ready to insist when Shelby came awake with a start, bolting to her feet, ears up, eyes alert.
Sniffing the air.
“What in the world?” Lisa said, already moving off his lap.
“Hey, girl.” Gray stood and reached for the dog, but she stared off toward the weeds along the fence. Her lips curled in a snarl and, hunkering down, she began creeping forward.
Gray stared at the high weeds along the fence. “A critter, maybe?”
Shaken, Lisa shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Suddenly Shelby lunged, filling the area with enraged barking as she ran. She went through a hole in the fence and Gray, running after her, went over the fence. He landed in prickly bushes and felt a scratch on his back, another on his leg. Behind him he heard Lisa yell and then the commotion as others followed.
Shelby launched herself and landed on a man holding a gas can. The can nearly dropped out of his hand, spilling everywhere as he attempted to protect himself.
In a matter of seconds Gray took it all in, and comprehension dawned. What looked like a very crude, makeshift bomb had been jammed up against the fence between a dead tree and a metal barrel full of debris, surrounded by dry brush. An oily path led to the man…and the spilled gas can.
The son of a bitch had planned a very big, loud fire.
Dangerous. Especially with so many people at the marina.
Enraged, Gray reached them, took Shelby’s collar and hauled her back from the man’s flailing fists and legs. Meaning it, he said, “Kick my dog, and I swear to God you’ll regret it.”
The man scampered back, breathing hard, his eyes a little wild. “Your dog attacked me!”
“Yeah.” He kept his eyes on the man, but said, “Good dog.”
Luckily, Shelby subsided, sitting down but still tense.
“Easy now.” He stared down at the man—the same man who had thrown a kid in a lake, who had argued with Lisa and then been left ashore when his date took off with her son in the boat. Likely the same man who had tied that damned rope too tight around Shelby’s neck. “I remember you.”
The man kicked out at him, inciting Shelby all over again.
And then suddenly Morgan was there, saying, “Jordan’s keeping Lisa back, and I’ve got the dog for you.”
Satisfaction brought a smile to Gray’s mouth. He didn’t look back to confirm what Morgan said. He trusted him.
Releasing Shelby, he reached for the man.
Panicked, the idiot swung the gas can in an awkward arc. Gray ducked—and then drilled him. One clean shot to the chin that took the guy’s feet out from under him. He went flat again, the can falling well out of his reach.
Suddenly Tucker snapped, “What the hell? Damn you, Morgan, why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were busy flirting with Kady. Besides, I wanted to let Gray hit him a few times first.”
Gray took advantage of that confession, hauling the man up and punching him one more time before Tucker bellowed, “That’s enough!”
Knowing the procedure, Gray stepped back and began explaining everything while Tucker put the man in handcuffs.
Lisa joined him then, half her family following along. She stopped by Shelby, kneeling down to hug the dog. Shelby glanced at her, licked her face, then stared with evil intent at the man being led away.
Shohn and Garrett had just walked the fence. “The gas is all along the base of the fence,” Shohn said. “Guess he planned a big fire.”
“Guaranteeing he’d get away,” Garrett said.
Still furious, Gray nodded. “It’d be hard to pursue him if we had to go through flames to do it.”
Garrett surveyed everything, then rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m thinking you’ll have to close the marina for a day so we can burn it off. Better that we do it before some kid gets more than he bargained for playing with matches.”
“Agreed.” Gray stared at Lisa. She hadn’t yet come to him. “Lisa?”
She stayed by Shelby but looked up at him. With her cousins and uncles around her and other family crowding in, she said, “So I don’t have to go back to my house.”
Damn, but he loved her. He didn’t look at anyone else, never broke eye contact with her. He just smiled. “No, you don’t.”
“This is one of those times,” Morgan said, “when not being the cop is a good thing. Tucker will be tied up for hours with that ass, and you’re free and clear.”
“Yeah.” Gray went to Lisa, pulled her up and against him and then kissed her silly.
He vaguely heard her brother say, “I feel like I should be protesting this.”
“Do,” Amber said, “and she’ll annihilate you.”
It wasn’t until Shelby leaned against his leg that he managed to end the kiss. With one hand on Shelby’s neck, the other at Lisa’s waist, he said, “I love you.”
She nodded, smiled. Blinked back a few tears. “I love you, too.”
There was more murmuring about fast, but Gray ignored them all.
Shohn spoke up. “Does this mean you’re staying?”
Gray was about to tell him not to pressure her, but Lisa said, “Yes!”
And then her family did so much cheering and carrying on that he couldn’t get anything said. Men were shaking his hand, women were hugging him. He got separated from Lisa while the congrats went around.
He’d just gotten to her when Amber threw herself against him, squeezing him tight. For a slight woman, she had her fair share of strength.
Laughing, Gray accepted the hug until she dropped back to her feet. The second she freed him, he pulled Lisa close again.
“We’re alone,” Amber said to the two of them, “so I have a couple of things to say to you.”
Lisa leaned into his side. “Beware, Gray. She has that intense look in her eyes that means she’s about to shock us.”
Amber started to speak but pulled back. “Do I really? I mean, I’ve heard that before. That I give myself away.” Hands on her hips, more to herself than anyone else, she muttered, “Maybe that’s why I can’t catch Noel off guard.”
“Noel?” Gray asked.
“Noel Poet,” Lisa explained. “He’s a firefighter with Garrett, and Amber’s boyfriend.”
Amber snorted. “He’s never even kissed me, so how could he be my boyfriend?”
“My guess?” Gray smiled at her. “You probably scare the poor guy.”
Amber looked thoughtful for a moment, then dismissed that notion with a shake of her head. “I don’t scare you, right?”
“No.” Because he’d only have peripheral involvement with her, through Lisa. But if he’d ever thought to get close to her, then hell, yes, she would scare him.
“There. I’m not scary at all.”
“If I could make a suggestion?” Gray waited until he had the attention of both women. “If you want to kiss him, make a move. No reason you should have to wait.”
“Hmm. You know, you could be right. If he was here today instead of on duty, I’d give it a shot just to see his reaction.”
Gray grinned. Yeah, he believed her. Amber Hudson wouldn’t shy away from many things—definitely not a man.
She shook her head. “So anyway, back to you guys. I was waiting, holding back until—”
He and Lisa both laughed.
“—I knew for sure you’d be working it out.” She winked at Gray. “You haven’t disappointed me. I don’t even think you needed the incentive of the other guys I brought around to get you motivated.”
Gray wasn’t surprised to learn that had been her ploy. “When it comes to Lisa, believe me, I’m very self-motivated.”
“So I see.”
“Amber,” Lisa warned.
Amber leaned to look beyond them, around them, then she said, “High five, cuz.”
Confused but compliant, Lisa smacked palms with Amber.
“Sometimes,” Amber told her, “a one-night stand turns into forever. I’m proud of you! You went for it, so kudos to you.”
Lisa went mute and Gray frowned. “How…?”
Waving a hand, Amber explained, “I knew where Lisa had traveled, and after grilling Gray when I first met him, I knew where he’d been. The timing lined up, so it seemed obvious to me, especially after seeing the two of you together. But don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
Gray rubbed his face. Yeah, she was scary, all right.
“Now, about you staying in Buckhorn.” Amber smiled at her red-faced cousin. “Have you thought about working remotely? Casey does it sometimes and he said all you’d really need is reliable internet, a quiet place to work, some meeting software and voilà! Cybermeetings, instead of face-to-face, are the in thing. You work out all the deets in online meetings, then limit your travel to a few days a month. What do you think?”
After a few expectant seconds when Lisa looked thunderstruck, she grabbed Amber, squealing as she hugged her.
Amber laughed with her. “So you like the idea?”
“I love the idea!” Lisa gave her cousin a big smooch, then held her away. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it. I mean, I’ve been involved in cybermeetings for different clients. I’ve just been so stressed, and then Gray was here, and…” Winding down, she said, “You’re a genius.”
“That’s what I keep telling people.” She held up her hand and Gray high-fived her as well. “My work here is done. Oh, how I love a happy ending.” Clearly pleased with herself, Amber moseyed off.
Gray brought Lisa around for a quick kiss. “You think that would actually work?”
“As Amber said, it’s the in thing. My company wants me, so I think they’ll be all over it.”
He searched her face and had to ask, “It’ll make you happy?”
“You make me happy. Shelby makes me happy.” She inched closer. “Keeping my job but losing all the travel will make me happy.”
He grinned. “Then I’m happy, too.” He touched her face. “And since you’re compromising, what do you think about me doing the same?”
“How?”
“I’m not rushing you, I promise. But I want to marry you, and when we do—”
“Gray.” She threw herself against him, bounced a little, then grabbed his face and kissed him.
Gray didn’t mind the interruption, not with Lisa holding him tight, bubbling with excitement. But as the kiss ended, he grinned and asked, “Is that a yes?”
“Yes!”
Happiness threatened to take out his knees, but he stiffened his legs and kept her close to his heart. “We won’t need two houses. Doesn’t matter to me where we live, so either I’ll rent out my house and Shelby and I will live with you, or you can sell your place and live here with us. I know it’s small, but I thought it was just going to be me. Now that it’s us, you and me and Shelby, we can remodel or add on.”
She covered her mouth.
Gray hurried to say, “Or we can keep both and worry about it later. Or buy something new. Or build, or—”
“Gray.” She said his name this time with tears in her eyes and a trembling smile. “Yes to marrying you, yes to having only one house for you and me and Shelby, but I honestly don’t care which one.” She inhaled, brushed a tear from her cheek. “Yes to loving you.”
“And yes to staying in Buckhorn?”
“It’s my home,” she whispered. “I’ve always enjoyed it, but now that you’re here, I never want to leave.”
Together, they turned to head back to the gathering of her family. Lisa spotted Amber saying something to Adam while Adam tried to shake his head and refuse.
Lisa grinned. “It looks like my brother might be next on Amber’s radar.”
“Good. He’s a nice guy. He should be happy.” When Lisa slanted a dubious look up at him, Gray said, “What? She does good work. I trust she’ll do right by him.”
Lisa laughed over that, but she didn’t deny it. Amber had been helpful, not that either of them had really needed a nudge.
Mingling into the crowd of Lisa’s big family, with her at his side, Gray recognized the truth. He’d left behind his old life and all the strife. He’d have been happy with the slower lifestyle, the change of pace.
Instead, he’d gotten so much more.
Because now, he had it all.
* * * * *