not leaving until you look at me and give me an answer.” She’d never been able to do that and lie. A piece of him dared to hope she was done with her marriage, that she could admit it had been a mistake and that she’d never stopped loving him. Colin knew it was his bruised ego wishing for that. Because he had enough pride to realize that he would never love her in the same way again no matter what excuses she gave for walking out. That innocence had been shattered into a thousand tiny pieces along with his heart, and he doubted he could ever love anyone in that same way again, especially not her.
Melissa opened her eyes, slowly, and it was like the sun cresting on the horizon. Those violet streaks like rays, bathing darkness with light. His heart clenched and his muscles corded as her hands came up to his chest. He expected a jab or for her to push him away, but instead she double fisted his shirt and tugged him toward her.
All rationale flew out the window as Colin’s pulse kicked up a few notches. He shouldn’t want to dip down and claim her heart-shaped pink lips again. He shouldn’t want to pull her body flush with his. He shouldn’t want to get lost inside her.
And that’s where he stopped.
Because he could never trust her enough to close his eyes again.
He pulled back, a little stunned at how easy it was to get trapped in old habits. How many times had they been in a similar position? Eager to rip each other’s clothes off and let the feelings they had for each other consume them in a splendid, heated flame until they lay gasping for air, their arms and legs tangled. How easy it had been to talk to her, to laugh with her.
And look where that had gotten him. Rejected. Hurt.
Anger flooded him because she was messing with his mind and the future they would never have—a future he shouldn’t want.
All he needed was to regain his sanity because Melissa was bad for him, and he knew that even if his body said otherwise.
She seemed to quickly regain her composure, and then she ducked out of his grasp.
“How did you know where to find me?” she asked.
“You weren’t hard to follow speeding through town,” he said.
“I have somewhere to be,” she said. “You need to leave.”
Colin glanced at his watch. “At eleven forty at night?”
“Yes,” she said with too much conviction. She was either lying or hiding something.
“Seems late for an appointment,” he said.
“I’m meeting up with someone...with him.” Her face morphed for a split second like it did when she felt guilty.
“Why did you come back?” he asked.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not staying,” she responded.
“Carolina said you wanted to talk to me,” he pressed.
“She’s mistaken.”
He shot her a look.
“I’m the one who made a mistake. I shouldn’t have gone to the ranch. Richard will be livid if he finds you here, so you need to go.”
“Fine.” Was she lying to protect Colin because he could see that she wasn’t being truthful? There was no way to shield him now. Not after what she’d done to him. No one could convince him that she cared for his feelings.
“I didn’t see your parents earlier. Would you tell them happy anniversary for me?” she asked, and he’d almost forgotten about that. They would have been married forty-two years next week.
But, wait, she hadn’t heard the news? Sheriff Tommy Johnson had done a great job of keeping the murder investigation out of the papers, but Colin assumed that everyone knew his parents had died. He glanced down and back before shaking his head. He still had a hard time finding the right words to talk about it.
“What?” She searched his gaze as if what he was about to say would be stamped there.
“They’re gone,” he managed to say.
“Oh, no,” she said with a little more alarm than seemed appropriate under the circumstances. She shouldn’t care about him or his family anymore. “What happened?”
“Tommy’s investigating their deaths,” he said, and a curious look overtook her features. Sheriff Johnson was a close friend and grew up with all six of the O’Brien boys. He was more like family and was taking the murder investigation even more personally as a result of how much he cared for the O’Brien family. Colin couldn’t pinpoint what was pinging through her thoughts but he could almost see the wheels churning. What was that all about?
“I’m so sorry,” she said, and she looked stunned. Maybe a little guilty, too.
Colin had every intention of figuring out why.
“Are you telling me that you didn’t know?” he asked, surprised, his curiosity getting the best of him.
“No.” She shook her head as though for emphasis. Did she really hate him so much that she’d completely cut herself off from any news about Bluff? About his folks? She’d cared about them once. “How long have you been here?”
“Not long. This is just a quick stop on my way to—” she paused and he figured she was about to make something up. “Galveston.” She raked her teeth across her bottom lip. “I’m so sorry about your parents.”
She’d been especially close to his mother. His mom had made sure that Melissa was included in all their family celebrations, saying over and over that it was about time there was a little more estrogen at the table. Mom had said that after being surrounded by six boys—boys that she adored—for most of her life that she couldn’t wait to have a girl in the family.
For a minute, she looked shocked and a little frail, which was unlike Melissa. She must’ve figured out what he was thinking because her defenses flared. “I always cared about your parents, you know that. Especially your mother. I would’ve sent something if I’d realized.”
Her voice broke and a look passed behind her eyes that he couldn’t quite pinpoint when she said that last word.
Did she know something about the murders?
No. No way. She didn’t even know his parents were gone before he told her.
The only things keeping Melissa upright and on her feet were sheer determination and willpower. The second she’d heard the news about Colin’s parents she’d almost buckled. Had her worst fears been realized? Had Richard gotten to them because of some sick need to punish her? So many other questions swirled. If Mr. O’Brien was having an affair, could that be connected to the murders? Melissa quieted her internal thoughts. It was dangerous to give away her reaction to the news. She couldn’t risk Colin having any suspicion about Richard.
The news would spread soon enough that he was a criminal on the run, and Melissa would be long gone.
