Dark Desire Read online

  Sitting up, she looked around. “Ace?”

  Her hand brushed over his pillow and touched a piece of paper. Smiling, she read his bold handwriting.

  Went to work. Soak in the tub. Ace.

  Shaking her head, she laughed as she crawled out of the bed. No flourishes or sweet declarations of love from him. Bold and to the point as always. She remembered him saying something about having to go to work at three. It was after six now, so he’d been gone for some time.

  She missed him already.

  Shivering at the cold, she dressed quickly. She’d already discovered that Ace liked to sleep in a cold room, which didn’t bother her as long as she had him to snuggle up against. The mornings, though, got downright uncomfortable. The heater kicked on, and she wondered if he’d turned it up for her before he left. It still felt cold without him here.

  The house felt too empty, so she made the decision to go home for her bath. Besides, she wanted to put on fresh clothes, not the ones she’d worn here the night before. Wondering what Ace would say if she asked to leave some clothes here, she grimaced. She didn’t want to push him at this point. She’d already made remarkable headway into making the hard-headed sheriff see things her way, and she didn’t want to ruin it. She’d wait until he suggested it.

  She took his note with her when she went out to the kitchen. Finding a pen, she flipped it over and smiled as she wrote her own note on the back of it. She propped it up next to the napkin holder and left, careful to lock the door behind her.

  As she drove home, she searched for him on the streets of Desire but didn’t see him. Hoping she’d find him at the diner, she raced to get there, grinning when she saw his huge SUV parked out front. She pulled up to the curb and hurriedly undid her seatbelt, smiling when she saw him through the window.

  He hadn’t seen her yet, and she wanted to get inside and surprise him before he could turn around.

  Scrambling from her car, she absently noted the sound of a truck approaching but didn’t take her eyes from Ace as he spoke to her mother. She started for the rear of her car to circle it, pleased to see that the diner was full.

  Her mother looked up just then, the look of horror on her face startling Hope. She stopped and started to turn to see what scared her mother so badly, alarmed to see a truck driving too close to her. The next instant, the side mirror hit her, and she went flying, her body slamming into her own car before hitting the ground.

  Stunned, she lay there, listening as the truck sped away, hardly able to believe what just happened. She heard shouts and the sound of running feet as she tried to sit up, holding her head at the throbbing pain in her temple.

  “Don’t move! Hope, Oh, God. Talk to me, baby. Where do you hurt? Rafe, go after that fucking truck!”

  Ace, looking like she’d never seen him before, bent over her, his hands moving over her body. Her mother knelt at her head while her fathers gathered around, each reaching for her.

  “What just happened? Did that truck hit me?”

  Her mother started crying. “Yes. I saw he was too close. Oh, Hope. How bad are you hurt, honey?”

  Her fathers all started talking at once, their voices frantic as they all spoke to her at the same time, and she heard one of them calling the ambulance.

  “No. I’m okay. It hit my head.” Grabbing Ace’s arm with one hand and her mother’s with the other, she tried to sit up. “Just help me up and I’ll be okay.”

  The helpless fury on Ace’s face as he watched Rafe take off after the truck had her reaching for his arm. “Go ahead. I’m fine.”

  Ace looked grim. “You’re not fine, and I’m not leaving you this time. The ambulance is on its way.”

  Alarmed at the number of people who stood around staring at her, Hope struggled to sit up again, thwarted by her fathers. “Let me up. The ground’s wet, and I don’t like feeling like a sideshow.”

  Hunter Ross looked over Ace’s shoulder, his hard expression softening. “We’ll get rid of all these people. You okay, honey?”

  Hope nodded, gasping at the pain. “Just a headache. Thanks, Hunter.”

  Ace held her hand as her mother gathered her in her arms. Her fathers knelt with them as they waited for the ambulance to arrive, but Hope couldn’t take her eyes from Ace. He looked harder and colder than she’d ever seen him.

  She shivered at the misery in his eyes as he looked down at her, and she could actually feel the distance between them growing with each passing second. She didn’t understand it at all and tried to smile at him, aching for him to smile back at her. Although he tightened his grip on her hand, he looked away as though unable to meet her eyes.

  “The ambulance is here.” Bending close, he brushed her jaw with his lips. “I’m sorry, baby.”

  Although he stood and stayed with her as the paramedics loaded her into the ambulance, he wouldn’t meet her eyes again.

  * * * *

  Hours later, the doctor released Hope, telling her how lucky she was that nothing was broken. Diagnosing her with only a mild concussion, he discharged her. “I talked to Dr. Hansen, and he assured me that you would be better off at home and that there are several people to look out for you.”

  As her mother started forward, Charity urged her back to her seat and approached the doctor. “I live with her. If you give me the instructions for her care, I’ll make sure she’s watched.”

  Hope shared a smiled with her mother as Charity peppered the doctor with questions. “The doctor will be glad to get rid of me by the time she’s through. Where are my clothes?”

  She’d shooed her fathers out about an hour ago, knowing they needed to get back to the diner, which left her alone with her mother and sister.

  Accepting the clothes from her mother, she looked up. “Where’s Ace?” Although she tried to keep the hurt from her tone, she didn’t quite manage it. “I thought he would be here.”

  Her mother patted her arm. “If you’d seen the look on Ace’s face when we loaded you into the ambulance, you wouldn’t have to ask. He feels guilty as hell that another woman got hurt, literally on his watch. It infuriated him even more that it was you. Did you see the way he reached for you right away, but your fathers got in the way. I think he realized that he hadn’t claimed you yet and it hit him hard. He’ll have to come to grips with that before he sees you again. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to find out he beat the hell out of somebody before we get home and that he already spoke to your dads about claiming you.”

  * * * *

  Lying on the sofa, Hope flicked channels, bored out of her mind. Her fathers already had lunch ready when they got back, which she ate with Charity and her mother. After assuring both of them that she was fine, her mother reluctantly went back to the diner. Since then either her mother or one of her fathers came up to check on her every hour.

  Since the club was closed today, Charity offered to play cards with her, but Hope’s head hurt too much to concentrate, which also meant she couldn’t read. Bored, irritable, and feeling sorry for herself because Ace hadn’t called or come by, she punched the throw pillow and tried to get into a more comfortable position.

  She ached everywhere.

  She still needed a bath but didn’t feel like getting up to take one. Feeling grungy just made her mood even worse.

  She didn’t blame Charity for leaving to get a few movies to watch. She’d have made an excuse to leave, too, if she had to put up with herself. She hadn’t slept much at Ace’s place, and it had started to catch up with her. When the image on the television started to blur, she turned it off and closed her eyes, deciding that taking a nap while she waited for Charity. Her headache seemed to be easing and it didn’t take long before she started to sink into sleep and dreams of Ace.

  “Hope? Come on, honey. Wake up. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes.”

  Hope blinked, smiling when Ace’s face filled her vision, until she remembered. “You son of a bitch. Get out of here.”

  One of Ace’s brows went up. “Is
that any way to talk to your future husband?” His hands slid under her, lifting her carefully before he turned and sat on the sofa, cradling her on his lap.

  Hope blinked and put a hand to her head. “I must be dreaming. No, I got hit in the head harder than I thought and I’m hallucinating.” She reached with one hand to pinch the other arm, but Ace stopped her.

  “Stop that. God knows you’re going to have enough bruises as it is. You’re awake and fine, except for being banged up to all over.” Bending, he brushed her lips with his. “Thank God you’re hard-headed. I’ve been thinking about you all day. I called the diner several times to check on you, but I didn’t want to call here in case you were sleeping. I had several things to do so I could be here with you tonight. I left Linc and Rafe on their own and came over as soon as I could. How do you feel?”

  Still taken aback at his reference to being her husband, Hope frowned up at him. “Like I’ve been run over by a truck. Did you say something about getting married?”

  His eyes narrowed in that arrogant way she loved so much. “I did. We are. Just as soon as you’re feeling better.”

  Hope cuddled into him. If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up. “You didn’t ask.”

  Ace ran his hand gently down her side. “I’m not taking any chances. I don’t know how I lived without you for so long, but now that I’ve had you, I can’t give you up.” He surprised the hell out of her by gathering her close and burying his face in her hair. “When I saw the look of horror on your mother’s face, I turned just as you screamed my name and went flying through the air. I thought it would be the last thing I heard you say. And then I didn’t have the right to pull you away from your fathers and hold you myself. And it was my own fault. I’m so sorry.”

  Hope wrapped her arms around him, hiding a wince as he hugged her fiercely. “Ace, honey. I’m okay. I love you, you know. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” It alarmed her when a shudder went through his big body.

  He lifted his head, his lips hovering over hers. “I love you so damned much I can’t stand it. I swear, I’m going to do everything in my power to be the kind of husband you need. Damn it, I’m hurting you.” He loosened his hold, rubbing a hand up and down her back. “You’re so damned little. I’ll never hurt you, baby.”

  Hope grinned and kissed him soundly, a little surprised when he eased back to meet her kiss tenderly. His kiss warmed her, so sweet it brought tears to her eyes. “I know you’ll never hurt me, Ace. What a thing to say.”

  Ace averted his eyes and started playing with her fingers. “How are you feeling? Charity told me you’re grouchy and that your head hurts.”

  She slumped against him, grinning. “Not anymore. You finally see that I was right all along, something you’ll have to get used to, and that we belong together. I love you. You love me. We’re getting married. Life doesn’t get any better.”

  “Except that you’re sore as hell from getting hit by a truck. What the hell were you doing there anyway? I left you in bed with the covers all tucked around you.”

  Hope snuggled into him, his clean, fresh scent reminding her that she still needed a bath. For the first time she noticed that he’d obviously showered after work and changed. “I got lonely without you, so I decided to come home to take a bath.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “I still haven’t, but now that you’re here I’d better shower.”

  Ace stood with her still in his arms. “Come on, I’ll give you a bath and a rubdown.”

  Hope rubbed her cheek against him. “I’m definitely looking forward to that rubdown. Hey, by the way, did you catch the guy who hit me?”

  A muscle worked in his strong jaw. “Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Rafe found the truck along the side of the road with the engine running, but the driver was gone. We’ll find him, and when we do, he’ll pay for what he did to you.” Once in the bathroom, he set her on her feet and started drawing a bath.

  A little frightened at Ace’s tone, Hope started to undress. “Do you think it’s the same guy who’s been causing all the trouble around here?”

  “I have no idea. We didn’t get any reports of anything happening last night, but he’s already shot out your windows. You and Charity are going to be watched closely until we figure out what the hell’s going on.”

  Ace bathed her, washing her gently, his expression becoming harder with each bruise he saw. When she stood, he helped her out of the tub and gently patted her dry.

  “Hope, I’m home.” Charity’s voice, laced with amusement, came from the living room. “I see you have company.”

  Hope smiled and yelled back. “I’m in here with my fiancé. We’ll be out in a bit.”

  Ace didn’t smile back as she’d expected. Instead, he sat on the edge of the tub and ran his hand gently over the rather impressive assortment of bruises over her hip and bottom. If possible, his face hardened even more. He swallowed heavily and looked up at her.

  “Did I cause any of these?”

  Nothing he could have said would have shocked her more. Aghast, Hope wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him against her breasts. “No! Ace, I landed on my butt. This is all from this morning. What you did to me last night felt wonderful. None of these are from you, but if you and I bruise each other during sex, Sheriff, I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

  Charity started beating on the door. “Your fiancé? Ace proposed? Sheriff, my sister’s black and blue all over. You’d better not be trying to get lucky.”

  Staring up at Hope, Ace nodded once, but still looked grim. “I’m already lucky. Talk to your sister. When you’re done, come into your bedroom. I’ll give you a rubdown and give you your ring.” He stood and wrapped a large, dry towel around her before opening the door and stepping back as Charity raced in.

  * * * *

  Ace left the two of them alone and went out to the living room to retrieve his duffel bag, a little surprised to find Beau Parrish standing near the window. “What are you doing here?”

  “Are they in danger?”

  Grabbing his bag, he sank into a chair. “I don’t know, but I’m not taking any chances. I’ll be sleeping here tonight. We should have some answers by tomorrow. We’re waiting for results on the prints.”

  Turning away from the window, Beau came to sit on the sofa, looking toward the bathroom where the women talked excitedly. “You and Hope really getting married?”

  Ace nodded and sat back, closing his eyes. Hell, he was tired. He hadn’t slept more than an hour or two the night before, and after the adrenaline rush when Hope had been hit, he’d been going non-stop all day. “Yeah, as soon as she feels stronger.”

  “Congratulations.”

  Ace opened his eyes. “Thanks. How are you and Charity doing?”

  Beau grimaced. “She’s still trying to keep distance between us. I’ve been trying to convince her to let me stay here tonight, but if you’re staying…”

  Ace shrugged. “I’ll watch over them tonight, but I think today was an accident. There’s no way anyone could have known she’d be there at that time. She’s usually still sound asleep at that hour, and if she goes to the diner for breakfast, she walks down the back stairs and goes right into the kitchen. I think he hit her by accident.”

  “Why the hell didn’t he stop then?”

  Ace scrubbed a hand over his face, frustrated and exhausted. “I don’t know. It leads me to believe it’s the same person, but it’s not the same truck. The truck he had today was a rental.”

  Beau sat forward, glancing over as the women came out of the bathroom. “So if he rented it, can’t you find out who it is?”

  Ace looked over his shoulder to see Hope approach, wearing a thick, fuzzy robe. Reaching out a hand, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped both arms around her. “He rented it under an assumed name. We checked the name he used. It’s a ninety-year old man in a nursing home, one who was seen eating breakfast at that time by at least two dozen people.”

  Hope cuddled
into him. “I want my ring.”

  Charity shook her head and sat in the other chair, sitting as far from Beau as possible. “She’s always been greedy.”

  Hope stuck out her tongue at her sister. “I want his ring on my finger before he changes his mind. He thinks I’m too little, and I’m afraid he’ll throw me back.” Looking up at him, she smiled adoringly. “I want witnesses.”

  Running his hand lightly over her fuzzy, robe-covered hip, he couldn’t help but think about the bruises under his hand. “I’m not letting you get away, baby.” He reached into the bag beside the chair and rummaged around until his hand closed over the small box. Handing it to her, he kissed her hair as she opened it, loving the feel of having her safe and warm in his arms.

  “I figured a woman with as much fire as you should have a ring to match.” A fire that could have easily been extinguished today.

  Smiling at her excited squeal, he took the ruby ring out of the box and placed it on her finger, raising her hand to kiss her palm. “Come on and let me give you your rubdown so you can go to sleep. I’m going to have to wake you up several times tonight.”

  Hope jumped up, trying to hide her wince, but Ace saw it. “Are you kidding? I have to go tell Mom and the dads.”

  Charity waved her back. “They’ll be up later. Go let Ace give you a rubdown. Sheriff, you look beat. I’ll wake her tonight. You get some sleep.”

  Knowing he’d be reliving seeing Hope get hit by that truck every time he closed his eyes, he shook his head. “No. I’ll do it. I don’t have to be in until late tomorrow. Rafe and Linc are taking care of everything and know where to find me if something comes up. Stop bouncing around before you hurt yourself even more.”

  Hope leaned over him, giving him an enticing peak at the curves beneath the robe. “I can see that you and I are going to butt heads quite a bit.”