Bad Girls Don't (31 page)

“You know,” Julia said in between bites, “the irony of this situation hasn’t escaped me.”

“I never thought it would. Tell me again—which situation were you referring to, exactly? We’ve got so many going on.”

“I meant our grandmother and Angel.”

“What’s ironic about Violet and Angel?”

“The fact that Violet drives Angel crazy, that she’s the total opposite of everything Angel stands for.”

“Violet drives
everyone
crazy.”

“That may be, but she especially gets to Angel. Just like Angel especially gets to me. You’ve got it good, because you and Angel always had this special kind of bond.”

“Don’t give me that poor-little-good-girl speech. I’m not in the mood.”

“I’m just saying that you should value how special your relationship with Angel is.”

“I do.”

Julia sighed and opened another packet of Pop-Tarts. “Life is funny, you know?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s just stinking hysterical.”

“I read somewhere that we re-create stressful emotional situations in our lives until we resolve the issues that gives them power over us.”

“Have I ever told you that you read too much?”

“Frequently. But I think it’s true.”

“That you read too much? Totally, it is true.”

“No, I meant about the need to resolve old emotional issues or end up forever repeating mistakes of the past.”

“Meaning
my
mistakes, since I’m the sister who’s good at that.”

“You don’t get to own the mistake card. I’ve made plenty too.” Julia turned to face her. “I was really jealous of you, did you realize that?”

“No way.”

“You were closer to Angel than I could ever be. You two think alike and always did. And you have a little girl who adores you. And I was jealous and still am of the way you don’t seem to care what other people think. You obey your own set of rules. While it often drives me nuts, it’s also something I wish I had the courage to do. It’s something I’m working on, which is why Luke’s comments about my being traditional really bothered me.”

“You weren’t bothered by the fact that he just assumed you wanted to get married and that he figured he’d ask you when he felt like it?”

“Yeah, that pissed me off too.”

Skye laughed. “Such language! You wild woman, you.” “Do you ever look in the mirror and wonder if your butt looks too big?” Julia abruptly asked.

“Not really. But then, I don’t have a big butt.”

“Are you saying I do?” Julia suddenly started to cry. “Well, I’m going to get a lot bigger all over, because I think I’m pregnant!”

“Okay, if you’re going to learn to be a bad girl, the first lesson is no crying. And no skipping birth control.”

“It was just the one time . . .”

“That’s all it takes. Believe me, I know.” Skye reached into her tote bag in search of a tissue. She found a receipt from Gas4Less, a flyer from Cosmic Comics, and the still unopened box of Trojan condoms she’d had with her when Nathan first stopped her for speeding. No time to think about that now. “So, what are you going to do?” She stopped her search when she realized that Julia had found a tissue on her own. “I suggest you first make sure you really are pregnant.”

“I took two of those home pregnancy tests yesterday. They were both positive.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor.”

“I should see a mental health provider for doing something this crazy!”

“Well, the good news is that Luke wants to marry you, so that should make you feel better.”

“What if Luke doesn’t want this baby?”

“If he loves you, he’ll love the baby you made together. Have you guys ever talked about having kids?”

Julia shook her head. “And you know that Luke’s childhood was not a pleasant one. He was just a kid when his mom died, and his dad started beating him after that. How am I going to tell him?”

“The mayor of Serenity Falls used to call him a bad seed, right? Well, tell Luke that his seeds are pretty good after all. Damn fertile, in fact. Want me to tell him?” Skye offered.

“No! If you do, I’ll tell Nathan you love him!”

“Okay, okay, calm down. I won’t say anything. But you should tell Luke, and the sooner, the better. Look at the mess Angel has gotten herself into by hiding the truth.”

“You mean by not telling me Adam was my real father?”

“Or telling us about Violet. And you know that Angel is seeing Adam.”

“Yes, he told me.”

“Well, Angel hasn’t told Tyler, and I have a feeling he’s not going to be too happy about it when he finds out.”

“Great.”

“So let’s recap, shall we? I may be in love with a by-the-book lawman still in love with his dead wife. You’re pregnant by a bad-boy biker dude who may not want kids. And Angel is lying to her current lover about seeing her former lover. That about wrap it up?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re all screwed.”

 

 

Nathan was waiting for Skye when she walked into her apartment. “Where have you been?”

“Angelo’s Pizza.”

“You never go to Angelo’s Pizza.”

“I did tonight. And then I went out on a drive to talk to my sister. You want to make something out of it?”

Nathan wisely backed off and waited until she’d taken a shower and changed into a tank top and shorts before approaching her again. “I’ve compiled a preliminary list of possible suspects for you to look over.”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Skye towel-dried her short hair until the ragged chunks fell into place, framing her face. “Milton did it. Angel said the tarot cards strongly indicate he’s guilty.”

“Afraid that won’t stand up in court.”

“And his auras are really negative.”

“Again, not evidence I can use. Take a look at the list.”

Skye read off the names. “Mrs. Trimble? I don’t even know her.”

“She has a thing for Owen, apparently, and feels you stole him from her.”

“What about your assistant, Celeste? Why is she on here?”

“She’s not a big fan of yours.”

“Owen, Sister Mary, Violet,” she read aloud. “I’m surprised you don’t have Angel on here too.”

“I considered it.”

“I’m glad to see you crossed off Tyler’s name.”

“Luke vouched for him. And for Algee.”

“If you don’t trust anyone, how do you know that Luke isn’t lying to you?”

“I had him checked out too.”

“Of course you did. I should have known. You don’t think Lulu or Sue Ellen or Nancy Crumpler are possible suspects?”

“You’re right.” He took the sheet of paper from her and began writing on it. “I should add them.”

She grabbed it away from him. “That’s not what I meant. Nancy would never suspect her friends.”

“Nancy Crumpler?”

“Yeah, right.” Skye wasn’t about to admit that she’d actually been thinking of Nancy Drew. “Why don’t you believe that Milton is the guilty one?”

“I never said I didn’t believe that. But as a law enforcement officer, I need to look at all the evidence.”

“We’ve got evidence? You didn’t tell me that.”

“You can get that
C.S.I
. look out of your eyes,” Nathan said.

Skye only knew about the show from the issue of
TV Guide
she’d picked up at Gas4Less because one of the actors on the cover, George Eads—Nick Stokes on
C.S.I.
—looked a lot like Nathan.

“Talk to me about the evidence,” she said.

“We don’t have anything definitive yet.”

“Well, that sucks.” Skye flung herself onto the couch. An instant later, Gravity jumped onto her lap and started purring. “Maybe I should have had Angel take Gravity with her so she’d be safe too.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re worried about the cat but not about yourself?”

“She’s still a kitten. I can look after myself.”

“Which brings me to the garbology incident on Saturday morning.”

“We’re not doing that anymore.”

“I’m very glad to hear it.”

“I thought you would be.”

“So what are you doing instead?”

She blinked at him with feigned innocence. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

“Yes, I do. And I plan on ignoring you.”

“Ignoring me, huh?” Nathan sat beside her and moved closer until she could feel his warm breath tingling her ear. “How’s that plan working?

She pushed him away. “You said we couldn’t have sex.”

“I didn’t say we couldn’t make out like maniacs.”

“No,
I’m
saying that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t have to tell you my reasons.” She paused as Gravity jumped down, clearly uneasy about the prospect of getting sandwiched between two humans. “You’re here to do a job, and that’s all. You’ve made that very clear. You have a schedule to keep—
mmmph
!”

Nathan’s mouth covered hers without any advance warning. Not that knowing his tongue was about to do a tango with hers would have made her take immediate defensive action, but Skye liked to think it could . . . possibly . . . maybe . . . have happened. She might have protested. Not likely, but still . . .

He didn’t kiss like an uptight cop. Why was that? He didn’t have the lips of an uptight anything. His lower lip was full and yummy. She nibbled it a bit, then stopped so he could stroke his tongue across the roof of her mouth.

Where had a hunky side of beef from the cornfields of Nebraska learned to French-kiss like a pro? She’d have to ask him sometime . . . some
other
time, when he wasn’t doing all these delicious things to her.

Nathan eventually broke off the kiss to rest his forehead against hers. “You’re right,” he murmured.

“Of course I am.” Her voice was unsteady. “Uh, about what?”

“It’s tough to stop with just one kiss. Making out probably isn’t a good idea.”

“Yeah.” Like she’d been a fan of good ideas all her life. “Right.” She jumped to her feet. “Let’s play poker instead.”

He leaned back on the couch and blinked. “Poker?” “Yeah. You know, a card game where players bet on the hands they hold.”

“I’m pretty good at poker.”

“Really?”
Fresh meat
, Skye thought to herself. The poor guy didn’t stand a chance. Because she was better than pretty good at poker. She was
damn
good.

 

 

Skye surveyed the pile of matchsticks in front of her on the Formica table. “Okay, time to cash in
my
chips now. Remember, we were not playing for money or for matches. We were playing for truths. For each matchstick, you need to tell me a truth.”

“Today is Wednesday.”

“A truth about yourself. I already told you that I don’t like the taste of eel. Now it’s your turn.”

“I’m sheriff of Rock Creek.”

“A truth that I don’t already know about you,” she reminded him.

He appeared stymied by her request.

“Hey, nobody twisted your arm to get you to play truth poker with me.”

“I didn’t know I’d be facing a New Age cardsharp,” Nathan grumbled.

“Lucky you.” Skye grinned. “Come on,” she said, holding out her hand and wiggling her fingers. “Pay up.”

“I don’t like eel either,” he finally said with a charming smile intended to coax the clothing right off her.

“No distracting me with your dimple, ’cause that bluff ain’t gonna work.”

“I do not have a dimple.” At first, Nathan seemed highly insulted by her accusation, but then the flash of the dimple gave him away.

“Aha, there it is again.”

“What about you?” he said.

“What about me?”

“No distracting me with flashes of cleavage.”

“If I wanted to distract you, I’d do this.” She lifted her tank top and flashed him.

“That works.” His voice was hoarse.

“But distracting you wasn’t my goal. Having you pay up is. Come on, another truth I don’t know about you.”

Silence.

“Why is this so difficult for you?” she demanded in exasperation.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I’m not into exposing truths about myself for anyone to see.”

“Is that what I am? Just anyone? Thanks for the clarification,” she said bitterly.

“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Yeah, you did. Whenever I get too close emotionally, you slam the door on me. Fine.” Skye gathered their cards and stuffed them back into the box. “Whatever. Welch on your bets. See if I care.”

But she did care, and that was becoming a bigger problem all the time.

 

 

Unable to sleep, Nathan stared up at the all-too-familiar crack in Skye’s living room ceiling. He was an idiot. He knew he’d hurt her by his inability to open up to her. But he didn’t know how to fix it.

There was no changing him. Women usually thought they could do that to a guy—change the fundamental basis of his character. He’d seen it as a cop plenty of times. The woman who thought she could cure the guy of his drinking or drug habit. The woman who thought that, even though the guy had beaten his other girlfriends, he wouldn’t beat her. They’d all been wrong.

The point was to accept someone the way they were. Faults and all.

Could he do that with Skye? Accept her as she was?

As much as Nathan told himself that she wasn’t getting to him, the truth was, she’d already made it through his first line of defense and was in danger of breaching his inner sanctum.

She seemed unfazed by his attempts to keep her in line. Probably because she knew they were futile.

He wasn’t in charge of the world. It was a lesson learned the hard way, when Annie had died. He’d thought that he’d been in charge of a perfectly planned-out life back then. One truck running a red light was all it took to annihilate that belief. He was actually in charge of very little.