It Had to Be Love (An It Had to Be Novel) Page 4

  “Wait!” Meg’s brows shot up. “That had to hurt. Let me see your hand, Tara.”

  Tara reluctantly held out her aching palm.

  “Ouch.” Meg cringed.

  That had Ben zipping across the room and taking her bruised hand in his. “Can you move your fingers?”

  The girls gathered around as Ben gently probed her hand. He finally said, “I think it’s just a bad bruise. Joyce, will you get Tara an ice pack too?”

  Joyce huffed out a breath as she left.

  Ryan sat up. “I’ll go home and take some aspirin.”

  “Nope.” Ben pushed Ryan onto his back again. “We aren’t done with you yet.” He turned to his sisters. “Meg, get up here and sit on him and hold his shoulders down. Casey, you hold his head still. Sorry, buddy, but we need to straighten out the damage.”

  Tara couldn’t watch. She shut her eyes as Ben counted backward. “Three, two, one.”

  Ryan let out a loud curse, and then a slow groan. He scowled at his brother. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

  “Only a little. Tara, you want to come check his teeth now? He’d probably bite my fingers if I tried.” Ben helped Meg off of Ryan and to the floor, while Casey moved away from the table to make room.

  Tara slipped on a pair of gloves and stood beside Ryan. As badly as her right hand throbbed, it was obvious Ryan’s pain was ten times worse.

  Because of her.

  Her eyes stung with tears.

  Meg ran a hand up and down Tara’s back. “He’s going to be fine and just as pretty as before, Tara. He must’ve startled you somehow, huh?”

  Not too long ago, Meg had accidentally seen the scars on Tara’s torso. Tara hadn’t told Meg what happened, but she must’ve put two and two together. Tara was grateful Meg had never pressed for an explanation. “Yeah. Maybe I took that self-defense training a little too seriously?”

  Ryan’s eyes locked with hers. “I’m not mad at you, Tara.”

  “Thank you, Ryan.” Relief washed through her. “Open up, please.”

  Concentrating only on his mouth, not all his glorious, bare-chested muscles, she pressed two fingers against his front teeth, happy when they didn’t move and he didn’t flinch. After a little more gentle probing, she tugged off her gloves. “Luckily, your teeth fared better than your nose. If they’re still bothering you after a few days, will you promise to come see me?”

  Ben slid next to her and said, “I’d listen to her, Ry. Tara just proved she’s the only one in town who can kick your ass.”

  Ryan closed his eyes. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

  His sisters and brother all said, “Nope!” in unison.

  Joyce finally came back with an ice pack. Ben traded it for a prescription from his pad, and then gently took Tara’s hand. He gazed into her eyes and smiled before he laid the blessedly cool pack on her palm. “Fifteen minutes on, fifteen off. And if it still hurts in a few days, promise you’ll come back and see me?”

  Ben was an incredibly handsome man. So why wasn’t her stomach doing that flipping thing it did when Ryan smiled at her?

  While Ben flirted with her, Ryan slid off the table and stood to leave. Tara pulled her hand from Ben’s and said, “Can you make it home all right, Ryan?”

  Casey wrapped her arm around her brother’s shoulders. “Meg and I will walk him home and tuck him into bed.”

  Ben called out, “Pick up his meds on the way out from Joyce. Be sure he eats before he takes them. And Ryan, take it easy today!”

  Ryan lifted a hand in response.

  Casey said, “We’ll make sure he does.”

  Tara started walking behind them, but Ben said, “Can you wait a second please, Tara?”

  “Sure.”

  “So his teeth and gums looked okay?” As Ben jotted notes in Ryan’s chart, a single strand of his perfectly styled and gelled hair moved. Ben was like a Ken doll, perfect in every way. Maybe too perfect. Would a woman have to fight for bathroom mirror time in the mornings with a man like that?

  “His teeth looked fine. But he has some bruising on the upper gum, so he must be sore.”

  Ben scribbled another note and then slapped the file shut. “I’ll make sure to ask about it in a few days. Thanks.”

  “It was the least I could do.” She started for the door. “I feel awful about this. I hope he takes his meds instead of trying to tough it out like most men.”

  Ben caught up and walked out beside her. “Casey will make him take the pills I had Joyce send along. They’ll knock him out for hours.”

  “Ryan doesn’t strike me as someone who likes to be told what to do.”

  Ben chuckled. “Nope. But Casey helped raise Meg and Ryan and is the one person besides our grandmother who those two stubborn mules will listen to.” He shot her a grin, showing off his movie-star white teeth again. “I hope your hand doesn’t pain you too much today.”

  “I’ll be fine, thanks.” The gleam in his eyes made her fear he’d ask her out again. After her awkward conversations with Ryan, maybe she wasn’t as ready to date again as she thought? Especially with a guy who wore more expensive shoes than she did.

  What had she been thinking when she’d accepted Ben’s earlier offer? He wasn’t her type at all. True, she vowed to never marry again, and though a confirmed bachelor like Ben would be just the ticket, the attraction just wasn’t there.

  She said, “Better go, I have patients in a few. Thanks for the ice pack and send me Ryan’s bill too, okay?” She started for home at a jog.

  Ben called out, “No charge. Take care.”

  Ryan’s face hurt too much to protest his sisters’ babying, so he just gave in. Arguing with them was futile.

  After they’d served him breakfast in bed and made him take the pills Ben had sent along, he considered pretending to be asleep so they’d leave. Then he’d go sit on the couch and read or something.

  When Meg popped her head inside his bedroom to check on him, he recalled the conversation Tara and Meg had in the exam room.

  “Do you know why Tara reacted so strongly today?”

  Meg blinked rapidly like she always did when she didn’t want to tell him something. Luckily, she never lied. “Maybe. She hasn’t told me where the scary-looking scars on her stomach and back came from, but when I mentioned them to Josh, he said he suspected she’d suffered some sort of attack by the way she reacts to men.”

  Josh was a former FBI agent whose specialty was extracting the truth from people, so his instincts were good. “She seemed fine with Ben earlier.”

  Meg nodded. “Josh thinks it was a larger man who hurt her. She gets nervous around Josh too, like she does around you.”

  Tara was nervous around him because of his size? It wasn’t that he was a cop and she had something to hide? Or maybe it wasn’t size at all. Maybe she was nervous around Josh because he could tell if she was lying?

  Meg added, “Don’t tell anyone else, okay? She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”

  “Fine.” But that just set off a dozen new questions about Tara he felt compelled to know the answers to. Mostly, where was the person who’d hurt her and was she safe?

  “Ryan, you have to give me your word you’ll leave this alone. I would’ve never told you, but I know you can keep a secret.”

  He couldn’t promise he wouldn’t look into it. It was his duty to be sure she wasn’t in danger. “I’ll keep whatever I find to myself.”

  Casey slipped inside behind Meg. “I called Mike and told him you wouldn’t be in today. He said he’s eating your breakfast burrito. And he wanted to know who hits harder, him or Tara?” She crossed her arms. “Can you be trusted to rest if we leave?”

  Tara hit ten times harder, and he’d be sure to rib Mike about that later. “I promise to stick around the house if that’ll get you two to go away.�
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  “Okay.” Casey tugged Meg out with her. “But just know we may drop in unannounced later, so be good!”

  As they left, he called out, “What makes that different from any other day?”

  His answer was the extra loud slam of his screen door.

  He waited a few minutes to be sure they’d really left, then changed into sweats and headed out to the living room. He wasn’t going to lie around in bed all day like a damn invalid. He switched his big screen TV to ESPN for background noise and then picked up a book.

  He tried to read but his mind kept going back to what Meg had said about him making Tara nervous. Maybe if he could help her understand he’d never hurt her, and that maybe he could help her, then he’d have a chance with her?

  But Ben was interested in her so that was a stupid thought. Must be the pain meds clouding his thinking. And making him really tired. But his face felt a ton better. He turned off the TV, closed his eyes, and laid his head on the back of the couch. Maybe he’d rest for just a few minutes.

  He awoke to the sound of knocking on his screen door. That was his first clue it wasn’t one of his pushy relatives who always just let themselves in. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and called out, “Come in.”

  His face ached again. Must be time for more medicine.

  The door creaked open and Tara tentatively stepped inside with three Styrofoam boxes in her hands. “Hi. I brought you some dinner. Gloria sent extra pie along too.”

  He glanced at his phone on the coffee table. How the hell was it five thirty? His brother had drugged him up good. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “It was no . . .” Tara’s eyes widened when she spotted the cherry wood built-in bookcases he’d just finished. Dropping her big purse and the boxes onto the coffee table, she crossed the room and danced her fingers lightly across the fragile spines of his antique books. “Wow! Are some of these first editions?”

  He stood and moved near her, careful to keep some distance. “A few. But mostly they’re just my favorites.”

  She pushed her blonde hair behind one ear as she tilted her head to read the titles. “You do have some Keats. I’d wondered.”

  He hated that she’d gone straight for that. He only had the two, but it probably made him look wimpy. “They’re collector items. I’m not really . . .”

  Tara glanced up and grinned. “Poetic?”

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Just a curious guy full of personal questions then, I guess.”

  He smiled. She was such a contradiction. One minute it was as if she was afraid of him, and the next she teased him. He liked a woman with a sense of humor. “I love a great story. When you’re ready, I hope you’ll tell me yours.”

  She wasn’t falling for that one. No matter how cute the man was. “Mine isn’t all that great.”

  Tara glanced out the window, away from his penetrating gaze, and took in the fantastic view of the lake. The story of her life was more like one of the psychological thrillers he had on his bookshelves. “Gloria said you did all of this yourself?”

  “Yeah. Want a tour?”

  When she turned to look at him again, he wasn’t studying her like a science experiment anymore. If she didn’t know better she’d think he might be interested in her. She should leave, but she really was impressed with the house. “Okay.”

  Tara followed behind as Ryan pointed out all the renovations he’d done to his gorgeous home. It was no cabin as the outside suggested, but a beautiful, light-filled, elegant home.

  They passed by the dining room, which held a lovely wooden table that could’ve used some pretty flowers in the center. The large kitchen had been remodeled with stainless steel appliances that rivaled the ones her parents’ chefs used. The gleaming granite countertops offset the same beautiful cherry wood he’d used in the living room.

  When she turned to tell him how impressed she was, he was just a few steps behind her. He walked quietly for a guy who must’ve weighed as much as an NFL player.

  She backed up to put a little distance between them until her lower back hit the kitchen island. “Your home is stunning, Ryan. I’m impressed.”

  “Thanks.” He held out his palm. “Can I see your right hand, please?”

  “I’m fine. Are you hungry?”

  Ryan took a small step closer and her blood pressure spiked. But then he stopped, with his hand still held out, waiting for her to comply.

  He wasn’t taking no for an answer, apparently.

  She slowly moved closer and laid her hand in his big, rough one. “It’s nothing compared to your nose. I’m still just sick about that.”

  When his thumb slowly, and ever so gently, swept across her bruised palm, it sent a sensual shiver up her spine. Not so different from how her stomach reacted when he smiled at her. Why did she have to be so attracted to someone she needed to avoid? Had he noticed her mixed reaction to him?

  His slowly growing mischievous grin answered that question. Now she was back to being mortified again.

  He stared into her eyes as his thumb continued to caress her palm. “How about I promise to stop sneaking up on you, and you promise you’ll refrain from beating me up?” His grin turned into a wide smile and her traitorous lips couldn’t help but follow suit.

  She nodded as she gazed into his eyes that shone with amusement. Her sensible side told her to leave and never look back, but his touch felt really . . . nice. “Deal—”

  The screen door banged and a little voice called out, “Uncle Ryan?”

  Ryan gave Tara’s hand a gentle squeeze before he released it. He spun around and caught Meg’s daughter, who had launched herself at him. “Hey there.”

  Blonde, adorable Haley patted his chest. “You don’t have your police shirt on. So no candy for me?”

  Meg walked in carrying a bag slung over her wrist and a big pot in her hands. “It’s too close to dinnertime for a Life Saver anyway, Haley.” Meg put the pot on Ryan’s eight-burner stove and tossed the grocery bag on the counter by the built-in double fridge. “Hey, Tara.”

  “Hi, Meg.” So Ryan kept candy for Haley in his uniform pocket? How adorable was that? “Do you need a hand?”

  “Nope, I got it. Just going to put some stuff in the fridge while I finish getting dinner ready. Josh and Eric will be here in a minute. You should stay.”

  Eric was Tara’s puppy walker, and a sweet kid Meg and Josh were adopting. Eric had saved the puppies and their mother from starvation on the boys’ ranch where he’d been living before Josh brought him and the dogs to live in Anderson Butte. Eric loved the dogs but couldn’t keep them all, so she’d happily taken Sherlock.

  She loved Eric and would have liked to stay because of him. But Josh was a former FBI agent who probably sensed she was lying too. She’d better go.

  While Meg’s back was turned, Ryan opened a cookie jar on the counter and pulled out a pack of cherry Life Savers, then slipped one to Haley. When she squealed, he tapped his finger against his lips, then put her down. Haley grinned as she ran toward the couch and the television’s remote.

  With her back still to them, Meg called out, “You’re supposed to be an adult and setting a good example for your niece. Not sneaking her candy behind my back. You’re paying Tara’s dental bill if Haley gets a cavity!”

  Ryan’s answer was a smug smirk.

  Sounded like they’d had that discussion a time or two before.

  Tara walked to the living room and grabbed her purse. Then she picked up her to-go meal, leaving Ryan’s boxes behind. “Bye, Haley.”

  Haley sent her a sweet grin and a wave before her attention went straight back to some Disney princess on the screen. Haley was almost three and about the cutest little girl Tara had ever known.

  A pang shot straight to her heart. Spencer had stolen that from her too. The ability to ever h
ave a little Haley of her own.

  Ryan appeared by her side. “You’re not staying?”

  “I’d better get home and feed my puppy. But thanks.”

  He walked beside her toward the door. Beating her to the screen, he pushed it open. “Thank you for the dinner. And the pie.” He slipped his hands into the pockets of his sweats and asked, “Sure you don’t want to stay?”

  Did he really want her to stay? No, he was just being polite. Or looking for another opportunity to snoop. “Thanks, but no. I hope you feel better soon, Mr. Nosy.”

  As she started down the steps he said softly, “Hope your hand feels better too, Bruce Lee.”

  She chuckled as she headed up the hill to her house. She could feel him watching her. Just before she turned the corner she glanced over her shoulder.

  He sent her another smile she felt in her gut, then lifted a hand.

  She returned the gesture and then stared down at her bruised palm.

  Could she be with a man like Ryan and still keep her secret? Being tall herself, men with Ryan’s build had always been her type—before.

  What was she thinking? She’d just broken his nose. She’d be the last person Ryan would ever want to be with. Besides, any man who turned down easy one-night stands and took the time to make his house that beautiful was probably the type who wanted a wife and kids to fill it. Something she could never be again or give him.

  She should just stick to spending her free time with Sherlock and forget how nice Ryan’s touch had felt.

  As she unlocked her door and typed in the code to her security system, her cell rang. She dug it out of her purse and checked the screen. She didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

  Soft breathing sounded in her ear, so she said, “Hello?” again.

  Then the line went dead.

  Her heart lurched. It couldn’t be happening again. But Spencer was a genius computer hacker. If he’d gotten access to . . .

  No. Just a wrong number. That’s all. And all her bills had her parents’ house address just in case. But there were always cell phone GPS locations.