Justice Inked (Cowboy Justice Association 7) Read online

  The smile was wiped from Camy’s expression. “You know the family doesn’t talk about Uncle Henry’s toupee. Ever.”

  “The let’s make our sex life another topic that doesn’t get discussed ever. It’s too personal.”

  For some reason Rayne didn’t want to talk about Dare and what he meant. She’d never been a shrinking violet when it came to sex and she’d had plenty of late night, alcohol-fueled discussions with her friends about the men in their lives but…this was different. It felt different. More intense and infinitely more real.

  “My, my, my, you’re awfully prissy these days. This little town is having quite the effect on you. Next thing I’ll find out you’ve given up swearing.”

  “Screw that,” Rayne laughed. “Not going to happen. I have the vocabulary of a well-educated sailor. It took me years to learn all these colorful words.”

  “I know you don’t think so but I know a few myself. I’m not as uptight as you think I am, sis. I’m still me.”

  Rayne sipped her coffee, not sure where Camy was going with this. Her sister had changed since marrying and moving to Fairfield. There was no arguing with that fact but Rayne had never seen any regret from Camy.

  “Of course you’re still you,” Rayne agreed readily. “But you have to admit that you’re not exactly the same person that you were when you moved here. You’re all grown up, married, with a kid now. You go to church and crochet blankets. You bake cookies and don’t just eat all the dough from the bowl and make yourself sick. You’re…an adult.”

  Camy sighed and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, a pensive expression on her face. “It sucks being an adult. Don’t get me wrong though. I love being a wife and mom but sometimes I just want to kick up my heels and have some fun. You still have fun.”

  Rayne’s mouth hung open in shock. Her sister didn’t have a clue, but then Rayne hadn’t taken much time lately to help her understand. If anything, she’d been avoiding spending time with Camy and it was clear that needed to stop. They couldn’t possibly hope to understand each other’s lives if they weren’t an integral part of them.

  “Fun? You think I’m having a lot of fun?” Rayne shook her head wondering if she should laugh or cry. “Okay, I did have some fun last night. I’ll admit to that without giving any details. But most of the time I work ten to twelve hour days six days a week, and on the seventh day I spend most of it cooking, cleaning, or doing laundry. There are no big parties in my life, no wild nights of drinking and dancing. In fact, right now I have a babysitter out in the police cruiser in our driveway. I can’t even go to Starbucks without a chaperone. The party animal I was in the past has given way to a woman that likes hot baths and bedtime before ten.”

  Camy wrinkled her nose. “Jeez, you’re an adult too. I can’t even live my wildest fantasies vicariously through you anymore. When did this happen? We’re officially no fun.”

  “Speak for yourself. I can be a laugh a minute as long as I get enough sleep.” Rayne reached across the table and patted her sister’s knee. “How about when this is all over and I don’t have a babysitter, you and me have a wild and woolly girls-only weekend? We can go into Bozeman and go dancing, eat chocolate, and maybe some shopping too. We’ll act like we have no responsibilities for forty-eight hours. What do you think?”

  Camy’s smile lit up and she hopped out of her chair and headed straight for her laptop perched on the kitchen counter. “It sounds like a plan. I’ll start checking hotels and restaurants. Maybe we can even invite Evie and Sarah from Denver to meet us there. Hey, maybe we could just go to Denver.”

  I’ve created a monster.

  Camy was already tapping away at her keyboard and humming a happy tune. Rayne had a feeling by nightfall “Camy the Cruise Director” would have their weekend completely planned right down to the pillow fight before bedtime.

  It felt good though to be finding a way back to the closeness she and Camy had once shared. Rayne wanted to make that connection again, especially when she thought about Dare and his father and mother. That had been a dysfunctional family and their estrangement was understandable. But the tension between Rayne and Camy came simply from not trying enough to understand each other.

  Time to forgive the little digs and slights and put family – and love – first.

  * * * *

  Dare tossed the empty paper cup into the trash and turned his attention back to the drawing. It was the only lead they had now and it had to mean something. There were people after this that were willing to do some serious damage to get it. It was important and he just had to figure out why. No small task apparently, because he’d been staring at it for the last hour and so far all he had to show for it was a headache.

  After he’d snuck out of Rayne’s home last night he’d had Deputy Billy drive him home where he’d managed to get a few hours’ sleep, leaving Deputy Harris to protect Rayne. This morning he’d come in extra early and sucked down massive amounts of coffee along with two bear claws while he studied the design and looked up ideas on the Internet.

  Nothing. The morning had been a gigantic bust and it hadn’t put Dare in the best of moods. The deputies were giving him a wide berth and one had even closed the door to Dare’s office without so much as a by your leave.

  A knock sounded and then Deputy Jay stuck his head in. The lawman was in his early thirties but showed great promise if he could keep his dick in his pants. The young man was considered handsome by most of the ladies in town with his reddish-brown hair and goatee. He dated a different woman every weekend and seemed to be enjoying the hell out of his bachelor life to the point where he often came into work exhausted in the morning from screwing his brains out all night.

  Lucky bastard.

  Then Dare remembered what he’d been doing last night and had to clear his throat to keep from smiling. If one of his deputies saw him happy they might have a stroke, and Dare needed all the manpower he could get.

  “Hey, Sheriff. I’m heading to lunch at the bowling alley. Did you want to come?”

  Dare couldn’t stare at this drawing one more second. He needed a break and some food.

  “I’m coming with you.” Dare held out the clear evidence bag that contained the drawing. “Have Margaret lock this back in the evidence locker and then meet me out front. I’ll drive.”

  The bowling alley wasn’t that far and within ten minutes Dare and Jay were tucked into a booth in the food area, the sounds of balls striking pins in the background.

  “Thanks for inviting me. I needed the fresh air.”

  Jay gave his boss a lopsided smile. “Not sure the bowling alley qualifies as fresh air but I’m happy to have the company. If I came here alone, Susie would be trying to talk to me and get back together or something. That’s never going to happen.”

  Dare peeked over his menu at the pretty brunette behind the shoe rental counter. She was a lovely girl but everyone in the area knew her reputation.

  “Were you the only man who didn’t know what she was like?” Dare asked. “I’ve made sure to stay away from her since I came back to town.”

  Jay sighed and slumped in his seat. “She seemed really normal and nice whenever I talked to her. Real sweet, you know. Then I went out on one date with her and she’s like a psycho-bunny. Talking about marriage and kids and meeting her family. Shit, I just wanted to get laid.”

  Dare hid his smile. Jay was learning a valuable lesson. “That’s how it starts. Just wanting to get laid. She’ll move on soon enough to some other poor bastard. In the meantime, why come here for lunch?”

  Jay’s eyes widened in surprise. “Because they have the best cheeseburger in three counties.”

  “That they do,” Dare agreed, lowering his menu. Who was he kidding? He was getting the cheeseburger and an order of their special seasoned fries. “Just don’t make eye contact with her. Look at the table or your shoes but not at her.”

  Jay’s gaze immediately dropped to his hands wrapped around a wate
r glass. “You know, I’m glad we came today even if Susie says something to me. I’m thinking that I’m getting tired of the local girls. I need to expand my horizons a little.”

  Just what Jay didn’t need…to be known as a Lothario in more than this county.

  “What did you have in mind? Checking out the girls in Springwood or Harper?”

  The corners of Jay’s lips turned up and his cheeks took on a reddish tone. “Actually I have a girl in mind. She’s sexy as fuck too but smart. At least I assume she is. She’d have to be to run her own business and all.”

  Dare could only wonder about what Jay considered smart. If they could find their car keys and tie their shoes that would probably be enough for the young lawman.

  “You should ask her out then.”

  Jay’s smiled widened and he stood from the table, adjusting his gun belt and gazing at something or someone behind Dare. “Don’t mind if I do, boss. I’ll be right back.”

  Jay strode toward his target and Dare twisted in his chair to see what this sexy and smart woman looked liked, his heart dropping to his feet immediately.

  She was sexy and smart. And sweet. And wonderful.

  The woman Jay was going to ask out was Rayne who was sitting with her sister Camy and looking like they were going to order lunch.

  The realization smacked Dare upside the head, making him rub his aching forehead. No one knew he and Rayne were dating. To the casual observer she was a free agent able to date or sleep with anyone she cared to.

  Dare didn’t like that at all but he couldn’t think of one legitimate reason to stop Jay.

  So he’d think up a bogus one.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “Did you know Dare would be eating lunch here?” Rayne hissed at her sister Camy as they sat down at a table in the restaurant area of the local bowling alley. They’d both had a craving for cheeseburgers and after dropping the baby off with her grandmother, they’d driven the ten miles to Valley Station for a quick bite since Fairfield lacked a place to find a great hamburger. “I don’t like bothering him at work, sis.”

  Camy settled in her chair and picked up the menu. “As a matter of fact I did not know he’d be here, but you’re hardly bothering him by sitting here and eating. Does he get pissy about little things like this? Because that might be a nasty red flag.”

  “He doesn’t but I know he takes his job seriously.” Rayne peered over her menu at Dare and the other deputy sitting across from him who appeared to be looking their way. “Who’s with him? I haven’t seen him before.”

  Camy smiled and waved at the young deputy, making Rayne bury her face in her menu. Her sister couldn’t be cool if she tried.

  “That’s Deputy Jay Mallory. He’s something of a Casanova but quite sweet.”

  Rayne groaned and gave her sister a small kick under the table. “When I asked who he was I meant for you to sneak a look at him, not wave a flag. Don’t you know how to be sly?”

  “Why would I be sly?” Camy shrugged and snapped her menu shut. “He’s clearly looking at you, so why are we pretending we don’t see him? Oh look, he’s standing up and coming over here. I can introduce you.”

  From the expression on the man’s face, he wasn’t going to be inquiring about the weather or the chances of the local team in the big game. Rayne had seen men who looked like that and invariably they asked her to dance or if they could buy her a drink. The whole situation was only made more awkward by the fact that her secret boyfriend-slash-lover was the young man’s boss and sitting right there and watching the entire thing.

  In comparison to the open happiness of Deputy Jay, Dare’s face was a gray cloud of pissed off. He didn’t look amused in the least and his ice blue eyes were currently gazing at Rayne with laser-like focus as if daring her to take up whatever the deputy offered.

  The asshole was going to watch her squirm. Well, she had ways of getting even and every one of them was in the bedroom.

  “Hey Camy, how are you doing? Long time no see.”

  The young deputy stood in front of their table with his thumbs hooked in his gun belt, a smile across his handsome face. Self-confidence oozed from every pore and Rayne knew she was going to have to take him down a peg or two whether she wanted to or not.

  “Nice to see you too, Deputy,” Camy said. “What have you been up to lately? Are you still planning to enter the fishing derby next month?”

  Deputy Jay’s face split into a grin. “Hell yes, I can’t wait. It’s my year and Duke Wallace knows it. I’ll be taking home the trophy, just you wait and see.”

  The deputy’s gaze drifted to Rayne and then back to Camy, his eyebrows raised in question. Camy picked up on the suggestion and waved a hand at her sister. “Have you met my sister Rayne? She owns the local tattoo shop and moved here to Montana from San Francisco. Rayne, this is Deputy Jay Mallory.”

  “Nice to meet you, Deputy,” Rayne murmured, not wanting to encourage the young man in any way but it went against her friendly nature.

  The deputy leaned in, placing his hands flat on the table so he was looking directly into her eyes. “How have we not run into each other all these months? Maybe we could have dinner one night and get to know each other a little. I could show you around to some of the local spots that you may not have discovered yet.”

  Rayne fiddled with her paper napkin, her gaze skittering around the bowling alley. “Right now I’m working so much I rarely have time to go out. But I do appreciate the offer—you’re very sweet.”

  His smile became almost predatory as if he was a wolf and she was a juicy steak.

  “You have no idea how sweet I can be. Maybe we could just go for coffee?”

  Before she could answer a large and familiar hand came down on the deputy’s shoulder.

  “Our food just arrived at the table, Jay. You should eat before it gets cold. I’m sure these lovely ladies want to get along with their lunch as well.”

  Finally Dare had intervened. What he’d been waiting for she wasn’t sure and she was a little annoyed about their secret relationship, although it had been just as much her idea as his. Perhaps she was just annoyed with him in general, but she ought to feel sorry for him. After his drunken binge last night he looked a little worse for wear with dark circles under his eyes and his hair askew as if he’d run his fingers through it too many times.

  “Uh sure, Sheriff. I was just catching up with the ladies.” Deputy Jay gave them a mock salute and headed back to the table. Dare nodded to them briefly, not addressing them directly before following the younger man, tension in the line of his shoulders. It was clear the two men were going to have an uncomfortable conversation and Rayne was distinctly glad she wasn’t the deputy right about now.

  Camy giggled as they watched the two lawmen dig into their cheeseburgers. “I think poor Deputy Jay is about to get his ass kicked and he won’t even know why. Unless Dare spills the beans about your relationship of course. Do you think he will?”

  “It’s okay if he does.” Rayne shrugged, quite fine with the idea of going public at this juncture. She and Dare had feelings for one another, although it was never going to be smooth sailing between them. They were both stubborn and opinionated like…mules falling in love.

  Rayne and Camy ate their lunch in peace, chatting about the upcoming holidays and the cleanup at Rayne’s home. Dare and Jay didn’t come over again, although the young woman behind the counter in the main bowling alley sidled up to their table and appeared quite enamored with the handsome deputy. He seemed a little put off but Rayne couldn’t help thinking they might make a nice couple.

  “Are you ready to go?” Camy asked, popping the last French fry into her mouth with a sigh of bliss. “We need to head over to your place.”

  There was a chance Rayne’s new bed would be delivered this afternoon along with the new linens she’d ordered.

  “I just need to run to the ladies room. I’ll be right back.”

  Rayne popped into the restroom, taking care of a
ll that needed to be done, including a fresh coat of lipstick and a comb through her unruly locks. The early morning rain had turned her hair into a riot of waves and curls that simply wouldn’t be tamed. The world would have to deal with her as she was. She exited the bathroom and ran right into a wall of muscle and bone. Dare, of course.

  “How long have you been skulking outside the ladies room, Dare? That’s creepy.”

  Her gorgeous lover simply rolled his eyes and crossed those muscular arms across his chest, pulling his shirt tight around his shoulders and sending increasingly dirty thoughts through her filthy mind. She could just grab him and pull him back into the restroom and one of the stalls… Bing, bang, boom, they could be back at the table in about five minutes. No one the wiser.

  “I needed to talk to you.” Dare snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Are you listening to me? You look like you’re far away from here.”

  She was currently shagging his brains out in a dingy bowling alley bathroom. Hell, they weren’t the most romantic couple in the world, especially after the interlude in the pantry last night. Would a quick hit in the ladies room be tacky?

  Okay, yes, it would be tacky.

  But would it be too tacky?

  “I’m here,” she said, pulling herself back to the present where they were standing a foot apart. Too far, if anyone asked her opinion. “What did you want to talk about?”

  Dare pursed his lips and tapped his chin. He was nervous and it was extremely cute.

  “I, uh, I’m sorry if my deputy put you on the spot like that. Once I had him back at the table I told him it wasn’t professional to ask out a woman that our department is protecting.”

  Rayne quirked an eyebrow and had to press her lips together to keep from busting out in laughter. “You don’t think that’s a trifle hypocritical, Sheriff? After all, you’re…fucking…the woman your department is protecting. He just wanted to take me to dinner.”