Her Sweet Talkin' Man

“I’m really starting to lose patience with your lack of good manners. You ready with that apology yet, pal?” Ace asked.

Branson raised dark, hate-filled eyes to Crystal. “Sorry,” he said, the word clipped and barely audible.

She gave him a curt nod just as a security guard approached. “Thanks, man. We’ll take him off your hands,” he told Ace. “Ms. Fiona saw that something was happening and sent us over, Ms. Bennett. We’ll get him out of here right away,” he promised.

“Thank you,” she breathed.

But her words were nearly drowned out by Branson’s sudden shouting as the security guard removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt.

“You tramp, Crystal, you’re gonna pay for this. I know how you operate. I know who and what you are. You’re a backstabber. You promise things and then don’t deliver. But I know that, and I’ll be back. I’ll be lookin’ for you. You and your kind took something I wanted. Now maybe I’ll take something you want, and I do know what means the most to you. Don’t think I don’t.”

His words were spewed out, dark and ominous. He lunged furiously, nearly dragging to the ground the security guard, who had only Branson’s right wrist cuffed. Finally another security guard grabbed Branson’s other arm, and together they cuffed his hands behind his back and pulled him from the area.

The silence that followed was like a thick choking smoke. Crystal’s heart was beating frantically. What had he meant? What was he going to do?

She surprised herself by raising her gaze to Ace as if just looking at him could calm her. He was standing nearer than she’d expected. When her eyes met his, he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Go ahead. Lean on me,” he whispered, then looked up at the small crowd who’d gathered.

“I tell you, some people just shouldn’t even go to parties,” he said, addressing the group. “That one there looks like he started drinking early and needs to sleep it off. I guess he just didn’t like it when Ms. Bennett suggested he leave and get some rest. But it was a pretty good demonstration of the security at Mission Creek Memorial, though, wasn’t it? You can all rest easy knowing you’ll always be safe here. Makes you feel good seeing this hospital is on the job protecting the people staying here, doesn’t it?” He smiled reassuringly on that last note, and everyone began to murmur among themselves and drift away. One or two of them gave Crystal a worried look, but somehow she managed to follow Ace’s lead and paste on a smile. In spite of the fact that her heart was still hammering.

Slowly, almost without her noticing it, Ace walked her into the deeper shelter of some trees where some small benches were positioned. He eased her down on one, and she realized that her legs had been a bit shaky and she’d been leaning on Ace, an almost total stranger.

She glanced up at him, wondering what he really thought about what had happened back there. Especially since she herself wasn’t quite sure what had happened. She hadn’t seen Branson in years.

But Ace’s expression was unreadable. He bore no sign of his struggle with Branson other than one disheveled lock of black hair. He looked like a man who was used to fighting and didn’t let it bother him. It bothered her that he had been forced to come to her rescue.

“I seem to be causing you a great deal of trouble today,” she said.

He ignored her concerned tone and gave her a slow sexy grin. “Don’t apologize. I’m rather partial to trouble. Been in the thick of it all my life.”

She gulped at the look in his eyes. It was the look a man gives a woman who interests him, at least physically. Her pulse began to trip over itself. This just wouldn’t do. It wasn’t that she didn’t find him amazingly attractive. She did, and more than that, she was grateful for his help and his kind attention, more grateful than she could say. But he was obviously the worst kind of man. The kind that flipped through women like the pages of a magazine. The kind she never went near, not anymore.

“Well, then, all I can say is thank you for your help. I’m indebted to you,” she said. “If I can ever repay you…” She hoped that didn’t sound as bad to him as it did to her.

He shook his head. “For what? I told you, I welcome trouble.”

Oh, she’d just bet he did. She’d bet he caused it, too. Which meant the only smart thing for her to do now was to get as far away as possible from the attraction he held for her. “Thank you, anyway,” she said. “But I guess I should get back and make sure everything is running smoothly.”

He nodded, but the long look he gave her held her as immobile as Branson’s death grip. “You want to tell me what that was all about back there?”

Three

Crystal blinked. No, she didn’t want to talk about what had happened with Branson. She didn’t want to talk about it or even think about it. But Ace stood there waiting, his blue eyes studying her, his stance loose, almost relaxed.

As if he could wait forever for her to speak.

“I don’t exactly know,” she finally confessed. “Years ago, when I was in high school, I dated Branson. He seemed like a quiet shy boy at first. After we’d gone out once or twice, though, he…well, I could tell that he wasn’t always operating under the same rules as the rest of the world. Little things upset him a lot more than they did most people. He would get unreasonably angry if he forgot his textbook at home, angry enough to throw things. If I didn’t say ‘Goodbye, Branson,’ instead of just ‘Goodbye,’ he would rant and rave. After just two dates I told him that I didn’t think I was right for him and that he should find someone else.”

She stared into Ace’s eyes. She was embarrassed, and her first instinct was to look down, but she’d done enough of that in her life and so she forced herself to hold his gaze.

Instead, he was the one to glance down. Just once. Just a quick look. She realized she was twisting her hands together. So much for appearing poised and calm.

“I take it Branson wasn’t exactly happy with your decision.”

She wasn’t sure she could say the next part. She wasn’t sure why she was even considering saying anything, but there was something very compelling about Ace’s unreadable expression. It was the sort of expression a cop might wear. Just the facts, ma’am, he seemed to be saying. And she realized she’d never really told anyone about what had happened between her and Branson. Maybe because all of them thought they already knew and no one wanted to talk about it.

“Branson blew up. He screamed and yelled. In the end he begged. I was…I was frightened, but I knew that it would be worse giving in than going forward. I left. Soon after that, the whispers started. Someone started a rumor that I was easy, that I would let anyone do anything, that I would sleep with any male who asked, that I was a tramp. Branson told them that I’d done things with him that I’d never done. Most people didn’t believe him, but a few did. That hurt so much that I went into hiding, which was the wrong thing to do. People took it as an admission of guilt. It took me years to win back my self-esteem. And then I met John. I had Timmy out of wedlock. The rumors started again, only this time I stared them down. The Carsons found me a good job here at the hospital, and I hold my head up high.”

“No reason you shouldn’t,” Ace said softly.

She realized that she’d made her last statement somewhat defensively, but that Ace hadn’t seemed to notice.

“Anyway, that’s my story, such as it is. I haven’t had contact with Branson for years. He’s spent a lot of time in and out of jail. He did have some conflict with the hospital once in the not-too-distant past. His wife had experienced complications of childbirth due to alcohol abuse, and the doctors were unable to save the baby, which was premature. Branson tried to sue, unsuccessfully. For the past year, he’s been in jail for burglarizing an auto parts store, so I have no idea what brought him here today or why he chose to approach me. What I do know is that I really had better get back to work now.”

Ace gazed down at her. She stood up and he stepped aside to let her past.

“Thank you for stepping in to help me,” she said, holding out her hand.

He stared down at her hand, and for a moment her palm tingled. Then he closed his fingers around hers. His hand was large and warm, but she didn’t feel threatened the way she had with Branson. Instead, she felt a desire to stay there connected to him. Quickly she withdrew her hand and turned away.

He fell into step beside her.

She glanced to the side and frowned. “I know I’ve twice looked like a helpless boob today, but I assure you that I can take care of myself.”

“I know that.” He continued walking by her side.

“I really don’t think he’s going to come back and bother me again.”

“Probably not.”

“The security officers took him away. He’s gone.”

“Looks that way.”

“Ace, you don’t need to escort me. I’m not going to get in any more trouble.”

He raised one lazy brow and she held back a smile. She couldn’t really blame him, considering the way the day had gone.

“I’m not normally this catastrophe-prone,” she promised, and this time she wasn’t sure whether she was talking to him or to herself.

He stopped, turning to face her, and took both her hands in his. “Everyone knows that. I can’t tell you how many total strangers have told me that you are the one responsible for this new wing. I believe the way they put it was ‘Crystal Bennett can turn on that smile and talk you into donating money you haven’t even started to earn yet.”’

She laughed. “Well, I’m not that bad—or that good—but we really did need this maternity wing.”

“The hospital didn’t handle births?”

“Of course they did, but everything was old, kind of cold and sterile. It’s very…well, it’s frightening when you have your first baby. Lots of the mothers are young. They’re scared. They need to know that their babies are going to get the best care and that they’re going to be born into a warm welcoming world. This new wing is designed to make having a baby much safer and less distressing.”

Ace gazed down at her with fierce blue eyes. “Is that how it was for you? Frightening?”

Oh, no. She hadn’t meant to bring out those protective instincts in him again. Even though she had been frightened giving birth to Timmy alone.

“I was a lioness,” she managed to say with a straight face.

He chuckled and brushed a finger across her cheek. “I’ll bet you were,” he said. “Now come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’ve been watching you all afternoon. It’s getting late, and you’ve been so busy that you haven’t eaten.”

“I’ll eat,” she promised, “but I’m still working. When it’s over, I’ll definitely be fed,” she said, lifting her chin as he gave her one of those I-don’t-believe-you looks. “Don’t worry about me. Like I told you, I know how to take care of myself. I’m used to it and I like it,” she said firmly.

“Oh, but it’s not nearly as much fun as having a gorgeous man take over for a while, Crystal.” A soft teasing voice sounded at Crystal’s shoulder and she turned to see Fiona Carson Martin smiling at her and Ace.

“Fiona,” Crystal said with a smile. “I’m glad to see you could make it. Is everything all right?”

Fiona laughed. “Yes, very all right. I’m sorry I was late, but I was almost ready to slip my dress on when…well, my husband can be quite a distraction.”

Crystal felt the warm color climbing her cheeks. She tried not to look at Ace, but couldn’t seem to help herself. He was smiling at her.

“Speaking of distractions, Crystal, why don’t you introduce me to your young man? He seems to be causing quite a stir. The family sent me over to find out his story. They all feel very protective toward you, you know.”

Honestly, could a woman get any warmer or pinker? “Mr.—Ace is a new acquaintance,” Crystal replied. “Fiona Carson Martin, meet Ace…” She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to fill in his last name.

For a moment there was silence. She thought she’d seen a muscle twitch in his jaw when she introduced Fiona, but that must have been her imagination. Nothing had fazed Ace today, not being trapped in an elevator or fighting off a violent lunatic. Why should he mind being introduced to a beautiful woman? For a second Crystal felt a pain in her heart. A ridiculous pain, she assured herself. Of course she didn’t care how Ace reacted to Fiona or any other woman.

She looked up at Ace, who still hadn’t spoken.

His frozen expression relaxed into a smile, almost as if he had willed it to please her. “Sorry, you caught me a bit off guard there,” he said. “My name’s Ace Carson, son of Ford Carson. Perhaps you know him?”

Suddenly Crystal couldn’t breathe.

Fiona blinked and looked as if she couldn’t think. But then, true to character, she managed to smile.

“Well, my goodness, isn’t this an incredibly interesting turn? And yes, I might know Ford,” she said. “You and Daddy talk often, do you?”

Her voice issued a challenge.

Ace gave her a long, slow and very cold grin. “Never met the man.”

Fiona nodded. “I see.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“You’re probably right.” She studied him for long seconds. “Just out of curiosity, how old are you?”

Crystal focused her attention on her friend, who looked as if her expression had frozen in place.

“Thirty-six,” Ace finally said, clipping off the words.

A bit of life flowed back into Fiona’s face and she shrugged. “Older than my oldest brother, Flynt. I guess that makes it all right. If it’s true.”

Ace didn’t respond to that. Crystal could see, though, that it didn’t make it all right with him. His eyes were hard, his jaw tense. Fiona could probably see that, too. She never missed much.

“Would you like to meet Daddy?” she asked softly.

For a minute Crystal thought Ace wasn’t going to answer. Then he shrugged. “I’ll meet him.” Which wasn’t quite the same as saying he’d like to meet him, Crystal couldn’t help noting.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you,” Fiona offered. “He’s not here today. He’s been a little under the weather these past couple of days, and since he could only manage one party today, he chose to attend the one at the country club, his home away from home. It’ll be starting in just a few minutes now that things are winding down here. Crystal, I know you were planning on attending. Do you want to come along with us?”

No, she didn’t. Now more than ever, she knew that Ace was dangerous. Dangerous in ways she didn’t understand. And he was really still a stranger, even more so now. A handsome, intriguing stranger who made her knees weak, who filled her with desire she didn’t understand and didn’t really want to acknowledge.

And now he appeared to be here for some reason known only to him. He was a man of mystery. Not even remotely safe.

Above all, she wanted a life filled with security and safety.

She didn’t want to follow Ace Carson anywhere.

But he was obviously facing a few difficult moments, and she just didn’t seem to be able to stop herself.

“Let’s go see Ford,” she said. And for some reason she couldn’t understand, she reached out and took Ace’s hand. She did her very best to ignore the foolish feeling that she wanted that hand sliding down her back someday, urging her close.

Because right now she had a feeling that Ace just needed a hand to hold, and that he wasn’t used to feeling that way.

Tomorrow they were both going to regret this moment. But right now she had today to contend with.

She’d become very good at never looking at tomorrow, at the possibilities or disappointments the next day might bring. Now she had to work at it even harder.

Now there was Ace.

Temptation.

She wondered if she was strong enough to resist the pull of him. Above all, she didn’t want to wake up alone in bed one day soon with the imprint of a man’s body on her sheets and his license plate fading away in the distance. Not again. Never again.

But she wouldn’t think about that now.

“Are you really Ford’s son?” she whispered.

Blue eyes met hers. She shivered.

“Afraid so,” he said. “And I’m real sorry about all this.”

Crystal closed her eyes. The last time a man had said something like that to her, he had been leaving. And her life had never been the same.

“So are you really related to us?” Fiona asked Ace a few minutes later.

He nodded and looked down into Fiona’s inquisitive green eyes. “You don’t look very surprised,” he said.

She laughed. “You don’t look like any Carson I’ve ever met before. Besides, surprised or not, I’m good at hiding things when I have to. And maybe I just don’t believe you.”

“Fiona,” Crystal said, and he swung his gaze to the woman who had grasped his hand as if trying to protect him, the lady who had been the focus of his attention all afternoon, despite his every effort to ignore her. Her hazel eyes were clouded with worry, and her grip on his hand was tight and cold. He gave himself a mental kick for letting her get caught in the middle of this charade between him and a family who, until now, hadn’t known he even existed. He knew so little about her.

Only that some man—no, make that two men—had treated her badly.

His grip on her hand tightened, and she gave a soft gasp.

Immediately he released her. “I’m sorry,” he said, “and don’t go worrying about me. I’m not upset because Fiona thinks I may be lying.” He wouldn’t tell her that it was she he worried about. She’d already assured him several times today that she was fully able to manage her affairs. He wanted to smile at the memory of how hard she’d argued her case, but he refrained from doing so. He knew she was capable. Everyone had told him so, but if she thought there was a man in the world who wouldn’t want to champion her whether she welcomed it or not, then she didn’t know much about men. And she had been threatened tonight. He couldn’t forget that. He didn’t think she could either, even though she was doing an admirable job of trying. He supposed a woman alone did a lot of that. No, he knew a woman alone did a lot of that.

Plus, he had a feeling that, mother or not, Crystal Bennett did not know very much at all about men. She brought out a protective side of him—the urge to keep her close enough to watch over her—that he didn’t like admitting to. It just didn’t fit into his plans, plans he’d been making for three months. Maybe plans that had been born thirty-six years ago. Not the kind of thing he could let go of just because he was worried about one small, brave, fierce woman.

“So should I believe that you’re really related to me, that my father sired you?” Fiona asked him, breaking into his thoughts. “And if I should, why should I?”

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t if I were you. After all, you seem like a smart lady. You probably already know the rules. Never believe anything a man tells you.”

She studied him for a second, then exchanged a disbelieving look with Crystal. “Even my husband?”

He smiled at her patient tone. “You’re right, ma’am. I stand corrected. Never trust a man, unless he’s proved himself by putting a ring on your finger.”

“So once a man puts a ring on your finger, he becomes instantly trustworthy?” Crystal asked, crossing her arms and staring at him incredulously.

Ace blinked. He almost smiled at her combative stance. “Why do I feel like I’m caught in the sights of a rifle with the two of you firing the questions? But yes, I get your point, and you’re absolutely right. Some men never do become trustworthy, ring or no ring.” Like him, he supposed. Wasn’t he here to disrupt the lives of people she no doubt cared about?

“Hmm, I’m offering to take you to meet my family, and you’re telling me that you can’t be trusted?” Fiona raised a brow.

“That’s right,” he said softly.

To his surprise, she suddenly smiled. “I think I like you, Ace. You’re direct, no pretense. That’s a Carson trait, you know.”

Ace nearly groaned. He didn’t want to have any Carson traits. The less he had in common with his so-called relatives the better.

Crystal seemed to sense his consternation. “Are you all right?” She gazed up at him with her pretty, worried eyes. For a moment he couldn’t look away.

Fiona chuckled.

Immediately Ace and Crystal turned to her. “Something funny, little sister?” Ace asked.

“Just enjoying myself,” she said. “You know, I had expected this event to be rather dull, in spite of all Crystal’s hard work. How nice to find out I was wrong. Lots of surprises today.” She looked pointedly at her friend, and Ace didn’t miss Crystal’s blush.

“Shall we go?” he asked. “No time like the present to meet up with the past.”

His voice was nearly expressionless, and Fiona winced. “Maybe I’d better go ahead. Daddy’s heart might need some warning of what he has in store. Can you make sure that Ace gets there in one piece, Crystal?”

Crystal laughed. “If you knew how my day had been going, you wouldn’t be asking that. Still, I think Ace will probably manage to get us all there intact.”

“All?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, I should have said something. I need to pick up my son. Will that be a problem? If it is, I know any number of other people who are going to the Lone Star. I’m sure it would be no problem to find someone to escort you there.”

He gazed down at her totally trusting expression and felt something he didn’t want to feel. Guilt? The lady didn’t know what he had in mind. She was good at talking people into doing things, as evidenced by this stunning addition to the hospital she’d managed to procure funding for. She would just as easily obtain passage for him to the country club. He’d warned her that his intentions couldn’t be trusted, and yet she was planning to help him find a ride to the country club, anyway. She was prepared to take on more work in finding him a ride. Because she was afraid that he would object to sharing a car with her little boy? What kind of a man would run from a child?

But he knew the answer. Any number of men. The boy’s father. His own father.

“I’d like to meet Timmy,” he said, even though he knew this was dangerous territory. The woman was enticing. He needed to keep his distance, and he had absolutely no business at all bringing another innocent into his mess. Especially a child.

No question, he was going to have to be careful where Crystal was concerned.

Maybe he’d better start thinking about that seriously right now, instead of thinking that he’d like to fold her into his arms and take anything that she was willing to give.

Four

“Hey, partner, that’s a pretty neat hat you’ve got there,” Ace said.

Crystal took her eyes off the road for a minute and looked at Ace. He was turned halfway in his seat, studying her son who was strapped safely into the back seat. From the corner of her eye she could see Timmy fingering the cowboy hat he’d been wearing lately. The quick shy smile on his little face nearly split her heart in two. He had so few dealings with men that he was always eager for their attention.

He stuck his feet straight out as far as he could.

“Got new boots,” she heard him say as she turned her attention back to the road.

“Yep. Nice shiny ones,” Ace agreed. “Your mom pick ’em out?”

Crystal didn’t hear anything, which probably meant that Timmy was shaking his head.

“No? You did that all by yourself, wildcat?” Ace’s voice was properly weighted with admiration.

Timmy giggled at the nickname, and she could tell that he liked it. “Mr. Ford picked ’em. New boots for me and us all.”

Silence slid into the car. Uh-oh, she hadn’t thought Timmy would even remember where the boots came from. It was true, though. Ford Carson frequently liked to spring surprises on the kids at the day-care center. For half a second she wondered if it was because of some lingering guilt over a son he’d fathered thirty-six years ago. Immediately she felt her own guilt. She liked Ford, and she refused to question his motives.