His Private Pleasure(39)

“Quin? Hey, it’s D.J. Any word yet on trial date? I’ve got my manpower stretched to the limits here and—”

“Actually, I’m glad you called,” his former colleague answered. “Things are going crazy up here. I should have something for you shortly.”

“Crazy how?”

“Good crazy, man. Listen, I don’t have time to explain everything at the moment. We’ve still got eyes on Dugan’s usual suspects, and there doesn’t look to be anything headed your way from our end.” He laughed. “Right now, he’s got a number of other problems to attend to.”

“Such as?”

“Well, we had hoped some of Pearl’s dates and names would give us a bit of ammo, but it’s been the start of an avalanche. We turned Morty.”

“No shit.” Mortimer was Dugan’s right-and left-hand man. “How in the hell—”

“Later, I really have to roll. But the rats are jumping ship in droves now. The way things are going, there might not even be a trial. If we’re lucky, he’ll be begging us to deal by the end of the week.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had in what feels like a decade.”

Quin laughed. “Liza making things interesting for you down there?”

Dylan started to make some smart-ass remark, but what came out was, “Yeah. In fact, she is. But I’ll be a lot happier if this thing gets tied up.”

“Well, keep Pearl close and tight for at least a few more days. Right now, I’m betting we bring her up here early and her part will be over with. I’ll call as soon as I hear.”

Dylan hung up, feeling as if he’d just lost a two-ton weight off his shoulders. The festival was set to launch Friday, and Avis wanted Pearl to stay at her house and bird-sit for her so she could be more involved in the various booths and activities she’d set up with her ladies group. Dylan just wanted to take Liza out, eat some good food. Mingle with the townsfolk while he kept an eye out for his deputies, who were in charge of the event. Maybe do a bit of dancing, then drag her home when things began to slow down.

He did not want to worry about Pearl and his mother.

But that wasn’t what was really bugging him. The reality was things were coming to an end where Pearl was concerned, and far more swiftly than he’d expected. Every day that passed with Liza only left him wanting more, craziness and all. He’d already figured that at the right moment, he was going to ask her to stay. Permanently. He’d just thought he’d have a whole lot more time to pick that moment from. In fact, he had sort of hoped that if he waited long enough, Liza would come to that conclusion on her own.

Whether or not she realized it, Liza was definitely finding her place in Canyon Springs. Headaches and all, he was all for her involvement in the community. She’d also definitely made a place in his heart. He was all for that, too. The burning question was, had he made a place in hers?



LIZA TWIRLED and looked at the way the flared skirt skimmed the backs of her thighs. “It is kind of cute.” She smiled at Kendra, the shop owner and designer of a number of the fashions displayed therein. “You really have a good eye. Ever thought about heading to New York?”

Kendra blushed, but laughed. “I thought about going to school there, many moons ago, but decided I’d rather run my own modestly successful place and be my own boss.”

Liza nodded. “Smart girl.” She stepped back into the dressing room and slipped the soft red fabric over her head. “I’ll take this and the other two outfits hanging on the door. You going to the festival opening tomorrow night?”

Kendra took the dress as she handed it over the curtain. “As soon as I close up. I’m supposed to help the fire marshal with their safety booth. I’m handing out those stickers you put in bedroom windows so they know where people are sleeping in case of a fire.”

Liza smiled to herself. Kendra sounded awfully dreamy about handing out stickers. “Have you known Tucker long?” She slipped out of the dressing room in time to watch Kendra’s face register surprise.

“I guess you would know him, since you’re living with Sheriff Jackson.”

Liza didn’t bother to blush. She was technically still living in the apartment with Pearl, Mulder and Scully, but she had been spending her nights up in that A-frame. It didn’t surprise her that word had gotten around. “You know, I used to think there were no secrets in Hollywood, but they could learn a thing or two observing how small towns operate.”

Kendra laughed. “I don’t know anything about Hollywood, but I’m guessing it’s probably like a small town of its own, in a way.” She bagged Liza’s purchases. “And no, to answer your question, I don’t know Tucker Greywolf personally.” She fluttered her lashes. “I’ve lusted from afar, however.” She shrugged and blushed a little. “Then I decided it was silly to sit and watch him flirt with all the other women in town and not do something about going after getting his attention focused where I want it. Which is on me.”

“Smart and talented. I’m liking you better all the time,” Liza said.

“Yeah, well, I’m not sure if I can parlay handing out stickers into a date.” She grinned and winked. “But I’m sure going to give it my best shot.”

Liza handed her a credit card. “My money’s on you.”

Kendra finalized the sale, then handed her the garment bag, a considering look in her own pretty brown eyes. “I’m thinking the same about you. You know, the whole town is wondering about you and the sheriff. You’ve really stirred things up around here.”

Liza smiled, unoffended by the frank comment. “I guess I haven’t exactly been hiding my light under a basket, huh?”

“Hardly,” Kendra said wryly, then they both laughed. “Not that anyone’s complaining. We’re enjoying watching Sheriff Jackson go down for the count. I was beginning to think the man was a monk.”

It was all Liza could do to keep a straight face. Boy, does he have all of you fooled, she thought. But wisely said nothing, happy enough to be the one who’d “defrocked” him.

“So,” Kendra added, more boldly now, “are you going to stay? Give our hunk of a sheriff a run for his money?”

Despite her growing daily schedule, Liza had been thinking about little else lately. She slid the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “It’s beginning to look that way, isn’t it?”

Kendra beamed a smile and shot a thumbs-up as Liza let herself out of the shop. She paused outside the door. What have you just gone and done?

But she knew exactly what she’d done. And she was pretty sure Kendra was already on the phone telling someone about it, who’d tell someone else. By the time she and Dylan showed up at the festival together tomorrow, the town would have a pool going on the names of their first children.

She laughed and swung the bag over her shoulder as she strolled down the street toward her car. Funny, but she didn’t feel the least bit concerned about that.

Not that she was planning on having kids anytime soon. She was still coming to terms with the idea of having a man in her life on a permanent basis. But no amount of rational analysis about what she should do, or should feel, based on the short time she’d been here, refuted the basic fact. And that was that Dylan Jackson was perfect for her.

He didn’t let her push him around…or he did, but in the right ways. And he pushed back…in the right ways. She smiled and squirmed a little in the leather seat of her car, just thinking about how right his ways were.

But even more than that, she’d found herself here in this little town. It amazed her on an hourly basis, but she was thriving here, in ways she hadn’t expected to. She’d meant what she’d said earlier. She was good at helping people, but here it felt more…specific. Worthwhile. She supposed because she was around to see the direct benefit of her assistance, and to enjoy the real friendships that were already developing because of them. What she did mattered here, because she mattered here. Or she was starting to.

She looked around as she pulled out and headed toward the apartment. “Liza Sanguinetti from Canyon Springs, New Mexico,” she murmured, testing it out. Yeah, it even sounded like home.





19




DYLAN CHECKED IN with his deputies one last time, then went off to find Liza. His visions of spending a lovely evening enjoying the festivities hadn’t exactly panned out as he’d hoped. He hadn’t even seen her, though he had spoken to her via Tucker’s radio at one point, hours earlier. At the time she was manning a booth for Tucker on the festival grounds so he could go dancing with someone named Kendra. Whatever. Liza was in her element, and Dylan was glad she was having a good time.

But he also hadn’t minded when she stipulated that she would be making up later for their lack of alone time. In fact, he was looking forward to it.

He was exhausted. It had been a long, fourteen hour shift. After putting in a day behind his desk, he’d been off and running in ten different directions once the festival had begun. He’d been on and off the radio all evening with one minor thing after another, culminating in a call from Quin thirty minutes ago, which had dragged him back to the station. But that particular distraction had been well worth it.