“Ben, I’m sorry to bother you this early in the morning. I’m out here on FM 709, about a mile and a half from the river bridge, looking at Camilla O’Neal’s car in the ditch.”
“Yeah, she broke down last night. We picked her up while she was walking out to the Warners’ at Divine Creek Ranch.”
“Divine Creek—shit, that’s at least a three-mile walk! In that downpour? Was she all right?”
“She was chilled and soaked to the bone, but we got her warmed up.” As he said that, Camilla made eye contact with him. She blushed and smiled. Quinten handed her a robe and then slipped into sweats and T-shirt. “She’s still here.”
“That’s what Quinten said. You guys sick or something? You both sound weird.” Ben’s dick ached viciously as Hank reminded him of his unappeased state. That ache in his balls was likely to last all day. “Listen. I was about to start searching for Camilla, but I’m glad to know you have her. I’m not just calling about her car, which seems undamaged. I’m calling about her house. It’s been broken into.”
“What?” His tone got Quinten and Camilla’s attention as they planted themselves on the end of the bed.
“A neighbor went over to check on her and saw that the door was ajar. She knocked and could see that the inside of the house had been turned upside down. Ransacked. I’ve got deputies over there right now dusting for fingerprints. She’s had some water damage too.”
“She was planning to stay with Grace until the leak in the roof is fixed or things dry out. Want us to bring her to the house?”
“Yeah. I’ll get the report filed. Maybe they’ll find something we can go on in the investigation. Road crews are headed to the bridge right now to take down the temporary barriers so you should be able to get into town with no trouble. Be careful crossing the bridge. There may still be debris on the road surface. You need help with the car?”
“Nah. One of us will take care of it and the other will bring her home. Thanks, Hank.” He ended the call, and his heart sank at the way Camilla’s face fell. The little bubble they’d been living in for the last few hours burst and reality intruded. Ben looked at his feet and made a decision. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go, but fate evidently had other plans.
“What happened?” The uncertainty in her voice, and the way her brows furrowed brought out his protective instincts.
“Your house was broken into last night. They ransacked it.”
“Damn it.” Quinten stroked her shoulder and whispered something in commiseration. “Well, I guess I’d better get dressed, huh?”
By this point Ben’s erection was losing steam, but his balls hurt like a toothache. They’d have to finish what they’d started at another time. He gritted his teeth as he nodded.
“I’ll get your clothes from the dryer, baby.” Quinten rose from the bed, and Camilla’s eyebrows shot up.
“Did you wash and dry my outfit?”
“Yes. It was muddy. I hope that was okay.”
Camilla chuckled halfheartedly. “Well, that’s one costume you won’t have to worry about me wearing again.”
“Why?”
“You can’t put that stuff in the dryer. It’d ruin it.” She shrugged. “It’s not that big a deal. I wasn’t planning to wear it to work again.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t know. Well…you could still wear the headband if you wanted,” he said, lifting the item off the bathroom counter. “The feather is a little wilted.”
Camilla smiled at him and threw a pillow as she climbed from the bed. “Got more sweats and a dark T-shirt I can wear? I have a change of clothing in the overnight bag in my trunk.”
“Good. And you’re staying with us tonight.” Ben tried to soften his decisive tone as she looked over at him with an eyebrow arched. “We’d like it if you’d stay with us.”
“Please?” Quinten cajoled as he brought her another set of clothes, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes.
Camilla rolled her eyes and laughed at him. “Stop. Yes, I’ll stay.”
Ben hoped that they could turn this bad situation around into something positive. Maybe she’d stay for good. It was a pleasant thought, but it did absolutely nothing to alleviate the ache in his nuts.
Chapter Nine
Camilla glanced at Quinten as he drove them into Divine in his truck. She knew from past experience that Ben and Quinten were both pretty handy under a hood and her car was safe with either one of them.
“I feel sorry for Ben,” she murmured, recalling the disappointment on his face when Quinten had held up the phone. Phone calls at that hour of the morning were never a good sign. She also felt a tiny bit sorry for herself. She’d been primed and ready for round two.