He leaned over to scoop up her Stetson. “Come on.” He put it on her head with care. “Let’s get back to the truck and I’ll drop you off in front of the house.”
They left the barn and drove past the corral to the front drive. If Luckey only knew she was much more out of control than he was... Ally ached to be held in his arms and kissed until nothing else mattered. But he was right. It was too soon to give in to her feelings for him. Once she did, she’d never be the same again. What would happen if things didn’t work out between them? The thought of him not being in her world frightened her.
The second he pulled to a stop, she opened the door. “Don’t bother to see me in, Luckey. I need to talk to my father about the orphanage books before he goes to bed. Thank you for taking me to the party. I’ll be ready at eight thirty. Good night.”
She hurried inside the house. It wasn’t until after she closed the front door that she heard his truck drive away, and she wanted to cry for him to come back.
“Ally?” her mother called out from the family room.
“Yes. I’m home.” She walked in to find her parents watching TV.
“How was the party?”
She took off her cowboy hat. “Great.” Too great to talk about. If she got started, it would make Luckey sound too important. “Dad? Would it be possible for Luckey to look at the books on the orphanage?”
Her father appeared puzzled. “Why?”
“He picked me up at the orphanage Wednesday and wonders if there are any young Chinese women working there who might be caught in a trafficking ring and could identify the girls in the morgue. Luckey’s checking out every possibility. He’ll need names, ages and home addresses.”
“I would never have thought of that, but it appears he’s leaving no stone unturned in this investigation. Good for him. I’ll go over there tomorrow and get the books.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Her mother eyed her thoughtfully. “Are you going to see him again?”
“Yes. Tomor
row we’re driving to Houston. He has an appointment with a Chinese silk merchant and wants my help for translation.”
And once the case was solved... Will his infatuation wear off after he kisses the daylights out of me? Will he want to see me anymore?
He’d been divorced a long time. She got the feeling marriage was the last thing on his mind. But where he was concerned, marriage was the only thing on hers.
“I’m going up to bed. See you in the morning. Love you,” Ally said, and left the room to go upstairs.
She knew she was madly in love, for the first time in her life. She’d go anywhere that James Luckey Davis of Company H wanted to take her.
No wonder she hadn’t accepted Jack Reynolds’s proposal back in China. The feelings she’d had for him had everything to do with thinking it was time she got married and little to do with actual love. When it came down to it, she couldn’t say yes. After meeting Luckey, she now knew why.
Chapter Five
Luckey walked his horse into the barn to get him settled for the night. “Sorry all the fun is over, Persey. I know how you feel. I had to say good-night to my girlfriend, too.” He put the gear away in the tack room before putting out some fresh hay and water.
“To think you and I have been chugging along just fine these last few years and then those two turn up out of the blue to disrupt our lives. I don’t know what in the hell to do about it. The hands-off approach didn’t work too well tonight. How am I going to handle spending all day with her tomorrow and still stay within TJ’s bounds of propriety?” Forget his own bounds, which were nonexistent after tonight.
You don’t have to take her to Houston with you.
Yes, he did.
Not being able to see her wasn’t an option.
He rubbed Persey’s forelock. “Good night, pal.”
Once inside the house he washed his hands and grabbed a soda. Much as he’d love a cup of coffee, he knew it would keep him awake. After pulling Ally close against him earlier and breathing in her scent, he didn’t need any more stimulation tonight.
Before going to bed he checked his email for any department business. His family rarely emailed. They preferred to text.
The daily updates and news flashes filled the screen. He kept scrolling until he saw Headquarters Forensics Lab in the subject line. Had Stan found something already? Excitement filled Luckey as he opened it, not surprised the older man had started his message without preamble.