Page 15 of Tough Justice
“I’m done talking about this,” Duke said. “I have work to do. Stay here until I’m done, then we’ll head back to my place. Lay low. We still don’t know who’s to blame for that threat, but it might not be who we originally thought.”
“You can’t really believe your ex-girlfriend drove all the way up here to leave a message on Suzy’s car?” Heather said. “Thatwouldn’t even make sense when you’re the one she came up here to see.”
“But if she saw you with Suzy when you two were in town, she’d know that threat would get back to me.”
Suzy’s mind spun as she struggled to keep up. “Either way,” she said tentatively. “We need to be careful and keep our eyes and ears open. Heather and I can hang here. Celine will put Parker down for a nap soon. We can open some wine and have some much-needed girl talk.”
Duke glanced at his wrist. “It’s one in the afternoon.”
“What’s your point?” Suzy asked, eyebrows raised high in challenge.
Chuckling, he shook his head.
Heather gave three tiny claps then kept her palms pressed together under her chin. “Oh, I love that idea. Then Suzy can help me kick your butt in video games tonight.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean to invite myself over,” Suzy said. “I’m sure you guys have a lot to catch up on.”
“Nonsense,” Heather said. “Like you said, we need to be careful. No need for you to go home alone. Safety in numbers and all that. Right, Duke?”
Duke finally flashed his signature smile, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Absolutely. Besides, victory will be much sweeter when I beat you both.”
Suzy met his grin with one of her own. “Challenge accepted.”
He dipped his chin, grabbed his hat from the floor, and walked out the door.
She stared after him, hating the somersaults in her stomach. He’d invited her to his place out of obligation—hell, his sister was the one who’d insisted she go. Logic told her not to get excited. To play it cool and have zero expectations for where the night could lead.
Because no matter her reason for heading to Duke’s place later, he was still off limits. And nothing would ever change that.
6
Duke hated the slight tremor of his hand as he unlocked his front door then held it open for Heather and Suzy to step inside. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t imagined bringing Suzy back to his house for a cozy night in. But he’d never pictured it playing out like this.
With his little sister tagging along and his mind still buzzing from his run-in with his ex.
Not like it mattered. She was here because Heather invited her, not to fulfill some ridiculous fantasy he played on repeat in his mind most nights while he drifted off to sleep.
Heat crept up the back of his neck as he pictured her in his bed with her long hair trailing down her back, wearing nothing but a cowboy hat and a smile.
“What’s that look for?” Suzy asked as she walked by him and into the entryway.
The subtle dip in Suzy’s voice told him she had an idea of the types of thoughts causing fire to engulf his entire face.
He cleared his throat then closed and locked the door after his sister was inside. “Nothing. Just my game face.”
Laughing, Heather carried a box of pizza down the hall then stopped when she reached the open space that connected the kitchen to the living room. “Where are we eating?”
“Living room,” he said, slipping out of his cowboy boots. “What’s the point of all this food if we don’t shove it in our faces while playing? Put the pizza in the kitchen though. I’ll at least grab us some plates.”
Suzy lingered in the hallway, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“You okay?” he asked.
Grinning, she nodded. “I’ve never been here. Just taking it all in.”
“It’ll be easier to take in once you’re all the way inside.” He shot her a wink then tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll give you a tour after we eat if ya want, but there’s not much to see.”
“Seriously?” She stepped further into the living room and stared out the large wall of windows. “This is beautiful. Much better than the view out my little one-bedroom apartment downtown.”
