Carnal Innocence

doing it his own way, in his own time, for years. Hadn’t she seen it herself? The way he could give you that sleepy-eyed grin one minute, then drill right into your brain with a look the next?
    “The other day, before that business with Bonny, did you say that you and Dwayne worked in the fields?”
    “We’ve been known to.”
    “And you once mentioned that Dwayne had a degree he didn’t use. But you didn’t say if you had one.”
    “Can’t say I actually graduated. I never could get the hang of sliding through school like Dwayne did. I studied some business management and accounting, though.” He smiled easily. “Didn’t take much thought to figure out it’s more comfortable behind a desk than sweating in a cotton field. Want me to dig up my college yearbook?”
    She only hissed out a breath. “I can’t believe I actually came over here to protect you.”
    “Protect me?” He slid an arm around her shoulders so he could sniff at her hair. “Sugar, that’s awful sweet of you. God, you smell good. Better than cherry pie cooling on the windowsill.”
    “It’s soap,” she said between her teeth. “Just soap.”
    “It makes me crazy.” He began to nuzzle her neck. “Dead crazy. ’Specially this spot right here.”
    She shivered as he nipped under her jaw. “I came here to talk to you, Tucker, not to … oh.” Her words trailed off as he began doing sneaky, seductive things behind her ear.
    “You go ahead and talk,” he invited her. “I don’t mind a bit.”
    “If you’d just stop that.”
    “Okay.” He switched from her ear back to her neck. “Go ahead.”
    As her better judgment began to dim, she tilted her head back to give him more access. “Matthew Burns came by.” She felt his lips pause, his muscles tense, then gradually, gradually, relax again.
    “I can’t say as that surprises me. He’s had his eye on you. A blind man on a galloping horse could see that.”
    “It had nothing to do with … It wasn’t personal.” The hell with her fuzzy brain, Caroline decided, and turned her lips to meet Tucker’s. She let out a quiet sigh as he pleasured them both with slow, nibbling kisses. “He was warning me off you.”
    “Hmmm. Much to my frustration, you haven’t been on me yet.”
    “No, he was talking about the case. The murder.” A light flashed on in her brain and she jolted back. “The murder,” she repeated, then stared down open-mouthed at her gaping blouse. “What are you doing?”
    He had to take a steadying breath. “I was just working on getting your clothes off. Seems I’ve been working on that for some time now.” He sat back again, studying her. “And it looks like it’s going to get put off again.”
    She fumbled her buttons back into place. “I’ll let you know when I want to be undressed.”
    “Caroline, you were letting me know just fine. Until you started thinking again.” To douse some of the fire, he got up to fix a drink. “Want one?” He gestured with the decanter.
    “No.”
    “Well, I do.” He poured two fingers of whiskey.
    She lifted her chin, “You can be just as annoyed as you like, but—”
    “Annoyed?” His eyes flashed to hers before he lifted the glass. “Sugar, that’s a mighty mild word for what you work in me. I’ve never had a woman stir my juices with less effort than you.”
    “I came here to warn you, not to stir anything.”
    “My point exactly.” He finished off his drink,thought about having another, and opted for half a cigarette instead. “Who’s Luis?”
    Her mouth opened and closed twice before she managed to speak. “I beg your pardon?”
    “No, you don’t. You just don’t want to answer me. Susie mentioned that there was somebody named Luis you were pissed at.” He scowled down at the stub he was smoking. “Hell of a stupid name.”
    “Tucker’s so much more dignified.”
    He relaxed enough to grin. “Depends on where you’re standing, 1 expect. Who is he, Caro?”
    “Somebody I’m pissed at,” she said lightly. “Now, if you’d like to hear what I’ve come to—”
    “Did he hurt you?”
    Her eyes locked with his. In them she saw patience, compassion, and, unexpectedly, a quiet, steady strength. “Yes.”
    “I’d like to promise I wouldn’t, but I don’t guess I can do that.”
    Something shifted inside her. A door she’d thought she’d locked tight was creeping open. “I don’t want promises,” she said almost desperately.
    “I’ve never been one for giving them.