Temptation Ridge (Virgin River #6)(72)

Luke frowned. “I’m not sure I do…”

“You abuse her, hit her, cheat on her and give her something, treat her with cruelty, or—”

“For God’s sake!” Luke said, cutting him off and stiffening indignantly. “What the hell are you talking about? What kind of man do you think I am?”

Walt shrugged and said, “Well, I don’t have any reason to suspect you of foul behavior, yet, but after all, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve had a lot of different kind of men in my command. I thought we should understand each other.”

“We understand each other! I wouldn’t do things like that to any woman! Jesus!”

“Good, then. Because I’d have to kill you.”

“I’d have to let you!” Luke said passionately. He took a breath. “Due respect, I’ve known a real horseshit general or two. Sir.”

“I felt the need to clear the air on a couple of issues.”

“Consider it cleared!” He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck.

“Well, I didn’t come here to try to talk you out of seeing my niece. Given the situation with her mother passing not too long ago, I feel a little more protective than Shelby is comfortable with. I didn’t think it would hurt for you to know—I have limits.”

“So do I,” Luke said calmly but vehemently.

“Then I guess we’re clear.” He turned as though he would go.

Luke watched his departing back and in a split second thought about how he’d feel if he had to turn Shelby over to some guy.

“Sir,” Luke called. When the general turned back, Luke said, “Now that we’ve faced off on this and both hold Shelby’s well-being as the most important thing, I’d like you to know some things. Shelby could do a lot better than me, we both know that. I didn’t mislead her, I avoided her and discouraged her. I’ve been completely honest with her; I’m not a good catch and I’m not looking for a permanent relationship. I’m sure Shelby had no trouble believing that. But it’s not my intention to treat her badly. Jesus, she’ll get the best I have. If it’s any comfort, my mother would kill me if I ever abused a woman. If she failed to kill me, my brothers would do the job.”

“Good,” Walt said, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I can appreciate a close family.”

“I might be a scoundrel, but I’m a fairly civilized scoundrel.” Luke stuck out his hand. “I wish we could be friends. For Shelby, at least.”

Walt hesitated, but he took Luke’s hand. “Behave decently,” Walt said.

“Yes, sir,” Luke said. “You, too.”

After putting in a long day of work on the cabins, Luke went to his house as the sun was lowering in the sky. He laid a fresh fire in the hearth and took a shower. Just as he was getting out, he heard his front door open. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he left the bathroom in time to see Shelby coming in with a brown sack. “Wow,” she said, looking at him. “How’s that for timing?”

“Whatcha got there?” he asked, hands on his hips.

“When I left the clinic, I stopped by the bar and got us some dinner so we could stay in tonight. I’m tired. I brought some pie so Art can have dessert with us if he wants to.”

“He’ll want to. Art has never turned down a slice of pie.”

She looked down his body and laughed. “Luke,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t even have my jacket off and you’re popping out of your towel.”

“Well then, take your jacket off,” he said. “Will dinner keep for a little while?”

She put the sack on the table, shrugged out of her jacket and walked into his arms. “I put in a long day and the clinic was busy—I’ve been around babies and sick people. Can you give me some time to freshen up?”

He gently touched her lips with his. “Sure. Help yourself.”

“I won’t be too long,” she said, slipping past him and into the bedroom to take off her boots and clothes.

Luke went into the kitchen and peered into the sack of take-out dinner. He pulled out the pie and put it in the fridge, then sniffed the remaining contents. It smelled delicious, but Preacher never put together a mediocre meal. He got down a couple of plates, pulled some flatware out of the drawer and opened two beers. Then he heard water running in the tub and headed toward the bathroom. He caught the scent of something feminine. Shelby had brought a couple of her things with her a few nights before—shampoo and lotion and such. He told her to leave it—something he’d never invited a woman to do before. Things like that always made him claustrophobic, but this time it made him feel extremely good, as though he wouldn’t have to release her too soon. As if holding her shampoo and lotion hostage meant she would stay with him for a while.

He entered the bathroom just in time to see her lowering herself into the tub. Her long hair was pinned up on her head and there were bubbles. It was in his mind to pass her a beer and sit on the closed toilet lid to talk with her while she was in the bath, but then another thought was inspired. Luke had never in his life even contemplated a bubble bath. He put the beer on the sink, dropped his towel and got in.

“You’re going to make a flood!” she said with a laugh.

“This tub isn’t quite big enough,” he complained, sitting to face her, the faucet jabbing him in the back. He pushed his long legs past her hips, lifted her legs to drape them over his thighs and pulled her toward him, into his arms.