At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(50)

He’d taken a long time before he’d even asked Alexis out. Even after that he’d been hesitant, fearing the woman had no idea what she was getting herself into. He carried the scars of his childhood. She knew that, but he doubted she knew how deep they ran.

Culhane drove a few minutes, feeling the weight of the silence between them. “You haven’t asked me if I did it.”

Alexis frowned over at him. “Did what?”

He mugged a face at her. “Killed Jana.”

Her eyes widened. “You didn’t.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Are we really having this conversation?” She looked away. “Because I know you.”

“Do you?”

She let out a sigh and turned back to him. “You’re a good man, Culhane.”

He chuckled at that, but it held no humor. “I hope you always feel that way.” He saw that his words unsettled her. “I have a lot more baggage than I let on.”

“Clearly,” she agreed. “Is there something else I should know?”

He studied her, not sure what he wanted to say or if he even did want to talk about it. His cell phone rang, saving him. They were on the outskirts of Bozeman. He saw it was his father’s attorney and declined the call.

As he rubbed the back of his neck, he realized how tired he was. Talk about a long day. “Let’s just find a place for the night.” When she didn’t comment, he looked over at her. She seemed to be lost in thought. “Are you all right?”

She shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled. “I’m fine. But you’re right, it’s getting late. I’m tired and hungry. Maybe we could use a drive-through?”

“Sounds good,” he said and looked for a motel off the beaten path.

THEY’D NEVER BEEN to a motel together before. Most of the time they’d known each other, they’d been working a variety of shifts. When they were able to get the same shifts in summer, they went camping and slept in a tent.

It seemed strange and almost unseemly for them to be getting a motel room together. Culhane had been married only on paper, but according to the law...

“I can get the rooms,” Alexis said as he pulled up to the office.

“Rooms?”

She shot him a look. “Aren’t you still married?”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t feel like I’ve ever been married. Jana and I...” He shook his head. “She was pretending to have morning sickness the few weeks we were together. Basically, the marriage—if you want to call it that—was never consummated.”

“Are you telling me that you only slept with her the one time?”

He looked embarrassed. “See why I don’t tell anyone about it? You must think me a fool.”

She shook her head. “I think you’re a nice guy who was trying to do the right thing.”

“Yeah, and look where it got me. It would appear that Jana is in on setting me up for murder. Not to mention this latest with whatever she was doing at that ranch.”

“We’ll get it sorted out,” Alexis assured him. “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later she walked by the front of the pickup holding up a single key. Getting two rooms felt silly given that she was already pregnant. Also, she wanted to keep Culhane close for a number of reasons. She didn’t want to be alone tonight, either. She heard him open the pickup door and come after her.

“I need a hot shower,” she said as she opened the door to the room and stepped inside. She saw that he’d brought the overnight bag she’d grabbed from her vehicle before they left Buckhorn. She met his gaze as she took it. “Are you going to be here when I come back out?”

“I promise I’ll be here. You’re right, I need you.” He smiled, those blue eyes warming like a tropical sea washing over her. “There is no doubt about that.”

His words sent a frisson of pleasure to her center. Last night on the run, look where he’d gone. Straight to her. How could she think that she didn’t know this man? Because sometimes even lovers kept secrets from each other. She thought of her own secret and had to look away. Culhane was no fool. If they ended up making love in that queen-size bed, he’d know. He knew every inch of her body. He would notice that her breasts were bigger. He would see the changes in her hips, in the soft roundness of her belly. He would see it in her eyes. She couldn’t hide the truth much longer—if he hadn’t already noticed last night even in the darkness.

In the intimacy of the motel room, she thought about telling him. But she reminded herself that it would change everything. He’d be distracted and even more worried about her. If he knew about the baby, he’d want to protect her even more than he did now.

“If you need company in the shower...” His grin widened.

She shook her head and, entering the bathroom, closed the door behind her. For a moment she stood, trying to catch her breath. Being here with him made her heart race. So much had happened. So much more could. It left her even more off balance than she’d been lately.

“You all right in there?” Culhane called.

“Fine,” she called back and turned on the shower before beginning to strip down. Having shed her clothing, she stood in front of the full-length mirror. Her body was changing, there was no denying that. Her breasts were tender and larger. She placed her hand on her usually flat stomach and felt the slight bump. It wouldn’t be long and she would be showing.