Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Debbi Rawlins - Free Book Online Page B

wouldn’t she answer my calls?”
    “I think her phone died.” He moved around the truck bed toward her. “Come sit in the cab with me.”
    “Why?” She stared at his face, and then at the warm steady hand cupping her elbow.
    “Because we need to discuss a suitable punishment without you freezing.”
    It wasn’t that cold, but she’d rather he think the autumn air had caused her trembling voice. “We could go in the house,” she said, dreading the thought of him seeing the inside. As if he wouldn’t expect the decor to be thrift-store chic.
    He opened the passenger door and helped her up. “It’s more private out here.” He paused. “I forgot about her mother. Is she home?”
    “No.” Beth bit off the word before she loaded too much into it. He didn’t need to know about her screwed-up sister. “Candace will go along with whatever we decide.”
    The interior light illuminated Nathan’s face. He didn’t look angry anymore, not the way he had when she’d first seen him. Though he was obviously still troubled. Probably cataloguing the damage to his property, courtesy of the little hoodlum.
    After he’d settled behind the wheel, he blew out a stream of air. The overhead light flickered off, leaving them in a dim murkiness that was eerie yet comforting. Beth cast a glance at the house. It wasn’t completely dark. A soft glow came from somewhere in the back, probably Liberty’s bedroom.
    “She can’t see in here. Not with the tinted windows,” Nathan said, meeting her eyes when she turned to him.
    “I’m more concerned about her slipping out the back door.”
    “Does she sneak out often?”
    “No. Never.” Beth rubbed the tension at the base of her neck. “As far as I know anyway. Before I got here she had a lot more freedom. My sister is more permissive. God, Nathan, I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am.”
    “It’s not your fault.”
    “Well, yeah, it sort of is...maybe not my fault but my responsibility. When you have a kid, you kind of sign up for this stuff.”
    “I thought she was your niece.”
    “She is, but...” Beth laid her head back. “It’s hard to explain.” It felt nice sitting in the comfortable leather seat, soothing and warm, though not warm enough. The dashboard and console were clean, the truck even smelled good...a welcome change from drywall dust and a messy house. “Liberty is the reason I moved back. And Candace. They’re all the family I have, really.”
    He let a few seconds tick by in silence, then said, “Let’s talk about how we’re going to handle this.”
    She brought her head up, embarrassed she’d revealed anything personal. “Yes, of course,” she said, turning to him. “Please don’t think I was looking for sympathy or about to unload on you. I wouldn’t do that.”
    “I’ve got a deal for you,” Nathan said, watching her closely. “We come up with a solution that will make Liberty think twice about using a spray can, but won’t stress you out.”
    “I’m not worried about me.”
    “Tough,” he said, reaching across the console. “I am.”

6
    B ETHANY GASPED, HER eyes widening. “What are you—oh. Yes. Right there.” Her lids drooping, she dropped her chin as she relaxed under his touch. “Oh, my. If I weren’t so broke, I’d hire you as my full-time masseur.” She tensed again. “That was a joke.”
    “Relax.” He pressed his fingers into the knot, and ignored her quiet “Ouch.”
    “The being-broke part,” she murmured. “I’m not there yet.”
    Nathan’s intentions had been pure. He’d seen her rubbing the back of her neck. But now, feeling her soft skin and fragile bone structure put him in a different frame of mind.
    “It feels better already,” she said. “You can stop.”
    “Is that what you want?”
    She hesitated. “No, but we’re supposed to be discussing Liberty.”
    So they were, and better they got that piece of business out of the way. Reluctantly, he broke contact and sat back. “You