Line of Fire by Jo Davis Page A

everyone at arm’s length with his cocky attitude.
    “Oh, I’ve got good news,” Julian said, breaking into his thoughts.
    “Grace is pregnant?”
    “No way. I’m not letting her drink the water around here just yet.” His tone and stupid grin told Tommy he was joking. “Seriously, though, it’s almost as good. My baby brother, Tonio, is moving to Sugarland!”
    “Hey, that’s cool,” he said, ignoring the pang in his heart. Damned if he could begrudge a man for being happy about his brother coming to town. “He’s a cop, right?”
    “Narcotics officer,” he said proudly. “He gave the San Antonio PD notice, and I’m helping him hunt for an apartment. He’ll be here in about six weeks.”
    “That’s great. I’m happy for you. How’s your mom taking it?”
    “Hard. But she’s got our four sisters to help her through the transition.”
    “Maybe you and your brother can talk her into moving here, too.”
    “Nah, she’d never leave San Antonio. It’s her home. But I’m sure she’ll visit when she can, especially after Grace and I get the house built. There will be plenty of room for the family.”
    “Sounds like everything’s coming up roses for you these days. I’m glad.”
    Julian linked his fingers across his flat stomach and fixed Tommy with his dark gaze. “What about you? Roses or thorns?”
    “A little of both. I apologized to Shea, took her for a burger. We had a great talk and things are looking up.”
    “Ah! You forgot to put saying you’re sorry on your female to-do list. Very important. So are you guys dating, or what? Or just getting some on the side?”
    Anger, hot and swift, rushed to the surface as he slid his feet off the coffee table. “It’s not like that with Shea, so watch your mouth. Unless you’d like your spine removed with my bare hands—”
    “Whoa, easy, buddy.” Julian gripped his shoulder. “I was totally kidding. It’s like that, is it?”
    Tommy blew out a breath, and calmed somewhat. “Sorry, I guess I’m touchy where she’s concerned.”
    “Gee, ya think?” At his scowl, Julian held up a hand. “I hear you. I’m the same about Grace.”
    “Didn’t mean to snarl. Anyway, I’m not sure exactly what we’re doing yet, but I don’t want to mess this up. When we’re together we’ve got this incredible chemistry, but it’s taken forever to make headway with her.”
    “I hear you on that, too,” Julian agreed. “Remember the hell Grace put me through, chasing her until I almost gave up?”
    “Yeah, but this is different.”
    “How so?”
    “She’s gun-shy, and it’s more than being focused on her career. She wants me, but something is holding her back. She’s hinted at something bad in her past, but won’t confide in me.”
    “So her relationship, or whatever, with Prescott . . .” He let the sentence hang, like a question.
    “In my opinion? It was a duck-and-cover maneuver on her part, though I believe it was unconscious at first. A way to avoid the real thing.”
    “Wow, Dr. Freud.”
    “I think it’s Dr. Ruth.”
    “Whatever. As long as she gets rid of Malibu Ken.”
    “You don’t care for him, either?” Not caring for him was an understatement on Tommy’s part.
    “Not when he’s within fifty yards of my girl, I don’t.”
    “And his policy sucks.”
    “But we’ve got kick-ass flowers in the medians around town.”
    “Oh, absolutely. He’s taming Sugarland, one pansy at a time,” Tommy said in a mock announcer’s voice.
    They kept straight faces for about two seconds before busting out laughing.
    The man could open a damned arboretum as long as he steered clear of Shea.
    And if the fool wanted trouble?
    He’d get it, Skyler style.
     

8
     

    Forrest Prescott glared at the phone, condemning the man on the other end to the deepest bowels of hell.
    Not that it helped, because the phone continued to ring. And would, until he answered. He picked up the handset and snapped a greeting.
    “Why the hell are you