Game Of Risk (Risqué #3) (5 page)

Instead of waking him up and pointing all of this out to him, Layla changed into his tee-shirt, turned off the TV, and curled up in her own bed. Ruger might not be a Doberman when it came to ensuring her safety, but at least she knew he was there. As irritating as his snoring was at first, when she relaxed, she found the reminder that she wasn’t alone in this predicament to be soothing, which helped her manage to drift off to sleep.

Ruger was out of bed, washed, and ready to leave, long before she was out of bed that morning. But he’d shaken her awake, almost literally tossed her into the shower, and then got them on the road by ten AM. They hadn’t had breakfast, and she liked to have three meals a day, so she was relieved when he said they were stopping for lunch.

As soon as she finished her last bite, Ruger was on his feet, paying the check and rushing her out of the door again.

‘That lunch place was really great,’ Layla said, rooting around in her purse for a napkin. ‘How did you know about that diner?’

‘A sign on the highway told me about it,’ he said, concentrating on the road.

So he hadn’t known about it before, he’d just come across it by accident. But it was a nice place. Their drive so far today had been pretty quiet, but she wasn’t a morning person and she liked to wake up in her own time. Apparently Ruger was happy to greet the day because he’d been chipper all day—annoyingly so. Only now, in early afternoon, was she beginning to feel her own buoyancy emerge.

‘I want to pick the next motel,’ she said, wiping her fingers. ‘How long will it take to get to Jersey anyway?’

‘We’re not going to Jersey,’ he said. ‘Or to another motel.’

Layla began to click through radio stations. ‘We’re travelling north.’

‘There are places in a northerly direction other than New Jersey.’

‘Ok, where are we going then, Mr. Smarty Pants? Oh,’ she squealed, pausing on a Maria McKee song.

Objection to the song lingered on his lips, but he rolled his eyes instead of protesting. ‘We’re going somewhere safe to stay with people I trust.’

‘People? What people? Who are we going to stay with? One of your skanky exes?’

‘My mom,’ he said.

Having been about to hit a high note, she gasped in and choked on her own breath, which Ruger seemed to enjoy.

‘Your mom? You’re taking me home to your mother?’

‘No one will look for you there. She lives in a small suburb in North Carolina. You and I have no history, no connection, so Ashcroft’s men will never find you in my safe place. We’ll be off the road and away from investigating eyes… we can stay there as long as I need to.’

‘You want us to move in with your mother? What if she thinks we’re a thing? Do you take many women home?’

‘My family knows some of my exes,’ he said. ‘But I have female friends too. I don’t have intimate relationships with every woman I know.’

‘Haven’t you heard the adage that men and women can’t be friends?’ she asked, searching in her purse again.

‘I’ve heard it, I don’t believe it. I’ve been friends with loads of women.’

‘Long-term, close friendships?’

‘Some women I’ve known since I was a kid,’ he said. ‘We’re not particularly close, I guess. I’m friends with the women at my brother’s club.’

‘And you’ve never slept with, or wanted to sleep with them?’

‘No.’

‘Same age bracket?’

‘Some.’

‘I bet they wanted to sleep with you,’ she said, acquiring a brush from her bag to run it through her hair before she tied it back with the band that was around her wrist.

‘You think I’m so hot that women just can’t resist me? Guess it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve let a woman down gently. You’re cute as a… no, wait, you’re not cute…’

‘Oh thanks, Mr. Picnic.’

‘No, I mean cute isn’t the right word.’ He scratched his head like he was really considering what word did describe her. ‘You’ve got those legs and that sway in your hips when you walk… you’re seductive—no!’ Bolting up in his chair, he beamed at her. ‘Tantalising, that’s the word!’

‘Tantalising?’ she repeated, not the type to blush, she did squirm a little at that description. ‘Doesn’t that mean I’m a tease?’

‘No, not like that,’ he said, snatching her hand to give it a squeeze. ‘You torment a guy with your posture and your gait, you’re self-assured and…’ She didn’t realise how much she was relishing his description of her until he glanced her way and stopped talking. He cleared his throat as though that was enough to clear his thoughts too. ‘You know you’re fucking sexy. I would, that’s all I’m saying.’

‘Last night you said you wouldn’t.’

‘Last night you were worried I was going to attack you. I told you what you wanted to hear.’

Lying shouldn’t be encouraged, but she thought it was sort of sweet that he’d tried to put her at ease, even if he didn’t mean a word of what he’d said. ‘My point about friendship between men and women is that sex is a fact of life and it’s something we all think about. But what do I know?’ she asked. ‘Maybe life is different where you’re from. I’ve never been able to figure men out.’

‘Don’t play innocent, you know men. I bet you’ve had a string of them.’

‘Are you calling me a slut again?’ she asked, zipping up her purse and tossing it into the backseat.

‘No,’ he said. ‘You can have a string of men without banging them all. Are you telling me guys don’t pay attention to you?’

‘Is that a compliment?’ she asked, propping an elbow on the shoulder of her seat.

‘You know how to use your body, that’s all I’m saying.’

‘Do both of your brothers live at home?’

Glancing at her and then the road, his eyes narrowed indicating he had no idea where this question had come from, but he answered it for her anyway. ‘No, neither of them do, but they live near enough to visit. I’ve got aunts and cousins who live in the same neighbourhood I grew up in. I’m the youngest of my brothers, but one of the older cousins.’

‘I dread to think how you would influence youngsters. I hope your mother limits how much time you get to spend with the teenagers.’

‘I pass down my wisdom and they love it,’ he said, wearing a proud grin. ‘Warner kids are always light years ahead of the other kids their own age.’

‘Do you have a counsellor in the family? Most of the younger generation probably need it.’

‘We have a sex therapist,’ Ruger said. ‘If that counts.’

‘You’re related to a sex therapist?’

‘Actually she’s marrying my brother, Colt. You’ll love Lyssa, she says exactly what she thinks… like someone else we both know.’

‘I don’t say exactly what I think, believe me I censor myself more than you might think,’ she said, letting her attention drift to her side window. Then a worrying thought made her twist to face him. ‘You’re not going to tell your mom and brothers about what’s going on, are you? Did you tell her that we were coming? What story did you give her?’

‘I didn’t tell my mom we were coming.’

‘Then how do you know if your parents are there? Or that they can accept visitors?’ she asked. Showing up unannounced was rude and she didn’t want to draw unwanted attention to herself.

‘My mom always has space for me,’ he said. ‘They have a five bedroom house and my room is still my room.’

‘Aww, she keeps it as a shrine?’ Swooning at him made him grin, which hadn’t been her intention.

‘She can give you tips on how to start your own,’ he said, maintaining his swagger. ‘Do you want a lock of my hair?’

‘How about a couple of litres of blood?’

‘Typical woman, wants to bleed me dry.’

‘What should I know about your mom?’ she asked, ready to change the subject. The last thing she needed to do now was flirt with the man who had been sent by her brother to kidnap her, especially when said man was so irritating and cocksure.

‘Nothing, she’s just a mom,’ he said, before letting a sly grin slink toward her. ‘You wouldn’t be nervous, would you, Legs?’

‘I’m not nervous, people love me.’

‘Do they?’ He smiled. ‘I guess I’m the exception.’

‘You just said that you wanted to have sex with me,’ she said, pleased that she had the chance to remind him.

‘Guys can sleep with a woman they don’t like, easy. I’d screw you. That doesn’t mean that I listen when you talk.’

‘What guy does?’ she asked, not expecting an answer. ‘I can’t help it if you’re odd. I suppose you like to rebel against the norm.’

‘Funny, because your brother says you’re a pain in the ass who speaks her mind too readily to make a decent first impression on anyone.’

Layla was happy to verbally spar and though her words could be scathing, she didn’t mean any harm. She wondered if Ruger really thought of her as cold and bitchy. But it was the idea of her brother believing that she was so despicable that hurt most.

‘He’s entitled to his opinion,’ she mumbled, shifting in her seat.

‘What?’ Ruger asked, glancing at her. ‘That’s it? No snarky come back?’

‘We won’t get to your mom’s until after dinner, will we?’

‘No, we’ll be on the road for a few more hours.’

‘Good,’ she said, going back to her radio flicking. ‘Do you have any requests?’

‘Have at it, Legs,’ he said.

Something curious in his tone repelled her from looking at him. She felt like he had sensed her distress. If he had, she didn’t want to face it. She needed time to gather her composure again so she cranked up the music and began to sing.

The town they drove into was clean and the people she saw appeared classy. Without a sign of poverty or graffiti anywhere, this was an unblemished suburb not too far from the neighbouring city. They drove down residential streets flanked by beautiful homes with green lawns and cherry trees. She even saw a white picket fence around one house.

In her adult life, Layla had bounced from city to city, and it had been a long time since she’d absorbed suburban living. Her mother had done her best for her and Drew. They lived modestly yet hadn’t wanted for anything growing up. But with medical bills and the cost of college, her mother had nothing left to leave them when she died.

Winding through the streets, Ruger swung the truck into a wide driveway which faced a double garage. The red brick house with sash windows and glossy white eaves made her mouth dry. The gleaming lawn of the front yard finished off the scene, making it all picture perfect.

Ruger got out of the vehicle and came around to open her door. He took her hand and pulled her out then slammed the door.

‘We’ll get the bags out after we’ve said hello,’ he said, and then led her up the drive to a gate between the garage and house. They went down a path, which opened to a vast back yard. When they got to the back of the house he took her up four shallow slate stairs and opened a white door.

‘Hello! Hello!’ he hollered and there was immediately a screech.

‘My baby is home!’

Ruger was pulled forward into the arms of a woman that Layla couldn’t see. All she could see were two arms trying their best to hold onto Ruger’s form. Behind the hugging pair, inside the house, there was more activity, but Layla was happy to stay right there on the external stairs, hidden behind Ruger. Wonderful smells of wholesome food drifted out and Layla’s stomach rumbled.

‘I’m ovulating and your brother isn’t home,’ a female voice said from inside.

‘Give me a minute to get in the door before you demand my seed, Lys,’ Ruger said. ‘You should ask your fiancé’s twin. Their sperm has got to be interchangeable, right?’

Ruger was taken further inside, leaving Layla now open to viewings. A woman with blonde hair and little pearl earrings caught sight of her and she beamed. Layla couldn’t remember a person ever being so immediately happy to see another person.

‘You brought a girl!’ the woman said with Disneyesque enthusiasm. ‘He brought a girl home!’

Layla was grabbed and yanked forth and the woman turned her around three hundred and sixty degrees to scrutinise everything about her. ‘Uh, hello,’ Layla said.

Two other women were in the kitchen that she’d been pulled into, they were seated on stools positioned around the central island. The huge room contained a large range and had wooden countertops with glossy cabinet doors.

‘This is my mom,’ Ruger said. ‘Prudence Warner. Pru to her friends. And that’s my sister, Lyssa, and her best friend, Suzette.’

‘Your sister?’ Layla asked. Ruger had corrected her that neither of his brothers were actually married, but from what Layla had heard, she took a guess at who the “sister” was. ‘Oh, the sex therapist.’

‘Have you been talking about me, Littlest Warner?’ Lyssa asked, which was funny because Ruger was six five and much bigger than all of the others in the room.

‘This is Layla,’ Ruger said, concluding the introductions.

‘She’s beautiful, Ruger,’ Pru said, hugging Layla then joining her hand with Ruger’s. ‘She’s just gorgeous and perfect for you. She’s wonderful.’

Before they’d arrived, Layla had assumed it was good that Ruger hadn’t come up with a cover story. In addition to the gleam in Pru’s eyes, Layla recalled what Ruger had said about his mother’s desire for grandchildren, and this made Layla try to withdraw her hand. She failed to extricate herself because Pru was holding on too tight and because Ruger was happy to curl his fingers around hers and encourage his mother’s exuberance.

‘Wait until you get to know her before you make that judgement, Mom,’ Ruger said.

‘All of my boys are finally matched,’ Pru said and leaned past the couple to close the back door. ‘We’ve had dinner, but there are leftovers if—‘

‘Not right now, Mom,’ Ruger said. ‘We’ve been driving all day. Is Dad home?’

‘Bowling,’ Pru said, going to the furthest countertop to retrieve the coffeepot. Pru poured two new mugs of coffee and carried them to the centre island where there was milk and sugar. ‘Come and sit down with us. We were just chatting.’

‘Girl talk,’ Ruger said.

His hand fell out of hers and landed on the small of her back to urge her forward. Though she tried to resist, Layla stumbled and had to catch the island to support herself. ‘How do you take your coffee, Layla?’ Lyssa asked, standing up to lift one mug of coffee.

‘Just like that is fine,’ Layla said, with little choice but to accept the hospitality.

Lyssa smiled and put the cup in front of a stool beside Suzette that had been pulled out for Layla. ‘She looks terrified,’ Suzette said to Lyssa.

‘She’ll be fine. We’ll look after her,’ Pru said.

‘Good, ‘cause I’m going to get the shit out of the car,’ Ruger said.

Layla wished she still had a hold of his hand, because she’d hold on and never let go. She couldn’t believe he was leaving her here with these strangers. But there was no time to reprimand him, or beg for his company, because Prudence stood up again, this time to berate him.

‘You watch your mouth around the ladies,’ Pru said. ‘You might get away with that around your father and brothers, but you know I won’t tolerate—‘

‘Ok, Ma, I’m sorry. I’m tired, it won’t happen again.’

‘Hmm,’ Pru said, locking her evil eye onto him.

Turning around to see if the glare worked on Ruger, Layla was horrified to see him retreat from the house. The back door swung shut, leaving Layla with no choice except to turn around and face the truth—she’d been abandoned with his family.

‘Sit down,’ Pru said, pointing at the stool that Suzette had pushed out. ‘Tell us about yourself.’

‘Where did you meet Ruger?’ Suzette asked. ‘Have you been together for long?’

Edging along to the stool, Layla put her hands around the mug that Suzette had positioned for her. Taking a drink bought her a little time, but Layla had no idea what to say to these women, who were clearly close to each other and expecting her to become a part of their harem.

‘Well, uh…’

‘Don’t pressure her,’ Lyssa said. ‘This is a daunting environment. She’s coming home to meet the family of the man she’s in a relationship with, and the last thing she needs is to feel like she’s under the microscope.’

‘Thank you,’ Layla said, pleased that someone understood how intimidating this was for her. ‘But Ruger and I, we’re not… I mean… he’s not…’

‘He hasn’t made his intentions clear?’ Pru asked and tutted. ‘That boy, he thinks the answer to everything is a joke. I’m sure he cares for you a great deal. He has never brought a woman back to spend the night with him before.’

Sure that she would drop down dead right here, Layla struggled to take in a breath. ‘No, we—‘

‘Don’t talk to her about sex, Pru,’ Suzette said. ‘Don’t get Lyssa started. She’ll have the whole relationship dissected in ten minutes.’

‘Ten minutes? It’s hardly going to take me that long,’ Lyssa said. ‘Ruger thinks he can make jokes to prevent himself from confessing truths that may get him hurt. He’s human. He needs love in his life just as much as the rest of us do, but he’s afraid of getting hurt. He’s afraid of commitment.’

‘Find me a man who isn’t,’ Suzette mumbled and lifted her mug to drink her coffee.

‘Colt isn’t,’ Lyssa said and though her smile didn’t quite reach smug, Layla could tell she was proud of her partner.

‘Your boyfriend?’ Layla asked.

‘Fiancé,’ Pru said and Lyssa held out her hand to show Layla her engagement ring. It was beautiful, no doubt about it, but she’d seen her share of diamonds, and none of them had tempted her into making the commitment.

‘Hey, watch what you’re doing with that thing,’ Ruger’s voice sounded at the same time the back door squeaked open. ‘Those things make Lay turn on her heels and run for the horizon. I need to keep her in one place for now.’

He carried on across the kitchen with their luggage and disappeared through a swinging door on the other side of the room. Drew’s History of Layla course obviously covered more than just the basics. When she turned back to the women, she could sense their piqued curiosity.

‘I have no idea what he’s talking about,’ Layla said, retreating to her coffee again.

‘Did Ruger propose to you?’ Suzette asked with an audible inhale and an open mouth. ‘I don’t believe it for a second.’

‘Ruger? No,’ Layla answered. ‘But I’ve been proposed to before and I haven’t accepted a man yet.’

‘Fascinating,’ Lyssa exhaled and pushed her cup aside. ‘How many times have you been proposed to?’

‘Total, technically… six.’

‘Six!’ Suzette and Pru said in time with each other.

‘Technically,’ Lyssa said, so intrigued that she leaned closer. ‘That’s an interesting distinction, why did you use that word?’

‘Because three of the times were the same guy,’ Layla said. ‘So that should just count as one, right?’

‘Four different men have proposed to you?’ Suzette asked. ‘How do you do it? How do you get them to propose?’

‘I don’t,’ Layla said, lifting her shoulders. ‘Things are always going good. We’re having a great time, and then they have to ruin it by… you know.’

‘Ruin it,’ Lyssa said. ‘You think that a proposal ruins a relationship?’

‘It changes it,’ Layla said. ‘It becomes a different thing entirely. It becomes this monster. As soon as anyone knows that you’re engaged there’s all the pressure of meeting the family who want to know when it’s going to happen and what kind of wedding you want. Then they want to grill you about your values, how you envision your marriage, and where will you live, how many kids will you have.’ A shudder of revolted anxiety fluttered through her. ‘No, thanks. You can keep all of that.’

She took another mouthful of coffee but the silence was conspicuous, so she had to take a look at the faces around her. Pru was frowning and Suzette gaped, but Lyssa was grinning.

‘Could I tempt you onto my couch?’ Lyssa asked her.

‘You on that already?’ Ruger strode into the room and propped a hand on the counter beside her to scoop up her coffee and gulp down the rest of it. ‘She doesn’t want to be on your couch and neither do I.’

‘Everyone else has had a turn,’ Suzette said. ‘I’ve been getting free advice from Lyssa for years. Bri’s been on Lyssa’s couch and she got Blaser there too. Even Colt has—‘

‘He doesn’t count,’ Ruger said. ‘He’s been on her couch for a whole different reason, one that nearly got both of them arrested.’

That was a story Layla wanted to hear more of, but for now, she just craned her neck to look up at him. ‘Where did you put my things?’

‘Upstairs in the bedroom,’ he said. ‘There’s a bathroom down the hall, I’ll show you—‘

‘We’re not finished getting to know each other yet,’ Prudence said. ‘If you whisk her up the stairs now, we won’t see either of you again until morning.’

‘You won’t see me until morning anyway, I’m going out,’ he said.

‘Out?’ Layla said, glad that this time she got in there first, apparently you had to be fast if you wanted to be heard in this family. ‘You are not going out and leaving me here.’

‘You’ll be safe,’ he said, stroking a hand between her shoulder blades. ‘My dad has four hundred weapons in the house. You should see the closet in the basement. It’s like a military bunker.’

‘It is not. Don’t scare the girl,’ Pru said. ‘She’ll think we’re crazies.’

‘She’s dating Ruger,’ Suzette said. ‘He’s as crazy as they come.’

‘Are you going to Risqué?’ Lyssa asked, returning to her drink.

‘What’s Risqué?’ Layla asked.

‘Blaser’s club,’ Ruger said.

‘His strip club?’ she asked, trying to crane her neck to gawp at him. But he was so close that she was unable to make eye contact. That didn’t stop her giving her shock a voice. ‘You’re going to leave me here to go and stare at naked women?’

‘The jealous type,’ Suzette muttered.

‘Jealous and yet scared to commit to a man,’ Lyssa said. ‘Fascinating.’

‘You think everything’s fascinating,’ Ruger said, sounding jaded. His cynicism left his voice when he gave the women his next instruction. ‘Don’t hassle Layla, she’s had a hard time.’

‘A hard time?’ Prudence asked.

But the matriarch’s question was forgotten because Lyssa spoke. ‘You’re protective of her. Why did you bring her here, Ruger? What do you think introducing her to the family will do?’

‘Distract her,’ Ruger said.

‘Distract me while you go to drool at other women?’ Layla asked.

‘Other women?’ he asked, dropping his attention to hers and increasing the pressure of his hand on her upper back. ‘Have you got a problem with me admiring the female form, Legs?’

‘Didn’t we have this conversation last night? About you being a red-blooded male and your proclivity for admiring what you should keep your corneas off?’