She raked her fingers through her hair and immediately felt self-conscious that it was still damp. “What’re you really doing here?”It’s late. I can’t trust myself alone with you.
“Keith Turner is dead.”
Pain arced through her chest. It was still so hard to believe. “I know.”
“Until they find out who killed him, I’m not sure you’re safe. The fire was one thing, that was about me, but this is different. This is about wiping out the possibilities of anyone finding the truth. Whoever killed him may not be finished yet.”
She didn’t mention that she’d considered the same thing. Someone intended to end the speculation by getting rid of anyone who might know anything. “Why would you think that?” Might as well have Clint’s reasoning.
He stood very still. Different from all those years before, when he’d been so confident and full of charm. She wondered if he’d learned to be very still like that in prison so as not to be noticed. The idea of what he’d endured because of her made her throat ache to say something that would adequately relate the depth of her regret.
“Are you through analyzing me?”
Her gaze snapped to his. Heat rushed up her neck and across her cheeks. “You were going to tell me why you think I might be in danger.” No more getting distracted.
“I think maybe Turner knew things he never told. Like a lot of other people around here who lied ten years ago. Whatever he knew may have gotten him killed.”
“You’re speculating,” she countered, knowing that her own thoughts had mirrored his and were every bit as speculative. That her father was just another of those who had remained silent when Clint was on trial twisted in her belly.
He nodded. “Yeah. But he was her boyfriend, and his alibi was shaky at best.”
Emily held up her hands to stop him. “There is no way Keith hurt Heather.” She’d gone down that road herself, but hearing anyone say it made it somehow worse.
“You wouldn’t believe for a second that he would harm her, yet you were convinced I did.”
It wasn’t a question.
“I knew Keith,” she offered. “I didn’t know you.”Except in my dreams.
He moved a step closer. Reached out, touched her cheek. She trembled. “Did I do that?”
“Yes.” It was nothing. A small abrasion. She’d completely forgotten about it. She had other bruises and scrapes from falling out the window during the fire. And from grinding around in the dirt with him ... none of which she intended to mention.
“I’m sorry.” His hand fell away, regret registered on his face.
“It’s no big deal,” she argued. “I’m sure I left a few marks on you.”
The intensity in his eyes escalated. “Maybe.”
She shivered, wished he wouldn’t look at her like that. “Why didn’t you tell Ray the truth? That I was with you yesterday morning?”
“None of his business.” Clint’s eyes roamed over her as he spoke, a slow, measuring gaze. Her body heated everywhere his eyes touched.
She licked her lips, her mouth feeling dry and hungry. “I told him I was with you.”
His gaze settled back on hers, steady, penetrating. “Why?” The way he looked at her now made it difficult to breathe.
“Because it’s the truth.” He moved one more step closer. Her difficulty drawing in a breath escalated to impossible. “Because there have been enough secrets and lies in this town.”
“I want you to know,” he said, his voice surprisingly soft, the sound flooding her with unexpected tenderness, “that I’m clean. Every year I’ve been tested because of ... the things that happened. I wouldn’t have purposely hurt you.”
Honestly, the concept hadn’t even crossed her mind. She’d spent so many years not caring if she lived or died, the idea of protecting herself was foreign to her.So not smart, Em.
“Are you sure about that?” she countered. “The hurting me part, I mean. I was the key witness who sent you to prison. One of the many people who lied whether by omission or from confusion.” His gaze lingered on her mouth a moment or two before lifting back to her eyes. That moment or two was all it took to ignite a slow burn deep in her belly, a yearning that wouldn’t be ignored.
“You believed you were right. You were hurting and angry. You were in shock.”
“I helped ruin your life.” Emotion got stuck in her throat, prodded more of those damned tears to brim against her lashes.
