their relationship. After getting into his car, he knew he couldn't
continue to see Sherry when his thoughts were filled with Cassie.
Groaning, he tightened his knuckles on the wheel while he let the air-conditioning blast, desperately willing Cassie's face to disappear.
Like the stifling, wet heat, his mind showed no mercy. Her lovely, fragile features stayed with him all the way to the hotel.
Once he arrived, he deliberately passed by her office, only to notice
that her secretary was absent and her door was closed.
God, he had it bad. Cassie reached him on a primal sexual level that no other woman ever had or ever would. But his fixation with her was more than that.
She had touched something deep inside him right off, something more than lust, though she certainly aroused that, too. Possibly it was that
womanly fragility hidden under a show of outward toughness and couragethat stirred him, that made him ache for her every second of every day.
It had been that ache that had driven him to her office yesterday, aswell.
To her face he had lied like a dog, telling her that he had come aboutbusiness. What a joke, especially following that hot incident in the car.
He had been thinking about that when he'd passed her scum ballex-husband, whom he hadn't recognized. If he had, no telling what hewould have done--prob- ably confronted him, which wouldn't have been asmart move.
Learning that her visitor had indeed been Sullivan, icy anger and shockhad almost consumed Austin. Cas- she had obviously felt the same. He hadthought she was going to faint, and that had scared the hell out of him.The fact that she had kicked him out, too, hadn't stopped him fromworrying about her or the situation.
Now, as he entered his office, Austin wondered what was going on behindCassie's closed door. With Lester back in the picture, instinct told himshe was wildly trying to figure out what to do. Since she wouldn't lethim help her, his only recourse was to take care of business--landbusiness.
That bought him time to locate Randall and find out what the hell wasgoing on. Lifting the phone, Austin punched out Randall's office numberfor the second time that day. He spoke to his secretary again.
"Ah, so Mr. Lunsbury's back."
"Finally, sir. But he's behind closed doors with the other partners."
"Tell him I'll call back."
Once he hung up, Austin expelled a breath of relief, thanking his luckystars that Randall was at least present and accounted for. He leanedback in his chair and smiled a lop-sided smile, wishing he was a fly onthe wall in that meeting. He would bet Randall's ass was getting chewedto shreds.
Austin planned to take over where the partners left off. His friend hada lot to answer for, especially his failure to mention the fact that atenement was on the site. Too, he wanted formal verification that the upfront money he'd given him to secure the deal was still in escrow. Ifnot, then Randall was in over his head in more ways than one.
Suddenly Austin wondered if the pending deal was even important toCassie anymore. Now that Lester had been let out of the pen, it wouldn'tsurprise him if she left again. That thought almost stopped his heart.Even though she had been a pain in the butt from the moment he'd seenher, he didn't want her to leave, which made no sense.
Shit!
With her gone, his problems would be over, especially when it came tothe hotel business. Once he jerked Randall back in line, his plans couldgo forward without a hitch.
More important, he wouldn't feel that pang of guilt when he was aroundher for the sin he'd committed in the past and the sin he wanted tocommit in the future.
Also, it would make it a helluva lot easier to look her father in theface again without feeling like pond scum. He couldn't forget aboutTyler either.
That gem of a child reminded him of the son he would never have.
So why didn't he just stay the fuck away from her and let her sink orswim on her own? After all, she had made it plain she didn't want himaround.
Too bad. After what had happened between them in the car, after he'dtouched her, made her climax with his fingers, he couldn't leave heralone.
It was the building fire in his loins that sent him striding back downthe hall to her office. No one was there. Smothering a curse, Austinleft the hotel, got in his car and drove to the Worthams', Cassie'sstricken face continuing to haunt him.
He had to know that she was all right, either firsthand or from herfamily.
But when he pulled into the drive, he balked. What if James and Wilmadidn't know? What if she hadn't told them Lester was back?
Perhaps he should forget this impulsive visit, especially when henoticed Cassie's car in the garage and another one on the street, parkedslightly beyond the drive. Was someone from the church there?
The slamming of a car door behind him jarred Austin out of his thoughtsand out of the car. From beside his vehicle, he watched as Tyler headedup the sidewalk. It looked like he'd been swimming; his hair was wet anda towel was draped around his middle.
"Hey, buddy," Austin called out.
"Wait up."
Tyler stopped, his face lighting up, which made Aus- tin glad.
"Hiya," Tyler said, shifting his backpack.
"Wanna come in and play a computer game with me?"
"Thought you'd never ask."
Tyler giggled as Austin placed an arm around the boy's shoulders, andthey walked inside the house.
Was it midafternoon?
Cassie glanced at her watch and sighed. She hadn't accomplished a thing,except think about Lester.
Damn him and his soul to hell.
Her daddy would have a heart attack if he knew she was thinking suchthoughts. But she couldn't worry about her daddy or her mother. At themoment her only concern was for her son and his well-being.
Was Tyler in danger? Was she in danger? Those questions had been on hermind since her encounter with her ex. And she still didn't know the answers, which made her the victim once again. But only if she allowedit, a small voice whispered.
Lester had jerked her chain long enough. Maybe it was past time shejerked his. If she crossed him, would she be gambling with Tyler's life?She had to keep in mind that it wouldn't just be Lester she wascrossing, either. It would be his entire militia group, who thoughtputting a gun to someone's head was the way to solve a problem.
Cassie's stomach revolted. Yet enough was enough. And she'd had enough.
She refused to take Tyler and sneak into the night once more, never tosee her parents again or Jo Nell or. Her mind stumbled on Austin's name.Yet she couldn't ignore him or pretend he meant nothing to her.
Last night had been miserable, so miserable she had gotten up early andsought the sanctuary of her office, where she immediately called JoNell.
"You mean that bastard's out?" she had practically screamed into thephone.
"Shh, Jo, someone will hear you."
"No one's here right now."
"Good."
"So what happened?"
Cassie told her what had transpired with Lester, opting to leave outAustin's part in the horror show.
"I'm so sorry, Cass. It's just not fair. I hate to see that creep ruinyour life again."
"It's not me I'm worried about. It's Tyler."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"Look, I gotta go." Jo's voice turned to a whisper. "One of the girlsjust came in. We'll talk later. Meanwhile, you keep your chin up anddon't do anything rash, you hear?"
So far, Cassie hadn't done anything at all. She hadn't even told herparents that Lester was back. As for Tyler--well, she had no idea whatto do about him, how to explain that the only father he knew was back,dragging danger with him.
Thinking about that danger, Cassie had decided to go home. Maybe if shesat in the swing on the veranda, she could make some sensible plans; more to the point, maybe she could make sense out of what had happened.
Workwise, the day had been a wash, anyway. She'd planned on meeting with
the architect and his contractor concerning renovations, but she had canceled.
She had been too upset to concentrate.
All that mattered now was reassuring herself that Tyler was all right.
He had gone with the church group on a picnic at a nearby lake. While
she didn't think Lester would pull any crazy stunts at this juncture, itwouldn't hurt to cover all bases. Besides, she had to tell her parentsabout Lester.
A few minutes later, Cassie walked in the side door into the kitchen.
Joy was making a pie.
"Mmm, that smells good."
Joy grinned.. "I hope it will be."
"Is Tyler home?"
"Not yet, but your Daddy is. He has company in his study."
"I'll run up and see Mamma." Joy nodded, then asked, "Are you all right,
child?"
Suddenly Cassie longed to throw her arms around the housekeeper and cry
her eyes out. But she couldn't indulge herself that way. Besides, she had to remain strong for Tyler.
She made herself smile.
"I'm okay, and thanks for asking."
Cassie had decided to tell both her parents at the same time about
Lester's return, but since her daddy was occupied, the bad news would
have to wait.
She had just passed the closed door and had one foot on the bottom stair when she pulled up with a jolt. Had she heard right?
"Actually, Reverend, I was never part of a militia group. Cassie just
imagined that."