'Don't start blaming yourself for something that isn't your fault.' Dammit, she was shaking like a leaf. He wasn't getting through to her.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her soundly. She glared at him, then nodded her head. Ashe pulled her back into his arms, and that's how the police chief found them.
'Deborah, Chief Burton is here,' Annie Laurie called out from the doorway.
Deborah turned in Ashe's arms, but made no move away from him. He kept his arms tightly around her.
'They sure as hell made a mess of things,' Chief Burton said. 'A couple of witnesses across the street said they saw one man drive by real slow, coming to a stop right out front before he pulled out what they thought looked like some sort of automatic weapon. Of course, they can't identify the weapon. Said it happened too fast. He was driving a new Chevy.'
'The car was probably stolen,' Ashe said.
'Could've been. Anyway, I just .wanted to ask if either of you saw anything that could help us.'
'No,' Ashe said. 'We didn't see anything.'
'Nobody in the office seemed to have seen a thing. Just heard the shooting.' The police chief looked directly at Deborah. 'Ms. Vaughn, you might want to think about staying at home for a few days, that is, unless you plan on closing down the business.'
'No, I do not plan on closing Vaughn & Posey.' She stiffened her spine. Sliding his hand up and around, Ashe caressed her back, then placed his arm around her shoulders. 'However, I will consider staying at home. I don't want to put my employees' lives at risk.'
'I'm taking Ms. Vaughn home, now,' Ashe said. 'If you need to question us further, you'll know where to find us.'
'Fine,' Chief Burton said. 'I don't think we'll need either of you any more today.'
'I need to make arrangements to have the building cleaned and repair work started immediately.' Deborah allowed Ashe to lead her across the shattered glass and splintered wood covering the outer office floor.
She stopped at Annie Laurie's desk; the two women hugged each other. Deborah turned to face her employees. 'I'm sorry this had to happen. I'm so relieved no one was injured.' She glanced over at Neil, whose round, normally pink face was a pale gray.
'Let everyone go home for the rest of the day. I'll have someone come in and clean up. Rearrange things so work can continue tomorrow. Make use of my office. I'll be working at home. Temporarily.'
'Certainly, Deborah. We'll carry on,' Neil said.
Ashe hurried her outside and into her car. 'Just hang on, honey. I'll take you home.'
'I dread telling Mother, but I have no choice. You know someone may have already called her.'
'Miss Carol will handle this okay. She's a strong woman, just like her daughter.'
When they arrived at the Vaughn home, they found Mattie Trotter waiting on the front porch. The minute Deborah approached her, she opened her arms.
Going into Mattie's arms, Deborah sighed. 'Oh, Mama Mattie, this has become a nightmare. I thought it was over, that the worst had been Huckleberry's poisoning.'
'It'll be all right,' Mattie said, glancing over Deborah's shoulder at Ashe. 'Ashe isn't going to let anything happen to you.'
'Someone called already, didn't they?' Deborah asked. 'Mother knows.'
'Miss Carol is fine. She's lying down in the library, taking a little nap.' Mattie winked at Deborah as she slipped her arm around her waist and led her inside. 'I put a few drops of brandy in her tea.'
'Where's Mazie?' Deborah looked around in the hallway. 'I can't believe she's not out here foretelling the end of the world for us all.'
'I sent that silly woman to town on an errand,' Mattie said. 'I had to get her out of the house. She was driving me crazy and upsetting Miss Carol. She should be gone a couple of hours. And Allen won't be home from school until after three.'
'Thanks.' Deborah swayed, her head spinning. Mama Mattie motioned to Ashe, who lifted Deborah in his arms.
'Put me down!'
'Take her on upstairs and tend to her.' Mattie pointed to the closed library door. 'I'll go sit with Miss Carol and finish reading that new Grisham book. If we need y'all, I'll let you know.'
Ashe carried Deborah up the stairs and into her sitting room, but didn't put her down. With her arms around his neck, she stared into his eyes and knew he was going to kiss her. She didn't resist, indeed she welcomed the kiss, needing it desperately. Quick. Hard. And possessive. Deborah sighed.
He carried her over to the window bench and sat down, placing her in his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder.
'Do you want a drink?' he asked. She shook her head from side to side. 'A bath?' Another negative shake. 'A nap?'
'All I want is for you to hold me,' she said, clinging to him.
He hugged her fiercely. 'Nobody was hurt.'
'This time. But what about the next time or the time after that? You can't guarantee me that some innocent person won't be harmed because of me.'
'Not because of you, honey! Dammit, why do you insist on blaming yourself?'
'Maybe I should go away. Far away. That way the people I love would be safe.'
'Not necessarily,' Ashe said. 'Running away isn't the answer if Buck Stansell is out for revenge. If you leave town, he might target Miss Carol or Allen.'
'Oh, God, Ashe, Mother has enough to deal with already.' Deborah grasped the lapels of Ashe's jacket. 'Promise me that you won't let anything happen to Allen.'
'I won't let anything happen to Allen.' He kissed her forehead, then smoothed the loose strands of her hair away from her face. 'You love Allen a great deal, don't you?'
'He's the most important person in the world to me. I—I… He's just a little boy.'
Ashe caressed Deborah's face, cupping her cheek in his palm. 'I'll take care of you and Allen. And Miss Carol.'
Gulping in air, Deborah looked at Ashe pleadingly. She needed him, needed his tender loving care, needed his strength, his power.
He stood with her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom, laying her on her bed. He came down over her, turning her to one side as he eased his body onto the bed. Facing her, he removed her jacket, then unbuttoned her blouse. Slowly, carefully, stroking and caressing her as he uncovered more and more of her body, Ashe undressed her completely.
She was a bundle of nerves, her emotions raw. She needed soothing, needed to forget, at least for a few hours, the nightmare her life had become. He hated the feeling of helplessness, knowing he hadn't been able to prevent the drive-by shooting at her office. But he could give her the reassurance and care she needed now. And soon, very soon, he would have to confront her enemy.
Ashe made love to her with his hands and mouth, whispering endearing words of comfort and admiration. Never before had he felt so totally possessive about a woman, wanting her and her alone in a way that bordered on obsession. How had this happened? When had Deborah become the focal point of his existence?
Every touch, every word was meant for her pleasure, but with each touch, each kiss, each heated word, he became lost in the fury of a passion over which he was fast losing control.
He caressed her breasts, loving the way her tight nipples felt beneath his fingertips, loving her hot little cries. He kissed her inner thighs. She sighed, squirming when his tongue turned inward for further exploration.
She moaned and writhed, her body straining for release as Ashe pleasured her, his lips and fingers masterful in their ministrations, bringing her to the very brink, then pausing, only to return her to that moment just before satisfaction.
She cried out, begging him not to prolong the agony, clinging to him, pleading for fulfillment. His words grew more erotic, more suggestive, as he carried her to the edge. With one final stroke of his tongue, he flung her into ecstasy.
Covering her mouth in a heated kiss, he devoured her cries of pleasure. Pulling her close, he reached down and lifted the hand-crocheted afghan and covered her. He lay there holding her while she dozed off to sleep and the
