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He knew now why the opinions of others mattered so much to her. What her father had done was inexcusable. But it wasn't enough. Justin knew he needed more. He needed to know she loved him for him and not because doing so was simple and correct. If only she'd come away with mm when he'd asked her. They could have been together all this time. They could have had a child of their own, maybe a daughter like Bonnie. A six-year-old who—
Justin sat up suddenly. His boots hit the floor and the sound echoed loudly in the still office. Something nibbled at the back of his mind. Something that almost made sense, but not quite. Bonnie was six. Her mother had been murdered. Seven years ago, her mother had been beaten and left for dead. Had someone tried to kill Laurie because she'd found out she was pregnant?
He stood up and started pacing the office. It made sense. But why wait all that time to kill her? Why didn't the killer do it when he found out she was pregnant? Unless Laurie had known her killer and had been convinced the first attack was the result of temper, never to be repeated. Justin grimaced. A lot of men beat up women, and prostitutes were more susceptible to injury than most. From what he remembered about Laurie, if she'd known and cared about the man, she would have given him another chance.
He continued to pace. "Mama said we'd be a real family," Bonnie had told him.
He stopped suddenly. Had Laurie been pressuring her lover? If so, that meant he was married. Justin frowned. Almost all the men in Landing were married, and with the possible exception of Colleen's minister husband, most of them visited the saloon girls regularly. It could be anyone.
But it was a start. In the morning, he would leave for the neighboring towns and talk to the sheriffs there to find out if they'd had similar problems. If he could figure out a pattern, his gut told him he would have his answer.
He walked toward the door and stepped outside. After turning the lock behind him, he started down the boardwalk. As he moved through the quiet town, he wondered if he could consider staying here permanently. He would for Megan. Which made him an even bigger fool, he supposed.
He still held the delicate chain in his hand. He dropped it into his vest pocket and tried to think about something else. By the time he walked up the front steps to the Bartlett house, he'd managed to plan his routes to the nearby towns and come up with a list of questions to discuss once he got there.
The hallway was dark, but a lantern had been left by the stairs. He picked it up and carried it with him. At the second-story landing, he paused in front of Megan's closed door. How many times had he wanted to go inside and watch her as she slept on her virgin's bed? How many nights had he imagined opening the door and finding her waiting for him, her body clad only in her wicked French lingerie? He placed his hand against the wood as if he could feel her warmth through it. He swallowed hard against the need welling up inside of him and turned away. He only had to be strong for tonight. In the morning, he would be gone and when he returned, well, he would get through that night when it happened.
After checking on Bonnie and making sure she was covered and sleeping soundly, he started down the hall to his own room. The door was partially open. He pushed it and stepped inside. If he hadn't tightened his grip instinctively, he would have dropped the lantern on the floor and started a fire.
Megan lay curled up on top of his bed. Her long blond hair was loose on his pillow, her body covered only with the sheerest silk and lace. One bare foot peeked out from the hem of her robe. Her hands were tucked under her cheek.
Desire hit him like a thunderbolt. His legs almost buckled as his blood heated to boiling. Hot need swept through his groin, hardening him instantly. On the heels of the compelling urge to go to her and claim her was the thought that he should turn and run in the opposite direction. Bed-
ding her would expose him even more. He was already too close to being destroyed by his feelings for her.
Then she stirred slightly and he was lost. It wasn't that he could see more of her perfect body, or inhale the sweet scent of her skin. It was that she trusted him enough to risk his rejection, and that she dared enough to come to him virtually naked.
"Megan," he said softly and put the lantern on the dresser by the door.
