He gave her grandmother one of his oily smiles that only he believed was charming. “’Til we meet again.” He tipped an imaginary hat. “Ladies.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Bailey raced across the room and threw the lock. She whirled around and pressed her back to the door. “I am so sorry, Grandma. I never dreamed he’d come up here.”
“I think we’d better call Baxter Donahue and let him know what’s going on.”
The Chief of Police, Baxter Donahue, came to the house himself instead of sending one of his patrol officers, explaining to Bailey that when Cherry Ellis called, he came. Bailey went through her past with Curtis, embarrassed that she’d let the man into her life.
When she came to the restraining order, Chief Donahue said, “Probably should have brought that to my attention when you arrived.”
Bailey shrugged. “Who’d have thought he’d end up here? I sure didn’t.”
Donahue nodded. “If you’ve got that restraining order with you, I’d like to make a copy for the file. Never know when it might come in handy.”
“I do. It’s in my desk at the office. Okay if I drop it off tomorrow at the station?”
“Sure. I wouldn’t worry too much about this guy. He meant to scare you and he did. He’s probably laughing all the way back to Anchorage to catch a flight home.” He slapped his thighs as he stood. “But don’t do anything stupid. If you see him again, call.”
She nodded. “Got it.” She rose from the sofa as he stood. “Thank you for coming out so quickly.”
He smiled and tilted his head toward Cherry. “Anything for Mrs. Ellis.”
“He owes me,” Cherry said. “Caught him skinny-dipping with a girl in our pool, too. I didn’t call his parents.” She winked. “At least, I haven’t yet.”
Baxter laughed. “I’m safe now.” He looked at Bailey still chuckling. “I married her, so there goes all her leverage.” He touched the brim of his hat. “Good evening, ladies.”
After he left, Bailey looked at her grandmother with a frown. “How many times did you and Grandpa catch guys in your pool at night?” she asked, remembering that Levi had been one of the caught trespassers.
Cherry snorted. “A lot. I’m fairly certain sneaking into our pool at night was a rite of passage for the kids around here. Ready for dinner?”
Bailey checked the time and saw that it was close to seven. She’d told Levi she’d be at the house by six. Now, she was worried about leaving her grandmother alone. What if Curtis came back? What if he tried to hurt her grandmother?
“What’s wrong?” Cherry asked. “You’re checking your watch. Are you supposed to be somewhere?”
Bailey frowned. “I was supposed to meet Levi for dinner, but I’ll cancel. I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
Cherry waved her off. “Don’t be silly. I’m fine. I doubt anything is going to happen. I think Chief Donahue is right. That guy is long gone.” She walked over to Bailey and bussed a kiss on her cheek. “You go see your guy tonight.”
“But—”
“No, no buts. Levi’s time here is short. I know you’d rather spend it with him than me. Besides, we have months left together. Go on.”
Bailey tilted her head. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“Of course, I don’t. But take your clothes for tomorrow instead of trying to sneak in here at dawn. That way I can sleep late.”
Heat flushed up Bailey neck and to her face. “Um…”
Her grandmother laughed. “Have a good evening, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She took a few steps toward the kitchen, stopped, and turned back. “And trust me when I say, that leaves the door of opportunity wide open.” Her grandmother was chuckling as she walked out of the room.
Bailey covered her eyes with her hand. Good lord. She’d been so quiet this morning. Yikes. Her grandmother knew she was sleeping with Levi Van der Hayden. Should she be embarrassed or be like… What the hell? She’s having sex.
In the end, she went with what the hell, and headed upstairs to pack a bag. She fired off a quick text to let Levi know she was on her way and would explain when she got there. Then she carried her bag back down to the kitchen.
“I’m headed out,” Bailey said. “Are you sure you feel okay staying here alone?”
“Honey,” her grandmother said as she caught Bailey’s face between her hands. “I’ve been alone in this house ever since your grandfather died. I’ll be fine.” She kissed Bailey’s cheek. “Love you, child.”
“Love you, too, old woman.” She hugged her grandmother and left.
As she drove to the house Levi had borrowed for them, she felt like she was in a bad movie the way she kept checking her side and rearview mirrors to see if she was being followed. Of course, she wasn’t. She was being paranoid. The chief was probably right about Curtis. He was probably gone…probably. Still, she didn’t put anything past him. He was determined to get at her money. She was such a fool for letting him know about it.
Levi opened the door as soon as she turned into the drive. He looked good, like an ice cream cone on a hot, sweaty day. Her mouth drooled at the vision in front of her. Dressed in only a pair of cargo shorts, she allowed her eyes to feast on the thick slab of muscles in his chest and forearms. Dark, coarse hair sprinkled his chest until a thick line disappeared into the shorts’ waistband. Lucky for her, she knew where the line led.
She climbed from the truck and smiled. “Looking for someone?”
He grinned. “Only the sexiest gal in Alaska.”
She laughed. “What time will she be here?”
His long strides carried him from the house to her side in only a few seconds. “She’s here now.” He cradled her face between his palms and pulled her in for a long kiss. “Whew,” he said. “I needed that.”
“Me, too.”
“Let me get your bag.”
She nodded. “Back seat. Sorry I’m late.”
He hefted the bag out. “What happened? Late patients?”
She shook her head. “I wish, but it’s a long story. Can it wait until after dinner?”
His eyebrows drew together for a moment, but then he gave her a crooked smile. “Sure. I’ve got fresh salmon ready to put on the grill. We’re having salmon quesadillas.”
“Sounds great. I’m starved.” She put her arm around his waist. “Thank you.”
He kissed her forehead. “Anything for you.”
Dinner was delicious, and Bailey ate way too many slices. Levi had a fresh bottle of bourbon that they cracked open and shared. Afterwards, when the dishes were done and food stored away, he took her hand and led her outside to the chair they’d shared that morning. He sat and pulled her into his lap.
“Okay. What happened?”
She sighed, and her head drooped. She started her story of meeting Curtis and how they’d begun dating. She didn’t mention her trust. She’d learned her lesson about how men acted when they discovered she was an heiress, and even though she was sure Levi was different, she still omitted it from the story.
When she got to the part where Curtis got angry when she declined his marriage proposal, his hands tightened at her waist. He might have growled under his breath. But when she told Levi about how Curtis had hit her, anger vibrated off him.
“That son of a bitch,” he said, his voice thick with a threat. “I’d kill him with my bare hands if he were here.” He shifted as though he were going to stand, but she kissed him until he stilled.
She sighed. “Let me finish.” She winced. “There’s more. But first, you have to swear not to kill him. Not that I’d give a crap if you did, but I don’t want to see you in jail.”
He frowned. “Maybe. What?”
“He’s here.”
Every muscle in his body tensed. “Say that again.”
She swallowed the boulder in her throat. “He was in my grandmother’s house when I got home today.”
This time, she couldn’t stop him from standing, and taking her u
p into his arms. “I’m going to fuck this guy up so bad, he won’t know whether to shit from his mouth or his ass.”
“Stop, Levi.”
“Stop? Hell, no. Where is he? Don’t worry, honey. This is Alaska. There’s tons of land I can dump his body, and nobody would ever find it.”
“No, Levi. You’re not going to kill him.” She kissed him and smiled. “He’s gone. We called the police and Chief Donahue came out himself to take the report.”
“I don’t like this.” He shifted her in his arms, and she wiggled to be set on her feet.
“Curtis being in the area does freak me out some, but I’ve got a restraining order, and the chief told me he would enforce it.”
Levi scoffed. “That’s a piece of paper. It didn’t stop him from coming into your grandmother’s house today, did it? Nope, Bailey, I’m telling you. If you see that guy again, you call me. I’ll handle him.”
“I don’t want to talk about him.” She grabbed his hand and began to tug him toward the house. “I want to lick you like a Popsicle. From top to bottom. Very slowly.”
“Well, you do make a convincing argument for changing the subject, but just for now. We aren’t done.”
She smiled. “Oh, no, babe. We definitely aren’t done.”
Chapter 14
Curtis could be patient. He had the rest of his life with Bailey. She may not realize that today, but it was only a matter of time before they were married and their futures, and her fortune, were linked together. Brother Black had taught him to listen, to be patient, and he would hear God’s word. Curtis had listened, and he had heard. God wanted him and Bailey together as husband and wife.
Brother Black had been so happy when Curtis had called to tell him to pack and come to Alaska for the wedding. He’d been even more thrilled when Curtis had asked him to perform the ceremony and explained how the pastor could be legal to perform marriages in Alaska.
His plan was coming together nicely. Letting Bailey have her last fling with that guy wasn’t ideal, but it was like a bachelorette party. Gotta let the little woman have some fun before she settled down, and that’s what he was doing. He didn’t like it and had considered that maybe that guy she was with might have a horrible accident, but he wanted Bailey to go into their life together content that she’d sown her wild oats.
He’d watched from afar as she’d driven from her grandmother’s house to her fuck house, as he thought of it. Seeing her grandmother had given him insight to what Bailey would look like after their long lives together. Her grandmother was lovely. Bailey would be, too.
He stroked his hard cock as he thought about fucking Bailey again. His hand moved faster and firmed as he envisioned Bailey beneath him, calling out his name, begging him to take her as his, use her as he saw fit. In his mind’s eye, he slapped Bailey’s breasts with his belt as he jerked firmer on his dick. Bailey cried out in pleasure from his blows, pleading with him to hit her harder, to mold her into the woman he needed. His orgasm hit hard and he shot his seed onto the floor of the truck.
He stared at the creamy ejaculate and anger filled him. He shouldn’t waste his seed. It was meant for Bailey’s body, not the floor of a disgusting rental.
Shoving himself back into his pants, he pulled his binoculars back to his face to watch the house. He’d seen the guy and knew they were fucking. Rage filled him. Maybe he would kill the guy before he left town just for having the audacity to touch a pure woman like Bailey.
At midnight, he turned the truck around and drove up Sterling Highway to Anchor Point for the night. He needed to be ready for tomorrow.
At five a.m., he drove back to the parking location he’d found that gave him the best view of the house. When she left today, he’d follow her to her office and connect with her then. That would give him a couple of days to win her over again and get to Anchorage by Friday for their wedding.
She walked out of the house at six, right on time. But the son of a bitch boyfriend followed her outside and made her get into his truck. Curtis followed them into Homer, to the hospital, and then to her medical office. As he watched the office, a city patrol car drove past, slowing as the car neared where he parked. Curtis slumped down in the seat, and the police car drove on by. Once he was clear, he drove out of Homer, his mind formulating a new and improved wedding plan.
Looked like it was time to trade in the truck for a sedan.
Chapter 15
As the week progressed, Bailey’s days were completely normal. No strange texts. No demanding and insane phone calls. Sexy nights with Levi. Brief trips to her grandmother’s house for clothes. But no one heard from Curtis. She was a little embarrassed that maybe she’d overreacted. Once she’d threatened him, he’d left. Most bullies are basically cowards. Curtis was nothing if not a bully. But he’d heard her loud and clear at her grandmother’s house. She was done with him, and now he knew it, too.
Nonetheless, she suspected, but never confirmed, that Levi spent his days looking for Curtis, or rather Curtis’s truck. He had insisted that Bailey show him a picture of Curtis, and she had, but by Thursday, she was even more certain Curtis had taken her threat seriously and left.
As much as she loved being with Levi and having him drive her around, she was tired of not having her own wheels. Growing up on a ranch, she’d been driving since she’d been tall enough for her feet to reach the pedals and her head high enough to see through the windshield. At first, it’d been romantic having Levi do all the driving, but now she was feeling smothered. It was time to get back to her usual routine…except for going home at night.
Her time with Levi was more limited than they’d planned as he’d gotten ordered back to California on Sunday, which only gave them Friday and Saturday. The news that he was leaving three days earlier than planned had hit her with more force than she’d expected. She’d gone into this…this, whatever it was, with her eyes open. Some fun and sexy times with the hometown hero while he was around and then…poof! He’d be gone. No harm, no foul, no emotional involvement.
Except, unlike all good plans, she hadn’t made a plan B in case she fell for him. And fall for him she had. She’d fallen hard, like Humpty Dumpty from the wall. Splat. And she had no idea what to do. Telling him she had, well, feelings….
Man, she was such a coward. She was in love with him, but that emotion and that information would have to remain inside her. Their lives were thousands of miles apart. Levi in Texas didn’t compute. He was an Alaskan, and she knew in her heart, he would be until the day he died.
Which brought up another issue. His death.
His job involved taking his life in his hands every day. Didn’t the bullet in the butt prove that to him? But nothing in their time together suggested he gave any thought to leaving the SEALs. If anything, she had to respect his devotion to his team.
Thursday night, she picked at her salad and barely nibbled at her filet.
He sat down his fork, wiped his mouth, and said, “What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing. I know you, Bailey.” He touched his chest. “I know you in here. You’re in here. When something is off kilter with you, I sense it. I’m sensing it now. Talk to me.”
She sighed and placed her fork and knife on her plate. She opened her mouth to tell him that she had feelings for him and was sad that they didn’t have much more time together. Instead, she said, “I want to drive myself to work and back tomorrow.”
His back straightened, and his eyes opened wide. “What?” He shook his head. “I’m confused.”
“My truck. I appreciate all you’ve done for me this week, the driving me to and from work, keeping an eye on me at night. I appreciate all of it. But…” She winced. “Maybe it’s time to get back to normal.”
He arched a dark brow. “Normal, being…?”
Her answer was a one-shoulder shrug. “Normal. You know.”
“No, I don’t think I do. Explain it for me.”
Her gaze dropped to her plate, and she watched her hand move the pieces of s
teak around. Her brain was a tornado of possible replies but none of them landed in her mouth. Instead, she was wordless.
“Hey.” He reached over and placed his hand over hers. “Talk to me. You can tell me anything. I swear. Anything.”
Her vision blurred. She fought the dam of tears she could see rising in her eyes. She didn’t dare raise her face. He would know and she would be embarrassed.
His hand left hers, but in her downward vision, his cargo shorts came into view. Then his knees bent, and his face was looking up at hers.
“Hey, beautiful.” With his thumb, he caught the first tear as it trickled down her cheek. “What’s this?”
He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the sofa. He sat and deposited her into his lap. “Don’t cry, honey.” He wiped her tears with the hem of his shirt. “Did I do something to upset you?”
She shook her head, but her voice refused to come.
“Did I overcook your steak? I mean, I just waved a match over each side before I served it.”
Her lips twitched with a smile. “No.” She sniffed. “The steak was perfect.” Sniff. Sniff.
“Then what?”
With her arms around his neck, she lowered her face to his shoulder and mumbled, “I don’t want you to go.”
“Oh, honey. I don’t want to leave you either.” He hugged her close. “You weren’t supposed to happen in my life. Not yet.”
She sniffed. “I know.”
“Besides, you’re too old for me.”
She sniffed and chuckled. “Cougar.”
“That’s right,” he murmured close to her hair. “I have trapped a wild cougar and I don’t know what to do with her.”
“I don’t want to love you,” she said.
“I don’t want to love you either.”
Neither of them said anything for a couple of minutes until he sighed. “Didn’t want to, but I do.”
“I do, too,” she said, mournfully.
“Well, this is a serious problem,” he said. He wedged an arm under her knees and the other around her back and stood. “Serious problem. Looks like we need to take this to the negotiating room.”
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