Cold Heart

by Sheila Dryden

  “I would like that. I will try to sleep but don’t let me sleep too long or it will screw me up for sleeping tonight,” she said.

  “It’s a deal,” he said and he took the tray and left pulling the door almost closed.

  The big bed was warm and cosy and Carter’s shirt was soft against her skin. She felt very content. It didn’t take long before she was asleep. Carter let her sleep for three hours and then he came in and sat on the side of the bed. He was just enjoying watching her sleep when she woke and she saw him. A wide smiled lit up her face.

  He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

  “I said I wouldn’t let you sleep too long, but you looked so peaceful I hated to wake you.”

  “I had a good sleep,” she said “What did you do?”

  “I needed to deal with the horses and stuff,” he said.

  “But you must be tired too,” she protested.

  “I’ve had some cat naps over the past couple of days,” he said.

  He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth this time, his hand running down her arm and she responded by putting her hand on the back of his neck and pulling him to her.

  “Carter,” she whispered.

  “I want you Lexi, I know I said we’d take it slow, but ...” he didn’t finish.

  “Yes, I know we did but I want you too Carter,” she said.

  “But I don’t have ...” he stopped when she interrupted.

  “Still on the pill,” she said. “And if you’re worried about anything else I had that checked when I found out Michael was sleeping around.”

  He smiled and kissed her again. She unbuttoned his shirt and he slipped it off. She ran her hands down his chest and through the dusting of dark curls that covered it. He rose then and went around to the other side of the bed and slipped out of his jeans and underwear and Lexi could see his desire for her and she was overwhelmed by her own need. Carter slipped between the sheets and moved towards her.

  At first he just lay on his side next to her looking in her eyes as the scorching heat between them erupted into a blaze. Then he began undoing the buttons on the shirt she wore and moved his mouth down and focused all his attention on her breasts. He nibbled and licked and tasted and sucked. It was intoxicating and Lexi ached with desire. She moaned and Carter moved his mouth down her torso kissing and exploring with his tongue, playing his hands on the inside of her thighs low then higher while she ran her fingers through his hair. When she thought she couldn’t bear it any longer his tongue found that sweet spot and it teased and delved and coaxed until she throbbed with ecstasy.

  He moved on top of her and gently moved his hand down to spread her and then thrust himself inside her and they rocked together, all the desire and all the stress of the last few days culminating in one amazing moment when the inferno inside them erupted in an explosion of the senses. They lay exhausted, panting and spent. Carter rolled off her and then turned to face her. He touched the bruise that had formed where Mitch had slugged her. Then he kissed it and each of the scratches on her face and her arms.

  They fell asleep for a little while and then she snuck out of bed and took a shower. She noticed her clothes, washed and dried and neatly folded and placed on a chair in the bedroom. This guy really was too good to be true. They were the only clothes she had until the Sherriff’s department returned her suitcases. Carter must have heard the shower running as he joined her. He appeared ready to go again but Lexi persuaded him to wait. She really wanted to go and see Tucker. She needed to see with her own eyes that he was okay.

  They were just about to leave for the Veterinary Clinic when one of the deputies drove in.

  “I’ve got Miss Thomas’s clothes here,” he said.

  “Great, thank you,” she said.

  He got the two suitcases out of the trunk and was about to haul one up to the porch while Carter got the other but Lexi interrupted.

  “I’ll want them over at my place, but I no longer have a car to drive,” she said.

  “About that,” the deputy said. “Mrs. Montgomery wants you to keep this vehicle here until things get sorted out with yours.”

  He pointed to the car Carter had borrowed to race to Lexi.

  “That’s awfully nice of her,” Lexi said.

  “Let’s just put them in the trunk,” Carter said. “We’ll drop them off on the way to see Tucker.”

  “Great,” said Lexi. “Thanks.”

  The two men hefted the large suitcases into the trunk of the car and then the deputy was off. Lexi and Carter then headed over to her place and dropped off the bags. They drove to the Veterinary Clinic. The parking lot was empty and when they went inside the Vet was chatting with the receptionist.

  “Carter, nice to see you again,” Dr. Mitchell said.

  “Thanks, this is Lexi, Tucker’s owner, the lady who will be paying the bill,” Carter said chuckling.

  “Hi,” Lexi said reaching to shake his hand. “I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Tucker.”

  “It’s all in a day’s work. He’s a great dog,” the Vet said, “Excuse me just a moment.”

  He disappeared in the back and when he returned he had Tucker with him. He went straight for Lexi and she knelt down and carefully cuddled the wriggling dog.

  “Wow, he’s doing well then,” she said.

  “Yes, he’ll be better off at home. I would like to see him in a couple of days to change that dressing. You’ll need to keep an eye on him. Being his shoulder, he can’t really reach it to pull the bandages off so it should be alright. I have some antibiotics here for him and of course I want him to have lots of rest.”

  “Does he need anything for pain?” Lexi asked.”There is a liquid medication for pain also for the next couple of days and we’ll see how he’s doing when you bring him in.”

  Lexi looked after the paperwork and got the medications and directions and then joined Carter who had taken Tucker out to his truck, which was still there from earlier in the day.

  “Lexi,” he said. “I think you should both stay at my place for a couple of days. That way we are both there to watch Tucker and you can get back on your feet too.”

  “I’m fine, Carter, really,” she said, though it was tempting.

  “Think about it, please,” Carter said.

  He pulled out onto the road and began the drive back to Lexi’s. She followed in Grace’s car. She really wanted to go and stay at Carter’s. It would have been so easy to just let him take over and take care of her. Part of her wanted that but part of her was afraid of becoming dependant on him, just like she had done with Michael when her parents died. By the time they pulled into the driveway of Wildwood, she had made up her mind that she was going to stay here; after all, she didn’t have to be afraid anymore.

  “Carter,” she said, turning to him. “I really appreciate the offer to stay at your place, but I’ll be okay. I’d be grateful if you could stay here with Tucker as I just want to go over to Grace’s quickly and thank her for what she did.

  “If that’s what you want,” he said. “Off you go to Grace’s.”

  33

  When the maid answered the door she had Lexi wait a moment then returned quickly and led her into the living room. Grace was standing at the window looking out at the pool and vineyards beyond. Lexi went directly to her and gave her a big hug.

  “I can’t begin to thank you for what you did,” Lexi said. “I owe you my life.”

  “I hope that bastard rots in jail,” she said. “When I overheard that he killed Max and that he had taken his ... taken you, I just couldn’t sit by.”

  “So it was Geoffrey that pushed him,” Lexi said.

  “Oh, it was Mitch that pushed him but Geoffrey was the one who ordered it or that hideous little man that he was in debt to,” she said.

  “So you know who that was,” Lexi asked.

  “I met him once when he came here,” Grace said. “Geoffrey introduced him as a business colleague. I don’t remember his name
but I gave the Sherriff a description. They are going through all of Geoffrey’s papers and I’m sure they will find out his name. I still have trouble believing what they did.”

  “You really cared for my Uncle Max, didn’t you?” Lexi said.

  “Lexi, I loved him from the moment I first met him when I was seventeen. But he loved your mother and he never got over her, even when she left him. He never moved on, he kept hoping she would come back to him. I kept hoping he would get over her. Then when the truth came out I believe he thought maybe she would come back to him then and that’s why he started the big renovation to create Wildwood,” Grace said.

  “We’ll have to talk more, soon,” Lexi said.

  “Yes, I do want to talk to you about some things,” Grace said. “But you must be very tired. Did the deputy tell you I want you to take one of the cars?”

  “Yes, he did and that’s how I got here. It’s the one Carter borrowed. Is it the one I should keep?

  “Yes. Keep it as long as you need it.”

  “It is very kind of you,” Lexi said. “I would really appreciate it. Thank you for everything. We’ll talk soon. I’ll call you.”

  “That would be lovely,” Grace said.

  Lexi went out front and started the short drive. She wanted to get together with Grace soon. She had other questions for her but that would have to wait a few days until Tucker was better. He would be her focus right now. That poor dog had been through so much in the short time he had been in her care. She was never going to let anything bad happen to him again.

  Alone in the car, she thought about Carter. He really was a wonderful guy and making love earlier had been amazing. She didn’t trust herself though. It all seemed too good to be true and she wasn’t sure if it was all the drama of the past few weeks that was fueling these passionate feelings. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Carter by acting on feelings that weren’t real.

  When she arrived back at Wildwood, Carter came out onto the porch. Lexi parked and went up and gave him a hug. He pulled back and looked in her face.

  “What’s up Lex?” he said. “I thought we had an amazing time earlier, was I wrong?”

  “It was amazing Carter,” she said. “I appreciate you wanting to look after me. It is definitely something that I could get used to. But I’m fine, really. I can finally get on with things and I don’t have to be afraid anymore. I don’t want a relationship with you based on me being super needy. I’ve done that and it doesn’t work. You can understand that can’t you?”

  “Of course,” he said. “I wasn’t asking you to move in, just wanting to help take some of the pressure off for a few days.”

  “I know that Carter and it’s so sweet of you,” she said. “I know you have things you need to do and so do I but I want you to come back and have dinner?”

  “Of course, I’d love that, but don’t fuss okay? You’ve been through quite an ordeal,” he said’

  “I’m fine Carter, really I am,” she said again. “When you come back we need to search for the bugs that Mitch planted inside.”

  “What?” he said.

  “Yeah, he planted a couple of bugs in the great room and they were listening to me, to us and that’s how they knew when to come in and stuff.

  Carter turned around and went back inside and began looking around.

  “When do you think he did it?” Carter asked.

  “I think that first day he brought that case of wine,” Lexi said.

  “Show me exactly where he walked from the front door all the way to where he put the wine down,” Carter said.

  Lexi did her best to retrace the route that Mitch had taken. Carter then did the same only this time he felt around the edges of the hall table and the dining table and sure enough found two bugs.

  “Hopefully that is it,” Carter said.

  “I suppose there could be other ones upstairs since I’m sure he was in here to write on my mirror.”

  “That’s right.”

  Carter was up the stairs in a flash. He searched around all the tables in Lexi’s room and in the bathroom. He found a bug on the far bedside table. He was coming downstairs by the time she reached the top step.

  “Okay, well I’m going now,” he said and popped all three of them in her hand. “You might want to save these for the Sherriff.”

  “Yes, I will,” she said. “At least Mitch got what he deserved.”

  “Yes he did and Montgomery will too.”

  “See you later,” Lexi said.

  “What time should I come back?” Carter said.

  “How about six?”

  “Okay,” he said and he bent to kiss her.

  He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face up. It was a teasing kiss that made her want to insist he stay and when he pulled away he smiled and walked down to his truck leaving her breathless and wanting more.

  Tucker wagged but didn’t move from his bed when she entered the great room. She let him rest and went into the kitchen to check out what might still be in the fridge. She threw the now spoiled lasagna and garlic bread, still sitting on the counter, into the garbage. The fridge was pretty empty. She should really go to the store but what about Tucker. Lexi hated to admit it but it would have been a lot easier to be staying at Carter’s right now.

  No. Independence was important for her, she reminded herself. Carter would soon tire of her if she was too needy. She had to stand on her own two feet and there was nothing standing in her way now. She decided that Tucker would be fine for the hour or so it would take her to go to the market and pick up a few groceries. First though, she had an idea. She went into the office and found an old telephone directory and looked up a number and made a call.

  With a list in hand she petted Tucker who seemed to just be enjoying dozing and she hurried out to the car and drove to the market. She got everything on her list and was back in the car and home within the hour. She set to work cooking and didn’t stop until she had everything organized. Tucker came into the kitchen about five and Lexi thought he was probably getting hungry but she took him outside for a short walk first and then brought him back in and gave him dinner and one of his pills. After that he went back to his bed and back to sleep. Lexi rushed upstairs to shower and change. She was feeling tired and the shower revived her.

  When she was satisfied with her appearance she went downstairs. She still had a few minutes before Carter would arrive, so she went into the office and searched everywhere she could think of, for the safety deposit box key. It seemed impossible, given how organized Uncle Max had been with everything else that the key was not here in his office. She found nothing. It was disappointing but she promised herself she would search Max’s bedroom tomorrow.

  34

  Carter arrived right on time. Lexi felt her breath catch a little in her throat when he got out of the truck. He was wearing jeans as usual but a really dark navy color and a white shirt. The sleeves were rolled up and the first button undone. The contrast of the white against his skin made him look even more tanned than usual. She was thinking of his washboard abs as he walked toward her. When he kissed her, his face was soft from a recent shave and he smelled of cologne. Lexi felt her insides turn to Jello.

  “Hi,” he said when he pulled back from the kiss. “How was the rest of the day?”

  “It was wonderful to be here, unafraid and thinking of the future,” Lexi said. “I am so grateful just to be alive.”

  “I’m grateful you’re alive too,” Carter said.

  “Come on in,” she said.

  She took his hand and pulled him into the foyer and through to the great room. Tucker pulled himself up from his mat and walked over to greet Carter.

  “Hey boy,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

  “He’s had a pretty good day, I think. He’s rested a lot,” Lexi said.

  Carter led the dog back over to the mat and coaxed him to lie down.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Lexi asked.

  “Y
es, please but I think I’ll just stick with wine tonight,” he said and smiled. “Let me help.”

  He followed her into the kitchen and Lexi passed him a bottle and a corkscrew and he opened the bottle and poured some wine into the glasses she had taken down from the cupboard.

  “To us,” he said and raised his glass to ding it against hers. “Is that bread I smell?”

  “Might be,” she said with a little smirk. “Let’s go and sit in the other room. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.”

  “So what are your plans for the next few days?” Carter asked.

  “Well, I have to contact the consulting firm that is doing the feasibility study and helping me with my business plan. I have to follow up with the landscaper and the decorator this week, also,” Lexi said, “And I have to find that damn key to the safety deposit box so once and for all I can find out if there is anything important in there.”

  “Well that sounds like a lot for just a few days” Carter said. “What are you hoping to find in the safety deposit box?”

  “I don’t know and maybe I’m grasping at straws but I keep tossing around the idea that my mom might have already been pregnant when she ran off with my father ... which would mean that Max was really my father.”

  “Okay,” Carter said. “That would make some sense. Maybe that’s what he was trying to say when he was dying. Tell Lexi I’m ... her father?”

  “Yeah,” Lexi said. “Do you think that could have been it?”

  “It’s possible,” Carter said.

  The timer buzzed from the kitchen.

  “Dinners ready,” Lexi said. “I’ll get it, you sit at the table.”

  “Are you sure I can’t help?” he asked.

  “Not this time,” Lexi said. “I have a surprise.”

  Carter sat and Lexi went into the kitchen and when she returned she was carrying a salad, which she set down on the table. Then she went back into the kitchen and brought out a large casserole dish.

  “Is this what I think it is?” Carter asked.

  “Yes, I called Mrs. Lorenzo and explained what happened and asked her for the recipe.”