Declan

by Kate Hoffmann

  He reached over and ran a finger down the outside of her bare leg, then up the inside of her thigh. “Tell me. Why did I want you so much? Why did I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any woman in my life? And how was it that I was able to stop?”

  “You wanted me because of a combination of factors,” Rachel replied. “It started with the ice cream.”

  “How is that?”

  “You fed me and I accepted. In the animal world, that’s a cue that I’m willing to accept your advances.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Dec said.

  “You wouldn’t. It’s hardwired into your brain. Passed down from cavemen. It’s instinct at work. You just did it because it felt right.”

  “So, if I meet a woman on the street and feed her ice cream, she’d want to sleep with me?”

  “Not if there isn’t desire there in the first place. For us, the timing was right. You probably haven’t had a woman for a while and there was a physical need. And I haven’t been with a man for a long time, so I reciprocated. Then, there are things standing between us-your job, my job, our pasts, and the fact that we don’t really know each other well. Because of that, the need is more acute because it’s improper. There’s some mystery, which adds to the attraction and makes the chase more interesting. We do share some things in common and we’re comfortable with each other, so that adds to it. Finally, we each met the other’s profile for a potential lover. When all that adds up, you get desire.”

  “So, if it’s all so cut-and-dried, then how come people make such a mess of it?”

  Rachel smiled. “Because desire is blind. We don’t always pay attention to the signs. We feel and act before we think.”

  “Isn’t that love? Isn’t love blind?”

  “That, too,” Rachel said. A tiny sliver of guilt shot through her. She wasn’t being completely honest with him. In truth, everything he was feeling was based in basic human desire. But what he wasn’t aware of was that his feelings could also be the beginnings of love.

  “Last night, we felt with our bodies, but we also thought about what we were doing. That’s why we stopped before we went all the way.”

  She was playing a dangerous game. But just because she knew the rules, that didn’t mean that she had to give up her chance at something wonderful. In the past, she’d always let love take its own course and look where it had gotten her. Now, she’d found a man who was handsome and interesting and trustworthy, a man who made her head spin and her heart pound. Why not do what she could to make him fall in love with her? How could it possibly hurt either one of them?

  Some of her colleagues might consider it manipulative, but Rachel was doing nothing more than any other woman experienced in the art of desire. In truth, there were women out there who were much better at snagging a man than she could ever be. So there was no reason for guilt.

  Dec shook his head. “I don’t know if I can do that again.”

  “Maybe you won’t have to,” Rachel replied.

  A long silence grew between them as they looked at each other, their gazes locked. Then Dec slowly nodded and Rachel smiled. “So, what are we going to do with ourselves today?” she asked.

  He straightened, then slipped his hands around her waist. “We could go into town and get some breakfast and walk around a little. We could spend the day sunning ourselves out on the pier. We could go for a boat ride or go fishing.”

  “That all sounds good,” she said.

  “And we could start by taking a shower together,” he suggested.

  Rachel pushed up on her toes and kissed him. “All right.”

  “I was kidding,” Dec said. “If we take a shower together, we’re going to spend the rest of the day in bed.”

  “Then we can take a shower later,” she suggested. With that, Rachel turned and walked toward the bedroom, leaving Dec with a confused look on his face.

  She grinned. At least she wouldn’t have to guess what was going through his mind for the rest of the day.

  5

  DECLAN TURNED HIS face up to the sun, the mid-afternoon heat warming his skin and relaxing his body. He and Rachel had gone into town for breakfast, then spent the morning wandering along the streets and visiting some of the small shops in Boothbay Harbor.

  He’d always hated shopping with women, but shopping with Rachel was actually interesting. She kept him entertained with her droll comments and quirky opinions. And she had a keen knack for knowing when he was becoming bored with the shopping experience, leading him out of the store just before he’d had enough. A waterfront restaurant was the perfect spot for lunch before heading back to the cabin for a lazy afternoon.

  The sun was high in the sky when they’d returned to the cabin. They’d headed down to the pier and now lay side by side in a pair of plastic chaises.

  “You have a really nice body.”

  Dec squinted against the sun and looked over to find Rachel watching him. She still wore the skirt she’d worn into town, but now, the skirt was pulled up around her hips. She’d discarded the camisole and was left in just her bra.

  “What?”

  She sat up and crossed her legs in front of her. “You have a nice body,” she repeated. “The thing I really like about it is that it isn’t all pumped up. I don’t like men who look…artificial.”

  “So you think I’m skinny?” he asked.

  “No, you’re just right. You look like a man is supposed to look. Or at least how I imagine a man is supposed to look. That’s all that’s really important.”

  “Hmmm.” Dec grinned, then closed his eyes and laid back. “I like your body, too.” He paused. “A lot.”

  “What part do you like the best?” she asked.

  “You mean, am I boob man or a butt man?” He sent her another glance, this time letting his eyes wander from her face to her feet. “Stand up.”

  “No!” she cried.

  “How am I supposed to give you an informed answer?”

  Reluctantly, she did as he asked. Dec sat up and shaded his eyes with his hand, taking in her slender figure. She held her skirt up and he let his gaze linger on her legs. “It’s hard to say,” he murmured.

  “There’s nothing about my body that you like?”

  “No, I like everything about it,” he replied. “I can’t pick just one thing. I like your knees and your shoulders. And the small of your back. And your hair. I like everything about your face, but especially your mouth and your eyes. I’m a big fan of your breasts. And I’ve grown to appreciate your feet. And your legs are just killer.”

  She flopped down in her chair. “You’re entirely too charming for your own good,” she muttered.

  “And you’re too beautiful for yours,” he replied.

  A tiny smile twitched at the corners of her mouth and Declan was amazed at how important that smile had become to him in such a short time. Though he took his professional responsibilities very seriously, he’d gone above and beyond his duties by watching after Rachel’s happiness as well as her safety.

  It was a new and unfamiliar feeling to be so invested in the emotions of another person, especially a woman. Women had always seemed so complicated to him, but not Rachel. When she was upset, it showed, and it didn’t take much coaxing for her to reveal why. And when she was happy, his day was perfect.

  “I could stay here forever,” she murmured.

  “So could I.” Even a statement like that would have been too much in the past, alluding to promises that he’d never keep. But the truth was the truth. He could imagine staying in this place with Rachel, maybe not forever, but for a very long time.

  “I don’t have to be back in town until Thursday,” she said. “We could stay an extra night. If that’s all right with you.”

  He rolled over on his side, reaching out to run a finger along her arm. “I’d like that.”

  “You don’t need to work?”

  “I’ve got my cell phone. If they need to reach me, they can. Besides, I haven’t had a vacation for a l
ong time. I deserve a break.”

  “You should always take time for yourself,” she said.

  “When was the last time you had a vacation?” Dec asked.

  “Years ago,” Rachel admitted. “It’s no fun going anywhere alone.”

  “I agree. But you’re not alone this time. And neither am I.” Dec sat up and swung his legs off the chair, then dropped a kiss on Rachel’s forehead. “I need to call the office. Can I get you anything while I’m up at the cabin?”

  “I’d like another kiss, please,” she said.

  He bent over her and Rachel grabbed him around the neck, pulling him down on top of her. She wriggled around beneath him until their bodies fit perfectly against each other, then nuzzled his neck. “Thank you for bringing me here,” she murmured.

  He kissed her and for a long time, he didn’t want to stop. Kissing had always been a means to an end for him, a necessary part of seduction. But kissing had taken on a whole new meaning with Rachel. It was just…fun. Like eating candy or riding a roller coaster or curling up in front of a fire on a cold night. A myriad of pleasures awaited him when his lips touched hers and every time they kissed, that revelation was brought home all over again.

  When Dec finally got to his feet, Rachel had a satisfied smile on her face. “Bring me something to drink, please?”

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Don’t go in the water. Always swim with a partner.”

  She gave him a crisp salute. “Yes, sir, Captain Safety.”

  Dec hiked up the small rise to the cabin. He found his cell phone on the counter where he’d left it. He punched in the memory dial for the office and spoke first with his secretary and then with his office manager. Once he’d gone through the daily details of business, he asked to be put through to the investigator he’d put on Rachel’s case.

  “What can you tell me, Rick?”

  “We’ve done a background check on Daniel Ellsworth. Nothing came up. No extramarital affairs, no gambling debts, no complaints from colleagues. He’s very well-respected and according to a few sources on campus, his interest in Miss Merrill is completely professional. They also noted that he benefits from the relationship. According to them, until he paired up with Professor Merrill, he wasn’t published in any of the prestigious journals.”

  “No professional jealousies,” Dec asked.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary,” Rick replied.

  “What about her research assistant?”

  “Simon Lister is sleeping with his thirty-five-year-old, married landlady,” Rick said. “But we’re still looking at him. He did have a crush on one of his professors during his undergrad years at Cornell and followed her around for a while. I’ll be talking to her tomorrow.”

  “Were you able to come up with anything on those letters?”

  “They were all printed on an Epson printer. Most of the printers at the university are Hewlett Packard. But I sent samples to Sam Devlin over at the FBI and he seems to think the letters were written by a woman.”

  “He can tell that?”

  “He claims he can. Women use words differently than men do, make threats differently. He can’t be a hundred percent sure, but that was his opinion.”

  “So maybe it isn’t a guy. Rachel claims she hasn’t been involved in a relationship for a while.”

  “That’s the truth,” Rick said.

  “You checked her out?”

  “The info in the file was pretty thin, boss. It made sense.”

  “So what did you find?” Dec asked, suddenly curious.

  “She’s had three serious relationships, all with academic types, none lasting longer than a year. Her most recent relationship ended a year ago this last April. Strangely enough, all three of the guys are now happily married.”

  “All right,” Dec said. “Call Trevor Ross and update him. And stay on it. Whoever this person is will probably get a little desperate after a few days of not seeing her. We’re going to stay up here through Wednesday night.”

  “Okay, boss. I’ll let you know if we get anything.”

  Dec closed the phone, then set it back on the counter, surprised by the latest development. If Rachel’s stalker was a woman, then that changed the entire complexion of the case. In his experience, women usually stalked because of envy or jealousy, men because of sexual obsession. But that didn’t make them any less dangerous.

  He decided to keep the newest development to himself. Though he could question Rachel about possible suspects, he’d do so later, after Rick had a chance to gather more information.

  Dec grabbed a bottle of lemonade from the refrigerator and strolled back down to the water, thinking about the information Rick had given him. He hadn’t thought much about Rachel’s past relationships with men. In truth, had any of them lasted, then he wouldn’t be where he was today.

  Yet, he wondered why other men hadn’t found what he had in Rachel. There wasn’t anything about her that didn’t fascinate him. In his eyes, she was pretty close to perfect. And Dec had never considered himself that much different from regular guys. But then, maybe these eggheads she’d dated weren’t regular guys.

  Sexy was sexy, Dec mused. Egghead or not, it was the same for all men. And Rachel was definitely sexy. He walked down the dock, only to have his theory proved. Rachel had removed her skirt and was now lying in just her underwear, her panties matching the lacy black bra.

  Though her lingerie was less revealing than most bikinis, Dec found it much more arousing. His mind wandered, focusing on how little effort it would take to rid her of the tiny scraps of fabric, just a quick tug here and there and she’d be naked.

  “Be careful,” he said. “You don’t want to burn.”

  Rachel smiled. “I know. I’m just about done. Even a little sun helps. I don’t want to have that pasty look of an academic.”

  Dec thought her skin looked like perfect porcelain, now with just a hint of pink. “I like your skin, too,” he murmured. Rachel sat up and Dec opened the bottle of lemonade and handed it to her.

  “I’m going to go up and start dinner,” she said. “Are you going to stay down here?”

  “For a little while,” he said. “Call me if you need help. And be careful, those knives in the kitchen are really sharp.”

  “There’s a broken board on the end of the dock. Aren’t you going to warn me that it might bounce up, hit me in the head and cause a traumatic brain injury?”

  “Sorry,” Dec said. “Just doing my job.”

  “There are a lot of things you do better than your job,” she teased.

  As she walked away, Dec twisted in his chair and watched her leave, smiling to himself. He wasn’t sure where his protective streak had come from and in truth, it was a bit silly. Rachel had passed twenty-nine years of her life without injuring herself seriously with a kitchen knife or getting a third-degree sunburn. Maybe it was time for him to relax a bit.

  He was here, alone with a woman he found incredibly alluring. There were much better things to do than worry.

  RACHEL POURED THE LAST OF the bottle of wine into Dec’s glass. The remains of their dinner-grilled salmon, asparagus and a salad of baby greens-were scattered across the small table on the porch.

  She took a sip of her wine, then leaned back into the cushions of the wicker chair. Try as she might, she couldn’t remember a single time when she’d been this content. There always seemed to be some problem plaguing her mind, but tonight, all she thought about was how good the wine tasted and how beautiful the sunset had been…and how handsome Dec looked in the waning light.

  The day had passed in lazy enjoyment, both of them aware of what the night would bring. There had been penetrating gazes and innocent caresses, a kiss here and there, little clues that characterized the desire bubbling just below the surface. There was no doubt in Rachel’s mind they’d give in to that desire. All they were doing now was marking time.

  “If you were back home, what would you be doing?” she asked.

  “If I
wasn’t working, I’d probably be at a pub watching the ball game, or hanging out with my brothers. Or maybe taking a run. What would you be doing?”

  “Working,” she said. “I used to tell myself that it was good I didn’t have much of a personal life, but now I’m thinking I was deluding myself. I love it here. I haven’t thought about work since we got in the car and left Providence.”

  “I probably shouldn’t even be here,” Dec said, running his finger around the rim of his wine glass. “Especially not with a single, beautiful woman. It’s too much of a temptation.”

  “But that’s good,” she said.

  “No. I’m supposed to be celibate until the beginning of September.”

  “Are you planning to go into the priesthood or do you have some medical problem?” she asked, taken aback by his confession.

  “My brothers and I made a bet that we couldn’t go three months without sex. Actually, I’m the idiot who offered up the challenge and they agreed.”

  It was obvious he’d decided to break his pact. The intimacies they’d already shared were well beyond the boundaries of celibacy. Rachel was pleased that she’d been the one to tempt him. “Sometimes it’s good to take a break from sex, to gain perspective on relationships,” she commented.

  “That’s exactly what I said,” Dec replied.

  “Well, you were right,” Rachel said.

  “Nah, I was full of shit,” he countered. “I should have never made the bet.” He drew a deep breath. “I just didn’t plan on meeting you.”

  “Well, you haven’t lost yet,” she said. “We haven’t actually had sex. We’ve just messed around.”

  “I wasn’t supposed to have any sexual contact with women. No touching, no kissing, no anything, for three months.” Dec reached across the table and grazed her jaw with his fingertips. “Now three more minutes is much too long.” He stood and drew her up to her feet, then wrapped his arm around her waist. “I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he murmured, kissing the curve of her neck.

  Rachel reached for the buttons of his shirt and slowly undid them. When she was finished, she smoothed her hands over his chest. Bit by bit, inch by inch, they began to explore each other’s bodies, slowly pushing aside clothing as they stumbled back inside the cabin.