He grabbed her hand and pressed his warm lips to her skin. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“You too.” She sighed, and batted her eyes as a joke. “You’re my hero.”
Peter laughed and then winced. “It was the least I could do. After all, I probably led him straight to you.”
Kelly shivered, remembering Robert’s cold eyes, and pawing hands. “I’m just glad you came home when you did. God only knows what he had in mind for me.”
He swallowed hard. “I can pretty well guess.”
The police cars came screaming up the road, red lights flashing. The senior officer of the group, a tall burly man in his mid-fifties, took Kelly’s and Peter’s statements. Some of the officers tramped through the house, taking pictures and collecting evidence of the crime scene, while others roused Robert. They cuffed him and read him his rights as he cursed them out loudly.
When the police finally led Robert toward one of the patrol cars, he glared over at Kelly and snarled, “How many times are we going to have to go through this, Angel? They lock me up, I get out. Rinse and repeat. They can’t keep me from you.” His eyes were dark and threatening.
Fear shot through Kelly at the vicious hatred in his eyes, and she shrank back. But Peter stepped between Robert and her, putting his arm around her protectively, and pulling her to him. “Maybe they can’t, but I sure as hell can,” he growled.
Robert’s eyes flickered as they met Peter’s. Robert dropped his gaze and ducked into the police car. The senior officer came over to Kelly, and he patted her shoulder. “Don’t listen to him, Miss Martin. He just tried to kill two people with a deadly weapon. This is no longer a case of your word against his. He has a violent record as long as his leg. By the time he gets out, he’ll be using a walker.”
Kelly smiled weakly. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am.” The officer laughed.
Kelly and Peter both declined a trip to the hospital, and it was after midnight by the time the police cleared out of the cottage. Kelly felt bruised and exhausted, but there was a strange sense of relief too. The thing she’d feared most for four years had finally happened. But now Robert wasn’t a threat any longer, and she could breathe easy.
Sitting on her bed, she glanced up when there was a knock on her doorjamb. “Hey,” she said softly.
Peter stood there, gingerly holding an ice bag to his jaw. He smiled at her, taking in her freshly scrubbed face, and bare legs that dangled beneath her nightshirt. “You certainly don’t look like someone who just survived a knife attack,” he said, running his eyes over her.
Heat swept through her cheeks, and she tucked her legs up under her shirt. He looked handsome and relaxed from his shower. “What do you need? Did the management forget to put your mint on the pillow again?” She smiled.
“No, actually I have some good news for you.” His expression was hard to read all at once.
“That’s nice, what is it?”
“I’ll be leaving sooner than I thought. Probably tomorrow afternoon actually.”
“Leaving?” Kelly sounded dazed.
“Yes. You’ll finally get your house back to yourself. I know you’ve been looking forward to that.” He kept his gaze pinned to the floor.
“Oh,” she said softly.
“I just thought I should let you know.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, that’s great. Your story even has an exciting action packed ending.” She tried hard not to show how disappointed she felt at the news he’d be leaving. “Did you finish all the research that you need then?”
Peter’s leaving. I can’t believe Peter’s leaving.
He looked up, eyes narrowed. “You were my research, remember?”
“Oh. Yes. That’s right.” She gnawed on her lower lip. “So then the book is finished?”
“No.” His voice was hushed.
She lifted her eyes, her disappointment mirrored there. “Then why are you leaving so soon?”
He shrugged. “Well, you’ve made it pretty clear you don’t want me here.”
“I have?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I might have said some things when I was angry. But it doesn’t really matter because I know you’d never live in a place like Sea Light Cliffs.”
“Why would you say that?”
She sighed. “Because you made it clear you’ve never had any intention of staying here. The plan was always to write the book and move on, right?”
“Plans change sometimes.”
She flicked her gaze to his. “Do they?”
He took a step into the room. “Would you want them to change?”
She frowned. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me.”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “I’m asking you point blank if you’d like me to stay here, Kelly.”
Excitement rippled through her, and she widened her eyes. “Well, I don’t want you to stay here if you don’t want to.”
“Kelly.” His voice was exasperated.
“What?”
“Why are you so proud? Can’t you just ask me to stay?” he asked impatiently.
“Do you want me to do that?”
He strode over to her and gathered her up into his arms. His mouth covered hers hungrily, and she clung to him feeling lightheaded. When he finally lifted his head, she was breathless.
“I can’t just uproot my life for a woman who won’t even tell me how she feels about me.” He stroked her cheek. “No matter how much I’d like to.”
She dropped her eyes to his chin. “It’s not like you’re exactly forthright about how you feel either.”
He gave an impatient grunt. “How can you say that? I would have gladly died for you tonight. Don’t you know I’d do anything for you, Kelly?”
Her stomach fluttered happily as his words sank in. “You would?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Excitement filled her as she looked up into his heated gaze. She gave a tentative smile, and he groaned and kissed her again. He gently pushed her down on the bed, his hard body pressing into her soft one.
“Kelly, I love you. I love you so much I can’t imagine not waking up and seeing you every day.”
Peter loved her. The joy that radiated through her at that thought made her wrap her slender arms around his neck and kiss him back. He responded, smoothing his hands over her hips and waist.
When he finally lifted his head, his lips were plump from kissing her so much. “Well, don’t you have anything to say?” He frowned at her.
Kelly wriggled under his hard body, pressing closer. “Like what?”
“You know what.” His tone held a warning.
“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get a sequel out of this book deal thing?”
He grinned, his eyes warm. “You found me out.”
She was so surprised and happy at the turn of events, she barely knew what to say. “I take love seriously.”
“I know. I do too. And even if you reject me and send me away, I’ll still love you. I can’t help it. Every time I see you, something inside of me reaches for you. The second I saw you, I changed. I’ve never believed in soulmates. I thought that was just some stupid thing people told themselves just so they wouldn’t have to be alone.”
She smiled. “I did too.”
He touched her cheek. “You’re the love of my life. Ask me to stay. Don’t let me go. Don’t ever let me go.”
“I won’t.” Her eyes stung with tears of joy. She cupped his face and nodded. “I love you. Stay with me, Peter. Please don’t go.”
He groaned and kissed her soundly. When he lifted his head, there was a mischievous glint in his eye. “Gee, this is such a surprise. Well if you insist. I’ll stay forever.” Peter grinned, and rolled over on top of her.
She gave a happy yelp, and their laughter echoed through the little cottage that had brought them together.
The End
Copyright (c) 2018
Kathleen Grace
The Art o
f Hiding
January 2018
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Kathleen Grace.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
The Art of Hiding Page 19