Ellory came back to bed and slid in beside her, kissing her mouth. At forty-three, his hair was just starting to show silver streaks and his body was hard from boxing—his passion. He smiled down at her. “So …what are we doing? Are we trying to build a relationship?”
Tahlia looked away from him, feeling the crushing weight of responsibility for someone’s else feelings. “Ell …I have to be honest. All of this is a surprise to me. Which is not to say I don’t enjoy sleeping with you. I do. It’s just …it feels like it came out of nowhere, you know?”
Ellory ran his hand over her breasts and belly. “For you, maybe,” he said softly. “Tal, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted you.”
She flushed, but felt awkward. “You never said.”
Ellory lay back, looking up at the ceiling. “When Cade was alive …I don’t know, it seemed like he was always so protective. I didn’t want to risk our relationship, so I hid my feelings. Also, there’s the age gap. Cade was funny about that.”
Tahlia was surprised. “He was?”
Ellory nodded, then smiled broadly. “I actually don’t think he would approve of anyone being with you.”
Tahlia laughed. “Wasn’t his decision to make. But, Ell, I have to be honest. Before …lately, I never thought of you that way. Cade always told me you were family and I believed him. And there is a reason Cade behaved like that.” Tahlia swallowed hard. She had only ever told one person, Cade, this story but she felt she had to explain her brother’s reticence. “In college, I was raped. Repeatedly. By someone I thought cared for me. He took my virginity, then threatened to hurt me if I told anyone. I believed him. It went on for a year, then suddenly he left Harvard without explanation. Cade was the only person I told. Now you know too.”
Ellory looked horrified. “God, Tally …”
“Please don’t be too nice or I’ll cry,” she said, touching his face. “Ell, I don’t know if I can have a relationship with you. I just don’t know if it’s in my nature. But I really don’t want to hurt you.”
Ellory nodded slowly. “We can just call it what it is, then. Friends hooking up with each other.”
“Really?”
Ellory grinned. “Hey, I’m a modern man. We never said we were exclusive. We never said we were anything. So don’t worry.”
Tahlia gave a sigh of relief. “As long as it doesn’t affect our friendship or us working together.”
“Agreed. Now,” he covered her body with his again and she felt his erection hard against her thigh. “Where did we leave off?”
Ludo toyed with the idea of going out to a bar and finding someone to help ease his aching balls. Instead, he stayed home, took a long hot shower, and masturbated, thinking of Tahlia Penn’s lush curves. As he came, he imagined pumping his seed onto her belly, which made him come even harder. God …he had to screw her—that was obvious—but he’d have to be careful. He sensed a vulnerability there—a hesitancy. When she’d met his gaze, he thought she might have been feeling the attraction between them, but he couldn’t be sure.
After left-over Chinese food, he called his brother, Nico, in Italy. “Ciao, Nico.”
“Ciao! How’s the American Dream?”
Ludo laughed. “Still trying to find my place. I’m in Seattle at the moment.”
“Yeah, Gracie told me. Escaping the psycho?”
“Trying to, though I think she’s in town. I can hardly hide my filming commitments.” He caught Nico up on what had been happened. Nico wasn’t joking around after that.
“Man, I’m a little scared for you, I have to say. These lawyers, do you really think they can protect you? Maybe you should get a security team.”
Ludo rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension. “You know I’ve always hated that.”
“Brother, I know. I’m the same. I like to be alone. But this is your life we’re talking about. They love their guns over there; go get yourself one.”
Ludo sighed. “I’ll consider it. I promise.”
After he’d ended the call, he flicked through the channels on the T.V., settling on a film from a couple of years back—one of Cade Penn’s biggest hits. He watched the actor blowing everyone else off the screen with his charm and charisma, and Ludo’s thoughts drifted back to his sister. How different she was in nature—so serious and so organized, while Cade had been devil-may-care, at least to his audience. He had enjoyed being in Cade’s company when they had worked together; the other man had been friendly, funny, and outgoing. When Cade had died, Ludo had grieved—all that life just thrown away. And the mystery surrounding Cade’s death had also riveted him. Why would a successful, happy actor like Cade, with a happy home life, end it all on a cliff edge? And why the hell would he have summoned his beloved little sister to find him? The cruelty of that took Ludo’s breath away. His heart ached for young Tahlia Penn when he considered what it must have been like for her and something shifted inside him. He would like to get to know her, he decided, not just try and screw her.
He went to bed and was woken the next morning by his cell phone ringing. With delight, he saw it was Tahlia Penn calling.
“Hi, Ludo …I know this is short notice, but I think I’ve found the perfect hideout for you. Can you meet me at noon today?” She gave him details about how to catch the right ferry and where she would be waiting for him at the harbor of her island.
“Of course. I look forward to seeing you, Tahlia.”
At noon, he stepped off the walkway from the ferry and saw Tahlia Penn waiting for him, leaning against a stunning car—a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere, red and chrome. Ludo grinned at her as he approached and whistled at the car. She beamed. It was obviously her pride and joy. Ludo kissed her cheek. “Good morning, lovely Tahlia. Wow,” he indicated the car, but he could have easily meant her. She looked adorable in her jeans and vintage t-shirt, her hair loose around her shoulders in soft waves. She wore no makeup, but she didn’t need it. She looked ten years younger than she had in her work gear yesterday. Black-rimmed spectacles were perched on her nose. When they got in the car, Ludo admired the interior.
“It was Cade’s car,” she explained as she pulled out of the harbor parking lot. “And I couldn’t bear to sell it. The air-con is crap and the radio is temperamental, but I love it.”
Ludo smiled at her. “I have to say, I didn’t expect you to find me a place this quick.”
Tahlia laughed. “Me either, except a friend of mine called me this morning, asking if I knew anyone who could house sit for a couple of months. Her place is secluded, but not isolated. But it is gated, which I think is perfect.”
Ludo nodded slowly. “Is it far from your place? I’m just asking because we could meet to discuss my case, or just to have coffee sometimes.”
She flushed a little. “It’s actually just around the corner from my apartment. I’m sure you’ll like it. Molly has an artist’s eye.”
The name sounded familiar to Ludo—Molly had been Cade’s girlfriend, but Ludo didn’t want to give away that he knew that much detail. It might freak this lovely girl out, and right now, all he could think of was how much he’d like to touch her. He surreptitiously eyed her as she drove. Her t-shirt emphasized the shape of her breasts, down to her almost-flat stomach. The slight outward curve of it drove him wild. He’d never been someone who found skin and bones appealing. Tahlia was softly rounded …he imagined her sitting astride him, his cock buried deep in her, her breasts bobbing with her movement, and his fingers stroking that soft curve of her belly. Damn. Ludo looked away out of the window. There was nowhere to hide an erection today. He forced himself to concentrate on his surroundings and was pleasantly surprised to find that the island was beautiful. The undulating nature of the terrain meant that around every corner there was something new to see. Sometimes the view to the ocean would be clear, other times, the ground rose into cliff tops. He saw an old lighthouse at one point and wondered if that was the one from which Cade had thrown himself. He stole a glance at Tahlia, who was studiously ignori
ng the site. She didn’t point it out to him the same way she’d been showing him the rest of the island’s sights. His heart ached for her.
“Here it is.” She pulled the Plymouth up to the closed gate that led into a small driveway. The house was a one-story, set back in the woods. Tahlia rolled down her window and pressed a keycode into the intercom. The gates lurched open and she steered the car up to the house.
She opened the door. “Has the owner already left?” Ludo asked her, following her inside.
Tahlia nodded. “Told you—it was very, very short notice. Molly just packed what she could in a suitcase and left the country. I asked her if she was running from the law, but she swore she wasn’t.” Tahlia grinned, and Ludo smiled at her joke.
He looked around the open-plan living area. It was light and airy with huge, white couches and a coffee table fashioned from driftwood. There was a feeling of peace in the place that Ludo like immediately. Tahlia showed him around the well-equipped kitchen, with its exposed brickwork walls, and the large bathroom with a shower and a tub. When she led him into the bedroom, he gave another whistle. There was an exquisite four-poster bed, hand-carved from wood, a deep, obviously comfortable mattress, and swathes of white voile hanging from the beams. The room was quite bare, the large windows shuttered.
Tahlia opened them and slid the glass door open. “This leads to the garden area.” She turned to see him sitting on the bed, watching her. God, he was beautiful, but there was danger in those green eyes of his. She felt her face getting red. “So,” she said lightly, “What do you think.”
“I think it’s perfect,” he said in that low growl of his. His voice sent thrills through her and set a pulse beating between her legs. She was suddenly hyper aware that they were in the bedroom, alone. Cursing silently, she felt her nipples harden. “Hey,” she said, flushing madly. “What say we go grab some lunch?”
Ludo smiled, and she could swear he knew what she was thinking. “A good idea, but perhaps we should eat here or your place? It might blow my cover if we go out in public on the island.”
Damn, she hadn’t thought of that. Now she could exactly tell him he couldn’t come to her place, could she? She felt as awkward as a shy schoolgirl around this man. He stood and came over to her. “So? What do you think?”
She could feel the heat of his body and feel the curl of desire in her stomach. She nodded. “Okay. Well, you’d better come back to my place.”
At her apartment, he admired her bookshelves and her sketches that she did in her spare time. He was the perfect guest, courteous and charming, and Tahlia found herself warming to Ludo the person, as opposed to Ludo the unsettlingly sexy movie star. His goofy sense of humor and sometimes poor grasp of English made her chuckle, and he took her gentle ribbing in good heart.
When she glanced at her watch later, she was astonished to see it was after six. “God, Ludo, we’ve been talking for hours.”
“And, yet, it only felt like minutes in your company,” he said with a smile. Tahlia blushed again—god, what was it about his man—and got up.
“Well, if you don’t have to be anywhere, I could cook.” What are you doing, girl? This is one dangerous man to have in your home. She brushed the thoughts away. He was her client. She was just being hospitable to someone who was away from home.
Ludo nodded. “I’d like that, on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I help. I love to cook too.”
Tahlia gave him a delighted smile. “Really? Then how can I say no?”
In the end, it was Ludo who did most of the cooking. He made gnocchi from scratch and seasoned and chopped vegetables for the sauce. The moment Tahlia put the first piece of gnocchi in her mouth, she moaned in pleasure. “God, you’re a genius. Why aren’t you a chef instead of an actor?”
Ludo laughed. “Actually, I was at chef school when I was ‘discovered.' We had an open tasting where we had to cook a dish for an invited audience. My guest brought his friend, who just happened to be an agent. They wanted to thank me for the meal and the rest is history.”
Tahlia nodded thoughtfully. “One look at that face and I’m not surprised.” She realized what she had said and felt the dreaded blush creeping up her face. “Um, I mean …”
“Where did you go to school?” he asked, and she smiled gratefully at his kindness in rescuing her.
“Harvard Law.”
“Of course. And I bet you were top of the class.”
She grinned. “Guilty, although I think possibly it’s because I’m a nerd, not because I’m talented. I just like to right wrongs. I wish more people cared about each other. I had intended to go into human rights, but when Ellory offered me a job, I couldn’t resist. So I came home. I’m glad I did now.”
Ludo nodded, studying her, then reached over and brushed a fingertip on her cheek. Her skin burned where he touched her. “Sorry, there was a piece of tomato on your face.” He stuck his finger in his mouth and gave her a mischievous grin.
Tahlia rolled her eyes. “Of course there was. Ludo, you should know this about me. I may give off professional vibes in the office, but at home, I’m the clumsiest, scruffiest person you will ever meet. Food in my hair, stuff on my clothes …. it’s embarrassing, really.”
They both laughed. “Good,” Ludo said. “Then I won’t be cowed by your efficiency.”
“That you won’t be.” Tahlia emptied the rest of the red wine into Ludo’s glass. “We’re out of the red.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
Tahlia grinned. Ah, to hell with it. He was seriously cute and flirting never hurt anyone. “Of course. Not often I have a major movie star in my home.”
“Ha. I’m surprised there isn’t a queue of us stretching around the block.” He got up and loaded the dishes into the sink. “Soap?”
“Under the sink.” She took up a dishcloth, marveling that this man was in her kitchen, washing her dishes. They washed, dried, and put away their dinner things, then Tahlia said, nonchalantly. “Look, the last ferry is at ten …would you like to stay until then and hang out?”
“I would like that very much, Tahlia.”
You’re playing a dangerous game, Penn. She shook her head, dashing the thoughts away. “Good. We’re out of wine, but I have some beer.”
“What are you having?”
“I’m driving you to the harbor, so just soda for me.”
“Then that’s what I’ll have too.”
God, he was sweet. If Cade hadn’t been her brother and shown her that movie stars were just normal people under the make-up, she mused, she would have been totally thinking that Ludo was playing her, but she knew something about genuine and un-genuine. This man didn’t have a fake bone in his body.
Her cellphone buzzed. Ellory. She hesitated, then answered it. “Hey, Ell.”
“Hey, beautiful. Just checking in. I’m just watching a movie and I suddenly thought I’d rather be watching it with you.”
Ludo, who was still putting dishes away, dropped a glass. He cursed loudly in Italian and looked at her apologetically. She smiled and mouthed, ‘Don’t worry about it.’
“Who’s that?”
Oh fuck. “Oh, it’s Ludo. I found him a place on the island—Molly’s place, actually—and so he came over. We just had some dinner and I’m taking him back to the ferry later.”
“Oh, cool. Yeah, Molly’s place. good move.” Tahlia tried to figure if there was any antagonism in his voice. She couldn’t tell.
“We did decide that was the best move, Ell, didn’t we?”
“We certainly did. Well, okay, maybe another time.”
“Sorry, Ell.”
“Hey, don’t apologize. You’re just doing your job. Tell Ludo I said hi.”
“I will. See you Monday.”
“See you Monday, sweetheart.”
Tahlia tamped down her feelings of guilt. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. Except lusting after the man in her kitchen. She went to help Ludo clear
the smashed glass and found he had already cleared the mess. A thin stream of blood was on his finger.
“Aww, shit, you cut yourself.” Tahlia frowned, turning to the cabinet where she kept the Band-Aids.
“It’s nothing. Honestly, I’ll just run it under the faucet.”
Without thinking, she took his hand and ran the cold water on it to clean it. She bent down to study the wound when it was clean. “I think there’s a piece of glass in there. Hold on.”
His hands were big and his skin was warm and dry. Tahlia grabbed her tweezers and eased the piece of glass out. Ludo winced a little.
“I’m sorry,” she said, cleaning the wound and wrapping a dressing around it. She realized she had been holding his hand and that he was very close to her. Very close.
Her heart began to thump heavily as she looked up into his green eyes. He was gazing at her, his expression intensely erotic. Tahlia, her breath catching, let go of his hand, but couldn’t break away from that look in his eyes. Ludo stepped closer, then his hand was under her t-shirt, stroking her belly gently. He leaned in to brush his lips against hers, and was no more than half an inch away when they both jumped as someone pounded on the door.
Tahlia came back to her senses and slid away from him, giving him an embarrassed half-smile. “Sorry …I’d better get that.”
“Of course.”
Her skin burning from his touch, Tahlia darted for the door and yanked it open. Outside, a uniformed cop and a man in a suit were waiting.
“Ms. Penn?”
She nodded, wondering what this was about. “How can I help you?”
“Ms. Penn, we have new information regarding the death of your brother. Maybe we come in?”
Tahlia stared at them, upset, then nodded. “Of course. Of course, sorry. Come in.”
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