“I…no…”
“Been a long day, ma’am,” he answered, “Can you bring us two bowls of the lobster ravioli and some fresh bread?”
“Of course. Would you like anything to drink besides water?” The waitress asked, filling the two goblets already sitting on the table.
“A glass of chardonnay, please,” Lina said, finally finding her voice.
“Ice tea for me, thank you.”
“My name is Kayce, let me know if you need anything else and I’ll get that right out for you.” She scurried away.
Caiden nodded and then turned. Lina’s core warmed under his stare and she raised her gaze to meet his. He was looking at her like she was the last woman alive on the planet. Would they even make it through the dinner before she was begging him to come back to her hotel room? She’d never even considered sleeping with someone so quickly, but she couldn’t fathom not spending the night with this man who could heat her body with a mere look. He squeezed the top of her thigh under the tablecloth.
A shudder ran up her spine and she licked her lips. Maybe she imagined it, but she was pretty sure she heard him groan. Who needed to eat food when a delectable buffet of gorgeous guy sat only a few inches away?
He turned for a second and took a quick sip of water from one of the goblets on the table. She glanced around the room and sighed. Pinned between him and a half stone wall-divider was nice. Nobody was going to bother her with him blocking out the world.
“So tell me about your family.”
“My family?”
“Family is what shapes a person. It’s the core of who we are.”
“I don’t have much. It’s just my dad and me. Mom died of cancer when I was five. I don’t remember her much, but Dad says I look just like her.”
“I’m so sorry. I understand losing a parent, but not at such a young age. My father passed away almost six years ago. My brothers and I were all grown and my sister was a senior in high school. It was the worst year of our lives, but at least we have memories of him.”
“Dad has home movies of her and I watch those a lot to keep the memories I do have present. I remember her playing with me in the yard, and cooking together. She loved to make cookies. I remember the kitchen always smelling like gingersnaps.” She smiled. “They were her favorite.”
“She sounds like a good mom.”
“What about your mom? What’s she like?”
He flashed a big grin. “Mom is great. She took Dad’s death hard. We lost him in a car accident. But, she was the glue that kept us all together. My brothers and I run the family business and Lizzy…well, Lizzy runs to the beat of her own drum. She graduated last year and now has sunk her teeth into obtaining a masters in English.”
His face lit up when he talked about his family. It was nice to find someone who truly valued those relationships. In a world filled with broken homes and skyrocketing divorce rates, they were gems.
“What about your brothers?”
He relaxed and leaned back in the booth. “Trevor just proposed a month ago to a girl he’s been in love with since high school, probably since middle school.” He chuckled. “But, he’ll never admit it.”
“That’s sweet.”
“Yeah, she’s just as crazy about him, too. My other brother Harvey, is a ball of energy and has this obsessive need to entertain. Mom and Lizzy say his heart is fueled by other people’s laughter. I think he’s just a knucklehead.”
“Awww,” she murmured. “You are lucky to have siblings. They sound like a fun bunch.”
“They are.”
“Are you the oldest? You sound like a proud older brother.”
He laughed. “I am. You’ll have to come over and meet them while you are in town.” His eyes glazed for a moment. “How long will you be here?”
“I’m just staying for a while to get the new stores up and running.”
“But that could be months.”
She nodded. “I know. But, I needed to get out of town for a while. Dad and Cole thought it would be sa—” Damn. Damn. Damn.
“Safe from what and who is Cole?” Caiden’s demeanor hardened. He sat up straight and glanced at the door then back to her. “Lina?”
“It’s just this guy back home…”
“Cole? Are you with someone?”
“No!” She took a deep breath and quashed the tears trying to well in her eyes. “Cole Nighthawk is a friend. I’ve known him since kindergarten. We grew up together. His mother was my mother’s best friend.”
“He likes you doesn’t he?”
“He a manager for my dad’s company. He left the reservation when he turned eighteen.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
“He has always liked me, but I don’t feel that way about him. He’s always been like a brother to me.”
“Is there someone else? I don’t like being lied to.”
“I’m not with anyone you big oaf! My dad sent me down here to oversee the contracts with you because I have an asshole stalker who won’t leave me alone. They thought distance would discourage him, but Cole thinks he’ll follow me here and wants to know where I am.”
“That was the phone call you had earlier?”
She nodded.
“I told Cole not to come, that Luke would just follow him, but I don’t think the blockhead listened to me.”
“You know the stalker?” he growled.
“Yes,” she sighed, “I went on one date with him. It was weird. He was odd. And I refused to go out with him again. At first he just sent flowers and gifts once or twice a week. Then it was everyday. Then dead flowers started showing up on my dad’s porch. Dead animals.” She shuddered, remembering the strangled dog she’d found one morning going out for the newspaper.
“The police won’t do anything?”
“I was able to get a restraining order, but he rarely shows himself. He sends other people to drop things off. He arranges it so that they don’t know who he is, just where to leave the package. The police have questioned several of them.”
“What about cameras?”
“We tried that too. He found a way to knock the power out at the house before he got close enough to be seen.”
“But he’s never hurt you physically?”
“Not yet. But it feels like it could escalate there. That’s why I left. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be piling all this on you. It’s my problem and I don’t need to drag anyone else into it.”
“It’s not your problem. And you can tell, Cole he doesn’t need to come. I’ll be the one watching over you.”
“You barely know me.”
“I plan on getting to know you much better.” He brushed a silky strand of black hair from her face. His knuckles grazed her cheek and she leaned into his touch. “I think you’re on board with that plan, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“Good, then it’s settled. If I’m not with you, you’ll be staying with my mom in Fort Worth.”
Her eyes flew open and she pushed him away. “Absolutely not. I’m not dragging your family into the middle of this. He could be dangerous.”
“Lina, my brothers would kick my ass if I left you alone after finding out what’s going on. Not to mention Mom would probably tan my hide.”
She giggled. The image of any woman attempting to spank the giant grown man next to her was hysterically funny. He easily stood about six and a half feet tall and was as solid as a mountain. A mountain she’d like to climb. God, she had it bad for him.
“What could you possibly find funny about this?” He crossed his arms and glared.
She burst into another fit of giggles. “You…being…spanked.” More laughing commenced and this time he joined her.
“She would though.” He chuckled.
Their food arrived and they moaned in unison at the tantalizing smell of dinner. She glanced sideways, wondering if he was going to move back to his side of the table. Nope. His butt was firmly planted. He took a bite of his ravioli and sm
iled at her. At least he was right handed so they wouldn’t be sword fighting with their elbows.
“They have the best lobster ravioli here I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve eaten all over the country.”
She took a taste from her bowl and sighed. Damn. That is good. The way the butter and lobster melted in her mouth was divine. The hint of lemon was just perfect, too, and the pasta was just the right thickness. Not too much.
“See.”
“Yes, I have to admit it is very good.”
“I don’t run into many women that enjoy working on cars. Of course, I have to drag my brother Harvey into the garage to work with me and my other brother, Trevor, won’t go near a bucket of grease. So I guess, I’m the only one in the family that likes working on cars. Even my dad would just sit and watch.”
“Me, dad, and Cole worked on it all through high school. Building the GTO is one of my favorite memories. I don’t think I could ever let go of that car.”
“It’s amazing how integrated a car can become in your life. I look at different parts of my mustang and I can remember the conversations I had with dad while I was working on it.”
“Yes, it’s like a map to memories.”
“Where have you been my whole life, Lina?”
“Arizona.”
He turned to face her and lifted his hand to her cheek. His hand was callused and hard, but his touch was so gentle. She leaned into the caress and closed her eyes, forgetting they were in a restaurant in the middle of a crowded room.
His other hand slipped behind her head and pulled her toward him. She opened her eyes just as his lips closed over her mouth. It was slow and gentle, playful at first. He licked along the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth, inviting more. The invitation was not ignored and she squelched a moan when his tongue swept through the inside of her mouth, tasting her.
Nerves fired throughout her body and a throbbing ache settled between her legs. She would need more than a kiss from him for her body to be satisfied. Her palms pressed against his chest, not pushing, but enjoying the hardness of his muscular frame. She wanted nothing more than to slide them inside his shirt and really get a feel for his body.
He pulled back gently and leaned his forehead against hers. “We need to leave before they kick us out.”
“I agree.”
He stood from the booth, pulled some cash from his wallet and tossed it onto the table. Then held his hand out to her to help her up. Lina grabbed her purse in one hand and took his with the other. They walked quietly to the front door.
Night had fallen and the restaurant parking lot wasn’t well lit. The winter chill in the air swirled through her loose hair and she shuddered. Maybe she should stay with Caiden or his family. It wasn’t safe to be alone. And Luke was crazy enough to follow her all the way to Texas. She’d driven from Arizona so he couldn’t follow her travel plans online. He was super-smart with computers and she knew he’d hacked her email account already. She’d even ditched her regular phone and replaced it with a burner.
“I’ll walk you to your car. Lock the doors, pull out, and wait for me at the front of the restaurant.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll go get my car and follow you to your hotel.”
A dozen steps later they arrived at her car. He peered in all the windows and glanced around the parking lot.
“You are making me nervous.”
“Good. You should be alert,” he answered and gave her a quick kiss before she slid into the drivers seat. He waited while she locked both doors and turned over the engine before jogged across the lot to his vehicle.
She pulled out and puttered up to the front of the restaurant. A knock on her window stopped her heart. She turned, expecting to see Luke leering down at her. But instead she saw Cole. What the hell?
He rapped on the window again and motioned her to open it. That window had been broken for a few weeks though and she still couldn’t roll it down. But he’d probably forgotten.
She opened the door and stepped out. He wrapped his arms around her in a familiar hug.
“Cole, stop.” She pressed a hand to his chest and he stepped back a little. “Why are you here? You shouldn’t have come.”
“Why, because you decided to hook up with some other guy,” he snarled in Navajo. “Your dad sent you here to be safe and lay low.”
“Well thanks to your dumb ass, Luke probably followed you here!” she spit back.
“I was careful.”
“How long have you been here?”
“A few hours. Pete told me where you were staying and I got to the hotel just as you were pulling out to come here. I called and made reservations, so I’ll be in the hotel with you in case anything happens.”
“Damn it! Cole.” She threw a few extra Navajo curses out just for him.
“I’m just trying to protect you, Lina.”
An angry growl from two paces away was the only warning Cole had before a giant fist slammed into his face. She flinched at the crunch and then turned and saw Caiden.
“No, stop!” She touched his shoulder before he threw the second punch. He was six inches taller and easily had forty pounds on Cole. That first hit had nearly knocked him to the asphalt.
“Is this him? I can call the police.”
“Caiden, no. This is Cole.”
“Fuck you, asshole!” Cole yelled and threw a solid punch to Caiden’s face. “Stay away from Lina.”
Caiden groaned, dropped to the ground with a spin and kicked Cole’s legs right out from under him. “From the tone of her voice, I think it was you she wanted to stay away. What kind of man yells at a woman he claims to care about? Pick yourself up and go back to Arizona, I’ll take care of Lina.”
Cole scrambled to his feet and met her gaze. He was hurt. She knew he loved her, but it didn’t matter. The feelings weren’t mutual. They never had been.
“You’d rather stay with this stranger than me?”
She nodded and stepped closer to Caiden.
“Did you fly, Cole?”
“Yes,” he answered, wiping blood from his nose.
“Then Luke is already here, if he’s coming. I’m sure he’s hacked your email too.” She sighed.
Cole’s face whitened. “Lina, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“English, jackass! I don’t speak…whatever it is you are speaking.” Caiden’s voice rumbled from his chest and Lina rubbed his arm.
“It’s okay. He was just apologizing.” She glanced up and met his gaze. The fire was still there, but it was controlled. The kick had startled her, but he must have some type of martial arts training. “If he tracked Cole’s airline ticket, Luke is most likely already here. I can’t go get my things from the hotel,” she murmured.
“I’ll have the sheriff pick them up. Don’t worry. We’ll get your stuff, just not tonight.” He turned to Cole. “You need to go back to Arizona. The more pieces in play out here the harder it will be to keep an eye on her.”
Cole nodded and moved away slowly. He paused a few feet away and turned back. “If you need me, Lina, just call.”
“I know. I’ll see you later, Cole.” He walked away and she let out a heavy sigh.
“Everything okay out here,” a deep male voice called from the restaurant door.
“Fine, just leaving. Sorry about the scene,” Caiden bellowed back. “Come on, sugar. It’s a long drive, but we are getting out of Dodge tonight. That Holiday Inn was the only decent hotel in town.”
“Where are we going?”
“My place.”
Sparks of excitement fluttered across her skin. Her cheeks warmed and she slipped into the driver’s seat of her car before he could notice.
3
An hour later they pulled to a stop in front of a nice brick house. The second Caiden’s car pulled into the driveway the outside was lit with bright floodlights. Lina pulled in right next to him and got out.
“This is your house?” It was huge for one person. Easily two or three
times bigger than the house she and her father still shared.
“Yeah, Mom was sad when I finally moved out, but I decided it was time.”
He laughed. The sound made her smile.
“She lives in the same neighborhood. Just a few blocks down that way.”
She looked down the street the direction his hand waved. That was sweet. He’d moved out, but stayed close.
“I’m sure she’s glad you are close.”
“Lizzy still lives with her. My brothers both own houses in the neighborhood too. I guess we all felt grown up enough to move out, just not grown up enough to move too far away from Mom’s home cooked meals.”
She laughed out loud. “So you eat there a lot.”
Red crept up his cheeks and he nodded. “Usually at least once a day.” He walked to the garage and punched in a code on the outside panel. “Come on in.” The door opened quietly, the sound reminding her of a cat purring.
She followed him through the very organized garage, but what really caught her eye was the half rebuilt 1968 Chevy Camaro Coupe. The body was still sanded down. No paint had been applied. But the shiny new chrome V-8 engine gleamed, calling to her inner mechanic.
“Oh my God! Where did you find this?”
He stepped up behind her and gently rubbed both her shoulders. “She’s beautiful isn’t she? I got her from a guy down in El Paso. He’d had her stashed in his barn for almost thirty years. Said he started working on her, but ran out of money.”
They walked into a small mudroom off the garage and then into a beautiful, but stark kitchen. The dark wood cabinets and black granite made for a nice contrast to the lighter oak floor, but there was no color to accent the room. Actually, it barely looked lived in. She’d at least been expecting a few dishes in the sink.
“Duke. King,” he called softly. “Come.” Two huge black German shepherds appeared instantly in front of them. He walked to the porch door and pulled a piece from a dog door to open it. He gave them a quick pat and a treat from a bowl on the counter. “Patrol.” Both dogs gave a soft woof and disappeared out the dog door.
He turned back and smiled. She gave him a quick smile back. “They are well trained.”
“Very.” He was in front of her with one step. So close she could smell his aftershave. “You aren’t allergic are you?”
Caiden (A MacLaughlin Family Novella Book 2) Page 2