by Kara Lennox
She had it bad, all right.
She wondered where she’d left her purse. Nero was sprawled out in the entryway, snoring. After searching everywhere for her purse, she realized Nero was sleeping on it, using it for a pillow.
“Hey, you.” She nudged him with her toe. The dog opened one tired eye, identified her as friend and wagged his tail. “Yeah, well, that cute act isn’t going to get you very far if you’ve slobbered all over my suede purse.”
She tugged her small clutch out from under the dog’s head. Aside from a bit of dog hair, it didn’t seem much worse for wear. She dug out her cell phone.
There were no messages, so her father hadn’t called her. He must not be too worried. She decided, though it was the middle of the night, to call him. He would probably be asleep, although his sleep was iffy these days. But the message would be there for him when he woke up.
When her father picked up, she was so surprised that for a moment she didn’t say anything.
“Sydney? Honey?”
“Oh, hi, Dad. I didn’t expect you to answer. What are you doing up?”
“Just prowling the house. Couldn’t sleep. Something wrong?”
“No, I just forgot to call and let you know I wasn’t coming in until tomorrow. I was afraid you’d be worried.” She wandered into the living room and curled up on the sofa.
“I figured getting a flight out would be near impossible with the weather, so I wasn’t too worried. Are you at your aunt Carol’s?”
“No, I’m…Oh, Dad, the most wonderful, terrible thing has happened. I’m in love.”
“No kidding? So that’s what this mysterious trip was all about.”
“It didn’t start out that way, but that’s how it’s finishing up.”
“You don’t sound completely happy. Don’t tell me the fella doesn’t love you back.”
“I honestly don’t know. It’s just that, regardless of how he feels, he’s here and I’m there and that makes things difficult.”
“Well, now, it shouldn’t,” Lowell said. “Don’t forget your mom and I were from different parts of the country, too. But we worked it out.”
“Yeah, you moved to New York. But that’s never going to happen in this case. Russ would never leave his precious Hill Country. And I wouldn’t want him to. He wouldn’t be happy in the city.”
“Even with you?”
“Not even with me.”
“Well, there must be some way to work it out. Couldn’t you move down there?”
Sydney was surprised her father would suggest such a thing. For the past year he’d been completely dependent on her and they both knew it. “Oh, I don’t think so, Dad. New York is my home.”
“Now, if you’re just sticking around because you’re worried about your old man, don’t. I’ll get by.”
But he wouldn’t. He needed her, at least for a while longer.
“We’ll talk about it when I get back,” she said. “I don’t have to make any decisions right now.”
“Sydney, honey, if you love this man, don’t let him get away. Maybe it’s an old-fashioned notion to believe in fate, but I do. I know there was one woman fated for me and I found her. Once I found her, I didn’t let her go. Not till I had to, anyway.” He paused and she knew he was struggling once again with his grief.
Please don’t let him start crying. She couldn’t stand it when her formerly invincible father resorted to tears.
To her surprise, however, he continued speaking, his voice clear and strong. “Don’t let your life be filled with thoughts of what might have been. Don’t settle for almost good enough.”
Sydney swallowed hard at the reminder of the love between her parents. They’d been so different from each other and yet they’d had the happiest of marriages. Was it at all possible that she and Russ…Her heart beat a little faster just thinking of the possibilities.
Maybe she didn’t have to say goodbye forever. Oh, but she didn’t even know if Russ felt the same way. He might freak out if she told him how she felt. Lots of guys wanted nothing to do with love and commitment. Maybe there was a reason he’d reached his thirties without marrying—such as an aversion to commitment.
“Sydney, you still there?”
“Yeah, Dad. Just thinking about things. Are you taking the sleeping pills Dr. Stevens prescribed?”
“Nah. I’m not taking any of those pills anymore. I want to feel like myself again.”
Sydney wasn’t sure that was such a hot idea, but she had to admit, her dad sounded a little stronger than he had for a while. Maybe he was coming around.
Or maybe she was simply trying to justify her completely irrational desire to chuck everything and move to Texas to be with a man who might not even want her.
After concluding her call with her father, Sydney realized with a start that Nero was lying on the sofa next to her and she was patting him absently. “I bet you’re not supposed to be on the furniture,” she said. He yawned and rolled over, apparently wanting her to scratch his belly. “I like you, but I don’t like you that much. Try not to take advantage.”
Chapter Fourteen
Russ awoke feeling pleasantly warm and drowsy, but something was missing. He reached beside him to find nothing but empty bed.
Damn it! If she’d slipped out of bed and sneaked away in the night, he was going to kill her. Maybe she wanted to skip the painful goodbye, but he’d been counting on a last coffee together. He’d wanted to give her a memorable send-off. No sense making it easy for her to walk out of his life.
He threw back the covers and leaped from the bed. The bathroom was dark.
As he exited the dimly lit bedroom he almost tripped over her shoes, then saw that her stockings and bra were still on the floor, right where they’d left them last night in their hurry to reach the bed.
Russ relaxed slightly. She wouldn’t leave so fast she’d forget her clothes. But where was she? His experience with her morning habits was scanty, but he didn’t peg her for a cheerful early riser.
He found her curled up on the sofa staring into the fire’s dying embers, a cell phone in her hand—stroking Nero, who was stretched out beside her.
“Sydney?”
She and Nero jumped at the same time. Nero slinked off the couch and tried to become invisible.
“Yeah, you better hide.”
“Sorry,” Sydney said. “I figured he wasn’t allowed on the furniture, but he ignored me when I told him to get down.” She was wearing his shirt and nothing else. He liked the look. But he didn’t like the sheen of tears in her eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
“I just couldn’t sleep. I decided to call my father and let him know when to expect me home, since I forgot to do it earlier.”
Even on New York time, it would still be an ungodly hour. “You called your father in the middle of the night?”
“I intended to simply leave a message. He turns off the ringer at night. But he was awake, so we talked for a bit.”
“You’re upset.”
She waved away his concern. “No, I’m okay. We were just talking about Mom, that’s all.”
Russ sat down beside her and, conscious of the fact he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing, grabbed a fleece throw he kept on the sofa and threw it over both of them. “I guess you still miss her a lot.”
“Yeah. But it’s Dad I’m worried about. He hasn’t been the same since she died. I’ve helped as much as I could without losing all my own clients, but without my mom it’s not enough. He’s going to lose the business.”
“What? You mean, bankruptcy?”
Sydney nodded. “I’ve put it off as long as I could. But Mom was sick for a while before she died and they lost some business then. When she got sicker, her medical bills really went through the roof, then their insurance, well, you know how it is for self-employed people. Since then it’s only been getting worse. The budget only has so much give and it’s given all it’s going to.”
“I’m sorry, Sydney. I ca
n’t imagine what it would be like to lose a business you’ve built up your whole life. I’ve put less than ten years into mine, but it’s my lifeblood.”
“I didn’t mean to dump all that on you. Nothing drearier than someone complaining about her money problems. I hear it from my clients all the time when I’m trying to get them to pay their bills.”
Russ felt lower than an armadillo’s toes. “I wish you’d told me earlier about this.” He’d had no idea she was in financial trouble. In fact, looking at her clothes, her car and her jewelry, he’d figured just the opposite.
“I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me, so stop it,” she said, her voice severe. “Most of his debts are secured by the business, which means they can’t touch his retirement fund, so he won’t be out on the street or anything like that. We’ll just get through it—”
“I could do more than offer sympathy. I could sign your contract.”
It looked like she had stopped breathing for a moment. But then she shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, especially after meeting Winnie. I’d be messing up two lives and there’s no guarantee I could fix things for my dad even if I had the money to do it. You said it best—throwing money at a problem isn’t always the answer. Maybe it’s simply time for—”
“Sydney, stop. I’ve been a complete imbecile about this whole inheritance thing. Of course I’ll sign the contract. I’ll set up a trust with the money, like you said, and use it to protect the wilderness and the animals and clean up pollution—I could do a lot of good things.”
“But what about Winnie?”
“You let me worry about her. I’ll just have to explain things to her. I could fix it so she could get a small income, enough that she’d never have to struggle but not enough to tempt her beyond her capacity. And Bert. I could make sure Bert’s okay.”
Sydney’s eyes filled with tears again. “You’d be giving me everything I said I wanted in the first place, but now I’d feel guilty taking it.”
“Where’s the contract? I’ll sign it right now. Is a million dollars enough to save your father’s business?”
“Way more than enough. Russ…are you sure? You were so adamant before about—”
“I’m positive. You can get the contract now or give it to me later, but I won’t change my mind.”
“Oh, Russ!” She threw her arms around him in an exuberant hug. “You have no idea—you just have no idea. My dad will be so excited. Not about the money, but the bragging rights. Everyone has tried to solve this case, for years and years, and Baines & Baines will get the credit. It’ll do wonders for business.”
Yeah, well, he’d known he wouldn’t be able to avoid publicity. “Do me a favor, okay? Can you wait to tell anyone until I’ve talked to Winnie? I want to break it to her gently that we’re not headed for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
“Of course I will. Take as long as you need.” She hugged him again, but given the fact he was naked and she was almost, the proximity of their bodies led to more earthy results than mere gratitude. He scooted her onto his lap, where she was not able to miss the fact he was fully aroused.
“You look better in my shirt than I do,” he said just before kissing her.
There was no hesitation in her response. “It makes a dandy robe.”
“You can use it any time.” He reached inside the shirt and cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over the nipples, and she shuddered. By signing her contract, it meant their business would not be concluded today. There would be details to attend to, probably all kinds of affidavits and government forms.
He would get to see her again.
“I know you have to go back to New York,” he said as he kissed her neck. “But you’ll come back to Texas, won’t you?”
“You want me to?”
“God, yes.”
“Because I was thinking,” she said as she swiveled around to straddle him, “that I don’t want this to be over. We’re too good together.”
Amen to that. Then they were beyond words as Russ lifted her hips and lowered her onto his arousal. She moaned with uninhibited pleasure as their sensual dance moved faster and faster, culminating in a shattering climax that sent them both hurtling into space.
When they returned to earth a few minutes later, Russ simply held Sydney in his arms and stroked her hair. Maybe she wasn’t like all those other city girls. Maybe they had a future. If the past three days stuck in the woods hadn’t scared her off, she wasn’t easily scared. If he lost her, it would be because he’d screwed up. He wouldn’t be able to blame it on the great outdoors.
“I need to get going,” she said. “It’s getting late and I still have to return my aunt’s car.”
“I know. Why don’t you go shower and I’ll fix you something for breakfast.”
Russ whistled as he toasted a bagel and poured some orange juice. This was going to work out. Somehow, it would be okay. Winnie would understand. She might be mad at him for a while, but she’d changed since their Vegas days. She’d grown up along with him. Maybe he wasn’t giving her enough credit and she would accept his decision without a fight.
When Sydney reappeared a few minutes later, she was wearing a black-and-white houndstooth skirt and a black turtleneck, along with black stockings and her black, pointy-toed shoes. She looked pure New York.
“You sure you don’t want to wear the hiking boots?” Russ asked. “Your ankle is going to bother you in those high heels.”
“I’ve committed enough fashion faux pas for this year,” she said with a grin. She had a sheaf of wrinkled papers in her hand. “This was in my briefcase.” It was the contract.
He gave the contract a glance and signed it.
“Russ, aren’t you going to read it? Maybe have a lawyer look it over?”
“Why? I trust you.”
“It’s just always a good idea to—Never mind. I guess you’re used to doing business on a handshake.”
“Damn right,” he said with a grin. “But with you, it was better than a handshake.”
Sydney drank the orange juice and ate half a bagel, claiming she wasn’t hungry after last night’s decadent meal. And then it was time for her to leave.
She gathered up her things—her small suitcase, briefcase and purse. “I’ll call you when I get home. Is that…is that okay?” She nibbled her lower lip uncertainly.
“While you were in the shower I programmed all three of my numbers—home, office and cell—into your phone.” He handed her the phone, which she’d left on the sofa.
“Perfect. Walk me out?”
He’d like to walk her out, get into her car and go with her back to New York. “I’ve never been to New York,” he said. “I should go some time.”
She smiled. “I can guarantee you’ll have a place to stay.”
While Sydney threw her things in the BMW’s backseat, Russ opened the garage door—and was greeted with a camera flash.
A man strode into the garage and shoved a microphone into Russ’s face. “Russ Klein, how does it feel to be Texas’s newest millionaire?”
Russ just stood there, too stunned to say anything. In his driveway was one TV news van, several other vehicles and a half-dozen strangers with cameras, microphones and lights, all of them focused on him.
He glanced over his shoulder at Sydney, who stood next to her car with her hand over her mouth, doing a pretty good imitation of shock.
Russ finally found his voice. “I have no comment,” he said, “and please get off my property.” With that he retreated into the garage and pushed the button to close the garage door. He didn’t chance another look at Sydney until they were safely blocked from view.
She looked utterly befuddled.
“That didn’t take you long,” he said. “Did you call them from the phone in the bedroom while I was making breakfast?”
“Russ! I didn’t call anyone.”
“Well, I didn’t tell anyone, so that leaves you.”
“But I didn’t—”
“Or maybe you planned this days ago, before I ever agreed to sign the contract. Maybe you thought if word got out, my mother would already know about the money, so I would no longer have any reason not to accept the money and give you your cut.”
“I would never—”
“Is your father really near bankruptcy, or was that your last-ditch effort to appeal to my sympathy?” He knew he was being harsh, but the sense of betrayal he felt was overwhelming. He’d trusted Sydney. God help him, he’d fallen in love with her—or the woman he thought she was. But now he was beginning to see it was all a carefully orchestrated image designed to manipulate him where she wanted him to go.
“Do you really have any feelings for me?” he continued relentlessly. “Or was that all a lie, too? I notice you didn’t mention anything about wanting to continue our relationship until I’d agreed to accept the money. Why settle for a measly ten percent when you could have access to all of it, if you played your cards right?”
She wasn’t saying anything, he noticed. A moment ago she’d had denials ready to fling, but suddenly she’d gone quiet as a crypt. It was hard to tell, but her eyes looked suspiciously shiny as she eyed him, reminding him uncomfortably of a dog who’d been kicked and expected to be kicked again.
Without a word she turned back to her car, opened the passenger door and leaned inside, rummaging around in the backseat. What was she doing?
“Nothing to say for yourself?”
She straightened and handed him a sheaf of papers. “Here’s the contract. We can pretend you never signed it. You can tell the reporters they’ve made a mistake.”
“No, I gave my word and I never go back on a promise.” Unlike some people.
“Fine.” She ripped the contract in half, then into quarters, then once again, letting the pieces flutter to his garage floor like confetti. “I wouldn’t take this commission even if I were homeless and starving.” She marched around to the front of the car, still limping slightly, he couldn’t help noticing.
Now it was his turn to stare, speechless, as she climbed into the BMW and slammed the door. She started the engine, immediately filling the closed space with exhaust. He had to open the door or asphyxiate them both.