Satisfaction

by Marianne Stillings

  “Look, Georgie. I never meant to—”

  “Stop.” She held up her hands. “Just stop.”

  Crossing her arms over her stomach, she broke eye contact with him in the rearview mirror. The lights from a passing car illuminated her features, showing him clearly how hurt she was. He’d finally gotten her to open up to him, and now there was a new crime to lay at his feet.

  Later, he decided. He’d talk to her later, get her to understand why he couldn’t have let on how much he knew.

  In the seat next to him, Lucas mumbled, “Oh. Uh, sorry.”

  “Forget it,” Ethan said, glancing again into the rearview mirror, but Georgie refused to meet his gaze. He let out a harsh breath. “So what was in the file you gave Corcoran?”

  “He wanted information on Georgie and Raine, so I gave it to him, but I left out the part about the kid.” He shook his head. “Odd thing is, Corcoran Senior never said anything about a baby. I don’t think he knew. I think he wanted the intel for some other reason.”

  “I agree,” Raine offered, leaning forward a little. “He looked surprised when he saw Caroline. And he made a sort of joke when I woke up, about my not telling him he was a daddy. I really don’t think he knew.”

  Ethan mulled this all over for a few minutes, then said to Lucas, “When you first got to Raine’s house, where was Paul? Was he there when you drove up?”

  “I passed the van, but it was parked way down the street in front of somebody else’s house. They must have followed Raine back from the market and were trying to figure out the best approach when I showed up…and walked them right through the front door.” He blew out a heavy sigh, turned in his seat. Quietly, he said, “Sorry, Raine.”

  Though Ethan couldn’t see her face, her voice was gentle, forgiving. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”

  Georgie still wouldn’t meet his gaze in the mirror. “So Raine opens the door and Honcho rushes in, pops her on the jaw. Then what?”

  “Paul assumed I was working for his father, so he only confiscated my weapon and my cell. I was worried they were going to kill me or leave me behind, then Raine wouldn’t have any protection. There were three of them, they were armed. I had no choice but to play along.” Scrubbing his jaw with his knuckles, he said, “Paul wanted to carry the kid, but I insisted on holding her. Didn’t want him or either of those other two idiots to do something stupid like drop her.”

  Raine let out a choked cry. In the rearview mirror, Ethan saw Georgie put her arm around Raine as she stroked the sleeping baby’s hair.

  “While Drool put Raine into the van,” Lucas said, “Honcho yanked the baby seat out of Raine’s car and I put the kid in it. Then Honcho drove my car to the motel. All I could do at that point was keep an eye on Raine and the kid, and wait for a lucky break.”

  “You should have come to me,” Ethan growled. “If you hadn’t gotten a break…shit, Lucas, when Corcoran first approached you, you should have come to me.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  It was all water over the dam now, but when he stopped to think of how different the outcome might have been…

  “What about your kids, your boys? Do you think Corcoran made good on his threat?”

  “I don’t think so.” He tilted his head, lifted his shoulder in a quick shrug. “Doesn’t matter anymore. It’s time they knew the truth about me anyhow.” A weary sorrow edged his words. “Secrets are strange things. You think they’re neatly tucked away, hidden from the world, but they always find a way out. Always. Usually at the worst possible time, with the worst possible results. I figure it’s time to just come clean. I love my boys. I owe them the truth. At least I won’t have to suffer for years, wondering when the shit’s going to hit the fan and they’re going to find out about me, hate me for allowing them to think I was a good guy.”

  “You are a good guy,” Raine corrected quietly.

  Ethan wasn’t happy Lucas hadn’t come to him, but the upside was, he hadn’t betrayed Paladin, or Georgie or Raine, or even himself.

  “Okay,” he muttered. “I won’t kick the shit out of you this time. But you’re back on midnight surveillance until I say differently.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucas’s mouth quirk in a stifled grin of relief. “I can live with that.” A moment passed, then another. Then, “Thanks, Ethan.”

  Ethan checked his speed, and shot a quick glance at the rearview mirror.

  “Georgie, when was the last time you saw Vaughn Corcoran?”

  Her eyes met his in the glass. “Is this a question I need to answer?” she snipped. “Or is this one of those questions where you already know the answer and you just want to see if I’ll—”

  “I’m sorry, okay?” He flashed her a look, then returned his eyes to the road. “We can discuss that later. Besides, we have a deal, right?”

  She glared at him.

  “Georgie, I need to know when you last saw or had any contact with Corcoran.”

  “I haven’t,” she snapped. “I despise both him and his rotten-to-the-core son.”

  Lucas looked over at Ethan. “Why do you want to know whether she’s seen Corcoran?”

  “He’s disappeared.”

  Raine leaned forward, curling her fingers over the back of Lucas’s seat. “Why would a man like Vaughn Corcoran go into hiding?”

  Ethan’s gut tightened like it did when his instincts were trying to tell him something. “He wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Too many people on his payroll, too many people monitoring his whereabouts. He hasn’t withdrawn any large amounts of money, and his cash machine cards haven’t been used since Friday morning. Nobody can think of a reason for him to want to disappear.”

  “So,” Georgie mused, “if he’s not in hiding, where is he?”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  To encourage more people to help you, or to get more support out of the people already in your life, hang some pleasant-sounding metal wind chimes in the right, front area of your bedroom, home, or office.

  Georgiana Mundy’s Feng Shui for Lovers

  A forest of redwoods stood guard on either side of the secured wrought-iron gate and all along the driveway, obscuring the house from view. Split-rail fences paralleled the wide pavement, showcasing roses of the billowing and rambling variety in glorious shades of apricot, yellow, and crimson. As Ethan’s car rounded the final curve, Georgie took her first look at the house.

  Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the truly lovely place, and she started to comment on it—until she remembered how he’d deceived her, the conniving bastard.

  “So,” she said, “let me guess. This is a rental, right?”

  Behind the wheel, Ethan’s steady gaze met hers in the mirror.

  “Time-share?” she ventured, putting as much sarcasm in her voice as she could. “You were in a coma and your mom chose it? You inherited it from your tasteful and gracious Aunt Gertrude?”

  As the car came to a stop, she unbuckled her safety restraints and opened the door. Stepping out, she took in the two-story white stucco and adobe brick mansion, its clean lines and elegant charm glorified by the stunning blue sky overhead.

  Situated on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, the estate seemed to be a cross between a Mediterranean villa and a country inn, with arched entry-ways accented with Spanish tiles, massive oak doors, and brown and burgundy trim.

  It was absolutely gorgeous.

  Lucas got out and opened Raine’s door, taking the just-waking-up baby into his arms while Raine stretched her limbs. Flicking a glance back and forth between Georgie and Ethan, Lucas obviously noticed the tension between them. “Uh, you two go on ahead,” he said. “I’ll, uh, get the stuff from the trunk.”

  Crossing her arms under her breasts, Georgie faced the mansion. She tilted her head, pursed her lips. “Well, then, your purchasing agent has excellent taste in ashrams, Master.”

  “Wrong on all counts, Grasshopper.” Ethan shoved his keys in his pocket and grabbed her arm to escort her t
oward the front door. “If you must know, I won it in a poker game.”

  “Ah. Makes sense,” she said, trotting along beside him. “Given your nature, though, I was expecting something out of a horror movie…dark and stormy and all that. Maybe even a servant named Egor.”

  “That’s Igor, and I had to let him go last week.” He pressed a numbered keypad next to the hand-carved oak door. “His hump wouldn’t fit through the threshold.”

  Something clicked, something buzzed, and the latch hissed. He entered the foyer, his fingers still curled around Georgie’s arm. “Hi, honey, I’m home!” he yelled.

  A shrill, “Wooo-hoooo! Up here!” echoed from the top of the staircase. Ethan was involved with someone? And he’d made love to Georgie without ever saying a word?

  For a moment, she thought her heart was going to sink to the highly polished red tile floor, until she turned to see a woman come bouncing down the stairs. She had a head of thick, spiked white hair, slightly creased, too-tanned skin, and a speed-bump bosom. Dressed in a tie-dye tunic, black leggings, and white Nikes, her only jewelry was an array of six studs in each ear, trailing in rainbow gems from ruby at the top, to amethyst at the lobe. A pink iPod hung from a strap around her neck. “I was so happy when you called and said you were bringing home a girl,” she announced, turning her beaming smile first on Ethan, then Georgie, then back to Ethan. “Like, it’s about damn time, Darling.”

  When she reached the bottom of the wide oak staircase, her blue eyes glittered with what appeared to be mischief, as she tugged the earpieces out of her ears and held out her hand to Georgie. “Moxie Bigelow, honey. The Darlings’ house keeper, not to mention gourmet chef, personal secretary, emotional rock, and all-around gal Friday, at your ser vice.”

  Georgie almost laughed out loud. She loved how the woman called him Darling.

  As Georgie took Moxie’s outstretched hand in a ferociously sincere grip, the house keeper’s eyes flitted from Georgie’s toes to the top of her head, then back down again. “You are even prettier in person than you are on TV! Got all your cookbooks, hon. Tried to feng shui the Darling here, but you know how stubborn these macho types can be.” Releasing Georgie’s hand, she leaned toward Ethan, whispering loudly, “Marry her, you big dumb lug. She’ll give you gorgeous babies—”

  “Moxie,” Ethan said dryly. “Enough, okay? You’re beginning to sound like my mother.” Though his words could have been interpreted as irritation, the tender look in his eyes gave him away.

  Moxie put her hand on a tilted hip. “I like your mother, and when it comes to your future, the woman has a point.” Returning her scrutiny to Georgie, she cocked her head, narrowing one eye. “You only planning on staying for a few days, hon, or has Mr. Marin County’s Most Eligible Bachelor finally figured out he needs a woman of his own around here?”

  “We already discussed all this on the phone, Moxie,” Ethan said. “You know why she’s here. Are the rooms ready? Did you get baby stuff and food for the kid?”

  The woman straightened her spine and raised her hand. For a moment, Georgie was certain she was going to salute. Instead, she tapped her orange-glossed lips with her index finger. “Ready rooms? Check. Groceries in the fridge? Check. Crib? They delivered it about an hour ago, along with diapers and clothes for the baby, and things for both the ladies. Check, check, check, and check.”

  Georgie’s eyes widened in surprise. “You got a crib, diapers, baby clothes…I…how on earth did you—”

  “I’m good, sweet thing,” Moxie said lightly. “Been at it since the Darling called me.” Casting a glance at Ethan, she drawled, “I so deserve a big fat raise for this.”

  Ethan snorted. “We’ll discuss it when I’ve eaten, gotten some sleep, and had my head examined for ever hiring you in the first place.”

  “Well, then again, money ain’t everything,” Moxie stated, sending him a meaningful look. Then she smiled in a dreamy kind of way. “A baby. In this house. Never thought I’d see that happen. Can’t wait to get my hands on her. Nothing like droolly baby kisses. Ten months old, is she?”

  Georgie nodded.

  Moxie rolled her eyes. “Dear God, such a sweet age. She and your friend still out in the car?”

  Georgie nodded again. “They’re coming.”

  As she almost danced toward the front door, Moxie cast a wicked glance at Ethan. “Say, Darling, you bring that hunky Lucas Russell with you?”

  “He’ll be along.”

  Moxie grinned at Georgie. “Always wanted to get my hands on that one. But I’m a Scorpio. Prob’ly wear the man out!” She winked, then turned and walked down the steps and into the circular drive.

  Georgie shook her head, her jaw slack. “I cannot believe such a fun, sparkling, energetic, fabulous, out-there creature works for you. She’s wonderful. And the way she orders you around. It’s, well, it’s admirable! Where on earth did you find her?”

  Ethan scowled down at her, his hazel eyes narrow and calculating. “Don’t think I let just anybody order me around, Grasshopper. Moxie and I go way back.” Bending his head, he brushed her lips with a soft kiss. “Were you able to get some sleep in the car?”

  “No, and no kisses for you, pal,” she huffed, shoving him away. “You have a lot of explaining to do, but I’m just too tired to listen to it all right now. Let’s just say I’m mad at you, and leave it at that.”

  Behind them, Moxie stepped through the door, a bright-eyed Caroline clinging tightly to the house keeper’s neck. Raine and Lucas followed more slowly.

  “Jee!” Caroline shouted when she saw Georgie. “Bha ghat mom-ma-ma-ma Jee! Jee!”

  “Yes, it’s me.” Georgie laughed, leaning up to kiss the baby’s soft mouth. Caroline made a loud smack against Georgie’s lips, then looked around, babbling incoherent baby observations on the décor.

  “Why don’t I take this bundle of sugar upstairs and give her a bath, and a change of diaper, if my nose doesn’t deceive me?”

  Raine laughed and raised her arms to Caroline. “Please don’t bother. I can—”

  “No bother, hon! You just relax and let me take care of the little princess here.” She bustled past the group and headed up the stairs. “When you’re ready, come on up and I’ll show you your room and the nursery. Got a spot for you, too, Mr. Hunky Agent Man.” Over her shoulder, she gave Lucas a come-hither look.

  Lucas grinned. “Lead the way, Miss Moxie. I’m kind of beat, though. You’ll have to do all the work.”

  “Don’t tease me like that,” the house keeper called down from the top of the stairs. “Might just take you up on it, Mr. Man.”

  As Moxie and the baby disappeared down the hall, a large white cat uncurled itself from the landing and blinked yellow eyes down at Georgie. Stretching, it turned and followed the sound of the house keeper’s voice as she chatted to Caroline.

  “You have a cat?” Georgie said to Ethan.

  Casual shrug. “Came with the house.”

  Raine moved to the foot of the stairs. “I guess I’ll go on up and help Moxie with Caroline’s bath, then get cleaned up myself. Maybe try to get some sleep.” With her hand on the banister, she looked at Ethan. “Thanks for rescuing us.”

  Georgie watched as his eyes grew dark, serious. “I’m sorry you were put through all that. But you’ll be safe here. I promise.”

  Raine smiled and climbed the stairs, Lucas right behind her.

  Turning to Ethan, Georgie said, “What time is it?”

  He checked his watch. “Eight-thirty.”

  “I have to call Ozzie, beg off on the Monday taping, but I won’t be able to get out of it tomorrow.”

  “I don’t want you going anywhere until I find out where Vaughn Corcoran is. You’re safe here, there’s no reason to—”

  “Sorry,” she interrupted. “But it would throw Ozzie and KALM into utter chaos if I didn’t do the taping tomorrow.”

  Though he looked disgruntled about it, he made no further comment. Grabbing her hand, he began tugging her towar
d the staircase. “Moxie?” he yelled up the stairs.

  “Yes, Darling?” came the echoing reply from somewhere on the vast second floor.

  “Did you put the stuff you got for Georgie in my room?”

  “Yes, Darling.”

  Georgie just about choked. “Well, that was damn presumptuous of you—”

  “Shut up. I’m exhausted, but I won’t sleep a wink unless you’re next to me.”

  “I’m mad at you, remember?”

  “Like you’d ever let me forget it,” he mumbled.

  Halting, he pulled her toward him. Gently grasping a hank of her hair, he held her head as he placed a kiss on her open mouth. By the time he let her go, she had not only forgotten why she was mad at him, she’d forgotten what planet she lived on.

  Tuesday morning, Ethan found himself pacing the set, watching Georgie as she checked her list of ingredients for the show’s taping. Her brow furrowing in concentration, she moved from the stove to the refrigerator, checklist in hand, mumbling to herself and making little notes in pencil. Iona trotted along behind everywhere she went, pins in her mouth, a tape mea sure around her neck.

  With her hair loose around her shoulders, and her eyes laughing at him the way they always did, Georgie looked this morning as she had always looked to him—pretty and sweet and sexy. Now that he knew her so much better, he would throw in words like smart, savvy, compassionate, tender, tough, loyal…and his.

  Last night, they’d slept a little, made love a lot, and he’d fallen more deeply in love with her. When she was sated, putty in his arms, he said, “I’m sorry about deceiving you, Grasshopper. I couldn’t tell you I knew about Raine and the baby. I kept thinking I’d made enough headway that you’d trust me enough to confide in me.”

  Snuggling closer, she slid her arm over his chest. “I wanted to tell you everything. I was so tired of carrying the burden of truth all by myself, but I didn’t know if you were working for Corcoran.”

  He arched a brow and looked down at her. “Still mad at me?”