by Lisa Boone
Jamie grimaced.
“I thought you liked his Shepard’s pie.” She furrowed her brow. “You’re always ordering it.”
“That’s because it’s the only thing on the menu that’s halfway edible.” He shook his head. “I wish you’d find another place to work.”
“Why? Tips are good.”
“Come on, Princess, it’s not like you need the money. You’ve got an education. You’re talented.”
“No, I was talented,” she corrected, “but not anymore.” Her hand unconsciously moved to her knee. A vicious mugging last July—courtesy of her sister’s sick stalker—had ended her ballet career in New York and sent her running back home to recuperate. While she could still dance, she’d never be able to reach the heights she once did. Whatever talent she had was gone now and as far as she was concerned, it was useless to dwell or pretend otherwise.
“You could—”
“Dance?”
“Teach. You could open up your own dancing studio. I remember when you started at the pub that you said it was eventually your plan to own your own place. Teach little kids to dance. You said as soon as your leg healed that was what you were going to do.” He lifted his eyebrows. “You’ve been walking around pretty well lately.”
“Walking’s not exactly the same thing as dancing.” She looked away. “Dancing is behind me. I’m looking to the future now.”
“I see,” he said quietly. “So your future consists of serving alcohol and barely edible food to a bunch of drunks and gamblers now.”
“No,” she said testily, “I don’t plan on doing this for the rest of my life.” She traced her finger along the edge of the table. “It’s just that the pub is close to home right now. It’s easy to get to and it gets me out talking to people.”
“You could do that anywhere.”
“You didn’t see me right after I got mugged.” She reached a hand up to the scar on her cheek. “I didn’t go anywhere. I stayed locked up in my bedroom. I didn’t see anyone and I didn’t want to talk to anyone.” She lowered her gaze to the table. “I finally realized that I couldn’t hide in my room for the rest of my life, so I decided to do something. I got up, dressed, and made my way to the pub to get some lunch. Trust me, it doesn’t seem like much but it was a major accomplishment at the time. I had to force myself to get out and talk to people again. I saw the help wanted sign and I applied. You could say it’s therapy.”
“Sarah, you’re not some shy wilting flower. You’re one of the friendliest most outgoing people I’ve ever met. You don’t need to stay at the pub. It’s time for you to move on.”
Her eyes flashed. “I’ll decide when it’s time for me to move on. Right now, I’m perfectly happy where I am.”
His brow furrowed. “Why are you so determined to stay there?”
Because of you, she thought, unable to say the words as she met his eyes.
He looked confused at first but then comprehension dawned. “Oh, I see,” he said softly.
She felt her face flush. “No, you don’t see,” she said, suddenly embarrassed. Nothing was worse than confessing your true feelings to someone who didn’t feel the same.
“So, you’re not hanging around because you’re hoping we might have a future together?”
“No, that’s not the reason,” she lied, desperately trying to save face.
He smiled sadly. “Baby doll, you are betting on the wrong horse. I am not the guy for you. So, if you are sticking around for me, you are wasting your time.”
“I’m not staying for you. I happen to like what I do.”
“Sure, you do.”
She crossed her arms. “I know this might come as a huge blow to your enormous ego, but my world does not revolve around you. You were the one following me around the last couple of months, remember?”
“Only because you paid me to. That’s the only reason, Sweetheart. The only reason.” He stood up and started pacing again. “Do you have any idea what your employers’ parents did for a living?”
“I’ve heard rumors that Kristen’s dad was involved in some shady things but—”
Jamie chuckled. “Shady? That doesn’t begin to cover what Patrick O’Malley was involved in.”
“But Kristen and Nathan aren’t mixed up in anything illegal, are they?”
“No, not now, but some of the people that they surround themselves with are the same people that hung around Kristen’s old man. Kristen and Nathan don’t want that life, but those people… they miss it.”
She looked at him. “Do you miss it?”
He gripped the back of the chair. “What makes you think that I was involved?”
“You lied to me,” she said.
“About what?”
“You told me that you went to prison—”
“Which was very true.”
“Yeah, but you told me you went to prison because you stole something. You didn’t tell me it was because you… because you murdered someone.” She glanced at his hands, which were gripping the back of the chair so hard his knuckles were turning white. “You didn’t tell me that you used to work for…well, that you used to kill people for a living.”
Jamie’s jaw tightened. “So, that detective your sister hired found out all about me. Didn’t take him long to tell you the truth. I was wondering if he had. I thought he had, but then when you saved me, I thought that maybe he hadn’t gotten around to it yet.” His face tightened. “I’m surprised you came out to rescue me last night. You must have been afraid of me.”
“No,” she said, quickly shaking her head.
“Then why did you lie to me this morning? I don’t blame you. I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. You should never tell a convicted murderer that’s been lying to you for the last six or seven months that you know the truth now. Bad things can happen. Better just to play along until you can get away. I guess that’s why you spent so much time at your grandpa’s this afternoon.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I was trying to get hold of your friend, remember? It took a while. I wasn’t avoiding you and I didn’t lie to you this morning. Not really. You asked me if Ethan had told me about your past and I answered honestly that he hadn’t.” She paused for a moment before adding, “He told Madison and then she told me.”
“You knew what I was asking.”
“You were hurt and I just wasn’t ready to have this conversation yet.”
“Admit it. You just didn’t want to face up to the truth. You’ve built up some fantasy in your head.”
“Oh, please.”
“Now reality has come crashing down.”
“Oh, go back to sleep. The fever is obviously playing with your mind.”
He loosened his hands from the chair. “Then wh-why didn’t you tell the police where I was?”
She crossed her arms. “Like I said, I got you into this mess and I was going to get you out of it. It was the least I could do.”
A strange, almost vulnerable look passed across his face so quickly she barely had time to register it before it was gone.
“Very noble,” he said with a sigh, “and very dangerous too.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Maybe you should be.” He blew out his breath before sitting down. “You’re too nice for your own good. It’s going to get you into trouble someday.” He looked at her curiously for a moment. “What did your sister tell you about me?”
“Not much. I wanted to hear the truth from you.” She looked at him expectantly.
He threw up his hands in defeat. “Sure, why not? What do you want to know?”
“Who…” She took a deep breath. “Who were you accused of killing?”
He sat there for a few moments simply staring at her before finally saying, “My girlfriend.”
Sarah swallowed hard. Whatever answer she had been expecting it wasn’t that. “I-I see.”
“I didn’t do it.”
“I believe you.” She had known him too long to
believe he could hurt someone he loved. She felt a wave of sympathy wash over her. Well, that explained a lot, she thought watching as he stood back up. No wonder he didn’t want to get close. After losing someone that he loved so violently, and then to be accused of it, the pain had to be unbearable. He probably wasn’t over her. And if he wasn’t, what chance did she have? How could she compete with a memory? “What was her name?”
“Robin,” he said softly, “her name was Robin.”
“Pretty name. I’m sorry for your loss. It must have been awful for you.”
“It was.”
“I knew you were innocent,” she said closing her eyes.
“I never said I was innocent.” He leaned forward. “I just said I didn’t murder her.”
“Who did?”
“I have no idea.” He glanced back at the window. “I wish Brian would hurry up.”
“Is my company so intolerable?” she asked with a sad smile.
“No, not at all,” he said quickly. “I love being with you. I wish I could stay…” He suddenly paused before looking away.
She glanced at him with a hopeful look on her face. Maybe things weren’t as hopeless as she thought. Maybe she still had a chance with him. After all, she couldn’t have misinterpreted the eager way he sought her out whenever she was working, the way he smiled whenever she came near or the needy expression on his face whenever she brushed past him or all the things he did to show her that he cared for her whenever he was around. The man even risked his life to save her and her sister. She couldn’t be imagining those things. Hope renewed, she smiled playfully at him. “You do?”
He ran a hand down his face. “I don’t even know what I’m saying. I’m too exhausted to think,” he said glancing toward the window. “It doesn’t look like Brian’s going to make it tonight so I might as well get ready for bed.”
“Do you need any help?”
He looked at her with a weak grin. “I’ll rub your back if you rub mine, or maybe you’d like to tuck me in like you did last night. You can give me a proper send off.”
Sarah’s jaw clenched tightly as his grin grew wider. She gave him a look.
“Oh, little Ms. Prim and Proper can dish it out but can’t take it,” he said with a laugh. “You need to find some nice boring, proper gentleman who can take you to the ballet.”
“You’re so predictable.”
He arched an eyebrow.
“I can almost set my watch by you. Anytime we’re getting closer to one another, you intentionally say or do something to make me mad or embarrass me. Why do you do that?”
Jamie gave her a dramatic eye roll. “See, you’ve got this idea about me that’s just not based in reality. I’m just being myself.”
“I know you, Jamie Murphy. I know what you’re like. These little comments aren’t you. They are designed to push me away. I can always tell when you’re about to do it too. You say something nice or sweet or you become emotionally vulnerable, and then I can see the panic set in and a few seconds later, you open your mouth.” She crossed her arms. “Why do you do that? Are you afraid of me?”
The wary look in his eyes returned. There was a second when he looked like he was going to answer but then he turned his head with a snort. “Yeah, I’m terrified of you, Princess.”
Sarah stood up. She leaned across the table, stretching herself until her mouth was just inches from his. So close she could see his pupils dilate, feel his breath quicken. “Why don’t you admit it? I scare you to death. I can see it in your eyes.”
He leaned back putting distance between them. When that wasn’t far enough, he pushed away from the table with a painful grunt. “The only thing you’re seeing in my eyes are the effects of your grandpa’s pain medication.” Holding onto his arm, he stood and walked toward the bathroom. “I think the isolation up here is getting to you. You’re starting to imagine things that aren’t there. You should be thankful I’m a proper gentleman, otherwise, I might take advantage of you.”
“Oh, I am,” she said dryly as she stood and walked to the closet next to the bathroom. She pulled a couple of sheets from the shelf. “That’s one thing I always tell people about you. That you are such a gentleman.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “And I for one am very thankful that you are such a proper gentleman, because Lord knows you’d be all over me if you weren’t and neither one of us wants that to happen.”
He paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at her as he reached for the door.
She looked back at him when he didn’t make a move to enter the bedroom and smiled. “Night, night.”
He didn’t say anything as he disappeared into the bedroom.
“Proper gentlemen, my foot. Scaredy cat is more like it,” she muttered spreading the sheet out and tucking it around the cushions. She was just about finished when Jamie appeared behind her with a blanket and a pillow.
He dropped both items onto the end of the couch. “I’ll sleep here. You take the bed.”
She quickly sat down, bringing her knees up and over. “You’re too tall. You’d never fit.” She demonstrated by lying down, lengthening her legs and propping her feet on the arm rest. “You’d be miserable.”
His gaze slid to the foot of space between the other armrest and her head. “I think I’ll survive.” He motioned for her to get up.
Feeling contrary, Sarah stubbornly shook her head. “You’re my guest. It would be bad manners for me to let you sleep here.” She ignored the fact that it was also bad manners to argue with her guest about his preferred choice of beds as she folded her hands underneath her head. “You’re also my patient, and since I hired you to be my bodyguard, my employee, I’m responsible for your well-being and I—”
Her words ended on a gasp as he swiftly bent over, looming over her body, his mouth inches from hers. “I’m sleeping here.”
Sarah took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart, which was battering against her ribs in surprise and in response just to how close his body was to hers. She stared up into his blue eyes, acutely aware of every fleck of gold and the way they dilated as he looked at her.
He was so handsome. Far more beautiful than any other man she had ever seen. All she had to do was reach up a few inches … Her fingers twitched as her gaze traveled down to his full mouth.
As if anticipating her move, he leaned back suddenly. “Sarah, I’m taking the couch. You can have the bedroom.”
Never one to back down from a challenge, she narrowed her eyes, her fingers clutching at the cushions. “Then it looks like we’re both sleeping here.”
Without warning, he scooped his arms underneath her.
She gasped as concern for his arm took hold and wiped out any childish need to fight with him over the couch. “Jamie, no, your arm,” she said, pushing against his chest.
Hovering over her, he loosened his hold. “Then you’ll take the bed?”
She pursed her lips together, giving him a curt nod. When he stepped back, she swung her legs to the side and stood, silently motioning for him to lie down.
She was partly to the bedroom when she heard him say in amusement, “Good, I knew you’d see it my way.”
Her back straightened. She let out her breath before turning around and marching back into the living room.
Jamie let out a little sigh as she flopped down in the easy chair. “I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.”
“Wisest thing you’ve said all night,” she said pleasantly.
He snorted. “I have never seen anyone as stubborn as you.”
“Have you looked in a mirror lately?”
Jamie didn’t answer as he laid down and turned on his side away from her. A few minutes later, he turned over on his back before eventually switching to the other end of the couch.
“Comfy?” Sarah asked in satisfied amusement as Jamie struggled to get comfortable.
With a soft groan, he came to his feet. He clutched his arm as he stood there, slightly swaying. “The bed’s big enough f
or both of us and I’m too tired and in too much pain to do anything, so …”
“Aww, those are the sweetest words …” She bit her lip, suddenly noticing how tense his face looked and the stiff way he held himself as if he even thought about relaxing he’d fall down.
Her gaze turned to the clock. “You’re due for some pain medicine. Come on,” she said, gently wrapping an arm around his waist and leading him back to the bedroom.
She helped him get undressed before handing him his pain medication and a glass of water.
Once that was done, she laid down underneath the covers and watched as he laid down as far away from her as he could possibly get and still be on the bed.
Propping a hand underneath her head, she looked at him in exasperation. “Would you be more comfortable if I put some pillows between us? Maybe I could hang a sheet from the ceiling. Would that work?”
He glanced down at the empty space between them so long she started to wonder whether he was actually taking her suggestion seriously.
Finally, his lips quirked up slightly and he moved closer to her. “Happy?”
“I can barely contain myself,” she said, flopping onto her other side, away from him.
A small smile tugged at her mouth as he chuckled.
She glanced toward the window, only then realizing she had forgotten to close the drapes. The trees near the house swayed in the wind, casting shadows along the wall and occasionally brushing against the window.
A shiver coursed up her spine as she remembered how close she came to dying the night before, if it hadn’t been for Jamie. She inched back towards him, only stopping when she reached his side. She waited, expecting him to move away at any moment but to her surprise, he draped his arm around her waist and sighed in her hair.
The trees and the night before momentarily forgotten, she closed her eyes and relaxed, enjoying the feel of him so close to her. Within minutes, she was sound asleep.
CHAPTER FOUR
He was there again.
Watching.
Sarah couldn’t escape.
She tried running but it was as if she was surrounded by quicksand. Every movement she made was slow and ineffective, and no matter what she did, he was always there, just behind her.