“You just happened to hear I was in town?” he repeated and gave her an incredulous look. “I’m not sure how stupid you think I am. Where’s my driver? Did you pay him off?”
He adjusted his carry-on bag and turned away from her, walking toward the exit.
“Tyler, stop.” Stephanie called after him. “Come on. Let me give you a ride into the city. Your only other option is a taxi.”
“Which is beginning to sound better by the moment.” He glanced at her, irritated as all hell that he had to deal with this shit after a long-ass flight.
“Tyler, we’re friends. At least I’d like to think so,” Stephanie encouraged. “So, please, let me drive you to your hotel.”
“How did you know I’d be here? Indulge me.” He stopped abruptly, folding his arms over his chest.
Stephanie sighed and then shrugged. “Fine, I got chummy with your assistant when I dropped by your office a while ago. I asked him to let me know if you ever came to Seattle.”
“Danny?” Tyler’s eyebrows raised, and his temper flared. “Are you insane? Is he insane? I’m going to see that his ass gets fired—”
“Calm down. Why don’t we get in the car and have a little talk?” His mouth tightened, and he looked away. He’d bet his next paycheck that Lena would be waiting in the car.
“Please,” she pleaded. “I’ll take you straight to your hotel and, if at anytime I make you uncomfortable, you can get out of the car. Please, Tyler. We got along great in Amsterdam. Just give me an hour. That’s all I’m asking.”
“This is ridiculous.” He shook his head.
“You’ll be at the hotel in no time, and you won’t have to pay for a taxi.”
“Fine. Where’s your car?”
“In short-term parking.” She gave him a triumphant smile. “Do you have any more luggage?”
“No, I always bring just a carry-on if it’s business.”
“Oh, aren’t you a good boy.” She smiled, and they made their way through the crowded airport.
Irritation pricked in his gut, and he scowled, following her. He still wasn’t convinced Stephanie and Lena hadn’t concocted some joke to play on him. As much as he hated to admit it, the thought of seeing Lena wasn’t altogether unappealing.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?”
“This and that,” she replied breezily as they reached her car. “I’m dying for something to drink though. I think I’m going to stop at a coffee shop, is that okay with you?”
Unless Lena hid in the trunk, she wasn’t here. He swallowed hard against the disappointment.
“Do I have a choice?” Tyler settled himself into the car.
“No. But I’ll treat you to a mocha.”
“I haven’t had my morning coffee yet. I guess I could handle that.”
“Shit, and you’re on New York time?” Stephanie clucked her tongue and started the car. “Maybe some java will help your mood.”
Lena straightened from putting the groceries away and glanced around the cabin. God, she loved this place.
The rustic cabin was made with logs, and had been built at the turn of the century. The furniture inside wasn’t flashy, but conventional and cozy.
She’d come up here many summers with Stephanie growing up. She knew the cabin and woods around it inside and out.
Walking outside onto the porch, Lena glanced down the several mile long dirt path she’d just driven up in order to reach her retreat. She stepped off the porch and headed toward the back of the cabin to where a river ran beside the property.
She knelt down and allowed her hand to trail through the cool water. With her body already overheated from the drive, it felt wonderful. Later, she would come back and swim. A wicked little smile curved her lips. And seeing as her nearest neighbor was miles away, she could even do it naked.
But not now. She shook the water off her hand and headed back to the cabin.
Tyler stepped out of the coffee shop, squinting at how bright it was outside. Damn, who’d have thought there’d be so much sun in Seattle?
“How you doing, buddy?” Stephanie gave him a slap on the back and nudged him toward the car.
He scowled, sinking down into the bucket seat. Once seated, his body went lax against the comfortable seat. He shook his head, realizing he was more tired after the mocha then he had been before.
And talk about a shitty mocha. He should have never agreed to stop for coffee. Hell, agreeing to drive with her at all seemed to be a bad decision.
His thoughts were compounded when Stephanie hit the gas and spun out of the parking lot, leaving Tyler to clutch at the door handle to stay seated.
“You’re a terrible driver,” Tyler mumbled, his head feeling a little thick. “Which, I’m sure you’ve been told before.”
Stephanie laughed. “Never. Why? Does my driving scare you?”
“No. I ride in New York taxis all the time.” He closed his eyes.
“How long until we get to my hotel?”
“Not too long.”
He blinked his eyes open, and everything blurred before the road came back into focus. “Man, I’m tired.”
“Good.”
Good? Why was that good?
“Do you think about Lena very much?”
“Do I think about Lena?” He closed his eyes again, the image of Lena now in his head.
Sweet, sexy Lena... What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he feel so damn sluggish?
“Stephanie, why do I feel so weird right now?”
“You feel weird, hmm?” Stephanie glanced at him. “Like you just want to go to sleep for a few hours?”
She sounded amused. As if she wanted him to sleep—oh, God. The mocha had tasted strange. Was it possible that she...? He tried to straighten up, but the effort was enormous.
“Stephanie. What was in that mocha?”
“Oh, the usual. Coffee, milk, chocolate,” she gave a casual shrug. “Prescription strength sleeping pills.”
“You put...sleeping pills...coffee?” He made an effort to sit up again, but the seatbelt strained, and he fell back. Panic spread through his weakened muscles. The thickness in his head made it almost impossible to form a sentence. “Crazy bitch.”
“Yes, I am.” Stephanie sighed. “I just think you and Lena should spend some time together.”
Lena? Lena was behind this, too? “You can’t play God...”
He fumbled with his seatbelt but didn’t even have the energy to unbutton it. It felt as if there were a ten-pound weight on each eyelid. Groaning, he gave in and let his eyes drift shut again.
“When I wake up...I’m going to kill you,” he mumbled and then sank into the drugged sleep.
Chapter Twenty
Lena jumped when the teakettle came to life, whistling through the solitude of the cabin.
She pressed a hand against her chest and went to pull the kettle off the stove. She made herself a cup of tea and then went back to the small living room to sit down on the couch.
Not that she needed television, but when there wasn’t one in the cabin it just made it that much quieter. Too bad she’d forgotten to grab a book.
Maybe Stephanie had something on the bookshelf. She glanced over the various titles and scowled. Horror or romance. Hmm. Scary books tended to be...well, a little too scary.
“Let’s try a romance.” Lena grabbed a random romance novel off the shelf and went back to the couch.
She curled up, settling the book against her knees, and then opened it. Twenty minutes later she was one-hundred-percent sucked in.
She read until the light outside had faded and she had to stand up to turn on the lights. The only sound she heard was the insanely loud crickets.
Lena settled back down on the couch, picking her book up again. She became so wrapped up in it, a moment passed before she realized a sound came from outside.
She frowned, trying to place the source of the noise. She blinked as fear made her stomach lurch. A car. Someone was driving up the dir
t road. The store clerk’s warning came back to her to be careful. What, was there some serial killer running amuck up here?
Lena stood up fast, now more than a little alarmed. Who could be driving down the road this time of night? Or at all, for that matter? It was a small, dirt road, barely visible from the highway, and the cabin was the one home on it.
She hurried to the window and lifted the curtain, glancing outside. The beam of headlights bounced along the road, bringing the car closer.
She dropped the curtain back into place and swallowed hard, her heart racing. Darting into the kitchen, she grabbed a steak knife and clutched it, then went back to the window.
Again she lifted the curtain, just an inch this time, so she could peek out. The car had reached the driveway, and it stopped out front. The motor clicked off, and the headlights blinked out.
Lena frowned and dropped the knife. She hurried to switch on the outside light, then threw open the door and ran onto the porch.
“Steph? What are you doing here? You scared the crap out of me.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m exhausted.” Stephanie placed her hands on her hips and glared. “I’ve been driving for three hours. Here, come help me unload something.”
Lena stepped off the porch into the cool night air and went to the car where Stephanie tried to lift something out.
“Oh, my God.” Lena jumped back. “That’s not a something. That’s a someone.”
“Yes.” Stephanie grunted as she hooked her arms under the armpits of the limp person.
“Is he...dead?” Her stomach twisted and all kinds of images filled her head. Stephanie hitting some guy on the road, dragging up here to bury him. And this was why she didn’t read horror novels.
“No, he’s not dead, you moron. He’s asleep.” Stephanie grunted and pulled the body halfway out of the car. “Could I get a little help here?”
“Who is he?” There was something familiar about the hair, the shape of the body. “Stephanie... Is that Tyler?”
“Yes,” Stephanie groaned in exasperation. “Will you please come here and grab his legs?”
“What’s Tyler doing in Washington? Oh my God and passed out in your car?” Lena rushed forward to help carry him before Stephanie dropped him.
“Shit. He’s heavier than he looks. What does this man eat?” Stephanie demanded as they dumped him on the couch.
“He’s actually pretty toned. I’m sure it’s just muscle,” Lena said absently, running her gaze over him. Jeez, he was completely out. Not even a twitch. “You need to talk to me, Steph. What is Tyler doing here?”
“Where are your keys?” Stephanie ignored the question by asking one of her own. “I need to grab something out of your car.”
“They’re on the table.” Lena turned back to Tyler.
His mouth hung open a little, a bit of drool trailing out of his mouth. She walked over, knelt beside him and used the corner of his shirt to wipe down his cheek.
She straightened up as the motor of Stephanie’s car gunned to life.
Lena looked toward the door, unease clawing at her stomach now. No. She wouldn’t have... Groaning, she ran outside and down the porch.
“Stephanie.”
Stephanie tossed an envelope and a black bag out the car window, and they landed on the driveway. Dirt spit into the air as the tires spun, and then the car shot off down the road, the red glare of the taillights eventually fading.
What the hell had just happened? Remembering the envelope and bag, she went back to retrieve it.
Going to the porch swing, she sat down and opened the envelope first, skimming the page.
My dearest, best friend, Lena,
You are a complete idiot. You’re both obviously in love and refuse to work things out. And so that is why Danny (Tyler’s secretary) and I have decided to force you both to spend seven days together. I want you to explore your feelings for each other and whatever else may need exploring. Along those lines, I’ve placed a box of condoms in Tyler’s jacket. I will return to pick you both up in seven days. Please don’t be mad. You’ll thank me later.
Love you, Steph
Thank her? She planned on killing her. Lena dropped the letter, her blood pounding and her jaw clenched.
She stared down the darkened road and then back into the cabin. Of all the nerve. What had Stephanie been thinking? This was her life. There was no way—absolutely no way—she intended to stay here with him all week.
She grabbed the black bag and stormed back into the cabin, tossing it by Tyler on the couch, then went to pack her things up. She grabbed her purse and then froze.
Stephanie had her keys.
I gave that bitch my keys. God, how could I have been so stupid?
“Oh, no. This isn’t happening.” Lena slid down the inside door of the cabin to the floor and groaned. “I can’t stay here with him, I can’t.”
She buried her face in her hands, fighting off the wave of anxiety threatening to overtake her. She took in deep breaths until her heart rate slowed.
When she again looked up, she had regained control.
She eyed the couch curiously, wondering how long Tyler had been out and how much longer he would be.
She stood up on her knees and scooted across the floor until she knelt beside him.
He looked so harmless in sleep. Her eyes narrowed. How deceptive.
The tension eased from her body a bit, and she sighed. Even if he was an asshole, it was good to see him. Even after so many months away, and their last meeting having been just a painful mess, the urge to touch him became too strong.
She lifted her hand to push away a tendril of hair that curled onto his forehead. He groaned and shifted a bit.
Lena jerked her hand back to her side, her heart beating like mad. Would he wake soon? How would he react when he did? And what the hell made him sleep so soundly?
Could he just be really drunk? Or had Stephanie drugged him? She cringed and then brought her face close to his and grasped his chin and upper lip. She pried his mouth open and hesitated just for a moment, then sniffed the cavern of his mouth. Nothing too bad, maybe a little Doritos from lunch or something, but no overwhelming smell of alcohol.
She slid her fingers through his hair, searching for some kind of wound or bump that would indicate Stephanie had struck him to knock him out. The soft strands distracted her, and she groaned, trying to remember her purpose. Nope. No bumps. Not as if she’d expected one. Stephanie might be a bit crazy, but not enough so to actually hit someone over the head.
Which meant she must’ve drugged him. Lena grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. She found it, relieved it was strong.
Rocking back on her heels, she stared at him. This was real. Tyler was here and asleep in the cabin.
Damn, tomorrow would be awkward. Although, awkward might be a bit of an understatement. If she were smart, she’d grab her backpack, hike her butt out to the road, and take a risk hitchhiking. Anything would be better than facing him when he awoke.
She stood up and sighed. There wasn’t a whole lot she could do now. Going to the linen closet, she pulled out a woven blanket. Twisting the thick blanket in her hands, she made her way back to Tyler before draping it over his still body.
After another lingering glance at him, she went to bed. All she could do now was sleep. Sleep and wait.
The crash woke her. Then came the sound of breaking glass. Lena’s eyes snapped open, and her body froze after she’d jerked the blankets up to her chin.
It all came rushing back. Tyler was in the cabin.
Daylight had not yet broken, but she could hear the twitter of birds and the faintest light that suggested dawn fast approached.
She held her breath and stared at the closed door of the bedroom. Tyler was most definitely awake. His curses and footsteps filled the cabin.
“Where the hell am I?” His yell resonated.
Lena flinched, wishing that there were a lock on the bedroom door. Why hadn’t she barricaded herself
in? Or put the dresser in front of the door as a way to slow him down?
“Where are the damn lights?” He let out a yelp of pain. “Damn it.”
Great, he must have stubbed his toe or something. Oh, yes, he was awake and as ornery as a bear.
“There’s gotta be a light around here,” he muttered. “Wherever here is.”
Light appeared through the crack of the doorway, signaling he’d found the switch for the living room. His footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Lena watched the doorknob twist and gave a silent prayer, tugging the blanket all the way up to her nose. Maybe he’ll be too out of it to see me.
The door swung open, and she bit her lip to keep from groaning. Tyler poked his head in and glanced around. It was silent for a moment, and then he shut the door.
Lena blinked and lowered the blanket and then sat up. He hadn’t noticed—
The door burst back open, and she screamed, scrambling to get out off the bed.
Tyler bolted across the room and jumped on the bed, sending her bouncing across to the other side of the mattress.
He grabbed her leg before she could fall off. His hands jerked her back onto the bed as he pinned her down flat on her back, her arms held above her head.
“I’m going to kill you, Stephanie,” he growled and then went still. “Lena.”
“Umm...yeah. Surprise.” She attempted a light laugh. Oh, Lord. He was lying on top of her. She couldn’t think with him on top of her. “You’re kind of heavy. Would you mind getting off me, please?”
Tyler paused a moment before lifting his body from hers. He swung his legs off the bed and groaned.
“Tyler—”
“I don’t even want to know right now,” he mumbled. “Don’t try to explain, and don’t tell me anything. I just really need something for this headache.”
“Headache?” Maybe he had been drinking last night. “Are you hung over?”
His head turned and the look he gave her could have frozen boiling water.
Her eyes widened, and she scurried off the bed. “Right. Let me go see if I can find something for you.”
She hurried into the bathroom and came back a minute later with two aspirin and a paper cup of water. She sat down on the edge of the bed and handed them to him.
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