Twelve Nights of Temptation

by Barbara Dunlop

  “I’ll get myself a new drink.” She started for the bar, hoping he’d stay behind. She’d come here to clear her head, avoid the memories of Matt’s lovemaking. She had to focus, wanting to figure out whether the marina was in trouble...or maybe Matt was? The last thing she needed was to be distracted by his quick smile, broad chest and shoulders, his handsome face...

  A tune blasted from the turntable, while voices of the crowd ebbed and flowed, laughter all around them under the festive lights. He fell into step beside her.

  “I thought you were having dinner with Caleb and Jules,” she said.

  “Dinner ended early. Noah and Melissa got engaged.”

  Tasha was getting to know Melissa, and she’d met Noah a few times. “Noah proposed in front of everyone?”

  “It was a daring move on Noah’s part.” Matt’s gaze swept the room, obviously checking on the guy at the end of the bar. “I expect it left everybody feeling romantic, so they wanted to head home. Bit of a bummer for TJ. He fights it, but he’s lonely. He liked being married.”

  “How did his wife die?” Tasha liked TJ. Her heart went out to him over the loss.

  “Breast cancer.”

  “That’s really sad.”

  “Yeah.” Matt’s voice was gruff. “It’s been a tough haul. Let me get you that drink.”

  “I’m going to take off.” She wanted to stay, but she needed to go. Clearing her head with Matt in front of her was impossible.

  “We need to talk eventually.”

  “Later.”

  “I don’t want you to be upset.”

  “I’m not. Actually, I’m not sure what I am.”

  He hesitated. “Okay. Fine. I don’t want to push.”

  Relieved, she texted for a cab and let Alex know she was leaving. She knew it was the right thing to do, but she couldn’t shake a hollow feeling as she headed for the parking lot.

  Eight

  When Tasha left the bar, the stranger left, too.

  Matt followed him as far as the door, watching to be sure he didn’t harass her in the parking lot. But she got immediately into a cab and left.

  The stranger drove off a few minutes later in the opposite direction.

  Back inside, Matt returned to the table to where Alex was now sitting.

  “Hey, boss,” she greeted with a smile.

  “Having a good time?” he asked.

  “You bet. Have you met James Hamilton?”

  Matt shook the man’s hand. “Good to meet you, James.”

  James nodded. “You, too.”

  Matt returned his attention to Alex. “Did you happen to notice if anyone was paying particular attention to Tasha tonight?”

  Alex looked puzzled, but then shook her head. “She was dancing with lots of guys, but nobody in particular. A lot of them she knows from the area.”

  “Do you mean the old dude in the black cap?” James asked.

  “Yes,” Matt answered. “He was watching her the whole time I was here.”

  “Yeah. I noticed it most of the night. I don’t know what his deal was. He never talked to her.”

  Alex looked to James. “Somebody was watching Tasha?”

  “She’s pretty hot,” James said. “I just thought it was a bit of a creep factor. You know, because the guy was old. But he seemed harmless enough.”

  “He left when she left,” Matt said.

  James’s gaze flicked to the door. “Did he give her any trouble?”

  “No. I watched her get into a cab.”

  James gave a thoughtful nod.

  “With everything that’s going on at the marina...” Matt ventured.

  “I know what you mean,” Alex said. “It’s happening more and more.”

  “What do you mean more and more?” Matt asked.

  “Little things,” Alex said. “Stupid things.”

  “Was there something besides the fuel leak and the electric short?”

  “None worth getting excited about on their own. And we’ve checked the cameras. Nobody climbed the fence again.”

  “So a staff member? While you were open during the day?”

  “It’s possible. But I hear you’ve done at least ten background checks and didn’t find anything.”

  Matt knew that was true.

  “What’s weird to me,” Alex continued, “is that they’re always on jobs done by Tasha.”

  Matt felt a prickle along his spine. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Positive. We fix them. It doesn’t take long.”

  “Why hasn’t she said anything to me?” He’d hate to think the change in their personal relationship had made her reluctant to share information.

  “She’s starting to question her own memory. Any of them could have been mistakes. But any of them could have been on purpose, too.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with her memory.”

  Tasha was smart, capable and thorough.

  “I’m still wondering if it could be an inside job. I don’t want to think that about any of my employees, but... As you’re new to the team, has anyone struck you as suspicious?” A hand clapped down on Matt’s shoulder.

  He turned quickly, ready for anything. But it was TJ.

  “Didn’t know you were headed out, too,” TJ said.

  “I didn’t know you hung out here,” Matt responded, surprised to see his friend.

  “I spotted your car in the lot. I was too restless to sleep. Hey, Alex.” Then TJ turned his attention to James, holding out a hand. “TJ Bauer.”

  “I know who you are,” James said.

  “Really?”

  “My mom’s on the hospital auxiliary. I hear all about your generous donations.”

  Matt looked to TJ. He knew TJ’s financial company made a number of charitable contributions. He hadn’t realized they were noteworthy.

  TJ waved the statement away. “It’s a corporate thing. Most companies have a charitable arm.”

  “They were very excited to get the new CT scanner. So on behalf of my mom and the hospital, thank you.”

  “I better buy you a drink,” Matt said to TJ.

  “You’d better,” TJ returned. “So, what’s going on?”

  “Some guy was watching Tasha all night long.”

  “Tasha’s here?” TJ gazed around.

  Matt couldn’t seem to forget that TJ had been attracted to Tasha. Sure, it was mostly from afar, and sure, he’d promised to back off. Still, Matt couldn’t help but be jealous.

  “She left,” he said.

  “Too bad.” Then TJ gave an unabashed grin and jostled Matt with his elbow.

  Alex watched the exchange with obvious interest.

  Matt braced himself, wishing he could shut TJ up.

  But TJ was done. He drummed his hands against the wooden tabletop. “Is there a waiter or waitress around here?”

  “I can go to the bar,” James quickly offered.

  “I’ll come with,” Alex said, sliding off the high stool.

  “Whatever they have on tap,” TJ said.

  “Same for me,” Matt said, sliding James a fifty. “Get yourselves something, too.”

  “Best boss in the world.” Alex grinned.

  “You know how to keep employees happy,” TJ said as the pair walked away.

  “I wish I knew how to keep one particular employee safe.”

  “You’ve got the new cameras now.”

  “Alex just told me there’ve been a couple of other minor incidents that looked like tampering. Tasha didn’t say anything to me about them.” Matt was definitely going to bring that up with her. He wished he could do it now. He didn’t want to wait until morning.

  “She probably didn’t want
you going all white knight on her.”

  “I don’t do that.”

  “You like her, bro.”

  Matt wasn’t about to deny it.

  “And you worry about her. And she strikes me as the self-sufficient type.”

  “She is that,” Matt agreed. “But she knows we’re all looking to find this guy. Why would she withhold information?”

  “Ask her.”

  “I will. The other thing Alex said was the weird things only happened after Tasha had done a repair, not when it was Alex or anyone else. And this guy watching her tonight? That makes me even more curious.” Matt hated to think Tasha might be some kind of target in all this.

  “It seems unlikely tonight’s guy is related to the sabotage,” TJ said.

  “He followed her out.”

  “Probably working up his nerve to ask her on a date.”

  Matt scoffed at that. “He was twice her age.”

  “Some guys still think they have a shot. And he doesn’t know he’d have to go through you to get to her.”

  Matt didn’t respond. He didn’t usually keep things from his friend, but he had no intention of telling TJ how far things had gone with Tasha. “I’m worried about her.”

  “Worry away. Just don’t do anything outrageous.”

  Like sleeping with her? “Like what?”

  “Like locking her up in a tower.”

  Despite his worry, Matt couldn’t help but smile at that. “My place does have a great security system.”

  TJ chuckled. “Now that would be an example of what not to do.”

  “I won’t.” But there were a dozen reasons why Matt would love to lock her away in his house and keep her all to himself.

  * * *

  As the sun rose in the early morning, Tasha made her way up from the compact engine room into the bridge and living quarters of the yacht Crystal Zone. Between reliving her lovemaking with Matt and worrying about the sabotage, she’d barely been able to sleep. After tossing and turning most of the night, an early start had seemed like the most productive solution.

  Now, she came to the top of the stairs in the yacht’s main living area, and a sixth sense made her scalp tingle. She froze. She looked around, but nothing seemed out of place. She listened, hearing only the lapping of the waves and the creak of the ship against the pier.

  Still, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling. She wrinkled her nose and realized it was a scent. There was an odd scent in the room. It seemed familiar, yet out of place. She tried to make herself move, but she couldn’t get her legs to cooperate.

  She ordered herself to quit freaking out. Everything was fine with the engine. It was in better shape than ever, since she kept fussing with it. The door to the rear deck was closed. Dawn had broken, and she could see through the window that nobody was outside.

  Nobody was watching her.

  She forced herself to take a step forward, walking on the cardboard stripping that covered the polished floor to protect it from grease and oil. Crystal Zone was going out today on a six-day run.

  Then she heard a sound.

  She stopped dead.

  It came again.

  Somebody was on the forward deck. The outer door creaked open. She grabbed for the biggest wrench in her tool belt, sliding it out. If this was someone up to no good, they were going to have a fight on their hands.

  She gripped the wrench tightly, moving stealthily forward.

  “Matt?” a man’s voice called out.

  It was Caleb.

  Her knees nearly gave way with relief. Nobody had broken in. Caleb had the gate code and was obviously looking for Matt.

  She swallowed, reclaiming her voice. “It’s Tasha. I’m in here.”

  “Tasha?” Caleb appeared on the bridge. “Is Matt with you?”

  “He’s not here.”

  “I saw the light was on. Why are you starting so early?” Caleb glanced at his watch.

  “Couldn’t sleep,” she said, her stomach relaxing. She slid the wrench back into the loop.

  “Way too much going on,” he said with understanding.

  “I heard Melissa and Noah got engaged.”

  “They did. It was pretty great.” Caleb moved farther into the living area. “Did Matt tell you Melissa and Jules are determined to decorate his place for the holidays?”

  “I’m sure he appreciates it.”

  Caleb chuckled. “I’m sure he doesn’t. Dianne was big on decorating.”

  “Oh.”

  “I heard you met her.” Caleb seemed to be fishing for something.

  “I did.”

  “How did it go?”

  Tasha couldn’t help remembering her last conversation with Dianne. “I’m not sure. She seems...sad.”

  The answer obviously surprised Caleb. “Sad? Dianne?”

  Tasha weighed the wisdom of taking this chance to ask Caleb directly about a job. She didn’t want to put him on the spot.

  Then again, she didn’t know him very well, so he could easily turn her down without hurting her feelings.

  “Can I ask you something?” she asked.

  He looked curious. “Fire away.”

  “I know you have Neo restaurant locations all over the country.”

  “We have a few.”

  “Dianne is in pretty dire straits. She’s lost everything.”

  Caleb’s expression hardened a shade, but Tasha forced herself to go on.

  “She has no money. And she needs a job. I think she’s pretty desperate.”

  “She snowed you,” Caleb said, tone flat.

  “That doesn’t seem true. She didn’t know I was there. And she was pretty obviously distraught. Also, she doesn’t strike me as somebody whose first plan of attack would be to seek employment.”

  “You’ve got that right. She likely hasn’t worked a day in her life.”

  “She admits she doesn’t have a lot of marketable skills. But she said she can host parties. She’s attractive, articulate, refined.”

  “What are you getting at?”

  “Maybe a hostess position or special events planner somewhere...not here, maybe on the eastern seaboard?”

  “Ah.” A look of comprehension came over Caleb’s face. “Get her out of Matt’s hair.”

  “Well, that, and give her a chance at building a life. If she’s telling the truth, and she definitely seemed sincere, she has absolutely nothing left and nowhere to turn.”

  “It’s her own fault,” Caleb said.

  “No argument from me. But everybody makes mistakes.”

  He paused, seeming to consider the point. “I know I’ve made enough of them.” He seemed to be speaking half to himself.

  “Will you think about it?” Tasha dared to press.

  “I’ll see what I can do. I suppose it’s the season to do the right thing.”

  “It is.”

  Light rain drizzled down from the gray clouds above, the temperature hovering in the fifties. It hadn’t snowed this year. Snow was always a rare event in this pocket of the coast, and the last white Christmas had been ten years back.

  “If you come across Matt, will you tell him I’m looking for him?” Caleb was probably regretting his decision to check inside Crystal Zone.

  “Anything I can help you with?” she asked.

  “Nope. I just want to warn him that Jules and Melissa are going shopping today for holiday decorations. He better brace himself to look festive.”

  Tasha couldn’t stop a smile. “I’ll tell him.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No, thank you. Seriously, Caleb, thank you for helping Dianne.”

  “I haven’t done anything yet.”

  “But you’re going to try
.”

  He turned to leave, but then braced a hand on the stairway, turning back. “You do know this isn’t your problem.”

  “I know. But it’s hard when you don’t have a family. People to support you.”

  He hesitated. “You don’t have a family?”

  “Estranged. It’s lonely at times.”

  “Same with me,” he said. “But my wife, Jules, Melissa, Noah, TJ, they’re good people, I’ve found a family here. I bet you have, too.”

  “Soon you’ll have two more members in your new family.”

  Caleb broke into a wide smile. “You got that right. See you, Tasha.”

  “Goodbye, Caleb.”

  The sun was now up, and Tasha’s feeling of uneasiness had completely faded. She was glad she’d asked Caleb about the job directly. It was better than dragging Jules into the middle of it.

  Tasha gathered up the rest of her tools, turned off the lights and secured the doors. She’d head to the main building and get cleaned up before she started on the next job. Alex would probably be in by now, and they could plan the details of their day.

  Out on the pier, she shifted the toolbox to her right hand and started to make her way to shore. Almost immediately she saw Matt coming the other way.

  His shoulders were square, his stride determined and his chin was held high. She wondered if he’d found some information on the saboteur.

  “Morning,” she called out as she grew closer.

  He didn’t smile.

  “Did something happen?” She reflexively checked out the remaining row of yachts. She didn’t see anything out of place.

  “I just talked to Caleb.”

  “Oh, good. He was looking for you.” She struggled to figure out why Matt was frowning.

  “You asked him about Dianne.” The anger in Matt’s tone was clear.

  “I...” She’d known it was a risk. She shouldn’t be surprised by his anger. “I only asked if he could help.”

  “Without even telling me, you asked my best friend to give my ex-wife a job?”

  When he put it that way, it didn’t sound very good.

  “Only if he didn’t mind,” she said.