by Dee J. Adams
“I can always put the cat in another room.”
Then his phone rang.
“Saved by the bell then.” Her words came with a little bite. She always did that. Worked to separate them. It was starting to piss him off.
“I don’t have to answer it. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Except her posture said otherwise. “Might be your investor.” The sing-song rhythm of her voice sounded almost like a warning, a tone he needed to be leery of, but he checked his caller ID.
“Oh shit! You’re right.” Holding his index finger in the air to indicate one minute, he set Stella in Kim’s lap and took the call. “Yeah, Scotty. That was fast, what’s up?”
“I’m in. Will thirty large finish the movie?” Scotty asked.
Leo pumped his fist. Relief nearly made him light headed. “Absolutely. Thanks, man. You won’t regret it.” The amount of work he had in front of him suddenly seemed mountainous.
Scotty laughed. “I better not or my wife will kill me.”
Leo laughed too. “No worries. I’ll outline all the costs so you’ll see the plan. I might not even need it all.”
“That would be brilliant. So let me know when you have the numbers and I’ll cut you a check.”
“Great! Talk to you soon! Later.” Leo punched the screen and watched it go black. He grabbed Kim around her nape and kissed the living hell out of her. Tongue, teeth, lips. He kissed her like he might die if he didn’t. He’d have wrapped both arms around her if it hadn’t meant crushing Stella between them. When he finally pulled away, her lips were swollen and red.
“Good news, I take it?” Her smile seemed almost reluctant, but it reminded him of a California sunrise, full of light and promise.
“More like great news!” He went to kiss her again, but stopped. “Shit, I’m going to be up all night figuring out what’s left to shoot and what it’s going to cost me.” He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair.
“I think it’s for the best. Really Leo…” She gestured between the two of them. “This thing between us isn’t real. It’s a mistake to fall into some kind of sleep together pattern just because I happen to be here.”
She was forgetting a very important aspect. “Are you saying you haven’t noticed that we’re really good together?”
“I noticed that we make each other hot, but that’s not enough for me. Maybe you’re ready to get back on the one-night-stand trail, but I’m not. You know what I want and we both know you’re not the man to give it.”
Wham! Right in the balls. Leo took Stella, backed up and leaned against the counter. He scratched the cat’s head as Kim’s words wrestled in his brain. It was his own fault. He’d told her as much during those first few days they were together. He’d said a lot of things and he’d kept just as much to himself. So where did that leave him now when he wanted her so much?
Now that she was pregnant with his child.
He swallowed back a wave of panic at the thought. A baby. It scared the living hell out of him, enough to put some distance between them.
He flashed a smile and nodded. “Of course. I don’t know what I was thinking. You and me, we’re tight, but…” He snorted. “No way, no how are we in the market for the same thing. Guess I’ll get to work on my movie.” Leo headed to his tiny office on the other side of the stairs, his stomach turning at the idea of losing Kim, a woman who never belonged to him in the first place.
Chapter Seven
Wilson looked at the blank screen of his mobile phone and nearly threw it across the hotel room. Aggravation boiled in his blood and threatened to erupt. No, it’s too far. No, you don’t need to. Yes, I’m fine. All responses he didn’t want to hear. He had to admit to hoping for a phone call from the authorities that his loving cousin had suffered a terrible injury in a horrific crash. Maybe even a miscarriage. At least then she wouldn’t have that money. Especially when it rightfully belonged to him.
Didn’t matter. He had not driven all the way to L.A. from Arizona to fail. Kim hadn’t told him the reason for this trip, but he saw the opportunity as a sign to take action. She was in his part of the country, so it was up to him to make sure she turned to him for help. It wasn’t as if anyone would suspect him of any wrong-doing. Why would they? Kim didn’t have the money yet and he wasn’t the beneficiary. He had nothing to gain if something terrible happened to his poor cousin. Nothing but satisfaction. If he took Kim out of the picture completely, chances were good that Amanda might get the rest of the inheritance and as her father, he’d be in charge of it. With a few million at his disposal, he could wager enough to double the money.
He’d done such a great job with the hose to the power steering too. His tiny blade had been sharp enough to peel off layers of rubber then shaved it down so it was worn to a thin sheet. Then he’d poked tiny pinpricks in the rubber so his tampering would be undetectable. He’d seen plenty of belts go bad from age and use. Of course, most rentals these days were nearly brand new cars, but he’d gotten lucky with the fire. Hell, he never expected her to fly down the damn mountain at warp speed. Going over the edge had been her fault. He just wanted to be the person she turned to when she needed someone. It was a rush watching that rental burn even knowing Kim had survived. He liked all the trouble he caused… Couldn’t remember a time ever feeling that powerful. It invigorated him. Gave him a piece of himself he’d been missing for a long time. Maybe years.
Good things come to those who wait. Carolyn had told him that hundreds of times, leading him to believe that he was in line for her money. She also said if he got his act together that Chloe would come back to him. But that sure as hell never happened.
Wilson got to his feet and paced the small room as emotion clogged his throat. Chloe’s betrayal still stung. She’d said the vows…’til death do us part, but she hadn’t meant them. Instead she’d ripped his heart out when she’d walked out with Amanda. Now she wanted child support, she wanted living expenses. She wanted a whole lot of shit that money could buy. Money he didn’t have.
Kim had a successful business. She didn’t need all that money. Any day now, he’d have guys on his tail, aiming to break his legs. He needed that inheritance not only for his daughter, but to survive.
“You do not get what I’ve been working for, cousin. I haven’t been busting my ass the last three years for Carolyn for nothing.” He caught his haggard reflection in the mirror. He didn’t used to have dark circles under his eyes, or the tiny bald spot growing at the back of his head. Time seemed to be running out everywhere. His heart rate picked up and he recognized the anxiety attack before it hit.
Taking a few deep breaths, Wilson looked away from the mirror and got his mind back on track. There had to be a way to get Kim on his side. How did he syphon some of that inheritance his way?
First, he had to justify his surprise trip to Los Angeles without causing suspicion. He paced the room, sorting it out. He needed information. He looked down at the number he’d scribbled on the hotel pad. Who the hell was Leo and since when did Kim have a client in Los Angeles when she lived in Indiana? What if she met him during her last trip? She’d only mentioned the nightmare her old college roommate had endured, so there had to be more to the story. Time to find out.
Wilson sat at the desk and booted up his laptop. He plugged the phone number into the search engine and found a website that offered a reverse phone lookup.
Perfect.
He plugged the number into the site and waited. He had a few options and chose owner’s name. It only took a second for an answer to appear. Private caller. Of course. Because nothing came easy.
Okay. Plan B. Her business partner seemed to be good for information. Thank God, he’d thought ahead to get her direct number. Nervous, he tapped his foot on the carpet as he scrolled through his contacts. He punched Chelsea’s number and waited.
“Hello?”
Bingo. He recognized her voice. “Hi, Chelsea, it’s Wilson again. I hope it’s not too late.”
“No, in fact I just hung up with Kim.”
“Really? What a coincidence. I was hoping you could help me one more time. I got a return voicemail from Kim and she said she was with Leo, but the rest of the message was garbled and now I can’t seem to get through to her cell phone. Do you happen to know Leo’s last name? I’m hoping I can track his number down.”
“Oh. Sure. It’s Frost. Leo Frost.”
That information blindsided him. “Leo Frost? You mean the Leo Frost?”
“The one and only.”
What. The. Hell. Since when did Kim have multiple clients worth multi-millions of dollars? “Wow. That’s…that’s very cool. I didn’t realize she knew him.” Maybe his cousin was hiding as much as his aunt. Kim probably didn’t even need Carolyn’s money if her clients were all as wealthy as Leo Frost.
“Yeah. She met him the last time she was in Los Angeles. But I’ll let her tell you about it.”
“I’m looking forward to the story.” A picture blazed through Wilson’s mind from a rag magazine at the market checkout stand months ago. He’d seen the headline. Who Is Leo Kissing This Time? She’d been blond with a traffic-stopping body and Wilson would bet his next alimony payment that it was Kim. Which meant Leo was the baby daddy. Holy shit. Wilson thanked her and got off the phone ASAP. “Leo Frost. You’ve got to be kidding me.” He sat back in his chair. There had to be a way to make this work even better.
But how?
He’d think of something. In the meantime, he needed to keep a close eye on his cousin. He eyed the shotgun and handgun he’d brought from home. Guns seemed so cliché, but with the right time and right place, one of them might be the perfect solution.
Wilson checked his watch. Kim wasn’t going anywhere tonight. He’d catch up with her first thing in the morning.
Kim woke up early the next day, and took a closer look at Leo’s small guest bedroom. Plain white walls and a few of the pieces she recognized from his old house like the teak dresser and matching mirror above it.
She’d been a bitch yesterday after their kiss. Not because she was mad at him, but because she was angry with herself. Angry for wanting him despite knowing he didn’t love her or the baby growing inside her. It was something she needed to get over. He’d made himself perfectly clear when they’d first met. He didn’t believe in forever and he’d never do parenthood. If she could just get past the crazy attraction she had for him then life would be a hundred percent easier. She wanted to get along with him. It didn’t mean she had to sleep with him.
Stretching, Kim felt every bruise on her battered body. She eased out of the soft sheets, before padding to the bathroom. Studying her scrapes and scratches in the mirror, she noticed the subtle changes in her body, the way her breasts seemed fuller and her hair and skin seemed healthier. She laid her hands over her still flat stomach, taking a deep breath at the wonder of it all. If she stayed in Indiana, she could raise her baby with Chelsea’s daughter. But this inheritance was her opportunity to leave, a chance to live in a big city.
Decisions, decisions.
After a warm shower, she stretched out her sore muscles and started work on getting a replacement for her driver’s license. She managed to do it online, but it was going to take at least ten days for the reissue. Next, she called the car rental agency and gave them the bad news. The police had the car and planned to investigate the accident. After this conversation, they could take it up with her insurance company.
Now she needed to see if she could book a flight without any ID. Wait! Her passport! Chelsea would bail her out. Her best friend could open her safe and overnight it. That solved the immediate ID dilemma.
Still, she had nothing left to lose if she hiked down the mountain in search of her license. Since Leo had surprised her with clothes, she no longer looked like a twelve-year-old in her father’s wardrobe. He’d even bought her some workout gear and a pair of running shoes. They weren’t hiking boots, but they would do the trick. The fact that he got her sizes right only showed how much he’d been paying attention a couple of months ago when they’d gone shopping in Beverly Hills.
Leo had been up most of the night working on the numbers for his movie, so she felt confident that she wouldn’t wake him when she left for her hike. She needed some serious space from the guy. He jumbled every one of her senses. He was a man who didn’t want commitment and she was a woman who did. Her head knew he wasn’t the guy for her, but her heart didn’t care. And her duplicitous body…forget about it. Her heart pounded like a damn drum whenever he was around, her eyes always searched him out and her hands ached to touch. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
She’d just finished writing him a note when he showed up in the kitchen, looking bleary-eyed, rumpled and gorgeous as hell in shorts…and only shorts. His washboard abs made her mouth water for a taste. For all the hours she’d spent last night hardening her heart to this man, all it took was one look for the traitorous organ to pound out of control.
His sleepy eyes narrowed as he took in her outfit. “What the hell are you planning now?”
She ignored his tone and the way it made her girl parts tingle. “I’m going on a little hike. If you don’t see me back here tonight, then call the fire department again. I may need rescuing.”
He shook his head slowly as his tired eyes opened wider. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Uh oh. Too late.” She zipped past him, but he caught her arm and twirled her about face.
Leo exhaled a measured breath. “Nothing I say is going to stop you, is it?” She shrugged a shoulder and opened her mouth to tell him she was a grown woman, perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but he cut her off. “Fine. Give me time to get dressed and pack us some provisions.” He gestured to the tiny pack she had over her shoulders. “That doesn’t hold nearly enough water for the amount of energy we’ll be expending.” He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers. “Give me ten minutes or else.”
Kim smothered a grin. He was kind of funny when he ordered her around. “Or else what?” She kept a straight face. Sometimes she liked goading him just to see what he would do.
“Or else when I see you next, I’m going to put you over my knee and spank that sweet ass of yours.”
A blast of heat exploded in her stomach and moved directly south. Though the picture he created sounded erotic as hell, Kim was totally not into that. “Don’t count on it,” she breathed. “That is not on my to-do list. Ever.”
“Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” He pulled away. “Ten minutes starting now. You better be here.”
Checking her watch, Kim eased onto the sofa next to a sleepy Stella. The minute she put her hand on the cat, the feline started purring. Leo didn’t wait for confirmation and jammed up the stairs three at a time.
Thirteen minutes later, Leo parked on the side of the road more than a mile south of his place. Several lots hadn’t been developed yet and, although a lot of dried brush and rock stood in their way, it seemed like the smartest starting point. At this level they were almost even with the crash site. They just had to hike through some rough terrain to reach it. They could also pick their way through without having a gravity-defying fall. Though the sun was out, the air was crisper than yesterday. Kim figured she’d be thankful for that once they got into the hike.
Leo adjusted a black Dangerous Race baseball cap on his head and slapped a pair of black Ray Bans over his eyes. He looked like a model for an adventure magazine dressed in cargo shorts, hiking boots and worn baseball jersey with his muscles bulging the material. He gestured with his arm. “Ladies first.”
Kim watched him for three full seconds. He was so predictable. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re watching my ass, Frost. I totally know your MO.” She started off, debating on giving him a show since he wouldn’t be getting the goods.
“Admit it. You still love me.”
She heard the smile in his voice and ignored the statement. “What I would love is to find my purs
e and everything inside of it.” Then she could get back home and continue with life. The life of a single mother-to-be. Her heart pounded faster just thinking about it. She couldn’t wait to go shopping, to set up a nursery and buy all the baby paraphernalia. Right now she had to concentrate on not falling over the treacherous path she’d chosen to take.
They walked in silence for the better part of twenty minutes. Birds chirped, bees buzzed and the bushes rustled with unseen creatures. Evidence of the recent earthquake showed all around them, from cracks in stones to fallen trees and mini rockslides. It made for tough going.
“You really don’t have to do this,” Kim said, picking her way through a group of dense bushes and wiping sweat off her forehead. “It’s not too late for you to turn back.” She saw the charred edge of the mountain in the distance, but had no clue how long it might take to reach it.
“Yeah. I’ll just leave you here to face who knows what all alone.” He swatted at something in the air. “Do you think that little of me?”
“I don’t think little of you at all.” She glanced over her shoulder and noticed he was barely sweating when she was already exhausted. Maybe she needed more time at a gym. “If you want to know the truth, I think you’re amazing. You’ve handled this whole shitty deal pretty damn well. I’m proud of you. I know how hard it was to sell everything.” He didn’t say anything, but he looked at her as if she’d said something he’d never heard before. “What? You don’t believe me?”
His serious face morphed into a devilish smile. “No. I believe you. I’m definitely amazing.”
“Oh, jeez.” She huffed, rolled her eyes and picked up her pace. Clearly he hadn’t lost any ego in the time she’d been gone. Some things never changed.
It took just over an hour to get to the burned spot. They had to zig-zag over miles of uneven terrain. “What do you think the drop is from the road?” she asked, shielding her eyes from the blazing sun. Too bad she’d lost her sunglasses too.