Possessed by a Stranger

by Jeny Stone

  “Garret’s with him now giving him the paintings. Thank you for loaning them to us. Do you want to go on upstairs or do you have a few minutes to visit?”

  Well surprise, he told them about the loan. She suspected he would have taken full credit. “I don’t want to interrupt their time together. I have plenty of time today. My contractors have the day off with only a few odds and ends left to do. It’s such a relief not to have to baby sit a bunch of men.”

  “I know what you’re going through. The gazebo needed repaired last year. I thought I would pull my hair out before it was finished. Come on in and meet Mr. Presley.” She led Hannah into the sitting room.

  Mr. Presley sat with a newspaper spread out on his lap. There was a distinct family resemblance between Garret and his father. The Presley genes were dominant with very little of his mother evident in Garret. “How exactly do you make a living buying things on the internet? You’re not opening up a business at that cottage, are you?”

  He hadn’t waited to be introduced obviously knowing her identity. Hannah held a new level of respect for Mrs. Presley living with three dominant male Presley’s and maintaining her sanity.

  “No sir, my business is on the internet. It may fly over your head in cyber space but you won’t have to look at it in your front yard. I have storage buildings in the city. All my purchases and deliveries are handled there. I make enough to get by.”

  Having heard the doorbell Garret left his grandfather to check and make sure it was Hannah at the door. He wouldn’t have blamed her if she had turned around and went back to her cottage after his regrettable actions. He located her in the sitting room with his parents. Walking over to Hannah’s chair he rested his arm on the back. The bruises on her delicate arms taunted him, filling him with guilt. The wrenching knot in his gut reaffirmed his conviction never to hurt her again.

  “Don’t let her fool you. Hannah runs a lucrative business with virtually no overhead. She’s one of the top antique dealers in the country. She can get you just about anything you want.”

  “Really, I didn’t realize you dealt with antiques. I’ve been looking for a piece to go under that mirror. I’m not sure what I want. Maybe you could help me decide.” Mrs. Presley pointed to area of the room holding the mirror.

  If he thought drumming up business with his parents would buy her forgiveness, he was mistaken. “I would love to. I have a couple of pieces that would fit perfectly with the room already in my inventory. I’ll bring the portfolios the next time I come.”

  “You keep portfolios on furniture?” Mr. Presley’s question left little doubt that a portfolio on furniture was the most ridiculous notion he had ever heard.

  “Yes sir, I do. Many handcrafted pieces were replicated when the industrial revolution made it possible to mass produce items. Although their age gives them some value I only deal with originals. I research every piece and verify its authenticity. Being a small business I concentrate on the biggest profits and it’s paid off well.”

  “Very impressive. That’s always been my motto. Why buy the egg when you can get your hands on the chicken?” Straightening the newspaper on his lap Mr. Presley smiled.

  Her sweet aroma drifted into his nostrils standing so close to her. Her being in his home was a complication he usually avoided. He kept his sexual escapades private to protect the integrity of his family. But here his newest interest sat talking to his parents. This was a sign to walk away which he knew he would ignore. Somehow, someway, Hannah had gotten under his skin. She was an itch he had to scratch.

  She easily won over his parents. He had better get her out of here before they offered to adopt her. His mother regretted not having a daughter and Hannah wasn’t going to fill that empty spot. He had other plans for her.

  “I’m going to steal her away from you. Pops wants to see her. He’s sure she’s the key to finding the treasure, now that he has the paintings.” He goaded his father knowing how he hated any mention of the treasure. His father could show some leniency in tolerating Pops’ last fantasy.

  “I told you those damn paintings were going to start this crap all over again.” Mr. Presley growled at Garret.

  “Give it a rest Dad. It’s not like he’s going to go dig up the yard.” He laughed and winked at his mother.

  Mr. Presley pointed his finger at his son. “No he’s got you to dig for him. If I see you out there with a shovel, I swear, I’ll shoot you.” Mr. Presley laughed heeding his wife’s warning glare. “She’s a smart one Garret. You might have to watch out for this Abernathy.”

  He intended to watch out for her, for sure. Every move she made to deter him just stimulated his interest. So, she lived at the bottom of the lane, too close for comfort to his family. His dad didn’t care who he fucked as long as it didn’t make the news. His mother turned a blind eye to the parade of women passing through his life. Of course, he protected her from the truth of his encounters. She encouraged him to date as many as he needed until he found the right one. She was clueless as to his definition of date and it wasn’t the same as hers. He would use the convenience of Hannah’s cottage to his full advantage. It allowed him to spend more time with Pops during the day and her at night. Two birds with one stone, what better way to multitask his weekends?

  Hannah rose from the chair. She directed a warning glare at Garret when he made a move to slip his arm around her waist. She walked toward the foyer with him a safe distance to her side. The probability of him doing anything violent was slim with his parents only a scream away but she wasn’t one to take chances. He stayed behind her as they went up the stairs. Garret politely opened his grandfather’s bedroom door for her to enter. The nurse scurried out of the room avoiding eye contact with Garret. He had stayed in the room during her visit. She couldn’t fault him for his speedy exit after witnessing Garret’s temper first hand.

  “There you are. You should have ridden with Garret. He might look big and scary with all those muscles but he’s safe. It’s all those years in the Special Forces that make him look tough.” Pride in his grandson steadied Pops voice.

  “I love to walk. But I appreciate the gesture.” Hannah moved close to Pops, taking his hand in hers. His feisty attitude under the circumstances was admirable. She took the chair beside his bed. Garret sat on the other side with Pops separating them. Garret’s adoration of his grandfather shown in his eyes but it wasn’t able to mask the pain in his heart. She sympathized with Garret knowing from experience the loss he would soon face. He had all these past years with Pops that she wished she had with Grammy. She hoped he realized how lucky he really was.

  “I forgot to ask you how things went for you after Abbey died. She worried about you.”

  On no, she wasn’t turning over that rock. Her childhood, if you could call it that, was buried in her past. The past couldn’t be changed but the memories could be forgotten. “As she expected I would assume. Enough about me … I brought Louise’s journal to read to you. It spans over her time with Grant until she died.”

  She skipped over Pops’ question. He would ask his grandfather what that was all about later. Whatever the answer, it caused her pain, she wasn’t able to hide. He found that odd since she turned out so well rounded. If there was trauma in her youth she emerged unscathed as far as he could tell.

  Garret noticed his grandfather’s lively response to seeing Hannah. She showed him the same respect he did, which was more than the rest of his family allotted him. He stayed in the room as a protective measure and to learn more about Hannah. Her reason for being there had sounded feasible but Garret didn’t accept anything at face value, not even her. His trust wasn’t given, it was earned and there was a lot about her that remained a mystery.

  The day proved to be interesting and entertaining. He learned things about his grandfather’s past that he might never had known, if not for Hannah. He hadn’t thought about his grandfather being a boy. Turned out, Pops was a rascal from the beginning. Hannah read from Louise’s journal, and then P
ops would add what he remembered.

  Hannah’s laughter had a musical quality enticing you to join the chorus. The sparkle in those sky blue eyes reminded him of when they sparkled under him right before they hazed over. He wanted to hear her moans that went along with those eyes. Damn, he was horny as hell and the obstacle to his finding satisfaction elsewhere sat across the bed from him.

  She seemed to like wearing dresses. That’s all he had seen her wear, except for the tight ass-hugging business suit. She probably thought that suit gave her an appearance of professionalism. There wasn’t a man alive that wouldn’t by-pass professional going directly to sexy as hell with her body. The body he had enjoyed and planned on enjoying again.

  Garret glanced at his watch. It was close to lunch time. The nurse would run them out of here before too long and he would get her alone. He might have to charm the thong off her this time but it would come off.

  They stood to leave as the nurse brought in his tray of food. Garret circled the bed to claim her waist with his arm, taking advantage of his grandfather’s presence. She stiffened slightly, which he ignored. For the last couple hours all he had thought about was touching her. He led her to the door. They were a step away from being alone in the hallway where he would taste her lips when Pops’ voice stopped their exit.

  “Seeing you two together reminds me of the portrait. Garret, you take her up to the loft and find the painting of Louise and Grant.” He would have to thank Pops later.

  “Oh, we can do that another day.” Hannah spoke quickly. By saying another day, she meant a day Garret wasn’t there. He had been on his best behavior in front of his family. She had seen that change in a heartbeat. Like now, with his uninvited arm touching her as his muscular body grazed hers. Damn it, he felt so hot, so dangerous, and so darn sexy. Going into an attic, alone with him, wasn’t something she planned on happening.

  “No, I insist. You’ve got to see it. It was her best piece. Louise painted it after Grant died and that picture came from her heart. I would love to see it again. Seeing all the paintings together could lead us to the treasure. I promised Abbey to solve the mystery before I joined her.” Garret smiled and winked at his grandfather, even at ninety-two he was a sly old dog. That old man knew exactly what he was doing.

  Oh crap, he had to bring her grandmother into the request. She knew this was a rare chance to see the portrait that started the legend. The offer may be forgotten by the elderly man.

  “I can go by myself. He can stay here with you and visit. Just point me in the direction of the loft.” She gave it one last ditch effort to not be caught alone with him. Her curiosity had already won. She had to see that portrait.

  With his arm still around her waist he led her out the door.

  “We’ll go look. Come on, you can’t go digging around in the dark by yourself. If you fell we would be liable. I wouldn’t want you to get your hands on any of the family fortune.” He stoked the fire of her anger that he would soon turn to passion.

  She failed to see the humor in this situation that the amusement in his voice portrayed. As soon as they were out of the room, Hannah reminded him why she didn’t want to go. “I think it would be easier to sue you for assault. Can you recommend a good lawyer before we go to the attic?”

  Garret whipped her in front of him, pinning her against him with a firm grip.

  “I made you a promise. Yesterday was out of character for me. My temper got away from me but I didn’t intentionally try and hurt you.” His words, eyes and grip sternly reinforced his commitment. Damn, she felt good. She needed to get over that one little indiscretion so they could move on to the fantastic sex. This woman made him work way too hard.

  “Well, excuse me for being distrustful, when it sounds like you’re ready to beat your point across.” That man had a screw loose somewhere in his brain. He thought results of his actions, disappeared with a snap of his fingers. She had the bruises to prove otherwise. The display of his brute strength wasn’t a reassuring gesture either, she reminded herself as her body melted into trembles of wanton need against his.

  “You’re right. I’ll have to prove I’m trustworthy. The best way to do that is show you how gentle I can be.”

  With his finger and thumb on her chin he lifted her head. He brushed his lips sensually over hers. His cheek grazed hers before he whispered in her ear. “You just need reminded how good we are together. I do want to beat my point across just not in the same context you are insinuating.” He remembered their night in vivid detail. She wasn’t escaping again. Once he had laid claim she belonged to him. She had postponed the inevitable and nothing more.

  Darn it, his warm breath on her neck reminded her of a lot of things. The sensual gesture was filled with promises, awakening desires she knew he would fulfill. He knew her weak spot and attacked with a full on assault. Was there a big red start button tattooed on her neck? She pushed on his chest to get free of his hold. At least she thought she was. Feeling his lips nibble her neck, she wasn’t sure and no longer wanted to be free. The rippling effect of her aroused desires spelled surrender in capital letters. Her body trembled accepting his touch.

  He relaxed his hold, running his hand down her smooth arm to interlace his fingers with hers. “Now let’s go find that painting.” He started walking, pulling her with him. There wasn’t any doubt Hannah Greer would lay in his arms tonight. She was accountable for a lot of lost time with her hide and seek game. He had found her now and it was time to pay.

  This was a perfect example of why she needed to keep a safe distance from him. He had some secret connection to her body. Garret had formed an alliance with her wanton body to terminate her common sense. From the fire twitching in her stomach there was a possibility he would win. She knew distance was her only chance at a defensive front.

  Garret opened the attic door, flipped a light switch on the wall, before leading the way up the narrow steps. The attic was a huge expanse of open space with a maze of bare support beams. The single light bulb left most of the space in total darkness. Garret felt his way around the clutter raising the shades on the small windows. What was pitch black became filled with shadows of boxes, crates and discarded furniture. He made his way back to her and handed her a flashlight.

  Her eyes reflected glimmers of the sunlight filtering through the windows. They danced around the room before landing on him. He would get lost in those sparkling blue gems soon enough. But for now, they needed to find the painting he would use as a peace offering. Logically, it seemed like a fair trade. She wanted a piece of her past and he wanted a piece of her.

  “Answer a question for me before we get started. Would you have slept with me if you had known I was a Presley?”

  That was an interesting question, one she hadn’t contemplated.

  “No.” She stated emphatically. “Well, maybe.” She added with less conviction. “Okay, to be perfectly honest yes. It was probably the circumstances of my day but you could have told me you were the devil himself and I would have went with you.” She emphatically added her opposition to the gleam in his eyes. “But that was before I knew the real you. Can we find the painting and get this over with?”

  Truthful and beautiful, he was in trouble. “It can wait. Did you make any effort to locate me?” He leaned on a stack of boxes enthralled with her discomfort.

  “Of course not. You were in a hotel so I thought you were in town temporarily. That was a one night stand. I knew it from the start. For a man I thought I would never see again, you keep popping up in my life. Maybe, it’s punishment for my sins.” His low chuckle warmed her cheeks and she hoped the blush wasn’t obvious in the low light.

  “That should confirm I really am the devil. You can’t tell me you didn’t want me to find you after sending me that email. You knew I would come after those paintings.”

  Hell yes, she wanted him to find her but she hadn‘t expected him to be so smug when he did. Why shouldn’t he be smug? She had shot off a flare directly over her he
ad.

  “That’s before I knew you were a Presley.”

  The blush on her cheeks was spreading down her neck. This wasn’t the only glow he intended to paint on her body. “The Presley name usually flocks women my way. They all want the prestige and the wealth that comes with the name. You expect me to believe you’re different from every other woman.”

  Her temper flared after being compared to all his gold digging sluts. She glared into his smug face.

  “Hell yes, with our family history. I don’t know how you see our conjoined past but I see it as disastrous. First, my great grandmother falls for your great uncle then my grandmother and your grandfather have a fling. My father broke the cycle of Abernathy’s being bred for the pleasure of the Presley’s. But then, by chance, we come along and start this shit all over again. So my answer is no, I change my previous answer. If I would have had one sane thought the night we met and you told me you were a Presley, I would have ran the hell out of that bar. What do you find so amusing about this whole thing?” His laughter ran heatedly through her blood. She was being truthful. She had no intentions of repeating the same mistakes as her ancestors.

  “To begin with, the fact you think Abernathy’s are bred for virginal sacrifices for the Presley’s. Although I love that idea since I reaped the benefits. Most likely, one of my past relatives made a pact with the devil and Abernathy’s are our reward.” She was adorable with her vivid imagination and she was being truthful and serious.

  “Now, that’s believable. It would explain our meeting and the circumstances that followed. I was simply possessed by a curse. Now, with that particular obstacle out of the way we can move on with our lives, which right now, is finding the portrait. Do you have any idea how big it is? This looks like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack.” The faster they found the painting the faster she could escape. She was relieved they separated to search.

  He debated whether he was being dismissed or teased but he had wrangled a smile. “Check the rafters. Flat things have been stored there.”