Two spots of color appeared on her cheeks. “Well, I’m sorry, but when you laugh and smile, joke and throw out marriage proposals, I get a little worried. Especially when we’re dealing with a man who beat this woman and raped her.”
Nausea rose bitter in his throat. “I know what he did and that’s why I’m trying to make her see we have to put a stop to this any way we can. I care about her. I am not going to mess this up.”
Cat crossed her arms. “Then why have I got a horrible feeling the engagement was premeditated? That part of you is hoping for more from Angela than she can possibly give you?”
Goddamn it. When she says it like that I realize what a selfish dickhead I am. He tilted his chin. “I won’t ask her for anything more than she can give. You have my word.”
“You slept with her. Your word doesn’t hold a lot of weight with me right now.”
“My plan will work. We’ll get Masters, Angela will be safe and your police record will be as unblemished as it’s always been.”
The two of them stood opposite each other, siblings locked in silent battle. The weight of Jay’s glare bored into his temple. Jay would defend Cat as Chris would Angela under the same circumstances, brother-in-law or not. Chris raised his hands and stepped back, opening the space between them as a gesture of amity.
“Look, she wants me to meet her tonight and talk this out. She might call the whole thing off, but right now she wants to do it. Now, are you going to back us up or not?”
The silence came down like a barrier between them. Their gazes locked again.
Please, Cat. Trust me. Trust me as you did before.
“If you do this, you keep me informed of everything and anything that is discussed, planned or thought of between you from now on. Everything. I mean it. You cannot keep me out of the loop like you have with the ring and what you did with Garroway. I’m beginning to feel like I don’t know you at all, Chris, and that’s not fair to Angela or me.”
Adrenaline curled through his blood. “We won’t.”
“Right. Then go. Go to the restaurant.” Her green eyes shone dark with determination. “Stay with her and don’t leave her alone. I don’t agree with this engagement, but God knows it will cause a reaction in Masters like nothing else could. At the end of the day, I’ve got a hell’s chance of fighting you when you look the way you do right now.”
He pulled her into a hug. “Good, then let’s just take it from here and see what happens. It’s better we’re honest with each other, right?”
She leaned into him. “Yes. Of course it is. Now go be with her and let me do my job.”
He pulled back. “I love you, Cat.”
Her gaze softened and she touched his jaw. “You’re a moron, but I love you, too.... I won’t lie, Chris, I’m scared to death something will go wrong.”
“It won’t. You’ve got the areas of access to the Cove covered. If Masters comes, we’ll be ready for him.”
She blew out a shaky breath as her hand slipped from his face. “And her sister’s here, too?”
“Yes. So Angela’s not alone anymore. You know how these men think as well as I do. The likelihood he’ll try something when her sister is with her is minimal. He’ll want Angela on her own.” Chris smiled. “And you, me and her sister won’t let that happen. As soon as one of us sees him, the son of a bitch will be back in jail.”
She backed away and dropped onto the sofa next to Jay. She slid her hand into his and nodded. “Okay, okay. Let’s do this. You go and see Angela and her sister. You tell them I’ve done everything I can, apart from where my hands are tied. I’ll deny all knowledge if there is any implication this engagement is false.” She drew in a long breath. “But God help us, Chris, Masters better show at the right time or neither of us will ever get over this. Do you get that?”
Fear twisted like a tornado in Chris’s gut. “Don’t even go there. We’ll get him.”
He strode forward, leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to her cheek before turning and heading up the stairs two at a time. The sooner he saw Angela, the sooner his sister’s words of warning would grow quiet in his mind.
* * *
CHRIS STOOD WHEN Angela and Eloise walked into The Oceanside restaurant, his breath leaving his lungs in an audible “whoosh.” He felt like a damn cartoon character, his eyes popping out and his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Angela stood alongside her sister at the entrance, waiting to be seated. His dick actually twitched its appreciation. She wore a long, flowing dress that on paper shouldn’t have had his heart slamming the way it was right then. In reality, it was one of the sexiest things he’d ever seen. Maybe it was the fact she’d told him she didn’t want him past the fake engagement that made her more desirable than ever.
Her dress was dark green, and tantalizingly low so only a sneak of cleavage showed. The cut of the dress accentuated her perfect breasts, nipped in at her waist and skimmed over hips he longed to grip once more. Her hair was loose and shiny around her shoulders and subtle eye makeup made her gaze impossibly wide as she scanned the restaurant.
“My God, you’re so damn beautiful.” He murmured the words under his breath and fixed a smile into place.
The maître d’ gestured Angela and her sister forward. Angela came first and Chris stared at her pink-painted lips.
She stopped in front of him, her mouth evolving into a shy smile that damn near melted his heart. “Hi.”
He took her hand and leaned forward to press a lingering kiss to her jaw. “You look amazing.”
When he pulled back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone bright. “Thank you.”
She sat and her sister came closer. Chris forced a smile and gestured toward the table, trying his hardest not to let the tension of knowing Masters hadn’t been found show on his face.
“Take a seat. The food here is fantastic.”
The maître d’ subtly cleared his throat. “Indeed it is. Shall I get some wine for the table? Some appetizers?”
Chris looked at Eloise and then Angela, trying his best not to fall headfirst into her dark, sexy gaze. “Ladies?”
“White wine would be lovely. Thank you.” Angela smiled.
“It sure would.” Eloise sat and shook out her napkin before placing it over her thighs and threading her fingers together, her elbows on the table.
Chris nodded and smiled at the maître d’. “White wine it is then, and any appetizers you recommend would be great, too. Thank you.”
The maître d’ nodded and then held Chris’s stare. He cleared his throat and threw a quick glance toward Angela, who was talking quietly to Eloise. “I trust everything is well with you both now, sir?”
Chris nodded, having half expected some sort of comment from a member of the staff, if not more than one, after his and Angela’s abrupt departure from the restaurant the last time they were there. “We’re fine, but...” He stood, touching the maître d’s elbow to urge him some distance from the table. “I’d appreciate you alerting me if you notice a...gentleman watching us, or asking questions.”
He frowned. “Watching you?”
Chris nodded. “This is a police matter. My sister is fully aware we’re here, but if you spot anyone—”
“Your sister, sir?”
“Inspector Garrett.”
The maître d’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “Then of course, sir. You have my absolute discretion. I will make sure the waitstaff are aware also. Is this man a threat to you? Your friends?”
Chris turned to the table. Angela carefully watched him over the edge of her menu. He turned back to the maître d’. “I can’t give you any details, but I’d appreciate you keeping an eye out all the same.”
He dipped his head. “Of course.”
Chris waited until he’d left them alone and then slid into the seat next to Angela. E
loise sat opposite and they both looked at him expectantly. He forced a smile. “I told the maître d’ to be vigilant. That’s all. Just a precaution.”
Eloise smiled. “Good idea.”
He turned to Angela. “Okay?”
Her gaze was soft with just a hint of what he dared to believe was trust. “Yes.”
“Good.”
He turned to his menu in an attempt to divert his need to take her hand and rest it on his thigh under the table. She looked amazing. She was amazing. She literally took his breath away and there was nothing he could do about it but wait. Wait for her to tell him what she wanted. He’d told her he was falling for her and she hadn’t returned the words. His heart thudded. If she was still adamant they didn’t have a future, he would go home once Masters was locked up. He just wanted her happy.
“So...” Eloise cleared her throat.
Chris looked up from his menu.
She smiled, her eyes glittering with mischief. “You two are engaged, huh?”
He met her smile. “Yep.”
“What happens next, you invent a church?”
“Eloise, stop it.” Angela turned to face him. “She’s teasing. She isn’t happy about our plan. Thinks it’s too dangerous.” She faced her sister and squeezed her hand. “Despite me telling her Inspector Garrett’s on board and there’s nothing Robert is likely to do if we’re in public.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Eloise’s smile dissolved. “What if he’s already in Templeton? Then what?”
Chris leaned his elbows on the table. “I understand you’re worried. So am I, but we’re going ahead with the engagement.”
Angela closed her hand over his and she spoke to Eloise. “I want to do this. I want Robert in prison again and will do whatever it takes to get him there. If he comes here, that will be his fault, not ours. We might have provoked him, but he made the decision to break the conditions of his release.”
Eloise shook her head. “I understand the plan, but how long can this go on? Weeks? Months? Who’s to say Robert won’t bide his time? You can’t keep up this pretense forever.”
Chris curled his fingers tighter around Angela’s, hoping it gave her encouragement to believe in him and her own strength—rather than allow her sister’s negativity to seep inside her. If that happened, it would crush the good they were doing toward opening the locks to free Angela again and bring Masters closer to the noose that would soon tighten around his scrawny neck.
“Let’s worry about that when we have to, okay?”
Angela’s hand slipped from his and Chris fought the urge to reach out and grab it back. She’d told him his need to protect was more than she could stand. There was every possibility they were stuck in a place that could only bring them misery. But God, the thought of leaving her damn near killed him.
Eloise leaned back in her seat. “Sooner or later, you’ll go home and then all Angela has to rely on is the police. Then another few weeks go by and the police lose interest. You’re playing with her life.”
Angela laughed, the sound nervous. “Ellie, don’t be so melodramatic—”
Eloise snapped her head around. “You want him here, don’t you?”
“Who?” Angela stared. “Robert? How can you say that?”
Chris frowned. What the hell did Eloise think she was achieving by saying these things? “If you can’t be—”
“I’m sorry.” Eloise pushed to her feet, tears shining in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have... I’m going to the bathroom.” She came around the table and wrapped her arms around Angela’s neck and kissed the top of her head. “If you think this will work, I’m behind you. I am. I’m sorry.”
She took off toward the bathroom before Angela had a chance to answer. Chris stared after her, uneasy. He turned to Angela. She shook her head and her hand trembled in his grasp.
He squeezed. “Hey, don’t let her do this. We’re doing the right thing.”
“It’s not that worrying me. I know we’re doing the right thing.”
“Then what?”
“She’s not happy. She’s lost weight. She’s said a couple of things about her husband and the kids... I hate that I haven’t been there for her.”
“You’ve done what you’ve had to do to stay alive. When Masters went to prison, he said he’d find you, that he’d always love you. Your sister knows you had no choice but to stay away.”
“I know, but—”
“No buts. You’re a survivor. I get the feeling she is, too. Whatever is bothering her, she’ll tell you when she’s ready.”
She glanced over his shoulder toward the bathroom. “I hope so.”
He dropped his gaze to her lips. “Everything will work out.” Before he could change his mind or fight the overwhelming instinct to kiss her, Chris leaned forward and, when she didn’t inch back, he touched his lips to hers.
She immediately responded, a quiet moan against his mouth as her tongue softly sought his. The moment stretched as he tasted her again, his heart shifting as he drew her closer, his hand cupping her jaw. Not caring there were diners on either side of them, not caring if Masters or anyone else watched right then, Angela’s strength was his and he hoped his was hers.
Whether together or separate, only time would tell if they had a future, but they were moving forward. He wasn’t running and Angela was no longer hiding. They had taken control of their lives—Chris just prayed he wasn’t still the same crappy person he was before he met her.
He eased back and stared deep into her eyes. “When he gets here, we’ll be ready for him. After that, you’ll be free to live how you want. You can go home or you can stay in the Cove. You can see your family, start planning a future....”
“Chris—”
“Don’t feel any pressure from me, okay? That’s not why I’m doing this. I’m falling in love with you, but more than anything, I want you to be happy.” He drew his gaze over her face. “That’s all I want and all Eloise should, too.”
She nodded. “She does. I know she does.”
“Good.” He pressed another quick kiss to her lips. “Then let’s enjoy tonight, okay?”
She opened her mouth to say something else when Eloise came back to the table. She looked at each of them in turn, her eyes now dry of tears. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” She leaned across the table, gesturing for their hands.
Angela slipped her hand into Eloise’s and, after a moment’s hesitation, Chris did, too. “We’ll get him, okay? This time we’ll get him for good.”
Chris glanced at Angela. She smiled, but the concern for her sister was written on her face. Concern he thought warranted. He picked up his menu and carefully studied Eloise’s profile. Angela was right. Something was bothering her. Which in turn bothered Angela. Anything of concern to Angela was of concern to him, too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
THE TAXI DRIVER laughed as Angela paid him and Eloise stumbled out of the backseat. “She’s going to have a headache in the morning.”
Angela grinned, the rush of alcohol and the bliss of a wonderful night filling her with more optimism than she’d felt in ages.
“She’ll be fine. We haven’t seen each other for a long time. We had a bit of a celebration.”
He smiled. “Well, good. Life’s for living, not for wasting. See you again.”
Angela slid her arm around Eloise and waved as the taxi pulled away from the curb. She pressed a kiss to Eloise’s hair. “Come on, you. Let’s get you inside.”
“Angela?”
“What?”
“You know I love you, right?”
Angela smiled and pulled up straight to look into her sister’s beautiful face. “Yes, I know. And you know I love you.”
Eloise’s eyes filled with tears. “Right. Well...I hope you do. S
oon. After.”
Angela laughed. “After what? You, Mrs. Cartwell, are drunk. Come on. Bed. Maybe it’s just as well I told Chris he couldn’t come back here with us.”
“He wanted to. Desperately.”
Angela swallowed against the guilt that squeezed at her heart. “I know, but he’ll have to get used to the idea that I like my independence.”
Eloise swayed on her feet as she looked at her. “Do you love him?”
Angela huffed out a laugh. “Don’t be silly. Come on, let’s get you inside.”
“Because if you do, don’t waste time, Ange. Tell him. Tell him how you feel. I like him.”
Angela’s stomach knotted. “So do I.”
She hadn’t told Chris how she felt about him despite his admission he was falling for her. She was afraid. Too afraid to say she liked him, let alone loved him. She didn’t want to risk her heart again. Not when Robert’s threat still lingered deep in the marrow of her bones. How could she give Chris, a man so full of goodness, what he deserved when her ability to trust was just too far away to be reached?
Eloise swiped at her cheek and when she met Angela’s eyes, she looked stricken, afraid.
Angela slipped her arm around her. “Hey, what’s wrong? Is it Tim? Are you two having problems?”
Eloise shook her head against Angela’s shoulder. “God, if only that was what this was about.”
“What do you—”
Before she could say anything else, Eloise stumbled from her embrace toward the house. Suddenly feeling sober, Angela followed, confusion and concern quashing the unfamiliar happiness. Maybe one day that feeling would stay around a little longer than an hour or two.
Eloise waited at the front door. Angela put the key into the lock and pushed the door open. “Sofa. Now.”
Eloise tripped inside the house rather than walked. Once she was over the threshold, Eloise froze just inside the door. Frowning, Angela tossed her keys onto the hall table and felt around for the light switch before flicking it on. “Ellie, you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s wrong. I can help...”
A Man Like Him Page 26