by Dana Mason
He watched her disappear over the sand dunes and shook his head.
“Definitely a split-personality disorder,” he mumbled to himself, grabbing everything else they needed and closing the trunk.
When he caught up to her, he laid out the chairs next to the blanket she put down.
“This is one of my favorite beaches. I like watching the high surf,” she said.
Mark scanned the beach. “It’s incredible. Perfect weather too. Crystal clear skies.”
“Look—do you see the people up on that cliff?” she asked as she lowered herself into a chair.
There were two people high on a cliff that hung over the next beach. The spray from the surf splashed in the sun under them. “Yeah, how’d they...”
She pointed to the trailhead. “That’s my favorite hiking trail. It’s about six miles down to Goat Rock.”
He shielded his eyes from the sun and examined the path. “You’ve hiked that?”
The trailhead started at beach level, climbed up and down through rugged terrain along the sea cliffs.
“Many times. It’s awesome and the views are unbelievable.”
“Who do you hike with?” He turned from the cliff back to Sarah.
She laid her head back and stared up at him. “What do you mean? I told you I like to come here alone.”
“You hike that trail alone?” he asked as he pointed to the cliff, his voice growing hard, even though he fought not to show his irritation.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”
His pulse quickened. “Sarah, that’s not safe. What if you got hurt?”
“I’d use my phone to call for help.” Her lips quirked into a crooked smile. “Whadda ya think?”
“How do you dial if you’re unconscious?”
“Give me some credit, Mark. I’m a good hiker. I kick that trail’s ass.”
He sat down and watched her, not sure what to think. “You shouldn’t do things like that—hiking alone. It’s not safe.”
Why would she do such reckless things? He followed the trail with his eyes. This woman was totally backward in her view of things.
“That’s more of a walking trail and I can handle it alone. As a matter of fact, I can handle a lot of things on my own.” She raised her eyebrow at his stare. “What?”
“Nothing...just...nothing.” He shook his head. “Forget it.”
“Come out with it, geez.”
Mark didn’t laugh...nothing about this was funny. It was reckless for her to hike alone, especially out here. Why was her own safety something she took so lightly?
“You’re fearless about some things.” He hesitated, looking up at the trail again. “But other things—easy things seem to scare the shit out of you.”
“Like what?”
“Like hiking that cliff. Like staying home alone when it’s not safe.” He stopped and scanned her thoroughly. “Yet when I’ve tried to help, it’s like you’re closed off to people...and not only me. You love this place, but you don’t share it with anyone.” He brushed a hand at her. “I’ve only known you for a week, but I don’t need long to see how skittish you are around people.”
She pulled the sunglasses off her face, and the sun glinted off her beautiful gray eyes.
He fought the instinct to grab her and hold on, protect her, and keep her this relaxed all the time. His heart skipped a beat in his chest. Oh man, Brian was right—this was dangerous territory. She was dangerous—his heart already hurt from it. He had never in his life met anyone like her before.
“And who the hell is Kevin?” he asked, unable to keep his mouth shut for another second.
“What?” she said with wide eyes, her voice dropping to little more than a breath.
“Kevin? You were screaming at him in your sleep the night I stayed with you, after the hospital.” He held her gaze as the color drained from her face. “You told the police you didn’t know the man who attacked you.”
Seconds later her entire face lit on fire. “Do you think I’ve been acting? What? A game between me and an old boyfriend? Or do you just think I’m a complete whack job and a liar?”
“No—no, Sa-rah.” He shifted in his chair to face her. “I was there—of course, I don’t think you’re lying. That’s not what I meant.”
Sarah leaned forward in her chair and rested her face in her hands.
He reached out and touched her arm. “I’m sorry. You’ve been through hell. I would never take that lightly.”
“Do you think I like this? Do you think I’m looking for pity? I hate this. I hate being a victim. I hate having my choices taken away by someone bigger and stronger than me.” She braced her hand on her knee and got to her feet. “I’m going for a walk.”
And she was gone, walking toward the water, holding her sweater closed with her free hand.
Mark did a mental head smack. Great job ruining the day, you jerk. He wasn’t even sure what he had just done, and he still didn’t know who Kevin was. Maybe it didn’t matter, but people don’t scream like that in their sleep for nothing.
He dropped his head back, his eyes drifting up to the cloudless, bright blue sky. He understood why she loved this place. He wished he’d brought a tent so she could spend the night.
He lifted his head to watch Sarah. She walked along the waterline, and from his spot, it looked like the waves were taller than her. They crashed hard before spreading foam across the sand at her feet. To his right, waves beat against huge rocks, sending sea spray fifty feet up. The sounds of the waves and crying seagulls were seriously relaxing, and he hoped they did their magic on her, especially since he’d just ruined her mood.
Looking at her now, he was overcome with an intense urge to go to her, hold her, and feel her wrapped within his embrace. He wanted to know what her sweater felt like, and the faded jeans on her legs. Run his hands through her wavy hair and smell it.
God, he was losing it. How had this happened?
He stood up, unable to watch any longer. When he approached, she didn’t turn. Her eyes were focused on the horizon, lost in what he hoped was a happy memory.
“Sarah...”
“I know.” She bit her lip. “I overreacted again.”
“And I had no right to question like that.” He looked out to sea, not sure what else to say. When he looked back, her eyes were closed, the gentle breeze brushing her face. “If you want to talk about it, I’m a good listener,” he said.
“But...I don’t want to talk about it.” She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I want to forget about it.”
He held up his hands. “Okay, I get it. I won’t bring it up again.”
~
When the sun dipped into the ocean, they decided to pack up and head back.
“Can I buy you dinner?” he asked when Sarah laid her folding chair into the trunk. “The drive is at least an hour. We can stop on our way back.”
“I would love that.”
The gentle sound of her voice made his stomach flutter, and he had to remind himself to breathe.
His mind was full of her, and he tried to think about something else. It was no use. Her body language mirrored her feelings and attitude, and as the weight of the week lifted from her shoulders, she moved more fluidly and gracefully. He would pay every dollar in his bank account if he could keep her this happy.
When Sarah’s tension faded, Mark felt lighter too. He usually took a long time to relax around women. He’d thought all those years wasted with Ali had ruined him. He’d dated since his divorce, but most of the single women out there were shallow and materialistic. Sarah seemed different, more real to him.
Mark started the car and followed her directions to River Road. It wound through the redwood trees along the Russian River, and even in the dark, it was a beautiful drive. They stopped at a little restaurant in Guerneville for dinner and sat in a small corner booth.
Sarah chatted animatedly through dinner, but he was preoccupied by the bad news he was keeping from her.
“Are you okay,” she asked.
“Fine. Why?”
She chuckled. “You haven’t heard one word I’ve said in the last five minutes.”
“I’m sorry.” He stared at her for a moment. “I had a good time today. I’m glad you brought me.”
“Well, actually you brought me. I couldn’t have come alone if I wanted to.” She lifted her left arm when she said it. “But seriously, I feel a thousand times lighter now and I’m glad I shared it with you,” she admitted, her cheeks going a little pink. “And thank you for dinner.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” she said.
“I talked to Brian this morning.”
Her gray eyes turned stormy when he said Brian’s name.
“He doesn’t have any leads, but you’re still in danger...it’s not safe for you to be alone.”
“It’s been a couple of days since he left that note and I haven’t had any trouble.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s given up, Sarah. You need to take this seriously.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What makes you think I don’t take this seriously?”
“Your brother?” Mark said, raising his eyebrows.
She leaned forward, drawing closer. “I don’t need a man around to protect me.”
He let his eyes travel up and down her body, stopping on the sling. “Look at you, Sarah. Just because you got lucky once—”
“I didn’t just get lucky. I defended myself and I’ll do it again.”
Mark leaned in too, nose-to-nose with her. “And what if you can’t? What if he gets the better of you next time?”
The color drained from her face. She shook her head and rested back, fighting tears. “What am I supposed to—what do I have to do? Hide from him forever?”
“Give Brian time to do his job. And stay safe until then. Be smart and don’t take any chances.”
“I’m already going stir crazy.” She opened her eyes and stared at Mark, as if pleading for answers.
Fear shadowed her stormy gray eyes. He’d never seen anything like that before. That old saying about people wearing their hearts on their sleeve was certainly true with her, only it showed in her eyes.
Goddamn, he’d completely destroyed her mood, and he hadn’t even told her everything. He felt sick as the atmosphere between them changed. Everything she’d been feeling throughout the day was gone.
“Listen, I know this is hard, but you can’t be complacent. You still need to be careful.”
“Yeah, I know.” She fisted her hand. “I fucking know it,” she said, frustration squaring her shoulders and pulling her back within herself—closing the door to her soul.
Minutes before, he could feel her warmth, but she shut down and closed herself off. Cold again.
“Let’s get out of here.” He turned away from her to scoot out of the booth.
His instincts pushed him toward her. He wanted to comfort her, though she kept her distance. When he opened her car door, she stopped and stared up at the twinkling sky. The stars shone brighter away from the city lights.
Sarah took a deep breath, and in the glint of the parking lot light, Mark saw a tear rolled down her cheek. She turned and reached out, laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arm around his waist. It surprised him and relieved him at the same time.
He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against hers. The sweet scent of honeysuckle mixed with sea air sent a jolt through his system, forcing him to close his eyes and focus on what she needed and not what he wanted. He’d gotten his wish, her sweater felt soft and her hair smelled great, and he knew as long as he was with her, nobody could touch her. She was safe.
He continued to hold her, hoping it was enough to help her get through. After a few minutes, she pulled away and wiped her face. Mark reached his hand up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Even in the faint light, he could see how much lighter her eyes got when she cried.
The embrace felt good. Sarah’s body seemed so delicate to him, and she fit perfectly in his arms. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had felt so good to him or smelled so good.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” he whispered, wishing she hadn’t pulled away.
“I’m such a basket case. I hate being like this.”
“Being like what? This is real. Hell, I already know you’re a bad-ass. You kicked the shit out of a rapist with one hand. You don’t have anything to prove. Cry if you need to.”
She shook her head adamantly. “I don’t want to cry.” She lifted her good hand to the back of her neck and rubbed at the tension, and Mark realized that she was worried about what he thought of her. As if he wouldn’t respect her for needing help.
“You know what?” he said, resting a hand on top of the car and looking directly into her eyes. “Everyone has moments like that, moments of weakness. You’re no different than me, no different from anyone else on the planet.”
Mark wanted nothing more than to kiss her. He cupped her face. “Sarah, you’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.” He thumbed away one of her tears before moving his hand away. “It’s amazing how well you’re doing. It’s only been a few days.”
“Thank for saying that...and for the shoulder too.” She looked down. “It’s nice having someone around to talk to. It feels good. Thanks...thanks for being here for me.”
“Yeah, well, I needed a hug, so...thank you for that.” He smiled, trying to put her at ease. “Besides, I’m not thrilled with the idea of kicking around my big ol’ stupid house alone. Spending the evening with you is much better than sitting at home.”
He let go of her and helped her into the car.
Mark slid into the driver’s seat, and when he reached over to snap her seatbelt into place, she waved him off.
He smirked. Moment of weakness over—duly noted.
Chapter Eleven
Mark looked over at the clock. After midnight. He’d dropped Sarah off hours ago and should’ve come home and gone to bed, but he couldn’t shut his mind down. He dropped his head back on his shoulders and glanced around his home office.
They’d never planned to make this room an office. He’d envisioned a nursery when he and Ali bought the house. Of course, at the time he didn’t know Ali was sleeping with someone else.
He had wanted something she didn’t, a large family. Ha. Well, she’d wanted that too, but not with him. He threw his pen down on the desk. It didn’t matter now. Why continue to stew over it?
His cell phone buzzed and rattled on the desk. He hit the talk button. “Seth, what’s up?”
“The Jennings’ alarm is sounding.”
Mark jerked upright in his chair. “Did you call 911?”
“Yeah, but they’re not too fired up. They asked if I called the resident yet.”
“Did you?”
“I’m not getting an answer.”
“Okay, I’ll head over there. Get Shane and call Brian Hammel. Wake him up...he’ll want to know about this.”
~
The loud, blaring sound vibrated through Sarah’s body like a jolt of adrenalin. She jerked up and grimaced at the pain in her left shoulder. She scrambled off the side of the bed and landed hard.
“Shit, shit, shit,” she said as she pulled the top drawer of her nightstand out and onto the floor, letting everything spill out. She grabbed her gun, braced herself against the bed, and peered over the top of the mattress, her eyes scanning the room. Even in the dimness of night, she had a perfect view of the bedroom door.
She couldn’t see much else, but could hear someone banging around in her kitchen.
Sweat beaded up on her forehead, and her hands were slippery as the tip of the gun jittered in her trembling hands. She looked around for her phone. Oh God, she couldn’t breathe, how stupid of her not to keep the phone nearby. She took several shuddering, deep breaths and tried to keep from hyperventilating.
Don’
t panic, Sarah. She didn’t know what to do. Run, stay...hide?
Cursing and loud crashing came from the kitchen. The blaring alarm streamed through her brain and pounded along with her rapid pulse, making it impossible to focus. She heard the phone ringing but was too afraid to look around for it again. If she took her eyes off the door, she’d lose her line of sight in the dark room.
A large figure came into view. Sarah shrank behind the bed, extending her arms out with her gun gripped in both hands. Her body went ridged with fear. She couldn’t tell if he had a weapon in his hand, but that didn’t matter, his presence alone was threatening enough.
He panted like a dog in heat when he entered, his eyes searching the room, the narrow stream of light from his flashlight bouncing off the furniture and walls. The glow from the light skipped right over her head, and she hoped—prayed he hadn’t seen her. Bile rose in her throat at the sight of him, and every instinct in her said to run like hell, but she couldn’t move.
He peered into her bathroom before moving toward the closet. When he turned back, their eyes locked. The eye contact sent a rush of blood to her head. A wave of hatred mixed with fear coursed through her. She would kill him if she had to.
He took a step closer, and without the slightest hesitation, she pulled the trigger. The blast from the end of the gun lit the room. The power behind the shot jerked her hands up and sent a jolt of pain through her shoulder. She righted herself, not taking her eyes off him, ready to take another shot.
He pushed off the wall and grabbed his arm, leaning forward slightly. “Fuckin’ bitch,” he huffed. “You fucking shot me!”
He staggered out of her room, smashing something in the living room.
Sarah tried to hold still, her hands so sweaty the heavy gun nearly slipped from her grip.
When his feet shuffled on the wood floor, she froze again and braced for another fight, but heard him fumbling with the locks on the front door. The door banged open, slamming against the wall as his footsteps stormed out.
~