Rapid Attraction
Page 20
The front door is shut so I can’t see who’s standing outside. I carefully turn the knob and peek between the crack before I open the door all the way.
His face is smooth-shaven. A big change from when I saw him last. Ellis. Shane. He’s wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that highlights the clear green hue in his eyes. A grin breaks out on his face. I want him to kiss me. He has some nerve smiling at me like that. Part of me wants to slam the door in his face for disappearing on me. But I’ve been holding onto the information about him now that I’ve visited Denise and can’t wait to tell someone. Tell him. I already promised his sister I’d bring him to her if I heard from him again, so I have to at least make him go visit her.
Mom peers over my shoulder and asks Shane if he would like to come inside. It’s hard for me not to think of him as Ellis.
I twirl around to her and hold up my hand. “That’s okay.” I force a smile.
The look on Mom’s face is curious, but she steps back inside the house and leaves me in the doorway with Shane waiting on the second to the top stair.
I step outside and close the door behind me. “How’s your shoulder?”
He takes a step up and I lean back. “It’s healing.”
“I’m…glad to hear that.” I stay where I am and fold my arms across my chest. “How did you manage to fix it?”
“I did it myself.”
“Why am I not surprised?” I want to smile but I hold back.
He’s on the top stair, inches from my face, and smelling wonderfully of piney aftershave. “I’m sorry you never got your laptop back.”
“I got a new one. I have your jacket.”
“I’m glad you kept it. You can have it.”
Does this mean he isn’t staying? “You shouldn’t have taken off like that in Canada. That sheriff is still looking to have a word with you and calls me from time to time. By the time they got to the access point where we started the trip your truck had been stolen from there.”
Shane sucks his teeth. “Tough luck about the truck. Are you going to tell him about me coming here to see you today?” But he doesn’t look concerned.
“It’s up to you if you want to speak with him.” Expectancy and the urge to tell him what I know swells in my throat until I have to cough to breathe again. “You should know I did a little research. Shane Hayes. That’s you.”
Recognition seems to click on his face. “You researched me?” His lips curl into a pleased smile.
“It didn’t take much time to find your sister,” I say defensively. “Why didn’t you research yourself?”
His chest expands as he sighs. “I felt I might not measure up to the man I hoped I was. My past is not a happy thing to remember. I wanted to have the old part of my life blacked out.”
“Your sister lives not far from here. You’re an uncle, did you know that?”
Delighted surprise carries away the burden in his eyes and a smile takes up half his face.
There’s an upmarket rental car parked in the street in front of the house. “Yours?” I ask Shane and point my thumb at the car.
“For the next few days anyway.”
“You should visit your sister.” My statement is firm. “We’ll take my car to her house.”
Just when I think he’s going to refuse, he exhales and says, “Okay.”
I go inside and grab my car keys from the foyer table.
Mom appears at my side. “Who is he?”
“The guide.” I snatch my purse from the table.
“Oh.” She winks.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Mom hands me my shoes. “Don’t forget these.”
“Thanks.” I head out the door before she can ask more questions.
Shane waits for me in the driveway by my black convertible. “How did you know which car is mine?”
He smiles toward Mom and Frank’s car. “I figured you wouldn’t drive a station wagon.”
After we get into the seats, I pull down the top as we cruise out of the driveway, and the warm day enters the car.
“Seth and his brother will be on trial, and I’m set to testify against them. They’re letting me do it remotely, though. As far as I know, they haven’t mentioned you in any context that could hurt you.”
Relief steadies Shane’s voice. “You’ll do well, Pauline.”
“What did you end up doing with the first half of the…money he paid you?” My stomach lurches at the question. Because if Shane responds he kept Seth’s father’s money, then I know it’s over for us forever.
“I paid your loan.”
“That was you? I don’t even want Seth indirectly paying for anything that’s mine!” I raise my voice and he backs away in his seat.
“After everything he put you through? He owes you. And I never said that’s what I did with all the money. I donated the remainder to a charity for soldiers.”
In a way, he’s right. The full amount Shane was to get must have been staggering. I don’t want to know how much, so I don’t ask him. “Well, the last thing you said is a good thing. And thanks, I guess, for paying off my debt.”
“You’re welcome. Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
I pretend to glare at him, and then waver between switching on the radio and leaving it off. I decide I’m fine with just his company and the noises on the road. “I was planning to get a normal job, you know, so I can work my way through school.”
“Now you don’t have to. You can focus on finishing school. I know how much it means to you. Even though I think your choice for a major is ridiculous.”
“Hey.” I reach for his shoulder and fake punch him. He ducks out of my reach. “You never said anything about it before.”
“I know. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
I laugh. Then we’re silent for three beats. “Why did you come to my house? How did you know my address?” I adjust the rearview mirror to peek at the road behind me, which is a habit I’ve formed since I returned home and discovered Nick’s out of prison for the meantime. Seth’s father is powerful, and even if Seth and his brother are put away for a long time, I’ll have to watch over my shoulder.
Shane touches my arm and his fingers linger on my skin as he sits back. “Don’t act like it was easy. You’re not an easy woman to find. I have contacts.”
I concentrate on the road ahead and smirk. “Contacts?” I glance over at him.
He watches me through a lidded gaze. “Actually, I just used the computer at the public library.” His grin widens.
My focus returns to the road. “So, why did you bother finding me?”
“You know why.” He angles himself toward me. “I want to be with you. I love you. We’re two broken people. How hard can it be?”
“It won’t be easy.” I let my breath out. “My past will constantly be trying to pull us apart.”
“Let it try. It won’t succeed.”
I pull over into a drugstore parking lot at the end of the street and leave the car’s engine running.
He leans over and wraps his hands around my face to stare into my eyes. His voice is low and patient. “Hi.” He touches his forehead to mine.
As he slants his face down and his lips brush close to mine, I shut my eyes in anticipation of what will come next. His mouth soothes and massages my neck with slow, persistent kisses. Once his lips meet mine, I’m out of breath and almost out of my seat from the hot tingling that consumes every sensitive point on my body.
The pleasure of his lips leaves my face and I open my eyes. “That was…that was…”
“Perfect,” he says.
I’m so stunned by his desire, and by my desire, that I can’t reply, although I’d have to agree.
“What about Linda? Your sister mentioned her. Will you try to find her?” I say after a moment or two.
“I left the hospital to stop her wedding after I saw an announcement in the paper. I was too late and she got married anyway.”
I take in what he’s rev
ealed. “Do you still love her?”
“No. I love you.”
We leave the parking lot and get back on the road. “I’d like to take you up on your offer,” I tell him.
He tilts his head to one side.
“Once I’m done finishing my degree, I’ll be your assistant guide if you start your own business. You’re good at it, and you need to keep yourself out of trouble.”
He slaps his hand down on his jeans. “It’s going to be hard for me to stay out of trouble.” He raises an eyebrow at me and then winks to let me know he’s kidding. “I’ll try, Pauline. For you, I’ll try anything.”
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