She was about to tell him that he liked to be bossy when it came to everything, but he suddenly had both hands in her hair and was kissing her senseless again, his tongue thrusting against hers, driving her wild. She didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, minutes . . . hours . . . days, but when he pulled back, his voice was like gravel. “I will see you on the beach.”
Oh yeah, definitely bossy. “Ben, I’m—”
“Just be there, Reese. We’ll sort everything else out later.” Then he gave her another quick kiss, and left.
Reese stood in the middle of the kitchen, eyes closed, arms wrapped tight around herself. She refused to follow after him like a lovesick puppy, no matter how tempting it was. It took a little effort, but she finally cleared the sexual haze from her mind and got her thoughts focused on what she’d learned from Ben about the teenager who’d been attacked. Did the girl have anything to do with her? Or was it just coincidence? She was so uncertain about what to do, and the damn lust still messing with her head wasn’t helping.
“I’m just being paranoid,” she finally muttered under her breath, pouring two cups of coffee. She took one mug to Frank, then headed back to her bedroom to get dressed and unpack some more boxes. She was still working through the first box when she heard the sound of Ben’s truck starting up, and listened as he drove away. Her cell phone buzzed a moment later, signaling a text message, and she lunged for it, wondering if it would be from Ben. As she swiped her finger over the screen to pull up the message, she realized how stupid she was being. Ben didn’t have her number. It was probably her sister, wanting to know how the morning had gone. Or even her mom. But as the text popped up on her screen, Reese realized it was from neither. The number was blocked, and there were only five little words staring back at her, chilling her blood.
i saw you with him
5
AS REESE MADE HER WAY DOWN TO THE BEACH A LITTLE AFTER ONE, A colorful tote bag hung from her shoulder, and there was a smile on her lips. Not even the disturbing text she’d received that morning—either by accident or on purpose—had been able to overshadow her nervous excitement about seeing Ben at the McNamara Clinic’s beach party.
We’ll sort everything else out later . . .
Gaah! Had more frustrating words ever been spoken in the English language? Reese was fairly sure they hadn’t. How was she meant to stay levelheaded when Ben was all about having fun in the now, and worrying about the consequences later? When he was all about pleasure and satisfaction and just going with it.
Shaking her head, she smiled a little broader as a soft laugh slipped past her lips. They were as different as night and day, and yet, the moments she’d spent with him since yesterday had been some of the best in her life. As worried as she was about getting hurt, being in his arms had been wonderfully exciting. Even freeing. Then she remembered what had taken him away from her that morning, and her smile fell.
She hoped the girl who’d been attacked was okay. The situation was a stark reminder of how something dangerous and ugly could happen at any moment, and for the first time since she’d learned that Ben was her new landlord and next-door neighbor, Reese was actually thankful he was so close.
Looking back, she really should have sensed what her mother was up to, and as she scanned the beach for the party, she mentally replayed one of their first conversations about the move. She’d just let herself into the apartment she’d moved into after leaving Drew, her arms full of grocery bags, cell phone wedged between her shoulder and ear while her mother said, “And then my friend Sarah and I went into town for lunch, and guess who we ran into?”
“Who?” she’d asked, locking her door behind her and flicking on all the lights. After the past few weeks, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was shadowing her every move. She was only half listening to her mom until she heard her say, “. . . that hunky Ben Hudson. Did you know he’s the sheriff here now?”
“Yeah, you told me,” she’d murmured, an image of Ben’s handsome face immediately filling her mind.
“He asked after you like he always does.”
Yeah, right, she’d thought, rolling her eyes. More like her mom had probably talked the poor guy’s ear off about her middle daughter, boring the hell out of him.
“I told him you were holding up great after the divorce.”
“You what?” Reese had screeched, mortified. “Mom, what were you thinking?”
Now, three months later, she knew exactly what her mom had been thinking. But she was grateful for the fact that he lived within shouting distance. If the person who’d sent her that creepy text turned out to be the same one who’d been stalking her in Boston, she had no doubt that Ben would flatten the jackass if he ever tried to mess with her.
You don’t know it’s a he, an inner voice pointed out. The police didn’t think it was Drew, which means it could be anyone.
That was true. And the jerk in Boston had never texted her, either. So maybe today was just a fluke. God, she hoped so. But she still planned to do the smart thing and talk to Ben about it.
Trying to decide between the two large groups of people she could see on the beach, one to her right and the other off to her left, Reese shivered as a chill ran down her spine. She had the strangest sensation that someone was watching her. Not Ben, but someone . . . else. She hadn’t seen anyone on her way down from her patio a moment ago, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was under someone’s gaze. In several places, thick, glossy bushes ran parallel to the beach, creating a natural barrier between the sand and the residential gardens and patios that went along the coast. Was someone hiding in the tropical bushes, spying on her from there?
This is ridiculous. I’m just creeping myself out, she muttered to herself, trying to sound convincing. Still, she knew she’d feel safer in a crowd, so she decided to try the group off to her right, hoping to catch sight of Ben. She realized she’d chosen wrong after asking a cute guy in Hawaiian swim trunks if the party was for the McNamara Clinic. He gave her a friendly smile as he told her it wasn’t, then invited her to join their get-together anyhow. She politely declined, a little stunned by the interest in his dark eyes as he looked her over. Where was this coming from?
Maybe it’s the Florida sunshine, she mused, shaking her head as she went back in the other direction.
Slipping off her flip-flops, Reese bent down and looped the straps over two fingers, holding them as she made her way over to the other group, which looked to be at about thirty to forty people already. She could hear Lana Del Rey playing from someone’s sound system, and it was clear that Ben’s friend’s medical practice had put a lot of money into the catering. A wicker bar had been set up on the far side of the party, shielded by a massive palm frond umbrella, while three young chefs cooked seafood on several oversize grills, a half-dozen or so tables set out with what looked like enough food to feed a small army.
When she was only twenty yards or so away, she caught sight of Ben. The guy had his back to her, but she was positive it was Moss Beach’s sexy sheriff. He was talking to a tall, stunning redhead dressed in a dark green halter top and skirt, and Reese frowned, feeling a little sick inside. The temptation to cut and run swept through her, but before she could execute the move, the redhead pointed her way. Ben instantly swung around, waving one hand high in the air to catch her attention.
She stood still as he started toward her, debating what to do. Then she blinked, taking a good long look as he came closer, her tongue pretty much stuck to the roof of her mouth. Holy cripes, he was gorgeous. His body was hard and cut, like something right out of that 300 movie, and she was pretty sure her mouth was hanging open, eyes glazed with lust. He must have taken a shower before coming down to the party, because his hair was still damp, the bright sun picking out the golden glints in the chocolate brown strands. He used both hands to slick his hair back from his face, and didn’t stop striding forward until he was standing right in front of her. Like that morning, she had to tilt her head ba
ck to see his face, and almost wished she hadn’t. There was so much heat in his eyes, she felt burned in a way that no amount of sunscreen was going to help. Then she remembered the way he’d made her come and cry out on her dining room table, an image flashing in her mind of how he’d looked when he’d been staring at the most intimate part of her body, and she damn near went up in flames.
Cool it the heck down!
“Hey,” he said, with just enough drawl to make the word sound deliciously suggestive. “I was worried when I got here and couldn’t find you.”
She gestured toward the party she’d just come from. “I came down at one, but wasn’t sure which get-together was your friend’s.”
He nodded, those green eyes taking everything in. “What’s wrong?”
She clutched the strap of her tote with her free hand, scrunching her toes in the warm sand. “Nothing. I just feel a little awkward, not knowing anybody.”
“You know me.”
“Not well, though.”
“You’ll know me a lot better by the end of the day,” he said with conviction, taking her sandals from her and grabbing her hand. “Come on, we’ll just sit and relax for a bit in some of the chairs down by the water before I start dragging you around to introduce you to everyone.”
As they made their way down to the shore, where the waves were softly lapping at the white sand, Reese watched him from the corner of her eye. Despite the breathtaking scenery of the Gulf Coast, it was impossible to look anywhere else. His beautiful body was bare, except for the loose black swim trunks that hung off his lean hips. He had those mouthwatering muscles there at the base of his abdomen that guys who are really in shape can get, and she ran her tongue over her bottom lip, wondering what it’d feel like to lick him there.
“What?” he asked, when she gave a quiet snort.
“You, in those trunks.” She found it nearly impossible to take her eyes off the sexy trail of dark hair that whorled around his navel before heading south. “It hardly seems fair. Are you trying to give all the women heart attacks?”
There was a wealth of satisfaction in his deep voice. “You like?”
“You’re flaunting,” she murmured, lifting her gaze. “It isn’t right.”
He turned his face a bit to the side, but she still caught his grin. “I’m wearing what every other guy here is wearing.”
She gave another quiet snort. “Like that matters. They don’t look like you.”
“It could all be yours,” he purred, waggling his brows at her. “Just say the word.”
“You’re so warped.” She tried to sound stern, but inside she was secretly delighted by how playful he could be. Yeah, he was beautiful to look at, but the more time she spent with him, it was becoming clear that there was a hell of a lot more to Ben Hudson than his wicked reputation and impressive occupation.
“Warped?”
She fought back a smile. “That’s right. Warped.”
He scratched his jaw. “I think the word I would use is horny. Or needy. Even aching.” An edge of wryness crept into his tone. “At the moment, I’m feeling all of those things and more.”
The temperature was in the high nineties, but Reese still felt herself shiver. “Are you planning on doing this all afternoon?”
“Doing what?”
“Driving me crazy. Because if that was your plan, then you need to back off a bit. I don’t want to jump you in front of all these people.”
The look in his eyes was so hot, she felt singed. “If I took you somewhere private, would you jump me then?”
She started to respond, when someone squealed his name. Looking over her shoulder, Reese could only blink at what she saw running toward them. Blond, bouncy, and massively top-heavy.
God save her. They might be hundreds of miles from the West Coast, but they’d just been spotted by freaking Malibu Barbie.
* * *
OH SHIT. BEN MENTALLY BRACED HIMSELF AS STACY PETERS RAN toward them, her chest barely contained in a minuscule neon pink bikini. No way in hell was this going to be good. He could already feel Reese’s tension ramping up, her hand pulling away from his, and he reacted quickly. “Hey, Stacy. I’ll catch up with you a little later,” he called out, hoping to stop her in her tracks. “We’re heading down to the water for a bit.”
“Don’t be too long,” she shouted, giving him what she probably thought was an attractive pout. But it looked a little scary with all that shimmery pink lipstick smeared on her silicone-puffed lips.
“Who’s the girl?”
“Her name’s Stacy,” he replied, settling his gaze back on Reese’s face. She hadn’t put on a stitch of makeup, her cheeks flushed, lips naturally rosy and plump. She looked so delectable, he just wanted to toss her over his shoulder and carry her back up to her house, where he could strip her out of that little black sundress and see what she was hiding underneath. Knew that when he took her mouth, she’d taste warm and sweet the way she had that morning, instead of like a tube of lipstick.
“Let’s sit here,” he said, pulling two of the low-slung beach chairs closer together, facing them toward the party. All he needed was someone like Stacy sneaking up on them and dropping into his lap before he could stop her.
“Did you date her?” She gazed at him impassively as she sat down, as if she didn’t care one way or the other. But he knew it was bullshit.
“No, I didn’t.”
She smoothed the short skirt of her dress over her thighs, then tucked a windblown strand of hair behind her ear. “She can’t take her eyes off you.”
“Don’t worry about her,” he murmured, wondering if he was going to look ridiculous if he scooted his chair even closer to hers. Only a few inches separated them, but he couldn’t shake the unfamiliar compulsion to stay glued to this woman like a fucking shadow.
“In other words, mind my own business?”
A frustrated sigh surged past his lips, but he still found himself giving her an explanation. “She works as a receptionist for one of the doctors at McNamara. We met last year and she was hoping to start something—” He paused for a moment, before saying, “But we didn’t.”
“Why not?”
He leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “I couldn’t do it.”
With a smirk, she said, “You know, they have medication for things like that.”
“Smart-ass,” he laughed, shaking his head. “My equipment works just fine, which you’ll soon learn for yourself.”
She kept her gaze on the growing crowd as she responded. “Since the jury is still out on that one, I’ll take your word for it.”
Ben started to ask her if she wanted the proof right then, but changed his mind. He enjoyed teasing her, but sensed that now wasn’t the time. “Anyway, what I meant was that I couldn’t start something with her when I knew she was expecting it to be more than it was.”
“Meaning she wanted more than a fling?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.
His comfort level headed toward sub-zero temperatures. “Yeah.”
She looked confused. “If you steer clear of relationship girls, then why are you . . .” It sounded like she was searching for the right words. “Pursuing me?”
With another uneasy shrug, he said, “I told you before, you’re different.”
“Actually, I’m pretty average. I think it’s just that I was married.” She nodded, her expression almost triumphant, as if she’d finally solved an irritating puzzle. “You were interested because I was someone off limits.” Waving her hand between them, she added, “You know what I mean. One of those ‘you wanted me because you couldn’t have me’ things.”
“You can think whatever you want, but it’s bullshit.” His tone was flat. “I have a little more maturity than that.”
Did he? When it came to his work, it was obvious he did. But Reese wasn’t so sure about his interactions with the women he dated.
Before she could launch her next salvo, the tall redhead she’d seen him talking to earlier
called his name, waving at them, the friendly smile on the woman’s face putting her at ease. This wasn’t someone like Malibu Stacy, looking to score the sheriff for herself. In fact, the woman’s attention was on her, instead of Ben. As she headed their way, they both moved to their feet.
“Reese, this is my friend Brit,” Ben said when she reached them, making the introductions. “She’s the one who invited us to the party.”
Brit shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Reese. I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like we’re already friends.”
“Thanks. It’s nice to meet you, too,” she murmured, surprised by how comfortable she felt. When Ben had described his friendship with this woman last night, and again this morning, she thought for sure that she’d pick up a different vibe between them if she ever actually met Brit Cramer. But she didn’t.
Brit took a sip of her mojito, the sunglasses pushed up on her head keeping her hair from her face. With a smile, she said, “I know your sister Connie and her husband. I’ve also met your mom. She’s something else.”
Reese laughed. “I know what you mean. She can be a bit over-the-top at times.”
“I think she’s great. An absolute riot.”
“Not to be rude,” Ben said, his tone in complete contradiction to his words as he gave his friend a pointed look. “But shouldn’t you be getting back to the party?”
Brit’s own tone was cheerful, her smile bright. “Actually, I have a feeling they’re doing just fine without me.”
“Cramer,” he growled.
“Hudson,” she drawled, stretching out the syllables.
“Damn it, I—”
“Yeah, I know,” she said, cutting him off as she raised her brows. “You want her all to yourself. But tough. Just get lost for a bit, okay? I want to chat with Reese.”
Mild panic shone in his eyes. “Why?”
She waved her hand at him like someone shooing away a pest. “I don’t have to give you any reasons. Just run along.”
Take Me Under Page 8