by Jill Sanders
She reached for the clasp of his slacks, keeping her eyes on his as she pushed them off his narrow hips. As she ran her hands over his muscular thighs and tight stomach, she thought she heard him sigh, “Tell me.”
“Calvin.” She looked up into his eyes again. “I wanted you to know, before… I love you.” She leaned up and kissed him again. She thought she felt him stiffen, but then he was pushing her down onto the bed and covering her body with his.
She’d dreamed of how it would be when she finally told a man those words. Feeling the speed and heat of desire consume her hadn’t been part of those plans. She couldn’t have ever dreamed of how wonderful it would feel to be with someone she loved.
When the last layers of material were gone between them, he arched over her, his hands running up her body until he clasped hers above her head.
“I didn’t believe I deserved this, you.” He kissed her again as she wrapped her legs around him, trying to pull him closer. “Bella, I’ve loved you for a while now. I tried to deny it.” He pulled back and looked down into her eyes, then shook his head and smiled. “I was a fool to think I could give you up. It’s the sweetest surrender I’ve had, giving you my heart.” He kissed her again and then, as he slid into her, he whispered next to her ear, “I love you.”
She must have fallen asleep after he rolled to her side, tucking their bodies close together and pulling the comforter over them.
His steady heartbeat soothed her, relaxed her, even though the storm still raged outside the large glass doors and windows in his bedroom.
When a large crash of thunder woke her, her heart jumped in her chest as the sound dissipated through the dark house. She lay there, Calvin’s arms wrapped tightly around her, as she tried to settle her heart back down.
Then another flash of lightning lit the room and she noticed the dark shadow of a man standing by the glass doors that led out to the deck. Her entire body froze with fear as the scream caught in her throat.
Her body began to shake as the thunder from the lightning finally sounded a few seconds later. Her eyes strained as she tried to see if the figure had moved.
It seemed to take forever for her body to finally respond to her commands. Her mind played out a million scenarios of what she should do.
Deciding finally to reach for the lamp and wake Calvin at the same time, she screamed as she flipped on the bedside lamp.
Calvin jumped from the bed as the light flooded the room, showcasing that they were alone.
“What?” Calvin glanced around, blinking a few times.
“Someone was in the room.” She pointed to the spot where the glass doors stood wide open.
Calvin reached under the bed and came up with a metal baseball bat. “Call the police,” he said as he rushed into the rain in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.
She blinked and stared at the wet footprints just inside the patio doors. Her hand shook as she reached for her cell phone and called the police.
Her eyes were glued to the doors as she waited for Calvin to return. The police had assured her that a patrol car was on its way just as Calvin stepped back inside.
“Wait,” she called out, stopping him from messing up the wet footprints. She pointed to them and Calvin easily moved around them, leaving them undisturbed. “Did you find anyone?” she asked.
“No, they took off too quickly. I saw taillights.” He pulled on his jeans and shoes, then a jacket. “I’m going to wait for the police.” He nodded to her. “Better get dressed.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you okay?” he asked after she stood there for a moment.
“Y-yes.” She took a deep breath. “He was just standing there. Watching us.” She shivered.
Calvin’s arms tightened around her. “He broke the door lock.” He motioned towards the sliding door. “First thing tomorrow, I’m installing cameras and a security system.” She nodded as they heard the siren. “Get dressed. I’ll go down and meet them.”
She watched him go, then slipped on her clothes quickly, grabbing one of his sweaters and pulling it over her head instead of trying to find something warm of her own to wear. Walking by, she snapped a picture of the watery footprints and the lock on the door that had been jimmied open.
When she stepped out of the bedroom, Calvin was talking with Brock. Both men turned up to watch her make her way down the stairs.
“Bella.” Brock nodded. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve settled down. I think my heart rate is finally leveled.” She chuckled nervously.
“Well, if it’s okay, I’ll head up and take pictures and see if I can spot anything else up there.” Brock nodded towards the stairs.
“I’m done sleeping up there for tonight,” she admitted. “Coffee?” she asked, walking into the kitchen.
“I wouldn’t say no to a cup.” Brock smiled. “I’ll be back.” Calvin led him up the stairs.
By the time they came back down, Ben was standing in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee with her.
“You called Ben?” she’d asked Calvin when Ben had arrived.
“Duh.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not stupid. If he found out about this from Brock…” He hissed. “I’d be in it deep.”
She smiled. “Thank you.” She kissed him.
The moment her brother had rushed into the house, she’d felt better. He’d wrapped his arms around her, and she’d cried for a moment, then she’d fixed them each a cup of coffee and found a bag of cookies to munch on while they waited.
“What did you find?” Ben asked Brock.
“Broken lock on the sliding door, wet boot prints, size eleven, and muddy tire marks that I snapped a picture of but will be gone by the time the crew gets here to take a mold.” He sighed. “Hopefully, we can ID them by the picture.” He waved his phone. Brock turned to her. “Any idea on how tall the guy was?”
She shook her head as she handed Brock a mug of coffee then handed one to Calvin. “No, it was just a flash. I mean, I only saw him when the lightning filled the room. I must have woken up to the sound of him sliding open the door. I thought…” She shook her head, trying to remember anything. Why had she woken up? But she’d been so deep in sleep, everything was fuzzy in her mind.
“Since we know where he stood, can you tell me if he filled the doorway?” He walked over to the sliding doors like the ones in the bedroom and stood approximately where the footprints had been then held up his hand to the top of his head. “Was he as tall as me?”
She tilted her head, then set her mug down and moved over to lay on the sofa. Turning her head, she looked at Brock and shrugged. “That looks about right.”
“Calvin, come here.” He waved his hand and Calvin took his place. “Or does this look closer?”
Bella shook her head. “No, Calvin is too tall. I can’t see the top of the door with him.”
“Okay.” Brock waved Ben over.
Ben stood where they had, and Bella nodded. Yeah, it’s between you and Ben.” She sat up.
“Okay.” Brock wrote something down in the notepad. “Between five-nine and...” He glanced over at Ben. “You’re still six?” he asked.
“Yes,” Ben said with a slight frown.
“Okay, between five-nine and six-foot.” He nodded to Ben. “Did you happen to notice anything else about the man?”
She thought about it. “He was wearing all black.” She shrugged. “I didn’t see his face clearly.” She thought about it. “He had very pale skin, or he was wearing a white face mask.” She shook her head. “Sorry.” She closed her eyes. “I was half-asleep.”
“It’s okay. At least we have some things to go on,” Brock said. “Calvin says he’s going to be installing a security system tomorrow.”
“I’ll be here to help,” Ben jumped in.
Brock turned to Bella. “I’ll keep you posted if we find anything on those tire tracks.”
“I’m sorry I can’t remember more,” she said.
“If you do, you know where to find us.” He took a large sip of the coffee and set the mug down. “Thanks for the cup.”
Calvin walked Brock out as Ben wrapped his arms around her again. “Want to come to our place for the rest of the night?”
She thought about going back upstairs with the busted lock and shivered. Then she thought of putting her nieces or Sarah in danger and shook her head.
“No,” she answered. “I’m wide awake now. I think I’ll make some breakfast and try and get some work done.”
Ben groaned. “I thought you’d say that. I guess I’ll be heading to the hardware store when they open and getting everything you guys need.” He glanced over at the stove then laughed. “Don’t cook. I’ll run and get us something from the bakery. They open…”—he glanced down at his watch and sighed— “ten minutes from now.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“Why can’t psychopaths do this shit in the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night?” Ben complained.
“It’s almost six,” Calvin pointed out as he walked back inside and removed his raincoat. “I’ll get started on fixing the door.”
“I’ll head in and get us some breakfast. The hardware store won’t open until eight.” He groaned. “Gotta call Sarah and let her know what’s up.” He turned back to Calvin. “Call and see if someone can cover your shift.” He started to walk out then stopped. “For the next week. I don’t want you leaving my sister’s side until we catch this madman.”
“Yes, boss.” Calvin saluted him with a smile.
“Shove it,” Ben groaned as he left.
“He needs sugar to wake up,” she explained. “More coffee?” she asked, pouring herself another cup.
Calvin’s arms wrapped around her, and she set her mug down and enjoyed the feeling of him holding her. “I’m sorry,” he said into her hair.
“For?” she asked turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around him.
“I should have…”
“There you go, blaming yourself again for things that are out of your control.” She reached up and kissed him.
He sighed and nodded, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re right.” His eyes met hers. “I’m going to make this place a fortress for you. I don’t ever want you to feel unsafe here again.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.” She smiled. “Now, can I help you fix the door?”
When her brother and Rowan walked in half an hour later with two boxes of donuts, they had finished fixing the lock on the door and had added a metal bar that would slide between the two doors for extra security. He even added the bars to the three other sliding doors in the house. Since the windows all rolled vertically and had little childhood locks on them already, no one could easily break those open without shattering the windows.
“I brought help.” Ben pointed to Rowan. “I ran into him at the Donut Hut and told him what happened. He volunteered to help install the new system.”
“I installed one a few years back.” Rowan shrugged. “It’s not that hard.”
“I helped,” Ben added as he took a large chocolate-covered donut and bit into it.
“Yes.” Rowan slapped him on the shoulder. “You held the ladder for me if my memory serves me,” he joked.
“Shove it,” Ben said through a full mouth, but it ended up sounding more like “Suvt.”
“Now, boys,” Bella said with a laugh as she took a sprinkled donut for herself. “Let’s all play nicely.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Working with his friends on installing the top-of-the-line security system around his house was like old times. It reminded him of the year they’d all worked together getting the house fixed up.
“Remind me why we don’t do this sort of thing more often?” Ben joked as he held the ladder for Rowan as he drilled a hole for the camera wire.
“Because you stand around drinking beer while we do all the work,” Calvin joked.
The rain had let up shortly after Brock had left. The early morning mist had been burned off by the sun and now there was a bead of sweat rolling down his back as he felt his skin burn in the sun.
Sarah had shown up an hour after Ben had come back from the hardware store. She’d dropped the kids off at her mother’s and was keeping Bella entertained by listening to her play on her old guitar, which she’d brought over from their house.
He had to admit, listening to her play and sing was a pure joy. He even caught Rowan singing along to one of her songs.
“You know this?” he asked him with a nudge.
“Sure do. It’s Kayla and CJ’s favorite.” He smiled then frowned. “Don’t you?”
Calvin felt like a fool for being with Bella but not knowing the words to any of her songs, so he shrugged and busied himself.
He promised himself that the first chance he got alone, he’d listen to her songs and memorize the words. After all, she’d written them all herself. The least he could do is hear them at least once.
At one point, the ladies ran to the grocery store and picked up burgers and hot dogs to grill out. More people from the town showed up to help out, even though most of the work had been done already by the time they arrived. Instead, they all gathered on his deck and drank beer and ate food that everyone brought along with them.
By evening, the party had grown so big that it had spilled into the house, filling up his kitchen, living room, and dining room in addition to the deck.
He’d never had this many people in his place before. He didn’t even know this many people. But everyone seemed to know Bella.
He watched her laugh and joke with everyone as she walked through the crowded rooms. He kept a close eye on her. If he was being honest, it was because she’d changed into one of those flowing dresses she’d purchased at Serenity’s Attic. The dress was tight around her breasts and stomach then flowed loose around her legs with a sexy little slit up one side, giving him a pretty view of her tan legs every now and then.
She’d tied her long hair in a sexy messy bun at the nape of her neck, which only made him want to untangle it with his hands and lick his way up to her mouth.
The more he watched her, the more he realized he was lucky she hadn’t left him after his confession last night. It was true, he still struggled with guilt over Kelly’s death. It was also true that, as an adult, he knew there was nothing he could have done back then to stop the events from unfolding. If Elijah Adams hadn’t kidnapped Kelly that day, he would have found another opening and gotten her eventually. He’d confessed to stalking the family after seeing Kelly while he’d been painting her room.
His parents had let their daughter’s murderer into their home. Into Kelly’s room. The fact that a twelve-year-old boy was left to watch his little sister had been the perfect opportunity for the killer to strike.
He’d tried to talk to his parents about it once, and the fight that had ensued convinced him to never bring up the subject again. He even kept quiet on the subject with his brother James.
As far as he was concerned, he had no family. It was one of the reasons he’d been thankful Ben had offered him the job at the resort. He’d been in a bad spot with his family since he’d lost the last fight that he’d had with them over his career choices.
He was finally someplace they couldn’t touch him. Independent and free of their reach.
“You’re deep in thought,” Bella said, walking into his arms while she held a glass of wine.
He smiled down at her. “Just thinking how lucky I am to have you and all these friends.” He motioned around the room with his half-empty beer.
“Do you know everyone here?” she asked with a whisper.
He chuckled and leaned closer to her. “I thought you knew everyone.”
She smiled and then leaned up and kissed him. “It’s like high school all over again.” She sighed. “I told a friend that my parents were going out of town one weekend.” She shook her head. “Two hundred kids showed up at my house, dragging keg
s and booze of every type. When the police showed up…” She rolled her eyes. “Well, let’s say that was one of the darkest days in my past.” She tilted her head as if she were thinking. “I think that’s when they started threatening to send me to the boarding school.”
He smiled down at her. “I’m thankful Ben rescued us both then.” He waved his beer towards her brother, who was currently wrestling with his oldest daughter on the living room rug. Sarah had picked up the girls when they’d gone out to pick up the burgers since her mother had had a yoga class to teach later that night.
She followed his gaze and nodded. “I don’t know what I would do if he wasn’t there to buffer my parents.” She turned to him. “You know, that’s not a bad idea. We could always throw Ben at your parents.”
He laughed and hugged her. “Not a bad idea,” he agreed.
“So,” she said quietly, “how do we kick everyone out of here?” She wiggled her eyebrows as she ran her hands up his chest.
Ten minutes later, the house was empty, except for Ben, who was trying to gather up his daughter’s toys from the living room floor while Bella and Sarah chatted.
“Thanks for all the help today.” He shook the man’s hand when he threw a massive bag over his shoulder filled with the toys and other kid things.
“Any time.” Ben smiled at him, then leaned in close. “Sarah told me that Bella knows about Kelly.” His friend frowned slightly. “If you need me to talk to her…”
“No,” Calvin jumped in. “I think we got it all out in the open.”
“Good.” Ben slapped him on the shoulder.
He chuckled. “She thinks I need to hire you as a mediator between me and the folks.”
Ben laughed and shook his head. “I’ve met your parents. I don’t think even I can convince them of anything they don’t want to believe.”
Calvin sighed. “Right.” He glanced over to Bella. “I told her I loved her,” he said, catching Ben off guard.