by Sherri Hayes
She looked up at him in confusion and said, “I know. What does that have to do with anything?”
He took a deep breath and plunged in with both feet. “How could I ever be enough for you?”
Suddenly, her eyes softened. “You think you’re not good enough for me?” She chuckled.
“I don’t think it’s funny,” he said a little offended.
“Oh, Chris,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck. “For five years I was married to a man who constantly tried to change me because he thought I wasn’t good enough. It nearly broke me. Why would I do that to the man I love?”
His eyes grew wide as her words registered, and the dam broke. All the emotions he’d firmly pushed down bubbled to the surface and surpassed all logical thought.
He kissed her hard and fast and then held her as he stared into her eyes with all the love he had for her. “I love you,” he said and kissed her again, longer this time. “You have no idea how much.”
“Oh, Chris!” He began kissing and nipping at her neck just the way she liked it, and she arched her back into his touch, craving what she’d been denied for the last week. His hands were everywhere as he made up for lost time. Her body was singing by the time their bodies joined together as they murmured words of love. She’d had never felt more cherished. Chris was both rough and gentle at the same time, and she found release three times before he finally let go, burying his head in her neck and moaning his pleasure. They didn’t move for a long time as they held each other. She enjoyed the weight of him, pressing her into the mattress.
He mumbled something she couldn’t make out. “What?”
Finally, Chris turned his head to the side so that she could see him. There were tears in his eyes. “Don’t ever leave me.”
“Never,” she said. “Never.”
Elizabeth took a shower while Chris slept, and she hoped to finish before he woke.
Last night had been more than she could have ever hoped. Not only had they both confessed their love for one another in both words and actions, they had talked about a future together.
He wanted her to move in with him. Officially. Even though she hadn’t slept in her apartment for three weeks now, hearing him say that he wanted her here with him always, made her insides do little flip-flops.
When Chris had asked her to never leave him, her heart nearly broke. After hearing him talk about his ex-wife, she knew his first marriage was the cause of his insecurity. Chris was so strong and confident most of the time that it hurt her to see him so vulnerable. His opening up like that only made her love him more.
She turned off the water, swiftly dried off, and tiptoed into his bedroom. She smiled. Their bedroom.
Chris was still asleep, so she threw on one of his T-shirts and hurried into the kitchen. He’d been so good to her, making their breakfast every morning, being there for her every minute she needed him throughout this whole ordeal. She wanted to do something nice for him, even if it was just breakfast in bed.
She was just about finished when a commotion outside caught her attention, and she turned the burner off and went to the window to see what was going on.
The first wave of the reporters had moved on to bigger and better stories. There were still a few lingering, trying to get that one picture they could turn into a front-page story.
Parked in the driveway was a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows.
The door opened, and Stephanie stepped out.
Elizabeth panicked and ran back into the bedroom to get some clothes. She couldn’t answer the door in only Chris’s shirt. Scrambling to put on a pair of jeans, she tripped on the end of the rug and landed face first on the floor.
“Ouch!” She rolled over and rubbed the side of her face. She really hoped it didn’t bruise. That was all she needed.
“Are you okay?” Chris asked in a groggy voice.
“Yeah,” she said, looking up from the floor. “Sorry I woke you up.”
“I needed to get up anyway.”
He pushed the covers off, revealing his naked body, and she swallowed, nearly forgetting her earlier panic.
“What are you hungry for this morning?” he asked.
“Oh,” she said, shaking her head. “I . . . made breakfast for you. Sorry. I . . .” Then she remembered why she’d been scrambling around for clothes in the first place.
“What’s wrong,” he asked, helping her up.
“Stephanie’s here,” she blurted. “I-I need to get dressed and go downstairs. She doesn’t know . . . about us.”
“She’s your friend, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then take your time and get dressed. I’ll go down and bring her up here. If you’ve made breakfast for us, I’m sure there’s enough for three.” He gave her a quick kiss before he pulled on a pair of blue jeans and disappeared out the door.
She was so stunned, she didn’t move for a moment. Stephanie was going to find out about Chris. About Chris and her . . . as a couple. For some reason, she wasn’t all that sure she wanted that to happen and wondered if it was because she knew Chris would never fit into Stephanie’s world. Her old world. Just as Chris had known he wouldn’t.
She heard movement on the stairs and knew she was running out of time. Whatever unease she felt about Stephanie meeting Chris didn’t matter. She could only hope it went well.
Chris rubbed the sleep from his face as he marched down the stairs to get Elizabeth’s friend. He’d met Stephanie briefly in Columbus, but that was as Elizabeth’s boss. The woman had struck him as someone who cared too much about appearances. He didn’t really understand why Elizabeth would want to be friends with her. His girl was nothing like that.
His girl.
A hopeless grin spread over his face. They’d confessed their love for each other last night. She was moving in with him permanently, and he wasn’t letting her go.
When he opened the door, he came face-to-face with a woman who could have stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine had she been a few years younger. Her blond hair was swept back away from her face, and she was dressed in a cream-colored suit that looked more expensive than his truck.
“Oh,” she said with a look of confusion.
“I’m looking for Elizabeth Marshall. Is she available?”
Her speech was formal, and it was obvious she didn’t recognize him.
He opened the door wider, allowing her in. “She’s upstairs. Follow me.”
The clipped sound of her designer heels hitting the wooden stairs echoed off the walls as they walked up one flight.
When they reached the second floor, Stephanie said, “Thanks.” She turned to knock on Elizabeth’s door.
“She doesn’t live there.”
“Yes, she does. She lives on the second floor,” she said with conviction.
He shook his head and opened the door to his apartment. “Not anymore.” Just saying that felt good.
He continued up the stairs to his place, and after a brief moment, she followed.
He walked straight into the kitchen, opening the oven to see what Elizabeth had made for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausage. He removed the three overflowing plates, and turned off the heat.
“Coffee?” he asked, reaching up to get mugs.
“Yes, please,” Stephanie said, glancing at the kitchen table. It came with four chairs, but only seated three comfortably.
His apartment was smaller than Elizabeth’s since it had originally been the attic, but it was perfect for him. From the expression on Stephanie’s face, Chris could tell that she didn’t approve.
He filled both coffee mugs and brought Stephanie hers along with cream and sugar. “Have a seat. She’ll be out in a few.” He motioned to the kitchen table.
He walked back over to the counter, took out a third mug, and filled it with hot chocolate mix. He’d learned that Elizabeth really didn’t like coffee much and only drank it when she didn’t have a choice.
Just as he
finished, Elizabeth emerged from the bedroom fully dressed with her hair and makeup done. She’d gone the extra mile for Stephanie’s benefit, and it irked him.
She took a seat across from her friend while he brought the food to the table and sat between them. As he started to dig in, he realized neither woman was eating. He looked pointedly at Elizabeth. She hadn’t been this hesitant about eating since that first time he’d made her breakfast and she’d been afraid to ask for seconds.
When he finally caught her eye, he glanced down at the food, hoping she’d take the hint.
“Oh, there’s plenty of food, Stephanie, if you’re hungry,” she said.
Stephanie took a large sip of her coffee before wrinkling her nose. “No thanks. If I ate that, it would go straight to my hips.”
Chris just shrugged and loaded his plate. If the lady didn’t want to eat, that just meant more for him.
He’d polished off several bites before he realized Elizabeth’s plate was still empty. “Aren’t you eating?” he asked Elizabeth.
“Oh. Yes. Of course.” She scooped one spoonful of eggs onto her plate followed by a single serving of hash browns and one piece of sausage.
Chris frowned. He didn’t like that she wasn’t eating, and he knew it had everything to do with their early morning guest.
“Oh, Liz,” Stephanie said. “I’ve been trying to reach you for two days. Now I know why.” She smiled. “I was worried with everything going on, so I decided to drive out here this morning and check on you.”
“Sorry.”
Why is Elizabeth apologizing? Okay, he needed to relax. It was not out of the ordinary for her to worry about her friend. Stephanie just rubs me the wrong way, and I’m letting everything about her irritate me.
Taking a deep breath, he quickly finished his breakfast and left them alone. If he couldn’t bring himself to be nice to her for Elizabeth’s sake, then he’d just try to make himself scarce when she was around.
Elizabeth watched as Chris walked into the bedroom.
Stephanie raised a professionally shaped eyebrow and glanced at the door Chris had just disappeared behind. “So . . .”
Elizabeth blushed. “Yes.”
Her friend leaned forward “Well, he’s nice to look at. If you had to pick someone for a little extracurricular activity, he definitely isn’t a bad way to spend some free time.”
Of course, Stephanie would assume that Chris was just a roll in the hay, a little fun. Chris had just pointed out last night how different he was from the world she’d come from, and Elizabeth hadn’t given Stephanie any reason to think differently.
“It isn’t like that. We’re . . .” She had trouble finding the right words to express just what Chris was to her. Love of her life came to mind, but she wasn’t sure her friend would understand.
Stephanie and Don had an arrangement that was mutually beneficial to both partners, discretion being the only rule. She didn’t really believe in love, and it was how she viewed all relationships whether they were between husbands and wives or friends.
Elizabeth decided to just stick to the facts. “He asked me to move in with him, and I said yes.”
Her friend’s eyes widened as she looked around the apartment. “So you’re really going to live here?”
She shrugged. She wasn’t ashamed of Chris, and she wasn’t going to pretend to be. “Yes,” she said. “We’re here most of the time anyway.”
Stephanie stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. Then she laughed. It wasn’t a sarcastic, you’ve got to be kidding me laugh either. This was a laugh that made you want to join in, so she did.
Stephanie lifted her coffee mug in toast. “You are one of a kind, Liz Marshall. One of a kind.”
Chris stayed in the bedroom for most of the two hours Stephanie was there.
He took his time, getting ready, taking a long shower. He looked around the bathroom and could see Elizabeth’s mark in so many places, from her makeup sitting on the counter to her hairbrush and curling iron tangled with his electric shaver. Seeing their stuff mingled made him smile. This really was her home now.
As he moved back into the bedroom, he overheard their conversation. Most of it revolved around the upcoming court hearing. Chris still didn’t get their friendship, although he guessed he didn’t really have to. He wasn’t a tyrant. She could be friends with whomever she wanted.
When he heard them saying good-bye he came out. He noticed Stephanie’s demeanor had completely changed. She now looked at him with the kind of appreciation that made him slightly uncomfortable. Chris knew most women found him attractive, but her look made him feel naked.
“Hopefully we’ll meet again, Chris Daniels,” she said.
Chris chose to ignore the words that came out a little too friendly. “Have a safe drive back to Columbus.”
Stephanie just smiled and winked at him before turning back and giving Elizabeth a hug. “I’ll see you in a few weeks. Call me if there’s anything I can do, okay?”
“I will. Thanks.”
The women disappeared down the stairs, and Chris decided to clean up the kitchen.
He was just drying his hands when Elizabeth put her arms around him. “Thank you,” she said, placing a kiss between his shoulder blades.
He tossed the dishtowel aside and twisted in her arms. She was more dressed up than usual, but she was still his. “For what?” he asked before he kissed her.
He leaned back against the counter, still holding her close. “For letting her stay. We could have gone downstairs to my apartment. I wouldn’t have minded.”
He shook his head. “No. You live here now.”
She smiled and hugged him tight. His cheek rested on top of her head. “I love you,” she said and he smiled. Those words sounded so good coming from her.
He kissed her soundly this time, and there was no hesitation in her response as she pulled him closer.
In one quick motion, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.
Laying her on the bed, he hovered over her and looked down in amazement. “I love you, Elizabeth Marshall.” His words were reverent as he tried to convey just how much she meant to him with those three little words.
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she reached for him again. He spent the rest of the day making sure she had no doubt in her mind how special she was to him.
Detective Robert Stephens sat behind his desk looking at the evidence in front of him. He’d been over it more times than he could count and getting nowhere.
He was a small-town detective and to be honest, he shouldn’t be devoting so much time to a case that had gone cold, but something about Elizabeth Marshall’s situation had gotten under his skin.
Her husband’s death had been high profile. Even before he’d met her, he’d heard about it. It was hard not to with all the media coverage.
What he didn’t understand was why someone had waited seven months after the fact to finally act. And just as odd, just as suddenly as things had started, they’d stopped when the Carters brought the civil suit against her.
Abigail Carter was the easy out; she’d just decided to pursue a legal option. But the blood on the wall of Ms. Marshall’s apartment felt too personal to him. Not that Mrs. Carter wasn’t personally involved; she most definitely was. Jared Carter was her son after all. But he couldn’t see her getting her hands dirty like that. No, this felt like a crime of passion. Something a scorned lover would do.
It was too bad Ms. Marshall had no idea who’d been under her husband’s desk that day. He’d contacted the detective who’d handled Jared Carter’s case, but since the woman had no bearing on the death itself, he didn’t have any information on her.
There was also the possibility that the press parked outside Ms. Marshall’s residence had deterred the culprit from continuing. If that were the case, then as soon as the media moved on to bigger and better things, it would start up again. It was also likely to escalate quickly, too, and that was something he’d like to avoid.<
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The vandalism was something he had to take into consideration. Although his gut told him the two were unrelated, he couldn’t rule it out. Especially since it all started after Ms. Marshall had moved to Springfield.
Maybe he was looking at this all wrong. Maybe it had nothing to do with her husband. He doubted it, but a good detective never completely dismissed suspects until there was indisputable evidence of their innocence or a more viable suspect emerged.
Time seemed to pass in a blur for Elizabeth. Her relationship with Chris was beyond amazing. He made a point to show her every day how much he loved her. It was so new and different that sometimes she found it overwhelming.
In an attempt to prepare her for the hearing, her attorney had sent her a steady stream of material to review. The Carters were pulling out all the stops. They’d held two press conferences over the last week trying to drum up public sympathy. Unfortunately, it was working despite the press release Mr. Frederick had sent to the news media. It was understandable. They’d lost their son and played the sympathy card while leaving out many important details. Details Mr. Fredrick constantly reminded the media of.
Detective Stephens had also been a regular visitor. The first time was two weeks ago. He’d sat them both down, looked them straight in the eye, and demanded to know exactly what their relationship was.
“Who needs to know?” It was awkward at first, and Chris’s response was defensive.
Thankfully, the detective didn’t seem offended by the outburst. “Since it’s obvious that you two are in a relationship, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s noticed. And since the incidences involving Ms. Marshall didn’t start until she moved to Springfield, it’s just as likely it’s someone who’s unhappy about that as it is someone from her past. I’m not discarding my original course of thought on the matter, but I don’t want to discount other possibilities either.”