Family Secrets: Books 5-8

by Virginia Kantra

  Eric Jones hadnt known how to be the one in need, just as he didnt know how to be that man now. He didnt know how to ask for help. How to accept it.

  Good thing Leigh had never allowed Erics stubbornness to sway her.

  How about dinner? she asked. Im exhausted and cant bear the thought of facing my stove.

  Eric looked up from where hed been rolling the empty glass between his big hands. Sounds great. How about Chez Pauls? Or if youd rather Italian, Harry Carrys cant be beat.

  The thought made her mouth water, but she had other plans for Eric Jones. I dont know, she murmured, making a production of glancing at her watch. Im not in the mood for crowds. Reporters followed them ruthlessly. Crowds gathered. People stopped and stared, pointed.

  But exposure wasnt the only reason Leigh didnt want to dine in public.

  Frowning, she glanced around her office. Ive had all of these three walls and a window I can stand for one day. How about your place?

  Eric just stared at her. You want to go back to my place?

  She heard the surprise in his voice, saw the pleasure glow in his eyes. And for a moment, a blade of guilt nicked at the swirl of heat. After the explosion of passion the night before, she knew her suggestion sounded like a complete reversal, but she needed him at his place and dinner seemed the best smokescreen.

  We could order pizza, she suggested, even though theyd eaten at Ranallis a few night before. Maybe Chinese. And then we can take care of a few loose ends.

  Erics eyes took on a slow, hot burn. What loose ends?

  The question seared through her every bit as much as his touch had the night before. Shed lain awake for hours, reliving every skim of his fingers, every caress, wondering how shed found the strength to resist him.

  It had been so achingly long.

  Shed lost herself last night, lost herself as shed not done in ten long years. Shed forgotten about everything that stood between them, the lies and the heartache, the court case and their son. Everything had been swept away by the intense longing to feel his arms around her, his mouth on hers, his hard body pressed deliciously close.

  The truth burned, damned, terrified. Shed thought this man out of her life, her blood. Now she realized shed only learned to ignore the longing that had nearly shredded her so long ago. The emotion had survived, strengthened while it lay dormant and the girl became a woman, the boy a man. And it was more dangerous now than before.

  She forced her thoughts back to his question. He wanted to know what loose ends. About the day you were arrested, she forced herself to say. Not the way theyd mauled each other the night before. I want to give Hack as much information as possible.

  He held her gaze, didnt look the least bit convinced. Gotcha.

  Oh, and he did. He always had, from the first day of class in her freshman year, when shed dragged into the auditorium at seven-thirty fully prepared to be bored out of her mind, only to see Eric Jones standing near the podium in a crisp white shirt and khaki pants, his eyes crinkling as he grinned at something a cute young blonde had said to him.

  From then on, shed been lost.

  Still was.

  Mr. Jones, when are you going to break your silence?

  No comment, Eric barked, muscling his way through the crowd of reporters camped outside the front door of his brownstone. He held Leighs hand in his.

  Just a short statement, thats all we want.

  What does the FBI have against you?

  He pushed a key in the knob and turned, ushered Leigh inside before the media circus could spill in behind them.

  Its a damn zoo, he growled.

  Theyll get bored soon enough, Leigh predicted, and move on to something else.

  He muttered something unrepeatable under his breath. The other tenants of the building had been amazingly supportive, but he knew their patience had to be wearing thin. His was. The media and the FBI were following him everywhere. His whole life was on display under a freaking microscope.

  They took the three flights of stairs leading to his apartment in silence. At his door, Eric slid the key into the deadbolt, but didnt turn the lock. Her hand still in his, Leigh stood by his side in the shadowy hallway. She wanted to go inside with him. For the first time since hed walked back into her life, she was willing to go inside his home. To be alone with him.

  After last night, the thought had his body burning with an anticipation completely out of proportion with the situation. She was his attorney, he her client. Shed made those lines starkly clear.

  They were dining in because she was tired, and though she hadnt said the words, Eric knew she hated the way people pointed at him and whispered, stared with revulsion.

  That was why they were here, he reminded himself. That was the only reason.

  But as he turned to her and saw anticipation glowing in her eyes, the way her mouth was slightly parted and her long, silky hair was blowing in the warm breeze, logic crumbled.

  Hed always thought her a stunner, but while the guys had raved about her long legs, Eric had been partial to her eyes. Long-lashed and heavy-lidded, the soft brown had glimmered with a thirst for life hed always admired. Always wanted to save just for himself.

  She had that same look to her now, a soul-shattering combination of courage and vulnerability, dread and determination. It was as though the thought of walking into his apartment alarmed her, as though she knew her life could change before she exited again, but classic, gutsy Leigh, she absolutely refused to back down.

  And he hated it. Hed made it clear hed like to take their relationship to the next level, but he didnt want her afraid of him, of them. He didnt want her going inside his apartment unless she was every bit as ready as he was.

  Leigh. He slid the hair from her face and let his fingers linger against her cheekbone. Youre sure about this?

  Her eyes flared wide, an emotion he didnt understand streaking through those deep-brown depths. But when she spoke, she sounded strong and sure. Im here, arent I?

  He slid his thumb toward her mouth and gently rubbed her lower lip. That was you and me last night, he reminded her. The memory had his body catching fire all over again. If wed been here and not standing on some run-down street, wed have ended up in bed.

  This time he recognized the emotion in her gaze, the shock and the vulnerability, the longing and the regret. They swirled deep, mixing with a sheen of moisture hed rarely seen from Leigh. She smiled softly, sadly, lifting a hand to lower his from her face.

  I didnt come here to make love with you, Eric, she said, her voice quieter than before.

  But sooner or later, it was going to happen. Too many lingering ends dangled between them, too many unexplored and unresolved feelings.

  At least you call it making love and not having sex, he said with a smile he hoped would ease the anxiety making her stand there so rigidly.

  Leigh put a hand to the door and slowly let out a raspy breath. Eric, I dont want to lead you on

  Youre not, he said, cutting her off. Youve made it clear how youd like our relationship to be. The way shed kissed him last night had shattered any question hed had. We can take it slow if you need to, as slow as you want. He wasnt going
to jump her bones or force her. You just need to know Im not going to hurt you. Im not going to hurt you ever, ever again.

  Her eyes met his, and in them, he saw an uncertainty that cut to the bone. I need a glass of water, she said in a voice suddenly thick. Its burning up out here.

  It wouldnt be any cooler inside, not with the two of them in the same room. But Eric had just promised to take things slow, so he didnt point out the obvious. Instead he held her gaze a long moment before turning from her and opening the door, letting her into his world.

  Home sweet home, Eric said, closing the door behind her.

  She stepped ahead of him and looked around, forcing Eric to see his home, his life, through her eyes. The foyer opened into a spartan main room, dominated by male essentialsa big-screen TV, a state-of-the art stereo system, a leather sofa and the obscenely comfortable recliner hed bought to commemorate his divorce. The walls were white and bare, save for two old-time framed prints of Wrigley Field hung opposite the TV. He hadnt realized Leigh would be coming over tonight, so hed not taken time to straighten the magazines and books on the battered wood trunk that served as a coffee table, but at least he didnt have fast-food bags or beer cans lying around. The ceilings were high as he preferred, with thick white crown molding circling the room. And the curtainless windows Becky would have hated let the lengthening shadows of early evening spill across the hardwood floor.

  Its wonderful, Leigh said softly, moving deeper into the room. She glanced toward the kitchen and smiled. It suits you.

  What suited him was seeing her here, with a light in her eyes and a smile on her face, in his home.

  Make yourself comfortable, he invited, gesturing toward the sofa. You sure you only want water? I picked up a killer cabernet a few weeks ago

  Actually I recommend the eighteen-year-old Glen Morangie, came a voice from behind him.

  Eric spun around on a blast of hot adrenaline, primed and ready to attack.

  The sight greeting him stopped him cold.

  Eight

  T here were three of them, tall, big men with purpose glinting in their eyes. They werent rough-hewn and dirty thugs, but casual and relaxed as they strolled from Erics kitchen as though they owned the place.

  Its about time you got here. With short dark hair and gleaming eyes, Matt Tynan looked about ten years too young to be one of the most influential presidential advisers to take Washington by storm in recent memory. We were beginning to think wed have to start without you.

  Ethan Williams grinned. Dont worry, though, Indy, he said, sauntering closer and thumping Eric on the back. As always, he had his shirtsleeves rolled up, deck shoes on his sock-less feet. We made ourselves comfortable while we waited.

  Jake shoved a glass tumbler in Erics hand. Sure beats the cheap stuff you used to keep on hand in grad school.

  Eric just stood there. Shock gave way to surprise, surprise to a levity he hadnt felt in too long. Once, theyd been inseparable, the four of them. Once, theyd been able to laugh away, shrug away, wink away anything. Theyd been boys then, even if theyd thought they were men. Life had taught them otherwise, beginning the night Erics father died. In the ensuing years life had jettisoned them down different pathsMatt into politics and Ethan into some secretive international world he refused to talk about, Jake into high financebut the friendship that bound them together had never faded.

  Eric grinned. You ever stop to think I was saving the Morangie for a special occasion?

  Ethan shrugged. Of course we did. Were here now, so no more waiting.

  Matt picked up a stack of mail from the glass table Eric occasionally used for meals and thumped down a deck of cards. You can pay the gas company later, Indy. Tonight youre going to lose your shirt instead.

  Eric watched his friends swarming around his apartment as if not a day had passed since their biggest problems had been studying for exams or deciding which girl to ask to the party Friday night, and felt the noose around his neck loosen.

  In your dreams, he said, taking the envelopes from Matt and moving them to a small table behind the sofa. And he knew. He knew the reason Leigh had been acting so jittery, the origin of the light in her eyes, the one hed attributed to sexual desire.

  Slowly, he turned to find her standing by the couch, watching them with a smile so pure, so bright, his heart almost stopped. This is why you wanted to come back to my place.

  Im not here to make love with you, Eric.

  She lifted her chin. Hope youre not disappointed.

  If only she had any idea. He closed the distance between them and before she could step away, turn away, cupped the back of her head and kissed her full on the lips. In front of everyone. She might not have come here to go to bed with him, but shed given him a gift all the same. A gift only she could have known the value of.

  Impossible, he said, pulling back to give her a smile.

  Leigh Montgomery could never disappoint him.

  But she could surprise him. The woman who met every battle head-on, whod earned the reputation of a barracuda in the courtroom, looked away abruptly. Eric wanted to turn her face back toward his, to see if that really was uncertainty hed caught in her eyes, but then Jake was there, kissing her cheek, sliding an arm around her waist.

  She grew up good, didnt she? he said, glancing toward the guys.

  Eric forced himself to look from the sight of his friends hand on Leighs body, reminded himself almost violently that he had no real claim to her and that this was Jake. His friend. The man whod warned him of the charges gathering against him, whod directed him back to Leigh in the first place.

  Shes always been perfect, Eric muttered.

  Leigh met his gaze for a long heartbeat, then glanced at Matt and Ethan, but they were grinning and cutting up, completely unaware of the private conversation between the two of them.

  Do I get a kiss, too? Ethan asked.

  Matt slugged him. Youre a married man now, 007, he reminded, angling toward Leighs face.

  Ethan didnt acknowledge the innuendo about the secret life he vehemently denied, but did give Tynan a good shove. This from the lovesick puppy whos called his fiance three times since leaving for the airport. Whats the matter? Afraid shell finally see through those Tynan moves and change her mind?

  Smiling, Leigh hugged each man. Thank you for coming.

  Anytime, Matt said with a playful wink. Ive been waiting a long time to bail the Boy Scout out of trouble.

  I hear you need a little help with the FBI, Ethan added with the devilish twinkle in his eyes that had helped earn the four of them the dubious distinction of Blues Brothers. He slid a Cuban cigar from his shirt pocket and handed it to Eric. I might have a friend or two who can help out.

  One of your nameless, faceless friends who dont really exist? Matt asked.

  Ethan only shrugged.

  Pizza should be here any minute, Jake added.

  And then Indys going down, Ethan promised. I havent forgotten those four hundred quarters you swindled from me last time. He pulled out a lighter and lit a cigar for each man. Its time to pay the piper.

  I love you, too, Con. You
just keep being a good boy for Grandma and Ill see you in a couple of days.

  Youll be at the game Saturday?

  I wouldnt miss it for the world.

  Cool.

  A few minutes later Leigh turned off her mobile phone and pressed it to her heart. She stood on Erics patio, overlooking the quiet street below. A breeze blew in from Lake Michigan, but the air remained warm and sticky, classic August in Chicago. Soon, though, cooler temps would prevail.

  At least as far as the weather was concerned.

  I didnt come here to make love with you, Eric.

  His smile had been slow, hot. At least you call it making love and not having sex.

  Even now, long hours later, Leigh wasnt sure how shed stayed standing, didnt know how he could reduce her to a jumble of nerves. Didnt know how he could ignite the ache with only a few words.

  But it wasnt just words, and that was the problem. It was how their bodies reached for each other, the lingering loose ends that wanted so badly to be tied. Make love, have sex, go to bed, the label didnt matter. The intent, the outcome, was the same.

  Resisting Eric Jones the cocksure grad student had been hard, but resisting the fully grown man, the man with simmering blue eyes and a rock-solid body, who spoke in no uncertain terms about what he wanted, who said words she would have given anything to hear ten years before, promised to be her undoing.

  Exhaling raggedly, she glanced through the sliding glass door toward the table where the four men were laughing, no doubt at one of Matts wild White House tales or one of Ethans countless innocent adventures. Seeing them together filled Leigh with a warmth and sense of rightness she hadnt felt in too long. It was like clicking the pieces of a puzzle together and discovering perfection.