Solace in Scandal

by Kimberly Dean

  He stepped up to the trunk. ‘Let me help you unload.’

  ‘That’s all right. I can do it.’

  She didn’t want to make more work for him.

  ‘Nonsense.’ He’d already lifted the heaviest of the boxes from the trunk, and she stepped aside to let him pass.

  Elena wasn’t sure she’d made the right decision. The manor looked as vacant as it had for the past month, but she could feel the new presence. The aura of the place had changed. The sleeping giant had awakened. She could feel it in the air; she could sense it in the ground beneath her feet.

  Alex Wolfe wasn’t a person who could be ignored, but she was going to do her best to avoid him. She needed to avoid them all.

  Movement caught the corner of her eye, and her head snapped around. A curtain in a far window of the mansion swayed before settling back into place.

  A shiver ran through her, and she grabbed a box from the trunk. The weight pulled heavily at the muscles in her arms, but she lugged the clothing back into the cottage and set it on the floor near the door. ‘Over here is fine, Leonard.’

  His white eyebrows pulled together. ‘Do you want Marta to help you unpack?’

  ‘No need.’ She nudged the box closer to the wall with her foot. Unpacking wasn’t part of her newly formed plan. She wanted to be ready to go, in case she needed to leave fast.

  The butler finally bowed at the waist. ‘Then I’ll send her down with some hot chocolate for you.’

  Elena did her best to work up a smile, allowing him that much. She knew he only wanted to help. Hot chocolate had been the treat he’d given her when she’d been young and in his care. ‘That would be lovely. Thank you so much, Leonard, for everything.’

  By the time she’d lugged in everything from her car, Marta was on her doorstep with a warm mug of cocoa. Elena accepted it gratefully. It had always managed to soothe her, but fixing her current problems would be a challenge. She sipped at the sweetness as she looked out of the window to the lake. All was still out there. No breezes disturbed the haze, and the water looked like black glass. Deep and endless.

  It gave off the oddest looming sensation.

  She wandered over to the side window and peered up at the manor. He’d been watching her again. She’d felt it. The back of her neck had prickled, yet a warm spark had run through her veins.

  A warm, pulsing spark.

  She shook her head. This was wrong. All wrong. She couldn’t stay here, yet she couldn’t leave. She was locked in the wolves’ den, trusting the alpha male to protect her from the danger outside the lair.

  It was insane. How had she gotten herself into this mess? What was she supposed to do now?

  Jerking away from the window, she walked about the house. The mug cooled in her hands as she considered her options. There weren’t many. She found herself in the doorway to her office. Piles of paper were strewn about, notes were taped to the walls, and her laptop waited for power. She was so close to making a breakthrough, she could feel it.

  Yet it was all so close to slipping through her fingers.

  She rolled her tight neck. Alex Wolfe had ruined everything.

  She slammed the mug down on the coffee table, pivoted on her heel and headed to the door. She’d found a sanctuary, but all she wanted to do right now was run.

  ‘Damn that man,’ she hissed.

  Why did some people have it so easy, while others had to plod and fight?

  Moving past the dock, she headed for the trail that rounded the far side of the lake. She’d taken it several times over the past few weeks. The silence and the remoteness might help calm her down, especially the remoteness.

  She couldn’t shake the feel of him watching her.

  The air was thick as she settled into a brisk hiking pace. There really was no air stirring today. The leaves weren’t rustling and the lake wasn’t lapping against the shore. It created an odd combination of serenity and foreboding. The mist in the air gathered around her, and it was only then that she realised she’d forgotten to put on a jacket. She wrapped her arms around herself and kept on going. The trees had closed in behind her and she could no longer see the manor bearing over her. Its overwhelming presence had disappeared.

  With it, some of the tension left her shoulders.

  Leaves crackled under her feet as she walked along the well-worn path, but even that noise was muted. The dampness coated the undergrowth, too. Lifting her chin, Elena inhaled the moist coolness. It was like a different world out here, and all of it was Wolfe property.

  Maybe they really could avoid each other. The plot of land was huge, even for the wealthy who lived in this part of the state. Celebrities and politicians, writers and music-makers were all neighbours in this upscale New York county.

  What must it be like to have that kind of wealth? To be able to live in a place that pushed the rest of the world away?

  Who would risk all of this to take more?

  She shook her head. Maybe she could hide away here for a little longer, at least until she had some answers and finished her dissertation. In the end, that was what was most important, her education. Her life plan. She doubted she’d ever be wealthy like this, but she needed to be able to support herself.

  She ran a hand through her hair and found it heavy with dew. Out here, things seemed clearer. Calmer. Yes, she could do it. She needed to hunker down anyway. She’d dive into her work and ignore whoever or whatever was happening up at the main house. It didn’t concern her anyway.

  At least, that was what she kept telling the reporters.

  Movement suddenly caught her eye, cutting her thoughts short. She stopped in her tracks, all her attention focusing on her surroundings.

  Had that been a deer?

  She peered through the openings in the trees. The leaves that still clung to the bushes made it difficult to see. With the dreary day, everything was blending. After a few hopeful moments, she decided she’d missed the sighting and continued.

  That was when she heard the rustling on the path ahead of her.

  Or was it further up the hill?

  She stopped again and tried to quiet her breaths. One thing was for certain, she wasn’t alone in the forest.

  Listening hard, she picked up the gentle crunch of leaves and twigs against the softened earth. Her gazed darted around the area until she saw a figure moving through the trees. It wasn’t a deer. It was walking upright along what must be another path, higher on the hill. A man.

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  Someone was stalking around the property and, from the way he moved, he was up to no good. For a moment, he stepped into a space where the branches were bare and she could see him more clearly. He wore a fleece jacket with the hood pulled up over his head. His feet were swift and sure as he moved along the path with hardly any sound.

  Elena took a step back.

  Someone was trespassing. A photographer? A journalist? Something worse?

  Her heart began racing.

  Quickly, she evaluated her options. He hadn’t seen her yet, or at least she didn’t think so. She looked down at herself. At least she wasn’t wearing bright colours. She rubbed her hands over her arms. Goosebumps dotted every patch of exposed skin, and a shiver ran down her spine. She glanced back along the path. She could go back the way she’d come, but she was on the main hiking trail around the lake. If others were sneaking around in these woods, she might run into them.

  Her teeth worried her lower lip. There was a fishing spot down on the shore not far from where she was. From there, another trail ran along the edge of the lake. She could move quickly there. It was the shortest path back to the cabin.

  She watched the figure and the silent way it moved until the grey sweatshirt blended in again with the fog. Keeping her steps quiet and her breaths quieter, she took the fork in the path that would take her away from him. Only the way was slick. She slipped once and had to catch a sapling to keep from falling. By the time she made it to the clearing along the l
ake, her legs were quivering.

  She stepped over a fallen log and bent at the waist to take a steadying breath.

  It choked off in her throat when she realised she wasn’t alone.

  The man with the hood stood lakeside with his back to her. As she watched, he side-armed a rock over the surface. It skipped three times before sinking into the dark depths.

  Elena took a cautious step back and then another. She’d just about made her escape into the trees when the heel of her boot knocked against the fallen log. She tensed as the man turned.

  And she found herself looking into Alex Wolfe’s silver-grey eyes.

  She sucked in a surprised ‘Oh!’ but then her mouth snapped shut. Fight or flight? The question struck her like a blow on the chest, but she found she could do neither. Instead, her heart beat like a drum-roll as she stared into the face of the man she’d sworn to avoid.

  She waited for him to say something, but he watched her as warily as she watched him. He was taller and bigger than her, by nearly a foot and way too many pounds, all of them muscle. He had the fleece zipped close, and it emphasised the lean mass of his body.

  Elena’s mouth went dry. He was an impressive figure, yet nothing could have prepared her for the astuteness in those silver-grey eyes. It was like looking into the eyes of an actual wolf.

  A hungry, sexual wolf.

  Her entire body gave one delicious pulse. There was so much to see in those eyes. Hunger, anger, determination and desperation – but the emotions were there for only a moment. He blinked and, when he looked at her again, it was as if shutters had come down over his soul.

  Only the hunger remained.

  That was the one thing he couldn’t hide, and a muscle in his jaw ticked. He wasn’t happy to see her or he wasn’t happy that she’d seen him.

  It was difficult to tell which.

  She pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say. ‘Hello’ would just sound stupid. ‘I’m sorry’ was better, but she refused to say the words to a man who had more to apologise for than anyone she knew. In the end, she just nodded. She started to turn away, but he moved then, pushing off his hood.

  His hair was mussed. Without the hood, the shadow of his dusty beard seemed darker. Those silver eyes were still bright, and that face … It was a face that had graced magazine covers from Fortune to Business Week to GQ, but if he photographed well, he was even more beautiful in person.

  Her stomach squeezed, but this time the sensation was deeper and more resounding.

  God, why did he have to turn her into mush? Why couldn’t he be smelly and hideous? It felt like a betrayal to be so attracted to him.

  She wanted to step forward. She made herself take a step back down the trail instead.

  ‘Wait.’

  Her gaze snapped up to his face. The word had been soft, but the authority made her even more aware of him.

  He reached for the zipper on his fleece. ‘You’re cold.’

  He shrugged the hoodie off his shoulders before she knew what he intended to do. Stepping forward, he held it out to her. She looked at the offering. It was such a simple gesture. Nothing flashy or inappropriate, but, like her attraction to him, she didn’t want it.

  Yet looking at the jacket made her unbearably aware of the chill that had seeped right down to her bones. The low-hanging fog had coated everything – her clothes, her skin, her hair. Unlike him, she hadn’t dressed for a hike. Her boots were flats, but more for fashion than for traipsing along the underbrush. They were zipped over her skinny jeans, and her lightweight sweater didn’t provide much warmth. It clung, but its three-quarter sleeves didn’t fully cover her arms. She shivered as she looked at the fleece he was holding out to her. Her wrists ached and her fingers felt numb.

  ‘You can give it back to Leonard when you’re done with it.’

  He watched her, those entrancing eyes becoming more guarded. Who was the wild beast being tamed here?

  Elena was proud, but she wasn’t rude. She was freezing, and they both knew it.

  ‘Thank you.’ She took the final step forward that put her in reach. She stayed there only long enough to take the jacket. He was watching, so she sorted out the hood and the arms. Swinging it around her shoulders, she pushed her hands into the sleeves.

  A fierce shudder went through her when she felt the warmth.

  The heavy sweatshirt material felt soft and substantial. That alone would have been enough, but it still held his body heat. Her hands began shaking more as she realised just how cold she was. Her fingers were clumsy as she tried to catch the zipper. The two of them stood uncomfortably, feet apart, as she tried to start the metal tab. He’d just moved towards her when it caught. Shying away, she yanked the zipper all the way up to her chest.

  It was only then that she realised another tell-tale sign she’d been giving off. Her face flared. Her nipples were hard. Their outline was clear against the light blue sweater she was wearing. The dampness made the material even more clingy, and the chill didn’t help her condition. The hard peaks were still obvious with the bulky sweatshirt covering her.

  Her chin snapped up, but his head came up much more slowly.

  He’d seen. Obviously, he’d seen.

  When he finally dragged his gaze to her face, the heat was back. It smacked into her like the air coming out of an oven on a cold winter’s day.

  Elena wanted to be angry and offended, but then she saw how he looked in his hiking boots, jeans and grey T-shirt. He didn’t look like any billionaire she’d ever seen before. He looked like lust felt. Helplessly, her gaze scraped over him. The T-shirt was the soft kind that took the shape of whatever it was draped across, and there were all kinds of arcs and valleys she wanted to explore more. His biceps were thick, and his shoulders were wide. His chest was powerful, tapering down to a narrow waist. As she watched, the dampness in the air seeped into that dry material and the delineation of his muscles and tendons became more defined.

  As did his masculine nipples.

  Her mouth watered, and she jerked her gaze away. The heat in her cheeks was now a raging fire. It was time to go. With a nod, she dipped her head and turned. She didn’t look back as she walked shakily down the path that ran along the lake.

  The chill coming off the water was worse, even though the air stood like bated breath. She tugged the hood up over her head and pulled her hands into the sleeves. The hoodie was way too big for her, yet the extra material was appreciated. It hung down to her thighs and bundled her up.

  She shuddered again, the warmth almost hurting.

  Giving in, she glanced over her shoulder. She was disappointed to find he’d turned away. Another stone went skipping along the surface of the lake. He’d forgotten her as quickly as he’d noticed her.

  The ball of heat building in her belly turned hard. That was the Wolfe she expected.

  Tucking her chin against her chest, she watched her steps as she hurried back to the cabin. The time it took to get back was less than half what it had taken to round the lake to the fishing spot, but it seemed like for ever. Stepping inside, she quickly closed the door behind her so the heat couldn’t escape.

  ‘Darn it,’ she hissed.

  Her shivers were constant now, and she stomped her feet. She walked over to the thermostat and turned the heat up another five degrees. The hoodie might have warmed her core, but her feet were cold. She pulled off her boots, but her jeans were damp, too. With fumbling fingers, she unzipped them and pushed them to the floor.

  Her shivers were becoming shudders that had her teeth clacking. She scurried to the bed, jumped in and pulled the covers up to her nose. The cocoon felt cosy and safe. Burrowing deeper, she waited for the warmth to come. Even her insides were trembling.

  Problem was, she didn’t know if it was from the cold or from running into him.

  ‘What was he doing out there?’ She’d thought she’d been safe that far out on the property, but she’d somehow managed to run into the very person she was trying to get awa
y from.

  She’d dreamed about that encounter every day for practically the past two years. It was what had kept her up last night, worrying and obsessing, but once it had been upon her, none of it had gone the way she’d imagined. She’d thought there’d be angry words. Tears and more lies.

  Not that.

  The cold knot in her stomach gave way to confusion.

  All she could think about was the heat that had been in his eyes. Her eyelids drooped as she remembered those fascinating eyes, that gorgeous face and all those emotions that had quickly been shut off. A pretty exterior for such a flawed soul.

  Another shiver went through her and she rubbed her legs together, trying to generate heat. She got more than she expected when the borrowed hoodie chafed high on her thighs. A gasp escaped her lips, and she went stock still. It only made her more aware of the garment that held her body, wrapping around it like a lover.

  She took a shaky breath and smelled a musky cologne, faint yet powerful. His scent.

  Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling. He was a callous man; she couldn’t forget that. Look at how many investors he’d betrayed. Look at the way he’d just turned his back on her. Her nostrils flared as she took another potent drag. Her hips rolled ever so slightly, testing the sensation again.

  ‘Mmm,’ she hummed helplessly.

  The ribbed material at the hem created the sexiest of caresses, and her fingers clenched inside the sleeves of the fleece.

  She knew he was dangerous, yet he’d given her the very shirt off his back.

  How was she supposed to process that?

  Her teeth sank into her lower lip. The heater cranked steadily, creating a soothing purr. Fatigue was pulling at her. That, and something else. The tension that she’d sustained all night was shifting into something just as powerful and maybe more profound.

  Her body relaxed deeper into the softness of the bed. Warmth was finally settling over the room. Instead of the bite of a chill, she now felt the softness of the sweatshirt against her bare arms. The hood kissed the side of her neck, making it arch. The teasing was gentle, but it surrounded her, especially down low.