Deal Breaker

by Patricia Rosemoor

  So when he walked in the door after she’d gotten a pot of water heating on the stove and the sausage broiling in the countertop oven, she said, “You’re going to have to do some grocery shopping tomorrow.” She pulled two twenties and a ten from her wallet. “Here’s enough to get some groceries and put a couple of gallons of gas in your tank so you can get around town.”

  “I thought you weren’t helping me anymore.”

  Bryce had been the one who’d said that, but she didn’t want to bring him into this. “I’m helping me. I’m planning on having lunch here if I’m at the office. And if you don’t have gas, how are you going to look for work?”

  “Listen, Hailey, I really am going to look here in Lake Geneva. It’s better I stay away from Chicago, at least for now, but if I can’t find a job on my own here, if Bryce is still willing to give me work on his new project, I’ll take it. I’m going to clean up my act this time.”

  Hailey only wished that was true. She hadn’t wanted to believe Bryce when he’d told her he’d “heard” Danny think otherwise. But she wasn’t a fool, just a sister who desperately wanted her old brother back.

  “I might be able to help you with the work thing. If the Anderson brothers are on board doing some renovations on Widow’s Peak before putting it on the market, maybe they can hire you. There’s a lot to be done.”

  “I’m not a skilled laborer.”

  “You know how to use a paint brush. And gardening tools. And a bucket and a mop—”

  Before she could finish, the sound of boiling water hitting the stove sent her running back to the kitchen. Dang, just as she’d been getting started.

  A quarter of an hour later, when they sat down to eat, Danny said, “So tell me more about Widow’s Peak. What kind of things need to be done there.”

  Hoping that he wasn’t just trying to con her, Hailey began telling him about the house and the things that needed doing.

  Leaving out her ghostly experience.

  And her almost being drowned in the Chicago River.

  IT was nearly ten o’clock when Hailey headed for McKenna Ridge. She didn’t know why she hadn’t told Danny about almost drowning. She didn’t want him to blame himself. If this Danny would. He hadn’t even asked about her wedding or her new husband or her plans for the future. He’d acted like nothing had changed, even when he’d hugged her as she’d left her own house.

  Surprised that Bryce hadn’t called her, she was also pleased that he was giving her time to adjust to their new relationship. Perhaps she should have breakfast with him in the morning and try to get things on track. Or perhaps they could have a nightcap and talk things out, get to know each other better.

  She really owed him so much both for Danny and for herself, and she hadn’t been properly appreciative.

  Why was it that Bryce could so easily push her buttons when he’d done only good things for her? What was that all about?

  He was the same person he’d always been, one she’d always liked. She needed to keep that in mind. If he said or did things that disappointed her, perhaps she was expecting too much of him…just as she expected too little of her own brother.

  No one was perfect, but most people had good in them. She simply needed to concentrate on the good in Bryce. Not that wanting to make a lot of money was bad. She was simply in a weird situation and with her and Bryce being at odds over Danny, she was probably being too critical of his every move in trying to make that deal.

  When Hailey turned onto the long drive downhill, she noted Bryce’s SUV wasn’t the only vehicle outside the garage. A BMW sat next to it. Who was visiting so late? she wondered.

  She didn’t have long to wonder. Upon opening the door, she heard voices drift from the family room toward her. One, as expected, belonged to Bryce. And decidedly unexpected, the other voice belonged to James Croft.

  Hailey groaned and wondered if she could sneak down to her suite without being detected, and then she called herself a coward for even considering doing so. Bryce had come through with his half of the bargain and saved her brother’s life. On the other hand, while she had married Bryce to bring Croft on board, it seemed she had a way to go to make that happen. So she passed up the door to her downstairs suite and entered the family room instead.

  “Hailey, there you are.”

  Aware of the tension in Bryce’s voice, Hailey wondered what they’d been discussing. Had Croft shut down Bryce’s project? Smiling brilliantly, she crossed the room, bent over to brush her lips across her husband’s, ignoring the way her pulse picked up at the brief contact, and faced James Croft.

  “Well, hello. What a surprise.”

  “A happy one for you.”

  A bit taken aback, she said, “Of course I’m always glad to see Bryce’s business colleagues.”

  “No, I mean for you. I’m so enamored of the area, I definitely want to buy on Geneva Lake and I’m giving you my business.”

  “Wonderful.” Hailey tried not to sound too excited. “There are several properties I can show you in the area.”

  “I’m really interested in Widow’s Peak. It has a certain cache, a history that I can get behind. I’ve been doing my internet research. I simply must have the place!”

  How odd. He hadn’t even seen the property. Surely he didn’t mean he would buy Widow’s Peak sight unseen.

  “I don’t have the contract yet, but I’m working on it,” she said.

  “So what kinds of impressions do you get from the place? Any spirits wandering around?”

  “There are probably spirits wandering around any old residence,” Hailey said evasively. It almost sounded like that might be a selling point for him. “I should know if I’ll be handling the estate by the end of the week.”

  Croft frowned. “Why wait that long? Give the owner an offer for me.”

  “That’s only two or maybe three days. Besides, we haven’t come to a price point yet. It depends on whether not the Andersons want to invest in the property by renovating it first. Widow’s Peak needs a fair amount of work—”

  “Which I prefer doing myself,” Croft said with a wave of his hand.

  “I would guess the Anderson brothers are eager to make top dollar,” Bryce said. “Which would mean their having the work done before putting it on the market.”

  Croft settled down a bit. “Perhaps I should talk to the Andersons myself.”

  Which meant he might go around her and cut her out of the sale, which was possible because the brothers hadn’t yet signed the contract. Hailey tried not to panic. “Let’s not be hasty. I will let Ray and Mike know that you’re interested, renovations or not, and see what they say.”

  “Fair enough. I can let you have a couple of days.”

  Recognizing the threat for what it was, Hailey didn’t thank him. She was getting a bad feeling about this.

  Why was Croft so desperate to get Widow’s Peak no matter the condition of the house? Hailey wondered. Because he wanted to tear down the old Queen Anne and redevelop the area by splitting the land into smaller lots and then building several new multimillion-dollar mansions? She hated the thought, but business was business. If he could get permission to chop up the land—she had no doubt his pockets were deep enough to see that was done—then it made sense, of course.

  Did that mean Bryce’s housing development company would be part of that particular project?

  Surely someone with Bryce’s connection to the area and the old lake houses wouldn’t want to see a significant piece of the area history destroyed. If he were part of such a plan, Hailey would be sorely disappointed in him.

  BRYCE was relieved when Croft finally left. “I need some fresh air,” he said, pouring a glass of wine at the bar. He offered it to Hailey. “How about you?”

  “Sounds good.”

  She took the wineglass from him and he poured another. They went out to the small patio several steps down from the house.

  The night was perfect. Cool but not cold. A breeze rustling the trees. And
the moon was just peeking out from behind some clouds. It could be called romantic if he were in that frame of mind. Glancing at Hailey, Bryce thought it too bad they had so many points of disagreement. He wondered what it would take to remove any obstacles to the bedroom. Or to anywhere for that matter. The thought of taking her out here in the wave pool or on one of the lounge chairs made him restless. Once was simply not enough for him.

  Bryce waited until she made herself comfortable in one of the cushioned chairs before saying, “I had no idea Croft was going to show up here this evening.”

  “You don’t seem very happy about it.”

  “He can be tiresome,” Bryce admitted. He leaned against the iron railing so he could face Hailey. Moon light became her, made her skin glow a silvery blue, gave her a downright magical aura. “I thought Croft wanted to have a business dinner, but all he talked about was buying into the area, and more specifically Widow’s Peak.”

  “Did he say why that property specifically?” And why he’s so interested in whether Widow’s Peak is haunted?

  Although Bryce had been wondering about Croft’s interest as well, he didn’t respond to Hailey’s thought lest he put her off again.

  “Croft simply went on about wanting to start a family tradition like we have here at McKenna Ridge. He said Widow’s Peak had to be the most unique estate around and he didn’t want what everyone else had.”

  “Did he make you a believer?”

  “To tell the truth…I don’t know.”

  “He’s very insistent.”

  “Like I said before, when James Croft wants something, he doesn’t give up until he gets it.”

  Great. He already creeps me out. A sale is a sale—I have to remember that.

  Hailey’s thoughts made Bryce wish he had an alternative backer so they could both be free of the man.

  “So how did your day go?” he asked.

  “Mrs. Polder still didn’t see a house she liked. I’m starting to wonder if she really wants to buy or if she’s simply looking because she’s bored and wants something to do.”

  “Sorry. And I’m sorry Ray and Mike didn’t sign.”

  “I do think they’re on board. I was honest with them and told them the price would depend on whether they did what amounts to a lot of work on the place. They asked me to make a list of what I thought was necessary and they would see the difference in return over trying to sell as is. Truthfully, it’s very difficult to sell a property in that shape unless the buyer’s intention is to tear it down. But that’s not what Croft wants to do, right?”

  Why was she looking at him so intently? He tried to read her thoughts, but he suddenly felt as if he were standing outside a closed door. He wasn’t getting anything off her.

  “As far as I know Croft wants to live in the house. If he has other plans, he didn’t say so.” Then again, the man had been acting strangely. Not exactly out of character, simply more intense than usual, as if he had some secret reason for wanting the house. “So you’ll be at Widow’s Peak tomorrow?”

  She nodded. “I was there tonight. I wanted to delve further into that vibe that disturbed me on Sunday. I wanted to clear it up alone. Mike will be there tomorrow, and he doesn’t want to hear about spirits or the feelings I get from the house.”

  “And did you clear it up?”

  Hailey got to her feet and moved to the railing next to him and stared out to the lake. “Not exactly.”

  Turning around to join her, Bryce realized she was looking out toward Widow’s Peak now. Not that it was visible at night. He got the distinct feeling there was something Hailey was holding back. Whatever it was, she was blocking him from tuning into it. Certain she would tell him when she was ready to talk about whatever it was, he didn’t press her.

  “So what now?”

  “Now I get to tour the place with Mike looking over my shoulder.”

  “I might be able to help you with that.”

  “How?”

  “Bring me along. I can distract Mike, keep him off your back while you work.”

  Hailey grinned. “I can see it now. But that’s unfair to you. It’s my problem. You’ll be bored.”

  He wanted nothing more than to work side-by-side with her, to see her smiling at him like that all the time.

  “Hey, we’re a team now and I’m all for teamwork. Besides, I won’t be bored. I’ve never been inside the place. I could help figure out the costs of the work you want the Andersons to do on the place. Renovation is my business after all.”

  Again, she gave him an odd look before asking, “You’re sure about this?”

  “Positive.”

  Her expression softened. “All right. Deal.” She held out her hand for a shake.

  One touch and Bryce was lost. As if an electrical current pulsed through him, making him act, he pulled her into his arms. “I prefer sealing the deal like this.”

  He leaned into Hailey and her eyes widened, but she didn’t move away. Bryce brushed his lips over hers. Knowing he should leave it at that, he simply couldn’t, not when she sighed and swayed into him. He slid his arms around her back, pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

  He didn’t mean to take it any further.

  Then Hailey pressed herself more firmly into him. His physical response negated clear thinking. His erection was doing the thinking for him and he rubbed against her to tell her so. Her response was a moan, and she slid one leg up around his thigh so that her weight pressed him into the iron railing in back and into the vee between her thighs in front, making all his blood rush to that one place that make him ache for her.

  Wanting to feel her soft flesh, he slid his hands up under her sweater and easily undid her bra and found her breasts.

  “Hell,” he murmured into her mouth. “Let’s get into the wave pool.”

  They quickly undressed each other, hands exploring. When she pulled down his trousers, she dropped to her knees, so she could run her tongue along his length and surround him with her lips. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he held her head and rocked his hips so that he plundered her eager mouth. Her hands were still exploring, her fingers curling around him, and as if she could sense exactly when he was about to come, she stopped and pulled away.

  He tugged her up and into his arms, and kissing her, danced her all the way to the wave pool. By the time they got into the water, he thought he would surely explode. He lifted her and pulled her to him, sex to sex. Her legs curled around his hips as she sank along his shaft.

  Shaking and fighting to stay the distance, he let her go so that her upper body floated back as if she were lying on a water mattress. He could see her face and touch her breasts as he moved inside her. He captured her nipples and worked them until she cried out with pleasure and moved her hips faster. Then he slid a hand between them and found her clit, stroking and pulling at it until she cried out again, her body stiffening.

  Unable to hold on any longer, he came hard and fast.

  She pulled herself up so she could kiss him.

  He kissed her back, hard and deep.

  For a moment, he lost himself in the softness of her body, in the sweet taste of her mouth, in the sense of possession gripping him when she snaked her arms up around his neck and clung to him.

  For a moment, he imagined anything was possible with Hailey.

  For a moment…

  And then the moment was over because that feeling he got—the one that warned him when he was heading for trouble, reminding him of why he couldn’t love her or why they shouldn’t be doing this—took charge.

  Sheelin O’Keefe’s prophecy suddenly filled his thoughts. Bryce pulled his head from Hailey’s and pushed her free of him, his very soul wracked with pain. It was a physical sensation, though not one he could attribute to any particular body part. He ached all over for what he couldn’t have…for what couldn’t be.

  Eyes wide, Hailey stared at him, her expression questioning, as if she were waiting for him to explain.

  “I lost
my head.” Bryce tried to ignore the way his chest squeezed tight and his stomach knotted. “I forgot our bargain. Sorry.”

  Without saying a word, she spun around in the water and flew up the steps. Grabbing her abandoned clothing, she headed back inside the house, her flawless flesh silvered in the moonlight, making him ache to follow. Even though every instinct told him to go after her and apologize and take her straight to bed where he could make love to her throughout the night into the wee hours of the morning, Bryce held himself in tight check.

  He had to stop this madness before it was too late.

  Because no matter how much he wanted to deny his legacy, no matter how much he wanted to believe what they’d had was just sex, he was starting to feel far more than was safe for her.

  Chapter Ten

  After tossing and turning half the night thinking about what had happened in the pool, Hailey overslept. A quick shower was all she allowed herself before throwing on tan dress pants and a matching boatneck sweater. Brushing out her hair, she swiped on some lipstick, grabbed her shoulder bag and rushed up the stairs.

  Would Bryce still want to go to Widow’s Peak after last night? she wondered, still upset at the sudden turnaround. She would have done anything with him if he had only asked. Had he merely been restraining himself to keep to his promise as he’d said?

  She’d been hurt when he’d pushed her away, but perhaps he was fighting himself, trying to live up to his part of their bargain. She hadn’t argued with him, hadn’t told him she’d wanted him. Would he have changed his mind if she had? If she had admitted she was falling for him, would he have run the other way?

  Confused and upset with herself as much as with Bryce, Hailey was decidedly uncomfortable at the thought of spending the morning with him. Part of her hoped he’d thought better of coming with her.

  Apparently not.

  The coffee was made. The counter was laid out with two small plates of food—bread, cheese, strawberries. Dressed in tan slacks and a white polo shirt, Bryce was obviously waiting for her. His plate was already half-empty.