by Susanna Carr
“New York,” Darrell said, as they moved toward the house.
“Is that right?” Molly asked as she tried to shake Kyle off, but he wouldn’t let go. “I’ve never been there.”
“I’ll take you there for our honeymoon,” Kyle said.
Molly went rigid. “What a wonderful idea,” she replied sweetly as she squeezed his hand tight.
Kyle ignored the powerful grip. Nothing she threw at him was going to change his mind. She’d figure it out. Sooner or later, she’d discover that wherever she went for the next week, he was going to be right there with her.
She had to make a break for it.
Molly glanced at the double doors in the living room. It had just turned dark and she was wearing dark clothes. She could creep around the island undetected and—
“Don’t you agree, Molly?”
Molly flinched and her gaze collided with Kyle’s. He was too close. Way too close. She could feel his heartbeat. It was powerful, solid, and not comforting in the least.
She wanted to get away, but he had her curled up against him as they sat on a very small settee in the formal living room. Every time she tried to get up, he was able to pin her back. Every time she was reminded that he was in charge.
“Whatever you say, Kyle,” she said with an overly bright smile. The guests chuckled, but they didn’t know her statement had an underlying hint of truth.
Because Kyle had caught her and wasn’t done with her. She felt like a field mouse being tormented by a wild cat.
She definitely had to escape.
She had tried when Diana left after coffee. It would have been so simple. She could have walked the neighbor home and kept on walking.
But Kyle had gone with Molly to the door. Worse, he held onto the back of her jeans. Her nerves had been in one messy knot, especially with Kyle’s knuckles brushing against the small of her back.
How was she going to get out of here? Molly kept going over the problem at different angles. The island was very isolated and cold. Rural and hilly. Kyle knew this place better than she.
She also couldn’t get off the island until the ferry arrived. Which was once a day. She could try and get one of the islanders to transport her to the mainland on a boat. But in the night? Would they do that? Would anyone?
“I’m going to see to dinner,” she suddenly decided and made her move. He couldn’t argue with that, right? And she needed to get away. For just five minutes. Or better yet, just not touch him.
Because even after all that happened, he still turned her mind to mush. She still got hot all over by his touch. And that was not going to work for her.
“Would you like some help?” Kyle asked, rising from the settee.
“See, Darrell?” Bridget asked, swatting her husband on the arm. “Kyle helps Molly in the kitchen.”
“That’s because he hasn’t put the wedding ring on her yet,” Darrell said as he playfully rubbed his arm. “He still has to make a good impression.”
“I don’t need any help, but thank you.” She collected some of the coffee cups and the tray. The tray served well as a shield from Kyle. “You’d probably prefer going into your office. I can call you when dinner’s ready.”
The office was on the opposite side of the house from the kitchen. Kyle must have picked that up because his eyes twinkled in response. “If you like, we can all go in the kitchen.”
“No!” She realized how bad that sounded and tried to soften it with a casual smile. “Stay where you are. I’m a…very messy and…noisy cook. Very noisy. I’m sure it would interrupt you.”
“Molly, you know it’s been so long since I’ve seen you,” Kyle said. “I just can’t keep my eyes off of you.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet.” Bridget turned to Darrell and narrowed her eyes in a pouty glare.
Darrell moved out of swatting distance. “Kyle, try not to make me look bad.”
Molly retreated, grateful for the reprieve. She was stuck for now. Maybe she could make a break for it at daylight. She glanced over her shoulder. Kyle met her gaze, his light green eyes icy and alert.
Make that before daylight.
It was only nighttime and Kyle didn’t think he could last a week of this. Of watching Molly only to remind himself why he was angry with her. A week more of following her, but keeping his emotions detached. Touching her without getting intimate.
He would go crazy.
Because she was proving to be more trouble. More of a threat. She was uncontrollable. Molly was the unforeseen variable in his guarded world.
“Good night, Molly,” Bridget said and yawned. “I don’t know why I’m this tired.”
“Good night,” Molly said, pausing from unloading the dishwasher. “You don’t want to miss the sunrise. It’s so beautiful.”
Kyle’s breath caught in his chest as he watched her face. She seemed to glow from the simple pleasure.
Oh, yeah. He would be crazy before the week was up.
“Good night, Kyle,” Bridget said.
“Let’s talk business tomorrow,” Darrell said as he escorted his wife out of the kitchen.
Kyle gave a nod of agreement and watched the guests leave. He turned and walked out of the kitchen, through the laundry room and to the back door. He slid the deadbolt home and heard it echoing in the quiet, small room.
“What are you doing?” Molly called out to him.
He thought it was self-explanatory. “Locking up.”
“Would that be locking people in, or locking them out?” he heard her muttering loudly.
“What do you think?” he asked. He wished he had a security system installed. That would be top priority when he got back to the mainland.
But for now he had to watch Molly like a hawk and forget about sleeping. Kyle turned off the lights in the laundry and walked back into the kitchen, reminding himself that he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep ever since he met Molly Connors. Or whatever her name was.
“There’s no need to lock the doors,” she said as she wiped her hands on the dish towel. “Everyone on the island is very trustworthy.”
“Everyone?” He gave her a pointed stare.
“Everyone,” she said as if she didn’t hear the innuendo. “I haven’t heard of any crime since I’ve been here.”
“And how long would that have been?”
Molly shrugged and looked away. “A while.” She cleared her throat, braced her shoulders, and met his gaze head-on. “Kyle, why are you here?”
“Molly, you are wearing my patience.” He rested his elbow on the kitchen counter and looked her in the eye. “Let’s try this again. Why are you here in my house?”
“I needed a place to stay,” she admitted. She opened her mouth to say more, but apparently thought better of it. She pressed her lips tightly together.
“What happened to your truck?”
“It was stolen or towed,” she answered, her shoulders drooping. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know,” he repeated with disbelief.
“That’s right,” she said, her temper flaring. “I don’t know. I reported it stolen and I haven’t heard anything else about it.”
“Maybe if you had stuck around you would have found out it was stolen and it turned up.”
“It did?” Her expression brightened at the news. “Was there anything left?”
“Just the sofa.”
“Why is it no one wants that sofa? I couldn’t even give it away to charity.” She shook her head and paused. She tilted her head and looked at him. “How do you know about my truck?”
“It was in the report.”
Her eyebrows dipped as she frowned. “Why would the police give you a report?”
“The police didn’t.” She could figure out the rest for herself. He wasn’t surprised that it didn’t take her long.
“You—” She glanced in the direction of the stairs and dropped her voice a level. “You had me followed?”
“Molly, if I had you followed, you would never have had t
he chance to step into this house.”
“That’s true,” Molly said. “But then how did you know?”
“I had you investigated.”
“Aha!” She jabbed a finger at him. “That’s the same thing!”
“No, it’s not.” He noticed that her reaction wasn’t what he expected. He wanted to see guilt. Concern. Panic. Instead he saw righteous anger. Either she’d led a life of good, clean living or she was a sociopath. Either possibility did not sit well with him. “Is Molly Connors your real name?”
Her mouth dropped open with shock. “I don’t believe this,” she said in a daze.
“Well?” He didn’t want to give her time to concoct a story. “Is it?”
She tossed the dish towel onto the counter. “I’m going to bed,” she announced. “Good night.”
Molly marched out of the room. Kyle made sure he was right behind her. He quietly turned off the kitchen lights, noticing that she never did explain why she chose to stay at his house.
She went up the stairs and he followed her. He found that suspicious. Did she plan to jump off the balcony? Wiggle her way out of the bathroom window? But that would ruin her plan, wouldn’t it? There was a reason she was here the same week plaza+tag came for a visit. Her mission was far from accomplished.
Molly stopped on one of the steps and looked over her shoulder. She glared at him when she discovered he was one step away from her. Too bad, Kyle thought. She had better get used to it.
When she showed no signs of moving, Kyle decided it was time to share the step. His placed his foot between hers and moved up. His chest rubbed her back, one vertebrae at a time.
Molly moved. Quickly.
And, now that Kyle thought about it as he followed her up the remaining steps, she never said if Molly Connors was her real name.
She hurried to the master bedroom and got around the door as his foot crossed the threshold. “Good night,” she said sweetly and swung the door shut.
Kyle grabbed the edge before she could shut the door on his foot. He pushed it open without much effort. She backed away as he silently stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she said in a fierce whisper.
“I’m going to bed.” He turned the lock on the door.
“Not here.” She moved her arms wide as if blocking off the area.
“Yes, here.” Kyle kicked off his shoes. “We’re engaged, remember?”
“Not officially.”
Kyle felt his jaw tighten. “Don’t even get me started. If we’re a couple, we sleep together.”
Molly’s expression went completely blank.
“I should warn you,” he said as he pulled off his shirt. “I sleep naked.”
Chapter 12
Her gaze darted all over the bedroom suite. Everywhere—anywhere—but at Kyle’s bronzed, sculpted chest. “Then I’m not sleeping here.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I’m going into the other bedroom.” She reached for the door.
“Think again.” He plucked her hand off the doorknob. “I need to keep my eye on you.”
“I promise I won’t make a run for it tonight.” And she meant it. She wanted to wait until the temperature went above the freezing level.
“Oh, well, as long as you give me your word.” He rolled his eyes. “We know how much weight your word carries.”
Well, he had her there. “Then I’ll sleep in this sitting room. On that chair.” She motioned to the cushy leather chair that had a matching ottoman.
She should be very comfortable there. Especially with Kyle staying in the next room. Naked.
Hmm. She should try to forget that last part, or she’d never get any sleep.
“Next to the door?” He pulled her toward the bedroom. “I don’t think so.
“What’s wrong with that?” Molly dragged her heels. She bet she looked undignified, but that was the price to pay to get her way.
“That would mean I have to stay between you and the door.” He pulled her into the bedroom. “And I’m sleeping in a bed tonight.”
“Fine. Sleep there.” She motioned at the huge sleigh bed. “Be my guest.”
Kyle gave her a look of warning.
“I’m sleeping here.” She plopped down onto the floor and crisscrossed her legs. She folded her arms across her chest, just in case he didn’t get the point.
“Go ahead.” He grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.
She caught it before it hit her in the face. “I prefer the other one. It’s softer.”
Kyle ignored her. “Sleep over there.” He motioned to the other side of the room. “Away from the door.”
“Fine.” She got up and walked over there. She tossed the pillow onto the rug and lay down.
Crossing her arms, she looked up at the ceiling. “Just for the record, you’re going to have a hard time getting me arrested. Everyone is going to know that you invited me to stay in your house after finding me here.”
Kyle didn’t say anything. She listened intently and heard the rustle of his clothes.
“In fact,” Molly continued hurriedly, “you’re inviting me into your bedroom, and don’t think I won’t be mentioning that in my statement.”
“I can’t wait to see how you’ll embellish it,” he said dryly.
Molly shivered as a cold draft wafted over her. Maybe it was a good idea that she had already planned to make her escape first thing in the morning.
“And I’m not going to the authorities,” Kyle admitted.
“You’re not?” Her muscles went stiff. Kyle could easily throw her jail and he decided against it? He must have something more diabolical in mind. “Why?” she asked suspiciously.
“Because you’re of more use to me outside a jail cell.” Kyle suddenly stood before her. To Molly’s relief, he was still wearing his trousers. “Are you going to sleep like that?” he asked.
“Yes.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Good night.”
“You know,” he said almost impatiently. “Your virtue is safe with me.”
Molly sighed. “Oh, for crying out loud. Let me repeat myself. I’m not a virgin.”
“I’m not going to jump you.”
Molly clucked her tongue. “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it.”
“Oh?” She peeked at him through one eye. “The attraction wore off the minute I wasn’t working for you?”
“No, more like the minute I found out you stole and lied to me.” The skin on his face tightened, emphasizing the harsh angles of his cheekbones. “I’m not into women who are looking for ways to hurt me.”
Molly flinched and rose to a sitting position. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“You snuck into my house.”
“You have more than one house,” she pointed out.
“That doesn’t make it any less illegal,” Kyle said as he walked away from her.
“So arrest me.” She wasn’t going to let him keep taunting her with the possibility.
“That doesn’t fit into my plans,” he repeated and looked out the window.
“What does, then?” Impatience clipped her words.
“It sure didn’t include you cavorting around the island as my fiancée.”
“I do not cavort. Cavort.” She tried the word out on her tongue. “What kind of word is that, anyway?”
He looked away from the window. “You wanna be my fiancée?”
“Not particularly.”
“Then that’s what you get. You’re going to be my fiancée.”
“For marriage proposals, that one blew.” She held up her hand. “Just saying.”
“And,” Kyle continued relentlessly, “you have to be the best damn fiancée this world has ever seen.”
Oh, great. There was no way she could meet that kind of expectation. She could knock herself out trying, and it wouldn’t be enough. Kyle would hold it over her head how she didn’t fulfill her side of the bargain.
�
�I hate to break this to you,” she told him, “but that’s impossible. There’s no job description for a fiancée.”
“Sure there is. You have to be thoughtful and considerate to my needs.”
“Uh…” She held up her hand. “Wait a minute.”
“And be”—the look he gave her was dark and sensual—“demonstrative while maintaining a certain…decorum.”
She stared at him, openmouthed.
Kyle obviously was reviewing what he said and gave a sharp nod. “Yeah, that’s about it.”
“Here’s an idea. Why don’t you save us both the aggravation and just ‘fire’ me?” She made quotation marks with her fingers. “You’re real good at that.”
“Because I have to show Darrell and Bridget that I make good decisions and that I can trust the right person.” His tone took on a bitter edge. “My choice in a fiancée reflects that.”
“Basically, I’m the embodiment of your good judgment.” Her mouth reluctantly twitched. She could cause all sorts of trouble.
Kyle must have arrived at the same conclusion. “Mess up on this and you will regret it.”
“Hey, why are you putting all the responsibility on me? You could have blown my story anytime, but you didn’t.”
Kyle ran his hand through his hair, the movement thick with agitation. “Because I can’t afford the chance of you running away again.”
“I do not run away.” She was offended that he would think such a thing. “I never run away.”
“What do you call this?” He gestured around him.
“A change of scenery? A fresh start? Taking control of my future? Take your pick.”
Kyle scoffed at the idea.
“I don’t know why you need to keep tabs on me anyway,” she said as she lay back down.
She heard Kyle’s hesitation. “So you could lead us to your buyer.”
Buyer? What was he talking about? “What buyer?”
“For the trade secrets.”
Why did he think she had stolen that information? What could she do to prove her innocence? “You are wasting your time. I didn’t steal that spec.”
Kyle sliced his hand through the air. “I don’t want to get into it.”
Molly made a face. “Oh, sure, now—”