by Jen Talty
“Thanks.” She cuddled up like a kitten when he stepped outside. The cool breeze smacked him in the face like a cold bucket of water.
Her thumb glided across his neck and her warm breath heated his skin, reminding him of their kiss in the bar. He wanted to hold her. Make love to her in the moonlight. But not tonight. It wouldn’t be right. He wasn’t sure any time would be right with her. Not because he didn’t want her, but because she deserved more than he could ever give anyone.
He settled her into his bed and took a step back. Deciding she couldn’t possibly be comfortable in her jeans, he reached for her zipper. His fingers trembled. He fumbled with the stupid thing as if he’d never used one before.
“Need a little help,” she mumbled, pushing his hands aside. She slipped from her jeans with ease, lifted her shirt over her head, and tossed it to the side.
He blinked, then blinked again, but couldn’t rip his eyes from her half naked form. He kept telling himself to turn away, but instead he just stared at her matching pink bra and lace panties. “Damn.”
He yanked the comforter and tossed it over her. A soft, rosy scent filtered around him, sending his pulse into a frenzy. She shifted beneath the blanket, snuggled up with his pillow, and let out a sigh that sent him over the edge.
After ridding himself of all of his clothing except his boxers, he fluffed the spare pillow and climbed onto the bed, on top of the covers. With his ankles crossed and his hands tucked behind his head, he squeezed his eyes shut. But the rhythmic breathing of the beauty lying next to him couldn’t be ignored.
“Jared,” she mumbled. “Thanks for being there for me.” She shifted under the covers, inching closer, but never touching him. Thank God for small favors.
“That’s what friends are for,” he whispered, resting his hand over hers.
She held it, but didn’t move. She seemed to just drift off and he knew she’d fallen asleep.
Her friendship meant a lot to him. He had started off as a protector, but somewhere it shifted to something more equal. He settled down and took a deep breath. But he remained restless. Friends shouldn’t share a bed with friends.
Chapter Three
Ryan took in a slow breath. A masculine scent filled her senses. But it didn’t belong in her bedroom. Confused, she blinked open her eyes. Then she remembered her house had been broken into, and Jared had tucked her into a bed in the main house. “Oh, my.” She recognized the room. His room.
She stretched, enjoying the musky smell of Jared’s aftershave. She had no idea a smell could be so alluring. Or so comforting.
She scanned the darkened room. She’d been in his house a million times, even his bedroom, but had never expected to wake up there. Only dreamed what it would be like to spend the night next to his strong body.
She wondered where he had slept as a warm glow peeked through the curtains. She adjusted the pillow behind her and scooted to a sitting position, letting the covers fall to her waist.
Lifting her arms high above her head, she released the sleep from her body. When she finished her cat stretch, she sighed and glanced across the room at the clock. She still had a few minutes before she had to get up, so she’d enjoy his bed, even if he wasn’t in it.
She noticed a humming noise just before it stopped, then the bathroom door pushed open.
“You’re awake,” Jared said.
Unable to take her eyes off his sculptured body, she nodded. His chest hair glistened with water left over from his shower. A towel had been wrapped low around his waist. Too low. Steam drifted into the bedroom, carrying a soapy smell.
“You okay?” He adjusted his towel a bit higher.
“Huh?” She gasped and clutched at the covers as he sat on the edge of the bed, but the blanket didn’t budge. “Fine,” she whispered.
“Relax.” He lifted the covers, but held them in his hand while his other hand smoothed back her hair. He traced a path across her cheek, down her neck, to the space between her breasts. His finger tickled up and down her skin, just above her bra.
Her choppy breath burned her lungs. Her pulse throbbed so fast she couldn’t tell where one beat started and another one ended.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. His eyes darted back to her face as he drew the covers across her chest. “I’ll get you some clean towels for your shower.”
She pulled the covers to her chin. “I need my clothes so I can go back to my place and get ready for work.”
“Take a shower here. I’ll get you some of my sweats, and then I’ll walk you to your place so you can change.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine getting ready in the carriage house.” This was it, and she’d just blown it. She should’ve acted like a woman. Instead, she acted like a scared rabbit.
He stood, almost losing his towel. It didn’t seem to bother him, because it took him forever to fix it. “You have to take these threats seriously.”
“I do. But—”
“No buts.” He waved his finger in front of her face. “I’d never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you.” He opened a dresser drawer and handed her some clothes. Without another word, he ducked back into the bathroom, once again leaving her unable to catch a breath.
She slipped on the shirt, which hung to her knees, and opted not to put on the sweats. Her pounding headache demanded caffeine.
She slipped downstairs and started a pot of coffee. As she glanced out the window toward her carriage house, fear prickled at the back of her neck. Someone had broken into her house, touched her things, stolen her underwear, and she had no idea who or why. It didn’t seem like something her stepfather would do. Besides, he was behind bars, where he belonged. Although, she wouldn’t put anything past that man. He was evil. Pure evil.
“Ryan?” Jared’s footsteps clunked on the floor like a herd of elephants. “Damn it, don’t run off like that.” He stuffed his gray uniform shirt into his unbuckled pants, and then zipped them.
That man was too sexy for his own good, even when he wasn’t trying to be. “Just thought you might like some coffee.” Licking her lips, she forced her stare to remain above his neck.
“Thanks.” With capable hands, he pulled down two mugs. “Go shower, then I’ll make sure you get off to work,” he ordered.
She bit her tongue; fighting with him wouldn’t be worth it. When he was on a mission, forget it. He’d win every time. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Having you around last night made things a little easier.”
“You’re welcome.” He bent over and pressed his lips against her temple. He’d kissed her like that many times before, but this time, there was something blatantly sexual about the way his mouth touched her skin. “Now scoot, I’ve got work to do.”
“Should I call a door guy?” she asked with renewed hope. Maybe she hadn’t blown it after all.
“I’m your door guy, babe.” He snagged a dishtowel and swatted her bottom. “I’ll fix it tonight, right after I cook you dinner.”
“Well, now, I can’t pass up an offer like that.” She padded toward the stairs with a mixture of excitement and fear. She’d fantasized long enough. It was time to take action, consequences be damned.
* * * *
Hours later, Ryan took a step back and glanced around the banquet hall with a satisfied smile. The sun sparkled through the clear windows, casting a beautiful shine across the grand room. She’d taken part in the design of all the hotel’s renovations right down to the bold red carpet throughout the main dining room, and she couldn’t be prouder. The manager had complimented her taste many times, saying she’d helped raise the hotel’s status as one of the best resorts in the state. Maybe even the country. Her job had been the one thing she could count on. Well, besides Penny’s friendship and Jared’s overprotecting ways. She sighed. Too many things were changing.
She checked her watch. The ladies’ club would be arriving any moment, and she couldn’t have been more pleased with how everyone on her team had managed to save a near
disaster.
“You outdid yourself,” Rick Weston said.
Unable to contain her joy, she smiled wider. “Thanks. I’m happy with the way things turned out, considering the problems.” Impressing Rick, the general manager, was important. Too many things had gone wrong leading up to this day, and it was up to Ryan to fix them. Hell, it was her responsibility to take the brunt of blame. If Ryan didn’t know better, she might think someone was out to get her. Her smile faded. Someone might be. That thought chilled her to the bone.
“The ladies’ club has been wonderful about the mix-up with the hors d’oeuvres. The chef has managed to pull a few strings, and we’ll be all set with the correct entrees.” Ryan ran her fingers across the deep pink tablecloth. Mistakes had been made before, but this did seem over the top.
“Any idea what happened to the requests?”
Forcing her gaze to the centerpiece, a small bowl with a single gardenia floating in a sea of pink water, she swallowed. “I have a copy of everything in a folder on my desk. What I submitted and what Leo has are two completely different things.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
She turned to her boss and kept her chin up. “Tom received the same papers that the kitchen did. I must have screwed up somewhere. I’m sorry.” One thing Ryan had learned along the way was to always take full responsibility. The buck had to stop somewhere, and today it stopped with her. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Rick cast an appreciative look around the room. “You’ve always been very efficient. You’ve done a fabulous job here. I don’t believe all this could’ve been your fault.”
“Well, it is my job to make sure parties like this go off without a hitch.”
“And you did.” Rick smiled. “Don’t forget about the changes in the golf tournament this weekend.”
“I’ll take care of everything personally.” She pushed back the large double doors to the main lobby that glistened with sunlight. It had been her idea to add windows to bring in as much sunlight as possible. Also, the view of the lake against the backdrop of the tall mountains would only add to the ambiance, and she’d been right.
There was a freshness in the air, like walking into a flower shop. She made sure arrays of freshly cut flowers were strategically placed on every floor so the hotel always smelled like spring. A large chandelier hung proudly from the cathedral ceiling.
“I know you will.”
She headed toward her office with a spring in her step. Not only did she do her job well, but also she knew without a doubt she was good at it. And she’d continue to make sure that no major screw-ups happened again. She would hand deliver all her requests, and she’d confirm them and check on them herself. No way would she rely on anyone else and have to scramble like this again.
Dodging a few young patrons who ran down the hall, she tried to figure out how so many mishaps could happen on one project. The ladies’ club had always held their banquets in the village, and she’d worked hard to land this account. She couldn’t afford to have something like this happen again with any of the other major accounts she had convinced to change venues.
In the comfort of her small, cozy office, she adjusted the fresh daisies she’d received from her brother, then seated herself behind the oak desk. Penny had always accused her of being anal when it came to neatness. Ryan wanted to laugh out loud over how well Penny knew her as she ran her hands across the clutter free desk top. She wouldn’t describe herself as anal, but more of a go-getter of sorts. Maybe she was more like Jared than she cared to admit. The man did have a tendency to like things done his way and so did she.
Her to-do list caught her attention, reminding her she’d have to stop at the store on the way home. Hopefully Jared would forget to fix the door. Not that she didn’t want him around, but she needed to feel as though she could take care of herself. Or maybe it had more to do with proving to him once and for all she was a full-fledged adult and didn’t need him. Well, she wanted him in her bed, but wanted him more to see her as a woman. Her heart pounded in uneven bursts as she thought about the possibility of getting Jared alone for the night. This time she wouldn’t screw it up. No way.
Inspecting the paperwork for the golf tournament, she opened her file drawer. “Oh, my God!” A bloody, dead rat sprawled across her files, dripping red liquid across her hanging folders. Pounding her feet on the floor, she rolled her chair back and let out a piercing scream.
Fear gripped her heart as her pulse raged out of control. Her hands trembled when she reached for the phone, but she didn’t know who to call first.
“Ryan!” A female voice rang out from the hallway. “What’s going on?” Her assistant, Cheryl, bolted through the door.
Ryan ripped her eyes from the nasty thing dangling on the metal file holder. “A rat.”
“A live rat?” Cheryl asked with wide eyes.
Ryan shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. “A very dead one.” She lifted the receiver to her ear. “I’m calling 911. Get Rick.”
A male voice answered.
“Jared?” She coughed, realizing she’d hit star nine instead of 911. Well, he was a cop, so this worked, too.
“Ryan? What’s wrong?”
“I think someone decided to play another prank on me.” Unable to look at the furry beast in her drawer, she stood and moved to the other side of her desk.
“What kind of joke?”
“There’s a dead rat in my desk. I don’t think he crawled in there and hung himself, either.”
Cheryl let out a gasp as she peered over the desk. “That’s disgusting.”
“I’ll call it in and I’ll be there in…about ten.” The line went dead just as Rick flew into her office.
“What’s going on?” he asked with concern in his voice. He stopped and stared into the drawer. “What the hell?”
“I called Sergeant Blake. He’ll be here shortly.” Ryan fumbled her way into the hallway. “Why would someone do something so…so…” There were no words, and no reasonable explanation.
“Cheryl,” Rick said as he paced in the hallway. “I’d like you to call a special meeting and ask everyone not to leave until I’ve had a chance to talk to them. I’m sure the police will want to question everyone, too.”
Ryan squared her shoulders. The thought of Jared questioning all of her fellow employees didn’t help her already fried nerves. He’d be suspicious of everyone. This was not helping her with her plan. She knew him well enough to know that when he was in the heat of a case that was all he could focus on, and that’s not what she wanted. She wanted him naked, not in the middle of an investigation.
She shivered, wondering how her stepfather could have hired someone to do such a despicable thing. All during the trial, George swore he’d get her for ruining his life. This had to be him. Nothing else made sense.
* * * *
The tires on Jared’s patrol car squealed when he pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. How could he leave Ryan alone now? This was the third incident, and he didn’t believe it would be the last. But he swore he’d never let anything stand in his way again, especially with regard to this promotion. Second chances didn’t come along very often.
He’d just have to make sure he took care of it before his two weeks were up.
With his hand planted on his weapon, he pushed back the doors and entered the main lobby. He didn’t remove his sunglasses as the sun shone brightly through all the incredibly tall windows. The plush red carpet sank under his work boots.
“Officer, this way.” A young girl waved to him.
He nodded and followed her down the hallway lined with beautiful picturesque paintings of the lake. Any other day, he might stop and enjoy the pictures, but not when someone was hell bent on terrorizing Ryan and making both their lives miserable.
“Jared,” Ryan said. “Thanks for coming.”
He tipped the brim of his hat, unable to ta
ke his eyes off her. She seemed so in control. So capable. She was very much a woman, not a little girl who needed protecting. “That’s what I’m here for.” Being the first on the scene gave him lots of wiggle room to check things out before the sheriff’s office and local PD showed up. There was always that manly pounding of chests where different law enforcement agencies were concerned. But this was personal; he wasn’t about to let anyone else handle Ryan.
He scanned the inside of Ryan’s office. The small space barely housed a desk and a few filing cabinets, but Ryan had put in all her finishing touches, giving the space a cozy feel. Her degree and a few awards hung neatly on the wall. Her spotless desk had plenty of room for a few pictures. He looked at one taken at a party last summer.
“We left the drawer open,” Rick said.
“Who else has been in here?” Jared questioned.
“Just Ryan and her assistant.”
Jared peered over the desk and caught sight of the furry critter covered in blood. “Any rat problems lately?”
“We have monthly checks by an exterminator, and the health department is in here on a regular basis,” Rick offered.
“I take it that’s a no.” Jared checked over the desk before kneeling so he could get a better look at the rascal. The fuzzy brown animal appeared tacky from the half-dried blood. It looked as if the poor thing had been mutilated for effect, then shoved into the drawer. “Ryan have any issues with other employees?”
“Not really.”
Jared lifted his gaze and stood. “What does that mean?”
“She’s a pretty girl. Half the male staff has probably asked her out,” Rick said. “She’s well liked by everyone.”
Ryan’s wholesome good looks only intensified her girl-next-door persona. “Know of anyone who might want to get back at her for something?” Jared rubbed the back of his neck and took a peek out to the hallway. “This isn’t the first incident.”