Her arms were covered with clay. She’d tied her hair into a loose knot on the top of her head though she knew it was falling apart by now. Except she’d forgotten that all she wore was one of her thin painters shirts that skimmed her thighs.
‘What’s that look for?’ she asked.
‘I’m thinking about your legs,’ he said still openly gawping at her pins.
‘I figured that out,’ she said knowing the smile in her voice was inappropriate, but so was his staring.
‘How are you feeling today?’
‘You’re still staring. How is your head?’
‘Which one?’ he asked. ‘Can I come over there?’
‘What for?’ she asked.
But, as his eyes slid up so did the corner of this mouth, and she knew that look.
‘I’m here to talk,’ he said but that curl became a grin.
‘That’s not what your face says.’
‘I missed you.’
‘You saw me yesterday, and I didn’t think we’d see each other again,’ Lacie said.
‘We have to talk.’
‘You’re grinning at me.’
‘Your legs,’ he said. ‘I’m thinking about your legs.’
‘We’ve done this,’ she said knowing they were flirting again, and that she should stop. But her smile persisted. ‘I was thinking about you last night.’
Something flickered over his face and his grin became something more intense, after a beat he was bearing down upon her then her feet were off the floor, and he had her pinned to the pillar that separated her kitchen from the living space. Her head came up, his lips found hers, and once again, their mouths joined. Though the heat between them flared from her toes to her scalp, the fury of their union became slow, tender, and all encompassing, but just as intense though it was in an entirely different way.
The pounding started again and it took Lacie a moment to realise it was the door. It took just as long for him to realise it too. So much so that he appeared genuinely confused to have her in his arms against the wall, and she wondered if he wished she was someone else.
‘Give me a minute,’ she said.
Pressuring his shoulders he conceded and placed her onto the floor with far more care than he needed to, she wasn’t sure if it was because of the fog in their brains or if he was taking care of her again.
Her hand went toward the handle when he spoke. ‘Check.’
One word, but she lowered her hand and did as told; only to wish she hadn’t the minute she looked. Flashing him a look of horror she went for the handle again, she had no choice but she couldn’t imagine a worse scenario than this one, except if maybe this new guest had stormed straight in a few seconds earlier.
‘I thought you were on holiday,’ Lacie said when she opened the door.
‘After our talk last night I got straight on a plane,’ Sorcha said sailing past her friend.
Lacie closed the door and took a deep breath steeling herself to face those facing each other behind her.
‘Who’s this?’
Lacie froze mid-exhale and replayed her friend’s casual words. ‘What?’ Lacie said with a frown as she turned to see beautiful Sorcha scrutinising the man she’d been sucking face with moments ago.
‘Sorcha Reynolds,’ Sorcha extended her hand and flicked her hair back over her shoulder.
He – whoever he was – looked to Lacie. Reluctance and impatience dwelled on his face with a kind of mild panic mixed in.
‘What do you mean who is he?’ Lacie asked moving toward her friend.
‘I told you we had to talk. I wanted to tell you—‘
‘Tell me what?’ Lacie demanded. ‘Oh my god.’ Her fingers touched her lips. ‘Oh my god!’
Sorcha looked from him to Lacie and back again. ‘I’ve been gone for like forty-eight hours. What’s going on?’
Lacie couldn’t answer Sorcha, and she was suddenly very aware of her sparse apparel. Walking behind Sorcha’s back she headed for her bedroom. Lacie wanted to change but her clothes wouldn’t be enough, right now she wanted to crawl out of her own skin.
He’d touched her, kissed her, and made her feel safe. She’d trusted him, craved him—
‘Dusty, I had to—‘
He was in her bedroom at her back and closing the door as though this was normal behaviour like a seasoned couple in the midst of a tiff, when technically this was their first fight. She wanted to scream, she wanted to erase the memory of his hands, his mouth, his eyes, the heat, except her body still tingled from their last encounter.
‘Please leave,’ she said as firmly as she could but couldn’t bring herself to look at him.
‘I want you to listen to me. I didn’t lie to you.’
‘You let me go on about Sorcha and you’ve never even met her! Who are you? I don’t want to know! Get out of here!’
‘No!’ he exclaimed. ‘You’re going to hear me out!’
‘Why would I do that? You’re a stranger! Leave!’
‘Nothing was false. Everything was real. Baby, come on.’
‘Don’t “Baby” me, get out of here!’
‘Listen to me, listen!’ He got a hold of her and turned her to face him. ‘My name is Ryder Stone, ok? I’m an investigator just like I said. I was in Shep’s office that day – I shouldn’t have been. But, I saw you, I wanted to help. He’s a vulture Lace, you don’t understand what he’s like.’
‘You were looking after me?’
‘Is that so hard to believe?’ he asked.
The bedroom door opened and Lacie pulled out of his grip. ‘You heard her,’ Sorcha snapped. ‘Get out or I’ll call the cops!’ Sorcha stood with the phone in her hand and Lacie knew she’d do it. Sorcha was as protective of her as she was of Sorcha.
‘Lacie,’ he breathed and reached out for her, but she moved away.
‘Leave,’ she said.
Ryder considered his options but when Sorcha began dialling, he backed off holding up his hands in surrender. Lacie couldn’t look directly at him but she could feel his gaze on her. He left the room, and a few seconds later, her front door opened and closed.
‘Well,’ Sorcha said. ‘I’m ready to hear what that was all about.’
Chapter Four
Lacie didn’t explain it. She set Sorcha to make the coffee and grabbed a shower. When she was clean and they were both seated Lacie was quizzed about her face, and about Bruce.
‘Ok, so we know where he is, that’s great,’ Sorcha said.
‘You can’t get involved,’ Lacie said. ‘Those people were... I don’t think you should be anywhere near them. They’ll hurt you.’ Lacie pointed to her face and Sorcha flinched.
‘I’m so sorry you got hurt honey.’
‘It’s over now,’ Lacie said.
‘Ok, we’ll start over together,’ Sorcha said.
‘We’re not going back.’
‘We’ll get to the bottom of what’s going on there. We’ll go to Shep... for real this time.’
Lacie squirmed. ‘He could get into bother, and I don’t have all the specifics I—‘
‘Get that guy on the phone.’
‘I’m not sure about—‘
‘I’ll talk to him,’ Sorcha said. ‘Show me his number, and I’ll get Bruce’s address. You should cancel that check too.’
Lacie wriggled some more but she knew Sorcha would persist until she got the details of what Bruce was up to.
‘I’ll get the address,’ Lacie said.
‘Great.’
‘Only if you’ll promise not to go anywhere near it alone. Give the details to Sheppard, and wait for him to find out what’s going on.’
Sorcha sighed. ‘Ok fine. Get the details and I’ll make an appointment with Shep. He’ll see us today.’
Sorcha was already dialling so Lacie took her phone into the bedroom and closed the door. All she needed was the address; she didn’t have to talk to him properly. She didn’t need to ask him why. She didn’t want to. As hard as she tried Lacie couldn�
�t understand why he had lied to her; why he had pretended to be someone he wasn’t – why he had let her think he had been intimate with Sorcha. The only thing she could be sure of was that he wasn’t who he’d claimed to be; except he hadn’t claimed to be she had assumed, and he’d asked that there be no assumptions between them. His actions couldn’t be excused for that reason alone. The mistake could have been easily rectified with a straightforward introduction. If she’d had his name things would have been different, except if he was in Shep’s office and shouldn’t have been that could mean that he was up to something illegal. Maybe he wasn’t an investigator at all, he could have made everything up; except she couldn’t understand what his motivation would he. His assumed identity didn’t get him into her underwear in fact it kept him out of them. But, she had given him that check, was the money motivation enough for him?
None of this sitting speculating was getting her any answers and Sorcha would be storming in within ten minutes ready to leap in... Sorcha been spared Lacie’s experience in this matter, and so her best friend still had hope. The idea of going back to that place, of anywhere those men would be made Lacie ill.
Trying to tell herself that this call was business and just like any information finding call she pressed the digits of his number from her cell memory to her home line. Pressing send she closed her eyes and listened to it ring.
‘Stone,’ he answered after ten rings.
His voice was hard, deep, chilling, yet a zap of painful pleasure shot from her throat to her thighs.
‘It’s Lacie,’ she said only to have her lips instantly parch on her.
‘Baby,’ he said and she heard the relief in his smile. ‘Thank god, I was worried. I can come over—‘
‘No,’ she said trying to hold him at a professional distance, hoping her tone would give him the message of what this call was about. ‘I need the information.’
‘What information?’
‘The address – Bruce’s address – I wasn’t exactly paying attention to the street name, or building number yesterday.’ Silence reigned for more than a few seconds. ‘Hello?’
‘I’m waiting for the punch-line,’ he said.
‘There’s no punch-line. I need the information,’ she responded.
‘Not a chance.’
‘You can’t withhold that information. I paid handsomely for it.’
‘I tore up the check Dusty, you’re not paying for anything, and I won’t give you the address. I won’t let you go near that place again.’
‘If you don’t give me the address I’ll have to go back just to get it,’ Lacie said.
‘Why would you want to go there again?’ he asked.
‘I don’t,’ she said. ‘Sorcha needs to know what Bruce is up to. It’s important.’
‘You think you can just walk up there—‘
‘We’re going to Sheppard’s office, me and Sorcha together, so I won’t get it wrong this time.’
‘I don’t think so Baby,’ Ryder said.
‘You can’t tell me—‘
‘No girl of mine is going anywhere near the competition.’
‘I’m not your girl,’ Lacie said. ‘And neither is Sorcha, we—‘
‘You want more information then I’ll get it for you.’
‘You?’
‘Yes, me,’ he said.
‘Don’t you have other cases? How do I know you’re an investigator at all? You don’t seem to have much—‘
‘I have a team,’ Ryder said. ‘My partner and I have six guys here on payroll for investigations.’
‘So why would you give me so much time when—‘
‘You know why Dusty,’ he said. ‘Now, you tell me what’s going on, what information do you need?’
‘I’m not doing this. I don’t know who you are,’ she said.
‘You know me better than you know Shep.’
‘Sorcha knows him, she trusts him—‘
‘Who do you trust? There was a reason Sorcha didn’t go to Shep herself the first time around.’
‘She’s sure that—‘
‘Who do you trust?’ he asked again.
As angry, confused, and embarrassed as Lacie was by whatever had, or hadn’t happened between them, she’d always spoken her thoughts to him, and they didn’t need any more secrets.
‘Ryder,’ she said. ‘Is that your name?’
‘Yeah,’ he answered.
‘Can I call you Ryder?’
‘Call me anything you like,’ he said. ‘Give me the information, and I’ll get to work—‘
‘I don’t want you going back,’ she spoke her thoughts. ‘I don’t want you anywhere near that place.’
‘Baby—‘
‘I’m being honest. I don’t understand it. I know I shouldn’t care. I know you lied. I don’t want you in that place, or anywhere near any of those people.’
‘It’s my job.’
‘No, it’s not. I’m not hiring you. I’m not paying you. This is nothing to do with you. All I need is the address.’
‘The chances that they are still there are slim,’ he said.
‘I don’t care about them. It’s Bruce we need the information on,’ she replied.
‘What is it about this guy? What does your friend—‘
‘It’s not my place to answer that. We need the address—‘
‘You’re not going back there,’ Ryder said.
‘We just want to give the information to Shep—‘
‘He’s a hack Baby; he won’t do the job right for you. All he’ll be interested in is getting your friend back into bed.’
‘Sorcha’s not interested in that. It’s Bruce she has to get to.’
‘Great,’ Ryder said. ‘Then it’ll be your turn at bat.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘If Sorcha turns him down he’ll move his attention to you. Hell, he’ll probably aim for you first, he’s had Sorcha, and you’re more beautiful than—‘
‘Stop it,’ she said. ‘None of this has anything to do with sex; at least not sex and me.’
‘Say that after you’ve been to see Shep.’
‘Don’t make this more difficult, Sorcha—‘
‘What about you?’ Ryder asked. ‘You don’t have to run around after her, what about your happiness?’
‘What does that have to do with anything? I want the address so that we can give it to Shep, and he can carry on the investigation.’
‘Let me come with you,’ he said.
‘Where?’ she asked.
‘To Shep’s office.’
‘Why? Do you need cover for further illegal activities?’
‘I can explain everything if you let me, I was in there for a case. I can show you everything. If you come to my place—‘
‘Just give me the address,’ she said.
‘I won’t.’
‘But—‘
‘I’ll send it to Shep,’ Ryder said. ‘I’ll send him an email. I want to let him know I have a vested interest in this, and I’ll be keeping an eye on things.’
‘You can’t.’
‘I can,’ he said. ‘I know Shep well, he worked for me briefly. I’ve known him for years. I know what he’s capable of, and what he’s like. He knows what I’m capable of too, and that should be enough for him to keep his eye on the ball, and off of you.’
‘Me?’
‘Yeah,’ Ryder said. ‘If he knows you’re my girl—‘
‘I am not your girl,’ she said. ‘And he’ll know that because surely if I was your girl you would be helping us out—‘
‘I’ll tell him the truth,’ Ryder said. ‘You don’t want me to get hurt. You’re looking out for me and I’m happy for him to take care of the details while I focus on taking care of you.’
‘What does that mean?’
Innuendo slid into his voice. ‘You know what it means.’
‘You’re flirting with me? After everything?’
‘Nothing’s keeping us apart now,’ he said. ‘I didn’t pl
an on you finding out the way you did but I did come to your place to tell you... I got distracted by your legs.’
‘Send the address to Shep,’ Lacie said into the phone at the same time her bedroom door opened to reveal Sorcha
‘Lacie—‘
‘Goodbye Ryder,’ she said then hung up the phone. ‘Did you get us an appointment?’
‘He’ll see us right away,’ Sorcha said.
‘You look nervous.’
‘You look disappointed. The men in our lives really know how to keep us on our toes.’
‘I only have one,’ Lacie said looking at the phone in her hand. ‘Or had, it’s over now.’
‘You met this guy while I was away?’ Sorcha asked to which Lacie nodded. ‘Then it seems to me you’re only just getting started. Throw caution to the wind – I would if I were you. If you take no risks you’ll get no rewards.’
The women got in Sorcha’s car and got themselves to Shep’s office. Sorcha checked her hair and make-up in the rear-view mirror though there was no need because Sorcha looked as perfect as ever.
When Lacie had walked into this office the first time she had been antsy but knew that she was helping her friend. Yet, here she was walking in next to that friend, now Lacie felt she’d let Sorcha down. Sorcha had never wanted to face Shep, though from the swing in her hips Lacie wouldn’t know it to look at her.
A tiny blonde with a D-cup sat at the front desk that had been empty when Lacie had been here the first time. The blonde examined Sorcha as Sorcha did the same to her. Lacie stood shrouded in invisibility as she always did at Sorcha’s side. But she didn’t mind, it gave her the chance to look at the grey industrial carpet on the floor and the drab beige walls. Her gaze travelled past the plastic chairs to the dusty fake ficus in the corner and she wondered if this was how Ryder’s office was set up.
Shep’s office door opened and when Lacie turned a part of her expected to see Ryder but the man that was there wasn’t anything like him. Shep was at least four inches shorter, and not as solid. He wore a washed out yellow shirt, which did nothing for his short blonde hair and pale complexion. That said, his eyes were sharp, his jaw was square, and with a little wardrobe advice, and some time working in the sun Lacie could see how Sorcha had been attracted.
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