“Damn it!” Frustration overtook her and she waded up the paper and threw it across the room. Why the hell couldn’t she remember?
Taking a few deep breaths, she leaned back and closed her eyes. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
* * * *
Later that evening, her eyes shot open at the sound of tires on gravel. She glanced at the clock, eleven o’clock. She’d fallen asleep for hours.
Who the hell was here at this hour?
Her gun. Where was her gun? As the sound of the tires edged closer, she rolled off the couch and crouched on the floor. Headlights reflected off the walls. On all fours, she crawled to the kitchen and pulled her gun off the counter.
The house was dark except for the small light in the hallway. Whoever was here would know someone was home.
The engine cut off. Her heart began to pound.
The vehicle door creaked open and slammed shut. She heard heavy footsteps across the gravel, up the porch steps to the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
She held her breath.
Another round of knocks, louder this time. Her skin tingled with fear. Her eyes widened as she heard the jiggle of the door handle. Then, she heard the click of the lock.
The door opened slowly as she gripped her gun.
Slow, quiet steps sounded on the hardwood floor as the intruder stepped inside.
I’m not a victim, she thought, I will not be a victim. Ready to fight, she edged herself closer to the hallway.
She listened.
Silence.
Here we go. She set her jaw, took a deep breath and pushed up to a stance, spun into the hallway and raised her gun.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Danny raised both hands. His right hand gripped his Glock.
Infuriated and still pointing the gun, she yelled, “Danny! I could have shot you! Again!”
Calmly, he looked at her hands, “Yes, I see that. Put down the gun.”
She lowered the gun, but was no less pissed off. “Damn it, why the hell don’t you call first? And, what the hell are you doing here? You scared me to death! How the hell did you get in?”
The corner of his lip turned up. “SEALs can get in anywhere they want.”
She rolled her eyes. A former Navy SEAL; she should have known.
“May I come in?”
“You already have.”
She turned and walked into the kitchen, placing her gun on the table. Leaning against the counter, she folded her arms across her chest as he walked in behind her.
“It really didn’t take much to pop that lock, you know.”
“Did you come here to test my locks?”
“No. I came to check on you.” He replaced his gun into his ankle holster.
She held his gaze for a moment. “I’m fine.” Her adrenaline was still pumping from the scare. She grabbed the wine bottle and took a hefty gulp.
Danny kept his distance and watched her.
She set down the bottle and met his gaze. A twinge of insecurity washed over her. She knew she looked like hell. And here he was, Danny Dabrowski, standing in her kitchen again, looking like a Greek God. His tall frame filled the room. Commanded it. His confidence followed him wherever he went. Not arrogance, but a subtle confidence that assured everyone that was in his presence that he was always in control.
He wore faded jeans, a sweatshirt and baseball cap. Even in baggy clothes, his muscles were on display. Feeling uncomfortable, she looked down.
He stepped closer. “Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“You didn’t tell me that cell phones don’t work out here. I didn’t realize it until after I left.”
“I didn’t think that was something I was supposed to tell you, Lieutenant.”
“How would you call for help if you needed it?”
She glanced down at her gun.
“Oh, you’re an expert marksman now? You’re just going to shoot someone if you’re in danger?”
“I can handle a gun.”
“Bullshit, Victoria. You’re not safe out here. You’re a sitting duck.”
A low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and a gust of cold wind blew in the open window. He walked over and closed it. “Storm’s coming in.”
Victoria wrapped her arms around herself. Yes, something was definitely in the air.
“Where’s your thermostat?”
“There’s not one.”
“What? In this house?”
“No. The home was built without it. We intended to add air and heat, but never got around to it. We don’t come out here much.”
“Where’s your fireplace?”
She motioned to the sitting room. Danny turned, walked down the hall and peered into the room. Of course, there was no wood for a fire.
“I’ll be okay, Danny. There’s plenty of blankets.”
Without acknowledging her statement, he turned and walked out the front door. She curiously followed.
He began rummaging through his truck, and a click of a flashlight illuminated the ground. She watched him pull something else out of the back and shut the doors.
Stepping out onto the porch, she asked, “What are you doing?”
He raised an ax. “Getting wood.”
She grabbed her flip flops and met him at the bottom of the porch steps. “I’ll help.”
He flashed a smug smile. “You’ll get in the way.”
“No, I won’t. I promise.”
He paused, looking her up and down. “Get a jacket.”
Moments later, she fell into step behind him as he walked into the thick woods. Cold wind whipped through her hair. In the distance, lightening illuminated the sky and thunder bellowed through the trees. The air was electric.
Other than the brief flashes of light, it was pitch black outside.
Zipping up her jacket, she practically had to jog to keep up with his long, quick strides. She couldn’t believe he could walk through the terrain so quickly in the dark, but then she remembered that he must have been through much worse, being a SEAL.
He stopped and handed her his flashlight. “Point this, here.”
She shone the light on a large, fallen tree limb. The limb was so thick she wondered how he would be able to chop it with just an ax. She paused and looked around. “What about this one over here?” She shone her light on a much smaller tree.
“Nope. Not old enough.”
“Old enough?”
“Yep. Young trees don’t burn as well as older ones.”
Well, she’d tried to help. She shrugged and shined the light back on the large limb. He took no time beginning to chop away. Each time his ax came down, it sounded like a bomb, echoing through the woods. He chopped fast and steady. Although she knew it was hard work, his movement was so fluid and smooth it was as if he hardly had to apply any effort.
She stood silent, watching him work. Was there anything he couldn’t do?
He paused, set the ax down and removed his sweatshirt. A simple white t-shirt clung to his tight body as he picked up the ax and went back to work. With each raise of his hands she saw the beautiful outline of his large shoulders and deltoids. The shirt clung tighter to him as he began to sweat.
What seemed like no time at all, the limb was chopped into a mound of firewood. He slid the ax in the back of his jeans and turned around. “Assuming you don’t have a wheelbarrow, correct?”
She shook her head.
“Didn’t think so.” He bent over, loaded his arms with wood and began walking back to the house. She grabbed a few small pieces and jogged to catch up with him. He deposited the first load of wood next to the fireplace and headed out for another load. She followed, helping him with each trip.
The lightning grew more frequent and thunder boomed louder. She shivered as the winds picked up.
On the third trip, a flash of lightning was so bright it illuminated the woods like the sun.
BOOM!
She bit back a scream as the hair on the back of
her neck stood. The storm was right on top of them. The wind whipped through the trees. Leaves tumbled to the ground, slapping her in the face. The temperature seemed to have dropped twenty degrees. More lightening, more thunder.
He glanced back. “We need to hurry.”
The wind was howling so loud, she could barely hear him. “What?”
Raising his voice so she could hear him over the wind, he said, “Go back to the house, it’s about to pour down.”
She yelled back, “No, you need the light.” Twigs slapped against her feet as they blew in the wind. She felt a sting as one cut her toe.
He picked up his pace until they reached the mound of wood. He quickly loaded the last of the limbs and turned. The wind howled louder. “Stay close. Let’s go.”
They were almost back to the house when the clouds released and the rain came down. The drops felt like tennis balls slapping her skin.
Victoria darted ahead and yelled, “Let’s go!”
They jogged across the yard, up the steps and through the front door. The pouring rain pounded on the roof breaking the silence in the house.
They were both dripping wet. He paused in the foyer with an armload of wood. “I don’t want to drip everywhere.”
She smiled and grabbed his arm. “Oh, please, don’t worry about it, come on.”
They dropped the last load of wood next to the fire place. Lightning flashed outside, so close it illuminated the room. She shivered in her wet clothes.
She looked at Danny and noticed his shirt was covered in mud and wood chippings. His pants were covered in dirt. She looked down at her own clothes, seeing the same.
“I’ll get you a towel.” She looked him up and down. “Do you have any other clothes with you?”
He shook his head.
“I’ll see what I have. We can wash those.”
She walked into the master suite and stripped out of her wet clothes. Glancing in the mirror, she quickly ran a comb through her hair and pulled on a pair of yoga pants and an old Van Halen t-shirt.
Hanging in the closet were a few of Williams clothes. She started to reach for them, but pulled away. She didn’t want to see Danny in anything that reminded her of that snake.
She spotted a large grey t-shirt that she’d received from a charity event and yanked it off the hanger. This could work. It had to work. No pants or shorts she had would fit him.
She walked back into the front room and found him kneeling down next to the fireplace, with a small fire beginning to catch. A dry pair of shorts lay next to him. “I had a pair in my truck.” He turned and grinned at her Van Halen shirt.
She handed him the t-shirt. “It might be a little snug.”
He took it and smiled.
The tension between them was a heavy as the rain pouring outside.
“Would you like a drink?”
Gazing into her eyes, soaked to the bone, he slowly nodded. He followed her to the kitchen and she could feel his eyes burning into her from behind.
She pulled down two glasses and a half-empty bottle of whiskey. Hand steady, she poured a shot into each glass while he watched her every move.
Chapter 20
He was transfixed by her. By everything about her. Her body, her face. He was completely mesmerized by the mystery that was Victoria Henry.
He watched her fill two glasses with high dollar whiskey. She seemed unguarded now. Perhaps starting the evening with a gun pointed in his face used up all the energy she had in her.
The kitchen light was dim but with each lightning crash outside, her face illuminated. Her green eyes glowed. She had some sort of power over him, and tonight, he didn’t want to fight it. He wanted her. He wanted every inch of her.
* * * *
She walked over and handed him the glass, keeping one for herself. Thunder boomed outside, vibrating the windows.
“Thank you.” They both sipped.
Her heart began to pound. The energy in the room was more electric than in the storm outside.
Passion screamed from his eyes as he watched her over the rim of the glass, took a sip and then slowly set his drink on the table.
In anticipation, she lowered hers.
He stepped closer, took the glass from her hand and placed it next to his on the table.
She swallowed the knot in her throat as he stepped even closer. His six-foot, three-inch body towered over her.
She held her breath as he brushed the hair off her shoulder and then bent down and softly kissed her forehead. Goosebumps ran up her body as she felt the heat of his breath on her skin, his soft, supple lips against her mouth.
He lightly trailed his fingers up her neck, along her jawline and tilted her face up to meet his.
Lightning flashed outside.
As he gazed into her eyes, her heart began to beat faster, her breath became shallow. Kiss me, Danny, kiss me.
Her heart hammered in her chest as he bent down, bringing his lips less than an inch from hers, lingering.
Lust overcame her as she pressed her mouth onto his. He tasted like a man. Like man and warm, wet whiskey.
Her legs began to quiver. God, it had been so long since she’d felt like this. If ever.
His tongue slid softly around hers as she wrapped her arms around his hard body, pressing herself up against him. The growing bulge in his pants pressed into her hip.
As if he couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled off her shirt, put his hands around her waist and picked her up as if she weighed ten pounds.
She inhaled the light musky smell of sweat on his neck. The smell of lust, the smell of desire. His thick arms tightened around her. He was all man. Rock hard man.
With her arms around his neck, she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on as he carried her down the hall. She felt as if she were floating, in a dream. Was this really happening?
He rounded the corner and stepped onto the lush rug in the sitting room, in front of the warm fireplace. As he sat her down, she grabbed his t-shirt and guided him down to the floor with her.
The fire popped and cracked next to them, casting a warm golden glow across the dark room. The light danced across his face, his beautiful eyes mad with passion.
Thunder boomed outside.
They frantically undressed each other, and she paused to gaze at his body. It was as chiseled as she’d fantasied about in her dreams. Every muscle was cut and defined.
She looked into his eyes as the corner of his lip turned up. She smiled back, and he leaned down and kissed her. Ravenously.
She ran her fingers through his wet hair as he kissed her mouth, then her neck and then edged down to her breasts. His warm, wet tongue circled her erect nipples as his fingers glided down below her belly button, in between her legs.
Her breath caught.
His finger lightly trailed the crease of her inner thigh, then tickled over her lips, lingering around her clitoris, but never touching it. The warm, tingling sensation filled her with wetness as her body ached for his fingers to please her.
With his mouth on her nipple, he tickled her between her legs, driving her absolutely wild. She began to throb and swell with readiness, her fingernails dragging across his back.
Finally, just when she couldn’t take it anymore, his finger slid over her clitoris, sending a lightning bolt of satisfaction through her body.
Lightly and softly, his finger rubbed, spreading the warmth of her wetness over her skin. Her lips grew slick with desire as tingles shot up her body.
He began to rub harder, faster.
Her toes curled as he bit her nipple while his fingers slid over her.
Throbbing now, she groaned at the euphoric sensation between her legs.
Just as she was about to explode, he released his hand, his fingers wet with her lust, and made his way back up to her mouth, kissing her as he edged her legs apart with his knee.
His rock hard cock dangled above her abdomen.
Her heart pounded in anticipation as he lowered down
to her, their wet skin molding together.
“Oh, Danny.”
She gasped as he pushed himself inside her. Every inch of her filled with him. Overcome with pleasure, she arched her back and bit her lip as he slowly slid back and forth.
Slowly at first, then faster. Deeper, faster.
The friction from their bodies warmed her skin, the sensation between her legs intensified as he picked up his pace.
Digging her fingernails into his back, he pushed harder. Faster, faster, her wetness increasing with each thrust.
His eyes locked on hers and she felt that she was about to explode as he looked into her soul. Her entire body began to tingle.
The sensation built to a peak, and with a final thrust, stars burst in her eyes as she released and screamed his name. A hot, wet burst of pleasure filled her body and a second later, he released himself deep inside her.
The flush of liquid warmth filled her and she felt his arms began to tremble around her.
Exhaling, he collapsed on her and she felt his heart pounding through his chest.
She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled. They both lay on the floor, dazed with exhaustion and pleasure, breathing heavily.
He rolled off of her and onto his side. She looked over at him. He smiled. She smiled.
Thunder bellowed outside. The fire hissed and crackled.
They gazed at each other for what seemed like forever. The fire danced in his blue eyes.
No words were spoken.
He brushed a piece of sweat soaked hair from her face and lightly stroked her head. She edged closer to him and kissed him on the cheek.
He pulled her into his arms as she settled her head on his muscular chest. Every inch of her felt blissful and exhausted. She’d expected to feel emotional or regretful, but instead, she felt calm, happy and…beautiful.
He slowly stroked her head as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
* * * *
Natasha gripped the steering wheel and squinted to see through the downpour. Lightning crashed through the sky and the thunder made her jump with every boom.
What a storm! And what a hell of a time to be driving in it.
She glanced at the clock. Almost midnight.
She was on her way home from a dinner meeting with a local art dealer, hoping for a big sale. However, somewhere between the main course and dessert, the meeting had turned into a date. He was a real estate agent by day, an art dealer by night and had just separated from his wife and golden retriever. Natasha felt more sympathy for the retriever than the wife. After all, dogs need a good, stable man in their lives. Women can get along just fine on their own. Just ask her.
Lethal Legacy Page 16