“I know.” He’d done so much. She’d never be able to show him enough gratitude, and he wouldn’t want it. But when he went wheels up, as he called it, she’d wait for him. Gladly. All he had to do was ask.
When Zach lowered her into the center of the bed, she drew him down with her, but pushed him onto his back. She shook free of her robe. “I don’t think it will take two weeks, but let’s see how far I can get.”
Using teeth, tongue and lips she began to seek out the freckles she’d noticed in the most sensitive areas. She didn’t get far at all before he was pressing her back, covering himself with a condom and thrusting inside her. When they both lay breathing hard and sated with pleasure, she pressed an open-mouthed kiss on a freckled patch on his shoulder.
“I missed a spot.”
Zach chuckled and shook his head. “Couldn’t prove it by me, honey.”
Chapter 41
‡
Cal lifted her suitcase onto the scale at the check-in desk. She handed her ticket to the man there and waited for him to compare it and her photo ID to the reservations she’d made. When he handed back her paperwork, they walked down to an area of benches to sit together for a moment.
“You called Zach and told him what time you’d be in?” he asked, clasping her hand between his.
“Yes. Piper’s planned a dinner party for a few of his teammates and their wives. He’s going to pick me up and take me to his apartment to eat before he runs me home.”
“Call me when you get there, so I know you’re okay.”
“I will.” She was already feeling a little weepy. She dreaded going home without him.
“I’ve been waiting to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll be home in a little over a week. I’ve already got my ticket booked. Dad and I have hashed things out about the business. He’s hiring a foreman I suggested to take my place, Kathleen. I’m just going to finish out a couple of projects this next week, then pass everything off to him.”
She found herself tearing up in relief. “Are you sure you want to do it?”
“Positive. You’ve worked too hard to take a chance on a move that might screw things up for you. Once you have your internship behind you and you’ve taken your licensing exam, we’ll revisit everything.”
She couldn’t say she wasn’t relieved, but at the same time she’d been a little excited about possibly designing some residential projects. But she could still do some of those outside of her work for Wiley Design. She did need to complete all the internship requirements in order to move on with her career. But in Texas they could have a home without having so much on the line financially. With Cal’s family nearby, she’d have a support system for when they started a family. Her own parents and siblings were so far away.
“When the time comes, I’ll be ready to do whatever you want, Cal.”
“I told Dad that’s what you’d say.” He kissed her hand.
“Tell him I still want that deal on construction rates in two years.”
Cal laughed. “I will.” He was quiet for a moment, and looked serious. “I don’t think either of us would have been ready to mend fences if he hadn’t had this heart attack. So at least something good has come out of it.”
“Maybe more will, if he and your mom can continue to work toward each other.”
“They’re in a better place than they were, Kathleen. You helped make it happen. You bring light and humor with you wherever you go. Mom said she hasn’t laughed so much in ages. Dad even smiled and laughed a time or two. But you also stood up to him in a way he couldn’t argue with, and inspired Mom to do the same. They have a way to go, but I even caught them cuddling together in his recliner this morning when they thought they were alone.”
Kathleen smiled at the thought. “I thought he might have some moves left in him once he got his head out of his ass. There’s no way you could ever be as stubborn as he is.”
Cal laughed. “I told you so.”
“I think having his son back has put him in a better place. And what about Doug?”
“He’s finding his feet. I want to give him another week, though, before I come home. He’s realized it takes more than he can give to keep things afloat, so he’s settled down.”
Kathleen glanced at her watch and stifled a sigh. “I’d better go through the security station and find my boarding gate.” She got to her feet reluctantly, leaning into him to rest her cheek against his chest, her arms tight around him. She felt secure within the answering pressure of his. “Most people refer to home as where they were born or where they grew up,” she commented when she drew back.
His blue-green gaze settled on her face, and he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with slow, deep thoroughness that left her breathless and weak. When he raised his head, he brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. “Home is where you are, Kathleen.”
*
Zach decided the only thing more sensual than watching Piper eat food was watching her prepare it. She smelled or tasted everything before it went into the recipe she was preparing. The pots and pans, bowls, whisks, knives, and other tools she used shone like new, even though she’d been using them since starting college. It seemed he’d moved them all to his house by the time they unloaded the food and other things into his larger kitchen.
Though she’d done the lion’s share of the work the day before, she still packed a box of ingredients to do some last-minute tweaks to everything before she served the dishes. She whipped cream and grated chocolate atop the ricotta pies, and added more freshly-grated Parmesan to the stuffed mushrooms. When he left her to go pick up Kathleen at the airport, she was preparing the pasta dish she meant to serve with her chicken and cutting up zucchini to fry.
Halfway to the airport, Zach pulled over into the parking lot of a parts supply store. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but the phone call from Hawk with the invite to the Captain’s office had him antsy. They were probably shipping out, and the thought of leaving her unprotected with Henderlight on the loose was driving him crazy.
As soon as Piper told him Lester had resigned, the idea had popped into his head. He opened the sheet of paper he’d collected from his room and dialed the number on it.
The phone went to voicemail, and he went into his spiel, laying it on thick with Lester about how he owed Piper something for what he had done. Now he was on vacation for a while he’d have time to do something useful. By the time Zach pulled back onto the road, he felt he’d done everything he could for the time being.
Kathleen was beaming when he pulled up beside her outside the airport. When he got out of the car, his hip only twanged a bit. “Well how was it?” he asked.
“I’m engaged!”
“About time.” Zach said with a laugh and gathered her close for a hug. “I thought I might have to take Cal aside and do the ‘when are you going to do the right thing’ speech.” She was glowing.
Kathleen poked him in the stomach with a finger. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Like hell. He raised one brow. “Let me see the ring.”
She extended her hand, a grin on her face.
He whistled. It was a beauty, and he could only wonder what Callahan had paid for it. “It’s gorgeous, sis.” He hugged her again.
“How was Texas?” he asked.
“Warmer than here, and beautiful. I had the usual picture in my head of deserts and cattle and all that, but it’s got so much more to offer. San Antonio is one of the biggest cities in Texas. Some of the homes I saw were just gorgeous. Cal’s mom’s and dad’s is beautiful, not a showplace, but a real home.”
Zach put the suitcase in the back of the SUV and closed the door.
“How’s his dad doing?” he asked after they were in the car.
“He’s doing well. He sleeps a lot, like Nana Rose did. He’s tough as an old boot. But under it, I think he’s got some soft spots. His sons are one of them. I think he must have finally apologized to
Cal, because things were better when I left.”
“Good.” He looked in the side mirror and the rearview mirror before pulling out into the flow of traffic.
“How have things been going with Piper?”
“I have a lot to tell you, but we’ll do it when I drive you home later.”
“Good stuff or bad stuff?” she asked.
“Some of each, but it’s mostly good now.” It felt good to share something with her after clamming up before she left for Texas. Family was hard. Piper was right. But he’d no more be able to keep everything that had happened from Kathleen than he would Bowie or Hawk.
“Has she gotten an appointment with Dr. Dowling yet?”
He glanced at her. “No. Not yet.”
Kathleen sank back against the seat. “I read about her father’s death. I can’t imagine…”
His phone rang and he glanced at the screen. “I have to take this, Kathleen. It’s important.” He answered the call. “Hold on a minute. I’m pulling off the road so we can talk.” He pulled into a restaurant parking lot and found a spot at the back under the shade of a catalpa tree. He motioned for Kathleen to stay silent and turned the phone onto speaker. He motioned “You still there?”
“Yeah. I’ve been ordered to stay a thousand feet away from both of you and no phone contact.”
Lester would never be able to let things go with Henderlight. He was counting on it. “Then why did you call me back?”
“You know why.” Lester’s tone was sullen.
“I found out last night he’s been out for two weeks and no one called her.” What the fuck was up with that?
“They wouldn’t have had reason to. There wouldn’t be a note on any kind of list, because she never reported what happened.”
“She might have later if things hadn’t gone down like they did.”
“We’ll never know that now, will we?”
“No.” He closed his eyes while he reached for patience. A sudden wave of grief hit him. “She was nineteen, scared, traumatized.”
“Have you told her he’s out?” Lester asked, his voice subdued.
“She needed a day or two to recover. I’m going to tell her tonight.” Zach messaged his forehead.
“What the hell do you expect me to do about it?” Lester demanded.
“Nothing you weren’t willing to do when you were after her. You put a GPS on her car to monitor her. Do the same with his. Shadow him like you did us. Stay on his ass until he does something stupid.”
“I’m not a cop anymore. Even if I witnessed him doing something, my word won’t mean squat. Not now.”
“Video doesn’t lie. You can think of something. Don’t you want this bastard? He was the root of it all.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
“He’s going to dodge a solicitation to murder charge. He’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut about what he planned to do. And if Acosta was going to take care of him, it would already have happened.”
He waited for Lester to reply. He rested a hand on Kathleen’s arm. She had lost some of her glow. He regretted letting her sit in on this conversation.
When Lester remained silent, Zach gripped the steering wheel hard in frustration. The asshole could stalk a helpless woman, but when it came to a psychopathic rapist, he wanted to back off. “He’s going to go after her.”
“Yeah. He probably will.” The flatness of Lester’s tone carried a surety Zach was had hoped only in his mind.
What was it Piper had said the day before? She was the only one who’d seen him lose control of the monster. She didn’t deserve to spend her life looking over her shoulder again, not after she’d had a taste of freedom. He dragged his fingers through his hair and tugged. “You owe her something for everything you did, Lester. She’s alone because of you.”
“She has you.”
“Uncle Sam has my number. When he calls I’ll have to go.”
Another pause followed. He ground his teeth as he waited. “Come on, man, it will give you the opportunity to refill your karma account.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Hell, I don’t have anything better to do.”
“Catching a psychopath will look good on your resume. If he so much as sneezes in her direction I want to know about it.”
“Okay.”
He drew a deep breath. If Lester put in half as much time and effort stalking David Henderlight as he had Piper… “Thanks.”
Kathleen barely waited until he ended the call before exploding. “Jesus, Zach! What the hell is going on?”
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
It was a relief to share everything. By telling her, he thought to clear his head of the accumulated emotional baggage he realized he was carrying around. To tone those feelings down, he explained it as though he were giving a report.
“How did she endure it?”
He shook his head. “She’s developed coping mechanisms.” OCD, her animals, obsessively checking her environment for threats. Jesus! “She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. She doesn’t think she is, but she is.”
“And this man you just talked to is the detective who stalked her?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re offering him a way to redeem himself?”
“Yeah. He’s a single-minded son of a bitch. Once he gets on the scent, he will not give up. The very last person you’d want on your tail. He’ll land on his feet as long as they don’t bring charges. The DA won’t be eager to do that since it might throw some of the convictions based on Lester’s work into question. He’ll do fine in the private sector doing investigations for insurance companies or lawyers.”
He needed to focus on Piper and her big night. “She’s never hosted a dinner party before. Hasn’t had any kind of get-together with friends since college. She’s a little nervous, wanting everything to be perfect.”
“Everything will be fine. Good food, good friends. What could go wrong?” She rested her hand on his arm. The hand with her engagement ring.
“I’m sorry I spoiled your big moment. You know I’m thrilled for you and Cal.”
“I know. I’ve been bitching about you never sharing anything with me. I know it’s because of your work, and because that’s just how you are.” Her eyes were glassy with tears. “I knew Cal was the one five days into our dating. Time isn’t relevant when it comes to feelings. You care about Piper.”
He pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. “Of course I do. If we could just catch a break and have two minutes without some asshole coming out of the woodwork, waiting to fuck things up for us…”
Kathleen started to tear back up again.
“You have to hold it together, Kathleen. If Piper thinks I told you this, she’ll get self-conscious and stiff.”
“Okay.” She fanned her face as though that might dry her tears. “I promise I’ll keep it together. And if I don’t, I’ll blame it on the emotions attached to Cal’s and my engagement. Which wouldn’t be too wrong. I’m sure the guy who sat next to me on the plane thought I was a basket case.”
“I want you to be able to see her when she’s relaxed and happy. The real Piper.” The Piper he fell in love with that first weekend.
Chapter 42
‡
The house smelled wonderful. Like home. Spices and yeast, marinara sauce, and the dish of pasta baking in the oven all scented the air. She refused to think about her family today. She was moving on without them.
Piper twisted her hair back into a bun to fit at the crown of her head and stuck in some pins to hold it in place. She touched her lips with gloss and gave her eyelashes a quick brush with mascara, then slipped the apron back on over her summer sweater and long skirt. She’d take it off once she got everything out of the oven.
She looked up from stirring the cheese sauce and smiled when Zach and Kathleen arrived.
“How was Texas?” Piper asked.
“A little warmer than here and beautiful.” Kathleen raised her nose in the
air as though scenting. “It smells wonderful in here. Italian is one of Zach’s favorites. Mine too.”
“Hopefully it will tasteas good as it smells. Let me pour you a glass of wine, and we’ll visit while we wait for everyone to arrive.”
They wandered outside while Zach went to change. They’d set two long tables side by side to make one wide table. Piper had spread a long white tablecloth over both and smoothed a square of brightly colored fabric over the center, creating a diamond of color. Two quart-sized canning jars were spaced equal distances apart, the long tapers inside anchored by clear glass marbles. They looked both homey and elegant. The plates, glasses and silverware gleamed.
“The table looks beautiful, Piper,” Kathleen said. “I don’t have a knack for decoration. Maybe you can help me brainstorm some ideas for the wedding. We’re not talking about a large, formal thing, but just family and a few friends.”
“Oh, you’re engaged?”
“Yes, Callahan popped the question day before yesterday.”
“Congratulations!”
While Piper studied her beautiful ring, Kathleen said, “Callahan and I decided to forgo the large, formal thing for a large family thing.”
“Won’t that be the same?” The two of them laughed.
Would she still be in Zach’s life when Kathleen married? If he stuck to his adamant stance of no contact… Surely he wouldn’t. Not after everything they’d been through. But until he said otherwise….
Zach joined them wearing in khakis and a light green knit shirt, Flash and Samantha in tow, leaving her little time to dwell on it. They greeted her with an easy friendliness. With her strawberry blond hair and creamy skin, Samantha had a fresh, country girl prettiness that complimented Flash’s blond good looks and more worldly intensity.
“I’m so glad you both could come. I can’t begin to thank you,” she said to Flash. “The advice you gave us made a huge difference.”
“I’m glad it worked out, and that it’s over for you.”
Breaking Out (Military Romantic Suspense) (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 6) Page 38