“You’ll not get rid of me that easily, bitch.” Preston considered his options and decided to pick up something from that horrid diner and take it to Chelsea. If she wouldn’t go out with him, he would make damn sure that people in this town knew they were together.
“That nosy waitress is just the person to help.” Noting the time, he chose to spend a while longer searching for the perfect rental in Palm Springs. The money from Chelsea’s bank accounts, once he had it, would work for the deposit and cover rent for at least two months. By the time he needed more, he’d have the insurance payout.
In his mind, he had already moved beyond Chelsea, already relegated the murders he was plotting to the past. With the details decided, it was only a matter of waiting for the timing to be right before he implemented his plan. There was no doubt that it would work, no remorse for the lives he would ruin, no second thoughts of any kind.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Exactly how many people are you planning to feed?” Chelsea asked when she opened the door to Mac.
“You said to surprise you, so I brought Chinese and pizza. Sorry I’m a little late, had to drive to Monroe for the Chinese, this place has the best egg rolls you’ve ever eaten.” Mac grinned at the look on her face as he swept by her.
Dropping the food on the counter, he finally had hands free to pet Hershey. The puppy had been dogging him from the front door.
“Hey, buddy, are you feeling better?” Mac knelt down and held Hershey’s face between his hands, looking into his eyes. “What was wrong with him?” He asked Chelsea without standing.
“I’m not sure anything was wrong, really. He was sleeping so hard when I came in earlier, that he didn’t know I was here. Which, as you can imagine, is very unusual. When he finally woke up, he was sluggish for a while, but he’s been good since then. I wanted to stay home just in case, you know?”
“Sure. His pupils are dilated. Could he have gotten into any drugs or eaten a plant that he shouldn’t have?” Mac stood now, watching Chelsea bustle around the kitchen gathering plates and drinks.
“Seriously? I didn’t notice, but no, we don’t have any drugs lying around, neither of us takes anything. As far as the plants go, I suppose he could have gotten into something this morning, when Sharon let him out.”
“We’ll take a look around outside after dinner. See if we can identify anything suspect.”
“Thanks, that’s a good idea. Do you know what to look for?”
“Not really, but maybe we’ll see teeth marks or something. I know that his eyes didn’t get this way without help. He’s definitely been into something.”
“Whatever it was, it certainly hasn’t affected his appetite,” Chelsea laughed at Hershey sniffing the air, doing his best to get past Mac to the counter.
“That’s a good sign. Where’s his food? I’ll feed him for you, if you like.”
“It’s in the pantry, you can’t miss it.” Chelsea lined the containers of food on the counter, family style. “I can’t believe you brought so much.” Shaking her head, she placed the pizza at the end of the line. “I can honestly say that I’ve never had pizza and Chinese together. Should be interesting.”
“A memorable first date,” Mac came out of the pantry with the huge bag of food, Hershey hot on his heels.
Chelsea blushed and turned away. So it was a date. She’d nearly convinced herself that he invited her to dinner to discuss the project, afraid to get her hopes up too high. The rush of pleasure at his confirmation gave her butterflies.
“Beer, wine, soda or water?” she asked, standing in the open door of the fridge. No way could he see her face from that angle.
“I’ll have a beer, please.” Mac brought Hershey’s water bowl to the sink. He’d dropped the ‘D’ word, hoping that Chelsea would agree. Her silence baffled him. Did she think this was work related?
“And I’ll have wine,” she stated, unnecessarily. The atmosphere in the room suddenly felt strained.
Mac placed the water bowl next to Hershey’s food bowl and watched as the dog wolfed down the pellets.
“Nope, whatever it was did not hurt his appetite.” Chuckling, he walked back to stand next to Chelsea. He felt the tension as she did, but he was determined to power through. He’d let confusion cloud much of his relationship with her so far, he refused to let it continue.
“This is a date, right?” He was standing so close that she felt his breath on the back of her neck.
“Yes,” she breathed, not yet ready to face him. Her emotions were going haywire, her skin was tingling and the butterflies were doing backflips in her stomach. She hadn’t felt like this since, well, since never.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, Mac gently turned her to face him.
“I know we got off to a rocky start,” he began, “but I’m hoping we can move past that. I find you very intriguing, Ms. Bates. I’d like to get to know you much, much better.” Lowering his head, he kissed her lightly on the cheek.
When Chelsea didn’t say anything, he moved in closer and kissed her other cheek.
Chelsea felt the room spin when Mac’s lips touched her skin. She had no choice but to reach out and hold onto him.
Mac felt her hands grab hold of his waist and smiled. It was the only invitation he needed to take the next step. Wrapping his arms around her, he gathered her to him in one smooth motion while capturing her lips with his.
Chelsea recognized his intent a split second before his lips devoured hers. Once their lips met, the only thing she could do was hold on for the ride. With a slight moan, she surrendered to him, melting against his body like a rag doll.
Chelsea’s moan sent Mac’s libido into high gear. Tightening his hold, he took the kiss deeper still, reveling in the taste, the feel, the smell of the woman in his arms. His mind went completely blank, but all five senses were drowning in pleasure.
So this is what it feels like to be ravaged, Chelsea thought as Mac cupped the back of her head with one hand and pulled her closer with the other. It was the last coherent thought she managed as sensation took over. Bright lights flashed in her mind, like a lightening show during a summer storm. Heat engulfed her from head to toe, like she was standing in the middle of a raging fire. But it was the need that screamed for her response, the need to get closer to this man, to somehow crawl inside of him, body and soul.
As Chelsea tightened her grip, Mac did the same, lifting her off her feet as he pressed her body against his. He couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t hold her tight enough, needed to feel every inch of her, skin to skin.
~~~
Preston covered the seething rage he felt at the sight of Mac’s car in Chelsea’s drive with a tight smile as he walked to the doorway. So the bitch had lied to him, what else was new? She deserved everything he had planned for her and more, for the callous way she was treating him. Perhaps he could find a way to make her suffer before he killed her. Perhaps he would forego knocking her out before he let the fire consume her.
Cheered by the thought, he rang the doorbell and waited.
~~~
The first two times the doorbell rang, neither Chelsea nor Mac heard it. So deep were they in the magic of their first kiss, that no sound other than their beating hearts penetrated the moment.
Hershey’s insistent barking the third time the chimes rang out did get through however, causing them to break the kiss but not the bear-like hold they had on each other.
“Someone’s at the door,” Mac whispered breathlessly against her ear. He was still holding her aloft, without room for so much as a hair to pass between them.
“Maybe they’ll go away,” Chelsea whispered back, her mind reeling from the emotions rocketing through her.
“Doesn’t sound like it,” Mac reluctantly lowered her to the floor as the doorbell rang yet again. “Want me to get rid of them?” Lowering his forehead to hers, Mac struggled to get his breathing under control.
Chelsea did the same as she loosened her hold on hi
m, gradually regaining some of her composure.
“I’ll do it,” she squeezed his waist before pushing away from him. “Whoever it is sure has Hershey upset.” Frowning, she walked to the door, speaking to Hershey on the way. Mac followed close behind.
“It’s okay, boy, calm down, it’s okay.” Chelsea grabbed his collar before opening the door; Hershey acted as if he planned to eat whoever was on the other side.
Preston stood calmly, a look of mild concern plastered on his face, and waited for someone to open the door. His imagination was working overtime, conjuring up a dozen reasons why it was taking so long for them to acknowledge him. The longer it took, the angrier he became, but he was careful to disguise his true feelings.
Chelsea opened the door looking mussed as if she had just crawled out of bed. Preston remembered that look, had enjoyed it in fact, once upon a time. Here and now, it made him see red.
“Hello, Preston,” she greeted him, though her voice was drowned out by the dog’s low, insistent growl. “Hershey, stop that,” she admonished, though half-heartedly.
“Chelsea, I was beginning to get so worried,” Preston infused his voice with concern. “Oh, hello, Mac.” He made his greeting to Mac seem an afterthought, though he had noticed him the second Chelsea opened the door. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?”
“Hershey, calm down!” Chelsea ignored Preston’s question as she tried to get Hershey under control. The short hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up as his growl deepened.
Mac knelt down beside Hershey and took hold of his collar from Chelsea. His first instinct was to let the dog have his way with Preston, but that could get messy. Better to hear the man out and send him on his way.
“Beecher.” Mac acknowledged him, then crooned softly to Hershey, trying to calm the dog.
“I would invite you in, but it would probably upset Hershey even more,” Chelsea placed one hand on the dog’s back. “As I mentioned in my text, he’s been ill and he’s obviously still not himself. Is there something you needed?”
“Not at all,” Preston smiled warmly, ignoring Chelsea’s brusque reply. “I was concerned after I received your text. I wanted to make sure that you had dinner.” He held up the bag from Lila’s diner.
Feeling slightly embarrassed at the situation, Chelsea softened her voice.
“Oh, thanks. But Mac dropped by to discuss the project and he brought dinner along. Sorry that you wasted a trip.” The lie came easily, leaving Chelsea wondering why she bothered to try and spare Preston’s feelings. He looked so harmless, standing on her porch holding a bag of food. It was a very nice gesture, one that she couldn’t bring herself to disparage.
Mac heard the excuse and immediately looked up at Chelsea. It burned and confused him to know that she lied about his reason for being with her. ‘What the hell?’ he nearly asked, but stopped himself in time.
“Well then, I can see that I’m not needed here. I’m happy that your dog is better,” Preston stepped back, eyeing Mac’s hold on Hershey. “Oh, I spoke to the web designer. She said to tell you that she’ll have the site ready for your approval within two days of receiving the pictures. Will that be sufficient?” Preston watched as his words had the desired effect on Chelsea, causing her cheeks to redden with embarrassment. Shaming her with lies as a reminder that she was indebted to him seemed a good way to end their meeting with the upper hand.
“Yes, thank you, Preston. That will be great. I’m meeting the photographer tomorrow and hope to have images within a few days. I really do appreciate your help with that.” Part of Chelsea felt terrible about the circumstances; another part of her just wanted Preston to go.
“Very well, then. Good night to you both.” Giving a mock salute, Preston turned and left.
Mac didn’t release his hold on Hershey until Preston had reached his car and Chelsea had closed the door. The dog’s response had surprised him; there must be a reason that he was behaving so aggressively. Pushing that thought to the back burner, he turned to stare down at Chelsea.
“Why didn’t you tell him we were on a date? Are you two still entangled?” Direct and to the point, Mac decided. It was the best way to get answers.
“No!” Chelsea frowned at his questions, answering the second one first. “Absolutely not. We were supposed to have dinner tonight, until Hershey became ill. As you heard, he’s helping me with a few details for the B&B opening.”
“Okay, but you still didn’t answer my question. Why did you tell him that we were discussing business? Unless that kiss didn’t mean anything to you.” Mac stepped back, putting more space between them. It was possible that he’d read the thing wrong, but he doubted it. Still, it was best to let her make the next move. She was the one who lied, after all.
“Of course it meant something to me,” Chelsea took one step forward, reaching out to touch Mac’s arm. “I just didn’t want to rub Preston’s face in it, I suppose. It seemed easier at the time.”
“You’re sure there’s nothing still between you? I heard that you were engaged, that’s not something easily dismissed. If you still have feelings for him, just tell me.”
“I do have feelings for Preston, but none of them are pleasant.” Chelsea’s voice became heated. “He’s determined to get back in my good graces, and I saw no reason not to let him help out with the B&B. He has a lot of good contacts and a head for business. It so happens that I could use both about now. That’s it, nothing more. I have no intentions of ever going back to Preston.” She lowered her voice, stood closer to him. “Especially not now.”
“That’s good to hear,” Mac tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before trailing his finger along her cheek. “But I know someone else who could help get the business side of things up and running. I also have more than a few contacts that might come in handy. You don’t need Preston Beecher for anything.”
“That’s good to hear,” Chelsea smiled up at him, all thoughts of Preston disappearing as she gazed into his eyes. Just then, to her complete mortification, her stomach growled loudly, completely ruining the moment.
Laughing, Mac put his arms around her for a quick hug.
“Let’s get you fed, I’m starving myself. I assume that we can pick this up later?”
“Count on it,” Chelsea laughed along with him, amazed at how comfortable she felt, walking arm in arm to the kitchen. In the space of mere minutes, their entire relationship had changed, but it felt as natural as breathing.
“How’s John doing, by the way?” she asked as she filled two plates with the assortment of now cold food.
“He’s tired, but he seems content. He’s the one who insisted that I call you for dinner.” Mac grinned down at her as he took one plate and placed it in the microwave.
“Really? Too bad you didn’t think of it on your own,” Chelsea teased and pressed a few buttons.
“Oh, I thought of it, alright. But I didn’t want to leave him if he needed me.” Mac didn’t want depressing thoughts to interfere with their date. “He told me that I was a fool if I waited one more minute before staking my claim. His words, not mine.”
“And have you, staked your claim that is?”
“What do you think?” he asked before grabbing her tight against him and crushing his lips to hers.
Chelsea felt the world spinning, much the same as she had the first time he’d kissed her. Giving in to it, she snaked her arms around him and held on for dear life.
The microwave bell broke the spell this time, but it took a few moments for the two to separate.
“Any questions?” Mac asked as he removed the plate with one hand, keeping Chelsea upright with the other.
“No, not at the moment,” Chelsea breathed, wondering if it would always be that way when they kissed. She hoped so. “Let’s eat outside.” Changing the subject, she passed the second plate to him.
“You lead, I’ll follow.” Mac waited for the second plate to heat, grabbed his beer and headed for the deck.
“It’s nice here, but nothing like your new place.” He told her as they settled in for dinner.
“I know. I have to pinch myself when I think about it. Not to mention that I can move in this weekend, if I want. It feels like a dream.”
Mac had a sudden chill, and not from the weather. Thoughts of Chelsea living on top of that mountain, isolated and alone, did not sit well with him.
“Are you sure you want to move in before everything is done? We’ll still be doing construction for the next two weeks, give or take. You know that Dad likes to start early in the morning. Not exactly conducive to a peaceful sleep.” Mac hoped his explanation made her rethink things.
“I’ve thought of that, but I still can’t wait to live in my own home. With any luck, I’ll be sharing it with strangers soon enough. These next few weeks may be my only chance to live there alone for quite some time.”
Mac wracked his brain, trying to come up with a reason to keep her from moving in so soon. He knew in his gut that she would not be safe, but he had nothing concrete to back up his feelings.
“Well, you have electricity, gas and water, but do you have internet? You might also want to get a land line installed. Winters can get pretty bad up here, you’ll need a way to communicate that’s not dependent on cell towers.”
“Shoot, I hadn’t even thought of ordering internet service. You’re right, without it I can’t even set up the business, much less run it. Excuse me.” Chelsea dropped her fork and ran to add ‘internet’ and ‘phone’ to her list. When she returned, Mac was more relaxed.
“You said that a photographer was coming by tomorrow. Who did you find?” He asked jovially, satisfied that he’d bought some time to figure out what was up with his gut.
“You may know him. His name is Jason Bond. Janie recommended him.”
“JB? Sure I know him, but I haven’t seen him in ages. He’s been traveling in the Middle East, freelancing for several news outlets. At least that’s what I heard that last time I was home. I didn’t know he was back in town.”
Killer Romances Page 56