by Vella Day
“Hence the daisy tattoo.”
“Yes.”
When the lines around his mouth hardened, she had no idea how to respond. “I'm sorry.” She had to stop repeating herself.
“Don't be. I turned out all right.”
“And here I thought I had it tough with my mother and father always working.”
“I did have one family who cared for me.” His shoulders relaxed.
“Tom's family?”
“I kind of adopted his family during college, but this was when I was nine. I was assigned a Big Brother from one of those community outreach programs. He taught me everything, from fishing to racing go carts to how to shoot a gun.”
She was happy for him. “Do you still keep in touch with this family?”
He locked his gaze with her. “As a matter of fact I do. My big brother had a nephew who I grew fond of too. We were like brothers.” He leaned forward and took her hands in his. “You want to know the name of this so-called brother.”
From the glint in his eye, Susan knew she wouldn't like the answer. Then she recalled the four names on his speed dial. “Don't tell me it was Peter Caravello.”
“Yup.”
She leaned back and withdrew her hands. “No wonder you wanted to believe he was innocent.”
“Turned out I was right. Peter couldn't have committed several of those crimes since he was in custody or in Washington at the time. I think the same person who wanted to frame Peter is trying to frame me.”
“Hey, Taylor,” her boss called.
Saved by the bell. “Look, I gotta go. Thanks for stopping by.” For the sake of image, she debated kissing him, but when Jake chugged the rest of his coffee, she backed away. Too bad he hadn't read her mind.
Jake finished up shortly and waved goodbye. She'd feared he was mad that she rushed away, since it was clear he wanted to talk about Peter with her, but she wasn't ready. Without more evidence, she wouldn't be visiting Peter alone any time soon.
Jake had been gone no more than ten minutes when two men walked in, and her stomach soured for no good reason other than gut instinct. Was it the way they looked at her, or the sharp perusal of the place as if they intended to rob it?
Forget it. Paranoia wasn't a pretty trait, yet the shorter man looked familiar. Too bad she couldn't place him.
17
By the time Susan's shift ended at the diner, the weather had turned nasty. Rain, mixed with snow, pummeled the large glass storefront windows.
John wiped his hands on his apron and came out from behind the counter. “When Jake comes for you, you go ahead. Rebecca and I can clean up.”
She wasn't sure if she should take him up on her offer, but she was too tired to argue. “Thanks. I'm still a little drained from the accident.”
“Be careful going home,” John said.
By the time Jake pulled in front of the diner, it was past eight. Susan waved to Rebecca who was wiping down the last of the tables. "Thank you!"
Rebecca looked up and smiled. “Have fun on your days off.”
She liked having a friend who she could let down her guard around.
Two days off. Hmm. Susan wasn't sure if she wanted to sit in the cabin by herself while Jake worked, but her schedule needed to mesh with the other workers.
Bracing herself against the wind, she lifted her collar and rushed outside. Driving rain soaked her before she reached the passenger's side. She jumped in and slammed the door shut before she dripped water inside the cab.
“Don't you have an umbrella?” Jake asked.
“Obviously not.” Damn, she should have been sarcastic, but her feet hurt and her body ached.
“Right.”
He pulled out into an empty road. Apparently, no one else was crazy enough to drive in this weather, and they met with little traffic on their trip out of town.
“I'll look to see if the Traynors have something you can borrow.” He slid the heater knob to high. “Don't want you to catch cold.”
She didn't remember Carlton caring about her health like Jake did, even at the beginning of their short marriage. She needed to shift her thoughts from her problems. “How was your day?”
“Good, but lunch was better.” He winked.
Her stomach fluttered. They weren't in public, so there wasn’t any need for him to toss out compliments as if they were engaged.
“I enjoyed you stopping by too.” God, she sounded like a freshman in high school.
Jake cleared his throat. “How was day two at Shepherd's Diner?”
She nearly laughed at their awkward conversation. “Good until you left.” He quirked a brow, and she twisted toward him. “These two creepy men came in that John said weren't from around here.”
“Shepherd Hills gets a lot of visitors.”
“These didn't act like tourists.”
His fingers gripped the wheel tight and his jaw tightened. “What did they look like?”
An oncoming car drove past, illuminating the concern in his eyes. “I didn't pay all that much attention until the shorter guy wouldn't stop staring at me.”
“Describe him.”
She should have memorized more details. “Caucasian, late thirties, maybe. He had glasses with black rims, wore a plaid shirt, and had dirty boots.” Not bad.
“So he wasn't the same as the one at the Lake City Waffle House?”
Her stomach twisted. She wanted to remember. “At first I thought he might be, but because his dress was so different, I couldn't be sure. I'm sorry.”
“You did your best.” Jake turned left onto a road leading up to mountain cabin. “What did these men sound like? Deep voice, raspy like a smoker, foreign accent, or what?”
She closed her eyes and tried to replay their interaction. “One of the men had a distinctive accent, like someone who lived around New York. The man in the plaid shirt didn't say much. When they finished their meal and left, I made a point of looking at their license plate. They were from Virginia.” Pride seeped in.
His brows rose. “Did you get the number?”
She leaned back in the seat. “No. Another car pulled out in front and blocked the back of their red mustang just as I tried to read the plate.”
He shook his head. “This town gets a lot of people passing through. The one man who took an interest might have been someone who liked to look at a beautiful woman.”
She nearly sputtered. With her scarred face, no one would find her attractive. “If they do stop by again, I'll be sure to ask John or Rebecca to secretly take a picture of them with their camera phone.”
“Let's hope they don't come back.”
“Amen.”
The weather didn't let up the whole ride to the cabin. If anything, the wind had become stronger and the rain more intense. Trees swayed like beggars grabbing for a handout—creepy and disturbing.
Jake cut the engine. “Wait here. I'll get an umbrella for you.”
That was dumb. He'd get wet running to the cabin, jogging back to the car, and then rushing inside again. “I can make it. I'm already soaked.”
Before Jake could come around to her side, she pushed open the door and hurried to the covered entranceway. She shivered against the cold.
Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he unlocked the cabin door with one hand, and she appreciated his warm body heat.
He ushered her in. Even though they were inside, the walls didn't do a great job of keeping out the winter weather. “It's freezing inside.” Chills raced down her back.
“Why don't you take a hot shower and get ready for bed while I light a fire?”
She didn't remember the last time she'd taken the time to enjoy an evening watching flames flicker up a chimney. “Sounds divine.”
She wasn't all that sure about walking around in her nightgown, but she did relish the idea of roasting by the fire.
When she finished showering and reapplying her bandages, she pulled on her flannel gown. A little self conscious, she padded out to the dark
ened living room and halted. Light from the fire flickered off the walls, giving the room a warm yellow glow.
Jake was lying on pillows he'd taken from the sofa, and two more pillows were next to him. “Come, join me.”
She couldn't resist. Given he'd turned off the room lights, her nightgown would provide her a fair amount of modesty. Her back to Jake, she tucked her legs under and admired the flames, letting the heat pour over her.
“Here.” He tapped her shoulder and handed her a glass of red wine.
She twisted around. “What's the occasion?”
“Occasion? This may be the first time we've spent more than one night at a place. I'm hoping our days of running are over.”
If only. Susan sipped the wine, and the robust liquid soothed her throat. “This is delicious.”
“I agree. I'll have to thank Tom's dad.”
The flames jumped and shook, mesmerizing her. As she drank and watched the interplay of wood and fire, her body slowly relaxed. Sprawled on the cushion behind her, Jake reached up and twisted her hair in his finger sending shivers of delight along her body. Susan leaned her head back to enjoy his playfulness.
She set her glass down, turned toward him and leaned on her elbow. Shadows danced on his face, and she reached out to touch his bristly cheek.
When he twisted his head and kissed her palm, her soul melted. Maybe it was the stress of not talking to her family, the aftermath of seeing her best friend die, or having to run for her life, but that one act of tenderness did more to give her hope than any words could have done.
“Why don't you move closer?” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Her logical mind battled with her body. Since her divorce, she'd focused solely on work—meaning long hours that didn't allow her any time for pleasure. She was attracted to Jake—and he to her, she was sure.
But could she afford to get involved? Once the bastard was caught, they'd go back to their old lives.
Stop thinking. Just act.
The crackle of the fire and smell of the pine emboldened her. She scooted forward on the pillows until her lips were inches from his. Somehow her fingers found their way into his still damp, wavy hair. She dragged his face closer and could smell the rain on his skin.
She ran a thumb down his ear. “You should dry off. We don't need you catching cold.”
“Trust me, I'm anything but cold.” He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her hip to hip. “I've wanted to hold you for so long.”
Surprise shook her. He closed his eyes, and she knew her looks didn't matter to him, making her heart soar. Susan's resolve broke, and she let her body and her desires lead the way. Too much thinking and analyzing would just get in the way.
When their lips touched, her mind shut off. Suddenly, her hands found their way to his shoulders, and then over his bulging biceps. She wanted to touch his skin, taste him, and savor everything about him. With fumbling fingers, she unbuttoned his shirt and leaned back to let the light bounce off his magnificent body. A thatch of hair was lightly sprinkled across his upper chest, leaving the bottom half to his navel bare. “You're gorgeous.”
He laughed. “I think gorgeous suits you more.”
Her face heated. His hands slipped to the end of her nightgown and tugged the cloth upward. Thrill and lust overwhelmed her senses. Living in a dead marriage for so long, she'd forgotten how much excitement could exist between a man and a woman.
“You think we should be doing this?” she said, praying he'd say, oh, yeah.
“You mean exploring each other's bodies with the intent to make love?”
“Yeah that.”
His fingers tightened on her back. “I'll stop if you want.”
“Never. Now shut up and kiss me.”
She didn't have to ask twice, for his lips made her believe in forever after. He rolled her on top of him, his hard erection pressing against her. Would she be able to handle him? He was huge.
A moment later, he'd discarded her nightgown and began sucking on her nipple while he kneaded her other breast. Tender, yet firm, he thoroughly made his way from one breast to the other, while his free hand explored the contours of her neck, her hips, her thighs and her ass. The fire sent out a loud snap and she jerked at the intrusion.
“Shh.” He kissed her forehead, and she relaxed.
**
Jake couldn't get enough of her. Susan's long legs made him forget every FBI rule he'd ever learned. He loved her silky hair, soft lips, creamy thighs, and magnificent breasts.
He wanted her. Now. After leaning her onto her back, he straddled her. Without ceremony, he dipped a finger inside her, and she gasped, sending his libido into overdrive. He had to have her, taste her, savor her.
Without asking what she wanted, he slipped down between her thighs and licked her, slow at first, then flicked his tongue fast and furiously as her moans increased. She wove her fingers in his hair and tugged.
“That feels wonderful. Please, don't stop.”
He had no intention of doing that. His hands ran up and down the length of her legs, while his mouth explored every fold and nub. When she was thoroughly wet, he fell back on the cushion and pulled her on top of him once more.
“I want you to make love to me,” he said. “I'm afraid I might hurt you if I'm on top.”
She closed her eyes and smiled. “I don't think you'd ever hurt me.”
He wanted to laugh with joy. “Only a few days ago you thought I wanted to kill you.”
“That was eons ago.”
How true. He'd known her for a short while, yet she let him touch her inner soul. She leaned over and kissed him, tasting like the wine. After a long and thorough exploration, she smiled, and then slid lower. “Time to taste you.”
Oh, jeez, he wouldn't last. It didn't matter he could sit still for hours or go without water was two days, the moment Susan touched him, he'd lose it.
Lightly grabbing his dick, she leaned over and dragged her tongue along his length. He had to work hard to swallow the hiss. Jake cupped her shoulder, ready to pull her off should he start to blow.
Between her delicate licks and her slow pumps, the tension nearly ripped him in two. “Kiss me,” he begged, though he wasn't sure that would calm him down any more.
"My pleasure."
As she explored his mouth, she lifted her behind and slipped down on his erection. Damn. He nearly came with that first touch.
Hands on her waist, he raised her off him.
“What's wrong?” Her voice cracked.
He pulled a condom out of his wallet and waved the foil packet at her. “I'm the protector, remember?”
Her face relaxed. “Hurry.”
Once he sheathed himself, he repositioned her on top once more, and she immediately planted herself on his shaft. Christ. Susan bucked up and down, driving him wild with need.
“Oh, Jake!”
Her fevered cry set his balls on fire. Wanting Susan to be completely fulfilled, he slowed the pace—or rather tried to slow the pace. She lowered her upper body, giving him access to her perfect breasts again. Each nip and lick seemed to take her higher and higher. He wouldn't have stopped except it made his balls tighten further.
He didn't remember how long they made love, but between his hands plying her breasts, and his lips on her, he came the moment her screams of ecstasy reverberated in the room.
Their breaths mingled, and he could almost hear her heart slamming against her chest. With her eyes squeezed shut, she collapsed on top of him. “That was amazing,” she panted.
He ran a hand down the curve of her delicate back. “You got that right, baby.”
After she didn't move for several minutes, he thought she'd fallen asleep on him. As the fire spit and hissed, he continued to stroke her soft skin.
“Mmm.” She snuggled on his chest. “I'm so comfortable.”
“You don't have to move.”
She rolled off and cuddled against him. Nice. The logs had burned down to a few
glowing embers and a chill filled the air.
“Maybe we should move to the bedroom.”
She glanced up at him. “Your place or mine?”
**
“I think the bitch poisoned me.” Ronnie leaned over the commode and retched.
Dom plastered a hand against the bathroom doorjamb. “She had no idea who we are. She didn't poison you.” Idiot.
Ronnie swiped a hand across his mouth. “Didn't you see the way she looked at you? I think she might have recognized you.”
Dom worried about that. “All the more reason to end this run around as soon as we can.”
Ronnie vomited again. “I can't help you tonight. We got to wait until tomorrow.”
Dom slapped the door edge. “You better be ready first thing in the morning. I want the bitch dead, so I can back to my life.”
If he didn't accomplish his goal, he worried his father would make good on his threat to take James Caravello into the business. And that would happen only over his dead body.
18
Sunlight streamed into the bedroom window forcing Jake to crack open an eye. He squinted against the brightness pouring through the sheer curtains. Finally, it was going to be a nice day.
He rolled over and came face to face with a sleeping beauty. Lips slightly parted, face relaxed, Susan's arm was draped over his waist. He closed his eyes for a moment to savor his memory of their passionate lovemaking.
Susan Chapman was one hellava woman, but he'd crossed the line last night. Until now, he'd never gotten close to anyone he'd protected, but Susan had wormed her way under his skin. She'd touched his soul in a way no other woman had, and he'd thrown all caution aside. Stupid. After years of not feeling connected to anyone, other than Tom and Peter, Susan had filled a void in his life.
He waited for remorse to come crashing down on him, half expecting some voice from above to shout down and say he should set her free—that she didn't need to be with a wanted man—but the lonely part of him blocked out his moral obligation to find her another bodyguard.
He rationalized that not knowing who to trust in his department gave him reason to stay by her side. Pure rationalization, but he was good with that for the moment.