Safe in His Embrace

by Candice Poarch

  George sighed. There was something mesmerizing, something pleasing about Dorothelia’s voice.

  Chapter 5

  It was two weeks after Senetra’s birthday weekend and she still looked back on it with happiness. The middle of March was still pretty cold, although it had warmed up a little. Senetra considered looking for a husky puppy again, but gnawed on the same old dilemma. The poor dog would be cooped up in the apartment all day while she was at school. It wasn’t as if doggie day care was as available here as it was in larger cities in the lower forty-eight.

  She could walk the dog before school and again after she returned home, but it wasn’t fair. Eventually she would buy a house with a doggie door and it could frolic in the fenced-in backyard. Perhaps she’d buy two dogs. They could keep each other company during the day, but until then…She wanted some companionship.

  Senetra passed teens holding hands in the school hallway and sighed with resignation. Young love. She tried not to think of Alex, but being with him had emphasized her aloneness. Close friends were a joy, but it wasn’t the same.

  At least she’d taken a step forward. Dinner had been pleasant and so had skiing. They’d even attended a barn dance Saturday night. And true to his word, they hadn’t made love or really kissed. Before he’d left he’d kissed her on the cheek. Very chaste. Very friendly. He hadn’t asked for her phone number and he hadn’t called. But she’d missed him. And her body still craved his touch.

  Senetra sighed in frustration.

  “Ms. Novak, I need a letter of recommendation. Will you give me one?” one of her students asked.

  “Of course. Give me the information on where to send it and leave it in my box.”

  “We’re supposed to give you a two-week notice, but I’m kinda late.”

  There was a running drama with seniors, getting them to stay on target with applications and recommendation letters. “When do you need it?”

  The girl scrunched up her face. “In a week.”

  “I’ll do it this time. But remember the rules,” she warned, and softened it with a smile. What was she teaching the girl?

  “Oh, thank you.” The student ran down the hallway toward the office.

  Senetra shook her head and almost barreled into Kathryn in the hallway. Two books slipped from Kathryn’s arms. Senetra bent to pick them up.

  “You’re in a hurry,” Senetra said, handing over the books.

  “I can’t wait to get home. Look, I’m glad I caught you. Rick and I are going to the Pit tonight. Want to join us?”

  “I have karate after school. Then I’m taking a long, hot bath and reading a book in front of a fire.”

  “You can still do all that,” Kathryn said. “Don’t say no. It’s karaoke night. Rick’s going to sing and probably drag me up there with him. I don’t want to be the only one making a fool out of myself.” Once a month on Friday nights, the Pit had karaoke and it was their most popular night.

  Senetra laughed. “I can’t carry a tune.”

  “Say you’ll come?”

  “No. I’m going to read.”

  “For someone who loves to read romances, you certainly stay farther from relationships than anyone I know. Every single man in town is trying to get a date with you, and you turn them all down. It’s a wonder you had dinner with Alex, but he’s so nice.”

  “I’m not looking for a relationship, Kathryn. You know that. I’m trying to build my career.”

  “One doesn’t have to be exclusive of the other, you know. People can walk and talk at the same time.”

  Senetra sighed in frustration. Kathryn was always trying to set her up with a blind date. “I enjoy my job. It takes a lot of my time.”

  “Only because you volunteer for everything. Some of the projects could be doled out to other teachers, you know. Now, I’ll pick you up at nine. We’ll have a ball.”

  “Kat—”

  “Hang loose for a change.”

  “I need to clean my apartment. It’s been two weeks since I gave it a good cleaning.”

  “What an exciting thing to do,” Kathryn said sarcastically. “One more day isn’t going to kill you. They’re your germs.” She backpedaled toward her classroom. “See you at nine.”

  Senetra blew out a long breath. It was hard telling Kathryn no. She never gave up.

  Senetra had survived her first date since Timothy without making a complete fool of herself. Barely. This was a gathering of locals. So much for a relaxing evening in front of a fire.

  She was still a little jittery about being around a lot of people, but she knew she needed to step out of her safe little haven. If she continued in the same vein, she’d soon become a hermit, only leaving home to work, and for karate.

  At one time, she had wondered how people like Howard Hughes who led a fairly normal life ended up as hermits. For the last few months she found that quite easy.

  Senetra left the building and headed to her Jeep. She felt safe within her four walls.

  Both Charles and Senetra survived karate class without a mishap. And by the time Kathryn stopped by her apartment, Senetra had at least cleaned the living room and kitchen and had a short soak in the tub. She’d sleep late tomorrow and finish cleaning. Then she’d have the rest of the day to herself. She was thinking about going to the dock to buy some clams to make clam chowder since she wasn’t going to grade papers until Sunday after church.

  She glanced at the fireplace wistfully. The logs were staked up, ready to be lit. Maybe she’d start a fire when she returned and relax over a cup of tea.

  She couldn’t help wondering if Alex had taken a quick trip to Wisconsin. His father seemed anxious to see him.

  “I can’t believe you actually cleaned,” Kathryn said, inching her way in the door. “The orange scent hit me in the hallway.”

  “Less to do tomorrow,” Senetra said as she grabbed her coat, hat and gloves and headed out.

  Alex was the first face she saw when they entered the bar, minutes later. Her heart gladdened, but she contained her joy.

  “What’s he doing here?” Senetra asked. He had just left a couple of weeks ago. She thought they worked longer before taking leave.

  “He’s here for the weekend.”

  “You should have told me you were trying to set me up again.”

  “Don’t be angry. Didn’t you enjoy his company before?”

  “That’s beside the point,” Senetra said as Rick tapped the bar.

  “Another bar fight, Grant?” Rick said, frowning.

  Grant shook his head and laughed. “My face just keeps getting in the way. How you’all doing?” he asked as he deftly mixed drinks.

  “You’ve got to learn to duck in time,” Kathryn said as they headed to Alex’s table.

  The music was already loud and a couple of dancers were on the floor. In the back room a group was playing pool.

  Her gaze met Danya Kirill’s as he nursed a drink at the end of the bar. His gaze strayed from Senetra to his wife.

  A lump formed in Senetra’s stomach. She hadn’t intended to cause a rift between husband and wife. She should have minded her own business.

  Iris sat laughing with a few friends, but she was watching Danya, too. It was apparent they loved each other deeply, but each was too stubborn to breach the rift.

  Alex stood as they neared his table, dragging Senetra’s gaze from the troubled couple. He looked as sexy as ever. His sleeves were pushed up nearly to his elbows, exposing his forearms.

  Alex regarded Senetra and he knew why he was back so soon, why he’d jumped at any excuse. Obviously she hadn’t expected to see him. He smiled.

  “Welcome back,” Kathryn said, opening her arms for a hug. “Now Regina has a dance partner. I won’t feel guilty when I’m on the floor.”

  Senetra wanted to hit her. She could find a dance partner if she wanted one.

  Alex and Rick shook hands before Alex held out a chair for Senetra, muttered a soft hello and briefly kissed her on the lips. The air around her
felt electrified. He smelled of masculine soap and pure him.

  “Heck, there’re always dance partners for women,” Rick moaned. “It’s the men who have the problem.”

  The guys easily outnumbered the women three to one.

  They soon had drinks in front of them. While everyone else had ordered alcoholic beverages, Senetra drank a club soda.

  “How was your trip?” she asked.

  “It was good.” Alex leaned back in his seat and caught a light whiff of Senetra’s perfume. It was driving him slowly insane.

  “So you and Regina going to sing tonight?” Rick asked. “They’re starting up with the karaoke.”

  “We’re going to leave that to you.” The first couple sang a country-and-Western ballad about lost love. The next song had a livelier beat.

  “You just want to watch me get booed off the floor.”

  “Come on.” Kathryn pulled Rick onto the floor, but Senetra was watching Danya Kirill. Was she planning on approaching him tonight? The man was drinking. It wasn’t the best time.

  “I thought they kept you oil guys locked up for weeks at a time.”

  Alex shifted his chair closer so they could hear each other over the loud music. “For the first year and a half I worked for months with just an occasional day off, but now I’m taking more leave.”

  “It’s good you have that option,” she said.

  “Actually, I’m here for the king salmon competition tomorrow. Rick and I are going out with four other guys.”

  “Have you done this before?”

  “Not this particular one, but I’ve gone deep-sea fishing with them.”

  “Well, I’ll be at the dock cheering.”

  His gaze roamed her pretty face. She’d applied a touch of makeup. His eyes traveled down her smooth neck to the V in her blouse covered with an open sweater. Heat burned her cheeks and he smiled knowingly. “I’ll be looking for you in the crowd.”

  She shifted uneasily in her seat and sipped on her drink.

  “It’s Rick and Kathryn’s turn to sing,” she said, attempting to divert his attention.

  Alex leaned back, placing his arm around the back of Senetra’s chair, and they settled back to listen. Rick and Kathryn sang “That Loving Feeling” with every bit of the drama that Tom Cruise had put into it. But they weren’t booed off. When they returned to the table, Kathryn pulled each of them up.

  “Your turn,” she said.

  At the mike, they sang an old seventies song. It was a soulful melody and by the time they finished, every eye was on them. The laughter had been replaced by wistful expressions. Iris quickly dabbed tears from her eyes. This time Alex peered at Danya. Through the thick beard, he could barely see the man’s thin lips tighten with anger and pain.

  Some of the schoolkids were in the back room playing the game machines.

  “I didn’t know you could sing like that, Ms. Novak,” Mark said, grabbing their attention as they headed to their seats.

  Senetra paused. “I used to sing in the church choir. Of course, I wasn’t the lead singer. There were so many who were better.”

  That figured, Alex thought before she tightened up as if she’d let something slip that shouldn’t have. But what was so secretive about singing in church? This woman intrigued him. She was a mystery he wanted to solve. And it wasn’t because there weren’t many women where he worked, he thought with a touch of humor. There were more women in Anchorage, and he had friends there, even female friends. But none of them had intrigued him as much as this woman.

  It was near midnight when they decided they should have nourishment to go with the drinks. “Caribou omelet for dinner?” Senetra asked when Alex ordered it.

  “It’s really good here, any time of the day.”

  “I’m ordering a lobster sandwich. I can’t picture myself eating a cute caribou.”

  “It’s delicious,” Alex murmured around a grin. “You should try it.”

  “Carnivore.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re tuning into a vegan. I can just picture lobster frolicking freely through the water.”

  “Maybe I should go vegetarian.”

  He raised his eyebrows, a grin playing around his lips. “And miss all this great food?”

  “You’ve got a point,” she said.

  While they waited for their dinner, Alex pulled her out on the dance floor when a slow song began playing. Senetra was beginning to feel relaxed against the warmth of Alex’s chest when Danya’s slurred voice reached him.

  “It’s all your fault,” Danya bellowed, his tone almost drowning out the music.

  Okay, this was where she was supposed to gear herself up to use her nonexistent karate. Danya’s size made at least five of her. She could karate herself from here to Wisconsin and it wouldn’t be enough to take Danya down, not with her limited knowledge.

  Maybe she should position herself anyway, but she was so nervous, all her training flew right out her head. She couldn’t even think clearly. Okay, okay. Take a deep breath. She couldn’t close her eyes to concentrate. Danya could flatten her on the floor while she pulled herself together. Lord, have mercy. All this training, and for what? She was ill equipped to deal with her first confrontation.

  “Danya. Why don’t we make an appointment for Monday after school and we can discuss this?” she said. She realized she had to talk around Alex because he’d positioned himself between her and Danya. She moved to his side. She wouldn’t hide behind Alex.

  “Appointment. Appointment.” Danya threw up his hands. “That’s all you do is set up appointments. Or waylaying me at my ship. Well, appointments can’t fix crap. We’re going to settle this right here. Right now,” he growled, pointing his finger at the floor for emphasis.

  The one thing Senetra knew was you couldn’t argue with a drunk.

  “Let’s talk about it tomorrow, then,” Senetra said.

  “I want to talk now,” Danya demanded.

  Alex felt the moment Senetra stiffened and tried to put her behind him, but although she was frightened, she wouldn’t go.

  “You’ve had too much to drink,” Alex said. “Why don’t you go home?”

  “Because I’m talking to her now,” he said, his booming voice drowning out the music, and others began to intercede and urge him to a seat. But he shook them off as if they were no more than pesky mosquitoes. Even Grant, with his busted shoulder, had inserted himself between them.

  “Danya Kirill.” A slip of a woman whipped up to him, pushing him in the chest. “You leave her alone. It’s your own stubborn fault. Go home.” Iris put herself between everyone and the ox, but he ceremoniously picked her clean off the floor and set her gently to the side, as if she weighed no more than a porcelain doll.

  “I’ve got a few things to say to her, Missy. You stay out of it.”

  “If you pick me up again, I’m going to clobber you,” Iris said, whacking him in the chest and boldly putting herself between them again. “Mark, take your dad home.”

  In his wife’s presence, Danya seemed more a teddy bear than a bear, but Senetra was shaking slightly in Alex’s arms and trying to hide her fear. Alex tightened one arm around her and for the first time, took his gaze off Danya and got a clear look at her face. He tried to reassure her with his gaze, but it didn’t work.

  “Come on, Dad. You drank too much,” Mark said, urging him toward the door.

  “I just…” The man scratched his head. “I wanna talk to her.”

  “You can’t talk to her,” Mark said, easing him toward the door, but Danya kept trying to walk back. Mark kept him moving toward the door.

  “I’m sorry, Senetra,” Iris said. “He’s as harmless as a teddy bear, but when he drinks he has to have his say. This thing is between us, not you. I should have put my foot down a long time ago.”

  Alex had moved her beside him now, and though Senetra was still shaking, she nodded.

  “Oh, honey. You’re pale as can be. He wouldn’t hurt a flea. I’m the spitfire in the famil
y.”

  Senetra tried to smile, but it was the saddest reflection of a smile Alex had ever seen.

  “She’ll be okay,” Alex said. “I’m going to take her outside for fresh air.”

  “You do that. I’m going to give that man a good talking-to for approaching you like that.”

  “I’m fine,” Senetra finally muttered, pinching her lips to keep them from trembling. “Really.”

  Everyone else had resumed dancing, but Alex literally put Senetra into her coat and led her outside. As soon as she got there, she threw up in the bushes. This was more serious than he thought.

  “He wasn’t going to harm you. And even if he tried, I wasn’t going to let him get near you. They all know him,” Alex tried to soothe as he guided her inside Rick’s truck and warmed up the motor. A minute later, Rick came outside with their food packed in take-out boxes.

  “Is she okay?” Rick asked Alex.

  “She will be. I’m going to take her home. Ride with me so you can bring the truck back.”

  Rick climbed into the backseat and they were off.

  Alex kept watching Senetra. She didn’t say anything, merely hovered by the door. Now he believed more than ever that she’d been the product of spousal abuse and had divorced Timothy. She was clearly hiding out.

  Just get me home, Senetra thought. And I’ll be okay. The building was secure. She had extra locks on the door. Her gun was in the drawer by her bed. Once she got home, she’d be fine.

  Her shoulders sagged in defeat. Who was she kidding? If Danya Kirill wanted in, all he had to do was stand by the front door until someone he knew came and they’d just let him in. Everyone knew each other here.

  What on earth was she thinking to move here? She’d worked herself into a false sense of security. She wasn’t safe anywhere. Any disgruntled or drunk person could attack her, not just Timothy. A woman just wasn’t safe.

  She jumped when Alex opened her door to help her out. She was so out of it she didn’t realize she was home. She was soon inside her apartment, but she still shivered with cold.

  “Why don’t I light a fire?” Alex said.