Safe in His Embrace

by Candice Poarch

  “I’m all for playing,” she managed to say, because he was stroking her and she moved her hips for optimal pleasure.

  She was on the brink of an orgasm and then she was falling over. Alex waited until her body had come off this high before he entered her.

  He sank deep within her and stopped. She gazed at him, searching to read his thoughts.

  “What is it?”

  “I love you,” he said.

  “Alex…” Senetra was brimming over with emotions. “I love you, too.” She wished she could take a snapshot, to preserve this moment forever, not the lovemaking, but the feelings, the love, the connection she felt with him.

  And then he began to move, and they moved in unison. The intensity of her pleasure climbed and peaked. And she came a second time, and he reached his fulfillment, too, on the heels of her tumultuous climax.

  For a time, they held each other close. So close. Senetra was happier that moment than she’d been in years.

  “Oh, Senetra.” Alex leaned up, taking most of his weight off her. He brushed her hair from her face. “You’re absolutely fabulous.” He kissed her softly on the lips before he shifted beside her and held her in his arms.

  He’d called her Senetra! He knew who she was. She had nothing in her house or on her that referred to that name. Had he known all along?

  Senetra tried not to react, but her heart started pounding hard and she hoped he thought it was from their lovemaking, the special moments they’d shared and revealed and not the sound of her name—her real name.

  Oh, my God. Did Timothy send him? No. That’s impossible. He was Rick’s friend. They’d known each other since college.

  And he’d said he loved her. And Lord knows she loved him, too.

  They always said that a declaration of love in the height of passion was questionable. But she’d spilled her heart and he had seemed real to her.

  He couldn’t be a private investigator? If he was, then he would have contacted Timothy in March. Senetra was so confused. She needed to get away and think.

  Would Timothy meet her at one of their stops? Some of them were so isolated that if he got her, she’d never be seen again. Self-defense classes were all fine and good, but Timothy wouldn’t come alone. Not even her attempt at karate could hold out against three or four goons.

  “I need to go to my room for a shower and change of clothes. I’m starving. Why don’t we meet for dinner in an hour?” she said. “How does that sound?” She tried to sound normal.

  “Great.” He bent, kissed her deeply before letting her go. Senetra tried to respond normally, but knew she made a weak attempt. He didn’t comment on it. Maybe he’d think she was still responding to the aftermath of the orgasm and his declaration of love.

  Slipping out of bed, Senetra dressed quickly and at the door she looked back at him. Alex was lying on his back with his hands behind his head, regarding her with a pleased and satisfied look on his face. She smiled at him before opening the door.

  For a moment she stood outside his room gathering her breath. She had no time to waste. At least here she could get a plane to Anchorage. She would not go home. But she needed her purse with her ID so she could at least clean out her bank account. She had a contact in Homer that would get her away quickly if she needed to. But could she go there?

  She rushed to her room, not even thinking of taking the time to shower.

  Was she doing the right thing? Could Alex have a good explanation for knowing her name and not telling her? He seemed so kind. Someone she thought she could share a future with, the near future at least. Should she just talk to him? But Timothy had seemed nice in the beginning, too. She’d trusted him. People put on fronts all the time. But she’d thought…Could her judgment be that far off—for a second time?

  Heck, what did she know? She’d married an abuser. Who said you can’t make the same mistake twice? She was looking for all the signs and Alex exhibited none. Maybe…this was her life. She couldn’t second-guess it. Timothy had found her before. He would kill her this time. Damn him. Senetra stifled frustrated tears. She didn’t have time for them. Couldn’t she get away from him for a year? One lousy freaking year?

  She grabbed her coat and tucked her things in a small bag and left. On her way out the door, she stopped. What if Alex wasn’t her enemy? What if he was the man he appeared to be? Then she was doing him an injustice by not trusting him, by running away without talking to him.

  She retraced her steps to the bedside table and wrote a short note about having to leave the ferry and left it propped up so that he’d easily see it when he came searching for her. Then she walked out of the room, out the door, looking both ways down the corridor before she closed it after her.

  She left the ferry and hoped Alex wouldn’t miss her before it pulled from the dock.

  Maybe she had enough time to get away. How much, she didn’t know. She grabbed a taxi to the local airport.

  Home. She couldn’t call any place home.

  She’d hate to leave the one picture she had of her mother. It was such a tricky set of events that allowed her to teach here. She would not be able to teach again.

  She was sick to death of hiding out. If given a chance she’d confront Timothy. But she couldn’t reason with a person that mentally unbalanced. She’d have to settle in a new place. Have to find another job—again. Meet new people. Make new friends. How many times would she have to repeat that scene?

  Damn it. This was no way to live. No kind of life. She was sick and tired of running. She was sick of just existing. For a little while, she’d been able to glean some pleasure with Alex. Perhaps she could trust him. She just didn’t know.

  Why should one man have the power to take away her life?

  It did no good to ask why, because she had to deal with her reality.

  Chapter 12

  Dorothelia joined George in the den. They were having a late dinner and George poured a martini and handed it to her. They had a few moments alone before his grandchildren would join them.

  “Jasmine and Drake are planning to build a house on the land I pointed out to you yesterday,” George said. “They’re eager to have their own place.” Having them here wasn’t a problem. The house was large enough to hold four families without getting in each other’s way.

  “It’s a beautiful piece of property,” Dorothelia said. “A wonderful view of the mountains.”

  “This place will seem empty. I’m used to having the young ones around.”

  “With the businessmen you’re always entertaining here, it’ll never be empty.”

  “Will that bother you? Having people staying, often at the last minute?”

  “Not at all.”

  George sighed and sipped his brandy.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I was hoping for great-grandchildren before too much longer.”

  “Both Noelle and Jasmine are newlyweds. They want to spend some time with their husbands before the children begin to come.”

  “Just wishful thinking.”

  Dorothelia smiled, reached up and kissed him before patting his jaw. He captured her hand and kissed the back.

  “I think it’s the perfect time for us to set a wedding date,” George murmured.

  “But—”

  “I know, sweetheart, but the investigator thinks they’re getting closer. They’ve found someone near Seattle who knows of her and he’s flying out there in the morning. He thinks it’s a good lead.”

  It was clear Dorothelia wasn’t on the same page, but George pressed on. He wasn’t a young man and he was eager to begin their life together.

  “I think a September wedding will be nice,” he said. “It will give him another three months to find her. And it will give us something to look forward to.” When Dorothelia remained silent, he said, “Do you have a special preference for the date?” George held his breath, gearing himself up for another argument.

  Her chest rose and fell. “September is fine.”


  George exhaled in relief and kissed Dorothelia’s hand again before he tilted her chin and kissed her fully. There was sad acceptance and happiness in her eyes. He wished he could wipe the sadness away, but he didn’t want her to go home alone.

  “Thank you, darling.”

  Noelle and Colin came into the room. “None of that,” Colin said, and Dorothelia blushed.

  “Mind your own business, young man.”

  George had turned most of the Thoroughbred farm management over to Colin. He was a levelheaded young man and knew the business well. Still, there was a lot of old money involved in it and sometimes a more gentle touch was required. And they had to choose Thunder’s mares carefully. You couldn’t breed just any filly with a derby-winning Thoroughbred.

  Yes, there was plenty of work for both of them.

  Of course, with their win at the Churchill Downs, their future appeared to be in terrific shape for the next few years. Fate could intervene, however. No one could forget the tragedy with Barbarossa, which was the reason they weren’t taking any chances with their winner.

  Stud fees alone would net them many millions.

  “Jas and Drake will be down soon,” Noelle said.

  As they spoke, Jasmine came tearing into the den. “Honest to goodness. That woman. If the meal is two minutes late, she’s having a hissy fit.”

  “Leila is a creature of habit,” George said, smiling.

  “She should know better by now.”

  “And you should know better than to talk about me, missy. Or you’ll get burned toast for breakfast.”

  “I take every word back,” Jasmine said, kissing Leila on the cheek.

  “And don’t think I’ll melt with a little foolery.”

  George went to the bar and opened a bottle of champagne.

  “What’re you doing over there?” Leila asked. “It’s time for dinner.”

  He started filling glasses. “I have an announcement to make,” he said, and Leila helped him pass the glasses around. George handed one to Leila. “Have a seat, Leila,” he said and joined Dorothelia.

  Leila sat on an empty chair with a sigh.

  George looked down at Dorothelia. “Dorothelia has agreed to become my bride in September,” he said. “You see before you a very happy man. To Dorothelia.” He raised his glass.

  Everyone shouted congratulations and drank.

  “Best wishes,” Colin said, coming over to kiss Dorothelia and pat George on the shoulder. “Didn’t know you had it in you, old man,” he whispered for George’s ears alone. And stepped back when George gave him the eye.

  “I can still outsmart you, young man, and don’t you forget it,” George teased with great dignity.

  There was a lot of hugging and kissing. Everyone loved Dorothelia. In less than four months, she’d charmed them all.

  Leila dug a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose. “I’m thrilled for you. May you have a lifetime of happiness,” she said, before they proceeded to the dining room for dinner.

  Leila lagged behind and captured George. “I never thought you’d find someone to love the way you loved Miss Margaret. I meant what I said. I’m very happy for you and she’d be, too. You know she felt life was for the living and she’d want you to move on.”

  George hugged Leila. She’d been with him more than thirty years and she’d been a godsend. “Thank you, Leila.”

  “And I’m not retiring. I have many good years left in me.”

  George laughed. Now in her midfifties, Leila had been a young woman in her early twenties when she began working for him. Her husband had worked on the farm with him, but he’d passed on, too. “You know you have a good retirement settlement from me. I’m not forcing you to leave. I’ll leave it to your discretion.”

  George also knew a romance was blooming with Leila and one of his horse trainers.

  “It’s time for you to move forward with your romance, too,” George said.

  Leila sniffed. “You weren’t supposed to know about that.”

  “I know about everything.”

  She blushed and traipsed to the kitchen.

  Alex glanced at his watch and pounded on the door to Senetra’s room. She didn’t respond. She had to be ready by now, he thought. Even if she wasn’t completely dressed, she couldn’t be in the shower. He was still puzzled at the way she’d behaved after he revealed his feelings for her. She responded as if she couldn’t get out of the room quickly enough.

  He knocked again. “Regina, it’s me,” Alex called out, embarrassed to be yelling in the hallway like some teenager, but when she still didn’t respond he got worried.

  He searched the lounge area and the restaurant, then toured all the public access areas, but he still couldn’t find her.

  A half hour later, he discovered that she’d actually left the boat—with a small bag. One of the crew had noticed her leaving in a hurry.

  Had she seen someone who frightened her? Why didn’t she contact him? She must have known by now he would have protected her.

  The ferry was leaving soon. She’d asked him to put both rooms in his name. He got the key to her room. She hadn’t taken the time to even pack her luggage. He read the note. She left because of an emergency. What kind of emergency and, again, why hadn’t she contacted him?

  Quickly, he tossed her things into her suitcase and did the same in his room and left the ship, too. And hoped she’d left a trail he could follow.

  He approached the ferry first. He didn’t know which direction Senetra was going and she was nowhere around. He had to hope it was home. One ferry had already left. What the heck happened? Had she seen Timothy or someone who could identify her?

  He turned it over and over in his mind. Timothy was the only thing that could make her panic that way. Why in heck didn’t she tell him if she was in trouble? He just couldn’t fathom her leaving under her own steam.

  Alex was beginning to panic a little himself. He’d never thought to find a love like Senetra. With the slow pace of the small town, he’d been comfortable and happy with her.

  After he checked with the water taxis, he grabbed a cab for the island’s small airport.

  Senetra missed the plane heading to Anchorage by two minutes. She couldn’t believe it as she watched it climb into the air. Two lousy minutes. The next one wouldn’t leave until the morning. She could not stay here overnight. No telling what would greet her in the morning.

  She’d charter one, then. All of her essential papers were stored in a safe-deposit box in Anchorage. She had to get them before she left. But where would she go from there?

  She went into the office. It took her a half hour to find the next plane that was heading to Anchorage. Another couple had chartered it, but they consented to her riding with them. A man and woman back from a fishing trip. Senetra felt safe with them.

  The next hour seemed like ten. She tried to sit calmly, but couldn’t. She stayed right in the office. She would not leave even to get a sandwich.

  Senetra ran over several scenarios, including that Alex could be perfectly innocent. She was taking her flight anyway. When she was out of harm’s way in Anchorage, she could sort it all out.

  She was walking to the private plane when Alex saw her. Good. He was in time.

  “Regina? Wait up. What’s going on?”

  Fear and anger knotted inside her. He’d found her and he was carrying both their luggage. He dropped the bags on the ground and rushed toward her.

  “Stay away from me,” she snapped, holding up a staying hand.

  He stopped and actually looked confused. Confused? “Tell me what’s wrong. What’s the emergency?”

  “I have to go.”

  “Let me help you,” he said, taking a step forward, close enough for Senetra to see the concern in his face.

  “You can’t help me.”

  “Is it something I did?”

  “Try this on for size. You lied to me.”

  He stiffened as though she’d struck him. “I’ve never�
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  “You know my real name,” she hissed.

  “Your real name?”

  She approached him so the others couldn’t overhear them. He wasn’t going to snatch her right here and run away with her. This wasn’t Milwaukee.

  “After we made love, you called me by my birth name. No one knows my real identity, Alex, or is that a fake name, too?”

  How could he have done that? Alex thought, at the same time knowing it was easy enough. He always thought of her as Senetra—had always loved that name.

  “Can we please talk?” he asked.

  “Ma’am, we have to leave now,” the pilot said. “I have another pickup.”

  “I’m asking you to trust me, Senetra. I would never hurt you. I love you. Give me a chance to explain.”

  “You’re asking me to trust you with my life.”

  “I know.” How could he make her believe in him, in what they shared? “Just trust…trust what your heart sees. I’m standing right here before you. You’ve known me for months. What do you see, Senetra? What have you seen?” he asked. “And what did you see with Timothy?”

  Senetra wanted to believe him. She loved him. But if she trusted him and if he was working for Timothy…

  She didn’t know what to do. She wiped a hand across her face. She gazed at him, studying him.

  Then she began to think of the tender ways he’d slowly brought love into her life. The way he’d tried to protect her from Danya, the tender way he touched her, picked clams when all he wanted to do was take her to bed. And this trip, opening her eyes to an Alaska that would have taken her more time to get up the courage to explore. They were on the tail end of their vacation when he’d made the faux pas. And his father. Would a man like that put his own needs aside to save the livelihood of his parent? Was what he told her about that true?

  Timothy had been selfish. As much as he’d boasted about what he’d done for her, the things he did weren’t for her, but for him.

  Senetra rubbed her forehead. Alex went out of his way to open her eyes up to new things. He’d taken the trip. And he didn’t have to spend this much time with her to turn her over to Timothy. He could have done that months ago. He wasn’t Timothy. They were worlds apart in temperament and actions.