Breathless on the Beach

by Wendy Etherington

  “Well, well, well.” She folded the papers several times and started to tuck them into her gown.

  “That’ll never work,” Jared said, taking them. “I’ll put them in my jacket pocket.” He regarded her with a serious expression. “What’re you going to do?”

  “With you or the drawings?”

  “Both.”

  “With them, I have no idea.”

  Would she really use them to blackmail Richard into giving her the contract if she couldn’t find the necklace? She honestly wasn’t sure what lengths she might go to. And for the moment, she didn’t want to consider the possibilities.

  “With you…” She looped her arms around his neck. “I’ve got definite plans.”

  * * *

  BEING IN VICTORIA’S BED WITH her head on his chest and her fingertips tracing random patterns on his skin, Jared was sure he’d fallen into a permanent state of bliss.

  The candles, once glowing brightly, now sputtered. His body was exhausted. The most complicated thought on his mind was wondering if he could summon the strength to pick up their borrowed clothes from the crumpled pile on the floor before the wrinkles needed professional help.

  “Does that dress have a label sewn inside it?” he asked, brushing his fingers through her glossy hair. The vision of her standing before him in the candlelight was forever imprinted on his brain.

  “I don’t remember,” she said sleepily. “Why?”

  “I wanna contact the designer and see if he’ll make four dozen, so you can wear one every day for the next month and a half.”

  She smiled. “I could just buy that one from Rose and wash it every day.”

  “But I wanna rip it off you every night.”

  “That’s a better plan than…” She stopped and lifted her head. “How do you know the designer is a man?”

  Jared’s grin was all-telling. “How could he not be?”

  She pressed her lips to his shoulder. “Your ideas are far better than mine. Richard should have put you in charge, since my grand scheme for recovering the necklace was a disaster.” She turned to her side and propped her head on her hand. “Who took that stupid thing? And how the devil did they do it?”

  Obviously her brain wasn’t as easily led astray as his. He struggled to focus on the problem, knowing how important it was to her. He mirrored her pose. “The note about the electronic fingerprint probably has something to do with it.”

  “Sure, but who knows about that except Richard and his engineers?”

  “Good point. The cops will figure it out, and you’ll convince Richard to give you the contract even though he was an unfair, low-down creep for putting you in that position in the first place.”

  “I appreciate your confidence, but I don’t think it’s going to be so easy.”

  He drew a line over the curve of her naked hip. “I have intimate knowledge of your many talents.” Richard didn’t deserve even the professional ones. Though at least he’d been honest about his selfishness from the beginning. For obvious reasons, Jared didn’t want to dwell on the comparison to his own actions. “I meant to ask you earlier…how’d you get the cops to do background checks without them wanting to come here and investigate?”

  “Simple. We didn’t tell him why we wanted the information.”

  Him? An alarm went off in Jared’s head. “Must be a pretty close friend.”

  “We sort of have a history together. And don’t even bother to ask his name. I’m not getting him any deeper into this mess than I already have.”

  “You’re protecting him?”

  “You bet I am. He’s not the kind of guy whose bad side you want to get on.” She scooted closer. “Jealous?”

  “Intensely. What kind of history?”

  “The professional kind. Besides, he has a thing for Calla.” Abruptly, Victoria frowned. “Though the guy needs to make his move already. I’d have lost patience months ago.”

  “You like a guy who moves fast, huh?”

  “Not usually, though you certainly did.”

  You did, too, he thought. She’d moved straight into his heart. No warning. No mercy. No going back.

  He refused to believe there was no chance of her ever returning his feelings. Talk about needing a grand scheme…

  * * *

  AN URGENT SHAKE BY UNKNOWN hands woke Jared suddenly the next morning.

  “Get up,” a woman whispered harshly.

  While Victoria snuggled closer, Jared opened his eyes a crack and vowed to kill whoever he saw.

  It was Shelby.

  So maybe he’d have to tone that down to simply ignoring his lover’s best friend.

  Closing his eyes, he turned away from her and buried his face in Victoria’s hair.

  “Oh, look, there’s a seventy-five percent off sale at Barney’s!”

  Jared merely winced at Shelby’s loud words, but Victoria lurched up, grabbing the comforter to cover herself. “What? Where?” When she saw her friend, she expelled a sigh of disgust and collapsed on the bed. “Go away, Shel. We’re not hungry.”

  “I don’t see how you aren’t. Based on the trail of clothes I followed in here, you burned plenty of calories last night.”

  Under the covers, Victoria wrapped herself around Jared, whose body—despite the suddenly crowded bedroom—responded in kind. “And we could burn even more today. Goodbye.”

  “Sorry, honey,” Shelby said impatiently. “Fun time’s over.”

  “I sincerely hope Trevor is coming to this party today,” Victoria groused. “You’re downright mean when you’re separated from him.”

  “I expect him anytime,” Shelby promised calmly. “However, I came up here because I thought you might be interested in the fact that Detective Antonio showed up at the house this morning.”

  The cop friend, Jared guessed, now fully awake.

  Victoria sat up again. “Devin Antonio? Dark hair, slightly tarnished badge, cranky disposition?”

  Shelby nodded. “That’s the one.”

  “Hell.” Taking the comforter with her, Victoria hopped out of bed. “Where is he now?” she asked, waddling toward her suitcase as fast as the bulky cover would allow.

  “Sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and staring at Calla.”

  Jared wrapped the sheet around himself and stood. “I should probably get dressed and come with you.” And make sure this guy’s thing was solely for Calla.

  Victoria’s attention jumped to him. Her gaze roved over him hungrily, and he felt every movement of her eyes as if she’d stroked him.

  Shelby snapped her fingers in front of Victoria’s face. “Focus, girl. We’ve got a crisis brewing here.”

  Sending Victoria his own scorching look of promise, Jared slipped into the other room for his clothes from the night before.

  Dressing quickly, he heard Victoria ask, “Who else knows Antonio’s here?”

  “Nobody yet,” Shelby said.

  “What’s he doing here?”

  “You know him, suspicious as ever. He thinks we’re up to something illegal again.”

  In the process of buttoning his shirt, Jared peeked in the bedroom. “Again?”

  Victoria stood in front of Shelby as her friend tied her yellow bikini. “Project Robin Hood, remember?”

  Jared’s mouth went dry. “Right. I, uh, guess I should put on…” He glanced down at himself, dressed in his shirt and pants from his costume. “Other clothes,” he finally finished.
r />   “The barbecue is today,” Victoria reminded him.

  Shelby patted his cheek as she strolled past. “How cute are you?”

  “Keep Richard out of the kitchen,” Victoria called after her friend.

  “It’s his kitchen,” Shelby retorted.

  “Tell him there’s a gas leak.”

  Looking exasperated, Shelby crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Fine,” Victoria said. “Tell him your biscuit recipe is top secret.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Shelby opened the door and headed out. “That’ll work.”

  “What’s happening to me?” Victoria wondered, leaning against the door and looking thoroughly frustrated—as well as irresistible. “I’m suddenly out of ideas. I always have great ideas.”

  “I can help,” Jared said, his hands itching to run over her beautiful body. “First off, you might want to put something on over that bikini or your confrontation with this cop will be pointless.”

  “Pointless?” she echoed.

  “He won’t be listening. He’ll be staring.”

  “I was going to wear a sundress over the bathing suit.” She went to her suitcase and came up with a red one, which she pulled over her head. “I don’t know why we’re rushing downstairs in any case. There’s no way I can keep Richard and the detective separated all day. It’s finished. I’ll never get the contract now.”

  The sundress didn’t dampen his desire, but the defeated expression on her face twisted his stomach into knots. “Why don’t you focus on a great proposal for the safe?” Even if it doesn’t work. “Leave the necklace to the police.”

  “Sure,” she said sarcastically. “Which one of my brilliant ideas should I choose to overcome the fact that the product doesn’t actually work?”

  “The one that doesn’t mention the product doesn’t actually work.”

  Victoria pointed at him. “That’s smart. But I still can’t deny I’ve been fooling around with you when I should have been looking for the thief.”

  The comment stabbed his heart. “Wasting your time?”

  “No, I didn’t mean that.” She grabbed his hand. “My loyalties have been divided all weekend. It’s incredibly frustrating, but I regret nothing.”

  “You don’t wish you’d chosen Richard over me?”

  “A week ago, I would have, but not now.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding. “My career always comes first. So I should have been following Richard around every minute I wasn’t involved in the search. Maybe I ought to wish I hadn’t spent all my time with you, but I don’t.”

  He stroked her silky cheek. How was he ever going to leave her? He was sure that once they separated and she went back to her life in the city, regret would follow. Regret she’d blame him for.

  But he couldn’t cancel his trip to Mexico. He’d given his word he’d be there. Tonight.

  Part of him also knew he had to let her go if they were ever to have any chance of being together. She needed time and space, and maybe he did, too. His intense feelings were new and unfamiliar.

  And even if she felt anything close to what he felt for her, he had to find a way to reconcile their opposing lives. He’d been considering new opportunities, cutting back on the executive adventure stuff. Maybe the next challenge in his life would be her.

  “You couldn’t have done any more than you did.” He kissed her softly, then held her against him. Nothing he’d ever experienced had prepared him for the need of her presence, of dreaming so intensely about her love and devotion. “If it matters, I’m proud of you.”

  She clung to him. “It matters.”

  15

  VICTORIA AND JARED HAD NEARLY reached the kitchen when Richard stalked into the hallway.

  “Victoria, I need to speak with you privately.”

  This can’t be good. “Can it wait?” she asked, trying not to sound desperate. “I’m starving, and Shelby promised me a biscuit.”

  She wasn’t desperate. She was a dog.

  “No, it can’t.” Richard leaned toward her and announced in a furious whisper, “The police are here.”

  She scrambled for a reasonable explanation and came up empty. Maybe if they hadn’t stopped by Jared’s room to let him change out of his costume, and she hadn’t indulged herself by helping… Damn, she was deluding herself. The confrontation with Richard was inevitable. “The police? No kidding?”

  “My office. Now.”

  Her head snapped back at his harsh tone, but she bit down on her anger and followed him along the hall. Jared stuck to her side as if glued there, and she could tell by his pounding stride that he was holding on to his temper by a thread.

  Inside the office, Richard rounded his desk and sat, leaving Victoria and Jared standing on the other side. “You’d better have a good explanation for why a New York City cop is sitting at my kitchen table.”

  At Richard’s condescending tone, her patience ended and her temper spiked.

  “I specifically told you this matter with Mother’s necklace was to be kept private.” Richard’s fierce gaze flicked to Jared. “But your judgment this weekend has been so questionable, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you were unable to complete such a simple task.”

  That’s it. I’m done being professional.

  Jared started toward Richard, but Victoria snagged him by his wrist. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.” When she felt his pulse pounding against her fingers, she took a second to indulge in a sweet shudder at the vengeful look on his face. It was aimed at Richard, the man who’d driven her to the edge of ethics and patience faster than anybody she’d ever known. She’d actually considered blackmailing him to get the contract.

  She’d be so thrilled to leave this place, she could hardly contain herself.

  Lifting herself on tiptoe, she pressed a grateful kiss on Jared’s mouth. His fierce gaze swung to hers. “I’ve got this,” she repeated quietly.

  His lips lifted in a quirkly smile and he stepped back.

  “Detective Antonio,” she explained to Richard slowly, so he wouldn’t miss any of the important words, “is a friend of mine, Shelby’s and Calla’s. The friend I wanted to call three days ago to report the crime that had taken place here. The crime you threatened me into concealing. The crime made possible by your safe failing.”

  “How dare you,” Richard exclaimed in a furious voice.

  “How dare I?” Victoria planted her hand in the center of his desk. “I literally broke the law to try to get your business. I asked my friends and my lover to go along with me. Everybody in this house has compromised their ethics to save your butt.”

  Richard’s eyes spit fire. “Get rid of him.”

  For a second, Victoria thought he meant Jared. “Excuse me?”

  “Tell that cop he made a mistake coming out here. There’s nothing wrong. The necklace isn’t missing. My safe didn’t fail.”

  At this point, Victoria couldn’t believe she was astonished by anything Richard did or said, but she was. “You want me to stand in front of my friend, an NYPD detective, and lie?”

  “I want you to take care of the problem.”

  “Oh, I intend to. I quit.”

  Richard looked confused. “Quit what?”

  “I’m done with you.” She dusted her palms together, in case the big words weren’t enough to demonstrate her point. “I’m not taking any more orders from you. I don’t want your contract. Case closed.”

  “You’ve lost your min
d.”

  Victoria stood next to Jared and met his gaze. The pride in his eyes was worth twenty Richard Rutherfords. “No, I’m thinking clearly for the first time in a while.”

  Richard leaned back in his chair. His smile was smug. “I expect you’ll change your mind after I have a very pointed conversation about your behavior with Leonard Coleman.”

  “Junior or Senior?” Victoria asked.

  “Both.”

  “Good. Tell them I quit. I’m starting my own agency.” She considered the fun she was having. A joy rivaled only by the hours she’d spent with Jared. “On second thought, don’t. I’ll tell them myself.”

  Jared bracketed her face with his hands and planted a hard, delighted kiss on her lips. “Wanna go find a thief?”

  She nodded and let him lead her to the door.

  Jared turned before they walked out. “You might want to shore up your alibi, Rich. This is about to get sticky.”

  “Wouldn’t it be great if it was him?” Victoria commented, already looking forward to the very direct approach to questioning that Detective Antonio would no doubt employ.

  “Nah.” Jared pulled the door closed on Richard’s sputtering protests. “It’d be more fun if somebody cracked his precious safe.”

  “You’re so right. I never realized you had a bloodthirsty side.”

  “Anytime you want to learn everything about me, I’m available.”

  “In between death-defying adventures, anyway.”

  “Let’s get through this adventure and see what happens.”

  She grinned. “I should hire you as my first employee. You continue to have all the best proposals.”

  Hand in hand, they headed to the kitchen, where, true to Shelby’s word, NYPD’s crankiest but most loyal detective was sitting at the kitchen table, looking at Calla as if he both worshipped and feared her.

  At least something was normal.

  “I’m sorry, he—”

  Victoria held up her hand to stop Shelby’s explanation. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I never should have asked you to lie.” Her gaze swept the assembled group and she felt a lump in her throat at the idea that she’d nearly compromised everything important in her life for some stupid corner office she could brag to her mother about.