He licked his lips and peeked through the low-hanging pine branches, suspicious of each leaf blowing across the rest area. Picnic benches dotted the side yard with small BBQ grills waiting for charcoal.
He, Molly, and Carina had spent an hour beside the spreading branches of a western hemlock on the return trip of a long drive to visit her parents. It was the day he’d proposed. The sisters had been so excited, making wedding plans faster than he could follow.
Where are you, Carina? You wanted justice for your sister.
In daylight, the hiking trail was beautiful. Now, rays of moonlight scuttling through the canopy offered a different perspective where unseen threats waited for his appearance. The pungent scent of decaying leaves, damp earth after an earlier sprinkle, and a hint of rotting wood combined to fill the air.
Thumping of his heart kept cadence with the growing number of self-recriminations for involving her. Larry would’ve found her eventually, even with her sister’s name change. Photos of the three of them together at both homes might have given fate a helping hand. He wasn’t responsible for others’ actions.
His eyes adjusted to the sporadic light creating shadows where amorphous shapes danced between moonbeams. Closer to the visitor’s center, an LED system generated a uniform pattern of light.
He’d lacked the courage to drive through the parking lot to check for her vehicle, instead opting to park off the road before the turnoff and hike through the woods. He’d done more roving among wooded trails in the past week than he’d done in his entire life.
It took thirty minutes to circumvent the back of the rest area to visualize the other side of the block building. Carina wasn’t the type to be late, and her motivation for vengeance wouldn’t allow her to turn her back. This pre-arranged meeting, scheduled after Molly’s death, would be his last contact with anyone from the area.
A large lump on the building’s closest picnic table drew his attention. As his mind made sense of the outline, nausea threatened his composure. A woman’s naked body had been arranged spread eagle on the top. The same red scarf from a recent picture fluttered over her body, the breeze unable to dislodge one end tucked under her back. Carina. He’d gifted her the silk after Molly declared it the perfect Christmas present during the prior holidays.
Police would trace the scarf back to him, purchased at an upscale boutique. It seemed Larry sported a large grudge.
The gruesome scene instilled a new sense of dread curdling in his stomach. Every scuttling creature became Larry’s muted steps; every sly whisper of wind through the leaves became Larry’s knife drawn from its sheath.
Somewhere, they waited for him to burst forth and mourn her loss. Not gonna happen. As quietly as possible, he withdrew, careful of every branch, every fallen limb, and each rustle of the leaves. Moonlight granted enough illumination to avoid larger obstacles, yet the trees and briar thickets provided the perfect ambush scenario. Sweat dripped from his brow and dampened his shirt.
By the time he reached his car, sweat coated his torso. Fear stalked his every step, thickened the air in his throat, and tainted his expectation for survival. Damn pricks are thorough and fast. He wondered how long the little PI would live. No doubt, Larry would find her, too; though, if she played her cards right and stuck with the cop, she might stand a chance.
Chapter Thirteen
“Hey. You wanna go easy on the wine?” Matt thumbed the lock on the front door after the last of his family left. Katt’s nervous motions had multiplied as soon as his kin ambled toward the exit.
It was past time he and Katt engaged in the talk. She needed to understand where he stood in dating younger women, meaning females less than twenty-five. On the other hand, if she kept drinking, she wouldn’t understand, much less retain any part of their conversation.
“I’m a grown wo-man.” Her hiccup punctuated the statement.
“Yes. I can see that.” Maybe he only imagined her straightening shoulders and thrusting her perfect breasts forward. “Come. Sit on the sofa for a bit.” If he finished cleaning the kitchen first, she’d be oblivious to the world.
No one could mistake her for an angel. If his assessment coincided with hers, she had never, nor would she ever, aspire to princess or Barbie status. He’d known her as fire and passion, hell on wheels. That’s all a man needed in life.
Like a cat inspecting its area for cleanliness, she stared, and wobbled, before perching on the edge of the sofa’s cushion. “Yes?”
“Did you have a nice visit with Laredo today?” He could still see her walking into the arms of the other man. The flashback of her sobbing against his chest bit deep.
“Mm-hum. I did. He wants me to go to California with him. Says it would do me good. Fresh start and all—” hiccup, “that.”
“I see.” The red haze fogging his vision and filling his chest prevented further comment. His breath stuck in his throat. As much as they joked around and found delight in shared interests, he’d be lost without her in his life. The thought chilled him to the bone, and he swallowed hard.
“I teased him about surfing chicks and beach bunnies. I’m not into that s-stuff.” The burp which erupted apparently came as a surprise. Her unfocused eyes closed on a long blink. When they opened, she smiled.
“Listen, about Carina. There’s nothing going on between us now, and there never will be again. You know I’ve never lied to you, and I won’t start now.” He wondered how much of his words’ meaning filtered through the wine haze. The rest of his intended conversation would have to wait for a sober moment.
“Ray-ray says I need to get away from you, that my feelings would di-dis-a-pate if I did.” Her extended finger pointing toward his heart clarified her meaning.
And there it was. Even her best friend knew how she felt. “What did you tell him?” Matt held his breath while the internal struggle for emotional survival smothered his moral compass.
“I told him I couldn’t go just yet. I have the wilderness course that I’ve wanted for so long. He offered to go with me.”
Matt envisioned the inexperienced young man standing between Katt and a bullet. Even if the bullet never touched her, it would kill her. Loyalty to her childhood friend ran deep and strong.
“He’s not equipped to protect you, Katt.”
“I know. I told him the class was full. He said I should j-join him when it’s over.”
It didn’t take a genius to see her thoughts jumbled in her mind with conflicting emotions flitting across her face.
“Katt, you’ve built yourself a reputation here. Solid, one with integrity. That’s hard to do.” By all rights, he should tell her to go, but he spoke the truth. His family had helped her establish herself. She might not be so lucky in the next setting. Plus, he couldn’t keep an eye on her.
“H-he doesn’t think I’ll come. He was heartbroken when he left. I know how that feels. He called me the ma-mayor of your butt cheeks.” The giggle erupted behind fingers covering her mouth.
“I see.” You can’t go. You belong here. He’d never realized how much he took their sometime antagonistic relationship for granted. She was the spark that ignited his flame, the fuel for his fire.
“I told him Bob kept me plenty good company. It’s about time I put him in the garage. He agreed.”
What the hell did that mean? How many male friends, all unknown to him, did she have? “I’ve never heard you talk about a guy named Bob.”
“Ah, but good girls don’t talk about Bob. He’s a secret.”
The thought of her keeping hidden truths from him didn’t sit well. “You’ve had a secret boyfriend you haven’t told me about?” The idea wasn’t plausible. He would’ve known since he kept close tabs on her whereabouts, afraid her work would get her into more trouble than she could handle. In addition, he would have seen the signs during their casual conversations. A mention of some physical or character attribute she admired.
“Bob is a big guy.” Hands held shoulder-width apart indicated length witho
ut further clarification. “And he’s got your name written all over him. Literally.”
Comparing sticks had never crossed his mind. He wasn’t like that, and now was not the time to start.
“You’ve told this other guy all about me and he’s what, jealous?”
“Hmm, he should be, I’ll bet. Maybe I’ll have to com-pare you two someday.” The tittering laugh was so unlike the strong and straightforward young woman he knew.
She appeared to ponder a difficult puzzle. “I don’t think he’d mind sharing. He’s very friendly.”
“What? Um no. I don’t share what’s mine.” A quick inhale forced him to realize that part of him already considered her as belonging to him. The dichotomy of mind and soul ripped a new tear in his heart, one that would leave a permanent scar.
“Spoken like a McAllister.” Slow and uncoordinated movements would’ve been comical if not covering so much pain.
“All right. I’m going to finish cleaning up in the kitchen and help you to bed.” He didn’t miss the wide-eyed stare, exposing all the white around her dilated pupils as he took her glass of wine.
In replaying their conversation in his mind, shock struck a chord he didn’t know how to handle. “Nothing like reality to keep a man humble,” he grumbled as he started the dishwasher. Once it dawned on him that Bob equaled an inanimate electronic toy, he decided a little distance went a long way. His rambling around an already clean kitchen hadn’t granted enough time to cool off. He didn’t dare touch her. Furtive glances demonstrated her continuous stare in his direction. He couldn’t tell how well she focused.
“Been thinking. If you wanted more privacy, I could strengthen the firewalls on your com—puter.” Her concentration had begun deteriorating with the second glass of wine. She’d sprawled on the sofa to watch his every move.
“Would it keep you out?” Seeing the light smirk on her face warmed his heart. It appeared she’d accepted his explanation of Carina’s visit and had forgiven him, which now opened the door on the old dilemma. How can he make her understand he wasn’t the man for her when his body had a will of its own? Any serious conversation would have to wait for sobriety.
For the time being, he’d accept the unspoken truce.
“No. But it would keep out a lot of riff-raff.”
The matter-of-fact attitude around technology is what scared him. Maybe it was time for a bit of advanced education.
“What g-gear do you need to pick up before we go to...?” The finger she pointed made a circuit as if unable to find the right direction.
“I’ll check in a few minutes. I’ve made the spare bed upstairs for you. Why don’t I help you up, then I’ll finish with these.” His gesture indicated the empty sink, which she couldn’t see from her position. He had reservations about her sleeping as close as across the hall, but decided the little monster sleeping in her bed would be a good deterrent.
“Thanks. I hope you don’t mind if Gila sleeps with me, too.” The little horror lay wrapped around her shoulders. “He’s not used to being in the cage overnight, and I get lonely.” It took both hands on the sofa’s arm for her to balance herself and stand.
Jesus. He gripped the countertop with both hands until his knuckles turned white and the feeling left his fingers.
If tearing holes in the spread and sheets was the worst thing the critter did, he’d consider the night a great victory. “Sure, no problem.” Trouble approached him on soft steps, one foot after another, prowling with bedroom eyes, parted lips with a pink tongue swiping her bottom lip, and a grin that weakened his knees. His pulse thudded louder than her uncoordinated steps. Euphoria, then mental fuzziness signaled his losing bout with lust.
“You... want to join me?”
“Ah...” The part of his body on board with the invitation swelled with pride.
Her tentative touch on his forearm breathed new fire into his soul. One he couldn’t afford to face. Heat radiated from her fingers and held him prisoner, making him unable to concentrate, answer, or move. His jaw worked, silently, and then his entire body went on alert like a firefighter awoken from the siren blasting though his mind that split-second before the adrenaline rush jolted him into action.
Her stance wobbled until he reached out to steady her with a hand at her waist. Taking his assistance for acceptance, she inched forward until they stood nose to chin then tilted her head back. She was the perfect height, the perfect yin to his yang, the perfect fit. She was too young.
His breath froze in his chest when she leaned up to brush her lips against his firmer mouth. She tasted of cheesecake and wine, the sweetest nectar sampled by man. The groan between them mingled lust and a driving force he couldn’t deny.
Pressing her body into his hard frame, she relaxed her muscles, molding herself to his sharper angles. Her hands drifted up his chest to curl around his neck, teasing the fine hair at his nape. He couldn’t suppress the shudder of overwhelming need. Molten lava was cooler than the desire burning in her gaze.
“Katt...” A low, sensual growl, the only warning his fogged mind could issue, escaped his control. Her answering groan destroyed his flagging resistance with its velvety sweet surrender.
Her body strained to get closer, as if she didn’t already inhabit every crack in his soul, binding his spirit together to make him whole.
Succulent fruit tasted all the sweeter when forbidden, and his tongue dipped between her parted lips for a feast he couldn’t refuse. Ambrosia. Insanity. Paradise.
Cotton-soft curls sifting through his fingers at her waist brought images to mind of them twined and sated in a way he’d never achieved. Of its own accord, his feather-light touch explored her hips before drifting down to cup her ass, molding their bodies until they were one throbbing knot of desire.
Reality interrupted the idyllic moment with a familiar ringtone, the jarring beat a reminder that sanity shouldn’t go off the rails after a few glasses of wine. Pulling his hands back, he waited until she stood stable before releasing her. His heart pounded a clipped beat against its cage. “Um, I think you need to get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
Her lips parted in protest before her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You’re a tease, Ma-thew Mc-Allister.”
Disappointment and rejection swept her lashes downward on a heavy sigh. Even without alcohol loosening her inhibitions, he couldn’t take advantage. Indulging in what they both wanted would end in heartbreak when she came to her senses.
He closed his eyes and inhaled to take in the scent of her still on his lips. Memories to last a lifetime.
His conscience didn’t ease as she turned to leave. If the impact on her equaled half of what he’d just experienced, she’d wake up with his name on her lips and his scent ensnaring her every thought.
The gentle sway of her hips mesmerized, stunning his thought processes and accelerating his heart rhythm. He tapped the red button on his cell before following her disjointed progress up the stairs.
A deep breath brought a surge of guilt. If she remembered the encounter in the morning, he’d have yet another thing for which to atone.
Once downstairs again, he let Damien out and stood on the back patio to answer to a younger brother.
“Hey, what’s up?” Matt failed to catch his brother’s words as his heart shriveled upon itself.
“Katt looked like she’d had a bit much to drink. I just wanted to make sure she got to bed okay... and alone.” Ethan’s suggestive innuendo hit its mark.
“Screw you.”
“No thanks. Lexi’s here.” Ethan grunted with the sound of flesh jabbing flesh.
“What do you want, Ethan?”
“Just checking to make sure everything’s okay.”
“We’re peachy. Thanks.”
“Matt? I’ve got a bad feeling about this, and not because I didn’t approved of Carina. Something stinks about the whole mess. Watch your back, and watch out for Katt.”
The line disconnected before Matt could utte
r a retort.
Since when had he become the youngest child?
By the time he checked on his guest, she lay curled on top of the covers, asleep with her ferret resting against her neck. Damien hopped up on the foot of the bed.
With a gentle touch, he removed her shoes and socks and pulled the blanket over her sleeping form while listening to her soft snores, wondering what direction her mood would take in the morning.
His lack of self-control during her advance made it painfully clear his libido again approved of her actions. Maybe the alcohol would dull her memory. Then again, maybe she’d hate him. Either way, he wasn’t about to let her spend two weeks with a group of strangers in the middle of nowhere while sporting a virtual target on her back.
Chapter Fourteen
“Oh, no. I couldn’t have. Please, god, tell me I didn’t climb Matt’s body like during a gymnastics exercise.” Before she opened her eyes, before she reconciled her body’s responses to excessive alcohol, and before her mind could formulate a plan, flashbacks of her brazenness assaulted her integrity. A vindictive conscience screamed, Welcome to your wonderful hangover and lack of sleep. For desert, we have humiliation. Thank you for visiting and we’ll meet again soon.
Gila buried his face against her neck, mini puffs of chattering breaths chastising her for neglect and reckless abandonment. Damien lay stretched across the bottom of the bed with his muzzle resting on her ankle.
She had no defense for propositioning a man she’d considered her friend. She’d never contemplated doing that with Laredo. Then again, her childhood companion never set her heart to thumping a staccato beat or produced a thin film of sweat over her body with a mere raised brow.
“How am I going to face him?” It occurred to her that a heavy layer of makeup might help conceal the dark crimson which would be her face under his close scrutiny. Except, she’d never worn any, didn’t own any, and wouldn’t start hiding. It wasn’t her style.
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Page 11
