Blind Passion

by Bronwyn Stuart

  A life she no longer deserved.

  Chapter Nine

  Brandan stopped talking. He’d thought he’d lost her a while back but wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe Sophie didn’t really want to hear about his life. Maybe was just indulging him so she wouldn’t have to answer any more personal questions. He’d only asked because he was interested in her, really interested. The mental image he now had in his head of her was making everything more confusing and definitely harder, not just his ability to breathe and form thought. He only had enough blood to power one of his brains at a time and unfortunately it tended to head south in her presence.

  “Sophie, did I say something to upset you?” Concern replaced desire when her silence continued. Maybe she’d choked and he hadn’t heard her. He tensed, leaned forward on the chair. “Sophie?”

  Then there was a delicate little sniff and he knew she was still there. In body anyway.

  “I know you don’t want to talk about it but maybe it would help?” He wouldn’t force the issue but he was pretty sure she was crying and he hated to think he’d done it by broaching the painful subject.

  “Nothing will help,” she replied despondently.

  “What happened, how did it get this bad?”

  “I don’t know, one day I had this amazing life, expecting-” Her words cut off and then she drew in a loud, shaky breath.

  “Expecting...” he prompted.

  “Expecting to live happily ever after with the man of my dreams. Then one day he snapped and my prince turned into an ugly toad.” She half chuckled, half sobbed at her apt analogy.

  “How long were you married to him?”

  “My family tried to talk me out of it,” she said, evading the question. “I didn’t want to listen. They all told me he was bad news but I just would not listen. I wanted what I wanted and that was that.”

  “Why haven’t they helped you out now?”

  “My parents are always travelling, they’ve been in Africa for a few years, they have no idea things are this bad.”

  “I’m so sorry,” he said quietly. Not only was she dealing with being harassed but she had no family around to support her.

  “We’re not that close. I drove them away good and proper. After I married Max they didn’t want to see me anymore. I disappointed them.”

  His hands clenched to fists on his lap. How could her parents be so harsh? The idea was that they nurture and love and be there when you made a mistake not disown you.

  “What about your brother?”

  “He’s a doctor. He doesn’t have time for my drama.”

  “But surely he reads the paper, watches the television? He would know by now that your ex has escaped.” Why hadn’t he called her yet to see if she was all right? He wanted to roar and throw things on her behalf. He wanted to punch her brother for not caring.

  “He works for doctors without borders. I think he is somewhere in Mozambique at the moment. That’s why my parents are there. My mother missed him.”

  “Oh.” So maybe he wouldn’t have to flatten the guy. The man probably had his own struggles trying to stay alive. She was trying to protect her parents and her brother by not telling them. But who did that leave her to talk to? To ask for help?

  “What about your friends?”

  “Max drove them away too. I speak to them when I’m home but not very often.”

  “What will you do?” He didn’t want to know, he didn’t.

  “When?”

  “When this is all over.” He gestured behind him in what he hoped was the general direction of the room.

  “It will never truly be over,” she muttered before the scrape of her chair told him she was standing, the whisper of her footfalls sounding her movement.

  “They will catch him,” he reassured her. He stood and felt his way towards her voice. Glad when he didn’t trip or stumble.

  “Even if they do, it will never be over.”

  Brandan knew she wasn’t just talking about her escaped husband. Something else was going on that she wasn’t telling him. Something big.

  He crept his hand along the railing until he found hers and bought it to his lips, kissing her fingers. “I won’t let anything happen to you this week.” He felt her quiver straight to his very soul.

  But then she half giggled on a hiccup.

  He was trying to be serious and now she was giggling. Maybe it hadn’t been his lips that had caused the small tremor in her hand. Something was obviously hilarious. His grip tightened on her hand in warning. He didn’t like to be laughed at.

  “What?”

  “You have...a little something...” She was laughing now, sweet tinkling laughter that seemed to ground his growing anger. The next thing he knew, she was touching him, undoing the buttons on his shirt. He still didn’t get it. He felt the air stir as she stripped his shirt from his shoulders and pulled it gently from his arms.

  He growled and stepped forward, pinning her to the balcony’s edge.

  “What are you doing?” She tried to sound indignant, but it didn’t come out right. She was breathless and flustered.

  “I’m going to kiss you first and then see what happens after that.” There was a sensual edge to his growled words. Whatever happened to not scaring her?

  Before she could say anything else, he touched his mouth to hers. It wasn’t that he was rough but neither did he remember to have a care with her delicate sensibilities. She tasted of wine, the pasta and something indescribably feminine as his tongue tried to coax hers into playing.

  She softened in response so he lightened the kiss. He was no teenager, to paw at her as if she were just anyone. He let his hands wander down her sides. She was wearing short shorts. His hands seemed to take on a mind of their own as they moved along the hem to caress her bottom. What a sweet luscious ass she had, he thought as pulled her even closer, silently willing her to wrap her legs around his waist so he could grind his growing erection into that sweet place between her thighs. Her breasts pressed into his chest as she moaned, lost in the moment. It was nearly his undoing. If he could see what he was doing he would clear the table and have her on it in a second. So lost was he that he didn’t feel her stiffen at first as he nipped and kissed his way down her throat.

  “The phone.” She tried to push him away.

  “They’ll call back.” He tried to hold onto her but the moment was lost. She was like a startled deer, leaping away from him as quick as her long legs would take her.

  “Hello.” She had to clear her throat to regain her normal tone.

  Brandan leaned against the doorframe not even trying to hide the fact that he was eavesdropping. He waited to hear who it was so she could get rid of them and they could pick up where they had been interrupted.

  “What?” He heard her say.

  “You said you would have him.”

  She must have been tapping her foot or her fingers as she waited for a response.

  “Don’t give me that crap. Call me if you manage to find out what state he has fled to.” There was a slam as she muttered, “Fat chance.”

  “Not good news?” he asked, pushing away from the wall and taking two steps with his arms out.

  “Max has left South Australia but they don’t know where he went. He would have been on a plane out of there before they even knew he was gone. He is so much smarter than that asshole gives him credit for.”

  “Asshole?” he repeated. He wasn’t sure who she referred to.

  “The detective in charge. He was the one who so arrogantly told me this morning they would have him by the end of the day.”

  “Oh,” he replied. What else could he say? She obviously needed to vent. He just wished it was in a different way. That phone call couldn’t have come at a worse time. He’d almost had her.

  Almost. But there he went being selfish again. He really had to have the whole story from her.

  “Sophie?” He held out his hand, hoping she would come back to him.

  “I need to get
to bed, to think about what needs to be done now. Will you be all right?”

  He let his hand drop to his side. It was better this way, he told himself. If anything was going to happen between them, it had to be because she wanted it. He didn’t want her crying foul the next day and he certainly didn’t want her feeling as though he had taken advantage of her.

  But she came onto you! His body screamed at him. Nevertheless she’d changed her mind and that was something his mind had to respect, even if his body didn’t want to.

  ~

  Sophie closed the door and leaned her forehead against the cool timber. What the hell was he thinking? What the hell was she thinking?

  She’d only taken his shirt off because he’d spilt pasta down the front. She should have probably told him and let him take his own damned shirt off, but she didn’t want to embarrass him and it had seemed so natural, so comfortable.

  Damn, damn, damn. She didn’t want things complicated like this. She’d wanted to maintain a strictly professional relationship with him and there he was practically bending her over the balcony. Her breasts tingled when she thought about the way she’d rubbed against him, making noises she didn’t even know she could. She should have been thinking about the phone call from the detective, not the guy in the next room. Brandan distracted her to the point of forgetting everything else. For a moment, she even wondered if she should just let him. Let him touch her and kiss her and take her away from it all for a little while.

  But reality would still be there, waiting, watching. She was kidding if she thought she could escape any of it.

  She swore and then walked into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. When she’d regained some of her composure, she went back out into the bedroom and stripped down to her undies, locking the door as quietly as she could. She told herself that maybe he sleepwalked or something, and then slipped between the cool cotton sheets.

  Sleep was a long time coming and when she did finally close her eyes, it wasn’t her psychotic ex on the run who she saw. It wasn’t danger or nightmares where she slipped in and out of consciousness, trying to scream for help with nothing more than a whisper emerging. There wasn’t a damn thing she could do about Max coming after her. She could hide but he would find her. He had before.

  No, it was a charming smile, a naked torso and a laugh that rumbled through her entire body occupying her thoughts as she dozed.

  Why did she have to be such a sucker for a charming smile...

  Chapter Ten

  It was so hot Sophie soon gave up on the idea of sleep. She looked over at the alarm clock next to her bed. 2:00am the digital display told her. She’d been having the most indecent, erotic dream imaginable when she woke, the memory of lips and legs and arms and hands fresh in her mind.

  She untangled her body from the sheets and got up to throw the window open, letting the barely there breeze float over her breasts and stomach, wishing there was cool air to blow the hair off her neck as well. The sounds of party goers still floated up from the street even at this early hour, and on a weeknight. God, she was getting old when she thought a weeknight was no time for a party. Look at where they were. They were smack bang in the middle of party central. But then she hadn’t gone out partying. She’d been at home with Max. Every night.

  The Gold Coast is the top destination for school kids from all corners of the country when they matriculate. It’s also the place for couples to stay in or go out whatever your mood. The beautiful stretch of coast near Brisbane had something for everyone but here she was, locked in her room, in a suite with a man she barely knew but was becoming increasingly attracted too despite the disappointing fact they were social opposites. And then there was her emotional baggage.

  Sophie had to try to remember this was still her holiday. After this week she’d only have another week left and then she’d be back at work for however long it took her to save some money and accumulate enough annual leave before she could get away again. That’s if Max didn’t find her first.

  She pushed the negativity aside and decided she had to enjoy herself while she still could. She had to stop thinking about what could happen in the future and focus on the here and now.

  With that resolve she pulled on a singlet and opened the door of her room, determined to find some pamphlets or something that would tell her where she could find some fun when the sun came up. She’d find the air-con switch and make the room cooler too.

  She stopped mid-step at the sight that greeted her.

  Brandan was standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but the shorts she’d bought for him and he was swearing like a sailor, banging drawers and rustling cutlery.

  “God damn...can’t find anything when you really need it.”

  “Brandan?” She didn’t want to startle him but any noise she made would have done that.

  “What the..?” He whirled around in the direction of the sound of her voice, the serving spoon in his hand held high like a weapon.

  “What are you doing?” Sophie asked, repressing a laugh at his flimsy weapon. She’d faced worse.

  “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” He dropped the spoon and slammed the door of the cupboard with another rattle of crockery.

  “You didn’t,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, taking up his favourite stance, leaning against the door frame. She was too hot to care how naked she was, that she should have thrown on her pj shorts. He couldn’t see her anyway. What was the point to being modest and uncomfortable?

  “Are you looking for something?” she asked, her voice full of feigned innocence. What could possibly have him crashing around like a bear in a china shop at two in the morning?

  “Of course I’m looking for something,” he growled. He was clearly beyond frustrated and had moved to the angry zone.

  “Would you like me to help?” She wasn’t sure it was smart to poke an angry bear but she was far enough away.

  “No. Thank. You,” he grated out, moving on to another drawer, rifling its contents and feeling the utensils with his fingers.

  “Fair enough then,” she said cheerily, “I just have to grab something and then I’ll leave you to it.”

  “Sure.”

  Sophie went to the small steel office desk in the corner of the room behind the couch, where she’d pushed it earlier. It contained the usual hotel info, pamphlets for local restaurants, phone numbers, etc. She found what she was looking for in the shape of a black folder with large gold letters printed across the front.

  ENTERTAINMENT.

  She tiptoed back to her door, her bare toes not even a whisper over the soft mahogany coloured carpet.

  She stood for a moment, watching the way his back muscles bunched every time he slammed another door, the way his biceps flexed when he reached for another drawer. She smiled to herself. She couldn’t have found a sexier patient to look after.

  “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for?”

  “Why don’t you mind your business?” he retorted childishly.

  “Fine. Good night.” She stepped into her room and did some door slamming of her own. She’d only wanted to help, wasn’t that the reason she was here? He didn’t have to be so snippy.

  She sat down cross legged on bed where she thought there might be hope of a cool breeze and started flipping through the folder. There were fliers for amusement parks, a believe it or not museum, fishing charters, surfing lessons. The possibilities were endless and so were the price tags. She couldn’t believe how much it cost to learn to surf. She was sure it would be a lot of fun but four hundred dollars worth of fun? She doubted it.

  “Face it Soph, you’re stuck here with him for at least two more whole days of boredom,” she said to herself with a sigh.

  A banging at her door almost had her jumping off the bed.

  She got up and stormed over to it, opening it to find Brandan with his lips in that thin line, the vein in his neck ticking like a time bomb.

  “Could you make any more
noise?” she asked him, irritated.

  “I’m sorry, I thought I was paying you to help me?” he countered.

  “I offered, you declined. Did you want me to beg?”

  “Would you?” His body language went from raging anger to seductive at the word, beg.

  “What do you want?” Her skin flushed and she was suddenly super aware of her state of undress. Before, when she’d gone out to the lounge, she’d had no intention of going anywhere near him so it hadn’t mattered. But now that he was close enough for her to smell his purely masculine scent, to reach out and touch him. It was a little alarming. He was all man and her body kept annoyingly reminding her that she was all woman.

  “I have a knot that I can’t undo.” Now it was his turn for his skin to deepen to a bright shade of embarrassment beneath the bandages.

  “That’s what has you destroying the peace?” she asked incredulously.

  He nodded. She waited for some kind of explanation but it seemed he didn’t want to give her one or was trying to word it right.

  “Couldn’t it have waited?”

  “In my defence I have no idea what time it is,” he reminded her, “and no, it can’t wait.”

  “Fine, let me have a look at the knot and I’ll see if I can undo it.”

  He shook his head, took a step back. “You can’t undo it. I mean, don’t worry, just find me a pair of scissors.” His voice was still rough and gruff but instead of being grateful she wanted to help, he was being deliberately stubborn. “Or a knife?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “You have to let me help you. That’s what you’re paying me for,” she replied acerbically.

  “You would be helping by finding me a damned pair of scissors,” he roared.