“You’re right. I’d be derelict in my duties if I didn’t help you out tonight.”
“Yeah, I thought so.” With a shrug, Zach motioned toward his truck. Kelsie quickly followed. He unlocked it and opened the passenger door for her.
“Thank you, Zach.” She took the hand he offered and allowed him to help her step up into his large beast of a vehicle, which so fit the man. Once she was seated inside, he shut the door.
Instead of getting into the truck, he broke into a run across the street. The driver of the car saw him coming and gunned it out of there. Zach stood in the middle of the deserted street until the car disappeared from sight. Fists clenched and his body tense with frustration, Zach turned back to the truck. Getting in, he gripped the steering wheel for a moment. Kelsie said nothing because she didn’t know what to say. A few seconds later, they pulled out of the lot onto the street. She shivered and hugged herself.
Zach glanced at her as he tailgated Bruiser’s sports car down the street. “Who the hell is that guy?”
“You’ve seen him before?”
“A few times.” He chewed on his lower lip and stared straight ahead.
Kelsie went cold inside. “Where?”
“Lately?”
“Yes, lately?”
“In front of my house and at Jacks headquarters.”
Kelsie dug her fingernails into the cloth seat and swallowed the bile rising in her throat. “Your house?”
He nodded. “Is he following you?”
Did that mean he’d been there while she’d been sleeping in her car? Had he seen her? Taken pictures of her homeless and alone? Stared in the window at her? She shivered at the thought, felt like she’d been violated, and hugged her body.
Did her ex know her circumstances? After all, how would it look if his ex-wife would rather live on the streets than be married to him? Especially with his political aspirations.
She’d either have to tell Zach the truth or weasel a way into his home somehow. If she slept with him… No. Kelsie gripped her hands tight in her lap. Old Kelsie would be that manipulative. She refused to consider it, though the picture of them, tangled up in his sheets, made her tingle all the way to her toes. If she slept with him, it would be because she cared for him, not because she was using him.
Zach glanced at Kelsie. The street lamp lit up her face as she chewed on a fingernail. She looked over her shoulder to see if the sedan followed. Zach flicked his gaze to the rear-view mirror.
“So, level with me. Do you know anything about that guy?”
She sucked her lower lip into her mouth, as her brain worked overtime. The truth wouldn’t work, not without telling him the entire story and revealing the source of her private shame. Just a few minutes ago, she’d sworn off lying. Now she’d concoct a lie. One in many to cover up her past.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never talked to him.” Okay so that was the truth.
“I did. Once. When I saw him at Jacks headquarters. Claimed he was reporter trying to get some dirt on me. Thought you were my girlfriend. Something tells me that it’s not me he’s following.”
Kelsie shrugged and studied him in the dashboard light. He stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched, his dark eyes narrowed and determined. She resisted the urge to touch him, to let his strength flow from him to her, to give up her hard-won control to him and let him take care of her. Because Zach would protect her, he was that type of guy.
“Why would he be following you? Are you in some sort of trouble?” He glanced at her, and she instantly looked away.
This happened to be where the truth parted ways with fiction. “I think my parents hired him. They’re worried about me out in the world by myself. It’s a nuisance, nothing more.”
He frowned. His dark brows drew together. “You don’t act like it’s nothing.”
“I just don’t want him to report back to them. They might insist I come back, and I don’t want to.”
“Why don’t you want to go back there?”
Kelsie squirmed. “My divorce was pretty ugly. I needed to get out of town for a while.”
“It’s more than that.”
She turned to him. “Maybe. But it’s really not any of your concern.”
His jaw tightened, and he didn’t look at her. “No, it’s not.”
Sleeping in her car was becoming a less viable option. Sure, the guy hadn’t done a thing yet other than stalk her and threaten what small measure of safety she’d had over the past few weeks. She needed a plan. “What we need to worry about is getting your house in order before this party.”
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t give a damn about Veronica’s party.”
“It’s your party.”
“Somehow I suspect it was your idea, and you sold her on it.”
Somewhat glad to have Zach’s stubbornness as a distraction from her stalker, Kelsie jumped on it. “Quit wasting energy fighting it. We’re having a gala at your house. You will behave and be a gracious host if I have to squeeze your balls in a vise to get you to cooperate.”
He raised one dark eyebrow and chuckled at her out-of-character rank language. “You’ve been hanging around me too long. I’m rubbing off on you. Next thing you know, you’ll be throwing darts with the good ole boys down at the Crossroads Tavern.”
Kelsie smiled. “I could probably set aside my social indoctrination long enough to whoop your ass at darts.”
“You’re on, lady.” A smile split his face. Funny, when he smiled he looked really handsome. Not drop-dead gorgeous like Tyler or suave and smooth like Bruiser, but ruggedly handsome like a young John Wayne. Kelsie loved old movies, especially Westerns.
She’d always been attracted to the strong, brooding type. Zach fit that bill. And he fit way too much else she desired in her new life, but he could never know. Couldn’t know because there was so much about them that would never work. For starters he still saw her as the same girl who used people and crushed them under a stiletto when they’d outlived their usefulness.
Only she wasn’t. Not that he’d ever believe it because the man held his grudges closer to his heart than most people held their loved ones.
The type of loved ones that neither Zach nor Kelsie had ever had in their lives.
* * * * *
Zach tolerated the rest of the evening, watching his good money go down the guts of guys who ate more than an entire platoon of Army Rangers after a night-long march. Even worse, Kelsie sat next to him, not giving his cock a moment of rest. The damn thing rose to the occasion and stayed there despite his attempts to forget about her luscious body, her incredible scent, and her stunning thousand-watt smile.
Even worse, his gut clenched with worry every time he recalled the fear on her face when she’d spotted the dark sedan. Didn’t she get it? Someone was stalking her. He didn’t feel good about scaring the shit out of her, but he’d hoped she’d come clean about her reasons for sleeping in her car. She didn’t.
While he might buy the story that her controlling parents—especially her bitch of a mother—might hire someone, he doubted that would be more than an annoyance to her. She hadn’t been annoyed, she’d been terrified, like a hunted animal about to get cornered with no way out.
He hated feeling responsible for her well-being, yet for some unfathomable reason, he did. If something happened to her outside his home, he’d never forgive himself. On the other hand, he understood pride all too well. To invite her to stay in his spare bedroom compromised that pride. Despite all she’d done to him, he couldn’t do that to her.
He’d come up with another solution.
Yeah, right buddy. Like screwing up her future plans by refusing to cooperate on this stupid-assed gala? He blew out a breath and shoved his hair out of his eyes.
Kelsie nudged him. Her disapproving glare indicated he’d committed another social blunder. “What now?”
“Don’t comb your hair at the table.”
“I’m not.”
“You are and with your f
ingers. That’s even worse.” She hissed at him. “Go wash your hands.”
“My hair is clean. I just took a shower. What’s the big deal?”
She gave him one of those how can you be so stupid glares, the kind he’d seen his entire life. Zach rose from the table and stalked to the bathroom. Maybe he didn’t give a shit if black-sedan guy whisked this annoying woman off to parts unknown. Hell, at least she’d be out of his hair. Literally.
Only he did care. He just didn’t want to.
A few hours later with his credit card drained by tons of hungry football players, he left the restaurant and drove home alone. Kelsie had bummed a ride with Derek and Rachel, which really frosted his nuts. He tried not to take it personally because he suspected the reason had to do with her entire life’s possessions being stacked in the backseat of her car.
The problem was his dick really wanted to take her home and to end this bullshit denial between them. Zach never believed in beating around the bush. If you wanted something you went after it. He wanted Kelsie, but did he dare go after her?
Every part of his body down to his big toe answered with a resounding yes while his heart squeaked out a pansy-assed no. The rest of him wasn’t listening as he pulled up to the garage, parked his truck, and mounted his front steps. Grabbing a brew from the fridge and a blanket, he returned to the porch. Turning off the outside lights, he settled onto the porch swing and waited.
At some point during the evening, he dozed off. He woke up a few hours later, stiff and cold. Kelsie never showed up.
CHAPTER 13
Slammed to the Turf
Kelsie folded her hands in front of her and waited for Zach. Today’s lesson would be on making small talk, as in intelligent, polite conversation. She opened Mabel Fay’s book and re-read the first paragraph, taking some comfort from the familiar words:
Refined and proper manners will be negated if one hasn’t mastered the gift of polite conversation. Many a time a slip in manners, such as a gentleman who slurps his soup or chooses an improper wine to pair with a meal, can be overlooked if said gentleman masks minor improprieties with witty, charming conversation.
So not Zach.
Kelsie giggled at the thought. She glanced at her watch. The man was late.
A few seconds later, he stormed into the room and glanced around. When he saw her, relief washed across the angular masculinity of his face, though his irritation still shone through, along with something almost resembling fear.
“Where the hell have you been?” He stared down at her like a man feasting his eyes on his last meal.
Oh, boy.
“Right here waiting for you.” She kept her voice calm, even though his appearance caused a major earthquake inside her.
“I mean for the last week and a half.”
“HughJack cancelled last Tuesday’s lesson citing a special team meeting.” He’d noticed? She tamped down her pleasure.
“I know that, but you didn’t reschedule.”
She blinked at him. He wanted her to reschedule? “I’m not following you.”
He opened his mouth then shut it, as if he’d already said too much. He dropped into the chair and clasped his hands on the table in front of him.
“Zach? What’s going on?” He looked so distraught, she reached for his hands, but he jerked them away.
“Nothing.”
Like nothing, hell. “You barged in here like a man in a panic.”
“Just hadn’t seen you around. I was concerned. You know, what with the trench-coat guy and all that.” He met her gaze, and she saw the worry reflected there. A warm, fuzzy feeling like when Scranton licked her cheek ran through her. Only this man licking her body would be cataclysmic on the affection scale.
“As you can see, I’m fine.” Sometimes she wondered if anyone would report her missing if she disappeared. Maybe Zach would.
“Where have you been?” He leveled her with a direct gaze.
She’d asked Rachel and Derek not to mention where she was to Zach, and she had to admit she was a little surprised they hadn’t. It had been such a relief to have a place to stay and she didn’t want Zach to find out she was dependant on them for her housing.
“It’s not really any of your affair, but when Rachel and Derek gave me a ride after the last home game, Rachel got a call from her barn help. The woman had a family illness and needed to be away for a week. I volunteered to fill in. I’ve been staying in their caretaker’s cottage so I wouldn’t have to drive back and forth twice a day.” Not that she had a home to drive back and forth to. She’d gone straight to the cottage that night and stayed there ever since. The caretaker would return in a few days so she’d be back to her car after that.
“Oh.” He looked down, but not before she caught the deep red coloring his face. Finally, he glanced upward. “You know how to care for horses?”
“Seriously? I rode hunters as a teenager. Mother insisted on it. All well-bred girls took riding lessons, so she said.” Kelsie’s stomach knotted at the memory. She’d loved riding those gentle beasts, but her mother demanded her daughter take home only blue ribbons at horse shows until Kelsie hated everything to do with horses. She’d purposely started losing at horse shows just so she could quit riding.
“Zach, let’s get down to business. Did you read your homework?”
He rolled his eyes and sighed. “This is total bullshit. The team’s lost as many as they’ve won, and you’re asking me if I’ve read Mary Kay’s worthless advice.”
“Mable Fay, and it’s not worthless.” Kelsie bristled, defending the woman she’d considered her guiding light over the years.
“Whatever.” He waved her off. “Let’s get this over with.”
“You’re not taking this seriously. Veronica and Coach Jackson expect your full cooperation.” Kelsie tried for the stern teacher voice, but it came out as bitchy whine. “Do you have your copy with you?” She’d found him a dog-eared copy at a used bookstore.
He looked down at his hands and shook his head.
“Do you know where your copy is?”
He lifted one shoulder, still not meeting her gaze.
Busted.
She pushed the book across the table to him. “Please read this over. I’ll give you a few minutes.”
Zach hunched over the book but not before casting an irritated glance in her direction.
This man was the most exasperating, frustrating man she’d ever known. When he bent his dark, shaggy head, she itched to comb his hair into some semblance of order. She swallowed, imagined taming that unruly mop. She’d run her fingers through it and feel its texture as she added product for control, brush it out of his eyes so she could take in every feature of his ruggedly handsome face. Tracing those uncompromising lips with her index finger, she’d tease them into relaxing. And if they didn’t, she’d be forced to use her lips. His lips would tighten, but she’d persevere until he softened them, opened for her tongue. Next thing, she’d be draped over his arm as he feasted on her mouth.
The book slammed shut, and Kelsie jumped a foot out of her chair. Flustered, she fumbled for her notes, and they slid off the table. Zach knelt down at the same time she did to pick them up. Her forehead bumped his forehead. She raised her gaze and so did he. A few inches separated her mouth from his, that very mouth she’d been fantasizing about a few seconds ago. If she just leaned forward a little, pretended to lose her balance and conveniently forgot that touching and kissing was so not a good idea she could be kissing him.
Zach beat her to it.
His mouth touched hers and set off a series of explosive chain reactions in the rest of her body. He tasted her like a wine expert with a rare bottle of chardonnay. She applied pressure to his lips, parting her own. He accepted the invitation with his tongue and deepened the kiss. Burying his fingers in her hair, he pulled her closer.
“So, how are the lessons going?” Tyler Harris’s taunting voice hit her like a wrong-way driver on I-5. She shot to her feet and so did
Zach, knowing both their faces were redder than a tourist who’d fallen asleep in the hot sun on a beach.
“Go to hell,” Zach growled.
“If I do, I’m taking you with me.” Chuckling, Tyler winked at Kelsie and left the room.
Stricken, Kelsie looked at Zach. “What do you think he’ll do?”
“I’ll take care of him.” The grim resolve on Zach’s face didn’t bode well for Tyler’s health or throwing arm.
She wrapped her fingers around Zach’s biceps to keep him from going after the quarterback. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Kelsie could still hear Tyler’s laughter as it faded in the distance.
She didn’t have a good feeling about this. Not at all.
* * * * *
Three and four.
They were fucking three and four. Three sorry-assed wins, four fucking losses.
A record like that didn’t get a guy into the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. Frustration welled up inside Zach to the point of exploding. It didn’t help that worry and guilt over Kelsie distracted him to the point where he couldn’t concentrate. To add insult to insult, his old team—the perpetual league doormats that he’d given the best twelve years of his career—had just whipped the Jacks’ asses on Thursday Night Football. After years of mediocrity, the Detroit Devils were six and one and leading their division. The team’s owner hinted that cutting Zach in the off-season might be one of the reasons for their success.
What if it was? Zach slumped onto the bench in front of his locker and toweled off his wet hair. He felt sick to his stomach. Nothing had gone right tonight. Nothing. And not just for Zach.
Harris’s QB rating was at its all-time worst. His receivers dropped balls left and right. Zach’s defense left holes big enough for an elephant to lumber through at slow speed. Zach himself didn’t play a stellar game and he laid the loss right where it belonged, at his own big feet.
Harris stopped in front of his locker, hands on hips, murder in his laser-blue eyes. Zach glanced up in the middle of lacing his shoes.
Down by Contact - A Seattle Lumberjacks Romance Page 14
