by Becki Willis
“Can I get you anything for it? Do you need to see a doctor?” he asked in alarm.
“No, no, I just need to stay off of it for a few hours. Tomorrow I’ll be good as new.”
She saw the idea forming in his mind, even before he spoke it aloud. “Would you allow me the honor of showing you around my beautiful state?”
“I – uh – don’t you have to be back in Washington?”
“I can re-arrange my schedule, postpone things for a day.”
“Well, I –”
When she hesitated, Craven squeezed her hand. His voice was warm and enticing. “Kenzie, I am wildly attracted to you. I would love to spend more time in your delightful company. You said you don’t have a boyfriend. But is there someone else? Someone whose toes I would be stepping on by spending the day with you tomorrow?”
“I-I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “I’m not sure if there is someone else, but you won’t be stepping on his toes. He’s standing too far away,” she added softly.
“Then the man is a fool.” His words were blunt and just a bit sharp.
Kenzie stared down at his hand covering hers. Craven was a very attractive man, and she enjoyed his company. He had been a complete gentleman around her and had not revealed the depth of his attraction to her until the job was finished, proving that he was the ultimate professional. Spending one extra day in his company surely could not hurt, and she was certain she would enjoy herself. And she owed nothing to Travis, not her loyalty, and certainly not her heart.
Making her decision, she lifted her eyes to his with a saucy smile. “So where are you taking me tomorrow?”
His blue eyes glittered with pleasure. “Where would you like to go?”
“I’m game for anything, as long as I end up in Evergreen. I already have a room booked there for tomorrow night.”
“Ah, that still leaves plenty of possibilities. Do you like the mountains?”
“I love them, but I’d better stick to viewing them from the car. My leg can’t take another day of climbing up and down.” She pulled her hand from his, sending a subtle message to call it a night. “I tell you what. Let me rest my leg tonight, and you go make plans to dazzle me with whatever sights you feel best showcase your state. You can surprise me with the results.”
“That, my beautiful Miss Reese, is a deal!” His smile reflected in his eyes. He stood, motioning for her to stay. “Don’t get up. I’ll let myself out. Just be ready at daylight.”
“Daylight?” she groaned. “That comes way too early here!”
“If I only have one day with you, I don’t want to miss a single minute of it. But we’ll compromise and make it 6:30.”
“Is that a.m.?” she pretended to fret.
“That is. And don’t make me wait.” He gave her one last grin as he locked and shut the door behind him.
Chapter Six
Despite her playful protests, Kenzie was ready to go when Craven knocked on her door, promptly at 6:30 a.m.. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt advertising Gruene Hall, a historic dance hall in Texas just down the road from Hardin’s house. She hated to think about it, but Makenna would soon be moving there to be with the man she was marrying. She was happy for her twin, but Kenzie knew she would miss her terribly. The two of them had been inseparable for the past eight years, long before they learned they were sisters.
Instead of loading their suitcases into the limousine, Craven piled their luggage into the back of a decked out Hummer. Kenzie raised her eyebrows in question, to which he answered with a charming grin. He was looking exceptionally fine today in his snug fitting blue t-shirt and jeans. Sunglasses hid his eyes once again and his auburn hair ruffled in the breeze, falling over his forehead in a rakishly charming manner. If not for the tall Texas Ranger stalking her heart, Kenzie knew she might easily fall for Craven Shaw.
Craven planned a full day for them. It started with breakfast, which they ate at The Historic Stanley Hotel. Perched high upon its roost at a 7,500-foot altitude, the landmark hotel was best known as the catalyst for Steven King’s horror filled novel “The Shining”. After that, he whisked her off into the Rocky Mountains, wowing her with majestic views and perilously high mountain roads. He drove the Hummer with ease round the mountain, obviously loving the opportunity to show off his home state. With the sunroof wide open, the day was filled with plenty of sunshine and laughter.
Lunch was at a tiny little diner nestled in one of the valley towns. What could have been a two-hour trip into Evergreen took most of the day, by the time they wound through scenic vistas and meandered down mountain roads. They reached the charming village in time to wander down its shop-studded streets, hand-in-hand. They found a coffee shop, lingered over a shared hot-from-the-oven cinnamon roll, found Kenzie’s hotel and deposited her luggage, then discussed dinner options.
After eating in a nearby town at a quaint rooftop restaurant, their day of fun and sun dwindled to an end. Even Kenzie stalled, reluctant to call the day done.
“I had a wonderful time today, Craven,” she told him as they walked up to the hotel. “You did, indeed, dazzle me with your beautiful state.”
“And you dazzled me with your beautiful smile,” he said, squeezing the hand nestled comfortably in his. “Could I talk you into a nightcap?” When she hesitated, he wheedled, “In the hotel bar? Please?”
“We had a full bottle of wine at the restaurant.”
“Just one more glass. Please?”
She pretended to be thinking it over. “I think I saw an outdoor courtyard earlier. If we can have our wine outside, I will agree.”
“We’ll drink out here on the curb if we have to,” he grinned, determined to share her company for a few minutes longer.
The curb was not necessary. There was a nice patio off the bar, with several tables tucked into the crevices of the mountain. The hotel butted directly up to the rocks and a small stream trickled down the rugged stones, pooling into a small goldfish pond amid the patio.
“Kenzie, I’d like to see you again.” Craven’s voice was warm and spoken very near her ear as they sat in a tight, cozy corner just out of the patio’s main lighting.
“You live in Washington, I live in Austin.”
“There is this amazing invention called an airplane. And I happen to have access to a jet.” He said the words as he nuzzled her ear, making it difficult for her to think correctly. He tugged her so that her back was leaning against his chest. His hands moved to her arms, making lazy circles that felt more like a caress. He did not give her time to protest, as he challenged lowly, “Didn’t you have a good time today?”
“I had a wonderful time.”
“Didn’t we laugh and talk like two old friends, even break out in song a time or two?”
She smiled dreamily, the wine and the gentle massage making her relaxed and comfortable. Dropping her head to one side, exposing her neck to his trailing lips, she managed a throaty hum of agreement.
“Didn’t you think ‘this man is amazing’?” he continued in his silky voice.
Kenzie actually giggled, a sure sign of having had too much to drink. “As opposed to thinking how modest he was,” she teased.
Craven ignored her comment as he kissed a spot just behind her ear. His breath was warm as he breathed softly into her ear, “And didn’t you think ‘I bet he is one fantastic kisser’?”
“But not as fantastic as Travis.”
When Craven stiffened beside her, even his breath going still, Kenzie realized she had murmured the words aloud. She jerked, trying to pull away so she could turn and apologize, but he held her in place. He did not move away from her, but she could feel the sudden distance between them.
“Oh, Craven, I’m so sorry!” she whispered in horror. “I-I-”
“Shh,” he told her, being more than generous to her tipsy outburst. “Don’t apologize. I knew I had competition coming into the day, I just didn’t realize how stiff the competition really was. You have no reason to apologize.’<
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“Yes, I do,” she said miserably. “I had a wonderful day today. The most fun I’ve had in forever. And I do think you are an amazing man. There is absolutely no excuse for what I said. The words just slipped out, and I’m so sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” he said. He removed his hands from her arms and pulled away. “It’s late and I have an early morning flight. I think it’s time we call it a night.”
“I don’t want to end this perfect day with you being mad at me,” she said, twisting enough to get a glimpse of his face.
“I’m not mad.” To prove it, he gave her a chaste peck on the lips before offering her a smile. “Come on, let’s get you up to your room.”
Kenzie carried the weight of a heavy heart and three and a half glasses of wine as they slowly made their way to the third floor. Her feet were reluctant to reach the end of the hall and the end of her day with Craven. Her heart was reluctant to reach the end of their brief friendship.
“Kenzie,” he said when they reached her room. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. She saw the look of sorrow in his smoky blue eyes and felt a stab of guilt, knowing she had caused it.
“Kenzie, I want you to know how much I have enjoyed these past few days. You are very good at your job and I see a bright future for your career. I have enjoyed watching you work your magic and learning more about the field of photojournalism.” His hands moved to cup her cheeks. “And today… I want you to know how much today has meant to me.” A new light of determination came into his eyes as he informed her, “You haven’t seen the last of me, Kenzie Reese.”
“I hope not,” she whispered, truly meaning it.
When he gathered her close and kissed her, she did her best not to think of Travis. Craven was a talented kisser in his own right. The first kiss was gentle, the second more assertive. Kenzie put extra effort into appreciating and returning his embrace, giving him every opportunity to purge the memory of another man’s lips. The third kiss had a taste of sorrow. The fourth was flavored with goodbye.
“I’ll call you,” he promised, his arms still around her waist.
“You’d better.” She rested her forehead on his shoulder, tears already slipping from her eyes. She wished tonight could end differently. She wished she was free to explore a relationship with this man, but apparently, her heart was otherwise engaged.
He kissed her a final time and set her aside. Kenzie unlocked her hotel door and watched him back his way out of her life. The tears fell harder, but she smiled when she heard his final words. “Just so you know… I am a very competitive man.”
Chapter Seven
The tears fell harder as she stumbled into her empty hotel room.
Travis! She thought angrily. This is all his fault! That man is ruining my love life! First Robert, now Craven. And I really, really like Craven.
Sulking, Kenzie threw her purse onto the bed so hard it ricocheted off the mattress and bounced to the floor, spilling half its contents. Her cell phone skidded under the edge of the bedspread, but not before she saw the blinking light that alerted her to messages.
Knowing it was probably Makenna and that she would be worried, Kenzie swooped down to get the phone, steadying herself with a hand on the bed. She shouldn’t have had that last glass of wine.
Sure enough, there were three missed calls from her sister, one from the magazine, and one from Travis. It was too late to return Kathryn’s call and she was too angry to talk to Travis at the moment, so it was Makenna that she dialed.
“Oh thank goodness!” was her sister’s greeting when the call connected. “Don’t you know how to answer your phone?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I guess it was on mute. Have you been trying to reach me?”
“Of course I’ve been trying to reach you! I haven’t heard from you all day, and I could imagine all sorts of terrible things!”
“I’m fine, Kenna,” Kenzie said shortly, slightly aggravated at her sister’s dramatics.
“Have you forgotten Raymond Foto was murdered in his cell, while under guarded custody?”
Kenzie cringed. The fact was, she had forgotten. She had been caught up in the majesty of the Rocky Mountains and a man she desperately wanted to care about. Craven Shaw was the perfect distraction from the mess her life had become in the past six weeks. Today’s escape from reality was exactly what she needed, but apparently, the break was over. Thoughts of the mafia and her father and Raymond Foto came rushing back, killing what buzz she had left.
“Yes,” she admitted. “For one wonderful day, I did forget. I forgot all about my miserable childhood and my criminal father and the fact that I almost got my best friend and sister kidnapped and most likely killed. I forgot about a mysterious key and I forgot about the mafia and about Raymond Foto and I almost managed to forget about a certain brown eyed man who bled all over our apartment and made me re-paint the dining room wall, even with a broken leg. And you know I hate to paint!” During her tirade, her voice rose with momentum, only to dissolve into the sound of pure misery as she whispered with a sniff, “Kenna, what am I going to do? I’m in love with him.”
“Aw, Kenzie, I didn’t mean to upset you. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“I used to never cry. What is wrong with me?”
“You’ve been through a rough six weeks, honey. We both have. And you’ve fallen in love. Of course you’re going to cry.”
“I don’t want to be in love,” Kenzie pouted miserably. “I want to be my old self again. I want to be able to flirt with other men and enjoy it. I want to be happy, not miserable. And I want to fall in love with Craven, not Travis!”
“That bad, huh?” her sister mused softly.
“Craven is wonderful. He’s handsome and smart and fun to be with. We have a ton of things in common and I can see myself having a future with him. And he’s an excellent kisser.” She added the last almost defiantly, as if she had to defend him.
Makenna summed up the problem with one softly spoken observation. “But he’s not Travis.”
Kenzie shook her head. Makenna could not see the gesture, but she could feel it in her sister’s glum echo. “But he’s not Travis.”
They sat in silence for a long moment while Kenzie came to terms with the reality of being in love with a man she had little in common with. Makenna supported her without having to say a word.
Kenzie finally sighed and changed the topic. “Okay, so you were trying to reach me all afternoon. Any particular reason or just being over-protective?”
“Just being over-protective,” Makenna acknowledged guilelessly.
“Thank you. I’m glad you care.”
“Of course I care. I know there’s probably nothing to worry about, but I can’t help it.”
“So did you find out anything else about the key?”
“Not a thing. But with Foto being murdered, I did tell Hardin about the key. I hope you’re not mad.”
“Of course I’m not. If you’re going to have a life with him, you can’t have secrets. Was he able to shed any light on to what it opens?”
“He agrees that it looks like a safety deposit box. He’s doing a little low-key investigating, running a check on banks that used the Simmons system in the early 90’s. We decided that for now, it was best to keep discovery of the key to ourselves.”
“I agree.” They talked a few minutes longer before saying goodnight.
Tucking her phone into her back pocket, Kenzie rummaged through her suitcase in search of a clean pair of pajama pants. Where had she put them? She uprooted half the contents before spotting a lumpy form beneath the zippered top pouch. Maybe she had stuck them in the pocket for some reason. She shoved her hand inside, groping around for the soft material.
Instead, she felt the crinkle of paper. She pulled on it with a perplexed frown, surprised when the object was larger and bulkier than expected. What on earth did I have in here? She wondered, remembering this was her old suitcase, the one most often used
as storage. She tugged until the large manila envelope was free and fell with a heavy thud onto her clothes.
Kenzie stared down at the wrinkled envelope. She had completely forgotten she had it. It had been stuffed away inside the suitcase for years. Before that, it had been in the bottom of a box. Never had it been opened.
She remembered the day her mother had given it to her. It was the last day she had ever seen either of her parents, the day she left home.
“Where do you think you’re going?” her mother asked tersely. She came into the bedroom and saw the suitcase lying across the bed, already crammed full with clothes.
“I’m not sure,” Kenzie answered. “I just know I’m leaving.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t just walk out the door.”
The girl turned to look at her mother, the woman who, for the past eighteen years, had fed her body but starved her soul. Until now, she hadn’t realized how much her mother had aged, how she looked a decade older than her forty years. Her once lovely face was lined and haggard, her eyes dull and tired. But her body was rigid, like always. Rigid and cold.
Squaring her shoulders, Kenzie lifted her chin and said saucily, “Then maybe you should tell me how it’s done. You have plenty of experience at just picking up and walking away. Tell me, Mom, how does one walk out of one’s old life? What’s the proper way?”
“Don’t get smart with me, young lady. Your father and I have provided for you the best we could.”
There was no sass in the girl’s reply, just sadness. “Your best wasn’t good enough.”
Her mother flinched and took a step backwards, as if the girl had physically hit her, but her shoulders remained square and stiff. “Where will you go?”
“I’ve been accepted to a college in Texas.”
“Texas?” A light flickered in the older woman’s dull eyes.
