All I Need is You

by M. Malone

  “Then where is—”

  Kay squeaked in surprise when Eli walked past, a white towel wrapped around his waist. His skin was still damp, as evidenced by the beads of water clinging to his neck. Without the barrier of clothing, his muscles stood out in stark display. His chest was massive, and then there were the perfectly delineated abdominals. Once her eyes made it past those, they landed on the most interesting muscles on his sides, shaped like a V leading straight down to his—

  At her gasp, he stopped and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Morning. Everything okay?”

  Stunned, it took her several moments to register the question. Then several moments more to realize she was standing in the middle of the kitchen gaping at him. Worse, gaping at the towel around his waist. The incredibly tiny towel.

  “You’re n…naked,” she stammered.

  “I am.” Eli didn’t bother to hide or run for cover. Oh no, the jerk had the nerve to come closer. “That’s generally how I take my showers.”

  “And really…” She tried in vain to get her eyes to land anywhere other than the broad expanse of his chest. “Really, really big.”

  His lips curled up at that statement and Kay immediately realized what she’d just said. “I meant muscular. And really muscular. Is that an eight-pack? I didn’t even know there were that many packs possible…”

  There really ought to be some sort of law about how fine a man was allowed to be. Especially men who were gruff and difficult to understand. It was bad enough that she couldn’t figure out his signals, but now she was supposed to think while confronted by a chest that looked like it had been chiseled out of concrete?

  “Kay?”

  “Hmm,” she breathed.

  He crossed his arms. “I meant to bring my clothes with me in the bathroom but I forgot. So I need to finish getting dressed.”

  “Right. Of course.”

  When she still didn’t move, Eli grabbed the edge of the towel where it was tucked next to his skin. “I generally don’t have an audience for this part, but if you want to stay… “

  Now that got her attention.

  “Oh my God. Omigod.” Kay stammered something that sounded vaguely like an apology and then ran for her room. She closed the door behind her and rested her head against the door.

  Of course Eli was the type to be up at the crack of dawn. As if being built like a linebacker and covered in skin like dark chocolate wasn’t sexy enough, he was an early riser who probably ran three miles every morning just for fun. Was there anything about him that wasn’t completely intimidating?

  Her phone beeped on the nightstand. With a sigh, Kay sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over to read the text message. It was from Ridley.

  Give me a call when you wake up?

  Kay quickly texted her back. A few minutes later, her phone rang.

  “Hey! I didn’t actually think you’d be awake this early. What’s going on over there?”

  “Nothing.” Kay clutched the phone tighter as an image of Eli’s perfect chest flashed through her mind. Suddenly she just had to tell someone. “I just saw Eli naked.”

  “What!” Ridley’s shocked squeak was so loud Kay glanced behind her instinctively to make sure Eli hadn’t somehow heard.

  “It was an accident. Plus, he wasn’t completely naked. Almost naked. He was wearing a towel, but it didn’t cover much.” Kay sagged back against her pillows and let out a long sigh. “I had no idea my towels were so small.”

  Considering that Ridley was married to an Alexander man, she figured her friend would understand exactly why she was so affected.

  “No wonder you sound so winded. Looking at that is enough to make any red-blooded woman lose her breath.”

  “I can’t afford to lose my breath. I’m supposed to be looking forward, remember? Finding Mr. Right?”

  “That’s true. As a matter of fact, that’s why I’m calling. I have some news that might take your mind off things.”

  “I seriously doubt that.” Kay sighed.

  “Mara found the perfect guy for you.”

  Kay cringed. Pretending to let the girls fix her up had been a ridiculous idea even when they were just doing it to make Eli jealous. There was no way she was actually going through with it. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”

  “Why not? Mara knows him from work and she says he’s super smart and a great dancer. He’s going to meet us tomorrow evening to hang out. There won’t be any pressure. Just a chance for you to meet a nice guy.”

  Kay still didn’t like the sound of it but figured it couldn’t do any harm. Especially if they were surrounded by a group of people. If the guy was a weirdo, she wouldn’t be stuck there alone with him. Maybe if she went this time, the girls would be satisfied and lose interest in fixing her up.

  “Okay, I’ll go. Just tell me where and when.”

  Ridley let out a little squeal. “This is going to be so much fun! Just meet us at the Alexanders’ house at seven o’clock. We’re not doing anything fancy, just going to The Rush for burgers. Julia volunteered to watch all the kids, including Hope, so we can all go out together and have a good time.”

  Kay smiled. The Alexanders really were just the nicest people. If she didn’t already find Eli so fascinating, she’d probably like him just for his family.

  “That’s really nice of her.”

  “Raina and I definitely hit the jackpot when it comes to having the best mother-in-law ever. Oh, just one more thing.” Ridley paused and then blurted, “Don’t tell Eli. Okay, see you tomorrow!” There was an audible click as the call disconnected.

  Kay stared at her cell phone in shock before a giggle erupted. She wasn’t sure how Ridley thought she was going to go on a date without Eli noticing. The last time he’d been shadowing her, he’d followed her everywhere, to the point of driving her insane. She’d actually locked herself in the bathroom a few times to get some privacy.

  “Oh Ridley, what have you gotten me into?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  ELI LOOKED OVER at Kay playing with her daughter. After their awkward encounter that morning, they’d come to an unspoken agreement to act as though it had never happened. He’d accompanied her to her job as an administrative assistant to his younger brother, Nick, and then to the studio to record for an hour.

  After that, they’d picked up her daughter from her parents’ house. He’d watched in awe as she’d made dinner, finished some laundry, and entertained the baby all at once. In the time since they’d gotten home, Kay had yet to sit down for even a minute. She lived a quiet life but one that required a lot of stamina.

  He was ashamed to admit that he’d never realized just how much work was involved in caring for a baby.

  When he’d been protecting them last summer, Hope had been so small. She’d been attached to Kay the majority of the time. He wasn’t used to thinking of Hope as a separate entity. Part of him figured that was because he didn’t like to think about where Hope had come from. Thinking about that led him into the uncomfortable mental terrain of thinking about the man who’d hurt Kaylee.

  Somewhere it was much better if he didn’t allow his mind to go.

  But now he was forced to view Hope as her own, well, person. He felt foolish thinking it, but she seemed like a tiny person with her big, knowing eyes and babbled phrases. She’d taken one look at him and broken out into delighted squeals. He hadn’t thought she’d remember him even though they’d spent time together over Christmas, but apparently she did. Her tiny little face had lit up, and she’d started a long, animated conversation with him in what sounded like a mash of English and Klingon. Kay had seemed just as surprised as he had, so he could only assume the reaction wasn’t typical.

  “Eli, do you want something to eat?” Kay stood in the kitchen, a dish towel thrown over one shoulder. The sight sent a sharp stab of longing through him. It had been a long time since anyone other than his mother had been so concerned about his welfare.

  “Sure. Whatever you
have handy is fine. I’m not picky.”

  Kay grinned. “I’ll make you a plate.” She trotted over to where Hope was busy eating cut-up pieces of chicken from her high-chair tray, catching her before she threw a handful of food on the floor. Eli smothered a laugh. He was glad the incident that morning hadn’t made things too awkward. Living in close quarters was bound to introduce strange situations such as accidentally seeing each other half-dressed.

  Not that Eli regretted it, per se. Although he shouldn’t want Kay looking at him like that—it was better for her sake if she didn’t find him attractive—he couldn’t deny enjoying her obvious admiration of his bare chest.

  His phone buzzed in his pocket, so he turned back to the living room. “This is Eli,” he barked without even checking who it was.

  “Elliott. Glad I caught you. I have some information I’d like you to look over.”

  “Agent Harris. It’s been a while.”

  “Things have been quiet. However, the group is recruiting heavily again and we’ve got leads. Word is that Zeus has made an appearance. We really need you on this one.”

  “I’d like to help, but I’m not sure that I can. I’ve told you before that I never met Zeus. I was just a low-level grunt. I did the dirty work, but I wasn’t in the inner circle.”

  “I know, but it’s imperative that you tell us immediately if he attempts to contact you. The agency considers capturing him a top priority. We have reason to believe he’s trying to reassemble the old guard. The group has sustained a lot of losses over the past five years, and he’s probably looking to regroup. Rebuild the ranks.”

  “I understand that and I wish I could help. However, I think you’re wasting your time with me. The Circle always went for young guys. Strong, healthy, young. He’s going to focus on college towns first. If he hasn’t already left the country, that is.”

  Glad he’d stepped away so Kay wouldn’t overhear him, Eli gripped the phone tighter. “Agent Harris, this really isn’t a good time.”

  There was a pause. The other man obviously hadn’t been expecting him to say no. “Mr. Alexander, I don’t think I need to remind you that one of the conditions of your release was full cooperation with the FBI’s investigation.”

  Eli gritted his teeth. “No, you don’t need to remind me. Can the information be sent through e-mail, or do I need to pick it up?”

  “You’ll receive a secure e-mail in the next hour.”

  Eli hung up without bothering to say good-bye. It was his own fault that he was in this situation. The mistakes of his youth were going to haunt him forever it seemed.

  A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Kaylee standing next to him, her eyes narrowed in worry.

  “Eli, are you okay? I called your name over and over and you didn’t hear me.”

  He forced a smile. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted.”

  “Okay, well, your food is ready.” She walked back to the kitchen and Eli had to force his eyes away from the sway of her hips. Even if he hadn’t already known that taking their attraction any further was a bad idea, the call from Agent Harris was a sobering reminder. Until he’d atoned for the mistakes of his past, he was enslaved to the authorities, who held his freedom in their grasp. He had to continue to cooperate with them, and it was always on their timetable, not his. Kay needed someone who could put her first, be there for her whenever she called.

  He wasn’t free to be the man she needed.

  ELI PARKED HIS truck on the side of the road the next afternoon and cut the engine. Kay was at work and he’d left Tank there in his place. She had no idea what he was doing with his afternoon off, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to tell her. Any mention of her stalker was understandably upsetting for her, so he hadn’t told her that Jeremy King had recently been released on parole.

  He couldn’t be the man she needed, but there was one thing he could do for her: help her get her life back to normal. The sooner he figured out who’d sent the figurine, the sooner he could make that happen.

  He looked at the house across the street and two doors down. According to Jeremy King’s parole officer, this was where he’d been living since his release. There was a pretty big chance that this was a waste of his afternoon. Taking the word of a known liar and a recovering drug addict was risky at best and downright stupid at worst. However, a year ago Jeremy King had claimed not to be acting alone. If Eli had taken him seriously then and pressed for more details, there was a chance he could have found the man’s accomplice before now, and Kaylee wouldn’t be in danger again.

  He walked down to the two-story house with the moss-covered siding and knocked. Grass was growing up around the cracked concrete steps, snaking over the edges of the small porch. The wood trim around the door was rotting and the house hadn’t been painted in years. If Jeremy King had been paid to threaten Kay as he’d claimed, he’d clearly not gotten rich from the job.

  “What do you want?” A haggard-looking woman with steel-gray hair glared at him from a crack in the door.

  “I’m looking for Jeremy King. Is he home?”

  “Who wants to know?”

  “Elliott Alexander.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You a cop?”

  “No, ma’am. I just want to ask Jeremy a few questions. If he’s honest with me, I may be able to prove that he wasn’t stalking anyone.”

  She didn’t look convinced, but the door was suddenly pulled all the way open.

  “It’s okay, Ma. Go back inside.” Jeremy King stepped out onto the porch. He’d lost weight in the past year, and his skin was ruddy. His brown hair hung lank and lifeless around his thin face.

  “I won’t take up much of your time,” Elliott promised.

  “Ask whatever you want. I’ve got nothing to lose at this point.” Jeremy leaned against the doorframe. His eyes narrowed on Eli’s face. “I’ve seen you before.”

  “Last year, you said you were paid to send those threatening letters to Kaylee Wilhelm.”

  Jeremy stood up straight. “I was. Five hundred dollars per letter. I’m not proud of it but I needed the money, so I did it. All I had to do was stick them in an envelope and mail them to the address on the note. Once I did, I’d receive another note with money inside.”

  “You never saw the person leaving the money?”

  “Nah. I didn’t want to see him. I was hoping he’d bring me more letters to mail so I could keep getting paid. I made four thousand dollars in less than a month just for dropping a few envelopes in the mail.”

  For the first time, Jeremy’s shoulders sagged. “I wasn’t trying to hurt anybody. Kay was always nice to me in school. She was quiet. You know? Sweet.”

  Eli realized this visit was going to end up a bust. Even if he believed Jeremy’s story—and he wasn’t sure he did—if he hadn’t seen who was leaving the money, this was all moot. He wasn’t here to carry some deadbeat’s apologies back to Kay. Then something Jeremy had said registered.

  “Wait. You only sent five letters to Kaylee. So how could you have earned that much money?”

  “By mailing the other ones,” Jeremy said.

  Eli blinked, sure he must have heard wrong. “Other ones?”

  “Yeah. I told those cops that I was paid to send letters to a couple of people. There was Kay and then two other girls. One was named Tanya Cook and… what was the other one?” Jeremy’s eyes rolled up as he looked to the sky for answers. “Oh yeah, Elise Able. That was the other girl’s name.”

  “Do you know those girls?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “Nah. That’s why I thought it was weird that the police didn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t stalking anybody. I just sent a few letters. Why would I stalk some random chicks I never met?”

  Elliott skipped down the steps, heading for his truck. “Thank you Mr. King for your cooperation.”

  “Hey!” Jeremy yelled after him. “Are you going to tell those cops that I’m innocent?”

  “I’m going to try to c
atch the other guy. If I can catch him, that will only help your case.”

  Elliott jogged back to his truck and pulled out his phone as he swung up into the cab. Tank’s voice mail picked up after four rings.

  “Hey, it’s Eli. I need you to run some names for me. Tanya Cook and Elise Able. Jeremy King claims he was paid to send letters to them, too. I want to find out everything about these girls. Where they live, what they do for a living, what they do for fun. If we can find a connection, maybe we can figure out why this guy focused on the three of them.”

  He hung up and put the truck in gear. Just before he pulled out, there was a flash of movement from his left side. A man, medium height and build, stood watching him from across the street. His oversized hooded jacket obscured his face completely. While he watched, the guy turned and started walking.

  His head was down and he walked at a normal pace, but there was something about him that set Eli’s instincts ringing. So he glanced in his rearview mirror and then pulled out, prepared to follow the guy. When he got a hunch, he always went with it. It had saved him more than once.

  However, when he pulled out into the street, the guy was gone. He sped up and looked down the next street to see if he’d turned the corner.

  Nothing.

  If he told the story to anyone else, they’d likely think he was overreacting. A shadowy figure watching him. One that disappeared before he could get close. It sounded like a thriller novel. But Eli just knew. He’d started something by coming here. What, he didn’t know. But whatever it was, he had to be ready.

  He shook his head and then pulled off, driving a little faster than he would have normally. He suddenly needed to be near Kay, hear her voice and see her smile. He hadn’t come here expecting to believe Jeremy King, but now that he did, it was more obvious than ever that whatever was going on was bigger than he’d imagined.

  A FEW HOURS later, Kay examined her outfit in the mirror one last time. The flowing peasant top she’d settled on was feminine without showing too much cleavage. Something she always had to think about since her “girls” tended to struggle out of most tops. She sighed and tugged at the neckline again. Maybe she should have stuck with the black sweater she’d originally chosen.