by Cate Beauman
“You tell me I’m wrong, goddamnit.” He cupped the back of her neck, pulling her face closer, until his lips feathered against hers with each word he spoke. “You tell me that what I felt, that what we made each other feel, was just a figment of my imagination and we’ll end this right now.” He ran his hands through her hair as his breath shuddered out, mingling with hers.
She clutched his forearms, fighting her need to close her eyes and give in to what they both wanted—but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do this to Jake. “Ethan—”
He held her face in his hands. “Tell me, Sarah.”
She shook her head as the first tear fell. “Ethan—”
“No. You tell me you didn’t feel anything.”
Another tear followed. “I can’t. You’re right, but it can’t happen again.”
He let her go.
She took his hand, terrified she was losing one of the best people in her life. “Let’s forget this whole thing, Ethan. Let’s go back to the way things were three days ago when you were my best friend.”
He dropped her hand, staring at her. “Do you really think it’s that easy? There’s something here, Sarah. There’s something between us.”
“No.” She needed to deny what she already knew. “We’re just friends, Ethan. That’s all we’ll ever be.”
He held her gaze before he picked up his shirt and duffel bag. “I’ll call Austin to come keep an eye on the house until you’re ready to go get Kylee. I’ll have someone do drive-bys at night until they catch the bastard. If you want an agent to stay with you, tell Austin and he’ll set it up.” He walked to the door, opened it.
Sarah rushed forward. “Ethan, please don’t go like this.”
“I’ve gotta get out of here.” And without a look back, he was gone.
Sarah watched Ethan dig his phone from his bag as he walked to the Rover. Tears poured down her cheeks as her hand tightened on the doorknob. She wanted to go out and make him come back, but she stopped herself. He wouldn’t listen to her right now, and she needed time to think, to try to sort out this mess and fix it—somehow. She clutched her sick stomach, already knowing nothing would ever be the same between them.
Ethan sat in his SUV until a sleek red sports convertible pulled into the drive. The driver rolled down his window. Ethan exchanged words with Austin Casey, one of his best close protection agents, before he drove down the road—and out of her life, she feared.
Austin walked toward the house. Sarah swiped at her wet cheeks, tried for a smile as she opened the door.
His smile faded when his dark green eyes met hers. “Hey, Sarah, you okay?”
She dashed away another tear. “Hi, Austin. Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for coming. Come on in. I’ll get you some coffee.”
“Don’t go to any trouble for me. Would you rather I stay outside? I can keep an eye on things from here. It’s no big deal.”
“No, no, please.” She opened the door wider to accommodate his linebacker size. “Can I make you something to eat? I haven’t had breakfast yet myself.” The thought of eating made her stomach quiver, but it was early and Austin’s sleepy eyes told her Ethan had gotten him out of bed.
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not. What can I get you? I’ve got eggs and turkey bacon.”
He smiled. “Sounds great.”
Relieved to be busy, Sarah dashed around the kitchen, making Austin’s meal. She poured a cup of coffee, set the steaming mug in front of him. His eggs, bacon, and toast followed shortly after.
He sniffed with reverence. “This smells amazing. I haven’t had anything good to eat in a week.”
Wanting to think about anything but Ethan, she sat with a piece of toast and a cup of tea. “Why’s that?”
“I was on duty. Surveillance usually equals fast food and little sleep, but it’s part of the deal.”
“It’s not all glamorous, huh?” She smiled before sipping her tea.
Austin, handsome and sweet, smiled back. “Not even close.”
“Well, I won’t keep you long this morning. I’ll head out to get Kylee in the next hour or so. She’ll be pretty upset I’m so early—so will my mother—but I think a day at the beach should take care of that. My schedule’s clear today so we might as well take advantage of this warm front.”
“It’s no trouble, Sarah. Take your time. I’ll be back at sundown to keep an eye on things.”
“I have to admit it’s a comfort knowing you won’t be far. Having a serial rapist running around the Palisades is scary. Knowing someone was violated five houses down is terrifying. Thank God Hailey wasn’t home.”
“The story’s been all over the news this morning. They’re saying a light blue poker chip was found on the woman’s bedside table. This is the fourth rape with the same M.O. The media’s officially calling the bastard the ‘Blue Chip Rapist’.”
“That’s horrible.”
Disgust hardened Austin’s kind eyes. “Yeah, it is.”
Sarah sat in her beach chair, snapping pictures with her Nikon. Kylee filled colorful buckets with sand while Sarah captured the moment.
In her pink and white striped sun hat, Kylee beamed. “Play with me now, Mama.”
Sarah hit the shutter button before letting the camera hang by its neck strap. “Are you ready to make the castle?”
“Yes.”
“Let me put my camera away.” She put the camera in its bag, moved closer to her daughter. Kylee’s small hands patted the sand down in the buckets as Sarah did. Her daughter’s cheerful chatter soothed her as the sound of waves crashed against the shore. The salty scent of the sea whipped along the breeze, giving her the energy she’d lacked for most of the day.
Her argument with Ethan still weighed heavy on her mind. The hard look he’d seared her with and lack of inflection in his voice as he left troubled her. He’d sounded so final when he’d spoken of security and Austin handling it for her—as if he had no intention of coming back.
Tears threatened again.
“Mama.” Kylee’s soft, sandy hand shook her leg. “Mama!”
Sarah blinked behind her sunglasses, forcing herself back in the moment. “Yes, honey.”
“Look!”
The lopsided pile of sand, perilously close to crumbling, glistened in the sunshine.
Kylee clapped and grinned.
Infected by her daughter’s delight, Sarah grinned back. “What a beautiful castle you’ve made. I need to take a picture of you next to it.” She dashed forward, concerned that Kylee’s creation would fall apart before she captured the moment. “Sit next to it. That’s a girl. Now give me your best smile.”
She snapped the picture, looked down at the screen. “Perfect.”
“Dis castle is our house, Mama. I the princess and you are the tween.”
“That sounds very special.” Sarah smiled as she played with Kylee’s ponytail.
“And Ethan is the ting.”
Sarah’s hand stopped halfway through Kylee’s hair. Her smile vanished.
Kylee frowned. “Dat’s nice too, Mama.”
Sarah forced another smile. “Yes, it is.” She wanted a change of subject. “Let’s get some ice cream from the stand. We can walk by the water while we eat, but then we have to go home.”
Kylee scrambled to her feet. “I want strawbewy.”
Hand in hand, they walked to the stand.
He sat in the car, peering through his binoculars, looking for the next one. Power still surged through his body, even hours after he’d played with his newest conquest. Each time he took what he wanted, he felt stronger, more invincible.
His latest playmate had been strong. She’d given him a hell of a fight, and he’d really, really liked it. A smile spread across his face as he remembered how she’d struggled and screamed. When he’d slapped her—hard—and then again just for the fun of it—she’d finally shut the hell up. He knew he’d won when she lay on her bed, whimpering as he’d used her the way women were meant t
o be used.
He had to do it again, and it had to be tonight. His bitch of the evening would have to be another strong one, someone who thought they were better than Ezekiel M. Denmire—until he was in them, then they always wanted a piece of him. He had to tell them to moan or he’d kill them, but that was beside the point.
Zeke stopped reminiscing and grew hard when the long legged blonde passed his vision. Her sleek body, covered in a black bikini top and jade green sarong, were just what he was looking for. He groaned as her tongue darted out, swiping ice cream from her cone. She smiled down at a little girl in a pink striped hat and knew she was the one. Oh no, not the one for tonight, but the one, the ultimate conquest. The bright blue of her eyes told him so. He’d waited, so patiently, for her to come.
Her face was perfect, the shiny gold of her hair magnificent. He focused on her taut breasts just spilling from her top before his gaze wandered over her toned, narrow torso. Firm thighs peaked through the slit of vivid fabric with every step she took, and he slid his hand over himself, working himself into a frenzy.
He wasn’t ready for her, not yet. He still had plenty of practicing to do. Women who looked like her never noticed men like him. They thought they were perfect and deserved to be punished. Oh, and she would be punished just for being beautiful.
His binoculars stayed pressed to his face until the blonde beauty packed her things up and headed for her car. She and the little brat she tugged along made two trips, but that was fine and dandy; he had more time to watch.
When she put the girl in her seat, then buckled herself in, he started his car and followed behind her dark blue sedan. She pulled into a driveway, and he laughed hysterically, appreciating the awesome irony of her proximity to his last victim. He continued past 555 Seacoast Drive, knowing he would be back very soon—and often—but he had work to do tonight.
CHAPTER 6
SARAH UNLOCKED HER DOOR AND dashed for the ringing phone. “Yes, hello?”
“Sarah, it’s Lisa. I have a last minute request and really need your help.”
“What’s up?”
“Tatiana Livingston had her baby yesterday. She wants you, and only you, to come photograph her. They would be our cover shot for this week’s edition. Tomorrow night’s deadline. I’ll give you more than top dollar.”
Sarah armed her alarm as she listened to the editor and chief of Celebrity Magazine ramble on in her grainy smoker’s voice about America’s favorite movie star.
“Tatiana figures she can head off some of the paparazzi if we get her picture first. She and Kevin are staying in Park City, Utah.”
“Utah? Lisa—”
“I know. It’s short notice, but we want this. For Christ’s sake, this is the biggest thing since man walked on the moon. We’ll have a limo pick you up within the hour. A private jet will be waiting at LAX.”
“What about Kylee?”
“Bring her. Bring an entourage for all I care. Just say you’ll do this.”
“I need to call my neighbor to see if she’s available to come help me.” Thinking of Hailey’s dismal financial state, a shrewd glimmer came to Sarah’s eye. “I think she has plans tonight and tomorrow for that matter, but I’m sure I can convince her to change them if the magazine is willing to pay her for her time as well.” Between what she would give her herself and what Celebrity would fork over to secure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Hailey might be able to get back to school full-time.
“Done. Be ready in an hour, and she can have anything she wants.”
“I’d be happy to help you out, Lisa.” Sarah hung up and turned to Kylee, sitting on the couch, feeding Mr. Ruff with a bottle. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“We’re going on an airplane, and I’m pretty sure I’ve not only paid for your entire college education, but your wedding too with this job.”
“Ooh, a wedding like Unke Hunte. Auntie Morgan is so bootiful.”
“Yes, she is. I need to call Hailey, and we have to pack. Go get Mr. Ruff’s bag ready, okay?”
“O-tay.” Kylee scrambled down from the couch with her stuffed dog in hand.
With a super excited Hailey on her way over and Kylee happily packing most of her toy box into a large pink and purple bag, Sarah hurried about, grabbing her camera equipment. When she was sure she had everything she needed, she hustled down to Kylee’s room to pack a suitcase, then her own.
She brought the heavy bags to the entryway in the living room, stopping cold as she zeroed in on one of the numerous photographs decorating her living room wall. Jake, Hunter, and Ethan stood together with beer bottles in hand, grinning at a backyard BBQ so long ago.
She looked three frames over, stared at her own grinning face nestled against Ethan’s. She held sonogram pictures up for the camera as Ethan stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her enormous belly, pointing at the mound with one hand. They’d sent the picture to Jake, along with pictures of the fetus, when they knew for sure she was carrying a girl.
Ethan had gone with her that day when her mother had called, too ill to make it. He’d held her hand. When the technician told her she was having a girl, he’d grinned and kissed her forehead.
Ethan had been there all along, every step of the way. She thought back to the night she’d waddled out to the couch where Ethan slept during the last month of her pregnancy.
“Ethan, Ethan, wake up. I think my water broke.”
He shot up from the cushions, sleepy eyed. “What?”
“My water broke.” A contraction squeezed her insides in a vise grip, causing her to gasp. “Oh, God, it’s definitely time.”
He stood, wrapped his arms around her as she rested her forehead against his naked shoulder. “It’s okay, Sarah. Slow breaths in and out, just like we practiced in class,” he said as he ran his hands up and down the back of her t-shirt.
She clutched his biceps, fighting to stay calm against the vulnerability such pain brought with it. “We have to call my parents and the hospital. We have to call Jake’s commander so they can get the video cameras ready over there. I don’t want him to miss this.”
“Shh,” he whispered against her ear as he continued to rub her back. “I’m going to take care of everything.”
As the pain ceased, she stood again, sniffling.
He took her chin, stared into her eyes. “I want you to think about taking care of yourself and the baby. I’ll handle the rest. I’ll be here every step of the way, just like I promised you and Jake.”
His confidence reassured her and she smiled. “I know.”
Her smile vanished as the deep ache spread through her womb again, hardening her stomach. “Another one already.”
Ethan checked his watch, pulled Sarah close again. She pressed her head to his warm chest. His heart slammed against his ribs despite his soothing words as they worked through the next contraction.
Kylee dropped her bag at Sarah’s feet with an enormous thud, jarring her from her memories.
“I ready, Mama.”
Sarah struggled to focus on the present. “I see. Where’s Mr. Ruff?”
Kylee covered her mouth as she gasped. “He’s on my bid dirl bed.”
“Go get him. We need to leave.”
Kylee ran down the hall as Sarah glanced at the pictures once more and turned away. She needed to get out of here. For the next forty-eight hours, she would be so busy with her daughter and Hollywood’s Box Office Queen she wouldn’t have time to think of anyone or anything else.
Ten minutes later, the limo driver stowed their bags as Kylee and Hailey climbed in the huge back seat.
Sarah dialed Ethan’s number as she locked her front door. Her heart thundered when it continued to ring. Ethan’s voice told her he’d get back to her. Disappointment warred with relief as she was sent to voicemail.
“Ethan? Um, it’s Sarah. I wanted to let you know that Austin has the next couple of nights off. I’m taking Kylee and Hailey with me to Utah on a last minute photo shoot.
We’ll be back Tuesday night.”
She nibbled her lip, fiddled with the keys in her hands. “I-I want to… I need…” She closed her eyes, frustrated, when she couldn’t find the words that were so important. “I’m so sorry for everything, Ethan. I’ve hurt you, and I’m just so sorry.” She paused, hung up. As she walked to the limo, she took a deep, steadying breath. There was nothing she could do to fix anything now.
Ethan sat behind his desk, staring out at the Los Angeles skyline. His cell began to vibrate among the paperwork scattered on the glossy oak. He picked it up as Sarah’s number appeared on the readout. His thumb hovered over the ‘talk’ button before he set the phone back down. He couldn’t talk to her right now. Hurt and anger had battled for first place throughout the day, leaving him cloaked in misery.
The missed call alert beeped; the message light flashed red. He tried to ignore the incessant blink by shoving the phone in the leather holster on his belt—and succeeded for about thirty seconds. “Well, fuck me,” he said as he yanked his phone back out, knowing he was sunk.
He walked to the massive windows showcasing the lights of the city, watched the sun set. Sarah’s voice filled his ear as he listened to her message, to the pain radiating in each word. Ethan fisted his hand against the glass, resting his forehead upon it, realizing she hurt as much as he did.
Ethan added confusion to his mixed bag of emotions and closed his eyes, remembering the way she tasted when her tongue met his, the way her soft skin felt pressed against him as she moaned and brought her arms around his neck. He’d thought of little else all day.
How could they go back to the way things were after a moment like that? How would they look at each other and pretend it never happened?
Ethan let out a sigh, knowing they couldn’t. So where did that leave them?
Exactly where they were.
Their argument played through his mind and he swore. He’d been caught completely off guard by her reaction after she’d been so responsive the night before. She’d seemed a little shy as she went off to bed, but he hadn’t expected her to be sorry after sharing something that meant so much to him.
