"I wouldn't put it past her. Unless Sara is willing to tell us who made the complaint, I'm not sure we can pin it on Monica though." His voice was quiet, but the strength was what she needed. Matt was thoughtful and compassionate, but didn't fly off the handle. Somehow he was who she needed him to be and it filled her with a sense of rightness. Hope filled her heart. It inflated that piece which she thought was lost for all time.
"I think the complaint was just the last nail in the coffin. The last three months with Harper have been rough and I've been either late or nonexistent. She had every right to let me go. I just don't know what I am going to do now." Andy tried to sit up. Matt shifted to the edge of the couch with her and turned slightly. She wiped her eyes with her palms and took a shaky breath.
"Well we will figure it out. You aren't in this alone anymore, Andy. You could always come live with me." Seeing her about to protest, he hurried on. "Or I could help you for a while. You don't have to run into the next job you find. You could take some time and just focus on Harper." Matt reached out to cup her cheek in his palm. Andy couldn't take her eyes from his.
"I don't think we are ready to move in together. I've only known you for a week and a half." Andy shook her head at herself. How had things moved so quickly? Then again, something about them made her wonder if she was just dragging her feet.
"You can't blame me for trying to keep you close to me. If Monica is behind this, it bothers me that you are here alone with Harper. So until we come up with something better, I will help you around here. Just let me know what you need. Whatever it is, I can do it." His go-get-em attitude brought a smile out from inside her. She wasn't sure how she got so lucky, but for once, it had smiled on her.
"If you are sure. My grandmother left me some money, but it won't last but a couple of months. After the doctor's bills for Harper and myself, there wasn't a whole lot left." Andy got up and walked into the kitchen. She itched for some space if she was going to share more of herself with him. Having him so near at hand made her want to curl up in his arms. It wasn't conducive to her self-reliance.
"She lived here in Rapid City?" Matt's question had her nodding. He hadn't moved. He did turn to watch her, but he didn't get up to follow. Andy picked up a glass and filled it with water. After a drink, she set it on the counter. You can do this. He deserves some of the truth.
"She was my mom's mother. They didn't speak so I didn't know her very well. I reached out to her when my parents wouldn't support the baby and me. She welcomed me with no questions and no ultimatums." Andy blinked back the tears that burned. "Ellen said she couldn't understand my parents' decision to turn me out. I thought at first she took me in to get back at them, but I found out after Ellen died that my mother had asked her to take me in."
Matt stayed where he was, but his eyes never left her. He didn't interrupt. He just listened.
"I couldn't stay in the house, because my uncle was going to sell it. I had no idea what to do. The day after her funeral her lawyer brought the will to the house and explained that Ellen had left me thirty thousand dollars. So I took it and found this apartment. After the doctors' bills, it left us with about ten thousand. I've been using it to supplement my income since the hours were so sporadic." Andy quickly wiped a tear away that had been running down her cheek. Her eyes felt like sand had been poured into them and she blinked rapidly. Her throat was raw and painful. When she wasn't certain what else to share, Andy stayed quiet. Her heart was fluttering like a wild bird in an unfamiliar cage.
Matt got up from the couch and came to her. His face was thoughtful, but not a crease of judgment could be seen. His blue eyes were soft and calming. He slid his hands up her arms and around her shoulders, pulling her into him. How did I get so lucky? How will I ever deserve him? She let out a long sigh and clung to him. He petted her hair. He pressed kisses to her forehead.
"You are not alone in this, Andy. I'm not going anywhere." His voice was warm and welcoming. She wanted to take shelter with him and let him handle the storm. She was so tired of being on her own. He leaned his lips closer to her ear. "Trust me." Ah, yes, that is a tricky one. He took her lips softly with his own and absorbed the thoughts currently fighting for voice. She gave herself up to it. She didn't want to think anymore tonight. She didn't want to hold herself up to the light anymore today. She knew if they stayed together that she would have to share it all and hope Matt didn't wonder why he had ever taken a chance on her. Tonight, though, she just wanted to be with him.
She felt the warmth of his body spread to her own and her shaking lessened. She twined her arms around his neck and leaned her body against his from chest to thigh. A wild flickering of desire leapt to life and send shockwaves through her veins. The vivid memory of their night together sprung to mind and she burned still hotter. Just love me! Her heart cried out even as her body joined the chorus.
Her tongue dueled with his and she sucked gently on it. He growled low in his throat. She surged forward. He wrapped his arms tighter around her body and kissed her more deeply. It was a sensual play of spirits. She wanted something quick with a burst of white hot lust. What she needed was something achingly slow with a brilliant shower of passion and desire. Her heart rate sped up.
"I want you, Andy." His whispered words felt like an earthquake to her system. It did nothing but increase her awareness of him if that were possible. She shivered, but not with cold. There was so much emotion pouring through her that she was unable to be still.
"I want you too. Please love me, Matt."
A flash of something unrecognizable crossed his smoky blue eyes. He paused only a moment before he kissed her again. He plunged them both into a wild frenzy that involved less and less clothes. She pulled and tugged him out of his button up shirt and slacks. She moaned when her fingers touched the hot flesh of his stomach. He inhaled sharply when her fingers delved under the band of his boxers.
"Sweetheart!" The endearment was said on a breath as he nipped at her earlobe and down her neck. He slipped her bra strap off her shoulder and kissed where it had been. They made their way to the couch considering Harper slept in the bedroom. Matt sat down on the couch and guided her to straddle him. The softest part of her met the hardest part of him. It felt so good. She moaned, lifting her chin so that Matt could kiss along her neck. She felt the fire he spread across her body and felt completely out of control while he continued his magic.
She quivered with need; insatiable and demanding! She moved her hips in rhythm hoping he would accede to her wishes. He groaned and smiled against her breasts.
"Matt." His name was a plea in the electric air between them. His eyes smoldered in their desire for her. She prayed he wouldn't keep up this achingly slow process. She needed to feel him hard and deep inside. She couldn't voice the need; wasn't even sure she knew what she needed exactly. All she could be certain was that her fulfillment belonged to him. Her world spun out of control when he thrust himself into the soft, wet heat and hastened them to that glorious peak of release.
Chapter Eleven
He waited as the phone rang on the other end of the line. Matt drummed his pen on the top of his desk, staring into space. He had come to work this morning with a goofy grin on his face and Margaret had called him on it. Unable to say anything that wouldn't give it all away, he said nothing and had barricaded himself in his office to do some last minute work on the golf course proposal. Still his mind wandered back to Andy naked in his arms and her eyes shining with pleasure. Damn it! He groaned. Such day dreams were going to get him into trouble! He could already feel his blood starting to overheat and his Wranglers felt tight.
"Hey, Matt. What's up?" Andy's voice never sounded sexier to his ears. He couldn't stop the grin.
"Hey, what are you doing right now?" I know what I want you to be doing right now. The little voice in his head was getting louder and he rolled his eyes. He felt like a lovesick school boy.
"Well Harper and I are at Black Hills Park having a walk. Why?" He could
hear Harper gurgling in the background and his heart bounced. This little family was amazing and if he played his cards right, they could be his little family. A nay saying voice in the back of his mind warned him about thinking like that. Such thoughts could sabotage the good thing he had going.
"Perfect. I will meet you there in fifteen minutes. I need to get out of this office and I'm tired of working." He stood hastily from his chair, tucked it back under the desk and headed for the door. He hung up as he rounded the corner almost smashing into Margaret on her way back from the printer.
"Now where do you think you are off to, Matt? Garrett will be here in an hour to sign those forms." Margaret's chiding tone made him offer her a sheepish grin. The older woman raised her eyes and let out a long sigh.
"I'm taking the rest of the day off and meeting Andy and Harper at the park. Garrett knows where to sign on the dotted lines and he doesn't need me for that." He lifted his hat off the rack and sat it on his head. Margaret put the papers down on her desk.
"Ok, but if he complains that you aren't here, I'm not covering for you." She tried to look serious, but he could see right through her. He loved the way she mothered them. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She glared at him.
"Thank you, Margaret. I will see you tomorrow." He very nearly skipped from his office out to his truck. His red Chevy had been washed and looked great. He almost missed the white envelope that was under his windshield wiper. Wrinkling his brow, Matt plucked it out from under the rubber wand and tore it open. He instantly felt the rush of anger shoot through his veins.
So you think the police will keep us from getting back together. Too bad, Matt. Oh I did hear that little bitch lost her job yesterday. So sorry to hear that.
It wasn't signed but he knew it was Monica's doing. That feathery scrawl he would know anywhere! He clicked the unlock button and got into his truck. Deciding not to let this ruin the day or add to Andy's worry, he leaned across the seat and opened the glove compartment. Swiftly he shoved the envelope in and slammed it closed. As if that would make the letter disappear! He grimaced at the thought. He slid the key into the ignition and buckled his seatbelt. Matt backed out of the driveway and headed for the Black Hills Park.
Matt came up behind Andy pushing Harper's baby stroller along the cement walk. Her long brown hair had been braided away from her face and she wore figure hugging capris that accentuated her slender legs. He stepped up and let his palms span her waist as he kissed her neck. She gasped and her body tensed up. Whipping her head around, she almost hit him in the nose. Startling her would have been an understatement, if her green eyes and pale face were any judge.
"Shit! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, babe." He felt terrible. Like an idiot he was trying to surprise her and instead he was standing there still waiting for her to take a normal breath.
"It's fine. I'm just a tad jumpy." Andy closed her eyes and he pulled her in for a firm hug. He felt his possessiveness grow for them. He didn't like that Andy was spooked and all that was happening with Monica was only adding to the stress. She didn't deserve it.
"How are my beautiful girls today?" Matt said as he leaned over the baby stroller and kissed Harper on the head. A tiny flailing hand patted his cheek and he grinned.
"She missed you." Andy said as she watched them, a warm smile on her lips.
"Is she the only one who did?" His teasing grin caused Andy to blush. He chuckled as he straightened his tall frame. "Did she sleep all night after I left?" He tucked one thumb into his pocket and watched Andy's blush deepen at the mention of last night.
"Yes, she slept all night, which was great! I don't think I would have woken up to get her if she had." She raised her eyes to him and his grin widened. After their quick, hot coupling on the couch, Matt had wanted to leave her well satisfied. He had made the second time much slower and intense on the living room floor. It had been past midnight before he let himself out of the apartment leaving a beautifully disheveled Andy sleeping on the floor.
"You looked like you could sleep a week when I left. I wasn't sure if you would have liked me staying over." He smiled at her as they began to walk along the flowers bursting with their end of summer beauty. Andy looked thoughtful.
"It's not something we have talked about. Would you want to stay over?" Her voice was tentative. There was an uncertain edge to her question and he thought about it seriously. This was a big step for her and for them. Hell, sex had been a gigantic leap forward, but staying the whole night through would mean a permanence.
"I would like to stay over. I wouldn't mind if you wanted to stay over at my house either. The spare bedroom across from mine would be perfect for Harper." He saw her eyes widen and felt her certainty shift. It was a quick move. She wasn't ready for that yet. "When you are ready of course. No pressure, Andy."
She had to know that he wouldn't push. It would be easy to bound forward a great many spaces if she would let them, but her shaky uncertainty needed addressed first. There was still so much more to know and he had a feeling some of the secrets would be heavy.
They continued along the walk. There were a wide riot of colors scattered along the ground and building into tiers along the borders. A wide expanse of lawn introduced an intricately ornate water fountain that shot into the air. A worked iron gazebo stood in the shade off to the left. It was a breathtakingly lovely spot as the sun shone overhead. Harper gurgled and cooed as they enjoyed the stroll. Andy remained quiet beside him and he knew she was worrying something over. With such a variety of things to choose from, Matt didn't know exactly what it was.
A long cottonwood branch stretched out over a stone seat placed in the center of some magnificent roses in yellow, pink, red, orange, and purple. He guided them to it and turned the stroller that he could see Harper. The infant was just starting to nod off and he tucked her blanket closer to rest her head against.
"Is something bothering you, Andy? You know you can tell me."
She lowered her head as she sat beside him. His arm stretched around to hug her hips to his side. Now that their bodies were touching, he felt he had a better focus on what she needed him to know.
"It's probably nothing. I'm being paranoid and silly." Even as she started the words, Matt felt the hairs on his neck stand up. Instant awareness made him uneasy and his gut said this wasn't going to be good. He pulled her more firmly against him and she only hesitated a moment before leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Even if it is nothing, I would like to know. You aren't alone in any of this anymore." He kept his voice low and even. After the note on his truck, Matt felt his suspicions growing out of control.
"Phone calls. Weird, dead-line phone calls. What's bugging me the most is that only a few people have my cell number. You, Rachel and Sara. No one else." The thin, shrillness of her voice indicated her feelings. She was scared. He wanted to play it off, if only to give her a moment's peace.
"It could just be someone who has the wrong number. It happens. I wouldn't answer it if you don't know who is calling. Let your voicemail pick it up and if it's important, they will leave a message for you to call back." He thought he made a good case. She nodded her head.
Reaching into her pocket, Andy pulled her cell phone out and scrolled through it until she found what she was looking for. She handed it over to him and he took it. What the fuck! A hundred calls in an hour. He looked at the time indicators. Almost every thirty seconds there had been a phone call from a blocked number. His stomach turned. Matt's face hardened with fury as he took in what Andy couldn't say. This was beyond a wrong number call. This was no mistake. He knew it was Monica.
"Don't delete these. I'm going to talk to my lawyer tomorrow and have them pull the phone records. It's too much of a coincidence that it can't be her." Matt growled. He was going to stop this come hell or high water! It was one thing messing with him, but now she was freaking Andy out. He was done playing nice the minute Monica involved Andy. "In fact, I have a better idea. We ar
e going to get a new phone with a new number and I think all of this calls for ice cream." He tried to lift the heaviness of his voice, but it was difficult. Andy's green eyes considered him before she nodded her head.
"Ice cream sounds great." She stood up from the seat and pushed Harper's stroller back onto the walkway. Matt admired her head high, back straight approach to this all. She was so much stronger than she even knew. He took a deep breath and followed behind her, occasionally glancing over his shoulder.
***
The ice cream dripped down the waffle cone and over her fingers. Andy licked at the cold sweetness as she tried to keep the ice cream from melting all over Matt's truck. She had driven her car back to the apartment building and then hopped in with Matt and Harper. From there as he had promised, they went and got a new cell phone with a new number. She wasn't sure it was necessary, but she had seen the anger in Matt's eyes as he saw the ridiculous number of calls. Her anger had worn down and now it sat cautious and watchful.
She would do what it took to protect her daughter and if that meant not seeing Matt for a while or even at all, it was something she would do. Her heart squeezed. It wasn't that she would want to do it, but if it came to that, there was no choice to make. Taking a big bite of the ice cream, Andy tried to freeze out the painful thoughts. Matt was amazing and she knew she would never find another man like him. Her senses warmed as she recalled the three times they had come together. She had tried not to look too closely at last night, but now she could admit that she had hoped he would still be there this morning. Every second she was in his presence she had no doubt that she was special to him. He would text her or call her during the day just to say hi. Her heart was soaring and her mind was giddy! She was crushing on him! Andy couldn't control the grin that broke across her face.
Black Hills Angel (Black Hills Series) Page 10
