by R. S. Kovach
Climbing in beside him, she snuggled into the crook of his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead as she turned onto her side, placing one leg on top of his while draping her arm across his chest. With the monotone play-by-play from the announcers and the sound of Hank’s breathing in the background, Ali closed her eyes against the warm sunlight filtering through the blinds.
She woke to the feeling of drool at the corner of her mouth and the room enveloped in darkness. On the other side of the bed, Hank was still asleep and Ali carefully climbed out from under the covers to avoid disturbing him. Tiptoeing to the bathroom, she shut the door behind her before turning on the light.
A scary mess looked back at her from the large mirror. Her hair was a rat’s nest and dark circles framed her eyes. Wrinkling her nose at the sight, Ali sighed. They had somehow slept through the entire afternoon. After splashing a little water on her face and running a brush through her matted locks, she returned to the bedroom with every intention of waking Hank and asking him to drive her back to the lodge.
“Hey there, beautiful.” He yawned and pushed himself up on one arm, preempting her efforts.
With his hair all tousled and cheeks covered in day-old stubble, he looked irresistible. Going over to the bed, Ali leaned in for a kiss, but Hank pulled her on top of him. “I think I still owe you another round,” he murmured.
A primal urge stirred within her, and she didn’t need any more convincing. Digging her fingers into his hair, she wet her lips before brushing them against his. The act already felt familiar, even though they’d only known each other for two weeks and had dated for one. But there was something special about Hank that she’d never encountered in anyone else. As his strong, warm hands gently swept across her skin—caressing her shoulder, moving down her arm, and finally slipping over her buttocks—Ali knew that it was much more than the physical pleasure he provided. He was certainly clever and brave; his heroic rain-soaked rescue of her and later of the ill man at Garden of the Gods proved that. He was incredibly sexy and funny, too. And though his life appeared straightforward—and goodness knew she could benefit from someone who was firmly grounded—there was also an air of mystery that enveloped him.
Hank’s tongue teased hers, gradually making each kiss deeper and longer until Ali felt like she was going to explode from anticipation. Suspenseful was truly an apt description for their relationship so far—they were slowly exposing more and more of themselves to each other, inciting their mutual curiosity until . . . what? The final reveal at the conclusion of this proverbial honeymoon phase could either lead to the—at least for her—so-far-elusive happily-ever-after or end in a literal blowout of untold secrets and hurtful lies.
For some reason, Ali didn’t feel it could ever be the latter with him.
She could be vulnerable around Hank; hell, he practically expected her to be. But somehow he knew the right things to say or even not to say. It was like he understood what she was going through, like he personally knew what it felt like to have the rug pulled out from under your feet and not know if there was a bottomless abyss waiting below.
Dear god, she was falling for him.
The thought made Ali smile, and the act didn’t escape Hank’s attention. “What is it?” His eyes twinkled mischievously as he waited for an answer.
Still leaning over him, she pushed her hair out of her face. “Nothing. I’m just really happy to be here right now.”
His grin widened. “I am, too.” He reached behind her head and kissed her without reservation. No longer playful, yet thoroughly inviting, the move’s meaning was unmistakable. He wanted her just as badly as she did him.
After hastily slipping off her underwear while he did the same, Ali reached for the pack of condoms that had made it onto Hank’s nightstand and ripped one open. She slid it into place before climbing on top of him, straddling his hips with her knees. Slowly moving her pelvis forward and backward, she teased him until he was gripping the sheet in joyous agony. When he couldn’t bear it any longer, he sat up, flipped her onto her stomach, and took her from behind. She moaned in pleasure, climaxing just moments before Hank was done.
“Are you sure you won’t stay?” He brushed a hair away from her forehead after they’d caught their breath.
She turned and kissed his chest. “It’s the middle of the night and you’re not even working tomorrow morning. If I don’t go now, who knows if I’ll ever leave?” she teased.
After he begrudgingly relented, they got dressed and hopped into the truck. The short drive was uneventful until they reached the turnoff from the main road, where flashing red lights illuminated the darkness. As an ambulance came into view, it turned on its sirens, but Hank had already stopped at the intersection.
“Is there anything else besides Pebble Creek down this road?” Ali wrung her hands, already afraid of the answer.
“No,” Hank replied tersely, waiting for the emergency vehicle to pass before slamming on the accelerator and turning onto the road after it, tires screeching.
He didn’t let up until they entered the circular driveway, but the police car already parked there didn’t ease either of their apprehensions.
“What the hell is going on?” he muttered, stopping the truck and jumping out.
She had no idea, but one thing was clear: their return to Pebble Creek together was no longer going to go unnoticed.
Hank was inside the building first, but Ali wasn’t far behind. Despite the late hour, people were gathered in the lobby, and he had to push his way through to get to his sister. Liz was talking to two women by the reception desk but stopped midconversation when he came into view. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” she scolded while giving him a relieved hug.
He deflected the question with one of his own, just as Ali arrived beside him. “What’s going on?”
“Thank god!” Liz embraced her as well. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Ali frowned. “Didn’t you know I went off-site? I signed out.”
Liz picked up the nearby clipboard. “No, you didn’t.” She scanned the last two pages before handing it over.
“Yes, I did,” she reaffirmed before looking for her name on the top of each sheet, but it was to no avail. Going back one more page, she saw it ended with a time just an hour before she left. “I started a new page. I know I did, but it’s not here.” She continued to flip through the log.
“Are you sure?” Liz gently touched her arm. “Maybe that was another day.”
Ali shook her head. “No. I remember it distinctly because I ran into Sheridan in the hallway . . .” She trailed off before gritting her teeth. Looking around the room, she quickly found the brunette. Standing against a wall, the woman had her arms crossed and mouth twisted into a sly grin.
Son of a bitch.
“Ali?” Liz urged her to continue, but Hank was getting impatient.
Grabbing his sister by the arm, he pulled her away from the strangers and gestured toward a uniformed officer across the room. “Is that why the cop’s here? Because we didn’t answer the phone?”
Liz shook off his hold and sighed. “I wish.” Rubbing her forehead, she addressed Ali. “You and Mrs. Chen—Harriet—were acquainted, right?”
Ali’s stomach formed into a knot, and she nervously tapped her thighs with her fingers. “Yes,” she uttered, remembering the ambulance driving away minutes earlier and dreading the answer to her next question. “Is Harriet all right?”
“She collapsed.” Liz paused, looking first at Ali and then at Hank, letting the words sink in. “We’re not sure how long she was unconscious, but the paramedics were able to stabilize her.”
Ali covered her mouth with her hand and whispered through her fingers, “Oh, no.” She felt herself wobble, but Hank’s hands were on her shoulders, supporting her from behind. She hadn’t even noticed when he steppe
d closer but was now grateful for his proximity. “What hospital is she in? Can we see her?” Ali blurted out the questions as her thoughts cleared from the initial shock.
Liz pulled her lips into a thin line and shook her head. “We called her emergency contact. Her children are on the way. It’ll be up to them who they allow to visit.”
“We’ll figure out a way to see her,” Hank whispered into Ali’s ear, and squeezed her shoulders.
She looked up at him and forced a weak smile. “Thanks.”
“Pete may appreciate a bit of your time,” Liz interrupted. “He found her.”
Ali’s jaw dropped open in surprise. “Oh, the poor thing!”
“Yeah,” the woman agreed. “I think he took her dog for a walk, but she didn’t answer the door when he returned. We had to use a master key to get in her room.”
“Where is he now?” She looked back at the crowd even though she knew he wasn’t there. Pete was conspicuous enough without towering over everyone, and if he’d been there, she would have already seen him.
“I convinced him to stay in the great room until you got back. He’s already had a talk with Dr. Stevens, but I thought it would be better if we kept an eye on him.” Liz sighed. “I think he was probably the closest to Mrs. Chen out of everyone here.”
Ali nodded. “Thanks. I’ll go find him—”
She started to leave, but Liz blocked her way. “There’s actually someone else you need to speak with first.”
Following the woman’s line of sight, Ali turned her head and locked eyes with the policeman already heading their way.
“You just said he wasn’t here because of us,” Hank hissed at his sister, his protective grip tightening on Ali’s shoulder.
“No, I said we didn’t call him because of Ali.” A vein throbbed at Liz’s temple, the only sign that she might be losing her cool. “But you know we have to do a head count any time there’s a reportable incident, and we couldn’t account for her whereabouts. I’m sorry, Ali, but you’ll need to answer a few questions before he can leave.”
She sighed and balled her fists. “It’s fine,” she whispered before Hank and Liz quietly retreated.
“Ms. Barros?” The middle-aged officer with a bushy gray mustache stopped and put one hand on his hip as he read off her name from his notebook.
Ali nodded.
“Excellent,” he replied without a hint of enthusiasm. “Your absence was causing quite a stir.”
She crossed her arms. “So I’ve heard.”
“Right. Now, if you can just tell me where you were for the last ten hours, I can close out my report and we can all get on with our lives.” He placed the tip of his pen on the paper and waited.
“I was perfectly safe, and now I’m back. Isn’t that enough?” she snapped as her heartbeat accelerated.
“I’m afraid not. We law enforcement types like to have facts. We’re funny that way.” His grimace contrasted with his words.
She bit her lip and considered her options. When nothing else came to mind, Ali relented. “I was with him.” She tilted her head to the side, nodding toward Hank, who was standing across the room.
“That’s . . . Henry Mathis?” The policeman looked down at his notes. “Brother of Elizabeth McGhee, Pebble Creek Lodge’s owner?”
She wrinkled her forehead. “Hank Mathis,” she corrected.
“No. I have Henry here.” The officer tapped his notebook.
Ali was about to object again when it occurred to her that Hank was a common nickname for Henry. “Sorry. You’re right,” she sheepishly admitted. After the intimacy of their afternoon together, she should have known—or at least figured out—his full name. “Can I go now?” She flexed her fingers as much as her cast would allow as a dull pain radiated from her wrist. She must have strained it earlier.
“Yes, ma’am.” He smirked. “Have a good night.”
Ali didn’t bother with formalities and headed straight for her room. While she was anxious to see Pete, she needed a moment to herself first. Hank must have tried to follow her, because as she left the lobby, Ali could hear the policeman call him back. He probably wanted to confirm Ali’s story, which was fine by her. She entered her suite and tossed her purse on the bed, then stopped in the bathroom and splashed water on her face. A soft towel wiped away the wetness, but not the weary expression staring back at her.
As she steadied herself against the counter, another jolt of pain ran through her arm, and Ali winced. She’d gone without painkillers for over a week, but this wasn’t the time to play martyr. Rummaging through the drawers, she found the yellow bottle and took two pills before hurrying out again.
When she opened the door to the hallway, she almost ran into Hank, who was waiting on the other side. He had his fist up in the air preparing to knock, but instead raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out.”
Ali frowned, pulling the door closed behind her and forcing him to step aside. “It’s not your fault.” She attempted to walk past him, but Hank held her back.
“Can you just give me five more seconds?” He took her hands and pulled Ali to him before wrapping his arms around her.
She didn’t realize how much she had been craving his closeness until her face was resting against his chest. As Hank’s heart beat under her ear, she embraced his torso, squeezed her eyes shut, and cleared her mind. It was bliss.
He nuzzled her head with his cheek before softly kissing her hair. “There’s an event for my dad on Saturday. He’s retiring and—”
Ali drew away. “Really?” She scowled at him. “Come on, Hank. This isn’t the best time. Can we talk tomorrow?”
He pulled her back again for a quick hug. “Sorry. Of course. Go find Pete,” he whispered before letting go and heading in the opposite direction.
In stark contrast to just five minutes earlier, the lobby was now completely deserted. In the great room, Ali quickly found Pete stretched out on a sofa.
She plopped down in an adjacent armchair and touched his hand. “Hi.”
He pulled a set of red headphones off his ears, resting them around his neck. “Hey. You’re alive.” A furry white head poked out from under the sofa at the interruption, and upon seeing Ali, Marv bolted out from his hiding spot.
“Was there any doubt?” She giggled as the pup jumped into her lap, then turned serious again. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better.” Pete sat up and patted the cushion next to him.
Scooping up the small dog, Ali slid in next to him and put her arm around her friend. “I hope she pulls through.”
“Me too, sweet pea.” Pete sniffled. “Me too.”
As if in solidarity, Marv licked Ali’s face. She sat with the distraught duo while Pete recalled the events of the last few hours. Liz had been right; he was taking Harriet’s ill health hard.
“I’m done, dude,” he said after he was finished, leaning his head back against the couch.
Ali rubbed her face with her hands. “Yeah, it’s been a crazy night.”
“No, I mean I’m done here. I’m going home in a day—two max.”
She cautiously glanced at him. “Is that a good idea?” Pete probably needed the professional support at the lodge now more than ever—but pointing that out would just make him more skittish.
He shook his head. “I need my mama, baby girl.”
The urge to cry welled up inside Ali. She didn’t miss Grace’s presence often, but she knew exactly what Pete meant. “Promise to keep in touch, okay?”
“No doubt. I need to know if you manage to have any luck with Mr. Teflon before you head back home.” He finally cracked a smile.
Ali scrunched her nose mischievously. She had been trying to keep her budding relationship with Hank a secret even from her closest confidantes at Pebble Creek, but there was no use in hi
ding it now. Even if they hadn’t figured it out already, it had been fairly obvious to anyone who’d seen them return together earlier. At least filling Pete in could help take his mind off more serious things. “Um, about that . . .”
He gasped as his mouth dropped open. “You didn’t!”
She nodded and grinned. “Where do you think I was all day?”
“Oh, girl. Tell me everything.” Pete tucked one foot under his leg as he got comfortable again on the other end of the couch.
“There isn’t too much to tell,” she said, trying to play it cool. “We’ve only been out twice, unless you count that first time at the fair with his niece and nephew. Does it count? I don’t know.”
“Who cares? Tell me about today,” he urged, sensing the real meat of the story.
Ali’s face flushed. “You know . . . we just hung out.”
“At his place?” Pete teased, dropping his pitch.
She cleared her throat. “Yes.”
His eyes widened. “And?”
“And we ordered takeout, drank some wine, slept . . .” She rattled off the innocuous activities like she was reading a grocery list.
“What?” He furrowed his brow. “Who slept?”
“Well, first just Hank did.” Ali was enjoying her friend’s increased excitement and continued to tease him with her intentional vagueness. “He had a long night with the storm and all. That’s why we were at his apartment. I drove him home.”
“Uh-huh. Go on.” Pete motioned with his hands for her to speed up the story.
Ali shrugged. “We ate and then both kind of fell asleep again.”
“I think you left something out, pumpkin.” He poked her in the shoulder. “What made y’all tired all of a sudden?”
She smiled, and he grinned back.
“I knew it!” Pete gave her a high five. “Okay, I won’t put you on the spot, just answer one thing.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Totally worth it?” He winked.
